Month / August 2022

NBA 2k23, Patrick Beverley, Los Angeles Lakers, Atlantic files
by Alex Fischbein

NBA 2k23 ratings & Patrick Beverley trade | TAF241

This week on the Atlantic Files Podcast, we take a look at some NBA 2K23 ratings, give our best and worst ratings, predict some ratings, talk about the Patrick Beverley to Los Angeles trade, Gilbert Arenas comments about Giannis Antetokounmpo, John Wall admitting to some very dark days, RJ Barrett’s extension, and the Brooklyn Nets signing Markieff Morris.

NBA 2K23’s release date is fast approaching. The time is coming when everyone sees what all the players’ new ratings are and then the debates begin while everyone throws insults at the game developers who chose the ratings. Since the ratings aren’t officially out yet, we decided to look at the latest ratings from NBA 2K22 and then come up with who we think should be the new top ten in the latest game.

Patrick Beverley was shipped to Utah in the Rudy Gobert trade, but now he’s on the move yet again. The Los Angeles Lakers shipped out Stanley Johnson and Talen Horton-Tucker to bring in Beverley’s services. He even went on TV and said that if the Lakers had him on their team that they would have won the Finals. Time to put those words into existence.

Gilbert Arenas is making his rounds on the internet again. This time, he talked about how Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t really understand the game of basketball or understand how to train his body. Seeing as Giannis is a MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Champion, and Finals MVP, those are some interesting words. Is there any truth to them?

John Wall, in an interview, admitted that he was in a very dark place the last few years. His basketball future was up in the air, and that was bringing a dark cloud with it over his personal life. We’re all hoping he gets back to the John Wall we all knew and loved, and hopefully the dark days are a thing of the past.

We had a couple of signings in the last couple of days as well. RJ Barrett inked a nice extension with the New York Knicks for up to $120M and the Brooklyn Nets signed Markieff Morris to bolster their bench unit.

Finally, we revealed a stat that has only been accomplished by Russell Westbrook, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett in the last ten seasons!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:06:34 Patrick Beverley traded to the Lakers
00:20:01 NBA 2K23 ratings predictions
00:44:26 RJ Barrett signs extension with the Knicks
00:54:05 Markieff Morris signs with the Brooklyn Nets
00:56:57 John Wall talks about dark days in last three years
01:04:06 Gilbert Arenas comments on Giannis Antetokounmpo
01:20:40 Russell Westbrook, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett have something in common
01:27:10 Outro

Tyrese Haliburton, Scottie Barnes, Desmond Bane, NBA, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Who will have the biggest breakout season in the NBA this year?

One of the most exciting things to watch as an NBA fan is seeing a younger player break out into a star. Especially if that player happens to play for your favorite team. That’s what sparked the question of which player is going to have the biggest breakout season in the NBA for the 2022-23 season!

This season, seemingly more than recent seasons, has a good list of younger players that could break out. Scottie Barnes, Desmond Bane, Tyrese Maxey, Jordan Poole, and RJ Barrett are just a few that could truly break out despite some great seasons last year.

Every championship team or contending team seems to have that one younger role player that explodes onto the scene like Jordan Poole. Even some of the teams that have a young star player sometimes have them kick it into another gear like Scottie Barnes or RJ Barrett.

We answered this question on the latest episode during the “Whatchu Got” segment.

Wouldn’t exactly recommend taking our suggestions and putting money on them, but you could take it as something to think about!

Either way, anyone can tell that we love Scottie Barnes on this podcast. Oh, Tyrese Maxey as well. I know, you’re probably not surprised by either name.

Joel Embiid, James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Brooklyn Nets vs Philadelphia 76ers, who has the better roster?

By now, everyone knows that Kevin Durant has decided to stay with the Brooklyn Nets. The dramatic, reality show type of situation is finally over and nothing even happened. That leaves three teams fighting for the top of the Atlantic Division the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Toronto Raptors.

No offense to any Raptors fans, but Toronto is still one of the up-and-coming teams especially compared to the Sixers and Nets. So we’re going to revisit them another time.

This comes down to the Nets roster vs the Sixers roster. Which one is better from top to bottom?

In Philadelphia, the bench got better through their off-season additions this year. James Harden has been working twice as hard as he finally doesn’t have to rehab an injury and Tyrese Maxey is getting ready to show even more growth in his third season.

On the other side, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are both coming back to Brooklyn. Ben Simmons is looking like he’ll finally be ready to go and the supporting pieces are getting healthier as well. Joe Harris wasn’t a factor at all last season, and he’s been one of the most consistent three-point shooters in the league.

So, which team are you taking? Are you taking the duo of Joel Embiid and Harden or Durant and Irving? Then, are you going to take the Sixers supporting cast or the Nets? This conversation is closer than people think, and it’s also fun for non-Sixers and non-Nets fans.

RJ Barrett, Donovan Mitchell, New York Knicks, trade, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Should RJ Barrett be traded for Donovan Mitchell?

One of the latest rumors surrounding the New York Knicks trading for Donovan Mitchell is the fact that they are now giving more thought to trading away RJ Barrett. A player who was untouchable before, as the team’s best asset, could very well be on the table now.

Donovan Mitchell and the Knicks have been linked now for quite a while. At this point, it would be shocking if the Knicks didn’t make this trade.

The biggest question surrounding this deal is how many assets Leon Rose and the Knicks are willing to give up. Danny Ainge reportedly wants a ton of draft capital. Now, RJ Barrett is also in the mix along with names like Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, and Obi Toppin.

Should RJ Barrett even be included in this trade from New York’s point of view? Barrett is the best non-draft pick asset they have right now. So, they will include him and multiple picks that the Utah Jazz wants to be unprotected?

Something isn’t exactly adding up. Ainge continues to brag about how he “never loses a trade,” but at some point, another General Manager has to stand their ground and say no to his insane trade proposals. The Knicks aren’t good enough right now to trade their entire future. Picks and younger assets are all important for their long-term success.

Keeping RJ Barrett, Jalen Brunson, and even Julius Randle should be at the top of the list when adding Donovan Mitchell. Having a core four of those guys is going to give them the best chance to compete if they have to trade a bunch of their picks.

Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets, RJ Barrett, New York
by Alex Fischbein

Kevin Durant stays, RJ Barrett leaves? | TAF240

On this week’s episode of the Atlantic Files, we talk about Kevin Durant yet again as he decides to take back everything and stay with the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Knicks are thinking of including RJ Barrett in a Donovan Mitchell trade, Chet Holmgren might have ligament damage, plus more during ‘whatchu got!’

The Kevin Durant and Brooklyn Nets saga is finally over. After some sort of meeting between Kevin Durant, Steve Nash, Joe Tsai, and Sean Marks, they decided to run it back. Being a fly on that wall would have been something. Either way, this whole drama show was for nothing.

On the other side of New York, the New York Knicks have still been in talks with the Utah Jazz about Donovan Mitchell. RJ Barrett is the latest name that could be included in that haul for Utah. Should the Knicks even consider trading their best asset though? Some think Barrett isn’t even that good in the first place, so why would Danny Ainge want him?

Very disheartening news came out after all of this. Chet Holmgren is now out for the season with a Lisfranc injury. At the time of the recording, the tests weren’t done just yet, but it seemed like it was headed for a season-ending injury. Such an unfortunate way for a player’s season to end in just a pro-am game that didn’t mean anything.

Then, we got to our “Whatchu Got” segment. Topics included who we thought was going to have the biggest breakout season, whether the Denver Nuggets are a Western Conference contender, and which players under 25 have the biggest potential peak!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:05:36 Happy Mamba day!
00:11:19 Kevin Durant is staying in Brooklyn
00:30:08 Should the New York Knicks trade RJ Barrett
00:42:43 Chet Holmgren is out for the season
00:54:01 Who will have the biggest breakout season in the NBA
00:59:21 Are the Denver Nuggets a Western Conference contender
01:04:47 Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum, and Trae Young, whose ceiling is higher
01:14:42 Outro

Tracy mcgrady, top ten, atlantic files
by Alex Fischbein

Is Tracy McGrady in the NBA top ten all-time?

Two basketball debates are ongoing amongst every generation of players, coaches, and fans alike. The GOAT debate and the top ten debate. We’re not that bold to say Tracy McGrady is the GOAT, but we did talk about whether he is a top ten talent of all time.

Stemming from a ‘would you rather’ starring Tracy McGrady, we pondered whether or not McGrady belongs in the top ten. His talent and skill are undeniable. He’s easily one of the best offensive players that the game has ever seen.

What happens when you bring up players from every era though?

In his own era, McGrady had to go up against the likes of players such as Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Vince Carter, and many others. Offensive abilities were abundant, but that doesn’t even include a couple of players in the GOAT debate like Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

All of a sudden, the top ten seems to get very crowded. Centers that were completely unstoppable enter the conversation like Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon. Power Forwards like Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett show up to give their case. Current era players like Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Stephen Curry all make sure that you can’t forget about them.

None of these players’ resumes diminish what McGrady did during his tenure in the NBA. They just prove how hard it is to truly be on that top ten list at the end of the day.

Where would you rank Tracy McGrady on your all-time list?

Philadelphia 76ers, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Joel Embiid, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

The Philadelphia 76ers don’t need a Kevin Durant trade

Kevin Durant has been one of the hottest news topics of the NBA Off-season so far. After he requested a trade, rumors started popping up everywhere. Tons of teams want a top-five player on their team, that’s not rocket science. As of right now though, the two teams considered landing spots are the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

We believe the Sixers don’t need Kevin Durant, and it would actually set them back if they made the trade. Time and time again we’ve seen a team mortgage their whole future just for one player, but it hasn’t turned out well for them in the end.

Take the Brooklyn Nets, for example, they put together one of the best trios we’ve ever seen on paper. James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving should have been a surefire championship team. Any supporting cast would be able to help those three win a ring.

Obviously, that was quite far from the truth. The furthest they got was a second-round exit against the Milwaukee Bucks. Injury reports were always filled, Kyrie Irving was barely playing due to every excuse under the sun, and now it has all imploded.

That’s exactly what brings us to this topic in the first place. Brooklyn’s front office made every move they could to bring the roster together, and that wasn’t enough.

So, Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers think that trading their future and depth away for Kevin Durant is going to bring rings? Injury history with their current stars on top of Durant’s iffy injury status these days does not mix well. Neither does a big three with a terrible supporting cast and bench.

Nikola Jokic, Dirk Nowitzki, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, Atlantic files
by Alex Fischbein

What does Nikola Jokic need to be better than Dirk Nowitzki all time?

The age-old debate of which player should be considered than the other despite playing in different eras continues! This time around, we’re talking about the best European to play in the NBA. Nikola Jokic is quickly making his case, but the one to pass is still Dirk Nowitzki.

During the latest episode of our podcast, Mike’s ‘Whatchu Got’ topic was based on Nikola Jokic. He asked what Jokic had to do to become the best European of all-time to play in the NBA. 

Usually, this is an absurd question because of how great Dirk Nowitzki’s legacy is, but in terms of Jokic and even Luka Doncic, it’s a fair question. Nowitzki’s 20 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and plethora of accomplishments is a hard resume to beat.

Jokic now has two MVPs under his belt, some historical stat lines, and a few playoff runs. He’s one of the best big men in the last decade or so already and is constantly in the conversation among the top seven players in the league.

Yes, we know it’s still quite early in his career to make a judgment right now. What we can do is go off of his body of work and try to predict if he can keep that pace up.

What do you think, will Nikola Jokic ever pass Dirk Nowitzki as the best European player of all time? Plus, could Luka Doncic pass both of them?

2022 NBA Christmas Day, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

2022 NBA Christmas Day breakdown | TAF239

This week on the Atlantic Files, we breakdown the leaked NBA Christmas Day schedule that has three Atlantic teams playing this season, the Brooklyn Nets’ absurd trade offer to the Boston Celtics, Kyrie Irving’s ridiculous contract demands, the NBA retiring Bill Russell’s number, Tracy McGrady ripping Rudy Gobert, whether the Philadelphia 76ers should really consider trading for Kevin Durant, and we debut a new segment!

Leaks were going crazy on Twitter before the NBA finally released the whole schedule. Plus, at the time of this recording, the whole schedule wasn’t released just yet. We saw a sneak peek of the 2022 NBA Christmas Day schedule, so we decided to break down the five games this year. Some are repeats, but we get to see a couple of new faces as well.

In case you haven’t heard, the Brooklyn Nets made an absurd trade offer to the Boston Celtics. They seriously tried to get Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in return for Kevin Durant. Either they got some bad inside information, or they’re just blindly throwing darts at a board and seeing if it lands a bullseye.

Kyrie Irving, in just as absurd fashion, brought up some contract demands when negotiating with Brooklyn’s front office. He requested to only be on the hook for 60 games at the most including no back-to-backs at all. So instead of deciding not to play in the middle of the season, he’s deciding early on that he’s just not going to want to play the whole time. What a guy!

Bill Russell passed away a couple of weeks ago now, and the NBA decided to honor him. They retired his jersey league-wide, which was an awesome decision by Adam Silver and company.

On Gilbert Arenas’ podcast, Tracy McGrady made some big statements about Rudy Gobert’s work ethic and skill. He ripped into him in a way that a lot of media personalities wouldn’t, but he was spot on with every word!

Finally, we debut our new segment called “Whatchu got?!” Each host brings a topic to debate but they do not share the topic with each other beforehand. It’s fresh and right on the spot. Enjoy!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:19 2022 NBA Christmas Day game schedule
00:28:19 Brooklyn Nets trade offer to get Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum
00:35:07 Should the Sixers trade for Kevin Durant?
00:48:01 Kyrie Irving has crazy contract demands
00:53:59 NBA retiring Bill Russell’s number is perfect
00:55:23 Tracy McGrady rips Rudy Gobert’s skill and work ethic
01:00:32 Can Nikola Jokic pass Dirk Nowitzki for best Euro in NBA History
01:04:47 No NBA games on election day, will that help people vote?
01:10:28 Would you rather, Tracy McGrady edition
01:19:53 Outro

Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Kyrie Irving is holding the Brooklyn Nets back

The Brooklyn Nets added Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant a few years ago, and they quickly became championship favorites. As everyone knows, they never saw these championship dreams come true, and now Kevin Durant wants out as the Nets also try to trade Kyrie Irving.

A constant question surrounding this team every year is, “What went wrong?!”

Technically, there are a lot of answers to give in response. Players got injured, coaching wasn’t exactly up to par, and specific players continuously didn’t show up for the team.

One of those players is Kyrie Irving. The same one who decided to give up over half of a season just because he wasn’t going to get a vaccine in the midst of a pandemic. While there were plenty of others who also didn’t want to get vaccinated, they did it for the better of their team. Irving, on the other hand, made a stance and left his team out to dry.

Outside of that, we’ve seen him just decide not to play many more times. Also, he’s been quite injury-prone. The last time he played 70 or more games in a season was back in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Irving has always been held in high regard by other top-tier players. His ball-handling skills are some of the best of all time, and he has absolutely lethal scoring ability. Yet here we are waiting for him to actually help carry a team that doesn’t have someone named LeBron James on the roster.

Will Kyrie ever win another ring without LeBron? All signs are pointing to no at the moment. Our own host, Dennis Clausen, seems to think Brooklyn needs a big change if they actually want to compete as well.