Game Theory Podcast

Danny Leroux joins the show today to break down the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline by diving into the targets that could be available at the deadline. Who are the real move pieces that could shift the title race in what has turned into an exceedingly cluttered year across the NBA? Are there real sellers? Who are some of the players that actually could come available, and how much of what comes out publicly right now is posturing? We chat about the Raptors players, the evolving Bojan Bogdanovic race, and the questions about whether or not guys like Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner are even available?Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/theoryGo to HelloFresh.com/theory22 and use code THEORY22 for 22 free meals plus free shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Schindler is here! It's time for midseason All-NBA choices now that multiple teams have played at least 41 games this year. We break down our picks for first team, second-team, and third-team All-NBA, and some of the candidates for each slot.But first, we start on the Houston Rockets, and why Sam thinks it might be time for a change down there, and we finish with Brice Sensabaugh, a fascinating one-and-done player that might end up as a lottery pick by the time it's all said and done this season. Oh, and Mark gives a solid Georgetown rant at the end of the show.Get 3 months free with a one-year package at expressvpn.com/THEORYCancel unwanted subscriptions – and manage your expenses the easy way – by going to RocketMoney.com/THEORY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Adam Spinella joins the show to dive into the 2022-23 NBA Rookie class. We chat Paolo Banchero, Dyson Daniels, Keegan Murray, AJ Griffin, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, Jalen Williams, Jeremy Sochan, Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey, and plenty, plenty more!Get 3 months free with a one-year package at expressvpn.com/THEORYCancel unwanted subscriptions – and manage your expenses the easy way – by going to RocketMoney.com/THEORY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, The Volume's Jason Timpf joins the show for the first time! Jason comes on and chats about the MVP race, with this week marking the midseason point as most teams get to their 40th game of the year. In what is currently the most wide-open MVP Race that I can remember in years, with something like eight legitimate candidates plus a few others hanging on the periphery of the proceedings, how would we cast out 1 through 5 votes right now?But first, we start with the Lakers, a team without Anthony Davis and in the midst of having to make some real decisions regarding its future both for this season and the next over the course of the next 40 days. We dive deep into why Kyle Kuzma makes the most sense on this Lakers team among potential targets.Cancel unwanted subscriptions – and manage your expenses the easy way – by going to RocketMoney.com/THEORYGet 3 months free with a one-year package at expressvpn.com/THEORY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Schindler joins the show, and we dive into the biggest takeaway from 2022 in the NBA: this is the year that redefined what a star is within the league. The talent level has never been higher. We dive into why this season has seen the biggest overlap of superstardom eras, and if this is an outlier year or if it's a thing to continue within the league moving forward. How the overlaps of the Curry/KD/LeBron era, the Jokic/Giannis/Embiid era, and the Luka/Tatum/Zion era of stars has led to such a dominant stretch of stardom in the NBA this season.Then, we move to the Nuggets. Why are the Nuggets legit contenders to win the title? How special is Nikola Jokic? Why have they been as successful as they've been recently winning 8 out of 10?Finally, we do a Cam Whitmore breakdown. What has the potential top-five pick out of Villanova shown in his first few games? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam Spinella joins the show this week to chat about improvement areas for 2023 NBA Draft prospects, this time in New Year's Resolution form. What are some of the ways top prospects in the class like Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, Amen Thompson, Anthony Black, Ausar Thompson, Cam Whitmore, Nick Smith, G.G. Jackson and many, many more can take their games to the next level? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Adam Spinella is here and we're doing to dive into some topics within college basketball and the 2023 NBA Draft. And to do so, we're giving out superlatives!Best Team so far! Fastest Rising Upperclass prospect! Surprise one-and-done prospect! Biggest question marks in CBB? Biggest disappointment? We hit on everything from the Connecticut Huskies to the Duke Blue Devils to Maxwell Lewis and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sam Vecenie is joined on this episode of the Game Theory Podcast by Ricky O'Donnell and Samson Folk in a two-part episode. In the first part, Ricky joins to talk about the Chicago Bulls, who beat the Heat last night but have only moved to 12-18 and are struggling fairly immensely despite health. We discuss whether or not this team should entirely blow it up, and what some potential moves could look like. How could they go about starting to rebuild?Then, Samson Folk from Raptors Republic joins the show, and we break down the Raptors, who are on a six-game losing streak. Why are they struggling? Is there a reason to be bullish on them moving forward? What's going on with the offensive execution? Is it roster construction or coaching? How should the team adjust? Should they go out and buy at the trade deadline, and what should that look like? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a reversion of the usual schedule, Mark Schindler is here to break down a few different topics. First, we start with something I have a vague idea about scrolling through Twitter and looking at fans' pages: are NBA fans more engaged in nightly results from their team than ever? Why would that be? It seems like fans are living and dying more than ever with the results of games before Christmas, so Mark and I explore what's happening.But then we move onto the big news, which is Anthony Davis being out for a month. What should the Lakers do?Then, we move to Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets, a team that is on fire since Jacque Vaughn took over for Steve Nash. What's going on with the Nets? And just how realistic is a Kevin Durant MVP push?Finally, we finish with a Keyonte George scouting report, and a quick note on recent NBA retiree Tyrell Terry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

James Edwards from The Athletic is here to break down a few different things across the NBA. First, we chat about how Maxi Kleber's injury will impact the Mavericks, and where they're headed. Then, we chat about Cade Cunningham. What does Cade's injury mean for the Detroit Pistons here moving forward? Do they know enough to call him the out-and-out centerpiece? What questions remain to be answered about his game? Additionally, what is going on with the Killian Hayes resurgence that is one of my favorite stories around the NBA? Then we chat briefly about the Hornets, a mess. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Schindler is here and we're diving deep across the NBA. First, we're going to start with Jaren Jackson, whose emergence for the Memphis Grizzlies from elite defensive player into "best defensive player in the NBA" has pushed them to the top of the Western Conference again.Then, we're going to talk about some NBA teams, and some potential shake-up trades across the league, particularly in regard to the Mavericks and the Heat. What teams need to make a move? We'll also chat a bit about the Eric Gordon/KJ Martin/Jae Crowder idea that was reported by Shams Charania this week.Finally, a Jarace Walker breakdown! What makes the Houston forward prospect such an intriguing 2023 NBA Draft proposition? We'll also talk a bit about Brandon Miller, given that the two played this weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Adam Spinella joins to break down the race for the No. 3 prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft. Assuming that Victor Wembanyama goes No. 1, and Scoot Henderson is the second-best prospect, who is the third-best? Is it Cam Whitmore? Is it Amen Thompson? What about Nick Smith and Brandon Miller? Anthony Black and Ausar Thompson?Then, we dive into Tank Watch. What's going on with the Washington Wizards? And why Louisville gets a special mention in Tank Watch for the sheer disaster with the Cardinals right now.Then, we give out Game Theory Prospect Of The Week awards, and we do FOUR of them because we've taken the last couple of weeks off. We talk Taylor Hendricks, followed by Donovan Clingan, Tucker DeVries and Arthur Kaluma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dave DuFour from The Athletic joins the show! And we dive into NBA Contender tiers. As in: which teams do we think have the best chance to win the NBA title as presently constructed? Which teams need to make moves to get into that mix? We dive into the Celtics, Bucks, Warriors, Clippers, Cavaliers, Suns, Pelicans, Nuggets, Grizzlies and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Schindler joins the show to talk about some birds. First, we chat about the New Orleans Pelicans, a team that has a case as the deepest team in the NBA and one that is playing exceptionally well right now. Then we move to the Hawks, a team struggling with injuries that also has some weird stuff seemingly happening. Then, we move to the Raptors, who aren't birds but birds are descended from dinosaurs so they count anyway. What's going on with Scottie Barnes? We dive in and try to figure it out. Finally, we finish with Mark Schindler's prospect of the week, Michigan's Jett Howard, a fascinating player that has drawn real top-20 attention so far this season at Michigan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I'm joined by Adam Spinella where we decide to dive deep into what has been a disappointing 2020 NBA Draft and re-draft it. What order should that class have gone in? Should Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, LaMelo Ball, or Desmond Bane go first? What about guys like Tyrese Maxey and Devin Vassell? Where do James Wiseman and Killian Hayes fall to? All that and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dear friend of the program Fred Katz joins the show to talk about a few different topics. Our plan is to start with a quick word on the Al Horford extension, talk a bit about Jayson Tatum's incredible run. We also give a brief MVP Power Ranking.Then, we want to dive into the Knicks, and just try to figure out what exactly they are? What are they doing? What is their plan here moving forward? Then we'll get into a couple quick things, and talk Karl Towns' injury and how that impacts Minnesota.Time Stamps:-Open is an Al Horford Appreciation following his extension: 0-12:00-Jayson Tatum and MVP Power Rankings: 12:00-31:00-Knicks: 31:00-1:06:00-Towns Out, Timberwolves Outlook: 1:06:00-end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Schindler joins the show! We chat about potential first-time all-stars for the 2023 NBA All-Star game. Who is shaping up to potentially make the event for the first time by leveling up? Can Tyrese Haliburton, De'Aaron Fox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others continue on this run. Are there are there any other potential dark horses that could rise up? Also, thoughts on GG Jackson at South Carolina and his first few games! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Adam Spinella joins the show to talk about everything we saw during Feast Week. From the Maui Invitational to all of the Phil Knight Invitational events, we dive into guys like Brandon Miller, Anthony Black, Dereck Lively, Purdue and Zach Edey, Battle 4 Atlantis and the big Julian Phillips game we saw, Gradey Dick and Kansas playing well at times, Gonzaga not being quite up to par yet, then also the Maui Invitational where Arizona won behind its bevy of prospects, Arkansas looked great, and Creighton battled to the title game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Mark Schindler joins the show to break down six of the biggest breakout players in the NBA thus far in 2022-23! Who has really stepped their game up in the first month of the season? We dive into Desmond Bane, Lauri Markkanen, Bol Bol, Kevin Huerter and many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam Spinella joins Sam Vecenie to break down the first major weekend of college basketball, including Kentucky-Gonzaga, Virginia's games against Illinois and Baylor, UCLA's games against Baylor and Illinois, Houston-Oregon, and way more. We look at it from a prospects perspective with a deep dive into all of the action that occurred across the country, in addition to just talking hoops about some good, fun teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices