Pro Basketball Talk On Nbc Sports Podcast

LeBron James & Anthony Davis. Kawhi Leonard & Paul George. James Harden & Russell Westbrook. The wildest, most roller coaster summer ended up leaving the NBA looking like a real-life version of NBA Jam with elite duos all over the league. Not just the guys who changed teams, but returning combos such as Stephen Curry & Draymond Green or Nikola Jokic & Jamal Murray or Joel Embiid & Ben Simmons. Kurt Helin of NBC Sports is joined by Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports and Real GM talk about their top 10 duos lists, discuss the teams around those stars, and what that says about the NBA.

Kawhi Leonard will tip the balance of power in the NBA with his decision. Torn Achilles or not, Kevin Durant has suitors lined up around the block to give him max money — and he may not meet with any of them. Will Jimmy Butler take the fifth year with the Sixers? Will Philly put that on the table for Butler, and what about Tobias Harris? Is Kemba Walker really headed to Boston or is Michael Jordan about to open up his pocket book? The Lakers have max money, but should they spend it on one guy? All that and much, much more gets discussed as Sean Deveney joins Kurt Helin of NBC Sports in their annual podcast to break down NBA free agency. The pair discuss the stars but also the demand for players such as Patrick Beverley and Bojan Bogdanovic.

Zion Williamson went No. 1, as he should. The Pelicans got the guy who could turn that franchise around (and maybe save the NBA in New Orleans). Ja Morant to the Grizzlies and R.J. Barrett to the Knicks at No.2 and 3 were expected and solid picks. But after that, in a flat 2019 NBA Draft, things got weird. Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura to the Wizards at No. 9 was a surprise, but not as big Cameron Johnson of North Carolina to the Suns at No. 11. And then there was Bol Bol, a fan favorite, falling all the way to the 44th pick (and being traded to Denver). Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports break down this draft, what it's like picking in a flat draft like this, why the Cavaliers did well and so much more.

Kurt Helin was joined by the host of the College Basketball Talk podcast, Rob Dauster, for a thorough breakdown of the NBA draft. The two walk through every single pick in the first round of the draft, talking through team needs and which players fit those needs. The first ten picks are broken down over on the College Basketball Talk feed -- you can find that here -- while the final 20 picks are right here, in this podcast.

The Golden State Warriors are looking to add to their legacy as one of the most dominant teams of an era in NBA history. The Toronto Raptors are in their first Finals ever but led by a guy who already has one Finals MVP trophy. The NBA Finals are here and it's a fascinating matchup. When does Kevin Durant return and how much does he change this series if and when he does get on the court? What about DeMarcus Cousins? Can the Warriors slow Kawhi Leonard? How do the Raptors choose to cover Stephen Curry pick-and-rolls? Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman from NBC Sports get into all of that, breaking down the Finals series and making their predictions.

Will Kyrie Irving stay in Boston? If not, what is Plan B? Is Jimmy Butler back in Philadelphia next season? If he is will Tobias Harris be back? What are the next steps to turn Denver into a contender. Kurt Helin of NBC Sports and Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports break down those three teams recently turned out of the playoffs. They also start off talking about teams actually in the playoffs, particularly Toronto's comeback in the Eastern Conference Finals, and how those teams can take advantage with Kevin Durant out.

Toronto controlled the tempo when it mattered and — thanks to Kawhi Leonard — ground out a 7-game win against Philadelphia, but can they do the same thing against Milwaukee? Does Portland even stand a chance against Golden State? Does Durant missing the start of this series open the door even a little? Probably not on that last question, but Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman break down both NBA Conference Finals series in this podcast, talking about the keys and what to watch for. They also talk about the hiring of John Beilein by the Cavaliers and Frank Vogel (with Jason Kidd attached to his hip) in Los Angeles.

Watch the Game 7 coming up between Portland and Denver and you will see a few players — Seth Curry for the Blazers, Torrey Craig for Denver — contributing for their teams, guys who were not highly sought after lottery picks, they weren't drafted at all. How does a guy like that get noticed? How does a player not drafted in the first 45 (if at all) get the attention of a team, make a Summer League or G-League roster? Enter Jake Kelfer and his Professional Basketball Combine, an event in Southern California later this month where players not at the NBA's Draft Combine or G-League Elite Camp get a chance to impress in workouts and other combine events. Kelfer joins Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to talk about the Professional Basketball Combine, it's success — players such as Antonio Blakeney and Charles Cooke have come through it, and 23 guys have picked up Summer League invites — and what it takes to get paid to play basketball for the guys not destined for the NBA lottery.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks adjusted, Kyrie Irving and the Celtics can't score, and suddenly the Bucks are in charge up 3-1 and seem headed to the next round — this is the most clear cut, and still maybe the most interesting series of the second round. Then there is the back-and-forth series between Philadelphia and Toronto — where Kawhi Leonard has been otherworldly — that seems destined for seven games. Golden State still looks like the better team, but a lot of James Harden and physical play has that series knotted at 2-2. Then there is the entertaining and incredibly even — if a bit of a defense-free zone — series between Portland and Denver, which is also 2-2. Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports break down all the series, plus talk a little Monty Williams and Tyronn Lue.

Boston vs. Milwaukee. Philadelphia vs. Toronto. Houston vs. Golden State. The first round of the NBA playoffs had plenty of emotion — just ask Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook — but it was short, with very possibly only one series going at least six games. The second round? That's not going to be so quick, and it is filled with even matchups that present a lot of questions. Is this the Rockets' year? They have the formula, can they execute it? The Bucks were the best team in the regular season, but can they carry that elite level into the second round against Boston? Is Toronto the team to beat? Kurt Helin of NBC Sports welcomes in Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports/Real GM/Celticsblog to look ahead at the second round, and even talk a little about what is next for Oklahoma City.

Can Indiana upset Boston? What about the Thunder as they take on the shorthanded Trail Blazers? And who comes out on top when Houston and Utah face off? Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders joins NBC Sports' Kurt Helin to talk the first round of the playoffs and the rash of fired coaches right as the season ended. They also talk about the Basketball 101 program, part of the Professional Basketball Combine, coming to Southern California, and how it can teach you about career paths in the NBA and how to get your foot in that door. Come for the information on breaking into the league, stay for the LaVar Ball stories.

James Harden or Giannis Antetokounmpo for MVP? Rudy Gobert or Paul George for Defensive Player of the Year? For the first time in more than a decade, is LeBron James not going to make All-NBA First Team? This year's NBA end of season awards have some challenging choices and debates, and Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports get into all of them. And no, Hawks fans, Trae Young playing good for half a season does not mean Rookie of the Year is up for debate. Kurt and Dan discuss Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man, Most Improved, and even the awards for All-Rookie and All-Defensive teams.

It's being treated as a foregone conclusion: The Golden State Warriors will be the NBA champions. Again. A three-peat and four-in-five years. It probably should be, but is there any team in the Western Conference that puts some fear in the hearts of the Warriors? What about Milwaukee or Boston out of the East? Mark Medina, Warriors beat writer for the San Jose Mercury News and Bay Area News Group joins Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to talk about that — and then the thing everyone actually cares about, what is Kevin Durant's future? Do the Warriors have a sense of what he will do? Does Durant know? And what are the fallout implications of Durant's decision for Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the rest of Golden State?

CJ McCollum was already out (maybe for the rest of the regular season) when Portland center and third-best player Jusuf Nurkic went down with a horrific leg injury. Where does that leave Damian Lillard and Portland heading into these playoffs? Have they become the team everyone else wants to face in the first round now? Beyond that, what happens this summer in Portland? Do they keep the core together, try to add role players and make another run at it, or is it time to see what the trade market is for McCollum. Dane Delgado, Blazers analyst for NBC Sports Northwest joins Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to talk about all of that, and how the death of owner Paul Allen and the potential sale of the team plays into all of that. The pair also discuss how the rest of the West might shake out.

Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, and Cam Reddish of Duke are the big names, the top five pick stars we've watched all season. But what can they show us in the ACC and NCAA Tournament that will translate to the NBA? Just how good is Ja Morant? When watching Virginia, should I be focused on De'Andre Hunter? What can Jarrett Culver of Texas Tech bring to the NBA? Rob Dauster, NBSports.com's college basketball expert, joins Kurt Helin of NBC to talk about that and more, players that NBA fans need to keep an eye on through the conference tourneys then the NCAA Tournament the next couple of weeks.

James Harden, Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Paul George for MVP? What team is going to come out of the East? When Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, and the rest of the league's free agents are making their decisions next summer, will the Clippers dark past hurt their chances? Listeners asked those questions and more, and Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports answer and discuss them and more in the latest NBC Sports PBT Podcast. Other topics include the surging Pistons and the Suns beating the Bucks twice.

David Griffin is a hot commodity — any time a general manager opening comes up in the NBA, so does his name (most recently New Orleans). What does Griffin want in a job if he returns to an NBA front office? He discusses what he learned from his experiences at the helm of a LeBron James team, as well as how that applies to what the Lakers went through at the trade deadline. We also discuss his new show on NBA TV, “GM School,” which debuts on tonight (Feb. 20) at 8pm ET. After that we bring in Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports to help Kurt Helin of NBC Sports break down the Eastern Conference playoff race at the top and the four powerhouse teams. Which one has the best chance of advancing? And who will make it in the final two playoffs slots in the East?

Anthony Davis is still a New Orleans Pelican, for now. However, while that shoe didn't drop at the trade deadline (wait for this summer) a lot of other ones did that have changed the landscape of the NBA. Philadelphia added Tobias Harris, Milwaukee added Nikola Mirotic, and Toronto traded for Marc Gasol — there is an arms race at the top of the East. Kristaps Porzingis is in Dallas, setting the Knicks up for a big summer. The Clippers and the Mavericks (even with KP) are poised for big moves this summer. Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports break down all of that and more, including the Markelle Fultz trade, as part of a special post trade deadline podcast.

Kristaps Porzingis is a member of the Dallas Mavericks in a blockbuster trade that has sent ripples from Boston to Los Angeles. The Mavericks have gambled that Porzingis can return from his ACL to full Unicorn status and form a contender with Luka Doncic. The Knicks cleared out cap space for two max deals and are betting there are stars that want to fill those slots. Dennis Smith Jr. gets to shoot all he wants now. There's a lot for Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports to break down. Then they divide up — Kurt is LeBron James, Dan is Giannis Antetokounmpo — and they do the schoolyard picks for the upcoming All-Star Game in Charlotte. Complete with some surprise additions halfway through the process.