Takes

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks need to break up

The difference this time is Giannis just outright said it... he's basically saying, I don't know what's gonna happen with me and the organization. They just need to break up. He's the best player in Bucks franchise history... I think it's time. You gotta just do it. Get draft picks and move on.

Alex Karaban will play in the NBA for 15 years

You know, the guy [Alex Karaban] just had such a magical career... you know, the guy's a two-time national champion... guy's gonna play in the NBA for 15 years, you know, he was the guy to go to at the moment.

I would take Darius Acuff as a top five pick in the NBA Draft

I would take him top five personally. If you watch him play basketball and you don't think that he can't just own a franchise, be like, 'Hey, here you go, it's your franchise, you're gonna have fun.' He's that good.

The Lakers will lose 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs regardless of their current hot streak

What's gonna happen is they're like, they're good, but the other two teams above them are better and have been better all year and younger. Right? But again, what's gonna happen is they're like, 'They're good, but the other two teams above them are better.' ... When everyone tries to tell us the Lakers are gonna win the title, I'll just be like, 'Okay, cool.' They'll lose 4 to 1.

South Carolina and Texas are safe bets to reach the Women's Final Four

If you want an easy parlay, South Carolina and Texas to go to the Final Four. It's like minus one 15. But those two teams got easy tracks.

The NBA will expand to Seattle and Las Vegas by the 2028-2029 season

NBA expansion teams. Yes. Seattle and Vegas. I think it's 28, 20 29... Little bit, little bit of a shuffle [moving Minnesota and Memphis to the East].

The Celtics are completely back with Jayson Tatum returning to form

He looks so good. The Celtics looks so good. They're, they're so back. Missoula is such a good coach. And he's not forcing it and like trying to take over. 'cause when your team's already second on the east, you don't need to come back and be a superstar.

The top NBA MVP candidates might be ineligible due to the 65-game rule

There's a good chance that like the top two guys or the top three guys aren't eligible. Yeah, we're on games missed watch. For like what Shai, Wemby and Jokic, right?

I guarantee a Thunder NBA Cup win next season specifically because I don't think it will happen

I hope we're gonna win the NBA Cup next year... I'm much more comfortable saying, I'll guarantee you. 'Cause I don't think it'll happen.

I bet on the Celtics at 15-to-1 odds to win the NBA Finals

I I did put a bet on the Celtics... 15 to one. Oh Nice. Yeah. That's huge... I swear to God I wasn't even thinking about bringing it up.

The Indiana Pacers won the trade deadline by adding Ivica Zubac while maintaining a path to a top-four pick

I look at the Pacers, you know, like you add a top five center in [Zubac]... you clean up some of your cap stuff, you bring in a top center who's gonna make you a little different... and then you have a chance at the top four pick here... I like what they did because they were doing something long-term while also making sure that they're tanking.

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.

The Phoenix Suns' inability to execute in clutch time is a fatal flaw for their playoff hopes

When you watch [the Suns] close games that are tight, it's awful. They're 21st in clutch offense... that is the most like truthful number of a team when I watch them play because they get stuck... it feels like a fatal flaw for them.

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.

The Timberwolves are clearing cap space to make a massive run at Giannis Antetokounmpo.

This feels like the Timberwolves are moving money around to maybe go for Giannis.

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.

The Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade will be seen as a win-win in ten years.

Rob Pelinka texted Nico Harrison and said something like, man, I I I would do it again because I I really think we both won... It was a good trade. In 10 years they will be singing your praises.

The Denver Nuggets will win the NBA title this year

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

The 76ers will be a massive disappointment if they don't reach the NBA Finals

I just believe in the Sixers a little bit more than you, I guess. I'm gonna pick 'em... I think Sixers in the east, easily... This to me is as open as it's ever gonna be for the Sixers.

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.

LeBron James will retire from the NBA to start his own international league and destroy the NBA.

LeBron James is just gonna start his own league. He's gonna retire from the NBA... and he's gonna start an international league and then he's gonna try to destroy the NBA.

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.

Cooper Flagg is significantly better than we thought he was after watching him in Summer League

I think Cooper flag went off. I think he did too. Yeah. I think he's better than we thought he was. ... Significantly better than we thought he was.

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 basically be 'Lob City'

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

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.

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.

The Mavericks should be favored as the primary threat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West next season

Should the Mavericks be favored to be the team that gives Oklahoma City a run for its money out of the West next season? Think about it. It seems like they're the next one up.

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 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.

Next year is the Sixers' year 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.

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 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder will be remembered as the worst version of a multi-year championship dynasty.

This is gonna be the worst Thunder team to win a championship because you're gonna get so much better over the course of the next couple seasons with [their draft picks].

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.

SGA 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 [titles].

Jeremiah Fears will be seen as one of the top two players in the 2025 NBA Draft when it is redrafted in a few years

Jeremiah's just a special kid and he is a grinder. ... three, four years, like when you remake this draft, he's gonna be one of the top, probably top one or two in this draft class.

Nikola Jokic will retire as one of the two best centers to ever play the game

When he's done, you have to argue he's top one, two best centers ever. The only person who is gonna be standing tall over him is Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar].

Luka Doncic will be the MVP next year if he loses 30 pounds

If Luka can get down to about 230, 225, I I, I really believe he's gonna be MVP next year.

Anthony Edwards is the new face of the league if he wins a title

He is, he's the face of the league if he can win a title and the Timberwolves are just a really good team all around.

LeBron James will not retire silently; he will have a massive farewell tour

LeBron James is not going to retire outta the blue and just walk off the court and that'll be it. He is going to have the retirement tour. Yep. He's going to go across the country and there's gonna be like a documentary crew that follows him everywhere.