Let's Talk About the James Harden Trade

James Harden has been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Let’s discuss.

This was a long time coming, and at 2 am my time last night, it finally went through. The Clippers are receiving Harden and PJ Tucker. The 76ers got a bunch of picks and a good amount of mid level players. They got Marcus Morris Sr, Nic Batum and KJ Martin. There may be other players involved, maybe even picks, but these are the big names moving teams. The Clippers got the guy they wanted and they did not have to move another first round or Terrence Mann. The 76ers got rid of Harden and regained draft equity and mid level players to possibly move in a deal for a bigger name to pair with Embiid.

Looking at this trade from far out, if I just focus on the names, the Clippers got what they wanted and did not have to move much. Sure, the draft pick is a big deal for them, but in a win now move that is a decision you make 100 percent of the time. The Clippers now have four future hall of fame players on their roster. The defense is still very solid, and got better with the addition of Tucker. They have four guys that can create a shot at any time and they will score a bunch. Harden will also be a good stopgap when one, or let's be more realistic, both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George get hurt and miss time. This is the move they wanted to make all summer long and they now have a ton of time to integrate Harden into their offense. The 76ers got rid of their biggest headache. They don't have to worry about where Harden is, if he will show up, if they have to fine him, all of that is out the window now. He is not their problem. Embiid will get to roam the court with nobody blocking him or stopping the ball. Tyrese Maxey is going to get more and more of an opportunity to grow and get better as a scorer within their offense. And let's not overlook the players they acquired. Batum brings veteran leadership, an okay enough 3 point shot and solid defense. Marcus Morris Sr is tough and not afraid of anyone. He could be the enforcer they have needed for some time. And KJ Martin is a high flying, super athletic player. He will find himself open near the rim so much more now that he will be playing with a dominant guy like Embiid. Both teams, looking at it this way, achieved what they wanted in this trade.

This trade is not all roses. The Clippers have four guys that want to have the ball in their hands at crucial moments. Westbrook has finally found a game that works in his older age in the NBA. But it only works with the ball in his hands. Paul George is a wonderful shot creator, a great 3 point shooter and a very good mid range guy. But, he likes to create more often than not, and that requires the ball being in his hands. Kawhi Leonard is a true big game player. He may be one of the best clutch players in the game. But he, much like George, needs the ball in his hands to do those things. And then there is Harden. He has made no qualms about how much he wants, and needs, the ball in his hands to be as effective as possible. He is one of the biggest ball stoppers in the NBA. The whole cliche of "there is only one ball" has never been much of a thing for me, but this time it truly applies. As for the 76ers, they lost one of the best lob passers and pocket passers in the NBA. Harden is a magician passing the ball to willing shooters and Embiid was finding himself so wide open near the free throw the past two seasons due to Harden's passing. Now he has to rely on a guy like Maxey, who has shown flashes but is not ready for that yet. There is also Patrick Beverly who is pretty much just a defender in the league now. Tobias Harris has never been a fully willing passer. And De'Anthony Melton is so much better being an instant scorer off the bench. Without Harden, Embiid's shots may become tougher.

I'm excited to see how this all ends up for both teams. As for picking a "winner" in this trade, both teams won. They both got what they wanted. Now we have to see the long term effects. I can't 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.

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Ty's 2022 - 2023 NBA Season Preview: Suns, Celtics, 76ers

Welcome to day nine of my 22-23 NBA countdown. These are my top teams. These are the teams that I would bet on to win it all if I were a betting man. Any of these teams could win it all and I wouldn't bat an eye.

At number 6 I have the Phoenix Suns. This team had quite the offseason. They got blown out in the West Semis. Then they waited forever to re-sign Deandre Ayton. Then he said he hadn't talked to his coach. Then Robert Sarver was suspended and eventually said he was selling the team. Then Jae Crowder asked to be traded. And they still came out, erased a 22 point lead and beat the Mavs on opening night. That is why I will not give up on this team yet. Devin Booker is a star. He is such a good scorer and is becoming a decent defender. Chris Paul is still one of the best point guards to ever play the game. He keeps getting older but his game stays relatively the same. Deandre Ayton, for all the offseason drama, is still a 20 and 10 guy, still plays sound defense, is still a solid rim runner and can stretch the defense. Mikail Bridges is awesome. He is going to win defensive player of the year soon, maybe even this season. He is becoming a reliable scorer. He goes up against the opponent's best player every night. Cam Johnson has earned his starting spot. He can shoot and is a solid team defense guy. Damion Lee just hit a game winner and looks like a solid bench guy. Dario Saric is back and he adds a ton to this roster. Cam Payne has proven to be a top tier backup point guard. Bismack Biyombo brings energy and defense. I like the Josh Okogue signing. The Suns have a very good roster, with a very good coach and will win a ton of games this year. They are still a legit threat.

At number 5 I have the Boston Celtics. Here is another team with some offseason drama who won their opener in very convincing fashion. Ime Udoka was doing some wild stuff this offseason, got suspended and who knows what is going to happen. Joe Mazzulla has stepped in, and the Celtics looked very good Wednesday night. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum just keep getting better and better. They are incredible wing defenders, they can get their own shots, they can get to the hoop and they are becoming one of the better duos in the league. I don't like the Celtics, but I like Brown and Tatum. Getting Malcolm Brogdon only makes this team deeper. He can score, pass and defend. He is a perfect fit. Blake Griffin doesn't add much of anything except experience. Robert Williams is hurt, but when he gets back he is a top level rim protector and lob threat. Marcus Smart is the reigning DOP and he looked every bit the part the other night. He can shoot too. Al Horford is still good and still contributes. Derrick White was a great acquisition. Grant Williams has been surprisingly decent in the NBA. The Celtics were in the Finals last season, won a few games and could very easily be back there this season and win it all. As much as I dislike this team, they are very, very good.

The final team for the day, coming in at number 4 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. They have a very good, very enticing roster. This team has fooled me in the past, maybe they will do it again, but I really, really like what they have going on. James Harden is in shape, looked good the other night and looks like he could be an all star again. He just needs to do it when it counts. Joel Embiid is awesome. He is one of my favorite players. He should have won MVP last season and has as good a shot to win it this season. He is just an awesome, awesome player. Tyrese Maxey is exploding on the scene. He is lightning fast and can shoot the lights out. I love the PJ Tucker addition. He is going to make this team tougher and he can hit corner threes at a very high rate. De'Anthony Melton was an underrated offseason addition. He is going to be wonderful off the bench for the 76ers just like he was in Memphis. I'm going to miss him. Tobias Harris still has nights where he can fill it up. Matisse Thybulle is a great defender. Montezl Harrell will bring energy off the bench. Danuel House can shoot and lock down perimeter players. This team is good. They have the potential to be great. They could win the title this year. They could do a lot. They just have to do it now.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for my last three teams, the top three. See you tomorrow.

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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Ben Simmons is Soft

I was really hoping that I was going to get to see the debut of Ben Simmons this season tonight when the Nets play the 76ers. Unfortunately, he has been ruled out with a "back injury". Earlier this week he also filed a grievance against the 76ers organization. And, as of this morning, he was apparently harassed outside of his hotel room in Philadelphia. There is a ton of stuff to unpack here, but the one thing this truly screams to me, Ben Simmons is soft.

First off, Philly fans need to chill the hell out. Without Simmons this team would not have risen as fast as they did. Sure he is a very bad shooter, but what he does on the defensive end of the floor is amazing. He is one of the premiere defenders in the league. He can guard all five positions. He helped push that team to the one seed last season and he was crucial to them going down in the bubble when he got hurt. Simmons did some good things while in Philly. I know the fans are mad at him, or whatever, but they have to admit that he was a crucial player up until this season.

This offseason, and where we are now has really shown me a lot, mainly the fact that he is, as I said before, soft. Something went haywire in his brain during the conference finals last season, and instead of owning up to it and making a real effort to get better, he went on the defensive and blamed everyone but himself. I don't blame Doc Rivers for saying he did not know if Simmons could be the point guard of a title contender. He was asked a question in the heat of the moment and he answered truthfully. Rivers messed up by saying he never said that, but, again, I do not disagree with his original statement. I also do not blame Joel Embiid for questioning Simmons' heart and effort. Embiid, when healthy, is a legit MVP candidate. I'd vote for him this season for sure. He has more than proved that this is his team, especially this season with Simmons not playing. The 76ers are the two or three seed in the East, Embiid has kept them afloat, and now that he has Harden as a willing and capable teammate, he looks so much better. Embiid is the 76ers guy. Simmons was never going to be the 76ers guy. I think he knew that, and so did his agency, and that was why, instead of just taking the much deserved heat, he went on the defensive and refused to play until he was traded.

Then we had the video of him reporting to practice, but not paying any attention. He was on his phone, he was not doing drills and he looked like he quit. Then he said he had mental issues to work out. I will never question anyone who says they have mental stuff to work out. I have lived every day of my life with real bad OCD and anxiety. I have been taking medication for 20 plus years now because of my mental stuff. But Simmons seems to be using it as a crutch. Philly's front office offered to get him help, and he refused. He would then go out and do things that people with real mental issues just do not do. I hope he is seeing someone now to get real help, but I also think this was another way to deflect the attention off of his selfishness.

When he was finally traded, he never did what a lot of players do now by saying goodbye to the city that drafted him. He did the opposite. He filed a grievance against the team. He is making it all about him yet again. He is acting like a selfish, spoiled, soft little baby. He has always been coddled, and now that he is a professional, and that stuff doesn't fly as well, he is reverting back to tendencies you see from spoiled little kids. He got his way. He got what he wanted. The Nets are even letting him sit out the game in Philly tonight because we all know Simmons is deathly afraid to go out there and make a mistake. They can say it is injury related all they want, but he is scared. Go and watch what Stephen A Smith had to say about him. I'm not a Smith guy, but he knows Philly sports from covering them for years, and he was right on the money in his assessment of Simmons at the moment. He has wasted a year of his prime to "prove a point". Yet we do not know what type of player we will see when he comes back. Will he still be an incredible defensive player? Can he run the fast break? How will he play with sharp shooters surrounding him? What is going to happen in the playoffs when teams start daring him to shoot, or start intentionally fouling him to put him at the line? How is his mentality going to hold up to that much pressure? There are far, far too many questions right now.

I used to like Simmons. I thought it was rad to see a 6'10 guy run the point. But I have lost any respect I used to have for him after seeing his attitude and reaction to the dreadful playoff performance last season. It is never his fault, he puts the blame on everyone else. He is soft. He is coddled. And he may be done as a prime time NBA player. I guess we will have to wait until he is less scared to see if he can still play this game at the highest level. That is a real shame.

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 2021-2022 NBA Preview: Heat, Warriors, 76ers, Nuggets

Welcome to day six of my 2021 NBA countdown. We are in the top 10 now. These are the real good teams, the teams that have a real shot at the title if things go their way.

At 10 I have the Miami Heat. I loved their offseason. They got a great fit in Kyle Lowry. He will be added seamlessly to this lineup. He can run the offense, he will be a total menace on defense, he can score and distribute, he is in a great situation. I do not care that he is "old" in NBA terms. This is a great fit. Jimmy Butler is fast becoming one of my favorite players and people. He is a beast, he works his tail off, he is so much better than he has ever been in the NBA and he is hilarious. Jimmy Butler bet on himself in Minnesota and Philadelphia and it totally paid off for him. He was right and he has proven that tenfold. Bam Adebayo is also becoming one of my favorite players. In fact, besides Ja, Adebayo is probably my favorite player. He is so fast and quick and big and strong and plays so well. He is going to be an all star soon. Duncan Robinson has made it and now he got paid. He is a specialist, but what he does, shoot threes, he is one of the best in the league. He is a true sniper. Tyler Herro could have a bounce back season. He apparently put on some muscle, worked on his shot and everything coming out of camp seems to point to him getting better this offseason. Victor Oladipo is coming off another injury but he took a one year deal and he has to go out and prove he is as good as he used to be. He is a good slasher and cutter and plays solid defense. He just has to show that he is still able to do that. Getting PJ Tucker from Milwaukee makes this team even more of a nightmare on defense. Tucker adds zero on offense, but he is still an upper tier defender. Markieff Morris is tough and nasty. And Udonis Haslem is back as a player/coach essentially. Miami has a very good team that is going to be an elite defense. They will make some noise.

At 9 I have the Golden State Warriors. If they had a fully healthy Klay Thompson to start the season I'd probably have them in my top five. He will not be back until January so that is why they are here. Steph is the best shooter in the history of the league. He is pretty much un guardable. He can do it all and he is an all time great. He alone gets this team in the playoffs. Andrew Wiggins got vaxxed, finally, and while he is not as good as some thought when he was the first overall pick, he still brings value to this team. I am glad he got vaxxed, I just wish he wasn't such a baby about it. Draymond Green is still one of the best defenders in the league. He is also a very good facilitator and passer. He is nothing when it comes to scoring, but he is still elite at the things he does really well. Jordan Poole looks like he is going to take a leap. He looked great in the play-in, and he has been awesome in preseason games. Then it gets dicey for this team. Moses Moody and Johnathan Kuminga were both good picks, but I do not know where they are going to find minutes. Otto Porter Jr has not played in a year, looks to be out of shape, but people in Golden State say he looks good. Nemanja Bjelica can shoot, but he couldn't get minutes in Sacramento. Andre Iguodala is a finals MVP, a great player for the Warriors, but he is old. He is my age. James Wiseman can still be very good, but he needs to play through the run moments, and I do not know if Steve Kerr will be patient enough to let him. Juan Toscano Anderson has energy for days, but he is not much of a scorer. Kevon Looney cannot stay healthy. Damion Lee is a good shooter. And I like that they added Avery Bradley and Gary Payton Jr for defense. The Warriors have one of the all time greats, they should get Klay back and Draymond is still elite. They do need a ton of things to break their way, but they are still going to be in it until the end of the season.

At 8 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. Ben Simmons appears to be at camp, could be a full participant and may even play some games. I think he and his agent realized how much money they would lose if he didn't show up, and they want to up his trade value. Simmons is an otherworldly defender, but he has gone off a cliff in pretty much every other area of the game. I'd still keep him and see if they could figure it out, but maybe everyone involved is doing this to make a real trade. Joel Embiid is amazing. He is the best center in the league. He can do it all on both ends. He is elite. He is an MVP candidate. I just want him to play a full season. Matisse Thybulle is one of the best defenders in the league, and if Simmons does get traded, I could see him stepping into his role, with the exception of running the offense. Seth Curry has proven he belongs. He can shoot the hell out of the ball. Tyrese Maxey was so much fun to watch last season, and I could see him getting an expanded role. I like that they went out and got Andre Drummond for almost nothing. He could go out and feast on second units. He had moments in LA last year, and I could see that come back in Philly. Danny Green isn't as good as he used to be, but he can still shoot and guard. Tobias Harris may be overpaid, but the dude can fill it up. He is a solid NBA scorer. Furkan Korkmaz is a good bench player. And Shake Milton looks like he could take that next step to being the second unit's top scorer. Philadelphia is going to be good regardless of what happens to Ben Simmons. Honestly I do not see much of a difference if he is there or not. The 76ers are a 4 or 5 seed at the lowest.

The final team for today, at number 7 I have the Denver Nuggets. Full disclosure, they would have been number 3 if Jamal Murray was playing. He is not, probably won't for the whole season, so they land in the top 10 on my list. Nikola Jokic is the reigning MVP. He is a very good passer, he runs the offense, he can shoot and he is a nightmare to guard. Jokic is good. He is even better when he is in shape. Michael Porter Jr is a total dumbass and I am actively rooting against him. He's an idiot. He does not know what in the hell he is talking about. I do not care how good of a basketball player he is because every time he opens his mouth something idiotic comes out of it. Aaron Gordon got an extension, fit in great with this team last year and he looks like he is happy playing again. He can also still jump out of the gym, and people do not seem to realize how good of a defender he is. Gordon is great. Jeff Green keeps getting moved, but I like him on this team. He looked great in Brooklyn last year, and he will get more of a chance to play in Denver this year. Will Barton can shoot the ball, he just needs more shots. Austin Rivers has settled in as a role player. Monte Morris is another solid scorer. Bol Bol could be something if he got some real playing time. Facundo Campazzo is a hustler. Markus Howard was one of the best scorers in the NCAA for three years. And JaMychal Green is a good stretch big. The Nuggets are in their title window right now. They may have to pause for one season since Murray is out. But these guys are still young and good and can play. The Nuggets are a top five seed in the West for sure though.

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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Let's Talk About the Hawks Series Win Over the 76ers

The next few days are going to be dedicated to the NBA playoff series that just wrapped up. First I want to talk about the 76ers-Hawks series.

The Hawks played this series perfectly. They went out there like they had nothing to lose and it showed. They were loose, they were having fun and they won the damn thing. That is highly impressive for a team that is back in the playoffs for the first time in a while. Trae Young is proving to be a big time player, John Collins is doing some good things, Clint Capela looks like he did in Houston and Kevin Huerter is having a moment. They look like they are enjoying all this, they have earned all this and I think they have a very bright future.

The Hawks are also a blast to watch. They move the ball a ton, they find open shooters, they dive and pick and roll and get alley oops, they are a joy. They do not play much defense, but they do enough to win on that end, and they score in bunches. Kudos to Atlanta.

As for Philadelphia this is, as far as sports goes, a disaster. They were the best team in the East all year. They steam rolled their way to the number 1 seed. They had, on paper, the easiest draw to the East Finals. They destroyed Washington, and it should have been the same with Atlanta. But this is where the difference in play showed. While Atlanta was free and loose, the 76ers were tight. They played to not lose. Atlanta played to win. Philadelphia was a mess on offense with the exceptions of Joel Embiid and Seth Curry. They were the only two dudes that could get the offense going. Joel Embiid played on one leg and he was as dominant as he has been all season. He did what he was supposed to do, what was expected from him. He looked every bit the MVP candidate he was all year. People will point out his turnovers, but when you have to shoulder such an enormous role, turnovers are going to happen. That is the nature of being the lone offensive star. Seth Curry did help. He hit some big shots in this series. He did what was asked of him when the 76ers traded for him. He was a disaster on defense, but he wasn't brought in to play defense. He was the floor spacer, the shooter he needed to be in this series.

The rest of the 76ers roster was dreadful. Tobias Harris could not hit the ocean. There were times when I forgot he was on the team. He was a ghost. It was some James Harden playoff stuff coming from Tobias Harris. They needed him to be their third star, and he was nonexistent. Dwight Howard wasn't playable at times. He just could not stay on the floor. They clearly missed Danny Green's defense. He isn't as good as he used to be, but he is still solid. He is also an okay enough floor spacer. Shake Milton, who I do like, should not be playing crucial minutes in do or die playoff games. Outside Embiid and Curry, the rest of the team, including Doc Rivers, let Philadelphia down.

Doc Rivers' decisions in this series were baffling. The lineups, the offense, the play calling, it was really, really bad. I like Doc Rivers too. I think he is a great person and an okay coach. This is becoming the norm for him now though. He should have multiple rings, but he only has one. This is worse than the Clippers collapse in the bubble last season. The 76ers couldn't do much, and a lot of that was due to Rivers' coaching.

And then we have Ben Simmons. I love Ben Simmons. I love the way he plays basketball. He is one of the best defenders in the league. He is dominant. I also love watching a 6'10 guy run the offense. It is rad to see him bring the ball up the floor and get the team going. It is great to see him fly down the court in transition and throw a dunk down. But he was really awful on offense in this series. He did some wild stuff. He would not shoot the ball, especially in the fourth quarter. He was terrible at the free throw line. The play where he spun off his defender and had a wide open dunk and passed it to a cutter was so insane. It was also a microcosm of how he played offense the whole series. He has shown no growth on that end. He refuses to shoot the ball, and with him passing up dunks and layups now, this is not a great situation. I think the 76ers need to explore the possibility of trading Simmons. I do not know what they will get in a return, his value has definitely diminished, but the Simmons-Embiid duo just doesn't seem to fit. Simmons needs a spot where he can slash and dunk, and Embiid needs to be surrounded by floor spacers and let him own the inside. Philadelphia has a ton of work to do this offseason. They are in a bad spot right now, and things may have to change.

As for Atlanta, again I tip my hat to them. They deserved to win this series and the Bucks better taken them seriously in the East Finals.

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: The Almost Contenders

Today we enter the top 10 of my NBA countdown. My next five teams have aspirations, and the talent, to be title contenders, but a few minute things stand in their way. They are on the cusp, but they need absolutely everything to fall perfectly for them.

At number 10 I have the Utah Jazz. People are so quick to forget that they were a spin away from beating Denver in the playoffs last season. If Conley's jumper had gone in, we could have had a totally different outcome. It didn't, and the Jazz were left to pick up the pieces after another first round exit. Donovan Mitchell is a star. That dude is awesome, he is hyper athletic, his jumper continues to improve and his defense is getting there. He is one of my favorite younger stars in the league. He is a beast also. He goes hard every night. Getting Mike Conley last year was supposed to be the thing that put them over the top, but he needed far much more time to adjust to their roster. When he figured it out though, this team was pretty darn good. Conley is still an elite point guard, and I think he will show everyone this year who may have forgotten. Rudy Gobert is going to be burdened with the fact that he will forever be the poster child of what not to do when you have the CoronaVirus. He did all that nonsense, then infected Mitchell, and now he will forever be the guy who caused the league to shut down for three months. But he is a very good basketball player. Don't forget that. He is great in the low post. He is a dominant rim protector, and he is very solid in the pick and roll. He is also in a contract year, so I wouldn't be surprised if he went out and dominated other big men this season. Bojan Bogdanovic is back after suffering a season ending injury prior to the bubble. He will add spacing and knock down shooting. Joe Ingles isn't much of a defender, but the dude is a solid trash talker and a decent shot creator. Jordan Clarkson is instant offense off the bench. He could be their Lou Williams. Derrick Favors iis a solid backup to Gobert, and he is a good defender. I love the Udoka Azubuike pick. He will get to learn, and wait before he has to see meaningful minutes, and that is major. Outside that though, the one thing that holds them back for me, is their lack of depth. It gets pretty iffy after Favors and Clarkson come off the bench, and that is why they aren't a Finals contender just yet. The Jazz are a playoff team, but they have to get out of the first round before I take them super seriously.

At number 9 I have the Toronto Raptors. I know the Raptors lost Kawhi a year ago, and they lost Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka this off season, but I just cannot quit this team. They may be the new Spurs. They are so well coached, and every player does their job to perfection. They may have lost a good core of the championship team they had, but they pushed Boston, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them back in the playoffs. Kyle Lowry is still there, and he is still awesome. He is a great defender, one of the smartest players I have ever watched, and I love the grit he plays with. I'm never going to second guess him ever again. They re-signed Fred Van Vleet, and to me, he is worth every penny. He is their point guard of the future. OG Anounoby is really becoming a very good player. He is switchable on defense, he is becoming a better shot maker and he is figuring it out. He just needs to stay healthy. Pascal Siakim showed some great flashes last season, and he could be one of the better up and coming faces of the league. He is so long and good at basketball. Norm Powell proved his worth last season. They need a knock down shooter, and he feels like that guy. Aron Baynes adds toughness. Chris Boucher is raw, but he can be good. They took a flyer on Stanley Johnson last season, and he was okay coming off the bench. The Raptors are always going to play tough and play good defense. Are they the title team they were a few years ago? No. But they are a playoff team, and they will be a tough out. You can count on that.

At number 8 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. They got rid of Brett Brown. They finally traded for some shooters. And if Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid can coexist and stay healthy, could this finally be the year? I am not so sure, and that is why I have them here. They are loaded with talent. Embiid is like a modern Hakeem Olajuwon. He is not Hakeem, no one will ever be Hakeem, but he is like a modern version. Ben Simmons may not be able to shoot, or maybe not willing, but he is amazing. He is a solid ball handler, he is a great passer, he can get to the rim. But the best thing about his game is his defense. He can lock almost anyone down. The 76ers missed him greatly in the playoffs last year, and it showed. Tobias Harris is a fine player, I just don't think he is a max guy. He can score, but he is not great on the other end, and he kind of fell off a bit last year. What the 76ers needed was shooting, and they looked to try and address that this offseason. They traded for Danny Green, Terrance Ferguson and Seth Curry. While not the greatest shooters in the world, Green brings championship pedigree, Ferguson is young and willing to learn, and Curry is a flat out shooter. Those are good guys to have around Embiid and Simmons. They signed Dwight Howard, and if he plays like he did last year, he is going to feast on second units in the East. Matisse Thybulle is one of the best young defenders in the league, he just needs to work on offense. And I like them taking Tyrese Maxey. He could be a solid point guard for them. I also think getting rid of Brett Brown and hiring Doc Rivers was a smart move. The 76ers have all the potential in the world, they just have to find a way to put it all together. They haven't yet, and that is what worries me.

At number 7 I have the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets were in the West Finals last year. They took a game from the Lakers. They came back down 3-1 to the Clippers in the previous round. This team is underrated, even by me, but they need to be taken seriously. Nikola Jokic is awesome, full stop. He may not be the fastest, or the best leaper or even a good defender, but he more than makes up for those shortcomings with his basketball IQ. The dude is also an incredible passer. He is like the Patrick Mahomes of the NBA. I am still blown away by how good he is. Jamaal Murray more than found himself in the bubble, and he vaulted to being one of the better offensive players in the league. He can score from anywhere, and he is a very good ball handler. It is nice to have a guy that can get you a bucket when you need one. They re-signed Paul Milsap, and while he is not the all star he was in Atlanta, he is still a great vet to have on your team, and he can still have good nights. Gary Harris kind of slipped last year, but that was due to injuries and a full league stoppage. I think he bounces back. Michael Porter Jr, while I don't agree with his views on CoronaVirus, that dude can flat out score too. Denver is going to get to a point where they have to start him, and having him, Jokic and Murray is going to be absolutely lethal. I like Will Barton, he just needs to see the floor more. I would love to see Bol Bol play more. He was so dope in the seeding games, barely saw the floor if at all in the playoffs, but I just want to watch him play. He is so big, and he can stretch the floor. He can shoot threes. Monte Morris is a very solid bench/role player. The rest of the roster is kind of meh, but when you have Jokic and Murray, and been far in the playoffs, you get the benefit of the doubt. Denver is a perennial deep run playoff team now. I just wonder when they will take that next step. Hopefully for their fans it is soon.

The final team for the day, at number 6 I have the Brooklyn Nets. I have them this high for two reasons. One, they are in the East. Two, they get KD and Kyrie Irving back at full health this year. For as much as those two may rub people the wrong way, they are both champs, they have both hit humongous shots, one is an MVP winner and the other has MVP potential, and they are both amazing at basketball. Now they just have to coexist and stay healthy. The rest of the roster is solid too. I love Caris Levert. He is a Michigan kid, he has proven me very wrong about his career and he is a scorer. He is a creator too. Levert is a very, very good player. Joe Harris is a three and D specialist. He also plays very hard every night. Jarrett Allen has some of the coolest hair in the league, and he is not afraid to contest anyone. Go back and look at some of his blocks last season. Deandre Jordan is older, but he was handpicked by KD and Kyrie to be on this team, and he is still a very good pick and roll guy. Spencer Dinwiddie is a great microwave off the bench. He can light up first units, but I would have him as my star second unit guy. Landry Shamet was traded there, and I think he will fit in nice with Kyrie and KD. They're giving Jeff Green another chance, but hey, the guy wouldn't still be in the league if he didn't have immense talent. And I still like Taurean Prince. The fate of the Nets season rests on two guys. If they play well and it works, they could be a real contender. If not, they will not make the playoffs. I'm very interested in watching them play this season.

That's it for the day, and the week. Come back on Monday for my final 5 teams, and Tuesday I will have full predictions.

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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Is Philly the Right Spot for Doc Rivers?

Doc Rivers wasn't unemployed very long. Last week he took the head coach opening in Philly, and will try and right the ship for the 76ers.

I am kind of on the fence about this hire. Rivers is an okay coach, a great person, and has won with a super star team. But, he couldn't get the job done in Orlando, he struggled in Boston until they acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, and we all saw both meltdowns in LA while he was coaching the Clippers. He does have the one ring, and I fully agree with his political and emotional statements he has made recently, but he is, for the most part, when it comes to strictly basketball, an underachieving head coach. Orlando was not going to work for him. They never had guys that were going to lead that team any further than the first round of the playoffs. Boston was a mess until they got two stars. They were the first of the new era "super teams", and they only won one Finals, while going to two. Then he just could not get the Clippers over the edge. He has had some very talented rosters, except Orlando, but he only has one championship. Guys like Phil Jackson have had more star power, at least at the top, but never the bench players that Rivers had, and Jackson won two handfuls of rings. Greg Poppovich has built a culture in San Antonio, had stars, had role players and has coached them to five titles, while appearing in, I think, seven Finals. Erik Spoelstra is proving right now that he is a top tier head coach. He had the super team, with Wade, LeBron and Chris Bosh, and went to four Finals and won two. Now he has a team led by Jimmy Butler and a cast of dudes, old and young, and they have a chance to make this Finals a real series on Tuesday. Mike Brown was coach of the Cavs, and yes he had LeBron, but the rest of that team was very blah, and he led them to a Finals. Ty Lue had a super team, not as well rounded as what Rivers had in Boston, but he has as many rings as Rivers. Rivers is a solid manager of stars, and he will get you to the playoffs, and even make the team seem like a threat, but nothing more. His teams have, more often than not, stumbled in the playoffs.

Now Rivers is going to take over a 76ers team that has a load of talent at the top, but they have flamed out of the playoffs, especially being swept out of the first round this year. They also have two stars that, if you listen to reputable NBA journalists, don't like one another. They also have a great, great big man, who has modernized his game, but doesn't always seem to give one hundred percent. And their other star gets hurt far too often, and is terrified to shoot jumpers. I'm curious to see how Rivers handles these two guys, Embiid and Simmons, and how he deals with the rest of the roster. He has, alongside Embiid and Simmons, Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, Jason Richardson, Al Horford and some other dudes. So, Rivers does have stars, but not the level star that Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were, and are currently. He also has guys that should be good defenders, at least on paper. They are big and long and mean and stingy. But, will he get them to buy in? Will Embiid be the Kawhi or KG type that gets these guys to buy into playing defense? I don't know, and I don't know if Embiid truly wants to be a top tier defender, and I love Embiid. He just doesn't always give it his all. And as far as going East, it seems good, but that was until I watched the playoffs this year. The East isn't nearly as tough as the West, but the top is solid. If Milwaukee keeps Giannis, they will still be the top team. Boston has shown that they are up and coming and just about there. I think Toronto has one more year in them with this group, and I do think that Pascal Siakim can be the next star to lead a team. Miami is currently in the Finals, and outside Butler, that team is young and in sync. The East is getting better, and Philly looks a bit slow compared to the other teams.

I knew Rivers would get a job, and I assumed it would be during the off season. I am a little surprised he took the 76ers job, but maybe they gave him the best offer. I know Chicago already filled their vacancy, but I would have liked to see him there instead of Billy Donovan. I also think he could have fit in well in Houston. They have the offense, and he would have brought the defensive mentality that the team needs to get to the next level. Even New Orleans seemed like a better fit to me because he could have molded that roster in his image. But, in Philly all he has to do is coach. No front office stuff to deal with, no draft to deal with, just coach. But, he has to get this team to do some things their young stars have been reluctant to do, or have just decided they won't do it. I hope Rivers does well because I truly like him, but I feel like the 76ers were the toughest roster for him to work with. We will see it come next season. 

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 Process Will Continue without Brett Brown Coaching the 76ers

I had an idea to keep an up to date detail of how online virtual school is going, but I decided that I will do that more periodically, giving people a break from all of that. Most of us are living it, so we know what is going on. But, I'd still like to chime in every now and then to keep people updated. Instead, I'll do that, but I will mostly stick to pop culture and sports, and even sometimes get political.

Today we have a whopper, well to some, of a story from the NBA. The 76ers finally pulled the plug and let go of Brett Brown. I think there is a lot more change to come, like the front office and roster, but I want to solely talk about Brown today.

Bret Brown really had no shot unless the 76ers won, or even maybe made, the Finals. This was the year that they were supposed to take the leap. I picked them to be in the Finals, and I know a good amount of other sports writers did as well, mainly Zach Lowe. He is the guy I read consistently, and his take on them before the season made me a believer. Welp, that most definitely didn't happen this year. Lowe said, and I agreed, that the heartbreak against the Raptors last year, the Kawhi shot, was just what they needed to get that hunger up to make a push. Then we had all the stories about Embiid being in great shape, how he wanted to win MVP, which he was my preseason pick, and Defensive Player of the Year. There were also rumors that Ben Simmons was shooting threes, they signed Tobias Harris and traded Jimmy Butler, thus getting the "bad guy" out of the locker room, and their final move was to sign Al Horford. They were going against the grain of the modern game, with shooting everywhere, and they were going to go big and punish teams. They were going to be the modern day Bad Boys, only much, much bigger. Again, that did not really happen. Tobias Harris, while good, is not worth the max contract he got. He's a good shooter, but not a three point shooter by any means. He is also kind of soft. He is a fun guy, a player I like, a decent player, but not a superstar. They didn't get nearly enough for Butler in the trade that sent him to Miami, and they clearly needed his determination in that locker room more so than having a nice guy. Butler may be an asshole, he may rub people the wrong way and fight with staff, but the dude is always part of a tough winning culture. The front office, and from what I have heard lately, Brett Brown made a poor decision in picking Harris over Butler. Al Horford was an absolute zero for them. He did not bring them anything they were hoping for. He was the Embiid stopper,, but now they are teammates. What good does that do? He can't really stop a guy when he plays with that guy. And while Horford is a solid player, he is too old, too slow and is being paid way too much money. They need to try and find a trade partner, but it will be very hard with that contract.

Simmons, well, he simply chose to not shoot threes. He took a few, but nothing like people were saying in the offseason. And even during the restart he was hesitant, and then he got hurt. He also looked way less engaged in the bubble. Is this because of the coaching, or can he not really shoot? I think it is the former. Again, I have heard people say that Simmons was on a very long leash, and Brown was never going to really call him out on anything. Sure, he had some veiled stuff through the media, but nothing like talking face to face with him.

Then we have Embiid. He is a great player. He is a dominant force on offense, an excellent rebounder, can shoot from deep and can lock down other bigs on defense, when he is engaged. He is never really fully engaged, and that is a combo of coaching and the player. Joel Embiid only really showed out when people on TV called him out. Charles Barkley and Shaq go at him, he has a great game. The All Star game happens, he is front and center and he is getting all the touches at the end, he looks other worldly. But more often than not, he just kind of came and went all year. He also openly opined for Jimmy Butler and just couldn't put together enough good stretches. He was way, way too inconsistent.

Finally we have Brett Brown. Brown went through some shit man. He was there at the beginning of the "process". He coached a team that won only ten games. He dealt with the former front office offloading young talent for worse, and younger, talent. Then when the team got better, and healthier, he made some waves, but nothing that this team, as constructed could have done. I don't fully blame Brown, but a better coach would have done a better job with this roster. Brown was good at coaching young talent, molding them and teaching them how to play in the NBA. But, he couldn't coach the stars. When his players got big, they didn't fully respect his voice, and they basically laughed at his way of laying down the law. He didn't have their trust, he couldn't get this team over the top and he couldn't coach up "star" players. He also let the front office get rid of way too much outside shooting talent to have this "all bigs" lineup, that didn't work. Brown is a solid coach who may get another gig, but it won't be with a contender. He will have to settle for another rebuilding project, and I don't know if he has that in him if the same thing happens wherever that may be that just happened in Philly.

The 76ers need to get a solid coach, with respect to get this team over the top, but they also need to revamp the roster to fit with Simmons and Embiid. We all knew the Brown firing was coming, so it isn't a surprise. But still, he coached a team with real talent, and they couldn't even get out of the first round of the playoffs. The time had come. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty's NBA 2019-2020 Preview: Clippers, 76ers

Okay, today ends my NBA countdown. I have my top 2 teams going into the 2019-20 season. That doesn't mean I am done writing about the NBA, not by a long shot. I will do my predictions, title and awards, tomorrow, and on Friday I will do my men's college basketball preview. But, the 2 teams I have today are the best of the best when fully healthy. These are the 2 teams that I think will matchup in the finals this year. They have good rosters, play good defense and, on paper, are the best 2 teams.

Okay, coming in at number 2 I have the LA Clippers. The Clippers had the coup of the summer. They got Kawhi Leonard. It seemed like a forgone conclusion that he was going there last summer, but he went to Toronto and won a title. And make no mistake, without Kawhi, the Raptors wouldn't have won. Now he is off to LA, and he, right now, is the best 2 way player in the league. Not to outdo themselves, the Clippers, on the very same night they signed Kawhi, traded for Paul George, who might be the second best 2 way player in the NBA,. This was shocking to me. I didn't think he was going to leave OKC. I assumed he and Westbrook would run it back at least one more year. But from everything I read, Kawhi wanted to team up with him, and the Clippers moved heaven and earth to acquire George. They traded away their future, but at least Kawhi and George are still relatively young. And when George gets back to full health, those 2 are going to be a nightmare for opponents. George shot the ball very well until he got hurt last year, and we all saw what Kawhi did in the playoffs. Getting these 2 guys was a tremendous boon for the Clippers. And the rest of their roster is pretty damn talented. They got Pat Beverly to resign, and he is the biggest pest, I mean that in the best way possible, in the NBA. He is also a perfect point guard to pair with the other starters on this team. He has also earned his place in the league, and it is hard to not root for a story like his. Montrezl Harrell has really become a solid big man. He is solid in the pick and roll, he can play defense, he is a good rebounder and he is tough. Lou Williams might be the best sixth man of all time, and that dude is instant offense. When he comes on the floor, he is liable to drop 30 on any given night. He is the shooter this team needs. Ivan Zubic proved to be a solid role playing big off the bench last year. I never would have thought that when watching him as a Laker, but he proved his worth as a Clipper. Landry Shamet can shoot the ball, and he was way better as a rookie than I thought he was going to be. JaMychal Green is a solid spot minute big man that is super long. Jerome Robinson had an odd year, and will barely see the floor, but he will be an okay bench player. And signing Mo Harkless was a low key good deal. The Clippers are the best defensive team in the league, and they can put up points too. This team, at full health, has the ability and talent to be very, very good.

But, there is one team that I think is better than them, coming in at number 1 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. My how the times have changed. I once called the 76ers the worst franchise in professional sports, but I'll be damned if all the tanking didn't kind of work. Joel Embiid is an absolute monster on both ends of the floor. He is unguardable in the post. He is so, so close to being the modern day Hakeem Olajuwon. I watched him in a preseason game last night, and while only going about 50 percent, he dominated. Embiid is so good. He just needs to stay healthy and stay on the floor. Ben Simmons is a 6'10 point guard that is a problem. He is so good with the ball in his hand, he is an excellent passer, he plays good defense and is a real threat to attack the rim at any point. And, if these videos of his three point shooting are even half real, watch out. If he has any semblance of a jump shot, he will vault himself into the conversation as a top 10 player. I feel like they picked the right guy to resign when they gave Tobias Harris a big time deal. Harris is a better teammate than Butler. He may not be as good a player, but the gap isn't that wide. Harris is a good shooter, a good defender and a great locker room guy. Getting Al Horford to sign with them was huge. Yes he is old, and not as athletic as some of the other guys on the team, but talk about a great veteran, and Horford is exactly that. He is also a great defender, a great passer and a solid offensive player. He has also been a great playoff player. And having him and Embiid playing post defense will be a nightmare for opponents. I am also a big fan of Josh Richardson, who they got in the Jimmy Butler trade. Richardson is a solid three point shooter, he is tall and long and he plays defense. I love what I have seen out of Matisse Thybulle, their first round pick. He is energetic and bouncy and looks like he will be a perfect addition. When Mike Scott gets back from his suspension, he will beat the hell out of you and he will hit open shots. Trey Burke has kind of found a home in the league as a bench player. He can fill it up on occasion and he is a solid backup point guard. He is an upgrade over TJ McConnell. Furkan Korkmaz is a summer league legend and has looked pretty solid in preseason. And I'm curious to see how Zhaire Smith looks in year 2. He was a good pick, took some bumps last year, and has had an entire summer and offseason to improve his game. I really, really like the 76res. They are like the real life Monstars. They are so, so , so big. I think their shortest starter is Richardson,, and he is 6'7. They are playing a different style of basketball right now, and with their length and want to play defense, I think it will work out really well for them.

Okay, there are my top 2 teams going into the season., Come back tomorrow for my predictions. The NBA season is less than a week away people. Time to get excited.

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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A Few Thoughts on the Jimmy Butler Trade

Jimmy Butler finally got what he wanted. He is no longer on the Timberwolves. He got out. All his whining and griping and bitching and moaning and poor attitude and disgusting behavior paid off. He is not on the team that he seemed like he would finish his career with after leaving the Bulls. Now, he has destroyed 2 locker rooms and he is on to his third.

First things first, I do not think Jimmy Butler is the type of player that can act like this. While I do think he is one of the better 2 way players in the league, he is not the type of player that can yell and demean his teammates and demand a trade and expect a big time contract. He is 29. I know that is not old, but in basketball years, with the amount of time he plays in games, and the playoff games he has been too, that is pretty old. He also has a history of lower body injuries. He seems to get hurt quite a bit. He also complains when teammates don't play or practice to his "level". He is also a mediocre shooter. Yes, he can create shots and get to the rim, but as a floor spacer, I don't buy it.

Second, the way he has conducted himself for the past 2 years is loathsome. As I said, while he is a great player, he is not as good as he thinks. He is not LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis or Giannis Antentokoumpo, just to name a few. Those guys are upper echelon players. Those dudes can come to a team and easily make them a contender. Those guys can demand trades and find a way out if they see that the current team they are on is not going anywhere. Jimmy Butler, to me, lands more in the Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony, Andrew Wiggins, Rajon Rondo category. While great, he isn't a top tier player, although he acts like it. Jimmy Butler, as a basketball player, I like. That's it, just like. As a person, I cannot stand what he has become. He is entitled. He thinks too highly of himself. He is more about money than titles. It is obvious.

Now, for how I see this as simply a basketball trade, I am not convinced. I liked the young core the 76ers had. I actually thought that "The Process" was working out. They seemed ahead of schedule. With this trade, they got to keep the important components, but they traded away 2 great locker room guys. Everyone seemed to like Robert Covington's work ethic and his fit on the team. From what I have heard, Dario Saric was the funniest guy on the team and he cheered everyone up when he showed up to practice. The other 2 guys in the trade, Jerryd Bayless and a 2022 second round pick are of no consequence to me. The 76ers got a young big man, Justin Patton and, of course, Jimmy Butler. Patton won't play much. Butler is going to be a starter. He is going to be a focal point of that offense and the go to defensive guy. He will guard the other team's best player every night he plays. He will also be the creator on the offense for the team. He does make the 76ers a top 3 team in the East right away. But, does this trade make the 76ers better than the Bucks, Raptors or Celtics? Maybe just the Celtics. The Raptors have a much better version of Jimmy Butler in Kawhi and the Bucks have Giannis.

As far as being a teammate, this is going to be a disaster for a 76ers franchise that was on the come up. Jimmy Butler will think he runs the team, but this is Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid's team. That is not even up for debate. I'd go so far as to say that this is Embiid's team, and Simmons is the second most important player. They are the 76ers. They have built this team around those 2 guys strengths. They have added the players they deem best to suit Embiid and Simmons games. Guys like JJ Redick give them the shooting they need. He is the only shooter they have, but he is a solid shooter and a bad defender. They have some young talent, specifically Landry Shamet, that will grow into his role as the future point guard of the team. TJ McConnell is the energy guy they need. And then we have Markelle Fultz. This trade is going to destroy Fultz's already shaky game. He has been an absolute disaster as a NBA player. While I had hope that he could get out of this funk, he has seemingly gotten worse. Take his free throw shot from last night, where he pumped faked. I fully, fully believe that he was thinking about Jimmy Butler during that shot. He knows that Butler is going to give him the business if he shoots like that in practice. We have all seen what Butler is capable of doing when he is mad at players on his current team. He will demean and yell at them, and then make it public knowledge. He will make sure he dominates them as well. Fultz is not going to be able to handle this. Guys like Simmons and Embiid will be able to, not only take his shit, they will be able to give it back ten fold, especially Embiid. Redick won't stand for his nonsense, he is a veteran, and he has played with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Shamet has his head on straight, and anything Butler says will just roll off of him. But Fultz is going to crack. He looks so out of sorts, the last thing he needs is a guy like Butler publicly calling him out in practice and games. It would be in his and the 76ers best intentions to trade him immediately, but I don't think anyone else wants him. Again, look at his free throw attempt from the other night. This dude has issues, and Jimmy Butler will only make it worse for him.

While this trade makes the 76ers better right now, I am not a fan of it. And just when I was started to get into this team they do this. The Timberwolves, the other team in this trade, if they fire Tom Thibodeau, this may benefit them. Wiggins and KAT don't have to worry about Butler's bull shit. The guards will get to play freely. Saric and Covington are solid NBA players that can play. And Josh Okogie looks like a real point guard. When/if they get a new coach, the Timberwolves could be the West's version of the Pacers.

In the end Jimmy Butler got his wish, but it comes at a big time cost. For the 76ers case, I hope they win or are able to resign him. Also, I hope they trade Fultz for his case. I'm not a fan of this trade because I do not think Jimmy Butler is top notch, build your team around style player. The 76ers should have stuck with what they were doing. That is my take.

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: 76ers, Rockets, Warriors

With the NBA season starting tonight, I have my final 3 teams for my countdown today. These are the best of the best in my opinion. These are the teams to beat. And I'm only going to do my three teams today. I will do a whole post season prediction and award winner predictions tomorrow. So today, we have our final 3. Lets get into it.

At number 3 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. I love this team. There was a point in time, on this very same website, when I chastised what this was doing. I hated what they put on the court. They were a tire fire. Now, all of that has changed. Brett Brown is a very good, very patient coach. Ben Simmons is a monster. That dude is a 6'10 point guard. I literally do not care that he can't shoot from the outside, everything else he does is wonderful. He is an elite passer. He is a great attacker of the rim. He is a solid defender. He is a terror for opposing players trying to guard him. Joel Embiid is a modern Hakeem. I know that is high praise, but dammit, he deserves it. He has some incredible low post moves. He can shoot fro the outside. He can pass so well out of the post. He plays great defense. He is an awesome rebounder. And he is just an overall fun guy. If he can stay healthy, much like he did last year, he and Simmons are going to be vaulted as the future faces of the league. Robert Covington is underrated and can shoot the rock. He also plays very solid D. He knows his role on this team, and he plays it perfectly. Dario Saric is much of the same. He is the perfect third or fourth option for this team. He is also a good rebounder and he, at least, tries on defense. TJ McConnell is a better, scratch that, a much, much better version of Matthew Dellavedova. He is a better shooter, a better playmaker and isn't annoying. I'm not giving up on Markelle Fultz yet. He sat most of last year, but doesn't every 76ers pick do that? Why was he so maligned for it? I saw the videos of his shot, and when he came back, he looked timid, but he is still only 20. He has looked better in preseason. He won't be asked to be the savior. I feel like he is going to be a solid player for this team. JJ Redick, while I think he is a wildly overrated defender, can still shoot the hell out of the ball. He is the floor spacer that Embiid and Simmons need. They also added Wilson Chandler, who is another instant offense off the bench for this team. Mike Muscala can shoot as well. Losing Zhaire Smith for the year will be a bummer, but they have another solid rookie to fall back on, Landry Shamet. The 76ers are back to being a top notch NBA franchise. I am fully buying in to this team being good to great again. I like watching this team, and I think they are going to be the best in the East.

At number 2 I have the Houston Rockets. I know, they lost some key guys. Losing Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah AMoute might sting, but, and correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't this team still have the reigning MVP James Harden, Chris Paul and Clint Capela? Don't they also have PJ Tucker still? Didn't they finally shed the horrible Ryan Anderson? Isn't former 6th man of the year winner Eric Gordon still there? Don't they still have Nene? The Rockets are still stacked, and people are freaking out about them losing 2 guys. Harden is amazing. I do not like watching him play, he is a total ball stopper, he draws to many fouls and shoots too many free throws, and is horrendous on defense, but the dude can shoot and slash. He is one of the best at getting to the rim and is one of the best at shooting the three. Harden is amazing. Chris Paul is super dirty and old, but he is still producing and has more freedom to shoot. He does get hurt far to much, especially at crucial moments. But, Paul is still one of the better pure point guards playing. Clint Capela might be the best rim runner in the league. He did the right thing in re signing there, because he gets so many open looks at the rim. He is also a great defender and rebounder. PJ Tucker is one of the toughest guys in the league, and he can shoot the three. Nene is another one of the toughest guys in the league, and even though he isn't what he used to be, he will fight a dude if need be. These 2 add the toughness this team has always lacked. Eric Gordon is a great, great bench player. He is the perfect instant offense guy. He, much like Harden, isn't a good defender at all, but he can fill up the stat sheet. Gerald Green is a high flyer and shoots a lot of threes, which means he fits in perfect for this team. They got Brandon Knight and Marquiss Chriss in the Anderson trade. While I don't think either of those guys will contribute much of anything, the best thing they did was help the Rockets get off Ryan Anderson. And they added Carmelo Anthony. This is about 5 years too late, but if he plays like Olympic Carmelo, and I know I said this exact same thing last year, he will fit in just fine. The Rockets don't play much defense, and they won't win 60 plus games again, but they are still great. They score and score and score. The Rockets are still the second best team in the league.

And at number 1 I have, of course, the Golden State Warriors. I mean, who else would it be? When Boogie Cousins comes back, they will be starting 5 all stars. KD is the best all around player in the league. He can score from anywhere on the floor, he has become a much better rebounder and passer, and when he plays defense, he is ferocious. I'm not down with his passive aggressive, wannabe bad guy mentality, he's not a bad guy, but the dude can play. Steph is the best pure shooter I have ever watched. He can shoot fro anywhere, and I mean ANYWHERE on the court. He is also a wizard with the ball. He isn't much of a defender, but he doesn't need to be. Klay Thompson is the second best pure shooter I have ever seen. He has the best shooting motion and he is such a threat to just go off at anytime. He has the ability to score 30 in a quarter. He has done it. Multiple times. He is also a lock down defender. He should always be on first team all defense. Draymond Green is the engine that runs this team. His headaches that he causes are totally worth it because the dude gives maximum effort. He is the best pound for pound defender in the NBA. He is also the only guy I have seen competently guard all 5 positions and do it well. He is also a decent offensive player. And when he gets back from injury, even if he is just 70 percent of who he was before, Boogie is an amazing modern center. He can shoot from three. He is a beast in the interior. He is nearly unstoppable down low. He is a great rebounder. And if he chooses to play defense, he is good. Also, I know there are worries about his presence in this locker room, but I don't buy it. This team is too well put together to let one guy screw it up. And I also love that people are saying the same nonsense that they don't have any depth. Well, they said that last year and they still won the title. They also still have Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. I know they are older and have played a ton of basketball, but they are both perfect for this team. These 2 know exactly when to turn it on and off, and they will be crucial come playoff time. Jordan Bell also played a ton of minutes last year and was a great rebounder, defender and scored when he needed to. He fits too good with this team. Kevon Looney got key playing time last year, and he is back. The Warriors are going to continue to dominate this league as long as they keep guys like Steph, who is under contract, Klay, who has said he wants to stay, KD, who always flirts with leaving, and then signs on again and Draymond, who should never leave this team because it is far too perfect for him. What this lacked was a true center, and they got Boogie on a one year deal. Until further notice, I will always put the Warriors at number 1, and I will continue to pick them to win the title. The Warriors are the Patriots of the NBA, except they don't lose titles, they dominate and win them all.

That does it for my countdown for the 2018-19 season. Come back tomorrow for my post season and awards predictions. And also, get pumped. The season starts tonight. NBA basketball is back.

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 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.

Where Should LeBron Play Basketball Next Year?

I was supposed to see Vince Staples last night, but I hurt my back doing some house work and had to sell my tickets, So, unfortunately I do not have a review of his show. Next time he comes through, I will be sure to check him out. But, I do have a basketball story I want to talk about today.

Earlier today, LeBron James listed the 4 teams he would consider in free agency. Now, this is nowhere near the circus that was "The Decision". I'm pretty sure he remembers how bad that was, but there are some quality teams on his list. He has his current team, the Cavs, and the other 3 were the Lakers, Rockets and 76ers. I want to give a few reasons as to why I think his fit with all four of these teams would be good and bad.

Lets start with the Lakers first. The reasons to join the Lakers are fairly simple. One is the history. They, along with the Celtics, are the most storied franchises in all of NBA history. This would be a nice spot to finish up his career. Everyone, even if you don't like the players or coaches they have had, remembers Lakers. I despise them, but guys like Magic, Worthy, Kobe and Shaq, just to name a few, I remember them all as great Lakers. Another good reason, the keys to the team will be given to him, no questions asked. He will run everything on the court. Magic and the front office will do anything that he asks of them as well. The down sides, one, this team is very young. I personally think they should eschew adding LeBron, and stick with the youth movement. As much as I don't like him, Lonzo Ball looks like he will be a quality NBA point guard. Kyle Kuzma is in a mini slump, but the dude can score. Brandon Ingram is becoming the all around talent people assumed he could be. I'd like to see them stick with these guys. If LeBron comes in, I feel like he would stunt their growth for a year or two. The Lakers are also in the West, and they aren't the Rockets, Warriors or Spurs. They are very far off from being in that upper echelon of the conference, and I don't know if LeBron should spend the rest of his career fighting to be a 6 seed every season. If I were LeBron, unless they have a verbal agreement from either Kawhi Leonard or Paul George to come play there next year, or both, I would not choose the Lakers. They are too young and they don't have enough shooters to put around him right now.

Lets look at the other Western Conference team on his list, the Rockets. This would form a super duper three if he comes through. LeBron, Harden and Paul would be a great, great trio to have. Paul and LeBron already have a great friendship, and I'm pretty sure Harden would buy in, if all he cares about is titles. He also brings instant playoff credibility. Paul and Harden are known chokers. LeBron though, he gets to the Finals every year. He would make people stop talking about Harden and Paul in the playoffs, and that would benefit them greatly. And Clint Capela would immediately be the best pure center LeBron will have ever played with. I know he and Shaq were on the same Cavs team for a minute, but Shaq was toast. The downsides of joining the Rockets are many. This would only further fuel Golden State's fire to beat them. This would mean they would try every night, and that is a scary thing to think about. They would space the hell out of them, and Harden would get toasted. Also, there is only one ball. Now, Paul and Harden have made it work, but adding LeBron would be a serious wrinkle. He needs the ball in his hands at crucial moments. So do Paul and Harden. They are both used to having the ball whenever they are on the court. The Rockets do have shooters, but how many would they have to give up to clear room for LeBron? Ryan Anderson would be cut. I'm pretty sure they'd have to move Eric Gordon. I don't think Trevor Ariza would stay unless he took a massive pay cut. That is 3 of their better three point shooters. If LeBron joined the Rockets it would also crush their bench. They would have to peel dudes off the scrap heap. While I love the idea of Harden, Paul and James play together, add Capela to that list, I think if he chose the Rockets it would cripple that team far too much. I still think the Warriors would be better too.

Now for the East. Lets look at the 76ers. Personally, this is the team I want him to join. I don't think he will, but I would love it. To see him team up with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons would be amazing. I still have faith, albeit very little, in Markelle Fultz too. I do think he can turn it around, and I think having a teammate like LeBron would do wonders for him. LeBron would instantly put the 76ers back on the map. They have been a laughingstock, until this season, for about 5 years. With LeBron though, they are instantly relevant, big time, again. They would be instant title contenders. I think it would greatly benefit Simmons. I think Embiid would love playing with him. Imagine the great passes he could throw to Embiid in the high post. It would be beautiful. But, I look at the 76ers like the Lakers in this scenario. They are fun now because of the talent they drafted, sat out, and groomed from within. Simmons and Embiid are also the future of this team, and possibly, the league. I think a year or two of LeBron might stunt that. They would have to get rid of guys like Dario Saric and Robert Covington to sign LeBron. That would stink for those guys. They have earned the right to be a part of this turnaround. They have a solid team in place already, and if I were a 76ers fan, I would grit my teeth and have to pass on signing him. LeBron is one of the greatest to ever play, but the 76ers have great young talent that could/probably be the future of the East. I like their core too much to shake it up by adding LeBron.

Finally, his current team, the Cavs. Look, he has carte blanche there. He can literally do whatever he wants. They will sign, trade or draft anyone he wants them to. They will let him personally pick whoever he wants to have the title of "coach". He will constantly be in title contention. He has played his entire career in the East, so he knows the landscape. He is a hometown kid who has brought a title back to Cleveland. Every sign points to why he should stay. Hell, they unloaded half the roster just to appease him for 1/4 of this season. That franchise has bent over backwards for him, as they should. Now, I know he hates Dan Gilbert, and rightfully so. Dan Gilbert is a dip shit blowhard that has done nothing but undermine LeBron any chance he gets. But, he does give in to him in the long run. I know that LeBron doesn't really like Kevin Love, but when he is healthy, they have found a way to coexist. The team got much younger after the trade deadline too. I like Rodney Hood, especially playing with LeBron. Larry Nance Jr is a much, much better version of guys that LeBron has played with before like Anderson Varejo or Zydrunas Ilgauskas. George Hill is a competent point guard that knows his limitations. They have super high draft pick, and this incoming draft is stacked. Everything points to why he should stay in Cleveland. Just end your career where you started. You are a legend, and a homegrown legend at that. I also think Cleveland is the best fit by a mile.

So, if I had any say, I'd tell him to stay in Cleveland. They give him the best chance to play for a title every year that he has left, and that front office will do whatever he says. The Cavs are his destiny, at least to me.

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.

Don't Believe the Ball Hype. Simmons, Embiid, and the 76'ers are the Future of the NBA

Last night I stayed up to watch some basketball. The college season is in full swing, and so is the NBA. I watched the end of the Cavs-Hornets game on ESPN while also checking in on some Big Ten basketball and some other games I could find on cable.

The real reason I stayed up because I wanted to see the 76ers play. I haven't gotten to see Ben Simmons play yet, and I was curious. I have heard so many good things about him, but I wanted to see for myself. Unfortunately they were playing the Lakers, and all the talk on ESPN was about the "big" rookie matchup between Simmons and Lonzo Ball. ESPN seemed to solely focus on Ball, with a few mentions here and there of Simmons. The love for the Ball family has got to stop from ESPN. It is becoming disturbing how much they cover this kid, his father and brothers, I'm sick of it.

To make matters worse for the Ball family, and ESPN as well, Ball continued his awful play so far this year last night. Sure, he has had 2 good games, both against Phoenix, and we are only about 15 games in, but he has STRUGGLED mightily so far. When he gets pressured he gets rid of the ball in a flash. He cannot play defense, and his shooting has been atrocious. I'm sure he will get this all figured out, he is a good basketball player. But, when he isn't even the best rookie on his team, that goes to Kyle Kuzma, the hype needs to stop, at least for now.

The best rookie, and probably second best player on the floor last night, was Ben Simmons. He is as advertised. He is a 6'10 point guard, that sometimes plays power forward. He, like Ball, cannot shoot outside, and his free throw shooting is pretty bad too, but he controls the game in other ways. He can get to the basket with relative ease. I found it hilarious that the Lakers thought they could put Ball on him on defense to start the game. Every time down the floor, Simmons either backed him down and kicked it out to a wide open shooter, or he slashed to the basket for an easy dunk. It was obvious who was the better "first" year player from the opening tap. Besides getting to the hoop, Simmons just seemed to carry himself in a way that Ball hasn't, and may never, get to. Simmons was out there to win the game by any means necessary. He knows his role on the 76ers, and he is determined to show that he can ball out on any given night. Ball seemed a little lost, or maybe disinterested is the right word. Any time Simmons put pressure on him, he got rid of the ball immediately. Any time he had a look at a jumper he passed. He only took shots when he was wide open, and those clanked off the rim. Hell, even when Simmons switched to the 4, and TJ McConnell played the point, Ball couldn't handle him on either end of the floor. McConnell would drive by him for easy layups, and force Ball to either pass it too early, or turn it over. Simmons looked confident too. Like I said, he doesn't have a jumper, but that didn't stop him from attacking, or shooting a hook shot, which he is quite adept at already. He knows his limitations, and he knows what he does really well already. He had no problem setting up teammates, grabbing rebounds or playing defense. He is a Swiss Army knife player at only 20 years old.

Both of these guys paled in comparison to the night that Joel Embiid had. My god was he dominant. He ended the night with 46 points, 15 rebound and 7 blocks. That's some Hakeen Olajuwon type shit right there. I know it was only against the lowly and hapless Lakers, but damn, what a stat line. Embiid is so much fun to watch. I wanted to go to bed, but I just couldn't look away when he was on the floor. If he can stay healthy, which may be the biggest if in all of professional sports, this guy could very well be on his way to the Hall of Fame. He is so big, but graceful. He is dominant, but has a soft touch. He kills you in he post, but he can take you out to the three point line. I beg the NBA gods to not let this kid get hurt. He is the next big time star. He is who the league should look to make the new face of when LeBron James retires. He oozes star quality. And, he is on the same team with the heavy, heavy favorite for Rookie of the Year, Ben Simmons.

I still think it will take at least another year before the 76ers are a playoff team, and these 2 have got to show me that they can play, at the very least, 60 games in the regular season. But damn, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid can play some great basketball. I have adopted the Timberwolves and Spurs as my 2 new favorite teams, but I very much enjoyed watching the 76ers play last night. I did not think I would be saying that for some time, due to the tanking, but it's true. Do yourselves a favor and watch this team, but more importantly, watch Embiid and Simmons. They could very well be the future of this league.

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: Pistons, 76ers, Mavericks

Day 4 of my 2017-18 NBA countdown moves on with my number 21 team, the Detroit Pistons.

I, like many other people, were pretty high on the Pistons last year. I thought they had the goods to make a run in the playoffs, and push for a top 4 seed. Well, that didn't happen. And the main problem with this season, they are basically running it back. Reggie Jackson is still their point guard. Haven't they seen enough to realize that he isn't even a top 30 guard in the league? He shoots way too much, and he dribbles even more. I was so stoked when the Thunder traded him, and he became the Pistons problem. Then they gave him a max contract. This was doomed from the start. To make matters worse, they tried and tried to trade him, but no one, and I mean no one, was biting. I really like Andre Drummond, but he just isn't that good of a modern day center. He can dunk and rebound, but that is it. He is a poor man's Dwight Howard. I'm sure he is a much better teammate, but that may be about it. At least Dwight Howard got a team to the Finals. They traded for Avery Bradley, who is a very good defender, but he is going to have to do a lot more on this team if he wants the same success he had as a Celtic. This was a god move though. This is the make or break season for Stanley Johnson. I love the dude's confidence, but now he has to show that he can play. He has been very inconsistent since he got to the NBA. If he doesn't figure it out this year, he is destined to be a role player. Tobias Harris can still score, but that is about it. A lot of people like the Luke Kennard pick. Not me. I think he is just like any other Duke player. He can kind of shoot, but he brings nothing else to the table. Also, he is going to get torched when he has to guard real super stars in the league. Their first round pick last year, Henry Ellenson, has gotten better by all accounts, but he wasn't that good last year, and he barely saw the floor. Don't believe the hype. Ish Smith is a fine bench player. Nothing more, nothing less. They also gave Langston Galloway a ridiculous contract this offseason. That move should be evidence enough that Stan Van Gundy should only be coach, not coach/GM. The Pistons are going nowhere fast and they are destined to be a 30-32 win team for the next couple years with this current roster.

At number 20 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, a lot of people are as high, if not higher, on this team than some are on the Lakers. I say about the 76ers what I say about the Lakers, cool down. The 76ers have a great group of young and exciting players. I love love love Joel Embiid. He is the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon. He is majestic to watch. He plays the game so freely and has so much fun doing it. He could be one of the greats. But, he has played a total of 31 games in 3 years, and said do not expect him to play a full season this year. I need to see him play at least 60 games before I fully buy in. Ben Simmons is the same. He has not played one real NBA minute yet, but people seem to think he is going to transform the game. Ease up. Give him some time. He is only 20 years old. It is going to take a minute to get acclimated to NBA life. Also, he needs a jumper. I really like Markelle Fultz, but again, he was on a horrid Washington Huskies team last year, and he sprained his ankle is Summer League. I want to see him play well against real NBA competition. Dario Saric is pretty good, but the same thing can be said for all the other players I have mentioned. Show me that you can put up big numbers for a full season, not just half a season. Nik Stauskas is destined to be an 8th or 9th guy off the bench in the NBA. He is a streaky shooter and nothing more. They added JJ Redick on a wild 1 year contract, but what does he bring besides shooting? He's an overrated defender and not the veteran leadership this team needs. When is Jahlil Okafor going to get traded also? He wants out and the 76ers clearly are trying to move on from him. He is in the worst possible situation for himself as an NBA player. Both would be better suited moving on from each other. Robert Covington, TJ McConnell, Amir Johnson and Justin Anderson are fine bench players, but that is all. For the people that have this team penciled in for the playoffs, just stop. This team is way too young and way too often injured. Give them maybe 2 more seasons before they return to being a perennial playoff team. They also need to stay healthy.

The final team for today, coming in number 19, is the Dallas Mavericks. Initially I had Dallas back in the 20's, but then I remembered that Rick Carlisle is the coach, and I love their pick of Dennis Smtih Jr. If they give him the keys to run this team, they could do some good stuff. Now, I do not expect them to make the playoffs, but they could approach something like 35 or 36 wins, which would be massive for this team. This is probably Dirk Nowitzki's last year, and I'd like to see him play on a decent team. He will have a ton of fun playing alongside Dennis Smith Jr too. Nerlens Noel will be a beast on the pick and roll. He is also coming off the bench, which I think will make him play even harder to get a big contract next year. He is also an excellent rim protector. Harrison Barnes played much better than I expected last year. Maybe getting away from Golden State was best for him. He is a very good all around player. Seth Curry, while not his brother, can still score a little bit here and there. I think he will be a very good instant offense guy off the bench. Wes Matthews and JJ Barea may be coming to an end with their careers, but both those guys bring it every night. They play hard and smart. And Devin Harris and Yogi Ferrell make up a fine back court off the bench. This team is a mix of too old and too young, and they play in the West, which will be their downfall. But, please watch Dennis Smith Jr. He is going to do some amazing stuff this season for this team.

That's it for today. Come back next week when we will finally be getting into the playoff 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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There are Only Winners in the Celtics - 76ers Draft Pick Swap

I know I said last week was NBA week for me, but there was a big trade this weekend, that will become official today, and I have some thoughts.

As most of you know by now, the Celtics traded the number pick in this Thursday's draft to the 76ers for the 3rd pick in this draft, and a first rounder in 2018 and 2019. On paper, and when I first heard about it, I was not moved either way. I know that a lot of Celtics fans were up in arms. They were furious is more like it. People all over the internet were talking about how, "the Celtics got fleeced", "what did they get in return of any value", "has Danny Ainge finally lost his mind", "why do this now". Basically, it was all doom and gloom.

I wish that Celtics fans would remember that they were just in the Eastern Conference Finals this year, and they already have a very good team. Getting the number one overall pick was just icing on the cake after they fleeced the Nets so many years ago. This is a team that doesn't truly need to build through the draft, they just need a true star. And I love Isaiah Thomas, but he is not a superstar that can be the guy on a title contending team.

That being said, with a real superstar, they could compete with whatever team LeBron is on in the East. They need a Jimmy Butler, Paul George or Anthony Davis, and they instantly become a threat. I don't necessarily think that Markelle Fultz, who I think is going to be really good, is the player to put the Celtics over the top. He would have helped, but they can get an almost equal value player at number 3. It's not like they completely traded out of the first round to acquire Jahlil Okafor or Robert Covington. They got a lottery pick, and more than likely, they got 2 more over the next 2 drafts.

Now, I do think that Danny Ainge's stock piling of picks is getting a little to Sam Hinkie-ish for my taste. But maybe he is finally, actually going to try and trade for that superstar I mentioned earlier. Maybe they are going to package all these picks to go after an Anthony Davis, Boogie Cousins, Jimmy Butler or Paul George. Also, they have a real shot at signing Gordon Hayward this offseason. If they add Hayward, then trade these picks for any of the guys I just mentioned, or even Blake Griffin, they would instantly become the best team in the East. Yes, all of that would make them better than the Cavs to me. Sure, they might lose an Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart or Jae Crowder, but to replace them with Gordon Hayward and an Anthony Davis or Jimmy Butler, that is an absolute homerun. Also, like I said earlier, they can get a pretty good player at number 3 if they choose to keep the pick.

The 76ers are going to take Fultz with the number one pick. They have already made it well known. Hell, Joel Embiid put a picture out there of him and Dario Saric in the 76ers locker room next to an empty locker with Fultz's name on it. That means, if the Celtics don't trade the pick, the Lakers are going to take Lonzo Ball second. That leaves guys like Josh Jackson, DeAron Fox, Johnathan Issac, Jayson Tatum, Dennis Smith Jr, any of the big time foreign prospects. The Celtics options are endless. If they want length and athleticism, they could grab Jackson or Issac. If they want a pass first point guard to pair with Thomas, Fox is right there. If they want a bull dogesque point guard that can score and distribute, Dennis Smith Jr is flying up draft boards. If they want a younger Carmelo Anthony, Tatum is there. They will be just fine if they keep the pick. I'm not all up in arms is what I'm trying to get at, like some Celtics fans I have seen on social media. They seem to have a plan, and they have a lot of second and third and even fourth options if their first plan falls through. The Celtics will be just fine.

Now, the 76ers. They struck up a hell of a deal. I feel like, even though I just laid out why I think the Celtics will be fine, the 76ers definitely won this trade because of how they are building their team. They want youth and to build around that youth. This is what "trusting the process" is all about. Yes, they got rid of Nerlens Noel last year, but they have Okafor, and if he can stay healthy for 75 percent of the season, Joel Embiid is going to be a star. He is so god damn good at basketball, he just needs to stay on the court. Ben Simmons will be at full strength next year, and he looks to have great court vision, he is a very good passer and he can get to the rim. He has no jump shot, but he can learn to shoot. Russell Westbrook didn't have a jump shot, and he should be getting the MVP here in a week or so. Same thing with Kawhi. He didn't have a jump shot, but he had everything else, then learned how to shoot a proper jump shot. These guys are professionals, and their job is to get better at basketball. Ben Simmons can, at least, become a halfway decent threat from outside. And the role players they have, guys like Covington, Nik Stauskas, Dario Saric, even TJ McConnell are good enough bench players to be in the NBA. Add Markelle Fultz to this bunch and they will be a fun team to watch this season, and in a year or two, or maybe three, they could become a fringe playoff team. They have coveted Fultz all along, and they did what they had to do to get the player that is looked at as, not only the best player in this draft, but the surest thing in the draft.

Something else not many people are saying is that Fultz will be a good NBA player. He was very good on a very poorly coached Washington Huskies team last year. Yes, they only won 9 games, but every team game planned simply for him, and he still scored 20 plus a game, handed out assists and did what he had to do on that awful, awful team. I really like Fultz's game, and I like him on the 76ers more than on the Celtics or Lakers or Mavericks or any other team picking in the lottery. He fits in so perfectly with the core players on the 76ers.

So, while some see the sky falling, Bill Simmons, and others think this is the greatest thing ever, Stephen A Smith, I think both teams come out of this trade just fine. Each team is going to get what they want, or try to, and both teams will be just fine. And, in the 76ers case, this could turn out to be the best thing that has happened to them since they drafted Allen Iverson. I like this trade for both 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.

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There is a Little Bit of Hope Playing for the Philadelphia 76ers

The clouds are starting to break apart over the 76ers

I have pretty much been one of the biggest haters of what the Philadelphia 76ers have become. They have, for the past 4 years, put players on an NBA floor that don't even belong on a D-League court. They have been so open with their tanking, it has become a joke. They trade away decent, young players for, as they put it, "assets". We all know it as more picks. They even draft guys that aren't ready, injured or play overseas and do not have to get out of their contracts for a few years. They also have traded some young players for younger players that have already flamed out in their very short NBA careers.

For example, they traded to get Nik Stauskas last year. He never really got a chance in Sacramento, but as much as I want him to succeed, he is a middling bench player at the absolute best. He is the poor man's JJ Redick, without the mediocre defense, or the shot, and everyone knows how I feel about JJ Redick. Then, we have guys like Nerlens Noel, a good defender, but has zero offensive game and had a torn ACL when they drafted him, Jahlil Okafor, zero defensive game, they already have multiple players that play the same position as him and he is a bit of a head case and Dario Saric, who was drafted, it seems, like 10 years ago, and is now, finally, in the NBA and looks like he still has a long, long way to go before he is a decent player. Their number pick, and first overall in the most recent draft, Ben Simmons, has yet to play in the NBA due to a foot injury as well. 

This all leads me to Joel Embiid. This is another guy that they drafted, with the third overall pick 3 years ago, that had a known foot injury and that he wouldn't be able to play right away. It seemed as if the 76ers were at it again. Taking a player that wouldn't be able to contribute anything at all for at least one year, so they could tank again, and have another shot at the number one pick in the following draft. I get it, teams want young players that they can develop, but at some point, you have to get some veterans on your roster to help out the young guys. The 76ers kept putting it off though, until they finally, and mercifully, parted ways with Sam Hinkie, AKA, Mr. "Trust the Process".

Well, all his moves seemed terrible, that is, until this most recent season started. Don't get me wrong, Hinkie was an absolute train wreck as a GM and owner, but Embiid looks like he might be the real deal. It looks like he may have gotten at least one thing right in his four years tearing down a historic franchise. But, man oh man does Embiid look like a legitimate perennial all star. I tuned in on opening night to see him play, because like everyone else, I was interested in what we would get, and he did not disappoint. This was the first time he had played a real game of basketball in about 3 years, and he looked great. Sure, he took some unnecessary shots, got some dumb fouls and only played 20 minutes, but he also did some wonderful things on the floor that night. He had an incredible spin move on Steven Adams, one of the better big men defenders in the NBA, and hit a pull up jumper on him. Embiid is 7'1 and he looked like a 6'2 shooting guard on that play. He also tracked down rebounds, loose balls, played very good, to great defense at times and looked like he had some very good footwork. He has also added some appropriate weight, and it showed when he muscled up some of the Thunder's big men that night.

So, I thought, he looked okay on opening night, but could he keep it up? Well, he has only seemed to get better. He is becoming a very good scorer in the low post. His chase down block on LeBron, whether it was goal tending or not, was an amazing feat, given his size, and the fact that it was against the best player in the game. He seems to have the desire and passion and even swagger to be one of the league's next big things. When he was still on his 20-minute limit restriction, he was so angry that he couldn't play in a double overtime game, he kicked a chair. I like to see that from young players. The 76ers have upped his minutes to 28 a game, pretty typical for a starter in the NBA, and I think it will only help him get that much better. 

Look, the 76ers still stink, I think they have 4 or 5 wins, but there is, at the very least, some hope for optimism. Joel Embiid has taken on the responsibility of being the player to build this team around. He wants to be "the guy". He has even started calling himself, "The Process". I usually do not like when people give themselves nicknames, but this one is just way too perfect to dislike. I actually find myself excited when I stumble on a 76ers game on TV, and Embiid is in there. That is about the only time I will watch them play. I just really like what I have seen from Embiid so far, and if he continues on this path, gets better and figures out the game even more, I think he will be a legitimate superstar, and the one guy that can turn the 76ers back into a relevant team. He is that good.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man. On this day in SeedSing history, the greatest thing on the internets was born. Wish Ty a happy birthday by following him on instagram and twitter.

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Ty Tells You How each NBA Team Can Win the Title: Nets, 76ers, and Lakers

In what will become a yearly tradition, I will count down all 30 NBA teams, from worst to best, prior to the start of the season. The regular season kicks off on October 25th, so I figured there was no better time than 2 weeks before to give you guys and girls my rankings and predictions. This will span the next 10 days, but I will sprinkle in some of my other stuff, i.e. "Ty Watches", and other pop culture things, but the NBA will be my main focus for the rest of this week, and most of next week.

Okay, enough foreplay, let's get to it.

Coming in at number 30, the worst team in the NBA in the 2016-17 season will be...the Brooklyn Nets. You thought I would pick the 76ers, they'll be on this list very soon, but I think the Nets will be slightly worse. The Nets are a dumpster fire. They have a few quality players, well, maybe only Brook Lopez, but other than him, this team is either too young, too overrated, or just plain bad. But wait you say, they signed Jeremy Lin and Luis Scola this offseason. I say, so what. Why Jeremy Lin worked in Charlotte was because he wasn't the first option. He was instant offense off the bench. In Brooklyn, he will be the guy, and that does not bode well for the Nets. Scola is old, slow, can't score anymore and is a liability on defense. Brook Lopez is a very good throwback center, but he is oft injured, but he will do his thing, but it won't matter because he has little to no help. He will probably miss some games too, as he always does. The fact that he didn't miss a game last year was a total outlier. That won't happen again. The rest of the roster is filled with guys like Randy Foye, Bojan Bogdanovic, Anthony Bennett and Grevies Vasquez. Does that sound like any kind of good NBA team? I didn't think so. The rookies they picked are so so. Caris Levert, who I root for because he played at Michigan, cannot stay healthy. Yogi Ferrell is smart, but slow and small. The NBA is going to be a grind for him. The Nets will be lucky to win 20 games this year. Bill Simmons should be thrilled because the Celtics are going to be picking in the lottery once again, the Nets owe their pick to them, because the Nets stink. This team is a mess and they will be a mess all year. I feel bad for Brook Lopez because he is legitimately good, he just has no help.

So Ty, how will the Nets win the title? The only way the Nets will win the title is if every other team decides to tank, and that is still a total longshot.

Coming in at number 29, the Philadelphia 76ers. I have been harder on the 76ers than most, but they finally rid themselves of the mess that was Sam Hinkie and "trusting the process". That was a complete waste of 4 years, the 76ers became a joke and I felt that I could play for that team. They are still a terrible team, but they have the look of a team that may, at the very least, try to win some games this year. I mean, they only won 10 all of last year, so there is nowhere to go but up. I know that their first pick, and the top overall pick in the draft, Ben Simmons, is out with a foot injury, but they should still be slightly better than 10 wins. The bummer with the Simmons injury, if you are a 76ers fan, that kid needs to play NBA games. He has no jumper and looks a tad slow right now. He needs that game experience because he is the type of player that will get better when he plays top level competition. But, the 76ers do get to finally see Joel Embiid, after 2 lost years. He has played in a preseason game, so I'm going to assume he will be playing when the season starts. He looked good during the preseason game too. He has great feet and is a decent low post scorer. He could be a decent defender too. Time will tell, but I'd be optimistic that Embiid could be a good NBA player. Nerlens Noel, who is forever on the trading block, is a very good defender and rebounder, but he has no offensive game whatsoever. He is a skinny version of DeAndre Jordan, but I think Noel is a better defender. He will probably be traded though. Jahlil Okafor is a good scorer, but he is an average rebounder and a terrible defender. He is also a hothead, so who knows how many games he'll play. Dario Saric is supposed to finally come over to the NBA, and he looks pretty good. He is a lot like Simmons, just 4 inches shorter. A lot of people have been waiting to see this guy play, me included, and he is supposed to be pretty good. But, who knows. Other than these guys, the 76ers roster stinks. Elton Brand is a million years old. Nik Stauskas is a bust. Jerami Grant cannot slow himself down and is always out of control. Jerryd Bayless is a poor three point shooter, which is his "specialty". This team is lousy. I do like the young guys, but they have too many big men, and Simmons is going to miss a lot of time. They 76ers will win more than 10 games, but they won't get to 20. They are, as I said before, only marginally better than the Nets, but both teams stink.

So Ty, how will the 76ers win the title? The same goes with the 76ers title chances as goes with the Nets title chances. They need every other team to have massive injuries and they still won't win anything close to a title.

Coming in at number 28, I have the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers finally got the Kobe Bryant problem off their books with his retirement. He was the main reason this historic franchise has been a gutter team for the past 4 years. I'm thrilled that he is done in the NBA. This roster is young, and could be good in about 3 or 4 years, but they do not have the players to compete right now. I do like the hiring of Luke Walton, but only for the Lakers. I thought Walton could have gotten a better job, but I'm sure he wanted to go back to the franchise that he played for. I get it, I just think it was a poor choice from Walton. Like I said, they have a good young nucleus, they just aren't ready to compete for anything important. Julius Randle is a very good low post scorer, and he could turn into a decent defender. Brandon Ingram was one of the few young guys I liked in the draft, but he needs to gain weight and start to look like he cares about basketball. He is a little too lax looking when he is on the court, and veterans will exploit that. Jordan Clarkson is a star in the making and he will thrive now that Bryant is gone. He can score anywhere on the court, and he can be a good defender, if he commits himself. The jury is still out on D'Angelo Russell. Will he learn from mistakes last year, or will he continue to be a locker room pariah? Can he score at an elite level? Can he defend the better point guards in the league? Can he play a whole season? Can he become a leader? These are all questions that have no answers right now. Russell will show this season if he is going to be worth the number 2 pick, or if he is going to be a bust. Then, their free agent class is a joke. Loul Deng, old and slow, Timofey Mozgov, couldn't see the court after the all star break for the Cavs last season, Yi Jianlian, who hasn't been in the NBA for years and was crushed by NBA players in the Olympics and Metta World Peace, didn't he retire a few years ago, just terrible. This team is going to be at the bottom of the league until the young players develop. The Lakers have proven to not be a free agent destiny in the past few years for star free agents, so they have had to build via the draft. They may be the first team to crack 20 wins, but that is it, 20 wins. The Lakers stink, and they will continue to stink until they land a big time free agent, or the young players develop.

So Ty, how will the Lakers win the title? The only chance the Lakers have to win the title is if they trade for Russell Westbrook, just re upped with OKC, Kevin Love, is he even elite anymore and one more big time player, and that is not happening.

That's it for day one. come back tomorrow for numbers 27, 26 and 25.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He was on the draft board for the 76ers, they just wanted him to sit for 15 years first. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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A Bunch of the Wrong Kids will be Picked at the Top of the NBA Draft

We do not think the future of the NBA is the kind of bad kid sneaking smokes.

With the NBA draft one week from today, I have a few thoughts I'd like to float about this draft.

First off, publications like Deadspin, ESPN and Fox Sports need to stop giving Ben Simmons a free pass on everything. Simmons came out the other day and said that he did not want to work out for the 76ers. I'm sorry, but when did every single draft eligible player become so entitled that they get to choose which team they want to lay for? You should be extremely excited that you are about to be paid millions of dollars to play a game. Sure, the 76ers are really, really, really bad, but so are the Lakers, Nets, Timberwolves and Suns. Why do these guys want to be playing for some other moribound franchise. Sure, The Lakers are in LA, but the Lakers are just as bad as the 76ers, and they have a much worse team chemistry. The Nets are in Brooklyn, but they are horrific, and unless they trade some of their ancient "assets", they don't have a pick in the next couple of drafts. the Timberwolves are kind of looking like they may turn it around, but Thibodeau wants to trade that pick to bring in a veteran leader, maybe Jimmy Butler. The Suns have no one else besides Devin Booker, so why do these young guys want to play in the desert? It's extremely hot in Phoenix, all the time. So, especially Deadspin, whose owners filed for bankruptcy protection, need to stop giving this kid a pass and saying it is his right. Sure, he can say who he wants to play for, but if he gets picked by the 76ers, that's his team. I despise guys like John Elway and Eli Manning because they did this exact same thing. They bitched and moaned and griped until they got their way, like spoiled, rotten, bratty little children. It's so childish. If I was the GM or owner of the 76ers, I'd pick Simmons out of spite.

Next, why are Simmons, Brandon Ingram and Jamal Murray the only "top" prospects. the three of them are all 19 or 20 year old that didn't get past the round of 16 in the tournament. Jamal Murray's team, Kentucky, was bounced in the round of 32. Brandon Ingram and Duke lost to Oregon in the round of 16. And Ben Simmons, they didn't even play in the NIT, so none of that sounds desirable to me. Of these three players, I think Ingram has the most upside, but he is a ways away from being a big time NBA player. I don't care how many jump shots, with no defense being played, that they make in individual workouts, for the guys that workout. I don't care about their vertical or their cone drill speed, all this combine stuff is as useless as the NFL combine results. What I care about is the in game stuff. I watch a tone of NBA and college basketball, so I have seen these three guys play. Murray was lost among the loaded Kentucky team. When you have 5,6 or even 7 players that can be picked, it is hard to stand out, unless you are an Anthony Davis or Karl Anthony-Towns. Brandon Ingram was good to great at times for Duke, but he is rail thin and he tends to settle for way more jumpers than he should be taking. He also takes possessions off sometimes on defense, and I don't like that. Ingram can, and probably will, get bigger, but he has to fully engage before I deem him a star.

Then there is Simmons. While he looks like an NBA player, he is big, can handle the ball and has great court vision, he also did not lead LSU to any tournament and as the season wore on, he looked tired and not as aggressive as he was at the start of the season. Everyone told me that I had to watch this kid play, so I started with his game against Oklahoma, and I came away very unimpressed. A lot of that is coaching, but if Simmons is the superstar that people are making him out to be, he should have willed that LSU team to, at the very least, 20 wins and an NCAA tournament bid. Simmons doesn't look like he will live up to the hype, at least in my opinion.

Finally, why aren't more people talking about Buddy Hield and Denzel Valentine as top 3 to 5 picks. Both guys had illustrious college careers. Both guys are gunners from the three, which is where the NBA is trending. Both guys play formidable defense, Valentine more so than Hield, but when they engage, they are close to lock down. Both have led their respective teams to a final four bid. Both scored 20 plus points per game. Both ran their teams offense at the most crucial times during their college careers. But the main thing, both are 22 years old. They have matured over 4 years of college. They may not be as good, who am I kidding, there is no way they'll be as good, but Tim Duncan, Patrick Ewing and Magic Johnson all spent four years in college. Did that hinder their careers? Did they miss out on their prime of basketball by staying in school for four years? No and no. They all had great, hall of fame careers. This new era of the NBA drafting 18, 19 and 20 year old kids is watering down the NBA. The only one and done player from last years draft worth his salt in the NBA is Karl Anthony-Towns. Ever other freshman drafted last year, who knows.

If I had a team with a lottery pick, I'd definitely take Hield, but I'd also consider Valentine before I consider Simmons, Murray or Ingram. I prefer seasoned basketball players that are mature to teenagers that may or may not be ready for a big boy job. Basketball is a year round job and these young kids, who have never been pushed, are going to have a tough time adjusting. Take Hield or Valentine, not the freshman, your team will be better off in the long run.

Also, the draft is a waste of time and nobody should watch it, it's boring and ridiculous.

Ty 

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is available to be the gm for any NBA team, he knows most of the league could use a new GM. Reach Ty by following him on twitter @tykulik.