2025 NBA Finals: Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder

We get Pacers - Thunder in the NBA Finals.  While I'm sure ABC execs are not excited about having two small market teams in the Finals, I am.  We get two great teams and great players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton.  OKC was the class of the league the entire season.  Their defense and the play of MVP SGA were overwhelming for teams.  While Denver took them to seven games, the Thunder only took nine games to dismiss the Grizzlies and Timberwolves.  The Pacers were 20-9 after the All-Star break and took out the Cavs, Bucks and Knicks in the playoffs.  They shouldn't be overlooked, and Tyrese Haliburton is the real deal having some amazing games in the playoffs.  I do think OKC wins this series.  Maybe 4-2.  I understand it could even be 4-1 but I have more confidence in Indiana.

Who am I rooting for?  Indiana.  This only their second NBA Finals and they've never won an NBA championship.  OKC has won a championship as the SuperSonics in the '78-79 season.  I also think their window for competing for a championship is longer than the Pacers.  No matter who wins I think it is a win for fans.  These small market teams built their teams through good front office moves in the draft, free agency and the trade market.  There are lots of fun players outside of the stars.  They are both deep.  We should celebrate these teams.  We are getting some "old school" basketball in the playoffs, so it'll be interesting to see how much they let them play.  Enjoy!

NBA Playoffs Round 2

 The NBA playoffs gave us a good first round though no major surprises.  You weren't surprised by LA losing, right?  Clipper-Nuggets was the most fun though not all games were close.  The Aaron Gordon slam at the buzzer off a Nokic miss is a play that will be replayed for a long time.  I think all four of the Round 2 series should be fun for their own reasons.  OKC vs Denver should be good, but I think the Thunder are just too good while the Nuggets must be tired.  The T-Wolves and Warriors should be a fun series.  I don't know who to take but I think Golden State wins this one.  Knicks and Celtics could be a slugfest, but Boston falls into the too good to lose category at this point.  Cavs-Pacers should be another good series, but it may have been undone due to Darius Garland's injury.  Hopefully Cleveland can rebound from their game 1 loss and make this a good series.  No reason they can't.  An OKC-Boston Finals still feels like how this plays out and I wouldn't mind that.  I think they are the two best teams and a seven-game series would be great.  That said, I think we get OKC-Golden State and Cleveland-Boston in the Conference Finals matchups.

NBA Trade Craziness: Doncic to the Lakers and the Spurs rob the Kings

The Luke-AD trade really is perplexing.  If you don't want to pay Luka the super max extension and would rather trade him, I'm okay with that.  But no way what they got from LA is the best package they could get for a 25 year-old superstar in Luka.  Why not go into the offseason and start a bidding war and not get a massive haul.  Really, why not?  At worst run it back this season.  Doncic will be back from injury this month.  Let the season play out and then get everyone in the league on the same page - we're open for business.  I keep hearing how Dallas was ticked about Doncic's conditioning, but while that isn't petty, it isn't the reason to take less.  It just feels like a knee jerk reaction. 

I do give all sides props for keeping this quiet though.  If word had gotten out, LA and Dallas lose momentum and the whole deal could have been torpedoed.  Not saying it was a good deal.  Just props on not letting anyone know and letting players or agents drive the bus.

I'm not sure this works for the Lakers short term.  They are the #5 seed today, but does this screw up the chemistry?  And they still have no big.  But assuming Luka signs with them long term when he is eligible in the offseason, this is massive.  They have the franchise's long-term star and direction set.  Until now there was no succession plan to LeBron leaving.  Sure, they have to build around Luka still but that's just what you do.  

And somehow Luka is being painted as a victim in all this.  Yes, he'll lose ~$50M because he won't be eligible for the super max contract extension, but he'll be in LA.   He'll make that up in spades with endorsements and LA is the mecca of basketball.  If he doesn't resign with the Lakers, he can take his talents to free agency and go wherever he wants.  This is a huge win for him, period.  

Feeling left out Sacramento then trades De'Aaron Fox for very little in my opinion.  They get Zach Lavine, who Chicago hasn't been able to give away for a year due to his play, injuries and huge contract.  They get some first-round picks but Charlotte's won't convey and will turn into two second rounders.  The Spurs didn't have to give up one of Atlanta's first round picks which are much more valuable than what the actual Spurs pick.  The Timberwolves pick may be the only pick worth something in the long run.  I know Lavine is having a good year, but I can't see him being a difference maker in Sacramento.  

I know folks are in love with the idea of Fox in San Antonio but I'm not sure if it really works as well as everyone wants it to.  That said, the Spurs are in a great spot.  They have time on their hands here.  Wemby is so young that if it doesn't work out, they can move on from him after his contract ends in 2026 or trade him before that.  And Wemby will still just be reaching his prime.  If it does work out, you extend Fox and it's a good thing.  And Wemby would still be in his prime after that contract.  They'll also have flexibility in all this to add a third star if they want to.  The Spurs should be arrested for this deal.  Craziness!

CBS Sports .com does a great job breaking trades.  Hoopsrumors.com is a great site for anything basketball but especially analyzing things from a calmer perspective.

As part of a 3-team trade, traded by the Los Angeles Lakers with Max Christie and a 2029 1st round draft pick ( was later selected) to the Dallas Mavericks; the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers; the Los Angeles Lakers traded Jalen Hood-Schifino and a 2025 2nd round draft pick ( was later selected) to the Utah Jazz; the Utah Jazz traded cash and a 2025 2nd round draft pick ( was later selected) to the Dallas Mavericks; and the Utah Jazz traded cash to the Los Angeles Lakers. Los Angeles also received a trade exception 2025 2nd-rd pick is LAC own Dallas also received multiple trade exceptions 2025 2nd-rd pick is a right to swap 2029 1st-rd pick is LAL own

 

Spurs get: Fox, Jordan McLaughlin

Kings get: LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, three first-round picks (2025 via Hornets, 2027 via Spurs, 2031 via Timberwolves)

Bulls get: Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, their own 2025 first-round pick from Spurs

Portland Trail Blazers 2024-2025 Season Preview

 The Portland Trail Blazers have room for improvement.  Sure, it helps when you only won 21 games the season before, but this team has talent albeit on an unbalanced roster.  I was willing to give Deandre Ayton a chance last year but he's definitely not the answer.  Jerami Grant is good but he signed a big contract when they were going all in with Dame and that didn't work out.  Still not sure who Anfernee Simons is.  Shaedon Sharpe is still young and figuring out who he is too.  Donovan Clingan was the #7 pick in this year's draft but it's too early to know what he brings to the table.  Scoot Henderson is the guy after being picked #3 last year.  He struggled last year but showed some improvement in the second half of the season.  Coach Chauncey Billups has his work cut out for him.  Too many guards and too many centers does not make for a good rotation.  The front office needs to do something to help.  An Ayton trade would be great and Anfernee Simons might be the odd man out in the backcourt, if not now, later.  I do think they win more than 21 games.  Health kept them from playing consistent lineups last season.  If they're healhty this year, it will go a long way determining the team's identity.  A little optimism but I think Scoot really needs to show he's going be the guy.  Doesn't have to be a star this year but he needs to show he can be the point guard of the future for this team commensurate with being a #3 pick.

Scoot

Atlanta Hawks Season Preview

The Atlanta Hawks are not in a great place.  There are little ways for them to better themselves.  They tried switching things up in the off season, moving on from Dejounte Murray in a trade with the Pelicans but the return of Larry Nance Jr, Dyson Daniels, E.J. Liddell, and Cody Zeller aren't game changers nor are the two low 1st round draft picks they also received.  The Hawks traded three of their own 1st for Murray just a few years ago.  Those of course are more valuable.  The Hawks also tried to trade star Trae Young but there were no takers.  I think many don't see Young as a player who takes their team to the next level and the $136M left on his contract as too much to swallow for the player they see him as.  The Hawks have very limited options.  They did get the #1 pick in the 2024 draft but as is their luck, Zaccharie Risacher, isn't seen as a franchise type guy either.  I said it last year.  Unless many of their role players take a major leap in play this team is probably looking at 36 wins again.  Maybe. While Murray didn't work with Young, will De'Andre Hunter or Jalen Johnson take a huge leap to become a great second option for this team.  I just don't see it.  Somebody will get the points Murray left behind, but I don't think they can make up for his quality play.  And bless Trae Young, that man is really good and can fill up a stat sheet.  But he hasn't shown he's a "The Franchise".  Lots of negativity I know but I don't see improvement this season.  Here's hoping I'm wrong.