In Game 1, we saw both the extreme benefits of Philadelphia's strategy of kaiju-like paint monster trio of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Tobias Harris, and the ways in which Trae Young can solve its long-limbed riddles. Read more »

The Jazz jumped from ninth in Net Rating last season to first in 20-21. Read more »

It's easy to be terrible, and it's easy to be a little bit better than that. It's aspiring to competency that can leave you disappointed, get you fired. Read more »

While the Heat hope to return to The Finals, the Wizards, Hawks, Hornets and Magic are in the crowded morass of teams from 7-12 hoping for a spot in the play-in tournament. Read more »

The empty stats and the Next Steph chatter isn't Trae Young's fault; it's just stuff that has happened while he's been killing time on bad teams. Read more »

The Hawks have a great young core, rotation spots available off the bench and lots of money. Because of this summer's cap environment, Atlanta could overpay a couple of veterans for one year and still have flexibility moving forward. Read more »

We look at the trajectory of every team in the NBA in terms of how they rank in the category. Read more »

Josh Smith was damn good, all things considered, but so frequently and heavily lamented that he became more closely associated with his poor decisions than his broad range of talents. Read more »

The Hawks didn't do poorly during the Steve Belkin and Bruce Levenson era. They put together a few decent seasons. But there was a ricketiness to the entire enterprise and the on-court product was steeped, somehow almost immediately, in sour, doomed competence. Read more »

With so much turnover this offseason, and another exciting draft class, teams had lots and lots to say. Read more »

Playing meaningful minutes in games that matter is a new thing for Kent Bazemore, one he's toiled hard for and inarguably earned. Bazemore has taken an indirect route to this moment, but that is the way it always goes for players like him. Read more »

Building through the draft is usually an exercise in compiling as much talent as possible and letting things sort themselves out over time. For the Hawks, they have been doing this while also assemblings players who complement each other. Read more »

The Knicks, Clippers, Hawks, Kings and Lakers project to have the most cap space this offseason. Read more »

Kevin Huerter had been enjoying life in the NBA to the point he forgot he was going to be paid. Read more »

It's gratifying to see the Bucks ascend like this because, after spending a not insignificant period of time stalling and scuffling, they've been suddenly seized by possibility. Read more »

On the offseason moves by the Hawks, Wizards, Magic, Heat and Hornets. Read more »

Trae Young is already in possession of immense gifts: limitless range, a sharp handle, and (probably) better vision than he was able to show off at Oklahoma. Read more »