The Drop Step

XJ of The Hot Hand Theory joins the show to talk about the emerging trends we've spotted throughout the 24-25 NBA season. Are we on the verge of a defensive revoltion, pioneered by Mark Daigneault's OKC Thunder? Are the Houston Rockets blurring the lines between offence and defence with their commitment to offenisve rebounding? Which frnachise is the biggest innovation hub in a rapidly changing le...

These players aren't neccesarily in the rumour mill but my guess is they wish they were. Dan Favale of the Hardwood Knocks podcast joins the show a month out from the trade deadline to talk players that we just wish we could see in new colours. From stars to roleplayers, a ton of teams get some shine in a super fun episode! Be sure to check it out. Hardwood Knocks - Spotify: https://open.spotify.c...

Victor Wembanyama looks to have taken a leap 30 games into the 2024-25 season so it's time to ask whether the San Antonio Spurs can follow his lead. Are they ready to be taken seriously or is another development season on the horizon? Spurs expert and friend of the podcast Noah Magaro-George joins the show to talk about how Wemby's improved this season, which players are ready to follow him on the...

"What's going on in Utah".... Brian Windhorst asked a few offseasons ago. As Windy hinted and finger pointed that change was afoot the NBA world giggled and scrambled to trade for the cream of the Jazz crop in Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Utah got a haul that gave off OKC vibes and with Danny Ainge at helm a Western conference powerhouse was sure to be on the way. Except, two seasons and eigh...

There's nothing more exciting than watching a player on your favourite team make "The Leap"... Whether it's an improved handle, a sweet looking three-ball, dogged defence or a change in attitude there are tonnes of ways that players take that next step and Matt Powers of Swish Theory joined the pod to talk about some of our favourite young NBA players who are ascending rapidly! Listen in for Grade...

A week of the 24/25 NBA season has taken place and as predicted; the 2024 rookie class has gotten off to a slow start. But, gaze into the future, peer, peak, draw back the curtain and try to envision a world in which Reed Sheppard is on fire in Houston, Zach Edey isn't fouling 4.7 times per game and Zaccharie Risacher can finish at the rim. That's exactly what Dan Olinger and I tried to do on this...

Is West Coast Real Estate the best thing about the Pacific Divison? The LA teams, Warriors, Suns and Kings might find themselves in a beautiful aprt of the country but Judson Walden and I discuss why we're concerned about the overall strength of this group. Will offseason additions lead to a more exciting season for Kings and Suns fans? Can LeBron and Steph defy father time again? Will Kawhi Leona...

Square your shoulders to the basketball, tuck that elbow in, ten toes facing the rim, don't let that guide hand interfere with your shot! When I think of shooting development, like many other I focus on the physical side of things, correcting form, energy transfer, fluid motion, eliminating that funky footwork etc but there's so much more to it than that. I asked NBA Shooting Coach Dave Love onto...

The South West division was a doosie last year, providing us with a finals contender, a french phenom, a frnachise that nearly doubled their win total from 22/23 to 23/24 and a near full year of Zion Williamson (that damn Play-In!). This year promises much of the same. Now that the Memphis Grizzlies are seemingly back, ready to compete after a nightmarish 27 win season last year, it seems we have...

Trill of YKB fame drops by to talk about the Atlantic Division in the 24/25 season! We went through every single trade target that Philadelphia could look to acquire using the KJ Martin contract. Spoke about the Celtics title credentials given the Porzingis injury, had some (slightly outdated chat around the Knicks) and finished off with a 2nd draft guys segment that'll get you on Fanspo in no tim...

The Northwestern Divison has as good a chance as any with providing us our NBA champions for the 2024/25 season. Listen in for a whistlestop tour through the OKC Thunder, the Timberwolves, the Nuggets and the Jazz. We talk about divison themes, fun lineups we'd like to see, our big questions for each team as well as some of our predictions for the upcoming season. Can SGA win MVP? Will the Nuggets...

Not all rebuilds are built equal. Sometimes you get a bundle of picks to jumpstart the assembly of an exciting new era for your franchise. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride, tear it all down and leave a failed era behind without a ton to show for it. The Blazers and the Wizards found themselves at opposite ends of the spectrum when they chose to tear it down but we spoke about them together...

Just how do you scout the draft in 2024? What do you look for? What do you value? Well, I've drafted in draft expert (see what I did there?) Chucking Darts to help you and I through the process. We talk about what it really means to be an NBA athlete, valuing efficiency at all levels and what's going to stay valuable as we get into the backhalf on the 2020's in the NBA. Let us know what your philo...

What's going to happen next year in the NBA? Who will be the best player? Which teams will dissapoint? Which young guys have a chance to break through and do something special? I've decided to arrogantly share my East/West Conference Predictions as well as my Top 75 players list with a bunch of fellow content creators so they can tear me down all in the name of good listening! For the debut episod...

Bryce joins the show to hopefully reframe the conversation around the Detroit Pistons. It's easy to see the gaps in the roster but we try and imagine what success could look like in Motor City. We talk about each member of the young core and highlight one area of their game in which we'd like to see them improve to get this roster to a place where we're talking post season not potential draft pick...

How far can synergy get you in the NBA? As the Knicks trade the farm for Mikal Bridges, the Celtics win it all with one of the most balanced teams of all time and star laden teams like the Phoenix Suns flame out early in the post season Judson Walden and I wanted to explore just how far synergy can get you. We put on our fake GM hats and drafted against eachother in an effort to build a championsh...

Hawks expert Glen Willis joins the podcast to talk about his beloved Atlanta! Trading Trae Young or Dejounte Murray? What to do with the number 1 pick? Jalen Johnsons ultimate ceiling? The unexpected value of De'Andre Hunter. We talk about a ton of interesting stuff in this episode so make sure to chekc it out! Follow The Drop Step on Twitter here: https://x.com/TheDropStepNBA?prefetchTimestamp=17...

An MVP, an All-Star, 5 draft picks and $55,000,000 in cap space. The Philadelphia 76ers have all of the above, Ricky Council III and the rest is a blank canvas. In a move to build a championship team round Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey this summer Daryll Morey has created flexibility that most GM's would dream of. Heading into free agency they have the room to sign any player and with their stash o...

Small guards thriving, depth is king, two big or not two big... Every year the playoffs throw up a ton of questions and answers so on today's show Parker Flemming and I took his team, the Memphis Grizzlies, and spoke about some takeawys they could make and apply to next season. We got into winning the possesion game, optimising Jarren Jackson Jr, the two best value wings in the NBA and a whole lot...

Nic Thomas of The Lead and The Box Score pod joined the podcast for one of our favourite nights of the year... The NBA Draft lottery! Listen in as we speculate about some exciting outcomes that could come to pass pre Lottery or feel free to jump ahead to 30 minutes in where we officially react to the lottery as it's taking place. In the final stages of the podcast we did a lottery Mock Draft to ro...

Will everyone be 7ft tall? Will everyone be hitting stepback 3's? Are solo Rim Protectors a thing of the past? Mike Gribanov, Draft analyst and youth Basketball expert joins the podcast to talk about the future of the NBA and some of the untapped advantages that teams may well look to exploit as we enter the back half of the 2020's. We talk about why it's important not to pidgeon hole prospects in...

Angst and anguish are apt words for describing the emotions and feeling of Minnesota sports fans for the best part of a century. Since George Mikan and the Minneapolis Lakers sailed away to sunnier Western coast shores the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" has failed ot make a major splash on the USA sporting scene; all too often leaving their fans drowning in misery. But... Say it quietly. All that might be...

How healthy is Joel Embiid? What does a matchup against the Knicks look like for the 76ers? Dream off-season acquisitions... The 76ers are into the post season and we had Bryan Toporek on the pod to talk all about it! Listen in to hear about potential matchups, vanquishing Miami, Embiid speculation and roster analysis. Bryan's one of the best in the business when it comes to covering Philadelphia,...

It's time to redefine the NBA stock market. For too long us NBA fans have "held onto stock" of draft busts; players presented as superstars who failed to live up to the premise they'd shown early in their hoops career and I say enough is enough. It's time to clear out your NBA stock portfolio, it's time to sell your timeshare on Frank Ntilikina island, dump your Killian Hayes equity, relinquish yo...

What do you prioritise when you have the greatest prospect perhaps in the history of the NBA blossoming before your very own eyes? The San Antonio Spurs have to answer this question. With Victor Wembanyama in house; they have an opportunity very rafrely afforded to other franchises. Contend now? Trade a glut of the 12 first round picks they have stashed for the next 7 years to build an overnight c...