The NBA Has Never Seen a Team as Bad as These Pistons

When the Philadelphia 76ers were in their "process era", I thought they were the worst professional sports franchise. They played with no fire, they weren't competitive and it felt like they knew they had little to no chance when they entered a basketball arena against another professional basketball team. There was no direction. They had no plan other than trying to get the first overall pick. It was frustrating to watch. Having said all of that, I think the 2023 version of the Detroit Pistons may be a worse basketball team.

The Pistons have, on paper, talented basketball players. They have Monty Williams, who I fully believe is a very good basketball coach. They have veterans and young guys that, again on paper, should compliment each other. But it just isn't working. They started the year 2-1. I saw a little bit of their first game and thought they had enough to win 30-32 games this year. I thought they had something to build on for next season after, most likely, securing another lottery pick in 2024. Well, they have now been beaten 27 straight times. That is an NBA record. They are, without a doubt, the worst basketball team in the NBA.

I do not think any college team could beat a professional team, but I would be lying if I didn't say that my son and I have both talked about some college teams, Purdue and Arizona mainly, that could make it closer than it should be. I have also thought that G League Ignite or one of the better G League teams may be able to actually beat them. That is absurd, but the Pistons are so inept, so lost, so bad that it is not out of the question.

When I look at their roster, and see some of the talent, this baffles me. I am a big Cade Cunningham fan. I fully believe he is going to be a solid NBA starter on a good team. He can score in bunches. But he doesn't play any defense. He also looks bored and disinterested at times on the floor. And he is always hurt. Jaden Ivey is a very skilled guard. He is fast, can get to the hoop and can create shots. But he can be too fast sometimes. He also took a big step back and was benched earlier this year. Jalen Duren is awesome. He is going to be dominant when he gets more time and more experience. But he is young and he is often injured. Ausar Thompson looks like a very decent lottery pick. He is going to need time, but he more than passes the eye test. But he cannot hit the broad side of a barn right now. Bojan Bogdanovic is too old, missing too many shots and looks like he wants to be gone. James Wiseman, who I loved in his draft, is a bust. There, I said it. Isaiah Stewart is too prone to fouling. Killian Hayes needs a change of scenery and a bench role. Marvin Bagley is another bust. Marcus Sasser should be starting, but isn't for some unknown reason. Alec Burks and Joe Harris are beyond washed up. Kevin Knox is their third true bust. At the top of the roster, with the young guys, they have talent but it is not translating at the moment. And they need it to be figured out ASAP.

2-28 is just a horrendous record. It is so bad that you cannot even laugh at it. I feel sorry for the players. I feel sorry for Monty Williams. But they are doing this to themselves. They are 28th out of 30 teams scoring in the NBA. They are 20th in rebounding. They are 26th in opponents points per game. Those are all horrendously awful team stats. And the schedule doesn't get any easier. They have Boston tonight, Toronto after that, then Houston. It may be a long while before they win again. Their best bet right now is January 10th when they face the Spurs, who have double the amount of wins that the Pistons have.

Something's gotta give because they should not be this bad. But boy oh boy are the Detroit Pistons really, really bad. 

Ty

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

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Best of 2023 - Sports

Finishing my week of best of lists, today I have my personal top 5 sports moments. Sports are a big deal to me. I love sports. I have played and been involved in sports for as long as I can remember. I love college football, basketball and playing and coaching my son in baseball. I'm all in as a runner now as well. Sports are important to me and I'm happy about that.

At number 5 I have Courtney Duwalter's excellent trail running season in 2023. She did some amazing things in some of the toughest trail races in the world this year. She set records, crushed goals and continues to be an inspiration. This year she won Western States, a 100 mile trail race. Then, to outdo herself, she won Ultra Trail Mont-Blanc. She also won Hardrock 100 earlier in the year. She set records in these races. She was also voted trail runner of the year. She did some of the most amazing things in trail running that I have ever witnessed from afar. And she did it with a smile on her face. Duwalter is the best trail runner in the world and she is only entering her prime. I'm excited to see so much more from her in the future.

At number 4 I have the Miami Heat's improbable run to the 2023 NBA Finals. They entered the playoffs as a play in team. They got beat by the Hawks in the 7-8 matchup. The Bulls, who were bad last year, held a late lead in the final play in matchup, only for the Heat to make a push and secure the 8 seed. They then proceeded to crush the 1 seed Buck, 4-1. They beat the Knicks in six games, but Jimmy Butler missed two of those games. They then went up 3-0 on the Celtics, only for the Celtics to tie the series. The Heat ended up running away with game 7, which was in Boston, to go to the Finals as an 8 seed that barely made the playoffs. The Nuggets beat them handily, but that run they had was very special. Jimmy Butler proved his worth in the playoffs. Bam Adebayo proved how good of a defender and low post player he can be. Duncan Robinson found his form. Caleb Martin played so well that he has forced himself into a starting role. And Erik Spoelstra showed us all why he is one of the greatest coaches to ever do it. I've never been a fan of the Heat, but I've never disliked them either. And this run was a total blast to watch as a fan of the NBA.

At 3 I have the Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl. This game was pretty amazing. It started on a cool note too, with the Kelce Brothers playing each other, having two black starting QB's and an all black officiating crew. The game more than lived up to the hype too. These were the two best teams in the 2022 season, so it was fitting that they met in the championship game. Mahomes and Hurts went back and forth. Each team would go on efficient and fun scoring drives. The defenses made plays when they needed to. The refs did get involved a bit too much, but I was able to push past that since the on field competition was so elite. I had a blast watching the game and it was made so much better by how competitive and exciting it ended up being.

At 2 I have Michigan football winning the Big 10 for a third straight season. This was the first time in this run that I had high hopes and expectations from this football team. They lived up to them. I was skeptical of the schedule, but when they played the good teams, they beat them pretty handily. The Penn State final score was much closer than the actual game. They were up two scores early on Ohio State, and even when they came back and tied Michigan, I was never really worried. They then easily dispatched Iowa in the Big 10 title game. Add on all the off field "drama", this team showed maturity and an ability to close out the outside noise. The early season suspension of Jim Harbaugh was dumb, but not as dumb as the whole sign stealing thing. That was ridiculous, every team does it and these coaches that act like they don't, they are lying to us all. To see Michigan shut it all out, win games with relative ease all season long and end the regular season number 1, that was pretty dope for me as a fan. I'm excited, and nervous, for the playoff now.

Finishing my top sports moments, at number 1 I have the growth my son has made as a football player, particularly on the offensive line. My son has been playing tackle football for two years now. I was incredibly nervous when he started to play, and although I am still a ball of nerves when he plays, he is very, very into football, and he is getting pretty damn good at it too. He switched from d line to o line this season, and he has become a changed player. He had plays this year where he would maul a d lineman on the opposing team and I didn't believe it was my kid. He is a goofy, fun loving, sweet kid. But when he was on that football field, at certain moments, he was a blocking machine. He would pancake a player and then move on to another defender to block. He would get excited when he, or anyone on the o line, would make a block that would spring a big run. It is cool to see him play a sport he loves and to excel at said sport. He even missed time this year with a bruised collarbone, and his coaches would tell me how much they could use him as soon as he was cleared to play. And when he was cleared to return, he was inserted back into his starting o line spot.

That does it for my best ofs. I really enjoy writing these every year. They're a blast. Thank you for indulging me. 

Ty

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

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I'm Tired of Draymond Green's Behavior

Draymond Green was suspended indefinitely by the NBA yesterday. This is his third suspension already this season. The Warriors have played 23 games total. That is far, far too much for someone who is very vital to the roster.

Green clearly has some kind of problem. As a basketball player, he was once great. He was the perfect foil for Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Green never wanted to be a scorer. He was more than happy to bring the ball up and set up plays for the shooters. He was a wonderful rebounder. He was/may still be, one of the best defenders the game has ever seen. He was also put into the perfect basketball ecosystem for a player of his caliber and ability.

Draymond Green has a real, legit shot to be a hall of fame player. But his recent attitude and actions are going to become what he is known for by most basketball fans and the media that covers the sport. People will bring up his greatness, but it will be a button on all of the suspensions, flagrant fouls and fights that he has started out of nowhere. Green has a reputation. He has had this reputation since college. Green is a hardass, old school, no nonsense type of player. And when the Warriors were winning titles left and right, that worked for them. They needed his trash talking to go along with his prowess on the floor. Now, he looks like a dinosaur. He looks like the guys on tv that reminisce about the good old days. He had to have been a fan of the Bad Boy Pistons and the Rasheed Wallace Pistons. I liked the Wallace Pistons but despised the Bad Boy Pistons. They were dirty. The Rasheed Wallace version was dirty too, but they were quieter about it. Green is not quiet about it. He started all this off by shit talking Paul Pierce at the end of his career. It was brash and foolish to do that, but Green didn't care. Then, when the Warriors started to win, that was when Green would kick players in the dick and balls. I did defend him when he got suspended in the finals, but I was wrong to do so in hindsight. He kicked these players on purpose. He came up hard and strong on Steven Adams. He 100 percent kicked LeBron in the dick. He let his emotions boil over in very crucial times and only thought of himself. It is ridiculous looking back on it, seeing how blatant it was.

Green seemed to get better stopped doing that crazy stuff, but he then started a podcast where it seemed like his goal was to burn bridges left and right. I feel like that was the only reason he even started a podcast. He wanted to put some vitriol out in the world and he had a platform. He also did this strictly for himself. The podcast is self aggrandizing. Then we have the incident with Jordan Poole last season. He punched Poole in the face during practice when Poole was clearly just shit talking. This is what everyone who has ever played basketball does all the time. Basketball players shit talk. But, I guess when a younger guy goes off on Draymond, who considers himself a speaker of old school NBA, he considers it disrespectful. But instead of trying to talk to Poole like an adult, he punches. He starts fights. He never really apologizes.

Recent behavior should have been an obvious sign that something is seriously wrong with Green. And now we have the choking of Rudy Gobert and this slap of Jusuf Nurkic. Gobert may have been a little too handsy and going a little too hard on him, but he didn't deserve to be headlocked. Nurkic did nothing that warranted a slap. That was uncalled for. That was unnecessary. That was childish. That was wrong. And he is being rightfully suspended for an undisclosed time.

Draymond Green is watching his career go down the drain and he is not handling it well at all. I'm curious to see how he reacts when his suspension is lifted, but if the past is any indication, he won't learn a thing. That is a shame because Green is a true unicorn of a player, but he will most likely not be remembered as such. He will most likely be remembered as an ill tempered star that was put in a perfect situation to succeed, and that is a drag. I hope he finds help and solace, but I am not going to be holding my breath. 

Ty

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

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Let's Talk about Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani is now a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He doesn't have to leave the city he has been in for the past six years. He can still do pretty much everything he did with the Angels. He won't be able to pitch this upcoming season, but he can still hit. He makes the Dodgers the unequivocal favorites heading into next season. And he is making an ungodly amount of money over the next 10 years.

For people who don't know yet, Ohtani's deal with the Dodgers is 10 years, 700 million dollars. He will make close to a billion dollars just on this contract. I assume he will get to the billions with endorsement deals. But he gets all this money for being an exceptionally talented baseball player. That is wild and cool as hell. When I was a kid this amount of money would have made me angry. I got all bent out of shape when Alex Rodriguez signed his humongous deal with the Rangers. But as I have gotten older, I'm way more into players getting whatever they can, as much as they can, while they can. Ohtani is a once in a generation player. He is doing things on a baseball field that we have not seen since the early 1900's. The fact that he can be a DH one day and pitch the next, that is unbelievable to me. Add on the fact that he does both at the highest level, and dominates at them, I mean, Ohtani should take as much money as he possibly can. A team like the Dodgers can afford a contract like this. The MLB has no salary cap, but they have to be able to pay the players based on how much they can sell tickets, food and merchandise, among many other things. The Dodgers may be the best equipped for a deal like this. There are going to be so many Ohtani jerseys and hats and bobbleheads and anything else they can put his face and name on at their home games next season. Hell, they will be at opponents games as well. I would bet all the money I have that I will see as many Ohtani jerseys as Paul Goldschmidt jerseys at a Cardinals-Dodgers game next season. The same could be said at most other stadiums. Paying him the money on this deal will be no problem for the Dodgers.

As for Ohtani, I applaud him. It would have been cool if he had gone to Toronto or Seattle. I would have been stoked if he came to Saint Louis. He was already in LA, but the Dodgers give him a much better shot at a World Series appearance. The Angels weren't going to get him there. They haven't been able to even crack the playoffs. They have two other worldly players in Ohtani and Mike Trout, yet they could never get to the important part of the year. Ohtani will be almost assured a playoff spot now. You put him in that rotation with Clayton Kershaw, ooh that is tough. Then you add him to that lineup with Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Mookie Betts, my oh my will that be a potent, homerun crushing trio. The Dodgers are going for it, clearly. Ohtani is getting paid, clearly. This is a win for all parties involved. I think we all knew Ohtani was going to go to a big market. I accepted that early on. I think the Dodgers have had their eye on him since last season began and they thought he might be available. Both parties got what they wanted in the end, and that is a good thing.

I will still be in and out of MLB games next season. But if I do tune in, I think I will watch as many Dodgers games that Ohtani plays in, and I will love it. This is a homerun of a deal for everyone. 

Ty

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

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Ty Predicts the 2023 Heisman Trophy

The Heisman trophy will be awarded to the best college football player tomorrow night. The finalists are Marvin Harrison Jr, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr and Jayden Daniels. All four of these players are worthy of being finalists. Honestly, I do not know who I would replace our add on the list. I'd love to see a Michigan player there, but no one of them was individually outstanding. They are a collection of good players. I thought Jalen Milroe might get an invite after his last two games, but it was a little too late in the game for that. I even tried to pry some defensive players who were otherworldly, but that was nonexistent this season.

So, as this award has almost always been, there are four offensive players, three of which are QB's. I want to make a case for each of them and then pick a winner. I'll start with Bo Nix.

Look, the dude is 26 years old and he should be able to feast on some of the Pac 12 defenses out there. He did that and much more. Nix put up incredible numbers. He threw for over 4,000 yards. He had 40 passing touchdowns to only three interceptions. He ran for 200 plus yards and six more TD's. The dude crushed it. He never really struggled in any games, but he could not beat Washington. That is his achilles heel. He would have a great year, but when he had to produce a big win, it just never happened for him. He is more than deserving of his invite to NYC, but I do not think he will be leaving with the trophy. There will be no repeat of Chris Weinke for Nix tomorrow night.

Michael Penix Jr looked like the front runner to me about seven or eight weeks into the season. He was absolutely obliterating every team he played against. He was putting up wild numbers too. Penix Jr finished the season with over 4,000 passing yards as well. He threw for 33 touchdowns to only nine interceptions. He rushed for negative yards, but he did score three more TD's on the ground. The best thing Penix Jr did this year was win every single game on the schedule. Penix Jr led the Huskies to an undefeated season and the number two spot in the CFP. He also played great against ranked opponents. He threw for 319 in the Pac 12 title game against Oregon. He had 332 against a ranked Utah team. He went for 256 against USC. Penix Jr played best when the lights were brightest. That is a big testament to his ability. But, due the tiniest little slip at the end of the season, I do not see him bringing the trophy home either.

Then we have Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison Jr is the best player in college football. Full stop. That does not mean he will bring home the Heisman. But, he is, by far, the most feared and most dominant offensive player in the game. I like to act like he didn't perform well against Michigan. That is false. He had five catches for 118 yards and a score. Michigan won, so it is easier for me to swallow his excellent performance. Harrison, not unlike his fellow finalists, put up crazy stats. He had 67 catches for over 1,200 yards and 14 scores. In only 12 games. That is mind boggling. That is nearly six catches a game. That is 100 yards a game. That is over one touchdown a game. As a receiver. That hasn't been done since Randy Moss, and Harrison Jr plays in the Big 10. Looking back at some of the games he had this year, it is amazing his stat line. I mentioned the Michigan game. He also torched Michigan State with seven catches for 149 yards and 2 TD's. He had eleven catches for 162 yards and a score against Penn State. He had six catches for 123 yards and two scores against Wisconsin. The guy produces big time being the focal point of the defense. His stats are incredible, but I think he is going to finish a distant second tomorrow night.

That leaves us with Jayden Daniels, the most electric QB in college football in 2023. Daniels was the do it all guy for a solid LSU team. While I loathe Brian Kelly, he did put Daniels in a great position every week to showcase his incredible talent. Daniels threw for over 3,800 yards. He added 40 TD passes to only four interceptions. He ran the ball 135 times for over 1,100 yards and 10 scores. He torched Texas A&M for 235 passing yards and four TD passes. He also ran 11 times for 120 yards in that game. When LSU beat Florida, Daniels threw for 372 yards and three scores. He added, and this is not a misprint, 234 yards rushing on 12 carries and two more scores. When Alabama beat LSU, Daniels still impressed with 219 passing yards and two TD passes. He also ran for 163 and a score. Against Mizzou, one of the better SEC defenses, Daniels passed for 259 yards, threw three TD's and added 130 rushing yards and another score. I could go on and on with his insane video game stats, but I figured showing how well he played against the better teams on his schedule is proof enough of his wonderful season. And I fully believe he is more than deserving of the Heisman this year. The other players have had a great season as well, but not compared to Daniels. He is on a whole other level.

That is my pick, and I would be stunned if he didn't win the Heisman tomorrow night. Jayden Daniels should bring home the award in an easy victory. 

Ty

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

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An Ode to Trail Running

After my son's orthodontist appointment this morning I took him to school and went to a trailhead to do my longish run of the week. I go every Wednesday to a trail and run anywhere from 5-8 miles. It is my time to get away for the week and just relax. I'm usually gone for an hour or two and it is one of the best things about my week.

I do all kinds of running. My two main interests, as with most people, are trails and road running. I like road running because I am faster on the road. I get better times. I usually do better on races that are on the road. I recently just ran my fastest half marathon at a road race. Road running is good for timing.

My true love in the running world is trail running. I go back to when I did my first half with my buddy Kirk. We both had very different responses. He loved it, and pretty much loved any kind of running. I was miserable and told him, during the race, that I was going to focus on trail running. Now, to give Kirk some credit, he has fully embraced trail running and he is very good at it. I love it for a myriad of reasons though, and a lot of those came to mind this morning.

Trail running is better because it is technical. You have roots and rocks on good portions, depending on which trail you pick. You have to really pay attention. I took my eyes off the trail for a few minutes today and almost busted my ass. I have busted it many times before, but it has never been a deterrent.

I also love the quietness and solitude. I always wear headphones when I run on the road. I hardly ever wear them when I trail run. I like to listen to nature. There are animal sounds at every turn. I like to hear my shoes press on the rocks and the paths created. I like to know where I'm going. I want to be cognizant of every little detail. It is relaxing. That is another thing, trail running is very relaxing for me. I can go out there and just get lost and not have a care in the world. I kind of just let the trail guide me. I go where feels best at that moment and that is cathartic for me. I can go out to a trail for hours and have the time of my life. It is one of the best things for me. It is also excellent therapy. I can go and cram out any anxiety or anger. I can go out and have a nice talk with myself, or if Kirk is joining me, we can have a good chat together where we sometimes just vent to one another about whatever we feel needs to be vented about. It is very good for my talk therapy.

Above all though, trail running makes me really feel like I have accomplished something for the day. I can run anywhere from four miles to a full marathon, which the only one I've done was on a trail, and be very tired. Today I did six miles, but climbed a big hill and my thighs and calves are currently feeling it. In opposition, I ran five and a half miles yesterday on the road, and while I was tired, I was still able to do all the normal things I would do any other day. But today, the idea of relaxing on the couch until it is time to get my kids sounds like the best thing I could do because of the excellent workout I got on the trails.

Trail running is the best and I am going to do it until I cannot walk anymore. 

Ty

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

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Florida State Got Robbed

The College Football Playoff is all set. Michigan is the 1 seed, Washington 2, Texas 3 and Alabama 4.

I do think all four teams had some good reasons for being picked. Michigan won every game and the Big 10. Washington won every game and the Pac 12. Texas won 12 games, won the Big 12 and beat Bama. They did get beat by Oklahoma, who is very good, but that was early and they more than made up for it. And Bama ended Georgia's 29 game win streak, lost to Texas early on in the season, but won every other game. So, do I think these teams are deserving of a playoff spot? Yes. But, do I think the committee got it right? Absolutely not.

This has been a topic of much debate since the four playoff teams were announced yesterday. People have had takes either way, supporting the decision or disagreeing with the decision. I wanted to sit on my thoughts for a day before I made up my mind. And I absolutely believe that Florida State was snubbed big time. This may be the biggest snub in the history of college football bowl games. That may sound like a bit much, but to the players, coaches and that university, this is a big deal. Florida State won the ACC. They won it going away in fact. They beat three top 25 teams. They beat LSU, who will most likely have the Heisman winner this weekend, in a humongous prime time matchup this season. The main thing that FSU did this season though, they won every game. Texas did not win every game. Alabama did not win every game. But FSU did. They had their schedule set, they played the teams on that schedule and when those games were over, FSU was the winner of each and every one of them. That is their job as a power 5 football team. That has been the unwritten rule of the college football playoff committee. They have said time and time again that if you play in a power 5 conference, win the conference title game, and win every other game on your schedule, that should be more than enough to get you in the playoff. But for some reason this season the committee decided to change things up.

Now, I fully understand, as does the committee, that the playoff is a television event. They want to get as many viewers as possible. And putting Michigan up against Alabama is going to bring a ton of viewers. But it is not like FSU is some also ran. They are blue bloods themselves. They have won multiple national titles. They have had multiple first round picks. They have a storied history. So to pass over them for Alabama, that shows the bias that the committee and ESPN, where all the playoff games will be broadcast, have. This is clearly ESPN and the committee cowtailing to the SEC and Bama. They want them in these games to get the talking heads and fans all riled up. During the SEC title game they kept showing a placard on the screen saying that the winner of the SEC title game has never missed the CFP. No one on ESPN, CBS, Fox or NBA were talking up FSU at all Saturday night, even as they were winning the ACC title game. And when ESPN premiered the final playoff game reveal and rankings, of course most of their talking heads were saying this was the correct choice, to leave FSU out in favor of Bama. Rece Davis, a Bama grad, loved it. Kirk Herbstreit, who I like, said weeks ago that if FSU finished undefeated, they'd be a shoe in. He immediately disregarded that statement and praised the committee for their choice. Paul Finebaum basically said he could care less about FSU and that Bama deserved the spot. He hosts a show on ESPN's SEC network. The only analyst that seemed to be bothered by this was Booger McFarland. He made some real good points I thought too. If anyone that is a college football fan is on the fence about this choice, go watch what McFarland had to say yesterday. It was the best argument for FSU being in the playoff that I saw. But after yesterday it is more apparent than ever that this committee and ESPN could care less about what occurs on the field. They are going to bend over backwards to get a team from the SEC in this field if there is the slightest possibility.

I do not like FSU, not one bit, but they were snubbed, and snubbed hard by the CFP committee yesterday. This is not what is supposed to happen when you win every game and win your conference as a power 5. This is clearly a move motivated by viewers, not players. 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on Where Zach LaVine Should Play Next

The Bulls and Zach Lavine have decided that they are going to look for a trade that benefits both parties. This has been a long time coming. I'm not much for breaking a team down and fully rebuilding, but this current iteration of the Bulls needs to do something. They are more in the mud than the Magic were when they were pretty much the 7 or 8 seed for three or four straight years. The Magic went for the full rebuild, and they finally look like they are getting better, doing it through the draft. I think that is the route the Bulls should go. But, for the time being, trying to trade Zach Lavine is a very good start.

Lavine is a very, very good offensive player in the NBA. He can score and he can score in bunches. When he catches fire there are few in the NBA that can stop him. But he plays no defense. He has also lost a step. He doesn't jump out of the gym anymore. And he seems to get irked at the little things. I do think there are a few teams out there that could use him as a pure scorer, but I don't think he really moves the needle much for a true contender.

I saw that the 76ers were one of the first teams mentioned that may go after him. He would be a nice scoring addition, but I personally do not like the fit. Tyrese Maxey is finally playing free and loose and he is thriving. He just scored 50 the other night. His shot looks better and he is much, much younger than Lavine. Joel Embiid also seems to be having fun playing with Maxey as the second option. Tobias Harris is solid as a rock with the touches he gets. I just don't like the idea of Lavine coming in and taking touches from Maxey and messing with Embiid's happiness and taking touches from Harris. The 76ers are in a good place and they would be wise to keep it this way.

I also read that the Knicks may look into a Lavine trade. Why would they do that when they have a competent squad for the first time in forever? Jalen Brunson has earned the right to be the driver of the Knicks. Julius Randle seems to be coming out of his slump. RJ Barrett is doing what suits him best. Immanuel Quickley is a good 6th man. Donte DiVencenzo is thriving with his former Villanova teammates. And Josh Hart is their jack of all trades. The Knicks finally have a competent and competitive team. There is no need to rock the boat there.

The Kings were mentioned on a podcast the other day as a possible Lavine destination. I ask again, why? They have a fun, fast and young team. De'Aron Fox is back and looks amazing. Damontas Sabonis is back to his dominant ways. Keegan Murray is getting better and better. Kevin Huerter is a good bench scorer. Harrison Barnes brings a veteran and championship winning pedigree. Adding Lavine makes no sense, and makes an already mediocre defense even worse. Other than that, what other contender would really need Lavine?

As for the rest of the league. The Nuggets are out. The Mavericks have nothing left to trade. Neither do the Lakers or Clippers. The Timberwolves have a fine enough squad as well, and they have nothing to trade. The Bucks can't afford him and have Damian Lillard. I could go through a bunch of teams that are playoff contenders and give you a reason why they should pass on Lavine. I also think the Bulls are going to have to take a lowball offer from a non playoff contender team to offload Lavine. That would be a good start to the rebuild. The Grizzlies could trade some young guys, picks or salary to land Lavine and he may make them fun again when Ja Morant comes back. The Pistons could trade salary to land Lavine to help some of their youth. The Jazz may look into getting Lavine to pair him up with Markannen. The Bulls could take on Collin Sexton in a deal with Utah. These are the teams that the Bulls and Lavine are going to have to make a deal with in my opinion. Both may not like it, but that seems to be best for them all.

I am interested to see what happens to Lavine because I do enjoy watching him play. I just really think he will have to end up playing on a lower level team. That makes the most sense to me. 

Ty

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

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Jimbo Fisher Got Paid A Lot to Be an Average Football Coach

Texas A&M has relieved Jimbo Fisher of his head coaching duties. Let’s discuss.

I have to say, I am kind of shocked by this news. It wasn't as if Fisher was lighting the coaching world on fire, but it felt like he kind of had carte blanche since taking over the job. I guess I was wrong to assume such. They did just give him an extension, and he seemed to pull in top ten recruiting classes with ease, but here we are. The recruiting may have been gang busters, but the results were not coming in the form of as many wins as the boosters and AD's wanted. When Fisher left Florida State to take this job I thought it was a bad move on his part. If anything it felt like a lateral move. FSU and TAMU are kind of similar in the college football world. In fact, FSU may be a better football school. But after winning a national title and having a couple of ten win seasons, Fisher turned that into a humongous payday and left to go coach the Aggies. But he was never really able to turn the Aggies into a national title contender like they all hoped when they hired him.

Since taking over in 2018 the Aggies never won more than nine games under Fisher. They always had the hype. They always had the next big star in college football. They always had a high preseason ranking. They always have had a major home field advantage. But it never fully seemed to come together. The best player on his 2018 team was tight end Jace Sternberger. Sternberger was fine, but not the game changer they hoped for. They also beat the teams they were supposed to, but could not get over the hump. They played number two Clemson close, but couldn't pull off the win. They got smoked by Alabama that season. And Mississippi State and Auburn beat them back to back. They did win their bowl game to get that 9th win against NC State. The season was off to a good start, but they never really built off that.

In 2019 they ended up 8-5, taking a step back. They were beaten by Clemson again. Auburn also beat them. Alabama smoked them again. Georgia took it to them and LSU throttled them. Their best player that year was a defensive tackle.

The COVID shortened 2020 season was Fisher's best. The Aggies finished 9-1 and finally beat some good teams. They still got smoked by Alabama. But, they did beat number 4 Florida. They also beat LSU and Auburn. And they took down UNC in their bowl game. Their best player that season was QB Kellen Mond. He had a very, very good year that turned him into a 3rd round draft pick. Then the regression came on strong.

They followed up their nine win season returning to 8-5. Arkansas beat them. Unranked Mississippi State beat them. They finally beat Alabama. But they were beaten by Ole Miss and LSU. They had an amazing recruiting class, but it never really panned out. Zach Caldaza was the QB. De'Von Achane was their running back. DeMarvin Leal seemed ready for a breakout. None of that happened. They never really put it together.

Last season was their worst though. They had all kinds of preseason hype. They were picked to finish second in the SEC. They had preseason all conference picks. They had an elite recruiting class. It just never worked out the way they planned it. App State beat them in week 2. TAMU was ranked 6th overall at this point. They did win two straight, over ranked opponents. But then they got beat in six straight games. Mississippi State smoked them. Alabama beat them in a close game. South Carolina won by six. Ole Miss beat them by a field goal. Florida smashed them. And Auburn beat them by three. The bleeding stopped, but barely, when they beat a very bad UMASS team by a field goal. And they closed out the season by upsetting number 5 LSU. But they never really looked all that good in 2022. Haynes King and Max Johnson split time at QB and neither was great. De'Von Achane was the lead back, but he never really got going. The wideouts never got much of a chance. The defense spent too much time on the field. It was a blown season. I do think the LSU win gave the fans and front office hope, but it was false hope.

A&M came into this year with less hype, but still predicted to be better. They had another very good recruiting class. They brought in solid transfers. They had some returning talent. But it didn't work. Miami beat them in week two by 15. Alabama beat them again. Tennessee shut them down. And Ole Miss took them down by a field goal. Sure, they have six wins, but the wins are kind of hollow. They did win their last game, 51-10, thus making the firing even crazier, but here we are.

Fisher was never able to find the success he achieved at FSU with TAMU. They hype was there, they had all the preseason love,  but it never fully came together. I think hiring people like DJ Durkin never helped as well. Jimbo Fisher tried to surround himself with elite coaches, he just picked the wrong ones. He could get elite recruits, but they either transferred or never panned out. They probably deserved better coaching.

I am curious to see where Fisher goes from here. I wonder if he will stay out of coaching for awhile, he has an extremely high payout, and I wouldn't blame him. But if he does come back to coaching I will have to think he will have to go to a mid-major style school, or become a coordinator at a power 5 school. Fisher got paid, big time, by TAMU. He took a chance on himself when he left FSU, it just didn't work out. Now we wait to see the next move. It should be interesting. 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on the Jim Harbaugh Suspension

The Big Ten commissioner has suspended Jim Harbaugh for the remainder of the regular season effective immediately. Obviously I have some thoughts on this. Here we go.

First off, I firmly believe Michigan is going to take this to court. They have stated as much prior to today and I would be astounded if they just sat there and accepted this.

Second, to levy the punishment while the team is flying to their game in State College tomorrow, that is some cowardly shit right there. I'm sure the plane has wifi and I'm sure the staff heard the news when it came across, but to wait until they have left, that is spineless. That is also very petty. The Big 10 commissioner has had more than enough time to hand out a punishment. I read that it was going to happen yesterday. But then they waffled and said it may take another week. And then news sprouted that it was going to happen in the early afternoon today. But to wait until 4pm local time to Ann Arbor, that is akin to challenging to fight someone when you are a kid, and never showing up. This is cowardly, and this whole thing has been cowardly.

To say that Michigan gained any type of competitive advantage for the “crime” is absurd. I hate to burst every other fan's bubble out there, but your team does this too. They just are better at keeping it discreet. And any fan that comes at me and tells me I'm wrong, I have a bridge I'd love to sell you. This is how the game is played in this era. And if your signs are that easy to figure out, change your goddamn signs. It shouldn't be put on the commissioner of your league and the lying ass NCAA to levy punishment.

This also sets a dangerous precedent. Michigan found that the university of Ohio State and Rutgers helped Purdue figure out their signs last year leading up to the Big 10 title game. They provided evidence. They showed everything that reporters and other schools showed during their investigation. So does this mean Ryan Day and Greg Schiano and Ryan Walters are going to be punished too? It should. That is what this ruling from the Big 10 is going to start. We've already seen other coaches ever since this blew up saying that they know other teams are stealing signs. Lincoln Riley made mention of it after Utah beat USC for a third straight time. Matt Rhule, who first said it was no big deal I remind you, has come out and said that his team is 5-4, and they own that, but one team had an advantage. I think we all know who he is speaking about. Greg Schiano made a reference to all this during halftime of Rutgers' game against Michigan. This is going to become a common thing now for coaches at major jobs. No one wants to get let go from being a head coach, and with the Big 10 suspending Jim Harbaugh, they can go to their commissioner and say that the team that has beaten them a few years in a row knows their signs and they want that coach suspended. This is a slippery slope.

The problem is that no one can admit when a team is better than them now. I coach my son, who is 11, in basketball. He will never admit a team is better than us when we get beat. I can say things until I'm blue in the face, he always has an excuse. The same thing happened during his recent football season. The only reason he says that the team that won the 6th grade title this year was because they had 7th graders. It is not true, they had all 6th graders, it was confirmed by his coaches, but he had to find a reason why his team got beat that didn't involve some other team just being better.

What irks me the most about this, besides the fact that Michigan was guilty before anything was proven, and the NCAA has said they aren't including Harbaugh in their investigation anymore because they found no evidence that he knew this was going on, is the language of "competitive advantage" that the spineless commissioner used in his wording today. To say that, while handing out a suspension while Michigan is in flight, is asinine. How does saying that not instantly give Penn State an advantage tomorrow afternoon? I've been nervous for this game all season. This was my tentpole game going into the year. Penn State is a very good football team, and they get this game in State College, which is a very tough place to play. And now Michigan doesn't know if their coach will be able to coach tomorrow, they've been called "cheaters" by major reputable organizations, the players have had to field questions for weeks now, and now they have to play their toughest game of the year with this news coming down at 4pm. That is a whole lot for a group of 18-23 year olds to deal with over a game.

But hey, whatever happens tomorrow, I will always love and root for this team. I will go to bat for them no matter what. I think the way this unfolded, and how ruthlessly adults on major networks have talked about these kids is some of the wildest reporting I have ever witnessed in my life. We are talking about "sign stealing" here. This is not covering up sexual and physical abuse. This is not overworking players to the brink, or in some awful cases the actuality of death. This is not covering for players accused of having weapons. This is not fixing tests. This is the dumbest "scandal" I have witnessed in my 40 plus years being a rabid college football fan. Now we have to see how this all plays out.

Forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

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

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Somehow Carson Wentz is on an NFL Roster Again

I was talking to my son about football stuff yesterday and he told me that Carson Wentz was signed by the Rams. I did not believe him. I thought he was pranking me. We make up fake stuff all the time about players that have retired or been cut. It is a weird thing we do to have fun. That's what I thought this Carson Wentz "news" was. I just assumed he was messing with me.

When he was pretty adamant that he was not joking, I went and checked it out online and he was 100 percent correct. Carson Wentz is now a member of the Los Angeles Rams. And I do not get this signing one bit. Look, I have been as big a defender of Colin Kaepernick as there is. I fully believe the NFL black balled him, that he will be remembered in a much better light than the jerks who black balled him and that he more than deserved a shot to come back. So hearing, then reading, that Carson Wentz is back in the NFL first made me angry, then made me laugh.

Wentz is not 1/10 of the QB that Kaepernick was in the league. You can throw that one season out to me all the time, when the Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl after he got hurt all you want. As my son told me, he was playing at an MVP level prior to him getting hurt. Great. Carson Wentz had one good season while playing in the league. Big freaking deal. There are other guys who had one, maybe even two good years in the NFL that never came back or got another chance. Daunte Culpepper was a prized free agent after a few good seasons in Minnesota. He signed with Miami and was cut pretty quick after that. Dough Flutie somehow managed to stick around the league for far too long. How many good seasons did he really have in reality? Not any that I can remember. Or what about Ryan Fitzpatrick. I mean, he was more a beard than a viable NFL starting QB. And I'm sure there are guys playing right now, Tyson Bagent to name one, that will be out of the league very soon. But Carson Wentz can still get an offer and Colin Kaepernick cannot. That doesn't sit well with me.

After his one solid season, he was a total non factor. He went to the Colts after Phillip Rivers retired. He was awful. They were a trainwreck due to his poor play. He then went over to the Commanders. He was going to be their "game manager". He was going to lead this team back to the playoffs. He got beat out by Sam Hartmann and was cut pretty quickly. He was then more known for posting workout videos with gear from each team he had already played for prior to this season. He was also very vocal about his distaste for the COVID vaccine. This is just another in a long line of poor decisions made by the former number two overall pick. He is super christian, won't get vaccinated and cannot stay on the field. But the Rams saw him, after an injury to Matthew Stafford and the poor play of Brett Rypien, and thought he was a viable option to come in and play QB for them. Yet Colin Kaepernick, who had a much better career than Carson Wentz could ever dream of, is still trying to get reps from teams to come watch him workout. And they won't because Kaepernick peacefully protested police brutality by kneeling during the anthem. But since Carson Wentz loves Jesus, and I think we all know why else he is getting a fourth shot, he can slide into a starting role due to some injuries.

This is a crock and a waste of time. If I were a Rams fan with a conscience, I'd be frustrated by this signing. He is not going to win many games and he will probably say some nonsense during pre and post game interviews. This is dumb and will not work out. 

Ty

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

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Not a Great Start to the NBA Season for the Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are having a very rough start to the 2023-24 NBA season. They are currently the only winless team in the NBA. The Rockets have a win. The Pistons have two. The Trailblazers, tonight's opponent, have two.The Spurs have three. Even the Wizards have a single win. But the Grizzlies have that big goose egg. They are 0-5 and they have looked bad in almost every game so far this year.

I think a lot has caused this to happen. First off, missing out on Ja Morant, who deserved his suspension, has been very clearly an issue. The Grizzlies cannot generate much at the rim. The guards are not getting to the basket. There is no one to suck the defense into the lane and open up the outside. These are the things that Morants excels at as a basketball player. They are clearly missin Tyus Jones as well. He was the best backup point guard in the NBA and he helped to stabilize this team when Morant would miss games here and there. He was a vet the entire team trusted. I do like that they went out and traded for Marcus Smart, and I do think that it will work in the long run. But right now he has not had any impact. The Grizzlies were also dealt a blow when Steven Adams went down before the season with surgery. Losing Adams the whole year is going to make it difficult to scrounge out some wins due to his toughness. They cannot rebound the basketball without him in the lineup it feels, and him being gone has caused way more of a problem than I ever imagined it would. Brandon Clarke has not recovered from his torn achilles yet either. These two guys are crucial to their front court and it is showing how important they are without them playing. The Grizzlies are so thin in the front court that they went out and gave Bysmack Biyombo five million to finish out the season there. That is a desperate move in my eyes.

With Morant being suspended for 20 more games, with Adams done for the year, with Clarke not being ready until well after the all star break, I do not know how they recover from this bad of a start. I don't know how they are going to salvage the season. Smart has been average since the trade. His defense is still very good, but his shot looks bad. Jaren Jackson Jr is still fouling far too much. He is the reigning DPOY, but if he cannot stay on the floor it doesn't matter how good he is on that end. Desmond Bane is being asked to do way, way too much. The dude can score, but the number one option is not a suit that fits him well. He is so much better when he is not the focal point of the opponent's defense. Luke Kennard has been a total zero. I fear Kenny Lofton Jr was a nice story last season but is now being exposed. David Roddy doesn't play defense. Jake LaRavia can't get minutes. Ziaire Williams has been below average. Xavier Tillman has not progressed. Derrick Rose is older and hurt. Sant Aldama looks like he has taken a step back. The Grizzlies have a myriad of and it has shown in the first 5 games. The offense is stagnant. The defense is slow and fouling too much. Taylor Jenkins is a good coach. He should be able to fix this. But whatever his game plan is right now, he needs to change some stuff up. I know he didn't expect to see Morant suspended for 25 games to start the year, but they have won without him before. I know he was hoping one of Brandon Clarke or Steven Adams would be on the floor to start the year, but he found a way to stay the 2 seed last season when they both got hurt. I know he wants to trust some of the younger guys, but they haven't proven trustworthy. I feel like they can get out of this funk, but it needs to happen very fast. Being 0-5 in the Western Conference, and I fully realize it is very early in the season, can be a death blow to your playoff chances if they don't start stringing together some wins right now. I still have faith, but it is dwindling with each passing day. Hopefully they right the ship. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches Flavor Flav Perform The National Anthem

The other night the Milwaukee Bucks invited Flavor Flav to sing the national anthem. This may seem like a weird artist to choose, but we must never forget that the Bucks did invite Ja Rule to perform at halftime of one of their games after the release of the Fyre Festival documentaries. They like to take chances in that front office and I am here for it.

I did not see Flavor Flav's performance in real time, but a bunch of people reached out to me afterward to see if I saw it. It was also plastered all over sports pages that I follow online. But it wasn't until RD texted me and asked if I watched it did I actually sit down and watch it. At the time of the text coming across my phone I had not seen it though. And RD told me it was "iconic". That was the push I needed to sit down and take it in. So I did.

You know what? It was exactly what I expected from Flavor Flav singing the national anthem. Sure it was off key. Sure it felt like he didn't know all the words. Sure he was either too quiet or too loud when he sang. But I loved it and I loved that he went out and did it with no fear. He sang his heart out. He gave it everything he had. He tried his hardest. And he seemed like he was having a damn good time.

I also appreciate that the people within the Bucks organization who decide these things tried to get a hip hop legend to do this. And Flavor Flav said yes. I can't imagine Chuck D doing this. No way is Busta Rhymes going to do the anthem unless he is trying to see how fast he can rap it. I don't see many modern hip hop artists clamoring to go do this. But Flavor Flav did, and he gave it all of his gusto. He had his big clock on and everything. I love that. He is also a very committed sports fan. Flavor Flav loves to go to live sporting events. I have seen him at college and pro football games. I'm sure he has gone to a number of baseball games. He would talk about his love for pro sports when he had his crazy dating show on VH1. And he has always loved basketball. The guy is a true hoop head. So I bet that when the phone call came across to do the anthem at an NBA game he jumped at the prospect. The fact that he got to do it and then watch Giannis and Dame play together so early in this new season was probably icing on the cake for Flavor Flav.

As for the people out here bad mouthing him and the Bucks, get over it. Also, what did you expect? This is not some polished singer. This isn't Adele. This isn't Taylor Swift. This isn't Josh Groban. Flavor Flav was the hype man for one of the most important hip hop groups in the history of music. And he was the best at his job. So for people to be giving him a hard time, I'd like to see any one of them go out and do the anthem any better. At least Flavor Flav gave it his all too. He went out there and did the song the best way he knew how and he did it with a smile never leaving his face.

I applaud you Flavor Flav and the Bucks front office. You all took a chance on a rap icon and I thought he did a very commendable job. 

Ty

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

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Let's Talk About the James Harden Trade

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

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

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

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

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

Ty

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

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Welcome to the NBA Victor Wembanyama

Last night the much anticipated NBA premiere of Victor Wembanyama finally happened. Let’s discuss.

I haven't purposefully tuned into Spurs games the past couple of years because they haven't been very good. That was most likely on purpose so they could draft this kid. But I have watched many Spurs games in the past. My dad was a fan during the David Robinson era, so I was a fan. I adored Tim Duncan in college, so when the Spurs drafted him, I watched them as much as I desired. I was always a Sonics, then Thunder fan, or as I have been for the past four years, a Grizzlies fan. But the Spurs have always been the lone team from Texas that I'll root for openly. I loved Robinson and Duncan when they played, and I fully believe that Greg Poppovich is the greatest to ever coach basketball. Seeing Wembanyama, I get those same feelings.

This kid has got the goods. He should, barring injuries, live up to the hype, if not surpass it. He has all the tools and the skills to thrive, especially in the modern NBA. If you were to just look at his stats, nothing really jumps off the page. He played 23 minutes, shot 6-9 for 15 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, had 2 assists, 2 steals and a block. Nothing too crazy, right? I disagree. First off, his lone block came about 20 seconds into the game, and it was a sign of things to come for years in the NBA. Kyrie Irving had the ball, was doing his magic creating and got to the free throw line for a mid range. This is right in Irving's wheelhouse. But, as the shot was going up, Wemby sailed to the point of the shot and swatted it into the air to start a fast break for the Spurs. He did this to Kyrie Irving everyone. That is insane. Irving, while being a whack job, is one of the best mid range guys in the league. He is showered with praise at how well he can create shots for himself, at his size. Wemby made lightwork of one of the things Irving does best. I mean, come on. It was wild to see him read what was happening, react to change his positioning on the floor, to elevate and then to block the shot. This is a teeanager erasing a champions shot 20 seconds into his first game. I was hooked instantly. Then he made his first shot. I want to state very clearly that Wemby is a teeanger and he is 7'4 before going into this basket. The Spurs ran a high pick and roll with Wemby popping out at the 3 point line. Again, he is 7'4. The guard took the screen, dribbled into traffic and fired a pass to an open Webanyama. Without hesitation he rose and fired. The ball was all net. I was aghast again at what he was doing so quickly into his first NBA game. Being in the right spot, pulling up with no fear and burying a three pointer, as a 7 foot 4 rookie, that is crazier than his block. This kid has the skills to become unguardable in the NBA. And it is not like that was the only 3 he attempted all night. In his 23 minutes, 5 of his 9 shots were threes, and he made 3 of them. I say for what seems like the millionth time, he is 7'4! This is nuts.

He definitely had his hiccups. He turned the ball over four times, he was in foul trouble, but the upside is incredible. We have not seen a prospect come into this first game and look this ready since LeBron. I know that is high praise, but Wemby has earned it dammit. I have fully bought in. I'm a Grizzlies fan through and through, but the Spurs now have my attention once again. Pop is still there, they have a nice young core and Webanyama seems like a once in a generation talent, a la David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Watching this kid play basketball for the next 10-15 years is going to be awesome.

This kid is good, with the potential to be great. I’m stoked to watch it.

Ty

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

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Let's Talk About the Michigan Football Controversy

Okay, I have to weigh in on the Michigan sign stealing allegations. It has been long enough. I am bummed. Right off the bat, I do not like when the only team that I love is doing shady stuff. It makes me feel bad. I hate it, and that is a word I hardly ever use. It stinks.

I went through all the emotions when the news broke last week. I was very scared at first. I thought of all the worst things that could happen. Then I started to find excuses. The NCAA is fully out to get Harbaugh. That much I fully believe. I do not think that anyone could truly disagree with me on that. Then the video stuff came out and I figured that all teams do this. I still think that as well. But with this staffer buying tickets seemingly all over the country, that seems weird. I also saw the main video being passed around. The one where the Michigan staff changes things up after an audible. I don't see anything truly wrong with this, I see it every Saturday from a bunch of other teams. But, still weird with the accusations out there. Then I saw what other coaches have said and I agree with some and think others, Kirby Smart and Mike Norvell, are being a little holier than thou. And now the staffers' text messages have been revealed and they are damning.

So, taking all of this in, I am still feeling things, but I feel like I will be on the other side after I talk about it on the site today. As stated above, this stinks. I was very against the Astros when they were accused, and then found guilty, of stealing signs. Baseball is a different sport, and what the Astros did was wild, but still, stealing signs is stealing signs. It is definitely a gray area within college football, but if I'm going to chastise the Astros, I need to chastise Michigan football. This is shady. I don't like it.

I was wearing a Michigan shirt today, I will never stop loving this team, and I went to a sporting goods store. A worker told me that they were having a good season and I smiled and said thanks. But as I walked away, I thought maybe he was trolling me. I have felt like sports fans have seen me out with Michigan gear since the story leaked, and they are all judging me. I am sure that is not the case, and most people probably don't care, but that is how my brain works. I feel like I am going to be judged for writing about it today.

What hurts most though, Michigan has simply been accused and an investigation is currently going on. Michigan has not been found guilty of anything. I also do not think they are going to get in much trouble if they are found to have done this. But in the public perception, on the horrific message boards and on major sporting networks, Michigan is guilty. According to a bunch of people, they did the crime and they should do the time. Most people don't care what the outcome will be. And that is the problem with this internet age. The big time sports writers want as many clicks as possible, so if they have a story, they are going to put it out there with little to no credible sources. If you read the original story, the writer mentions "anonymous sources" and "credible big ten sources". He never mentions a name. He wanted to get this story out before anyone, he did, and he is now getting massive clicks on his stuff. I even looked him up the other day.

What else bums me out about this scandal is the whole gray area of it all. Sign stealing is not illegal, but it is gross. I know a ton of teams do this, some much better than others obviously. That doesn't make it any less gross. I get it that teams change signs all the time as well. But some people know how to decipher this stuff, and changing it up a bit does next to nothing.

All in all, this stinks. I hate that it is Michigan being targeted in the investigation. This football team is the one thing I love that I have no affiliation with at all. But I also truly believe that Michigan will get what equates to a slap on the wrist. The public will always have their opinion of them, and that will be that they are college football's Astros. And I think that is what hurts me, as a fan, the most. Michigan's football program, regardless of how long Harbaugh sticks around, will be mentioned as the team investigated as the sign stealers. That hurts me the most. 

Ty

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

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Ty' 2023 - 2024 NBA Season Predictions

Today will wrap up my preseason NBA predictions. I'll pick my playoff teams, the west and east finals, the championship and the winner. I'll also do my awards predictions afterward.

Let's start with the East.

The East is a three team race, depending on the third team's fighting becoming a problem or not. The Bucks, Celtics and 76ers are the three best teams by a pretty wide margin. I think the Bucks will secure the 1, like last year, the Celtics will be 2 and 76ers 3. The only one I am a little weary of is the 76ers. They have a lot of off court issues. Following the 76ers I have the Knicks at 4, Cavs at 5 and the Heat at 6. Those are the teams that will secure playoff spots. The play in tournament will have the Hawks at 7, Magic at 8, Bulls at 9 and Pacers at 10. I think I'm putting the Pacers and Magic in because I think they have very bright futures, and it will all start this season. The 7-10 game will feature the Hawks securing the 7 seed by beating the Pacers. The Magic will secure that 8th spot as well, with the Bulls being too old and the Pacers not nearly as talented as the Magic just yet. In the 1-8 the Bucks will easily beat the Magic. I think it will be a sweep. I think the experience will be nice for the Magic, but they are not even close to the upper level of the East. The 2-7 could be fun if the Hawks figure it out, but the Celtics are too damn good to get beat by this team. I think the Hawks can get a game, maybe 2. But the Celtics talent will win out. The 3-6 will give us the 76ers facing the Heat. The Heat will win. They are a superior playoff squad and the 76ers find ways to get beat in the playoffs all the time. And the 4-5 will give us a rematch, but the Cavs will win this time. It will go seven, it will be ugly and tough, but the Cavs learned from last season and they will use that to their advantage. The second round will have the Bucks playing the Cavs and the Celtics facing the Heat. The Bucks will win, maybe in another sweep. They are the better team, they got better this offseason and they will shut down the Cavs. The Celtics will have a tougher go in round 2. The Heat are a problem for every team in the NBA, and they beat the Celtics last year as an 8 seed. I think the Celtics will win here, but it is going to be a tough seven game series. So, my East Finals feature the top 2 seeds. The Bucks and Celtics will face off in an epic East Finals. I have the Bucks winning with Damian Lillard having a humongous series. I also do not think Al Horford will be able to fully slow Giannis down. The Bucks will represent the East in the Finals.

Now to the West.

The West is much tougher to figure out for me. Every team has some kind of postseason aspirations. The Nuggets are going to be the 1 seed. That is almost inevitable. From there it gets tricky. I'm going to put the Suns at 2, the Kings at 3, the Lakers at 4, the Grizzlies at 5 and the Warriors at 6. Those are my guaranteed playoff teams. The play in is going to be a blast. I have the Clippers at 7, Timberwolves at 8, Thunder at 9 and Mavericks at 10. The Timberwolves are going to find a way to get the 7 seed. The 8 seed is going to be the Clippers, but they are going to really struggle to get there. So the 1-8 gives me the Nuggets and Clippers. The Nuggets will win in five games. They are younger, better and not as hurt. The 2-7 gives us the Suns facing the Timberwolves. The Suns are a much better offensive team and they will be able to neutralize anything Rudy Gobert tries to do on defense. Anthony Edwards will be awesome in the series though. The 3-6 has a rematch. The Kings will face the Warriors, but this time the Kings will win. They are younger and De'Aaron Fox will stay healthy this time around. The Warriors old legs will be too much to deal with running with the Kings. The 4-5 is another rematch, with the Lakers facing the Grizzlies. I would love to watch this series again, especially to see how Morant plays after his suspension. It should go seven games, but the Lakers will prevail. The second round would give us the Nuggets facing the Lakers and the Kings facing the Suns. The Nuggets and Suns will both win their respective series with ease. The Nuggets are much better and younger than the Lakers and the Suns have more firepower than the Kings. That would give us the Nuggets and Suns in the West Finals. The Nuggets will win this series as well. They are as good offensively and they are so much better defensively. It should go six or seven games, but the Nuggets are better.

That means I have the Nuggets and Bucks in the Finals. The two number 1 seeds facing off. And I have the Nuggets going back to back. They are in a great place as a team and organization right now. They are built for the modern NBA and they are in their sweet spot. The series will go seven games and the Nuggets will prevail at home.

As for awards, since I just picked the Finals I am going to go with Jamal Murray as the Finals MVP. He is about to have a great season. As for regular season MVP I'm going with Giannis Antentekoupmo. He is going to re-announce himself as the best player in the NBA. Rookie of the Year is going to be Victor Webanyama. He is too good to not be awesome. Scoot Henderson will give him a push though. Mike Malone will win coach of the year. He will lead the best team all year long and people will award him for multiple seasons of excellent basketball. Sixth Man of the Year is going to be Norman Powell. He is treated like a starter, and he finishes every game. He will be rewarded with his play off the bench. And to wrap it up the defensive player of the year is going to be Giannis Antentekoumpo. He is going to double dip this season. I expect him to have a wonderful, jaw dropping, memorable season.

That is it for basketball stuff for a bit. Enjoy the season everyone. It is almost here. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty Ranks the 2023 - 2024 NBA Teams - Watching Your Favorite Act Perform in a Stadium with 100,000 of Your Closest Friends Division

Welcome back to my preseason NBA countdown. This is the final day of the countdown. I will be giving you my top five teams heading into the season. I'll do awards and postseason predictions tomorrow to wrap it all up. Now, to the final five teams.

At 5 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. I don't know that a team with this much offseason turmoil is deserving of this high of a ranking, but the team on paper is very, very good. They have really good, star players. Hiring Nick Nurse was a home run as well. This team is stacked, if they stick it out. James Harden is still here, much to his chagrin. He is becoming more and more of a baby, but when he is dedicated and trying hard, he is a 25 ppg guy and a double digit assist guy. Joel Embiid is the reigning MVP. He is the best big in the NBA. He is as smooth as it gets on offense and a total menace near the rim on defense. Embiid is awesome, except for the playoffs. He needs to stay healthy during the playoffs and perform better. Tyrese Maxey is an up and coming star. He is on the path to being an all star. He is also a knockdown shooter and excellent shot creator. Tobias Harris is solid. He may not be worth his contract, but he is steady. I also watched him live twice last year and was super impressed. PJ Tucker is still a very feared defender, but he is an absolute goose egg on offense. De'Anthony Melton proved to be a great offseason addition last year. Danuel House Jr can still shoot a bit too. They also revamped their bench this offseason. I think Patrick Beverly will prove to be a good vet to have in the locker room. Kelly Oubre will bring extra offense. Mo Bamba can give five or six decent minutes a night. Danny Green looks okay. The 76ers have a very good team. Their season will all depend on how they come together, but they have the talent to win, and win big.

At 4 I have the Phoenix Suns. The Suns went for it all last season and ate it hard against the eventual champs. They decided to make some changes this offseason. Devin Booker is still here and still awesome. He is fast becoming one of the top players in the NBA. He is very good. Kevin Durant will have a full season with Booker now and hopefully he doesn't get hurt in warmups again. He is still an upper echelon player on both ends. They moved on from Chris Paul and went out and got Bradley Beal. Beal is a good player. He had big moments in Washington. I am still concerned how he fits here, but either way he brings scoring. Then they decided to make more changers. They got Jusuf Nurkic in a trade. He is not as good as Deandre Ayton, but if he is on the floor he will set hard screens. Eric Gordon brings three point shooting. So does Yutu Wantanabe. He has made a mark for himself in the NBA. Bol Bol will be interesting here if he plays at all. Keita Bates-Diop may start, but he will be a screen setter as well. Grayson Allen is here, but who cares. Damion Lee and Josh Okogie stuck around, which will help with some continuity. The Suns have a weird roster, but they will score in bunches. They need to hope for health since they are so top loaded, and if that happens, they will be lethal.

At 3 I have the Boston Celtics. This team almost fully changed their roster and yet they look even better than they have the past couple years. Jayson Tatum is awesome. He is elite. He is one of the best overall players in the NBA. He may be the future face of the league. Jaylen Brown, while solid, is not as good as Tatum. He is not as dependable either. But he got paid and I wonder if the security of his massive contract will let him play more freely. Derrick White is a very good perimeter defender and 3 point shooter. Al Horford, while old, is still one of the better big man defenders in the NBA. He can slow down almost any other center. The Celtics went out and traded for Kristaps Porzingis. He had a career year last year. If he can stay on the floor he may put up very big numbers. They also got Jrue Holiday who may be the best perimeter defender in the NBA. He can also bring extra scoring. And guys like Oshae Brissett, Lamar Stevens and Wenyen Gabriel are better bench guys than they had last year. The rich changed, got richer and got better. The Celtics are going to win a ton of games this year.

At 2 I have the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks made the deal of the offseason. I fully understand that they traded Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen, two starters from last season's team, but they got Damian Lillard. Lillard brings everything they need on offense. He is a knockdown shooter, can create and can get to the line. He will also give Giannis an open lane. Speaking of Giannis, Antetokounmpo is the best basketball player in the world. He is a do it all machine and he is very good at almost everything on both sides of the floor. Khris Middleton, if healthy, will get crazy wide open looks playing alongside Giannis and Lillard. He will be astonished at how open he will be. He is also a very solid defender. Brook Lopez is one of the best defensive players in the league and he can really shoot the 3. Jae Crowder is back, and I think with a more defined role he will look like his old self. Bobby Portis is one of the best bench and role players in the NBA. Pat Connaughton, if he can get out of his own head, can stroke the three and be a defensive menace. I love that they brought in Cam Payne to backup Lillard. And I am very curious to see MarJon Beauchamp get some run. He crushed in summer league. The Bucks are a very good team who got much better by adding Lillard. I cannot wait to watch them play this season.

My number 1 team going into this season should be no surprise. The number 1 team is the Denver Nuggets. They have it all and are coming off a dominant playoff run that ended in a title. They were barely even pushed. Expect more of that this season. Nikola Jokic is a great basketball player. I'm sick of all the coverage and love and how people like the "curmudgeon" he is, but the dude can play. Jamal Murray is very awesome. I think he will finally get on the all star team this year. I feel like he is really going to announce himself super loud this season. Aaron Gordon fits perfectly here. He is a great pick and roll guy, he is their best defender and he can still jump out of the gym. Michael Porter Jr is almost unguardable from the perimeter and he is a solid shot creator. But he is always hurt and kind of took a step back last season. Christian Braun played a nice bench role as a rookie. I'm sure he will get more minutes. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope continues to produce and win wherever he plays. Reggie Jackson seems to have finally bought into being a backup and it fits for him. Peyton Watson should get more time this year. Zeke Nnaji is an interesting player. And Justin Holiday was a solid pickup. The Nuggets should be overwhelming favorites heading into the season. They have pretty much everyone back and they are ready to go.

That is it for my countdown. As I said earlier, tomorrow I will have my postseason predictions and my awards predictions. The regular season is almost here everyone. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

Ty Ranks the 2023 - 2024 NBA Teams - Hanging Out at a Great Music Festival Division

Day five of my preseason NBA countdown brings us the start of the top ten. These are the top teams. These are the teams with real title aspirations.

At 10 I have the Memphis Grizzlies. This is my team. This is who I root for. I want nothing but the best for them. The hard part is they have floundered in the playoffs and Ja Morant, due to his own fault, is suspended for the first 25 games. They are going to miss him a lot. He is a very important guy to this team and their playoff hopes. They did get Marcus Smart in a trade. I like the defense, grit and willingness from him to shoot. Desmond Bane is getting better every year, he is their best shooter and he is a solid enough defender. Steven Adams should be back from injury. He brings toughness and much needed rebounding. Brandon Clarke should, hopefully, return at some point this season, and he is a great glue guy and bench player. Jaren Jackson Jr is the reigning defensive player of the year. He is also a good stretch four. He just needs to stop making dumb fouls. I like the addition of Derrick Rose. He is a solid vet and he is returning to the place that he dominated basketball. Kenny Lofton Jr should get spot minutes. Luke Kennard is a decent shooter, but he is inconsistent. Ziaire Williams has looked better this preseason. Santi Aldama is an okay backup big. The Grizzlies have a ton of talent. Now that talent needs to translate to the playoffs. They also need to play big while Morant is suspended.

At 9 I have the Sacramento Kings. The Kings are fun and good again. I feel like it is the late 90's, early 2000's all over again. De'Aaron Fox is awesome. He is fast, he is clutch and he is the perfect point guard to run this offense. Domantas Sabonis is a bruising big man who is one of the better low post passers in the league. Keegan Murray played well above his years last season and was dominant in summer league. Davion Mitchell is a superior perimeter defender. Malik Monk is a microwave shooter. Harrison Barnes is still around and still productive. Kevin Huerter is better than people give him credit. Chris Duarte has got range. This team has gotten better over the years and hiring Mike Brown was a wonderful decision by the front office. They are tried and true and will be for a good long time now.

At 8 I have the LA Clippers. The Clippers have so much talent on their roster. They have stars almost everywhere. Will that talent be healthy all year though? That is the million dollar question. Kawhi Leonard is an amazing basketball player. He is one of the best defenders in the league. His offense has gotten so much better. He is a terror for opponents. He can single win games single handed. But he has to play more than 20 games. Paul George is a bit more durable, but not by much. But when he is out there, boy oh boy is he awesome. He can shoot from anywhere. He is one of the best shot creators in the league. He is an awesome defender. There is not much he cannot do, except stay healthy for long stretches. Russell Westbrook rebuilt himself going to the Clippers. It seemed like an odd fit, but he slid right into that sixth man spot and was a great addition last season. I see that getting even better. Norman Powell is awesome when he isn't the first option. The dude can score in bunches, and when the Clippers have their stars on the floor he is always open. Ivica Zubac is a very good rebounder and a solid defensive presence. He just gets kind of dazed on offense from time to time. Terance Mann is amazing. I enjoy watching him play basketball. I also loved how he was messing with Chris Paul in the playoffs last season. Mason Plumlee and Nic Batum add veteran leadership. And Kobe Brown looks like a nice draft pick. The Clippers should be very good this year, but it all depends on health.

At 7 I have the Golden State Warriors. The names are all the same and they should win a lot of games. But man are they getting old. Steph Curry is the greatest shooter in the history of basketball. He is amazing to watch play and I am so happy that I am around to witness his greatness. Klay Thompson is still recovering from two horrendous knee injuries, but the guy puts up buckets. He has also started trash talking a lot, which I appreciate. Draymond Green is still a pest and the best system player this league may ever see. He is also still a top tier defender in the league and he is the only guy that I truly believe can guard all five positions with no drop off. Kevon Looney is the best rebounder in the NBA and he is the perfect center for this team. He just isn't much of a scoring threat. Johnathan Kuminga is seemingly getting better. Moses Moody may have a make or break year for this team. Andrew Wiggins should be fully back all season and he should be engaged. I love them bringing over Rudy Gay on a small deal. Gary Payton II should be full go and he had his best years within the Warriors system. And they brought over Chris Paul. I don't know how or if that will work, but I do know that he is maniacally trying to win a title. The Warriors will win a ton, but the old legs may be their downfall in the playoffs. I wouldn't bet against them though.

The final team for the day, another old team, at 6 I have the LA Lakers. The Lakers got so much better this offseason, and last year they made the conference finals. LeBron James is back and looks as good as he always has. He is the second greatest player of all time. He does amazing things with the ball in his hands. He is the best modern leader this game has ever seen. James rules. Anthony Davis looked awesome in the playoffs last season and I think that will translate to this season. He is such a good player when he is engaged and focused. He just needs to stay on the floor. I do not like, nor do I get the cult of Austin Reaves. But, the dude can shoot and playing alongside James is in his best interest. Rui Hachimura really found himself as a bench player with the Lakers. He looks like a trade steal. D'Angelo Russell is not as good as advertised. He can shoot, but he is often a minus on defense and can be a turnover machine. Getting Gabe Vincent is going to be big for their bench units. He can shoot and defend. Cam Reddish may actually be an okay bench player for this team. Jaxson Hayes is going to love grabbing lobs from LeBron. Jarred Vanderbilt is a long, switchy defender. The Lakers went out and found guys that fit around LeBron and AD. That is what they have needed to do for quite some time now. They did it and I think it will work in their favor.

That is it for today and for the week. Come back Monday for my top five teams. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

Ty Ranks the 2023 - 2024 NBA Teams - Watching a Pretty Good Cover Band Division

Day four of my preseason NBA countdown continues with five teams that I feel have real, legitimate playoff spots. They should avoid the play in and be in the top six in their respective conference.

At 15 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. I was very high on them last season but they kind of fell on their face. They never really got it together all season, but they did make the play in and they played the Nuggets kind of tough in round one. This team has massive talent, but I want to see how it comes together, if it does at all, this season. Anthony Edwards is awesome. He is one of my new favorite players in the league. He has major confidence, he had a wonderful summer and he has gotten better every year. Karl Anthony Towns is a great shooter, but he is kind of soft everywhere else. He also missed a ton of time last season. I'll be curious to see if he sticks with the team all season, but while they have him he needs to let it fly. Rudy Gobert is not close to the player he was in Utah. He never fully melded with the team last season and he had a tough summer. I think he may struggle even more. I like Naz Reid as a backup five. He needs more playing time, and if he were to get more, he could do some nice things. Mike Conley is a good point guard, and he has camaraderie with Gobert, but he is older. I like that they got Nickiel Alexander Walker on a good contract. I think he can help this team. Shake Milton was a decent addition as well. The Timberwolves should be a very good regular season team that parlays that into a top six spot in the West. We will see.

At 14 I have the Atlanta Hawks. This team is a mystery. They have loads of talent, but they had an even tougher time playing together than the T'Wolves last season. Trae Young is a great scorer and passer. He is also a complainer. He seems to rub teammates the wrong way far too often. Dejounte Murray is lethal, but he seems to be not as good as he was when he was in San Antonio. He is still an awesome defender. Clint Capela is a great pick and roll guy, as long as Young is a willing passer and Capela stays on the floor. De'Andre Hunter is an okay player, but his skills from college haven't translated to the NBA yet. I like that they went out and got Saddiq Bey last year. He is a good, tough addition to this team. Onyeka Okongwu needs to play to show he is a good five in the league. I think Kobe Bufkin was a very good, smart pick for this team. Jalen Johnson has some solid skills, he just doesn't see the floor enough. This team is highly talented, but they have chemistry issues. They should win enough to get in the playoffs, but it may look ugly at times.

At 13 I have the New York Knicks. This is a very solidly built team with very solid NBA players. They don't have any super duper stars, but they have good team players. Jalen Brunson proved his worth tenfold last season. He is a very good point guard with ice in his veins. He's awesome. Julius Randle is a very good regular season player. He can score a ton. Josh Hart does all the little things really well. He is also a fan favorite. RJ Barrett may be the player he will always be already, and that is fine. He is a solid 16 ppg game guy. No more, no less. Immanuel Quickly had an up and down year, but the dude can score. Mitchell Robinson is a very good defender and rebounder. He is a menace too. They have high hopes for Quentin Grimes. And they went out and got Donte DiVincenzo on a good deal. He can really let it fly. The Knicks are built for regular season wins. They can also give a few teams a run for their money in the East.

At 12 I have the Miami Heat. Remember how they made the finals as an 8 seed last season? That was nuts. It shouldn't have been that surprising though. Jimmy Butler is one of the best, and most underrated superstars in the NBA. He is a killer and a winner. Tyler Herro is a good shooter and shot creator. Duncan Robinson is a knock down 3 point shooter. Neither plays a lick of defense. Kyle Lowry is a great veteran leader, but he is older. He was so good in the playoffs last season. Caleb Martin really showed out last season in the playoffs last season. Bam Adebayo is one of the best modern centers in the league. He is a tank as well. Kevin Love is still here and he is still a great outlet passer and rebounder. Josh Richardson might find his form being back with his original team. And the people I listen to are very high on Jaime Jacquez Jr and Nikola Jovic. The Heat are about as solid as they get in the NBA. They aren't going anywhere.

The final team for the day, at 11 I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell is a legit scorer. He can shoot from every level. He is almost impossible to guard. He just needs to do that in the playoffs. Evan Mobley is a great young player. He has shown strides both years in the league and I think being humbled by Mitchell Robinson in the playoffs last season will be highly beneficial for him. Jarrett Allen is a great old fashioned center. He is tough to guard and is willing to take on anyone. Darius Garland is so good. I was so wrong about him and I am happy about that. Garland is one of the better up and coming guards. Caris Levert provides scoring from the perimeter. I like that they went out and signed Georges Niang for bench scoring, Ty Jerome as a solid backup point guard and Max Strus as a three and d guy. I am also a big fan of the Emoni Bates draft pick. He will do some nice things off their deep bench this year. The Cavs are a fun team to watch.

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

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.