Jahlil Okafor. Anthony Bennett. Hasheem Thabeet. Thomas Robinson. Wesley Johnson. Shelden Williams. Mario Hezonja joined this list of former top-five picks when the Orlando Magic declined his fourth-year option in October. At 23, he still has time to turn things around, but that excuse has been made for every single
Mar 21, 2018 by Thomas Rende in Player Breakdowns
In a vacuum, the New York Knicks’ perplexing deal sending Willy Hernangomez to the Charlotte Hornets isn’t all that surprising. The recent trade demand for the 23-year-old all but guaranteed he would be heavily shopped before the Feb. 8 deadline. But the expected nature of
Feb 19, 2018 by Thomas Rende in Player Breakdowns 
The Boston Celtics have defied every bit of expectations this season. A year in which Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving were preparing to immerse themselves in Boston quickly saw the plan put on hold after the gruesome injury to the small forward. No matter, Irving
Jan 19, 2018 by Thomas Rende in Player Breakdowns
What happens in the beginning of the NBA season always seems to leave a larger indentation in our minds than the happenings of the middle portion, much of which has to do with a sudden rush of data points to overanalyze after a few months
Nov 14, 2017 by Thomas Rende in Player Breakdowns 
When you see Aaron Gordon take off from the free-throw line, everything comes into focus. The athleticism. The air time. The body. The explosiveness. You can envision him taking the next step toward greatness. That step seemed to be taking place during the gripping
Sep 19, 2017 by Thomas Rende in Player Breakdowns 
If you ask any casual NBA fan on the street which three teams are best positioned to take over the Eastern Conference once the Cleveland Cavaliers fall, you’ll generally get a monotonous repeat of these teams: Boston Celtics Philadelphia 76ers Milwaukee Bucks Like the Sixers,
Aug 28, 2017 by Thomas Rende in Team Breakdowns 
In life, we all have the small things that have “changed our worlds” from good to great. For some, it can be as simple as adding an extra tablespoon of thyme to your soup; for others, it may be switching to Geico so you can
Aug 21, 2017 by Thomas Rende in Player Breakdowns 
It’s important to remember the Detroit Pistons were bad last season. It’s important to remember the Pistons were one of the worst offenses in the league last year. It’s important to remember the team can’t shoot. Avery Bradley is not a superstar, but he should
Aug 14, 2017 by Thomas Rende in Team Breakdowns