Ty's 2025-2026 Men's College Basketball Preview

My last preseason basketball thing I am going to do is a men's NCAA preview. I'm going to kind of breeze through it because, to be quite honest with you, I don't know where and who plays for almost anyone right now. With the portal and the early draft entries and some guys straight up skipping college basketball all together, it is hard to remember who plays where and who is going to be the champs. I had no idea that Florida was as good as they were last season, and they won it all. The one team I do know quite a bit about is Michigan, but that is just because I am a big fan. So keep all of this in mind as you read this preview. I'm going to go with the AP top 25, say a few things about some teams I'm interested in and then pick the Final Four, title game teams, champs and Player of the Year.

Purdue is preseason number one and they look the part. They have a pretty darn good roster, they have a preseason All American, they have a great coach and they are the favorites in what might be the toughest conference in the country. There will be ups and downs for Purdue, but the ups will be more prevalent and important.

Houston comes in at two, and Kelvin Sampson has built a pretty solid powerhouse there. He is going to have a gritty team that plays lockdown defense and they will win a ton of games. They just need to take the next step to win a title.

Florida is the defending champs, they have a preseason All American and they only have to replace one key player from last season. They should be near the top of the rankings all season long.

UConn is back in the top 5, and after a "down" season last year they will be looking to right some wrongs. They also have the best college basketball coach in the country. Danny Hurley is going to turn it around or die trying.

Rick Pitino has returned St Johns to their glory days, and I have to admit that when St Johns is at the top of men's college basketball, that makes me happy. I'm an old school fan, and seeing them in the top 10 warms my heart.

Duke is Duke. They have a ton to replace, but they don't rebuild, they reload. They have one of the best recruiting classes in the country and they will continue to win a ton of games.

Michigan is next, and I love when my favorite team is so highly sought of in the offseason. They have a great transfer class coming in, they have a preseason All American and they have some depth. I'm stoked to see them play and I think they are going to have a very good season.

BYU has the top player in the country coming in, and during his first exhibition game he looked every bit the part. Basketball is a sport where one guy can turn around the fortune of a team, and that is what is going to happen with BYU this season.

Kentucky is going to be good once again. They got a solid coach last year who did pretty good learning on the job at a blueblood. And he can recruit with the best of them.

Rounding out the top 10 is Texas Tech and they are going to play some of the best defense in the country and they have Jacob Toppin, who I believe is the front runner for POTY.

Some notable teams outside the top 10 feature Arizona, who now has Bryce James, Illinois, who is always competitive and has as intense a coach as any in the country, Kansas, who is kind of in a no man's land for them, but they will still be a tournament team and Gonzaga, who is lowly ranked, but that seems to be when they have some of their best seasons. North Carolina is right at 25, and I'm very interested to see how Hubert Davis coaches a new bunch of players. Alabama and Iowa State are as consistent as they come in college basketball. Michigan State will play as hard as any team in the country, and they get favorable calls. Creighton is the new Gonzaga. Sure, they play in a power conference, but they're the new darlings and everyone's "Cinderella". And UCLA and Arkansas have very good recruiting coaches, who may not be the best with X's and O's.

Outside of the top 25 I'm certain there will be teams that surprise all of us out there. There will also be teams that disappoint. How will Florida fans feel if they don't make a deep playoff run? What if Michigan's new players never really mesh? What if the Boozer twins aren't as dominant as Duke hopes? How does Maryland respond now that their coach and Derik Queen are gone? On the other side, Villanova should be solid after a "down" season. Clemson always seems to upset some high ranked teams and may find themselves in the top 25. Shaka Smart and Marquette remind me of old school Nolan Richardson Arkansas teams. Mizzou has some massive talent coming in. And some mid major like Montana or Memphis will inevitably make some noise. That's how men's college basketball seems to go.

As for the tournament, I fully believe that Purdue, Houston, BYU and St John's will be the top 4 seeds. As for my Final Four, give me Purdue, Michigan, Duke and BYU. As for the title game, I'll go with Duke and Purdue, and Purdue to win the whole thing. I guess I just want my sister in law to be happy with her alma mater. As for Player of the Year, give me Jacob Toppin. He is the perfect representation of what this award has become, and Toppin just happens to be an awesome basketball player. 

That’s all folks. Let’s get ready for some college action on the court.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2025-2026 NBA Season Preview: Postseason and Awards

To wrap up my preseason 2025-26 NBA countdown, today I'm coming to you with my postseason and awards predictions. I'll start with the East, the JV if you will, then do the West. After I pick my champion I'll do my awards picks. I won't do every award, just the ones I consider the major ones. Enough preamble, let's get to it.

I'm going to pick 1-6 in each conference, then do the play-in teams and then give you the last two teams to make the playoffs. In the East, from 1-6, I'm going with the Cavs, Knicks, Magic, Hawks, Pistons and Bucks. For the play-in games give me the Celtics as the 7 playing the Pacers as the 10. In the 8-9 matchup I'll go with the 76ers as the 8 and the Bulls as the 9. The Celtics will dispose of the Pacers to claim the 7 seed and the 76ers will beat the Bulls in the 8-9 game. This would see the Pacers playing the 76ers for the 8 seed, and I'm going to go with the Pacers. The 76ers are too darn inconsistent.

That means in round one I have the Cavs facing the Pacers, the Knicks playing the Celtics, the Magic facing the Bucks and the Hawks playing the Pistons. While I'd like to see the Pacers prove a ton of people wrong, myself included, the Cavs are a very, very good basketball team, and they have some scores of their own to settle. I have a feeling that the Cavs are going to be looking to make a ton of noise this postseason. In the 2-7 matchup, I bet the Knicks are going to be furious that they will have to face the Celtics. And who knows if Jayson Tatum will be back by then. If he is, this series is going to be a lot closer than many thought. I don't think that will happen, and I would be willing to bet that the Knicks will win in five. The Magic should be a dominant team this season, and if they can figure out how to play a respectable offense, they could bump themselves into the 2 or 1 seed. Unfortunately for them they will have to play the Bucks and Giannis. Giannis is so good and can single handedly win a few games on his own. But, he needs more help, and without it this season, the Magic will win a hard fought seven game series in this first round. And then we have the best first round series in the East, the Hawks and Pistons. This is going to be a total style clash. The Hawks thrive offensively and the Pistons want to grind the game down and make it really, really muddy. I'm going to go with the Pistons in seven games. Cade Cunningham has arrived and the Pistons are going to make it a real slog for the Hawks, and when they get taken out of rhythm, they have a hard time playing out of it.

Round 2 will have the Cavs playing the Pistons and the Knicks playing the Magic. The Cavs are going to be able to run and run against the Pistons. They also have the guys to play the muddy game with the Pistons. This will be a five or six game series win for the Cavs. And the Knicks are going to shoot so many threes and the Magic will not be able to keep up with them. The Magic play great defense, but so do the Knicks and their offense is so, so much better.

That means the East Finals will be the Cavs and Knicks. This is where the Cavs run will end too early for their fans. The Knicks are a better team and they will be much more rested than they have been in the past. The Knicks will represent the East in the NBA Finals.

Onto the West playoffs now. From 1-6 I'm going with the Thunder, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Rockets, Clippers and Warriors, The 7-10 play-in game will be the Lakers as the 7 seed and the Mavericks as the 10 seed. The 8-9 game will be the Spurs as the 8 and the Grizzlies as the 9 seed. The Lakers will easily dispose of the Mavericks and take on the 7 seed. And the Spurs will claim the 8 seed with no problem at all.

So that means the first round of the West playoffs will give us the Thunder and Spurs, the Nuggets and Lakers, the Timberwolves and Warriors and the Rockets and Clippers. These are some damn good matchups. The Thunder will beat the Spurs, probably in five games, but it is going to be tough. The Spurs are coming, it is just going to take some time. And the Thunder are building a potential dynasty. The Thunder are so good and so young. The Nuggets-Lakers series is going to be every white analytics guy's dream. They'll also get to watch Luka and Jokic. Some nerds are going to be having the time of their lives. And the Nuggets will dispose of the Lakers thoroughly. It's going to be a sweep, and it won't look that close. The Timberwolves are going to beat the Warriors. If Steph Curry was healthy last season that series may have been closer, but I still think the Timberwolves would have won. They won't have to worry about that this year, because they're the better and younger team. And the Rockets are going to beat the Clippers, but it is going to be tough. The Clippers are just a bit too old, and while KD is a Rocket, they have youth at every other position of importance and they are coming. The first round of the West playoffs is going to be the changing of the guard. I know the Thunder won it all last year, but that was just the first sign. The older teams are going to be beaten by younger, more athletic teams.

The second round will give us a Thunder-Rockets matchup and a Nuggets-Timberwolves series. The Thunder are a better version of the Rockets. They play better defense. Their offense is more dynamic and electric. They are what the Rockets hope to be. The Thunder will win in five games. And the Nuggets-Timberwolves series should be as epic as they have been in the past. I cannot wait to watch this series and root super hard for the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards is my new favorite player and I want nothing but success for him. But the Timberwolves won't be reaching the West Finals for a third straight season. The Nuggets only got better in the offseason and they have some demons to exorcise. Even though they won it all a few seasons back, they haven't come close to that same success, and the fans are craving it again.

So that means I have the Thunder and Nuggets in the West Finals. My playoffs have been chalk, which is boring, but here we are. This series should be great. The Nuggets played the Thunder as close as anyone in the playoffs last year. They had them on the brink. There were a few games where it looked like they were going to win. And then the Thunder pulled it out by playing great defense and doing enough on offense. And their offense should be even better this season. Give me the Thunder returning to the Finals after an epic seven game series.

I have the Thunder and Knicks facing off in the Finals. And I'm going to go with the Thunder to repeat. It hasn't happened in a long while, but they have something special brewing in OKC and this is going to be the moment they show everyone that they are this generation's version of the 90s Bulls, early 2000's Heat, mid 2000's Warriors, you all get it. The Thunder dynasty is coming sooner rather than later. And I believe it starts this season. The Thunder will be back to back champs and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will win a second straight Finals MVP.

As for my awards picks, I'll start with MVP. I'm going with Anthony Edwards to break through and win the MVP. He will be the first American to win in the 2020's. I just feel like Edwards has been building to something and I think that happens this season. For Coach of the Year I'm going with Jahmal Mosley of the Orlando Magic. The Magic are going to have a great year and Mosley will be rewarded. Sixth Man of the Year will be Josh Hart. Hart is coming off the bench, plays in New York and will bring energy and effort for a team that I have in the Finals. Defensive Player of the Year will be Victor Webanyama. He is already the best defensive player in basketball and this will be the first of many, many DPOY's for him. And Rookie of the Year is going to be Cooper Flagg, barring any kind of long term injury. Flagg is as good as it gets in this draft class and he will be playing meaningful games this year.

That does it. You now have all of my 2025-26 preseason NBA rankings and predictions. Take them with a grain of salt and enjoy the year. 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.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2025-2026 NBA Season Preview: Nuggets, Cavaliers, Thunder

Welcome to the final day of my 2025-26 NBA preseason countdown. These are my three favorites for the championship this season. These teams have what it takes to make it to the title series and I wouldn't be all that shocked if any one of them wins it all.

At 3 I have the Denver Nuggets. For all the flack I give Nikola Jokic, and I still find his defense to be quite appalling at times, he is an offensive wizard. I don't believe he has deserved every MVP award he has won, but we are living in an analytical world with sports statistics, and he is a dream when it comes to analytics. Jokic is the hub for a very productive offense, and the Nuggets go as he goes, which is usually in a winning direction. Jamal Murray is still a very important player for this team. He may not be putting up gaudy stats, but you can tell the team feels his absence when he is not on the floor. You could see them struggle during the playoffs when Murray wasn't out there. He is still a very good knock down shooter. Aaron Gordon may be even more important than Murray. He has a great two man game with Jokic, and when he isn't fully healthy, this defense suffers mightily. He is, by a wide margin, their most reliable and best defender. He may not leap like he used to, but he has developed a solid outside shot which will help to prolong his career. I was wrong about Christian Braun. When he came into the league I thought he was too skinny and would get picked on defensively. He has since bulked up, and it feels like he has been studying defense with Aaron Gordon, and he has seemed to have learned a whole lot. The Nuggets also made some additions, with only one big subtraction, and this will only help the team. They traded away Michael Porter Jr for Cam Johnson. This was a win win. MPJ can go do whatever he wants in Brooklyn, and Johnson feels like a much better fit next to Jokic and Murray. He has always been a very good shooter, and his defense and passing have gotten so much better. Bruce Brown is back and that will benefit him and the team. Heplayed his best basketball last time he was with the Nuggets. And Tim Hardaway Jr adds instant offense off the bench. He won't be asked to do anything but score, and that is perfect for him. The Nuggets pushed the Thunder almost as hard as the Pacers did and they shored up their roster this offseason. They look legit again and they should win a ton of games and make a deep, deep playoff push.

At number 2 I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. This has got to be the season they finally put it all together, right? They have everything a title contending team dreams of. Donovan Mitchell is a scoring machine and he can get his from anywhere. I saw a game last year where he couldn't miss from three and the next night he was driving straight to the rim with no fear. He's awesome. Even Mobley is a defensive beast. He was DPOY last season in fact. He is as good as it gets in the East on that end of the floor. He may need to develop an outside shot to further solidify his offense, but what he brings to the table on defense is more than enough for this team. Jarrett Allen is a nice luxury to have next to Mobley in the post. He is big and long and loves to rebound. And he should be over his playoff fears at this point. Darius Garland is a very good and capable point guard if he can stay on the court. He has all the tools you want in a floor general, he has just got to stay healthy during their playoff run. Max Strus is a nice Swiss army knife option for them. He isn't the best at any one skill, but he is decent at a lot of different things. De'Andre Hunter was a nice pickup. He is an okay enough shooter and a very good defender who can guard multiple positions. I like Larry Nance Jr as a bench player. Thomas Bryant can still contribute spot minutes. And getting Lonzo Ball was a nice touch. Anything he gives this team is a cherry on top for them. The Cavs need to prove themselves in the playoffs, and this is as good a roster as they have had since LeBron James was on their team.

And coming in at number 1, in what should be a surprise to no one, is the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. This is almost a perfect basketball team. They have been a solid unit for two years now, they play the best defense in the league, they have the reigning MVP, their offense is a machine, they have a great coach and they are still so young. A repeat is not out of the question. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was climbing ever so steadily the past couple years and then he busted out and won MVP last year. He is a great creator, a great passer, plays defense and gets to the line. SGA is one of the future faces of the league and I adore watching him play basketball. He is awesome. LU Dort has stuck it out, bent his game to fit the needs of the team and has found his version of basketball nirvana. He is the best three and D player in the NBA. Chet Holmgren showed his importance in the playoffs when he blocked everything that came his way. He was the ultimate rim protector in the Finals, and when he is making shots, he is tough to figure out. Jalen Williams announced his arrival as an all NBA player last year and I fully expect him to just get better and better playing on this team. Alex Caruso fit right into place when they traded for him last year. Isaiah Hartenstein is a great backup big. Cason Wallace got decent playing time in the playoffs as a rookie on this team. Isaiah Joe proved he is a capable and reliable three point shoot. Aaron Wiggins played clutch in spot minutes. And they are about as deep as any team can hope to be in the NBA. The Thunder are on the precipice of doing something great in the modern NBA. They literally have it all and are only going to get better, I don't think they will break the regular season wins record, but I'd love to see them try. They are fun to watch and us fans better get used to seeing them play deep, deep into the playoffs year after year for a while.

That's it. That is my 2025-26 NBA preseason countdown. Come back on Monday for my playoff and awards predictions. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's NBA Season Preview: Rockets, Timberwolves, Knicks

Day nine of my preseason 2025-26 NBA countdown starts with my number 6 team, the Houston Rockets.

They did it. They got what they needed this offseason. They needed a deadly, knock down shooter, and they got one of the best the game has ever seen in Kevin Durant. KD instantly made this team a contender the moment he was traded there. I know they had to part ways with Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to get him, but the price was a small one to get a player like KD. He makes them an easy pick for the playoffs and a possible long run in the playoffs. Fred VanVleet going down with a season ending injury hurts. They need his veteran leadership, but with him out all year, they will need to find a quality point guard. Amen Thompson is awesome. He is the defensive leader, he is long and he can defend all five positions. When he finds a shot, he will become elite. Alperen Sengun is a great hub for the offense. He isn't all that great defensively, but his ability to run the offense from the post is a big plus for this offense. Steven Adams is the enforcer that they have and every team wants. He is out there to intimidate the opponents, and he may be the best in the league. Reed Sheppard didn't have that great of a rookie season, but maybe with some more run, and wide open shots, he could be a good knock down shooter. If Tari Eason can stay on the court he could provide some great bench depth. He is also a very talented player. Jabari Smith Jr may already be the player he is going to be in the league, and that is just fine. He is a very solid fourth or fifth option on a decent team. Getting Clint Capela, Josh Okogie and Dorain Finney-Smith were all really good additions and they will help this team a ton. Okogie is one of the better rebounding guards in the NBA. DFS is one of the premiere three and D players in the NBA. And Clint Capela had his best years while playing in Houston with James Harden. Maybe going back there, sans Harden, will help him find his old groove as a rim runner. The Rockets are going all in and trying to make a run. I'm here for it. I'd like to see them continue to be relevant in the league. I always enjoyed watching them when Hakeem Olajuwon was there, and now with one of my favorite players, KD playing there, I am more inclined to watch them again.

At number 5 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. Some people are down on them, but I am not. There's a reason this team has been to the Western Conference Finals two years in a row. They are good, and it all starts at the top with Anthony Edwards. He is just getting started on his ascent, and I'm more than ready for it. Edwards is probably my favorite player in the league. He has surpassed Ja Morant for me. He has improved one area of his game every offseason, and apparently he is working on his post game during this offseason. I can't wait. I'm hoping he makes a run for MVP this year. Rudy Gobert seems to be playing like his former self when he was in Utah. He is still as good a defender as always and he is a solid rebounder. He has also improved his offense in the post. Mike Conley is a good veteran point guard, but he is old. His time may be up. If they trade him or move on, Rob Dillingham has deserved the right to take some of those minutes. He had flashes last season, he just needs consistent playing time. Naz Reid is the best bench big man in the league. He has always had a great offensive game, and his defense continues to get better. He is so good at feasting on second units. Donte Divincenzio can shoot, and only shoot, but he is very good at that one skill. Joe Inlges can still frustrate opponents with his trash talk. Jaden McDaniels is so good on defense, and he has improved his shooting every year. And Julius Randle is a great scorer from the post, and he can take his game out to 10 to 12 feet and hit shots from there. The Timberwolves have more than inserted themselves into being a perennial playoff contender who make deep runs. They just need to take that next leap, and with Edwards continuing his ascent, the Timberwolves can do the same.

The final team for the day, coming in at number 4, I have the New York Knicks. I'm still a little confused by them letting go of Tom Thibodeau, but they hired Mike Brown, and he will diversify the offense and play more players. It may end up being a good thing in the long run. Jalen Brunson has more than proven his worth, and he has done everything to help this team get better. Brunson has won me over since signing with the Knicks and I'm stoked to see how he plays with a new coach who is an offensive genius. Karl Anthony-Towns is a great shooter and his post game is solid as well. He is not a very good defender, but he has help on that end. Speaking of said help, Mitchell Robinson is a great rim protector. He is also a wonderful rebounder and he gives his all when he is on the floor. He just needs to stay relatively healthy. OG Anunoby is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He flies all over the court on defense, and when he is called upon to shoot, he has shown that he is willing and able. Mikal Bridges fits right in with this team. He isn't asked to be the offensive hub and he can focus on his defense and outside shooting. He gets to play like he did while he was on the Suns, and that is the best version of Bridges. Josh Hart will probably come off the bench, and I think he will feast on second units. Miles McBride is a good bench scorer. And I like that they brought on Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele. Clarkson can shoot and he is more than willing to shoot. Yabusele is an undersized big, but he doesn't let that slow him down. He will attack anyone on defense. The Knicks are really good. I believe that Brown will help this team stay healthy and that the offense will be better. The Knicks may be the East's representative in the NBA Finals this season.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the final three 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.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's NBA Season Preview: Lakers, Magic, Clippers

Day 8 of my preseason NBA countdown begins inside the top 10. These are my for sure playoff teams heading into the season.

At number 9 I have the Los Angeles Lakers. Look, I'm already over all the offseason Luka Doncic talk. Oh great, he's in shape. Oh, he is talking like he cares now. Oh, he had a great Eurobasket. I'm done with all of it. I expect him to gripe constantly at the officials. I expect him to play no defense. And I expect him to get frustrated and complain about his teammates. This whole in shape thing is so reminiscent of Zion Williamson being in shape. I'm done. Show it on the court, not in the media. LeBron James is hurt to start the season. Apparently he has sciatica. That is a true bummer and a real sign of age. That being said, the guy is still wildly productive and incredibly important to this team's success. Austin Reaves is only good because he is getting wide open looks and no one really believes he is all that great. If he was on any other team in the NBA, he'd be an afterthought. Deandre Ayton is also getting the offseason bump by simply enjoying the Lakers. People seem to think that this will be the time he rediscovers his talents. While I like Ayton, his time in Portland probably stunted his growth as an NBA player. Jaxson Hayes is not great, but he too is getting the Lakers bump. Dalton Knecht and Bronny James were wasted draft picks. Gabe Vincent doesn't seem to have it anymore, I'm curious about Marcus Smart. I loved it when the Grizzlies acquired him in a trade, but he never did much of anything. Rui Hachimura has found a nice place for him that best suits his talents. Jarred Vanderbilt has some skills, but he doesn't get to do much of them here in LA. And I still have zero trust in JJ Reddick as a head coach. He is as phony as all the Lakers offseason talk. I'm done with it. But, as long as LeBron James is still here and still putting up his regular numbers, the Lakers will win enough to get bounced in the first round of the playoffs.

At number 8 I have the Orlando Magic. I expect the Magic to benefit most from all the injuries in the East. They have made some strides the past couple seasons, and now I think they take it up another level. I also expect the offense to be greatly improved. Paolo Banchero is awesome. He has lived up to the hype and then some. He is a three level scorer. He has been trying harder on defense. And he will continue his ascent. Franz Wagner is already a lockdown defender, he just needs to refine his offensive game. He cannot be a total zero on that end in the playoffs. They need him and Banchero to play great at the same time. Getting Desmond Bane in a trade will help their outside shooting. He is a great shooter and he has bought into playing defense since he was drafted by the Grizzlies. Johnathan Isaac cannot stay on the floor for an extended period of time, and his offense is horrendous. But that dude is a pure menace on defense. He is as good a rim protector as anyone in the league, and he can switch onto guards with relative ease. If Jalen Suggs can stay healthy he provides great perimeter defense. Tristan de Silva can be a bench scorer if he improves his shot. Tyus Jones and Anthony Black are great point guard options off the bench. Wendell Carter Jr has fit in quite nicely with this team. And Mo Wagner may be the biggest pest in the NBA, which is exactly what the Magic want from him. This team has been figuring it out via the draft, and now they have made a great trade to get a much needed shooter. It would not shock me at all if the Magic are a top 3 seed in the East and make a deeper than expected run in the playoffs. The Magic might be back.

The final team for the day, at number 7 I have the Los Angeles Clippers. Take away the Aspiration stuff and all that wild off the court stuff, and the Clippers remind me of a better version of the Warriors. They're old, but they are experienced, and if their core guys can stay healthy, which is a big time if, the Clippers could be really, really good this season. Kawhi Leonard is one of the best two way players the NBA has ever seen. He can guard anyone in the NBA and he can score from almost anywhere. They need him to not get hurt, which is a big ask. But if he can stay on the floor for 50 plus games, he will be in the MVP conversation this season. Ivica Zubac had a great season last year and he is one of the better big man rollers in the league. He was already a solid defender, and now that he has a low post game, he has become a key to this team's success. James Harden is a regular season demon. He can hit threes, he is an exceptional passer and he seems happy to be in LA. Kris Dunn is awesome at defense. Nic Batum is a great vet to have on the roster, Derrick Jones Jr has gradually gotten better at corner threes. I also love the offseason additions for the Clippers. John Collins is underrated. People kind of gave up on him, but he turned it around a bit in Utah, and now he will get to play with real NBA players. Bradley Beal wanted to go to the Clippers and he got his wish. He won't have to do as much as he was asked to do in Washington or Phoenix, and that should help greatly. And bringing Chris Paul back was chef's kiss. He will get to run the second unit and be annoying as he always is and will win extra games just due to his overall knowledge of the NBA. The Clippers seem to have made the right moves that will benefit them the most. If they can avoid the injury bug as much as they usually do, they can be a real force in the West.

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's NBA Season Preview: Hawks, Spurs, Warriors

Welcome to day seven of my preseason 2025-26 NBA countdown. We are at the teams that I consider to be playoff locks. These teams should all avoid the play-in and find themselves firmly entrenched as one of the top 6 seeds in their conference.

At 12 I have the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks may, finally, have it figured out. They have tried a ton of things in the past couple years to minimal success. Trae Young is also nearing the end of his contract, and you know he is going to try his best to ball out so he can get a new max contract. Speaking of Young, while a very good offensive guy, he still has some big flaws. He hunts assists, and if you don't give him one on what he deems to be a good pass, he may freeze that player out in future games. He is also a zero defender. He gets hunted by opponents on that end. I do like that he is on some weird offseason tour where he is calling out others who have called him out. It feels like he's out for blood. How that anger translates on the floor will say a whole lot about his next deal. I think Zaccharie Risacher has some good skills. He was a lottery pick for a reason. You have to have real talent to be a number one overall pick, even in a supposed down draft. He will only get better. Jalen Johnson is a budding star. He should get all star consideration this season, and if he continues at his current rate, all NBA may not be far behind. Dyson Daniels has the tools to be an elite level defender. And if he can find a quality shot, he adds great depth to this team. They acquired two big names in Kristaps Porzingnis and Nickeil Alexander Walker. Porzingis will bring excellent spacing and NAW is an all world defender and is becoming a better shooter. He is a high level 3 and D player. Onyeka Okongwu will play big minutes off the bench and he is becoming more and more vital to this team. And they took a local kid in Georgia standout Asa Newell in the draft, who many experts have high hopes for. The Hawks seem to have the right roster around Trae Young and Quinn Snyder. Snyder is going to be able to fully implement his whole coaching plan and Trae Young should look even better with a much improved supporting cast. The Hawks should be good, and in the East, who knows, they could make a deep playoff run.

At number 11 I have the San Antonio Spurs. I'm all in on this team and Victor Webanayama. Wemby is a future MVP. He can literally do everything you could ever dream of an NBA player doing. He is 7'5 and he can handle and shoot. He looks to have gotten stronger this offseason. He should be healthier. He may be the best defensive player in the NBA already. His ascent has started and who knows how high he can go from here, and I'm here for it. De'Aaron Fox may be hurt to start the season, but he will be back soon enough and when he is on the floor he and Wemby are going to run, run, run. I love that, and those two will form a formidable pick and roll combo. Keldon Johnson has gotten better as a three point shooter, and he brings some much needed floor spacing for this team. Jeremy Sochan is a wild card, but having a wild card like him is what most teams crave. He is a menace on defense, can pass the ball and has an endless motor. Stephon Castle is coming off a rookie of the year win and he is one of my favorite young players to watch. He has such a nice fluid game. He reminds me of a guard version of Kawhi Leonard. I think Dylan Harper is their point guard of the future. He will get a lot of coaching from Fox, but soon enough he will be running the point and I cannot wait to see how he performs. Luke Kornet was a decent enough signing and will bring plenty of hustle off the bench. Carter Bryant, their other rookie, looks like he is going to need to see the floor sooner rather than later. He has a ton of skills and a great upside. Devin Vassell is somewhat underrated and he is going to find plenty of open looks next to Wemby, Fox and Harper. And Harrison Barnes is still here and still contributing like a true vet with championship equity. I love this team and I'm expecting them to blow past preseason expectations, if they're healthy. Wemby is the future of the NBA and I am all here for his takeover.

The final team for the day, at number 10 I have the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are the veteran laden team of the NBA. They have all the names we used to know and love, and these dudes can still play some good basketball. Steph Curry is the greatest shooter ever and he is still wildly productive. He is as consistent as they come and he is the best at what he does. He just needs to stay healthy. Jimmy Butler seems happy enough, and when he is happy and engaged, he is one of the better ones to do it. He is a great two way player, he can get to the line and he knows how to get under his opponents' skin. Draymond Green is still here and he is still causing havoc. He is a shell of the player he once was, but he still has that hold over certain players and that is a skill that cannot be taught. They signed De'Anthony Melton and Al Horford recently. Horford will be a steady presence and help replace Kevon Looney's production. Melton, if he can stay on the floor, is a very good second unit scorer. Brandon Podemzski has been very up and down, and I don't know if Steve Kerr fully trusts him just yet. Speaking of no trust from Kerr, Johnathan Kuminga is back on a small deal. I would be shocked if he sticks with the Warriors all season, but when he does play and wants to play, he is a darn good wing player. Gary Payton III can still play a little defense, but he is teetering on being washed up. Buddy Hield provides more shooting and bench scoring. Seth Curry is finally playing with his brother. And Moses Moody can do some things very well, but other things, not so great. The Warriors still have Steph Curry, and as long as he is on the floor, this team is liable to win every night. Having Jimmy Butler fully entrenched, and getting Al Horford only helps. And Buddy Hield can still fill it up from time to time. The Warriors are old, but they have experience and the best shooter in the world. That will lead to enough wins to be, at the very least, the 6th seed in the West.

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2025-2026 NBA Season Preview: Grizzlies, Bucks, Pistons

Welcome back to my preseason 2025-25 NBA countdown. We are officially in my playoff team portion. I fully believe that each and every team from here on out will be firmly in the playoffs, barring something rough.

At 15 I have the team I root for, the Memphis Grizzlies. I have to be honest, the way the preseason has gone, and the Ja Morant injury have me worried. But I do think they will figure it out when it matters, and Morant shouldn't miss much time anyway. Speaking of Morant, this guy has all the tools to be a star. He is fast, he can jump out of the gym and his teammates seem to like him. But he cannot stay healthy lately, and I'm over all the gun stuff. That has to stop, he needs to find a jumper and I would like to see him, as a fan, recommit himself to basketball. Jaren Jackson Jr is great. I really have no issues with him, other than his fouling. He is a very good defender. He can shoot it from outside. My lone issue is the fouls. He is way too important to this team and they need him on the floor. He could be a better rebounder for my taste, but that seems like something he is working on this offseason. Santi Aldama is very tall and can shoot, but he feels a little too soft for his size. I wish he had a little Steven Adamas in him. Brandon Clarke is hurt again, and I'm beginning to think we have already seen his best days. I like that they got a vet like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the door. They needed something besides picks when they traded Desmond Bane, and KCP brings leadership and championship pedigree. I really want Zach Edey to be good. He is so big, seems nasty and played solid over during his rookie season. But, he is already hurt too, and I fear that he may be one of these big dudes who can't stay on the floor. Ty Jerome had moments last season, but I'm not counting on a repeat. I wish GG Jackson got more minutes. He is a microwave off the bench. Scotty Pippen Jr proved he belonged in the NBa last season. And I'm intrigued by year two of Jaylin Wells and the rookie they picked, Cedric Coward. Both guys bring what the Grizzlies need if they can perform to the best of their abilities. With Desmond Bane gone, this team now only has a two headed monster in JJJ and Ja morant. When it is working it is a sight to behold. But if they can't stay on the floor together for myriad reasons, the play-in feels like their destiny yet again.

At number 14 I have the Milwaukee Bucks. This team continues to change their roster, but they still have Giannis Antetokounmpo. And I don't care what all the nerds at The Ringer or ESPN say, Giannis is the best player in the world. He does it all and the Bucks revolve around him. He is an elite defender and offensive playmaker. He has never found his shot, but he doesn't have to. He is a modern, more nimble Shaq. He is a joy to watch play and I hope he sticks it out with the Bucks for his entire career. The Bucks signed Myles Turner this offseason.  I know he struggled in the Finals, but before then, Turner was great. He has always been a decent rim protector, and his shooting has improved every season since he has been in the league. He is going to keep the lane open for Giannis. Kyle Kuzma is washed up. There is no other way to say it. He struggled mightily last year, and it doesn't feel like it will get any better anytime soon. Cole Anthony will bring swagger, but not much more. Bobby Portis Jr has found his home and his niche. I enjoy watching him get under the opponent's skin. It gets kind of bleak after those guys. Kevin Porter Jr returned to the NBA last year, but he is still a ball stopper. Taurean Prince may be washed. Andre Jackson Jr became a starter for them, and he was very inconsistent. Gary Trent Jr is still here, but that doesn't carry much weight anymore. And the whole Doc Rivers of it all is very frustrating. The Bucks will be in the playoffs because they play in the East, but also because Giannis is so good that he will single handedly win multiple games for this team. I don't know if they will make the top six in the East, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did. Giannis is that awesome.

The final team for the day, at number 13 I have the Detroit Pistons. I love that the Pistons are relevant again and that they did it through the draft and teaching young guys the game. Cade Cunningham is awesome. I always had faith in him and it is so great to see him live up to the hype. He has rounded out his game very well and he has totally taken on the role as team leader. He should be an MVP caliber guy this season. Jalen Duren is so strong and he is continuing to figure out the best way to use his talents. He is still very young and he is only going to get better. Jaden Ivey has found a nice role that fits him with the Pistons. He is an energy guy that goes between a starter and a sixth man. If he fully bought into being a sixth man, he could feast on second units. Tobias Harris is a perfect vet for this team. Amen Thompson is a hellacious defender and he gives his all whenever he is on the floor. Ron Holland had some moments as a rookie last year. They signed Caris Levert and Duncan Robinson to add some outside shooting and bench scoring. And I like that they still have Isaiah Stewart as their enforcer. That dude is mean and nasty and every team needs a guy like that, especially come playoff time. The Pistons are here and ready to make some noise. I can't wait to see how they come out this year after their mini breakout last season. The NBA is better when the Pistons matter.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for my next three 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.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2025-2026 NBA Season Preview: Heat, Celtics, Mavericks

Welcome to day five of my preseason 2025-26 NBA countdown. We are officially in play-in/playoff territory with these teams. We made it through the dregs and we are at the good stuff finally.

At number 18 I have the Miami Heat. The Heat are an odd team to me. They have a great defense, but the offense leaves a ton to the imagination. Tyler Hero is hurt to start the season. I don't know that this is that much of a blow to them honestly. Sure, he is a decent offensive player, but he is a ball stopper and he does not play defense. He is attacked on defense too. I am very curious to see how they play without him. Bam Adebayo is still here and he is still very good. He is one of the better defenders in the league, and for being undersized, he more than holds his own. He has gotten a little better on offense every season, but he needs to stop settling for floaters and attack the rim. He is very good when he attacks the rim. Davion Mitchell finally showed that he belongs in the league. His defense has always been very good, and now it looks like he may have found a shot. If that continues, he could find himself becoming more and more important to the Heat. Andrew Wiggins has found a niche in his game, and he is a solid fit with the Heat. He is not the scorer he had the ability to be when he was the first overall pick, but his defense and rim running has always been solid. They acquired Norm Powell for next to nothing, and I think the absence of Herro will only further show that Powell is more important than him. He is a good player. I don't know what to expect from Nikola Jovic. He has flashes but he has never really put it all together. He has never really played steady minutes either. Terry Rozier is washed. Precious Achiuwa is a beast in the middle, but he cannot stay on the floor. Jaime Jacquez Jr took a big step back last season. And who knows how much or what they'll get out of rookie Kasparas Jakucionis. What I do know about the Heat is that they will play elite level defense and that they have the best coach in the NBA in Erik Spoelstra. He will find a way to get this team, at the very least, to the play-in.

At number 17 I have the Boston Celtics. The turnover in their roster and the injury to Jayson Tatum is going to make for a long season for Celtics fans. Tatum tearing his ACL was a brutal, brutal blow to this team. He is, by far, their best player and the guy that drives this team. People will get the full outline of his importance to this team this season. Let us not forget that Kristaps Porzinigs and Jrue Holiday were both traded too. The Celitcs will be using this season to see how some new guys and older vets play without three very important players. Jaylen Brown has all the skills in the world. He plays very well on both ends of the floor. He is great at getting to the rim and he brings his all every time he is on the floor. But he is oft injured and that can affect his play. Derrick White has more than proven his worth. I believe that he will be the most important player with Tatum out. People will see how valuable he is to this team. Payton Pritchard has proven himself to be a nice bench scorer in the league. I don't really know what they're going to do with Anfernee Simons. Simons is a proven scorer, but he has never been on a team that has been a truly winning team. He may need to add to his game this season. Xavier Tillman and Sam Hauser are no more than bench guys. And I have no idea why Chris Boucher is here. I don't know where he finds minutes, and if he does, what does he bring to this team? The Celtics have an insane head coach, Joe Mazzula, who will find a way to squeeze everything he can out of this roster. And that should be enough to get the Celtics, at the very least, to the play-in.

The final team for the day, at number 16 I have the Dallas Mavericks. This is a strange, strange team. But this team has talent. Anthony Davis has bulked up and I think he is going to dominate in the post this season. He is a top tier defender, and if he stops taking so many useless jumpers, he could be back into consideration for All NBA. I like that Davis will get to play in the front court with Daniel Gafford and Derrick Lively. Lively will most likely start, and if he returns to the play he had in his rookie year, he could be great. He is super bouncy and plays solid defense. Gafford is a great backup 4 or 5. He can shoot a little, play some defense and rebound the ball. Kyrie Irving may miss the season, and that would be a bummer. If he does come back, he and Davis could make for a nice pick and roll duo. Cooper Flagg was the first overall pick and he seems like he is as pro ready as they come. He does need to improve his jump shooting, but he can do pretty much everything else he is asked of. He also looked good in two games in Summer League, and his first preseason game was even better. Dante Exum has found a place that allows him to do what he does best, play defense. Max Christis is a nice scoring option off the bench. D'Angelo Russell should be a less than okay place card until Irving gets back. And Russell will bring scoring, if he does nothing else. And I love the reclamation project of Dennis Smith Jr here. And PJ Washington was such a great trade, and he should get so many more touches and shots now. The Mavericks are funky, and they don't have a ton of spacing options, but they will play very good defense. And, if, and this is a big, big if, they stay healthy, they could make a deeper playoff run than others expect.

That's it for today and this week. Come back on Monday for the next three 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.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2025-2026 NBA Season Preview: Bulls, 76ers, Pacers

Welcome to day four of my preseason 2025-26 NBA countdown. We will be entering the top 20, which means these are some of the teams I have going to, at the very least, the play-in tournament.

At number 21 I have the team that I consider to be the play-in champions, the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are an interesting team to me. They played a very long game before giving Josh Giddey way too much money in my opinion. Giddey is a fine enough player, but he is not a guy who wins you championships. And the Bulls are counting on him to be their number 1 option. Coby White is another fine enough player, but he is best used as a bench guy. He can come in the game, score in bunches and give the second unit life. I believe he will be a starter here, and that is not the best way to use his talents. Patrick Williams had all of the tools in the world to be successful, but he cannot stay on the floor and when he is on the court, he seems to struggle more than he dominates. Isaac Okoro was traded there this offseason and I don't really know what role he is going to play. He is an okay defender, but not elite. He is a poor outside shooter, but can sometimes get to the hoop. He's an odd fit. Matas Buzelis has the skills, and I think given more time on the floor, he could make big strides. Nikola Vucevic is washed. He is too old, too slow and doesn't bring much of anything. I like Ayo Dosunmo off the bench. He is a solid bench guy in the NBA. Tre Jones is not as good as his brother. Zach Collins has never done much in the league. And I'm kind of intrigued by Noa Essengue. I wonder how much run he will actually get this season though. The Bulls are going to hover right around the middle as usual. Billy Donovan is too good of a coach to tank, but the roster is filled with average players. They will be in the play-in, but they won't go much further than that.

At number 20 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. I struggled most with where to put this team. They have all kinds of talent, they have a good coach and they have had great regular seasons as of late. But the roster is always hurt, there always seems to be some kind of off-court issues and who knows what they're going to actually get from their top guys. I love Joel Embiid. He is one of my favorite players in the league. He is so talented on both ends of the floor. But he is always hurt. He is also too fond of being an online troll. I just want him to stay on the court like he did a few years back when he won the MVP. But that doesn't seem likely. Paul George is one of the better modern wings the NBA has ever seen. He is such a good scorer and he used to be a top tier defender. But he is currently more consumed with his podcast. And he is always, always hurt or injured. Tyrese Maxey is great. I love watching him play basketball. He is such a good scorer, and he has shown that he is ready for a bigger role. I have no notes on him. I'm very intrigued by VJ Edgecombe. He is such a high flyer, he has shown no fear in the Summer League or preseason and I'm excited to see his growth this season. Jared McCain would have been rookie of the year last season, but he got hurt early on. He looked poised for a big comeback this year, but he is already hurt again. Who knows when he will come back. Quentin Grimes is on a one year prove it deal, and I could see him getting big bucks elsewhere next season if he plays like he did at the end of last year. I believe in Johni Broome. I think he may be a steal. Kyle Lowry is too old. Kelly Oubre plays his butt off, but he looks a step slower than last year. And the bench is rounded out by Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond. I like those guys, but damn they are old. The 76ers could make me eat this ranking. I kind of hope they do. But, with what they have done in the recent past, I feel like a 35 win season is more likely.

The final team for the day, at number 19 I have the Indiana Pacers. Yes, I fully understand that they were one win away from being the champs last season, but then Tyrese Haliburton blew his ACL. He is the hub for everything this offense wants to do. He is also a big game killer. He hits big shots all the time and he has zero fear. They also let Myles Turner walk. They will miss his shooting and his rim defense. I think they may miss him more than they think. They do still have Pascal Siakim, and Siakim is awesome. He reminds me a very little bit of Kawhi Leonard. He goes about his business quietly, he hits shots and he plays relentless defense. I'm a fan of his. Andrew Nembhard took a big step forward last season, and with my playing time who knows what he is capable of. He may show the NBA a thing or two this season. Benedict Mathurin is a great scorer at the rim. He does need to find a jump shot and a way to harness his energy for good. Aaron Nesmith has more than proven his worth since being traded from Boston. He is a good player. Obi Toppin is a high flyer, but he needs to be a better rebounder and defender. Jay Huff and James Wiseman are the new backup bigs. I mean, that screams very meh to me. TJ McConnel had a good game or two in the finals, but he is empty calories and reminds me of Matthew Dellavedova. And it looks like Isaiah Jackson is going to take over for Myles Turner. He isn't the scorer or defender, and he is coming off an ACL injury. At least he got paid. The Pacers could surprise some, but not having Halliburton is going to be a massive blow. He is their guy. He drives the car. He is the guru. And not having him on the floor is going to be the difference between a top 3 seed, and fighting for the play-in.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for my next three 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.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2025-2026 NBA Season Preview: Suns, Kings, Trailblazers

Welcome to day three of my preseason NBA countdown. We are getting closer and closer to the play-in teams. It is only going to get better from here.

At number 24 I have the Phoenix Suns. The Suns traded away Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. That experiment clearly did not work and the Suns are trying to move on. They still don't have many picks of note, but they do still have Devin Booker. Booker is a legit star in the NBA. He is as good a scorer as there is in the league, and his defense is not terrible. He is a midrange beast, he can shoot the three and he is getting better at getting to the hoop. The problem is, he doesn't have a whole lot of help now that KD is gone. But, he did get a massive extension in the offseason, and if he has his way, he will be a Sun for life. Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks are here after the KD trade. Green has become an okay NBA player, but the progress has been slow and not very steady. He, for all of his athleticism, is still not a great driver to the hoop. Brooks is a good defensive player, but he is also a problem, and he seems to start stuff that he cannot finish. I also question if he will be on the Suns the whole season. He seems prime for a trade. Mark Williams was eventually traded to the Suns, after the botched Lakers trade. He has the tools to be a solid player, but he is always injured and the nixed trade should have been a major red flag for the Suns front office. Grayson Allen is not great. Their lottery pick, Khaman Maluch, is a project. He is going to need time. Collin Gillespie is no good and not very playable. And Ryan Dunn and Royce O'Neal have never been of much substance in the NBA as of late. The Suns got themselves in a bad situation when they traded pretty much everything to acquire KD and Bradley Beal. They will be digging themselves out of that hole for a while now. But, at least they have Devin Booker. That still won't be enough to win 30 games this season.

At number 23 I have the Sacramento Kings. Man, the Kings had some good things brewing two short years ago and then they decided to be the Kings and make bad decisions. They let Mike Brown go, which made no sense, and then they traded De'Aaron Fox. I guess their front office doesn't like having good players and coaches. They still have Domantas Sabonis. He is a good offensive hub and has been a solid pro. He doesn't really play defense and he is only getting slower the older he gets. Zach Lavine is who he is at this point. He is an empty calories scorer and he seems to make every team a little worse when he arrives. He is a good player, but he is not, nor will he ever be a great player. DeMar DeRozan is going to get so much more respect when he retires. Right now people seem to write him off as "old school" and not a player you can win a title with in the league. I have always liked DeRozan and alway will. He is a fun player to watch for me. Keegan Murray has some skills and looks like an okay player, but he hasn't shown any big improvement since his rookie season. Malik Monk is a microwave scorer, but the fact that the Warriors didn't want him in a trade showed me that he may not be as wanted as I once thought he was as a player. The Kings bench has guys like Devin Carter, an old rookie last season, Dario Saric, who is old and washed, Doug McDermott, who can't score like he used to, and Keon Ellis, who was supposed to be a defense guy, but he isn't great on that end of the floor. The Suns, at one point, had Sabonis, Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. Now they have DeRozan, Lavine and Sabonis. I'd much rather have the first trio I mentioned. The Kings have always had a special place in my heart, I loved when Chris Webber played for them. But they are back to being somewhat of a dumpster fire. They'd be lucky to win 30 plus games this year.

The final team for the day, at number 22 I have the Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers are going to be good, maybe even a play-in level team this season, but they're not a playoff team just yet. Scoot Henderson, who I really like, is hurt to start the season. I expected big things from him this year, and while that still can happen, he will not be ready for the start of the season, and that bums me out. I still believe in him, but this injury stinks. The Trailblazers also got Damian Lillard back, but he will not be playing at all this year coming off a torn ACL. Jrue Holiday is here again, and he seems to be staying. I feel like he could be the veteran leader this young squad needs. While not at the same level he was two or three years ago, Holiday is still one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and he can still score from time to time. Denji Avidija has been a revelation to me since being traded here. He is a really good player and he gets better every season. Donovan Clingan is going to start and I think he could be a good anchor for the defense in the post and he will bring some solid rebounding. Shaedeon Sharpe is a high flyer in the league and his shooting has gotten a bit better. He could explode this season. Toumani Camara was a steal in the draft and he should get some good minutes this year. And they have some nice depth off the bench in Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle. And I adore their rookie Yang Hansen. I hope he gets some run this season. The Trailblazers are coming and coming soon. Maybe they make a run at the play-in this season, maybe not. But they have a nice roster with a good mix of rookies and vets. This team could be a playoff team as soon as next season, and that is saying something since they are in the West.

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2025-2026 NBA Season Preview: Wizards, Pelicans, Raptors

Welcome to day two of my 2025-26 preseason NBA countdown. We are still in the bottom, but things will start looking up soon.

At number 27 I have the Washington Wizards. I can't figure this team out. They had a bunch of youth last season, but now they have added a good amount of veterans. CJ McCollum is on this team now. I don't really know what he brings and what they want out of him, but he's here now. I believe he can still score in bunches, but he was never very good at defense and he is older now. They also traded for Khris Middleton during last season. He is oft injured, but when he plays he is a lethal mid range shooter. He doesn't move like he used to, much like McCollum, and he was never a great defender either. Corey Kispert is still here. He has never really brought much of anything to the NBA. He isn't a scorer and he isn't a defender. They traded for Malaki Branham last season. I always thought he could be a solid pro, but he hasn't figured it out just yet. Maybe with extra playing time he will figure things out. Cam Whittmore can score, but doesn't do much else. Bub Carrington looks to be a bench player during his NBA career. I believe Bilal Coulibaly can turn into a solid player, but he has to shoot the ball better. AJ Johnson was traded with Middleton last season. He is skinny as a rail, but he plays pretty fearlessly. And Alex Sarr was the number two overall pick two seasons ago. He showed some flashes of his high potential, but he is still inconsistent. The Wizards have an odd roster. I have zero clue who they will start and their bench isn;t deep or great. It feels like they're trying to build something, but they are doing it the way I do on 2k, and that never works out all that well for me. This is a 25 win team at best, and their defense is going to be really bad this year.

At number 26 I have the New Orleans Pelicans. Man, they had a weird offseason. But guess what, Zion Williamson is in shape this offseason. I feel like I've heard this all before and he always seems to get injured. The Zion is in shape offseason storyline is becoming wildly similar to the Ben Simmons can shoot threes now offseason story. I will believe that Zion is healthy and ready to play 60 plus games when I see it. I will say, when he is on the floor, he is a matchup nightmare and he can dribble and distribute the ball really well. He just isn't on the floor enough to make it seem viable. The Pelicans now have Jordan Poole. Look, I will always root for him because he went to Michigan and hit an amazing shot in the tournament. But he is a ball hog, a zero on defense and seems to have issues with his teammates. I'm kind of shocked he only lasted in Washington for one season. Dejounte Murray is coming off a major injury, so I'm curious to see how he plays this season when he comes back. It also feels like his mojo left him when he was traded away from the Spurs. It just hasn't been great for him since that trade. Trey Murphy III has all the skills to be an all star and I think that day will come sooner rather than later. I feel like Kevon Looney will bring veteran leadership and a hard working attitude to this team. I like Derik Queen, and I think he will be a solid player in the NBA when he fully buys into getting better. They may have traded too much to draft him though. Herb Jones is a very good, big upside defender. Joe Alvarado is the best pest defender in the league. And Jeremiah Fears is totally unknown to me as an incoming rookie. The Pelicans have a weird roster and players that get hurt way too often. I'm curious to see how Jordan Poole plays here. And I don't buy the Zion in shape hype anymore than I did before. The Pelicans are probably a low 30 win team this year and they will have more questions than answers by the end of the season.

Finally, at number 25 I have the Toronto Raptors. I don't know how they're going to score in bunches and I don't know what they are going to do with all the long limbed players they currently have on their roster. Scottie Barnes is legit. He has all the tools the Raptors wanted when they took him fourth overall in the draft and he seems to be getting better every season. I don't really know what to make of RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Quickley is good when he plays, but he barely plays. He cannot seem to stay on the floor. Barrett is in his hometown and playing for his hometown team. But he is inconsistent, he is not a very good defender and his scoring is all over the map. Gradey Dick is a nonfactor. I don't buy any of his offseason hype and he seems to be a deep bench NBA player. Ocahi Agbaji has not been able to have his college success translate to the NBA. He is on his third different team at this point. Brandon Ingram just seems to get a little worse every season. It's a bummer because he is one of the few Duke players that I want to see achieve at this level. I hope he finds some of the success he had in New Orleans during his time in Toronto. Jakob Poeltl is too old school for the modern NBA. And their two rookies, Collin Murray Boyles and Ja'Kobe Walter do have some skills, they just need a little time to develop. Toronto is usually good about that, but I wouldn't expect them to see the floor too much this season. Toronto can make a play-in push, but that means they may only have to win 35 games in the East to make it there. I like Scottie Barnes and the rookies, but the rest of the roster is odd.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for my next three 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.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2025-2026 NBA Season Preview: Nets, Jazz, Hornets

Starting today I will be doing my 2025-26 preseason NBA countdown. I'm going to go through all 30 teams, ranking them from 30 to 1. This is all my opinion. I'm going to do three teams a day and tell you all why I have them where I have them. After that I will do postseason and awards predictions. Enough preamble, let's get to it.

Coming in at number 30 I have the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are clearly trying whatever they can to tank. They want to get high picks and take as many shots as they can at drafting their next superstar. They traded away Cam Johnson for Michael Porter Jr. I think this says way more about Porter Jr than Cam Thomas. He is going to get every single shot he wants, but he is going to be less focused on defense than he ever was before, and he was never really a defensive guy. He has been going on a social media odyssey as of late, and this has made me believe he is truly nuts. I feel like the Nets were willing to take him on in a deal because they truly believe he cannot be the number one option on a good team. Cam Thomas is back on a one year prove it deal to the 29 other teams, but much like Porter Jr, he could care less about the defensive side of the floor. He and Porter Jr will score a good amount of points, but they will give up more on defense. Nic Claxton has some tools, especially to be a pick and roll threat, but he will not get nearly enough touches here. I bet he is a prime trade candidate. Drew Timme was only decent in college. Ziaire Williams, a former lottery pick, barely sees the floor. Terrance Mann has become a well traveled vet that never seems to stick anywhere. Kobe Bufkin should get a chance to prove he belongs. And they drafted 5 rookies that have similar abilities. Egor Demin is a shooter and a shooter alone. Good luck getting the ball on this team. Danny Wolf is a modern big who can handle the ball, but his shot comes and goes and he is a turnover machine. And I know next to nothing about Nolan Traore, Drake Powell and Ben Saraf. Who knows how much time they will see on an NBA court this year. But, let's not get it twisted, the Nets aren't trying to win many games this year. I get vibes of "The Process" 76ers with this roster construction. They'll be lucky to win 20 games this year.

At number 29 I have the Utah Jazz. They have done a good job offloading some vets to get picks, and they even got the third overall pick in the most recent draft. Ace Bailey has about a billion questions about his game and his willingness to get better, but the dude can get buckets. He won't play much defense, but he will get up shots left and right. I'm kind of fascinated to see how he plays in his rookie year. Lauri Markanen, who I have been tough on in the past, deserves better than this. He has carved out a solid career and has gotten better every season he has been in the league. He finds new things to add to his game every season, and I like seeing that improvement. I just hope he doesn't have to toli away in the obscurity of the Utah Jazz. I would like to see him on a team with title contention dreams. Kevin Love is still on this roster, and that blows my mind. He should be with Minnesota or Cleveland playing out the twilight of his career as a deep bench guy. Seeing him in a Jazz jersey is going to be weird. Kyle Filipowski doesn't seem to have anything that stands out to me. Jusuf Nurkic has fallen off a cliff. Keyonte George can maybe do some things with more playing time. Isaiah Collier's game feels way better for college than the NBA. Cody Williams might already be a bust, which bums me out. I don't get why the Jazz went out and traded for Georges Niang and Kyle Anderson. Those two would be much better off as vets on a playoff team. Mo Bamba keeps moving teams. And Oscar Tshiebwe has not figured out the NBA game yet. The Jazz have a good coach and some young players they need to see make some leaps. But to keep Markanen and guys like Niang and Anderson is pointless. This team wants another shot at the number 1 pick, and these guys want a shot at a ring. The Jazz are going to be a lottery team once again, and I will be waiting to see how long it takes for them to move on from some bigger, better names they have on their roster.

The final team for the day, at number 28 I have the Charlotte Hornets. Look, LaMelo Ball is a delight to watch play offensive basketball, and he is the best of the Ball brothers, but he simply cannot stay on the floor. He always seems to be injured. He misses big portions of every season lately. He might just be the player he is always going to be at this point, and that is a flashy, low calorie stats guy. Collin Sexton looked better at times in Utah, and I'd like to see him continue to get better. I've always liked his game, and I think playing in a small market like Charlotte will do him a world of good. I despised their two first round picks. I have zero faith in Kon Knueppel doing anything of importance in the NBA. He is like an off brand, wannabe Tyler Hansborough, and we all know how the NBA turned out for Hansborough. Liam McNeely is better skilled, but he is skinny as a rail, and he got pushed around in the Big East last season. I cannot fathom him being able to stop Giannis or Wemby or any big of note. Brandon Miller has skills. He looks to be the best player on the roster. I'm at the point where I think they should start building around him. He is the guy that is going to make the Hornets relevant. Miles Bridges is an abuser and I don't like him. Spencer Dinwiddie is washed. Moussa Diabate will play harder than anyone on the floor when he is out there. Pat Connaughton and Mason Plumlee should retire. Grant Williams turned one good season into a massive contract, but he is an afterthought now. Tidjane Salaun is raw, but humongous and l bet he has some hidden skills we don't know about just yet. The Hornets don't seem to have any compass. I don't know what they're trying to achieve. And that is going to end up giving this team low 20 wins this season. The Hornets are kind of a mess at this time.

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

The What If of Ben Simmons

It's beginning to look like Ben Simmons is going to retire from the NBA. He was offered a deal from the Knicks, rejected it and then his agent let him go as a client. I am kind of stunned he didn't take the deal, but maybe this has been the plan all offseason.

Simmons has had an odd career. He was a number 1 overall pick and looked like he was going to be a big deal for a long time in the NBA. He did struggle during his lone season at LSU, and maybe we should have read more into his poor shooting, but he did so many other things really well that the 76ers were more than willing to overlook the other stuff. He was rookie of the year, I believe, in his first season. Then was an all star and an all NBA caliber player. He was the point guard of a very good 76ers team and he and Joel Embiid had the look to be a dominant force in the East. Then he passed up a wide open dunk in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and his career took a hard turn.

Simmons was able to do all the things that the 76ers envisioned him doing when they took him first overall. He was bigger than other point guards so passing was a cinch for him. He could bully smaller guys guarding him. He and Embiid ran a solid pick and roll game. Simmons was a good defender. He was a jack of all trades type of player. But the pass with a wide open dunk and the aftermath must have shook him to his core.

After he took a good portion of the blame for how that series ended, the Hawks won in 7, he demanded a trade. That didn't happen, so he acted out until the 76ers hand was forced. They eventually traded him, after it was shown that he was talking on his phone at practice, not being engaged, not caring about what was going on, for James Harden. The Nets seemed happy to let Harden go after the Kyrie, KD and Harden experience didn't work for myriad reasons. I think the Nets also thought that they had a point guard for the future and that he may be more inclined to shoot and play harder not being in such a bright spotlight. Harden kind of forced his way to Philly too, stating that he wanted to play with Embiid, and not have to deal with an anti-vaxxer and an oft injured superstar. Both sides seemed happy to oblige. But it didn't work great for either team. Philly got the full Harden experience. He would have great regular seasons and flounder in the playoffs. The Nets acquired a player in Simmons who was getting injured more often, and becoming even more afraid to shoot the ball. He would post videos every summer of him working out and shooting threes, but that never translated to on court success. He seemed to become so afraid to shoot that he would pass up layups and attack the rim simply because he didn't want to be fouled and have to shoot free throws. He would occasionally shoot free throws, and if he made them, he would have the audacity to shush the crowd. That is child's play my dude. He regressed so much that he became a punchline. And people started to comment more on his clothes than his game. He would wear some wild stuff while not playing due to injury. He then signed with the Clippers last offseason, and many people, myself included, thought he could be a solid fit. That never worked either because of his fear of shooting. He sparsely played and was eventually let go. And now he has no team, and is rejecting offers from teams that could possibly get him back to some kind of relevancy.

Ben Simmons NBA "legacy" is a weird one to me. He came out like a house on fire. He was so different and unique. And he was an awesome defensive player. But he seemed to lack that killer instinct and the want and will to be an all around basketball player. Maybe he never really loved the game, and if that is the case, enjoy retirement Ben Simmons. You came in like a flash, but seem to be leaving the game with a whimper. He and Joel Embiid could have been great. Oh well, we will never know that now. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

The Kawhi Leonard Thing is No Big Deal

I was biding my time before giving my thoughts on the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard situation. Here we go.

For those that may not know, it has been reported that Kawhi Leonard signed an endorsement deal with a company called Aspiration. This deal was for 28 million dollars over four years. I guess Aspiration was a company that "planted trees". The whole saga started when it was reported that Kawhi Leonard never did a second of work for this company and that the Clippers may have used it as a front to circumnavigate the NBA salary cap.

This all sounds very salacious and very intriguing. When the news was first reported I thought it was going to possibly end any threat of the Clippers winning a title for decades. I figured they would wind up in a similar purgatory as the Magic or current Bulls. Then I kind of sat on this news and listened to a few other podcasts and thought a little harder about it.

I will say, while listening to "The Flagrant Ones" earlier today, I fully agree with Sean Clements comparing this Clippers situation to Deflategate. When I first heard of Deflategate I figured that would be the end of Bill Belichek, Tom Brady and the Patriots. None of that happened, and in the long run, Deflategate was no big deal at all. Tom Brady likes his footballs to be a bit under inflated, the Patriots won a few more Super Bowls and Bill Belichek is the current head coach at UNC. Nothing truly awful ended up happening, and after a long, drawn out judicial hearing, it was found that it was truly no big deal how over or under inflated footballs can be. The size of a football truly had nothing to do with the Patriots, Brady and Belichek being a dominant team. I then thought of Michigan and the whole sign stealing thing that was just wrapped up with a rather minimal punishment. Again, Michigan started doing what almost every other NCAA football team already does, they found someone who was exceptional at deciphering signals and they ran with it. By no means do I think it truly affected any outcomes of any games. Michigan had an unreal roster, a coaching staff that is currently thriving in the NFL and they won every game fair and square.

Now, with this whole Kawhi and the Clippers thing, I don't think anything major will happen, nor does anything need to happen. Sure, they may get stripped of a second round pick, but I do not think they deserve any punishment until we know the full story, which we may never know. Did Kawhi Leonard sign a lucrative deal with a phony company? Sure. Did it affect the outcome of any Clippers games? Nope. Did the Clippers try to circumnavigate the NBA salary cap? Probably. Do I care? Absolutely not. I have to imagine pro teams do this on every single level. I bet this happens in pro soccer all the time. They give out tons of money to stars routinely. I would not doubt it at all that the big time guys the Lakers have signed over the years have had side deals. I'm sure my favorite NFL team, the Packers, have done some side deals to land the stars they've gotten over the years. Basically, this whole Kawhi Leonard and Aspiration thing is really no big deal. I have zero concerns over what he did. I would bet that his Uncle, Dennis, look him up if you don't know who he is, was the driving force behind this deal. That would mean the Clippers are totally free from any punishment since he is in no way involved with the Clippers.

To me this is no big deal that is only out in the open so major sports networks and websites can get clicks. We live in a fantastical society that craves salacious stories to make ourselves feel better. That is exactly what this whole thing is 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 the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty Watches "Imported"

Yesterday I was scrolling through streaming services trying to find something to watch. I started to search sports docs because I enjoy watching those types of movies. They're informative and I find them relaxing. I wound up watching a sports doc on Hulu called "Imported".

“Imported” is a movie about overseas professional basketball players. I'm a sucker for any sports doc that focuses on basketball. Basketball is my first love when it comes to sports. I was intrigued by this one because I have always been interested in the life of an overseas professional athlete. It helped that the movie was less than 90 minutes long. So, I clicked on it and sat back and watched.

Now, is this a great sports doc, not really. A great sports doc is a movie like "Hoop Dreams". That is the blue ribbon of sports docs. I also enjoy stuff like "Last Chance U" and "The Battered Bastards of Baseball". "Imported" is not on that level. But it was pretty damn watchable as a movie. I found myself interested in hearing directly from the athletes themselves. And some of the stories they told were wild. One guy talked about warming up for a game and all of the sudden his shorts were on fire. Apparently the fans were throwing flares in the crowd. A few of the pros talked about playing in Greece and how they never got paid their full salary. They would go and ask the owners of each team and there was always some kind of excuse or workaround. That would have driven me nuts. A few of the female professionals would talk about people in other countries that would just stare at them when they walked down the streets. Some said it was because their team was in the playoffs, but others said it was their size and the way they looked. It was shocking to hear all of this. What really got to me was the fact that some of these players said they preferred to play overseas. Some of these players are stars in the country they currently play for. Others, namely the women players, said that they make so much more money overseas.

"Imported" was very interesting with some of the facts they put out there. The doc did focus on one guy who helps players find teams and sets them up overseas. And while I appreciate what he is doing and how hard he works, I could have used less of him and more of the players. The players' stories interested me the most. So while "Imported" may not be the best sports doc that has ever been made, it kept my interest and had some good information. I was intrigued by what I watched. I would recommend it to anyone that is a basketball junkie such as myself. This is not for the casual fan, you need to be hyper interested in basketball to watch "Imported". 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on Bradley Beal and the Clippers

Bradley Beal has been bought out by the Suns and is now a member of the LA Clippers. Let’s discuss.

This has been in the makings for over a week now. I saw the signing, and at first blush I thought it was okay. It didn't really move me one way or the other. Beal is a better scorer than Norm Powell, but he isn't as reliable. Beal misses more games than Powell, or so it seems to me. He also adds another ball handler to a team in desperate need of someone besides James Harden who can control and start the offense. But, Beal is old and he is coming to a team filled with vets.

Looking at the Clippers starting five, at least who I think should start, we have Harden at point guard, Beal at the 2, Kawhi Leonard at the 3, John Collins at the 4 and Ivica Zubac at the 5. Coming off the bench we have Brook Lopez, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Nic Batum, Kris Dunn, Ben Simmons and Derrick Jones Jr amongst others. That is a bunch of well traveled veterans. As far as "young" guys they have on their roster, they all seem unproven. Kobe Brown has never been given a real chance. Patrick Baldwin Jr is on his third team already. I don't know a thing about guys like Kobe Sanders, Trentyn Flowers or Yanic Konan Niederhauser. These guys won't see the floor unless it is a true blowout or a bunch of guys have gotten injured.

When I look at this roster from a pure talent point, they have the guys to be a relatively deep regular season team. Bogdanovic is a step or two slower now, but he can still shoot. Brook Lopez could potentially start next to Zubac and push Collins to the bench. This would space the floor much better and give the Clippers two rim protectors. Nic Batum seems to be a guy that his teammates adore. And when he gets it going he can hit four or five straight threes in crucial moments. Kris Dunn is a zero on offense, but he is a hellish defender. He is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. Ben Simmons' story is simply becoming dull and boring. And Derrick Jones Jr can jump out of the gym. That's just the bench guys. The starters look pretty good too. Harden is still putting up very good scoring and assist numbers. Bradley Beal can still put the ball in the hoop and create open space from time to time. Kawhi Leonard is one of the better mid range scorers and he can still get to the rim. He draws a ton of contact and gets to the line as well. John Collins is a good rim runner for Harden and his shot is a little better. And if Lopez starts here instead of Collins, he can shoot the three, especially from the corner, and he is still an upper tier rim protector. And Zubac has gotten slower but surely gotten better each and every year he has been in the NBA. Last season he seemed to kind of put it all together.

Again, on paper, this team can get right back where they were last season, and maybe win a round or two this time around. But, and this is the big, big but in my piece today, this team will simply not be healthy enough to be a true contender. I saw a headline that showed Kawhi, Beal and Harden and it said, "who is stooping this team?". The response couldn't have been more perfect. It read, "doubtful, questionable and playoffs". That is exactly what happens every year, especially with these three guys, and why should we expect anything different now. Kawhi Leonard is one of my all time favorite players but he cannot stay healthy. He played over 40 games last season and we were all shocked. He can do so many things so wonderfully on a basketball court, he just isn't out there nearly enough to leave a true or lasting impact. Beal will miss anywhere from 20 to 30 games a year without a second guess. He will have a tweak or twinge that will sideline him for enough time that has an overall impact on the season on the wrong side and when he comes back he will need ample time to ramp up. And we all know playoff James Harden. There just seems to be something about the bright lights and big stage that makes him shrink. He is such an incredible scorer and an incredible creator, until we get to the playoffs. Then he passes up on open shots or passes too many times or never touches the ball. It is what it is at this stage in his career.

I have always had a soft spot for the Clippers and I want to see them do well. I mentioned my love for Kawhi. I also really like Ty Lue, Brook Lopez, Brad Beal and Nic Batum. Those guys will always have a place in my basketball heart. But, the injuries and mishaps in the playoffs are just brutal to watch year after year after year. I'd love for them to prove me wrong. Time will tell and I hope they exceed my expectations. With the addition of Beal I think they will look similar to last season, and that means another first round playoff exit. We will see. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Thoughts on the Kevin Durant Trade

While I was gone last week Kevin Durant was traded to the Rockets. Let’s discuss.

We all saw this coming from a million miles away. I am glad he didn't end up in San Antonio, and Houston seemed like the most likely and his preferred destination. There were seven teams and a bunch of players involved in this trade, but the Rockets and Suns were the two main players. The Rockets acquired Kevin Durant and the Suns got Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the 10th pick in the draft and some second round picks. The Suns ended up selecting Khaman Maluach with the 10th pick, and the seconds moved around on draft night.

Pulling back and looking at this trade for these two teams, I feel like both teams got what they wanted in the deal. I'll start with the Suns. The Suns need to rebuild something fierce. They were in a terrible place when they traded for Bradley Beal last season. When that didn't work, the Suns didn't even make the play-in, I think the front office realized they needed to fully start over. I think they are currently in that process, and trading KD was the first step. Now they have to get rid of Bradly Beal, either buy him out or trade him, and they can really go into full rebuild. This will be a bummer for Devin Booker, but he must be happy in Phoenix because he just signed a humongous extension to stick around for a lot longer. The Suns did get two solid players in Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. Green has shown flashes. He has up and down moments, but he proved he can score on a big stage in the playoffs last year. He also played poorly too. That cannot be overlooked. But now he is going to a place where he doesn't have to be the lone creator. He gets to play next to Devin Booker, who is better than Fred VanVleet and the other guards the Rockets have. That's no disrespect to them either. Booker is clearly a better player. Like or loathe Dillon Brooks all you want, but the dude is a menace on defense. He is a good, mean defensive player. He can also occasionally hit shots. But, much like the case with Green, Brooks won't have to worry about being on every single night. The Suns are not going to be good, and maybe the coaching staff will see what they have with Brooks at this stage in his career. I like the rookie Maluach here. He will get a ton of chances, and while he is raw, he was the second best player on Duke's team last season. He is also long which can lead to more blocked shots than others may think. The Suns, as I mentioned before, will not be very good, especially in the West, but they may be a fun League Pass team. I think Booker and Green can fill up the stat sheet, and I'm pretty high on Maluach in the long run.

The Rockets just jumped into the upper echelon of the West by adding KD. He has to be engaged and ready to play and give up some of the playmaking he may be used to, and I think he will be fine with that. He is old and oft injured, but he won't have to create nearly as much with this version of the Rockets. Fred VanVleet will find him for open shots. Alpernen Sengun will not clog the lane and can find him with some good passes. Amen Thompson will take a load off of him on defense. Steven Adams will protect him and has familiarity with him. Jabari Smith Jr is a solid big to put next to him. Dorian Finney-Smith is still a good enough three and D guy. And he and Jeff Green have been friends since KD was drafted by the Sonics. The Rockets have added a bonafide superstar scorer. They've also added a guy that knows how to win on the biggest stage. He can be a headcase, and if things go sideways quickly, it could be bad. But, if the Rockets meet expectations, this trade will look really good for one or two seasons.

I feel like everyone wins in this trade. Each team got what they wanted out of it and everyone seems happy. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

LeBron Doesn't Owe Anyone Anything

NBA free agency has come and been wild. It is usually wild, but it feels a little wilder this offseason. There's been a ton of player movement. Some teams have gotten better and others are shedding salaries and starting their rebuilds. One particular player that has been in the conversation as of late is the great LeBron James.

James owes this league and the Lakers nothing at all. He has done so, so much for the NBA in his 20 plus year career. He is an all timer. He is, in my opinion, the second greatest player to ever do it. He should get to pick and choose whatever he wants for the twilight of his career. So, when I turned on "The Zach Lowe Show" the other day, imagine my surprise when Lowe and his guest were outright hating on him. I was absolutely shocked when I heard the things the two of them were saying about LeBron. And the sheer fact that they were trying to tamp down what they said by adding a compliment at the end of their takedown, that just made me laugh. They were basically demeaning James' decision to opt into the final year of his contract with the Lakers. They kept saying things about how he is old and this isn't his team anymore. Lowe's guest sarcastically called James "48 years old". Lowe never once said anything nice about James until he was done putting him down.

This was racking my mind all evening and into today, which is definitely my fault. But I have heard all the hate James has received his entire career, sometimes from myself, and this segment of Lowe's most recent episode just hit me weirdly. After much thought, I think I have landed on why Lowe and guest were so tough on James. It is Luka Doncic. Lowe has always, and I mean always, stumped for white foreign NBA players. He is married to a Bosnian woman and, even during his tenure with ESPN, he has never once said anything really poorly at all when talking about NBA players from there, all of whom are white. And when Doncic ascended to the level he is currently at, Lowe has become his number one supporter. He will go to bat for him all the time. Since the trade to the Lakers, Lowe has made it his mission to demean and drag down Nico Harrison and the Mavericks. He claims to never listen to interviews anymore, but he is consistent with his mockery anytime Harrison is on a mic. He begrudges people who trash Doncic for his lack of defense and ability to stay in shape. He won't hear it. And this all should have clicked yesterday when I heard him mention the age gap between Doncic and James. I should have known then that, at least in Lowe's mind, the Lakers are no longer LeBron's team, they are Luka's team and Lowe is rolling with that, dissenters be damned. So, it makes sense to me now why he, after years of defending LeBron, is now coming down on him so hard. He mocked his age. He said that the Lakers don't need to build around him anymore. He said that he thinks LeBron isn't in it for titles anymore. He basically dragged his name through the mud for about an hour and I was floored. Like I said at the top, LeBron doesn't owe anybody anything. He has put in the time, effort and work to make it where he is today. He has made billions of dollars for the NBA, the Cavs, the Heat and the Lakers. He has given people like Zach Lowe a place to throw his dumbass opinions out there willy nilly. Luka will never achieve what LeBron has achieved, Nikola Jokic will never be the player LeBron has been for 23 years. These guys don't have what it takes, they don't have the will or the want to do the things LeBron has done.

Zach Lowe should never, ever slander a player of LeBron James' caliber especially because he has never done a single thing at the level LeBron has with basketball. I was excited for Lowe to come back to the podcasting world, but since he has become a member of The Ringer, he seems to be just another Barstool hot take moron who doesn't think before he speaks, and that bums me out. I'm still going to listen to his pod, but maybe I won't for much longer if this is going to be his attitude moving forward. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Thoughts on the NBA Draft

The NBA draft is now over and I have some takes I want to put out in the world today, both good and bad.

First, the bad.

I am kind of stunned at what the Pelicans did. They gave up an unprotected 2026 pick to draft Derik Queen. I love Derik Queen, go look at my draft preview, but they could have gotten him without having to give up what many seem to believe will be a high lottery pick. They also got rid of CJ McCollum in a trade for Jordan Poole. Poole will forever be a legend to me for his shot in the tourney while playing at Michigan. But, save for two seasons, Poole cannot stay in one place too long, he is a ball stopper and he is a zero on defense. I am a little shook by what the Pelicans are doing, but Joe Dumars has built up other franchises before, so maybe he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

The Celtics got rid of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday and brought in Anfernee Simons. They also drafted three dudes I have never heard of. Simons is a good scorer and not much else. Hugo Gonzalez, who they took late in the first round, might be a stash pick. And they will be without their best player, Jayson Tatum, for the next season, maybe more. Maybe they are just using this upcoming season as a bridge year, but I don't get trading Holiday for Simons, other than a salary thing. And Porzingis seemed to be coming into his own when he did play. Much like Dumars, Brad Stevens knows what he is doing, but still, this has been a puzzling offseason to me.

The Nets had a ton of picks, used them all and took some wild, wild shots. The Nets are not going to contend for a while, but you'd think they would try to build in the draft. They took Egor Denim about ten picks too soon. He has upside, but not of the 8th overall pick. Danny Wolf is a big point guard, but he is turnover prone and an iffy outside shooter. Nolan Traore and Drake Powell don't seem like they'll get a ton of early minutes. And I don't know a single thing about Ben Saraf, other than he was the pick before Wolf. The Nets took some swings, hoping that at least one or two of these guys would hit. The problem will be finding real minutes for them during the regular season. Maybe they will trade a ton of their veterans and really go for that first pick next season.

And my team, the Grizzlies, confused me to no end. They need to find a replacement for Desmond Bane and they are going to try that with Cedric Coward. I don't know much about him, but counting on him to be a big contributor as a rookie is asking a lot. Javon Small has potential, but he is small. And I feel like they only took Jahmai Mashack because he is a local kid. I don't really know what they are doing, but I do know that I'm not a big fan of the moves so far.

On to the good.

I mentioned the Pelicans first, the team that benefited from that deal is the Hawks. They recouped more picks, they got Kristaps Porzingis in the deal with the Celtics and they drafted Asa Newell in round one. Newell had lottery potential and the Hawks were able to snag him at 23. He will get to play alongside guys close to his age and a good point guard in Trae Young.

The Mavericks, after a season of making poor decision after poor decision, drafted Cooper Flagg. He is as can't miss as they come in this draft. He has an NBA body, he is ready for the spotlight and he has good teammates when they are healthy. The Mavs need to stay as injury free as they can, but when they won the lottery we all just hoped they would draft Flagg. They did and that was the best choice to make in this draft. This pick could ease the frustration of the trade they made last season.

The Thunder, coming off a title, took two guys that they can slowly develop and who can help replace other players when they sign elsewhere for more money. Thomas Sorber is a force defensively, the Thunder's calling card, and is a shockingly good passer. He is also only 19. And Brooks Barnhizer will get ample time to develop in the G League before coming to the league to provide sparse, but important bench minutes in the future.

The 76ers, who have made horrible decisions as of late, took VJ Edgecombe and plan on keeping him. He is hyper athletic, can make himself fit into a system and seems to love basketball. They were also able to sang Johni Broome in round two, and he will fit right in with the veterans on this team.

Finally, the The Spurs just added more talent that is on the same timeline as Victor Webanyama. Wemby and Dylan Harper are going to be a fun, fun pick and roll combo. And Harper gets to play in the back court with DeAaron Fox, who will be free to use his speed at his leisure now. And Carter Bryant is your prototypical 3 and D guy that every team needs now. The Spurs are coming, as long as they stay injury free.

That's it for the draft. I cannot wait until next season starts. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Thoughts on the Kevin Durant Trade

The NBA offseason is off and running. There has already been a plethora of trades the past couple of days. Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday are no longer on the Celtics. Jordan Poole has a new home. I'm sure many more names will be moved the next couple of days, especially tonight because it is night one of the draft. But the one trade I want to talk about today is Kevin Durant to the Rockets.

KD is on another new team again, and he is saying all the typical stuff he has before. I wrote, maybe a week ago, how much I have loved watching KD play basketball, but how tiresome this part of his career has become. He gets unhappy, asks out of wherever he is playing, says he's happy and within six months, he wants to be moved again. I have to believe that he is frustrated how it all played out in Golden State. I have heard he doesn't feel like he got his due credit for helping that team win two rings. Fact of the matter is, KD joined a ready made champion coming off a 73 win season. All he did was make them unbeatable. That team will always be Steph Curry's team, no matter how much KD and his people wanted it to be his team. After he got bored in Golden State he went to the Nets. That obviously didn't work the way they envisioned it would. Then he forced his hand to Phoenix and that blew up in everyone involved faces there. Now he is a member of the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets did have to part with young talent and picks. They let Jalen Green go. I have liked Jalen Green his whole career to this point. Sure, he hasn't developed into the star they thought, but he is still young and hyper athletic. He can also score in bunches. His defense comes and goes, and he needs to work on that. He also let in to the moment during this past playoffs, but he should have many more chances to prove himself. The Rockets also let Dillon Brooks go. I'm not a Dillon Brooks guy, but he is a very good defender. He also knows how to annoy the hell out of opponents. But his act grows thin very quickly and it is not a surprise to me that he is on his third team in four years. The picks are a nice recoup for the Suns, but they only got one first rounder, number 10 in this year's draft. They also got four second round picks.

When I look at this trade from a whole, I do think it has benefits for both teams, but I also think it speaks volumes to KD's value as he continues to age and continues to get more and more grumpy. Even last season I bet the Suns could've gotten much more for him. But here we are. KD is going to be 37. He misses twenty plus games every year now. He is too busy fighting with regular ass people on the internet. The whole act is becoming boring and lame. But, he can still put the ball in the hoop, and that is what the Rockets need. With him, Alpernen Sengun and Amen Thompson, they have three guys that can bring it every night. Jabari Smith Jr should develop even more with all the open space he would find now. And Fred VanVleet is a smart, team playing lead guard and that is what every team wants and needs. As for the Suns, I don't know if they will hang on to either Green or Brooks. If I was those two I'd want to go play where the games actually mean something. The picks are the big deal for the Suns. They need to go into full rebuild mode and not waste time trying to give the team to Jalen Green and let Dillon Brooks be a menace and only win 30-35 games a year. As for the Rockets, this is an okay deal for one season. But, they will have to be ready for KD to flip at a moment's notice. If one thing isn't to his liking, he will become irritated and ask to move yet again, while asking for a big contract extension. The Rockets have to walk a fine, thin line with KD. He also happens to be old and aging out of the league.

Time will tell with this move, but I'm not fully on board with it from the Rockets' end, especially if it doesn't go the way they planned. We shall see. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.