48 Minutes

0:00 Intro 1:16 Cleveland Cavaliers 8:21 Los Angeles Lakers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As we get closer to the new-look Dallas Mavericks beginning their 2025-26 NBA season, there’s no better time to rehash all the moves that were made over the offseason. On Wednesday, 4-time Emmy-winning ESPN vet and “48 Minutes” Podcast co-host Bruce Bernstein joined us on a special episode of our Mavs Step Back Podcast to discuss what Mavs fans have to look forward to this coming season. Bernstein spent over 30 years at ESPN, including 15 years leading the network’s NBA studio programming. He brings deep behind-the-scenes insight, high-performance leadership stories, and sharp NBA analysis to every conversation. In this episode, we also discuss the Kawhi Leonard / Los Angeles Clippers scandal while also scouting some Mavs’ rivals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

0:00 Intro 1:34 Chicago Bulls 7:45 Los Angeles Clippers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Among our topics: -The standoff between Golden State's management and Jonathan Kuminga over his next contract -The story behind Giannis Antetoknoumpo and why he appeared on the 48 Minutes podcast two years ago. -The new broadcast and streaming deals between the NBA and its partners. -The implications of "Inside The NBA" and its move to ESPN. -And SO MUCH more! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

0:00 Intro 1:03 Charlotte Hornets 8:01 Houston Rockets Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

0:00 ... Show open, introduction of the panel, and explanation of the "Two-a-Day" series. 1:10 ... Brooklyn Nets discussion ... The good news for the lowly Nets is that this will be their 50th NBA season after joining the league as one of the former ABA teams who joined the NBA for the 1976-'77 season. But that may be it for good news this season in Brooklyn. 2:37 ... World B feels the Nets are not "tanking," they're "rebuilding." 4:06 ... Cam Thomas returns to the team on a "lowball" qualifying deal after averaging 24 points last season. Will he be a problem as he looks to score a lot in hopes of being paid next season? Nic Claxton is one of the few players on the team with trade value, so perhaps he may be moved to a good team before the trade deadline. 6:06 ... There should be plenty of good seats available at Barclays Center this season for fans whose favorite teams are playing the Nets! 6:41 ... Golden State Warriors discussion ... this could be their last chance to make noise out west as they have an aging team with key players like Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green in their late 30s. Butler will need to score more consistently to help Curry with the scoring load if the team is to approach 50 wins. 9:02 ... Bruce feels the Warriors are the most "unsettled" team in the league, mainly because of the Jonathan Kuminga free agency standoff. Bruce feels that Kuminga may be risking alienating his teammates since the Warriors can't move forward to fill out their roster until he makes a decision on how much money he'll be willing to accept this season. This is affecting players like Al Horford and De'Anthony Melton whose personal situations are impacted by Kuminga's saga. 10:38 ... Ross feels Kuminga may be traded (before the February deadline) once his contract is settled. Bruce feels like the age of the Warriors increases the potential for injuries. 13:19 ... World B feels like the Dubs really need Kuminga because he is a young player with talent. 14:54 ... Ross wraps up the show and teases the next show. TRT 15:21

0:00 ... Show open, introduction of the panel, and explanation of the "Two-a-Day" series. 1:10 ... Boston Celtics discussion ... Bruce believes all eyes will be on Jaylen Brown, who will have a chance to quiet his critics with Jayson Tatum sidelined. Can JB lead his team through adversity this season? 2:00 ... World B feels like the Celtics will be very "guard heavy" and struggle mightily this season. Tatum's absence will be impossible to replace. 3:43 ... Ross feels like coach Joe Mazzulla will have a chance to really experiment and try new things this season. 4:48 ... Bruce explains why the team needed to be "gutted" for financial reasons but he sees hope in Neemias Queta and his development for the future. 7:16 ... Boston has historically been a solid defensive team and has shown the ability to play well in the past when key players missed games. 8:15 ... Denver Nuggets discussion ... has the acquisition of Cam Johnson solved their shooting problems? Can their defense improve from last season? World B loves their starting lineup. 9:59 ... Bruce explains why he feels Nikola Jokic is a "cheat code" for coach David Adelman and shares an unbelievable stat about the Nuggets' three point shooting. The addition of Jonas Valenciunas as Joker's backup will be huge. 11:51 ... Ross feels Denver had the best off-season of any team in the league and explains why. 12:43 ... Christian Braun is a high end "glue guy" who deserves more credit than he usually receives. 13:30 ... Ross wraps things up and teases the next show. TRT 13:57

0:00 ... Show open, introduction of the panel, and explanation of the "Two-a-Day" series. 1:10 ... Atlanta Hawks discussion ... many new faces join a solid crew from last season. The Hawks' front office had an incredible off-season. 3:09 ... Trae Young's contract status could be an issue. He's flawed but important. 5:30 ... Health and player development from their young returnees are key issues. 6:26 ... Asa Newell might be a rookie to watch as a 6-11 forward with a great skill set. 7:33 ... Dallas Mavericks discussion ... It's been a wild few months in Dallas and the future may be bright, but it might not happen right away. They have quality bigs with Anthony Davis, Derek Lively, and Daniel Gafford. 9:29 ... Kyrie's extended absence will prevent the Mavs from reaching 50 wins, but Bruce expects the Mavs to peak after the calendar flips to 2026 when Irving returns. PJ Washington signed a four year contract extension but if Cooper Flagg develops rapidly, Washington could become expendable. 10:40 ... Ross is concerned about the Mavericks backcourt and some shortcomings in the playmaking department. 11:48 ... De'Angelo Russell and Klay Thompson will need to create a lot of points. World B expects Flagg to be exceptional. Bruce expects the Mavs to be solid on the boards and good defensively. 16:14 ... Ross is keeping an eye on Jaden Hardy, who could be more important early on before Kyrie returns in 2026. 16:53 ... Ross wraps and teases next show TRT 17:13

0:00 .... Opening and Welcome 0:33 ... Episode #172 is dedicated to Rayan Rupert of the Portland Trailblazers who wears uniform #72 0:48 ... Cavaliers news .... Max Strus to miss 3-4 months and how injuries could affect Cleveland's season. 5:01 ... Bucks news ... Thanassis Antetokounmpo returns to the team after missing last season with an achilles injury. What does he bring to the team? 8:10 ... Jeremy Lin announces his retirement from basketball and the guys share stories of his legendary February run in 2012 for the Knicks that became known as "Linsanity." 12:27 ... Bold Predictions Segments ... Bruce on Orlando's Franz Wagner, who will be an All-Star. 14:54 ... World B on the Denver Nuggets and how they can win it all. 17:22 ... Ross says Denver's Cam Johnson will be an All-Star this season. 18:54 ... Bruce feels Neemias Queta of the Celtics will average a double-double and be one of the ten most improved players in the league. 20:16 ... World B says the Knicks will make the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. 22:04 ... Ross says Bennedict Mathurin of Indiana will average 21 points per game this season. 23:38 ... Bruce predicts that Kevin Durant will average his fewest points per game since his rookie season but will still be super effective as a clutch scorer late in games. 24:37 ... World B feels that Stephen Curry will manage one more 50 point game this season. 26:30 ... Ross predicts an American born player (Anthony Edwards) will win the Most Valuable Player award this season. 28:29 ... Bruce boldly predicts that the Philadelphia 76ers will jump from #13 to #4 in the east this season as their stars avoid serious injuries. 30:15 ... World B says Paolo Banchero will make an All-NBA Team this season as long as he meets the "games played" requirement of 65 regular season games. 31:54 ... Ross predicts Desmond Bane of the Magic will make the All-Star team with his new squad. 33:28 ... Bruce boldly predicts that Victor Wembanyama will win the Defensive Player of the Year award and the Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the third Spur after Tim Duncan and David Robinson to win the MVP. 35:33 ... World B predicts Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo will finish 1-2 in the MVP voting, but he's not saying who is number one and who is number two. 38:06 ... Ross predicts that Deni Avdija of the Portland Trailblazers will win the Most Improved Player award. Bruce agrees 100% and would have made the same prediction if Ross hadn't called "dibs" on it first! 41:13 ... Final thoughts and goodbye ... TRT 41:38

0:00 Intro 1:06 Friend of the show Michael Cooper & the Miami 305 win the Big 3 Championship! 3:19 The Eastern Conference way too early power rankings 4:08 The “No Shots” out East 12:13 Bruce unveils his latest & greatest NBA player nickname! 13:32 The Play-In Playas 23:47 The Play-offers 36:22 The Contenders 48:10 Bruce provides his final thoughts on Rick Carlisle’s contact extension with the Pacers 49:48 World B reflects on John Wall’s career 52:01 Ross shares his final thought on Chicago’s Derrick Rose Jersey Retirement night

0:00 ... Opening animation and welcome to Amar Shah ... a basketball savant, former colleague at ESPN, and longtime "brother and friend." 0:56 ... Amar's family immigrated from India and settled in Deland, Florida in the 1980s. His story really begins at the Phillips 66 gas station his father bought. 2:52 ... Amar first reached the national scene in 2018 when he wrote an Op Ed piece for the Washington Post where he wrote about his father, whom he compared to Apu from "The Simpsons." Amar explains why he wrote the piece. The story had more than 10 million engagements and resonated around the country and even the world. 6:18 ... As a 14 year old high school kid, Amar had an incredible opportunity to cross paths with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, which was his first encounter with an NBA icon. Amar shares the story of a "confrontation" with Bulls coach Phil Jackson. That encounter lit the journalistic fire in the skinny adolescent that has burned brightly for more than three decades. 11:25 ... Jackson was always fond of sending books to his players so Bruce asks Amar if he would send his books (he's published four) to the coach? 12:22 ... After the notoriety he received from his encounter with the Bulls, it helped "Teenaged Amar" to begin an incredible relationship with Shaquille O'Neal which eventually landed him on the cover of Sports Illustrated for Kids with Shaq. This story is mind boggling on so many levels. 20:15 ... As a 16 year old, Amar also had an interview with Kobe Bryant and as is usually the case with Amar, there is a great story involved. 24:26 ... Bruce asks about Amar's newest book "I Wish I Was a Baller." The book is targeted towards middle school-aged kids and Amar discusses the lessons he hoped to share with his readers. He also explains how the book evolved from its original form into a graphic novel and the process involved. 29:52 ... Amar was a production assistant at ESPN back in 2004 when Bruce first met him. The advice Bruce gave Amar and others was to be "aggressive but patient." Amar explains how he cracked that code. 32:04 ... The ESPN experience for production assistants was incredibly demanding. Amar compares it to a "Hunger Games" type of environment and how it prepared him for everything that followed in his career. 33:57 ... Amar has succeeded in creating content on many different platforms, and he shares one of his most cherished future goals. 35:09 ... His film "The Patel Motel Story" was the story of how immigrants from the Gujarat area of India came to dominate the motel industry. Amar explains the history of how this happened. 37:30 ... Much of Amar's work celebrates how Indian immigrants grabbed onto the American dream and he shares his thoughts on the pride he has in telling these distinctive stories. 38:46 ... Amar's storylines about coming of age as a teenager have resonated and he explains what a privilege it has been to have the opportunity to inspire his readers. 42:30 ... Bruce wonders if it was easier or harder to write about his own stories in "I Wish I Was a Baller" than it was to write his "Play The Game" books. All of them are "personal," but in different ways. 44:17 ... As for fan mail from the kids who read the books, Amar describes how parents have shared stories with him about how their kids consumed them. 44:58 ... Amar explains how all of his experiences on different platforms have helped him in the way he tells stories in his books. 46:18 ... After all of his accomplishments so far, what goals does Amar have for the future? 47:59 ... Amar lets everyone know how to reach him and order his books. 48:59 ... Bruce and Amar say goodbye .... TRT 49:20

0:00 .... Ross hello, welcome, and introduces the crew of Bruce Bernstein and Michael "World B" Freer." Show number 170 is dedicated to Devin Booker, who scored a career high 70 points in a loss to the Celtics back in March of 2017. 1:07 ... The NBA released the full schedule for the upcoming season and each member of the show picked three games they have "circled" on the schedule. Bruce leads us off with an opening night matchup between the Thunder and Rockets and the return of the NBA on NBC on October 21st. 2:25 ... World B chooses Warriors/Lakers on opening night, also on NBC. 3:36 ... Ross chooses Bucks/Pacers and Myles Turner's return to Indiana as a member of the Bucks. 4:20 ... Bruce is intrigued by the first meeting between the Magic and Knicks on November 12th. 5:09 ... World B looks forward to Spurs/Mavericks on October 22nd in a matchup with Cooper Flagg and Victor Wembanyama. 6:28 ... Ross looks forward to Kevin Durant's return to Phoenix on November 24th. 7:37 ... Bruce is excited about the first matchup between the Pacers and Celtics on December 22nd. 8:39 ... World B looks forward to the Christmas Day matchup with the Cavaliers and Knicks at the Garden. These are the likely top two teams in the east. 10:08 ... March 21st marks the Bucks visit to Phoenix as Ross looks forward to his yearly reunion with Giannis Antetokounmpo on his once a year visit to Ross' hometown. 11:09 ... The NBA and the Players Association are backing additional limitations on prop bets in the wake of gambling investigations involving Malik Beasley and Terry Rozier. The crew examines all the angles of basketball wagering and wonders if it's possible to put the genie back in the bottle now that sports gambling has become so mainstream. Everyone agrees that the integrity of the game can be adversely affected by gambling and the league needs to act responsibly to protect the image of the league. 21:11 ... Each panelist discusses one significant move that was made by their favorite team in the off-season. Bruce picks the Celtics signing of Chris Boucher, the 8 year veteran who comes to Boston from Toronto. 22:33 ... World B feels the Knicks hiring of new head coach Mike Brown was a major move for the franchise. He compares the hiring to the Yankees hiring of Joe Torre back in 1996. 25:00 ... Ross loves the Cole Anthony signing for his Milwaukee Bucks and adds that the acquisition of Amir Coffey will also be a major boost for the Bucks. 26:52 ... The Lakers will honor former coach Pat Riley with a statue on February 22nd. The crew wonders why the Heat didn't honor him first, but all were thankful that the sculptor who did the Dwyane Wade statue in Miami isn't doing this one. 30:09 ... Bruce recounts some of the stories Lakers legend Michael Cooper told about Riles two weeks ago when he appeared on 48 Minutes. One of the best concerned how Riley buried secret words in each player's video splits that the coach later quizzed them on. 32:33 ... Final Thoughts .... Bruce is saddened by the fact that it seems certain that Al Horford will never play another game for the Celtics. If Big Al goes to Golden State, it's highly unlikely the Celtics will retire his #42. 34:58 ... World B talked about Major League Baseball's consideration of a realignment plan to keep the fans interested in the sport. Adam Silver has also tried some things in the NBA with the in-season tournament an play in games. World B praises Silver for his efforts. 38:00 ... Ross' final thought was to discuss some trades the Suns chose not to make when they dealt Kevin Durant. Miami made an offer that the Suns turned down and everyone shared their thoughts on why Phoenix made a better deal with Houston. Phoenix also could have made a deal where they acquired an unprotected #1 pick from New Orleans next season in the Durant deal and everyone feels like the Suns will regret not doing it. 43:06 ... Bruce shouts out to Shawn Bradley, who was paralyzed in a bike accident...

0:00 Intro 1:28 Free Agency Update…Who are the big names still left & where might they be headed? 1:37 Russell Westbrook 3:04 Al Horford 6:27 Jonathan Kuminga 8:55 Ben Simmons 11:02 Cam Thomas 14:10 Josh Giddey 16:12 Quentin Grimes 18:19 Our way too early Western Conference Power Rankings 19:05 The “No Shots’ 27:08 The “Play-In Playas” 34:35 The “Play-offers” 43:04 The “Contenders”

0:00 Intro 1:03 Bruce introduces Hall of Famer & Lakers Legend Michael Cooper 2:31 Coop on his childhood memories of the Lakers growing up in the LA area 3:32 How Coop was able to develop into one of the game’s greatest defenders 4:53 Coop reflects on his lifelong friendship with Magic Johnson 7:30 Is Kareem’s GOAT case better than MJ & LeBron? 10:54 The Kurt Rambis effect on the Lakers 14:59 Coop on the family vibe, love, & culture within the Lakers organization 17:50 Will the Laker culture change now with new ownership? 19:06 Pat Riley’s biggest strengths as a coach 22:27 What did Michael Cooper learn under Jerry West? 25:14 Coop on the Lakers organization fallout with Jerry West 26:33 Having coached the WNBA many years ago, how much has the skill level changed over time? 30:29 What it was like playing against & then coaching against old rival Bill Laimbeer 32:20 Coop on the impact of both Caitlin Clark & Angel Reese in the WNBA 34:24 Will individual rivalries in the WNBA spark even more interest in the league? 36:13 What’s it like being a head coach in the Big 3? 40:00 The 4-point shot in the Big 3, could the NBA adapt that? 41:46 Coop on Marcus Smart’s potential impact on the Lakers next season 43:24 Coop on what DeAndre Ayton can bring to this Lakers team 45:45 How should Luka’s game improve now that he’s in shape? 47:18 What advice would Coop give Zion Williamson 49:04 Can Ben Simmons still be a contributor to the contending NBA team?

0:00 ... Opening animation .... Ross says hello and welcomes the panel. 0:32 ... Show #167 is dedicated to Wilt Chamberlain for a variety of reasons involving the number "67." 1:15 ... The crew discusses four restricted free agents and their prospects for their next deal. We start with Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors. 5:32 ... Cam Thomas of the Brooklyn Nets is next. 8:49 ... Quentin Grimes of the 76ers is next. 13:37 ... Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls is next. 18:45 ... Bulls head coach Billy Donovan agrees to a multi-year contract extension to stay on the Chicago bench. What does it mean for the future of the team? 23:29 ... Former number one overall pick Ben Simmons is looking for his next team and Bruce is hoping it will be with his Boston Celtics. 28:18 ... Off-Season Grades, starting in the east: The Boston Celtics are first. 31:33 ... The New York Knicks are next ... 34:29 ... Next up, the Orlando Magic. 37:24 ... Off-Season Grades, moving to the west: The Oklahoma City Thunder. 39:21 ... Next up, the Houston Rockets 43:44 ... The Los Angeles Lakers are next. 46:20 ... "My Favorite Season" ... Bruce chooses the 2007-'08 Celtics 48:22 ... World B chooses the 1993-'94 Knicks, who lost the NBA Finals in 7 games to the Rockets. 51:09 ... Ross chooses the 2009-'10 Milwaukee Bucks when he was a season ticket holder as a student at Marquette. 53:12 ... Finally the crew plays word association with the following players: Lonzo Ball, Luke Kornet, Desmond Bane, Damian Lillard, Cooper Flagg, Marcus Smart. 56:03... Ross wraps things up and says goodbye ... TRT 56:23

0:00 ... Show Open ... Ross welcomes the panel and makes his dedication of show #166 to Jonathan Kuminga and Russell Westbrook who both shot just 66% from the free throw line last season. Bruce registers his disappointment with Ross's choice and suggests someone else. 1:54 ... The Charlotte Hornets are the NBA Summer League Champions ... Rookie Kon Knueppel led the way for the Hornets and we all learned the proper pronounciation of his first and last name. The future looks promising for the Hornets after a string of losing seasons, but health will be a huge issue for the "Bugs." 7:53 ... Bruce wants to give some love to Bronny James, who looked like a different player in the Summer League and could be poised to do well this season. 9:04 .... The WNBA All Star Weekend made all kinds of news, especially with their warmup T-Shirts that said "Pay Us What You Owe Us." The crew examines why the players in the "W" deserve more money and make suggestions on who should pay it. 13:09 ... As for the WNBA All Star game itself ..... it was a big bummer ... Rookie All-Star Paige Bueckers and ABC's Elle Duncan both trashed it on the air for the lack of defense and effort .... OUCH. 15:29 ... Bradley Beal certainly got paid and also got a ticket out of Phoenix to Los Angeles. His departure from the Valley leaves lots of wreckage behind as the Suns will need to stretch $97 million of his salary over the next 5 seasons, causing a major financial hurdle for a team that needs more talent. As for the Clippers, they have a lot of old dudes and are a textbook example of a "Win Now" team. And with the addition of 40 year old Chris Paul, the clock is definitely ticking on the veteran team's "window." 22:00 ... With all the old guys on the Clippers, the crew suggests sponsors whose logos can appear on the uniform jerseys of the team. Everyone took a shot and Ross's choice of "Depends" adult diapers was the clear winner among the crew. 23:40 ... 35 year old Damian Lillard is returning to the Portland Trailblazers and with the recent acquisition of another 35 year old guard, Jrue Holiday, the 48 Minutes crew is scratching their collective heads as to what the strategy of the team will be. Does it mean that Scoot Henderson is on shaky ground with the Blazers? 28:56 ... Ross leads a discussion on Giannis and whether any of these moves might make him appreciate being in Milwaukee. 31:42 ... Former Celtic Marcus Smart will soon join the Lakers after being bought out by the Wizards. Bruce and many other Celtics fans are all "up in their feelings" over this move. 35:05 ... Victor Wembanyama has been cleared to play again after suffering from blood clots in his shoulder last season. These are exciting times in San Antonio with Wemby joining Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper on a team that will be a "League Pass Obsession." 37:53 ... The New Orleans Pelicans are looking like a hot mess tossed into a dumpster fire. They've spent the entire off season making one questionable move after another. Over the weekend, their top rookie Derik Queen suffered a wrist injury that will sideline him for three months. New boss Joe Dumars is off to a "bumpy" start to say the least. 42:35 ... Good news in Denver .... recently acquired Jonas Valanciunas has agreed to stop his pursuit of a deal with a team in Greece and will play for the Nuggets as the backup for Nikola Jokic. It's the right thing to do and the Denver fans deserve his best effort, even if he just plays one season for the Nuggets. 45:24 .... This week it's Ross's turn to try and stump his partners with this week's "Card Challenge." Some of the players that Ross used to put Bruce and "World B" on the spot were Brandon Roy, Marcus Camby, Yao Ming, David Lee, Gary Payton, Andre Iguodala, Bruce Bowen, and Dwight Howard. 53:48 ... Ross wraps things up and says goodbye ... TRT 54:05

0:00 Intro 0:49 The 48 Minutes crew react to the breaking new on Paul George’s injury & surgery 3:29 Bruce wonders whether or not Paul George is a future Hall of Famer 5:26 The Lakers are in a transition period, what’s LeBron’s future in LA? 9:29 Devin Booker’s historic 2-year max extension with the Phoenix Suns 13:34 Brad Beal’s buyout status update 18:07 The Thunder have their Big 3 for years to come! 23:14 Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown wants to play faster next year 27:41 Pacers have resigned Isaiah Jackson to beef up their center position 30:31 Cole Anthony intends on signing with the Milwaukee Bucks 34:11 Las Vegas NBA Summer League News & Notes! 35:25 The Dallas Mavericks shut down Cooper Flagg for the remainder of Summer League 38:10 The Phoenix Suns also decided to sit 2 of their top players on Sunday 40:10 One Summer League player that’s caught our eye 43:17 Bruce provides the show’s final thoughts including a sneak preview on next week’s guest

0:00 ... Open animation ... Ross Geiger welcome and introduces co-hosts Bruce Bernstein and Michael "World B" Freer. 0:33 ... Show #164 is dedicated to Phoenix guards Jalen Green and Bradley Beal, both of whom stand 6-4. 0:52 ... Norman Powell is traded to Miami, John Collins is traded to the Clippers, and Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson go to Utah ... we'll discuss the deal from the perspective of all three teams. Everyone agrees that Miami won this trade. 6:37 ... Kevin Durant is finally in Houston after an historic 7 team trade. Besides the Rockets and Suns, five other teams get spare parts and second round picks while Houston moves closer to OKC in the west and Phoenix "embraces the rebuild." 9:58 ... The Rockets made another significant trade, sending Cam Whitmore to Washington where he will have a chance to play near his Maryland home. The Wizards have made some bold moves and Bruce thinks they may be this year's version of the Pistons who could double their win total of 18 from last season. 14:28 ... What is Bradley Beal's future in Phoenix? Bruce thinks he could be a dynamic 6th man for a good team since whichever team picks him up after his buyout in Phoenix will not be paying him max money since Phoenix will be paying most of his salary. 20:53 ... The Pacers lost Myles Turner, who signed with Milwaukee as a free agent but they acquired Jay Huff from Memphis. Standing 7-1, he's not a great shot blocker or rebounder but makes 40% of his three point attempts. It will be his 5th team in 5 seasons. 24:02 ... Paolo Banchero signed a huge rookie max extension on Monday with Orlando for 5 years and almost $240 million. There will be great expectations with all Orlando's young stars signed to long-term deals. 26:22 ... Jaxson Hayes re-signs with the Lakers after being benched in the 2025 playoffs which is somewhat surprising. Will he have a good relationship with LA coach JJ Redick? It should be an interesting storyline moving forward. 29:46 ... The Knicks have officially locked up Mike Brown as their next head coach. Everyone likes the hire and his style should work well with a mature veteran team that won't mind being challenged. 32:07 ... Summer League action is underway and some of the young guys are impressing everyone right out of the gate. VJ Edgecombe of Philly scored 28 in his debut and could make an immediate impact for the 76ers. Ace Bailey of Utah had an uneven debut but showed ability at both ends of the court. 36:33 ... Nikola Topic of OKC finally made his debut on Saturday and had 14 points against Memphis. Finding minutes as a rookie with the defending champs won't be easy, but Topic has the goods to make it in the NBA. 39:08 .... The Memphis Grizzlies have a loaded Summer League roster with three rotation players participating. Ross predicts they'll be the Summer League champions. 42:31 ... It's time for the Classic Card Challenge where Bruce pulls random cards of former players and quizzes Ross and World B. Those dudes show serious knowledge and a great sense of NBA history. 51:05 ... Final Thoughts ..... Bruce on Jonas Valanciunas, who was traded from New Orleans to Denver but is trying to bolt for a Euroleague team in Greece. Bruce has always admired Valanciunas but this move shows that winning an NBA title just isn't that important to him. 52:26 ... World B on James Wiseman, who signed a one year deal with Indiana after missing last season with an achilles injury. World B is rooting for him in his comeback. 54:03 ... Ross feels the Las Vegas Summer League will be spectacular this month. 54:56 ... Ross says goodbye TRT 55:10

0:00 Intro 0:49 Ross is back & starts the show off by giving Bruce & World B a pop quiz! 2:11 Our Top 4 Teams in the Eastern Conference post draft & after the start of free agency 2:21 Cleveland Cavaliers 5:05 New York Knicks 7:50 Orlando Magic 11:21 Bruce has the Detroit Pistons in his fourth & final spot 12:18 World B likes the Indiana Pacers to round out his top 4 14:09 Ross sides with Bruce with the Detroit Pistons 15:32 Biggest winners and/or losers in the Eastern Conference 15:42 Bruce has the Atlanta Hawks as a big winner this offseason 16:31 Bruce’s big loser is the Indiana Pacers this summer 17:26 World B also has the Atlanta Hawks as big winners this summer 19:04 World B has the Milwaukee Bucks as his big loser of the offseason 22:04 Ross provides a surprising Eastern Conference team for his big winner of the offseason 23:34 Our Top 4 Teams in the Western Conference post draft & after the start of free agency 23:49 The reigning 2025 NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder 25:26 Houston Rockets 29:10 Bruce has the Minnesota Timberwolves at #3 on his board 29:45 World B has the Denver Nuggets as his third best team out West 31:15 Ross doubles down on the Denver Nuggets 32:54 Bruce touches on the Nuggets & their recent offseason moves 33:46 World B has a hot take selecting the Los Angeles Lakers! 35:04 Ross discusses why the Minnesota Timberwolves round out his Top 4 out West 36:12 Biggest winners and/or losers in the Eastern Conference 36:19 Bruce considers the Memphis Grizzlies big winners this summer 37:13 The Portland Trail Blazers are Bruce’s big losers 37:52 World B’s winner is the Dallas Mavericks 38:55 The New Orleans Pelicans are tabbed the biggest loser by World B 40:59 Ross’s big winner is the newest San Antonio Spur Luke Kornet! 42:08 Bruce provides his final thoughts on what a difference a year makes for his Boston Celtics 44:35 World B provides positive insights on the direction the Charlotte Hornets are going 46:38 Ross gets his turn to provide some optimism on the Milwaukee Bucks next year

0:00 ... Show open ... Bruce Bernstein introduces co-host Michael "World B" Freer and our special guest Dave Wohl, the former player, coach, and general manager. 0:56 ... Dave reflects on the just concluded NBA Finals series between the OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers. Dave felt that these two teams may meet again in the Finals at some point. 2:06 ... World B points out that OKC may not even have shown the best version of what they can still become as a team. Dave praises OKC GM Sam Presti for the way he built the Thunder into a championship squad. 4:36 ... Bruce points out that NBA players voted Tyrese Haliburton the "most overrated" player in the league and silly they look now. Dave explains how Haliburton's growth whas been so much fun to watch. 5:59 ... World B asks about whether the league has to address the length of the season given the number of high profile injuries. Dave explains why that may not be feasible but suggests a lengthy break midway through the season so players can mentally and physically recharge. 8:40 ... Bruce points out the uniform numbers of the three players who suffered the achilles were all "0." Dave points out how achilles injuries can be so random. 9:53 ... Shai Gilgeous Alexander was originally drafted by the Clippers and traded to OKC in Sam Presti's greatest move. Dave goes through some of Presti's moves while also defending the trade with LA due to the wishes of owner Steve Ballmer. 12:45 ... Bruce transitions to the Kevin Durant trade where he went from the Suns to the Rockets and asks Dave if this closes the gap between the Rockets and the Thunder. Dave likes the deal for Houston but thinks they may miss Dillon Brooks and his defense. 14:59 ... Did the Rockets simply give up on Jalen Green? Dave feels Durant gets them closer to a title more quickly than Green ever could. 17:17 ... How does this deal affect the future of the Phoenix Suns franchise given their bad salary situation? 19:10 ... The New York Knicks' pursuit of the coaches from five other teams has affected their relationships with a lot of teams. How much damage was done? The Knicks didn't have a plan and now whomever they sign will be their 6th or 7th choice. 21:50 ... In spite of the Knicks mis-steps, they're still a premier eastern conference team, so is it better for the NBA to have a lot of teams that COULD win as opposed to fewer elite teams like OKC that could be a future dynasty? 24:06 ... Bruce asks Dave about Tom Thibodeau's decision to bring Josh Hart off the bench and whether the fact that Hart suggested the change might have caused Knicks management to question Thibs' leadership. 27:25 ... The Lakers will be sold for $10 billion and as a former member of the Lakers organization, Dave has some thoughts on how the "Mom and Pop" nature of the team might change under a more corporate ownership. Jeanie Buss will still represent the team as their "Governor," but her input on basketball decisions might be affected. 29:54 ... How will the price tag for the Lakers affect the entry fees for the next NBA expansion teams, which are expected to be Seattle and Las Vegas? 32:08 ... Dave sounds off on what expansion teams are like to work for since he worked for the Miami Heat when they were an expansion team. He feels that expansion teams start with a clean slate and can build their own unique culture. Dave hired Erik Spoelstra as video coordinator and explains why Spo' appealed to him as a young potential hire. 34:27 ... The NBA Draft is on Wednesday night and we discuss five "bottom feeder" teams and what their goals should be in the draft. Danny Ainge and the Utah Jazz are first. 35:51 ... The Washington Wizards are next ... members of their management all worked in OKC and Dave feels they'll follow Sam Presti's model. 37:08 ... Washington is a major market while Oklahoma City is not. Does that affect the Wizards' ability to use the OKC model, which requires patience. 39:04 ... The Charlotte Hornets are...