Chucking Darts NBA Podcast

@DraftPow, editor in chief of @SwishTheory, returns to discuss the brainy, knotty bigs of the 2025 class. Enjoy, and thank you for the questions! Addressed at end of episode,TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro(3:40) Derik Queen(40:38) Thomas Sorber(1:03:00) Ryan Kalkbrenner(1:09:50) Collin Murray-Boyles(1:32:18) Hansen Yang + Mailbag

The lottery order is set, so let's pick it! Keandre, owner and operator of the fantastic Hoop Intellect channel, joins to go 1-14. Plenty of scouting and fit thoughts, as well as a long tail on honorable mentions of a very diverse class. Enjoy! And check Keandre's mock draft here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYX40Uh5OP0TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro(4:35) Mavericks - Cooper Flagg(12:20) Spurs - Dylan Harper(22:00) 76ers - Kon Knueppel(30:30) Hornets - VJ Edgecombe(42:50) Jazz - Tre Johnson(47:10) Wizards - Ace Bailey(55:30) Pelicans - Khaman Maluach(1:00:50) Nets - Derik Queen(1:09:30) Raptors - Hansen Yang(1:21:30) Rockets - Collin Murray-Boyles(1:28:45) Blazers - Carter Bryant(1:34:35) Bulls - Thomas Sorber(1:39:35) Hawks - Maxime Raynaud(1:47:10) Spurs - Noah Penda(1:52:30) HMs (Coward, Fears, Jakucionis, Richardson, Lendeborg, Essengue, etc) and wrap

Esfandiar Baraheni (@justesbaraheni) of The Athletic's Daily NBA Show, Raptors Republic, Forbes, and elsewhere joins to talk Most Improved Players, the Thunder's title chances, a R2 upset pick, and the Raptors rebuild and draft strategy this year. Enjoy!TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro + Ivica Zubac(5:55) MIP Ty Jerome(12:00) Thunder Improvements and Title Path(28:00) Obi Toppin and Pacers/Cavs(44:05) Matas Buzelis(50:00) Raptors Rebuild + Draft

Brian Geisinger (Split the Action substack; @bgeisinger.bsky.social) returns to check in on number 1 pick Cooper Flagg, then a deep look at his teammate Kon Knueppel, and whether he can be an unconventional NBA star. Plus, discussion on Jase Richardson and a debate on Khaman Maluach.Enjoy!TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro(3:00) Cooper Flagg Check In(29:30) Kon Knueppel(1:16:05) Jase Richardson(1:26:40) Khaman Maluach + Wrap

Trill returns from his triumphant YouKnowBall Extravaganza in New Orleans to crack off another 2024 redraft: this time, in Doubles format. Trill takes two players, then I take two, and so forth. The Doubles format illustrates how tight this draft is, how many cases there are to make, and how we can differentiate among so many "role" players. Plus, an intro taking a peek at Sixers' 2025 draft strategy.Enjoy!TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro + Sixers 2025 draft(18:30) Jared McCain + Kel'El Ware(58:40) Ron Holland + Matas Buzelis(1:22:40) Alex Sarr + Steph Castle(1:47:30) Zach Edey + Reed Sheppard(1:56:00) Zaccharie Risacher + Bub Carrington(2:08:30) Kyshawn George + Jaylen Wells(2:14:20) Donovan Clingan + Kyle Filipowski + HMs/Wrap

CT Fazio ( @CTFazio24 ) rejoins to draft scout two of the trendiest teams in the NCAA tournament, Big East Champion St. John's and SEC Champion Florida. Draft these players and enjoy!TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro/St. John's(7:25) RJ Luis(48:30) Zuby Ejiofor(1:08:00) Florida/Walt Clayton(1:20:00) Alex Condon/Thomas Haugh(1:28:00) Will Richard + Wrap

Ben Pfiefer (@_bjpf, Sportscasting, Sportskeeda) rejoins to examine the Rookie class and find 10 players whose contributions we have enjoyed, plus we sneak in a Rookie of the Year Pick. Note: There are more than 10 enjoyable rookies! HM to those without enough run (Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, Jared McCain, Ja'Kobe Walter, Justin Edwards, Devin Carter, etc) or who we just missed discussing in more detail (my guy Kyshawn George, Dalton Knecht, Ryan Dunn, Tristan Da Silva, Kyle Filipowski, Jonathan Mogbo). There is a lot to like this year! TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro(15:15) Donovan Clingan(22:45) Ron Holland(34:45) Matas Buzelis(41:45) Jaylen Wells(48:43) Zach Edey(56:16) Zaccharie Risacher(1:04:05) Isaiah Collier(1:11:55) Alex Sarr(1:17:05) Stephon Castle(1:21:50) Bub Carrington, Kel'El Ware, and wrap

Chucking Darts returns with a solo sprint through the most fascinating confounding trade in recent NBA history, plus the rest of a very eventful trade deadline. Plus, an epilogue on filmmaker David Lynch. He was quite good. Enjoy!TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro(3:00) Luka Doncic Trade(45:00) De'Andre Hunter to Cavs(49:30) Jimmy Butler to Warriors(57:40) Sacramento Kings(1:03:40) De'Aaron Fox to Spurs(1:08:30) Lakers Rescinded Trade for Mark Williams(1:14:00) Bucks/Wizards(1:24:00) Brandon Ingram to Raptors + Wrap(1:33:30) David Lynch Epilogue

Caleb Mueller (@CalebMueller23), creator of The Center Hub (@thecenterhub_bb), joins to discuss the current top 2 players on his board for the 2025 draft: Kasparas Jakucionis of Illinois and Dylan Harper of Rutgers. After a deep look into each of their games and projections, we discuss Ace Bailey, Dylan's electric and polarizing teammate, who may get drafted the highest of all 3. Enjoy! And check out the great work at http://the-center-hub.com.TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro(12:05) Kasparas Jakucionis(50:25) Dylan Harper(1:30:40) Ace Bailey + Wrap

ACC expert Brian Geisinger (@bgeisinger.bsky.social; @bgeis_bird) returns to scout the NBA prospects in the bi-coastal ACC. For part 1 where we discuss Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach in depth, see our previous episode. Find Brian's excellent work at briangeisinger.substack.com. Enjoy!TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro + Brian's Substack(6:30) Maxime Raynaud(28:30) Jaylen Blakes(36:50) Hunter Sallis(50:10) Jamir Watkins(1:06:35) Ian Schieffelin(1:23:45) Zack Austin(1:39:25) Drake Powell(1:44:00) Ian Jackson(1:56:50) Andraj Stojakovic(2:01:15) Jacob Cofie + Wrap

The foremost ACC analyst in the country, Brian Geisinger, returns to go deep into the Duke Blue Devils, and specifically number 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. We discuss his role with Duke's offense, how it may be impacting his offensive strategy, and how his early play affects our draft projection. Plus, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach. Enjoy!TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro(7:48) Cooper Flagg on Offense(40:05) Flagg on Defense(52:00) Flagg Pro Projections(1:01:40) Kon Knueppel(1:09:20) Khaman Maluach + wrap

Mike Gribanov (@mikegrib8 on all platforms, including his excellent Patreon) returns to discuss the 17-1 Cleveland Cavaliers, their hitherto dominant offense, and a developmental check in on Evan Mobley. Then, we discuss the gnarly Houston ROckets' defense and where their team goes from here with so many darts and so little time. Stay tuned for a more in depth draft philosophy discussion later this week. Enjoy!TIME STAMPS (0:00) Intro + Mike's Patreon(7:40) Cleveland Cavaliers(23:45) Cavs' Defense and Evan Mobley(50:25) Houston Rockets + Tari Eason(1:06:20) Amen Thompson(1:13:30) Jabari Smith Jr(1:17:30) Jalen Green + Halfcourt Offense(1:29:00) Draft Philosophy Preview + Wrap

Jack Quantrill, of the excellent Drop Step NBA Podcast, joins to offer some early season NBA conclusions that we feel are permanent and will hold through the rest of the season. Standings, win totals, rookie awards, and more.Enjoy!Time Stamps(0:00) Intro(4:30) OKC, Dallas, Minnesota(25:35) JAYLEN WELLS(38:30) All-NBA Lamelo(55:30) OKC and Cavs(1:04:30) Zach Lavine Redemption(1:14:25) Wizards Rookies

Draft Strickland's Prez (_prezidente) rejoins for an omnibus preview of the 2024-2025 NBA regular season. Playoff seedings, awards, All-Rookie, title picks, the works. Plus, plenty of Knicks, some team building talk, and Rookie Extension analysis. Enjoy!TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro(3:25) Mikal Bridges Shot Doctor(12:00) Knicks Projection(16:25) East Top 6 Seeds(33:00) KAT Integration(41:30) East Wrap(51:15) Western Conference Seeds(1:35:10) MIP Award/Kuminga(1:41:00) Rookie Extensions(1:50:30) Magic Team Building(2:07:00) All Rookie Projections(2:18:30) MVP/DPOY(2:23:00) Title picks + wrap

Mat Issa (@matissa15), basketball writer for Forbes, Basketball Insider, Opta Analyst, and Fansided, returns to rank NBA Defenses 1-30 heading into the 2024-2025 season. As with every year, rankings are based on projected defensive efficiency (points per 100 possessions). Enjoy!We had different rankings and jumped around a bit, so the order of discussion below is not necessarily a strict 1-30 order. We clear it up as we go.TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro(7:40) Thunder/Wolves/Magic/Celts(28:30) Grizzlies(36:50) Cavs/Knicks/Heat(46:45) Spurs/Mavs/Rockets(1:01:00) Lakers/Nuggets/Warriors/Sixers/Bucks(1:17:35) Kings/Clippers/Suns/Hawks/Suns/Pacers(1:30:20) Pistons/Blazers/Raptors/Hornets and rest

Charlie Cummings (@klaytheist11), the great contributor to Swish Theory and author of the Know Your Role series, returns to rank NBA Offenses 1-30 heading into the 2024-2025 season. As with every year, rankings are based on projected offensive efficiency (points per 100 possessions). Enjoy!We had different rankings and jumped around a bit, so the order of discussion below is not necessarily a strict 1-30 order. We clear it up as we go.TIME STAMPS(0:00) Intro(4:30) Thunder/Celts/Knicks/Pacers(27:20) Mavericks(35:20) Sixers/Bucks/Nuggets/Suns/Kings(51:15) Warriors/Cavs(1:13:15) Pels/Wolves/Hawks/Rockets(1:27:30) Lakers(1:34:30) Spurs/Raps/Hornets/Rox/Grizz/Clips/Heat(1:48:35) Bulls/Magic/Pistons and rest

Welcome to the Season Premiere of Chucking Darts! Today, Forbes contributor and freelance journalist Esfandiar Baraheni returns to discuss the player improvements that will define the 2024-2025 season. Enjoy!Time Stamps(0:00) Intro(7:00) Victor Wembanyama(16:20) Cade Cunningham(24:20) Chet and Evan Mobley(40:00) Houston Rockets(57:15) Immanuel Quickley(1:02:45) Jaime Jaquez + Nikola Jovic(1:13:00) Brandon Miller(1:18:20) Dyson Daniels(1:28:00) Role Player Rapid Fire(1:33:05) Trey Murphy(1:41:40) Christian Braun/Julian Strawther(1:51:45) Shaedon Sharpe(2:00:00) Jarace Walker

Keandre Ashley (@HoopIntellect) the foremost NBA draft analyst on Youtube, discusses 2024 NBA Summer League's top rookie performers. Subscribe to his excellent channel and enjoy our discussion projecting Matas Buzelis, Ron Holland, Kel'El Ware, Jaylon Tyson, and more!Timestamps:(00:00) Intro (07:15) Matas Buzelis(30:30) Ron Holland(47:00) Bobi Klintman(1:00:00) Kel'El Ware(1:16:00) Donovan Clingan(1:22:10) Jaylon Tyson(1:30:20) Tristan Da Silva(1:34:30) Reed Sheppard/Bub Carrington/Isaiah Collier + Wrap

You Know Ball's Bartleboys join to address the 2024 NBA offseason, looking specifically at 9 teams who changed their franchise direction most drastically. We ruminate on short and long term consequences, ruminate on future trades, crown the unimpeachable truths of summer league, and dissect the slop tides that have subtly turned.The conversation winds around basically the entire league, so sit back, relax, and know some ball with us. Subscribe to the You Know Ball Patreon.Enjoy!6:00 Nets 29:00 Sixers46:00 Knicks1:07:15 Thunder1:26:25 Bucks1:46:20 Nuggets2:04:40 Kings2:18:50 Mavericks2:29:15 Grizzlies, Heat, and Wrap

A mammoth episode I did not get to release pre-draft, please enjoy the great international scout Ignacio Rissotto of No Ceilings (and writer for Fiba, formerly the Stepien) give deep background and insight on the French prospects that may well come to define the 2024 draft in years to come. 0:00 Intro5:00 Alexandre Sarr1:01:20 Zaccharie Risacher1:37:30 Tidjane Salaun2:19:30 Pacome Dadiet2:47:45 Juan Nunez + WrapEnjoy!

The 2024 Draft is in the books. I sprint through every team in order, starting with the Hawks at pick no.1, and discuss every move they made. Along the way, I talk about my write up (linked below) and where and why I ranked the players. Steals, risks, blunders we can debate. But they're all darts, and that's what matters.My full write up:https://chuckingdarts.substack.com/p/2024-nba-draft-dart-board-understandingEnjoy!5:30 Hawks16:45 Wizards24:05 Rockets26:35 Spurs32:10 Pistons33:30 Hornets36:35 Blazers40:00 Wolves45:10 Grizzlies51:10 Jazz54:15 Bulls56:25 Thunder1:00:50 Kings1:04:10 Heat1:07:55 76ers1:11:15 Lakers1:13:40 Magic1:16:00 Raptors1:23:10 Cavs1:28:20 Pelicans1:33:00 Nuggets1:37:05 Bucks1:39:30 Knicks1:47:55 Suns1:52:50 Celtics1:55:10 Pacers, Mavs, Clippers, Warriors

Ersin Demir, contributor to Shot Quality ( @shotquality5054 and author of a fantastic scouting substack, joins to go through his predictive mock draft and which teams he (and we) deviate from. Enjoy! 3:10 Atlanta Hawks9:05 Washington Wizards15:05 Houston Rockets24:05 San Antonio Spurs37:05 Detroit Pistons39:50 Charlotte Hornets44:45 Portland Trail Blazers48:30 Memphis Grizzlies50:25 Utah Jazzhttps://edemirnba.substack.com/p/2024-nba-mock-drafthttps://edemirnba.substack.com/p/2024-nba-draft-big-board-40

Draft Strickland's Prez (_prezidente) comes back for another odyssey into his favorite scouting type: slippery creators, or as he calls them, "prezbait." Deep looks into 5 prospects that no one quite knows what to do with, and full throated cases for aggressive placements on Ajay (Prez) and Carrington (me).0:00 Intro + T10 creators10:00 Ajay Mitchell46:05 Bub Carrington 1:24:00 Jaylon Tyson1:51:30 Nikola Djurisic2:03:30 Jared McCain + WrapEnjoy!

Ben Pfeifer (@bjpf) returns to discuss 3 prospects with extreme talents and physical traits that have confounded me this cycle: Nikola Topic (post ACL news), Kel'el Ware, and Dillon Jones. Ben Sells me on high outcomes for all 3, we examine their historical draft context, and we marvel at Dillon Jones' savant abilities.Enjoy!Nikola Topic 5:00Kel'el Ware 47:35Dillon Jones 1:09:35 + wrap

Who will win and why?Enjoy!

Premier draft analyst Brian Schroeder (patreon.com/BrianJNBA) stops by to discuss the deep well of power wing prospects in the 2024 draft. The playoffs have reinforced the perpetual truth that role wings with power-based athleticism have a valuable role on advancing teams (PJ Washington, Aaron Gordon, Josh Hart, Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, Aaron Nesmith, etc). The 2024 draft has several darts who can aspire to similarly crucial roles.2:15 Isaiah Crawford23:45 Tyon Grant-Foster43:35 Jamir Watkins54:30 Keshad Johnson1:13:00 Nique Cliffordwith some extra observations on others on the back half. Enjoy!

Nate Grubel (@DraftDeeper, 2024 Draft Consultant and Analyst) returns to kick off a mini-series exploring the optimism within the 2024 Draft. Here, we each select 7 players who we think could thrive in a valuable NBA role, and how several have a unique productivity or athleticism that may hint at something more.Great conversation and episode for those with draft curiosity. Enjoy!Stephon Castle 7:15Devin Carter 40:30Reed Sheppard 53:00Hunter Sallis 1:04:00Dalton Knecht 1:15:00Johnny Furphy + Isaiah Collier 1:27:00Jared McCain + Tyler Kolek 1:42:40Alex Karaban + Nique Clifford + Tyon Grant-Foster 1:55:50Tyler Smith + Jalen Bridges 2:10:05

The Draft Lottery has come and gone, the Hawks have the number 1 pick, and the Great Prez from Draft Strickland stopped by to do a full lottery mock (no trades). This is what we would do, not predicting what the teams will do. So, we debut a lot of our deep scouting feelings in a very uncertain year.Enjoy!8:40 Atlanta Hawks24:15 Washington Wizards45:00 Houston Rockets56:15 San Antonio Spurs1:08:35 Detroit Pistons1:21:20 Charlotte Hornets1:30:30 Portland Trailblazers1:42:00 San Antonio Spurs1:48:15 Memphis Grizzlies1:51:05 Utah Jazz1:54:00 Chicago Bulls1:59:25 Oklahoma City Thunder2:06:25 Sacramento Kings2:13:10 Portland Trailblazers + Knicks talk to wrap

Esfandiar Baraheni (@Forbes, @RaptorsRepublic, @ProHoopsWriters, @CEBLeague) returns to discuss permanent lessons we've learned thus far in this year's playoffs. Plus, a discussion on how the rosters of the Wolves, Thunder, and Knicks inform us on what "role players" will be most desirable in the NBA moving forward, including some 2024 draft talk. Enjoy!

For Chucking Darts' special 200th episode, Swish Theory editor-in-chief Matt Powers states his case on Zach Edey as the best player in the 2024 draft. In-depth scouting, philosophy, and projection talk on Edey, Uconn's Donovan Clingan, and one of the draft's most underrated players, San Francisco's Jonathan Mogbo.Zach EdeyDonovan ClinganJonathon MogboEnjoy!

The country's finest ACC analyst, 247 contributor, and NC State Wolfpack alum Brian Geisinger returns to provide in depth scouting reports on NC State-Purdue and UConn-Alabama. Can State pull the upset? (I think they can.) How the aesthetic difference between DJ Burns and Zach Edey may give them a puncher's chance.Plus, some draft thoughts regarding Zach Edey, Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, and Alex Karaban. Enjoy!

Acclaimed and accomplished ACC expert Brian Geisinger returns to analyze, in more depth than you will find anywhere, the 4 Sweet 16 matchups featuring ACC teams - Duke-Houston, UNC-Alabama, Clemson-Arizona, and NC State Marquette. Plus, draft talk on the darts therein. Enjoy!6:00 Duke-Houston47:00 UNC-Alabama1:09:00 NC State-Marquette1:30:00 Clemson-Arizona

Acclaimed and accomplished ACC expert Brian Geisinger returns to analyze, in more depth than you will find anywhere, the 4 Sweet 16 matchups featuring ACC teams - Duke-Houston, UNC-Alabama, Clemson-Arizona, and NC State Marquette. Plus, draft talk on the darts therein. Enjoy!6:00 Duke-Houston47:00 UNC-Alabama1:09:00 NC State-Marquette1:30:00 Clemson-Arizona

Merry Marchness! I do a quick sprint through my bracket after giving an update on the three NBA-relevant Colorado Buffs at the start of the ep (Cody Williams, KJ SImpson, Tristan Da Silva).Enjoy!

Esfandiar Baraheni returns to discuss his article in Forbes calling for the NBA to debut five man teams for the Most Improved Player award. Then, he runs down his MIP winner, honorable mentions, and three five man units for 2024. We dive into the philosophy and importance of improvement, how the draft can predict it, which improvements matter the most, and what they say about where the league is going. Enjoy!0:00 Intro + MIP Race and Maxey14:40 First Team with Coby, Jalen Johnson, Sengun, Kuminga, JDub40:00 Second Team with Herb Jones, Derrick White, Suggs, Deni, Sexton53:40 Third Team with RJ Barrett, Vince Williams Jr., Nesmith, Strus, Watson

Maxwell Baumbach, host of the Draft Sickos podcast and prolific writer for No Ceilings (Prospect Overview, No Stone Unturned) stops by to discuss SEC player of the year and likely lottery pick Dalton Knecht. Dalton is a clear NBA wing, but how will his game scale to winning? Which sorts of NBA wings and contexts are instructive to his skillset? What is trickier about finding a role on a contender, and how big would his role be? What other wings in the class might be better bets to eventually help great teams?Maxwell covers it all, and sells me on why Dalton is sniffing the top 10 on his board. 0:00 Intro + Knecht scouting report22:20 Knecht's NBA role26:00 Knecht + "tools wings" on D41:10 Knecht's NBA shot diet47:15 Knecht vs Great shooters52:00 Bad (and Good) Team Fits1:02:00 Knecht on Contenders1:12:00 Other 2024 wings + WrapEnjoy!

Trill returns for a marathon on NBA contenders in the wake of the trade deadline. Who improved their chances, who did right and wrong by standing pat, and what teams can overcome their perceived "fatal flaw" come playoff time. 4:20 Mavericks as a true contender 11:15 Clippers Playoff Qs18:00 West Favorite? 28:20 Warriors Trade Silence36:00 Lakers Offensive Potential50:00 Pelicans Trade Silence58:00 Thunder Playoff Qs1:09:30 The Bucks under...Doc1:14:30 Celts by Default1:17:00 Cavaliers' Rise1:29:00 The Lurking Heat1:32:00 Sixers with Buddy Hield1:41:00 Maxey as Playoff Superstar1:52:30 Sixers 2024 Draft + WrapEnjoy!

A quick solo recap of four most consequential trades of a Trade Deadline that contained plenty of insight. KnicksSixers/CelticsThunderMavsEnjoy!

Swish Theory contributor Charlie Cummings (Klaytheist11) discusses the explosion of Jonathan Kuminga in the Warriors' offense, how his herky jerky development path led here, and the team's new imperative now that he has arrived. Then, we contrast Kuminga with Aaron Nesmith, a wing who has solidified his role and returned lottery value in a much different way, and how much more development he may have ahead of him in Indiana. Intro 0:00Jon Kuminga's Scoring Explosion 2:40How Kuminga Changes the Warriors 9:30Kuminga's Future and Ceiling 30:15Aaron Nesmith's Rise in Indiana 57:00Nesmith's Defense 1:05:20Another Nesmith Leap? 1:11:10Other Late Breaking Wings 1:23:30Enjoy!

Credentialed New Orleans Pelicans reporter and author of the In the No Substack (see below), Shamit Dua returns to revisit the maturing New Orleans Pelicans, the NBA's most dominant team over the last several weeks.2:00 Pelicans' new and elegant offense15:30 Zion embracing a "0.5" star theory26:00 Rotation Experimentation During Streak30:30 Trade Target Jarrett Allen?43:20 Trade Target Wendell Carter Jr.?47:00 Trade Target Onyeka Okongwu?56:00 Pelicans Playoff matchups1:03:50 Trey Murphy III stardom and imminent contractEnjoy!Shamit's recent piece on the Pels' trade deadline:http://intheno.substack.com

The Ringer's Kyle Mann joins to talk about his beloved Kentucky Wildcats, and the two guard prospects polarizing opinions in this year's draft: Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard. In depth scouting report on each player, how each subtly defies a given "archetype," how each stacks up in recent Kentucky lore, and what recent draft history and theory tells us on how high to take each of them. First half of episode is on Rob, second half is on Reed. Enjoy!For Kyle's most recent video on electric but iffy shooting NBA wings (Ausar Thompson, Anthony Black, more) see below:https://youtu.be/nCuydWtN1dU?si=2oiy-E70o6fRUTmC

Credentialed New Orleans Pelicans reporter and author of the In the No Substack (see below), Shamit Dua returns to revisit the maturing New Orleans Pelicans, the NBA's most dominant team over the last several weeks. 2:00 Pelicans' new and elegant offense15:30 Zion embracing a "0.5" star theory26:00 Rotation Experimentation During Streak30:30 Trade Target Jarrett Allen?43:20 Trade Target Wendell Carter Jr.?47:00 Trade Target Onyeka Okongwu?56:00 Pelicans Playoff matchups1:03:50 Trey Murphy III stardom and imminent contractEnjoy!Shamit's recent piece on the Pels' trade deadline: http://intheno.substack.com

Richard Stayman of Mavsdraft.com and Locked on NBA Big Board stops by to scout the "superconference," the Big XII.28:30 Kevin McCullar and how to spot an "old" lotto pick46:35 Ja'Kobe Walter and the narrow path for true shooting guards53:40 Yves Missi57:45 Emanuel Miller and the best of the rest

SDPN's Esfandiar Baraheni (twitter @JustEsBaraheni) stops by to unpack the Raptors-Knicks holiday blockbuster trade. 0:00 Opening Thoughts9:50 OG Anunoby recent play on the Raptors21:00 The "star value" question with OG25:20 OG's fit in New York39:30 IQ and RJ on the Raptors50:40 The Pascal Siakam moves yet to come57:20 Dreaming on IQ + Concluding ThoughtsEnjoy!

A quick(-ish) rumination on the framework I am using to evaluate this year's prospects, and five in the NCAA that are severely underrated and why.Summer Article and Tier Framework 0:00Devin Carter 11:30PJ Hall 19:30Hunter Sallis 26:00Matthew Cleveland 32:15Otega Oweh 35:20For my article showing "average draft" tiers, click herehttps://chuckingdarts.substack.com/p/2023-dart-rank-the-nbas-100-most?r=l00xs&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

The voice of the Austin Spurs, Karl Schoening (@KSMedia13) joins to talk life in the G League, why the league is becoming a much more relevant developmental environment, and how the Austin Spurs are helping Dom Barlow and Sidy Cissoko get ready for showtime in San Antonio. Enjoy!

Pro Scout Zach Milner (@ZachMilner13, formerly The Stepien, Tag the Roll) joins to talk about the conference laden with 2024 first round bets, the Pac 12.Isaiah Collier and the challenge of "star guard" prospectsKobe Johnson and connectors scaling upTristan Da Silva and the High-Feel Vet profileCody Williams and in-season developmentKylan Boswell and dreaming on an outlierand more. Enjoy!

Steph Noh (@StephNoh) of the Sporting News drops by to look at the fascinating ROY race and rookie seasons of Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama. We also celebrate the rest of the rookie class while Steph manages an existential crisis regarding the Chicago Bulls. Enjoy!

Brian makes his return to after our triumphant March Madness troika this past year to preview the ACC and its darts. Kyle Filipowski, Jared McCain, and Tyrese Proctor. Woog Poplar, Matthew Cleveland, and Norchad Omier. Bub Carrington and Zack Austin. Carey Booth. Ryan Dunn. And of course, Brian's muse Reece Beekman. Plus plenty more. Enjoy!

I go through a mailbag of early season NBA questions, plus give my impressions on Victor Wembanyama, Tyrese Haliburton, the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, and more.Enjoy!

Matt Brooks, writer and digital content provider for the Denver Nuggets, joins to talk about basketball nirvana, the "fun" repeat adventure the Nuggets are about to undertake, and how development looks for their crucial younger darts, including Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson, Zeke Nnaji, and more. Enjoy!