Whereas the Lakers' inevitable jackpot is proof of how the league works, the Mavs are foolishly clinging to a fantasy about how it should be. Read more »
G League Analysis
Lakers' Exceptionalism Vs. Mavericks' More Toward A More Conventional Goodness
Who Are The Lakers And Mavericks Now?
Unwilling to see Luka Doncic through whatever plagues him, the Mavericks just sent him to a task much harder than the one they'd given him. If he can do it, basketball mythology will have to revise its definition of "forever." Read more »
LeBron James' Old Man Reinvention
The Lakers are caught between pragmatism and hope, torn between optimizing their new, Luka Doncic-led future and maximizing their current, LeBron James-led present. Read more »
LeBron's Fascinating Brand New Last Act With Luka Doncic
In Luka Doncic, the Lakers have their bridge to the future, but LeBron James also has his bridge to another career-defining chapter. Read more »
The NBA Just Changed
Overnight with the Luka Doncic trade, the NBA moved out of the superstar empowerment era and into one where teams build within the jammed-puzzle machinations of its new CBA. Read more »
NBA Draft Report: VJ Edgecombe Of Baylor
VJ Edgecombe won't be the offensive engine of an NBA team, he offers unique value with his potential as a two-way star. Read more »
NBA Draft Report: Dylan Harper Of Rutgers
Dylan Harper's electric on-ball ability just might give him more upside than anybody outside of Cooper Flagg. He's a special offensive player, and he's wired the right way. Read more »
Zion Williamson: Basketball's Oldest Young Man
Zion Williamson is at once one of the most visibly under-seasoned souls in the league and one of its most beleaguered Read more »
The Realest: Washington Wizards
If this season is to have any importance beyond the mere passage of time for the Wizards, it’ll be because of Alex Sarr. Read more »
NBA Draft Report: Ace Bailey Of Rutgers
Ace Bailey is a player that has all the offensive ability in the world. The shot creation is next-level, he can hit spot-up jumpers and he's going to be a terror in transition. He will be electric in the NBA with merely adequate surroundings. Read more »
Jimmy Butler And The Limits Of Heat Culture
There is a direct relationship between the decision to lean into the Heat Culture mythology, as a branding exercise, and the team's current relationship with Jimmy Butler. Read more »
NBA Draft Report: Cooper Flagg Of Duke
Cooper Flagg is a dynamic two-way prospect that has one minor flaw. And Duke's roster construction isn't doing him any favors in hiding it. Read more »
The NBA Is Popular, Actually
The NBA viewership numbers we don't get to see are saying something appealing to the people who write the world's biggest checks. Most of what's said contrary to that is part of someone's resentment factory. Read more »
Joy In Ambivalence At The NBA Cup
Players, fans and media are still feeling out how Cup glory fits in the broader NBA narrative. For now, the magic of the Cup is watching its meaning negotiated in real time. Read more »
The Bucks Are Wide Awake
What a thrill to see a competitive ecology for a handful of do-or-die games in December, and for Giannis to stomp through them like all the mess between his championship and right now was just stuff he could stride right over. Read more »
Wolves Begin To Find Themselves All Over Again
The Wolves made a major trade right before camp and then started the season slow, but the new pieces have now been incorporated and they again look like the team that made the Western Conference Finals. Read more »
Dark Twisted Fantasy Report: Hawks And Pelicans After Big Trade
When you play fantasy basketball, you start to look at NBA statistics differently, and seemingly inert numbers start to take on much louder character. Read more »
Five International Prospects For The 2025 NBA Draft To Know
On why Nolan Traore, Hugo Gonzalez, Ben Saraf, Michael Ruzic and Noa Essengue will be among the top picks in the 2025 NBA draft. Read more »
Rockets Join Thunder In The New Western Vanguard
The Rockets passed a big test with their win on Sunday over the Rockets. It might take a few more signature wins for the whole basketball world to notice, but plenty more newcomers are already looking into Houston today. Read more »
NBA Stars Used To Play For The Best Teams But Not Anymore
Having the best player in the world no longer guarantees anything. The new salary cap structure made stars, the guys who sell tickets and jerseys, matter a bit less, and depth matter a lot more. Read more »
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