Pro Basketball Talk On Nbc Sports Podcast

We're a little over one week into the season and there's a lot to talk about. There are the fast starts for the Trail Blazers and Spurs — can they keep it up, or are those starts a mirage? What about the slow starts, are the Lakers in trouble? (Hint: yes.) What about the 76ers? The Heat? Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports get into all of that in their weekly conversation, plus they break out a new segment Corey's Juke Box where he has a song choice for Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Then they look ahead at the week in the NBA and what games to watch.

The NBA season tipped off this week but it's not too late to look ahead at the big awards — MVP, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, etc. — and not just make a prediction on who will win, but talk about how to bet them. And bet those NBA futures wisely. When thinking MVP, it's not just the player but is the team winning enough? With Rookie of the Year, it's about volume. Can another guard get the Defensive Player of the Year award? Drew Dinsick of NBC Sports Edge joins Kurt Helin and Corey Robinson of NBC Sports to talk title and award predictions, what the archetype is for players who win each award, and who everyone is picking. There's a lot of Joel Embiid love for MVP, and Jordan Poole is a Sixth Man favorite.

Draymond Green will return to the Warriors in time for the season opener, having gotten a fine and no suspension, something that the players reportedly not only were good with but pushed for. Can Golden State move past this and win another ring this year? What does it mean long-term for the Warriors? Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports break all of that down, plus talk about Victor Wembanyama and if he (and Scoot Henderson) will bring tanking back to the NBA. At least for a year. 

It's going to be a wild season in the Western Conference. There are sure-fire contenders at the top with the Warriors and Clippers, teams that could be contenders if things break right like the Nuggets and Suns, and finally just really good teams like the Mavericks and Grizzlies. There will be little margin for error. Mark Medina of NBA.com joins Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to talk all things Western Conference, including if the Clippers are for real, and if the Lakers could be. How much will Luka Doncic miss Jalen Brunson in Dallas? Did the Suns miss their window? Why we all should be watching the Pelicans, and much more.

The Philadelphia 76ers are title contenders — if James Harden and Joel Embiid can up their performances on the biggest of stages. Philadelphia learned its lessons from the playoff loss to Miami last season and filled out the roster with more toughness and two-way players in the form of P.J. Tucker, Danuel House and DeAnthony Melton. Add in the development of Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle and you have a deep roster of quality players — all the way down to B-Ball Paul. Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia joins Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to discuss if Doc Rivers is ready to take this team to the next level and if all the additions can come together when it matters. And can James Harden shake his playoff reputation and lead a team to the Finals?

NBA training camps just opened and teams have yet to play a preseason game, but already two contenders are dealing with problems. The Celtics have the suspension of coach Ime Udoka as a distraction, plus defensive anchor center Robert Williams will miss at least the start of the season. The Suns have the distraction of a suspended owner who is selling the team, plus Jae Crowder is out and demanding a trade, and Deandre Ayton does not seem happy. Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin from NBC Sports go through all the training camp news, including the wilder ones with the Lakers and Nets, breaking down what to take away from all that — plus how good Zion Williamson and James Harden look on the court. Then the pair discusses the potential of the NBA doing away with the one-and-done role and letting 18 year olds back in the game — is that good for the NBA?

The Golden State Warriors will enter the season hanging banner number four from this era and passing out their championship rings, but this is a team with more questions than most returning champs. Otto Porter and Gary Payton II are gone and their minutes are going to go to a young core — Jordan Poole, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman — who are going to be asked to carry a larger load. Particularly during the regular season. Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area joins Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to break down this coming Warriors season, what to expect, and if the young core can get the older vets to the playoffs rested and ready to defend their title. There's also talk of what comes next in Golden State, as some hard contract choices are coming in the next few years.

Big, dramatic storylines follow the NBA into what is supposed to be the quiet, slow part of the offseason, and Cory Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports get into all of it in this podcast. It starts with a discussion of the NBA's one-year suspension and $10 million fine of Suns' owner Robert Sarver for his racist and misogynistic actions in the Suns' offices and what comes next (this was recorded before Adam Silver's press conference on the matter, and before several players spoke out on the matter). From there the pair dive into the Donovan Mitchell trade to Cleveland and what that will mean, both for the Cavaliers and the Jazz. After that, the pair discuss if anyone will care when the NBA hosts an in-season tournament, and finally they talk NBA 2K player ratings, which came out this week. 

For the first time since the 1990s and Charlie Ward, the Knicks have signed their first-round pick to a multi-year extension, keeping RJ Barrett and not putting him in a trade for Donovan Mitchell. Was that the right move for the Knicks? Now what happens with the Mitchell trade? Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports get into all of that, plus they discuss the WNBA playoffs and the challenges the favorites face after losing the first game of the second round. Then the pair talk about the best and worst retro jerseys this season and all-time. 

Kevin Durant has decided to return to the Brooklyn Nets, a decision that is both surprising and inevitable. Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin from NBC Sports delve into how Durant didn't have the leverage he thought he had, the Nets never lowered their sky-high asking price but the team and KD also could not create a bidding war. The pair discuss what this means for the Nets long-term, and if this really is a partnership like the Nets are trying to sell. Also, what does this mean for the top of the Eastern Conference — how big a threat is a stacked Nets team?

Kevin Durant drama keeps unfolding like a good television series, and Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports get into all of it: Durant's "the coach and GM or me" ultimatum to owner Joe Tsai, the stalled out negotiations, and how long things can drag out. Then the duo disagrees on what this says about Durant's legacy as a guy who puts the game first — did he tear down Brooklyn and ask out, or is this him wanting to compete and realizing he can't do it in Brooklyn? After that the conversation turns to the Christmas Day games, and the Bucks vs. Celtics matchup in particular. From there the discussion evolves into Dejounte Murray's call for more NBA players to do Pro-Ams and give fans who can't afford an NBA ticket the chance to see them play up close. That can be a great thing for hard-core hoops fans.

Bill Russell helped change the game on the court, but Corey Robinson of NBC Sports talks about the impact he had off the court and the respect other greats of the game (like Corey's father David) have for Mr. Russell. After that discussion, Corey and Kurt Helin get into the modern Celtics with a discussion of a potential Jaylen Brown for Kevin Durant trade and whether that would be wise. The focus then turns to the MVP race and why so many international players are at the top of that list, and the pair finish off talking about the best arena food Corey and Kurt have ever had.

In what will be a new regular feature for NBC Sports PBT podcast, Corey Robinson — the son of NBA legend David Robinson and a former wide receiver for Notre Dame — and Kurt Helin talk all the news around the NBA. That includes trade talk, such as what should be the asking price for Donovan Mitchell and do the Jazz just want picks? The duo discusses if Russell Westbrook can find a role with the Lakers, and what the public statement from Westbrook's agent means. They get into Deandre Ayton's return to the Suns and the risk the Suns took hin handling it the way they did. There was a discussion of the PBT NBA Power Rankings for the summer, and also who stood out at NBA Summer League. That includes talking about non-NBA athletes we'd love to see on the court.

The Jazz trading Donovan Mitchell to the Knicks seems like a matter of when, not if.Dan Feldman and Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune discuss what the final trade might include, how New York will look with Mitchell, how Utah will look without Mitchell, the Rudy Gobert-Karl-Anthony Towns pairing with the Timberwolves, the misunderstood Royce O'Neale-Nets trade, reporting in the Mitchell saga and the root of Mitchell's dissatisfaction with the Jazz.

What will the Nets do with Kyrie Irving?Dan Feldman and Nate Duncan of the "Dunc'd On" podcast hold mock trade negotiations between the Nets, Lakers and Mavericks:

John Hollinger of The Athletic coined the term "Bird Rights Trap" to describe when a team can exceed the salary cap to re-sign a helpful player but wouldn't open cap space if the player leaves.Dan Feldman and Keith Smith of Spotrac analyze teams caught in the Bird Rights Trap this summer, making calls on whether they should pay up or let the player walk:76ers: James HardenWizards: Bradley BealBulls: Zach LaVineSuns: Deandre AytonHornets: Miles BridgesMavericks: Jalen BrunsonNote: The episode opens with discussion of Kyrie Irving, who opted in with the Nets after recording. However, the evaluation of Irving's value still holds water, especially with Brooklyn eligible to sign him to an extension this summer.

Why did the Magic run a subterfuge campaign before drafting Paolo Banchero No. 1, and – more importantly – was he worth the top pick? Which teams drafted the best fits? How did the Knicks, Thunder, Pistons, Hornets, Grizzlies and 76ers do in their trades?Dan Feldman and Kurt Helin review the 2022 NBA Draft.

Auburn's Jabari Smith, Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren or Duke's Paolo Banchero?Dan Feldman and Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated discuss the big three prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft, several other players slotted for the first round and a couple sleepers.

Was it the Warriors' championship mettle and experience, or did the Celtics beat themselves? Or, was it just the fact Stephen Curry was just the best player in the series by a mile. Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman from NBC Sports sit courtside at the TD Garden in Boston not long after Golden State was crowned NBA Champions for the fourth time in eight years and talked about the Warriors' underrated defense, the greatness of Stephen Curry, the smart moves by Golden State in not making a big trade, the play of Andrew Wiggins, and what the Boston Celtics have to do to get back to this stage again. 

The Warriors beat the Celtics in Game 2, tying the NBA Finals 1-1.Dan Feldman and Kurt Helin discuss Draymond Green's behavior, Stephen Curry's scoring and how Boston can adjust: