Jovan Buha and Jon Krawczynski join the show to discuss Team USA's performance in the FIBA World Cup, the future of American basketball, Austin Reaves' potential role with the Lakers, and the upcoming season's expectations and challenges.
Austin Reeves proved his worth as a reliable scoring option for Team USA, showcasing his offensive skills with shooting splits of 56%, 50%, and 94%.
The Lakers' starting lineup is highly regarded as one of the best in the league, increasing their chances of a successful season, but they still need to acquire a defensive-minded big man to address concerns in interior defense and rebounding.
Deep dives
Austin Reeves performs well offensively in team USA
Austin Reeves had a positive experience playing for Team USA, despite some defensive struggles. Many questioned his inclusion in the team, but he proved his worth by being the second leading scorer behind Anthony Edwards and showcasing his offensive skills with shooting splits of 56%, 50%, and 94%. Reeves demonstrated that he can be a high-level role player and a reliable scoring option, particularly when LeBron James and Anthony Davis are off the court. His offensive contributions make him a valuable asset to the Lakers and a potential rising star in the league.
The Lakers' position in the Western Conference
The Lakers are considered the third best team in the Western Conference, behind the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns. Though the Lakers made the conference finals last season and have made improvements in terms of shooting and depth, they still face concerns in the interior defense and rebounding departments. The addition of Christian Wood and Jackson Hayes does not fully address these issues, and the Lakers will likely need to acquire a defensive-minded big man to bolster their frontcourt. However, their starting lineup is highly regarded as one of the best in the league and increases their chances of a successful season.
The variance of the Minnesota Timberwolves' performance
The Minnesota Timberwolves' performance this season is marked by a high level of variance. If their players mesh well and they address their spacing issues, they have the potential to be a top-four seed in the Western Conference. However, if they struggle to find cohesion and Rudy Gobert continues to underperform, their positioning could drop to the ninth or tenth seed. The Timberwolves' success heavily relies on the development of Anthony Edwards, who needs to take a significant step forward to raise the team's floor. Overall, the Timberwolves' performance remains uncertain, with a considerable range of possibilities.
Sam Amick is joined by the Athletic's Jovan Buha and Jon Krawczynski to discuss Team USA through an NBA lens, how Anthony Edwards play will translate to the season, is Austin Reaves too harshly criticized? and more