The NBA Podcast

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss whether any team in the Eastern Conference is capable of preventing the Brooklyn Nets from reaching the NBA Finals. What does LaMarcus Aldridge's retirement mean for the Nets' chances of advancing to the Finals? Are the Milwaukee Bucks their biggest threat in the East? What matchup problems do the Net...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss whether the Los Angeles Lakers' chances of repeating as champions are in jeopardy. How important is home-court advantage to the Lakers? Can they bank on Anthony Davis staying healthy? Are the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers or Denver Nuggets legitimate threats to dethrone them? Can anyon...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss which prospects in the 2021 NBA draft class are worth tanking for. Is Cade Cunningham the clear-cut favorite for the No. 1 overall pick? How does Evan Mobley compare to James Wiseman and Deandre Ayton? Are the Jrue Holiday comparisons justified for Jalen Suggs? Where do Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuming...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss how the trade deadline and buyouts have shaken up the NBA title picture. Are the Denver Nuggets a real threat to win the title after adding Aaron Gordon? How will LaMarcus Aldridge and Blake Griffin impact the Brooklyn Nets? What will Andre Drummond add to the Los Angeles Lakers? Will Victor Oladipo h...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) discuss the winners and losers of Thursdays' NBA Trade Deadline. How will Aaron Gordon in with the Denver Nuggets? Is the acquisition of Nikola Vucevic going to keep Zach LaVine in town for longer? What is the next step for the Orlando Magic? Is there a future for Norman Powell in Portland? Check out the e...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) discuss the upcoming NBA Trade Deadline. Which team is going to get Kyle Lowry? Are the Bulls a candidate to land Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan? Should the Celtics prefer Aaron Gordon or Harrison Barnes? What will happen to Victor Oladipo? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Keith discuss all of that a...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) discuss Atlanta's five-game winning streak, what the Wolves need to do in order to not be dreadful anymore, and they close by looking at trade options near the NBA Trade Deadline. Could the Hawks consolidate some of their assets to get better? Should the Sixers make a play for Buddy Hield? Why do the Minne...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) are joined by Yahoo! Sports NBA writer Keith Smith, who will also be filling in for Bryan over the next few weeks, to discuss the upcoming NBA trade deadline on March 25th. What should the Orlando Magic ask for Nikola Vucevic? Are the Kings in seller mode? How interested is Boston in Harrison Barnes and would...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss which teams they have an extra close eye on for the second half of the 2020-21 NBA season. Can Dallas continue their hot streak? Do the Celtics need to make upgrades at the NBA trade deadline? Should the Nuggets consider trading Michael Porter Jr.? Will the Pacers put a scare into top-tier East teams?...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss their picks for every major award at the midway part of the 2020-21 NBA season. Who could stop Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic from winning MVP? Is Rudy Gobert the clear front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year? Can anyone catch Jordan Clarkson for Sixth Man of the Year or Jerami Grant for Most Impro...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the Atlanta Hawks firing Lloyd Pierce, what's next for John Collins and Victor Oladipo and other Houston Rockets trade ideas. Did Pierce deserve to get fired? Is Nate McMillan the right person to lead the Hawks moving forward? Should they be shopping Collins ahead of the trade deadline? Does Oladipo h...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss what's wrong with the biggest NBA disappointments and whether they can turn their seasons around. Has the Boston Celtics' title window closed? Can the Denver Nuggets trust Michael Porter Jr. moving forward? Are the Miami Heat no longer a threat in the East? Should the Dallas Mavericks regret the Josh...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss All-Star snubs, DeMarcus Cousins landing spots, Kristaps Porzingis trade rumors and the Minnesota Timberwolves' coaching change. Who were the most egregious All-Star snubs this year? Which teams should be interested in Cousins following his release from the Houston Rockets? Should the Mavericks be wil...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) react to the All-Star starters being named and make their picks for the All-Star reserves. Should Damian Lillard have gotten the starting nod over Luka Doncic? Was Kyrie Irving the right choice next to Bradley Beal? Who should be locks in the East and West among the reserves? Which players deserve the final f...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss what's next for Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin, what Anthony Davis' injury means for the Lakers and the red-hot Suns and Jazz. Was Draymond Green right to call out the double standard regarding the Cavaliers sitting Drummond? Can any team afford to bring on Griffin? Will Davis' injury hurt or help L...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss how the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets should be approaching the trade deadline. Should the Blazers be open to trading CJ McCollum? How much should the Kings want in exchange for Harrison Barnes? Which teams would be the best fits for Trevor Ariza a...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the Derrick Rose trade and discuss who else might be on the trade market. Was the Rose trade a good idea for the Knicks? Did the Detroit Pistons get enough for him? Which teams can assemble an attractive trade package for Nikola Vucevic? Where would Andre Drummond make the most sense? Should the Toron...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) make their early All-Star picks for both conferences. Do the Brooklyn Nets deserve three All-Stars? Should Bradley Beal get in despite how bad the Washington Wizards are? Who should be the final few reserves in the East? Will any New Orleans Pelicans or Phoenix Suns players make the Western Conference All-Sta...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) make their award picks for the first quarter of the 2020-21 NBA season. If the season ended today, who should be the MVP? Can anyone challenge Rudy Gobert for Defensive Player of the Year? Is LaMelo Ball the runaway Rookie of the Year? Who should be in contention for Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Pl...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) are joined by Mason Ginsberg (@masonginsberg) and Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) of the In the N.O. podcast (@InTheNOPod) to discuss Lonzo Ball, JJ Redick and Eric Bledsoe trade ideas. What types of players/assets should the New Orleans Pelicans be seeking in return for Ball, Redick and Bledsoe? Which teams would...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the rookies that have made the biggest early impact in the 2020-21 NBA season. Which rookies have been the biggest surprise so far? Did the Minnesota Timberwolves make a mistake by taking Anthony Edwards at No. 1? Are the Golden State Warriors being too hard on James Wiseman? Which rookies are looking...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) try to make sense of the Western Conference's middle class of teams. Can the Portland Trail Blazers stay afloat without CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic? How should the San Antonio Spurs approach the trade deadline? Are the Utah Jazz the third-best team in the West? Could the Memphis Grizzlies finish as a top-six...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) are joined by special guest Jason Patt (@Bulls_Jay) of the Cash Considerations podcast to discuss the Bulls' future and first impressions of James Harden on the Nets. Why have the Bulls struggled to start the year? Does Lauri Markkanen have a future in Chicago? Should the Bulls be shopping Zach LaVine? What s...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) break down the winners and losers from the four-team James Harden megatrade. How will Harden fit in Brooklyn next to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving? Did the Rockets get enough in exchange for him? Will they try to flip Victor Oladipo? Are the Cavaliers the low-key winners of this trade? How will Caris LeVert f...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the NBA's ongoing COVID-19 struggles, Bradley Beal trade chatter and slow starts from the Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans. Does the NBA need to take a short hiatus to refine its COVID-19 protocol? Should the league "skip the line" for vaccines? Should the Wizards start quietly shopping Bradley...