The NBA’s 79th season tips off Tuesday, October 22nd with an opening night doubleheader. The Boston Celtics will begin their title defense against the visiting New York Knicks at 7:30 pm Eastern time, followed by a showdown between the Minnesota Timberwolves and last year’s In Season Tournament Champion Los Angeles Lakers.
The 2024-2025 NBA season figures to be an eventful one. The NBA draft brought with it some surprise trades and rookie players set to join contending rosters. Salary cap changes implemented in last summer’s collective bargaining agreement resulted in a chaotic offseason that saw more than a few All Star players relocate. The coaching carousel redistributed some old standards, and picked up a newcomer.
If you haven’t been following the news in our ongoing NBA Season thread, we’ll get you caught up with a quick recap.
2024-2025 NBA Season Preview
New Faces
There may not have been a generational, franchise-altering #1 pick among this summer’s NBA Draft, widely considered one of the weaker classes in recent history, but this year’s selections promise to impact the league in their own way.
The Atlanta Hawks managed to add 6’9” French wing Zaccharie Risacher with the first overall pick, despite finishing the year with a mere 3% chance at the top spot in the NBA Draft Lottery. The Houston Rockets, who barely missed the Play-In Tournament, likewise lucked out, as they wound up with the third overall selection from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the James Harden trade. The Rockets’ rookie, Reed Sheppard, turned heads in summer league and preseason play, presenting Houston with the enviable problem of sorting through a roster loaded with talented young players.
Rarely do players taken in the front half of the lottery have the opportunity to contribute on contending teams, but that’s expected to be the case for center Zach Edey, projected to start for the Memphis Grizzlies, and guard Rob Dillingham, taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves after a draft night deal with the San Antonio Spurs. Though taken outside the lottery, the Heat’s rookie big man Kel’el Ware looked impressive over the summer, and shooter Dalton Knecht gave Lakers fans some hope in preseason play.
Bronny James, who averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game before his college career at USC was cut short by a heart condition, was selected fifty-fifth overall by the Lakers in this summer’s draft, and made history when he shared the court with his father and teammate LeBron.
Other noteworthy rookies include Spurs guard Stephon Castle, Trailblazers center Donovan Clingan, Magic forward Tristan Da Silva, Pistons forward Ron Holland, Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, Cavaliers forward Jaylon Tyson, and French center Alex Sarr, whom the Washington Wizards’ fan(s) hope will bounce back from an uneven summer league showing that included an 0-15 shooting performance.
Trading Places
Unless you’re a fan of the Boston Celtics, your team will look different this year. Player movement in free agency and several blockbuster trades created a massive summer shakeup. Paul George signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. Karl Anthony Towns and Julius Randle switched sides in a trade that also sent Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota. DeMar DeRozan is headed back to his home state with the Sacramento Kings as part of a sign and trade deal that also sent Chris Duarte to Chicago. Dejounte Murray will suit up for the New Orleans Pelicans following a trade that forwards two future first round picks, Dyson Daniels, and Larry Nance, Jr. to Atlanta. Russell Westbrook joined the Denver Nuggets as a free agent. Chris Paul caught on with the San Antonio Spurs after being waived by the Golden State Warriors. The Splash Brothers era in Golden State ended after a sign and trade sent Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks.
Other high profile offseason transactions included a cross-borough trade in which the Brooklyn Nets exchanged Mikal Bridges, Keita Bates Diop, the draft rights to Juan Palbo Vaulet, and a future second round pick for a massive haul of four future unprotected first round picks (2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031), the right to swap picks in 2028, a top-four protected pick in next year’s draft via Milwaukee, as well as Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton, and Mamadi Diakite.
Orlando swiped key role player Kentavious Caldwell Pope from the cap-addled Denver Nuggets. The Oklahoma City Thunder added former Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein. Unsatisfied with landing Paul George, the 76ers also brought in Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, Reggie Jackson, Caleb Martin, and 2024 Olympics standout Guerschon Yabusele. Phoenix, who until recently claimed their “Big Three” didn’t need a pure point guard, brought in exactly that with Tyus Jones. The Warriors picked up Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and De’Anthony Melton. A draft day trade sent Deni Avdija to Portland and Malcolm Brogdon to Washington, which also signed center Jonas Valanciunas in free agency. Indiana took a flyer on former lottery picks James Wiseman and Jahlil Okafor. In addition to Klay Thompson, Dallas also brought in Naji Marshall, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Quentin Grimes, whom the received from Detroit in exchange for Tim Hardaway, Jr. After losing Paul George, the Clippers signed Mo Bamba, Nicholas Batum, Derrick Jones, Jr., Kevin Porter, Jr., and Kriss Dunn (via sign and trade.)
As if that weren’t enough drama, one out of every five teams changed coaches this summer. After getting swept by the Timberwolves, the Phoenix Suns fired their scapegoat, Frank Vogel, and hired former Bucks scapegoat Mike Budenholzer. The Cavaliers hired Kenny Atkinson to replace J.B. Bickerstaff, who promptly joined Detroit in relief of Monty Williams. As a reminder, the Pistons had signed Williams to a record six year, $78.5 million contract just last summer. Two former assistant coaches will make their head coaching debut this season, when Charles Lee takes over in Charlotte and Jordi Fernandez helms the Brooklyn Nets. The Los Angeles Lakers chose a less conventional path, recruiting professional podcaster J.J. Redick after a reported bid for University of Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley fell short.
Weird Cases
Josh Giddey joined the Chicago Bulls this summer as part of a trade that sent Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in what many believe was the offseason’s most lopsided deal.
A.J. Griffin, son of former Milwaukee Bucks head coach and NBA veteran Adrian Griffin, accepted a buyout from the Houston Rockets and decided to walk away from professional basketball at the age of 21 to become a minister.
Glen “Big Baby” Davis received a forty month prison sentence for his role in a conspiracy to defraud the NBA’s healthcare plan.
The 2024-2025 NBA Season promises to be a long and eventful one. Join us to discuss all the action in NikeTalk’s NBA Season thread.
I’m just not really sure what to do with Ingram. Has talent but needs the ball a lot. Doesn’t shoot 3s like you’d want and sucks defensively. Don’t get where he fits.
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Reactions earldagoatQuestion is he starting at SF or PF.
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Reactions moe200069It's revisionist yarn spinning time I see before the season kicks off :lol
Edit:
I take it back.
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Reactions toneboi76 and earldagoatI was told the new CBA is squeezing out the middle class
Reactions lovehateselfFirst off I want to thank God, Lebron Raymone James, Gloria James, Savannah and Meth for without them none of this would have been possible. I have been able to witness the GOAT take the court in the NBA and shared in his accomplishments with my fellow Brothers in Bron on NT and for that I will be forever grateful.
We’re here because I WASHED KING, have been joked, ridiculed and imprisoned because I did not bend the knee to their Fraudulent favorites the GSW. I was called a NBA fan and NT poster who can not be taken seriously due to my takes. They laughed at my allegiance to KLUTCH and even discredited my basketball knowledge. To prove my takes being correct and to fight these allegations I created a folder on my desktop to store screenshots of other users I could use at later dates during arguments. Inspired by JD617 and Rusty post 2020 election.There was no animosity behind it, no later plans for the innocent new folder on my desktop.Little did I know what it would become.
Golden State proceeds to go on another run fueled by injuries to their opposition and terrible play by the Celtics in the Finals I am banned for a month due to a wager I made with the leaders of the anti-Washed Brigade addict4sneakers and antidope. (Bigger sections on these two soon to come). After the championship parade I am not allowed to discuss any basketball on NT for a whole month. They celebrate my loss, and dance on my grave. Other members even jump in to take their jabs as well. They kick me while I’m down like the front running ***** they are. But it’s nothing I can do. They post memes and jokes about the folder being useless. You would think it would stop after the parade and I’m banned? Nope they @ me even though I can’t respond. Spitting in my face.
During that month I thought about how Bron must’ve felt after 2011, and what he would have me do. I look at that folder icon on my desktop and I notice another notification from addict4sneakers @ me 3 times in a celebratory post with that waffle colored fraud. And something inside me snapped. At that moment I decided not only was I going to return to the NBA thread after my ban, I was going to double down. I was going to turn this folder into the biggest collection of anti-Lebron, ALA, pro-Steph propaganda NT has ever seen. And when GS flames out. I’m going to collect what’s rightfully mine.
Revenge.
This is what this is. Everyone gets their turn on the Summer Jam screen. Saving the best for last.
EXHIBIT A.) Pitiful Knicks fan Coupe’ It.
Coupe It holds the title of being the first poster on the chopping block. He would’ve been further down but being a Knicks fan and living in that terrible city I figured that was partial punishment. Nevertheless, let's cover his takes. Coupe It masquerades as an objective, honest basketball fan who appreciates the game of basketball. Due to this persona he can not resist opposing me and the truth I preach by pushing false narratives that have festered in the NBA thread. He’s an easily influenced poster, a pawn if you will. But to get the kings you have to take out the foot soldiers first.
CRIMES: KLUTCH Defamation 2nd degree.
First the disrespect. He was already on my radar but this take got him a place in “The Folder”.
Perpetrator B.) Freeze
Once a proud Laker Fan, Freeze gave up the purple and gold to cross over to the bay and become an irrational GSW fan and Steph apologist. Freeze has a special place on this list as one of the most lowdown GS fanboys because not only did he hop on the bandwagon he actively rooted against and prayed on the downfall of his once beloved Lakers.A true snake if I have ever seen one. Freeze has taken Wardell agenda pushing to a whole different level that is absurd, dangerous and criminal to the very essence of what holds this thread together. A career criminal like him could have a whole manifesto of evidence just about him but we’re keeping it to his recent crimes. Plus he goes to hoop after GS losses anyways and will see this on Freeze Time regardless. If we’re being honest Freeze never got over 2016. It put a hole in his GS and Steph love that will never be filled, deep down he knows those other rings don’t hold any real weight that’s why he lashes out at Bron and the Lakers the way he does. Look at Receipt 1 from 2016, He never let that go.
He hates Bron the same way I hate my ex-girlfriend, I know what a broken heart looks like Freeze. Acceptance is the first step. This current GS flame out should show you the light that it's ok, Bron is better than Steph. Always has been and always will be. Boosting Steph to unrealistic levels won’t make it true and it won’t take away that pain you feel about 2016. You said you weren’t afraid of the Lakers in March….well it looks like you should’ve been.
You will get through this. I believe in you.
CRIMES: 2 counts of Felony GS Agenda pushing, KLUTCH Defamation 1st degree (Bubble disrespect), Treason.
EXHIBIT C.) Varnell Hill
CRIMES: 3 counts of Felony GS Agenda pushing, KLUTCH Defamation 1st degree,Treason, Asterisk Assault .
Easily one of the most out of pocket members of ALA and GS fanboys bar none. Dude has been walking around like he’s Pac, replying with posts with more asterisks than actual words. I could fill up his section with just takes from this past series but he has some older gems that need to be talked about. Dude is the Brandon Marshall of the NBA Thread just loud and wrong. But let's not just just talk about him being wrong, let's look at it instead.
This one from October 22 is easily my favorite. Especially after watching the LAKERS eliminate his bum *** Warriors the arrogance in this post is what really makes it repulsive. Sorry y’all had to see that. Then he follows that up with questioning if the Lakers will make it out the play-in? His own beloved Warriors are floundering and he’s worrying about the Lakers. Talking about the play-in, that was cute I guess how does losing to a play-in team feel? (Also take note of who likes it, they can’t help themselves if they tried)
I know this section is about Varnell Hill but to make his next screenshot make sense I have to add context and bring out his big Homie Wavycrocket (ALA General) who set him up for this next post.
Just disgustingly wrong. Shirt off in the fall while GS getting packed up.
Perpetrators D.) The BiStephuals (Dman, Friscostylz, Moe, Dman)
This section is dedicated to Steph Curry’s loyal followers. They don’t do much but repeat other pro Wardell Propaganda they get from Addict, and Wavy. Basically this. Wavy is Scar.
All 3 of those rings y’all proudly boast over Bron are now clearly void and fake. Don’t yall ever fix your mouths to mention those chips again. Then y’all have had the nerve to dismiss KD like he wasn’t the sole reason y’all won those rings. I never want to hear about those fraudulent chips again. Steph ain top 10, never was. Time for your organization to go cry in the parking lot to KD again. Here is some screenshots of their best takes.GSWK, Golden Gate bridge is trash, That Corgi can kick rocks, No one likes those Trolley Cars, the 49ers suck.
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Reactions vaphenom06, don ramon, va757va and 53 othersI’ve been here for over half my life and this community has got me through a lot and taught me a lot. Appreciate y’all.
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Reactions los2187, Jumanji, spiderjericho and 45 othersYa boy in remission. Found out today.
Still need to do one more (pretty intense) treatment though to make sure it doesnt come back, but hey.
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Reactions vaphenom06, ill 949, the coolness and 35 othersTold y’all.
Told y’all.
Nope. Give AD his respect. That’s top 75 to you. And Klay “top 76” Thompson was trash all series.
Except when it mattered most, the lakers entire strategy was let’s hunt Steph on defense. That’s all they did in game 4 & 6. The Lakers strategy was attacking Steph over feeding AD and it worked. They couldn’t stop us.
best player in the series. Your only hope was injury the entire time and y’all knew it. AD is LIKE THAT.
GIVE AD HIS RESPECT. no other big man can break the warriors offense like he just did.
Told y’all.
Elite defender Steph got targeted every time. Again.
What was that?
What was that?
What excuses?
Steph and Klay ran out of gas. I told you, your team was the old one, not ours.
ad was the best player in the series. Like I said.
Bleh bleh bleh lakers in 6. Lakers dominated this team and y’all wanted to act like it didn’t matter.
I told y’all.
Evidence was there and y’all dismissed it like we were making **** up. I told y’all.
Summer Jam Screen? You were the one talking the most ****. Thanks for Rui. Hope you enjoy Lebron and AD on the tv while which ever bum *** team you’re rooting for at the moment enjoys Cancun.
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Reactions va757va, QU!K, noblekane and 36 othersY’all thought I was finished?
🔮
🔮🔮
They had to front like he was “sick” because they didn’t want to officially bench him.
Who gets sick for over a week? That **** was lame af.
AD gave Looney THAT WORK.
Only chance he had was throwing forearms trynna injury my boy.
He was. Give him his respect.
He owns who?
Told y’all again 🔮🔮🔮
You one of the biggest lakers haters and Steph meat riders. Where you at.
Klay was the 3rd best laker. Shoutout to him.
Told y’all. 🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮
Only one team was tired. And it was the team with Steph and Klay. Told y’all.
Wrong.
TOLD YALLLLLLL
TOLD YALLLLLL
NOPE WE DONT KNOW THAT
AD BEST PLAYER OF THE PLAYOFFS
SHOW HIM HIS RESPECT
It’s going to be a fun couple of weeks for me in the bay :pimp:
WE LIVEEEEEEE
🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮
Which team was the tired team?
This is my favorite quote out of all them :rofl:
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Lakers fans
Actually...ALLLLLL Y'ALL
Alllll the refs (except Mark Davis)
:smokin
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Reactions vaphenom06, frshstunna, king j and 34 othersI've vented about a lot on here andhe made an effort to check in on a stranger that was dealing with a lot of loss over the years and just sent me these
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Reactions Public Enemy, lovehateself, allergic2broke and 35 othersI want this form filled out and returned by EOD tomorrow:
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