Game Theory Podcast

The Athletic's Jovan Buha joins the show and we break down where the Lakers stand now in the offseason. LeBron James has signed his extension. Russell Westbrook is still on the roster. Where does the team go from here? What does the team's current closing lineup look like? Where do they sit in the Western Conference hierarchy? All that and more for one of the most fascinating, active teams in the league with one of the people who knows the Lakers best. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam Spinella AKA Coach Spins joins and we chat about a few different team-building constructs within college basketball. First, we ask the question: Do recruiting rankings matter? We discuss the ways in which they're dissected and talk about what matters and what doesn't within them.Then, we chat about team-building in general in college basketball today. Do you focus on the transfer portal or recruiting? How does NIL factor in at this point? How should coaches worry about continuity versus flexibility with roster spots? A lot of complicated factors heading into basketball at this point.Then we do a mailbag, and prospects of the week, including a rant about the Pittsburgh Pirates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Matt Pennie joins the show for the FINAL time and we explain what's going on and what has prompted this sad change. Additionally, we announce the new addition to the Game Theory family, Adam Spinella of Coach Spins fame!Then, I bring Coach Spins in, and we talk about two things: first, we focus on the Kevin Durant to the Celtics rumor that emerged early this week. Then, we dive into G.G. Jackson's decision to reclassify and attend South Carolina for the 2022-23 season, thus making him eligible for the 2023 NBA Draft. What is his game? How valuable does he project to be in the SEC this season? And why we both really love his defense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is focused on two topics: Donovan Mitchell and Russell Westbrook. Fred Katz has covered both of these topics extensively, so he joins to dive in. First, we chat about Mitchell and how the Jazz-Knicks trade talks are probably a bit more complicated than they would appear on first glance. Then, we focus on a simple question: should the Knicks be willing to go all-in for Mitchell?Our second topic is Russell Westbrook, a fascinating conversation about a player who, for my money, has been the most interesting NBA player of his era. Inscrutable and non-communicative, yet undeniably productive, Russ has now been moved around a ton and just recently parted ways with his long-time agent. Where does Russ's career go from here? Should it continue with the Lakers, or go on elsewhere? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Adam Spinella aka Coach Spins from The Box and One joins us to break down a number of NBA things. First, we start for 15 minutes on the Deandre Ayton saga ending, with the Suns matching his max contract extension. Then, we ask the simple question: who has been the best player at Summer League? We both have the same answer.Finally, we break down the rookie class at Summer League, diving deep into who has performed well, with dives into all of the top-six picks as well as a lot of other players. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a special Game Theory Podcast episode! Potential 2023 lottery picks Amen and Ausar Thompson are here to break down their own tape with Sam Vecenie. First, they introduce themselves to an NBA audience and give a bit of background on themselves and on their games. Then, we dive into tape together, with the Thompson explaining some of their best, most fun highlights of the 2021-22 season! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Caitlin Cooper from over at Indy Cornrows and SB Nation joins the show. Caitlin is one of the few people that I think legitimately makes me sound dumb when she talks about basketball, so I had her on to talk about Deandre Ayton, what Phoenix seems to be doing with Ayton, and why the Pacers make a ton of sense if they do indeed decide to give him a restricted free agency offer, as has been reported. Then, we chat a bit about Donovan Mitchell, how all of the Ayton, Mitchell, Kevin Durant stuff could be connected, and how his game fits with a potentially different organization, particularly the Heat and Knicks. Then, we chat a bit about Summer League, including Caitlin's impressions of Benn Mathurin and Keegan Murray. Oh, and some love for two of her favorite players at the end, Tyrese Haliburton and Domantas Sabonis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Sam Vecenie is joined by Andrew Schlecht, where they dive into Chet Holmgren's Summer League debut last night, which was a monster game that has the hype train firmly off the rails. Then we chat NBA offseason. I did some research and we do a bit of a deeper dive into the Rudy Gobert trade to Minnesota, explaining why maybe this might make more sense than immediately meets the eye. Then, we dive into why Kyrie to LA just kinda continues to make sense in my mind. We then close on Deandre Ayton, and why we're baffled that teams don't seem to have as much interest in him as we would despite him being a 17/10 guy while shooting 63 percent from the field and playing good defense on the best team in the NBA last season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Shamit Dua of Boot Crewe Media joins the show and we do a substantial deep dive into 2022 NBA Free Agency and the offseason. We start with the Rudy Gobert trade. Why we're skeptical for Minnesota, and why it's a great deal for Utah.Then, the Kyrie-for-Russell Westbrook report came from Chris Haynes while recording, so we dove deep into that, explaining why this is the kind of deal that just kind of makes sense for everyone involved given the weird stages of both organizations. Then, we move to the Malcolm Brogdon trade.Then, we go, in order: Portland's free agency moves, the Knicks signing Brunson and Mitchell Robinson, the 76ers having a normal offseason!, Milwaukee's smart moves, the Tyus Jones deal, Golden State's moves, the Raptors bringing back Chris Boucher and Thad Young, the Lakers bringing in JTA, Walker and Brown, the weird Mo Bamba re-signing in Orlando, Marvin Bagley's deal in Detroit, DORT's extension versus Jae'Sean Tate's extension, Malik Monk, Bruce Brown, Ricky Rubio.Finally, we then dive into the rampant Kevin Durant speculation portion of the episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Schiffer joins Sam Vecenie to break down the massive Brooklyn Nets news that Kevin Durant has asked for a trade. They dive deep into a number of topics, from how this all went down, why it happened, what it all means for KD and Kyrie, and of course, we jump into the fake trade well and try to come up with the best deals for KD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices