Ty Ranks the 2023 - 2024 NBA Teams - Good Band Playing in a Bad Venue Division

Day three of my preseason NBA countdown gets us into the playoff team mix today. As I continue this countdown I am getting more and more excited about the upcoming season.

At 20 I have the Chicago Bulls. This team needs to pick a lane. They should probably rebuild, but they seem to want to stay in the play in mix. They are also older, so I am kind of confused as to what their long term plans are. I am a fan of DeMar DeRozan. He has been a solid player his whole career and he continues to put up solid numbers. I think DeRozan will not be fully appreciated as a player until he retires. Zach Lavine is still here and he can still score in bunches. He doesn't have the hops that he used to, and he is not a very good defender. But, the guy can score. I don't know that he will finish the season with the Bulls, but they have him for now. Lonzo Ball is out all season and that is a bummer. Alex Caruso has never been able to find the guy who he was with the Lakers. Coby White is an okay enough player, but his talent hasn't really translated in the NBA. Andre Drummond likes to make wild proclamations, and while he is a good rebounder, he doesn't do much else. Ayo Dosunmu is a good backup but he starts too often here. Jevon Carter could easily take his spot. Nikola Vucevic is still around, but he just seems like a warm body at this point. And I wonder if Patrick Williams will ever put it together. As I said, I think they should rebuild and get young, but if they keep this core together they will be a 35-38 win team and might be out of the play in conversation.

At 19 I have the Toronto Raptors. This is another team in the same vein as the Bulls. I don't know what their plan is, but I have to think they may be better off rebuilding. Pascal Siakim is the best player on their team. I like Siakim a ton, but take that statement as you will. He is a decent scorer and defender, but he is not much of an outside shooter. And his contract is up after this season. Scottie Barnes is really good. I know he took a step back last season, but he is too talented to be down for long. I hope they let him run the show this season. OG Anunoby may be more of a trade chip than anything else right now. He is a very solid all around player, but I don't get the obsession. Jakob Poeltl got a contract this offseason, but I don't get the appeal of him. He is fine, but not great. Gary Trent Jr is an okay enough bench scorer. Jalen McDaniels was a nice offseason signing. I am not a humongous fan of the Gradey Dick draft pick. I don't have a ton of faith in him. And Dennis Schroeder can bring some veteran leadership, while rankling some people the wrong way. Toronto will be a tough out, and they could push 40 wins, but not many more than that.

At 18, my first playoff team, I have the New Orleans Pelicans. This is purely based on availability with this team. If they are healthy they could be a top 10 team. Unfortunately they are barely ever healthy. Zion Williamson is unguardable. He also looks to be in shape. But how many games will he play? How effective will he be on defense? Can he stay on the floor for 30 minutes a night? There are a lot of questions surrounding him. Brandon Ingram had a tough FIBA and I am curious to see how he performs after that. He is also in a contract year, so I am genuinely curious how he plays. Jonas Valincunas is an okay enough big man, but he is a dinosaur at center. He will bruise you and try to beat you up, but he is going to find it tough to guard the younger faster players. Herb Jones is already hurt. I haven't heard much from Larry Nance Jr this offseason. Trey Murphy may be in for a leap. Jose Alvarado is a very menacing defender, but I wonder if his bit is up. CJ McCollum can still score, but I wonder if he is more concerned with his duties as president of the players union. Then it is a grab bag of players. The Pelicans were in the top 3 after the first quarter of last season, and then injuries ravaged this team. I want them to stay healthy so I can see what they are fully capable of this year.

At 17 I have the Dallas Mavericks. This team is totally different from what they were two seasons ago. They only have one dude, Luka Doncic, from that team that played significant time. Doncic is a good player, I just despise watching him play basketball. He is whiny, a ball stopper and bores me with his methodical play. He is a younger James Harden. Kyrie Irving is a space case. He never seems to have his head fully into basketball. Grant Williams started to miss games last season due to a coach's decision. I think a change of scenery may help, but I also wonder if, when he played, it was due to Boston's system. Seth Curry is back and I have no feelings either way about them signing him. Jaden Hardy should get ample playing time this season. Dereck Lively Jr was a good pick, but he is raw. He needs time. Tim Hardaway Jr, as much as I root for him, has regressed. They signed Dante Exum. He is a very good defender, but he is a ZERO on offense. Omax Prosper has serious potential, as long as he gets on the court. And Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell will split the center minutes. Whoopdedoo. The Mavericks are an oddly constructed team, but they do have two great backcourt players. I wonder how many wins that will result in though because they play no defense.

The final team for the day, at 16 I have the OKC Thunder. The Thunder may be the most fun team to watch all year long. I have high expectations for them too. They really came on strong last season, and I think they will only build upon that. Shai Gilgeous Alexander is a burgeoning star. He is going to be a perennial MVP candidate. He is such a good point guard and he is only going to get better. Jalen Williams had a real shot at rookie of the year last season and he has looked great in preseason so far. Josh Giddey is getting a little stronger and a little nastier. That is good for him. I'm curious to see how Chet Holmgren does. He is soft, but he did get bigger this offseason. He was kind of worked by Webayama the other night though. Cason Wallace looks really good. They have ambitions to play guys like Tre Mann, Isaish Joeand Lu Dort big minutes. Time will tell on that. But this team has been building through the draft, they have picks for days and they have a very solid core of guys. The Thunder are going to be legit in two to three years. But they will show another step this season.

That is it for today. Comeback tomorrow for the next five teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty's 2022 - 2023 NBA Season Preview: Pelicans, Bulls, Lakers

Day five of my 22-23 NBA countdown has us at my number 18 team, the New Orleans Pelicans.

I only have them this high because I am suspecting they are fully healthy, that every major player is ready to contribute a full season. And that all starts with Zion Williamson. Williamson is an incredibly talented basketball player. He is unguardable. He jumps like Kemp. He bullies people like Shaq. He out rebounds everyone as if he were Dennis Rodman. I mean, this kid is great. But he is always injured. He has never played a full season. He played 60 plus games in year two, but he wore down at the end. He can be great if he can stay on the floor. Brandon Ingram is the truth. This dude can score. He is a poor man's KD, and that is a major compliment. He has stepped up when asked to and he has only gotten better. CJ McCollum was a tremendous midseason trade for them. He brings stability, leadership and playoff experience. He was the main drive in getting them to the postseason last year. Jona Valincinuas fits with this team. He is big and nasty and mean. He bumps and bruises almost every other big man. Herb Jones is one of the best defenders in the league already. He also has a crazy wingspan. Seriously, it is nuts. Jose Alvarado flashed on the scene by making wild steals. He was a menace in the playoffs. Jaxson Hayes is a solid modern big off the bench. Larry Nance Jr is still one of my personal favorite players. Their coach is also very good at what he does. The Pelicans can and should be in the playoffs. The play in might not even suffice with how good this squad is on paper. They just have to prove it on the court and stay healthy.

At number 17 I have my son's favorite team, the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are kind of in flux. I have tried to explain this to my kid. They started off last season like a house on fire. They were leading the East for a bit. But then some guys either got hurt or got COVID and they were never able to recover. I wonder what effect that will have on this year's squad. Lonzo Ball is still out and the healing process is taking way longer than anticipated. The Bulls need his defense and point guard skills if they want to be a playoff lock. Zach Lavine finally got paid, but he didn't really impress me a ton last year. He is an excellent scorer and leaper, but his defense and passing leave a ton to be desired. DeMar DeRozan, my son's favorite player, was incredible last season. He was a delight to watch. I saw him live and it was even better than I imagined. But he cannot carry this team again. I like the Andre Drummond signing. I'd start him over Nikola Vucvic, who feels like he is washed now. Alex Caruso brings good defense, but he gets hurt a ton. I love that they are starting Ayo Dosunmu. He had a great rookie year and looks like he is going to build off that. Coby White just cannot seem to figure it out, but I'm still a fan. I'd love to see a healthy Pat Williams because he looks like he would be awesome. The Bulls really floundered at the end of last season and that would have me worried if I were a fan. My son is worried. But they do have a talented enough roster to be in the play in in the East.

The final team for the day, at 16 I have the Los Angeles Lakers. I truly do not know what to think of this team. They have LeBron James and he is an all timer. He is amazing. He is one of the best to ever do it. But he is having trouble staying on the floor. He is also asked far too much for someone who is going to be 38 this year. Anthony Davis is an incredible talent. He is a 7 footer that can play tough and play with finesse. He is an excellent defender. He is a great offensive player. He does it all. But he cannot put a full season together without some kind of long term injury. As much as I adore Russell Westbrook, the fit is bad and he is showing his age. It just doesn't work with the Lakers. It makes me sad. They traded for Patrick Beverly, who will help space the floor and be a tremendous help on defense, but he keeps moving teams. He may not be the most fun guy to play basketball with. They brought back Dennis Schroeder, who is an okay player. But he has regressed ever since he turned the Lakers down after their last title. Kendrick Nunn is supposedly healthy, but he hasn't played in over a full year. They brought on young guys like Lonnie Walker, Juan Toscano-Andersonand Troy Brown, which is fine. But none of those guys really move the needle for me. I'm already over any Austin Reaves hype. Thomas Bryant and Damian Jones are serviceable bigs, but I don't think they are the type of guys you win a title with. Look, LeBron and AD are otherworldly players. And when they are on the floor the Lakers can win any game. But they are rarely on the floor. And this roster just screams mediocre to me. They will be better than last season, depending on health. I'm just curious to see how much better.

That is it for today. Come back next week for the next three teams. We are almost to the start of the season everyone.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Zion is Hurt Again and That Sucks

It looks as if Zion Williamson is going to miss all of the 21-22 NBA season. It is being reported that he may need a second surgery on his ankle, or some lower body part needed to play basketball at a high level.

This really bums me out. I am trying to be more upbeat this year, but after hearing this news the other day, I have to talk about it. I like Zion. I am not a Duke fan, but I watched them play when Zion was there. I am not a New Orleans Pelicans fan, but I watched when Zion was playing. But now, with multiple injuries and missing time here and there and having his minutes restricted when he was playing, it just seems like Zion is going to go down as one of the biggest what ifs in the history of the NBA.

There are some reports saying that he might not need the surgery, that it is too soon to tell, but come on, we have seen this story before. And that is what scares me most about this new report. Zion was THE can't miss prospect when he entered the draft three years ago. He was supposed to be the most sure pick since LeBron. He was going to save the Pelicans, being that they had just traded Anthony Davis to the Lakers. Teaming him up with Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart was going to make this one of the most fun teams to watch in the NBA for years to come. Hell, I was laughed at and chastised by RD for ranking Ja Morant ahead of Zion in my pre draft write up that year. Who is laughing now RD? HAHAHAHAHA. But I digress. I bought into the Zion hype. I am super pumped that Morant is as great as he is this early in his career, but I looked at the possibility of him and Zion being the next 1-2 punch in the league. It was going to be super dope to see these two extremely skilled and hyper athletic athletes go head to head for years and years to come. But while Ja has stayed relatively healthy, the same cannot be said for Zion. His rookie year he played in only 24 games. Those 24 games were spellbounding, with some nutjobs claiming he should be ROTY, clearly Ja deserved and won it. But he looked great. But he was also playing garbage time for a team well out of the playoff race by then. He missed far too much time, and we should have seen that as a sign. But in the 2020 season he played in 61 games. He seemed like he was in decent shape. He was playing the point at times for the Pelicans. He was putting up double doubles with ease. It looked like we were going to get the greatness we all expected.

Then the pandemic hit. There was a two month layoff. And when the NBA decided to do the bubble, Zion looked disinterested and out of shape. Something seemed off. The Pelicans could have made the playoffs, but they went home after eight subpar games. Then talks started that he was unhappy, that he was going to ask for a trade, that he wanted to be in a bigger market. But then when the season started, Zion was hurt again. He was going to miss a few weeks. The few weeks turned into a month. Then came a surgery that has kept him out. There were also some photos surfacing of him shooting around before a game, and he looked big. I get that people can doctor photos, and I do not like my picture taken, but Zion has always been a big dude, and he looked real big in these photos. That was the one knock on him coming into the NBA, that he was going to have to lose weight. And it seems like he has not taken on that role yet. I get it. I'm a big guy too, and food is delicious, but I am not a professional athlete who has gobs of money at my disposal and can hire people to help keep me in shape. Yet I have found ways to lose weight and keep it off. To this point in the season, Zion has played zero games. And with this new news it seems like he is going to miss the entirety of the regular season. And I think fans and other people involved with the NBA are starting to move on.

I hope I am wrong and I hope he comes back stronger than ever next year. But we are in year three and he has only played 85 career games. That scares me. I cannot imagine how scared Pelicans fans and their front office are right now. I hope the news is wrong. I hope he does not have to get surgery, or if he does, it is very minor. I hope he comes back and is as ferocious a dunker and rebounder as he was before. I want the best for him because, as a selfish NBA fan, I want to see him dominate. But at this rate it seems more likely that he retires sooner than expected and we talk about Zion as what could have been. That would stink. I hope I am wrong.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty's 2021-2022 NBA Preview: Pelicans, Grizzlies, Bulls, Knicks

After a two day hiatus I am back with my 2021 NBA countdown. We are at the playoff teams. These teams are the 18 best coming into the season in my opinion. Some will be play in teams, as the NBA has fully committed to doing the play in which I love, but these teams are the playoff bound ones. They should get to the postseason barring significant injuries.

At number 18 I have the New Orleans Pelicans. This team has as much upside as almost any team in the league. If they can get their act together, learn how to play a little defense and stay relatively healthy, they are going to be a matchup nightmare. Zion Williamson has all the tools to be great. He dunks like Kemp, is built like LeBron, can handle the ball like a guard and is a very good passer. He is also nearly impossible to jump with. He can do it all. But he has not been able to stay healthy, and whining before even making the playoffs is a bad look. This kid can be an all time great, he just has to go out there and prove it without a shadow of a doubt. Brandon Ingram is one of the most versatile scorers in the league. He is long, can shoot, can cut and can knock down a shot from anywhere. He does not play a lick of defense though, and I wish he were a better rebounder. He needs to get tougher too. Josh Hart may be the soul of this team. He is their best defender, best rebounder and most reliable player. He is a guard though, so I kind of wish he wasn't their top rebounder. Kira Lewis Jr has some potential, he just needs to get some playing time. Nickeil Alexander Walker looked like he was going to be a great bench scorer a few seasons back, but that hasn't come to fruition. Jaxson Hayes is built like a bruiser, but he too has yet to show his full potential, and he isn't getting adequate playing time. I wish they had kept Lonzo Ball. Devonte Graham is an okay scorer, but this team will miss Ball's passing and defense. Graham doesn't do much of those things. Garrett Temple and Tomas Satorranksy bring shooting, but nothing else. And they replaced Steven Adams with Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas may be a better offensive player, but other than that he is an exact replica of Adams. The Pelicans have the talent to become a perennial playoff team, they just have to do it on the floor and play some defense.

At number 17 I have the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies made the playoffs last year. They beat the Spurs and the Warriors, in Golden State, to make it as the 8th seed. They even took a game from the Jazz in round one. That was a nice start for this very young team. Now they need to take that next step. Ja Morant is a star. He will be an all star. He will be an all NBA player. His shot looks better. His floater is untouchable. He is an out of this world dunker. He is becoming the leader they hoped he would when they took him in the draft. I love this kid. He is my favorite player in the league. Dillon Brooks adds great shooting and plays incredible defense. He is going to be all defense this season. When healthy, Jaren Jackson Jr is a great modern big. He's a tough rebounder and defender. He can post you up and shoot the three. He has the tools, he just has to be on the floor. Kyle Anderson is an understated yet solid basketball player. He does all the little things he is asked. Steven Adams will not do much for them on offense, but he brings a strength and nastiness to this defense that I like. Desmond Bane way over shot his expectations for me, and he looked amazing in summer league. Jarrett Culver is getting his second chance here, and if nothing else, he can be a hound on defense. They will be able to bring along Zaire Williams very slowly, but I do already like how athletic he is. Brandon Clarke, with some more minutes, can easily have a good bounce back year. He was down, but he is too good not to break out of it. He could be their Matisse Thybulle, but with a better shot. Xavier Tillman hit some big time shots in crunch time games last year. He was more than ready for the NBA. And DeAnthony Melton can flat out put the ball in the hoop. Memphis is on the come up. They have the guys. They took a big step last year and now I expect, being a fan, that they are a perennial playoff team.

At number 16 I have the Chicago Bulls. Talk about an off season. They signed Lonzo Ball. He will add defense, passing, court vision and a reliable three point shot. They also got DeMar DeRozan. Say what you will about him, but there is a reason he is still around and still putting up eighteen a game. They already have Zach Lavine, who was an all star last year, was great on Team USA this summer and has the looks of a guy that just wants to win. They got Nikola Vucevic last season and didn't have the time to fully integrate him in the offense. Now he has a full off season under his belt and he should shine. Alex Caruso was a sneaky good signing. He brings great defense and hustle to this team. I know Patrick Williams is hurt now, but when he gets back, I feel like he is going to take a humongous leap. Coby White is going to be a lethal bench scorer for this team, and this role is so much better for him. Ayo Dosunmu was a very good draft pick and he is playing for his hometown team. Derrick Jones Jr will be a highlight reel mainstay and a big time fan favorite. The Bulls want to be in the playoffs and this off season made that very clear. They should be a very good team.

The final team for the day, at number 15 I have RD's New York Knicks. They were in the playoffs last season. They had home court advantage. Julius Randle was the MOP, an all star and an all NBA guy. Derrick Rose is back and looks like the best version of his veteran self. They signed Kemba Walker. I know he hasn't been that good as of late, but playing in the Garden, where he shined in college, that has to add something to his game. They overpaid for Evan Fournier, but the dude knows how to score in the NBA. He will inject some life into the second unit. RJ Barrett has quietly gotten better every year. And now that his jumper looks good, he could vault into a solid starter and twenty point per game kind of guy. Immanuel Quickley was a revelation. He is so much fun to watch and he has no conscience when shooting the ball. Mitchell Robinson is fully healthy and in a contract year. He will return to form. Obi Toppin is going to get more playing time and he will grow into a solid player. Nerlens Noel is still a good rim protector and rebounder. Taj Gibson is the vet every team wants. And Alec Burks can put up forty on any given night. The Knicks surprised a lot of us last year. They return pretty much everyone from a team that was the four seed last year. This team is here to stay and it feels good to have a good Knicks team in the NBA.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next four teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Good and the Bad of NBA Free Agency

Yesterday was all about how curious I am to watch the Lakers this upcoming season. Today I want to talk about some of the free agent signings I am high on and some I'm not so crazy about.

Let's get the "bad" out of the way first.

I am not a fan at all of what the Pelicans are doing. They let Lonzo Ball go in a sign and trade and only got Toma Satoransky and, I think, Thad Young in return. They then went out and got Davante Graham, who I like, but he does nothing to help them defensively which is what they lack the most. These moves all seem very parallel. It all started when they traded the 10th pick, Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams to the Grizzlies for the 17th pick, Jonas Valnciunas and someone else who barely played for the Grizzlies. Steven Adams to Valanciunas is not much of an upgrade. And the pick swap was of no significance. Maybe the Pelicans have something else up their sleeve that no one knows about, but right now these moves would worry me if I were Zion, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart.

I also am not crazy about what the Spurs are doing. I really like the young guys they have on the team and I want them to run it with those guys. They decided to go out and sign Doug McDermott, Brynn Fobes and Zach Collins. McDermott is no more than a three point shooter and so is Forbes except not as consistent. Zach Collins simply cannot stay healthy. He is so injury prone that I am kind of surprised he is still in the league. I did like their draft, but these free agent signings are odd. But they are the Spurs, and they know way more than I do.

Finally, I kind of loathe what the 76ers are doing with Simmons. I know he isn't a free agent, but the asking price in a trade has kind of handcuffed them as far as who they could have tried to get. They also missed out on Kyle Lowry and he would have been a perfect fit for them. The lack of anything, and the asking price for Simmons would have me worried if I were a 76ers fan.

Now for the good stuff.

Speaking of Kyle Lowry, I absolutely love what the Heat have done this offseason. They added Lowry and PJ Tucker and retained Duncan Robinson. Sure they had to trade Goran Dragic to get Lowry, but I'd do that trade ten times out of ten. The Heat are going to be grueling to play against. Their defense, with Butler, Adebayo and now Lowry and Tucker is going to get under opponents skin. They will grind the hell out of other teams. And on offense they have added a great floor general, kept their best three point shooter and re-signed Butler, who can create baskets out of absolutely nothing. While not on Brooklyn or Milwaukee's level, I think the Heat have pushed their way into the third spot in the East.

I also like what Atlanta has done. They have only brought in Delon Wright, but they also kept this team who went to the East Finals together after they gave Trae and John Collins big contracts. The Hawks are going to be a perennial playoff team, they have this young core intact which will keep them good for the next four or five years and they may become more attractive to future free agents if they keep winning like I expect them to. Sometimes less is more in the NBA.

Finally on the good side, my favorite offseason moves come from the Chicago Bulls. They are all in on making a push to, at the very least, the play in next season. They got Lonzo, they brought in Alex Caruso and they have now surrounded Zach Lavine with the playmakers that will further push him into the upper tier of an all star. This team is young, exciting, explosive, better defensively and should be so much fun to watch. Ball has gotten better and better every year and I think he will thrive playing next to Lavine. Caruso, for all the unnecessary love he gets, is a solid role player and will fit in just fine. Nikola Vucevic is a very skilled offensive player and he now knows the system. Coby White is so much fun to watch and he had a very good second season. Patrick Williams looks like the real deal. And Lavine is coming off an all star season and he has looked decent in the Olympics. The Bulls need to start winning and the moves they made this offseason should help them make a playoff push. I have been super impressed with their offseason.

I love NBA free agency and this year has been especially fun. I cannot wait to watch all these guys on their new teams. The new season cannot start soon enough.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty's 2020-2021 NBA Preview: Not This Year

Day 2 of my NBA countdown features five better teams than yesterday, and again, I think the Thunder are going to be a force in a few years, but not that much better. The NBA really is down to about five or six teams, honestly maybe just three teams, that are true title threats. But at least it isn't like when the Warriors had KD and it was already a done deal that they would win when healthy. Let's get to it.

At number 25, and I cannot believe I have a team coached by Greg Poppovich this low, and I hope he proves me wrong, is the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have been one of the most reliable franchises in my entire two decades of fervently watching the NBA. They were always a playoff team, usually a threat to win a round or two, and would win titles from time to time. First it was teaming up Duncan with David Robinson, then drafting and developing Kawhi and then surrounding Kawhi and Duncan with some of the greatest role players ever. Then Duncan retired. Then Kawhi asked out. And here they are now. They were invited to the bubble, but they did not make the playoffs for the first time in forever. And while the Spurs have big names, DeMar DeRozan and Lamarcus Aldirdge, they are older, DeRozan wants out and they cannot keep up with the modern NBA. I am a DeRozan and Aldridge fan, I like both guys, but there is no way around the fact that they have aged, and not very well. I also like Rudy Gay, but I think he is as old as me, and he doesn’t have the juice he used to. I love the younger guys they have, like Lonnie Walker, Dejounte Murray and Derrick White, but they can't all be on the floor at the same time. I think Keldon Johnson has talent, he just has to be groomed, and it may take a few more seasons. Jakob Poeltl, Trey Lyles and Patty Mills are solid vets, but at this point they seem more like trade bait now. The Spurs have the greatest basketball coach of all time, and they will be competitive. The simple fact is, they don't have the talent needed, especially in the West, to make the playoffs.

At number 24 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. I know they have playoff aspirations, and they took Anthony Edwards number one overall, which will help scoring, and they paired KAT with D'Angelo Russell, but I just don't see this team getting over the hump quite yet. They do have all that young talent, throw Jarrett Culver in there too, but they play in the West, and they don't play much defense. If the Timberwolves were in the East, maybe they have enough offense to overcome their defensive deficiencies. But they don't, and the top teams in the West will eat them up. For all the great things KAT and Russell do on offense, they are flat out bad defensively. Edwards is a brick house, and a walking bucket, but he didn't play much D his one year in college. Culver was supposed to be the defensive guru, but he didn't have the greatest rookie year on that end. I think he can be better, but it will take time. The rest of the roster is ho hum to me. Josh Okogie is fine, but no better than a bench player. They have Ricky Rubio again, but he is only older and slower. Malik Beasley can score, I just don't know how much time he will be on the floor. Naz Reid dominated the G League, but now he is going to have to play against the best of the best. And Jake Layman is so blasé. The Timberwolves are moving in the right direction, and I love that Flip Saunders son is the head coach, but they are still a few years away, and they need to keep this core together to reach any vision of what they expect their future to hold.

At number 23 I have the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets did a few things right this offseason. They took Lamelo Ball, which was a smart pick, and were finally able to get off Nic Batum's contract. They found out Devontae Graham is a solid player, and were able to get rid of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. They also finally shed Tyler Zeller and Frank Kaminsky. But then they took these moves, and the money left over, and went out and gave Gordon Hayward way, way too much money. They also gave Terry Rozier far too much money. For as great a player Jordan was, the GOAT, he is not a very good GM. They seemed to be doing correct stuff, then they did that deal for Hayward, and it just took me right back to the Batum deal. Hayward is a shell of the player he was in Utah, and only got worse, and bypassed by better players in Boston. Rozier is a solid offensive guy, but he is so much better in a Lou Williams role, than as a starter. Ball is going to be okay, and I think playing in Charlotte is big time for him, but he is a rookie, and a young rookie. Malik Monk is not the scorer I thought he would be coming out of college. PJ Washington is good, and he should get the bulk of minutes at the 4. Miles Bridges is hyper athletic, but I still don't know if he can shoot. Outside these guys it is a really mishmash of players. I thought they could compete for the playoffs this year, but it just doesn't look likely. I will watch them on League Pass because they should be fun, but fun doesn't equal wins.

At number 22 I have the Sacramento Kings. The Kings are still just an absolute mess. They cannot get out of their own way. They missed, at least so far, on the Luke Walton hiring. When he doesn't have guys like Steph and Klay at his disposal, it is a lot harder to coach. DeAaron Fox is awesome, and I am stoked that he got a max deal, but I do not see much else that is desirable about that team. Buddy Hield wants out, and his shot was off last year. Marvin Bagley cannot stay healthy. Harrison Barnes is going down the Rudy Gay path. Hassan Whiteside is a head case. Jabari Parker has been a bust, and he got COVID a few months ago. Richaun Holmes plays hard, but he just doesn't have that "it" quality. I like Tyrese Haliburton, but I feel like the Kings are going to screw him up. The Kings need to play fast and space the floor. The only problem, the only guy they have that can do that is Fox. No one else plays like that, or if they do, they cannot stay healthy. The Kings are in NBA purgatory.

My final team of the day, at number 21, I have the New Orleans Pelicans. Some may say this is too low for them, that they should be a playoff team, but I am not ready to put them there yet. I love the Stan Van Gundy hire. I think he will do very good things with that team. I also love how many picks they have in the near future. The Pelicans and the Thunder will own the draft for the next decade. And I like their young, talented core. But, they have issues with health and defense and depth. Zion Willamson is an other worldly talent. He is a once in a lifetime player. He is amazing. But, he has had issues at Duke and during his rookie year with injuries. I want him to stay healthy because I love watching him play. Lonzo Ball is a solid defender and very good passer, but he is a bad shooter. Brandon Ingram is an awesome offensive player, and I personally think he is their best overall player. He deserved his max deal. Jaxson Hayes is as raw as they get, but I bet Stan Van Gundy can mold him into a defensive force. I like the addition of Steven Adams, and I think Zion will too. But Adams doesn't add much space. And Eric Bledsoe and Josh Hart are okay enough to get some minutes. The big problem with this team for me is health. If they can stay healthy, and that is a humongous if, they could fight for the playoffs. I don't think they will, and I think they are still a bit young. They also have the West to deal with. New Orleans will be good, a perennial playoff team, just not yet.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for 5 more teams. We are starting to get to the better, possibly playoff bound teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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The NBA Did Not Disappoint

Last night was absolutely amazing. I watched every second of both NBA games that were on, and boy did both of them deliver. The games both started kind of slow, but other than that, they had some great moments, some big dunks, great defense, exceptional passing and it was the first time in four months that I felt somewhat normal. I was watching professional basketball that counted and it was simply wonderful.

This pandemic is just getting started, we are still a ways off from any kind of answers, other sports, mainly the MLB and football, seemed doomed to be postponed or out and out canceled, but the NBA, they seem to be doing it right. They seem to have figured something out. They are, much like other pro soccer leagues overseas, doing the right things, and it is working. And last night was the first big punctuation to their plan. This was the NBA putting their flag in the ground and showing how this could work right now. It was awesome. Outside of the basketball on the court, I'll get to that in a minute, all the prior to the game stuff was done very well. The introductions felt real. The announcers were there, but they were separated by Plexiglass. Everyone who was with the team, but wasn't a player or coach, they were all masked up, and most were gloved. The players that they let come watch the games, they were spread out, they had masks and they seemed to be enjoying themselves and their teammates' company. The kneeling before the game during the anthem was perfect. Every player and coach on both teams knelt before both games. It was tremendous. The social issues that some players chose to wear on the back of their jersey's was very tastefully done, and I loved reading all the different sayings, and seeing which player wore what saying.

Then we have the actual basketball. As I said, it started a bit slow, you'd expect that after an emergency four month stoppage. But as the games wore on, the play became better and better, and more competitive. It seemed like the players were feeling each other out at first, but then they simply switched into game mode. Brandon Ingram, in the Jazz-Pelicans game, was out there cooking for a while. Once he got going, the rest of the Pelicans started to buy in. Zion threw down an alley oop that was spectacular, JJ Redick provided some nice moments off the bench, Jrue Holiday was playing lock down defense and hitting shots, and the Pelicans started to get up and down the floor. The Jazz came out hot, with Rudy Gobert running things, but kind of cooled off for a minute. Then they started to chip away at the Pelicans lead. Mike Conley hit tough shots, Joe Ingles was a pest, Royce O'Neal was hitting threes and Donovan Mitchell started to feel it in the second half. The game came down to the end, with Brandon Ingram just missing a three that would have won the game at the buzzer. It was a great appetizer to the main course.

That main course was a scintillating Clippers-Lakers game. I know the Clippers were without Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams, but hey, they are still a solid team without those guys. The Lakers though, man did they come to play. Anthony Davis was doing it all, including hitting an inordinate amount of free throws. JaVale McGee was rolling and dropping hooks everywhere. Dwight Howard provided solid rebounding off the bench. Danny Green made shots. But LeBron showed why he is still the best player in the world. He had a rough shooting night, but he made great passes, played some solid defense, and when he needed to, he made shots. The Clippers looked pretty good too. No Harrell meant more time for Zubac and Joakim Noah. Both guys had solid defensive games. Reggie Jackson got the start since Patrick Beverly just cleared protocol prior to the game, and he played like he did while in OKC. Beverly was no slouch either when he got in. He didn't shoot well, but he was that bulldog on defense. Paul George looked fully healthy for the first time in two years. He was making jumpers, asserting himself to get to the rim and playing his usual stout defense. Kawhi had some short jumpers, tired legs, but he ratched it up when he needed to like LeBron, coming on real strong in the second half. LeBron ended up hitting what was essentially a game winner, and the Lakers got a win on opening night in a game that was better than the first.

This couldn't have worked out better for the NBA. They had two great games, all the stars that were there played, made some plays and were all over highlights this morning. The lack of a crowd was nullified for me watching from home. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference. The fact that these guys played as hard, and as well as they did, it made the fact that there were no fans moot. I liked the big TV screens that showed people, and the pumped in noise, but again, it didn't really affect my watching at all.

I'm so happy that the NBA is back and started off with a bang like it did. I hope they continue to have success, as far as people staying healthy and good games, and they are able to let this thing run its course. But, for at least one night, I felt normal again, watching real basketball games. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Pelicans vs. Lakers in the Playoffs Would Be Awesome

Before  really get into the meat of my topic today I was to put some stuff out there first. I want everyone to know that I have adopted the Memphis Grizzlies as my favorite NBA team. They are closest to me, I have been to multiple games, I love the city and the arena and they are a fun team to watch. I also believe without a shadow of a doubt that Ja Morant is the Rookie of the Year, and that it shouldn't even be a close vote. Hell, I'd go as far to say that he could, and maybe should, be the unanimous choice. I also find the entire team a blast to watch, I think they will be a perennial playoff team sooner rather than later, that Morant is going to become even more of a star and that they are ahead of schedule, in a very good way.

Okay, with all that being said, and please keep that in mind as I write my piece today, I want to see New Orleans and the Lakers face off in a first round playoff series. I know this means the Grizzlies would get pushed out, they have little to no shot of catching up with Dallas or OKC, and I am fine with that. They will be in the playoffs next year. But, with the game between the Pelicans and Lakers tonight, and with the Pelicans at full strength, I think this would be the absolute dopest first round playoff matchup. It has so many elements that would make this so awesome. We have AD having to go back to New Orleans to play, at least, 2 games. That crowd is going to boo the absolute crap out of him. It won't matter because he is incredibly talented, and a super gifted basketball player, but it would be almost cathartic for the Pelicans fans to have that moment, and maybe prove that they don't need AD after all. On the other side, we'd have Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and any other player the Lakers traded to get AD. They would all get their chance to prove to the Lakers front office that they maybe gave up too much. Again, AD is a generational player, and if he gets the Lakers a title it will be totally worth it. But still, they gave up their future to get this guy, and some of those guys, Ingram I feel especially, will want to stick it to them. Just like AD getting booed, it won't matter, but it would be so much fun to watch. Then we have Zion versus LeBron. We have the current best player, and face of the league for the past almost two decades versus the guy everyone figures will be the new face when, and if he can stay healthy, LeBron retires.

Forget the playoffs for a moment. I'm excited to see them matchup tonight. I saw a picture on Bleacher Report earlier today asking the question of which one is more likely to dunk on the other one, and I got pumped at the idea. During a regular season game. Imagine that energy in a 7 game series. I mean, I'm sure it would be a sweep, maybe the Pelicans get one, but still, it would be fun. It kind of reminds me of when AD pushed the Pelicans into the playoffs and they played the Warriors. The Warriors won the series with ease, but AD was amazing. I feel like Zion can do that, but he has a much better supporting cast. I also like some of the other cross matchups. I love Ingram going against a guy like Avery Bradley. Or seeing Jrue Holiday face up with Rajon Rondo. I want to see how AD would guard Zion. This series would be great.

Again, the Grizzlies are my team. Ja is my dude. They're going to be a real player in the West very soon. But, just for one season, I want to see the Pelicans get swept by the Lakers. It will be a quick, but absolute blast of a series. Lets see it happen.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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In One Quarter, Zion Williamson Gave Us an Exciting Glimpse into His Future

I don't feel like I would be being a responsible sports/pop culture blogger if I didn't give my first impression of the debut of Zion Williamson last night.

I, much like the rest of the NBA watching world, have been waiting with bated breath for Zion to suit up. I know that the Pelicans are going to take every precaution, dot all the i's and cross all the t's, make sure he is more than 100 percent healthy before they were going to let him play. From what Zion said, he was ready to play a month ago. But, the Pelicans have a ton invested in him, so I get why they waited so long. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I get it.

Anyway, after 44 games, the Pelicans finally trotted Zion out last night. This was must watch TV. But, for the first three quarters, it was kind of a tease. The Pelicans started him, but he only played 8 total minutes in the first half. He took 2 shots, made 1, had a few rebounds and an assist. I said to my wife at one moment, "he looks a little awkward out there". He already has a weird gait, but it seemed more pronounced every time he ran. He almost immediately got rid of the ball when it was in his possession. He didn't appear as springy as we have all become accustomed to. He had a few wild turnovers. He seemed to avoid contact. Even in the second quarter, when he looked like he was finally getting in the groove, the coaching staff would take him out to get him some rest. All of this is expected, especially when it comes to a rookie, and a rookie coming off of an injury, but still, I felt a little disappointed after the first half. Even early in the third, it felt a little bit the same. He still looked somewhat tentative. I was kind of stunned because he has never shown this side of himself. He has always seemed to be an uber confident player, and when the lights shine brightest, so does he. He has a ton of followers on all the major social media platforms, he has since he was in high school, so to see him play, dare I say scared, was wild.

Then the fourth quarter happened.

The Pelicans were down, they needed a push and I think Zion sensed the moment, and that was when he took center stage. You could just tell by the change in his gait and face that he was ready to take over. He then went on to score 17 straight points, showing off all of the skills that he has been honing since high school. He ripped down rebounds. He bounced back up for tip ins. He made precise passes to start fast breaks. He dunked. He even hit a mid range here and there, and it was glorious to watch. I, and I cannot believe I am about to write this, felt the same as when I first saw LeBron in his first game as a rookie. Now, LeBron exploded right away, and he is now the second greatest player ever, and I am not saying that Zion will reach that stature, But, I had that same feeling that I watching a once in a generation talent. I was watching a guy built like Charles Barkley, but dunking and rebounding like Shawn Kemp ad passing like Chris Paul. He was playing defense like a vet against other vets. It was like the switch flipped, and he remembered he was playing a game he loves that he happens to be exceptional at. It was lightening in a bottle. All the wear and tear and rust, or whatever you want to call it, it went away in the fourth quarter, and it was so worth the wait. I thought while he was going off, this is what we have all been waiting for. This is what we all thought he could do. This was the fun player that I have been waiting to see. I know the Pelicans didn't win, but damn it if Zion wasn't a treasure to watch. He is part of this new generation that is going to continue to make the NBA the most fun professional sport to watch. I'm so happy he is healthy, playing and looks like he is having fun doing it all. And I'm glad that he is back on a court.

The wait was long, but if he continues to do what he did last night, and gets better and better every year, it will be completely worth it. Zion is a treasure.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Hawks, Pistons, Knicks, Pelicans

Day 3 of my NBA countdown is here. We are almost at my top 18, or which teams I would put in the playoffs if they didn't have to do East and West teams. Also, if any of the 4 teams I have today make the playoffs, it wouldn't shock me at all.

Anyway, coming in at number 22 I have the Atlanta Hawks. I love the way this team is being built, and I love the young talent they have. Trae Young totally changed my view of him with the way he improved all season long. He started slow, but he didn't let that bother him, and by the end of the year, it wasn't a far gone conclusion that Doncic was the runaway rookie of the year. Young made it a real race. He is already a very solid shooter, but the way he passed the ball and his handles, man did he have a real solid year. Now he needs to grow off that. I am a big time fan of John Collins. I like his old school game, he is strong, he can rebound and is a nice dunker. I like the pick of Deandre Hunter. He was a great defender in college, and hopefully that will translate to the pros for him. He also shot the lights out in the NCAA title game, and maybe that was a sign of things to come. They also took a "flyer" on Cam Reddish with the 10th pick. I don't see big things from him, he was a ghost at Duke last year. But, for the 10th overall pick, why not take a shot. If he becomes a sixth man, I feel like that is a win. Vince Carter is back for his 10 millionth season. I know this is his last, and he has been so much fun tot watch. I have nothing but respect for Carter. Kevin Huerter is another lethal shooter right next to Trae Young. Jabari Parker is there, and while he has not been great at much, the dude can score. The Hawks are not ready yet, but neither were the Thunder when they first made the playoffs. I could see that happening with the Hawks, especially in the East. But still, I think 35 wins is best case scenario for them.

At number 21 I have the Detroit Pistons. I just don't really know what they're trying to do. They have a few big names. Blake Griffin is a perennial All Star and a solid player. But, I still feel like he is wildly overrated, he is older, not as athletic and still gets hurt too much. Andre Drummond is a massive, throwback center, and I love watching him play. He plays hard and tough, but he isn't a top of the line center. Also, he needs to stop shooting threes. That is not his game at all. Reggie Jackson is a waste of a roster spot. He has only gotten worse since demanding his way out of OKC. He makes far too much money, and thinks he is better than he truly is. Luke Kennard is a nothing player. He isn't that good of a shooter, he cannot defend and he just takes up space. Derrick Rose is here, and while he played way better last year, he just isn't the guy he used to be. I hope for good things for him, but he seems past his time. They signed Joe Johnson after he won the MVP in the Big 3, but come on, he isn't "Big Shot Joe" anymore. Other than that, it's a cobbled together group of basketball players. What helps them is their coach, Dwayne Casey, who I like, and the fact they play in the East. But still, I do not know what to make of this team.

At number 20 I have the New York Knicks. Now this roster, this is the most cobbled together piece of junk I have seen in some time. This team totally whiffed on any big name free agents this past summer, and then they were left digging for scraps, and scraps they got. Julius Randle is a fine NBA player, but he is not a cornerstone player. You cannot build a title contender, or even a playoff contender, when Randle is your guy, and like I said, I like Randle. They got Marcus Morris to fleece the Spurs and sign with them, but I feel like the Spurs dodged a bullet. They signed Elfrid Payton, and he is the point guard version of Jabari Parker minus the scoring prowess. Bobby Portis is better known for punching a teammate than anything he has done on the court. Taj Gibson is a billion years old. And Wayne Ellington is here for some reason. The young guys are still very unproven. Frank Ntilikina has never gotten a real shot, and they need to trade him so he can try and reinvigorate his career. I love Mitchell Robinson, and I think he is the dude they need to build around. Kevin Knox was dreadful last year, and has not looked good in preseason. Dennis Smith Jr is hyper athletic, but still struggles to shoot the ball. And they took RJ Barrett, who I have zero faith in as a future All Star. The Knicks roster is so weird and seems incompatible. Randle will score in bunches and Mitchell Robison is awesome, but outside of that, I just don't know what to make of this team. I have them higher than I thought I would, but I wouldn't be shocked if they win 25 games this year. Who knows.

My final team for the day, coming in at number 19, is the New Orleans Pelicans. No team, that lost a great, top 5 player, could have had a better offseason than the Pelicans. Yes, they lost Anthony Davis, and while that is a real bummer, they got such a great return. They got Lonzo Ball, who has a much improved shooting form, and can still play D and find the open shooter. They got Josh Hart who is a consummate pro. He does all the little things. They got Brandon Ingram, and he was really starting to come along late last season. He played so much better when LeBron was out, and in New Orleans, I feel like he could shine. And they got the number one overall pick, Zion Williamson. While I want to see more than just dunking from him, he is going to ease the loss of Davis so much smoother. He will get people to come out and watch the Pelicans. They still have Jrue Holiday, who might be the most underrated player in the NBA. He is so good in every phase of the game. They drafted Jaxson Hayes, who is incredibly raw, but incredibly talented. When/if he starts to figure it out, he is going to be a great modern big. I also love the pick of Nickeil Alexander Walker. He was an under the radar choice, and he had an excellent summer league and has looked solid in preseason. They signed Derrick Favors and JJ Redick too. Those guys have been in the playoffs a ton, and they have great veteran experience to help out this young squad. The Pelicans did something great after losing such a star. They rebuilt on the fly, and they did it so much better than anyone could have expected. The one problem, they play in the West, and the West is super duper tough. I could see them winning 42, 43 games and missing out on the playoffs. But my hat is off to New Orleans. They did an excellent job, and they will be a playoff team much sooner than expected.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 teams. We are in playoff team territory now.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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There Are A Lot of Winners in the Anthony Davis Trade

The Lakers finally landed Anthony Davis. After a trade demand midway through this past season, an openly flirtation with the Lakers, tampering beyond belief, Rich Paul basically getting 2 guys fired, and the Lakers offering up the majority of their young talent, the trade finally happened. Well, technically it isn't official yet, we have to wait until early July. But, both parties have an agreement that Davis will be a Laker, and the Pelicans will get Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and 3 future first round picks, including the number 4 pick in this Thursday's draft.

To me, I feel like both teams got what they wanted. If you were to tell me I had to pick a "winner" of this trade though, I would say New Orleans won, and they won it by a mile. Yes, they have to give up Davis, who when healthy is a top 3 player in the league, and pairing him with LeBron, albeit at age 35, they will make a very formidable front court. But, the Lakers had to mortgage their future for what may only be 2 years of top notch basketball. LeBron is getting older, that is just a fact. He also missed the most time of his career due to injury last year. He also looked a step slower, and his jumper, while never good, was not effective at all last year. But Davis is awesome and young. He is a force on defense, he can rebound with the best of them, his jump shot is much improved, and when engaged, or not hurt, he is nearly unstoppable. He will also be out to prove something next year.

But, unless the Lakers can get another top level guy to come over on a deal worth much less than they expect, their roster is decimated. I saw a snapshot of the roster now, and outside of LeBron and Davis, it is bleak. They were able to keep Kyle Kuzma, who was, for some unknown reason, almost the guy who was the make or break player in this deal. Sure, he is a good scorer, and he can kind of hit threes, but he is a big minus on defense, and he will now have to be the third or fourth option. I don't know if he will like that. All the guys he came in the league with too, and had befriended, they are gone. He is the lone young player on the Lakers now. They we have guys like Mo Wagner, who can't rebound or play defense, Rajon Rondo, who is about a million years old, Lance Stephenson. who should have been out of the league 2 years ago, Issac Bonga, who I know zero about, Tyson Chandler, who is older than Rondo and Alex Caruso, who looks like the dude you hate to play in your local rec league. Dare I say, the Lakers bench is worse than the Warriors bench right now. Again, this can change if they get a Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker or Jimmy Butler, but I don't see that happening. But, kudos to LeBron, Rich Paul and Anthony Davis, you whined your way to a trade to the Lakers, even if it meant destroying your future. It is now more clear than ever who runs the Lakers.

On the other hand, the Pelicans absolutely crushed this deal. They traded away a disgruntled player for 3 young guys that have certain skills they need, and first round picks for three years. They have the number one and number 4 pick in the upcoming draft. And lets say the Lakers have solid seasons the next 2 years, they will still get their pick, plus a second first rounder in the next 2 drafts. That is some Danny Ainge dealing KG and Paul Pierce to the Nets type shit. This is a homerun of a deal. I know Jrue Holiday was upset when Davis asked out, but if I were him now, I would be very excited for the future of the team. He is still there, and he is an underrated guy, plus he has all this young talent coming to play on his team. The Pelicans don't have to immediately blow it up and rebuild now. Holiday can slide over to the 2, and Ball can be the point. While I have been very tough on Ball as a player, he is a good point guard. He has great court vision, is a willing passer and plays solid defense. His shot is pure trash, but he won't need to shoot too much on this team. This may be the best thing for him too, getting himself and his dad out of LA. I still think very highly of Brandon Ingram. He is one Duke guy that I actually like. He also started to show flashes last season of what he can do. He is a long and lanky shooter. He can also get to the rim very quickly. His long stride is very good for the fast break. I bet of all the players traded yesterday he is the happiest. He looked miserable playing next to LeBron last year. Now he has a fresh start, and he will be one of the go to guys in New Orleans. Josh Hart was one of the few young guys that LeBron counted on last year. That shows maturity to me. The fact that he was willing to do what was best for the team is a trait I love in professional players. By the way, he can shoot and play defense as well. Hart will step in right away and be a solid contributor, do the little things asked of him, and I bet he will become an instant fan favorite. The Pelicans, who own the first pick, are going to take Zion on Thursday. That is the type of star power they need to replace Davis. Zion is not Davis, not yet at least, but he might be the best prospect since Davis. This kid is an amazing leaper with good passing skills and a willingness to play defense and be coached. He may not have been happy when New Orleans won the draft lottery, but if I were him now, I'd be stoked looking at this current team he's about to be on. The combo of him and Ball, especially on fast breaks, is going to be awesome. Zion will also get Ingram and Hart plenty of open looks. He will help out Holiday a ton. This is as about a perfect situation as a rookie can get. And with the fourth pick, they can go strictly based on need, and get a pretty talented player. I don't think they will get Ja Morant or RJ Barrett, and I don't see them taking a point guard like Darius Garland or Coby White due to who they acquired in the trade. But that means they can look at a guy like Jaxson Hayes, the big center from Texas. Or they can check in on DeAndre Hunter, a solid shooting 3 or 4 who plays defense. Jarrett Culver could be another option for them as a solid backup to Holiday. Brandon Clarke could be on their radar now. They can look at some overseas talent. They have, pretty much, endless options for the upcoming draft.

This was the homerun the Pelicans wanted to get with this Davis deal, and they absolutely knocked it out of the park. The Lakers should also be happy in this deal. They all got what they wanted. I will just say, I am more pumped to watch the Pelicans than the Lakers next year after this trade. They should be the more fun team to watch on League Pass.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

A Few Thoughts on Anthony Davis's Future in the NBA

To no one's surprise that watches a good amount of the NBA, Anthony Davis has requested a trade from New Orleans. He has come out since this morning and said that he wants to finish the season there, and he is willing to wait until then, but he wants out.

I have a few thoughts.

First off, these players need to stop coming out and saying they want out. The players in professional sports leagues have so little power, and when they come out and request a trade, that gives all the power to their current team, and really handcuffs their wanted destination and themselves. Just wait until the offseason, and do this behind closed doors. In this day and age of social media I know that is hard, but if you put in the effort, it can be done. I just want these players to not give what little bit of power they have to the front office. Look out for you if you want to be on a different team.

Second, I'm pretty sure he wants to be a Laker. This has been the rumor all year long, and now that he has formally requested a trade, it seems like they are the one and only contender. I don't think they are, more on that in a minute. But, if he were to become a Laker this season, what changes in the West? Yes, pairing LeBron with AD would make for a great duo, but think of the players they would have to give up. I'm pretty sure the Pelicans are going to pass on all the one year contract guys. I'm pretty sure they don't want Rajon Rondo back. I'm also pretty sure they would pass on Michael Beasely, Javale McGee and Lance Stephenson. The Pelicans are going to want a humongous haul, and they are going to want the young guns. If I were them, and I was going to move AD within the conference, I would, just to start out, ask for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma. Then, I would ask for one of Josh Hart or Kentavious Caldwell Pope, and, at the very least, 2 picks. And if the Lakers say no, I would immediately pull the offer and look for another team. If you are going to part with your best player, the player you took number one overall and have built your team around, you should want a king's ransom. And, as I said before, with AD publicly saying he wants out, the Pelicans have all the power. They hold all the cards, and if any deal isn't to their liking, they can just walk away. They can do that this offseason too. They are in prime position to get the very best deal.

So, if the Lakers are willing to trade all those guys, and picks, sure they get AD, but does that put them above the Warriors, Rockets, Nuggets, Thunder and Trailblazers? I don't think so. LeBron and AD are great, wonderful players. LeBron is the best player in league. AD may be the best big man. But those 5 teams I mentioned have a much better team around them. If AD joins the Lakers via a mega deal filled with young guys, their starting five for the playoffs would be Rondo at the 1, Hart at the 2, LeBron at the 3, AD at the 4 and that either McGee or one million year old Tyson Chandler at the 5. All 5 of the teams I mentioned are better than that Lakers lineup. So, at best, if AD were to join the Lakers, I feel like they would be the 5 seed, and a first round out in the playoffs. Those other 5 teams are so much better than them with the Blazers being closest in talent. I also think it might handcuff their future, and their ability to get another big star this offseason. That is just my opinion.

Also, I feel like the Lakers being the top bet to land him is all about GM LeBron once again. This is what he does. He goes to a team and changes it all. Coaches and young players be damned, LeBron is going to get guys he wants to play basketball with. If this trade goes down, with all the young guys, this will prove that LeBron runs the team. I will hear no one say that this was Rob Pelinka and Magic Johnson's idea. I won't buy Jeanie Buss saying that this was the plan all along. I won't hear any NBA journalist say this was a great front office move. This would all be about who LeBron wants to play the game with. I also think this trade would doom Luke Walton more than he already is. This would be the nail in his coffin, especially if they are a first round out. He is as good as gone regardless of what happens, because the "powers that be" want him out.

Finally, I want to talk about a few other teams that I think would be a possible better fit. The team I want him to join is the 76ers. I love love love the idea of him playing next to Joel Embiid. I love him running the pick and roll with Ben Simmons. I think he would be an ideal guy for Jimmy Butler because AD goes so hard. This would push them over the top, and they would only have to give up picks and a few players. I'm sure the Pelicans would take a flyer on Markelle Fultz. I'm sure they would also want some guys like JJ Redick, TJ McConnell and both of their rookies. And the 76ers would happily oblige to add AD. I like the idea of him joining the Spurs to play with Greg Poppovich. They would have to give up DeRozan, Patty Mills, Jakob Poeltl and a guy like Brynn Forbes. But man, a lineup with AD, LMA, Dejounte Murray and a few young guys they have would be nice. I think if Toronto is willing to take another guy that may leave this offseason, this would put them over the top in the East. AD and Kawhi Leonard would be better than Embiid and AD. They would lock it up on the defensive end. The Raptors would have to fracture their youth, but they have a much, much better shot at the Finals than the Lakers, so it is worth it.

When it is all said and done, I feel like AD will be a Laker, but it will come at a tremendous cost. I also think that "Laker Nation" would be ecstatic at first, but when they run into the buzz saw of teams like the Thunder, Nuggets and Rockets, it would blow up in their face. And then just imagine them facing the Warriors. The Warriors don't need any added incentive to kick team's asses, especially since Boogie is back, and looks really good. Now imagine how much they would want to destroy a team that has AD and LeBron. It would be brutal.

I wish AD would stay in New Orleans. I wish he would try and build a contender. I feel like he is taking the easy way out. I feel like the young stars in the NBA aren't used to losing, and they want to win easily, so they are taking the easy way out. I do hope, wherever he ends up, AD is happy. I enjoy watching him play, and he is great. I just don't want him to leave New Orleans. Especially not for LA.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2018-2019 NBA Preview: Wizards, Spurs, Pelicans

As promised yesterday, from here on out, the rest of my teams are playoff teams. Some of today's teams are train wrecks, but they play in the East, so they have an easy route. Others on today's list have fallen due to injury or loss of star players. And the other, this may be their last shot to make an impression on their lone star player, and try to get him to stay. Time will tell. Anyway, lets get to it.

At number 15 I have my train wreck team, the Washington Wizards. First things first, I hope they change their name back to the Bullets. I know it has bad connotations, but the symbol was cool, and it isn't nearly as bad as some other team names in pro sports. As far as this roster, it is talented and it is wild. It may be one of the oddest group of players I have seen. These guys all seem to hate one another, but they don't have to hang out outside a basketball court, and if they buy in while on the floor, they can make it to the playoffs. I love John Wall. I know that his teammates may not like him, but I think he is great. He is fast and can get to the hoop. Yes, he has gained some weight this offseason, but I am one of the people who believes the stories about this being muscle, not fat. Star players always do something in the offseason to make them better, and Wall decided to put on muscle to play in the post. I fully buy that. Wall is good and will continue to be good. His teammates, as I said, may not like him, but they need him. Bradley Beal is one of the guys that doesn't seem to like him. But, Beal is an awesome young player that needs a guard like Wall to get him open shots. When Beal is on, boy is he good. He can score in bunches. He may not be a very good defender, but he is the type of player where I will take the scoring over the defense. He is such a pure shooter. From here on out, this roster gets wild. They traded for Austin Rivers. I am a big time hater of Austin Rivers. I do not think he is a good NBA player. But, he has had a mediocre career, which is better than I thought he would do. He does have one, maybe 2 nights a year, where he just explodes. But, he is super tough to play with, and a lot of people say he isn't fun to be in a locker room with. That spells doom for me. They also signed Dwight Howard. Why? I mean, his track record speaks for itself. He may play well with a guard like Wall, but he is already hurt. And, he is a locker room problem. Otto Porter Jr deserves better than this. I think he is one of the more underrated NBA players. The guy can score and play defense. He is good, but no one knows because of the toxic nature in DC. The same thing can be said for Kelly Oubre, but he isn't as good as Porter. He is the poor man's Porter. He also needs more playing time. The Wizards also fell for the Jeff Green experiment. This dude continues to stay in the league, and I don't know how. He is hyper athletic, but he is wildly inconsistent. Markieff Morris is there, but I'd rather have Marcus Morris of the twins. And then there is Ian Mahinmi. He might be the most overpaid player in the NBA. He makes Gorgui Dieng's contract look manageable. The Wizards have talent, but they are very toxic. They will make the playoffs, and maybe even win a round because Wall and Beal are so good, but this team is going to be drama filled all season long.

At number 14 I have the San Antonio Spurs. Now, it needs to be said, the Spurs were in my top 10 2 days ago. Then the Dejounte Murray injury happened. He was the new point guard to lead this team. He was ready. He waited his turn, and now he is out for the year. That is going to hurt them. What helps them, they have LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan and the best NBA coach ever, Greg Poppovich. He will get this team to 45-48 wins. He did it last year, and Kawhi was hurt, Ginobli was a million years old, as was Pau Gasol and Tony Parker. While the Murray injury is a blow, they have guys that can step in for one year. As I mentioned, Aldridge was so much better last year than his first with the team. He was an All Star. His jumper came back. He was rebounding at a solid clip. This is his team now, and I think that is good for him. They traded Kawhi Leonard, they had to, but they replaced him with DeRozan. DeRozan is nowhere near the defender that Kawhi is, but no one is the defender that Kawhi is. DeRozan can also get buckets. He will also be out there to prove people wrong that he isn't a star level player. I like that DeRozan. He now has a chip on his shoulder. Patty Mills will be the most likely replacement for Murray and while he isn't Murray, he has been in big games, played big minutes and is the perfect Spurs player. Lonnie Walker, who I love, is hurt right now,  but when he gets back, I think he will play real well. This was the perfect situation for him to be placed in, and as soon as he gets back from injury I want to see him play. Pau Gasol is still in the league, but I look at him like a lesser version of Dirk, without the shooting touch. They brought back Marco Bellinelli, and his best playing days where his first go around with the Spurs. He can still shoot too. Rudy Gay is still strong and can get to the rim and has bought into the Spurs system. They got Jakob Poeltl in the Kawhi trade, along with DeRozan, and I think he will be a fine back up center. I also like Derrick White's athleticism. This team will step back, they were bound to. They also lost Kawhi, Ginobli and Tony Parker. This was bound to happen. And losing Murray is a real bummer. But as long as Poppovich is coaching this team, I will continue to put them in the playoffs, even in the West.

My final team for the day, the team that needs to really show out to keep their star, I have the New Orleans Pelicans. This may, most likely be, Anthony Davis' last year with the Pelicans. I don't want it to be, but he has signed with LeBron's agency, he wants to play in a bigger market and he wants to be more recognized by the casual basketball fan. I hope he pulls a Russell Westbrook and sticks around, but I don't think he will. He is probably the best center in the league. He is the most athletic. He can score from anywhere. He is one of the best defenders in the league. Davis is an MVP level super star. He is all the Pelicans have. And that is not a knock to the roster, he is just so much better than everyone else on that team by a billion miles. That being said, I like Jrue Holiday. He absolutely owned both CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard in the playoffs last year. He shut them down. He can score if need be. He is a great distributor. Holiday is a real good point guard, as long as he is healthy. Nikola Mirotic was a surprise solid addition to this team last year. He was that outside threat they needed. Solomon Hill is a bull dog defender and rebounder. He is the Pelicans James Johnson. They made some signings this year that like too. Julius Randle at the price they got him for was great. He will also want to show out so he can get a bigger contract. I also think him getting out of LA will benefit him majorly. They took on Elfrid Payton, and I think him backing up Holiday, or playing point while Holiday is the 2 will cause some problems for opposing teams. Payton hasn't lived up to his draft position, but maybe playing with Holiday and Davis will help him out. They also took a chance on Jahlil Okafor. They got all these guys for cheap, and if one hits, it could possibly sway Davis. This is Okafor's last shot I feel, and he is already hurt, but when he comes back, he brings an element to the low post, on offense, that will greatly benefit Davis' ability to step out. E'Twaunn Moore is a solid 7th or 8th man. Chieck Diallo could possibly break out and be the instant energy guy they could so sorely use. The Pelicans have an okay roster that is bolted down by a mega star, Davis, and a smaller level star, Holiday. Everyone else is a role player. I think this will be Davis' last year there, again, I hope not, and I think they will try and go out with a bang. They will be a playoff team, and they will be a tough out.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next three teams. We are nearing the top 10.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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The Portland Trailblazers Cannot Win it All with Both Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum

The Pelicans swept the Trailblazers out of the playoffs on Saturday night. Now, I picked the Pelicans to win, but not in the way they did. They absolutely owned the Blazers. No game was close except the first. Anthony Davis did whatever he wanted to whoever he wanted. Jrue Holiday was dominant on both ends of the floor. Nikola Mirotic was raining threes and even playing a little defense. Hell, even their bench was solid. The Pelicans dominated.

And, as someone who picked them, I am still a little shocked at how badly the Blazers got beat. I like both these teams, but I expected more of a fight from Portland. I’m a big time fan of Damian Lillard’s, but he was so bad in this series. I’ve come around on CJ McCollum, but he was nowhere to be found. Jusuf Nurkic looked like he could be there third guy, but Davis abused him in the series. In fact, the only guy that did anything for Portland was Mo Harkless, and no disrespect to him, but you aren’t going to win any playoff games when he’s your best guy. Also, imagine if Boogie Cousins was healthy and in this series. It would’ve been an even bigger blowout. It would have gotten even uglier.

Since the sweep, I’ve heard a lot of grumblings about player development, poor coaching and needing a deeper bench. But, the one thing I keep hearing, thinking about and agreeing with, I think the Blazers have done all they can with a backcourt of McCollum and Lillard. I like both these guys as individual players, but they each have flaws, and when teamed up, those flaws are glaring. Neither is very good at defense, and it showed in this series. Holiday cooked them. E’twaun Moore smoked them. Pretty much any guard the Pelicans put out there, they succeeded offensively. Also, Lillard is “the guy” in Portland, but I don’t think CJ McCollum has bought into that yet. He’s a great scorer, but Lillard is better. Lillard can beat you multiple ways, but he’s not getting his full shot because McCollum needs looks too. And, when McCollum isn’t hitting shots, that puts the onus on Lillard to do so much more than he should have to be.

After watching most of those games, I agree that they need to pick one guy. They need to pick Lillard. He’s been there longer and he’s actually won playoff series. He’s made big shots. He seems to genuinely enjoy Portland. McCollum is a great offensive player, but I don’t think he’s ready to be “the guy”. He’s so much better as a second option. He’s much more lethal in that situation. I don’t think you can win a title with McCollum as your number one guy. I do think you can win with Lillard as the number one option.

The question that follows, what can the Blazers get for McCollum, and also would help right now? I’m sure they can get a high draft pick, but is that what they want? I’m sure a team like Dallas or Memphis or maybe even the Knicks would give up their pick for him, but there’s nothing much that they could add that would sweeten the pot. Sure, the Grizzlies could offer a pick and maybe Marc Gasol, but I’d rather have Nurkic right now. The Knicks have nothing of real value except Porzingis or Frank Ntilikina, and I don’t see them giving up either of them for McCollum. Dallas makes the most sense, but is Harrison Barnes really an upgrade? I don’t think so. They will have a high pick, but they offer nothing else of real value in a veteran player. The best fits and trade partners would be an already established team.

I’d love to see McCollum go to a team like the Spurs. Trade him straight up for Kawhi Leonard, and I think both teams benefit. Or, what about a team like Minnesota? They’ll have a mid teen pick, then add Andrew Wiggins, I think that would be great. Another option could be the team that just throttled them, the Pelicans. I’d trade anyone and their pick to get McCollum, with three exceptions. Those three, Davis, Holiday and Cousins. Everyone else I would make available. Put McCollum back there with Holiday and a front court of Cousins and Davis, they would be one hell of a team.

This first round series showed me that the Blazers need to trade one of these guys if they want to achieve any real success, and I think that person should be CJ McCollum. He’s had a good run, but Lillard needs to be the focal point once again. That is how the Blazers will get back to being real threats.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The SeedSing 2018 NBA Playoff Preview

The NBA playoffs are set, and the games kick off on Saturday. I'm am here today for my annual playoff preview. I'll go through the East and the West, pick a winner for each series all the way down to the finals. I will give my finals matchup, the winner and the MVP of the series. Tomorrow I will do all my awards, but today is strictly for just the playoffs. Alright, here we go.

In the East the seeding is as follows, Toronto is 1, Celtics 2, 76ers 3, Cavs 4, Pacers 5, Heat 6, Bucks 7 and Wizards 8. So, that gives us first round series of Toronto-Washington, Boston-Milwaukee, Philadelphia-Miami and Cleveland-Indiana. Truth be told, these are some good series. In the Toronto-Washington matchup, I am going with Toronto, but it will be tough. I know Washington is dysfunctional, everyone on that team seems to dislike John Wall, they have limped to the playoffs, they don't play great defense, but they will make it tough on Toronto. They have always struggled with this team because Wall and Beal give Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan all they can handle on both ends. But, I think the mixture of Toronto's bench and the mess that is the Wizards right now will give the Raptors the series in 6 games. They will be 6 tough games though.

In the Boston-Milwaukee series, it would be so much easier to pick if Kyrie Irving was still healthy. I'm still going with Boston, but Milwaukee, mostly Giannis Antentekoumpo, will make it hard. Giannis is a beast. He is an upper echelon star now. And, with Irving out, he is, far and away, the best player in this series. He can single handily win 3 games. The fourth one will be the problem. Also, Boston has Brad Stevens as head coach, Al Horford is still out there, Jaylen Brown is playing good basketball and Jayson Tatum seems to have gotten past the rookie wall. Boston will win, but it will take 7 games.

I love the 3-6 matchup of Philly and Miami. Miami can matchup with Philadelphia everywhere. Miami can play any style of basketball needed to win. Miami has more playoff experience. Miami has the much, much better coach. And, Joel Embiid may not play in the first round. But, Ben Simmons is on a whole other level right now. He doesn't seem like he is going to be taken down by the moment. He might be forced to shoot jumpers, but the dude can get out of that by driving and kicking. And, the shooters around him are hitting shots at the right time. Again, this will be a long, hard fought series, but I have fully bought into the 76ers hype, and I have them in 7 games, 6 if Embiid plays at all in the series.

Finally in the East's first round we have Cleveland-Indiana. This series could go a number of different ways. Cleveland can steam roll them. Indiana can muddy it up and make it a slog. Cleveland could decide to not play defense. Cleveland is almost as dysfunctional as Washington. Indiana was not even supposed to be here. They are young. They have surprised everyone this year. Now, I like the Cavs simply because of playoff LeBron. He will not allow his team to lose in the first round. If they do, he is gone. But, he will not let that happen, and I have the Cavs in 5. LeBron is just too good and he is great in the playoffs.

The second round will pit Toronto against Cleveland and Boston against Philly. Toronto is stuck with another team that they struggle with. Cleveland owns Toronto, and I don't see that changing now. Again, LeBron will impose his will, and the Cavs will outscore Toronto on their way to a fourth straight Eastern Conference finals appearance.

In Philly-Boston, I have to say, I love the 76ers. Irving is out, as previously mentioned. Embiid will be back 100 percent. No one on Boston can guard Ben Simmons. Philadelphia's shooters will be open. The Celtics just don't have the guys to compete this year. I have Philly in 6 in this series.

So that would pit the 76ers against the Cavs in the East Finals. The 76ers are way ahead of schedule, but this is where all the hype ends. Cleveland has LeBron, and LeBron will not allow his team to get beat by such a young team. These 2 teams played a great regular season game a couple weeks ago, but it was regular season. The game didn't really matter. LeBron will once again be in the Finals. That would make it 8 straight.

Now, the West. The seeding in the West is as follows, Houston 1, Golden State 2, Portland 3, OKC 4, Utah 5, New Orleans 6, San Antonio 7 and Minnesota 8. The matchups are Houston-Minnesota, Golden State-San Antonio, Portland-New Orleans and OKC-Utah. Houston will beat Minnesota, but it will be tougher than expected. I guarantee they wanted Denver because of their lack of defense. While Minnesota isn't much better, they do at least try on that end. Also, Towns is much better than Clint Capela. Jimmy Butler can give James Harden fits. But, Chris Paul will be there to help out Harden, Eric Gordon and Trevor Ariza will hit threes and the discrepancy in talent on the rosters is widely in Houston's favor. They are also having a "magical" year. The Rockets will win in 6 games, but it will be a bloodbath.

Golden State is going to blow the doors off the Spurs, and I love the Spurs. But, no Kawhi is going to kill them against he Warriors. And I know that Steph isn't playing in the first round, but KD, Klay and Draymond are all there. I also think the Warriors are playing possum right now, and I think they are going to come into the playoffs with their heads on fire. I have the Warriors in a sweep.

Portland-New Orleans is going to be a good series, with very high scoring games. The Pelicans have no one that can stop Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, but who do the Trailblazers have that can stop Anthony Davis? No one. He is going to EXPLODE in the playoffs. I'm so excited to watch him play. I'm excited to see Lillard and McCollum too. This is going to be the best first round series in my opinion, and I think the Pelicans will win in 7 simply because Anthony Davis is playing on a whole other level right now.

OKC-Utah is the second best series. These 2 teams couldn't be more different, and it will make for a fun matchup. Russell Westbrook is playing pretty great right now. But, he will find it hard to get open looks at the rim with Rudy Gobert down low. Donovan Mitchell has had an amazing season, but he will have to beat Paul George on defense. Steven Adams can stop Gobert down low, but Gobert can do the same to him. Carmelo has been dreadful this year, but maybe he turns it on for the playoffs. He hasn't been in awhile too. This is going to be a fun series, and I have OKC grinding out a 7 game series victory. Westbrook is too good, and Paul George is one of the better defenders in the league. I love Mitchell and Gobert, but they aren't ready just yet.

That gives us a second round of Houston-OKC and Golden State-New Orleans. Houston-OKC will be fun. OKC gets up for the better teams in the league, and they just beat Houston in a game, but Houston trounced them in the playoffs last year, and the Rockets didn't have Chris Paul last year. Also, Adams is way too slow to keep up with Capela, and Carmelo will be torched on defense. Chris Paul will finally make his first trip to a conference final in his career, as the Rockets will win in 6.

Golden State is again, much like their first round matchup, going to squash the Pelicans. Sure, AD will go off, but who is going to stop KD, Klay and Steph, who will be back? Oh, and Draymond too. This series will be a wash. Golden State in a sweep once again.

These outcomes will give us the much anticipated Houston-Golden State West Finals. And we all know how poorly Harden, Paul and Mike D'Antoni play and coach in the most important series. The Rockets will choke. Everyone wants to pick them. Everyone says they are finally ready to take the throne from the Warriors. Everyone seems to think that D'Antoni is doing a better job than Kerr. Well, D'Antoni's recent remarks, the whole "winning a title does not define how good this season was" said all I needed to hear. He is already bracing himself for when his team gets beat. Golden State will take their first 2 playoff losses, but I have them winning the series in 6.

This gives us a fourth straight Cleveland-Golden State finals. And, much like last year, Golden State is going to smoke them. I think they will sweep them out this year, and it won't even be that close. Golden State is so much better, they play defense, they will care and they will crush the Cavs to win their third title in 4 years. As far as the Finals MVP, I will go with Steph. It is his turn.

There you have it, my 2018 NBA playoff preview. I love this time of year.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Boogie Cousins Injury Sucks

Last weekend Boogie Cousins, a center/power forward for the New Orleans Pelicans, and one of my favorite players, ruptured his Achilles. He didn't just tear it, he ruptured it. This is a brutal, brutal injury for the team and Boogie.

The Pelicans were a middling Western Conference playoff team. I believe they were in the 6th or 7th spot the night he got hurt. They have 2 All Star starters on the team, Boogie being one and Anthony Davis the other. But besides those 2, the cupboard is pretty bare in New Orleans. Jrue Holiday is a very solid point guard. He is the only other player on their roster that can get buckets and create for other guys. The Pelicans are paying him way too much money, but his deal was more to keep Davis happy, and to try and get Boogie to sign this offseason. Outside these three guys, the Pelicans roster is filled with either rookies or unproven veterans. In fact, some of the guys seeing critical minutes and starting games should be in the G League. That is how brutal this roster construct is.

Coach Alvin Gentry is doing an okay job, but he may be better suited as an assistant at this point in his career. His one saving grace, and the reason the Pelicans are clinging to a playoff spot right now, is due to his version of the twin towers. When Boogie and AD played together, the Pelicans would win games, or at least make them interesting. AD had been relatively healthy this year and he is looking like the perennial all star that many pegged him to be when he came into the league. He has extended his range, he is a great rebounder, he is one of the best rim protectors in the NBA, he is one of the best rim runners in the league and he is a matchup nightmare every night.

Boogie has been out of his mind this season. He was putting up double doubles like no one's business. He has had some games of 30 plus points and 15 plus rebounds. That is amazing. He does lack effort on the defensive end, which needs to be fixed, but he has not been the headache that he was while in Sacramento. He was also rebounding at an amazing clip. He is in a contract year, and he is playing like it.

Then, the injury occurred. I was actually watching the game when it happened. When and how it happened makes this even worse. The Pelicans were on their way to a win over the Rockets. He and AD had played very well. They were up about 4 points with about 2 minutes left in the game and Boogie was going to the line to add to their lead. He made the first free throw, but then the second one happened. When he put up the shot it looked to be short, and he tried to chase down the rebound. The shot was very short, it grazed the front rim, and Boogie tore off the free throw line to try and grab it. As he took off from the line, something looked wrong. He came up lame right away. Right after he planted and took off, it looked like he was buckling under pressure from his legs. He then tried to get up and he immediately went right back down to the floor. Something was horribly, horribly wrong. His face showed it, the trainers got him off the floor ASAP, which is never a good sign, and the reports were that he was going back for an MRI right away. None of that is good news.

The early reports would only say that the news was "not good". I assumed that he tore his ACL. That is what it looked like to me. I've watched enough sports and seen enough injuries like this, I knew it was bad. But, I did not know it was worse than a torn ACL. He ruptured that shit. That is horrific. That is a tough injury to come back from. Just ask Wesley Matthews. He was tearing the league apart, ruptured his Achilles, missed a year and now he is on a terrible Mavericks team and he is an average player. Boogie is better than Wes Matthews, but still, he has a long road to recovery ahead of him. It is going to take him months before he can even get back on a court again.

Then, it will take a few more months for him to get back into playing shape. I don't doubt that he can do it, but he may not be the player that he has been his entire career up to this point. I mean, 75 percent of what he was is still an All Star, but he was a force. He was a nightmare. He was someone that teams had to openly prepare for. He is an old school bully of a center/power forward who just happens to have modern skills. His first step is amazing, and he can shoot from outside.

I think what makes this the worst for him though, he was going to get paid this offseason. He is in the final year of his contract, and he was most definitely going to get the max. Be it the Pelicans, or any other team that needed a 4 or 5, he was going to get the 5 year 200 million dollar contract for sure. Now, I don't know. He will still get paid, but maybe more teams will be hesitant to give him the years and the money. If I were a betting man I'd say he will get a 3 year deal worth much less than 200 million dollars. That stinks for him.

I hope he gets better soon, but it will be a long while before we see Boogie on the floor. I love watching Boogie Cousins, so I am very upset by this injury. This stinks and I wish star players in the major professional sports would stop getting such devastating injuries. This is just a real bummer. Get better soon Boogie, the NBA needs you.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2017-2018 NBA Preview: Playoffs and Award Predictions

With the 2017-18 NBA season kicking off tonight, god am I excited, I have one final preseason piece for everyone. As I promised yesterday, today I have all of my predictions. This will include my playoff teams from each conference, plus the playoff teams if they went with the 16 best records, the conference finals, the NBA finals, and all the award winners, including finals MVP. Anyway, lets get to it.

First off, I want to do the playoff teams from each conference. I will write them in order, counting from 1-8. I'll start with the East because it is so much easier than the West. The East is a joke. It was so damn easy to pick the 8 teams. So, I have Cleveland, Boston, Washington, Milwaukee, Toronto, Miami, Charlotte and Detroit ever so slightly over the 76ers. I have no faith in Detroit, I believe they were in the 20's in my countdown, but they are a better bet for the playoffs, in my opinion, this year than Philadelphia. But, it doesn't really matter. It is going to be Cleveland going to the finals. They will face either Boston or Washington in the East finals, but do not count out Milwaukee. I really feel like Giannis Antentekoumpo can will this team to some playoff wins, and I would not be totally shocked if the Bucks make the East finals. But, again, Cleveland will win the East with relative ease. They may have gotten older, but they have a better roster than any other team in the East, and they still have LeBron James. All that dude does is go to finals, and sometimes win them.

As far as the West, the 4 teams at the top were easy, but then it gets really difficult. There are about 7 teams vying for the 4 final spots in the West. As far as the seeds go, I have Golden State, OKC, Houston, San Antonio, Denver, Minnesota, New Orleans and Portland. This leaves out Memphis and the Clippers. Both teams have the talent to get to the playoffs, but I see too many things getting in their way. Memphis has no one outside of Mike Conley Jr and Marc Gasol. The Clippers best players are bound to get hurt. Danilo Gallinari is already hurt. Blake Griffin will get hurt. Patrick Beverly is bound to miss time. It always happens to the Clippers, so I do not see that changing at all this year. And while I think the Utah Jazz will play great defense, and really push for a playoff spot, the West is too good and they will miss out barely. As frustrating as it is to write, the Warriors will easily get to the Finals for a fourth straight time. They may go undefeated again on their way back to the Finals. As far as their Western Conference Finals opponent, I have them facing OKC. I am not too sure why, maybe I just want the Thunder to face KD, but I feel like, once the Thunder's big three figure it out, they are going to be very, very good. Chris Paul and James Harden will choke, they always do. The Spurs do not have enough behind Kawhi and LaMarcus Aldridge to really push. And the four other teams, the Warriors would dominate.

So we will have the inevitable Cleveland-Golden State finals for the fourth straight year. The funny thing too, even with my top 16 teams, which I will get to in a moment, I'd still have the Cavs and Warriors in the Finals. As far as just getting the top 16 teams in the playoffs, leaving the conferences and division winners and all that nonsense out, just flat out taking the 16 teams with the best records, I'd have, in order, Golden State, Boston, OKC, Houston, San Antonio, Cleveland, Washington, Denver, Minnesota, Milwaukee, Toronto, Miami, New Orleans, Portland, Utah and Charlotte. So, that gives 9 West teams and 7 East teams. I really struggled with figuring out who the 16th seed would have been. I went with Charlotte, but I really thought long and hard about the Clippers, again, I remembered their poor health and lack of any kind of solid guards, and Memphis, but I remembered they only have 2 great players, and a bunch of mediocre role players. But again, even with Cleveland being the team with the 6th best record, they would still face off with Golden State in the Finals. Both outcomes reveal the same result for me.

So, as far as the champ, it is the Warriors. They are going to easily win the Finals once again. They are too good and too loaded. They could even take some injuries to key guys, and they'd still walk to the title. The Warriors are too god damn good to be beaten. If they do not win the Finals I'd be shocked. They are that great. In fact, I think the Warriors will win 70 plus games during the season, and go undefeated in the playoffs and completely sweep their way to a title. The Warriors will be your 2018 NBA champs.

As far as award winners goes, lets start with the smaller ones first. For sixth man of the year, I'll go with Tristan Thompson. He has totally embraced his move to the bench, and I think he is going to be great off the bench for the Cavs. He is a perfect energy guy, and I think he will destroy second unit centers. I suppose 6th man of the year is probably the "smallest" award the NBA has. Now for the "big" ones. For coach of the year I have Jason Kidd. I love what the Bucks have going, and much to my surprise, a lot of that has to do with Kidd's direction. He has turned himself into a solid NBA coach, and with the way the Bucks are rising, I see Kidd getting another award to add to his trophy case. For rookie of the year I have Dennis Smith Jr. I love everything that Smith Jr has going for him. He is hyper athletic, he has great teammates, he will run the pick and roll to perfection with guys like Nerlens Noel and Dirk Nowitzki, and he is going to put up gaudy numbers because he will given the keys to the Mavericks offense. He is in an ideal situation for a rookie, and he has something to prove after "dropping" to 9th in the draft. For defensive player of the year I have Rudy Gobert. There is no better rim protector in the NBA, and he will be the best defender on one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. For Finals MVP I have Steph Curry finally getting his. He has won 2 regular season MVP's and 2 titles, but he hasn't gotten that Finals MVP yet. That changes this year. It is his turn after Andre Iguodala winning the first, and KD winning last year. And the final, and most important award, the regular season MVP, I have Kevin Durant. He is going to go off this year, and with a full season, a title and a finals MVP under his belt, he is going to win his second regular season MVP. I was going to go with LeBron, but I just feel like KD is going to tear the league apart this year. Hopefully this doesn't spell doom for him, seeing as David Johnson and Deondre Francois, my preseason NFL MVP and preseason Heisman winner, both went down with season ending injuries in week one of the NFL and college football seasons. I don't think anything bad will happen to KD though. He has suffered through enough injuries.

Anyway, I am so excited to watch the NBA kick off tonight. This is my favorite time of the year because now I have college football, the NFL and now, the NBA. There will always be some kind of sports event that I love on during almost every day of the week. What a great time to be a sports fan. Enjoy the NBA season everyone, and thanks for reading my preseason countdown and picks. I'm sure I'll have many pieces during and after the season, but this is how I see everything just a few hours before the actual season tips off. I cannot wait.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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Ty's 2017-2018 NBA Preview: Pelicans, Raptors, Heat, Timberwolves

To change things up just a bit, for a surprise type ending if you will, I'm going to do 4 teams today and tomorrow, then back to three on Friday, saving Monday for my number 1 overall team. It may be a bit odd, but hey, it's my blog and I will do what I want. Anyway, here we go.

At number 12 I have the New Orleans Pelicans. I am much, much higher on this team then some of the so called experts seem to be. I love the trying to be the twin towers thing that they are doing. Boogie Cousins is one of my favorite NBA players. I know he can be a hot head at times, and he may whine a bit too much, but he is so god damn good at basketball. He is nearly unstoppable in the low post, and he has gotten himself, for a guy his size, an okay jumper. He is also a tenacious rebounder. If he is fully engaged on defense he is a force to be reckoned with. This is probably his last year as a Pelican too, so I expect him to ball the hell out. Anthony Davis is a once in a generation player. When healthy, there is no better center in the league. He literally does it all. He can dominate the post, he can shoot all the way out to the three point line, he is a great rebounder and one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. He has all the tools and he is only going to get better. He just needs to stay healthy. I could see him make a real push for MVP this year, especially if the Pelicans are as good as I think they will be. I am not a big Rajon Rondo fan, but I love the signing. I know he is hurt, but he will be back before they even hit the quarter mark of the season. He cannot shoot, at all, but he will put Boogie and Davis in the best possible position to each average at least 20 points a game. And if he is engaged on defense, well, we all saw what he did in the playoffs before he got hurt last year. Jrue Holiday got too much money, but I get why the Pelicans did it. He is very important to this team, and he has played through some bad injuries and bad family stuff for this franchise. He is also not that bad too. I like that Ian Clark is going to get some real playing time for the Pelicans. He showed flashes here and there when he got in games for the Warriors last year, but he was way too far down the depth chart. Now, he will get 20 minutes plus a game. Omer Asik needs to go, especially since Boogie is now on the team. He is a zero gain for this team. His contract was an atrocity and they need to move on. Soloman Hill is a fine role player. Nothing more, nothing less. Tony Allen is going to bring some much needed toughness and defense to this team. Cheick Diallo, who I thought was going to be a bust, looked okay in his limited playing time last year. He can spell either Davis or Boogie when they need a break. The Pelicans may not have many big names besides Boogie and Anthony Davis, but I would be happy about having those 2 guys if I were a Pelicans fan. Look for them to return to the playoffs this year.

At number 11 we have the Toronto Raptors. What is there to say about the Raptors that I didn't say last year, or the year before that. They are running it back once again, and while that will be good for 50 plus regular season wins and a playoff berth, will they make it passed the second round? I don't know. Depends on who they play I suppose. But, getting Kyle Lowry to return was big. He is an important player and a good playerfor the Raptors. He just needs to play better in the post season. DeMar DeRozan is a great scorer. He is one of the better mid range shooters and rim attackers. The problem with him, he cannot shoot threes. He has never been a good three point shooter. He will still get 24 or 25 points game though. Serge Ibaka is back. He kind of tailed off at the end of last year, but I like his fit with Toronto. He is a good third option, he has expanded his touch and he can still be a good rim protector. Jonas Valenciunas is back, but he hasn't gotten better every year like so many other younger players have. He is good for 12 points and 8 rebounds a night, but if I had to pick between him and Marcin Gortat, I'd go with Gortat. Valenciunas just hasn't shown the full potential so many expected out of him when he came into the league. Losing PJ Tucker and Patrick Paterson will hurt. But, this gives guys like Norman Powell and Lucas Nogueira more playing time. They could replace some of what the other guys are leaving behind. Jakob Poertl is a mystery to me. I expected him to be good, but he had a rough rookie year. Maybe he will bounce back, maybe he will be a bust, but this season will let us know for sure. They signed KJ McDaniels and CJ Miles this offseason. McDaniels was pretty mediocre in Detroit. But, CJ Miles was the Pacers second best option last year. He is a very good, long and left handed scorer. Don't sleep on Miles. The Raptors also drafted OG Anounoby. He will miss the first part of the year recovering fro, his injury, but I do see him as a lite version of Victor Oladipo. The Raptors will be a good regular season team and coast to the playoffs, but matchups will be a determining factor as to how far they go.

At number 10 I have one of my new favorite teams, the Miami Heat. I love what the Heat did in the second half of last year, and I think they will only get better this year. Erik Spoelstra is a good coach. Last year made that wildly clear. I am a big fan of Hassan Whiteside. I'd put him second to only Rudy Gobert as the best rim protectors in the NBA. He is also a beats on the boards. And now he is figuring out the offensive end. That is scary. Goran Dragic is a solid NBA point guard. He can pass, score and even defend a little bit. Dion Waiters has finally found a perfect spot for himself to just let it fly and fly as often as he wants. I would not be shocked at all if he is 20 point per game scorer this year. James Johnson looks like a linebacker and runs like a running back. He is so big and strong and can get to the rim. Tyler Johnson, after getting a crazy contract, wasn't all that bad last year. He surprised me with how okay he was. This is the make or break year for Justise Winslow. Either he fixes his jumper, or he is destined to be a bench guy the rest of his career. He still does play some solid defense though. We will also see how he does coming off an injury. I love the pick of Bam Adebayo. He looks like he is going to be a solid center in the NBA for awhile. He is big and can run the floor. All he really needs is a competent jumper. Josh Richardson isn't all that bad either. This Heat team reminds me a lot of the early 2000's Pistons. They don't have any "star" players, but they do have guys that bought into playing team basketball. They won't win the title, but I do like them to be a top 4 seed in the East come playoff time.

And for the fourth and final team of today, I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. Last year I was reluctant to call this team a playoff team. This season, I would write it in pen. First off, they got Jimmy Butler. He was one of the prize guys this offseason, and he is reuniting with Tom Thibodeau, and he is the veteran super star this team needs. The fit is perfect. Karl Anthony Towns is becoming one of the better big men in the league. I know his defense needs work, but he is already a big threat on offense, and he will learn to play defense. I love the way Towns approaches the game. Andrew Wiggins is getting, in my opinion, unfairly dubbed as a bad defender. I think a ton was asked and expected from him when he came into the league, and he is still kind of figuring it out. He is so explosive though, and I really love his game. Besides Butler, the Timberwolves also signed Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague and Taj Gibson. Crawford brings some instant offense for this team. Jeff Teague is a good point guard that will run the offense and play some defense and hit some open shots. And Taj Gibson is a great rebounder and a great veteran leader. All three of these guys bring something that the Timberwolves were missing last year. Shabazz Muhammed has been a fairly decent player in the league, much to my surprise. He is a good bench player. Gorgui Dieng is a fine backup center. He does need to play better defense, but he is still a solid backup. Tyus Jones has finally made his way to an NBA roster. He has become a solid player too. I also like their pick of Justin Patton. He can learn behind Towns and Gibson before being pressed into action. The Timberwolves will be the team that everyone thought they were going to be last year this year.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next four teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Biggest Trade in the NBA Just Happened Because the Sacramento Kings are a Joke

It is tiring trying to figure out the King's plan

I have many ideas for pieces this week, but something real big happened in the NBA last night. That means my NBA All Star weekend wrap up will have to wait, and my reviews of the season premiere of "Bar Rescue" and "John Wick: Chapter 2" will have to wait a few days.

As I'm sure most, if not all, NBA fans know that Boogie Cousins got traded to the Pelicans last night for next to nothing. I know that I said the biggest name was already dealt, with Serge Ibaka heading to Toronto, but this trade is, by far, the biggest trade that will happen no matter what else, if anything, happens before Thursday's deadline. Even if someone like Jimmy Butler, Paul Milsap, Blake Griffin or Gordon Hayward gets dealt, doesn't matter. Boogie is the biggest name. I did not think that Boogie would get traded this year. I figured, there is only about 25 games left in the regular season, and the Kings are somehow still in the playoff race, so I just assumed that they'd ride it out through the rest of this year.

I guess I was wrong.

The timing of the deal is incredibly weird as well. I mean, this happened literally about an hour after the All Star game ended. The All Star game was in New Orleans, so Boogie technically does not have to leave, but still, very weird timing. I did think that something was a bit off because Boogie barely played, but I assumed that he had a minor injury and that he was just resting. But, after watching the All Star game, then looking at Twitter and Bleacher Report and other sports websites, all of the sudden, I see this breaking trade. I did not believe it at first. I thought it would fall through and neither team would be able to come up with an equal deal. I mean, what do the Pelicans have that the Kings covet? Nothing besides Anthony Davis, but he is pretty much untouchable. But, much to mine and everyone else's surprise, the deal went through, and the Kings got absolutely fleeced.

More on that in a minute, I want to talk about the pairing of Boogie and Davis. On paper, this looks great. This is one of the best front court's in the history of the NBA. Two young stars, in their prime, averaging a double double each and playing exceptional on both ends of the floor. It should be an absolute slam dunk. But, the pessimist in me does not think that they will be able to coexist, and they are fighting to get the 8th spot in the West, which means they will face the Warriors in the first round, and probably get swept. If that happens, I do not see anyway that the Pelicans will be able to resign Boogie this offseason. He will want to move to a team in title contention. Davis is a great, great, great player, but he is who New Orleans needs to build around. He and Boogie essentially play the same position and the Pelicans have already tried something akin to this when they signed Omer Asik. Now, Asik is not 1/1,000th the player that Boogie is, but it is the same idea. Two big guys, one scorer and one all around guy, but it just did not work out. There was not enough space in the post. Davis can float out to the perimeter, but I think he is a much better slasher and rebounder going to the basket. Unfortunately for him, Boogie is a low post player, an absolute excellent one, and he will be clogging up that lane. So, while it looks great on paper, and I really want it to work out, I just do not think it will work. There is not enough time for them to get any continuity and they will be an easy out for a higher seeded West team, that is, if they make the playoffs. Looks great on paper, I just don't see it working on the court.

Now, the Kings. My oh my did they get absolutely robbed. This deal makes the Kings front office, and mainly Vlade Divac, look so under qualified to run a NBA team. Boogie is easily a top 10, top 5 in my personal opinion, NBA player. He is a throwback center, but he has expanded his game and he plays more defense now, and can sometimes hit a mid range jumper. The trade rumors have always been around. He is a headache, a coach killer, a ball stopper, a malcontent, everything nasty that can be said about a player has been said abut him, but it always ended with the caveat that he is an elite player. So, if you are going to trade him, you need an elite level trade package, no matter what baggage Boogie may bring with him. When the rumors started a few years back, it was always Boogie for another star, or a plethora of very high, unprotected picks. It was always looked at as a blockbuster. It needed to be big time.

What did the Kings get in return you ask? They got 2 picks, a 2017 first and second rounder, probably in the high teens in the first round and mid forties in the second round, and Buddy Hield and Tyreke Evans. The picks are fine, but not Boogie Cousins fine. As I said, if you are going to trade Boogie for picks, you need unprotected lottery picks, not some mid first rounder and mid second rounder. That is insane and stupid. Then, you get an unproven rookie, Buddy Hield. I really like Buddy Hield, and I think he can be a very good pro, but he is a rookie that has struggled so far. His shot is not falling and his defense is not up to task yet. Now, he is going to one of the most dysfunctional franchise in the NBA. That will only hurt his game. He will not figure it out for awhile, if ever, playing for the Kings. They have not had a prospect grow into a decent NBA player, Boogie being the lone exception, in over a decade. Look at the list. Guys like Jimmer Fredette, Ben McLemore, Nik Stauskas, Ray McCallum Jr, Thomas Robinson, Orlando Johnson and Tyler Honeycutt. By my count, only one of those guys is still on the team, McLemore, only 2 are still in the NBA, Stauskas and Robinson, and who knows about the rest. Apparently Jimmer scored 73 points in a game in China, but he was recently cut from a D League team, so I take very little stock in his high point totals. Basically, with rookies, the Kings don't have a good track record. I feel bad for Buddy Hield.

They also got Tyreke Evans, in a return to his first team, but he is wildly inconsistent and has never really put it together in the NBA. He has moments, but more so than not, he has been a very mediocre NBA player. His addition to the trade adds nothing at all. It was basically a throw on at the last moment in some kind of saving face, but it still makes this trade look really bad.

Funny side note. People have even tried to make this trade on the video game "NBA 2K17", and the game says that the trade is too unfair for the Kings. So, that means artificial intelligence is smarter than the Kings front office.

This is an absolute disaster for the Kings. This puts their franchise even further away from rebuilding. They are going to be very, very bad for what seems to be another decade now. If they couldn't win and make the playoffs with Boogie, how on Earth are they going to win with a bunch of castoffs that haven't proven themselves in the NBA in their short careers? I mean, a starting five of Darren Collison, Ben McLemore, Buddy Hield, Kosta Koufos and Willie Cauley-Stein is worse than anything the 76ers or the Lakers or even the Nets will put out on a NBA floor. This trade is real bad and real shocking. I hope, but don't think, it will work out for the Pelicans, and I know that this trade just set the Kings back for at least another decade.

The Kings got fleeced and they don't seem to care, or even realize it. At least Boogie got out of there and he may end up loving New Orleans and playing with Davis. But if he doesn't, he is a free agent and will have his pick of teams to sign with this summer. The biggest winner, by a country mile in this very bad trade, is Boogie.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is putting his name into the conversation to be the GM of the Kings. How could he do any worse. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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Ty Tells You How each NBA Team Can Win the Title: Pelicans, Mavericks, and the Bulls

Day 4 of my NBA countdown features teams 21, 20 and 19. These teams are good, but they could be better, or it is just a weird collection of players that I don't think will work out that well, or they are way too old to be highly competitive anymore.

Coming in at number 21, I have the New Orleans Pelicans. This team should be so much better than what they put out there on the floor. I know they had a ton of injuries last year, but that doesn't excuse their horrendous start, and the total lack of defense they "played". I really like their coach, Alvin Gentry, but I think he is better fitted to be an assistant as opposed to the head coach. He did great things while in Phoenix, but that was another team that he was the head man for, and they never reached their full potential. The roster has some great players, but they either get hurt too much, play hero ball or just haven't figured it out yet. Look, I'm about as big an Anthony Davis fan as there is. He is the new wave of centers. He can score in the post, rebound, block shots, run the floor, shoot the three and guard multiple positions. But, he has not been able to stay healthy for one full season since he has been in the league. I think he is a legitimate MVP candidate, if he can stay healthy. Unfortunately, that is a big if. He has all the tools, he just needs to not get injured. I really like their pick of Buddy Hield. As you all know by now, I would have taken Hield over any of the "one and done" players in this most recent draft. I love his game, he can score at will, and he will learn to play defense. He and Anthony Davis should make a fine pair. But, as I look at the rest of the roster, I don't see much. Omer Asik is done. He is garbage now. He can't score, he can't rebound and he doesn't defend like he used to. He and Davis were supposed to be the ultimate rim protectors, but Asik has not lived up to it. Tyreke Evans is not that good either. Sure, he can go for 30 one night, but the next night, he will go for 5 or 6 points on 2 of 15 shooting. He is exactly like Jeff Green. Has all the tools, but can never put it all together for a full season. Jrue Holiday is a very good point guard, but he too, much like Davis, just can't stay healthy. Kendrick Perkins was washed up in OKC, Solomon Hill is, at best, a tenth man off the bench, Norris Cole is a waste of a roster spot, Langston Galloway shouldn't even be in the NBA and they signed Lance Stephenson. Why on Earth would anyone want him on their team? He is a team killer. Their other pick in the most recent draft, Cheick Diallo, barely played in college, so who knows what he brings to the table. This team has one super star, one rookie that should be good, and nothing after that. The Pelicans will hover around 35 wins, depending on health.

So Ty, how will the Pelicans win the title? The only way they win the title is if Davis stays healthy and is the MVP, not impossible, Holiday stays healthy and continues to be lightening quick and the rest of the roster plays the best basketball of their lives, impossible. I feel sorry for Anthony Davis because he is a great player stuck on a mediocre team. Maybe Buddy Hield will be the guy they need to be Davis' sidekick.

At number 20 I have the Dallas Mavericks. This team would be much lower, like near the 76ers and Lakers, if Rick Carlisle wasn't the coach. He is one NBA coach that is near Poppovich's level. The Mavs still have Dirk, but isn't he like a trillion years old? How much game does he really have left? I know he is a great shooter, but he is a total liability on defense, he can't rebound and his legs are going to give out on him soon. Wes Matthews played pretty well last year, coming off a torn ACL, but he may be the new first option for the Mavs. Can he handle that? I don't think so. He is a good spot up shooter and a good slasher, but to be the main guy, that doesn't suit his game. They did end up with Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, after the whole KD signing, but does that even matter? Barnes looked atrocious in the finals. He couldn't make anything, and he was wide open. He also got abused on defense, but the Mavs gave him a max deal. Maybe he needs a change of scenery, but I just can't shake how bad he was in the finals. Bogut is a fine rim protector, but he is always injured, he cannot run anymore and his offense is non existent. He brings nothing to this team. Seth Curry, not Steph, signed with the Mavs, but he is, at best, your tenth or eleventh guy off the bench. The Mavs will look for more out of him, and I don't think he can do it. Deron Williams is still there, and while he played okay last year at times, his career was over while he was in Brooklyn. The rest of the roster has guys like Charlie Villanueva, Jose Barea, Justin Anderson, Devin Harris and Dwight Powell. Anderson and Powell are young, but not really all that good, and the rest of those guys, they are dinosaurs when it comes to NBA age. The Mavs will step back to about 30-35 wins, at best, this year.

So Ty, how will the Mavericks win the title? They can win the title if they find a fountain of youth, everyone drinks from it, returns to their primes and Harrison Barnes plays like a completely different player than what we saw in the finals. It's too far fetched.

At number 19, just missing out on the playoffs, I have the Chicago Bulls. This team is so much like the Knicks, with one major difference, it is scary. First off, I loved when they moved Derrick Rose to New York for Robin Lopez. I thought that was one of the best offseason decisions, but everything after that, total chaos. To go out and sign Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rando made absolutely no sense at all. First off, those two guys hate each other. Go back and watch some old Boston-Miami games, they despise one another. Second, they are both ball dominant players. Spoiler alert, there is only one ball, so only one guy can have it at a time. Third, Wade is only good for about 41 games of full effort now and Rando, he couldn't hit the ocean with a pebble. This may end up being a disaster. The only reason they aren't as low as the Knicks is Jimmy Butler. He is a much, much, much better all around player than Carmelo Anthony ever was/is/will be. Butler is a great defender, a great scorer, a great slasher and an awesome teammate. I would take him one hundred times out of one hundred to be on my team over Carmelo. He is the one reason the Bulls aren't as low as the Knicks. But, how will he fare playing alongside Rando and Wade? Will he get the touches he has earned? Who knows, but Jimmy Butler deserves better. He is an awesome basketball player. From there you have guys like Doug McDermott, average shooter, horrible defender, Nikola Mirotic, great shooter, even worse defender than McDermott, Taj Gibson, good glue guy, but not great at any single thing, Robin Lopez, good big man, but not even the best Lopez brother and Bobby Portis and Tony Snell, neither has had a real chance to play all that much. Not a loaded roster. I think Denzel Valentine could be good for them, but I don't know how often he will see the floor, considering all the three point shooters they seem to think they already have. He is a much better defender right now than both Mirotic and McDermott though. The Bulls could be the first team to crack 40 wins, or they could totally implode with this odd roster and only win 25 games. I'll go with the 40 wins because I think Jimmy Butler is that good.

So Ty, how will the Bulls win the title? The Bulls could win the title if all these weird pieces find a way to coexist and play team basketball, and the Cavs or Celtics or Raptors suffer catastrophic injuries to their star players. I just think teaming up Rondo and Wade, while you already have a great, young star, is going to blow up in their faces. What an odd offseason the Bulls had.

That does it for today. come back tomorrow for the next three teams. We are finally at the playoff eligible teams. Woo hoo!

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. What a difference a year makes. Both New Orleans and Chicago were in his top ten teams last year. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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