December 10, 2025 • 26 mins
Basketball’s pressure cooker is officially on full blast. In this episode of Basketball Home, we zoom into a December that feels a lot more like May, with the inaugural NBA Cup, hyperactive trade chatter, college chaos, and draft buzz all colliding at once. Desperation and asset management are the two forces shaping everything, and we’re here to untangle which teams are building dynasties—and which are gambling away their futures. We open in Milwaukee, where the Giannis Antetokounmpo era is suddenly on shaky ground. The Bucs are stuck in a 10–15 nightmare, Giannis is out with a calf strain, and the front office is paying the price for years of all-in moves. With just one tradable first-round pick left and zero seconds to play with, Milwaukee is boxed in as quiet conversations between Giannis’ camp and the team spark louder league-wide speculation about a potential Knicks move and what happens if this slide doesn’t stop. From there, we head west to Dallas and the Anthony Davis question: trade him or extend him? With a fired GM, a huge contract, and more calf issues on the books, the Mavericks’ uncertainty has opened the door for ambitious Eastern suitors. We break down what AD-to-Detroit might look like for the shock-contender Pistons, why the Hawks could pivot with a Porzingis-centered deal, and how the Raptors might talk themselves into a massive, risky swing that cuts against their slow-build timeline. That leads us into a full postmortem on the modern “all-in” era. We revisit the cautionary tales—2013 Nets, the Paul George mega-deal, the Harden sagas in Brooklyn and Philly, the Suns’ Durant/Beal implosion—and contrast them with the rare successes like the Lakers landing AD in 2019 and the Bucs trading for Jrue Holiday. The pattern is clear: when you already have a stable core, the right final piece can win you a ring. When you don’t, those same bets can burn your franchise to the ground. Meanwhile, the NBA Cup quarterfinals are reshaping how front offices see their own timelines. We break down Desmond Bane’s explosion as Orlando knocks off Miami and what that win says about trusting internal development instead of chasing the next star. We dissect the Knicks’ march to Vegas behind Jalen Brunson, Toronto’s injuries and offensive frustrations, and why Chicago feels stuck in basketball purgatory with no identity and half the roster approaching free agency. Then it’s over to the league’s rising forces. Shai Gilgis-Alexander and the Thunder are flirting with historic win totals while SGA strings together a Wilt-like streak of 20+ point games and joins Kareem, Jordan, and Shaq in the “MVP, title, scoring champ, Finals MVP in one season” club. We spotlight the stunning leap from Portland’s Deni Avdija as he crashes into the All-NBA conversation with elite all-around numbers and relentless rim pressure. College hoops and the 2026 draft get their own deep dive. We look at Michigan’s annihilation of Villanova behind freshman floor general Beliak Cadeau and a suffocating frontcourt, BYU’s record-breaking comeback led by teen phenom A.J. DeBansa, and a wave of shooters and scorers lighting it up across the country. Then we jump into the next wave of NBA talent, from smooth creator Darren Peterson and hyper-athletic forward Wilson to intriguing first-round fits like Darius Hickoff Jr., Chris Cenac Jr., Neal Kleesef-Dollis, and fast-rising wing Keaton Wagler. We close by zooming out to the wider basketball world: Audra Wilson’s historic, Thanos-level season that made her Time’s Athlete of the Year; escalating ownership drama in Phoenix as minority owners challenge Matt Ishbia’s control; serious federal charges swirling around Terry Rozier and an alleged gambling ring; the Warriors’ latest under-the-radar big man bet; and the emergence of Pelicans rookie Derrick Queen as a matchup nightmare and foundational piece amid a rough season. All of it adds up to one big question that hangs over the entire episode: in an era of maximum player movement, exhausted asset chests, and a long list of failed super-team experiments, is a true, sustainable championship culture still possible—or is the NBA now forever locked into short-lived, high-risk, all-in runs that burn bright and disappear just as quickly?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to basketball Home. The entire basketball universe just feels
like it's vibrating right now.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
It really does.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You've got the inaugural NBA Cup drama hitting its peak.
The trade market is I mean, it's hotter than I've
seen it in years.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
And that's before we even get to the college game
where you have these massive upsets and potential draft breakouts happening.
What feels like every single night.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
It feels like more than just a normal December tune
up period.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Oh absolutely, this moment feels critical, and I think it
really comes down to two things, desperation and asset management.
You're seeing teams just pushing every single chip to.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
The middle of the table, and then you have others
showing the patients of a dynasty in the making exactly.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
It's total split.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
And that's our mission for you today. We're going to
cut through all the noise. We are going to isolate
the moments that are truly shaping the season, from.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
The future of some of the league's biggest MVP candidates
to the young players who are literally rewriting history as
we speak.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So let's just jump right in. Let's start with the
seismic situation. Brewing in Milwaukee. I mean, the story that
could honestly reshape the entire.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
League, the future of Giannis and to Kombo.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
The Bucks are in what you can only describe as
a crisis. They're struggling, sitting at a deeply disappointing ten fifteen.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
And in the East. Yeah, for a team with their expectations,
that's that's a disaster.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
And now, to make everything worse, Giannis is sidelined for
several weeks with a calf strain. It's just a toxic
combination of poor play and bad luck.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
It's the moment of maximum anxiety for that fan base.
And look, the record and the injury, those are just
the symptoms. The underlying illness here is this feeling of
organizational instability that's been there since they won the title
back in twenty twenty one. And we're hearing now that
Giannis and his agent Alex Ratsis have already started discussions
with the Bucks about his future. There's a real feeling
(01:52):
around the league that you know, the writing is on
the wall if this slide continues.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
And this is where it gets really interesting for every
other team, because if Jiannis does decide he wants out,
we have a pretty good idea of where he wants
to go.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
We do. There have been these long standing reports that
his preferred spot would be the New York Knicks.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
And we heard about those failed trade talks that went
on for weeks back in August between Milwaukee and New York.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
And that history is so important because it establishes the
Necks as a really motivated, well prepared suitor. But this
is where the Bucks crisis gets even deeper because of
the cost of their past ambition. Explain that Milwaukee has
been in this perpetual all end mode for years now
to try and keep Giannis happy, you know, to satisfy
his desire to compete right now.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
But that meant they had to mortgage their.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Future completely and the cost of that ambition in terms
of what they had to trade right now is just staggering.
It severely limits their options.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
So what can they actually offer, I mean, what does
their asset chess look like?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
It's basically empty due to the Stapien rule and past deals.
The books only have one a single tradable few your
first round pick one, and it's so far out it
has to be in either twenty thirty one or twenty
thirty two. On top of that, they have zero second
round picks available to trade.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
That's that is just stunning. So what does that mean? Practically?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
It means if Giannis demands a trade, they can't easily
build a package of future picks for a star in return.
And on the other hand, if they want to make
a big move now to try and fix the roster,
they are terrified of giving up that one last valuable.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Pick, that one life raft is.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
They're only one. They already spent so much this past
summer trying to keep him happy. You know, they wave
Damian Lillard, they signed Miles Turner to that huge one
hundred and eight million dollar contract, all to put pieces
around Giannis. If that doesn't work, they have no easy
way out.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
It's the ultimate mind. They're just paying the price for
past decisions. And yet, with all this noise, Giannis is
apparently trying to rally the guys.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Yeah, and you have to admire his leadership there. We've
heard he met with his teammates recently to stress the
importance of focusing on basketball and not let all the
distractions get in the way.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
But does that team meeting even matter if the problem
is just fundamental like a lack of depth or the
fact that your star player is hurt.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Well, it matters for morale, for focus, but you're right,
it doesn't solve the structural issue. He's telling them to
control what they can control.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
And the pressure is only going to get worse.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Oh way worse. The trade restrictions on players sign this
summer left on December fifteenth. If the Bucks keep losing,
you can bet the conversations about a Gianna's trade are
going to escalate fast.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
It's a five alarm fire absolutely. Speaking of escalating trade talks,
let's pivot to the West, specifically to Dallas, where the
Anthony Davis market is suddenly heating up after they've fired
their GM Nico Harrison.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yeah, the Mavericks are facing a huge decision with Davis.
He's thirty two, he's on a massive contract, and he's
already missed fifteen games this season with another calf strain.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
So when Harrison got fired, the trade speculation just took
off immediately.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yeah, and his agent, which Paul jumped right in. He
met with the interim GMS Michael Finley and matt Riccardi,
basically demanding clarity.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
He asked the big question, right trade him or extend him?
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Biggest question in sports, and the MAVs front office, which
is kind of in its own state of confusion, just
chose to keep their options open. They're going to wait
and see.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
And Davis playing well since he came back, probably helps him.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
It helps his trade value for sure, it had dipped
earlier in the year.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
So given the mess in Dallas, which teams are lining
up to make a play for him, I'm hearing its
three teams in the East.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
The East is wide open, which makes a guy like
ad so valuable. First up, you have the surprise of
the year, the Detroit Pistons.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
First place in the East at nineteen to five. Nobody
saw that coming.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Nobody, and they see Davis as the guy who could
push them from a fun story into a real legitimate
title threat.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
So what would a Piston's package even look like? How
do they do it without gutting that young core they've built.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
That's the beauty of their position. They could get him
without giving up a Caid Cunningham or a Jalen Duran. Yeah,
a package around Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser plus
a protected first that gets it done financially and on
the court. It's a great fit. Davis wouldn't have to
play center with Duraan there, and Kaid would just open
(06:17):
up everything for him.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
But the risk is huge, isn't it. He's thirty two,
injury prone. You're tying your franchise to an aging star.
It just flies in the face of everything Detroit has
been building.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
That is the exact tension. It's that classic battle, instant
gratification versus long term sustainable building.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Okay, who's next? The Atlanta Hawks the Hawks.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
At fourteen eleven. If they get involved, the trade most
likely involves Kristaps porzing Is going back to Dallas. That
makes sense, especially with how well Onyeka o Congo was playing.
They just don't need Porzingis in that front court anymore.
It's a much cleaner star for STARSWAP.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
And the third team, the Toronto Raptors.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
The Raptors are another surprise, setting fifteen ten, fourth in
the East. They have some of those inflated contracts that
could use to match salary. A deal would probably start
with Quickly or Barrett plus jacopoultal on draft picks, but that.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Feels really risky for a team that wasn't even supposed
to be here yet.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
It's incredibly risky. You're buying into what might be fool's
gold success and taking a massive swing on a star
with a lot of red.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Flags, and that whole scenario sacrificing your future for right now.
It's like the ultimate lesson in modern NBA history. It
really makes you stop and think about the dangers of
going all in.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
This is the central tragedy of the league. Really, gms
and owners, they love that phrase all in. It sounds decisive,
it sells tickets, but history just screams caution. We are
seeing a pattern of just catastrophic failures.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
So let's run through them. Let's start with the classic
cautionary tale, the twenty thirteen Brooklyn Nets.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
The asset failure there was monumental, but the process failure
was even worse. They traded for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett,
these aging superstars.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Seen as this ambitious move at the time, and they
won one single playoff series before both guys were gone
and the picks they sent to Boston they turned into
Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
The team that gave up the stars got a championship
Corps in return.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
It's the gold standard for mismanagement, and yet nobody seemed
to learn. Look at the Clippers in twenty nineteen, paying
that historic price for Paul George.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
They had to get him to convince Kabita Leonard to sign,
so they gave up three of their own firsts, two
more from Miami, two pickswaps, and a budding superstar named
Shi Gilgess Alexander Sga. And that whole era was just
marred by injuries and drama. And where's Sga Now? He's
an MVP who led OKC to a title. The Clippers
paid the price for the exact opposite.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Result, and then the Nuts did it again in twenty
twenty one with James Harden.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I mean, that was just asset suicide for their own
first for swaps, young players, all for that ill fated
Big Three.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
They got to Game seven of the Semis and that
was it.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
That was it. And then Harden forced his way out,
and then Philly traded for him. He gave up two
firsts and Ben Simmons, only for Harden to force his
way out of there too. He shows that trading for
a quick fix often brings more chaos than it solves.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
And maybe the most spectacular recent failure is the Phoenix
Suns oh.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Man in twenty twenty three. They trade four firsts swaps
two starters for Kevin Durant. Then a few months later
they doubled down spend the rest of their draft capital
on Bradley Beal.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
That Big Three experiment.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
It lasted sixteen months, one playoff series win before they
just admitted defeat, traded Durant and waved Beal. It's the
definition of a high risk, low reward gamble fueled by
pure impatience.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
But there have been successes. There have been two clear
all in moments that worked, and that's what keeps owners
chasing this.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
You have to mention them because they're the fuel for
the fire. The Lakers twenty nineteen deal for Anthony Davis,
it was historically steep, but it got them a championship
in twenty twenty and.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
They had Lebron which helps a lot.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
And the other clear win was the Bucks twenty twenty
deal for jew Holiday paid off immediately, got Janis to
sign his extension, and delivered the twenty twenty one title.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
So the lesson seems to be that those moves only
work when you already have a stable foundation and you
just need that one final piece exactly.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
But desperation and arrogance they often trump logic, especially now
when draft picks are more valuable than ever and.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Teams are trying to gauge their own ambition by watching
how these NBA Cup quarterfinals played out. Do these results
make teams more or less likely to go all in?
Speaker 2 (10:23):
That's the key question, right.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Let's shift our focus there, starting with the Orlando Magics
huge win over the Miami Heat. Magic win one seventeen,
one oh eight. They're heading to the semifinals in Vegas,
and the.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Star of that show was Desmond Bane. He was absolutely incredible,
just validating the Magic's decision to trust their own guys.
He had thirty seven points, six rebounds, five.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Assists, and this wasn't a fluke, not at all.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
It was his third thirty seven point game in his
last six. It just proves what his teammate Palo Banchero said,
He's more than just a shooter. He's a real scorer
who can create his own shot.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
And the Magic did this without Franz Wagner, who's out
for a while with that high ankle sprain. Wendell Carter
Junior really stepped up.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
He did fourteen and ten. Their resilience is a huge sign.
If you're Orlando's front office, a win like that tells
you that you don't need to chase Anthony Davis. You
need to keep developing what you have.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
On the other side, the Heat slump gets worse. That's
four straight losses. Now, what's the problem there.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
It's tactical. The Heat are the fastest team in the
league and opponents have figured it out. They're intentionally slowing
the game down, playing zone and just clogging.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
The paint and it's completely killing their offense totally.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It forces them to rely on outside shooting and they
just can't hit anything. They shot eight of thirty three
from three in that game, only two makes after halftime.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
That is a major red flag for the playoff. They're
being tactically exposed.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Absolutely. If a team can dictate the pace against you
like that, you're looking at an early exit.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Meanwhile, the Knicks also punched their ticket to Vegas, beating
the Toronto Raptors one seventeen one oh one.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
So now the Knicks will face the Magic in the
Semis and Jalen Brunson just dominated thirty five points, led
five nick starters and double figures. Even with Karl Anthony
Town's questionable they just look solid.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
For the Raptors, it's a frustrating end. They were banged
up with r J. Barrett and Emmanuel quickly both.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Out Yeah, and their struggles really put a spotlight on
Jacob Polt and his lack of offensive rhythm.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
And coach Darkar Rajakovic had some interesting things to say
about that.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
He did, and it was fascinating. He basically said, it's
not a question of touching the ball more. He said
pol needs get his rhythm back by doing the fundamental stuff,
rebounding better, cutting down on turnovers.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
So he's not just saying get me more shots, No,
he's saying, you earn more touches by being more efficient
with the ones you already get.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
And for a team like Toronto that needs an easy
scoring option, they need his interior presence.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
And then there's the team that's just perpetually stuck, the
Chicago Bulls. It really does feel like basketball groundhog Day
with them.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
That's the perfect way to put it. They continue to
start so slowly, burying themselves in the first quarter. Every
single game.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
We just saw it again against the Warriors, and that
was without Steph and Draymond.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
They give up thirty eight points in the first out,
rebounded at eleven to six. Let the Warriors shoot eight
for thirteen from three. They were just lost from the
opening tip.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So what is their identity or do they even have one.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
They don't have an offensive identity. It's just hero ball.
And the deeper problem is structural. They have eight players
who could be free agents at the end of the year.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Copy White said, the team needs to stick together, but
how can they when the front office has given them
no reason to believe this group will be together past February.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
You hit the nail on the head. It's tough to
preach that when everyone's playing for their next contract. It's
just a state of purgatory.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Moving west, now, let's talk about a team that has
a very clear identity and maybe the most dominant player
in the league right now.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Shaq Gelgis Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. They are
on an absolutely historic pace.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
They're challenging the Warriors all time win record. That's incredible
for such a young team.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
It is projections have their best case scenario at seventy
seven wins and there are odds listed that they'll even
get to seventy.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
And the engine for all of it is SGA's insane consistency.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
His streak of twenty plus point games is now at
ninety five, ninety five consecutive games.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
That's I mean, that's Wilt Chamberlain territory.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
It is Will territory. He's only trailing Wilt's record of
one hundred and twenty six from the early sixties. He
has basically eliminated the idea.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Of an off night and the individual awards just keep calming.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
He was just named Canadian Athlete of the Year for
the second time. This is after a season where he
was League MVP and Finals MVP. And get this, He's
only the fourth player in NBA history, with Kareem, Michael
Jordan and Shactus to win the scoring title, MVP, A
Championship and Finals MVP own the same season.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
When you put his name next to those three, that's
the level of dominance we're talking about. He's a generational talent.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
He is. And speaking of players making a leap, we
have to talk about Denny of d in Portland. His
breakout season is one of the biggest surprises in the league.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
In his sixth year, he's just exploded, averaging career highs
what twenty five point eight points and six point three assists.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Yeah, and he's on track for career bests and three
point and free throw percentage too. But it's the company
he's keeping statistically that's really jaw dropping.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Go on.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
He is one of only four players in the entire
NBA averaging over twenty five points, seven rebounds and six assists.
The other three Luka Dancic, Tikola Jokic, and Giannis Antitukempo.
That's the statistical company of primary playmakers. And he's getting
to the line too. He's fourth in the league in
free throw attempts per game. It shows his game is
all about aggressive, physical drives.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Now, so what's behind this? Is it just that he's
getting more chances on a bad team.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
It's more than just usage. It's refinement. He's relentless, but
he's also unselfish. The most fascinating thing is that his
scoring is actually serving his playmaking. He's not getting tunnel vision,
he's forcing defenses to react to him, and then he's
finding the open man.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Stick with the West, let's talk about that. Rich Paul
Media Blitz he had some pretty shocking things to say
about the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yeah, Rich Paul made his podcast debut and he did
not hold back. He confirmed Lebron as finishing the season
with the Lakers, so no trade, But then he followed
that up with a really critical analysis of their roster.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
And his take was brutal. He basically questioned their entire
ceiling as a team.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
He said he personally does not believe the Lakers are
good enough to be contenders right now. He doesn't think
they can make the Western Conference finals.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
And what was his reasoning.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
He thinks their slow style of play is just going
to be easily defended in the playoffs. He believes they
don't have enough shooting or secondary creation and that they'll
just stall out against the league defenses.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
For an agent of Lebron's stature to say that publicly
about his client's team, that is stunning.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
It speaks to a deep frustration. And on a separate note,
we have to acknowledge the end of Lebron's historic streak
two and ninety seven consecutive games with ten or more points.
That streak ended this month just an incredible testament to
his consistency.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
On the injury front. Some good news for them, Marcus
Smart was cleared to practice.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Yeah, he's hoping to play in the upcoming Cup game.
A healthy Smart would be a huge defensive moves for them.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
And finally, in the West, this bizarre situation with Chris
Paul and the Clippers.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
A stunning removal is what it was called. After a
three hour late night conversation with an executive, he was
off the roster. Reports are that his demanding leadership style
was clashing with coach tylu.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
And Paul says he's at peace with everything.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
That's what he's saying. But the interesting part is the
Knick's reaction. They've been a target for him for years,
but they seem to be resisting the urge to trade
for him.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Which is a surprisingly patient move for them.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
It is. The word is they like their current up
tempo style and Paul's deliberate pace might disrupt that. Yeah,
the smart play here is to wait, don't trade anything
of value, just see if he clears.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Waivers calculated move. They're avoiding that all in trap we
were just talking about. Yeah, and that brings us perfectly
to the college game, where we're shifting from the veterans
to the future stars who were just taking over. Let's
start with that juggernaut number two, Michigan.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Michigan is an unstoppable train right now. They're nine to
zero after just overwhelming Villanova eighty nine to sixty one.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
They didn't just win, they suffocated them, snapped Villanova's seven
game win streak.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
It was a total defensive masterclass. They held Villanova to
season lows and points in shooting percentage, and the key
was that front court duo of Ademara and Moriz Johnson
Junior just protecting the paint.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
And they had that one stretch where Villanova just couldn't score.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
For the final six minutes and thirty two seconds of
the first half, Villanova was held scoreless. Michigan went into
the half up fifty three to twenty three. That kind
of defensive pressure just breaks at team's.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Will, and the offense was all started by the freshman
point guard Belliott could do.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Cadeaux was sensational eighteen points, four assists. He just controlled
the pace from the very beginning. He was responsible for
seventeen of Michigan's first twenty four points. He sets the
tone for that entire team now Let's.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Switch to another incredible performance, the record breaking comeback by
number ten BYU, led by the eighteen year old phenom Ajdbansa.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
This was his statement game BYU was down twenty two
points to Clemson in the second half. That's a guaranteed loss.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Usually, but he powered them to a sixty seven to
sixty four win at the Buzzer, the biggest second half
comeback in their history.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
He completely put the team on his back. He scored
twenty two of his twenty eight points in that second half.
He was either scoring or assisting on thirty four BYU's
final forty five points. He's just decided they weren't going
to lose.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
And there was that crucial sequence at the end that
really showed his leadership.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Oh yeah, four possessions left, they're down three. That bands
just took over a drive and dish for a dunk,
a pick and roll for a lob, then another drive
that led to the game winning three pointer for Robert Wright. Third.
It showed his scoring creates his playmaking. It's why his
coach trusts him so much in the clutch.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
So with all this hype, you have to ask, what
are the question marks for NBA scouts. You have to
balance the excitement, of course, and.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
He does have some. He can be a little too
reliant on one on one play. He struggled a bit
on catch and shoot jumpers, which is a concern for
playing off the ball.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
In the NBA, and his defensive numbers are surprisingly low.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
They are.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
He's averaging less than one stock that steals and blocks
per game against good competition for a guy with his
size and athleticism. Scouts want to see him be more
disruptive on that end of the floor. It's just not
generating enough plays with his physical tools.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Okay, let's run through some other big results from the
college world.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
In the Big Ten, Illinois beat Ohio State eighty eight
eighty and Keaton Waggler for Illinois had twenty three points.
That performance has suddenly put him firmly in the NBA
draft conversation. We'll get to him in a second.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
And we saw some huge offensive explosions.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
De Paul beat Morgan State ninety two to forty nine,
forcing twenty turnovers. Kentucky routed NC Central, but the real
story was the three point shooting right. Chattanooga hit twenty
one threes in a win. Lamar Wilkerson hit an Indiana
record ten three pointers in a rout of Penn State.
Just unbelievable shooting displays.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
So let's look even further into the future. Let's talk
twenty twenty six NBA draft prospects. Who are the top
guys scouts are watching well.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Darren Peterson, a top guard, just came back from an injury.
The key with him is effortless creation. He just glides
to his spots. His shot making is so fluid, and
he's comfortable playing off the ball, which is huge.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
And what about the forward Wilson? I hear he's rising fast.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
He is. He's separating himself because of his insane motor
and bounce. He leads the country with twenty eight dunks
in six games. But beyond the dunks, he's showing flashes
of high IQ passing and an expanded shooting range. His
offense is catching up to his already elite defense.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Let's talk first round intrigue. Any guys projected to fall
to contenders like the Bucks.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Dary Scuff Junior is projected to Milwaukee. The pro comp
for him is Stefan Marbury Okay, a creative shot making
guard who is physical at the rim. The early concerns
about his size or faith because he just keeps shooting
with confidence and making plays.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
And there's a big men prospect, Chrisina Junior.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Yeah, projected to the Hornets. He's six foot eleven athletics,
so you see an easy fit. The concern is he
settles for perimeter shots too often, then needs to be
more of a defensive playmaker.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
And what about the international guys.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Neil Klesef Dallas, a six foot nine zound Ohs forward
projected to OKC. The comp is Hato Tokoglou because of
his scoring and playmaking. The question is whether his one
on one game can translate against NBA athleticism.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
And you mentioned Keaton Wegler earlier. A fast riser.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Wegler is suddenly in the one and done conversation. He
was totally off scouts radar. He's got great size for
his position, a smooth stroke, tight handle. The only real
question is his lack of explosion, but he's so shifty
he gets to his spots anyway.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Let's wrap things up with some big stories from around
the basketball world, starting with a true icon.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Ado Wilson being named Times Athlete of the Year. It's
a massive achievement that just cements her status as one
of the best in all of sports. She said she
feels like Thanos after winning so much, which is a
perfect way to put it.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
And the history she made in twenty twenty five is
just it's unparalleled.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
She's the first player in WNBA or NBA history to
win a Championship, Finals, MVP, League MVP, and Defensive Player
of the Year all in the same season. On top
of that her cultural impact with her book and her
new Nike sneaker line, She's changing.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
The game, switching to a very different kind of story.
The ownership drama with the Phoenix Suns is getting ugly.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
It's a complex legal battle. Minority owners are suing the
majority owner, Matt Ishbia, accusing him of financial misconduct, basically
using the team as his personal piggybank.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
And now they're making a legal move that could actually
dilute his majority stake exactly.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
It's complicated, but they claim Ishbia failed to fund his
part of a two hundred and fifty million dollars capital call,
and under the team's agreement, they believe that failure allows
them to buy his shares at the price he set.
So what would that mean it could drop his eighty
three point two percent steak all the way down to
thirty two point seven percent. If a judge rules in
(24:01):
their favor, they could potentially seize majority control of the franchise.
It's a huge power play.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Moving to another serious legal issue, Miami's Terry Ruzier pleaded
not guilty to federal charges.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Yeah, he pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit wire
fraud and money laundering. These charges are tied to an
alleged illegal mafia linked gambling ring.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
And the specific allegation related to basketball is really serious.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
It is prosecutors alleged he provided non public injury information,
specifically that he told a co conspirator he would fake
an injury during a twenty twenty three Hornets Pelicans game,
and he did leave that game early with foot discomfort.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
And what's his status with the NBA now?
Speaker 2 (24:39):
He was released on a three million dollar bond and
the NBA has him on indefinite leave without pay.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Okay, let's talk a couple of interesting roster moves. First,
the Warriors and their new Dutch connection.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Yeah, they waived Alex Toohey to sign Malivi Leons to
a two way deal and they're hoping lightning strikes twice.
They had huge success with another Dutch player, Quentin poe Most,
who was an older, unheralded prospect who became their starting center.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
So what makes Leon so intriguing.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
He's six foot nine with a seven foot wingspan, was
a two time defensive player of the Year in college,
and he shot the ball really well in the G League.
For a team like Golden State that always needs size
and defense, he's an exciting project.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
And finally, let's end with a small silver lining for
the struggling New Orleans Pelicans.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Yeah, three twenty three, they need one, and it's the
emergence of their rookie Derek Queen. He was a controversial pick,
but he's showing why they invested in him. He just
had his first triple double thirty three points, ten rebounds,
ten assists.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
What makes his game so unusual.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
He has this unorthodox skill set. Coaches trust him to
handle the ball and run the offense even as a
big man. His teammate Jose Alvarado called him a matchup
nightmare because he can beat you from the perimeter or
bully you in the post. He's a foundational piece for
them even if the team is struggling.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
We have covered a massive amount of ground today, from
those franchise altering tras talks around Giannis and ad to
break out stars like Desmond Baine and deniov Dija, to
the future we're seeing in guys like Dabansa and Cadou.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
And what stands out to me, especially when you look
at the historical failure rate of those all in trades,
is how stability and sustainability are the first things that
get sacrificed for a quick win. We heard Rich Paul
question the very foundation of the Lakers even with Lebron.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Which raises a really crucial question for the league right now.
It does in this era of maximum player movement and
asset depletion, and with all this evidence that most of
these all in gambles just fail, can any NBA franchise
truly build a lasting, sustainable championship culture anymore? Or are
we just destined for a league of high risk, fleeting
super teams that flame out after a season or two.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Is long term thinking just extinct? Something for you to
think about is that trade deadline gets closer and closer.
We'll catch you next time.
Welcome to basketball Home. The entire basketball universe just feels
like it's vibrating right now.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
It really does.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You've got the inaugural NBA Cup drama hitting its peak.
The trade market is I mean, it's hotter than I've
seen it in years.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
And that's before we even get to the college game
where you have these massive upsets and potential draft breakouts happening.
What feels like every single night.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
It feels like more than just a normal December tune
up period.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Oh absolutely, this moment feels critical, and I think it
really comes down to two things, desperation and asset management.
You're seeing teams just pushing every single chip to.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
The middle of the table, and then you have others
showing the patients of a dynasty in the making exactly.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
It's total split.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
And that's our mission for you today. We're going to
cut through all the noise. We are going to isolate
the moments that are truly shaping the season, from.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
The future of some of the league's biggest MVP candidates
to the young players who are literally rewriting history as
we speak.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So let's just jump right in. Let's start with the
seismic situation. Brewing in Milwaukee. I mean, the story that
could honestly reshape the entire.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
League, the future of Giannis and to Kombo.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
The Bucks are in what you can only describe as
a crisis. They're struggling, sitting at a deeply disappointing ten fifteen.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
And in the East. Yeah, for a team with their expectations,
that's that's a disaster.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
And now, to make everything worse, Giannis is sidelined for
several weeks with a calf strain. It's just a toxic
combination of poor play and bad luck.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
It's the moment of maximum anxiety for that fan base.
And look, the record and the injury, those are just
the symptoms. The underlying illness here is this feeling of
organizational instability that's been there since they won the title
back in twenty twenty one. And we're hearing now that
Giannis and his agent Alex Ratsis have already started discussions
with the Bucks about his future. There's a real feeling
(01:52):
around the league that you know, the writing is on
the wall if this slide continues.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
And this is where it gets really interesting for every
other team, because if Jiannis does decide he wants out,
we have a pretty good idea of where he wants
to go.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
We do. There have been these long standing reports that
his preferred spot would be the New York Knicks.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
And we heard about those failed trade talks that went
on for weeks back in August between Milwaukee and New York.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
And that history is so important because it establishes the
Necks as a really motivated, well prepared suitor. But this
is where the Bucks crisis gets even deeper because of
the cost of their past ambition. Explain that Milwaukee has
been in this perpetual all end mode for years now
to try and keep Giannis happy, you know, to satisfy
his desire to compete right now.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
But that meant they had to mortgage their.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Future completely and the cost of that ambition in terms
of what they had to trade right now is just staggering.
It severely limits their options.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
So what can they actually offer, I mean, what does
their asset chess look like?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
It's basically empty due to the Stapien rule and past deals.
The books only have one a single tradable few your
first round pick one, and it's so far out it
has to be in either twenty thirty one or twenty
thirty two. On top of that, they have zero second
round picks available to trade.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
That's that is just stunning. So what does that mean? Practically?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
It means if Giannis demands a trade, they can't easily
build a package of future picks for a star in return.
And on the other hand, if they want to make
a big move now to try and fix the roster,
they are terrified of giving up that one last valuable.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Pick, that one life raft is.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
They're only one. They already spent so much this past
summer trying to keep him happy. You know, they wave
Damian Lillard, they signed Miles Turner to that huge one
hundred and eight million dollar contract, all to put pieces
around Giannis. If that doesn't work, they have no easy
way out.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
It's the ultimate mind. They're just paying the price for
past decisions. And yet, with all this noise, Giannis is
apparently trying to rally the guys.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Yeah, and you have to admire his leadership there. We've
heard he met with his teammates recently to stress the
importance of focusing on basketball and not let all the
distractions get in the way.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
But does that team meeting even matter if the problem
is just fundamental like a lack of depth or the
fact that your star player is hurt.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Well, it matters for morale, for focus, but you're right,
it doesn't solve the structural issue. He's telling them to
control what they can control.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
And the pressure is only going to get worse.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Oh way worse. The trade restrictions on players sign this
summer left on December fifteenth. If the Bucks keep losing,
you can bet the conversations about a Gianna's trade are
going to escalate fast.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
It's a five alarm fire absolutely. Speaking of escalating trade talks,
let's pivot to the West, specifically to Dallas, where the
Anthony Davis market is suddenly heating up after they've fired
their GM Nico Harrison.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yeah, the Mavericks are facing a huge decision with Davis.
He's thirty two, he's on a massive contract, and he's
already missed fifteen games this season with another calf strain.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
So when Harrison got fired, the trade speculation just took
off immediately.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yeah, and his agent, which Paul jumped right in. He
met with the interim GMS Michael Finley and matt Riccardi,
basically demanding clarity.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
He asked the big question, right trade him or extend him?
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Biggest question in sports, and the MAVs front office, which
is kind of in its own state of confusion, just
chose to keep their options open. They're going to wait
and see.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
And Davis playing well since he came back, probably helps him.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
It helps his trade value for sure, it had dipped
earlier in the year.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
So given the mess in Dallas, which teams are lining
up to make a play for him, I'm hearing its
three teams in the East.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
The East is wide open, which makes a guy like
ad so valuable. First up, you have the surprise of
the year, the Detroit Pistons.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
First place in the East at nineteen to five. Nobody
saw that coming.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Nobody, and they see Davis as the guy who could
push them from a fun story into a real legitimate
title threat.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
So what would a Piston's package even look like? How
do they do it without gutting that young core they've built.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
That's the beauty of their position. They could get him
without giving up a Caid Cunningham or a Jalen Duran. Yeah,
a package around Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser plus
a protected first that gets it done financially and on
the court. It's a great fit. Davis wouldn't have to
play center with Duraan there, and Kaid would just open
(06:17):
up everything for him.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
But the risk is huge, isn't it. He's thirty two,
injury prone. You're tying your franchise to an aging star.
It just flies in the face of everything Detroit has
been building.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
That is the exact tension. It's that classic battle, instant
gratification versus long term sustainable building.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Okay, who's next? The Atlanta Hawks the Hawks.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
At fourteen eleven. If they get involved, the trade most
likely involves Kristaps porzing Is going back to Dallas. That
makes sense, especially with how well Onyeka o Congo was playing.
They just don't need Porzingis in that front court anymore.
It's a much cleaner star for STARSWAP.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
And the third team, the Toronto Raptors.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
The Raptors are another surprise, setting fifteen ten, fourth in
the East. They have some of those inflated contracts that
could use to match salary. A deal would probably start
with Quickly or Barrett plus jacopoultal on draft picks, but that.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Feels really risky for a team that wasn't even supposed
to be here yet.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
It's incredibly risky. You're buying into what might be fool's
gold success and taking a massive swing on a star
with a lot of red.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Flags, and that whole scenario sacrificing your future for right now.
It's like the ultimate lesson in modern NBA history. It
really makes you stop and think about the dangers of
going all in.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
This is the central tragedy of the league. Really, gms
and owners, they love that phrase all in. It sounds decisive,
it sells tickets, but history just screams caution. We are
seeing a pattern of just catastrophic failures.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
So let's run through them. Let's start with the classic
cautionary tale, the twenty thirteen Brooklyn Nets.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
The asset failure there was monumental, but the process failure
was even worse. They traded for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett,
these aging superstars.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Seen as this ambitious move at the time, and they
won one single playoff series before both guys were gone
and the picks they sent to Boston they turned into
Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
The team that gave up the stars got a championship
Corps in return.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
It's the gold standard for mismanagement, and yet nobody seemed
to learn. Look at the Clippers in twenty nineteen, paying
that historic price for Paul George.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
They had to get him to convince Kabita Leonard to sign,
so they gave up three of their own firsts, two
more from Miami, two pickswaps, and a budding superstar named
Shi Gilgess Alexander Sga. And that whole era was just
marred by injuries and drama. And where's Sga Now? He's
an MVP who led OKC to a title. The Clippers
paid the price for the exact opposite.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Result, and then the Nuts did it again in twenty
twenty one with James Harden.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I mean, that was just asset suicide for their own
first for swaps, young players, all for that ill fated
Big Three.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
They got to Game seven of the Semis and that
was it.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
That was it. And then Harden forced his way out,
and then Philly traded for him. He gave up two
firsts and Ben Simmons, only for Harden to force his
way out of there too. He shows that trading for
a quick fix often brings more chaos than it solves.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
And maybe the most spectacular recent failure is the Phoenix
Suns oh.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Man in twenty twenty three. They trade four firsts swaps
two starters for Kevin Durant. Then a few months later
they doubled down spend the rest of their draft capital
on Bradley Beal.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
That Big Three experiment.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
It lasted sixteen months, one playoff series win before they
just admitted defeat, traded Durant and waved Beal. It's the
definition of a high risk, low reward gamble fueled by
pure impatience.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
But there have been successes. There have been two clear
all in moments that worked, and that's what keeps owners
chasing this.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
You have to mention them because they're the fuel for
the fire. The Lakers twenty nineteen deal for Anthony Davis,
it was historically steep, but it got them a championship
in twenty twenty and.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
They had Lebron which helps a lot.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
And the other clear win was the Bucks twenty twenty
deal for jew Holiday paid off immediately, got Janis to
sign his extension, and delivered the twenty twenty one title.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
So the lesson seems to be that those moves only
work when you already have a stable foundation and you
just need that one final piece exactly.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
But desperation and arrogance they often trump logic, especially now
when draft picks are more valuable than ever and.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Teams are trying to gauge their own ambition by watching
how these NBA Cup quarterfinals played out. Do these results
make teams more or less likely to go all in?
Speaker 2 (10:23):
That's the key question, right.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Let's shift our focus there, starting with the Orlando Magics
huge win over the Miami Heat. Magic win one seventeen,
one oh eight. They're heading to the semifinals in Vegas,
and the.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Star of that show was Desmond Bane. He was absolutely incredible,
just validating the Magic's decision to trust their own guys.
He had thirty seven points, six rebounds, five.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Assists, and this wasn't a fluke, not at all.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
It was his third thirty seven point game in his
last six. It just proves what his teammate Palo Banchero said,
He's more than just a shooter. He's a real scorer
who can create his own shot.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
And the Magic did this without Franz Wagner, who's out
for a while with that high ankle sprain. Wendell Carter
Junior really stepped up.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
He did fourteen and ten. Their resilience is a huge sign.
If you're Orlando's front office, a win like that tells
you that you don't need to chase Anthony Davis. You
need to keep developing what you have.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
On the other side, the Heat slump gets worse. That's
four straight losses. Now, what's the problem there.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
It's tactical. The Heat are the fastest team in the
league and opponents have figured it out. They're intentionally slowing
the game down, playing zone and just clogging.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
The paint and it's completely killing their offense totally.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It forces them to rely on outside shooting and they
just can't hit anything. They shot eight of thirty three
from three in that game, only two makes after halftime.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
That is a major red flag for the playoff. They're
being tactically exposed.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Absolutely. If a team can dictate the pace against you
like that, you're looking at an early exit.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Meanwhile, the Knicks also punched their ticket to Vegas, beating
the Toronto Raptors one seventeen one oh one.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
So now the Knicks will face the Magic in the
Semis and Jalen Brunson just dominated thirty five points, led
five nick starters and double figures. Even with Karl Anthony
Town's questionable they just look solid.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
For the Raptors, it's a frustrating end. They were banged
up with r J. Barrett and Emmanuel quickly both.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Out Yeah, and their struggles really put a spotlight on
Jacob Polt and his lack of offensive rhythm.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
And coach Darkar Rajakovic had some interesting things to say
about that.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
He did, and it was fascinating. He basically said, it's
not a question of touching the ball more. He said
pol needs get his rhythm back by doing the fundamental stuff,
rebounding better, cutting down on turnovers.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
So he's not just saying get me more shots, No,
he's saying, you earn more touches by being more efficient
with the ones you already get.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
And for a team like Toronto that needs an easy
scoring option, they need his interior presence.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
And then there's the team that's just perpetually stuck, the
Chicago Bulls. It really does feel like basketball groundhog Day
with them.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
That's the perfect way to put it. They continue to
start so slowly, burying themselves in the first quarter. Every
single game.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
We just saw it again against the Warriors, and that
was without Steph and Draymond.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
They give up thirty eight points in the first out,
rebounded at eleven to six. Let the Warriors shoot eight
for thirteen from three. They were just lost from the
opening tip.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So what is their identity or do they even have one.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
They don't have an offensive identity. It's just hero ball.
And the deeper problem is structural. They have eight players
who could be free agents at the end of the year.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Copy White said, the team needs to stick together, but
how can they when the front office has given them
no reason to believe this group will be together past February.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
You hit the nail on the head. It's tough to
preach that when everyone's playing for their next contract. It's
just a state of purgatory.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Moving west, now, let's talk about a team that has
a very clear identity and maybe the most dominant player
in the league right now.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Shaq Gelgis Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. They are
on an absolutely historic pace.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
They're challenging the Warriors all time win record. That's incredible
for such a young team.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
It is projections have their best case scenario at seventy
seven wins and there are odds listed that they'll even
get to seventy.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
And the engine for all of it is SGA's insane consistency.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
His streak of twenty plus point games is now at
ninety five, ninety five consecutive games.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
That's I mean, that's Wilt Chamberlain territory.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
It is Will territory. He's only trailing Wilt's record of
one hundred and twenty six from the early sixties. He
has basically eliminated the idea.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Of an off night and the individual awards just keep calming.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
He was just named Canadian Athlete of the Year for
the second time. This is after a season where he
was League MVP and Finals MVP. And get this, He's
only the fourth player in NBA history, with Kareem, Michael
Jordan and Shactus to win the scoring title, MVP, A
Championship and Finals MVP own the same season.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
When you put his name next to those three, that's
the level of dominance we're talking about. He's a generational talent.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
He is. And speaking of players making a leap, we
have to talk about Denny of d in Portland. His
breakout season is one of the biggest surprises in the league.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
In his sixth year, he's just exploded, averaging career highs
what twenty five point eight points and six point three assists.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Yeah, and he's on track for career bests and three
point and free throw percentage too. But it's the company
he's keeping statistically that's really jaw dropping.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Go on.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
He is one of only four players in the entire
NBA averaging over twenty five points, seven rebounds and six assists.
The other three Luka Dancic, Tikola Jokic, and Giannis Antitukempo.
That's the statistical company of primary playmakers. And he's getting
to the line too. He's fourth in the league in
free throw attempts per game. It shows his game is
all about aggressive, physical drives.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Now, so what's behind this? Is it just that he's
getting more chances on a bad team.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
It's more than just usage. It's refinement. He's relentless, but
he's also unselfish. The most fascinating thing is that his
scoring is actually serving his playmaking. He's not getting tunnel vision,
he's forcing defenses to react to him, and then he's
finding the open man.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Stick with the West, let's talk about that. Rich Paul
Media Blitz he had some pretty shocking things to say
about the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yeah, Rich Paul made his podcast debut and he did
not hold back. He confirmed Lebron as finishing the season
with the Lakers, so no trade, But then he followed
that up with a really critical analysis of their roster.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
And his take was brutal. He basically questioned their entire
ceiling as a team.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
He said he personally does not believe the Lakers are
good enough to be contenders right now. He doesn't think
they can make the Western Conference finals.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
And what was his reasoning.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
He thinks their slow style of play is just going
to be easily defended in the playoffs. He believes they
don't have enough shooting or secondary creation and that they'll
just stall out against the league defenses.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
For an agent of Lebron's stature to say that publicly
about his client's team, that is stunning.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
It speaks to a deep frustration. And on a separate note,
we have to acknowledge the end of Lebron's historic streak
two and ninety seven consecutive games with ten or more points.
That streak ended this month just an incredible testament to
his consistency.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
On the injury front. Some good news for them, Marcus
Smart was cleared to practice.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Yeah, he's hoping to play in the upcoming Cup game.
A healthy Smart would be a huge defensive moves for them.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
And finally, in the West, this bizarre situation with Chris
Paul and the Clippers.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
A stunning removal is what it was called. After a
three hour late night conversation with an executive, he was
off the roster. Reports are that his demanding leadership style
was clashing with coach tylu.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
And Paul says he's at peace with everything.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
That's what he's saying. But the interesting part is the
Knick's reaction. They've been a target for him for years,
but they seem to be resisting the urge to trade
for him.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Which is a surprisingly patient move for them.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
It is. The word is they like their current up
tempo style and Paul's deliberate pace might disrupt that. Yeah,
the smart play here is to wait, don't trade anything
of value, just see if he clears.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Waivers calculated move. They're avoiding that all in trap we
were just talking about. Yeah, and that brings us perfectly
to the college game, where we're shifting from the veterans
to the future stars who were just taking over. Let's
start with that juggernaut number two, Michigan.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Michigan is an unstoppable train right now. They're nine to
zero after just overwhelming Villanova eighty nine to sixty one.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
They didn't just win, they suffocated them, snapped Villanova's seven
game win streak.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
It was a total defensive masterclass. They held Villanova to
season lows and points in shooting percentage, and the key
was that front court duo of Ademara and Moriz Johnson
Junior just protecting the paint.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
And they had that one stretch where Villanova just couldn't score.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
For the final six minutes and thirty two seconds of
the first half, Villanova was held scoreless. Michigan went into
the half up fifty three to twenty three. That kind
of defensive pressure just breaks at team's.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Will, and the offense was all started by the freshman
point guard Belliott could do.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Cadeaux was sensational eighteen points, four assists. He just controlled
the pace from the very beginning. He was responsible for
seventeen of Michigan's first twenty four points. He sets the
tone for that entire team now Let's.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Switch to another incredible performance, the record breaking comeback by
number ten BYU, led by the eighteen year old phenom Ajdbansa.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
This was his statement game BYU was down twenty two
points to Clemson in the second half. That's a guaranteed loss.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Usually, but he powered them to a sixty seven to
sixty four win at the Buzzer, the biggest second half
comeback in their history.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
He completely put the team on his back. He scored
twenty two of his twenty eight points in that second half.
He was either scoring or assisting on thirty four BYU's
final forty five points. He's just decided they weren't going
to lose.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
And there was that crucial sequence at the end that
really showed his leadership.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Oh yeah, four possessions left, they're down three. That bands
just took over a drive and dish for a dunk,
a pick and roll for a lob, then another drive
that led to the game winning three pointer for Robert Wright. Third.
It showed his scoring creates his playmaking. It's why his
coach trusts him so much in the clutch.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
So with all this hype, you have to ask, what
are the question marks for NBA scouts. You have to
balance the excitement, of course, and.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
He does have some. He can be a little too
reliant on one on one play. He struggled a bit
on catch and shoot jumpers, which is a concern for
playing off the ball.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
In the NBA, and his defensive numbers are surprisingly low.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
They are.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
He's averaging less than one stock that steals and blocks
per game against good competition for a guy with his
size and athleticism. Scouts want to see him be more
disruptive on that end of the floor. It's just not
generating enough plays with his physical tools.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Okay, let's run through some other big results from the
college world.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
In the Big Ten, Illinois beat Ohio State eighty eight
eighty and Keaton Waggler for Illinois had twenty three points.
That performance has suddenly put him firmly in the NBA
draft conversation. We'll get to him in a second.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
And we saw some huge offensive explosions.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
De Paul beat Morgan State ninety two to forty nine,
forcing twenty turnovers. Kentucky routed NC Central, but the real
story was the three point shooting right. Chattanooga hit twenty
one threes in a win. Lamar Wilkerson hit an Indiana
record ten three pointers in a rout of Penn State.
Just unbelievable shooting displays.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
So let's look even further into the future. Let's talk
twenty twenty six NBA draft prospects. Who are the top
guys scouts are watching well.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Darren Peterson, a top guard, just came back from an injury.
The key with him is effortless creation. He just glides
to his spots. His shot making is so fluid, and
he's comfortable playing off the ball, which is huge.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
And what about the forward Wilson? I hear he's rising fast.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
He is. He's separating himself because of his insane motor
and bounce. He leads the country with twenty eight dunks
in six games. But beyond the dunks, he's showing flashes
of high IQ passing and an expanded shooting range. His
offense is catching up to his already elite defense.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Let's talk first round intrigue. Any guys projected to fall
to contenders like the Bucks.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Dary Scuff Junior is projected to Milwaukee. The pro comp
for him is Stefan Marbury Okay, a creative shot making
guard who is physical at the rim. The early concerns
about his size or faith because he just keeps shooting
with confidence and making plays.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
And there's a big men prospect, Chrisina Junior.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Yeah, projected to the Hornets. He's six foot eleven athletics,
so you see an easy fit. The concern is he
settles for perimeter shots too often, then needs to be
more of a defensive playmaker.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
And what about the international guys.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Neil Klesef Dallas, a six foot nine zound Ohs forward
projected to OKC. The comp is Hato Tokoglou because of
his scoring and playmaking. The question is whether his one
on one game can translate against NBA athleticism.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
And you mentioned Keaton Wegler earlier. A fast riser.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Wegler is suddenly in the one and done conversation. He
was totally off scouts radar. He's got great size for
his position, a smooth stroke, tight handle. The only real
question is his lack of explosion, but he's so shifty
he gets to his spots anyway.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Let's wrap things up with some big stories from around
the basketball world, starting with a true icon.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Ado Wilson being named Times Athlete of the Year. It's
a massive achievement that just cements her status as one
of the best in all of sports. She said she
feels like Thanos after winning so much, which is a
perfect way to put it.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
And the history she made in twenty twenty five is
just it's unparalleled.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
She's the first player in WNBA or NBA history to
win a Championship, Finals, MVP, League MVP, and Defensive Player
of the Year all in the same season. On top
of that her cultural impact with her book and her
new Nike sneaker line, She's changing.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
The game, switching to a very different kind of story.
The ownership drama with the Phoenix Suns is getting ugly.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
It's a complex legal battle. Minority owners are suing the
majority owner, Matt Ishbia, accusing him of financial misconduct, basically
using the team as his personal piggybank.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
And now they're making a legal move that could actually
dilute his majority stake exactly.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
It's complicated, but they claim Ishbia failed to fund his
part of a two hundred and fifty million dollars capital call,
and under the team's agreement, they believe that failure allows
them to buy his shares at the price he set.
So what would that mean it could drop his eighty
three point two percent steak all the way down to
thirty two point seven percent. If a judge rules in
(24:01):
their favor, they could potentially seize majority control of the franchise.
It's a huge power play.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Moving to another serious legal issue, Miami's Terry Ruzier pleaded
not guilty to federal charges.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Yeah, he pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit wire
fraud and money laundering. These charges are tied to an
alleged illegal mafia linked gambling ring.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
And the specific allegation related to basketball is really serious.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
It is prosecutors alleged he provided non public injury information,
specifically that he told a co conspirator he would fake
an injury during a twenty twenty three Hornets Pelicans game,
and he did leave that game early with foot discomfort.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
And what's his status with the NBA now?
Speaker 2 (24:39):
He was released on a three million dollar bond and
the NBA has him on indefinite leave without pay.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Okay, let's talk a couple of interesting roster moves. First,
the Warriors and their new Dutch connection.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Yeah, they waived Alex Toohey to sign Malivi Leons to
a two way deal and they're hoping lightning strikes twice.
They had huge success with another Dutch player, Quentin poe Most,
who was an older, unheralded prospect who became their starting center.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
So what makes Leon so intriguing.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
He's six foot nine with a seven foot wingspan, was
a two time defensive player of the Year in college,
and he shot the ball really well in the G League.
For a team like Golden State that always needs size
and defense, he's an exciting project.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
And finally, let's end with a small silver lining for
the struggling New Orleans Pelicans.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Yeah, three twenty three, they need one, and it's the
emergence of their rookie Derek Queen. He was a controversial pick,
but he's showing why they invested in him. He just
had his first triple double thirty three points, ten rebounds,
ten assists.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
What makes his game so unusual.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
He has this unorthodox skill set. Coaches trust him to
handle the ball and run the offense even as a
big man. His teammate Jose Alvarado called him a matchup
nightmare because he can beat you from the perimeter or
bully you in the post. He's a foundational piece for
them even if the team is struggling.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
We have covered a massive amount of ground today, from
those franchise altering tras talks around Giannis and ad to
break out stars like Desmond Baine and deniov Dija, to
the future we're seeing in guys like Dabansa and Cadou.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
And what stands out to me, especially when you look
at the historical failure rate of those all in trades,
is how stability and sustainability are the first things that
get sacrificed for a quick win. We heard Rich Paul
question the very foundation of the Lakers even with Lebron.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Which raises a really crucial question for the league right now.
It does in this era of maximum player movement and
asset depletion, and with all this evidence that most of
these all in gambles just fail, can any NBA franchise
truly build a lasting, sustainable championship culture anymore? Or are
we just destined for a league of high risk, fleeting
super teams that flame out after a season or two.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Is long term thinking just extinct? Something for you to
think about is that trade deadline gets closer and closer.
We'll catch you next time.
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