All-Star Weekend is over. On Thursday, we talked about the four things to look for during the festivities. How did we do?

✅ Myles Garrett being way too damn athletic for the Celebrity Game

✅ The new Rising Stars format was absolutely incredible

❌ From Thursday: “I know that KAT is immediately out.” Yikes.

✅ The closing group for Team LeBron was himself, DeRozan, Curry, Giannis, and Jarrett Allen.

I’ll take it. This was one of the best years of All-Star in recent memory (outside of the horrid Dunk Contest). Let’s laugh about it!

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The Bachelor’s Matt James forgetting he has women on his team

Watch his hand, and her face:

Nah, I don’t think we can let that slide, Matt. What’s going on here? You were such a standup guy on Season 25. Wait, our producer is telling us that the matter is resolved?

Cole Anthony, doing whatever it takes

This is just that simple, stupid humor that makes All-Star worth watching.

The scene opens up on our subject, who we quickly learn is at free throw line with his team about to lose the game. At :05, his pants are down. It doesn’t matter. The shot falls. It was a meaningless moon.

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Scottie Barnes and Tyrese Maxey, joyful

The NBA introduced the Clorox Clutch Challenge as a part of Rising Stars. It’s basically a hot-shot competition in which players have to make five shots on the court faster than their opponents. A super smart person at the NBA paired Tyrese Maxey and Scottie Barnes together and kept them mic’d up.

The result is glorious:

Scottie went 0-6 from five feet away. The full performance was almost as cringe as Ayesha Curry’s HBO-sponsored segment (we’re not linking that).

The amazing friendship of Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic

These two have been linked together for a couple years now, making the most out of their time together in the Bubble and various All-Star appearances.

The fun didn’t stop in Cleveland, and no, Luka, you can’t sue your friend for hitting you with a miniature basketball:

It keeps going:

I’m dreaming of a scenario in which these two international all-timers play together. When asked about being teammates with each other, Jokic replied:

“Off the court, I think we're doing really good job. But we're going to see on the court. I don't know how we're going to do it because he's not athletic, I'm not athletic, so I don't know how we're going to match.”

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Jalen Green, Dunk Contest catfish

Any reasonable person would have told you that Jalen Green was made for the Dunk Contest. Incredible bounce, swagger, and a social media following to cater to. That is, until he actually did it.

Wait for Shaq’s face:

Team Durant gambling in the locker room

The stuff of legends: Embiid dealing a card game with hundreds on the line. Trae, Book, LaVine, and DeRozan around the table. What game are they playing? All signs point to Go Fish.

I have more questions. Why isn’t anyone else playing? Is this proof that nobody likes Rudy Gobert? Why did Embiid deal himself first?

Most importantly, who would win? Lucky for us, TNT snuck the answer into the broadcast!

Michael Jordan is not joking

It was unclear if MJ was going to make it to All-Star — he hadn’t confirmed or denied it, and it was paramount that he was there as the most important piece of the NBA’s 75 Greatest Players ceremony.

(Once I saw the clip of Embiid dealing, I knew he’d be there.)

In this clip, we see MJ chopping it up with an incredible group: James Harden, Jason Kidd, Ray Allen, Dwyane Wade, Gary Payton, and Magic Johnson — who Jordan immediately calls old and challenges to a one-on-one.

“Where your shoes at? We can go play one-on-one, me and you, right now.”

“DAMN!”

By the end of the clip, it’s clear: Michael Jordan was not frickin’ joking:

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The trade deadline holds a tremendous amount of intrigue. We spent our week with our phones always in reach, hoping that a notification might pop up.

These next few weeks after the deadline — where traded players have made their flights, passed their physicals, chosen jersey numbers and suited up in their new kits — hold just as much if not more intrigue.

How will the new-look Sixers and Nets perform?

Will Domantas Sabonis fit in Sacramento?

Is Luka Doncic going to hate Spencer Dinwiddie as much as we think he will?

Questions, without answers. That’s the period we’re in right now. Still, we enjoy seeing the cute pictures and videos of players meeting their new teammates. It makes us happy to engage in the mental gymnastics that come with roster reshuffling.

Most of all, we just want to see what it looks like. The Twitter notifications truly are bombs — now, let’s see what remains.

71 players were traded this season. Let’s highlight a few who make us happy!

Torrey Craig

Phoenix added Craig in the middle of last season, and his versatility helped the Suns throughout their Finals run. At the deadline, Phoenix — the best team in the NBA — did not have to do a damn thing. Instead, they got better by bringing back Torrey Craig’s defense.

Suns fans didn’t forget about you, Torrey:

Tyrese Haliburton

The Pacers-Kings trade was the most shocking deal of the deadline. Tyrese Haliburton did not think he’d be traded — and when he found out, he sobbed.

From Haliburton’s incredible piece in The Players’ Tribune:

When my agent called, I was just finishing up breakfast at my house, and the first thing I thought was that maybe he was calling to give me the inside scoop on some players our team was looking into getting.

Nah.

“Hey man, I just wanted to get in touch because I think you might be getting traded.” 

I honestly thought he was joking. It was like, Come on now. They’re not trading me. Get out of here. But two seconds later, when it became clear that, actually, he wasn’t joking … I mean, I know this might sound like I’m being dramatic, but you know when you get the news that something bad has happened to a family member or a close friend? And it feels like for a few seconds your heart almost stops? Like there’s just a hollow feeling all through your body? That’s kind of what it was like. 

He’s the face of the Pacers for years to come. He looks so good in their uniforms, and he’s been ballin’ from the second he got there.

James Harden

The Sixers have made a huge deal out of the Harden trade, and rightfully so: Him and Tyrese Maxey are the first Sixers guards who can shoot, dribble, and pass since… Allen Iverson?

@Sixers flooded social media with pictures and videos from Harden’s first practice with his new squad. It’s absolute gold, with no content better than this:

Harden always looks happy on his first day on the job. Something tells me this time, it’ll last.

Marvin Bagley III

Bagley may never be able to live down his draft slot. The no. 2 pick in the 2018 draft was selected ahead of Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr., Trae Young, Mikal Bridges, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Miles Bridges, and Michael Porter Jr. — all players who are in line to make much more than the qualifying offer next season.

That’s okay! Even though he’s fallen behind his peers, Bagley gets a new opportunity in Detroit to fill a role and earn his second contract on a team he’s happy to be a part of.

Bagley and his family were excited to be Pistons. They had jerseys ready within 15 minutes of the trade’s announcement:

Derrick White

White hopped off the plane and immediately became one of the most valuable Celtics. Boston gave up quite a bit to get him — Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, and two first round picks — but White is the exact player the Celtics needed.

The Celtics have roared to the six seed. They’ve made defense their identity, and won nine of the last ten games by stomping bad teams. White brings the connectivity, decision-making, and scoring punch that lacked in lineups with Tatum, Brown, and Smart.

To join a team that desperately needed your services has to feel good. If Boston keeps this up, their addition of White might be the most important move of the deadline.

The new Brooklyn Nets

I’m convinced that the Nets’ uniforms make players look way cooler than they normally are. Seth Curry and Andre Drummond have no business looking this cool:

Curry played his ass off — 23 points, 7 rebounds, and a performance that shows how incredible of a fit he’ll be next to Simmons, Durant, and Irving.

Speaking of Simmons, is that… a smile?

Links

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz on Shaedon Sharpe, the mysterious Kentucky prospect NBA scouts have fallen in love with.

Yesterday’s piece on the Sacramento Kings, and a roster that suddenly and finally makes sense.

The Ringer’s Rob Mahoney on how the Porzingis trade was really about Luka Doncic.

One more time: Tyrese Haliburton’s piece in The Players’ Tribune is a must read. He dives into the emotions and process of being traded, and the support he received from his teammates and friends — along with a hilarious peek inside an NBA players-only group chat.

It’s February 2nd. My heart is constantly fluttering. I am on my phone 24/7. I’ve got Twitter notifications on for Shams, Woj, Stein, and Haynes.

(I might need to add Jake Fischer, because he’s crashed the party with some awesome intel over these past two seasons.)

If you’re reading this right now, we’re as close to the Trade Deadline as we’ve ever been. Are you prepared for your team to make a move? How do you react when your team shuffles the deck? I know Pacers fans probably can’t remember that feeling.

With so many teams in the playoff hunt, there’s very few sellers and very few teams willing to hit the reset button. Teams like Sacramento see what Cleveland has done and feel like they just need to get the right group of guys in the building.

They’re wrong.

Both this deadline and the upcoming free agency seem like traps for teams to overpay for a players who probably won’t help them win a title. I am perfectly fine with that, because the dopamine I get from a trade popping up on my phone is almost second to none.

I’ve ranked the players and trade packages I’d like to see moved before February 10th at 3PM EST. Remember: I am a fiend for roster movement and a cultivator of chaos.

8. Terrence Ross & Gary Harris

Gary Harris has an expiring contract worth $20 million and Terrence Ross is slotted to make $24 million over this season and next. Both of them are perfect players to drop in if your team needs buckets.

It really felt like Ross was going to get traded last season. He thought so too —and when the team shipped away Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic in separate deals, he had jokes about it:

It’s truly amazing how quickly Orlando has become an optimistic situation after years of mediocrity. Before, they could’ve hung a banner for catching Milwaukee in Game 1 of the Bubble playoffs. With Franz Wagner & Cole Anthony, they’ve got two awesome building blocks. Jalen Suggs is on his way to earning that status, too.

Young players need vets, so it’s not a guarantee Ross and Harris are traded. But I think Orlando can stack even more assets by moving one or both — and the Magic are going to be in position to draft a replacement of any veteran they choose to move.

Wishful Destinations: Cavs, Mavs, T-Wolves, Hornets

7. Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, and the Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick

The Lakers have shopped this package around to every team and have received nothing but laughing emojis (because I know damn well they didn’t want to face the embarrassment of saying it out loud over the phone). And while I don’t think THT, Nunn, and the 2027 first-rounder will be moved, I sure do want it to happen.

Not for the Lakers’ sake — I want them to feel the aftermath of signing every single 70 overall player in NBA 2K. My mission is to absolutely roast the hell out of the team who chooses to help the Lakers out by taking on this terrible package.

This is the best group of assets the Lakers have to offer. If they get an important player back in this deal, the NBA may be rigged.

Wishful Destinations: Kings

Potential Destinations: Kings, Shanghai Sharks

6. Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon is making over $18M this year and close to $20M next season — but none of his $20.9 million in 2023-24 is guaranteed, making him the perfect player to consolidate bench pieces for in exchanged for guaranteed offense.

Gordon is the last impactful Rocket from the Harden system. He’s having a career year in True Shooting at 62.8% — that’s a pretty amazing number for a 6’3” shooting guard in his age-33 season.

While star trades almost never swing the title race (Rasheed Wallace and Marc Gasol would like a word, I’m sure), players like Eric Gordon are often the missing piece to propel a hopeful playoff team into a contender.

Gordon’s scoring and toughness fit on just about every team, and I really hope Houston swaps him out for veterans who don’t impact winning like he does.

Wishful Destinations: Cavs, Raptors, Celtics, Mavs, T-Wolves, Blazers, Suns

5. Bradley Beal and most other Washington Wizards

I’m all the way done with the Washington Wizards. They’ve got a completely new team but still feel like the same old Wizards — a franchise trying way too hard to be relevant at the price of their future.

Beal’s recent wrist injury in combination with his reluctance to sign an extension should have him on the next ticket out of town. The Wizards could have about half the league sending in mega-offers for Beal’s services — but Beal himself has wanted to be a hero for the team that drafted him, and it’s cost him a chance to contend.

It’s not only Beal. The Wizards have three good centers and many teams hardly have one. Spencer Dinwiddie’s teammates hate him. It’s a terrible environment to let prospects like Deni Avdija and Rui Hachimura blossom into important players.

Washington should trade everyone and build around Kyle frickin’ Kuzma.

Potential Bradley Beal deal: To Philadelphia for Ben Simmons, Tyrese Maxey, and picks.

Potential Thomas Bryant deal: To Detroit along with Deni Avdija for Jerami Grant.

Potential Davis Bertans deal: To Oklahoma City along with a 2027 lottery-protected first round pick for Darius Bazley.

Wishful Spencer Dinwiddie deal: Convert his salary from Bitcoin back to USD and trade him to the Lakers for THT and Kendrick Nunn.

4. Indiana’s top six tradable players

Shams Charania dropped a bomb early in the season, essentially reporting that the Pacers were open for business and listening to offers for Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and Caris LeVert.

Here’s the thing: I want TJ Warren, Jeremy Lamb, and Justin Holiday gone, too.

The Pacers have never blown their team up. It’s time — and these next two draft classes have pieces at the top that are worth tanking for.

Sabonis is a weird fit on a lot of teams, and while Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer says that he’s definitely a name to watch — I have a hard time figuring out which team he’ll end up on. Any deal for him will feel like a surprise.

Myles Turner, on the other hand, seems destined to go to Charlotte for a package of players, Toronto for a package of players, or Detroit in a swap for Jerami Grant.

I’m betting on this one: if Caris LeVert is moved, he will be a Cleveland Cavalier on Feb. 11th.

Potential Justin Holiday deal: To Phoenix for Jalen Smith and a future pick swap.

3. Jerami Grant

In Grant’s return last night, he made some winning plays, knocked down a few shots, and was aggressive in his touches. His presence still turned Saddiq Bey into a scarecrow, but it was a flash that Grant is willing to go back to somewhere in between his roles in Detroit and Denver.

That’s a great sign for his potential to be dealt, although Marc Stein has reported that there’s a rift in the front office about Grant’s situation. GM Troy Weaver has known Grant since he was in high school and would like to retain him, while vice chairman Arn Tellem seems to be in favor of moving him.

If a star bigger than Jerami Grant is traded, it will be a surprise. We could expect Detroit to receive some pretty good offers, or just choose to keep him through the deadline.

Jake Fischer also named Detroit as a potential suitor for Collin Sexton, Deandre Ayton, and Jalen Brunson this offseason — a sign that they’re going to use their upcoming cap space, and a Grant deal could potentially open up even more space.

It also tips us off to the fact that Detroit does not want be in the lottery past this season. Does that mean the Pistons would hope to receive a similar-tiered player in return for Grant?

Potential Grant destinations: Bulls, Hawks, Wizards, Kings, Pacers

2. Ben Simmons

How is Ben Simmons not number one?

I’ll tell you why: as much as I want Ben Simmons traded, there’s a thought creeping up inside of me that wants to see the Sixers win it all without him.

It would rely on Joel Embiid staying healthy and continuing to post insane stat lines. Every time I check their scores, Embiid has 38 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Without Simmons or a trade, this will be an MVP season for Joel Embiid — and he might be good enough to carry the Sixers to a title as currently constructed.

That premise would make the Sixers a superpower: a team fresh off a title, overcoming the adversity of Simmons’ absence and Tobias Harris’ steady diet of contested jumpers, ready and willing to make deals with a ring already in hand.

Coming back down to reality, Simmons is still at the top of this list because I want Embiid to have that title, and the right deal would give the Sixers the best shot to go get it.

Favorite Simmons destinations: Kings, Hawks, Pelicans, Clippers

1. Every Sacramento King not named Tyrese Haliburton (their actual king)

By choosing Marvin Bagley III over Luka Doncic and Trae Young in the 2018 NBA Draft, they set their franchise back at least seven years.

That’s okay — because by leaning into the tank, they could have their choice of Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, or even this year’s crop of combo-forwards if they decide soon enough.

But Kings ownership has a playoff mandate, and GM Monte McNair has the chance to swing some deals that would put them in a better spot.

How the Kings could acquire Domantas Sabonis: De’Aaron Fox, Tristan Thompson, and two second round picks for Sabonis and TJ Warren

How the Kings could acquire Jerami Grant: Richaun Holmes, Marvin Bagley III, and a 2022 top-5 protected first round pick

That leaves a starting lineup of Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Jerami Grant, and Domantas Sabonis.

Size, shooting, two combo-forward defenders and Sabonis to clean up inside.

A bench unit of Davion Mitchell, Terence Davis, TJ Warren, Mo Harkless, and Damian Jones. Defenders everywhere.

You’re welcome, Monte McNair.

In the past decade, there's been several different factions of star guards. The beginning of the 2010s saw the rise of the athletic freaks — Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and John Wall. In the middle of the decade, game-breaking shooters and dribblers like Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard rose up the ranks. This whole time, Chris Paul — the Point God — has been lurking in the shadows, making every single team reach their highest outcome by getting the absolute most out of his teammates.

Late into the 2010s and into the 2020s, we've been blessed with a new crop of guards who blend these archetypes with newfound size and play styles. The position, traditionally assigned to the shortest and fastest players on the floor, has taken on a whole new meaning.

With the All-Star and All-NBA conversations starting up, I think it's the perfect time to separate this group of age-23-and-under point guards into a few categories — not for what they could eventually be, or what they have been, but for who they are today in comparison to each other and the league at large.

The Young Guns

Young guards in the NBA struggle taking care of the ball. Still, everyone on our list qualifies because not only do they meet the eye test, but the eye test confirms that through their turnover struggles they lead all qualifiers in assists per game.

Kevin Porter Jr. finds himself at the bottom of our list, but he's no scrub. He just isn't a winning player yet. Forced into the point guard role by Houston's front office, the Rockets believe in him as a long-term star and foundational piece of the rebuild. At 5.8 assists per game, he's the one running everything for the Rockets — a team desperate to play at a pace that follows their namesake. KPJ is by far the most skilled playmaker on a team full of bucket-getters.

No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham is going to be just fine. Even though he's committing close to four turnovers a game, Detroit's young star has shown the poise of a veteran. The offense runs through him. He's got the ultimate green light, but doesn't use it. Cade's patient almost to a fault — right now, he waits until the end of games to try and take over. When the Pistons are finally able to open up their checkbooks and add another piece through the draft, I think we'll see the full Cade Cunningham experience. For now, he's still figuring it all out.

Orlando's Cole Anthony came out of nowhere to start the season and hasn't let up. He's over 20 points and six rebounds per game. His shooting has exploded in his sophomore season. The Magic have to be ecstatic looking up and down their roster and seeing him and Wagner as foundational pieces.

Can't Miss Connectors

There's still a place for point guards who move the ball and get on with it. They can score when they need to, but why would they? These guys will never become heliocentric offensive engines like the others on this list, but they're damn good in their role already — and will be for a very long time.

It's been a bit of a slow burn for Tyrese Haliburton. He's looked awesome since the moment he stepped on an NBA court. The issue arose at the start of this season, when it seemed as if he had it a wall — news flash, every young guard hits a wall. A streak of games without De'Aaron Fox propelled Haliburton to temporary stardom. The second half of December saw him reach double-digit assists numberous times. He's sitting at 6.8 assists per game and only 2.2 turnovers (the lowest mark of any on this list). If Sacramento is going to make everyone available, they should probably reconsider for #0.

Josh Giddey isn't just a TikTok star. He's one of the most gifted passers in the league. He's got a long way to go as a scorer, but the promise he has shown in the first 32 games of his career as a passer open up an opportunity for him to jump into rare air. Recently, Jonathan Tjarks spoke on the Upside High podcast about Chet Holmgren, and how "when you're tall and you can dribble, it doesn't matter how fast you are." That's great, because the legit 6'8 Giddey is as slow as rocks. OKC has a star point guard who just needs some agility training to become one of the league's elite primary creators.

Budding Superstars

These guys are almost there. Being so young, teams with these guys have to be happy about what's in front of them. To be a star, you have to be one of the best in the world at what you do. To be a superstar, you have to be the best at multiple things on a consistent basis.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has found himself atop the NBA's best drivers over the last several seasons. SGA was quickly labeled as a funky player because of his off-kilter timing and acrobatic finishes. Recently, Shai has added a nasty stepback jumper to go with all of his ridiculous finishes and floaters. The Thunder are a long way from competing, so his brilliance will fall under the radar — but Shai has the goods and is more than deserving to be in this conversation.

Darius Garland is a name that the average sports fan doesn't know yet — but they should. After a slow rookie season, Garland has exploded into the engine of a Cavaliers team worth believing in. He's equally as dominant as a playmaker and scorer. He's blessed with the same floater gene as many of these guys on this list. Garland racks up assists in the pick and roll to Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Most importantly, he's a joy to watch.

LaMelo Ball is the most intriguing long-term option on this list, but for right now he's just a hair below the cream of the crop. LaMelo's presence is felt on every possession of every game. There's no telling what he might do. Among all 11 qualifiers on this list, LaMelo is third in both rebounding and assists to go with his 19.3 points per game. Incredible vision, deep-range, and a growing around-the-basket game make him a must watch — it's the consistency that is holding him back from being in the top tier.

Cream of the Crop

Three 23-and-under point guards stand out. You can probably guess who they are.

Luka Doncic has been the golden child. Unprecedented production in his second and third seasons propelled Dallas to all-time offensive efficiency numbers. He has elevated his game to new heights as the roster around him has fallen apart. This season, however, Luka's lack of conditioning has his All-Star status a bit questionable. Recurring ankle injuries are often a symptom of a player who's not treating his body well in the offseason. The preseason favorite for MVP has been great when available. The issue lies in that for Luka, great isn't good enough. He's supposed to be an all-timer.

Trae Young is as polarizing as they come. The league's worst defender just so happens to be the best offensive point guard in the NBA this season. 28.4 points and 9.5 assists. His ability to shoot from anywhere on the court opens up driving lanes, and his combination of insane floater touch and passing vision allow him to singlehandedly break the game. The issues surrounding his defense have not been overblown — he's genuinely horrendous on that end and does nothing to compensate for his size. Atlanta may be sliding, but they would be in the Orlando-Detroit group without him.

At last, Ja Morant tops the list of 23-and-under point guards right now. He's the NBA's Ferris Bueller — the nerds love him, the real hoopers love him, both current and former NBA players love him. Morant blends a rare combination of fluidity and ferocity. One possession, he'll copy a Kyrie Irving drive to a T. The next, he'll punch on someone like 2011 Derrick Rose. On the third, he'll use all of his attention to drop a dime to a wide-open roll man. He's playing the best ball of his young career, and his team is winning because of it. For guards 23-and-under, Morant is ahead of schedule. His fearlessness might get him in trouble, but I'm not worried. The only thing we should be afraid of is how high he will climb.

It’s no secret that Anthony Edwards has taken the crown as the best quote in the NBA.

From the moment he arrived in our minds as the top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, he’s shown himself to among the most candid dudes in recent memory. So candid, that his interviews have become gold. You never know what he’ll say. Most often, he’s playful — reminiscent of a friend you’ve known forever, the one who has a joke for everything, no matter the situation.

Above all, he’s honest. He says exactly how he feels about himself, his teammates, and his opponents. Unabashed confidence. Unintentional wit. Rare self-awareness. These are qualities that make for post-game dynamite, cementing Anthony Edwards as a juggernaut of both the locker room and the press room.

Welcome to the Anthony Edwards Quote Tracker!

The fun will never stop. Just as we run to the television any time Steph Curry is on fire, you’ll be able to run here for all of the best quotes from Minnesota’s newest star. We’ll update this page as his career moves on, but for now, here are the best quotes from Anthony Edwards:

1. “I’m smarter than a lot of people think. I just look like this.”

It’s the self-awareness that makes Anthony Edwards such a dynamic personality. Ant gave this answer when asked about his advanced feel for a rookie, noting that other teams were quick to try to attack him in the first month of his NBA career. In two short sentences, he summed up all of the criticism he faced in the pre-draft process.

There’s a deeper plight to what Edwards is saying. He isn’t just a jock, a dumb athlete who made it to the highest level based on natural athleticism alone. He smiles all the time and speaks freely, but don’t misconstrue his joy and honesty for unintelligence. Dropping this gem, in response to a pointed question in which the reporter is surprised about his advanced reads a month into his NBA career, set the tone for Edwards’ career.

2. “I was already living in a pandemic, because all I wanted to do was get better.”

This was our formal introduction to Anthony Edwards, who gave this interview after his performance at Klutch Sports’ pre-draft pro day. Edwards had just finished a workout of shooting and transition drills, showcasing his ability to score the ball in NBA actions. A smooth jumper and explosive athleticism paled in comparison to his appearance on Sportscenter.

Seriously, how great is that quote? This is October 2020, when we knew the implications of the global pandemic — still, Edwards finds the humor. The subtle joy that comes to his face when he realizes what he’s about to say, a tempting look broadcasting his uncertainty of how it will land, quickly wiped away by ESPN’s pre-packaged highlight tape. We would soon realize that it’s best to just keep the camera on him.

3. “He can tell us, ‘Be in the gaps, contest everything, no easy layups, contest every layup, contest all dunks,’ everything… but shit, he just saying words, we gotta go out there and do the shit.”

There’s a certain snarky, Captain Obvious-style of response from athletes to reporters when they’re not fond of their questions, best exemplified by Taurean Prince when he was at Baylor. This is not that.

Instead, Ant lays into himself and his teammates’ lack of focus on defense by bringing out the obvious answer: head coach Chris Finch cannot play in the games, for he is not an actual NBA player — and the Timberwolves would be much better off if they simply just remembered what he said and acted upon it. It’s a window into the way Edwards’ mind finds the quickest answer for the questions he faces.

I will contend that “…he just saying words, we gotta go out there and do the shit” is as good of an example of buy-in that you’ll find from an NBA player.

4. “Motherf***er’s 7’2, 280 pounds… like it ain’t nothing we could do about it.”

I stood next to Giannis in person once. Motherf***er is definitely 7’2, 280 pounds, and I would soil myself if I had to guard him on a basketball court.

Edwards’ southern accent really comes through here in the way he says ‘seven,’ opting for a sound that is much quicker than the word itself. The larger sentiment is true: Giannis is unstoppable. No matter if it’s NBA players or an army of school children, the Greek Freak is going to score. Ant told his teammate (rookie Leandro Bolmaro) that he got the full Giannis experience last year, and that he’s never seen anything like it.

“He’s amazing. There’s nothing new I can say about Giannis. He’s unstoppable.” I agree.

5. “To me, the best rim protector in the league is Porzingis. Anytime I go against Porzingis, I don’t get no layups. I don’t get why we couldn’t finish on Rudy Gobert. He put no fear in my heart.”

I think I could listen to Anthony Edwards talk about other players all damn day. While I’m not sure Rudy Gobert has a high approval rating among casual NBA fans, it’s damning to hear another player reveal that he doesn’t understand why everyone thinks Gobert is the league’s best defender. And then we remember that we’re dealing with Anthony Edwards, the most confident player in the league.

6. “Where you from, Jim? I like your accent. It’s tough. I want to learn how to talk like that. But ask your question again, I was too much listening to your accent.”

I’m always a fan of accents, and never really a fan of accent impersonations. The blank look on Edwards’ face is the punchline — nothing that the reporter is asking him is of any importance. Before anything else, he must figure out the origin of such a magnificent accent.

“Where you from, Jim?” comes with perfect timing, expressionless, as if the question would find the solution to life’s problems. On the answer, relief shines through. Ireland. Okay, that’s out of the way. Let’s talk hoops.

7. “There’s something to do, I bet I’d be A1 from day one.”

This entire segment is incredible. “I could’ve went to the MLB” rolls off the tongue as fact, not wishful thinking. “Straight clean up on aisle 3, come get it” serves as a direct threat to any of us who dare challenge his baseball abilities.

It doesn’t matter the sport: “If it’s some money on the line, I’m gon’ go do it.” The strength of this clip resides in the fact that these types of interviews are usually among the most boring forms of content. These clips don’t have a target audience — and also, every other NBA player is much more boring.

Anthony Edwards is going to have his ups and downs — but when he speaks, we all win.

There seems to have been a concentrated effort to call back to the mid 1990s, arguable the most diverse and divisive era of NBA uniforms. Teams were trying out all sorts of colors, fonts, and styles that were made fun of at the time. But we crave nostalgia, so without further ado:

💩 Tier

These four are bottom of the barrel. I’m having a hard time figuring out what’s going on with each. Black and purple is already a bit questionable, but putting “Sactown” in script letters across the chest makes the Kings even less redeeming. Dallas has been flirting with the green jerseys and cowboy logos for a couple years now, but this one feels like there’s too much going on.

Speaking of too much going on — uhh… hello Miami? I get it — different pieces of past uniforms combined into one. The Vice jerseys, the original bright reds and yellows — this looks more like a mysterious note left behind from a bad TV criminal. The Vice jerseys were perfect, man. As far as Charlotte goes, I get that they want to stand out and keep the teal/blue combo — but the honeycomb look just isn’t it. They’re wasting their old Hornet logo on the shorts.

Jeremy: “Sactown” is an unintentionally hilarious self-diss. Miami, pick a font, pick a color. Come on.

🤨 Tier

A whopping one-third of the league’s jerseys find themselves in the 🤨 tier. Utah’s allegiance to making their jerseys look like the Buffalo Wild Wings menu is almost as baffling as Orlando’s attempts to make orange a tertiary color. San Antonio’s are a bit too minty for my liking. New York, New Orleans, Memphis, and Portland all just look like sleek extensions of their main jerseys.

The Cavs and Pacers, once again, have a bit too much going on. But I feel like I can be convinced that their jerseys will look better once we actually see the players in them. Milwaukee’s last-ditch attempt to bring some purple back into their uniforms falls a bit flat.

Jeremy: The Cavs circle “cavalier” logo is terrible — it looks like a guy is bending over and farting out an S. Is Orlando’s black? Or is that a dark navy? Either way — Orange???

👍 Tier

Here’s where things start getting good. The Clippers make that baby blue and orange combo look so damn good. The Celtics redeem themselves after failing miserably over the past few years. Chicago stays true to their roots, and Minnesota brings back the Garnett-era blue and green kit with the old wordmark.

Denver’s original rainbow look was awesome. These are a bit funky (and similar to Philadelphia’s) but I can rock with the square designs. The Lakers uniforms are an awesome retro, combining eras — and I hate to say it, but the light blue and purple works for some reason.

Jeremy: The Clippers have the best jersey — simple, hits close to the old Heat “vice” unis, nice light blue/light orange mix. Chicago’s throwback to that early Jordan style, mid-80s vibe is actually pretty dope.

Oklahoma City’s Durant-era navy blue and white uniforms are among my all-time favorites. These are simply the monochrome version of the same jerseys, which I like. I wish Love’s wasn’t so annoying and would let their logo be monochrome, too. These are some excellent jerseys, which means the next tier of uniforms are even better…

🔥 Tier

The top-8 this year are the best of the best. These really are some of the best uniforms we’ve had in a while. Let’s go through each one.

Atlanta’s immediately stands out because of the redemption of that awful, full-torso spanning hawk. With the yellow to lighten everything up (and incredibly awesome shorts), the Hawks saved their late-90’s look and made it as bright as their future. Perfect.

The Nets come back this season with a re-up of last year’s City Edition kit. Stars and stripes on one side like their original ABA uniforms, but with the navy and red combo that came about in the early 2000s. I think I like it because it just looks like a uniform Kevin Durant will score a trillion points in.

Toronto brought it all back — the dino logo, the pinstripes, the championship black and gold look — and it’s one hell of a uniform. The Wizards have had historically bad, dark uniforms (except for the Gilbert Arenas-era gold jerseys, which I irrationally love), and this one is bright and beautiful.

The Rockets brought it all the way back to the ’90s, too. This is a jersey I can just imagine Jalen Green skyrocketing over a helpless help-side defender. And I can’t sleep on the McGrady-Yao era red and white logo accents on the shorts. Just a completely awesome jersey.

The Warriors have lightning bolts, and I don’t hate it? They always look awesome in black jerseys. Loving the no-name look and just keeping it simple. Often, less is more.

Jeremy: Golden State put lightning bolts on the sides? What? Why? The Houston jersey makes me think of old fat Houston-era Barkley, followed by the Stevie Franchise/Cuttino Mobley era (not good years).

The Pistons, unlike the Warriors, have worn lightning bolts in the past. These are also the best red jerseys Detroit has worn since the Grant Hill-era 1990s. And yes, that’s teal smushed in between the red and blue — and it works!

Phoenix pretty much brings back their City jerseys from last year, and I won’t penalize them for it. They’re by far my favorite uniforms in the NBA, with the purple and orange digital gradient seeping through the torso and shorts. A non-intrusive sponsorship patch with championship-contending team to match. It’s important to save your best jerseys for your best years, and they’ve done just that.

The conventional wisdom says a healthy Nets team will smoke the field this year. But with Kyrie Irving, things are typically unconventional. Brooklyn still has two former MVPs on their team, and a good deal of depth, but the unpredictability of injuries, cohesion, and chemistry leaves plenty of room for other teams to take the title.  How many legitimate contenders are there this year? What are the questions each team faces heading into this season? Let’s take a look.

BROOKLYN NETS

Why they can win: They have the most top-end talent. Durant is the most unguardable offensive force of this era, maybe ever. James Harden is also an unstoppable offensive force with next-level passing ability. They’re both former MVPs. Their third-best player is Kyrie Irving is a stupefyingly creative shot-maker, coming off a 50/40/90 season. They nearly have a monopoly on old, nearly washed power forwards with Blake Griffin, Paul Millsap, and LaMarcus Aldridge. Joe Harris shot 47.5% from deep last season before turning into white DeMar Derozan from distance against the Bucks. They added another sniper and scrapper in Patty Mills this offseason, and they drafted Cam Thomas, who appears to have had the fear center of his brain removed.

The Nets are the odds-on favorite even without Kyrie. With him, they have an unstoppable offense.

Why the Nets will fall short: Defense is a big question mark. The Nets made progress and had a passable defense by the time the playoffs rolled around, but defense won’t be their calling card. Also, everyone hates them. New York hates them. James Harden is the king of bullshit foul drawing — what will he do with the new rule changes? People still aren’t ready to forgive Durant for his free agency decisions. Kyrie’s act appears to be wearing thin for most everyone — but the Nets have next to no options to deal him. Brooklyn has leaned as heavily into the player-empowerment era as any team in history, and seems to have given control of their franchise to Durant, Irving, and Harden.  

Best Five: Durant, Harden, Irving, Harris, Griffin

What I think will happen: Nets win the title.

What I want to happen: Kyrie sits out all year, becomes a train-hopping slam poet. Bam dusts Durant at the rim (a bit like this) to ice a Game 6, series-clinching win in the second round of the playoffs. Kyrie Irving retires. James Harden goes on a nationwide strip-club binge, documenting his descent into decadence on TikTok where he’s last seen somewhere in Montana, 50 pounds overweight and crying outside of a Taco John’s.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Why they can win: LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the most versatile and dangerous offense/defense pair in the league. Frank Vogel can cobble a legitimate defense out of the mishmash that includes Carmelo Anthony and Malik Monk. They have a bunch of capable shooters surrounding their stars. Anthony Davis is willing to play center, which will unlock their best lineups. Also, did you hear that they added Russell Westbrook?

Why they’ll fall short: They added Russell Westbrook. There’s a learning curve for ball-dominant stars who team up. This will be reminiscent of LeBron and Wade, sorting through some “your-turn/my-turn” offense before they get in a rhythm. The previous blueprint for LeBron-led teams was to surround him with solid two-way players and lethal shooting and let the King dissect the defense. How much control will LeBron cede to Russ in the playoffs? I don’t doubt that Russ will buy LeBron valuable time in the regular season, but how willing is LeBron to let Russ run the team in the postseason?

If — as it seems likely — LeBron will resume some primary ball-handling duties in the postseason, will Russ do anything valuable off the ball? He hasn’t shown it thus far in his career, and I’m not betting on it to happen this year. Also, Westbrook can’t shoot. Their role players tend to be either offensive or defensive players, which may mean they don’t have a clear closing five. They’re also very old.

Best Five: LeBron, Davis, Russ, Ariza… Bazemore?

What I think will happen: If they’re healthy, who has the best chance of beating them in the West? This stupid team is probably going to the Finals.

What I want to happen: I want the Warriors to boat race these suckers. I want to see Draymond Green direct a defense that cuts off drives to the rim and dares Westbrook to beat them with his jumper. And I want to see Russ pull up and clank 19 footers until LeBron makes Frank Vogel play Rondo (and Vogel has to pretend like it was his decision all along).  I want the Warriors to slam the door on the series with a Steph/Draymond pick and roll where the Lakers switch the action and Steph hits Draymond going downhill and Draymond baits Davis into jumping early and hits Kevon Looney — the oldest-looking, most unathletic 25 year-old ever — for a gloriously fundamentally sound lay-in off the glass.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Why they can win: Well, now they know they can do it. There’s something to be said for the confidence of having already won. The Bucks overcame 0-2 deficits twice in the playoffs — including in the Finals when they came back to stun the Suns. Giannis Antetokounmpo is only 26 years old. This will be his 8th season in the NBA. Chris Duarte, the Pacers rookie, is 24 years old. And Giannis still has room to grow. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday (30 and 31 years old, respectively), are still in their prime. They’ll get Donte DiVincenzo back. They re-signed cult hero Bobby Portis to fill the PJ Tucker void. They traded for Grayson Allen and will welcome back the veteran presence of George Hill. 

Why they’ll fall short: Bucks fans are tired of hearing about how they were a Kevin Durant toe away from heading home — but it’s true. And Durant carried that Nets team without Kyrie Irving and with a clearly hobbled James Harden. For the first two games of that series, the Bucks looked outclassed. People were lobbying to fire Coach Bud and replace him with Rick Carlisle mid-series. Budenholzer made more adjustments than years past and has now inked a new extension, but I wouldn’t be shocked if a whiz like Carlisle or Spoelstra flummoxed him with a few novelties in the postseason.

Best Five: Giannis, Middleton, Holiday, Portis, DiVincenzo

What I think will happen: I hate to say it, but I think the Nets (or Heat) are gonna knock them out. 

What I want to happen:  If the Heat don’t knock off Brooklyn, please please please beat Brooklyn. I beg you. I want to see Brook Lopez and Giannis hold off a flurry of late-game layups like Pippen and Horace Grant. I want Giannis to get a chase-down block of James Harden that ricochets so hard off the backboard that Jrue Holiday grabs the ball at midcourt and tosses a lob to Bobby Portis who then celebrates by tearing his jersey in half.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Why they can win: It’s fun to root for the Warriors as unlikely underdogs again. But is their inclusion as title contenders realistic? Or is it residual respect born out of their not-too-distant “light years” dominance? The case for the Warriors — who are still listed with the fourth-best odds to win the 2022 title is based on a large number of contingencies that need to break their way. But nothing matters more than what they get from Klay Thompson, and boy is it difficult to project what he will be capable of doing after two monstrous lower leg injuries. Steph Curry has talked about the Warriors season unfolding in three phases — holding it down until Klay returns, re-integrating Klay and seeing what he’s able to provide, and then pushing for the playoffs. If Thompson can get back to even 80% of what he was pre-injury — particularly defensively — the Warriors have a real chance. 

Offensively, Jordan Poole looks like he’s going to have himself a moment. The Warriors look ready to consistently play small and they’ve added shooters in order to keep Curry from suffocating. They will likely simplify Wiseman’s role and they’ve sunk a lot of money into revamping their developmental staff. Maybe they get some decent energy minutes from their young guys to carry them through the doldrums of January basketball.

Why they’ll fall short: What does Klay Thompson look like? Yes, he’ll be able to shoot. But it seems very unlikely that he’ll be able to defend at the same level he once did. He used to draw the assignment of checking lead guards, which helped Curry conserve energy and gave the Warriors a disruptor at the point of attack. With his burst and lateral movement likely significantly lessened, can the Warriors defend at a high level with Thomspon on the floor? Those rookies and James Wiseman are not ready to significantly contribute to winning. And right now there isn’t a superstar available who is going to tip the scales. Regardless, it doesn’t seem like Joe Lacob wants to burn his bridge to the future. 

All of this relies on if Curry and Green can replicate their seasons from last year, which is no small feat. Did I mention that they have a luxury tax bill higher than every other team’s total payroll? Is Joe Lacob really going to keep shoveling that kind of coin into the furnace of a car that crashes into the wall in the 1st round of the playoffs?

Best 5: Curry, Green, Thompson, Wiggins and… Otto Porter Jr.?

What I think will happen: The Warriors sneak into the sixth seed and stun the Nuggets in the first round, but lose to the Lakers in Round 2.

What I want to happen: Full revenge tour. Beat LeBron and Russ into a pulp in the Western Conference Finals. Then beat a fully healthy KD, Harden and Kyrie in the Finals. I want Draymond Green to toss some sauce at KD as they close out the series and yell, “I told you! I told you we could win without you!”

MIAMI HEAT

Why they can win: Kyle Lowry is very good and Erik Spoelstra is very smart. Lowry never stops doing winning things on the basketball court. His hit-ahead passes, constant communication, traffic directing, bulldog defense, and peerless leadership are obvious. Butler and Lowry are two of the best help defenders in the league and should help hide weaker defenders like Herro and Robinson. They added a solid spot-up shooter and stout defender in PJ Tucker.

The Heat, like the Lakers, suffered from the shortest off-season in league history last year. They looked exhausted last season, particularly in the postseason, and were never able to find the same juice that they had in the bubble. Tyler Herro looks stronger. Max Strus may be the next Heat developmental victory. And if Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler get Bam Adebayo to really become a wolf, this team will be scary. If Adebayo becomes more comfortable taking a lead role, particularly offensively, the Heat can beat anyone. They could have the stingiest playoff defense in the league and they match up as well as anyone with the two other conference favorites — the Nets and the Bucks.

Why they’ll fall short: Do they have enough top-end talent? Lowry isn’t getting any younger. Neither is Jimmy Butler. For all of the Heat’s famed conditioning and military precision, is that enough to counteract the natural decline of age? Butler’s outside shot, while never great, has completely atrophied over the past two seasons. And, most importantly, does Bam have it in him to dominate? Will he take another leap and seize control of this team? Lowry and Butler will do their best to make it happen, but a lot of it will ride on Bam, a player who’s never functioned as the man, to step into a more prominent role.

Best Five: Butler, Lowry, Adebayo, Tucker, Herro.

What I think will happen: I think the Nets will beat them. This will make me sad.

What I hope will happen: Well, you can reference my previous point about the Nets. I want the Heat’s swarming defense to rattle the historically dominant Nets’ offense. I want PJ Tucker chirping and barking at KD. I want Kyle Lowry staying step-for-step with all of Kyrie’s pirouettes and jukes, only to force him into a rushed pass that Jimmy Butler telegraphs and takes the other way for a dunk. I want Harden to disrespect Max Strus and leave him open only to have Strus bury three straight threes in the fourth quarter of a close game. I want Harden to fall asleep off-ball and get beat on back cuts until the internet explodes. 

UTAH JAZZ

Why they can win: They’re really freaking good. Their point differential last year (+9.3) was incredible. They have the best backline defender in the game today, but they struggled on defense when Gobert sat and Derrick Favors played (opponents produced a piddling 48.8% eFG with Gobert on the floor vs 54.8% with Favors, per Cleaning the Glass). Enter Hassan Whiteside (and cue the laughter). But Whiteside, for all of his additional flaws, actually fits their drop scheme well, and over the past four seasons he’s held opponents to an overall lower eFG% when he’s on the court (again, per Cleaning the Glass). I laughed when the Jazz added Jordan Clarkson, but Quin Snyder allowed him to thrive in a clearly defined role. Snyder will do the same with Whiteside, and the Jazz shouldn’t plummet when Gobert sits.

On offense, they’re led by Donovan Mitchell — who still has room to improve but is already tremendous. If you like ball movement and unselfish players, you need to watch some Jazz games. These guys share the ball like the classic Spurs and have a roster full of snipers. They are a fun team to watch. Georges Niang has departed for Philadelphia, but with old head Rudy Gay stepping in, they won’t miss a beat.

Why they’ll fall short: Can their scheme hold up in the playoffs? In a league where top-end talent almost always wins, do they have enough to match up with their loaded rivals, particularly when it comes to defending big wings? Who guards LeBron James — or even Paul George — in a playoff series? The Clippers solved the Jazz last year by spreading out the floor, moving Gobert out of the paint, and then mercilessly attacking mismatches. Are you really betting that the Jazz can stay in their drop coverage vs a healthy Warriors team, with the Steph/Draymond pick and roll humming and those two surrounded with shooters? Bogdanovic, Conley, Ingles and Gay are all getting older and the small market Jazz are a luxury tax team, expecting to pay close to $40 million this season. If they sputter, will they jettison a veteran to save significant cash?

Best 5: Mitchell, Gobert, Bogdanovic, Conley, Ingles

What I think will happen: Jazz will fall to the Lakers.

What I want to happen: If the Warriors don’t tag the Lakers, then I’ll be fine if the Jazz do it. If somehow, by some miracle, they find a way for Bogdanovic, Ingles, Gay and Royce O’Neale to hold up against LeBron James, I’ll be delighted beyond words. I want Joe Ingles draining a step-back three over a lazy Westbrook closeout and talking some real salty Australian trash. I want Donovan Mitchell to get LeBron switched onto him and then roast him off the dribble for a tight finish in traffic. I want more pictures of Quin Snyder looking like an axe murderer.

PHOENIX SUNS

Why they can win: They did it last year, right? The eternal Chris Paul will snake his way to the elbow and bark his team into the right positions forever. The team is mostly young, with Ayton, Booker, Bridges, and Cam Johnson still ascending. With the offense in the hands of pick-and-roll master Chris Paul, the Suns ran variations off their base package until teams were in tears. Last year, the Suns were an amazing team to watch and root for. They played great team basketball and should have nowhere to go but up, right? 

Why they’ll fall short: Would they have gotten through the Lakers if LeBron and AD are fully healthy? No way. This is pure, baseless speculation but I think the Suns’ chemistry is going to crumble this year. Robert Sarver is cheap, already isn’t giving out extensions for Ayton or Bridges. Ayton is talking about expanding this game, but is he going to do it within the flow of their offense? This is year two under the intensely critical eye of Chris Paul, a notoriously difficult and demanding teammate. Maybe coach Monty Williams can keep everyone even keel and united, but I’m betting there are one too many obstacles. And ultimately the same question about top-end talent arises for the Suns — is it tougher for the Suns to match up with LeBron and AD? Or is it tougher for the Lakers to match up with Booker, Paul, Ayton, and Bridges? 

Best 5: Booker, Paul, Bridges, Ayton, and Crowder.

What I think will happen: I just don’t see this team having the juice. I can see the Jazz, Warriors, Mavs, and Lakers all beating these guys. 

What I want to happen: I want Sarver to hit Maximum Cheap mode. I want him to salary dump Jae Crowder and inexplicably throw in Cam Johnson even though he didn’t need to. I want him to sell Monty Williams to a floundering Mavericks team to replace a bumbling Jason Kidd for $5 million. I want him to sell the team’s private jet and spin the purchase of a “luxury bus” as a culture-building move.

So there you have it. All my expectations mixed with a bit of wild dreams and wishful thinking.

Drake has found himself in a battle with Kanye West. This beef with Kanye is not new, but this isn’t a music site. This is a basketball site, and Drake’s love for basketball is not new, either. So instead of getting caught up in subliminal shots and sneak dissing, we’re going to go back through Drake’s discography to look at all of his basketball references and figure out which line is the best.

23. “Oh, triple double, Russ face” — Can’t Have Everything

I don’t understand this line in the slightest, I looked it up and there’s nothing explaining it. Let’s get through these first ten bad Drake basketball lines and then get to the good ones.

22. “Rookie of the year, ’06 Chris Paul shit” — Ignant Shit

This is just too easy. It’s early Drake, before he had everything figured out. This one just doesn’t land like the rest do.

21. “When I shoot my shot it’s the Kawhi way, it’s goin’ in” — Pain 1993

I don’t like this one because it’s not specific to Kawhi. He could have used any basketball player that had a two-syllable name. Drake probably realized that he hasn’t really ever mentioned Kawhi in a song. I don’t like it.

20. “Draft Day, A. Wiggins” — Draft Day

This would have been an awesome line if Wiggins panned out to be a superstar like he was supposed to… but he didn’t, and neither did Johnny Manziel, which makes this song look really bad 7 years later. Great sample, though.

19. “Mutombo with the bitches, you keep gettin’ rejected, WOO” — Jumpman

‘Way too easy of a line, took no effort to think of, WOO!’

18. “Golden State running practice at my house, n****, what am I about?” — Summer Sixteen

This is a weird one, because there was no need to throw it in the song. You’ve already told us that you’ve got a bigger pool than Kanye, we would assume you have a basketball court, Drake!

17. “I’m on my King James shit, I’m tryna win here again” — 5 AM In Toronto

5 AM In Toronto is one of Drake’s absolute classics, I’d say it’s top 10 of all time for him. But he finishes the song with this… I just don’t like it.

16. “Chi-Town, Chi-Town, Michael Jordan just had text me, WOO” — Jumpman

For as much as Drake raps about Michael Jordan, this is the worst line of them all. It’s supposed to be him bragging about his fame, but it doesn’t land.

15. “I get boxes of free Jordan like I play for North Carolina” — 10 Bands

Nothing to think about with this one. He gets shoes for free. Awesome.

14. “Been flowin stupid since Vince Cater was on some through the legs, arm in the hoop shit” — Weston Road Flows

This is the best of Drake’s worst basketball lines, because all of the forces at play show up in the same line. The song is about how Drake’s been rapping for a long time, how he loves Toronto, and how he’s the greatest, and he says all of that using a Raptors metaphor.

13. “H-Town my second home like I’m James Harden” — No New Friends

I like this line because it’s self aware, Drake has spent his entire career shouting out Houston just as much if not more than Toronto, and to sneak a line about the infamous Harden trade in a feature is an impressive feat.

12. “This shit a motherf*****’ layup/I been Steph Curry with the shot/Been cookin’ with the sauce/Chef Curry with the pot, boy” — 0 To 100

I remember hearing this and getting so hype when I heard it for the first time, but now it’s just ehh to me… seems like such a basic reference that he’s gotta get docked for it. Would have been a top five line at the release of 0 to 100, that song was awesome. It felt like Drake was on top of the world.

11. “Now me and Kobe doing shots the night before the game/Still drop 40 with liquor in my system” — Views

Any time Drake references Kobe, you have to pay attention. Especially when he’s talking about getting drunk with him on his off nights. This came out after Kobe’s last season, so it could have happened.

10. “Shaq postin’ up on n***** that I used to have posters of” — Used To

Only a decent line out of context, but in this case he’s talking about himself as Shaq. Drake used to idolize some of the most famous artists, but now he’s among them.

9. “I get a ring and I bring it home like I’m Cory Joe” — Charged Up

This proves that Drake pays attention to basketball, that is, if he wrote this line. Cory Joseph won a title with the Spurs in 2014, and then signed with his hometown Raptors.

8. “How I go from 6 to 23 like I’m LeBron?” — Nonstop

Took me a long time to understand what this meant. At first I was like, why is he talking about LeBron’s jersey numbers, but I get it now. He went from the 6 (aka Toronto) and now he’s 23 (aka Jordan, aka the GOAT), just like LeBron has also elevated himself to similar status. Well played, Drake, you got me.

7. “My city love me like DeMar Derozan” — Lemon Pepper Freestyle

It seems as if Toronto stays loyal to who represents them, and DeMar Derozan was one of the faces of the Raptors for years — they still cheer for him, even if he’s on another team, and Drake feels the same love.

6. “I took the team plane from Oracle/Mama never used to cook much/Used to chef KD/Now me and Chef, KD/Bet on shots for 20 Gs” — Free Smoke

Super strong wordplay from Drake here, referencing how he grew up with Kraft Dinners and now his fame has allowed him to become friends with NBA superstars like Steph and KD. It’s swift enough where you wouldn’t pick this up on a first listen.

5. “Shout out to KD we relate, we get the same attention/It’s raining money, Oklahoma City Thunder/The most successful rapper 35 and under” — Weston Road Flows

More Drake and Kevin Durant lines, but there’s none better than this. It’s wild how the discourse on both Drake and KD has shifted — they’re two of the most talented of their generation but they constantly feel like they have to prove it, and Drake calls that out here.

4. “MJ in every way, I just don’t fade away” — 9

This took me a few listens to really appreciate. Michael Jordan’s signature fadeaway made him the GOAT, but Drake is the goat because he’ll never fade away.

3. “Boomin’ out in South Gwinnett like Lou Will/6 man like Lou Will/2 girls and they get along like I’m/Like I’m Lou Will, I just got the new deal” — 6 Man

Lou Williams once had two girlfriends at the same time — who were okay with it. That’s legendary. On a song called 6 Man, his shoutout to Lou Williams would become prophetic — he’d go on to win three 6th Man of the Year awards. Incredible.

2. “Hittin’ like that 30 on my jersey, man, I’m gifted” — Still Here

At this point, Drake’s love for Steph is well-documented. But for Drake to compare his ability to make hits to Steph Curry’s ability to his threes, is to call himself the greatest of all time. And in my opinion, it’s true. In my 21 years of life, there’s been nobody as captivating as Drake, and nobody as fun to watch as Steph. Bonus points for a perfect comparison.

1. “I might go DeMarcus Cousins, out in public”

This is an all-timer. The best basketball references are just specific enough where only a certain faction of fans get them. To go DeMarcus Cousins out in public is to be wild, disrespectful, and righteous. It’s also hilarious to imagine Drake walking around with the same ferocity that DeMarcus Cousins used to have when he thought he was fouled.

NBA Summer League is awesome. A trip out to Las Vegas to see the league’s next wave of stars.

There’s three different kinds of players at Summer League: rookies making their professional debut, second-year guys who are way too good to be out there, and players on the fringes seeking the security of an NBA contract. The combination of these three groups makes for a spontaneous brand of basketball. The games resemble LifeTime Fitness runs much more than the NBA Finals.

Today’s NBA stars have dominated Las Vegas in a way few other have, which gives us a glimpse of what the future may hold for guys like Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green. Both rookies made their organizations proud with their standout performances, earning their fair share of oohs and ahhs from the crowd.

This begs the question: Who had the best Summer League performance of all time? Surely some of today’s best players would make the list, right? We dug into the archives and did our research. We think we’ve solved it.

6. Josh Hart, LA Lakers

In a 2018 game against the Cavaliers, Josh Hart had 37 points and 9 rebounds, with tons of tough finishes around the rim. Hart always seems to find himself in the right place at the right time. He’s made a career out of it. This is a classic case of being too good for Summer League — he was uber confident throughout this game.

5. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz

Spida torched Memphis during the 2017 Summer League for 37 points and 8 steals. 8 steals! He immediately put the league on notice that his scoring was legit. Donovan Mitchell fell all the way to the 13th pick that year. He’s another guy who looked way too good to be in Las Vegas. Between reading every pass, finishing through contact, and scoring at every level, he looked so comfortable in one of his first professional games.

4. Anthony Randolph, Golden State Warriors

Watching this game, fans must have thought they had the next superstar in Anthony Randolph. Shit, I would have too. He went off for 42 against the Bulls in 2009, with nearly all of his points in the paint. He absolutely posterized a defender at the end of the first quarter. Randolph was wiry strong and played hard on both ends. This is the second-highest scoring individual performance in Summer League history.

3. Furkan Korkmaz, Philadelphia 76ers

I know what you’re thinking: Furkan Korkmaz, really? Yes, really. It’s hard to imagine it, but wait until you see it — 40 points and 6 rebounds in a 2018 game against the Celtics. It looked like every shot he took was going to go in. Korkmaz started the game with two difficult pull up threes. He ended the game with two insanely difficult step back triples and an over-the-backboard floater. This is what Las Vegas is all about!

2. Anthony Morrow, Golden State Warriors

In 2009, the Warriors had a team in Vegas with Stephen Curry and Anthony Randolph on it. But Anthony Morrow posted one of the most dominant shooting performances in Summer League history. He lit up the Bulls for 47 points (the individual scoring record) on 18-26 shooting. Watching it back, you can tell right away that this man was on one. We’re surprised when Steph misses, but in this game, it seemed like Morrow missing a jumper was fantasy land.

1.  Lonzo Ball, LA Lakers

If you had to craft the perfect Summer League player, it would be Lonzo Ball. An unselfish, daring guard that plays with pace, shoots the ball well and makes the right play every time. In a 2017 game against the Sixers, Lonzo put up a near-triple-double of 36 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds. In the first quarter, it was his Aaron Rodgers-style full-court dimes that grabbed our attention. He’d spend the rest of the game blowing past defenders, throwing lobs, and shooting with his funky form.

Watching the game now made me nostalgic for a time that we didn’t know what the Ball brothers would become. It’s a shame we never got to see LaMelo in Las Vegas — his play would have blown the roof off.

Ben Simmons will no longer be a Philadelphia 76er. Between his unwillingness to report to training camp, Daryl Morey being unable to strike a deal, and Klutch Sports tanking his value, this has become one of the league’s messiest situations. The market for Ben’s services has dried up, even three straight All-Star appearances and two All-Defensive Team selections. It’s a sad situation.

I’m here to bring the fun. We roast Ben Simmons a lot. Too much. None of that will be happening today. Instead, we’re going to take a look at the five most fun teams that should trade for Ben Simmons.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

Have you ever had a friend that has crushed on a girl for months at a time but never made a move? It’s me, I was that friend. It’s also the Minnesota Timberwolves in their quest to land Ben Simmons. If Ben Simmons finds himself dancing alone at the school dance, it’s Minnesota that’s been sneaking looks the whole night.

Even with their reported interest, it doesn’t seem like they have enough to make a fair trade for Simmons on their own. D’Angelo Russell isn’t fond of winning basketball, and Towns and Edwards remain untouchable. That leaves Malik Beasley, Jaden McDaniels, and draft picks as positive assets. Not even CLOSE to being enough for Ben Simmons.

The point of this video isn’t to come up with the perfect Ben Simmons trade — even though I have it, and you’ll have to wait for it. We’re looking at teams and players that Ben Simmons makes sense next to, and Minnesota has them. Towns is a center ready to win, who also makes a lot of his money by having perimeter skills as a shooter and passer. There’s not enough room in the paint for Simmons and Embiid, but Towns is almost the perfect big man to put next to him on both sides of the ball. Combine that frontcourt with Anthony Edwards’ flamethrower scoring ability and star power and you’ve got a top 5 League Pass team. 

What’s interesting about Minnesota is that the clock on Karl Anthony-Towns has been ticking for a while now. Towns is completely justified if he wants out, which opens up a world where he could be moved in the next two years, further complicating this deal. He won’t be moved for Simmons. Keeping Minnesota in the mix makes for a fun Ben Simmons team, even if it’s expected.

4. Portland Trail Blazers

For the crush that Minnesota has on Ben Simmons, Philadelphia has that same crush on Damian Lillard. In theory, a combination of Dame and Embiid is an instant title contender. It’s one of the world’s top 3 point guards with one of the world’s top 2 centers. Simmons has tanked his value so hard that a swap for Lillard is a pipe dream. If the Sixers included Maxey and anything else Portland wanted outside of Embiid, it would be up to the Blazers to scan the market and see if they can get a better offer.

Portland would then have a team of Ben, Maxey, CJ, Powell, Nurkic, Covington, and Nance — a definite step back from their sustained success with Dame, but one of the league’s most interesting teams. They’re a whole lot younger, and could double down by moving one of CJ or Nurkic for even more prospects.

The promise of Simmons, Maxey, and Powell still helps Portland remain relevant, and saves them from completely tearing down their roster. In the West, if you tear all the way down, it’s really hard to get back to the playoffs. It took Phoenix a good while to become a contender again.

3. Atlanta Hawks

Here’s my first wildcard — Atlanta. The Hawks have a deep roster full of young players and tradable contracts. There’s no star that the 76ers could get back in the deal, which is tough, but putting Ben next to Trae would be a game breaking duo. 

They complement each other perfectly — redundancy between ball handlers is a great thing. Both push the pace and see every pass, and try to get their own without being forceful. When Trae is cooking on offense, Ben can line up next to John Collins and clean everything up. If Trae goes off-ball, Ben can orchestrate the offense in similar ways, getting downhill. They’ll always be a Trae Young pull up three away from any game.

Defensively, Simmons is everything Trae is not. He’s huge, strong, and wicked smart. Two-time defensive first team. Trae is…not even close to being a good defender. The East is loaded with huge wings who can score: Durant, Tatum, Butler, Middleton, LaVine, Harden. Simmons was made in a lab to defend those guys.

Getting a trade done would prove to be difficult, although if the Sixers realize that there’s no star on the market, Atlanta should be the first team they call. Choose any of Bogdanovic, Huerter, Reddish, Hunter, Jalen Johnson, it doesn’t matter — they’ve got so many good players on team-friendly deals that the Sixers could use them in combination with Tyrese Maxey and picks to go get the next disgruntled superstar.

2. Golden State Warriors

The Warriors can keep saying that they don’t want Ben Simmons, that they won’t part with their young players, that they don’t want both him and Draymond Green in a lineup together — I don’t believe it. Golden State should be big-name hunting, because right now they don’t have the depth that the other Western Conference contenders have.

I understand the continuity that comes with Klay, Steph, and Draymond. I won’t call for any of them to be traded. I’m saying ridiculous things but I’m not on drugs. But a trade takes two to tango, and the Sixers would have to be willing to do a deal. The Warriors have no star to give, but they have that package of Kuminga, Moody, Wiseman and Andrew Wiggins’ salary filler.

As far as on court, the Warriors could unlock Simmons in a new way — as a small ball five. A lineup with Steph, Klay, Poole, Draymond and Simmons has enough shooting and defense to make everything work. Draymond could teach Simmons everything he knows about playing with the best shooters of all-time — Simmons is already as good of a defender as prime Draymond.

The Warriors like to run, pass ahead, shoot threes, and dunk. Ben can do three of those things at a very high level. Bob Myers runs a tight ship, but they get experimental from time to time. If they want to build a bridge to the future, adding Simmons should be one of their first moves in doing so.

1. Dallas Mavericks

It’s time for me to announce my favorite Ben Simmons team, and the trade comes in three team fashion.

The Sixers trade Ben Simmons to Dallas, Dallas trades Porzingis to OKC, and OKC trades Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Philly. The Sixers and Mavs send picks and swaps to OKC as well.

I can already hear the boos… but give me a second here.

Pairing Ben and Luka would be amazing. The two things Dallas needs to be a title contender are a guard to take pressure off Luka so he doesn’t have the ball in his hands for 45 minutes a game, and a lockdown defender that can guard the other team’s best player. Ben solves it. Porzingis hates it in Dallas, so he ends up with the original team that gave him a draft promise. OKC takes him on as another rehabilitation project and gets EVEN MORE draft picks. With the currrent CBA, SGA can’t be traded until a certain date after he signed his extension. Shai joins Embiid, Harris, and Maxey as a contender in the East, and their roster makes a lot more sense.

Galaxy-brain level thinking, yeah I hear the applause now.

This might be the best trade I’ve ever come up with. Daryl Morey, Sam Presti, Mark Cuban, you don’t have to give me credit, even though I’ve done all of the thinking for you. All I want is for this deal to happen.

There’s a lot of NBA players that some fans don’t like — LeBron, Kevin Durant, the usual suspects. We know who they are. The NBA can’t seem to go a week without being unnecessarily dramatic, and some fans are turned off to that. I wanted to take the question one step further: Which NBA player is hated by other NBA players the most? 

Dwight Howard is someone who immediately comes to mind. For the majority of his career he’s been widely regarded as immature. When things boiled over in Orlando with him and Stan Van Gundy, that was only the start. Howard has had on-court beefs with Udonis Haslem, Kevin Garnett, Jimmy Butler, Montrezl Harrell, Al Horford and Paul Millsap — and long standing feuds with Marcus Smart, Giannis, and Kobe Bryant.

The way Dwight plays is definitely annoying, and I understand why he was always having some sort of altercation. He’s really strong, and he’s always going to react to any sort of physical knock or bump. It was a shock that the Lakers welcomed him in, but LeBron does tend to get the best out of his teammates.

Russell Westbrook is definitely one of the most hated amongst NBA players. He has one of the shortest fuses in the league — it doesn’t really take much to piss him off. Russ has gotten into it with Curry, Dame, De’Aaron Fox, John Wall, Jamal Murray, Embiid and Rondo on the court. His most notable in-game altercations have come against Kevin Durant, his former partner in crime.

None of these battles compare to the feud between Westbrook and Patrick Beverley, who’s also among the most hated players in the league. These two have been going at it for years. Pat Bev dove at Westbrook’s knees in 2013, prompting him to tear his meniscus and light their beef on fire. Beverley did it again in 2018. Russ famously told the press that Beverley tricks everyone into thinking he’s a good defender, when in fact he’s just out there running around.

Pat Bev is one of the most irritable dudes in the league. If there’s one guy in the league who plays like he’s wearing black Forces, it’s him. What Westbrook said was true — Pat Bev really is out there running around, bumping and knocking players with his chest and clapping in their face. He’s one of the easiest dudes to dislike, and he sure is hard to watch.

He’s gotten into it with KD, Blake, Harden, LeBron, Wade, Luka, CJ McCollum, Embiid, and most recently, Chris Paul, who he randomly shoved as the Clippers were on the brink of being eliminated by the Suns. 

One of Westbrook’s favorite targets is Joel Embiid, who is also among the most hated amongst NBA players. Westbrook and Embiid have done it all: staredowns, waving goodbye, dunking on each other, hard fouling, scuffles. They’re two of the most stubborn and unforgiving players in the league. Speaking of unforgiving, we can’t forget how Embiid has gotten into it with Andre Drummond and Karl-Anthony Towns. First, he’s had several shoving matches with Drummond — and promptly taunting him so bad one time it caused Dre to get ejected. His feud with Towns was bubbling for a while before they actually wrestled each other, making for one of the rare actual fights in recent NBA memory.

Embiid’s also beefed with Beverley, Westbrook — obviously two other guys on this list — along with John Collins, James Harden, Marcus Smart, Lonzo Ball, Jared Dudley, Danilo Gallinari, Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, Marcus Morris, Aron Baynes, and of course… Ben Simmons.

There were lots of players in contention for the top spot on this list: Marcus Smart, Trae Young, CP3, Boogie, Hassan Whiteside, Rajon Rondo, but I’ve come to a solid conclusion on who the most hated guy in the NBA is:

Blake Griffin.

Blake is as passive aggressive as they come — he doesn’t really talk shit randomly, he just bumps and shoves and yanks at people enough to piss them off. He shoved Giannis to the ground, all-out wrestled with Zach Randolph, dodged punches from PJ Tucker, and threw Thomas Bryant to the floor and laughed in his face. He’s pissed off Jimmy Butler, Serge Ibaka, Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley and Andrew Bogut with a flurry of hard fouls and insults.

Watching him play on the Pistons and get into these beefs, NBA players’ hate for Blake was fully confirmed when he played against Detroit, right after he got to Brooklyn. He made it a point to dunk on his former teammates (something he hadn’t done in over a year), he got into shoving matches with Isaiah Stewart (who elbowed him in the head). The ever-quiet Saddiq Bey, who Blake mentored, got in his face and gave him an earful. Even Hamidou Diallo, who hadn’t been in Detroit more than a month, gave Griffin a nice shove on a fastbreak.

It’s one thing to piss other players off, but if your former teammates are still sick of you even after you’re gone? That’s evidence that Blake Griffin is the guy that most NBA players hate.