Chucking Darts NBA Podcast: Recent Episodes
Chucking Darts
A basketball podcast of debatable accuracy. Rigorously, joyfully discussing the NBA. 100% correct until the ball is tipped. Darts are meant to be chucked forward. It's ok to be wrong about sports.
You Know Ball's green-thumbed cornerstone, Sam Sheehan, returns to reorder the Eastern Conference in the wake of Lebron James joining the Sixers and a wild offseason.
Enjoy! (Order of conversation is not order of predicted finish).
TIME STAMPS:
(0:00) Intro
(4:00) Boston Celtics
(21:15) Philadelphia 76ers
(30:30) New York Knicks and repeat chances
(36:15) Toronto Raptors
(42:30) Miami Heat
(51:00) Orlando Magic
(58:00) Indiana Pacers
(1:07:20) Detroit Pistons
(1:17:00) Cleveland Cavaliers
(1:24:00) Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Wrap
I empty the tank reacting to each (or about 27 or so) team's moves in the NBA Draft, as well as the seimic trades involving Giannis, Lamelo Ball, Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown, and Walker Kessler.
My companion substack piece: https://chuckingdarts.substack.com/p/2026-nba-draft-final-dart-board-distrust
Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro + Substack Thesis
(6:05) Wiz - Dybantsa
(21:30) Jazz -Peterson
(26:35) Grizzlies - Boozer, Lopez, Saunders
(36:35) Bulls - Wilson, Swain
(44:30) Clippers - Wagler, Baba Miller, Kawhi bounty
(55:20) Nets - Mikel Brown Jr., Joshua Jefferson, Bilodeau
(1:02:55) Kings - Darius Acuff, Karaban, Sharp
(1:07:05) Hawks - Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, Henri Veesaar
(1:29:25) Mavs - Morez Johnson, De Larrea, Ischenko, Lawal
(1:40:00) Bucks - Giannis bounty, Burries, Ament, Castro, Lewis
(1:49:05) Warriors - Yaxel, Lajae Jones
(1:51:55) Thunder - Mara, Stirtz, Oweh
(1:56:50) Hornets - Lamelo bounty, Steinbach, Anderson
(2:03:00) Pistons - Ebuka Okorie, Ogonna Onyenso
(2:05:00) Raptors - Allen Graves, Kawhi Trade
(2:11:15) Spurs - Quaintance, Tarris Reed, Gillespie, Brown
(2:13:30) Wrap - Sixers draft + Jaylen Brown, Lakers draft + Kessler, Heat draft + Giannis, etc
Brian Geisinger (@bgeis_bird; @bgeisinger.bsky.social) talks the Knicks' victory, the Spurs' arrival and mandate, his history with Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, and the Hornets' unique opportunity at 14 and 18 in the 2026 draft.
https://briangeisinger.substack.com/
Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(3:00) How the Knicks Won the Finals
(17:00) The Spurs' Shortcomings
(30:00) Spurs' Roster Choice Ahead
(55:00) OG Anunoby the Unicorn
(1:09:50) Hornets and Morez Johnson Jr.
(1:30:00) Hannes Steinbach
(1:45:30) Zuby Ejiofor, Allen Graves, and Wrap
My old friend and Spurs diehard Pat joins to recount a legendary game 7, appreciate the Spurs' roster build, and preview the NBA Finals. Plus, some draft options for the Spurs at 20. Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro + Game 7 recap
(28:00) The Spurs roster build
(38:10) Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals
(1:11:22) Spurs draft at pick 20 + wrap
Prez (@_prezidente) of the Strickland returns as we wax poetic on the dominant New York Knicks, the special sauce behind their roster build, and the matchup problems they will present in the NBA Finals. Then, a 14 team Lottery Mock Draft.
Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) NBA Finals New York Knicks
(35:25) Wizards - Cam Boozer
(39:55) Jazz - Darryn Peterson
(46:45) Grizzlies - AJ Dybantsa
(53:40) Bulls - Caleb Wilson
(1:03:20) Clippers - Kingston Flemings
(1:12:30) Nets - Keaton Wagler
(1:16:15) Kings - Brayden Burries
(1:25:30) Hawks - Ebuka Okorie
(1:30:20) Mavericks - Darius Acuff Jr.
(1:35:35) Bucks - Yaxel Lendeborg
(1:39:05) Warriors - Aday Mara
(1:43:35) Thunder - Dailyn Swain
(1:48:00) Heat - Mikel Brown Jr.
(1:51:15) Hornets - Morez Johnson Jr.
(1:56:00) Knicks Options at 24 + wrap
Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan) of Nets Daily discusses OKC-San Antonio Game 2 and how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's problem solving led them to a win. Then, we discuss the Brooklyn Nets and yet another crossroads when the draft opens up at number 6, whether taking a PG makes sense, and which of Flemings, Acuff, Wagler, Brown, or someone else makes the most sense.
Lucas also discuss his WNBA coverage and the NY Liberty's upcoming season. Check his substack out below and his work at Nets Daily for great W coverage all summer.
https://lucaskaplan.substack.com/
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro + NY Liberty
(9:25) Thunder-Spurs G2
(21:40) Egor Demin's rookie season
(36:30) Mikel Brown, Darius Acuff, Keaton Wagler, Aday Mara
(1:02:40) Kingston Flemings
(1:10:10) Dailyn Swain + Yaxel Lendeborg + wrap
I gush about one of the greatest games ever played, and highlight some prospects who may one day be lucky enough to play in one like it.
Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) The Game
(19:00) The Draft
My buddy Ross, a Wiz diehard, makes his debut to give a secular perspective on the Wizards' incredible good fortune and difficult choice at number 1. Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, and how they project to uplift a hungry franchise. Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro + Current Wizards Core
(10:20) AJ Dybantsa
(22:30) Darryn Peterson and Wiz Culture
(44:30) Trae Young Impact
(51:30) Trade Strategy
(56:30) Cam Boozer, 2026 PGs, wrap
A solo episode into each 2nd round series, a first round autopsy, and some related draft thoughts on the 2026 class. Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(4:20) Thunder-Lakers
(22:35) Spurs-Wolves
(31:00) Knicks-Sixers
(43:00) Pistons-Cavs
(52:30) 2026 Draft + Wrap
I sprint through Michigan-Arizona and Illinois-UConn, with deeper looks at Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, Morez Johnson, Brayden Burries, Keaton Wagler, and the 10 or so total NBA players playing this weekend.
Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro + Title Pick
(5:00) Yaxel Lendeborg
(32:00) Aday Mara
(41:40) Morez Johnson Jr.
(49:00) Brayden Burries
(58:30) Koa Peat, Ivan Kharchenkov, Motiejus Krivas
(1:03:30) Keaton Wagler, Mirkovic
(1:14:00) Braylon Mullins, Karaban, Reed
Brian Geisinger, author of Split the Action and host of BuzzBeat, breaks down Duke's title path within the March Madness bracket. Then, we dive into the many PGs with Final Four and NBA Draft aspirations - Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings, Tyler Tanner, Bennett Stirtz, Labaron Philon, and Christian Anderson. We wrap by discussing possibly our favorite NBA PG dart of all - Stanford's dynamo Ebuka Okorie, whose team is not in the bracket at all.
Enjoy!
https://briangeisinger.substack.com/
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(3:15) The Bracket and Duke's Path
(30:35) Acuff, Flemings, Tanner, Wagler, Philon, Stirtz, Anderson
(1:03:50) Ebuka Okorie + Wrap
Brian Geisinger, host of Buzzbeat and author of Split the Action, rejoins to rejoice in the Charlotte Hornets' exceptional season, their envelope pushing offense, Kon Knueppel, and the draft lessons that suggest a 1-2 ranking for Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson.
Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(4:00) Charlotte Hornets Success
(17:35) Kon Knueppel as NBA trendsetter
(50:00) Cam Boozer as 1 or 2
(1:15:45) Caleb Wilson as 1 or 2 + Wrap
I advocate why a standings freeze on January 1 followed by a wins race for lottery odds among the bottom 7 teams would solve the NBA's tanking crisis.
Enjoy! And credit to Matt Powers ( @DraftPow ) of Swish Theory for the first version of the idea that I have heard.
Bennett Herbert (@bendog28) stops by to discuss the San Antonio Spurs' rise and their title chances "ahead of schedule," the James Harden trade, and a loaded top of the 2026 draft (Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Caleb Wilson, Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler).
Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(3:40) The Spurs and the West
(41:30) James Harden Trade and the East
(52:30) 2026 Number 1 Pick
Brian Geisinger, host of the Buzz Beat podcast and the Split the Action Substack, returns to check in on the scouting reports of prospective top 5 picks Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson. We also contrast and debate Mikel Brown, Neoklis Avdalas, Patrick Ngongba, and Henri Veesaar. Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(6:30) Cam Boozer
(43:50) Caleb Wilson
(1:07:30) Mikel Brown Jr.
(1:28:50) Neoklis Avdalas
(1:45:30) Patrick Ngongba Jr. + Henri Veesaar and Wrap
Sam Ferris (@DraftDummies) joins to bring back Dart Rank, a cumulative redraft of the 3 most recent draft classes headlined by Victor Wembanyama, Zaccharie Risacher, and Cooper Flagg, respectively. We go out to 21, identifying the "average" top 7 picks over a 3 year sample, and cover a bunch of draft philosophy as well. Dart Rank is back! Enjoy.
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro + Dart Rank Explainer
(9:35) Picks 1-7
(1:03:25) Picks 8-14
(1:38:35) Picks 15-21 + wrap
Nathan Grubel of @NoCeilingsNBA returns to discuss his weekly rookie rankings 1-10, and we update our scouting reports and thoughts on a rookie class with landmark responsibility within the league, from Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecombe, Cedric Coward, Kon Knueppel, to many more. Enjoy!
Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(5:30) Kon Knueppel
(28:10) Cedric Coward
(47:55) Cooper Flagg
(57:00) VJ Edgecombe
(1:10:20) Dylan Harper
(1:21:10) Ryan Kalkbrenner
(1:27:45) Derik Queen
(1:34:45) Jeremiah Fears
(1:43:15) Will Richard, CMB, Tre Johnson + Wrap
Esfandiar Baraheni (@justesbaraheni) of @TheAthleticNBADaily and @raptorsrepublic joins to round out a belated preview ranking where we expect all 30 offenses to end at the end of the season. Es also analyzes the curious roster build of his beloved Toronto and we mix in some early reactions as well.
Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(6:55) Raptors Roster Build + Collin Murray Boyles
(16:30) Offense Ranks 1-30
Jack Quantrill, host of the Drop Step NBA POdcast and contributor to Celticsblog, swings by for a season preview episode where we draft our favorite "locks" for over or under performance by teams this year. Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(7:35) Grizzlies
(18:10) Bucks
(29:30) Orlando Magic
(38:05) Spurs
(49:40) Kings
(57:45) Pelicans
(1:03:05) Hornets
(1:12:30) Bulls + Wizards
(1:23:45) Thunder + wrap
Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_), Nets beat writer and contributor to Nets Daily, Basketball Insiders, and Swish Theory, joins to chat about the demented Nets" gambit surrounding their 5 first roundrs, predict all rookie teams, and tier out regular season defenses 1-30. Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(3:30) Brooklyn Nets' 5 rookies
(37:05) Predicting All-Rookie Teams
(44:30) NBA Defenses Tier 1 + Tier 2
(50::55) Tier 3: Rest of Top 10
(59:30) Tier 4: Mavs, Hawks, Pacers, Heat, Knicks?
(1:14:00) Tier 5: LAL, Den, and the Contender Middle
(1:25:00) Tier 6, DPOY talk + wrap
Lauren Gunn returns to sort through one of the West's most polarizing teams as the Mavericks try to turbo-charge two timelines into a title contender. How the youth, age, and uncertain offensive and defensive identities converge for the confounding Dallas Mavericks, and around its number pick Cooper Flagg.
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(3:30) Anthony Davis + Offensive Identity
(16:45) Cooper Flagg + Anthony Davis
(23:30) Mavs' Bench and Trade Options
(29:25) Cooper Flagg's Timeline
(35:30) Defensive Identity + Most Improved Naji Marshall
(1:01:20) Mavs vs the West and Wrap
Enjoy!
Sam Sheehan (@NBABabysecret) of the You Know Ball podcast + patreon joins to review the NBA's full offseason and determine which teams changed their stars, with a focus on new contenders in each conference.
Plus, some awards discussion. Enjoy! And subscribe to the You Know Ball patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/YouKnowBall
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(4:10) Orlando Magic
(23:30) East Middle
(26:10) Atlanta Hawks + Jalen Johnson
(38:15) Houston Rockets
(48:55) Denver Nuggets
(56:00) Spurs, Mavs, Blazers
(1:20:00) Wiz/Hornets + Wrap
Welcome back! Hornets expert Brian Geisinger, author of the excellent Split the Action Substack, returns to take a long look at the playoffs, the Finals, and how teams across the league are trying to build a contender in a rapidly evolving league.
Enjoy!
Brian's sub: https://briangeisinger.substack.com/
TIME STAMPS
(0:00) Intro
(5:45) NBA Finals + Top of 2025 Draft
(19:50) Lamelo Ball + Tyrese Haliburton
(32:45) Charlotte Hornets
(43:00) Playoff Team Building
(55:09) Atlanta Hawks
(1:12:45) Myles Turner
(1:16:00) Clippers + Cavs
(1:28:42) Cooper Flagg + Kon Knueppel
(1:39:40) Wolves/Thunder + Switchblade Guards
(1:50:30) Hornets Optimism + Wrap
The draft is in the books and the darts have been chucked! I "run" through every team and pick (see time stamps), with some FA thoughts mixed in.
My draft write up is available on my substack, linked below.
https://chuckingdarts.substack.com/p/2025-nba-draft-final-dart-board-cooper
Enjoy!
TIME STAMPS
0:00 Intro
3:55 Mavs
15:05 Spurs
24:30 Sixers
32:00 Hornets
43:15 Jazz
51:45 Wizards
1:00:25 Pelicans
1:15:00 Nets
1:22:00 Raptors
1:33:47 Suns
1:50:45 Grizzlies
1:58:10 Bulls
2:06:05 Thunder
2:09:00 Blazers
2:14:05 Wolves
2:17:13 Heat
2:20:30 Hawks
2:23:13 Kings
2:28:55 Magic
2:31:43 Celtics/Clippers
2:35:00 Lakers
2:38:40 Rest + Wrap (Det, Mil, Cle, NY, GSW, Ind)
@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=JYX40Uh5OP0
TIME 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 Sixers
46:00 Knicks
1:07:15 Thunder
1:26:25 Bucks
1:46:20 Nuggets
2:04:40 Kings
2:18:50 Mavericks
2:29:15 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 Intro
5:00 Alexandre Sarr
1:01:20 Zaccharie Risacher
1:37:30 Tidjane Salaun
2:19:30 Pacome Dadiet
2:47:45 Juan Nunez + Wrap
Enjoy!
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-understanding
Enjoy!
5:30 Hawks
16:45 Wizards
24:05 Rockets
26:35 Spurs
32:10 Pistons
33:30 Hornets
36:35 Blazers
40:00 Wolves
45:10 Grizzlies
51:10 Jazz
54:15 Bulls
56:25 Thunder
1:00:50 Kings
1:04:10 Heat
1:07:55 76ers
1:11:15 Lakers
1:13:40 Magic
1:16:00 Raptors
1:23:10 Cavs
1:28:20 Pelicans
1:33:00 Nuggets
1:37:05 Bucks
1:39:30 Knicks
1:47:55 Suns
1:52:50 Celtics
1:55:10 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 Hawks
9:05 Washington Wizards
15:05 Houston Rockets
24:05 San Antonio Spurs
37:05 Detroit Pistons
39:50 Charlotte Hornets
44:45 Portland Trail Blazers
48:30 Memphis Grizzlies
50:25 Utah Jazz
https://edemirnba.substack.com/p/2024-nba-mock-draft
https://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 creators
10:00 Ajay Mitchell
46:05 Bub Carrington
1:24:00 Jaylon Tyson
1:51:30 Nikola Djurisic
2:03:30 Jared McCain + Wrap
Enjoy!
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 5:00
Kel'el Ware 47:35
Dillon Jones 1:09:35 + wrap
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 Crawford
23:45 Tyon Grant-Foster
43:35 Jamir Watkins
54:30 Keshad Johnson
1:13:00 Nique Clifford
with 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 7:15
Devin Carter 40:30
Reed Sheppard 53:00
Hunter Sallis 1:04:00
Dalton Knecht 1:15:00
Johnny Furphy + Isaiah Collier 1:27:00
Jared McCain + Tyler Kolek 1:42:40
Alex Karaban + Nique Clifford + Tyon Grant-Foster 1:55:50
Tyler 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 Hawks
24:15 Washington Wizards
45:00 Houston Rockets
56:15 San Antonio Spurs
1:08:35 Detroit Pistons
1:21:20 Charlotte Hornets
1:30:30 Portland Trailblazers
1:42:00 San Antonio Spurs
1:48:15 Memphis Grizzlies
1:51:05 Utah Jazz
1:54:00 Chicago Bulls
1:59:25 Oklahoma City Thunder
2:06:25 Sacramento Kings
2:13:10 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.
3:30 Zach Edey's as Draft Outlier
13:10 Building NBA Offense Around Edey
18:45 Edey's Offense vs NBA Bigs
24:35 Edey's NBA Defense
34:30 Edey vs 5-out Offenses
45:00 Edey's NBA Comps
49:45 Final Edey Pitches
1:01:35 Donovan Clingan
1:33:20 Jonathon Mogbo
Enjoy!
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.
0:00 Intro + NC State-Purdue
54:10 Uconn-Alabama
1:06:05 Stephon Castle Scouting
1:16:50 Alex Karaban Scouting
1:22:45 Tristen Newton Scouting + Wrap
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-Houston
47:00 UNC-Alabama
1:09:00 NC State-Marquette
1:30:00 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 Maxey
14:40 First Team with Coby, Jalen Johnson, Sengun, Kuminga, JDub
40:00 Second Team with Herb Jones, Derrick White, Suggs, Deni, Sexton
53:40 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 report
22:20 Knecht's NBA role
26:00 Knecht + "tools wings" on D
41:10 Knecht's NBA shot diet
47:15 Knecht vs Great shooters
52:00 Bad (and Good) Team Fits
1:02:00 Knecht on Contenders
1:12:00 Other 2024 wings + Wrap
Enjoy!
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 Qs
18:00 West Favorite?
28:20 Warriors Trade Silence
36:00 Lakers Offensive Potential
50:00 Pelicans Trade Silence
58:00 Thunder Playoff Qs
1:09:30 The Bucks under...Doc
1:14:30 Celts by Default
1:17:00 Cavaliers' Rise
1:29:00 The Lurking Heat
1:32:00 Sixers with Buddy Hield
1:41:00 Maxey as Playoff Superstar
1:52:30 Sixers 2024 Draft + Wrap
Enjoy!
A quick solo recap of four most consequential trades of a Trade Deadline that contained plenty of insight.
Knicks
Sixers/Celtics
Thunder
Mavs
Enjoy!
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 0:00
Jon Kuminga's Scoring Explosion 2:40
How Kuminga Changes the Warriors 9:30
Kuminga's Future and Ceiling 30:15
Aaron Nesmith's Rise in Indiana 57:00
Nesmith's Defense 1:05:20
Another Nesmith Leap? 1:11:10
Other Late Breaking Wings 1:23:30
Enjoy!
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 offense
15:30 Zion embracing a "0.5" star theory
26:00 Rotation Experimentation During Streak
30:30 Trade Target Jarrett Allen?
43:20 Trade Target Wendell Carter Jr.?
47:00 Trade Target Onyeka Okongwu?
56:00 Pelicans Playoff matchups
1:03:50 Trey Murphy III stardom and imminent contract
Enjoy!
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
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 pick
46:35 Ja'Kobe Walter and the narrow path for true shooting guards
53:40 Yves Missi
57:45 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 Thoughts
9:50 OG Anunoby recent play on the Raptors
21:00 The "star value" question with OG
25:20 OG's fit in New York
39:30 IQ and RJ on the Raptors
50:40 The Pascal Siakam moves yet to come
57:20 Dreaming on IQ + Concluding Thoughts
Enjoy!
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 0:00
Devin Carter 11:30
PJ Hall 19:30
Hunter Sallis 26:00
Matthew Cleveland 32:15
Otega Oweh 35:20
For my article showing "average draft" tiers, click here
https://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" prospects
Kobe Johnson and connectors scaling up
Tristan Da Silva and the High-Feel Vet profile
Cody Williams and in-season development
Kylan Boswell and dreaming on an outlier
and 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!
Trill from the You Know Ball podcast and patreon rejoins to contrast his NBA over/under locks with my own! Plenty debated here, including the regular season ceiling of the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, the "boring" Chicago Bulls (not to me!), the darty Houston Rockets, Trill's own Sixers (we are both optimistic), and more!
Plus, MVP, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man, and First Team All-NBA darts. Enjoy!
Forbes and Opta Analyst contributor Mat Issa (@matissa15) joins for part 2 of the Chucking Darts regular season preview: Defensive Team Rankings. We go through our 1-30 list, disagree on the Sixers and teams in Texas, and acknowledge a looming giant in California.
Enjoy!
Sam Ferris (@DraftDummies) rejoins for our annual offensive season preview, predicting the final regular season ranking of all 30 NBA offenses. But first, we give our predicted All Rookie First and Second Teams.
Enjoy!
Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) of SDPN, Raptors Republic, and The Objective Basketball Podcast, stops by to ruminate on the star turn the NBA is skeptical of, the Scottie Barnes takeover in Toronto. He details how to weaponize Scottie at big usage alongside Siakam, OG and Poeltl and where the Raptors stack up in the East. Plus, we chuck darts at the 2024 Most Improved Player Award.
Enjoy!
Derek Parker (@DParkOK), co-founder of Draft Digest, comes to analyze and attempt to figure out everyone's preseason darling, the OKC Thunder. Chet integration, Jalen Williams and Giddey usage tension, rotation questions, and how the hell does this team do what it does? The darts chucked us on this one.
Enjoy!
Salman Ali, creator of Red Nation Hoops, stops by to discuss the multiverse of the Houston Rockets' future. How does the organization navigate the growth and various star paths of Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Cam Whitmore, and Amen Thompson, while having time left over to "win now" like they want?
Enjoy!
Sam rejoins to continue drafting the 2021-2023 classes, this time for picks 15-30. From Sharpe to Sochan and all points in between, join us in projecting the loaded young talent in today's league.
Enjoy!
Sam Ferris (@DraftDummies) returns for our annual Dart rank, where we draft 1-30 from the last 3 draft classes. Part 1 here, 1-14.
Enjoy!
Aram Cannuscio (@AC_Hoops) is the country's leading NBA Summer league scholar. He joins the show to go through as many players, improvements, and emotions as we can in a 120 minute SL apprecation. Enjoy!
@TrillBroDude returns to recap the and Damian Lillard trade request wild weekend in NBA free agency.
Enjoy!
Derek Murray (@DMurrayHoops), Head of Basketball at Cerebro Sports, recaps the 2023 NBA Draft! He discusses the high picks that made sense based on his years of scouting the players on grassroots circuits, identifies draft strategies that stuck out, and makes his case for some second round steals.
Afterward (1:00:00) I recap my board and written piece available on my twitter. Enjoy!
Mike Gribanov (@mikegrib8), good buddy and foremost authority on age-based NBA prospect evaluation, comes by to contrast his lottery board with mine and ruminate on the fate of the 2023 class in ruthlessly efficient NBA. Enjoy!
Ryan Hammer (@RyanHammer09) and summarize the draft cycle through the lens of its sleepers.
-Jalen Slawson and Tason Evbuomwan
-Jordan Walsh and Ricky Council
-Marcus Sasser
-Lotto Dreams on Brandin Podziemski and Leonard Miller
And More! Enjoy
Pro Insight's Alex Brown (@AlexBHoops) returns to cover his area of national expertise, the Big Ten. We look at several 1st rounders through a lens of possible traps in their evaluation, such as Kris Murray, Jett Howard, and Kobe Bufkin. Enjoy!
The Finals are here! Film Analyst Alex Hoops joins to break down the Xs and Os behind Heat-Nuggets, and Miami's gargantuan task. Enjoy!
The draft order is set! Swish Theory's editor in chief gives his first 7 picks, I give the next 7, and we critique each other supportively.
Enjoy!
The titular Greg returns on the heels of another Jayson Tatum masterpiece. We examine Tatum's game, the unique challenges he faces as a wing star, and preview both conference Finals series.
Enjoy!
Nate Gruebel of No Ceilings returns to talk about Bilal Coulibaly, Victor Wembenyama's extremely athletic teammate with a record of lower level dominance and upper level competence. We compare Bilal to other "athletic project" wings past and present, why that label can be misleading, and the pathways to number 3 starter or higher. Enjoy!
Nuggets analyst CT Fazio (@CTFazio24) returns for an in-depth preview on the most exciting G5 we have yet seen in these playoffs. How he expects the Nuggets to adjust, what creative solutions might exist for their bench, subtle differences between guarding Booker and KD, and more.
We finish with a look into likely values on draft night, starting with Big East standouts Andre Jackson and Colby Jones.
Enjoy!
Draft Strickland's CEO returns to codify Steph Curry's masterpiece, dive into matchups in Knicks-Heat and Warriors-Lakers, and deliver a delirious 2023 lottery mock drafts as we battled delirium. Enjoy!
Coach Adam Spinella (youtube Adam Spinella, @TheBoxAndOne_, Game Theory with Sam Vecenie) returns to discuss the G Leagues "other" prospects providing lotto value in plain sight.
Enjoy!
Trillbrodude of the You Know Ball Podcast returns to unpack the wonderful Warriors-Kings series, dissect the West once again, and take a closer look at the Celtics as East favorites.
Enjoy, and Subscribe to the You Know Ball Patreon.
In a solo ep, I present my theory from my debut substack article on how to find Finals MVPs before the playoffs begin, who the 2023 candidates are, and how the first round is playing out.
Enjoy!
NBA Rookie analyst for Forbes, The Analyst, and SBNation @matissa15 joins to go through all-rookie teams, and to project stardom on this year's exceptional class.
Enjoy!
@bgeis_bird, the best college hoops analyst in the business, comes back to finish off our tournament coverage with a deep look at Jordan Hawkins' game, Uconn - Miami from every angle, and pick the Final Four.
Enjoy!
@bgeis_bird comes back to dive headlong into Houston-Miami, Gonzaga-UCLA, Arkansas-Uconn, and all of the draft intrigue surrounding the sweet 16.
Enjoy!
Brian Schroeder (patreon.com/BrianJNBA) stops by to discuss big wings Jarace Walker and Taylor Hendricks, both big wings very likely to return near top of draft value. Plus: Nae'Qwan Tomlin, Andre Jackson, Thompson twin questions, and more!
Enjoy!
Brian Geisinger (@bgeis_bird), the country's preeminent ACC analyst, returns to take a look at Dereck Lively, Kyle Filipowski, Dariq Whitehead, and Reece Beekman. All four seem misevaluated this draft season; we debunk why.
Enjoy!
Hunter Cruse (@huntercruse14), cohost of Locked On WBB and contributor Tide Illustrated, as well as Andrew Parrish (@andrewparrish1) of CrimsonXOver, break down six (!) nba prospects between Alabama and Arkansas (4:00), and examine why two teams so loaded with talent have gone in different directions heading into tournament season
DISCLAIMER: This episode begins with my reasoning for releasing the episode despite the investigation into the death of Jamea Harris.
Sporting News' Steph Noh (@stephnoh) makes his triumphant return to the podcast to discuss the darts participating in the "Rising Stars" challenge at All Star weekend, notably Jeremy Sochan, Josh Giddey, Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, Evan Mobley, and more.
Enjoy!
Full Trade Deadline fallout with the incomprable @TrillBroDude of The You Know Ball podcast and Patreon.
Enjoy!
Swish Theory writer and Game 6 Klay pod host Charlie Cummings (@klaytheist11) celebrates the Chucking Darts sesquecentennial with a sprawling opus on the Warriors' Two Timeline Darts (Jordan Poole, Jon Kuminga, and Moses Moody) and the 3 lottery picks in their visage.
Enjoy!
A Kyrie trade spiel, and a list of undervalued darts throughout the league to target at the trade deadline. Enjoy!
Evan Zamir (formerly @thecity2) stops by to examine the surplus, or perhaps void, of optinos at pick 3 in the 2023 NBA Draft, and we dive deep into Brice Sensabaugh and Taylor Hendricks. Enjoy!
Ben Pfeifer (@bjpf_) formerly of the Prep2Pro Podcast, joins to discuss, dissect, and dream on Amen and Ausar Thompson, the identical twins unlike prospects either of us have ever seen.
Enjoy!
Sporting News' Steph Noh (@StephNoh) stops by to give final, absolute, unimpeachable All Star rosters for the East and West, featuring a darts from Disney, DC, and in defense off...defense.
Enjoy!
Analyst Bennet Herbert (@bendog28) stops by to dissect the rising Cavs, Evan Mobley's development path, the Cavaliers intersecting destiny with the Memphis Grizzlies, the East at large, and more.
Then, we dive into Baylor's lotto frosh Keyonte George, and Kansas St's sleeper dart Nae'qwan Tomlin. Enjoy!
Rafael Barlowe, host of the Locked on NBA Big Board podcast and decorated domestic and international scout, stops by to sell me on why he thinks GG Jackson, a young, offensively centererd PF of South Carolina, is a top lotto pick. A great discussion about "archetypes" and how to develop the youngest players in the draft.
Enjoy!
Film Analyst and cohost of the Beyond the Arc Podcast, Yash (@mathketball) stops by to try to unpack the wide open west. We talk Xs and Os, strengths and weaknesses, matchups, and sensible deadline moves for the Warriors, Grizzlies, Nuggets, Pelicans, Clippers, and more. Enjoy!
The Strickland's most renowned dartist Prez (@_prezidente) joins to bask in the soft orange glow of the Knicks' 8 game win streak. On how the grouchiest team became the vibiest, one FA signing and dart at a time.
Enjoy!
Happy Holiday Season! I refer of course to December 15, which unofficially kicks off NBA trade season. Here to dissect it all and calm my fears that no trades will happen is the Sultan of Slop himself, @TrillBroDude. Demar DeRozan, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, PJ Washington, and much much more.
Subscribe to his YouKnowBall Patreon. Enjoy!
Swish Theory co-founder Coach Larry Golden (@LarroHoops) examines the fascinating, frustrating, and possibly fruitful developmental case of Patrick Williams, the rare "safe" and "toolsy" top 5 pick yet to take off in Chicago. Plus, some contrasts and projections in light of Jaden McDaniels and Josh Green. Enjoy!
I reach into the dartbag and give early season impressions on some high profile NCAA performers, including Keegan Murray's twin brother Kris, Terrence Shannon Jr., the Baylor guard rotation, Anthony Black, and more.
Enjoy!
Tyler Wilson (@ProspectingNBA) of Swish Theory and Finishing Touch joins to go deep into the fantastic starts of Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell. We compare and contrast their context and future with that of RJ Barrett, Keegan Murray, Jeremy Sochan, and Deandre Hunter.
Enjoy!
Scout and analyst Mike Gribanov (on twitter and patreon as @mikegrib8) joins to talk development of some of the highest profile darts in the league.
Deep dives into Paolo, Jabari, the Pacers, SGA, and a bunch more as we try to clarify what teams are doing right and wrong with them, and how to get better in scouting different roles.
Enjoy this extended ep!
Boot Krewe Media and In the NO's Shamit Dua (@FearThe Brown) stops by to go deep on the Team of the 2020s, the chief Dartists themselves, the New Orleans Pelicans.
Enjoy!
Old friend @DraftPow of the newly minted scouting service Swish Theory joins for a recap of Paolo Banchero and Bennedict Mathurin's debuts, and then we conjure our scouting reports on the Dart of the Year, Victor Wembenyama.
Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) returns for our annual defensive preview as we rank each team 1-30 for the upcoming season. We also start teh episode with a few minutes on rookie extensions.
Enjoy!
Sam Ferris (@DraftDummies), host of the Locked On NBA Draft podcast, joins for part 1 of the NBA Season Preview: ranking every team's offense 1-30.
Enjoy!
Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) of Indy Cornrows and 538 joins to analyze the dart core of the Indiana Pacers:
-How good can Tyrese Haliburton be, and how does he become a star scorer?
-The staggering defensive potential of Isaiah Jackson
-A subtle logjam between Chris Duarte and Bennedict Mathurin
-The paradox of Jalen Smith
And more! Enjoy
Josh Lloyd (@redrock_bball), host of the Locked on Fantasy Basketball Podcast and lead fantasy analyst at Basketball Monster, joins for the First Annual Chucking Darts Fantasy Basketball Preview.
Enjoy!
Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans (@treymurphy) joins to talk about his last 18 months, what it's like to rise throughout the predraft process, the Pelicans' wild 2021-2022 season, the dart trio of himself, Herb Jones, and Jose Alvarado, and the increased expectations the team has entering 2022-2023. (13:00)
But first, I share a couple notes on the passing of NBA writer and friend Jonathon Tjarks. The gofundme for his family is below. Tjarks was a beloved person and figure by everyone who met him, and was generous enough to appear on my show twice. I talk a bit about how I got lucky enough to know him, if only briefly. He was an inspiration in more ways than one. Rest in peace.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Lets-help-our-friend-jonathan-tjarks?utm_campaign=p_nacp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer
Cerebro Sports and Pro Insights analyst Aneesh Namburi makes his CD debut to cover our first wave of blue chip 1 and done 2023 NCAA prospects.
Enjoy!
YKB's Trill and I go back into one of several "Generational Drafts" of the last ten years as the talent in the NBA as swelled.
We dive into the draftime perceptions and misconceptions of Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Marcus Smart, Julius Randle, and more. What teams should have known, and how teams can learn from past mistakes, and more. Plus, a redraft!
Enjoy!
Pro Insight's Alex Brown (@alexbhoops) stops by to discuss some wing darts primed to take the national spotlight in 2023: Creighton's Arthur Kaluma and Baylor Scheierman, Gonzaga's Julian Strawther, Arizona's Pelle Larsson, and more.
Enjoy!
Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer stops by to discuss Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Donovan Mitchell, and more.
Enjoy
The unstoppable YouKnowBall Podcast's Trill is back for part 2 of our offseason review. We cover the Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell trade situations, and the under the radar moves will pay dividends. Enjoy!
As the volcanic slop of the offseason hardens into rock, the god himself @TrillBroDude of the You Know Ball podcast returns and talks about the draft pick gambits of the Wolves and Hawks, the top of the East and his beloved 76ers' place in it, value signings, and more
It's time for the Annual Dart Rank! Sam Ferris (@DraftDummies), recurring host of the Locked On NBA Draft Podcast, returns to rank all players drafted between 2020 and 2022. We go 1-15, and hit on the stunning top of the 2021 class, Ant, Lamelo, Paolo, and more.
Where is your favorite dart? And where is the league going really?
Dave Dufour (@DaveDufourNBA) of the Athletic and Sports Business Classroom joins to dissect the curious case of the Dejounte Murray-John Collins trade rumors, and what other free agency mysteries aren't quite adding up: Miles Bridges, Deandre Ayton, and more.
Enjoy!
The Upside Swings co-host brings his trademark throroughness to every team in the 2022 draft. Enjoy!
Was Paolo at 1 the right call? Who had the best night? Pow and I cover the entire night and debate the teams that divided us, starting at number 1. Enjoy!
Maxwell Baumbach (@BaumBoards) of No Ceilings NBA stops by to dive into two more slippery wing evaluations: G League standout Marjon Beauchamp and former top 5 recruit Patrick Baldwin Jr. Then, we each pick a player in the lottery that has a much higher ceiling than other analysts think.
Enjoy!
@ChipJNBA rejoins to do a Mariana Trench dive on Jabari Smith. We push each other on his projection and the differences in our opinions, and compare him to Paolo Banchero.
Enjoy!
San Jose Mercury News columnist and KNBR host @dieter stops by to preview the 2022 NBA Finals.
Enjoy!
PD Web (@abovethebreak3) of Cerebro Sports stops by for a nice, winding convo on the very best shooters in 2022's draft class, their differences, how and why and where to bet on them, and what makes AJ Griffin historic. Check out his twitter for links to his patreon, where he has discussed this topic in greater depth.
AJ Griffin, Leonard Miller, Malaki Branham, Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren.
Enjoy!
Hunter Cruse (@Huntercruse14), head of 60and36.com (@60and36), stops by to discuss some sleepers in the wake of the NBA Combine: Keon Ellis, Quenton Jackson, and Ron Harper Jr., Plus, we discuss the combine's winner, Jalen Williams. Enjoy!
Bryan Kalbrosky of For The Win and USA Today is interviewing 2022 NBA draft prospects for his series on For the Win. He stops by to talk about his pieces on Canadian potential star Leonard Miller, as well as Draft Twitter stars Vince Williams and Tevin Brown.
Enjoy!
The lotto is back! We ring in the end of Tankathon Season with a top-15 mock draft with Hornets aficianado Lee Branscome (@WhichCarolina), co-host of the BuzzBeat podcast.
Enjoy!
A brief episode examining and drawing some fun conclusions from Celtics-Bucks and Mavs-Suns Game 7s, plus some draft talk at the end. Enjoy!
Lauren Gunn (@TheLaurenGunn), co-host of the Gunn Shot podcast and credentialed reporter on the Dallas Mavericks, stops by to talk the subtle, stunning transformation of the NBA's most unique contender.
Enjoy!
Longtime friend and Celtics aficianado Greg triumphantly returns to the podcast to break down Boston and Brooklyn's all time classic, revisist Jayson Tatum a year after we anointed him as an historically valuable, and more!
Enjoy!
After a quick play in reaction, I sprint through the 1st round of the playoffs before making a title pick.
Get ready for some Game 7s. Enjoy!
Samson Folk of Raptors Republic (@samfolkk) and Yahoo Sports returns to break down the ganrliest, tastiest first round NBA playoff series: the star crossed Sixers and the voracious Raps.
Enjoy!
Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) joins for the 2nd Annual Rookie Graduation Day. We celebrate the landmark 2021 class in style, including picks for ROY, 1st and 2nd Team all rookie, future star and starter picks, and some 2022 draft talk.
Enjoy!
Brian Geisinger (@bgeis_bird) of ACCSports.com and the BuzzBeat Podcast stops by with the best in-depth preview of the most anticipated Final Four Game in years that you'll hear this week.
Enjoy!
Game Theory's Matt Pennie stops by for a great draft conversation in the eye of the March Madness hurricane. We hit on Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Malaki Branham, Bennedict Mathruin, Keegan Murray, and more! Enjoy!
One of the best basketball analysts in any format, Chip Jones (@ChipJNBA) comes on to find a method in March Madness. Which teams are primed to make a run, which are primed to get upset, some draft prospects, Final Four picks, and more!
Enjoy!
The Athletic's Sam Vecenie drops by to talk about the 1st overall pick in the 2022 draft. What challenges are there in selecting Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero, and Jaden Ivey? Which of them actually have the upside to return number 1 value?
Then, we (try to) make Sam happier about some of the depth in the 2022 draft.
Enjoy!
Episode 100! I'm thrilled to be joined for my darticentennial by Alex Brown (@ahbanalytics), Head of Scouting and Lead Consultant for Advance Pro Basketball, to dive into the most prospect rich conference in the country, the Big Ten.
Sleeper talk on Malaki Branham, Ej Liddell, Kris Murray
Ceiling talk on Keegan Murray, Jonny Davis, Jaden ivey, and more!
Enjoy!
The Chucking Darts Universe expands with a crossover ep with the You Know Ball Podcast. NBA Internet celebrity @TrillBroDude and I go deep into the 2013 draft,m thought at the time to one of the worst in memory.
How much of an excuse do GMs actually have for passing on Giannis?
What mistakes did the analysts make?
What can we apply to drafts today?
Enjoy!
I break down the most interesting NBA trade in years, and...another interesting trade! Enjoy! And be on the lookout for pod clips on Youtube. Rate, review, subscribe, all that good stuff. Thank you!
Jonathan Tjarks of the Ringer (@jonathantjarks) drops by (14:31) to talk trade deadline and what young players opposing GMs might be wise to "target."
First 14ish minutes of the pod is my solo reaction to the Caris Levert trade (we recorded beforehand), so if you want Tjarks, feel free to skip ahead
Check out Tjarks's work on the Ringer and on the Upside High podcast (Ringer NBA Show) every Tuesday. Enjoy!
How do you like your wings? Do you like exceptional size, feel, and athleticism, but a likely narrow role? Or do you like guard/wing size with a solid foundation that constantly pushes the envelope in search of greater depths?
Jake Rosen (@jakeinthepaint), Stepien contributor and co-host of Tag The Roll, joins to discuss Kendall Brown and Blake Wesley. One of the many, many mini-dilemmas of the Mighty Wing Draft. Enjoy!
@BrianJDraft to discuss what I believe is the most frequently underrated prospect type: true power wings. We hit on AJ Griffin, Tari Eason, and Justin Lewis, discuss why each has so much potential, and why they are such an attractive option relative to the other players they're grouped with in the upcoming draft. Punctuated with a real time reaction to Justin's 30 point barrage against Seton Hall. Follow Brian, and check out his patreon at BrianJNBA.
Enjoy!
We have a dart trade! Cam Reddish goes to the Knicks, and I give my thoughts on a fascinating, confusing player, why so many people misunderstand him, and what the Knicks have to recognize about him to help make him worth the gamble.
Enjoy!
Rafael Barlowe (@Barlowe500), international scout, pro trainer, and creator of nbadraftjunkies.com, stops by to talk two of his favorite 2022 NBA Draft sleepers, Alondes Williams of Wake Forest and Dereon Seabron of NC State. We also hit on Keon Ellis, Christian Braun, and Ochai Agbaji. Along the way Rafael shares some wonderful stories from his past in working with pros and how they interact with finding "connector" players that stick.
Enjoy!
Coach Adam Spinella runs the fantastic Box and One youtube channel (now available as Adam Spinella) and podcast. He stops by to talk sophomores, who are the predominant story of 2022/s first round. We discuss the pessimism surrounding sophomore returners and where to look for hidden value. Then we discuss Keegan Murray in depth, as well as Jordan Hall, Caleb Love, and Mike Miles. Be sure to follow Adam @TheBoxAndOne_.
Enjoy!
The Toronto Raptors are seemingly innocuous, hovering around .500 and matching preseason expectations. Dig a little deeper, and there is a conference power returning to form.
The Head Delegate of Raptors Republic, Samson Folk (@samsonfolk), is one of the best analytical hoops minds out there, and he joins to dig to the center of the Raptors developing young core. Deep insight on Scottie Barnes, Gary Trent Jr., Fred Vanvleet, Pascal Siakam, and OG Anunoby. You won't find a more talented young quintet in the league.
Enjoy!
CJ Marchesani (@cjmarchesani) of @TheStepien and @RollCallSN comes back for a monster draft holiday edition of Chucking Darts. We go around the world twice on our philosophy on 2022's top picks, role players, and different player types.
Happy holidays! Enjoy!
Rob Dauster (@RobDauster), head of the Field of 68 (@thefieldof68) and the Field of 12 (@thefieldof12) joins to analyze why this college basketball season has been so fun, go run through the blue chip prospects dotting Duke, Purdue, Arizona, Baylor, and more.
Enjoy!
Mark Schindler (@mschindlerNBA) comes back to discuss the Most Improved Player race. We talk a little bit of "improvement philosophy," and analyze which leaps have changed the directions of their respective franchises. Enjoy!
Zona hoops contributor @w_a_morris stops by to talk statistical darlings and serious sleepers Tari Eason, Colby Jones, David Roddy, and Jalen Cook.
Enjoy!
Matt Pennie (@matt_pennie) of the Game Theory Podcast joins to talk about some of his (and my) favorite prospects of this early 2022 college basketball season. Check out his work with Sam Vecenie on the Game Theory podcast (this feed's primary inspiration) and enjoy!
Tyler Metcalf (@tmetcalf11; No Ceilings) and Chip Jones (@ChipJNBA; Ontapsportsnet) return to talk some Winning NBA Teams: the streaking Suns, and their beloved Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls, respectively. We talk how the Suns match up in a playoff series with the Warriors (well), and how the Bulls' and Wolves' success has differed from our (optimistic) expectations by de-emphasizing their franchise centers. Plus, some draft stuff towards the end.
Enjoy!
We ring in Thanksgiving with a fun episode of Top5 5s with the @UpsideSwings own Bryce Hendricks and Stone Hansen. We compare 2020 redraft top 5s, likely 2021 First Team All Rookies, and 2022 big boards to comment on how rosters are changing throughout the league. Enjoy!
The ascendant @DraftPow rejoins on the heels of his debut at the Stepien to talk about his Dyson Daniels piece and Jean Montero. We compare textbook prospects with savants, and Pow unveils his soft 2022 board Letterbox style.
Enjoy!
Richard Stayman (@mavsdraft) joins to burrow into his first NBA love and the only team currently starting five darts: the Orlando Magic. We analyze the games of Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr, Mo Bamba, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs. We dream on the roster, how their darts mesh with Fultz and Jon Isaac, overall philosophy, and more.
Enjoy!
Mike Gribanov (@mikegrib8) cold opens on some prospects that have his attention: Kendall Brown, Walker Kessler, and Marcus Bagley. Hopefully, this will be a semi-recurring series. Lots of wing and big theory in this one.
Enjoy!
THE DARTS ARE BACK. Sean Derenthal, the head of the Stepien (thestepien.com; @OdetoOden), joins to discuss the return of the best draft website in the business for another cycle, and then we embark on a 150 minute odyssey into the games of the Stepien's current top prospects: Paolo Banchero, AJ Griffin, Chet Holmgren, and Jabari Smith Jr.
Is it as good as Dune? In the sense that it's the same runtime, yes. Yes it is.
Enjoy!
With every NBA team having played exactly one game, I come back to say what I believe will stick throughout the rest of the year. Featuring the Celtics, Knicks, a unicorn rookie, and an ascendant play in team.
Enjoy!
@DraftDeeper joins me in predicting a 2022 NBA champion, playoff seeds, rookie stars, Most Improved Player, and more. We kind of went nuts on this one. Follow Nate and his ever expanding scouting service at @DraftDeeper.
Enjoy!
The hardest working man in season preview podcasting, Mark Schindler (@mschindlernba) joins to predict where all 30 teams will finish in defensive rating by the end of the year.
Follow Mark and his site, @PremiumHoopsNBA. His patreon can be found at patreon.com/mschindler. Enjoy!
Regular season dart time! Sam Ferris (@draftdummies) (aka the Jordan Poole Whisperer) joins to compare predictive rankings of all 30 NBA regular season offenses. Follow him and both of the pods he hosts: Draft Dummies and the LockedOn NBA Draft podcast. One of the best in the business.
Jonathan Tjarks (@JonathanTjarks) from the Ringer stops by to talk about his upcoming piece on Evan Mobley, how the Cavs will impact his future and vice versa, and how his situation may eventually mirror those in Dallas, Golden State, and Philadelphia.
Enjoy!
Lee Branscome (@WhichCarolina) drops in to carry me on an episode previewing two NBA teams built around electric, demanding young stars. We chat about how the Hornets and Mavs have chosen to build around their phenoms, the risks of doing so, and what to expect in the near future in a league with little patience. Enjoy!
Rohan Dang (@rohandang19) is the co-founder and vice president of data and analytics for Cerebro Sports. Cerebro is a quantitative scouting services that provides metrics to compare and evaluate players across all levels of competition all over the world. We talk about their process, and what their metrics have to say about the upcoming NBA season. Enjoy!
Atlanta Hawks analyst and Peachtree Hoops contributor Andrew Kelly (@andlankell)joins to talk about the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets, two teams that belong in far more conversatinos regarding the upcoming regular season.
Plus, I make an MVP pick that shouldn't be as rare as it seems to be. Enjoy!
Tyler Metcalf (@tmetcalf11) of canishoopus and Bulls Dynasty (@MVPaw) of ontapsportsnet join to preview two of the league's ascendant teams. Revolving around phenomenally talented offensive centers, supreme shooting guards, and relying heavily on young forwards to help bear the defensive load, the Bulls and Wolves are frequently thought of differently across the NBA landscape. We investigate why, and who projects to succeed better out of a very similar team structure.
Enjoy!
I'm joined by The Strickland's Head of State, @_prezidente, as we go 720 on the New York Knicks. Thibs' Extraordinary Gentleman boast a very deep team with multiple paths to 2022 success: RJ Barrett's Leap into well rounded scorer, continued starpower from Julius Randle, nascent dominance from Mitch Robinson, and a cadre of modern supporting players and darts that are good enough to round out a championship team...with the right star. It's Thibo Time.
Enjoy!
Jake Fischer, Bleacher Report's NBA reporter and author of Built to Lose: How the Tanking Era Changed the League Forever, returns to the podcast to provide a temperature check on Ben Simmons, Damian Lillard, and all points in between.
Enjoy!
Fun conversation with your favorite follow's favorite follow, @DraftPow, about what warmed our hearts at the hottest league of the year.
Enjoy!
Sam returns as we finish up our composite ranking of prospects from the last three drafts. Part 1 is Episode 65.
Enjoy!
Everyone likes to rank players in the offseason. In this house, we rank darts. Welcome to the Inaugural Dart Rank. Taking the last three drafts (2019, 2020, 2021), we are going to try to rank until we drop. Joining me is Sam Ferris from @DraftDummies, one of the best draft podcasts and brands out there, and we go for it. Call it a mega-redraft, call it a future value projection, call it shameless content creation. We just had fun trying this impossible task.
In this first part, we got through all of 13 players. Enjoy!
Draft analyst and contributor to Crownhoops.com, @CTFazio24, joins to dive into his favorite team, 2022 NBA Title Contender Denver Nuggets. We talk about why Jamal Murray's injury will not cross them off, lineup theories, MPJ contract speculation, West matchups, and finish with their electric addition in the 2021 draft, Bones Hyland.
Enjoy!
Back again from the landmark Tatum episode, my buddy Greg (sp?) joins as we discuss our love of summer league, the odd discourse around its usefulness, and then dive headlong into its first 24 hours. Jalen Green, Sengun/Mobley, Cade, Bouknight, Kai, Kuminga/Franz, and of course, TMIII. Join us in our willingness to be wrong. Summer League is unimpeachable.
5 teams who hit the mark (Bullseye! Darts! YEAH!) and 5 who didn't (Bull****, please for give me, I'm a sucker for hokey brand promotion) in Free Agency.
Enjoy!
Evan Zamir (@thecity2) drops by to go in depth on the Warriors selections of Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, and on the state of the organization in light of free agency. We talk philosophy behind selecting those players as well as James Wiseman, how the Warriors might be able to contend with (or without) them, what trades involving them might look like, and how the team projects to meet its championship goals in 2022. Plus, I issue a darta culpa on my Moses Moody evaluation.
Evan is a fantastic analyst who runs the Top Lines newsletter (available in his twitter bio), and formerly ran NBA WOWY, the website the eventually sprung pbpstats.com. Follow him and enjoy!
It's draft week, which means it's time to go all in. Nate Grubel, of the excellent @DraftDeeper podcast, comes by as we lay it on the line for 3 prospects apiece, each outside of the very top of the draft. Who are we willing to stake our name on as being unqualified NBA successes? A very fun, positive episode.
Enjoy!
The excellent Mike Gribanov (@mikegrib8) stops by to discuss a bunch of prospects likely to go top 10 in the draft (Cunningham, Mobley, Suggs, Barnes, Kuminga, Franz, Moody, more), his personal draft philosophy, what "Best Player Available" truly means, and who he feels is underrated heading into this week's draft. Tremendous stuff, as always.
Enjoy!
Mark Schindler (@mschindlernba) of @PremiumHoops rejoins the Dart House to identify the 5 most interesting teams (shoutout Zach Lowe) heading into next week's draft. Which teams have the potential to change their fortunes or impact the draft the most? Where will the draft turn? And which teams are close to making a leap?
We kick off the episode by sharing some thoughts on what just so happens to be a classic NBA Finals, and an instant classic game 5. Enjoy!
00:00 NBA Finals
19:45 NBA Draft
A bonus episode from the Halftime App, I'm joined by @Cozylito, aka Buttermilk Jesus, to play some draft comparison trivia. Great insight from Buttermilk and a very fun time. Shoutout to @haydenmgray for his cameo at the end. Thank to all who came out!
Bryce Hendricks, @UpsideSwings co-host and all around great person, rejoins the podcast to rejoice in reviewing Roko Prkacin. Roko is a top 10 prospect on both of our boards (though not many others'), and so we tackle what makes the relentless, versatile Croatian forward unique, how he compares to other top 10 wing prospects, and why we think he will carve out success in the NBA. For Prkacin, apathy is a tragedy and boredom is a crime, and we do our best to avoid both.
Enjoy!
I hit on the classic-in-the-making Finals and why I still believe it's going 7 games, and then dive into picks 25-50 on my Board. This is the deepest draft ever, and this range is why. Enjoy!
Sean Derenthal (@OdetoOden), head of the Stepien website and the Stepien NBA Draft podcast, joins to break down two of the best offensive prospects in the draft. We chat about how their very different brands of success might translate, and the challenges (and benefits) of building a team with and around them. I personally learned more in this episode than perhaps any other. Sean's work helped inspire me to give this podcast a shot, and he is among the very best there is. Please subscribe and check out the Patreon (Sean Derenthal) for his podcast.
Enjoy!
It's all in the title. Predicting the redemptive Finals we deserve after an injury filled playoffs.
Enjoy!
I go solo celebrating the Suns and examining the narratives surrounding their run and Chris Paul's career. I hit on a couple lessons the playoffs have retaught me regarding draft analysis, and then hit on the situations in Portland and Philadelphia and what the paths forward should look like. Enjoy!
For my 50th episode, I am honored to be joined by @cjmarchesani, of the Stepien and rollcallsportsnet.com, to go in on no less than 6 prospects that he believes will be steals within the first round. And only one of them will be drafted in the lottery. In case you've forgotten, the 2021 draft is the deepest draft ever. Enjoy!
I react to last night's Draft lottery with my first room on Halftime. We talk Pistons, Warriors, draft and trade philosophy, and lottery prospects, both younger asnd league ready. Enjoy!
Part 2 of the first round mock draft with Lee Branscome, aka @WhichCarolina. The lottery dropped last week, thi sis the rest of round 1. Enjoy!
With a franchise-defining game 6 on the horizon, I go headfirst into Hawks-Sixers with my buddy, and King Hooper Xs and Os expert, Dario Speedwagon. We discuss how this series, wild even by this year's standards, has gotten to here, and what to expect in elimination games from a franchise staring at different paths to a title and turmoil.
Enjoy!
With the lotto around the corner, I dip my toes into the content tsunami of mock drafts. First ever guest Lee Branscome of the @WhichCarolina podcast makes his triumphant return as we simulate the lottery and go for it. The lotto took...awhile, so stay tuned for part 2! Enjoy!
I go moderately deep on my favorite second round playoff series, Jazz-Clippers. I give Xs and Os, a new prediction, and an extended appreciation of Donovan Mitchell, a star the NBA is slow to realize they have on their hands. Come for the analysis, stay for the promo I cut on the NBA's marketing department. Enjoy!
Your guy and mine, Bryce Hendricks, aka @BryceHendrick14, joins to try and place two giant, skilled forwards in the upcoming 2021 draft. How do a 6'11 ultra athlete like Kai Jones and 6'11 ballhandler like Vrenz Bleijenbergh both typify where the league is going and challenge the vision of those scouting and drafting them? Enjoy!
Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, aka @jakelfischer, stops by to talk about his new book, an inside look on the 2013, 2014, and 2015 NBA drafts, and how the debate on "tanking" continues to shape and change the league. A wonderful discussion on the the Process Sixers, the Celtics, the Magic, the Suns, and the front office characters that defined the NBA's last decade. Follow Jake, pick up his book, and enjoy!
In the deepest NBA draft year ever, I empty my brain on the prospects that I have ranked as "lottery worthy," meaning those that could merit a top 14 selection. I have 24. I probably could have gone to 40. This draft is the future of the NBA and it's breaking my brain. Is unloading my brain a good podcast idea? Let's find out! Enjoy!
I take a pause from the Xs and Os of the playoffs to examine Jayson Tatum, a superstar in plain sight with 90 points in his last two games, and attempt to place his first 4 eventful years in Boston in historical context. I'm joined by my friend Greg (sp?), my personal foremost authority on all things Celtics. Then, we quickly hit on each of the series knotted at 2: Lakers-Suns, Clippers-Mavs, and Nuggets-Blazers. Enjoy!
40 episodes in, and Chucking Darts gets back to its roots with a prospect episode with the incredible Richard Stayman, aka @MavsDraft. Richard has been chucking since he literally learned to read, and has worked his way into becoming a professional scout and draft analyst for Locked On NBA Draft, a podcast that he hosts every Tuesday. We speak about three very interesting 6'5 guards: lotto hopeful James Bouknight (Richard is very high on him, myself less so), hyper-efficient Joel Ayayi, and talented enigma David Johnson. The future of NBA guard play should look like these three, but will it include all of them?
Enjoy!
I hit on a very fun first weekend of the NBA playoffs, inclduing what game 1 surprises hold trends that should persist throughout the series. "I've seen enough!"...these games are good.
On the heels of a fantastic play in finale between the Grizzlies and Warriors, I pay my respects to both clubs, defend the baby Grizz, and move on to my thoughts on the first round series and the playoffs as a whole. Enjoy!
Celebration time! I am joined by pro's pro Mark Schindler, aka @mschindlerNBA, to celebrate the 2020 rookie class in style. We go through our (4) All Rookie teams and give out as much love to this memorable class as we possibly can. So much, in fact, that we barely get into the First Annual Dart Awards, but I'm counting it anyway. Enjoy!
PD Web, aka @abovethebreak3, is changing the face and language of NBA scouting, one innovative report at a time. He joins me to help eulogize the misnomer of the '3 and D' forward, a player that every NBA team thinks they want but very few can intelligently define. We take a crack at more specifically defining NBA wing roles, how to maximize each, and where some notable 2021 NBA draft wings might land.
Follow PD and enjoy!
I break out my first 3 person episode with a doozy: I host a bonus episode of the @ProspectPod, for my money the best draft podcast of last year's cycle. Alex Brown (@ahbanalytics) of Advance Pro Basketball and Ethan Piechota (@ethanpiechota) join to drop darts on three hyped preseason prosepcts whose stocks have fluctuated this year: Josh Christopher, Marcus Bagley, and Ziaire Williams. Enjoy, and follow these brilliant bball minds!
Rudy Gobert went 27th. Clint Capela went 25th. Giannis (!!) went 15th. Who will be next?
Today I am joined by the most underrated voice on Draft Twitter, @DraftPow, to discuss the most underrated prospect archetype, hyperathletic defensive bigs. We talk on Usman Garuba, Isaiah Jackson, Ariel Hukporti, and Ibou Badji, players who can make the difference between winning or losing a championship if they develop the right way. Don't be caught in the dark, catch up on these guys and enjoy this one!
I continue my look at the contenders in the wide open Western Conference with the Phoenix Suns, everyone's favorite team to congratulate and politely write off. Will Valley Boy SPring become Valley Boy Summer?
Enjoy!
After 31 for the dartheads, it's 1 for me. Today one of my best friends and original supporters, @thefutureprez, to chop it up about his flailing Dallas Mavericks. We break down their rollercoaster season, and discuss why certain simple but not obvious lineup decisions might turn things around quickly.
Respect all NBA players from Wurzburg, Germany. Enjoy!
Today I check in on three rookies that have gone somewhat under the radar nationally, but have impressed me tremendously: Kira Lewis Jr., Desmond Bane, and Isaiah Stewart. I take Ws on the first two, and L (for love) on the latter, and allow myself to dream on how their skills might morph and blossom. A fun solo pod. Enjoy!
I'm thrilled to be joined by draft machine and future GM Derek Murray, aka @dmurrayNBA to talk some flamethrowing prospects who have rocketed up boards from fringe draft consideration to first round looks: Chris Duarte Tre Mann, and Trey Murphy III. Derek is a wealth of information, merging traditional scouting experience with analytical rigor in his two jobs at basketballnews.com and Sports Info Solutions, and we have a great time going back and forth on these three names that will only get hotter as we move toward the draft. Follow Derek, @basketbllnews, and @SportsInfo_SIS!
Today I'm joined by the exceptionally talented and gracious Evan Zaucha, aka @EZ_Hoops of Premium Hoops and Sense and Scalability! We go around the world twice for his favorite team, the Chicago Bulls. We talk their new construction with Nikola Vucevic, how they might emulate the Denver Nuggets, and go out of our way to praise Pat Williams in light of Evan's groundbreaking article on basketball feel. Enjoy, and follow Evan on all his platforms!
I chuck my dart onto the cluttered board of Trade Deadline Reactions. Because why not? Enjoy!
PS I like the Bulls.
I'm lucky enough to be joined by Nate Grubel, co-founder of Draft Deeper, a public scouting service run as professionally as any you'll find. We go over and compare 4 guards likely to go in the first round in 2021: the two possibly leading Baylor to the National title, the leading freshman scorer in the country, and possibly the most creative playmaker in the draft.
Enjoy!
I am lucky enough to be joined by Mike Gribanov, who for years has been one of the most innovative and insightful draft analysts anywhere. We talk about two prospects on higher seeded teams - Max Abmas on Oral Roberts and Bones Hyland on VCU - who are among the very best shooters in the country, what makes them so special, and why there may be an NBA future for them that did not exist a few years ago. Follow Mike at @mikegrib8, his work is consistently excellent.
Enjoy!
I ring in March Madness with some bracket picks and a focus on 3 legitimate NBA prospects who I think could carry their lower seeded teams to the Final Four: James Bouknight of Uconn, Tre Mann of Florida, and Matt Mitchell of San Diego St. Enjoy!
The CDU (Chucking Darts Universe) expands once more as I am joined by Stacy Patton, aka @StacyPatton89, of the Strickland! Stacy, a member of the foremost website and podcast covering the New York Knickerbockers, and I discuss his article breaking down what makes a championship power forward, review its application to Patrick Williams and Aleksej Pokusevki, and apply it to 2021 forwards Scottie Barnes, Jalen Johnson, Corey Kispert, and Franz Wagner. Enjoy!
WARNING - Poku. Discretion advised.
Greetings, dartheads! On this ep I go deep on the best team from the season's first half, the Utah Jazz. I give my thoughts on what makes them so successful, the narrative and biases surrounding their success, and how both their play style and those narratives may affect their chances come playoff time. Respect the Jazz. Enjoy!
I continue my look at top prospects in the 2021 NBA Draft with Evan Mobley, seven foot savant out of USC. I discuss Mobley's game in light of other "dependent" stars (dragons?!) whose ranks he hopes to join: Jaren Jackson Jr., Anthony Davis, and Kristaps Porzingis, and the development process I think he will need in order to get there. I also touch on a couple less heralded prospects from the past couple drafts who might somehow fit into this fastly evolving archetype. Enjoy!
The CDU (Chucking Darts Universe) expands with its first ever guest, Lee Branscome aka @WhichCarolina! Lee is one of the sharpest draft evaluators out there (he was ahead of everyone on Immanuel Quickley and Payton Pritchard), and we go deep on two prospects that have us both very interested this upcoming year: Deuce McBride and Day'Ron Sharpe. Both first round talents, but with radically different philsophies and considerations surrounding them. Enjoy!
Chucking Darts returns with a look at presumptive no. 1 overall 2021 draft pick Cade Cunningham. The scouting community widely believes him to be among the very best prospects since Lebron came out. To test that hypothesis, I put Cade and his season in context and conversation with the very best prospects of the last 13 years. Enjoy!
I return to my first love, the 2020 NBA draftees! Join me as I go round the league to touch on 10+ rookies making an impact. Could've gone another 2 hours and another 10 prospects. RESPECT THE 2020 DRAFT!!
Rookies I hit in this one: Wiseman, Edwards, Lamelo, Williams, Okoro, Haliburton, Maxey, Vassell, Bane, Pritchard, Cole, X Tillman, and more!
I take a look at the James Harden megatrade, and why I think it was the rare 4 team trade that will benefit all four teams. Very fun to go through and talk about. Enjoy!
Darts and D(ark) Arts! I break down early season trends that I believe are real or the product of some mystical madness fot he Pacers, Raptors, Knicks, Cavs, and Hawks...with a dash of I'VE SEEN ENOUGH! Enjoy!
1:50 Indiana Pacers
24:15 Toronto Raptors
37:00 New York Knicks
48:50 Cleveland Cavaliers
1:02:20 Atlanta Hawks
Week 2 of the Chucking Darts Rookie Roundup! Hosted on the Locker Room app, I talk Immanuel Quickley, Payton Pritchard, Lamelo Ball, James Wiseman, Desmond Bane, and more. Enjoy, and check out Locker Room if you want to interact one week!
2:00 Immanuel Quickley
22:30 Payton Pritchard
39:20 Lamelo Ball
49:05 James Wiseman
1:02:00 Desmond Bane
Respect the 2020 draft! In what I hope is a weekly series, I take a look at 7 rookies from the supposedly terrible, horrible, no good, very bad 2020 draft class and give them their much deserved love. Haliburton mania, Pat Williams flowers, Lamelo joy, "L is for Love" on Payton Pritchard, and much more. Enjoy!
3:30 Tyrese Haliburton
14:55 Patrick Williams
25:20 Anthony Edwards
33:30 Lamelo Ball
41:15 Deni Avdija
45:55 Cole Anthony
54:10 Payton Pritchard
I go through my predictions for end of year 2021 All NBA First, Second, and Third Teams, along with providing a quick summary of darts I have for all 30 teams. Plus, a new segment called "I've Seen Enough!" where I proudly declare unimpeachable truths based on a tiny sample size. Enjoy!
2:55 Specific darts for all 30 teams
12:40 I've Seen Enough!
40:30 All NBA predictions
Quick reactions to the rookie extensions, then I chuck darts at every team's regular season record and seed using offensive and defense ranking projections. Plus, picks for MVP and the 2021 NBA champs. Hold me to these predictions, for I prophesied them as a young dart. Enjoy!
I rank every team's offense 1-30 for this coming year. I go a little insane with the realization of how many good offenses are in the NBA. But I had a great time recording. Enjoy!
I go through my predictions for First and Second All Rookie teams (posted on twitter before preseason tipped off), go through some of my very early impressions of how the draft class has looked, and strenuously defend this maligned group of lovable, exciting rookies. Enjoy!
Today's preview reaches three more teams that provide constant NBA joy. The Jazz, Blazers, and Raptors are as cohesive, well-constructed, and exciting as they come. I pick one to produce a first team All Defensive player, one to produce a top 3 MVP finisher, and one to finish in the top 10 of both offense and defense. Respect these teams, and respect the darts. Enjoy!
1:45 Utah Jazz
27:50 Portland Trail Blazers
44:10 Toronto Raptors
Reviewing and previewing the Heat, Mavs, and Nuggs. Plus, my reactions to the Westbrook/Wall trade, and its ripples in Atlanta and the James Harden trade rumor multiverse. Enjoy!
1:35 Westbrook-Wall trade
19:50 Mavs/Heat/Nuggs intro
23:40 Miami Heat
39:10 Denver Nuggets
58:30 Dallas Mavericks
Offseason Review/Season Preview: Hawks/Suns/Warriors. I look at the offseason and upcoming prospects of each of these hopeful, dart-chucking teams. Trust their process if you dare, but respect the darts!
Also some deserved flowers and a (very) modest proposal for Draft Twitter about the upcoming 2021 class. Enjoy!
18:00 Hawks
49:15 Suns
1:12:30 Warriors
Post 2020 Draft Prospect check in: Which teams helped their prospects the most? In this episode, I look at which prospects have the best possible situations given their talents to succeed quickly in the NBA. Includes an overview of my big (Dart) Board, focusing on the rookies who moved up my board post draft, including one into the top 5. Hint: he's fast. Enjoy!
Monster NBA Draft recap, with 2 hours of impressions and grades of every team and (just about) every pick and undrafted free agent. Enjoy!
I grouped teams for various reasons, so please see time stamps below. Rate, subscribe, follow. Thank you!
13:35- Wolves/Hornets
26:10- Bulls/Cavs
29:50- Kings/Pistons/Wizards
47:00- Hawks/Spurs
51:21- Warriors/Knicks
58:45- Suns/Bucks/Lakers/Blazers
1:10:30- Nets/Clippers
1:18:00- Pelicans/Thunder
1:29:13- Sixers/Mavs
1:38:25- Celtics/Jazz/Pacers
1:50:30- Heat/Magic
1:56:35- Grizzlies/Raptors/Nuggets
2:03:40- Rockets
First Annual Chucking Darts Mock Draft/Mock Dartf! Includes predicted trades, primarily two in the top 10. Also includes some initial reaction to Jrue Holiday/Robert Covington/Chris Paul trades. Enjoy!
26:25 for start of the mock draft
The second half of my impressions of players I think have a relatively clear path to consistent NBA minutes and at least a decent chance of becoming starters. Nineteen (?!) players covered in this podcast. Favorite darts in this section include Jalen Harris, Ty-Shon Alexander, Killian TIllie, and Isiaiah Joe. I ruefully address the prospects of Obi Toppin. Enjoy!
Chucking Darts, episode 3! I look at the real strength of the 2020 draft, which is potential NBA starters. This is a two part episode, encompassing tiers two and three on my draft board. Part 1 looks at Kira Lewis Jr., Mason Jones, RJ Hampton, Onyeka Okongwu, Tyrese Haliburton, Desmond Bane, Devin Vassell, and Deni Avdija. Enjoy!
Chucking Darts NBA, Episode 2! I go through the remainder of my Tier 1 2020 NBA Draft prospects, the ones who I believe have the most star power: two very strong, very smart wings in Patrick Williams and Isaac Okoro, and an utterly fascinating beanpole prodigy, Aleksej Pokusevki. If you like it, kindly chuck 5 stars my way. It's ok to be a bit too kind with ratings.
Welcome to Chucking Darts NBA! An NBA podcast of debatable accuracy. I, an adult person named Chuck, talk about why I love the NBA draft, how really smart NBA teams do less smart things when it comes to the draft, provide some historical context on finding stars through the draft, and provide a primer on the top of the 2020 NBA draft. Darts are ideas. Chuck them. It's ok to be wrong about sports.