The NBA Podcast

Is there any justification for the Philadelphia 76ers trading Nerlens Noel to the Dallas Mavericks for 25 cents on the dollar? Can Cameron Payne justify his high price with the Chicago Bulls? Did the acquisitions of P.J. Tucker and Serge Ibaka make the Toronto Raptors the Eastern Conference's second-best team? Will Lou Williams help the Houston Rockets make it to the Western Conference Finals? Sho...

How badly did the New Orleans Pelicans fleece the Sacramento Kings in their acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins? Will a frontline of Cousins and Anthony Davis work in New Orleans? What types of players should the Pelicans target to build around their Boogie-Brow frontcourt? Is there any silver lining for Sacramento in this trade? Should the Pelicans have made the deal without getting reassurance Cousi...

Do Philadelphia 76ers fans have any reason to trust team president Bryan Colangelo heading into the trade deadline? Is Carmelo Anthony a deserving All-Star Game replacement for Kevin Love? Why are we sleeping on the San Antonio Spurs as title contenders? Which players should be front-runners for the NBA's major awards heading into the All-Star break? What major shakeups could happen at the trade d...

After acquiring Serge Ibaka from the Orlando Magic, are the Toronto Raptors a legitimate threat to topple the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs? How does Ibaka fit in Toronto? Did the Raptors overpay for him? Should the Magic have held out for more? Who came out as the biggest winner in the Jusuf Nurkic-Mason Plumlee swap between the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers? Check out the episo...

Should the Milwaukee Bucks change course in the wake of Jabari Parker's second ACL tear? How would Jahlil Okafor fit on the New Orleans Pelicans? Is the New York Knicks' dysfunction jeopardizing their chances of ever landing a marquee free agent? Are the Washington Wizards a legitimate dark horse to make the NBA Finals? Would the Miami Heat have been better off without catching fire and reeling of...

Should NBA coaches have named Chris Paul, Mike Conley or Joel Embiid as All-Star Game reserves? What should the Chicago Bulls do in the wake of Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade criticizing their younger teammates? With LeBron James openly pining for a backup playmaker, do the Cleveland Cavaliers need to make a major move by the trade deadline? How low should the New York Knicks be willing to sell on C...

Who was the bigger starting snub from the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, Russell Westbrook or Kyle Lowry? How should the Los Angeles Clippers proceed in the wake of Chris Paul's thumb injury? Should Rudy Gay opt in after tearing his Achilles tendon? What will the loss of Pau Gasol mean for the San Antonio Spurs? Which teams should be interested in Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio? Do the Ph...

After Derrick Rose's mysterious disappearance on Monday, how should the New York Knicks proceed with him moving forward? Who won the Kyle Korver trade? Why would DeMarcus Cousins sign an extension with the Sacramento Kings? Should the Chicago Bulls be shopping Jimmy Butler? Which Western Conference contender poses the biggest threat to the Golden State Warriors? Check out the episode to hear Sarah...

How should the Chicago Bulls resolve their Rajon Rondo dilemma? Should the Atlanta Hawks trade Paul Millsap rather than risk losing him for nothing in free agency? Does Chicago head coach Fred Hoiberg deserve to be on the hot seat? What's ailing the Detroit Pistons since Reggie Jackson's return? With scoring on pace to set a new all-time high, should the NBA intervene and alter its rules? Check ou...

Who stands to benefit from the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement? Should teams be allowed to rest players on the road? What's behind the Spurs' defensive decline when Kawhi Leonard is on the court? Are the Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers legitimate threats to make noise in the playoffs? Check out the episode to hear Sarah Cilea and Bryan Toporek touch upon all...

With ill-fitting pieces and young lottery picks playing out of position (or buried on the bench), how should the Orlando Magic proceed in their rebuild? Did Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks screw up in his structuring of Donatas Motiejuanas' offer sheet? Why aren't the Boston Celtics living up to preseason expectations? Should the Phoenix Suns go all-in on their youth movement? Which playe...

With Mike Conley sidelined by a back injury for the next 6-8 weeks, are the Memphis Grizzlies' playoff hopes on life support? Should the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs be most afraid of the Utah Jazz compared to any other Western Conference team? Is Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban right to not pursue tanking? How should the Washington Wizards, Miami Heat and De...

After going 5-1 in their past six games, are the New York Knicks a serious playoff contender? Can Reggie Jackson transform the Detroit Pistons into a legitimate threat to the Cleveland Cavaliers once he returns? Do Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker work together long-term? What's ailing the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves? Check out the episode to hear Morten Jensen, Sarah Cilea an...

Can Jrue Holiday help the New Orleans Pelicans turn their season around? Who deserves the most credit for the surprising starts from the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets? How can the Portland Trail Blazers get Evan Turner going? Is it finally time for the Sacramento Kings to trade DeMarcus Cousins? Which teams have emerged as threats to the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers? Check...

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen, Bryan Toporek and special guest Mark Karantzoulis break down the biggest stories from the third week of the 2016-17 NBA season. What are the major takeaways from the Chicago Bulls' surprising start? Can Jrue Holiday help the New Orleans Pelicans turn their season around? How should the Orlando Magic proceed moving forward? Are the Los Angeles Clip...

Have the Golden State Warriors already found their groove after laying waste to the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder? What's most surprising about the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers? Are the Chicago Bulls actually... good? Is there any hope for the New York Knicks? Was Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy right to rail against coaches resting playings? Which extensions handed...

Morten, Sarah and Bryan recap a wild first few days of the 2016-17 NBA season, including the new-look Knicks starting off on the wrong foot against the defending-champion Cavaliers, the Spurs' demolition of the Warriors and Joel Embiid's regular-season debut. They also touch upon the Lakers and Kings looking shockingly competent this season, Blake Griffin's return and Dwyane Wade suddenly learning...

Morten, Sarah and Bryan recap their biggest takeaways from the 2016-17 preseason before diving into their season predictions. How will Michael Carter-Williams fit with the Chicago Bulls? What's behind the latest influx of LaMarcus Aldridge trade buzz? Which players surprised during the preseason? How will the playoff races shake out in each conference? Which players will walk away with the major h...

Morten, Sarah and Bryan finish their division-by-division preview of the 2016-17 NBA season with a look at the Northwest Division. Should the Denver Nuggets go all-in on their youth movement? Will Tom Thibodeau guide the Minnesota Timberwolves to the playoffs? How will the Oklahoma City Thunder fare in their first year sans Kevin Durant? Are the Portland Trail Blazers due for regression? Can the U...

Morten, Sarah and Bryan continue their division-by-division preview of the 2016-17 NBA season with a look at the Southwest Division. Will Harrison Barnes flourish in a bigger role with the Dallas Mavericks? How will James Harden fare as the Houston Rockets' full-time point guard? Are the Memphis Grizzlies a legitimate threat to contend in the Western Conference? Which New Orleans Pelicans player w...

Morten, Sarah and Bryan preview the Pacific Division ahead of the 2016-17 NBA season. How can anyone stop the Golden State Warriors? Is this the last stand for the Los Angeles Clippers' Big Three era with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan? What will the Los Angeles Lakers look like without Kobe Bryant? Should the Phoenix Suns go all-in on their youth movement? Will the Sacramento Kings...

Morten, Sarah and Bryan preview the Southeast Division ahead of the 2016-17 NBA season. Can Dwight Howard replace Al Horford in Atlanta? How will the Miami Heat fare without Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh? How will the Charlotte Hornets build upon their success in 2015-16? Can new Orlando Magic head coach Frank Vogel sort through the crowded frontcourt he inherited? Will John Wall and Bradley Beal mak...

Morten, Sarah and Bryan preview the Central Division ahead of the 2016-17 NBA season. Can the Milwaukee Bucks bounce back after their disappointing 2015-16 campaign? How will Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo fit with the Chicago Bulls? Are the Indiana Pacers or Detroit Pistons legitimate challengers to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference? Check out the episode to hear discussion on all of...

Sarah, Morten and Bryan preview the Atlantic Division ahead of the 2016-17, touching upon the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets, the new-look New York Knicks, the debuts of Philadelphia 76ers rookies Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, and how Al Horford will fit with the Boston Celtics.

Bryan Toporek, Sarah Cilea and Morten Jensen discuss the biggest storylines from the first week of free agency, touching upon Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Al Horford, Pau Gasol and many others.