Box Out Banter

We're back and we are here to talk about about one thing and one thing only. Victor. Wembanyama. The clear cut number 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft. We talk about his showcase in Las Vegas last week in front of the basketball world. What makes him mindblowing as a prospect. Which prospect of the past can we even compare him too, and the tank-a-thon we are about to witness this season. Because boy....its gonna be a movie lmfao. Then we talk about Draymond and him punching his own teammate in the face during a practice.

The Dubs are champs once again. We give the Warriors their flowers, talk about their adjustments and the Celtics end of things. We also discuss Steph and where he fits in the top 10 and how there should be NO MORE holes to poke in his career. We also talk a little bit about the Rockets Mavs trade and a little bit of the draft.

It's been a minute but we're back talking about the NBA Finals between the Warriors and Celtics. We go over the first two games, and what adjustments the Warriors made to not collapse this time around and take game 2. We also talk about what each team needs to do and not do to win the championship. Then we talk Lakers and the new head coach mostly because I wanted to make jokes at Chris' expense.

Round 1 is coming to a close so we took stock of what has happened in the playoffs. Boston's Dominance Warriors Ultimate ceiling? The Utah Jazz stink to high heaven Please don't choke Sixers.

Heres whats on the Docket Celtics suffer a big blow with the Rob Williams Miami Heat contenders or pretenders? Suns are THE team. Warriors ROY and MVP Quick 2018 Draft look-back

Rookie Of The Year MVPs Embiid and Jokic showdown Are the Bulls TRUE contenders? BOL BOL???

JAMES HARDEN IS A 76ER AND LIFE IS GOOD. We (more so Chris letting me iso) talk about first impressions from the duo of Joel Embiid and James. The Sixers ceiling, and potential pitfalls. Then we talk about possible NBA expansion. Also who has the best on-court gravity of all-time?

The all-star break is over and we are resuming the home stretch of the season. We talk about all-star weekend, the terrible Saturday and then the Steph show on Sunday. Then we get into what we are looking for as the season closes and then our top 3 MVP candidates. Then we close talking about Tracy McGrady's absurd comments about Giannis.

WE REACT TO THE TRADE DEADELINE WE TALK ABOUT THE SOME OF THE BIG MOVES. JAMES HARDEN IS A SIXER. BEN SIMMONS IS A NET PORZINGIS IS A WIZARD. TYRESE HALIBURTON IS NOT A SACRAMENTO KING

First we talk about Andrew Wiggins being selected as an all-star starter. Then I (Jordan) list my all-star teams and talk about fringe all-star candidates and best young duos in the NBA.

We are back after a long holiday/sick/messed up sleep schedule break. We go all over the place with the hoops. From favorites, to MVP talk to other story lines.

We back! We talk about the superior conference in the NBA. But before that we talk about Chris' trip to Florida, and then we talk about Suns/Warriors/ Lakers (LMAO). Then we move on to the east were we talk about our favorite teams we've watched. We talk Bulls and their chances of coming out of the east, and then we examine how the Cavs have become a legit good team. We also touch on the Colin Sexton situation, and which teams could possibly sign him in the off-season.

First we talk about the Sacramento Kings firing Luke Walton and were the Kings go from here, and who to hold accountable. Then we talk about the drama that happened between Bron Bron and Beef Stew in the Lakers-Pistons game. Then we talk about all the things we've seen at the 20-game mark of the season and give our thoughts and takeaways from each conference. We also talk about who the MVP is to this point in the season.

First we talk about the ESPN Report about Suns' Owner Robert Sarver, then we talk about early season surprises, the rookie class, the Lakers, Anthony Davis and his place in the hierarchy of the league's best players. Then we talk about the NBA Top 75 (briefly as it pertains to Anthony Davis who somehow made it over Dwight Howard) , then we talk about the changes to officiating, and how players need to adjust.

Before we tier the Eastern Conference, we briefly talk about the WNBA Champion Chicago Sky and also touch on Phoenix Suns' Owner Robert Sarver continuing to Robert Sarver anything in his path. Then we tier the East, where me and Chris have a huge disagreement about the Atlanta Hawks.

NBA Media Day was yesterday, so before we ranked our Western Conference teams for the upcoming season, we talked about the mind-numbingly stupid anti-vax quotes that came out from a few players and we talk about the Rolling Stone article that came out over the weekend over the remaining unvaccinated NBA players. Then we get into ranking the Western Conference teams. We talk about the Suns' and Jazz's status as contender, my questions about the Lakers, and if Jason Kidd is going to torpedo another franchise under his watch as head coach.

It's officially the dog days of the NBA Off-season. We go off the wall for about an hour on random stuff (mostly hoops related). Enjoy! Programming note We are going to be going bi-weekly until the preseason, training camp, and regular season start to ramp up.

We talk about LeBron's need for any motivation and his ability to be corny. We talk about LeBron's need for any motivation and his ability to be corny. We then pivot to Draymond Green's interview with Kevin Durant and they blame everyone but themselves for their infamous argument during the Clippers game. Then we dive a little bit more into the free agency stuff now that everything is settled for the most part, and then we end with summer league talk and a random deep dive on the 2008 draft class.

Do you want to hear what a Laker fan sounds like when he loses a key player in free agency in real time? Because we absolutely have that in the episode. We discuss the NBA Draft, whose drafts we liked, what the Cavs got in Evan Mobley, and what Cade brings to the Pistons. Then we react in real time to some of the free agency signings. (Free agency started at 3pm PST, we record around 4:30 PST usually). I also react to a very very New York Knick-ian type of signing, and Chris mourns the loss of his beloved Alex Caruso to the Chicago Bulls. We also talk about what the Heat look like now that Kyle Lowry is in the fold.

We back. Obviously a lot has happened in the three weeks we didn't do an episode, so we cover it all. We talk about the 2021 NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis' accession to a new level of superstar status, and the Bucks sustainability as contenders (as long as they have Giannis they are contenders lol). We also talk about the series, what went wrong for the Suns, and when the series started to shift towards Milwaukee's favor. Then we get into the NBA Draft this upcoming Thursday. We go over Cade vs Mobley, what the Rockets should really do at 2, Chris' love for Jonathan Kuminga, other prospects, and what the Warriors should do with the picks, which ties into.... What will Bradley Beal decide to do? Will he request a trade? What can the Warriors offer to get him if he does want out of Washington? Then last and probably, definitely least, we go into Team USA's shaky start, and their loss to France.

A lot going on in the NBA even during the playoffs. First we talk about both of the conference finals. We talk about Trae Young's fast rise to stardom, we also talk about the Suns and Deandre Ayton and I ask Chris if Ayton has been the Suns' best player all playoffs. We also revisit the Paul George topic and Chris' dislike (hater lmao) of PG-13. Btw this was recorded before PG saved the Clippers season last night in game 5, so I couldn't take a victory lap as a resident Paul George stan. Then we move on to the topic of Dame and the recent Chris Haynes report of the growing rift between Dame and ownership. Guys. Pay Attention to the last decade of the NBA. If you start seeing early reports of a superstar getting grumpy with his situation and "growing rifts" then the saga will end most likely with the superstar gone. Why does Jason Kidd keep getting coaching jobs? And Why was Chauncey Billups hired? The world will never know. To wrap it up we finish talking about the final Team USA roster and the NBA draft lottery which was set in stone last week.

I have now joined Chris on the couch as both of our teams are out of the playoffs and we watch teams compete for a title we both think our teams had a shot at. Chris lets me cook again to talk about what's next for the Sixers, why Doc Rivers absolutely can not come back. I give two teams that make the most sense trading for Ben Simmons. We then move on to light up the Rudy Gobert pack after the Jazz got bounced by the Clippers in game 6. We also talk about Devin Booker's masterful game 1 performance in the Western Conference Finals. Day 1 Devin Booker stockholders stand up. Shout out Jorge too. "bUt bOoKeR iS nOt a wInNiNg pLaYeR". Then we preview Bucks/Hawks. And give our predictions and our projected finals prediction. Please let the Bucks and Suns play each other. I want to see fully healthy squads matchup in these playoffs for once lol.

Hope you're ready for me to go off on my own team because I was chomping at the bit to do this episode. I went off on the Sixers' back-to-back epic meltdowns in Games 4 and 5. Chris was basically my therapist as I ranted about Tobias Harris, Doc Rivers and how overrated he is as a coach, and I'm ready to move on from Ben Simmons. Can't waste Joel Embiid's prime. Sitting here waiting and hoping that Ben Simmons comes into any game with an aggressive mindset is no longer an option. It's time to trade him. Excellent player, but his lack of wanting to improve glaring flaws in year 4 means Current Ben Simmons can't be the second best player on a Championship team (could be a great third guy). I'm all about protecting Jo's prime now. Then we move on to the other series: Playoff P showing out in Utah without Kawhi. Gobert and the Defensive Player of the Year debate. Kevin "You Know Who I Am" Durant's most iconic game of his career. Coach Bud is (surprise surprise) awful again in the playoffs. Suns are the favorites to win the title. Luka vs the Robotic Gambler.

There is a new era in town, and its being established by the young stars of the future. In this episode we go into our overall takeaways from the first round of the playoffs and talk about the second round and why the championship is now a wide open race. Chris writes his eulogy for the Lakers, I give my takeaways from the presser given by Blazers GM Neil Olshey and the people he threw under the bus. Then we talk about how Clippers avoided what would've been an all-time meme-a-thon on NBA Twitter and the basketball internet at large. Then its on to the second round were we discuss and pick our series winners for Clippers/Jazz and Nuggets/Suns. Also can the Bucks overcome their head coach and his terrible decisions? SPEAKING OF TERRIBLE COACHING DECISIONS. I (Jordan) give a rant on why Doc Rivers coached the worst game of the season by far in game 1 of Sixers-Hawks. Why did you play an all-bench lineup and have an 11-man rotation in the second round of the playoffs dawg?

The playoffs have arrived, and boy was it a great weekend of game 1s. We go over all of the games, and the play-in games that happened. Are the Lakers in trouble if AD keeps playing like he has two eyebrows? Will The Bucks crush the Heat after overcoming the mental hurdles of Game 1? (Jordan certainly thinks so, Bucks in 5) What adjustments will the Knicks make to stop Ice-Trae? Oh and we (sorta) continue to light up that Jazz pack. Are they in trouble? Could the young, upstart Grizzlies upset the Jazz in round one? Also, when do we recognize that Luka Doncic is the best player in the Mavs/Clippers series? Its been going on for seven playoff games vs the Clippers now.

The playoffs are here (the play-in games more accurately). Jordan gives his 57th ode to Stephen Curry's revenge season, then they talk about the four play-in matchups and the odds the Warriors could pull an upset. They also talk extensively about the Bucks - Heat series and why that 3rd seed v. 6th seed matchup is infinitely more interesting than the 3 - 6 matchup (Nuggets-Blazers) in the Western conference. Then after playoff talk, they discuss the 2020 Hall of Fame class, the 2021 hall of fame class, and whether the Hall of Fame is too lenient on who they let in.

Guess whose happy that the Niners didn't draft Mac Jones?? Its an enthusiastic episode of the BOB. Chris talks about his Lakers being on the verge of the play-in game. LeBron joins Luka and Mark Cuban as the latest people to cry about the play-in tournament now that they have a real chance of being in it, and good ol' Andre Drummond taking minutes over a really old-Marc Gasol, who is clearly better than Drummond. Jordan also talks about the Bucks, their evolution throughout the season, and why they are right there with Philly and Brooklyn as contenders to come out the East. The homies also go over the long list of what-ifs scenarios that T-Mac has been a part of. and then....somehow.... they get on the topic of the 2013 Louisville Cardinals and Chris remembers an old Peyton Siva draft take. We really started talking about Peyton Siva and Russ Smith lmao.

Well last Monday on Twitter was certainly....something. We talk about the weird days-long Catfish story that happened in Lakers Twitter. Yes we had to talk about it considering shit started happening a few hours after we recorded last week's episode. Then we get to some real hoops talk. The Knicks and the Hawks have been resurgent as of late. We talk about the job Thibs and Nate McMillan have done, and how they have brought a baseline of professional and competent basketball play. We also talk about how bad the Blazers have been lately, and if it is time for some change in Portland. Then we go to the play-in games in both conferences. Also, Steve Nash deserves his props as a head coach this year.

WE ARE 20 EPISODES IN. Thanks to everyone who has been listening. Unfortunately we recorded right before NBA Twitter went batshit insane last night lmao. Today we talked Steph's absolutely scorching stretch. We recorded this during the Sixers' game, and you can even hear when Steph dots his lil bro with a three. Then we talk about the Nuggets, the west contenders, and why the Pelicans are so inconsistent. We also torch the entire state of Utah. When do we do it? Well you have to listen to the pod to find out when the jokes were said.

The legendary Paul Pierce was wylin' on IG Live over the weekend, and ESPN has given him the boot. Chris and Jordan talk about the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth before they talk about the great Gonzaga/UCLA game (this was recorded before Baylor took the Zags to the weight room in the National Championship game and ruined Gonzaga's perfect season). Then they touch on the Warriors and their future outlook, why Steve Kerr has shown he has been more Phil Jackson than Gregg Popovich the whole time, and if Stephen Curry should be loyal to the franchise and retire as a Warrior. After that they discuss who will take the mantle as the "Face of The League" when LeBron retires in 10 years (lol), and they revisit the Nuggets place among the Western Conference tier list since the Aaron Gordon trade. Are they the second best team in the West (with all the respect...and disrespect...to the Utah Jazz)? And much more!!!

In today's episode Jordan and Chris talk about some of the notable trades from the deadline last week. Why did Kyle Lowry stay in Toronto? (cough actually Tampa Bay cough Was the asking price for Lowry too much? How far does Denver move up the contender tier? How does Vuc fit in Chicago? WTF ROCKETS????? Unexpected Kings trade reaction at the end of the pod? Also in the spirit of trades our resident 49er fan, Jordan, briefly talks about the Niners trading up in the draft to take a quarterback in this NFL draft and he will absolutely vomit out of fear if the Niners take Mac Jones.

The Boys are back with their updated Box Out Banter Tier Lists for the Western Conference. First they pay their respects to the great Elgin Baylor who passed away yesterday at the age of 86. Go look at the basketball reference page. The numbers are comically great. Then they go into the tiers in the Western Conference. They explain why the Lakers are still in their own tier despite an injury-plagued year from Anthony Davis and now that LeBron is out indefinitely with a high-ankle sprain. They also explain why they both have the Suns ranked over the Jazz, and what reservations they have about the Jazz come playoff time. Then they get into another sardine can in the West with all the play-in teams. Can Luka make some noise to move his team into the next tier? Are the Thunder more likely to get into the play-in than the Pelicans? Can Jokic and Murray mash their way to the conference finals again? And of course one team that was projected to be a playoff team to start the year, is now in the "LOL" tier, with the T-wolves and Kings.

The All-star game was uneventful for the most part but the break gave Jordan and Chris time to update their tier list for Eastern Conference teams. They talk about why the Nets are the clear favorite in the east even though they are the 2nd seed. What moves can Philly make to put them at the same level as the Nets? Can the Bucks make a sneaky push for the 1 seed? Then they go to the Sardine Can at the 4 through 13 sports in the conference. Do the Celtics have a trade to make? Do the Raptors belong in the Celtics/Heat tier? What does a health Pacers team look like? Why does a Nikola Vucevic trade to the Hornets peak Jordan's interest? Bulls or Wizards? And much more.

Yesterday's incredible YouTube video on LeBron's greatest peak from Thinking Basketball (Ben Taylor, please check out his work) got the boys thinking about which version of LeBron they think is the best/their favorite. Then they talk about two crappy teams that fired their head coaches after giving them situations that set them up to fail. Why wasn't Lloyd Peirce given enough time with the Hawks? Why is Glenn Taylor still the awful owner of the Timberwolves? Then its on the the 4th seeded (holy shit) New York Knicks and the incredible season from Julius Randle, RJ Barrett's weirdly consistent/inconsistent play, and the coaching job Thibs has done. Then they talk about the 2020 rookie class, and quelling the thirst of boomer desires to play 90's brick ball in the post.

The first B.O.B All Star Selection episode is here!! Before that the boys jump into some Dragon Ball stories (you read that right), a little Pelicans talk (we can not stop talking about this weird team), and the all-of-a-sudden streaking Brooklyn Nets. Then they give their NBA all-stars picks. Jordan does not understand why Luka Doncic was voted as the starter over Dame, and he explains why he chose Ben Simmons as an all-star reserve. Chris also introduces the first "props" segment on the podcast because they have some crow to eat.

The boys are back! The podcast starts off with an open-ended question from Chris about picking your pickup team based on how players look. Then they get into the whats happening with the Boston Celtics (delicious), the Western Conference, the Jazz accession to contender status and the east elite. Also Jordan wonders if we really should be THIS SURPRISED that this rookie class is really good.

Its a quarter of a way through the NBA season and Chris and Jordan play a little stock up and stock down on NBA teams. They talk about why they are buying all the Heat stock despite their injury/covid-19 ravaged season, and Bam Adebayo's progress. Then they talk about why the Utah Jazz have been on absolute fire and what their chances of a deep playoff run are. Then they get into stories of their pickup hoops days. A hefty Gilbert Arenas cooked Chris in pickup and Jordan talks about how he was Kurt Rambis'd by his own father while going up for a layup. Also, Joel Embiid has been the MVP so far...OK BYE!

It's honestly still hard to believe, but today is one year since the death of Kobe Bryant. Jordan and Chris spend the first 40 minutes of the show talking about what they remember on that day, what they were doing when the news broke, their reactions, great Mamba moments, how Kobe shaped Chris as a Laker fan, and Kobe's historical imprint on the game. After that Chris has a burning question he's been dying to ask Jordan....what the hell is Ben Simmons as a player and what is going on with him this year? Also, Jordan asks a poignant question of his own...... Wtf Pelicans and Wizards????

Jordan and Chris break down the four-team James Harden trade from all sides in what is the rare trade were all sides made out well. They talk about Domantas Sabonis and the Pacers and how they look so far. Does James Harden make the Nets a guaranteed NBA finalist? (They still need to play defense and rebound....). Then they get into some side-topics about the league and somehow land on GOAT island to talk NBA GOATs, and then.....football GOATs? Watch how it all ties together tho.

The realities of COVID-19 have come for the NBA and Chris and Jordan touch on that and its future impact on the season. They also go over: The Knicks and The Julius Randle renaissance Nuggets Concerns A snapshot picture of the Eastern Conference Some of the all-time best moments from Inside The NBA Warriors 10-game assessment

Jordan and Chris talk about the weirdness of the NBA season so far, and they also talk about Steph Curry's legacy defining (sarcasm) 62 point game against the Portland Trailblazers. Then they wonder if they should feel more optimistic about Klay Thompson returning close to form after seeing how KD and John Wall have looked post Achilles surgery. Then they go into some young players who have taken leaps so far, why the post-up is still fun to watch and then they reminisce about their favorite players they watched growing up. Tracy McGrady and Gilbert Arenas highlights anyone?

What is that illustrious music playing at the beginning of this episode? Oh well that's the B.O.B's new intro music, courtesy of Alex Diaz who is a music junkie, music student, and one of Jordan's best friends. Chris and Jordan then sink their teeth into the first week of the NBA season. They go everywhere from Cleveland, Orlando, and Charlotte, to the big boys like the Nets, Lakers, Nuggets, Suns. Jordan also makes a quick amendment to his Eastern Conference power rankings after he saw all he needed to see in terms of how KD has looked. Then they end the pod talking about the sad Warriors, Steph Curry air-sealed tight legacy, what to expect from the Dubs over the next handful of games, and the possibility of the team having two lottery picks this draft if everything breaks right.

Back again with a new episode! Chris and Jordan talk about the bevy of contract extensions that were signed yesterday before the deadline. They talk about which extensions they liked, which ones were head scratchers, and they also talk about Rudy Gobert's extension and the conversation surrounding his value compared to his new deal. After that each of them give their three NBA Hot Takes/Predictions for the season. One of them leads to a 20 minute Paul George debate, and someone picks a surprise team to go the conference finals...which conference? Well you'll just have to listen to find out!

In today's episode Jordan and Chris go over the tiers in the Eastern Conference and place all 15 teams. They talk about: Bucks Concerns. Should the Nets be a tier 1 team given the uncertainty? The Sixers are going to be a really good team. How much worse did the Heat and Raptors get? Why the Hornets and Bulls could be like the fries you find at the bottom of the bag. Is there some kind of deeper meaning to the Pistons insane free agency haul?

Holy mother of god the NBA Season is somehow right around the corner, so of course Jordan and Chris had to do a preview of the season but they aren't doing it in a traditional way. In this episode they rank the Western Conference teams by fighting tiers. If you've ever seen tier lists for anything, then this should be fun. They cover everything from the Warriors losing Klay, if the Suns are better than the Mavericks, and why Jordan is starting to get cold feet on the Pelicans. Both Chris and Jordan each have two big-picture questions about the conference as well. Here is a brief rundown of the tier categories that were used Tier 1 (Tier S) aka The Team that has LeBron Tier 2 (Tier A) aka The Contenders Tier 3 (Tier B) aka The High-Octane Playoff Teams Tier 4 (Tier C) aka The Playoff Teams Tier 5 (Tier D) aka Play-In Game Hunting Tier 6 (Tier F) aka Lottery Hunting

Unlike last time, hopefully all the crazy stuff early in the draft/free agency process is done and wont pop up after we finished recording this episode LOL Jordan and Chris give their thoughts on Draft Night and the NBA moves so far. They go over: The Kings have smart people in their front office now The Hornets will be an 8th seed...but a fun 8th seed? Briefly talk about Jeremy Lin and opportunity players need to succeed. Lakers and Sixers free agency moves (of course) Piston have become the latest team to try THICC ball. The Bucks had Bogi, but then they didn't...but have still rebounded nicely?

Episode Notes Trade SZN is here, but before they get into the big moves. Jordan details his experience to Chris about seeing two Aliens on a basketball court last week and how scary it is seeing the way these young players are getting more and more skilled while staying big. Then they go into: The big CP3-Suns trade. Lakers re-tooling The James Harden rumors The Nets trade package vs the Sixers package potential Favorite Westbrook trade destinations Dat boy Jrue (A$AP Rocky voice)

The debut episode of Box Out Banter is here! Chris and Jordan start off by talking about the leagues upcoming dates for the NBA off-season and the start of the 2020-21 regular season. They also touch on the NBPA and the league agreeing to start the season on December 22nd, how the financial implications will impact the free agent market and how it could potentially be a boon for contenders with little cap space. Then Chris and Jordan get into the NBA draft and talk about the big name prospects James Wiseman, Anthony Edwards, and LaMelo Ball, and then they list some of their favorite prospects in the draft.