Takes

The Milwaukee Bucks should not play Giannis Antetokounmpo for the rest of the season

I don't even think Milwaukee would want Giannis to come back and play... They should want to do whatever they can with this pick 'cause they don't have many of 'em. And Giannis probably shouldn't even wanna play and risk health and risk this contract extension that he can get before next fall. So the tanking is gonna get egregious.

The Clippers made a smart pivot trading James Harden for Darius Garland

I like what the Clippers did... I don't think Darius Garland is this bad. He's a two-time all star. He's 26 years old... when he was right, he was terrific. And Harden... fourth trade request in six years. So the Clippers very quickly on the fly... you'll look at the Garland thing and go, man, they were able to land a player like that for Harden.

The Knicks' usage of Karl-Anthony Towns is becoming a real issue

The Knicks, as much fun as they are... the imperfections with them. The cat [KAT] stuff here... He's now sixth in minutes in the fourth quarter for the Knicks... since January 1st. So you're seeing his minutes decline... Mitchell Robinson's so good... I wonder if [Thibodeau] like bails on Kat in specific matchups? 'Cause he's already starting to do it in the regular season.

LeBron James won't retire because he's addicted to the attention of basketball

I don't think he is [retiring]. I think he's gonna have a really, really hard time being away from the attention of basketball... He's still incredibly productive offensively... I still think there's far more positive about him, the player, but it just depends like what are you looking for next year?

The Wizards fleeced the Mavericks in the Anthony Davis trade

I think that this is a great trade for the Wizards. I do. I think this was an absolute fleecing of the Dallas Mavericks... The two first round picks aren't really two first round picks. We didn't give up two first round picks. We gave out one that's protected that we're gonna keep. And then there's another one that could end up being like the 30th pick.

Scotty Barnes will have more points than Rashid Shaheed has receiving yards

Scotty Barnes will have more points than Rashid Shaheed has receiving yards.

LeBron may have played his last game in Cleveland - his body is finally catching up to him

I think he might be coming to the end here. It feels like his body is finally caught up to him. So this might be last time in Cleveland.

LeBron James should go back to Cleveland to finish his career

I do think he should go back to Cleveland. I think he should finish it there. They still love him. The tribute videos, it's still home. He should go back to Cleveland.

LeBron James will announce his retirement at the All-Star Game

He's gonna announce he's retiring at the All-Star game. They're gonna rig it so that he can win the all-star MVP. It's in LA. And then he's gonna say, I'm retiring.

Trey Young will be traded from the Atlanta Hawks in a mutual parting of ways

My Hot Seat is Trey Young. Because it looks like he is asking, demanding to be traded from the Atlanta Hawks and the Hawks are also trying to trade him. So I guess this is like a mutual parting of ways.

The NBA gambling scandal is going to get much bigger with more players involved

My big takeaway after the deep dive earlier today and listened to a couple press conferences is that I think this just gets bigger. I think there's gonna be a lot more guys in the coming days announced to be a part of this thing not looking good whatsoever.

The Denver Nuggets will win the NBA title this year

I'm picking the Denver Nuggets. There's no reason to pick against OKC... they're just going to be better... I just wanted—I picked him last year, I wanna do something a little different this year. So I'm picking the Denver Nuggets.

LeBron James will not retire until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles

I was talking to [Mark] Titus about it... he was saying that he doesn't think LeBron's gonna retire till 2028 when the Olympics are in LA. That's so much more LeBron. ... He will, that will be the last basketball. He plays the Olympics in 2028.

Paige Bueckers will break all of Caitlin Clark's WNBA rookie records

She's gonna break all of Caitlin Clark's rookie records and I think she's a better team player than Caitlin Clark.

LeBron James and Chris Paul will have a 'retirement off' to ensure they don't retire in the same year

I don't think LeBron wants to retire the same time as Chris Paul. I think they might. I think it might be a retirement off... It's gonna be like, who's gonna retire first? The other person stay an extra year just 'cause they didn't wanna retire the same year as that guy.

LeBron James desperately wants to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron's getting a little desperate. Did you guys see the latest? Kobe Altman, the president of the Cleveland Cavaliers, got a contract extension and LeBron James quote tweeted it... He wants to be a Cav so bad.

Paul George will be the biggest bust in Philadelphia sports history

Paul George, Playoff P, Pre-season P has injured himself again... he's probably gonna go down as the biggest bust in Philly history. Him and Andrew Bynum... Ben Simmons... Markelle Fultz. Playoff P is in the running right now for biggest bust.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will keep drafting role players and only pay their three stars

I think what [the Thunder's] plan is, and it might work, is that they have so many draft picks. They'll just keep drafting and not paying those guys and then pay their three guys. And hope the role players like, hey, you're gonna, you're gonna play well if you get drafted, get paid very little money. But you get to play with three really good players.

Klay Thompson playing with Luka Doncic will be like Lob City

I will say this about Klay Thompson. It does feel like if it doesn't work with Luca, he's gonna be in a i, I don't know what, where it would work, because that's just Lob City form.

The Philadelphia 76ers will win the 2026 NBA Finals

I'm gonna match and double. I'm gonna say they're gonna win the finals. They're gonna win a chip. Love it.

LeBron James is actively trying to work his way back to the Cleveland Cavaliers

I don't know, is LeBron, is he trying to work his way back to Cleveland? I think that would be good. Yeah. I would like to see it... he's doing this on purpose to get everyone talking about it and then he's gonna do it. I think he's gonna do it.

The Houston Rockets are going to be awesome this season

The rockets are gonna be really good. I know that you don't win championships July 1st. The rockets are gonna be awesome. I'm a big, I think the Rockets are gonna be awesome. They basically have three centers now and they added Kevin Durant and I'm a Rockets believer.

Kevin Durant will win the title and secure a legacy year with the Rockets

I think KD's got a little fuck you going tour coming. I think he's got one more of those in him. And I think this might be the year... I think this might be a KD legacy year. I think he might win it all and then be like, now this one counts.

Cooper Flagg could make close to a billion dollars in the NBA by age 32

If everything goes well for [Cooper Flagg] and he signs all of his extensions and everything... he could make close to a billion dollars in the NBA by age 32. He has a $62 million rookie deal... then he'd get the 30% supermax, which would be $359 million. And then he would get the 35% supermax, which would be $509 million.

The Pelicans' trade from pick 23 to 13 was the worst trade ever

Pelicans. Oh boy. Yep. That was the worst trade ever. They traded from 23 up to 13 and they gave away their unprotected first round pick next year. Actually worse than that... they gave whichever one is better, is higher. And if the Bucks trade Giannis, that could literally just be two shots at getting the one pick.

The Duke trio of Flagg, Knueppel, and Maluach are all special NBA prospects

I like all three guys a lot. [Cooper] Flagg... anticipation, the defense, I mean it just, his passing all this stuff is that he's a, he's a real competitor... [Kon] Knueppel iss like he's, he's gonna be very good pro... [Khaman] Maluach... he stays in front of [guards] by moving his feet... Those three guys are really special prospects.

This 2025 Thunder team is the worst version we will see during their upcoming dynasty

This is the worst Oklahoma City Thunder team that will win a championship during this dynasty run. They had to go to seven against the Nuggets. They had to go to seven against the Pacers. I don't expect that to happen ever again for them.

The Sixers are now in their championship window because the Eastern Conference is wide open

Next year is the Sixers' year. I feel like this is their year now. The East being wide open as it is. Celtics don't have Tatum. Pacers don't have Haliburton. Knicks don't have a head coach. You guys are good.

Kevin Durant to the Rockets is a great fit because they finally have a go-to scorer

Great fit. Rockets are gonna be very good. They needed a go-to scorer. Kevin Durant is still a go-to scorer. ... I think that's the team he can go to... it's a young enough team that he can be like, yeah, they needed Kevin Durant.

The Pacers will win Game 6 at home to force a Game 7

I think the Pacers are gonna figure out how to win one at home. I don't know how, I think maybe we get a TJ McConnell game. I think we just send him out there and we're like, we're gonna empty TJ's personal tank on this one... I have no reason to believe that they're gonna win game six, but I somehow do.

The Pacers-Thunder series is officially over for Indiana

I'm pretty sure... that was their game to lose. And they did. And now I feel like the series is over. Like, yeah, the Pacers have been winning the series and it's tied and... the Thunder know they're the better team and they can just step on their throat.

I officially believe the Pacers are going to win the NBA Finals

I believe in the Pacers throughout the Eastern conference playoffs and then the finals came and I was like, I think the thunder are gonna win. And I know that it's obviously now that they're up, but I they just, there's something about 'em, like they just have more guys... something about this team is special.

The Thunder will still win the NBA Finals despite being down 2-1

I'm gonna go Oklahoma City still. I'm gonna stick with my original prediction. I'm not gonna change after a two-one lead. I'm gonna say Oklahoma City. They, they, they, they gotta win game four and it's a three game series and two of 'em are home for them.

The Thunder will beat the Pacers 4-2 in the Finals

I think I'm gonna stay with four, two Thunder.

The 2025 Thunder will eventually be seen as the worst version of their championship dynasty.

This is gonna be the worst thunder team to win an championship because you're gonna get so much better over the course of the next couple seasons with their draft picks. This is actually a down year for the Thunder.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will win the NBA Finals in five games.

Thunder in five. I played, I think it was plus six 80 Thunder Games one and two, Pacers Game three, thunder game four and five.

The 2025 OKC Thunder championship will be the worst title of their upcoming dynasty

We have gotten ahead of it and we think this actually will be the worst Thunder team to win a title in their dynasty run. 'cause you guys [Alex Caruso] are probably gonna win like six in a row. So you're saying this is the worst this year? Yeah. We just back where we'll be like, can you believe that team won?

Alex Caruso is the smartest player in the league and will be a great coach one day

The guy's a crash dummy man... He's one of the smartest dudes. He's going to be a great coach when he's done... he would help lead some of our meetings [in Chicago].

The Thunder, Timberwolves, and Nuggets title windows will stay open through the end of the decade

Shea is like 26. Jalen Williams is the third season, Chet, this is technically his third season, but he's only played two seasons. I could see these three guys, us talking about these three guys in playoff games like this for the rest of the decade.

The 2025 Thunder are the worst version of a team that will win multiple titles

There's a chance if the Thunder win the title this year, this is the worst Thunder team to win a title. 'Cause they're gonna probably win like four or five. This is the worst Thunder team we'll ever see to win a title.

The Timberwolves will likely be forced to break up their core roster next season due to the salary cap

I don't think they can keep this team together. The core, the big piece is they can, but, so Julius Randall's a free agent, Nick Alexander-Walker is a free agent, and Naz Reed is a free agent. He has an opt out, which I'm sure he is gonna take. I would be surprised if they were able to re-sign all three guys.

LeBron James will not take a pay cut on his next contract with the Lakers

I do not think it's in the cards that he's taking less money. It's not that necessarily he wants every dime, although he does want every dime. I don't think he believes that free agency is got anybody in it where if he takes less money that the Lakers could go use their mid-level and like have a transformational player. The intention is for him to continue to make all of the max which he has earned.

Luka Doncic will come back in elite shape next season due to the conditioning criticism

I think you're gonna see a different Luka. I do. I think you're gonna see Luka... I think he comes back in elite shape next year.

LeBron James will opt out of his contract and finish his career in Cleveland

I'll say this PFT, LeBron, he's gonna opt out. He's gonna opt out. Could he, could he end his career in Cleveland? Could he fix everything? Well, no, he, he might opt out to take less money, but that would be fun if he did the opt out And we had like a day or two of being like, calves coming home one last time.

The Celtics will defeat the Knicks in six games

I feel good. I'm happy. I said I wouldn't be worried if they went down oh two. They came, they came out, they showed what they needed to do. I feel like that's gonna be, they're gonna win this series in six.

The Nuggets will win the series against the Thunder

I think it's correct score. You think so? I think it's two Two... 'cause I think it's, they, the way the Nuggets have won their two games has been very like we're a team that knows how to do this whereas the thunder cannot... championship DNA deserves two wins in this game.

The Celtics will win the NBA Championship

Before the season I picked the Boston Celtics. With the Boston Celtics down two to one in this series, I still pick the Boston Celtics... they're the best complete team and they just won last year.

The Warriors will not win their series against the Timberwolves without Steph Curry

The Warriors just couldn't, they didn't have enough offense. And, and the wolves, like even with Anthony Edwards... I'll just say it. The Warriors will not win this series without Steph.

Steph Curry will try to return to the playoffs sooner than he should

I think that Steph is actually gonna come back sooner that we think that he is. I wouldn't be shocked if he tried to play in their next game because he knows... this feels like the last dance type thing that we're trying to do right now. I think he's gonna try to come back maybe too soon.

The Celtics will still win their series against the Knicks easily

I do think the Celtics are gonna win this series easily... 4-2 is pretty easy. When you're looking back on the history books, 4-2 is pretty easy. That's easily.