Hardwood Knocks

A full preview of the NBA's Central Division for the 2016-17 season. We talk Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers. We start with a debate between the Bulls and Bucks. Adam and I both think Milwaukee has the inside track for fourth in the division, which resulted in Dan accusing us of alcoholism. What's better? The known quantities of the Bulls? Or the youth and talent of the Bucks? Then, we move onto the Pacers and Pistons. Adam and Dan both think the Pistons are clearly better, while I see a world in which the Pacers compete for second in the division.  Finally, it's onto the obvious winner of the central (barring catastrophe): the Cavaliers. Will the roles of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love change at all this season? What's happening with J.R. Smith? And will the Cavs repeat? As always, follow us on Twitter. I'm @AndrewDBailey. Dan's @danfavale. And Adam's @fromal09. Be sure to subscribe to us on iTunes or favorite us on BlogTalkRadio or Stitcher.

The Hardwood Knocks crew analyzes and previews all five Atlantic Division teams: the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics. We're going worst to first. There's some debate between Brooklyn and Philly for fifth, but Adam and I beat out Dan's vote for the Sixers. So, we started with the Nets and their amazingly bizarre collection of players. Then, we talked 76ers and all the young talent they have there. How good will Ben Simmons be as a rookie? Can they sort out the frontcourt logjam? And is the all 6'10"-and-up lineup a pipe dream? After Philly, we moved on to Dan's glorious super Knicks. Melo/Porzingis is the best 4/5 combo they can run, but will they? And how much does Derrick Rose hurt in the W/L column. Next, it's the Raptors, who basically just moved laterally this summer. With no real movement either direction, expect Toronto to stagnate. Finally, we talk President Brad Stevens' Celtics and the versatility Al Horford adds to them. As always, you can follo

Are there any teams at the Olympics that can play Team USA relatively close? Does Draymond Green's latest indiscretion say anything about him? And are there any Greg Monroe trades out there that make sense? These topics and more are broken down by the Hardwood Knocks crew in Episode 51. We start by talking about how Team USA ran through its pre-Olympic exhibition tour with one 40-plus-point win after another. And through most of the games, it looked like the guys weren't playing anywhere near full speed. So what will it take for a team like Spain or France to make a game competitive in Rio? And are there any countries that could threaten USA in the future? Ben Simmons and Australia maybe? Then, we move on to Draymond Green's latest snafu. Is this just a case of the age of social media blowing everything out of proportion? And finally, we talk Greg Monroe trades. He doesn't appear to be a part of Milwaukee's future plans, but it's not easy to find a suitable trade destination for him. That won't stop us from t

Which NBA teams had the best offseasons? Which had the worst? Who made understated good moves? And who signed Timofey Mozgov? Andy and Dan are back to break down NBA free agency. The Warriors obviously won the summer (in a landslide), but they weren't the only squad to make significant improvements. We'll run through teams that did well, including the Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks. We also look at teams that that did, well, weird, including the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks. Plus, just about every team in between. As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). Follow Andy (@AndrewDBailey), Dan (@DanFavale), Adam (@fromal09) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter. Until next time: Shoutout Beno Udrih! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spr

Derrick Rose is off to the New York Knicks, George Hill is headed to the Utah Jazz and Jeff Teague is on his way to the Indiana Pacers. The Hardwood Knocks crew breaks down all of yesterday's deal and so much more in Episode 49. Does Rose help the Knicks at all? And why does his name still conjure up visions of value in the minds of so many fans? Plus, what does Robin Lopez do for the Bulls? After the Rose discussion, we break down the three-team deal that sent George Hill to the Jazz, Jeff Teague to the Pacers and the No. 12 pick to the Hawks. What were the Hawks and Pacers thinking? And was Hill the best player traded yesterday? Finally, we discuss a number of potential deals cooked up by you, the fans. If you want to follow any of us on Twitter, you can find me (@AndrewDBailey), Dan (@danfavale), Adam (@fromal09) or today's guest Alec (@AlecBNathan). Be sure to subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks feed on iTunes or Stitcher and leave us ratings and reviews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoic

It's the triumphant return of the Hardwood Knocks podcast! Andy and Dan are here to talk you through the first couple games of the 2016 Finals and explore what may happen to the Cleveland Cavaliers after the series is over. How have the Golden State Warriors been so dominant through the first two games of the NBA Finals? Are there any possible adjustments the Cavaliers can make? And if it is a short series, what kind of trades or moves can Cleveland make in the offseason? As always, if you listen to the show on iTunes, leave us a rating or review there. If you listen on Stitcher or BlogTalkRadio, like and follow us. You can follow all the hosts on Twitter. Andy is @AndrewDBailey, Dan is @danfavale and Adam is @fromal09. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2916956/advertisement

Sam Hinkie has stepped down as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers. So, the Hardwood Knocks crew has gotten together to discuss why he left, what went wrong and what comes next. Did 76ers ownership ever fully buy in to Hinkie's plan? Did they bail too early? How much fault does Hinkie have in all this? And what happens if all these assets Hinkie collected start to pan out? Plus, how about that 13-page letter from Hinkie to ownership? If you want to add your two cents, you can reach any of us on Twitter. I'm at @AndrewDBailey, Dan is at @danfavale and Adam is at @fromal09. Today's guest, Alec Nathan, can be found at @AlecBNathan. And the show's handle is @HardwoodKnocks. Make sure you rate us and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hardwood-knocks/id1024389633?mt=2) or favorite us on Stitcher (http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/hardwood-knocks-2). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you a

Kevin Durant is a free agent this summer. Did you know that? It's OK if you didn't. It's not like anyone is talking about it or anything. Except everyone is talking about it. Every week there's another rumor. Before every marquee matchup there's another rumor. Rumors, rumors, rumors. Should Durant re-sign with the Oklahom City Thunder? Are any of the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards viable threats to whisk him off his feet? Can the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs be considered favorites to land him if he leaves Oklahoma City? Should Golden State or San Antonio even want to sign him? And, finally, where should Durant ultimately take his talents? Keep it right here with the Hardwood Knocks crew as they tackle these question head on. As always, thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher or BlogTalkRadio. Give us a rating or comment on your preferred podcast catcher. You can follow me (@AndrewDBailey), Dan (@danfavale), Ada

The NBA trade deadline is less than 24 hours away and the rumors couldn't be coming in any hotter. We welcome BBALLBREAKDOWN's James Holas to discuss the madness. How would James, a Celtics fan, feel about the addition of Kevin Love in Boston? Would he rather have Al Horford there? And just what would it take to get the Celtics to part with that Brooklyn pick? We also talk about the trades that have already gone down this week. What was Orlando thinking giving up Tobias Harris for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova? And did that three-team Courtney Lee deal really move the needle for anyone? Finally, what is happening in Utah?! Trey Burke for Ty Lawson seems crazy, but Dan tries to talk us into it. All that and more in this edition of Hardwood Knocks! As always, thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher or BlogTalkRadio. Give us a rating or comment on your preferred podcast catcher. You can follow me (@AndrewDBailey), Dan (@danfavale), Adam (@fromal09), the show (@HardwoodKnocks) and ton

NBA trade season is upon us! Big names like Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Al Horford and more are churning through the rumor mill. Andy and Dan get together to discuss which rumors make sense. Is there any logic behind the Howard-for-Hassan Whiteside talk? Does Howard still move the needle for a good team? Who could he take from solid team to contender (if anyone)? Is the deal the Los Angeles Clippers reportedly already offered to the Denver Nuggets as crazy as it sounds? What if you just tweak it a little? Griffin in Denver would be fun and the Nuggets could offer a package that would make the Clippers better in the long run. OR, how about a straight-up swap with the New York Knicks for Melo? Then, there's talk of the Atlanta Hawks possibly blowing things up. Which destinations make sense for Al Horford and Jeff Teague? All that, plus, we discuss Victor Oladipo and Tobias Harris of the Orlando Magic, Greg Monroe of the Milwaukee Bucks and Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves. If you wan

Carmelo Anthony's name is in the rumor mill yet again. Well, actually, it never left. He has been mentioned in trade scuttle ever since the New York Knicks, a team on the mend, re-signed him to a five-year, $120 million-plus deal in 2014.  This time, though, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News has him linked to a three-team deal with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers that would end with Melo playing beside LeBron James in C-Town. The framework in question, as you will hear, is unlikely. But the constant chatter, coupled with rookie Kristaps Porzingis' meteoric rise through the NBA ranks, begets a more general issue: Should the Knicks be looking to trade Anthony now, or even at all? Hardwood Knocks breaks it down. As always, remember to subscribe to Hardwood Knocks on iTunes so every new episode is automatically downloaded to your phone. Give us a rating there! If you're not using an iOS device, you can find us at our new home, BlogTalkRadio.com or on Stitcher. You can also follow Andy (@AndrewDBai

Adam and Dan get together to draft from a pool of rookies and sophomores for their own NBA Rising Stars teams. After you listen, be sure to visit the Hardwood Knocks Twitter account, @HardwoodKnocks. There, you can vote for either Team Fro or Team Favs. Loser has to do something. What that something is, I don't know. But certainly something. As always, thanks so much for listening. Be sure to subscribe on BlogTalkRadio or iTunes. Give us a rating wherever you go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2916956/advertisement

We're halfway through the season! That means Andy, Dan and Adam have gotten together to discuss who should be Coach of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and MVP at this point? Is Gregg Popovich a lock for Coach of the Year? What kind of credit does Luke Walton deserve? What exactly is the criteria for Most Improved Player of the Year and who deserves it? Is it a two-horse race between Manu Ginobilil and Andre Iguodala for Sixth Man of the Year? Is it time for Tim Duncan to finally get a Defensive Player of the Year? Can anyone contend with Karl-Anthony Towns for Rookie of the Year? And does Stephen Curry already have MVP wrapped up? Plus, we talk fan voting for the NBA All-Star Game in Adam's "Burning Bacon" segment. Thanks for listening to Hardwood Knocks! Subscribe to and rate us on iTunes. Non iOS users, find us on BlogTalkRadio (our gracious host) or Stitcher. You can also find Andy (@AndrewDBailey), Dan (@DanFavale), Adam (

On Jan. 13, 1999, Michael Jordan retired from the NBA a second time. But what if he never left? His Airness essentially lost two seasons (1993-94, most of 1994-95) when he first walked away to play baseball. Then, after winning his sixth championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1998, he bowed out once more, only to return as a member of the Washington Wizards three years later. What would have happened if Jordan played through the entirety of each of those five missed or abbreviated seasons? How many titles did he leave on the table? How many league MVP awards should he have won? Would he have shattered Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record? Join Adam and Dan as they come to terms with an unsettling, yet unassailable, reality: Already considered the greatest player ever, Michael Jordan left behind an incomplete legacy. As always, remember to subscribe to Hardwood Knocks on iTunes so every new episode is automatically downloaded to your phone. Give us a rating there! If you're not using an iOS device, yo

The Hardwood Knocks crew solicited your favorite NBA trade ideas from Twitter. You all delivered! Andy and Adam discuss potential trade ideas from all over the NBA. Does Derrick Rose still have any trade value? What team might take a chance on him? Any chance the Kings move DeMarcus Cousins? Can that front office be trusted to make the right deal? What's Markieff Morris's trade value? At this point, he might just be a salary dump. Those ideas and many more (including some talk about draft prospect Ben Simmons) are discussed in-depth here. Thanks again to all the listeners who contributed the great ideas and talking points for us. As always, remember to subscribe to Hardwood Knocks on iTunes so every new episode is automatically downloaded to your phone. Give us a rating there! If you're not using an iOS device, you can find us at our new home, BlogTalkRadio.com or on Stitcher. You can also follow Andy (@AndrewDBailey), Adam (@fromal09) and Dan (@danfavale) on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

The Hardwood Knocks crew discusses the continued, mind-melting success of the Spurs, in all its grandeur. Are they set up to dominate the NBA for another decade, even after Tim Duncan retires? Could Kawhi Leonard go down as the greatest Spur ever? Is there anything that could feasibly set San Antonio back? And, most importantly, can the latest version of the Spurs overthrow the league-lording Warriors? As always, remember to subscribe to and rate the podcast on iTunes if you use an iOS device. Find us and favorite us on Stitcher if you're on Android or another device. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2916956/advertisement

It's been four years since Jimmer Fredette debuted in the NBA. After failing to find the right fit with four different teams, Fredette is now a member of the D-League's Westchester Knicks, where he's averaging 23 points, four rebounds and four assists, while shooting 49 percent from the field and 47 percent from three-point range. Listen in as Jimmer talks about the opportunity to play in the D-League, his desire to get back to the  NBA and the players who've helped him along the way. As always, remember to subscribe to and rate the podcast on iTunes if you use an iOS device. Find us and favorite us on Stitcher if you're on Android or another device. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2916956/advertisement

Andy, Dan and Adam discuss their most memorable moments from Kobe's career, talk about his legacy and where he ranks all time. Also, is he having the worst individual season in NBA history? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2916956/advertisement

35 - What Happens First? A Warriors Loss, or a 76ers Win? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2916956/advertisement

34 - Impressions of the First Week of the 2015-16 NBA Season Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2916956/advertisement