The Bill Simmons Podcast Sleeping on Jokic, Marveling at Phoenix, and Wondering About Porzingis With Bob Voulgaris
Feb 18, 2022
Haralabos Voulgaris, a former NBA executive and analytics expert, dives into the Mavericks' departure from Kristaps Porzingis and the frightening rise of the Suns. He discusses shifts in NBA team strategies over the last two decades, including small-ball trends and the evolving role of centers. Voulgaris also provides insights on the MVP-caliber season of Nikola Jokic and analyzes potential playoff scenarios. The conversation takes a turn toward modern finance with thoughts on Bitcoin and NFTs, blending sports with investment trends.
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Porzingis Trade
- Bill Simmons admits misjudging the Porzingis trade due to the unforeseen impact of the knee injury.
- He highlights the challenge of big men recovering from major injuries, citing examples like Yao Ming and Ralph Sampson.
Center Value
- Bill Simmons and Haralabos Voulgaris discuss the decreasing value of traditional centers in the modern NBA.
- They agree that the league's emphasis on three-point shooting and spacing has diminished the importance of centers.
Centers as Running Backs
- Centers are becoming like running backs in the NBA—expendable and not worth high salaries.
- The prevalence of three-point shooting and spacing has made traditional, non-ball-handling centers less essential.