Robbie Stratakos Articles - Page 4

Is six games a small sample size? Yes, it is. With that said, the Phoenix Suns look like a well-oiled machine. Head coach Monty Williams’ squad has won five of its first six games this season. Three of those wins have come against teams that participated in the Western Conference playoffs last season (Dallas Mavericks, […]

The Indiana Pacers are off to a respectable 3-1 start this season. In doing so, they’re averaging an impressive 116.3 points per game while shooting an astounding 51.8 percent from the field. That’s nice and all, but, at the end of the day, if this team is going to finally break through in the playoffs […]

Several contract extensions have been handed out in the NBA across the last week. Which ones are worth the price of admission? Toronto Raptors and OG Anunoby (four-year, $72 million deal): Not worth it Continuity is vital in building a contender, and Anunoby has spent his entire career with the Raptors. With that said, this […]

If the Miami Heat are going to repeat as Eastern Conference champions, they’ll need a monster season from second-year guard Tyler Herro. The Kentucky product put together an impressive rookie season. He flashed an ability to fearlessly attack the rack, shoot off the dribble, stick outside jumpers, and play in isolation. Herro averaged 13.5 points […]

The Philadelphia 76ers unclogged the toilet this offseason. What the heck does this mean? They created roster balance. On draft night, the Sixers traded big man Al Horford, who’s one season through a four-year, $109 million deal, the 34th pick in last month’s NBA Draft, the rights to Vasilije Micic, and a future first-round draft […]

James Harden’s disgust with the Houston Rockets continues. How does this quagmire conclude? Here’s a thought: how about the Indiana Pacers acquire Harden? Yes, the Pacers have been bounced out of the first round of the playoffs in each of the last five seasons. Also true: Harden reportedly wants to play for a contender. Simultaneously, […]

The Western Conference is stockpiled with formidable powerhouses, therefore leaving a large group of young teams coming up short on a yearly basis. Some of these teams aren’t even bad—they’re just not as good as their conference counterparts. The Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, and […]

Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal now share a backcourt with the Washington Wizards. They also spearhead a Washington team that will be a player in the Eastern Conference this season. First and foremost, the Wizards trading John Wall and a future first-round draft pick to the Houston Rockets for Westbrook is a worthwhile move on […]

Six Eastern Conference teams failed to qualify for the NBA bubble this past season. These teams include the Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and Cleveland Cavaliers. What will it take for one or more of these teams to rise up the conference? Here are the players whose growth is […]

They’re going to look different, and chances are they’re going to play different, but the Golden State Warriors will be back in contention in 2020-21 with their new-look roster. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr’s projected starting five includes some new faces, some healthy veterans, and a midseason acquisition: Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre Jr., […]

The New York Knicks went into the NBA Draft looking to make some savvy selections. They left the night hitting the jackpot, selecting Dayton big man Obi Toppin with the eighth overall pick. Obi Toppin is a franchise scorer Toppin likely fell to eight based on his potential fit with the seven teams ahead of […]

The New York Knicks should select Florida State wing Devin Vassell with the eighth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Defense and shooting are the hallmarks of Vassell’s game. He’s a superb on-ball and perimeter defender, partially generated by his near-seven-foot wingspan. On the other end of the floor, Vassell has a lengthy, cockback jump […]

LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards headline the 2020 NBA Draft class, and understandably so. The prospect of teams trading up for one of those players, as well as trading back given the close proximity of several lottery prospects has also been discussed at length. Given the above storylines, many players have camouflaged into […]

The Houston Rockets are apparently open-minded to the prospect of trading Russell Westbrook, and the Los Angeles Clippers have some interest in the high-octane point guard. Furthermore, there have been reports that the Clippers are looking to make a roster-altering transaction or two this offseason. And finally, even Westbrook wants out of Houston. Here’s an […]

The 2020 NBA Draft is a guessing game. There’s no consensus best player or talent, most teams in the lottery don’t have a bang-bang selection, and teams had to wait an extra five months to make their selections. Should teams in the upper sixth of the draft take the best player on the board? Should […]

According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, the Boston Celtics are contemplating using their three first-round draft selections (14, 26, and 30) to trade up in the 2020 NBA Draft. Memo to Danny Ainge, Brad Stevens, and the Boston Celtics: keep the picks. There are four players who are justifiable number-one picks in this draft class: Anthony […]

Winning the NBA Finals in three of four years, signing a player to trade him for a former number one overall pick and a future first rounder, and then getting the second pick in the NBA Draft is an embarrassment of riches. It’s the story of the Golden State Warriors. With that said, the luxury […]

According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the Indiana Pacers have interest in acquiring Gordon Hayward from the Boston Celtics. In June, The IndyStar’s J. Michael told NBC Sports Boston’s A. Sherrod Blakely that the Pacers would “no doubt” have interest in acquiring Hayward from Boston. This would be a forced transaction on the Pacers’ end. Hayward is […]

What the future holds for the Houston Rockets is anyone’s guess. They’ve been bounced out of the second round of the NBA playoffs in back-to-back seasons, are yet to win the Western Conference with James Harden at the helm, and are without a head coach and general manager. One way or another there will be […]

Last season the Miami Heat were the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. This season they took the Los Angeles Lakers to six games in the NBA Finals. It was a season where a complementary balance of veterans and youth fired on all cylinders. Pat Riley and company need to keep the band together, rather […]

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri said last month that re-signing guard Fred VanVleet was a “big-time priority”; head coach Nick Nurse said that he would be “pretty surprised” if the Wichita State product left the Raptors in free agency. In the scenario where Toronto re-signs VanVleet, which could cost in excess of $20 million a […]

Jerami Grant is coming off a productive and encouraging season with the Denver Nuggets. Averaging 12.0 points per game while shooting 38.9 percent from beyond the arc and playing considerable all-around defense, he was a valuable fixture in head coach Mike Malone’s rotation. While his productivity decreased with more playing time in the playoffs (he […]

With three draft picks and over $40 million in projected cap space, the possibilities are endless for the New York Knicks this offseason. At the same time, no matter the way they allocate those resources, the fate of the team’s rebuild lies on the shoulders of its new coaching staff. Tom Thibodeau is the new […]

The Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets, two of the final four competitors in the NBA playoffs, underscore the importance of drafting well and developing young players. The Nuggets’ core, which they drafted, is Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris, Monte Morris, and Michael Porter Jr. Murray was the seventh pick in the 2016 NBA Draft; Jokic […]

No matter which way you slice it, Billy Donovan is the perfect coaching hire for the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls officially hired Donovan to replace Jim Boylen on Tuesday, two weeks after the 55-year-old mutually parted ways with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Donovan brings a wealth of coaching experience to the table. He has patrolled […]

At the end of the day, if the Houston Rockets are ever going to break through with James Harden at the helm, they need their roster to execute in the playoffs; there’s no coaching godsend waiting in the wings. The Rockets came up short yet again in the playoffs this season — and they could’ve […]

Chris Paul has been a prime trade candidate since he became a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder (July 2019). The upcoming offseason appears to be no different. In an appearance on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Royce Young mentioned the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and Milwaukee Bucks as “the […]

There’s no clear path ahead for the Oklahoma City Thunder. To think the Thunder would take the Houston Rockets, who ironically acquired Russell Westbrook from the Thunder to pair with James Harden in the offseason, to seven games in the first round of the playoffs would’ve sounded far-fetched back in October. Well, they defied the […]

The Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Indiana Pacers are all looking for a new head coach. Who are the perfect coaches to fill these NBA job openings? Let’s take a look. Indiana Pacers: Dave Joerger The Pacers fired Nate McMillan for a lack of playoff success (the Pacers have been eliminated […]

There are five NBA head-coaching vacancies: the Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Indiana Pacers. From an objective standpoint, all five of these jobs have lure. It’s a matter of which ones have an edge over the others. Here’s how the five situations stack up against each other. 5) Chicago Bulls […]

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet is slated to be one of the headliners of the 2020 NBA free-agent market, and some of his pursuers have emerged. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and Phoenix Suns are “expected to emerge as suitors” for VanVleet in free agency. Fred VanVleet has […]

The basketball world now knows where lottery teams will be picking in the upcoming NBA Draft. Here is a post-lottery 2020 NBA mock draft. 1) Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards The Timberwolves draft Edwards to play in-between big man Karl-Anthony Towns and point guard D’Angelo Russell. Edwards’ aggressive scoring will give head coach Ryan Saunders a […]

Models of success and failure are often repeated in professional sports. On Saturday, the New Orleans Pelicans copied a grave mistake made by the Sacramento Kings in 2019, firing their head coach after a season when his team made noteworthy progress. Firing Dave Joerger has yielded poor results for the Kings The Kings went 27-55 […]

If the Philadelphia 76ers look to move Ben Simmons this offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers would be a perfect trade partner. According to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com, the Cavs believe they can put together an “enticing” trade package for Simmons. Cleveland has a bevy of compelling young players at its disposal including point guards Collin Sexton […]

The Denver Nuggets, the third seed in the Western Conference, have been a respectable foe in each of the last three seasons. The difference in the 2019-20 campaign is depth. They developed it by selecting upside in back-to-back NBA Drafts. Prior to suffering a back injury early in the 2017-18 college basketball season, Michael Porter […]

The defending NBA-champion Toronto Raptors are back where they were last season: the second seed in the Eastern Conference, contending for a championship. Furthermore, they’re doing so after losing superstar Kawhi Leonard to free agency. They’re in this situation thanks to a combination of veteran reliability and young players on the rise. One of those […]

The Memphis Grizzlies will be defending the eighth seed in the Western Conference when the NBA regular season resumes in Walt Disney World later this month. Memphis will be pursued by the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and Phoenix Suns. Which of the aforementioned teams are under the most […]

At this point, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Victor Oladipo, your best friend’s favorite player, and the head of your grandparents’ weekly bingo get-together have been mentioned as trade possibilities for the New York Knicks. Regardless of who’s potentially available for the right price, trading for a star shouldn’t be in the cards for the Knicks […]

Last week a report surfaced that Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo wants to be traded to the Miami Heat. In such a scenario, the Heat likely trade a young player or two and a first-round draft pick to the Pacers, and Oladipo signs an extension with the Heat. This would be an enormous mistake for […]