The Jameis Winston Suspension Shows That the NFL Does Not Care

Jameis Winston is going to be suspended by the NFL for the first 3 games of this upcoming season for improper touching, that was how I read it being described, of a female Uber driver last year. This is not the first time that Winston has faced charges of assault, rape, sexual misconduct of any kind with a lady that did not want it. As you all should remember, he got charged with rape while in college. He was also charged with using lewd language while in a dining hall in college. I believe, he has faced similar accusations since joining the NFL. Oh, and he was also charged with stealing food, crab legs, from a grocery store in Tallahassee. His punishment for these many discretions, and these are the only ones that have been made public, have accumulated to, I'm not sure the exact number, but 5 or 6 missed football games, and that includes the 3 that are upcoming.

This is disturbing and disgusting. Jameis Winston clearly has a problem. I'm not one of those people that believe there are "sex addicts", but in Winston's case, he seems to have an addiction to women that want nothing to do with him. This is a problem. But, the powers that be, when he was in high school, college and now the pros, have given him nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

This is part of the problem. Winston continues to do these things because he now knows that he can get away with it, with little to no punishment. When he was charged with rape in college, and yes it was rape, he missed one game. His coaches thought that missing one meaningless game in the middle of November was punishment enough for rape. That is sickening. And, to make matters worse, the game he was suspended for, he dressed and warmed up with the team. It was only when the cameras noticed that Jimbo Fisher finally did something, and told him to get out of his uniform and dress in street clothes. They would both be seen laughing an hugging each other at the end of that game. How is that a lesson? He clearly didn't learn anything because he went out and made the lewd comments in the dining hall, and he shop lifted. The shoplifting I don't care so much about, every kid does that. But, the comments that he made, after being accused of rape, where lewd and scary and wrong. But, FSU felt he served his time, his one game suspension, and did not further discipline him.

Winston went on to win the Heisman that year, then declare for the pros. When he entered the draft, he was the consensus number one pick, even with all these red flags. He was to be the Buccaneers QB of the future. They all but bypassed all the problems he had in college and decided he was the guy that they wanted to lead their team into the future. This upset me. The number one pick in the draft should be a role model, or a really, really good player. They should not have all these allegations and accusations and charges brought up against them. That didn't matter though.

Then, after being the first pick, I had to hear the ESPN's and the NFL GM's praise this kid. They talked about all the hardship and pain he dealt with in college. They put this kid on a pedestal once again, basically recusing him of anything he had done wrong in college. That is scary. I know in college, and I think this is a big time problem that needs to be dealt with, players can get away with almost anything, especially at the big time schools. But, when you are a pro, and this game becomes your job, and you are on TV every Sunday or Monday, and you do commercials and appear on HBO documentary series, you should be held accountable, and know better. Winston clearly doesn't. I'm pretty sure he got accused of some kind of indiscretion his first 2 years in the league, but it was swept under the rug. In fact, HBO heavily featured him as the "leader" on their show "Hard Knocks". The writers built this kid up as some kind of savior in Tampa Bay. He was always shown in a good light, and he was almost always with his girlfriend when he wasn't at practice. At the same time, the big time prognosticators started to talk about him as the future of the QB position. Him, Marcus Mariota, Deshaun Watson, all these young and mobile QB's, were the future. And, when Mariota struggled, and Watson went down with injury, they fully put the spotlight on Winston. Then, he underperformed, and he himself, got hurt. He was then not really heard from until this recent incident.

What surprised me the most was how much this didn't surprise me. I believe when I heard about the improper touching I said, "it was only a matter of time", to no one in particular. The NFL decided they needed to step in, and they did. But, they gave him a 3 game suspension. That is less than what Tom Brady got for some under inflated footballs, and less than Ray Rice was to receive when he knocked his fiancée unconscious. The NFL clearly has a discipline problem. Only 3 games for improper sexual conduct? After all this kid has done in 5 short years that we know about? What the hell NFL?! I even saw Damien Woody, ESPN's own, go on TV and say this suspension is ludicrous, in how miniscule it is. He said, and I agree, that the Bucs should cut him. He has never faced real adversity in his football life, and that should be a big time wake up call. A three game suspension will not teach him anything. He will be on the sideline yukking it up with his coach and teammates the whole time. But, if the Bucs cut him, then he is a player without a team. And, I don't think a ton of teams will be antsy to sign a troubled QB that has had a very sub par career so far. He wouldn't start for any other team. Hell, I would cut him if I were the Bucs and go sign Colin Kaepernick.

This suspension is a joke. The NFL is a joke. They need to get real with this stuff. They need to come down way harder on players like Winston that commit horrific crimes all the time. This is scary and disturbing. Jameis Winston and the NFL think they are above the law. It is time they learn that they are not.

Ty

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

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Kawhi Leonard, the Lakers, and Another Damn Super Team

About a week back I wrote that I hoped Kawhi Leonard would stay a Spur. Well, that has all blown up in my face, and the Spurs face. It appears that he is going to be in a different uniform next season. There are new reports everyday, but don't get it twisted, he is going to end up a Laker, one way or another.

What a mess.

I read a report that he was going to meet with Greg Poppovich, they met, and the people who were present said it was a good meeting. It seemed that maybe they had squashed their beef. Then, the other day I read that Kawhi was saying he never wanted to step foot in the Spurs facility again, unless he was on a different team, and he was playing there. Then, after that report, I read that the Spurs were now willing to trade him to a team, but no one in the West. That one, if they were to trade him, made sense to me. Why would they want to trade him in the conference and have to face him multiple times a year. This made even more sense when I heard that the 76ers were trying to get RC Buford, the current Spurs GM, to be their new GM. It all started to come together. And, I thought, of any team he could go to, the 76ers made the most sense.

Today there are a ton of new reports that the Spurs and Lakers have "intensified" their trade talks, that the Spurs were now willing to trade him to a West team if the return was proper and that LeBron said, if the Lakers were to acquire him, he would be very willing to sign with the Lakers. Oh, and Paul George opted out of the final year of his contract in OKC, thus making these rumors seem even more real. After all the recent news, I have thrown my hands up, and given in to the fact that,  not only will the Lakers get Kawhi, but they will most likely sign LeBron and Paul George. Sure, they will have to trade some of their young talent, but who cares when you can get three perennial All Stars, one of which is the current best player in the world. I don't think that Rob Pelinka or Magic Johnson truly care if they have to add a Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Julius Randle or Brandon Ingram in a deal. I don't think they care if they have to add all four to get these three guys, or even 2 of them.

I got a report on my phone from Bleacher Report today that said that the Lakers were willing to add Brandon Ingram in any trade talks in fact. I thought he was one of the untouchable guys too. He actually improved a ton in his second season. He seemed like the guy that the Lakers should keep, and add these stars around him. They should trade Ball, or Kuzma, or, especially Randle before dealing Ingram. Ingram is the real deal. I fully believe that he is going to have a long, and fruitful, NBA career. Lonzo Ball has potential, his vision is amazing, but he has a garbage shot, and you have to deal with his family, and, most importantly, his dad. You think Lavar Ball will really expect his son to play second fiddle to Kawhi or Paul George? Hell, he will shit talk LeBron the moment he signs with the Lakers. Kyle Kuzma has the makings of being a good to great scorer, but he plays no defense, and he is considered "old" in the modern NBA. The kid can shoot, but he is no Brandon Ingram. And Julius Randle has had one foot out the door for the past 2 seasons. He doesn't fit in in LA. He comes and goes as he pleases, and he doesn't seem like he will live up to the hype. He also broke his leg his rookie year, and he missed an entire season. He still has a done of room to grow.

But, the Lakers seem to be desperate, so they are now willing to trade their best young guy, to get only Kawhi. That seems crazy to me. And, if the Spurs are to trade Kawhi, they better damn well get Ingram, and some high, high picks in upcoming drafts. I feel like Ingram, in that Spurs system, would thrive. And if they have to give up Kawhi, so be it. He clearly wants out, and to get a super young, hyper athletic player, that is really starting to come into his own, they'd be crazy not to do it. I don't think losing Kawhi and adding Ingram would be a death blow to them either.

What all of this talk boils down to, at least for me, the Lakers are going to get Kawhi. Then, they will get LeBron. Then, Paul George will announce he is going to sign there. It is going to happen. There are far too many signs that they will get these guys. Magic wants them. Kawhi wants to go there. LeBron has said that he would love to play with Kawhi. And Paul George would make a fine third option on that team, I guess. As much as I don't want this to happen, I'm about 99 percent sure it will. I still think adding these three guys, along with whomever the Lakers can keep, this makes them no better than third in the West. The Warriors are still, far and away, the best team in the West, and all of basketball, and I still like the Rockets, as long as they keep Chris Paul, just a bit more. So, at least there is that.

Oh well, lets get this all over with so I can bitch more about "super teams" on this website.

Ty

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

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Why in the Hell Did the Utah Jazz Pick the All Hype, No Talent, Grayson Allen

Why Utah? Why?

A new week, but I still have some basketball stuff I want to get off my chest. As I said, after my draft recap last week, I have a big time problem with Grayson Allen being a first round pick, and with the team that chose him.

First of all, Allen never got better while at Duke. In fact, he got much worse as his career went on. Now, if all you do is watch ESPN, you probably think that I am just a "hater", or misinformed. But, I am one of the very few people out here that still watch, and pay close attention to, NCAA basketball. And when it comes to Duke, I hate watch them. I have talked about hate watching before on the site. I watch them with hopes that they will, not only get beat, but get crushed. I watch them to root against them. I do not care who they are playing, I root against them no matter what. So, I have been very, very aware of Grayson Allen since he was a freshman. I feel as if he played his best game as a freshman, and it just so happened in the title game. Allen kind of burst onto the scene on a team that featured pros like Jahlil Okafor, Justice Winslow and Tyus Jones. I know none of those guys have been great in the pros, but they were all first round picks, lottery picks in Okafor and Winslow's case, and they are all still in the league. Well, Allen played right up to their level in that game. And, from the moment he stepped on the floor, with his stupid, smug face, I immediately despised him. He just had that look, He looked like a Duke player. If you watch college basketball, you know exactly what I am talking about. He had this look of superiority, like he was better than everyone else. He looks like a kid born with a golden spoon in his mouth, who was never told no. I just despised him.

Then, when all those freshman at Duke left for the pros, I had to hear ESPN shout to the mountains that Grayson Allen was going to be the second coming of JJ Redick, or dare they say, Christian Laetenner. This made me dislike him even more. But, I still paid attention. I wanted to see if this kid was the real deal, or if he was a flash in the pan. And, while he showed flashes, he was always overshadowed by some other incoming freshman on Duke it seemed. He would go into each year, his sophomore, junior and senior year, and he was always the preseason ACC, preseason All American and preseason consensus player of the year. He won all the preseason awards. But, when it came to actual games, he was more known for his antics than his play. He was also, as I said before, overshadowed by incoming recruits. Where Allen didn't grow as a player, he grew as a joke. He was the guy that tripped and kicked players. He was who opposing crowds booed the most. He was a third and fourth and fifth option. He was just a guy that was around. And had it not been for ESPN, he would have just faded into the background. Guys that he played with, guys like all their stud freshman when they won the title, then players like Marvin Bagley, Trevon Duvall, Wendell Carter, Jayson Tatum, Luke Kennard, Harry Giles and Brandon Ingram, just to name a few, where all better than him in college. Allen became a joke, like I stated. He never, ever lived up to the hype. He never won player of the year, or even ACC player of the year. He was never the top player on his own team. He never took the last shot. He was never trusted. He just never really did anything of note, besides trying to inflict bodily harm on players that were besting him. That, and his constant temper tantrums on the Duke sideline.

It all should have stopped there. But no, the freaking Utah Jazz, who I was just starting to like, decided he was worthy of a first round pick. I despised both the Jazz and the Bulls in the 90's. I was, and always will be, a Supersonics fan. I didn't like the Bulls because I didn't appreciate their greatness. I now understand, and very much appreciate, what the Bulls did. And, MJ is the GOAT. Fight me on this. I also despised the Jazz because I did not like John Stockton or Karl Malone. Malone shrunk when the lights were the brightest, and Stockton is most definitely the dirtiest player ever. I CANNOT stand either of those guys. Yes, they are well deserved hall of fame players, but I still loathe them both. Then, the Jazz kind of had this mini renaissance with guys like Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert, Alec Burks and Trey Burke. I kind of enjoyed this team. I also like Rodney Hood on this team. And even last year, when Hayward left, I loved that they went out and got Ricky Rubio, and they drafted my new favorite player, Donovan Mitchell, and it all worked. Hell, I am even rooting for Mitchell to win ROY tonight, and Snyder to win COY. But, they had to go and screw all of this good will I built up for them by taking this overrated, no more than a bench player that will never average double figures in what I'm most assured will be a very short NBA career. And to watch him put that hat on, and see that stupid smug smile again brought back all that dislike I had for him.

Grayson Allen is a scrub. Grayson Allen is a poor man's Jimmer Fredette. Grayson Allen will not even be a viable G League player. I hate this pick so much, and I hope that it will not mess with all the good that Donovan Mitchell did last year. Mitchell is the star of that team and that is the only major player they should cover on all sports networks. Him, and Rudy Gobert too, and a little Ricky Rubio coverage is fine too. But, I swear, if ESPN tries to shoehorn Grayson Allen as a reason why the Jazz are a playoff contender, I will lose my shit. This pick really pisses me off to no end. What a dumb choice, that will bite them inn the ass sooner rather than later.

Ty

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

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The Homeruns and Uncertainty of the 2018 NBA Draft

The draft came and went last night, and not unlike everyone else, I was pretty off in my mock draft. I expected there to be some things wrong, but I didn't expect my later round picks to be that off. But, as I said, it wasn't just me. I know a lot  of people, even big time journalists, were stunned by some of the picks. I'm going to give my thoughts on some of the picks, good and bad. But, I do not do a "losers and winners" thing, or a "hits and misses" thing. We don't know yet. We have not seen these players play one single second in an NBA game. They haven't even played in a summer league game yet, which I am mad excited to watch this year. So, we don't know which teams got the best players yet. Time will tell us that. But, I do have some thoughts on what I deem homerun picks, and uncertain picks. That is how I will view this piece. I will call it, "Homeruns and Uncertainty". There RD, I did some of your work for you.

First off, the first 2 picks, Ayton to the Suns and Bagley to the Kings, were foregone conclusions. I like both these picks. I feel like both of these players will put up numbers, and I think they both have bright futures, Ayton more so than Bagley, simply because of team.

After that, the madness kind of started. Luka Doncic went third, as predicted, but he was part of a package that sent him to the Mavericks, and the Hawks got Trae Young and some future picks. I LOVE this deal for the Mavericks. I LOVE a back court of Doncic and Dennis Smith Jr. I think the Mavericks, even though they have a bunch of monsters working for them, have their back court of the future. This is a step in the right direction, as far as putting a good team on the floor goes. I have mixed feelings about Young to the Hawks. He won't have to play savior, which is good. But, he will be expected to put on a show for fans that are starved for an elite level scorer. Young isn't ready for that yet, and he is atrocious on defense. At least he wasn't picked by the Cavs or Knicks though. He will be able to hide out in Atlanta.

The Grizzlies hit the homerun of the draft when they took Jaren Jackson. This was the best fit in the draft, and it will greatly benefit them. They have an NBA ready player to pair alongside Marc Gasol, and he will help Mike Conley in the pick and roll, and get him open looks. I HATE Michigan State, but Jackson is one hell of a basketball player. This might be the pick of the draft.

I am not so stoked about Mo Bamba ending up with the Magic. For his sake I hope they find someone, anyone, to take on Bismack Biyombo's contract so he can step in and play right away. I also hope they resign Aaron Gordon, because he may be the only offensive threat they have, outside of Vucevic. This pick puzzled me, so it is one of my uncertain ones. I just don't understand why they took an offensively challenged big man. All that being said, I still really, really like Bamba. I just don't like him on the Magic.

The Bulls kind of shocked me, in a good way, when they took Wendell Carter. I thought they'd jump at the opportunity to get Michael Porter, but they resisted, and they drafted a much better fit for their team. They now have a true modern big man, and I think he pairs up very nicely with Lauri Markanen. With those 2, and a back court of Zach Lavine and Kriss Dunn, the Bulls are putting together a solid squad. I also love, and yes, it is a homerun pick to me, the Bulls taking Chandler Hutchinson at 22. The Bulls grabbed players in areas of need. They did a great job.

I'm more in the uncertain camp when it comes to Collin Sexton going to the Cavs. I just don't know how he fits there, especially if LeBron leaves. I've made it no secret that Sexton was my absolute favorite player in this draft. But, going to the Cavs is just odd. They do need a point guard, but if LeBron leaves, Sexton will be in NBA purgatory, throwing low post passes to Kevin Love, and trying to find JR Smith and Kyle Korver for open threes. That doesn't sound like a fun life in the NBA. Hopefully Sexton will make the most of it.

I am not a fan at all of the Knicks taking Kevin Knox. I know that he is a big swing man, and I know he can play offense, but how does he fit with this team? How is he going to play off Kristaps? How will he pair next to Frank Nkilitina? There are just far too many questions. It seems like the Knicks got seduced by the workouts, and took a chance. I do not think it will pay off.

It looked at good for Mikal Bridges when he was picked by the 76ers at 10. He got to stay in the same city where he played college ball, his mom works for the team, and he seemed like a solid pick. I was fully on board. Then, 5 picks later, he was traded. All the good will I had for this pick went out the drain. The 76ers did trade him for a very good player, Zhaire Smith, but I just don't understand why. This is another uncertainty for me. Bridges seemed like a much better fit than Smith, the 76ers have a great point guard in Ben Simmons, but they decided they needed a back up to him. I do like Bridges on the Suns, but the trade left a bad taste in my mouth.

The Hornets traded up one spot so they could take a marginal swing man/big in Miles Bridges. I'm pretty sure he would have been there at 12, but they felt the need to trade up one spot to get him. I don't get it, and I don't get Bridges fit in Charlotte. Will he start? Will back up guys like Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky? Will they trade those guys and team Kemba up with young talent? I just don't know. This was another in a long line of odd draft choices by the Hornets.

The Clippers hit a homerun when they drafted Shai Gilgeous Alexander with the very next pick. They finally have a true team leader and a true point guard. They got a younger, and quicker Chris Paul. And. while he is no Chris Paul, he is going to be a very good pro. I really like this pick from a franchise I despise. The Clippers then eschewed getting a replacement for Deandre Jordan, and took another guard, Jerome Robinson. I'm indifferent about this pick. I just don't care.

Michael Porter's slide finally ended when the Nuggets took him 14. I guess, with all the good point guards off the board, the Nuggets went with the top player on their board. I don't like this pick, I don't like this fit, and for him to say, "I'll be the best pick the Nuggets have ever made", makes me even more skeptical. This kid has a ton to prove, and I don't think he will be able to do it in Denver.

After the lottery, the first 14 picks are the lottery, there were some odd picks, but some solid picks to. I don't understand Donte Divencinzo going to the Bucks. How does he fit in there? Where will he play? Is he their 2 guard of the future? I don't know. Lonnie Walker struck gold when the Spurs took him. This kid is good, and the Spurs will make him great. He is their point guard of the future. Kevin Huerter to the Hawks is bland and boring. Josh Okogie should be the starting point guard for the Timberwolves next year. I despise the Jazz taking Grayson Allen for far too many reasons today. I will most assuredly be writing a piece next week why I hate this pick so much. Aaron Holiday to the Pacers is a solid building block for a team on the rise. Anfernee Simons to the Blazers is just odd. Will he be backing up McCollum or Lillard? Is he one of their replacements if one is traded? Does he even have a future with this team? Who knows. I'm torn about Mo Wagner to the Lakers. I'm stoked he was a first round pick, but why did it have to be the Lakers. I'm sure he is excited to play in LA, and he does give their front court a solid floor spacer, but again, why does it have to be the Lakers. Best of luck to him though. The Celtics grabbed a random guard, Landry Shamet. But, as I said yesterday, this was a total vanity pick. Shamet will not be the reason the Celtics are title contenders next year. The exact same thing can be said for the Warriors taking Jacob Evans. He is mature, and very solid, and will probably play some decent regular season minutes. But, in the end, Jacob Evans will not be a deciding factor in the Warriors quest for a three peat. The last 2 picks of the first round were very ho hum as well. The Nets took Dzanan Musa, who I'm sure they took with the intention of him staying overseas for awhile. And the Hawks took big man Omari Spellman, who will be no more than a bench player for them.

The first round was wild and crazy, and fun. I do have a few thoughts on some second round picks. Jevon Carter to the Grizzlies is a match made in basketball heaven. He is the modern Tony Allen. The Grizzlies had a great draft. I do like that the Knicks took a chance on a true big man when they took Mitchell Robinson at number 36. I really think this kid can be good, possibly great. The Nets are giving Hamidou Diallo a chance, and, while this kid is hyper athletic, his stock dropped like a lead balloon this past year. The Rockets got a great, quality pick in De'Anthony Melton. He is a first round talent, and he fell to them at pick 46. He is a great backup to Chris Paul and James Harden. Tony Carr kind of flew under the radar, but if the Pelicans core stays together, I think he will be a contributor. He is a scoring machine off the bench. And finally, the Magic took Giannis' younger brother, Kostas, with the last pick in the draft. This kid won't be as good as his brother, there are very few players in the league as good as his brother, but he is long and athletic. He should be fun to watch grow.

There you have it, my thoughts on the draft last night. I am now excited to see these players play as soon as possible. Come on summer league.

Ty

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

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

The SeedSing 2018 NBA Mock Draft

As promised yesterday, today I come to you with my 2018 NBA mock draft. The draft is on tonight at 7pm, and I am going to go out on a short limb and say that all of this will be moot, but I still like doing these. And, just like I did with my NFL mock draft, I am only going to do the first round, I will only write a short review as to why I think this team will pick this player, I will not be doing trades, although I think there will be plenty of them tonight, and this mock is who I think they should pick, I am not basing it on any other mock that I have seen.

Okay, here we go.

1. Suns- Deandre Ayton. Even though I think they should take a point guard, Collin Sexton, they are going to go with the local big man. He is an immediate 20-10 guy, and he will be able to learn on this team. The Suns aren't looking to make the playoffs yet, so they can take yet another chance on a big man. I also like the pairing of him and Devin Booker. They could become an All Star duo.

2. Kings- Marvin Bagley III- I don't understand why they wouldn't take Luka Doncic, more on him next, but Bagley will help them put fans in the seats. He, much like Ayton, will put up big numbers as a rookie. He is a tremendous question mark on defense, but his offense cannot be doubted. Bagley will make a ton of highlight dunks, and score in the high teens, but he will be on the Kings, and it won't really matter. He is also the only prospect that wants to play there, so they'd be dumb to pass him up.

3. Hawks- Luka Doncic. Doncic is the supposed number one prospect, yet he will "fall" to the Hawks, and they should be ecstatic by this. He will immediately come in and be their point guard of the future, and the fans will love him. He can shoot and pass, he has been playing against pros since he was 16, and he has dominated them. He has to get better on defense, but every one of these 19 year old players needs to get better on defense. Doncic has the makings to be a very, very good to great NBA player. The Hawks will be more than thrilled with Doncic.

4. Grizzlies- Jaren Jackson. If they don't trade this pick, Jackson is the best fit for the Grizzlies, and next to Marc Gasol. He has an NBA ready body, he can rebound and he can play defense. He hasn't gotten to show his full arsenal on offense yet, Tom Izzo is not great at letting his best players flourish when he has upper classmen on his team, but give him time and he could be great. Jackson is the most NBA ready player in this draft, and the Grizzlies will not pass him up. Again, all of this is moot if they trade the pick.

5. Mavericks- Mo Bamba. This pick is almost as certain as Ayton to the Suns. Bamba is the best defender of all the big men in the draft. He has a 7 foot 10 inch wingspan, which is otherworldly. He has quick feet. What gives me pause is his offense, but maybe he can learn under Rick Carlisle. And, Bamba is immediately the best big man on the Mavericks the moment they pick him.

6. Magic- Trae Young. This is the best case scenario for Young. He won't be expected to be the savior, and he can just kind of hide out in NBA purgatory while he figures out the game. It is going to take him some time because teams will prep for him, and we all saw what happened in college when teams double and tripled teamed him. Orlando should be his dream destination. I hope for his sake, they pick him.

7. Bulls- Michael Porter Jr. I have so many red flags with this kid, but the Bulls are obsessed with him. They have wanted this kid from day one. There are rumors that they are even trying to trade up to get him. I don't get it, but if they just stay put at 7, Porter Jr should be there waiting to be picked. Porter Jr is the definition of a "project", and I know the least about him as a player. I know he is cocky, I know he is coming off a back injury and I know he was a great high school player. Will any of that translate into NBA success? I don't know, but the Bulls will take a big time swing here.

8. Cavs- Mikail Bridges. The Cavs are going to need a lot, especially if LeBron needs, and who better than an upperclassmen coming off a NCAA title, that can hit the three, than to get the rebuild started. While I think Doncic is the best player, I like Mikail Bridges more. He is cool, calm and collected. He can shoot and he can play defense. I also think, if LeBron were to stay, he would be thrilled to play with Bridges. Either way, with or without LeBron, I think Mikail Bridges is the best player for the Cavs.

9. Knicks- Miles Bridges. The Knicks will take this Bridges about 5 picks too soon because he is the 21st century version of Carmelo Anthony. He is an okay 3 point shooter, he can attack the rim and he will love playing in a big city. But, he is not that good on defense, he didn't get too much better his second year in college, and his first step is a little too slow. I do like the pairing of him and Kristaps, but the Knicks need a better player here. But the Carmelo comparison will be too big for them to pass up.

10. 76ers- Wendell Carter. Carter is the perfect backup to a player like Joel Embiid. Where Embiid is a more modern big man, Carter can play old and new school basketball. Carter is also a very good post passer, can defend and can play defense. He will also not back down against guys bigger than him. He will also be able to seamlessly step into the lineup when Embiid gets hurt, or takes some time off. I think Carter is going to be a good pro, and I think the 76ers will be pleased to have him.

11. Hornets- Collin Sexton. The Hornets will most likely need a new point guard, there are new Kemba Walker rumors everyday, and Sexton is my absolute favorite player in this draft. He is an explosive point guard that can score, a la Dennis Smith Jr. He is also always going 100 percent, no matter the situation. A young back court of him, Malik Beasley and Malik Monk sounds very intriguing to me. Hopefully Michael Jordan doesn't screw this up and take another big man. If Sexton is still there at 11, he should snatch him up.

12. Clippers- Robert Williams. The Clippers will need a new big man, Deandre Jordan is old, and he wants out, and Robert Williams is basically a younger version of him. He can rebound, he can dunk, and if he wants to, he can play a little defense. The only thing that gives me pause, he isn't always engaged in the game. He comes and goes, and that is unsettling, especially in the NBA. Williams is good, he just has to be 100 percent committed to the NBA, and I don't see that yet.

13. Clippers- Lonnie Walker. The Clippers also need a point guard, and lucky for them, they have 2 picks in a row. They can get 2 positions of need in less than 20 minutes. Walker is a good point guard that can get better. He does need some work, but he is a poor mans version of Sexton. Walker will be fun to watch grow in the NBA. I think he will also enjoy LA. The Clippers, barring any trades, can get better in a very small amount of time tonight. Lets see if Doc Rivers and Jerry West decide to go young.

14. Nuggets- Zhaire Smith. The Nuggets need a point guard to put them over the top, and if Smith is still here at 14, they should snatch him up. He is a good, multi faceted guard, and he will be the cure to what ails this team. The Nuggets have everything else to be a perennial playoff contender, they just need a true point guard, and that is what Zhaire Smith is.

15. Wizards- Kevin Knox. A lot of people are much higher on Knox than I am. I am actually kind of bored with all the Kentucky players, with one exception coming up soon. I know he played out of position at Kentucky, and he looked better near the end of the year, and he has been great in these workouts, but I just don't see him as being more than a fifth starter on an okay team, or a bench player. He is a long wing, which is very en vogue in the NBA right now, but I don't buy the workout stuff or the end of the season stuff. To me he is more Tyler Ulis than Devin Booker.

16. Suns- Troy Brown. The Suns need a real point guard. They can't rely on Tyler Ulis, or anyone else to be a point guard. Booker is a 2 guard, they will take Ayton as their new center, so I feel like Brown may be the answer at point guard. He is a solid all around player, still kind of young and will fit in with what the Suns want to do. I feel like this draft will be the start of something good for the Suns, and taking Brown in the mid first round will be another step in the right direction.

17. Bucks- Shai Gilgeous Alexander. You know how I just said I was sick of the whole Kentucky thing except for one guy? SGA is that one guy. He took over the team last year when they needed a real leader, and he was, by far, the best player on that team. The Bucks need a real point guard, no disrespect to Eric Bledsoe, but his best days are very far behind him, and SGA is just the young dude they need. He and Giannis would make for a great one two punch. I feel like this might be the best fit in the entire draft too. Lets see if he falls this far.

18. Spurs- Jerome Robinson. The Spurs are one of the best drafting teams ever, and that will continue with a little known, but very solid point guard. Robinson will be able to take over for Tony Parker sooner rather than later, and even if this team loses Kawhi, they will get their guard of the future. Robinson will be the type of player that will thrive in the Spurs system, and a year or 2 from now, when Robinson is suddenly being talked about as a fringe All Star, people will look back and think it is because he was drafted by the Spurs.

19. Hawks- Kevin Huerter. Huerter is a good, tall three point shooter. He can spread the floor. He won't be counted on to lead any team to new heights. He will basically be a niche player, and after taking Doncic in the lottery, the Hawks will find their niche guy. The Hawks can view Huerter as a poor man's Lauri Markanen, a guy I was totally wrong about, and play him spot minutes as a spot up three point shooter. This will help the in the long run, and that is all the Hawks will want to do tonight.

20. Timberwolves- Aaron Holiday. The Timberwolves need better guards, and Holiday is already better than any guard they have, with Jeff Teague being the only possible exception. Holiday is fast, has good feet, can play defense, can find the open man and can hit open shots. Hell, he may already be better than Teague. He will also know his role, and he will defer to Andrew Wiggins, Jimmy Butler and KAT. This is the type of point guard the Timberwolves need if they want to return to the playoffs.

21. Jazz- Donte Divincenzo. The Jazz will need their successor to Joe Ingles because, seriously, how long can he keep this up? And, the MOP of the title game this year can step right in. The only thing Ingles has on Divencinzo is his three point range, but this kid will start hitting the NBA three very easily, very soon. He is a better athlete, a better defender, and I love a back court that involves him, and my new favorite player, Donovan Mitchell. No one's stock has risen higher after one game than Divincenzo's, and he will cash in on that tonight.

22. Bulls- Chandler Hutchinson. After swinging for the fences with the Porter Jr pick, the Bulls will go a bit more conventional with this pick. Hutchinson is a lot like Markenan, but not as good at the three point shot yet. But, he is better than a guy like Doug McDermot or Bobby Portis, both of whom the Bulls drafted recently. I feel like Hutchinson will take over the Mirotic role, and while he might not be as good as Mirotic right now, I think he will easily make the Bulls fans forget about him. This would be a solid pick.

23. Pacers- Josh Okogie. The Pacers have a very solid roster, so they can just grab the best available player in their minds. I feel like they will love Okogie. He is a pass first point guard, who can fill in as a backup right away. He will also deliver to the Pacers bigs, and he can run the offense with Oladipo at his side, if need be. Okogie is this year's Fred Van Vleet, except he will be drafted. This is a solid late first round pick, which is exactly what the Pacers need.

24. Trailblazers- De'Anthony Melton. With all the insecurity, and the talk of the Blazers trying to decide between trading CJ McCollum or Damien Lillard, they should trade McCollum, Melton would be a wise choice as a backup plan. He is the type of guard that doesn't always need the ball in his hands, and I feel like he would play much better off Lillard than McCollum does. He also plays better defense than both of those guys do right now. The Blazers need a young, true point guard, and this late in the first round, Melton is the best option. 

25. Lakers- Keita Bates Diop. Here is another guy, like Divencinzo, who had a spectacular year, and will now reap the benefits. Diop is a bit of an old school big, and that is what the Lakers need. He can also shoot the three, which helps him in the modern game. And, if the Lakers continue to go young, I feel like Diop will fit in even better. Diop would go quite nicely alongside Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle, and I feel like he will really enjoy Luke Walton's run and gun offense. If the Lakers do not land a big time free agent, taking a player like Diop makes their immediate future a bit brighter.

26. 76ers- Jacob Evans. At this point in the first round, teams picking this late are usually playoff teams, and they just need bodies. That is the 76ers to a T, and a guy like Jacob Evans would be a big upgrade if they were to lose TJ McConnell to free agency, or a trade. Evans was very good at Cincinnati, and he would be a nice back up, or even put him alongside, to Ben Simmons. He has been in college for four years, and he is mature, and I feel like he is ready for life in the NBA. Evans will be a solid role player, and he will have a long career, and I feel like being picked by the 76ers would do him a world of good.

27. Celtics- Anfernee Simons. The Celtics don't need much. They are in talks with the Spurs about Kawhi. They get both Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving back. I know LeBron is on their radar. They have great young players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They have a great center in Al Horford. They have one of the best defenders in the NBA in Marcus Smart. This pick is just a vanity thing for them. So, why not take a chance this late in the first round on a 19 year old that didn't play college ball? Who really cares. Whoever the Celtics pick here will not be a determining factor on if they go to the Finals next year or not. This pick is irrelevant, so why not swing for the fences?

28. Warriors- Mo Wagner. I just want this to happen because I want a Michigan guy to go to the champs. But, he also is a position of need for them. He is a center, technically, and that is what the Warriors lack most. He can also shoot the three, so he would fit right in, right? I know he is a liability on defense, I watched it for three years, but the Warriors have guys that can make that up for him. This would be the ideal spot for a guy of Wagner's talents. He wouldn't get to play too terribly much, but the fans would love him, and he would know his role. I hope this happens for him.

29. Nets- Mitchell Robinson. I think the Nets will get the steal of the draft if they are able to get this kid. He is another player that didn't play any college ball, who basically sat out for a year, but he is a monster on the inside. He is so big and so strong, and he is only 19 or 20 years old. He and Johnathan Allen can team up for a very intimidating front court. Robinson is also going to be out to prove a ton of people wrong, and he seems like the type of player that something like that will make him go extra hard. I think this kid is going to be good, and I think he would help the Nets get out of the wasteland they are currently stewing in.

30. Hawks- Elie Okobo. Here we have the French James Harden. Now, I only compare him to Harden because both are left handed, and both can get to the rim. As I have said before, the Hawks are building for the future, and Okobo could be a part of that plan. The Hawks can draft and stash him, send him overseas for a few more years, or bring him right to the league, let him play spot minutes his first couple years, then let him loose. This is a pick where they can basically do whatever they want. This Okobo kid is good too. He is a slashing guard that will be hard to defend because he is left handed. He will be a building block for the future of the Hawks.

Okay, there you have my 2018 NBA mock draft. The NBA draft is the only draft I get excited about still, so I will be in and out of it all night. I'm very curious to see where these players go, and to see how many I get right. Tune in tonight to see as well.

Ty

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

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Some Big Time NBA Draft Prospects have Big Time Question Marks

On the eve of the 2018 NBA draft, and yes, I will have a mock draft up tomorrow, I want to point out a few question mark prospects, in my mind. When the draft order was released, I wrote a piece about who I thought the Suns should take at number one, Colin Sexton. But today, I have a few players that I either, don't get why they are so high on everyone else's board, or guys that I feel are much to risky to take in the lottery, or even the first round.

The first player that gives me pause, and this guy was included in my Suns story, is Mo Bamba, and I really like Bamba, I'm just afraid he will never fully form into a dominant NBA player. First off, he is rail skinny. I know guys like KD and Damien Lillard were also deemed too skinny when they entered the league, but both of those guys had jumpers, and were far more polished offensively coming into the league. I do not doubt the defense, and I love the 7 foot 10 inch wingspan, but man is this kid rail thin. He can always gain muscle, especially in an NBA training program, but it is going to take some time. What gives me real pause is that he, right now, is much more Willie Cauley Stein than say a Joel Embiid or even a Johnathan Allen. Both of those guys, and I know Embiid is a star, can finish around the rim against current NBA talent. Cauley Stein cannot do that yet. He is great defensively, and I think Bamba will be even better right away, but his offense leaves so much to be desired. He is going to go in the lottery, probably no later than 5. But, the team taking him should know that it is going to take some time before he is a fully developed all around NBA player. His offense is going to take awhile to come around. I hope he has a very long and successful career, but he is the definition of a "project", just like Cauley Stein.

The next player that I am very hesitant on is a guy that I openly rooted for in college because he played for Michigan. Mo Wagner can shoot the ball, that cannot be denied. But, what else can he do right now? I watched him for three years, and my thoughts on him fluctuated between happy and angry constantly. He would hit some of the most improbable threes I have seen, then get torched on defense. He would get a thunderous dunk, then get out rebounded by a guard. He would be the catalyst to get the Wolverines going, but then he would be immediately gassed. All of this is going to rear its head in the NBA. Wagner can shoot, and having an almost 7 footer that can hit threes is crucial nowadays, but he is a real liability on defense right now. He is a bit too slow, and he gets pushed around by guys bigger than him. He can put on muscle, just like Bamba, but that will only make him slower. He will most likely be a late first round pick, but if I were a GM, I'd wait until the mid second round to take him. He is going to need to work a ton on his defense and footwork. But, his shooting will get him drafted.

The next guy I want to talk about is another big man, Robert Williams. Robert Williams would come and go his 2 years at Texas A&M. Sometimes, see the UNC game in the tournament last season, he would be completely dominant. He was a total force on both ends. He would grab rebounds and throw jams in other players faces. He would also protect the rim as if his family was under it. Then though, look at the very next week in last year's tournament game against Michigan, and he was a total non factor. He should have pushed Wagner and any big guy Michigan threw at him, but as soon as Michigan built up a 15 point lead, he just seemed to stop caring. Sure, he put up decent numbers in that game, but it was all basically garbage time. Michigan was in total control, and when they built that big lead, he just kind of dunked and quit on defense. Will that happen in the NBA? Probably, because when a player is already 20, it is hard to break bad habits. He is also more of an old school center, and that won't work in the NBA right now.

The last player I want to talk about today is the biggest question mark in this draft, and I have seen him mocked as high as number 2 overall in the draft. That player is, and I'm sorry to RD and my older brother Ross, Michael Porter Jr. The fact that he is being discussed as a lottery pick, that the Kings are considering him at 2, that the Bulls are trying to trade up for him, that Dallas is said to like him, that the Cavs really want him, all of this blows my mind. All of those teams are picking in the top 10. What did Porter Jr show last year, and during the pre draft stuff, that have pushed him this high? I really don't get it. I watched him sit pretty much of all of last season after having back surgery. I then saw him come back for 2 games, both losses, where he shot poorly, got exposed on defense, and just looked kind of overcome by the better competition. He has also canceled pre draft workouts based on doctors orders. He still has back problems. I think his knees, or maybe his hips, have been bothering him. But then he comes out and calls himself a mix of KD and Giannis. He comes out and says he is the best prospect in this draft. He claims that the injury stuff is overblown. He seems like he may be a bit too cocky, especially for someone that hasn't proven anything since high school. And I know, he won all the major awards as a high school player. I know he was the consensus player of the year, I know he was the McDonald's game MVP, I understand that he was rated by most publications as the top high school player. So was Dajuan Wagner. So was Eddy Curry. So was, insert name here of many a bust in the NBA. The fact that multiple GM's are considering this kid in the top 8 because he was so great in high school baffles me. Sure, he dominated the high school game because he was playing against kids much smaller than him. I say again, look at his 2 games at Missouri. I know he was coming off an injury, a big time injury, but he was dreadful. He didn't take over the game like many, myself included, thought he would. He was a problem for Missouri when he came back for those 2 games. They had something decent going, but then they had to shoe horn Porter Jr in, and it blew up in their, and his, face. His brother, who is going back for his sophomore year at Missouri, is a better prospect than him, at least in my opinion. I'm shocked that he is going to be a lottery pick. I'm shocked that some stupid GM is going to fall for this. I hope he ends up in Sacramento, because that is what he deserves. Michael Porter Jr may turn out to be great. Maybe all the stuff in high school wasn't a fluke. Maybe the 2 games at Missouri were the fluke. But, I feel like he is going to be an Anthony Bennett level bust in the NBA. I just don't see it with Porter. I'd take a good 10-15 guys before even considering him. That is just me though.

Come back tomorrow to see where I have all these "questionable" picks in my mock draft. They will all, most likely be first rounders, I'm just not sold on them yet.

Ty

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

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Where, Oh Where, is Kawhi Leonard Going?

It seems like Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio. This story broke last week, and just about everyone has given their take. Now it’s my turn.

First off, this bums me out. I love Kawhi as a basketball player, and I loved him playing for the Spurs. It seemed like a perfect fit. He grew with this team. He was a Finals MVP with this team. He worked on his jump shot with this team. He has the best coach to ever coach in the NBA with this team. He was going to be the next in line, if he wasn’t already, to lead this team for the next decade. It was meant to be. But, after last season, he has decided he’s had enough. Last year was a very weird season for him and the Spurs. He only played 9 games. He barely traveled with the team. There were times when he was cleared by team doctors, but he chose to sit. He never seemed fully healthy. He is normally a very quiet guy, but he was extra quiet this year. It was bizarre. And now, he wants out, and he wants to be in a big market. I’m not down with this. I still think the Spurs are the best place for him.

The Spurs are not big enough for Kawhi. He apparently wants to be in LA. I’ve also heard that his camp wants him in New York. Since the reports have come out that Kawhi wants out, he’s been rumored to a bunch of different places. The Lakers seemed like the front runners, but recently, it appears they’ve cooled. The Clippers are supposedly putting together a package for him, but a lot of people, me included, don’t think they have the players or picks. Boston has been announced as someone that can get him, but will Danny Ainge part with his valuable assets? I don’t know. He also may have to get rid of Kyrie or Gordon Hayward for this trade to happen. I’ve heard the 76ers as a possibility, but do the Spurs really want to take on a player like Markelle Fultz or Dario Saric? I think if the 76ers are for real, a player like Robert Covington, or dare I say, Ben Simmons, would have to be included. A new report came out yesterday too, saying the Spurs want to meet with Kawhi face to face, and they won’t trade him to any team in the West, which I think is very smart. They can’t just give up on a top 10 guy in the league right now that’s only 26. And, if the damage has been done, trade him to the other conference so they’d only have to face him a handful of times during the regular season, and only in the Finals in the playoffs.

Whatever happens though, wherever Kawhi ends up, I don’t think it will matter in the long run. LeBron is still the needle pusher, especially if he stays in the East. He is still the best guy in the league right now. And, if the Spurs get an offer from a West team they can’t turn down, will the addition of a Kawhi make that team better than the Warriors, or even the Rockets? I don’t think so. Even if he teams up with LeBron or, say a Paul George, the Warriors are still better, and know how to play off one another. Also, if Chris Paul stays in Houston, I still think the Rockets are better than Kawhi’s future team. If I had my way, he’d stay in San Antonio and he and Aldridge and Poppovich will figure all this out. But, if he’s traded, it may take some time for him to be as highly regarded as he was one season ago.

I hope Kawhi stays, but it looks like he has one foot out of the door. I wouldn’t be shocked if we get a definitive answer during the draft on Thursday night. 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 all the internet.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

The NCAA Made a New Rule for College Football, and It is Awesome

College football just made a very big, yet very little talked about, rule change this past week. The council decided that a player does not have to burn a year of eligibility if they play in at least 4 games in a season. This is a very big deal, and it is a very good thing. For once, the NCAA is doing something right. This is a great rule for everyone involved. Now, if a player gets hurt, or has to sit for other reasons, but they have already played in 4 games, the school, and the player, does not have to burn a redshirt on them.

Awesome.

This would have been great last year for my team, Michigan. Tarik Black got hurt in the third game of the year, and at the time, he was leading the team in receiving. He was the only real threat, although Donovan Peoples Jones emerged later in the year, that the offense had, outside of the run game. But, he broke his foot, needed surgery, and he had to redshirt the season and sit out. He still has his 4 years of eligibility left, but with this new rule, Michigan wouldn't have had to use a redshirt on him. They could have used it on someone else, possibly an offensive or defensive lineman, that really needed it. Black was already contributing and putting up numbers, the redshirt felt wasted. Now, colleges don't have to worry about that.

I'm sure there are other freshman or sophomores who went through the same thing as Black last year, and I'm sure their fans are just as happy about this rule change as I am. This is a game changer. These players, these emerging freshman and such, don't have to fear injury taking a year away from them. This is also great for established starters who might be pushed from incoming highly regarded recruits to not play through minor injuries that could turn into a major injuries. The juniors or seniors who have been starting since they set foot on campus won't feel pressured now to play through a sprain, or tweak, or a concussion for fear of losing their spot. Colleges and players can now be more careful how they tend to injuries. We all know that these kids play through some horrible stuff, and this new rule will, hopefully, rectify this. I know this won't fully stop kids playing through bad injuries, but now there is an incentive to maybe sit a game or two to get yourself back to full health before going back out on the field. 

Like I said at the top, this is, finally, the NCAA seeming to care about these kids. The NCAA, even though it is an evil and corrupt corporation, has at least on the surface, taken a step in the right direction to make it seem like they care about these kids. That is more than I can say for the NFL right now. The NFL would rather hide concussions and throw their "star" players back on the field ASAP. Look at what happened to Russell Wilson last year. He got exploded on a play, was clearly concussed, went to that little blue tent for about 30 seconds, and he was cleared to return to the field. That was insane. There is also the guy that started ahead of Deshaun Watson for some unknown reason, I can't remember his name, but he was hit so hard in a game that his hands were shaking, and he missed one series. That was so dangerous. And the NFL could care less. Now, in the NCAA, they will handle these injuries will more caution than their professional counterparts.

I'm so glad that they are going to, again, at least on the surface, try to make these players think twice about rushing back onto the field. And when you look at it, these are kids that we are talking about. Sure, they are super star athletes, and they are the stars of their schools, but they are kids. And, a lot of them are not going to play professional football. That is reality. So, for the majority of these kids, the ones that will not be pros at football, they can preserve themselves. They can have a life outside of football when their college careers are over due to this new rule. They can be more cautious. They can take better care of their bodies and their minds.

I LOVE this new rule. I think it is going to be great, and it furthers proves my extreme love for college football. College football proves time and time again that they are much further ahead of the curve than the NFL. Now, they just have to pay these players, and it will become that much better.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is currently sit out his 12th year of college football due to injury/age. How many redshirts does a man need?

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Anthony Davis to the Warriors Would Also Make the NBA Unwatchable

A week ago I wrote, pleading to LeBron, to not join the Warriors. It looks like that is a pipe dream, as it should be, but the Warriors are in the mix for another superstar, and they wouldn't really have to give up too much to get him.

I have read and heard rumors that the Warriors are going to go hard after Anthony Davis this summer. First off, please, please, please do not let this happen. This would be just as bad as if LeBron joined the Warriors. I would be very hesitant to watch any of the regular season, or the playoffs, if this happened. And as I said last week, and on Monday, the NBA is only second to college football as my favorite sport to watch. But, if the Warriors are able to acquire Davis, without having to give up one of their 4 All Stars, what would be the point of watching? This would give them an actual center, even though Davis claims to be a 4, and a center who is entering his prime and was an MVP candidate last year.

The proposed package that I have seen would be Andre Iguodala, Jordan Bell and some picks for Davis. That is one of the most one sided trades that I would ever see in basketball, if it were to happen. I know that Iguodala is extremely important to the Warriors, but they can win, right now, without him. Hell, they did that for the first 3 rounds and the first 2 games of the playoffs. I know that he is their lock down defender, and one of the few guys that can "slow down" LeBron, but he is old in NBA terms. I know he is a sometimes shooter who can sometimes be lethal, but not anymore. He passed up tons of open looks in the 2 finals games he played because I think he thought he didn't have the legs. As far as Bell goes, he will be a second year guy that hasn't done much. I know he was a spark off the bench for the Warriors, and he was a solid rebounder, but isn't that is ceiling? I don't really think, as much as I like him, that Bell is ever going to become an All Star, and he will only be a starter on a team that is either tanking, or a fringe playoff contender. And I know he had his moments in the finals, but so did JaVale McGee. I think the team around him made him much better as a rookie than many thought. Then we have the picks. I know draft picks are very valuable in the NBA, but that is only lottery picks. Will the Warriors ever be in the lottery? Not unless something really terrible happens. So, that means that they will be in the 28, 29 or 30 range. There aren't too many superstars or even fringe all stars that get picked that late in the first round.

That is all the Warriors would have to give up, in this reported purposed deal, to get Anthony Davis. That is insane. The Pelicans would be insane to do this. The NBA would be stupid to let this happen. This would totally dampen down the game very, very much. The West, and this is even if LeBron goes to a West team, would be pointless. The Warriors would run ramshackle through the conference. The James thing was a rumor, but this Davis thing feels real.

Say it happens, I know that some will say this will crush their chance at depth, but I disagree. First off, a starting 5 of Davis, Draymond, KD, Steph and Klay is more than enough for this team to win 75-78 games, even if they go 50 percent. Then, I feel like they can poach ring chasers, at the league minimum, to fill out the rest of the roster. They can go out and get guys that have made money, been starters and now, just want rings. Look at David West. He was an all star before signing with the Warriors 2 years ago. Now, he is a 2 time champion who barely saw the floor in the playoffs this year. They could easily get guys like Trevor Ariza, JJ Redick, Brook Lopez and Serge Ibaka, just to name a few. These guys have been in the league long enough, that by now, all they should want are rings. They don't need the money either.

I really don't want this to happen from an esthetic point of view too. This would be, like I said, just as bad as LeBron joining, but it might be worse. Davis would fit ideally in with the Warriors. He isn't ball dominant like LeBron. He is a true center, which the Warriors need. He is young. He is entering his prime. He is a great scorer with, or without the ball. He is a great rim protector and rebounder. He has everything that the Warriors "need". But, like I said Monday and last week, it would be pointless to even watch. The outcome would be easier to pick than it has the past 4 years. I wouldn't tune in to watch a midseason game between the Warriors and Rockets. I wouldn't care about the first 3 rounds of the playoffs. I would tune in just to see who the Warriors would sweep in the Finals, but that would be about it.

I don't like where the NBA is headed. I don't like these guys jumping on the bandwagon of teams they cannot beat themselves. There is no competition anymore. Guys just want to play with their buddies. This would be like a pickup game where one team is clearly better than the other because they got all the height and skill because they all teamed up on the other players. I'm not a fan of the super teams. I'm not a fan of ring chasers. I want these players to stick it out and win a title the "right" way.

I'm pretty sure Davis will stay in New Orleans, but the fact that I am writing about it today means that this is a real thing that could really happen. Lets hope it doesn't.

Ty

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

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The Terrible 2018 NBA Finals Were the Conclusion to a Terrible 2018 NBA Playoffs

The NBA Finals ended last Friday night, and like almost everyone predicted, including myself, the Warriors swept the Cavs. Game 4 was an absolute joke in fact. But, when reflecting back, this whole Finals, and besides 2 rounds, the NBA playoffs were, as a whole, pretty rough.

I love the NBA, but this past month plus of playoff basketball was not very fun to watch. The first round was pretty rough, save for the Cleveland-Indiana series, and that wasn't even top notch basketball. I mean, the Warriors beat the hobbled Spurs in 5, Houston dismantled Minnesota in 5, the Pelicans stomped on the Blazers and Utah blasted OKC. The first round in the West was pretty bad, and mostly predictable. In the East, we have the Cleveland-Indiana series, but, even though it went 7, only LeBron and Victor Oladipo were worth watching. Everything else about that series was rough. Toronto lost 2 to Washington, but we all knew that the Raptors would win that series with ease. Boston had little to no problem with the Bucks, even though Giannis did get 2 wins, and the 76ers, who it was very nice to see them back in the playoffs, dispatched of the Heat with relative ease.

The second round was not any better. In the West, the Rockets easily handled the Jazz in 5, all but showing the rest of the world that Donovan Mitchell was still a rookie. The Warriors gave Anthony Davis one game, but when they decided to care, they hammered the Pelicans. In the East, the Cavs, who clearly own this team, swept the shit out of the Raptors and the Celtics, fully without Kyrie Irving now, surprisingly, and with ease, beat the 76ers in 6.

The conference finals were the only good thing about the playoffs this year. Both series were hard fought and contested. Both series went 7 games. LeBron was amazing in the East. Even though they got beat, I thought James Harden played much better than he ever has this deep in the playoffs. But, the Warriors, after going down 3-2, reminded everyone how great, and how stacked, they really are.

Then we got the fourth straight year of Cavs-Warriors. On paper, and in reality for that matter, this was the most lopsided matchup of these teams since they have faced each other in the Finals. The Cavs are just not a good team. They were not nearly as good on offense this year as they were last year, when the Warriors beat them in 5 games. Losing a player of Kyrie Irving's talent will do that though. This year, probably since only his first couple of years in the league, LeBron had to do EVERYTHING for the Cavs to even have a shot at winning one game. And boy oh boy were they a historically bad defensive team. That showed tenfold these past 4 games. They were just horrendous on that end of the floor. And for the Warriors, this was a cake walk compared to every team they faced in the West playoffs. This is of no disrespect to LeBron, but that Cavs team, and I honestly believe this, would have gotten beat by the Pelicans in the Finals. They were so bad.

With that being said, the Cavs did have a shot to win a game, game one. I wrote all about that monstrosity of officiating and JR Smith and the lack of calling a timeout when you had one and wasting a 50 point plus performance in the Finals from LeBron last week. You can go check out my full thoughts on that. Game 2 was pointless. Steph came out, lit up Oracle Arena and set a record, making 9 threes in a Finals game. Oh, and Klay and KD did their usual thing. I also thought it was hilarious that people thought Klay was going to miss time with a minor injury. That nonsense made me laugh. The Cavs had another shot at a win in game 3, leading by double figures the first half. But KD took over, scored 43 and the Warrior won by 8. Oh, did I mention that they only got 21 points combined from Steph and Klay in that game too? Well, they did. And where has Draymond been all series you may be asking? He played fine defense, but he was a zero on offense. That is how stacked, and almost unfair, this Warriors team is. Three of their four main guys can have a terrible game, but never fear, KD will play the best game of the series, and they will win. Then game 4 was just stupid. RD even texted me at one point, and this was early in the fourth quarter, that this game was gross. I couldn't have agreed more. Game four was a funeral. It was one of the worst closeout games I have ever watched. The Cavs gave up, surrendered, and it showed. Hell, LeBron would only shake hands with the Warriors starters when he checked out, and no one called him out on his poor sportsmanship. People praised him for leaving the floor, as to not show too much emotion. And his "injury" news was some of the fakest shit I have ever seen. LeBron is a masterful basketball player, but all this "woe is me" stuff needs to stop. No one feels sorry for you LeBron.

When the final buzzer sounded, and the Warriors were "celebrating", I was left with a very hollow season. It was what we all expected, but it just felt weird. I wasn't excited. I knew this was coming. I knew KD was going to be the MVP. I knew that the players would talk about how this season was "tougher", and this "journey was different". None of that is true. They knew they were going to win a bunch of titles 2 years ago when they lured KD there. They are a real life cheat code, and it has made the playoffs kind of a drag. We all know now who is going to win, or at least, who should win. And going into next season, surprise surprise, the Warriors are the odds on favorites to win again. This NBA Finals were really a snap shot of how predictable and dull the Finals are going to be in the future.

I guess congrats are in order for the Warriors, but it is getting kind of boring being able to easily predict this stuff every year. I guess this will just make it even sweeter when someone finally knocks them off, whenever that may be.

Ty

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

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If LeBron Joins the Warriors there Will Be No Reason to Watch the NBA

Yesterday a report, coming from Stephen A Smith so take it with the biggest grain of salt you can find, came out that LeBron James will meet with the Warriors this offseason. If this happens, and I'm speaking of the meeting, I will be very, very pissed off. If it goes any further than a meeting, there will be absolutely no point to even watch the NBA next season, a sport I adore.

It is not new news that LeBron is a free agent when this season ends, probably tonight, and he is free to go anywhere. The speculation has been all over the map. At first, it was only the Lakers. He was seen spotted in LA looking at private schools, and he owns a very nice home there. But, doesn't every NBA player, or major NBA players, live in LA in the offseason? All the big time guys have outside interests, mostly in the entertainment industry, and LA is the best place to be to develop connections and make the most money you can. I take zero stock in the fact that he was looking at schools, and he has a home there. Since the middle of the season, the Lakers have kind of fallen off. There is a bit of a resurgence recently, but the Lakers seem unlikely.

After them, it was the Rockets. He was going to go play with his best friend in the league, Chris Paul, and they would finally be able to challenge the mighty Warriors. The three headed monster of LeBron, CP3 and Harden would be more than enough. But, they realized that they would have to get rid of some important people, mainly Clint Capela, and those talks have died down. I know that Vegas still thinks the Rockets have a good shot at getting him, but recent reports have said they will need a max deal to keep Paul, that shouldn't happen, and Capela is going to get paid by someone, and the Rockets better hope it is them because he is about to become a multiple All Star.

Recently it has been the Cavs and 76ers at the front of all the talks. In Cleveland he can do whatever he wants. He is Thanos, he is all powerful. He can snap his fingers and anyone he wants gone, they are gone. He can also bring in whoever he wants. He has carte blanche. He was instrumental in bringing in Kevin Love, Kyle Korver, JR Smith, and countless other veterans that he wants to have on his team. He is also the guy that runs everything on the floor. He controls the offense and he makes the decisions. He calls the timeouts and he picks when and where he wants to come out ad rest, or if he wants to play all 48 minutes. He controls the Cavs. As far as the 76ers goes, he could go to a young, but hyper talented team, and easily lead them to the finals every year. Me personally, I am not a fan of this, but if he wants that easy path to a shot at a title every year, the 76ers are in the East, they have the best young players in the league, and he could come in and be the super duper star that they need to push them over the top. Philadelphia, in theory, makes the most sense outside of him staying in Cleveland.

If all LeBron wants is an easy path, and to spend the rest of his career playing 28 minutes a game, and not having to worry about competition, then by all means, join the Warriors. This would be a brutal blow to the NBA. But, as I said, if LeBron doesn't want a challenge, and just wants to be one of the guys, not "the guy", then join the Warriors. If he were to do this, that Warriors team, even if they only had their 5 starters and 2 bench guys, could easily win 80 games, and sweep their way to a title. The starting five would be Steph, Klay. KD, LeBron and Draymond Green. All five All Star starters. They could throw RD and I on their bench and we would win the title. It would make for must see TV for about a week, but after that, watching games would be pointless. Would anyone really want to go see a midseason game between Golden State and say, I'll even pick a decent team, the Rockets? Not anyone outside those 2 cities. And I think even the Rockets fans might pass on that game. The great thing about sports is how dramatic it can be, but if LeBron were to join the Warriors, all that dram would be gone. The Warriors would easily win every game, even if they only gave 50 percent.

I also think it is terrible because LeBron is used to being the alpha. He is used to being the guy with the ball in his hands. He is used to getting every big shot. He is used to being catered by his teammates. That would destroy everything that Golden State has built these past three seasons. While I don't like the Warriors, I love their style of play. They are a newer, better and younger version of vintage Spurs. They play pure basketball, getting the ball to open shooters for the best possible shot. LeBron would halt all of that. He needs the ball in his hands to be as effective as he can be. Also, this is Steph's team. Sure, some may say that KD has taken over, but he hasn't. Steph is who the fans come to see. Steph is the one with the ball in his hands at the end of the game. More kids have Steph's jersey than any other player in the NBA. Then, second is KD. Then third is Klay. If LeBron signs there, he would be fighting with Draymond as the fourth most important player. Can he handle that? No freaking way.

This is a horrible idea on so many levels, and I really, truly hope it doesn't happen. I don't think it will, but I also didn't think that KD would join the Warriors 2 years ago. If the NBA gods have any sense, they won't let this happen.

Ty

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

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John Beilein is Staying at Michigan. That is Great News

Yesterday John Beilein confirmed that he is returning to coach the university of Michigan men's basketball team. Today he even said that he wants to finish his coaching career at Michigan. All of this comes about a week after he was made the odds on favorite to land the open Detroit Pistons head coaching job. I had very mixed emotions about all of this.

First off, I am not a Pistons fan, but I do not have the same visceral hatred for them as I do the LA Clippers. I am very indifferent when it comes to the Pistons. But, I know that there were many, many fans in Detroit that were very shook up by this news. They have love for Beilein, but I also think they thought that he would have been a good choice for the Pistons. It had to be hard for them to choose between their love for their pro team and their college team. I get it in the college sense, but as I said, I don't really care either way about the Pistons.

I was also feeling very odd about the news because it isn't Michigan's basketball coach that is always rumored to be going to the pros, it is their football coach. Every year since Jim Harbaugh has taken over Michigan's football team, some journalist or talking head has said that he will be leaving for the NFL. This has been going on for four years now. I'm used to the rumors, and to be quite frank, I always expect him to bolt. But, for John Beilein to be the one that was going to jump to the pros, it kind of shook me.

Coach Beilein has done wonders at Michigan. When he took over around 11 years ago, that team was a mess. They were still reeling from the Fab Five and Robert Traylor sanctions, and they were at the bottom of the Big Ten. Since then, they have slowly crept their way to, at least, being in the top half of the Big Ten, ranked in the top 25 every year and pretty much always an NCAA tournament team. He has also taken Michigan to 2 Final Four's and 2 title games. He has done all of this with, mostly, guys that were under recruited in high school. Yes, he pulled in some big time guys, Mitch McGary, Glenn Robinson III and Tim Hardaway Jr all come to mind. But, he has done most of his damage with the less heralded recruits. Trey Burke was Mr. Ohio basketball, but not even the University of Ohio State would recruit him. They said they didn't have space for him. And look at what Burke did in his 3 years at Michigan. He led them to a national title appearance, won NCAA player of the year, hit that spectacular shot against KU and was a lottery pick. I give Burke most of the credit, but it was Beilein's system and coaching that really made him a great college player. There is also a guy like Nik Stauskas. No one knew much of this scrawny kid out of Canada. But, he came to Michigan, became a lethal three point shooter and he also became a lottery pick. Again, I give a ton of credit to Beilein for doing that. Or take someone like Jordan Morgan, Beilein's first real big man. For those that know, Beilein likes to run a space and pace offense with shooters everywhere, and one big guy to rebound. Well, Morgan could rebound and defend, but he also became a very capable scorer under Beilein's tutelage. He now has a successful career overseas. And we have guys like Darius Morris, who was kind of a big time recruit, came to Michigan, struggled his freshman year, learned the offense, had a great sophomore year and turned that into a pro career. Manny Harris is another guy that thrived under Beilein.

I then look at the team from last year. After the plane crash, then going on to win the Big Ten tournament, and make a run to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament. That was amazing, and he did it with very unheralded recruits. Zak Irvin was a big time contributor on that team. Mo Wagner was still learning the college game. DJ Wilson blossomed in the tournament. Muhammed Ali Abdur Rahkmann was still figuring it out. And Derrick Walton, I don't think I have ever trusted a player with a coach's system since the Fab Five guys, as I did with Walton and Beilein's system. Walton Jr was incredible at running the super intricate plays that Beilein puts in there, and they had a great run.

Then we have last season. After Walton Jr and Irvin graduated, and DJ Wilson declared for the draft, I did not expect much from Michigan. I figured they would be a tournament team, and maybe make it to the second round, but that was it. But, with Wagner finally playing well and Abdur Rahkmann easily stepping into the Derrick Walton role, and Zavier Simpson doing great things and Jon Teske being a great back up center, and all those freshman, Isiah Livers and Jordan Poole come to mind, this team pushed all the way to the title game. Yes, they got throttled, but they made it there, and I give all the credit in the world to John Beilein for that. He turned these 3 and 4 star guys into a great team. Michigan doesn't need the "one and done" guys with Beilein there. He will develop guys.

So, that was why I was a little shook when he was interviewing for the Pistons job, and then especially when everyone thought he was going to get it. He just feels like a college coach to me. He is where he belongs. And hey, I would have not blamed him for one second of he took the Pistons job. I fully understand wanting to compete at the highest level to see if you can hack it. I have heard numerous people say it, and it is very true, there are only 30 head coaching jobs in the NBA, so if someone wants you, you must be doing something right. He has earned the right to have his choice. But boy am I glad he stayed at Michigan. I truly do hope he stays there for the rest of his career because he has made me care about their basketball team once again. I still love their football team with all of my heart, when it comes to sports, but I am starting to get there with the basketball program too. That is all due to John Beilein.

Ty

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

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Any Good American Needs to Celebrate the Philadelphia Eagles

Not once, but twice I have found myself rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles this year. First was the Super Bowl, when they defeated the New England Patriots, thus not only winning for their city, but for the majority of NFL fans out there. Now, I cheer for them because of what they have made that repugnant, disgusting, racist, amorphous blob that currently resides in the White House release yesterday.

In a statement, the "president" (not my president), rescinded their invite to the White house today to celebrate their Super Bowl win. Every team, pretty much every year, that wins a title in a major sport goes to the White House to celebrate. This is supposed to be a big deal. It is supposed to be an honor. It is supposed to be something that we all see and say, hey, these athletes did something special. But, ever since that racist, pile of garbage, dip shit of a person took over as "president", more and more title winning teams are refusing to go and visit him and his cronies, and it is getting under his skin now. Sure, the Cubs went last year, but no one of real importance was there, with the exception of Joe Maddon, and he looked absolutely miserable. And yeah, the Penguins went a year ago, but hockey is stupid, and who really cares. But, the Warriors didn't go last year. The UNC Tarheels skipped their trip a year ago. I'm pretty sure Villanova won't be visiting any time soon. And now we have the Eagles. It was pretty much common knowledge that none of them were going to go. Well, scratch that, I think less than 10 of the players on the roster were willing to visit.

When you look at some of the guys on the team, you knew they wouldn't go and give that monster the time of day. Malcom Jenkins is one of the biggest protesters in the NFL, and he also happens to be a big time guy in the NFLPA, and we all knew he wouldn't go. Same with Chris Long. He has been very outspoken about his political beliefs, and I love that. He also played this past season, and he gave all of the game checks he made to random charities. That is a true American. I know Nick Foles had zero intentions of going to the White House after the Eagles won. He said as much. And I'm pretty sure guys like Brandon Graham, Jay Ajayi, Legarette Blount, Corey Clement, Alshon Jeffrey, hell, 99 percent of the roster, had no real intentions of going to see those pricks in D.C. As I said, they have been very outspoken on how much they despise and are concerned by what is going on in Washington, and I love that about them.

So, for this piece of white trash to come out and basically say, I'm taking my ball and going home, or you were never invited in the first place, shows how immature and unfit he is for the position he cheated his way into "winning". If I've said it once, I have said it a million times. You cannot rescind an invitation that was already declined. The Eagles, the majority of them that is, already came out weeks, hell, months ago and said they wouldn't go. Now, this nonsense comes out. Oh, and for Fox News to put that story out that they did, the one with a picture of Zak Ertz kneeling and praying before a game, saying he was protesting, do your god damn research. Even me, a blogger from Saint Louis, knows that he prays before every game. How can an entire company be so off base? And good for Ertz to come out and chastise them and call them "fake news", which is their favorite term to use. Mad props to him for going public and letting them know that they were wrong.

You can see how all of this is starting to really goad the "president" and his cronies. They are really starting to lose their shit because famous pro athletes, that win without cheating, are not going to "kiss the ring". They want to stay as far away from all that nonsense as possible. They don't want to be seen with that "person". They loathe him and what he has done in less than 2 years. This is what a racist deserves. They don't need to be praised, they need to chastised. They need to be held accountable for their wrong doings. They need to be shunned. They need to be shown for the monsters they are.

To really hammer home their point, that athletes are people too, both LeBron James and Steph Curry came out today and said that neither team, whichever one wins the NBA Finals, will be visiting the White House any time soon. LeBron went out there and spoke his mind once again, and much like the Eagles players, I love him for that, Steph too. Kids are seeing this. My kids are seeing this, and seeing that they can stand up to bullies, and that makes me so very proud.

I hope star athletes and more famous people continue to speak their minds. We are fed up. There are monsters "running" the country right now, and we need more and more people to continue to speak their minds. Thank you Steph, LeBron, and most importantly for today, the Philadelphia Eagles. Thank you for what you are doing. You are the real patriots. You are the real Americans.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He wants all Eagles players and fans to know they are welcome at his house anytime. Just please leave the batteries at home.

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Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals Was One for the History Books

Game one of the NBA Finals was great last night.

It surprised me very much. I did not see this effort coming from the Cavs. I figured LeBron would be great, as he has been his entire career, and especially in these playoffs, but I did not expect his supporting cast to play as well as they did. Larry Nance provided that spark that he is so good at doing. Kevin Love finally showed up. George Hill was solid. I mean, the players LeBron has surrounded himself stepped up, for the most part.

Before I really dig into the game, LeBron's performance last night was otherworldly. He was absolutely amazing. He was so efficient and played hard and did everything that he could do to push his team to a victory. My problem with LeBron last night, I hate that fake ass tough guy he tries to be when the game is over. He blocked a Steph layup attempt with less than a minute left in overtime, and proceeded to shit talk him. Steph came right back and him, and Klay joined in as well. What I loved is that Steph didn't back down, he held his own, and seeing Klay laugh in his face and shrug his shoulders at him was amazing. LeBron is a sore loser. I get it, I hate losing too, but that fake tough guy bull shit needs to stop. We all know you are the best player in the game right now, but stop it with the fake tough guy attitude. It is tiring and annoying and looks really bad, especially when you let a game slip away that you should have won. LeBron was great, amazing and dominated, but he is a very, very sore loser and fake tough.

The Warriors did last night what they have done all year. They dicked around for the entirety of the game, until it went into overtime. That was when they locked in, and they dominated. But, the first 4 quarters had to be so frustrating for all the Warriors fans out there. They just seem to go out there, disrespect the opponent and expect to win. KD was awful on offense last night. I know he had 28 or so, but it was not at all efficient, and he took way too many jumpers. Steph had a good scoring game, but he was throwing bad passes and dribbling way too much. He was also exposed time and time again on defense. Klay had a rough scoring night and he was hurt early on in the game. You'd never know because he is so even keeled, but he needs to score more. Draymond was probably the only Warrior that really showed up last night, and he had a very solid game, and kept his shit talking to a minimum. The rest of the team, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, Nick Young and Patrick McCaw, were all non factors, as expected.

Now, we have to go to that final minute or so of play last night. First thing, the block/charge call. When I saw it in real time I thought it was a block. LeBron's feet looked to be shuffling over, and KD was not out of control on his drive. The refs initially called it a charge, and I thought, okay, he is a super star, and he has earned those calls. When they overturned it, I was shocked. I never, ever expected that, especially a call to go against LeBron in the Finals. It was very surprising. Even with that call going the Warriors way, the Cavs kept scoring and took a lead very late in the fourth, like under a minute left. Then, Steph hit a floater and was fouled, or maybe not, and made the free throw to grab the lead for the Warriors. I figured that was it, the Warriors were going to close it out in the fourth quarter up 1 point with about 25 seconds left. Well, George Hill made a fantastic cut, and while cutting he got fouled by Klay, and it was definitely a foul. So Hill, who is around an 80 percent free throw shooter went to the line for a chance to win the game with 4 seconds left. He easily sunk the first free throw, and then the second one happened. Hill left the shot very short, but JR Smith, somehow, got the rebound over KD, and instead of shooting or kicking it out to LeBron, he dribbled out the clock.

I have never, ever seen anything like that. It ranks right up there with Webber calling timeout in the title game when Michigan didn't have any timeouts. When pushed, Smith said he thought the Cavs were winning. If he thought that, why was LeBron yelling at him? Why didn't he check the clock or scoreboard? Why did he think everyone was yelling at him? Why would the Warriors not foul him? I have so many questions for JR Smith. This will be one of those infamous plays that will be showed on highlight shows for eternity. And even after the game, Smith tried to say that he knew the game was tied, but we all know that is some bull shit. He blew it.

After Smith's blunder, overtime started, and that was when the Warriors finally woke up. They dominated every second of overtime, scoring the first seven points and eventually winning the game by 8. But, it wasn't without drama. We had the fake tough LeBron show up. Tristan Thompson, who is a scumbag, also became fake tough. Draymond started to yap more. Steph and Klay laughed in LeBron's face. And KD was quiet as usual when it comes to this type of stuff.

For as well as the Cavs played last night, they really blew a golden opportunity, and they are more doomed now than I thought they were at the start of the Finals. The Cavs will not play any better than they did last night, and they still lost. LeBron may have another game or 2 like he had last night, but will Love show up again? Are they really going to count on Nance to give them spark minutes? How will JR Smith react to his horrible end of game blunder? Where was Kyle Korver last night? Are they going to give Clarkson another 20 minute game? Will Ty Lue ever outcoach Steve Kerr again?

My simple answer to all of these questions, no. Hell, the Warriors may still come out and dick around, but they are so, so, so much better than the Cavs, and I think they will want to brutalize them now. And for the Cavs fans blaming the refs today, take that heat and put it towards JR Smith or George Hill. They each had a chance to win that game, and they both blew it big time. Game one was awesome, but I do not think we will see another one like it. The Cavs don't have it in them to play like that once again.

Ty

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

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The 2018 NBA Finals and Our New Basketball Normal

We all knew it would come to this, and starting tomorrow night, the Cavs and Warriors will face off for the fourth straight NBA Finals matchup.

I think most of us knew this was going to happen, but at the very least, there was a teeny tiny bit of drama. Cleveland had to survive a very tough fight from Indiana in the first round. In reality, I thought the had a real chance to win. I would not have been shocked if they beat Cleveland in Cleveland. But, they just aren't there yet. The Raptors put up nothing. They looked awful. The Cavs must really be in their heads. They were the one seed, and it was so lopsided, LeBron was clipping his fingernails during one of the games. It was one of the easiest sweeps I have ever seen in the playoffs. And while the Celtics put up great effort minus their 2 best players, I don't think anyone in their right minds really thought this particular Celtics team would beat LeBron in a game 7. All that being said, what LeBron has done this playoffs is remarkable. The team around, much of it his doing, is awful, and he dragged them to his 8th straight Finals appearance. That is incredible. He is clearly the best player in the game right now. He did a wonderful job with a bunch of too young or too old or just flat out scrubs around him. My hats off.

The Warriors kind of just dicked around the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, like they have done all year. They drew the Spurs, who didn't have Kawhi Leonard all year, and their 3 best guys were Tony Parker, who is a million years old, Manu Ginobli, who is even older, and LaMarcus Aldridge, who I like, but he is not equipped for the modern NBA. They won that series pretty handily in 5. They then drew the Pelicans, who were coming off a thrashing of the Blazers, and everyone said this was the one team no one wanted to face, and disposed of them in 5. Anthony Davis was great, but the Warriors made everyone else beat them, and everyone around Davis is not that good. They did have a hell of a fight from the Rockets though in the West Finals. Sure, some of the games were blow outs, but games 4, 5 and most of game 7, were all close. It may not have been pretty, but they were close. But, in the end, KD and Steph stepped up, and Harden disappeared and Chris Paul got hurt. That is their destiny. This was probably their best shot to beat the Warriors, and they just couldn't do it. And to miss 37 threes, 26 in a row, that is downright embarrassing. Just stop shooting them for awhile. Man, that was brutal.

All of this led to the inevitable. We all picked this before the season. Sure, there were moments during the season when the Cavs were questioned, but they don't play for the regular season. Sure, the Warriors dicked around all year, but when you have 2 MVP's and 4 All Stars you can get away with that. There was never a doubt in my mind. I know that I wrote the Warriors were in trouble a week ago, but I didn't pick them to lose. In fact, I doubled down. I figured they would start to care, and when they did, they provided that knock out punch. I was more skeptical of the Cavs, but LeBron did what he does, and here he is again. My son has only been alive for 6 years and he knows no one other than LeBron always in the Finals. It is starting to get that way with the Warriors too. He asked me this morning if we will see the same 2 teams he saw when he was three, and I told him yes and he sighed. This is the NBA now. This will continue to be the NBA. These are the 2 teams that everyone else will have to look up to until LeBron leaves and the Warriors can't afford their team anymore.

Since the Finals start tomorrow, I figured I would give a pick. If the Warriors don't sweep, I will be very, very surprised. They are so much better in every aspect of the game than the Cavs. The Cavs do have LeBron, who is the best player, but they can let him get his and make the rest of the Cavs beat them, just like the Pelicans series. The Cavs have no one around to help LeBron. Kevin Love is a shell of himself, and he is hurt. JR Smith has admitted how tired he is. Kyle Korver cannot hit the ocean right now. Jeff Green is Jeff Green. Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance are non factors. Tristan Thompson is a scumbag, and he is too slow to play in this series. George Hill comes and goes. They just don't have the horses to keep up with the Warriors. KD, Steph, Klay and Draymond are going to destroy the Cavs. This series is so lopsided, it should be on NBA TV. And I'm sorry saying this because LeBron is so great. He is so gassed though from carrying this team, and if he continues to play defense in the Finals like he has the entirety of the playoff, it will offset anything he does on offense. This is going to be a bloodbath, and I wouldn't be shocked id the Warriors win the first 4 games of the series by 10-15 points a piece.

Warriors in 4, no question.

Editor's Pick: LeBron gets one, Warriors in 5.

Ty

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

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How the Rockets are Beating the Warriors

Last night the Rockets took a 3-2 series lead on the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.

I have to admit I was wrong first of all. After game one I wrote that the Warriors were locked in, and that should run away with the series now that they were actually trying. Well, the Rockets have muddied up the game, James Harden and Chris Paul, and the Rockets bench, are playing much better, and they have total control of the series. They can close it out on Saturday night, and it would not surprise me. I know that Chris Paul is officially out of game 6 with a hamstring pull, but I do not think it will matter much. I also realize that the game is in Oracle, but again, I don't think it will matter much.

The problem, after game one, the Warriors returned to how they have played this entire season. They have only really showed up when they need to, and they have played bored and careless almost all season. It is all coming back to haunt them now. After game one, they have only played one other game, game 3, where they have looked like the team that they are supposed to look like. In games 2, 4 and 5, the Warriors have looked helpless and lost. They are playing way too much isolation basketball. They are playing right into the Rockets hands. They are doing everything that the Rockets want them to do. The Warriors are letting the Rockets shoot threes. They are letting Harden get to the hoop unimpeaded. They are letting Clint Capela constantly burn them on pick and rolls. Their bench, or lack there of, is hurting them. Their old school centers are pretty much unplayable. And the Rockets are taking total advantage of all this, and more. Props to Mike D'Antoni for letting his team play like they have all year, and letting Harden run the show. Props to Harden for getting the playoff choking moniker off his back. Even if the Warriors wake up and win the series, Harden has been very solid. Props to Chris Paul for going out there, playing his game and not letting the moment get to him. I'm actually a little bummed that he is out of the next game because I want both of these teams at full strength. This series has gone the exact opposite of how I thought.

Maybe I should have seen this coming. As I said, the Warriors have lacked the killer attitude all year long. They do not seem to care, no matter how big the moment. Steph is playing better, but he is still getting exposed on defense. Every night there is a highlight of him getting shook by Harden or Paul. Klay Thompson is hurt, and has gone ice cold from the field. He cannot hit the ocean, and he is getting torched on defense. KD has been scoring a ton, but that is really it. He has a very small amount of assists. Besides game one, his defense has been mediocre at best. And he is playing far too much iso ball. Dare I say, he has become the Warriors version of Russell Westbrook. Draymond Green has been horrendous in this series. He cannot score, he is getting dunked on every night, and he keeps talking shit as if he is doing something. Even his own mom called him out on Twitter for his poor play.

The most egregious performance, at least to me, is Steve Kerr's coaching. He is being wildly outcoached by D'Antoni. His willingness to let his players play through big runs is shocking. His decision to not call timeouts has been Andy Reid bad. Then his attitude, for example his, "I feel like we are in a great situation" quote after last night's game, has shocked me. This team is on the brink, and he is acting as if it is game 30 of the regular season. And I say again, that has been the problem all year. They just do not seem to care. They look like they will be just fine going on vacation after tomorrow night's game, if they do not win. They just seem disinterested. And the Rockets are taking full advantage of it all.

Hopefully the Warriors find their mojo again, because I'd love this series to go 7. But, the way the Warriors have come out the last 2 games, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Rockets end it tomorrow night. We will just have to wait and 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 all the internet.

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The Clippers Continue to Be One of the Worst Franchises in All of Sports

I want to start off today with a question.

What in the hell are you doing Los Angeles Clippers?

Look, I know that I have written about my extreme dislike for this team, but to give Doc Rivers an extensions, that is bananas. Yes, he was an okay coach at one time, although I think he gets a little inflated with his one title when the Celtics acquired KG and Ray Allen. Before that though, the Celtics wanted to fire him because he wasn't winning. And even before that, I'm pretty sure he was let go by the Magic. Rivers is a very, very middle of the road NBA coach. He has that one title, but that can only take you so far. Since he took over the Clippers, my mind has not changed on him. He had some very talented teams there, and the furthest he got in the playoffs, the second round. He had a team that had a prime Chris Paul, a never better DeAndre Jordan, and a healthy Blake Griffin, and they blew a 3-1 lead against the Rockets. And before that, there is the epic Chris Paul meltdown against the Thunder. There is the plethora of injuries that have this team bounced in the first round. There is his horrific instincts as a GM that has cost this team any semblance of a bench. His go to move as a GM was to sign guys that played the Celtics well when he coached there, but they were far out of their prime, or give his son a ridiculous contract because he's his son. Last year they got bounced by a Jazz team that was not that good in the first round, and I blame the majority of that on his coaching. They had game 7 at home, and his team laid a total egg. Chris Paul looked disengaged. Deandre Jordan wasn't being played hardly at all in critical moments, and Blake Griffin, well, he has been a shell of himself since the blown 3-1 series lead. Then this offseason, after losing Chris Paul, which Rivers did not handle well publicly, they gave Griffin a max deal. They said he would be a Clipper for life. They then went out and signed Danilo Galinari and some other dudes off the scrap heap, and the offseason chatter was that this team may be good. Well, they traded Griffin halfway through the year, Galinari was constantly injured and the guys they acquired from the Pistons, Avery Bradley and Tobias Harris, they were either hurt, Bradley, or didn't do much of anything, Harris. And they were out of the playoff picture before the year was close to done.

So, I assumed, much like everyone else, that the Clippers would relieve Rivers of all his duties, head coach included. They stripped him of player personal development and his GM duties, and I figured head coach was next. But today, they totally flummoxed me. Not only did they retain him, but they gave him a decent extension. I believe his deal lasts into the 2020's. That is insane. Do they really think this team, led by Austin Rivers and Deandre Jordan, if he sticks around, and coached by Doc Rivers will be a viable option in the West? Do they think Doc Rivers will be the guy to lure free agents like Kawhi and Paul George and LeBron to the Clipper over the Lakers or 76ers or any other team that is currently better than them? Do they really think they can reach the Finals being coached by Doc Rivers? None of that is going to happen. As long as Rivers is the coach there the Clippers will continue to be mediocre. He hasn't adjusted his coaching style to the modern game. He still lives in the past, and as I said earlier, signs guys that were once great against him, but are now trash. He will continue to give the keys to the team to his son, and his son is not a great NBA player. His teams will always hover around 38, 39 or 40 wins, but that will never be enough to be a playoff team in the West.

This is a dumb decision by a historically dumb franchise. I've been impressed with a lot of the offseason coaching moves, but this one is a head scratcher. Teams in the West will continue to pass by the Clippers, and the Clippers will return to being a laughingstock of a franchise. This move makes zero sense.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet. He also does think it is awesome how LeBron handled the MAGA hat wearing douche in his last game.

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The NFL is Filled with Cowards

If that ball does not stand up, it will be kicked out of the Backyard Football League

The NFL is cowardly and stupid and the owners and the people in charge only care about money.

I had to say it.

Today it was announced that there will be some rule changes involving the anthem protests that have been all over the place for 2 years now. This is so frustrating and makes me so very angry. The rules that they will most likely implement are, if a player is kneeling during the anthem, the team will be penalized. But they say that teams can stay in the locker room if they want during the anthem.

Excuse the hell out of me, but aren't these protesting players just expressing their right to free speech? This is a right given to us all, and the mouth breathing rednecks that voted for this current "government" are now getting their way. That is bull shit. Whenever the mouth breathers want to say whatever they want, they claim free speech. But, if a professional athlete decides that they want to kneel for the anthem, they are traitors. What a load of garbage.

Also, why does the NFL care so much about the protests? Why is it such a big deal? The NFL has much, much bigger fish to fry, but they focus on under inflated footballs and players exercising free speech. This is truly appalling. It is sickening and gross. This makes me hate a sport that I love so very much. Stuff like this makes me not want to watch the games anymore.

I fully support the players that have decided to kneel or sit down for the anthem. I am 100 percent behind Colin Kaepernick. He did it due to police violence, and now this thing has grown into something that I am proud to stand with. I don't stand for the anthem at sporting events anymore. I was just at my son's school the other day, and they played the anthem and I sat down next to him the whole time. Did the school scold me, or fine me, or put my son in the principal's office? Nope. They let me exercise my right to free speech. But, pro football players now will penalize their whole team for standing up for social injustices.

Jesus Christ this is depressing.

Roger Goodell is a spineless joke of a commissioner. He will go down as the worst commissioner in any sport ever. He always bends over backwards for the wrong people. I know, he works for the owners, but so does Adam Silver, and he takes stands with the players every time over the owners and coaches. The NBA is light years ahead of the NFL as far as supporting players and their right to express their beliefs in non violent ways. Major League Baseball is getting better than the NFL with this too, and that sport is almost as white as golf. College sports have even allowed kids to take a stand anyway they seem fit, so long as it is non violent, and none of those kids get chastised or kicked off the team. So why is the NFL so ridiculously in the bag with the owners and the people in power right now? I don't get it. The NFL is the most popular sport in the country, but people like Roger Goodell are doing everything in their power to destroy the fans will to watch the game anymore.

I said it before and I will say it again, I love football, but I am growing to despise the NFL. These proposed rule changes are so dumb. They are old school in all the wrong ways. This will make the owners feel like they are gods, like they can do whatever they want. I'm sickened by this. The fact that they are going to penalize teams for using freedom of speech is so, so, so stupid. And how have the anthem protests effected the game, or the ratings? Again, the NFL is thriving. The games are almost always sold out, at least for the top teams. During the fall, football is on most televisions across the country. I don't see many ad companies pulling from CBS, Fox or ESPN because of the protests.

What it all really boils down to, in my opinion, the owners and Roger Goodell are trying to show who is supposed to be in charge, and that is a crock of shit. I hope players still protest on the field. I hope big time guys come out and kneel during the anthem. If the NFL wasn't absolutely filled with collusion, I would hope that when/if Kaepernick got signed, the first game back, he would kneel. These players have all the right in the world to continue with their anthem protests. A 10 yard penalty shouldn't change that. And, if a coach or GM or owner thinks a minuscule little penalty is going to change the way the players protest, I think they are stupid.

The NFL is becoming awful, and it will only get worse with these proposed rule changes. This makes me so angry. Please get into the 21st century NFL. These players are people, and they have minds of their own, and they are allowed to express their freedom of speech. What an awful decision by the NFL today.

Ty

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

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LeBron James is Not Michael Jordan Great

With his exceptional play in these NBA playoffs, the talk of "is LeBron better than MJ" has started up again. I'm here today to put a stop to this nonsense as best I can.

First off, I never thought I'd say this, listen to what Scottie Pippen has been saying. These guys are 2 different types of players in 2 different eras of the NBA, so they cannot be compared favorably. If we had done this in the past, why not bring guys like Bill Russell, George Mikan, Kareem Abdul Jabaar and Oscar Robertson, just to name a few legends, into the debate. Those guys are never brought up because of the eras they played in. So, like Pippen says, this whole MJ vs LeBron debate is moot. LeBron plays in a much softer, score as many points as you can and lets all be friendly era of basketball. Jordan played in a rough, gritty, knock you down and make sure you are hurt era of basketball. While I like the current NBA more than the 80's or 90's, I think there is no question that the 80's or 90's was tougher, with better players. Names from that era include Jordan, Pippen, Ewing, Isaiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Magic and Bird, Karl Malone and John Stockton and Reggie Miller. If I'm not mistaken, all of those guys are in the Hall of Fame. And while there are great players now, Steph, LeBron, KD, Westbrook, Dwayne Wade and Tim Duncan, they do not hold the same weight, not yet, as the guys I mentioned from the 80's and 90's. They are, without question, better players. And while the current guys can become great, none of them, and that includes LeBron, hold the same aura as these guys from the 20th century. I'd rather have any of those guys on my team than anyone from the 21st century of NBA basketball. Yeah, I said it. So we can throw the eras out of the conversation immediately. Also, if prime MJ played in this current age of the NBA, he would average anywhere between 50 and 60 points a game, easily. Imagine MJ, with all the restrictions on defense, and his will to get better, adding the three point shot to his game, how much he would dominate. He would absolutely be a killer right now in the NBA. No question about it.

When I sit down and really think about it, really hard, there is no way that LeBron is a better basketball player than MJ. I love LeBron. I think he is great. He is definitely top 5 of all time NBA players. He has had a monstrous, and highly successful career. He has molded his game and gotten better every year. He is like a fine wine, except better. The things he is doing right now, after 15 years in the league, is undoubtedly one of the best things I have ever witnessed. So yes, I realize his greatness, but he is no MJ. LeBron has gotten fat off of horrific competition. When you look at the "toughest" teams he has had to face, teams like the Pacers, led by Roy Hibbert, before Paul George was great, or the Celtics with the rotting corpses of KG and Paul Pierce, or a super young, not yet ready Thunder team, when they had Westbrook, KD and Harden, are all over it. This isn't nearly the competition that MJ had to face. He had Starks and Ewing and the Knicks led by Pat Riley. Or, earlier in his career, the Bad Boy Pistons led by Thomas and Dumars. Or the Lakers with Magic and Kareem and Byron Scott. He faced the likes of Barkley in the Finals with the Suns. He dominated the Jazz, led by Stockton and Malone. He had to beat up on the Trailblazers when people thought that Clyde Drexler was as good as him. He dominated the Sonics led by Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton. I mean come on, the competition is not even close. Jordan had the much stiffer players and teams he had to beat, and he not only beat them, he dominated them.

Which leads me to another reason why this isn't even a debate. LeBron is friends with every other current star. Sure, he may play tough when he blocked one of Steph's shots 2 years ago, but off the court, they are buddies. This I am sure of. He has also openly admitted that some of his best friends are Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. In fact, I think the only guy he doesn't like is Dan Gilbert, and that is for good reason. I bet you he even thinks Lance Stephenson is an okay dude. MJ hated everyone, including his teammates. You may read that and think, well that makes him a miserable person. I see it differently. He expected the same amount of greatness out of his teammates, which was impossible, and not only wanted to beat his opponents, he wanted to embarrass them. He was a killer on the court through and through. He wasn't friends with Ewing or Malone. People say he and Charles Barkley were friends. I just think they gambled together. People say he was friends with Charles Oakley. No way. He just needed a body guard. Case in point of his need to embarrass players, look at the Dream Team, and what he did to Toni Kukoc in the 92 Olympics. Kukoc was the Bulls new guy that would usher in a new era of Bulls basketball, and not only did Jordan take this personally, but he convinced Pippen to as well. And boy oh boy did they dominate and frustrate Kukoc in the one meeting. It is a thing of beauty. So, while LeBron wants to befriend everyone, Jordan just wanted to win. I'll take the winner over the friendly guy any day.

Finally, back to the Pippen thing, they are 2 different types of players. LeBron wants to involve teammates and only take over when it is absolutely needed. LeBron also only goes hard on defense when there is an opportunity for a highlight play. LeBron whines a bunch, just like most other modern players, constantly to the refs. And LeBron, I say again, I think he is one of the greatest, might be the most uncoachable player in the history of the NBA. LeBron is more Magic, but a better, and much, much bigger scorer. Jordan took over from the start. Jordan did everything on the floor. Jordan was a bulldog defender. Jordan, while he veered from time to time, holds Phil Jackson and Doug Collins in high regard. But most importantly, Jordan never lost when it mattered the most. He was undefeated in the Finals. He won those Finals for the Bulls. He was the guy they went to when they needed it most. He never took games, let alone plays, off. Jordan was the perfect basketball player.

This is a pointless debate started for pointless reasons. We all want to say that we saw the best, so we will hold onto anyone at the current moment that we might think is the best. Hell, I hear people now saying that Mike Trout is the greatest baseball player ever. Slow down on that. I also hear that LeVeon Bell is the best running back ever in the NFL. Or even crazier, back to basketball, that Steph or Westbrook are the greatest point guards ever. That is all nonsense. Maybe my kids will look back and think that LeBron was the best ever, but I know that Jordan is, was and always will be the best NBA player ever. There is no debating this.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet. He also does think it is awesome how LeBron handled the MAGA hat wearing douche in his last game.

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Mike Budenholzer is the Perfect Coach for the Milwaukee Bucks

Another day, another basketball story.

It was reported yesterday that Mike Budenholzer is about to become the next head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. I think this is going to a great fit. The Bucks now have a coach that is really good at the X's and O's, can draw up solid offensive plays and will get them to play better defense than they already do. Budenholzer comes from the Spurs/Poppovich coaching tree. Those guys seem to do pretty well in the NBA when they become head coaches.

Budenholzer was also very successful in Atlanta until they decided that they needed to blow it up because they couldn't beat any team that LeBron James was on in the East. He had great success with guys like Kyle Korver, Al Horford, Jeff Teague, Paul Milsap and some also rans that are still in the league. Hell, he won 60 games and had 4 All Stars and was the one seed in the East one of his seasons. But, they ended up running into the LeBron buzz saw, and we all saw it coming. All those guys are gone, and so is the majority of the players he cultivated and won with. As I stated, the Hawks went into full tank mode this year. A season ago, it started, especially when they let Al Horford go to Boston. But, they still had Milsap and some other dudes, and they still made the playoffs. Then, this past offseason, they let Teague walk to Minnesota, Milsap was traded to Denver, Korver got traded midseason last year to the Cavs and they let all their youth play. That wasn't good for Budenholzer, and it showed in the play and record. The Hawks were awful this past season. They weren't as bad as Dallas or Phoenix, but they were bad. And now, they are trying to offload even more players and go full youth movement. That clearly didn't sit well with Budenholzer, and the front office mercifully let him go.

Now that Budenholzer is in Milwaukee, I think he is going to be happier, and that the Bucks are going to be very, very happy with his coaching. The one thing people keep pointing out about Milwaukee's past coaches is that they don't know how to best utilize Giannis. Well, Budenholzer will have no problem with that. As I mentioned before, he made guys like Kyle Korver and Jeff Teague All Stars. That is one hell of an accomplishment. Sure, Paul Milsap and Al Horford are very good NBA players, but they are not as good, or as young, as Giannis. Giannis is going to greatly benefit from Budenholzer's coaching. He is going to find so many ways to utilize all of his wonderful athletic tools. Giannis is on his way to being a consistent All Star and always in the MVP talk, and Budenholzer is only going to make his growth that much faster and better.

You look at the rest of the roster, and this team should thrive under his tutelage. Eric Bledsoe is a much better version of Jeff Teague. He is a better defender and just as good a point guard. I think he will finally be happy with his place in the NBA now. Thon Maker will finally be used properly, and he is going to shine. Giannis and Maker is a better duo than Horford and Milsap. Come at me. If he stays, Jabari Parker can be a much, much better version of Kyle Korver. He is not the three point shooter that Korver is, but he is a better driver and a more athletic scorer. And I have to say it again, Budenholzer turned Korver into an All Star. Think of what he will do with a player like Parker. The rest of the guys on the Bucks reads like the older Hawks roster, but the players are younger and hungrier.

Mike Budenholzer is probably the best choice that the Bucks front office could have done when hiring a new coach. He is perfect for the NBA, he knows the terrain and he has had a very good amount of success. If I were Giannis I would be thrilled. I know they met the other day to have a talk and it must have went well because Budenholzer is about to be named their next head coach. This is a big time get, and the Bucks seem like they are trying to do everything they can to keep Giannis around for a long, long time.

Great hire Milwaukee.

Ty

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

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