The 2024 NBA offseason is coming to an end, and the 2024-25 regular season kicking off with it. Which teams around the league have seen their stock rise in recent weeks? Which clubs have seen their stock fall, and which are holding steady as injuries, extensions, and signings shift the title odds ever so slightly? And of course, where are the Boston Celtics trending throughout all of this as opening night is upon us?
The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast sat down to talk out where each team in the league is headed as the new NBA season begins. We also get into what might happen with the team's open roster spot after Lonnie Walker was cut, which other camp invitees are headed where, and propose expanding the infrastructural honor bestowed on Celtics legend Bill Russell even further.
Join us for one last look at the landscape of the league before the games start to count, and Boston (hopefully) inches closer to hanging a 19th banner.
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The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast sat down to talk out where each team in the league is headed as the new NBA season begins. We also get into what might happen with the team's open roster spot after Lonnie Walker was cut, which other camp invitees are headed where, and propose expanding the infrastructural honor bestowed on Celtics legend Bill Russell even further.
Join us for one last look at the landscape of the league before the games start to count, and Boston (hopefully) inches closer to hanging a 19th banner.
********************************************
CLNS Media is Powered by:
Prize Picks - https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS
Download the app today and use Code CLNS when you sign up & Get $50 instantly when you play $5!
Gametime - https://gametime.co
Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Terms apply. What time is it? Gametime!
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SportsTranscript
00:00Celtics Live is brought to you by Price Picks and the Game Time app.
00:06All righty, welcome to the Celtics Live podcast, brought to you by Price Picks, the exclusive
00:11fantasy basketball partner of CLNS Media Network, and by Game Time Tickets, last minute tickets,
00:15lowest price guaranteed.
00:16What time is it?
00:17Game time.
00:18I'm Cameron Tepesabai.
00:19I'm your host.
00:20I'm joined by Alex Goldberg, I'm joined by Dr. Justin Quinn, and it is NBA 24-25 season
00:28Eve, specifically, apparently right when the extension deadline is, because it's 5.03
00:35on the East Coast and all these extensions are coming in.
00:37So per usual, what we'll do is we will do the news here to open the program, but we
00:43might miss a thing or two because it's live, it's breaking, it's real, we're doing it live.
00:47And then in the second half of the program, the lab portion of the programming, what we're
00:52going to do is we are going to take stock of the entire NBA.
00:56We're going to literally analyze the team's quote-unquote stock.
01:00Is this team up?
01:01Is this team down?
01:02Is it steady?
01:03Are we not really ready to make an assertion?
01:06We'll do it quick, but a few teams, we'll get our hands a little dirty.
01:09So that's our agenda.
01:10We've got a couple other things to do, but mostly it's in the news.
01:13So before we get to that, Alex, how are things in Brooklyn?
01:18Things in Brooklyn are a-okay.
01:20This is one of the last kind of big, warm days before we hopefully shift fully into
01:25fall mode.
01:26But yeah, no complaints here.
01:28Went for a nice run.
01:30Excited to go to the Westbury Inn tomorrow on Flatbush Avenue and watch the Boston Celtics
01:37defeat the New York Knicks in the house of a bunch of sad Knicks fans.
01:41So that's going to be great.
01:43Actually, I have a thought about that, but Dr. Kron, how are you?
01:48Not too bad.
01:49I'm gearing up to cover the event that is going to be enjoyed by Alex.
01:54I'm a little jealous about that, but not jealous about getting to watch Celtics basketball
01:59that actually counts again, as I'm sure you are, too.
02:03Yeah, I'm pretty sick of covering things that aren't actually happening.
02:07I went to Jaylen Brown's birthday party last night, and maybe I'll talk about that.
02:14On the subject of home openers, I was talking to Jeff Twiss, legendary PR-I don't know what
02:20his exact title is, but anyone who knows anything about the NBA knows Jeff Twiss is the best
02:25in the biz.
02:26And I was talking to his wife about, oh yeah, you know the game.
02:29I'm sure there's going to be a lot of emotion.
02:30I wonder if they'll be able to focus on the game, and Jeff informed us that of 17 ring
02:37ceremony home openers, or banner home openers, or home openers after winning a title, the
02:42team is like 14 and 17, or something like that.
02:45So history is exceedingly on the Celtics side.
02:49I'm going to be honest, I don't remember at all what happened in 2008.
02:53So I mean, we're pulling from the 60s and 70s here, but technically speaking, according
02:58to Jeff Twiss, the Jeff Twiss, history's on the side of the Celtics.
03:01So we will see.
03:02Yeah, I think the last time that I can remember that the team that won the title lost the
03:08home opener.
03:10I want to say it was like the Dallas Mavericks or something like that after they won the
03:15title, but it's been a while.
03:17I thought it was the Lakers after the bubble.
03:20That might be right.
03:21After the bubble.
03:22That might be right.
03:23I don't think it matters, quite frankly.
03:25You pay a lot of money to see the banner go up, not to see the third quarter of the Nick
03:31Celtics game, frankly.
03:33To that end, fans, if you are going, there's very strict instructions about when you need
03:36to be in your seat.
03:37And I'd say look them up so I don't give you bad information, but I know that there are
03:41strict instructions.
03:42Anyways, let's do the news.
03:43I'll carve out a little bit of time to talk about the Jalen thing here in the news.
03:48How's that?
03:49The news for the Celtics, the headline is that Lonnie Walker, the fourth, did not as
03:55of yet make the team.
03:57He was waived.
03:59He was on an exhibit 10.
04:00We kind of expected this.
04:03And part of the reasoning there is if he did sign with the team proper, it would cost $14
04:07million in salary and penalties for I think the numbers of 11 I've seen out there.
04:12I've done the math.
04:13It's not my bag, but I've seen it's more than they wanted to spend a lot.
04:18Yeah.
04:19That player.
04:20He gets a bonus, a $75,000 bonus.
04:24If he ends up in Maine.
04:25Is that right?
04:26Dr. Quinn, $75,000 bonus fee ends up in Maine for 60 days, which would be around the amount
04:33of days you'd want to have him play to cut the tax hit on that $11 million total, close
04:38to a half.
04:39Fairly reasonable number at that point.
04:41Yeah.
04:42So the long and the short of it is he could sign with any NBA team that wants him.
04:46I think the Knicks should sign him.
04:48Campaign is not a great backup guard and also gave a fake name to a cop and might have some
04:54legal troubles coming up.
04:56So I'm not here that wow.
04:58Yeah.
04:59I like campaign, but that's not a good thing to do.
05:01So Lonnie could end up in any moment, quite literally with another NBA team, but he could
05:06also end up in Maine, which would mean he could come back down to Boston and play here
05:10and there, and then eventually make his way out to the proper NBA roster.
05:15So Lonnie, great job in camp and we don't know yet if it's Sayonara or see you later
05:22or whatnot, which is to say, basically we know what the roster is going to look like.
05:28Jordan Walsh is replacing O'Shea Brissett and Jaden Springer for now is replacing Sve
05:34Mikhailuk, which I just figured out how to pronounce and now he plays in Utah.
05:40They'll keep an open roster spot almost definitely for the dual reason of flexibility slash to
05:46save several million dollars.
05:50We've talked about this, but as extensions are rolling in, Jalen Suggs just signed, Court
05:54Crisper just signed, Jalen Green just signed, Trey Murphy just signed.
05:57So now we have some like new data quickly.
06:01What's our temperature on the CBA?
06:03We kind of think it's really squeezing the middle class.
06:06I think Lonnie is a good example of this.
06:08Just do these extensions that just came in and you can rattle off some of the numbers
06:11if it's helpful.
06:12Do they change your mind, Alex?
06:14Yeah, I mean, I think so.
06:16I guess I should clarify by middle class.
06:19I'm not necessarily referring to like players that are like top 50 ish players.
06:24Not Derek White.
06:25Yeah, exactly.
06:27And I think most of these extensions are in line with numbers for those guys like the
06:31Jalen Suggs extension is a perfect example.
06:33That guy's making slightly more than Derek White over the course of five years.
06:38Jalen Suggs, you know, that's an all NBA level defender and a starting point guard.
06:43He is a solidly kind of middle of the pack, good NBA player.
06:48The guys that I think are really getting squeezed by this are the role players, end of bench
06:55guys who are talented enough to make NBA rosters, but will not make NBA rosters because of the
07:05financial implications of having to pay them what they're worth.
07:09And that's where I kind of take issue with the new CBA.
07:12You know, you look at like an O'Shea Brissett, a Lonnie Walker, a Markel Fultz, you know,
07:18what have you.
07:19These are all guys that have shown that they are perfectly capable NBA rotation players.
07:24Like you can put them out there for 10, 12 minutes and they'll do a fine job.
07:30Right now they're getting squeezed because nobody wants to pay $9 million to say a Markel
07:37Fultz if the tax penalty for that player is going to be $18 million.
07:43And the way that the new CBA is currently structured, it's just really hard to fill
07:49out your bench with those kind of like low salary, kind of better than vet minimum guys
07:58unless they are on like rookie deals or team friendly extensions.
08:02That's just kind of the way that things are designed.
08:04So I do think some changes need to be made.
08:07And I think the chief thing that will help guys like Lonnie Walker out the most is expansion.
08:14Just the talent pool is too deep.
08:17Yeah, there's also some important implications of this lack of 15th roster spot being filled
08:23around the league quite often.
08:26And that is courtesy of one Keith Smith, who recently shared that if they go two seasons
08:33in a row, I believe is the understanding where more than half the league has no 15th spot
08:40open or has a 15th spot open for more than half the season, that that will end up costing
08:47the NBA teams, all of them, the third two-way player spot that was recently given to them.
08:53So this could change things in a way that would be really problematic for teams trying
08:58to juggle new talent, developing them and then getting into the pipeline without costing
09:03tons of money.
09:04Yeah, it'll be interesting.
09:05I think the problem here is, you know, there's gonna be a lot more money coming into the
09:10league with the new TV deal.
09:11So maybe this water finds its level.
09:13But I think agents for guys who shouldn't have max level contracts, and Justin and I
09:19were talking about this in a perfect world, they the labor they provide is worth more
09:24than the money that they make, quite frankly.
09:27But when they're artificially limited to 35% or 30% of the cap, a guy like Aaron Gordon
09:32or like past his prime Bradley Beal makes way too much money, but they have the clout
09:38and the agent and the history to barter from the time and the time, yeah, a small part
09:43of it.
09:44And so I do wonder if, you know, five years from now, water will find its level and maybe
09:47teams will say to guys like that, hey, we can't pay you like that.
09:53Guys like Drew holiday or Porzingis, who, you know, make a ton of money, but not near
09:59max money.
10:00Maybe that will open up some some spots.
10:03But there's just too many guys like Zach Levine, there's too many guys on max level contracts
10:06on bad teams or teams that don't historically pay into the tax, that there's just not money
10:11right now.
10:13So it looks like the new CBA hurts, but we don't know anyways.
10:19In terms of roster moves, so you have more extension deals could come through.
10:22We know that the following guys were cut by the Boston Celtics, but are likely to end
10:26up in Maine unless someone else offers them a deal.
10:29Jay Scrubb, we knew that was coming.
10:31Hayson Ward, Ron Harper Jr. and Dimitri scavenger, who Noah tells L friend of the pod, worked
10:40a story on for like two preseason games, and then now he's not on the team.
10:45So sorry, Noah.
10:46Anyways,
10:47I like him for what it's worth.
10:49Yeah, me too.
10:50Might be good.
10:51Me too.
10:52Um, we got a little bit of news about possible sale buzz.
10:57Nothing is it's been reported, but nothing is.
11:00There's no ink on any paper that we know of Mark Bezos, Jeff Bezos, his half brother,
11:06who is a rich man in and of himself, supposedly is interested.
11:11And minority owner Robert Hale, who is not, you know, among the headline minority owners,
11:18is thinking about getting some more money involved, or just like putting more of his
11:22money in and maybe pushing for, you know, that scenario where the existing ownership
11:27group basically figures out how to buy out the gross backs.
11:31We don't know that much more about that right now.
11:33And it's not worth like really speculating on, but it is interesting.
11:37There are two names.
11:39They're like almost names that we had already, but they're like kind of different versions
11:42of that, if that makes sense.
11:44Other piece of news, Stan Van Gundy says that the Celtics have the most the best roster
11:49he's ever seen.
11:50Love that.
11:52And today, North Washington Street Bridge, which is like the bridge that is between the
11:58West End and the North End near the garden, was officially renamed after Bill Russell.
12:05And Jalen Brown was there and spoke and the mayor was there and a long time coming.
12:11Lots of athletes in Boston have infrastructure named after them.
12:15Justin, you have an amazing thing here.
12:18Go make the case.
12:20So Bill deserves so much more than just a bridge.
12:26The bridge is a worthy nod to him.
12:28Don't get me wrong.
12:29I'm not downplaying it at all.
12:31But Logan Airport, who is he named after?
12:34Do you know?
12:35Do you either?
12:36I do, because I'm a history teacher.
12:37Yeah, he's like a World War Two guy or something.
12:40Not even World War Two.
12:41Spanish American War.
12:42Oh, crap.
12:43Okay.
12:44I don't care about that then.
12:45Yeah, he like was on a town council for a long time and was rich.
12:50So I mean, like he did some things that were noteworthy a long time ago, and that's great.
12:56But compared to what A1 Bill Russell has done for the community of Boston, I think it fails
12:59in comparison.
13:00And it should be the Bill Russell Airport, in my opinion.
13:04Cool.
13:05Absolutely.
13:06I mean, unless the Russell family said, hey, we have closer ties to San Francisco or elsewhere,
13:10and they wanted to go for that one.
13:11Great.
13:12But I like that.
13:13I like that a lot.
13:15Okay.
13:16Cool.
13:17Let's do this.
13:18I'm going to do story time for like a minute or two, and then we'll hop into the lab.
13:22Anything else in the news that you guys wanted to punctuate?
13:26I have a really quick question for both of you, and you can only respond with a two-word
13:31answer.
13:32Of the Jalen Suggs, Corey Kispert, Jalen Green, and Trey Murphy extensions, which ones do
13:37you think is going to be the best value by the end of that extension?
13:40You can only answer with their name.
13:43Trey Murphy for you, Justin?
13:44Well, you said two words.
13:45What if I get really creative?
13:46You just said a whole ton of words, man.
13:48You're disqualified.
13:49Okay.
13:50It's Kispert for me.
13:53I agree with both of you.
13:54I think those are the two best ones by far.
13:56Yeah.
13:57Suggs.
13:58I filled out our predictions, Alex, today, and I'm really unsure of the magic because
14:05of the point guard position.
14:08We'll get into that.
14:09We'll get into that.
14:10Yes, we will.
14:11Actually, we will.
14:13Justin is encouraging me to write about my trip to Jalen Brown's birthday party, so I'll
14:17also podcast about it.
14:20We've talked about this before.
14:22We're really lucky to do what we do.
14:24You do have to kind of pretend like it's not super duper cool.
14:28At times, it does feel normal, but also I kind of had an out-of-body experience doing
14:33this.
14:34I reached out to 741.
14:36I'd like to learn more about the shoes, and I went back and forth with them a little bit,
14:40and they said, by the way, why don't you come to Jalen's birthday party?
14:43We want to have some media presence there.
14:47741 is Jalen Brown's new retail company, performance company.
14:51I guess I don't know how they describe it, but the company that is making his shoes and
14:55the shirts and stuff that he's wearing.
14:58I've done some stories with Jalen.
15:00I know some of the juice people.
15:01It wasn't completely out of left field, but it was a surprise to me to get that invitation,
15:07so I got to go.
15:08Yeah, it was super cool.
15:11It was a big enough place that I can't say for sure who was and wasn't there, but I saw
15:15most of the team.
15:16They were there.
15:17I had a really special experience.
15:19I got to watch the WNBA finals with the coaching staff and Luke, and then later Derek.
15:27I ain't done with fingertip basketball, but holy smokes, they would say, oh, what set
15:31are they running?
15:32Then they would all pepper in like, oh, it's this set.
15:34Remember, they ran that in Brooklyn that one time and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and
15:37then one of the players would come over and they'd be like, oh, yeah, I really struggled
15:40with that part of it.
15:41I mean, just these guys are so phenomenally smart, so that was really cool.
15:46I saw some people who like work with juice.
15:52I talked to Jason about the Jordan Brand story that we did together.
15:56He didn't seem that he didn't.
15:58He wasn't as interested as I was to talk about that like at all.
16:03I had a really nice talk about work when he's off the clock.
16:06Geez, I'm a jerk.
16:08Sure, let's go with that.
16:10Well, I talked to Jalen for a quick bit that was really special.
16:13Alex, Luke, really appreciated your I'm going to Nashville this weekend.
16:18And Alex and Luke had the same recommendations for a pancake place.
16:21So kindred spirits, those two.
16:24That's my guy, Luke Cornett.
16:26Shout out.
16:27Yeah, I learned that a little baby Metro Boomin.
16:33And another rapper of great consequences there, but I forget who Lloyd, the guy who sings
16:38bedrock from 10 years ago, performed as did Ferg and Jalen Brown.
16:44They sang their song.
16:45It's called Just Do It.
16:47Yeah.
16:48That was cute, Jalen.
16:49They made Jalen sing and he got really shy really fast, which is just a reminder that
16:54even big, famous athletes get shy like the rest of us.
16:57But then he warmed up and then he sang the song that was kind of cool.
17:01And yeah, I'm really thankful to Jalen and 741 and the people at the company that put
17:09it all together.
17:12And I have a few more stories off air, but that's as much as I guess I'll share here.
17:15I'll write a little bit more for Celtics Wire.
17:17So if you want a little bit more texture there, be on the lookout for something on Celtics
17:22Wire.
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18:14Alrighty, let's hop into the lab.
18:18So we're doing NBA Stock Watch.
18:20The season starts tomorrow and for the rest of the league, it was a doubleheader tomorrow,
18:24right?
18:25There's two games on.
18:26Usually it's a doubleheader.
18:27I can't remember.
18:28Yeah.
18:29So the season starts tomorrow.
18:30Great.
18:31Yeah.
18:32And we're going to mostly rapid fire our way through the league and decide, is this team
18:36stock up right now?
18:38Is it down?
18:39Is it level or I wouldn't touch it.
18:41It's that confusing.
18:43So we have a few teams that we will spend more time on.
18:49I'll, I'll, we'll kind of go in order here.
18:52So I'll start with Atlanta and I think that their stock looks up.
18:58It's probably somewhere between steady or down.
19:03Could be fun.
19:05But I do wonder if Trey Young is on the team in 12 months.
19:08So for me, it's a stay away or a down.
19:12Yeah.
19:13I'm going to start.
19:14I'm going to start the game with a stay away.
19:16It's too confusing, which I know up, down, steady.
19:19That's it.
19:20Pick one.
19:21Move along.
19:22Down.
19:23Down.
19:24Atlanta down.
19:25Okay.
19:26Justin, you're up.
19:27Boston.
19:28Go.
19:29No, no.
19:30Let's all deliver one on these.
19:31I second your bet.
19:33We're never going to do this fast.
19:36We got it.
19:37We got it.
19:38I'm going to go up.
19:39I think that rebuilding the system around Trey Young and letting him be a truly heliocentric
19:44player is fine.
19:45I think Jalen Johnson is good.
19:48Hawks up for me.
19:50Justin.
19:51I've already called them down.
19:55I seconded you.
19:56So it looks like they're steady.
19:59All righty.
20:00Justin, you go first on Boston then.
20:03So Boston, there isn't...
20:05So to be clear, this is all stuff since preseason.
20:08So we've known that KP is out.
20:11Lonnie being cut would have been nice, but he probably wouldn't have played.
20:14The sale appears to be starting to move.
20:15So maybe that's one thing that will not be hanging over the team throughout the entire
20:20season if we're lucky.
20:22So I would say ever so slightly, that last bit makes the stock up.
20:26Alex.
20:27I'm going rock steady.
20:31This was the best team in the league last year.
20:33I think it's going to be the best team in the league this year.
20:35I don't think any of the changes that have happened in the offseason are going to alter
20:41that.
20:42I think they are the title favorite until proven otherwise.
20:45It's up for me.
20:46I think Jason and Jalen figured out who they are.
20:49I think they're going to get better.
20:51I think the league is in deep, deep doo-doo because they have two two-way wings who are
20:57just stepping into their prime and they look really pissed off for various reasons.
21:01So it's up for me for the Boston Celtics.
21:06Anything else on Boston?
21:07There was like an up, up, slight up.
21:12I mean, I think it's steady for me just because they're already the highest priced stock,
21:17to my mind.
21:18That's fair.
21:19I mean, how much cash does Apple have on hand right now?
21:22Like three trillion dollars?
21:23You can keep, you can go past the moon.
21:26Brooklyn, Alex, fittingly enough, in Brooklyn, you get to go first on Brooklyn, go.
21:31Stock is way down for me, fellas.
21:34I had spent some time looking at this team.
21:38I hear that there is buzz around Ben Simmons is back now.
21:42It's contract year, watch out.
21:44I couldn't be more down on this team.
21:46I think they're going to be one of the worst teams in the league.
21:49They might be the upright worst.
21:51I think all of their good players like Nick Claxton and, you know, kind of anybody who
21:57has any talent at all is going to be getting moved in short order.
22:02The Nets have a very strong incentive to be bad this year.
22:06I think they're going to be invincible.
22:08It's for me, it's so down that you should buy the dip, because whether it's Cooper,
22:14yeah, whether it's Cooper Flagg or one of these Rutgers kids, Brooklyn is not incompetent
22:19enough.
22:20Like they're not the Wizards or the Hornets.
22:21Like once they get one of these kids in their orbit, I think they'll turn it around and
22:25turn around pretty quickly.
22:25So it's down for the 24-25 season.
22:29But like GameStop, I'd buy the dip.
22:34Justin.
22:35Same stock.
22:36I'm going to say the stock is up because that's what they're trying to do.
22:39This is not an accident and it's going to benefit them.
22:42So if they can get even a fake second round pick to get Ben Simmons out the door, even
22:49as just a trade exception, right?
22:52Yeah, that's a plus.
22:54They might actually be able to pull that off now.
22:56So yeah.
22:58All right.
22:58I get to do Chicago first.
23:00They signed Taylor Horton Tucker at the buzzer here.
23:04Lonzo is back, but it occurs to me that I don't understand how Lonzo and Giddy share
23:08the court together.
23:09So they don't because he's no longer there.
23:11Well, you know, he's yeah, never mind.
23:12No, he's there.
23:13Yeah.
23:17So that's confusing to me, but maybe it's a trade chip.
23:21So that the correct answer is down.
23:27I wish I didn't think that though.
23:29It's a fun team, but there's just there's no way.
23:34You're already you're jumping the line, right?
23:37Alex is down.
23:39Yeah, I'm going to say it's steady just because can they really get worse?
23:44Like, really?
23:44I mean, yes.
23:48I believe that this team can get worse.
23:50I couldn't be more out on Josh Giddy, guys.
23:53I just I don't think that guy is very good.
23:56I don't think he is very good.
23:58As a number one option, which I think they are kind of hoping he's going to be.
24:04Well, I don't think that's true.
24:06I mean, they have Levine.
24:06They have white.
24:07They have.
24:09Yeah, they have next.
24:12Well, they're just not bad enough.
24:15That's the problem.
24:16That's why it's steady.
24:17Like they're not going anywhere.
24:18Anyways, Justin, you get to start with Charlotte.
24:23So they've got Charles Lee.
24:26That's been the same, though, since the start of the preseason.
24:29I haven't really seen any substantive moves.
24:33We could say that the fact that Bonzo is playing with ankle braces might make him healthier.
24:41But it's not enough for me.
24:42I need to actually see them be better.
24:44So for me, steady.
24:47Alex?
24:48Slight up for me.
24:49I like Charles Lee as an addition to this team, specifically because Charles Lee is
24:53going to have the Charlotte Hornets shooting a billion threes per game.
24:57They are not talented enough to win on their own merits, but they can steal games by just
25:02playing the margin game.
25:03I think this is a potential play in team.
25:06I'm in.
25:08My arts is down.
25:10But every time I learn more about how Michael Jordan was as an owner, it's bad.
25:15And now that they're not there with Michael Jordan's out there.
25:20So maybe they have more of a stable front office and stable ownership.
25:23And maybe they turn the page.
25:26So I think my answer is up.
25:28But I don't feel that in my bones.
25:30Just quickly, quickly, quickly.
25:33The ball boys get flagged for like, hey, they invented their own shoes.
25:37And then they got injured.
25:38And everyone has said, is Jalen Brown going to injure himself playing in his new shoes?
25:42I got to.
25:43I didn't wear them, but I got to handle the 741 Rover Black Moon shoes that are coming
25:49out.
25:50They feel quite solid.
25:51They feel considered.
25:52They do not feel slapped together.
25:54I am not qualified to, like, make that decision.
25:56But I thought that was interesting.
25:57I meant to bring that up before.
25:59All righty.
26:00Alex gets Cleveland.
26:04Cleveland Cavaliers are a steady stock for me.
26:07I think that the addition of Kenny Atkinson is nice.
26:12The Max Drew's injury to me is low key.
26:15Not good for them.
26:16They really need his shooting.
26:18But I was pretty impressed by Evan Mobley in the playoffs last year.
26:21I think there's a chance that he's going to be headed for a breakout season.
26:25As you know, I am a big Donovan Mitchell fan.
26:28I still think that this team doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
26:31I think they have to move one of Allen or Garland potentially.
26:36And for me, until they make what I think is going to be an inevitable move, I have them
26:42as a solid playoff team that can't get too much further.
26:46So that's steady for me.
26:48Sam?
26:50I'm going to go up.
26:52I think having Allen back is helpful and interesting.
26:56It's a puzzle and the Strews thing stinks.
26:58But I think Cleveland can be better than they were last year.
27:03So a slight up for me.
27:05I've got Detroit.
27:06I just pulled up the depth chart because I'm curious.
27:09I guess if you wanted to say up, you're rooting for Cade Cunningham.
27:13It's still a collection of players.
27:15It doesn't make any sense.
27:15But it's a collection of players that makes a little bit more sense.
27:19They did set the record for most consecutive losses last year.
27:22So how could it not be up vis-a-vis last year anyways?
27:26So it's like a logical up.
27:28But Detroit's going nowhere fast, and I feel bad for him.
27:31So sorry, Kai, our good friend Kai Carlin from the Detroit area.
27:36Technically up, but maybe it should be down so they could get in the Cooper flag sweepstakes
27:40a little bit.
27:41Justin?
27:43I have to agree with you.
27:44I don't know what they're doing.
27:46It looks like they have a vague idea of how to rebuild the team.
27:50But they have several more losing seasons to really overhaul that roster realistically.
27:55And I just don't see how they're going to do it.
27:58Particularly, they look like they're trying to win now.
28:00And they're trying to win now with Tobias Harris.
28:02So what's going on over there?
28:04Yeah.
28:05I think steady is what I'll give them.
28:07But I think I'm actually being generous in that light.
28:09I mean, it could be steady, and it could be a disaster is the problem.
28:13Alex?
28:14I think this is tough for me because I really do not like Tobias Harris on this team at all.
28:22But for me, I think it's a slight up.
28:24The only reason I'm really going there is because I am still holding some Jaden Ivy stock.
28:31I know it's in the dirt right now.
28:34But I think that guy's good.
28:35And I think that JB Bickerstaff doesn't hate him in the same way that Monty Williams does.
28:41So for me, it's a slight up.
28:43Sweet.
28:44We promised there would be teams we would really chew the fat on.
28:47It's just the East has a bunch of boring teams.
28:49So we're getting there.
28:51Not a boring team, but I don't think we'll spend too much time on them.
28:54Justin, tell us about the Pacers.
28:56I mean, there hasn't been too much since the start of the offseason in Indiana
29:01that they've done to grab our attention.
29:04They should be healthier.
29:06They should be older.
29:08They should grow a little bit.
29:09So for me, I think I'm going to give them a slight up.
29:13Just because if Hala Burton is healthier in the hamstring department this season,
29:18they'll probably be a pretty good team.
29:20They might even crack the top four.
29:22And it's hard not to be supportive of a team that looks like it's poised to keep growing,
29:27even if they haven't really done anything of note to do that.
29:31Yeah, I guess I would take the position that they're up, but close to hitting their ceiling.
29:37So in their current form.
29:38Yeah, if we're still using the stock market analogy,
29:41you would ride it a little bit longer and then sell high.
29:46Just as another aside, do you guys know the Celtics are the third oldest team in the NBA?
29:51I think, like, yes.
29:53Knicks and who else?
29:54I think maybe it's the Lakers, but just the gravity of LeBron James.
30:00Yeah, something to consider, I suppose.
30:03Alex, anything on the Pacers?
30:05I'm a little surprised by you guys.
30:06I'm pretty bullish on this team.
30:08I think they're going to be good.
30:10I think that...
30:11Well, we're not saying they're going to be bad.
30:12We're just saying that they're not trending too much.
30:15Like, we know what they are.
30:15They're closer to steady than...
30:16I get that.
30:18I think a full off season of Siakam is going to potentially make a substantial difference for them.
30:24And I also think that Andrew Nembhard is my current pick for most improved player.
30:28That guy's really good.
30:29He had a really good playoff run.
30:31And I think that in stepping into a bigger role as a locked in surefire starter,
30:38to me, I'm really in on this Pacers team.
30:42Alex told me one of his goals this year was to be more level-headed when discussing his hated
30:47Miami Heat.
30:47So Alex, tell us about the Miami Heat.
30:50So I am going to try and be level-headed with regard to the Miami Heat for this upcoming
30:56season.
30:56Their stock is way down.
30:57I just don't see any way that it's up.
30:59Jimmy Butler is another year older.
31:01He doesn't have a contract extension.
31:03I think things could get a little grimy there.
31:06I think that the Terry Rozier, Tyler Hero, Duncan Robinson trio of guys who are offensive
31:13spark plugs but can't stop anybody is going to get really dangerous in a bad way for Miami
31:20fans this year.
31:22Bam Adebayo is amazing.
31:23He's a really excellent basketball player.
31:28He can't carry an offense.
31:30And I think they are going to be asking him to do that for large swaths of this year.
31:35I don't trust Butler's health.
31:38I don't think this is a contender.
31:39Stock down.
31:42I'm taking up because last year, Jimmy was dealing with off-the-court stuff and was injured.
31:47And maybe Bam shooting threes actually is this revolutionary thing.
31:52But similar to the Pacers, I think we know that they have a high ceiling.
31:55So far be it for me to count out Pat Riley multiple years in a row now.
32:00But up, but only because it was so duty last year.
32:04Justin, anything on Miami?
32:07I will say that if there is a real reason for them to be up this year, it's going to
32:12be the big man.
32:12They picked up in the draft.
32:13Low where who looks really interesting.
32:15He can shoot the three.
32:16He defends really well.
32:17He seems like a very Miami player can give Bam the opportunity to move over to the four
32:24and explore being more of an offensive player, which seems to be a thing.
32:28But I'm still not buying.
32:29I'm probably with Alex.
32:31I think it's down.
32:32I don't think you can look at 35-year-old Jimmy in a contract year whose goals may not
32:38necessarily align with the rest of the teams as a surefire up.
32:43So you could talk me into steady stock, but I think just based on the evidence, probably
32:50down.
32:51Sure.
32:52All right.
32:52I've got the box and I spent all summer kind of trying to convince myself, well, it couldn't
32:56be that bad.
32:58And three things have happened quickly in the past, like, say, 10 days.
33:02First, Giannis basically said, if we don't win, they'll probably trade me, which is come
33:07on.
33:08Doc Rivers said, I've never come up short in my life.
33:10Just because I don't win doesn't mean I'm not meeting my goals.
33:14And Chris Middleton was ruled out for the season opener.
33:17So the stock of the Miami Bucks is the Miami Bucks.
33:23The Milwaukee Bucks is a Freudian slip there.
33:27That's a team in perhaps free fall.
33:30That's not good at all if you're a Bucks fan.
33:33Alex?
33:35Um, it's steady for me.
33:37It's only steady.
33:38I agree with everything that you said there.
33:40It's only steady for me because I truly do believe that Giannis is one of the three best
33:45basketball players on Earth and a uniquely dominant force when he's on the court.
33:51And there's just going to be so many games that this team plays where it's like, oh,
33:54we have Giannis, we win.
33:56We have just we just have the best player tonight.
33:58Um, I think their floor is still roughly a 50 win team that will be a nightmare to play
34:04in the playoffs as long as Giannis is on the court.
34:07Um, but I agree.
34:09I think I think there's warning signs for sure.
34:13I couldn't disagree with anything either of you said.
34:19I tend to lean more with Cam in terms of the urgency of how potentially volatile this team
34:25could be.
34:25Yet at the same time, they do now have a lot more time with the stars playing together.
34:32They've added some good names to the team.
34:34None of them are particularly known to be wing defenders, which is really the fatal
34:37flaw in this team.
34:39So if we're just talking about the regular season, I will give them steady stock because
34:45we need to kind of see whether that more experience does anything, whether those new players actually
34:51help.
34:52But for now, steady stock.
34:55Uh, Justin, you get to kick things off at the Knicks.
35:00Oh, boy.
35:01So there's lots of good reasons to be excited about the Knicks.
35:05If you live in New York City and are a fan of that team, there's lots of reasons for
35:08the Celtics fans out there to be a little bit nervous about this team.
35:12But the Robinson Mitchell Robinson confirmed to be out until the new year or so.
35:18They're dealing with a similar problem as the Celtics in terms of shuffling through
35:22big men.
35:24They just cut Landry Schemet.
35:25So their depth is thin on the wing.
35:28Precious Achua is going to miss two to four weeks with a hamstring.
35:32So they're going to be up against the wall in terms of depth in the front court to start
35:37the season.
35:38And, you know, they don't have the kind of players that Boston, for example, has.
35:43And we may increasingly see the importance of depth on how much of a contender you can
35:49actually be because player injuries are going to be a lot more impactful on teams now.
35:55And I think because of that, for that reason, I don't see how you can do less than the
35:59stock down.
36:00That's not to say they're in a better team in general.
36:04Just recently, their stock is down.
36:07Yeah, Alex, what do we have?
36:10I think it's firmly stock up.
36:11I think Carl Anthony Towns has looked really good in preseason.
36:15He's looked super comfortable.
36:16And I think his fit for this next team makes a lot of sense with what they're asking for
36:21them.
36:21I agree.
36:22I think the depth issue will be what hurts them in the long run.
36:26But they are also in a position where they are flexible enough that they can still make
36:30a couple of moves because Jalen Brunson is on a scam contract.
36:34Brunson is really good.
36:35Towns is really good.
36:37I think they're going to be kind of a nightmare to play in the regular season.
36:41To me, they're the clear favorite for the two seed in the East.
36:44I think it's stock firmly up.
36:48I think it's one of those stocks that's up since last...
36:53I don't know.
36:54I'm so confused.
36:56Justin is right.
36:57The depth is a disaster.
37:00They are one turned ankle away from maybe losing in the second round or the first round.
37:06It's really bad.
37:07The depth is really bad.
37:09And I don't know that they have the trades to make it work.
37:13They're going to ask guys like Josh Hart to do so much.
37:16And Mikael Bridges is reinventing his jump shot right now.
37:20So it's a volatile up.
37:26I just want to throw this because it wasn't on the rundown.
37:28I've heard rumbles about Josh Hart not knowing what his role on this version of the team
37:32is, which is not something you want to have right before the season starts.
37:35I don't think they're rumbles.
37:36I think he said, maybe I should be coming off the bench.
37:38I don't know what my job is.
37:39Yeah, yeah.
37:41He will be coming off the bench.
37:42I think he's going to be a very good bench player.
37:44And I think he will play crunch time minutes for them.
37:47I think the reality is just that, you know, in the starting lineup, there's there's guys
37:52that are more talented and more expensive than him.
37:54That's not a knock on Josh Hart.
37:55I just think that right now, it's pretty clear that his his role is being a super high utility,
38:03like I use a bench guy that comes in and alters game flows with rebounding and defense.
38:09Let's talk about our friends over at game time.
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39:29What time is it?
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39:31Alex, you get to start with Orlando.
39:33Orlando magic stock way up for me, fellas.
39:37I am all in on the magic.
39:39I think they are going to win.
39:40I think they're going to win like 50 games.
39:42I think they're going to get the three seed.
39:44I like the Jalen Suggs extension.
39:46I think it's a little pricey, but I think, you know, young talent, you want to keep him.
39:51Cole Anthony to me is my six man of the year candidate heading into preseason.
39:59I really like him as an offensive spark plug.
40:01And I'm just really in on Paolo.
40:03I have been since he was drafted.
40:05I think that that guy is really, really good at basketball and only getting better.
40:09I like the KCP edition.
40:11I think Franz Wagner had a historically bad shooting season last year.
40:15And yeah, he's going to level off at a normal place.
40:19The magic are way up.
40:20I think I'm super bullish on them.
40:23Yeah, I assume, Justin, you agree.
40:26Yeah, it's so up.
40:29Philadelphia, it's technically up, but it's looking down at the moment.
40:36So like since May and April, it's up.
40:40But the past few weeks, we're learning more and more that like Embiid is just like never
40:44going to play back to backs again.
40:45And maybe his health is in question right now.
40:50Paul George still with a bone bruise.
40:52And Jared McCain had a really scary fall that caused a lung bruise is basically how
40:58you would describe it.
41:00So Philly is going to be there all season long if they can stay healthy.
41:04And if they can't, it'll be really bad, kind of like the Knicks.
41:08So the stock is up in the long term, but steady or down as of late.
41:15Anything I missed about that?
41:17I just think that Maxie still has another level to go.
41:23That guy is an excellent basketball player.
41:25And I think that last year was a fun breakout season for him.
41:29But this year, he's going to have even more responsibility and even more opportunity to
41:35really prove himself as one of the elite point guards in the league.
41:38I also like their depth a lot.
41:39I think Caleb Martin, I think Koshan Yabasele, I think Andre Drummond is a great backup center.
41:45Like, I think that the Paul George injury and the Embiid, everything that determines
41:52their playoff ceiling to me, whether those guys are healthy or not, come, say, June,
41:58May, whatever, that's where the rubber meets the road.
42:02But I think this is going to be a better regular season team.
42:05I think that they are going to be annoyingly hard to play on a night-to-night basis.
42:10Stock up.
42:11I appreciate the nuance you just brought to that.
42:14I think the stock, they land the plane, but the plane, upon checking for the next flight,
42:22they have now realized they might need some significant repairs to keep that analogy
42:26terribly moving forward.
42:28So for me, stock is down recently.
42:32But overall, if you're looking at the whole arc of the season, I don't see how you could
42:36look at it as anything but up.
42:37So I'm just going to go down because the things that we have seen, I think the most important
42:44reason for all of these moves is so they can pursue a title with Joel Embiid.
42:49And based on what's happened recently, I think the stock has started to come down again.
42:52To the benefit of time, can I assume that Toronto is down for all three of us?
42:57Oh, it's down.
42:58And Washington is, Brogdon is out indefinitely, and Steak Bay is out.
43:03Washington is the most pathetic team in the NBA right now, so it couldn't be more down.
43:07It's down all the way.
43:08Let's get to the West.
43:10Can we do the West in five minutes or less?
43:12I think so.
43:12We'll do our best.
43:14Okay, you might lose me then.
43:16Sir Dallas, it's down.
43:20Klay looks awful.
43:21Exum is out.
43:24The silver lining is that Luka looks good.
43:27Kyrie hasn't caused any madness lately, and Derek Lively is very good.
43:31But it's down.
43:34I've been down on the Mavs all summer, and I think the preseason has made it worse, not
43:37better.
43:38What are you guys?
43:40Championship hangover is real, but Luka is truly amazing.
43:44It's steady for me.
43:46I'm going to go down just because, you know, players aging when they are a major part of
43:53what you did to try to get back to the finals, and you start to see signs of Klay's shot
43:58not being there.
43:59I don't think you can ignore that.
44:01If that doesn't work, then this version of the team.
44:05They're so bad on defense.
44:06It's so it's bad.
44:09Denver is down or steady.
44:11If you have made peace with this new roster, then it's steady.
44:13If you're still figuring it out, it's down.
44:15Does that sound about right?
44:16It's down.
44:18I think it's steady just because Jokic is 50 wins.
44:21Like, no matter what happens, that guy wins 50 games every year.
44:25I don't think that's enough for me, though.
44:27Just because like Murray, if they don't have Murray, they're not winning the title.
44:30They may not even make it very far in the postseason with the players that they've lost.
44:34So for me, it's down.
44:35But I hear what you're saying.
44:37Yeah, Alex Manes last week or two weeks ago was basically telling us, look, Jokic was
44:42too tired to do it all in the spring.
44:45And there's no reason to think that's not going to happen again.
44:48So we'll see.
44:50Golden State did not come to terms with an extension on Kaminga this afternoon.
44:55Did extend Moody.
44:57There's some volatility there for a team that's probably not that good.
45:00So for me, it's down.
45:03Yeah, steady.
45:05I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
45:06But I feel like I'm being very generous in that regard.
45:09Sure.
45:10Yeah, Houston is Houston's the most confusing team in the NBA, probably up.
45:16But I still don't buy it.
45:19So by the letter of the law, it's up.
45:22But I wouldn't touch it.
45:24What about you guys?
45:25Steady until they figure out what they're going to do with their death because they
45:28have too many guys to pay.
45:29And it's going to they're going to start doing the 2017-18 Celtics.
45:34Yeah, I will take a slight by slight up on Houston.
45:40I think the West is too tough for them to really break out.
45:44But I think some of their young players have a chance to get better.
45:47I really like us or Thompson.
45:49I think that guy is going to be.
45:51Is it Amin or also that's on there?
45:54It's one of the one of the whichever Thompson twin they have.
45:57And I think that is there's an opportunity for the young guys to continue developing
46:03into really good players.
46:04So slight by for me.
46:06We can do the Clippers really quickly that that's no stock is taking worse than the Clippers
46:11in the entire NBA.
46:12I'm out.
46:13I've never been more out.
46:14I think they are going to blow it up in February.
46:17This team is cooked heading into this year.
46:20But the stadium looks nice.
46:22The Lakers Christian Wood is hurt.
46:26Jared Vanderbilt is hurt.
46:27They're old and they don't have depth.
46:29That's that stock is down.
46:31Stock is down.
46:32Sorry, LeBron.
46:33The retirement tour is going to be fun.
46:35But this is he's going to do it in season 23.
46:38Of course, it's a two year retirement tour.
46:40It's fine.
46:42Memphis Vince Williams has a stress fracture.
46:44So he's out for a little bit.
46:46Jaw turn his ankle.
46:48Zach E looks really good.
46:50And that point guard that everyone loves that I don't know his name.
46:53That seems fun.
46:54They've got cool New Jersey's.
46:56Maybe Marcus Smart is healthy.
46:58That stock is up.
46:58That's going to be a fun team, even if it's not good enough.
47:01That's a fun team.
47:02We are so in on the Grizzlies this year.
47:05I think they're going to make the playoffs.
47:06And my one of my predictions for this upcoming season is that I think Jammerant is headed
47:12right back to all NBA land.
47:14I think that the Grizzlies are going to be a mess this year.
47:19Sick.
47:19Love it.
47:20Minnesota, I think, is up.
47:23I left that.
47:23I really liked that trade for them.
47:26What do you guys think?
47:27Take the trade down.
47:29I think steady for me, because I think that I didn't love the trade, but I do love Anthony
47:37Edwards.
47:37And I think everything that that guy does seems to it seems like he just gets better
47:42like clockwork every year.
47:44I can't be fully in because, again, I didn't love the trade.
47:47But for me, Edwards is enough to keep him steady.
47:52I would have it as stock rising if we were talking beyond this season, because to the
47:57points you just made, I think for their future, whether whether whether Randall works out
48:02or not, I think they are now better positioned to become his team.
48:08But I don't think this experiment is going to work.
48:11I think the way that the situation is going to resolve itself is we're going to trade
48:14him or they're just going to slog through the last season while they retool the roster
48:19to fit the Anthony Edwards era.
48:22Check this out.
48:23I like the trade so much.
48:24I think that they just traded for the 2025 sixth man of the year, Dante DiVincenzo.
48:29Nice.
48:29The New Orleans Pelicans.
48:33Don't touch it because it's about to look different.
48:35Justin, tell us why.
48:39What do you mean, the Ingram stuff that's not of it all?
48:44Yeah, they're still trying to trade him.
48:46They still need a big frame Murphy is extended, which is going to take some pressure off.
48:52But I think that it's never been clear that they're going to move Ingram as soon as they
48:56possibly can.
48:57The question is, can they?
48:59Will any team out there actually want him on there?
49:03He's not a bad player.
49:05He's just a bad player for how much money he makes.
49:08So yeah, see the conversation about the CBA before my take on the Pelicans is stock is
49:15down.
49:15But the dip maybe as soon as they trade Brandon Ingram and put Trey Murphy into the starting
49:19lineup, that team is going to be a lot better really quickly.
49:24I wonder if CJ McCollum would be I mean, it's good to have a vet around but I'd like to
49:28see him.
49:29He has to come off the bench.
49:31Yeah, he can't be a starter anymore.
49:34In the beginning of this game when I said there, there has to be a don't touch it category
49:38I was thinking of the Pelicans that was that was what was inspiring that rule.
49:42The Oklahoma City Thunder to the benefit of time it's got to be up up up for all of us
49:46even with Hartenstein's injury and Jalen Williams as a hammy injury.
49:52That's up up up.
49:53I think it's be patient.
49:56It's a two or three year project.
49:58They're still very young, but they'll be okay.
50:00I think also without Hartenstein, it's they also have depth.
50:04They're another team like Boston.
50:07Great coach to Phoenix.
50:10Kevin Durant playing hardball new coach new point guard some more reasonable depth, but
50:18they were so disappointing last year.
50:20So yeah, Justin, I think just logically it's up because last year was so crappy for them.
50:26This is one of the most fascinating teams to me and one of the hardest to pin down as
50:30whether it's up down or middle.
50:33I am going up because I like Tyus Jones and I think they badly needed a point guard and
50:38because I think Mike Budenholzer's offense is a much better fit for this team's personnel
50:43than Frank Bogle with apologies to Frank, who I think is a good coach just had a roster
50:49didn't work well with his coaching style.
50:51I will say this is the most dangerous stock to buy up on because if things get bad for
50:58Phoenix, it's going to get really, really quickly.
51:03And I think they are in severe danger of being a stock that come this time next year
51:09could be an absolute free fall.
51:11So buy, but be prepared to sell, baby.
51:15I mean, they could sell, they could trade poker and refill the cupboard pretty quick
51:19with that.
51:21Portland, it's down.
51:23I don't need to pull the election.
51:25I disagree completely because they are looking at table being out with a new procedure.
51:32Time Lord being out for multiple weeks, a sharp label tear.
51:36Well, they have young guards and they have young bigs.
51:41They need to develop if they're going to get better.
51:43And they weren't going to have an excuse to do that.
51:47Maybe one or two of them can actually earn a real role while some of these guys are sidelined
51:53that wouldn't have happened otherwise.
51:54So it's very similar.
51:56This is Justin doing Flingin propaganda, by the way, for everyone at home who doesn't
52:01see what's actually happening.
52:03I was going to say, why are you being so optimistic?
52:06This is shameless Clingin propaganda.
52:08Stock is way down, Justin.
52:10I'm so sorry.
52:13Sacramento, Orlando Robinson has a sprain.
52:16They got DeMar DeRozan.
52:18Fox, they're not sure about what the future with Fox looks like.
52:24It's probably up because DeRozan is good, but I wouldn't touch it.
52:27Steady.
52:28I think steady, potentially slight up for me.
52:32I just, I don't know, man.
52:34I think the Kings kind of had a rough year from an injury standpoint and a consistency
52:38standpoint.
52:39Alex said, I don't care that you need to leave in five minutes.
52:41I'm riffing.
52:43I think the Kings are better than they came out last year.
52:46They kind of had a season from hell.
52:48And I think they're in a better spot.
52:50Sure.
52:51San Antonio stock is up, but wait two or three years.
52:56The kid is an easy kid.
52:57Don't put the world on his shoulders, but he's pretty damn good.
53:00And he might be defensive player of the year.
53:03That cell injury is going to put a damper on some people's expectations of them being
53:08a play in team, which was probably a stretch to begin with, but they could make another
53:14move in the middle of the season.
53:14Stefan Castle.
53:15Yeah, good news for your boy Castle.
53:18He's a UConn kid, right?
53:19Yes, he is.
53:20Yeah.
53:21And the Utah Jazz, I think they're going to be bad, but that's by design.
53:25Cooper Flagg is going to look good in Utah Jazz yellow.
53:29I hope he likes beekeeping.
53:32All right, let me do post roll.
53:33And then we will give our two or four true contender.
53:37We have a few things after post roll.
53:39The Celtics podcast brought to you by Price Picks, the exclusive fantasy basketball partner
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53:48You never miss any episodes, including the episode.
53:51We're going to bring you after tomorrow night's game.
53:54Partially live from TD Garden.
53:56Already with the fact that I have to go to dinner in mind.
53:58Let's do this.
54:00Four true contenders.
54:02Basically, your conference finalists.
54:05Justin, you get to go first and then we'll rotate who goes first for each prompt.
54:09Justin, hit it.
54:10Okay, so Celtics and Thunder.
54:17Alex.
54:19Boston Celtics will defeat the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
54:23And the Oklahoma City Thunder will defeat the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals.
54:28Give me Celtics over Sixers and give me Timberwolves over Thunder.
54:34So Celtics, Timberwolves finals, please.
54:37Four teams in the hunt for the lottery, but they don't know it yet.
54:40As in that stock's going south quick.
54:43Four teams each.
54:43Wow.
54:45Alex, you go first here.
54:47All right.
54:47My four lottery teams.
54:49These are pretty familiar.
54:51I don't think anything's going to be shocking.
54:53No, no, no.
54:53They're surprising lottery teams.
54:55All right, fine.
54:55I'll give you surprising-ish lottery teams.
54:58Los Angeles Clippers have to be one.
55:00I think they're going to be one of the worst teams in the league this year.
55:03I think the Los Angeles Lakers are also going to be in the lottery.
55:09I don't think they're going to be in the high lottery, but I think they're going to be there.
55:12And, you know, everyone's gassing up the Houston Rockets and I think they have some good long-term
55:18potential.
55:19I don't think it's coming together this year.
55:21I think they're a lottery team as well.
55:23And I guess for my fourth, I will take the Chicago Bulls, who I think are going to be
55:29wretched.
55:30Sure.
55:31Justin, anyone you missed?
55:35I would actually go with, I think, the Hawks as well.
55:38I think there's actually a fairly decent chance that Philadelphia could have a really bad
55:46season with injury if Embiid is out.
55:48And, you know, we see some typical mistime, like historically speaking, in terms of his
55:54career from PG-13.
55:58As far as the West goes, I'm going to say the Lakers are pretty obvious for an unexpected
56:04one, almost to the point where we could say that they are expected, but I'll also say
56:08the Warriors.
56:10Wow.
56:11Charlotte fucking sucks.
56:12They're not making the bluffs, is my answer.
56:14That's not unexpected.
56:16That's very unexpected.
56:17Some, I mean, I feel like it's sexy right now to say they're going to make the play
56:19in.
56:20They're not.
56:20They're a play in team.
56:21I really do.
56:22Okay.
56:25Biggest stock shift since the season ended and then we are out of here.
56:28So since May, who's up, who's down the most?
56:33Dr. Quinn.
56:34Oh, boy.
56:35Uh, probably.
56:41I would have to say for me, just keep in mind, this is just the preseason.
56:46Those injuries that are taking place in New York and the extension of the Mitchell absence,
56:53I think, has been the biggest potential impact.
56:56So for me, they, that has had the, because initially, as much as I don't like to trade
57:01that they did for Kat from Minnesota, I think it worked out pretty well for the Knicks,
57:06but I just don't see what's happened since then as being really additive.
57:13It's the nicest way I can put it and potentially really, really, really, really risky for their
57:16season.
57:17Everything they did.
57:18Alex.
57:20The clear answer for this, the Oklahoma City Thunder stock couldn't be higher right now.
57:26I love the moves that they made in the off season.
57:28I think they are going to rampage through the West.
57:31And I think for stock down, listen, guys, the Clippers are going to be one of the worst
57:38teams in basketball this year.
57:40I, and, you know, to, if we want to limit it to preseason, fine.
57:45Then I still think the Thunder stock is way up because they were running over everyone
57:49in preseason.
57:51The Washington Wizards are, I don't know how their stock could go lower, but they look
57:56like they look like a D3 team in preseason.
58:01But yeah, the Clippers full off season stock.
58:04I can't imagine somebody that's tanked harder.
58:07It's, it's brutal out there.
58:08I take it back.
58:09I'm changing my answer.
58:10The Clippers are the clear answer.
58:13Yeah, it's the Clippers and, and also Memphis is up and that's exciting.
58:16I'm already, I got to run.
58:18I got to go to dinner.
58:19So, okay.
58:20Thank you everyone for listening to this episode of the Celtics podcast.
58:24And next time we talk, we'll be talking about real actual NBA basketball.
58:27How fun is that?
58:28Until then we'll catch you later.
58:30Adios.