Hardwood Knocks

Dan is joined by Sam Esfandiari (@samesfandiari) of the Light Years Podcast to for an in-depth chat about the Golden State Warriors heading into the 2021-22 NBA season—and beyond. They cover everything from Ben Simmons trade rumors and Stephen Curry's performance, to the availability of Klay Thompson and James Wiseman, to the frontcourt rotation, Draymond Green-at-the-5 and season predictions. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Dan is joined by Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) from the Red Nation Hoops podcast to talk about all things Houston Rockets heading into the 2021-22 NBA season. From John Wall and Ben Simmons trades, to Christian Wood and Jalen Green, to Jae'Sean Tate and Usman Garuba, we cover it all. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Dan is joined by Andrew Claudio (@AndrewJClaudio_), the producer of Knicks Film School (@KnicksFilmSkool) and co-host of Final Review (@FinalReviewPod), for a long chat about movies and, of course, the 2021-22 New York Knicks. First, they discuss the premise and movies that will be covered by Final Review, a must-listen for all actual and wannabe cinephiles. Then, they dig into the immediate and long-term future of the Knicks, covering everything from Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and possible trade targets, to Kemba Walker, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and player development. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Dan is joined by Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes (@gt_hughes) to drop their offseason grades for every team in the Western Conference. Buckle up, because we’re going off-road, through the weeds, over all sorts of other terrain, until we reach the Land of the Granular Takes and Scorching-Hot Feelz. If you haven't checked out the Eastern Conference report cards, you can do that here. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Our latest batch of listener questions covers Ben Simmons' potential fit on the Cavaliers, Jayson Tatum's MVP candidacy, the Utah Jazz's center rotation, the top remaining NBA free agents, some wild LeBron James stats, top under-25 talents and muuuuuch more. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Dan is joined by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes (@gt_hughes) to drop their offseason grades for every team in the Eastern Conference. Buckle up, because we're going off-road, through the weeds, over all sorts of other terrain, until we reach the Land of the Granular Takes and Scorching-Hot Feelz. TIMESTAMPS ⬇️

Adam and Dan select one player from every Western Conference team they believe could have a breakout year in 2021-22. Be sure to check out our Eastern Conference edition of this exercise here. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Adam and Dan dissect the latest Ben Simmons trade rumors AND rap about his best potential destinations. After that, they move on to their 2021-22 breakout candidate for every NBA team in the Eastern Conference. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

MAIL TIME. Hardwood Knocks is back with Part 2 of our mailbag with questions that cover RJ Barrett, the New York Knicks, potential surprises and disappointments for next season, the Houston Rockets, OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors and much more. If missed Part 1, check that out here.

MAIL TIME. In the first of a two-part listener-driven shindig, Hardwood Knocks comes up with the best fits and trades for Kyle Anderson and Dillon Brooks; Brandon Clarke's NBA ceiling; expectations for the Minnesota Timberwolves; potential lineups for the Charlotte Hornets; the path to Nikola Jokic winning a second NBA MVP; the Denver Nuggets' place in the Western Conference without Jamal Murray; a what-if Klay Thompson scenario; and much more! TIMESTAMPS ⬇️

It's time to catch up on the latest batch of NBA rumors and news. In this episode, Dan covers the Terry Rozier extension, Marcus Smart extension, Joel Embiid extension, Ben Simmons trade rumors, the Philadelphia 76ers' future, the 2021 Christmas Day Slate, potential rookie extensions and much more! TIMESTAMPS⬇️

MAIL TIME. Our latest plunge for listener questions will cover studs from Summer League; our bigger non-lottery steals from the 2021 draft; Richaun Holmes; the Golden State Warriors' wing rotation; the Sacramento Kings' defense; Jalen Suggs vs. Scottie Barnes; the Denver Nuggets; the Charlotte Hornets; Russell Westbrook; and much more. TIMESTAMPS ⬇️

Josh Primo, the youngest player in the 2021 draft, was initially projected to go in the second round. He ended up with the San Antonio Spurs at No. 12. How did that happen? Dan spoke Todd Ramasar (@tramasar), agent to Primo and Pascal Siakam, as well as the founder and president of Life Sports Agency, about what went into Josh's rise and how impactful the pre-draft process is in general. TIMESTAMPS ⬇️

test dive into listener questions includes a look at Stephen Curry's Year 3 in the NBA vs. Trae Young's Year 3 in the NBA; the highest usage rate of all time among LeBron James' teammates; how much the Charlotte Hornets improved; the Toronto Raptors' approach to building a team; breakout candidates for the Orlando Magic; the developmental arc of RJ Barrett; ideal acquisitions the Dallas Mavericks could still target; and MUCH more. TIMESTAMPS ⬇️

You may have heard that The Ringer's Mirin Fader (@MirinFader) has a book coming out on August 10: Giannis Antetokounmpo: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP. Well, she joined Hardwood Knocks to talk anything and everything about the book, from the writing process during a pandemic to what she sees driving Giannis forward in the wake of the Milwaukee Bucks' NBA title. Along the way, she reveals the ultimate sports-related reading list, her thoughts on Simone Biles, and so much more that's sure to capture your attention and interest. Purchase Giannis Antetokounmpo: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP here. TIMESTAMPS ⬇️

Good lord. The first couple days of NBA free agency were a whirlwind. And while there's still plenty of offseason left to unfold, Hardwood Knocks tapped Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes (@gt_hughes) to dole out early impressions of what's taken place so far. Along with Dan, he covers the moves made by the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and muuuuch more. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Hardwood Knocks analyzes the free-agency and trade markets for all 15 NBA teams in the Eastern Conference, a journey that covers proposed targets and hypothetical trades galore. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

NBA Offseason mode is fully engaged, and so are we. Adam and Dan analyze the ins and outs of the trade between the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies, covering everything from the cap mechanisms to how it impacts Lonzo Ball, Kyle Lowry, Ja Morant and much more. After that, we give our top trade and free-agency targets for all 15 Western Conference teams. Let's ride! TIMESTAMPS ⬇️

NBA DRAFT SZN LET'S F'N GO! Hardwood Knocks brings back the best in the biz, Adam Spinella (@Spinella14) of The Box and One (@theboxandone_) to discuss everything about the 2021 NBA draft. We cover how to go about building a big board, draft philosophy, Coach Spins' top-10 big board, the most underrated prospects, Jalen Suggs, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Jared Butler, Sharife Cooper, Trey Murphy III, Davion Mitchell, Usman Garuba, Scottie Barnes, some of YOUR questions and muuuuch more. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Hardwood Knocks brings in SB Nation's Sabreena Merchant (@sabreenajm) to discuss all things Lakers and Clippers—trades, free agency, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, Reggie Jackson, coaching, everything. But first: We pour one out for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks!