Month / June 2023

by Alex Fischbein

Kristaps Porzingis, Jordan Poole, John Collins, NBA Offseason | TAF277

On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files, Kristaps Porzingis gets traded to the Boston Celtics while Marcus Smart is shipped to Memphis, Jordan Poole heads to Washington in exchange for Chris Paul joining the Warriors, John Collins is also on the move to Utah, there are tons of rumors flying around, the 2023 NBA Draft took place as Victor Wembanyama goes first overall, and more!

The Boston Celtics landed a big-time center in Kristaps Porzingis, but it took the heart and soul of their team to bring him in. Marcus Smart had to be shipped off to Memphis as the Grizzlies sent Tyus Jones over to the Washington Wizards in this three-team deal. Porzingis brings in a good amount of offense, but how limited will the defense be now that their former Defensive Player of the Year is gone?

In more trade news, John Collins is on his way to Utah for the puny price of Rudy Gay and a second-round pick. While Collins is set to make a decent bit of money, the fact that Atlanta had to make this deal says a lot about the skill level of Collins and how far he has fallen. Will he regain his former self with the Jazz?

In even more trade news, Jordan Poole finally escapes the bully that is Draymond Green. He’s on his way to Washington as Chris Paul heads to Golden State to join the splash brothers and maybe even Green if they can work out his contract. Now, Poole can lead his own backcourt along with Jones and try to lead the Wizards into relevance.

Finally, we give our thoughts and reactions to the 2023 NBA Draft. The top three picks went the way that everyone expected, but the rest of it was a little enticing. Especially Cam Whitmore dropping all the way to 20.

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Timecodes:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:11:47 John Collins traded for a bag of chips
00:29:13 Kristaps Porzingis to Boston, Marcus Smart To Memphis
00:48:20 Jordan Poole for Chris Paul trade
01:12:47 2023 NBA Draft reactions
01:30:00 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

Bradley Beal Finally Traded To The Phoenix Suns | TAF276

In episode 276 of The Atlantic Files, Bradley Beal finally waives his no-trade clause to go to the Phoenix Suns, Chris Paul heads to Washington with a possibility of another trade or free agency, Draymond Green heads to free agency after declining his option, James Harden may be coming back to Philadelphia now, and much more!

Bradley Beal is finally free of the clutches of mediocrity and on his way to create a superteam in Phoenix with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. The Wizards didn’t get much in return, but they cleared up a ton of cap space for years to come. The biggest question mark will be whether or not the Suns can stay healthy enough to actually make the NBA Finals let alone win it all.

Now, with Chris Paul heading to Washington, the next step is to figure out where they’re going to ship him next. The leading odds seem to be either of the two teams in Los Angeles, but no one is sure if that’s going to be after getting waived or in a trade.

Then, there’s James Harden still floating around after his unsuccessful leverage play with the Houston Rockets. So he’s likely to return to Philadelphia with the hope that he still gets what he wanted in terms of more money and the freedom to play basketball as he wants. It doesn’t seem like his style of basketball is going to win anything important anytime soon though.

Finally, we go over all of the rumors and happenings across the league ahead of the NBA Draft and free agency. Draymond Green declined his option, Jonathan Kuminga could be traded, Fred VanVleet is seeking $30 million from a team in free agency, the Raptors still don’t want to trade OG Anunoby, and more!

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Timecodes:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:15:54 Bradley Beal traded to Phoenix
00:30:49 Where Will Chris Paul go?
00:36:35 James Harden back to Philadelphia now
00:42:01 NBA Trade, free agency, and Draft rumors
01:04:16 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets Win The NBA Championship | TAF275

In episode 275 of The Atlantic Files, the Denver Nuggets win the NBA Championship in 5 while Nikola Jokic wins Finals MVP, the weird road that was the NBA Playoffs, early predictions and feelings about the offseason, where Chris Paul could land, Fred VanVleet will decline his player option, the Toronto Raptors hire a new head coach and much more!

Mike’s prediction from three or four years ago has finally come true as Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets get their first ring. Jokic brought the dominant form that he’s shown all year and even got himself a Finals MVP trophy to show for it. Can we expect more of the same from Denver as they potentially form a dynasty, or will the rest of the league catch on and end their run at one championship?

Then, on the very opposite of the spectrum of basketball events, Zion Williamson has gotten into quite a sticky situation. He welcomed his first child but that just dug out some skeletons in his closet that he was not hoping to reveal any time soon. There are now some scorned women cursing his name, so we break it all down tweet by tweet and text by text.

Moving back to actual basketball topics, Doc Rivers appeared on Bill Simmons podcast to talk about the Sixers, Celtics, and everything in between. He had some words about coaching James Harden and Joel Embiid, neither of them being that great. He was also asked the age-old question about the “losing culture” that the process has left behind. Oh boy!

Finally, we take a look at all the rumors going around the league. Bradley Beal is back in trade rumors for multiple teams, Chris Paul is most likely going to see a change of scenery, Jonathan Kuminga could be dealt for the right price, Fred VanVleet opted out of his option so that he could check out free agency, and more!

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:06:38 Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets win a ring
00:21:07 Jokic better than Shaq all-time?!
00:28:57 Zion Williamson’s women situation
00:57:10 Doc Rivers comments on Bill Simmons pod
01:09:16 Rumors around Beal, Chris Paul, VanVleet, and more
01:24:09 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

Boston Celtics Crumble, Nick Nurse Joins The Philadelphia 76ers | TAF274

On the latest episode of The Atlantic Files, we delve into the dramatic turn of events in the NBA playoffs. In episode 274, we analyze the Boston Celtics’ heartbreaking defeat against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, with a focus on Jayson Tatum’s ankle injury and Jaylen Brown’s struggles. We also discuss Derrick White’s heroic performance for the Celtics and evaluate the implications it had on their playoff run.

But that’s not all—our attention shifts to an intriguing coaching update in the league. Get the inside scoop on the recent news of Nick Nurse, the renowned head coach of the Toronto Raptors, joining the Philadelphia 76ers. We dissect the pros and cons of Nurse coaching Joel Embiid and explore his remarkable postseason success.

Additionally, we explore the potential moves of the Toronto Raptors, questioning whether they should make a trade for the #3 pick in the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft. Plus, we touch upon Bob Myers stepping down from his position with the Golden State Warriors, bringing further excitement to the NBA offseason.

Whether you’re a dedicated fan of the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers, or simply an NBA enthusiast, this episode has something for everyone. Join our engaging discussion and stay up-to-date with all the latest basketball news and insights.

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:15:10 Boston Celtics lose Game 7 in embarrassing fashion
00:42:45 2023 NBA Finals preview, Nuggets vs Heat
01:00:00 Nick Nurse joins the Philadelphia 76ers
01:14:40 Should the Raptors trade for the third pick?
01:20:15 Bob Myers steps down from Golden State
01:34:28 – Outro