Final Free Agent Roundup of 2023

1.  Dennis Schroder - Don't really know why, by Schroder was moved to the bench in favor of Gary Trent Jr last night. It's not injury related, so he seems eligible. He's been eating, so if he goes back into the starting lineup he's got a very short leash
2. Cody Martin - Martin's suddenly healthy again after a full year of unknown knee problems. Plenty of Hornets are hurt, so he should see serious minutes as their plug and play, do whatever we need you to do guy
3. Vince Williams Jr - Really feels like this is gonna run its course soon, but Williams is still red hot and now coming off the bench
4. Isaiah Joe - Hit a little slump a couple weeks ago and got dropped, he's been a consistent double-digit scorer since then
5. Georges Niang - Clevelands whole damn team is hurt, so Bang Bang Niang is getting tons of minutes. His scoring is a little erratic, but his highs are worth it
6. Xavier Tillman - Bismack is still starting games for the Grizzlies. Tillman's last two games he's scored 20 and 33 fantasy points
7. Cam Whitmore - Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith Jr are out and Udoka finally unearthed Cam!
8. Jevon Carter - I'm not sure how it makes sense, but Chicago's starting center Vucevic got hurt and their third string PG Carter played double his usual minutes. Four important Bulls players are now hurt, so Carter's increased playing time should continue
9. Amir Coffey - With Kawhi out, Coffey's been playing a ton. Now, has he been doing much? No. But he's getting opportunity

Let's Fix the Pistons

 Fake Trade Season continues, and as the Pistons set the single-season record for consecutive losses at 27, we turn our attention to some realistic trades for them.

• Marvin Bagley for TJ McConnell and Jarace Walker (followed by TJ McConnell for Gabe Vincent)
• Bagley makes $12 mil a year to be a member of the most overcrowded frontcourt in the league. Pop him onto Indiana and they get a higher ceiling version of their backup bigs. He'd play real minutes while unfortunately (for us) diminishing the roles of Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson
• McConnell fills in for injured Gabe Vincent and might even get a shake at starting PG for the Lakers
• Walker is a rookie forward they can take a swing on in the rebuild, and Vincent's out for pretty much the whole year so we don't have to worry about him
• James Wiseman for Victor Oladipo
• They've gotta get Wiseman off the roster. Not that he's played that horribly, they've just got too many goddam centers. Jock Landale hasn't worked out for Houston, so maybe Udoka will like Wiseman. I've got my doubts, but a second move for the big man could spark something in him
• Vic's out for the year and on an expiring, so this is literally a roster-clearing move
• Joe Harris for Collin Sexton
• Utah's trying to lose games. Adding Joe Harris is the perfect way to do that. Plus, they clear up space on their own roster for Keyontae George
• Sexton brings what Detroit need: shot creation. Cade gets a scorer, Detroit gets a shooter, Sexton gets a green light
• Bojan Bogdanovic for De'Andre Hunter
• Atlanta get a shooting wing, Quinn Snyder reunites with Bogey, and the Bogdanovic's get to play on the same team(!)
• Detroit get a young, rock-solid defender who can (hopefully) shoot
• Killian Hayes and Monte Morris for PJ Washington
• The Hornets are abysmal defensively, and have been for years. Also, LaMelo's always hurt. Bringing in a couple of expiring contract PGs will give Charlotte more optionality going forward at that position. Also, I think Hayes fits perfectly. Gives them a point of attack defender to pair with Mark Williams in the drop, and isn't gonna take shots away from anybody
• PJ brings a younger stretch 4 to Detroit. He can shoot, fits realistically next to either of their remaining centers, and while he's not the type of player they've been drafting lately, that's a good thing, hahaha

Updated Depth Chart

1. Cade / Sasser
2. Sexton / Ivey
3. Thompson / Knox
4. Hunter / Washington
5. Duren / Stewart

Funnest Fake Trades for Us

As it is officially trade season, we're gonna run through some realistic trades and some more fantastical ones. 

Bulls go Full-Sad

• Zach Lavine for Ben Simmons straight up
• Bulls offload a huge contract for an "injured" player who doesn't wanna be there for a huge contract for an "injured" player that's half as long. They get to sell themselves on the concept of Simmons doing what Lonzo Ball did for them before he got hurt: anchor the defense, initiate the offense. Does it make sense for winning games this year? No. Should they be trying to win games this year? Probably. But if Lavine goes to Brooklyn, that will push Cam Thomas back to us, and that's all I could ever ask for

Pacers Gain Competence but Lose Shooting

• Buddy Hield for Dorian Finney-Smith
• Buddy wanted to be traded this summer. Now that he's back in the starting lineup and looking great, I'm not so sure they're still giving him up. But damn does this team need somebody other than Myles Turner who can defend. Obi Toppin is an exciting lob partner for Haliburton, and Nesmith's great to cheer for, but good god the Pacers are worse at defense than practice cones. DFS is a legitimate three and D vet who fits the needs of the Pacers. Mathurin slides back into the starting lineup (or Nesmith) and we get Obi Toppin.
• On the Brooklyn side of things, either Buddy Hield or Cam Thomas gain eligibility. That's a win-win

Spurs Get Real

• Malcolm Brogdon to San Antonio for Devonte' Graham and Doug McDermott
• If Portland are offered something this shitty for Brogdon they should just keep him. But on the chance they don't get a better offer and he wants out, they clear room for Scoot, and Dougie Buckets can hit some shots
• Spurs get an experienced point guard to help Wemby. Most teams would start Brogdon, so Pop will almost definitely keep him off the bench and very eligible to us. Imagine the assists he'd get, literally just tossing the ball near the rim

Hawks Lighten up, Knicks Shore Up

• Clint Capela for Evan Fournier
• Mitchell Robinson's out for the season, and Jericho Sims is gonna miss some real time, so at center the Knicks are currently running with Isaiah Hartenstein (I like him a lot) and Taj Gibson (yes he's still alive). If they want to do anything, they'll need an actual big. Capela's a double-double machine who can run a great pick and roll with Brunsen and can be flipped over the summer when Robinson comes back (or hung onto in case he doesn't). I actually like this fit a lot, and it keeps Hartenstein nice and eligible
• The Hawks just need to lose some dudes. I think they've got too many wings, but by losing Capela, they promote Okongwu to the starting lineup (good for them, terrible for us) and slide some of their infinite wings to backup 5. AJ Griffin might be a part of the team again

Memphis Get Bigger, Wizards...Don't

• Daniel Gafford for Luke Kennard
• 'Nard Dog just doesn't work out. He's an elite shooter if he can stay healthy and in the coach's favor, but neither of those things ever happen. Without Steven Adams, the Grizzlies have been starting Bismack Biyombo for most of the year. I'm a Biz guy, but come on now. They lose a guy who never plays (Kennard) and they bring in a functional starting center (Gafford). Xavier Tillman might get some spot starts as they work Gafford in, and Biz falls back to the fringes of our league, AKA: Old Man Team's Watch List
• The Wizards get a hypothetical shooter, and they get to really and truly tank. Starting Danillo Galinari at center is a surefire way to get higher lottery odds than even the Pistons

One That Won't Happen

• Pascal Siakim for Trae Young
• Atlanta hand the keys over to Dejounte Murray and start Capela, Pascal, Hunter, and Johnson (when he's back healthy) around him. That's a big, long lineup with clearly defined roles that gives us Saddiq Bey and keeps Okongwu and Bogdanovic eligible
• Toronto get something back for a star player! What a huge win for them. Trae clashes mightily with Scottie Barnes but if there was ever a complimentary backcourt duo it's them. This gives us Dennis Schroeder, which is great

The Warriors Turn Heel

• Gordon Hayward and Miles Bridges for Klay Thompson
• Hornets get worse, but better morally. Klay gets a fuck you year and plenty of shots. We lose PJ Washington's eligibility
• Warriors get a forward who can keep the ball moving and shoot (Hayward), and a freak athlete (Bridges) who can pair with Kuminga to keep this old team spry. Plus, Bridges meshes well with Draymond: both went to Michigan State, both take out their anger with violence. The moral pendulum swing from Klay Thompson to Miles Bridges is enough to kick the team into the final phase of a dynasty. You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain 

Free Yuta

• Yuta Watanabe for John Konchar
• Memphis get another high-character guy to put around Ja and remind everyone that they're the blue collar, grit and grind Grizzlies instead of the dumb as rocks Grizzlies. Yuta fills their need for shooting wings, and he actually gets to play, which would be music to my ears
• Phoenix get rid of a guy who's not playing at all and bring in a solid shooting guard to help with Bradley Beal constantly being hurt. Konchar plays a ton, just like I predicted he would in the Summer. Everyone wins, mostly me

Return of Jevon

• Jevon Carter and Andre Drummond for Pat Connaughton
• Bucks realize they never should've let my guy go and they bring him home where he belongs. Carter helps their nonexistent point of attack defense, and plays enough to warrant me picking him up. Drummond gives them a backup center, allowing Bobby Portis to slide to the 4, and overall crunching the rotation so they don't have to play their youngest players big minutes. Plus, he can start some games to take the burden off of 35-year-old Brook Lopez
• Pat Connaughton steps into a Bulls team in tumult. He is at worst a trade asset they can flip immediately, and at best a shooting wing who rebounds like a madman. Wouldn't start, but would help their sad bench tremendously

Free Agents as X-Men

Eric Gordon/Grayson Allen - Scarlet Witch

Sometimes she's Magneto's daughter, sometimes she's a more-or-less Russian orphan, sometimes she's really good, sometime's she's an unstoppable enemy. When the team needs her, she can shut down the fight in an instant or she can hole up and be useless. When the team least expects it, she can come in clutch or she can destroy the framework of reality. I don't know which one of these guys is gonna stay healthy and stay on the bench, but with Bradley Beal out another couple of weeks minimum, we're about to find out.

Andrew Wiggins - Cyclops 

In a time that feels like decades ago, Wiggins was an essential part of a championship-winning team. He set the tone physically, he meshed brilliantly with his teammates, and he was one of the first names on the teamsheet for his esteemed boss. Now, much like Scott Summers in the X-Men trilogy of our childhood, he's been all but killed off. He's a big name, floundering around sadly at the bottom of a very big reservoir shouting "JEAN!" Hopefully he can dust himself off and become the leader of a new unit, one with young, athletic, fun players. Uncanny players, if you'll allow the reference.

Quentin Grimes - Pyro 

This one's a little obvious, but when Grimes is hot from three he's undeniable. The main issue is that he's been hanging out with Iceman a little too much. He went on a 7-game 10-or-fewer fantasy ppg streak pretty recently, which saw him get benched for The Big Ragu. It hasn't exactly lit a fire under his ass like Thibs would've hoped, but he's still a dogged defender who's gonna shoot his way out of this slump.

Zach Collins - Mystique 

Depending on which timeline we're dealing with, Collins is ineligible, hurt, or a reliable member of the team. At the writing of this blog, he is a reliable member of the team. But he's fickle, and just as liable to get hurt or go back into the starting lineup as he is to give the Spurs a solid backup 5, it's all too confusing for me.

Isaac Okoro - Nightcrawler 

He's popped up with the starters, he's gotten big minutes off the bench, he's played 2-4, he's turned in games of 41, he's turned in games of -4. You truly never know where he's gonna BAMF up next, but with Mobley and Garland out a while, and Dean Wade currently filling in with the starters, Okoro's gonna get his chance.

Tristan Thompson - Banshee 

Look, they can't all be blockbuster material. Some of these comparisons just have to be spot-on, like this one is. Thompson's on the team as a locker room guy, someone to show the young kids the ropes, and occasionally to step in as a big body in an altercation. Back in his day he talked a good deal of shit, and he meshed with the superstars. Now, with all the injuries on this Cavs' team, he's being asked to shake off the rust and play some real minutes. Banshee's the exact same character in the comics, just trust me this is the best one I've done.

Taylor Hendricks - Jubilee

Invented for the TV show, Jubilee's got all the tangibles: killer yellow jacket, swag out the wazoo, a sparkly power no one fully understands. Hendricks was drafted pretty high by the Jazz this year, and after missing all summer with an injury, all we know about him are his window dressings. But a 6'9 shooter fits in everywhere, and if you throw out an outlier off night against the Clippers, Hendricks is averaging 19.5 fantasy ppg over six games.

Richaun Holmes - Kitty Pryde 

Dereck Lively sprained his ankle and is out Monday. Footers don't recover from ankle sprains all that quickly, even young ones, so Holmes could actually get a chance to run with the big dogs. When he is allowed to play, he's quite good. It just seems like he slips through the cracks and never gets to shine. Or, that he goes intangible when the moment comes, and no one can get ahold of him. Mostly I made this comparison because I found this sick-ass pick of Kitty.

Nathan Mensah - Magneto's Helmet

Now, am I saying Nathan Mensah is one of the most powerful mutants of all time? No. The real comparison comes from 'Neto's helmet blocking Xavier from viewing him in Cerebro. Clearly Mensah is a descendant of Magneto and got this helmet passed down to him like Harry Potter and the invisibility cloak, because this man played 29 minutes for the Hornets on Saturday in a real NBA game, and ESPN fantasy doesn't even have him as a searchable player. You cannot find him. Love this team.

Trayce Jackson-Davis - Spyke

Another character created to help push a TV show, Spyke's real power is his ability to be super radical at all X-treme sports. As a new member of the team in X-Men Evolution, he adds some spunk and swag to the identity-less X-Men. All he needs is a shot, and he'll show everyone that he can shoot disgusting bone spikes out of his elbows or something. Rookie big man TJD is looking to do just that to a Draymond-less Warriors team. Not the bone stuff, but the spunk and swag. Remember that part of the comparison? As an overreaction to one game against Portland, I think the rim-running TJD is setting himself up for serious playing time and real production. Give CP3 a big man and watch the magic happen.

Kenneth Lofton Jr - Colossus

I could've gone in much more offensive direction (The Blob) but I choose to see Kenny as he truly is: a lovable member of Thick Boi Nation whose body is a foreign concept. Can you move Colossus? No. Can you move Lofton Jr? Equally no. When either of them get a head of steam would it kill a man to stand in their way? Yes. I can't believe Memphis cut him. It broke my heart. Now he's wandering around like Peter Rasputin, but once a team (please be a fun one) picks him up, he'll transform into the unstoppable Colossus we all know him to be.

Zach Lowe's 10 Things Column But I Stole It

1. Andrew Wiggins has dropped to the bench - He's been playing pretty shittily, but if you want a big name on your team with potential to turn it around, he's certainly that. With Draymond out indefinitely and Wigs on the bench, Podz and Kuminga stepped into the starting lineup. Now they got shellacked by the Clippers, so nobody panic yet, but we're keeping several eyes on the Warrior's situation. I'll be interested to see if rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis can sneak in a few more minutes
2. Malcolm Brogdon's back to the bench - Could just be working back from a little injury, but with Simons back, Brogdon's once more on the bench. Last night Scoot went nuclear for the first time and Brogdon took a back seat to that, but I don't know how many more times we can expect that to happen. Also he's probably gonna get traded soon, right?
3. Bradley Beal is finally back and it looks like Eric Gordon is the guy who falls to us. Laser, glue guy, ideal pickup for any team. Of course, he picked up a calf injury and is questionable for tonight, and with Allen out as well it's tough to tell what their full-strength lineup is like
4. More on the Suns: Josh Okogie's also hurt, and they're really just cycling through their long list of pretty good but not stellar wings. KBD is hardly playing anymore, Yuta the Shootah's seeing the court about every other game, Nassir Little just played 27 minutes Wednesday, Chemezie Metu is starting games. Jordan Goodwin's seemingly earned Vogel's trust, but when Booker, Beal, Gordon, and Allen are all healthy, will he play at all? His saving grace so far is that all four of those guys being healthy at the same time is apparently impossible
5. Jaden McDaniels is back so the Wolves are back to full strength and NAW is fully eligible
6. Duop Reath is still on a heater. He's center #43 in the NBA in fantasy points and he's put up 20+ in five of his last six games
7. George Niang has been dropped in our league for a recent run of -6, 7, and 2 while still playing great minutes for a hurt Cavs team. Before that he scored 20+ in 9 of his last 12 games, though. The form's gonna turn back soon
8. Detroit. Oh boy. Duren's still out and now Bagley's hurt too, so, like a Rattata, James Wiseman has appeared again. He's putting up good numbers because of course he is
9. James Johnson is back in Indiana. If you think he's gonna play at all, you're probably right. Carlisle loves his old guys, and somehow the organization thinks he's gonna help their defense. I wouldn't count on enough minutes to matter to us, though
10. Ja's back on the 19th. I still don't know what this means for us, but it'll shake up something

Fight Chart

 It's fight week, apparently. Between Draymond hitting the 360 punch on Nurkic, Giannis going full Isaiah Stewart on the Pacers, and Ja coming back soon, David Stern is rolling in his grave. Let's break down what's going on real quick, then get into a fun little chart.

• Draymond's suspended indefinitely - That's a big scary word that means almost nothing. Would I be surprised if it's 10, 15, even 20 games? Absolutely not. Would I be stunned if he came back in 5? Also no. This suspension doesn't really affect our league because pretty much everyone on the Warrior's bench is rostered
• Giannis going Beef Stew - Meaningless for now, but meaningful before the trade deadline because it's further evidence that although the Bucks are winning, things are hardly hunky dory
• Ja returns soon - The Grizzlies are so banged up that I genuinely don't know what's gonna happen to their starting lineup. I love that Isaac's already picked up Ja in a wild hope that he'll come off the bench even one time
• Mitchell Robinson's out 8-10 weeks - Again, Thibs hates his bench, but 8-10 weeks is an awfully long time to play 7 dudes, so we're probably gonna see some Jericho Sims soon

Alright, now a chart

Week 8 Whip-Around

 After a weird week of on-again off-again basketball, we return with fervor to a poorly-organized bulleted list:

• Bradley Beal's eyeing a return this Tuesday, and if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you. This will (God willing) deliver us either Eric Gordon or Grayson Allen. Now, KD's gonna have to be healthy at the same time as Beal for this to happen, so don't hold your breath. But for now, keep a very close eye on Gordon and Allen
• The Magic continue to be incredibly hurt at guard, so Gary Harris is getting some very real minutes
• Chicago have won four straight after Lavine got "hurt." Patrick Williams is back in the starting lineup (sorry Will), Caruso's got a toe and ankle injury so he's doubtful for tonight, Jevon Carter has hardly had an impact but if ever he's going to it could be right now
• Evan Mobley's out with knee soreness tonight (second straight game he's missed), and LeVert's out too. Take your pick of Isaac Okoro or Dean Wade for tonight at least, and possibly longer. Knee injuries don't exactly go away for 7-footers. Also, my guy Craig Porter (second highest pick and roll success rate in the league) should get a look
• Kyrie, Grant Williams, and Josh Green are hurt. It's break the glass time on Jaden Hardy. Dante Exum is somehow eating, so look into him too
• I wish I could understand what Detroit's up to. With Bogdanovic back and Duren hurt, they continue to shift the lineup in ways that defy comprehension. Alec Burks is playing a little again, so that's nice I guess
• Jarred Vanderbilt's back and seems confined to the bench for now. Minutes are low, but he's an important piece for the Lakers
• I don't know who the fuck Vince Williams Jr is, but if you wanna ride the lightning with the random Grizzlies player of the week, it's him right now
• Bam, Herro, and Highsmith are out for the Heat. Orlando Robinson's a good pickup since they've just completely given up on Thomas Bryant
• Mitchell Robinson's got an ankle issue. Thibs hates his deep bench, so they'll probably just play Hartenstein 40 minutes, but if the issue continues it might be Jericho Sims time
• Alright but for real, when's this Josh Giddey stuff gonna hit the fan?
• Don't ask me why, but Marcus Morris is getting some minutes for Philly
• Utah are exactly the clusterfuck I thought they'd be last year. Can't tell who's starting, who's hurt, who's good. Take a swing if you feel bold

Some Bonus Stars!

The Dylan Thomas Bonus Star for writing me a lovely little poem after beating me this week goes to Steven

The Bill Yoast in Remember the Titans Bonus Star for betraying your convictions and dropping a white man off the team goes to Michael for dropping Duncan Robinson for eligibility purposes

The J Rock Don't Play Me For A Fool, Muh'fuckas Who Look Like That Is Definitely Not OFF the Cheeseburgers; Muh'fuckas Who Look Like That is Definitely ON the Cheeseburgers Bonus Star for telling me you were gonna drop Miles Bridges and then not dropping Miles Bridges goes to Isaac

The Even a Blind Squirrel Finds a Nut Bonus Star for winning your first game goes to Jalen

All Jokes No Facts

In a wonky week of no games one day, two games the next, and 835 games the next, I hopped on the Bing AI image creator and put together some masterpieces for ya'll.

Gotta hand it to 'em, Bing nailed this one 

Bing has no idea what Lord of the Rings is

Godzilla just wants to hoop

The Dude

Pikachu cheating

It has a true grasp on The Matrix

"Bugs Bunny getting his hair braided on the sidelines of an NBA game." Bing is white

King Kong vs Donkey Kong in Hong Kong

Little Red Riding Hood in the most confusing of situations

Need Raven's sneakers

Bing seems to think Kitty Pryde is a sexy version of Spider-Girl

And with that, I'm out of free fast images. Merry Christmas

Free Agents and Injury Updates

 Injury Updates

• Trey Murphy's back and making up for lost time. So long as the Pelicans stay healthy (they still don't have Nance) they become a lot less interesting to us. Players like Dyson Daniels, Naji Marshall, and Jordan Hawkins should fade back into the depths of the bench, sadly
• Kelly Oubre's allegedly back this week. Realistically, this doesn't change much for our league, aside from making Isaac's team a helluvalot stronger
• Jarred Vanderbilt is probable for tonight. This could be big for us, or it could mean nothing. The Lakers have lately been starting Max Christie or Cam Reddish at the 2, here's how it could play out, once Vando's fully healthy
• Vando starts, Prince goes to the bench (where he becomes a hot commodity for us)
• Vando starts, Prince moves up to the 2, Cam Reddish drops back to the bench (where he becomes a better-than-expected-but-still-risky pickup for us)
• Vando starts over Prince, and in order to balance his lack of shooting, Reeves returns to the starting lineup for Reddish. We get two options, Isaac loses one, and the Lakers play the lineup that got them to the conference finals last year
• Vando comes off the bench and provides the backup 4/5 the Lakers have been missing (where he becomes a low-ceiling but consistent option for us)
• Kristaps Porzingis is aiming to return this week, which would kill Kornet (who had 4 blocks last night!)
• Anfernee Simons' return is day-to-day. The Blazers have one of the more malleable lineups in the league, so they could go anywhere. One thing we do know, is Simons is gonna start. Brogdan, Sharpe, or Camara could drop to us, all of which would be highly coveted, and I cannot recommend any of them enough.

Free Agent Roundup

1. Brogdan, Sharpe, or Camara - Seriously, keep an eye on the Blazers and get whichever of these guys doesn't start. They've all been killing it
2. Santi Aldama - The Grizzlies stink, and as of late they've moved Aldama back to the bench to try and do something I guess, I don't know. This poor organization. Aldama's a shoe-in for 10 and 7 with a block or steal every night, so go after him
3. Brandin Podziemski - Podz, still coming off the benc, has played 31 and 37 minutes in the Warrior's last two games. In those games he's scored 26 and 37 fantasy points
4. Whoever the Pistons drop for Bogey - Talked about this last week, but it's looking likely it'll come into play soon. Whether it be Duren, Stewart, (wince) Hayes, or Ivey, someone who plays a lot of minutes and is important to this organization is gonna become eligible quite soon
5. Troy Brown Jr - With McDaniels still out and Ant taking it slow with his hip, Brown's gotten some solid minutes. It's a short-term play, but he's looked good

No Jokes Just Thoughts

 Gents,

It's Friday, and we've got some shake-ups to mull over.

• Detroit
• Bogdanovic is eyeing a return tonight. As he is arguably the only person on the team who can shoot the ball, you sort of have to assume he'll find his way into the starting lineup pretty quickly. As of now he's not a surefire starter, so feel free to pick him up if you'd like. In the long term, however, his inclusion means the eligibility of one of Detroit's starters will open up. It could honestly be any of them other than Cade, but here are my conjectures, more or less ranked in order of likelihood
• Jalen Duren - He rocks, we know this, but he can't shoot and he's been a little unhealthy this year. Bogey can't move like he used to, so it follows that they'd slide Stewart to the 5 and drop Bogey into the 4 spot
• Ausar Thompson - Listen, I'm not willing to entertain any option that lowers Thompson's minutes. He's one of my favorite players in the whole league, and he's their future just as much as Cade is. But they've lost about 45 games in a row, and something's gotta change
• Jaden Ivey - Recently took back his starting spot over now quite eligible Killian Hayes, Ivey is a decent option to return to the bench. Ausar moves to the 2, Bogey steps into the 3. Do I love the lack of ball-handling that would bring? No. Do I think Bogey's mobile enough to be a 3? Also no. But it's certainly an option
• Bogey - Bogey staying on the bench doesn't make a ton of sense, unless they're bringing him back gingerly from this injury. As both a trade asset and a hopefully helpful member of this team, it makes all the sense in the world for them to make sure he's healthy
• Chicago
• Trade season is upon us, Lavine and DeRozan just sat out a game, so brace yourself for all types of moves in the windy city. Here are my guys to look out for
• Jevon Carter! - If the Bulls lose Lavine and Caruso and don't take back any guards, they've got the Reason for the Season just waiting on the bench #treadmillmentality
• Ayo Dosunmu - Feels like a starter once they shake things up, but we'll see
• Dalen Terry - They need to figure out if this was an absolute whiff of a draft pick or not. If things get rocky, he should play
• OKC
• Really not looking like there's gonna be much fallout for Giddey. The family of the underage girl he allegedly slept with isn't cooperating with the police. That could mean any number of things
• Giddey's paid them off
• They just want it all to go away, they're tired of the public eye
• They're dumb
• But it doesn't seem to point towards innocence. We'll monitor the situation
• Charlotte
• LaMelo's on a week-to-week basis, Brandon Miller just missed a game, they're shopping Gordon Hayward. This team could very well look weird for a while
• Bryce McGowans - The only trusted guard left in the backup rotation
• Clippers
• It's too soon, but is it ever too soon?
• Free Terance Mann - My guy's drowning in this starting lineup. He never gets the ball, he doesn't get to shoot, he's wasting away. They won't trade him, but I want them to
• Free Bones Hyland - My guy has been banished to the far reaches of the bench and it's a damn shame
• Free Russ - He's the heartbeat of the team but how long is he gonna like coming off the bench, being left out of the big three, not playing crunch time? He's a peacock, you gotta let him fly on this one!

That's all for now, but you know how it goes. Keep your ear to the ground.