We are in for an early-season tilt between two of the top teams in the NFC as the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints matchup on Sunday Night Football. Dallas has made easy work of their first three opponents. With Ezekiel Elliott under a new contract, the team has been able to rely once again on the triumvirate of Elliott, Dak Prescott, and Amari Cooper offensively. With one of the top offensive lines in the league, it allows for the three superstars to really excel and that is what keeps the Cowboys among the elite teams in the league. The Saints had their own star-studded offensive trio in Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, and Michael Thomas, however, they lost Brees to a thumb injury two weeks ago. Yet, with Brees playing at such an advanced age, the team had taken the proper precautions to ensure that they had quality players behind him to keep things going. Teddy Bridgewater was the highest-paid backup quarterback and Sean Payton has used Taysom Hill as a jack-of-all-trades endlessly. Star power and big plays will be the reason that one of these two teams will end Sunday with a very important win.
For the home team, the key to tonight’s game will be establishing the run. It is a cliche among football fans but in this situation taking as much pressure as they can off the shoulders (or should I say arm) of Bridgewater will be a big first step. Against the Seattle Seahawks last week, Kamara touched the ball 25 times–16 rushes–and totaled 161 yards and a touchdown. While they once again rely on Kamara in both the running and passing game, he has to average more than 4.3 yards per carry. The Cowboys defense has a fair share of athletes from Jaylon Smith, to Leighton Vander Esch, to Byron Jones and they’ll be looking to try and stall the All-Pro early and often. If the Saints can’t run the ball that will allow DeMarcus Lawrence to pin his ears back and focus solely on getting to Bridgewater in the pocket. The backup hasn’t gotten consistent snaps since leaving the Minnesota Vikings so his pocket presence might not be at its most alert and he could be susceptible to taking sacks, or worse, turning the ball over. By getting the ground game going Payton can take advantage of play actions and use Bridgewaters ability to throw on the move to orchestrate big plays.
Dallas has had the best of both worlds through three games. Prescott has played his best football to date. No longer a game manager or a system quarterback, he is truly making an impact on games each time he has taken the field. Part of the reason for that is the emergence of Amari Cooper. He had disappointed during his time with the Oakland Raiders but since joining the Cowboys last season he has looked every bit the part of the first-round pick he was when he was taken in the 2015 NFL Draft. Michael Gallup had emerged as a true number two option for the team but he is healing for a meniscus injury and will miss this game too. Jason Witten is back and his chemistry with Prescott is evident with each passing game. Add to that arguably the best running back in the league in NFL in Elliott and the offense truly cause headaches for opponents. It isn’t a one-horse backfield anymore either as rookie Tony Pollard has looked dangerous when filling in for the All-Pro runner. The major change that they made to their offense was bringing in Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator and so far the former NFL quarterback has passed with flying colors.
The only matchup between two undefeated teams pits the New England Patriots against the Buffalo Bills in a battle for AFC East supremacy. This is Buffalo’s second straight home game but when you add in that their road games against the New York Giants and New York Jets were just a couple hours away this team has mostly stayed within familiar confines to begin the year. Josh Allen is looking better and more comfortable in his second season, while John Brown and Cole Beasley provide consistency at wide receiver. In the backfield it’s the ageless Frank Gore still making waves—rookie Devin Singletary is unlikely to play. The real strength of this team is its defense. They’re physical and aggressive with athletes all over the field. Tre’Davious White is a shutdown corner and he’ll likely key in on one Patriot receiver all game. This very likely will come down to which defense plays better. The Patriots’ unit is yet to surrender a touchdown through three games. The Bills will be New England’s toughest test, however, in his 20-year career Tom Brady has been dominant when playing in Buffalo—he hasn’t lost in Buffalo since 2011. The team is still looking for Sony Michel to have a breakout game this year but Josh Gordon, Julian Edelman, and Phillip Dorsett III have been huge to start the year.
PREDICTION: Patriots 23 , Bills 9
Tennesee Titans @ Atlanta Falcons
We’re only at Week 4 and both of these teams’ seasons have taken more twists and turns than Super Mario Kart. Big things were expected out of the Atlanta Falcons this year as they would be getting two huge pieces back from injury on defense (Keanu Neal and Deion Jones). Unfortunately, Neal has been lost for the year once again after rupturing his Achilles. Offensively, a team with Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Devonta Freeman, and Mohammed Sanu should be averaging more than 20 points per game. They need a win here to keep pace with the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Titans “shocked the world” when they opened the season with a dominant win over the Cleveland Browns. Since then they dropped back-to-back games against the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars. Marcus Mariota still hasn’t made the leap that is expected of a number two overall pick and his inconsistency is putting a damper on what could be a good offense. The defense has been lead by the play of the secondary and they’re going to need to step up big if they are going to have any chance against Julio. Both Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan were with New England in 2016 when Jones nearly won Atlanta the Super Bowl singlehanded.
PREDICTION: Falcons 28 , Titans 24
Kansas City Chiefs @ Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, has one of the top two—and it’s not two—liveliest arms in the NFL and this matchup offers us the rare chance to watch him show it off in a dome. The last time he played in one he uncorked a beautiful 69-yard bomb to Tyreek Hill. Now Hill won’t play today but with Sammy Watkins, Aldrick Robinson, and Mecole Hardman Andy Reid made sure he kept some speedsters around for Mahomes. In his second season as a starter, he is on pace to smash his totals from last year. The Detroit Lions have been one of the early surprises of the 2019 NFL season. After crumbling late in Week 1 and allowing the Arizona Cardinals to tie in overtime, they’ve looked like a team on a mission. Matthew Stafford’s arm is quite impressive as well but he’s dealing with a hip injury and might not be able to play. Their top cornerback, Darius Slay also popped up on the injury report (hamstring) late this week is a game-time decision as well. Kansas City has been a buzzsaw to begin the year and don’t expect that to slow down this week.
PREDICTION: Chiefs 42 , Lions 17
Oakland Raiders @ Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement felt like the end of the Indianapolis Colts’ chances to do something special this year but a balanced roster and steady play from Jacoby Brissett has helped them to keep their head above water to start the year. Marlon Mack has been sound, the double-headed tight end monster of Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron have been security blankets for Brissett, and TY Hilton is still doing TY Hilton things. The defense has stepped up its game to thanks to Malik Hooker and last years Defensive Rookie of the Year, Darius Leonard. There’s nothing spectacular about this team they’re just very solid in all three areas of the game. The Oakland Raiders jumped out with a very impressive Monday Night Football win to start the season but have returned to Earth since then. Darren Waller has been great and Josh Jacobs should be in the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation but this team is struggling to sustain four good quarters of play week-in and week-out. A win here could get things back on track and keep the team from blaming Antonio Brown’s departure on their poor play.
PREDICTION: Colts 24 , Raiders 16
Los Angeles Chargers @ Miami Dolphins
After a valiant effort to get to a 12-win season, the Los Angeles Chargers have stumbled out of the gate in their attempt to meet the expectations placed on them. Los Angeles is dealing with a significant amount of injuries early in the year. Here’s a list of offensive starters that Chargers will be missing for this game: Travis Benjamin, Virgil Green, Hunter Henry, Justin Jackson, Russell Okung, and Mike Williams. That doesn’t even mention the fact that even though Melvin Gordon will be active for this game the team only plans to use him in an emergency. However, if there were any game for that crop to miss it would be this one. The Miami Dolphins are not just bad, they are bad on purpose and that’s a different level of bad. The only bright spot for them this year is the amount of draft-eligible quarterbacks in the NCAA that are playing at a high-level (Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa). Hopefully, Brian Flores gets another chance next season to show whether or not he’s capable of being an NFL head coach.
PREDICTION: Chargers 33 , Dolphins 17
Washington Redskins @ New York Giants
The New York Giants finally did it, they benched Eli Manning and let rookie quarterback, Daniel Jones show what he can do. And what he can do is a lot more than Manning ever showed. Jones has the arm to hit deep passes, isn’t fazed by pressure, and is athletic enough to make plays with his feet (including last week’s game-winning touchdown scamper). Yet, as is often the case with New York sports, it was just one game and we can’t crown him the next big thing because he beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not having Saquon Barkley this week means that their opponent will be free to fully lock in on stopping Jones. That opponent is the Washington Redskins who just so happen to have former Giants safety Landon Collins on their roster. This will be the quintessential NFC East rivalry game. Both team trading blows in a war of attrition as the rugged, physical game is decided by who can remain standing longest. Don’t be surprised if Redskins head coach sends Dwayne Haskins in here. Case Keenum has been playing poorly to date and Haskins is also the player many Giants fans wanted to draft. If he can defeat the crown prince Jones, that’ll be extra salt in the wound for the Giants. In Terry McLaurin, Adrian Peterson, and Vernon Davis there are just enough weapons there for Washington to take advantage of a porous New York defense.
PREDICTION: Redskins 20 , Giants 14
Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens
What was supposed to be the year of the Cleveland Browns has turned into just another year of the Cleveland Browns. They certainly weren’t done any favors by the schedule makers and the shocking home loss to the Titans means that they are likely on their way to beginning the season 1-3. In Odell Beckham Jr., Baker Mayfield, Jarvis Landry, and Nick Chubb the offense has immense talent but the offensive line’s poor play has made it hard for them to string together any stretch of effectiveness. They’ll be without both starting cornerbacks (Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams) for the second straight week and we’ve seen the Baltimore Ravens pass attack exploit bad defenses already this year. Lamar Jackson is much improved and thanks to new offensive coordinator Greg Roman, this team has some tricks up their sleeve that could help slow down the Browns excellent defensive line. Look for Hollywood Brown to be running free all over the Cleveland backup corners and the Ravens defense to be able to get pressure on Mayfield and keep an explosive Browns offense in check for most of the day.
PREDICTION: Ravens 31 , Browns 21
Carolina Panthers @ Houston Texans
The Kyle Allen Revenge Tour continues as the Carolina Panthers make the trip to Houston to face the Houston Texans. Last week, the Arizona-native went home and put on an admirable display against the Arizona Cardinals in a much-needed win for the Panthers. This week, he goes back to his old college stomping grounds–transferred to Houston from Texas A&M in 2016–and tries to remain hot. Helping him out will be Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Greg Olsen, and Curtis Samuel as Carolina hopes its offense can put on another solid showing. McCaffrey has assumed the role of the best player while Cam Newton rehabs from his Lisfranc injury (which the team hasn’t announced how long he’ll be out for, just that he won’t return until he’s 100%).On the other side, Deshaun Watson will look to continue his stellar play and the offseason moves of head coach-turned-general manager, Bill O’Brien looks to be paying off so far. However, the Texans need to start putting some distance between themselves and the rest of the AFC South. Besides the Colts, none of the other teams have looked the part of a playoff contender. If Allen plays as he did in Week 3 Houston will have their work cut out for them.
PREDICTION: Texans 30 , Panthers 21
4:05 PM EST
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Los Angeles Rams
We haven’t seen the same display of dominance from the Los Angeles Rams this season as we did to begin the year in 2018. Sure they’re undefeated and still have the head coach the rest f the league is trying to replicate in Sean McVay, but last season this team came out and showed everyone that they were not to be taken lightly. They haven’t used Todd Gurley as much as they did last year and that might be a strategic choice as they want him as close to 100 percent at the end of the season after watching him wear down to close out the regular season and during their run through the postseason. Jared Goff looks comfortable in McVay’s system and the trio of Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp, and Robert Woods is still dynamic. On defense things being and end with Aaron Donald. The back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year (2017-2018) is once again a one-man wrecking crew for defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Bruce Arians will have their hands full here. Jameis Winston has been better with the new head coach but still leaves a lot left to be desired from his play. Chris Godwin will be hobbled and the run game has been virtually nonexistent all season. This feels like a game where Los Angeles makes it a point to remind everyone that they are the reigning NFC champions.
PREDICTION: Rams 35 , Buccaneers 12
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals
So far the Kliff Kingsbury experience in the NFL has had mixed reviews. In Week 1 the Arizona Cardinals offense through three quarters looked about as bad as anything ever experienced in the NFL, then came the comeback in the fourth quarter to secure a tie. Last week, Kyler Murray completed 30 passes, which amounted to a total of 173 yards. Dink-and-dunk is not what was expected out of the Air Raid’s introduction to the NFL but that’s what we’ve seen from Murray and the offense to date. However, Murray has revived the career of Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson looks better than he did during any of his previous seasons with the franchise. There’s hope on the horizon and ultimately that is what Kingsbury was brought in for, to provide hope. They’ll travel to the Pacific Northwest and face off against the Seattle Seahawks and the 12th Man. Russell Wilson’s success in the league created a path for Murray to become the number one overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Seahawks remain a team committed to the run but Chris Carson’s fumble issues and Rashad Penny’s accumulation of injuries is making the team rely more and more on the arm of Wilson. Arizona’s secondary is one of the league’s worse and if Seattle lets Wilson air it out they could be in for a big day on offense. Yet, I believe this game will be decided in the trenches and it seems like Johnson is primed for a breakout performance.
PREDICTION: Cardinals 22 , Seahawks 21
4:25 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are looking to ride their elite defense back to the playoffs (and hopefully past the opening weekend) once again. The Monsters of the Midway are back and Khalil Mack is the scariest of them all. Run plays, pass plays, it doesn’t matter, Mack can find a way to impact them all. Second-year linebacker Roquan Smith is just as effective at the second level of play and his athleticism and football intelligence make it seem like there are two of him on the field at times. Safeties Ha-Ha Clinton Dix and Eddie Jackson are controlling things on the back end and our as likely to make a big hit as they are to pick off an errant throw. Chicago has needed all of that and more as Matt Nagy’s offense hasn’t found its footing just yet. Mitchell Trubisky is looking more like his rookie version than what we saw last year. If he can start showing real improvement than the Bears can round into shape as a very tough team to handle on both sides of the ball. The Minnesota Vikings had a makeover this offseason and thanks to the presence of a fully healthy Dalvin Cook, they have changed for the better. The current leading rusher in the NFL heading into Week 4 is capable of breaking off a huge run in the blink of an eye. He also can contribute in the passing game as well and his back up, Alexander Mattison is someone the Vikings have a lot of faith in. Cook’s emergence has helped to overshadow the fact that Kirk Cousins isn’t playing like the quarterback he’s being paid to be. With Adam Thelin and Stefon Diggs on the outside and a dynamic running game, Minnesota’s offense should be much less one-dimensional than it has been to begin this year.
PREDICTION: Bears 18 , Vikings 10
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos
The will he or will he not play question attached to Jalen Ramsey–who has not missed a game dating back to his days at Florida State–will linger into the afternoon for the Jacksonville Jaguars. After missing practices with the flu and then stepping away from the team for paternity leave, Ramsey flew with the team to Denver and is expected to test out his back pregame to determine if he can play or not. And oh yeah, he still wants to be traded from the team. On a brighter note, rookie Gardner Minshew has been a revelation for the team and DJ Chark has been highly productive to start the 2019 season. If Leonard Fournette can get going then there’s an outside chance that the Jaguars could be the type of winning football team that makes players as talented as Ramsey WANT to stick around. The Denver Broncos have been on the rough end of some tough losses as they embark on the Vic Fangio era. Joe Flacco has been “meh” to say the least but Phillip Lindsay is back in a big way for his encore season. Fangio made a name for himself as a defensive coordinator and with the front seven bookended by Bradley Chubb and Von Miller he must be living a dream come true. For them to notch their first win of the season, they’ll need their defense to answer the call. For as good as Minshew has looked in two and a half games, he’s still a rookie. If Chubb and Miller can get into the backfield they can easily cause havoc and turn the game for Denver.
The time is now to include yet another edition of the SneakerReporter NBA Top 30 team list. Media day was yesterday for some of the teams, to make your anticipation that much more fervent. We all cannot wait to see what our favorite teams will do in their 2019 campaigns, as some hope that their teams finish with a positive record while also supplanting the evidence to separate themselves from the bottom of the pack as a come-up team that will be a force to be reckoned with in the near future.
That being said, that ties into the synopsis of today’s team: the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It’s not the first time OKC has experienced a blowup. It’s the first season in franchise history that not a single member of the original OKC Four (the individual-and-combined success quartet of Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Serge Ibaka) will be wearing Thunder blue, and as sad as it is seeing their beloved Russell Westbrook head down south to reunite with his old Thunder buddy James Harden for the Rockets, the plan to grow the next generation of Thunder is now the #1 priority for General Manager Sam Presti.
Along with persuading veteran and probable first-ballot hall of fame guard Chris Paul to stick around for what could be a really bright future in OKC.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder (36-46) – And So Begins The Long And Painful Road To Recreating a Champion
Yesterday afternoon, Russell Westbrook took questions, posed for photographers and chatted it up with fellow teammates, staying in accord to his customary media day schedule. Just another year-opener in the career of the 8-time All-Star and 2017 Most Valuable Player.
This time, it was in Houston Rocket red. Frivously and freely dancing in his photo sessions, smiling after every question that came his way, the longtime, and now former, top dog of Oklahoma City sat beside his new – er, old – teammate James Harden. The era of the original Thunder quartet is 100% over.
That doesn’t mean its time for Thunder fans to sulk and lament their misfortune in free agency, though.
Sure, that may have been one of the worst offseasons in franchise history (actually, no, it probably is the worst occurrence in franchise’s short history, more than losing KD to Golden State) losing both Paul George and Russell Westbrook in a matter of weeks, a duo that had cemented themselves as a difficult out in back-to-back postseason visits. And for the first time since 2008 – OKC’s inaugural season – they will be without a superstar for the entire 2019 season.
That is if Chris Paul stays in Oklahoma, which now looks as likely as someone winning the lottery without buying a ticket.
Surely, the Thunder wish they can have the most probable chance of winning the Chris Paul sweepstakes, though the eight-time all-star and seven-time member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team is getting attention from teams, most notably the Miami Heat. It makes sense for the 34-year old to salvage whatever time is left in his career with a viable contender that can challenge for a deep playoff run, so his departure seems almost imminent.
Still, the offer stands for Paul to stay put and help build this roster to contention for the next couple of seasons, especially with the Thunder’s basket case of first-round draft picks in 2020 (by virtue of the Clippers) and beyond to help make the Thunder a young and potentially dangerous team to face in the coming years. But without Paul, the Thunder find themselves in the deepest and darkest of uncharted territories their organization has ever entered.
With one slim perception of this Thunder roster, the Thunder have a really good chance to have a record over .500, and it isn’t too farfetched to believe so. Billy Donovan is well accustomed to throwing out his most seasoned vets on the floor at once, so expect the same in 2019. Dennis Schroeder, Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, and CP3 (if he’s still on the roster come October 23) is still a solid starting five, and there’s no denying that. Yet their bench will be the biggest question mark heading into a new campaign.
Though, that very question has some finality to it. Donavan will allow his inexperienced-yet-prodigious pieces in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Hamidou Diallo and rookie Darius Bazley to blossom out of rookie status and into revered bench depth that will one day command the franchise’s direction. That may not happen right away for next season, considering how packed the West is, and specifically, the Northwestern division altogether.
But with all the draft assets the Thunder get in 2020 and 2021 from the Clippers (The Thunder received Danilo Gallinari, SGA, a 2021 Miami Heat first-round pick, a 2022 first-rounder, 2023 first-round swap rights, a protected Miami 2023 first-rounder, a 2024 first-rounder, 2025 first-round swap rights and a 2026 first-rounder for Paul George) and what Sam Presti got from trading Westbrook (ending up with Chris Paul, conditional 2021 swap rights, a protected 2024 first-rounder, conditional 2025 swap rights, and a protected 2026 first-rounder), the Thunder could be set up pretty nicely by filling in some crucial spots that need addressing for the next decade.
Assessing the current roster’s potential for this upcoming season, understanding that this Thunder team will easily be the most underwhelming roster in franchise history, if that’s even worth mentioning. There are still some volume scorers on this roster that should not be overlooked, like former Knick, Nugget and Clipper Danilo Gallinari. The Italian scoring machine hadn’t played through a full season since 2013 but he was critical for getting buckets for the Clippers last year. While accumulating 19.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 43.3 percent from deep last year, we saw Gallinari at his peak as a starter in this league.
Among the duo of Tobias Harris and 2018-19 sixth man of the year Lou Williams, ‘Nilo matched their offensive productivity and adapted to the swing of the trendy big man, a versatile inside-out scorer that is dually gifted in his footwork on the low block.
From a defensive standpoint, the Thunder possess who some would argue to be one of the most consistent defenders in Andre Roberson. Before he ruptured his left patellar tendon in the January of 2017, the Thunder – during the era of Westbrook/Carmelo/Paul George – posted one of the best defensive plus/minuses in the league and after he went down, the team’s defense was 12.5 points worse per 100 possessions when he left the floor. He was too valuable of a piece for the Thunder that year, ultimately leading up to their first-round exit.
Now healthy, having him around the facility is a plus but there is no full guarantee he will be half the player he was because he hasn’t even set foot on NBA hardwood in over two years. Roberson, a former defensive standout at Colorado, reached the NBA All-Defensive Second Team with the likes of new Laker Anthony Davis and MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. In the last season he played, Roberson was one of 11 players to finish with at least a block and steal per game.
Thunder fans still have the defensive prowess and efficiency of veteran big man Steven Adams, who is now qualified as the most original Thunder player on the roster. Heading into his 7th season with the only franchise he’s known, Adams tallied 13.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals on 59.5 percent from the floor on 52 percent shooting – a career-best. He has been, and will still be the most reliable player on the floor. If you need a stop at the rim, a basket out of the pick and roll, Adams is your guy.
The New Zealand native could very well compliment the games of this Thunder team endowed with a strong backcourt rotation, making the floor spacing possibilities with Dennis Schroeder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and/or Chris Paul a point of emphasis to utilize on a nightly basis.
Speaking of the Thunder backcourt depth, a perfect blend of youth and experience will benefit this growing roster. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks like he’s the franchise guard for the future, and Billy Donavan will do what he can to make sure the second-year guard out of Kentucky will get as much in-game repetition as he possibly can. SGA impressed his rookie year, starting 73 games and coming off the bench for 11 games, averaging 10.8 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per contest and 3.3 assists a game on 47.6 percent shooting.
Widely praised by his LA Clipper teammates for his twitchy ability to slash, create space for others and separation between him and his defender, all while holding his own on the defensive end of the floor, averaging 2.3 steals a game.
Aside from him is Dennis Schroeder, who is going into his second year as a member of the Thunder. An aggressive guard who mirrors the all-around effort of Russell Westbrook, Schroeder put together a solid 2018-19 after coming over from Atlanta as their former starting guard. Though his numbers took a dip since he came off the bench for the first time in his career, the German guard’s lightning-quick penetration and microwavable-scoring efforts anchored Oklahoma City as a part of their rotation.
Now, onto the topic of their first-round selections in this year’s draft. The Thunder selected high school standout Darius Bazley with the 23rd pick, and though he did not play a single minute of college basketball as a result of serving a million-dollar internship with New Balance.
One fun fact: Rich Paul – his agent, and LeBron’s agent, too – helped him with the plan. As it goes, NBA rules dictate that a draft prospect must be one year removed from high school graduation before they can declare for a draft. Instead, Bazley decided to forego the NCAA to disregard his amateur status, worked on his game at his 6’9, 200-lb frame, seven-foot wingspan and now looks to be a multitalented, pure athlete that can score and defend anywhere on the floor.
Other pieces like Hamidou Diallo, who now reunites with his old classmate in SGA, the bouncy Terrance Ferguson, and the project of former Sixer and 7-footer Justin Patton, the Thunder have nowhere to go but up. And that may just be the best thing about this young unit.
Speaking hypothetically here: suppose CP3 says ‘hey, you know what? I’m already satisfied with where I am now and I believe I have what it takes to make these young guys into contenders in the next 2 years.’ Well, imagine that pairing of ball IQ at the guard spot, a scary three-to-four man attack in transition, and a frontcourt full of big men that can both shoot, set some mean screens and rebound? Say, that ain’t bad.
Hypotheticals aren’t reality and things aren’t going to get off on the best foot. Yes, the Thunder raked in a lot of different accolades as the fourth-best defensive team in the NBA (due to Paul George nearly winning defensive player of the year) but with the replacement of PG with a rusty Andre Roberson, and the nightly triple-double-grabbing output of Russell Westbrook with Chris Paul or his younger counterparts, the Thunder will struggle. But that’s expected when you stick with your most inexperienced pieces. And there’s nothing wrong with that at all.
Granted, the Thunder could stick to this starting five for this year and by doing that, be in a position to relinquish some expiring contracts en route to getting cap space to sign some max free agents, like how they did in the 2017 offseason when they signed Paul George. Also, those picks acquired this summer could be even more bargaining chips to get the players Sam Presti may want in a couple of years down the road.
Whatever happens, the power of destiny lies in the palms of the Thunder’s organizational division. So yeah, this is what the first-ever rebuild of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s franchise will entail. You have no stars to fall back on, so suck it up, make the right decisions in free agency and put the future of Thunder basketball in good hands.
The clock to recreate that fearsome Northwestern division foe starts now.
Jordan Brand continues to find a way to expand its reach despite already being one of the biggest brands in the entirety of the world of sneakers. With their recent expansion, adding in a slew of athletes across a multitude of sports, it’s becoming clearer and clearer than Jordan Brand is after complete domination–much like His Airness, himself.
The freshly revealed Air Jordan 34 won’t just grace basketball courts far and wide, it will also find life on the diamond and the gridiron as well. Air Jordan is no stranger to the diamond with one of the greatest baseball players of all time fervently repping the winged brand.
With loosened restrictions on NFL cleats, Jordans influence had permeated almost every major field. The two cleats appear in the “Void Blue” and “Wear Test” colorways initially launched with the standard edition of the Air Jordan 34.
Jordan Brand’s roster of NFL stars includes Jets running back Le’Veon Bell and safety Jamal Adams, Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery, Ravens safety Earl Thomas and Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu.
Some of Jordan Brand’s MLB players who will be competing in the post-season are St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dexter Fowler and catcher Yadier Molina, Los Angeles Dodgers’ reliever Kenley Jansen, and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Gio Gonzalez. As of yet, the cleated versions are not yet slated for a public release.
Officially a week away from the NBA preseason, it’s another day, and another step closer to the end of the SneakerReporter NBA Top 30 Teams list. We’re nearly halfway through the lottery teams on our list, so let’s not waste any time and continue with our list.
Today’s squad at team #25: the Chicago Bulls.
The post-Derrick Rose era has not been pretty as we all have come to understand, with the Bulls undergoing coaching staff facelifts, roster overhauls and very little, if any postseason success. The six-time NBA champs haven’t really been in the conversation of the most viable threats in the Eastern Conference in the past 5 years, consistently putting up sub .500 records and finding themselves on the outside looking into the playoff picture.
Still, the Bulls show a lot of promise in the development of their young superstars in Lauri Markkanen, Zach Lavine, Wendell Carter Jr. and a bevy of other stockpiled assets to give their future a glimmer of hope.
While the Bulls may not challenge the likes of a Milwaukee, Boston or Philadelphia right now, the Bulls are still chipping away at the process of building a contender in the next couple of years with pieces that can only get better.
25. Chicago Bulls (35-47) – Maybe Not A Contender, But Definitely Not A Pushover
Maybe, just maybe…its time for Bulls fans to remove their vice grip from the throats of GarPax (dubbed organizational tandem of VP of Player Operations Jon Paxson and GM Gar Foreman), since they’ve basically been doing it for just about an entire decade.
For the first time since Jimmy Butler’s departure, the Bulls do not have to worry about being in the basement of the Eastern Conference. There is no major coaching controversy, and fans actually have a reason to believe their team’s record will look way different than how it did in 2018 one year later.
Chicago is growing the right way. The Bulls landed their point guard Coby White out of North Carolina and it looks like the Kriss Dunn era could be reaching its end in Chitown. So, the quartet of White, Markkanen, Carter, and Lavine could be a team to circle on your favorite team’s schedule, for these formidable four could wreak havoc on the East for years to come, and who knows, maybe this year.
Aside from their first-round pick, the trio of Markkanen, Carter Jr. and Lavine project to share the court for the majority of the season (with health permitting, obviously) and each has a different skill set which could help provide balance and structure to a team that has severely lacked it recently.
Markkanen, as some describe as another unicorn adjacent to Kristaps Porzingis, fits the bill of his nickname in a lot of ways. As the seventh pick in the 2017 NBA draft, the Finnish stretch big is known for his soft touch from outside the arc, as well as his astounding agility inside the paint. Also, the 22-year-old, third-year power forward has displayed some top-tier ball IQ in his two years as a starter.
The Finland native has drawn ceiling expectations to potentially being the next Dirk Nowitzki, and though his sophomore season was put on hold by an elbow injury that caused him to miss over 30 games last year, do not be surprised if Markkanen makes some major strides in 2019. Last season, he joined All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Vucevic as the only players in the league to average at least 18 points per game and 9 rebounds while drilling over 36 percent of their three balls.
He will undoubtedly be the center of the Bulls offensive nucleus, but what will be the most intriguing thing to watch this year is how, or if, Zach Lavine makes that next step to being an elite shooting guard for the Bulls to run the offense through. We know Lavine to be a natural athlete with explosive hops that even the gym of the United Center can barely contain, but though he experienced career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and field goal percentage last year, he has shown that he still lacks the ability to continually make smart and efficient decisions on offense and defense.
Hence, that’s where their first-round selection in Coby White comes in. So yes, Bulls fans can make it sound like both MJ and Coby (when pronounced, sounds like “Kobe”) both played for the Chicago Bulls.
Now, is he the same kind of guard? Yes and no, realistically, considering he is a shiftier on-ball and off-dribble scorer who’s drawn pro comparisons to Gilbert Arenas, and to some, Derrick Rose with how he was able to get by defenders with a tight handle that’s low to the ground while at North Carolina. White finished the season at UNC averaging 16.1 points and 4.1 assists per game earning All-ACC 2nd Team honors. But like Kobe, expect Coby to show a high motor on both ends of the floor, play hard defense and give mismatches something to remember at his athletic frame of 6’5, 185 lbs.
With an altered backcourt that will prioritize speed, change your expectations of the Bulls being 23rd in the league again in terms of the total pace of play as they were in 2018. The Bulls should be making some nice highlights in transition that will more than likely be posted on social media a lot this season, as they are now a team that can equally make you pay in the open court and halfcourt with the duo of Markkanen and Carter making their effect known down low.
Though the Bulls have their work cut out for them on the defensive end, their front office has made some good moves in free agency to bring in veteran enforcers to cover for their young core’s growing pains. The Bulls went and picked up Thaddeus Young in the offseason, which is good for the youthful Bulls considering he provides advice on what it takes to contend in the postseason. Young has been a part of some good Indiana Pacers rosters that have reached the conference finals when his former cohort Paul George burst onto the national scene.
He is capable of guarding small forwards and power forwards evenly, meaning he could be a necessary adversary for a team that has had trouble guarding anyone over the last couple of years. Young also has an eye for disrupting passing lanes, too. With fast hands and an even faster eye for picking the quintessential moment to jump the pass, only six players (Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Trevor Ariza, Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, and Paul George) have more steals between 2015 to 2019 than Young.
Wendell Carter Jr. may not make headlines for his ability to put the ball in the basket, but what he makes up for in his offensive insufficiency, he makes up for in his potential as a talented defender that can stick with just about anyone, anywhere, on the court.
In his rookie season, Carter was on a pedestal that not a single other rookie big man was able to reach. He finished 21st in overall true plus/minus among all of the league’s starting centers, a list that included the likes of Rudy Gobert, Joel Embiid, Al Horford and DeMarcus Cousins. There’s no doubt that the path he is on now can make him one of the league’s most intimidating defenders and his ability to move laterally off the switch, while still timing up blocks at the rim makes for a picture-perfect fit for the modern NBA that forces hybrid power forwards and centers to cover all positions.
Aside from their acquisitions in the offseason, the Bulls let some players walk in free agency like guards Antonio Blakeney, Wayne Selden, Bobby Portis (to the Knicks) and Timote Luwawu-Cabbarot (who just signed a training camp deal with the Cavs yesterday). Some names that will stay for the Bulls 2019-20 campaign are guard Ryan Archidiacono, Otto Porter, Denzel Valentine, Walter Lemon Jr., Shaquille Harrison, 2018 lottery pick Chandler Hutchinson and big man Christian Felicio.
Also, the Bulls picked up some beneficial parts to their team that could help them out in a variety of ways, more so on the offensive end. Chicago finished last season with the third-lowest team 3 point percentage in the league and 19th in the league when measuring threes made in a single season. But, that should change a little with the addition of former Washington Wizards guard Tomas Satoransky. Averaging 8.9 points per game while nearly shooting 40 percent from deep, Satoransky has shown flashes of being a starter, even on such a guard-saturated roster.
Along with his capacity to score and pass at a high level for a reserve, Satoransky’s 6-foot-7 size and ability to play the point guard position give him an advantage over most guards defensively.
Head coach Jim Boylen can only see up when theorizing how good these young Bulls can be this year, and the Bulls certainly have the talent to challenge for one of the final spots in the depleted bottom-half of the east, but the question remains: is it smart to do so now and waste the opportunity to get another lottery pick?
Tanking for another high draft pick is a good choice, but the Bulls do want to establish some competitive spirit, and it certainly looks like they can right now. Looking ahead, it looks like their next best chance to add a superstar is during the 2021 offseason, where the free agency class is already looking like one of the best we’ve ever seen, and probably better than this past offseason with all-stars, like that of Chicago’s very own Anthony Davis, having his one-year deal with the Lakers end.
In order to be a real contender for one of the top guys, they should look at how the Clippers and Nets were able to attract big market stars to small-market clubs this summer. as even though those two franchises are considered little brothers to the big city Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. The Chicago Bulls are a big and legendary name and if they put out a good product in 2019-20 while showing organizational stability, the plan to compete right away could make the Windy City a potential free-agent draw.
If Chicago can position themselves to make a run at the playoffs the next two seasons to show that they are trending in the right direction, that right there can be the ultimate difference as to whether they can get a star in the future.
