Category / Podcast Episode

by Alex Fischbein

Team USA Fails, Kevin Porter Jr. In Trouble | TAF285

This week, on episode 285 of The Atlantic Files, Team USA fails to medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Kevin Porter Jr. gets in trouble with the law, Damian Lillard now says he’d join training camp for any team, and we preview the Southeast Division for the upcoming NBA season.

After the controversial comments from Noah Lyles about the NBA, Team USA couldn’t turn those words into fuel for the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The team lost to Germany in the semifinal and then suffered another loss to Canada in the third-place game. They failed to meet expectations and the race to build the best team for the Olympics is now on.

Kevin Porter Jr. has found himself in very hot water after being arrested on assault charges. Right now, everything is alleged before the court cases take place. The NBA, however, could bring down some pretty hard sanctions when it’s all said and done because of the issues off of the court for Miles Bridges. His NBA career is now in jeopardy let alone his future with the Houston Rockets.

Finally, we preview the Southeast Division for the upcoming NBA season. Damian Lillard to the Miami Heat is still a possibility, but the rest of the division has some rising rosters. Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks look to improve with a full season of Quin Snyder at the helm and the Orlando Magic are getting better every day as their young stars improved throughout the offseason.

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:03:31 Fantasy Football Corner: Week 1 recap
00:21:36 Team USA fails to medal at 2023 FIBA World Cup
00:36:32 Kevin Porter Jr. arrested
00:50:48 NBA Southeast Division Preview
01:10:38 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

USA Loses To Lithuania & Pacific Division Preview | TAF284

On episode 284 of The Atlantic Files, Team USA suffers their first loss to Lithuania in the 2023 FIBA World Cup but then beat the brakes off of Italy, we continue our divisional previews for the 2023-24 NBA season with the Pacific division, and the weird happenings surrounding now-retired NBA ref Eric Lewis.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup is heating up as the semifinals are shaping up. Team USA lost their first game of the tournament as they got beat down by Lithuania but then turned around and beat down Italy. This could have poked the bear in the USA team or they could now be used to the physicality of the international style of play. Will they be able to beat Germany in the semifinal and go on to win gold?

In case you haven’t heard about it, former NBA referee, Eric Lewis, was under investigation for some suspicious social media use. There seemed to be a burner account only replying to tweets to defend the ref when people accused him of incredible bias towards the Boston Celtics. In a surprising move, he retired, and all of a sudden the investigation stopped. Something doesn’t seem right…

Finally, we continued our divisional preview series with the entertaining Pacific Division. Which team will take a hit and will the division all finish with winning records again next season? The Los Angeles Lakers seem primed to improve while the Phoenix Suns brought in some crazy offensive firepower! We dive into our predictions and talk about how the division will shake out.

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

Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
03:30 Team USA loses to Lithuania, beats Italy
18:27 Referee Eric Lewis retires to avoid investigation
30:18 2023-24 NBA Pacific Division Preview
40:10 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

James Harden Fined, France Eliminated Early | TAF283

On episode 283 of The Atlantic Files, James Harden gets fined for his comments about Daryl Morey, we continue our divisional previews with the Northwest Division, France gets ousted in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Evan Turner hints at the refs being biased in the NBA Playoffs, and we go through the second half of Dennis’ fantasy basketball rankings.

James Harden was fined $100k for saying that he would never play for the Sixers as long as Daryl Morey is employed there. While his plan to tell the audience that in China was genius, he still looks like an idiot after the dust has pretty much settled from everything.

Rudy Gobert and Team France get eliminated after just two pool play games. They lost to both Canada and Latvia without Kristaps Porzingis in back to back games and they’ll head home after being one of the top teams in the tournament. Sad day for France fans.

Evan Turner made an appearance on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast and talked about their 2012 Playoff matchup against the Boston Celtics. He said that Elton Brand told him they would have to win by 15 just to win by one which meant they needed to make sure the refs had no say in who won. Confirming a lot of beliefs that people had about the officiating.

Finally, we previewed the Northwest Division with the reigning NBA Champs. Do you think they’ll repeat? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!

timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:11:35 James Harden fined 100k
00:20:39 France eliminated from 2023 FIBA World Cup
00:31:25 Evan Turner on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast
00:44:30 NBA Northwest Division preview
00:58:54 outro

by Alex Fischbein

James Harden vs Daryl Morey Cage Match! | TAF282

In episode 282 of The Atlantic Files, James Harden calls Daryl Morey a liar and won’t play for him, Daryl Morey isn’t surprised and stands his ground, the 2023 FIBA World Cup starts soon, we do our first divisional preview starting with the Southwest division, Dennis gives his fantasy basketball rankings for points leagues, and more!

James Harden was on tour in China with Adidas and fielded questions after an event where he took the chance to throw some shots at Daryl Morey. He called Morey a liar and said that he will not play for a franchise that Morey is a part of and he repeated a second time to make sure everyone understood. He obviously knew his audience and that people in China aren’t big fans of Morey. This moves the process to a whole new level of confusion.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup starts in a couple of weeks so we look at some of the rosters of the countries that are participating. We give our thoughts on the top rosters and the teams that have the best chance of taking home the gold.

Then, we kick off our divisional preview series as we take a look at the upcoming season for the Southwest Division. The Memphis Grizzlies won’t have Ja Morant for a chunk of the season and the Houston Rockets improved greatly. Will the New Orleans Pelicans finally stay healthy and realize their potential, or will they tank?

Finally, our very own Dennis Clausen put out his rankings for the 2023-24 fantasy basketball season. The rankings are geared toward points leagues so we discuss the top 30 players and whether or not we agree or think others deserve the spot instead.

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

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:06:54 James Harden calls Daryl Morey a liar
00:34:13 2023 FIBA World Cup thoughts
00:51:32 2023-24 Southwest division preview
01:16:34 Dennis’s 2023-24 fantasy basketball points rankings
01:43:15 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

Jaylen Brown Gets The Bag! | TAF280

On episode 280 of The Atlantic Files, Jaylen Brown gets a supermax extension from the Boston Celtics, Mikal Bridges hypes up Ben Simmons like many have done before, Donovan Mitchell apparently won’t stay in Cleveland, we discuss the top rookies for redraft and fantasy basketball leagues, and we play the NBA grid game!

Jaylen Brown gets a whole boatload of money from the Celtics to go with a five-year extension. Now, the debate is whether or not he can produce enough to match the amount of money he’s making. Some don’t even think he’s the second-best player on his team!

Mikal Bridges went on Paul George‘s podcast and talked about Ben Simmons and where the team’s mindset is at in regard to getting him back on the court. Bridges hyped up Simmons’ attitude and his work ethic heading into this season while he said that Simmons was actually the one talking the most in their team group chat. Will this turn into yet another hype reel that doesn’t turn into any real production?

Now, there are reports flying around that Donovan Mitchell won’t be staying in Cleveland longer than his current contract. His eyes are already set on another city apparently and the team would be smart to just trade him away to get something for him. Should they keep him and try to convince him to stay instead?

Finally, we discuss the top rookies heading into this season for fantasy basketball. We talk about both redraft and dynasty leagues and the best rookies to look out for if you happen to be participating in either one this year!

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

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro
00:03:07 Jaylen Brown gets the Supermax from the Boston Celtics
00:11:58 Mikal Bridges hypes up Ben Simmons
00:24:18 Donovan Mitchell won’t stay in Cleveland?
00:33:31 Top fantasy basketball rookies for redraft leagues
00:47:28 Top fantasy basketball rookies for dynasty leagues
00:59:28 The NBA Grid game!
01:14:22 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

Is Joel Embiid Really Trolling 76ers Fans? | TAF279

On episode 279 of The Atlantic Files, Joel Embiid says he wants to win a championship whether it’s with the Philadelphia 76ers or not, then says he’s trolling. We go through the winners and losers of Summer League, check in on the James Harden and Damian Lillard situations, react to the Pascal Siakam trade rumors, and give ideal landing spots for the remaining NBA free agents.

Joel Embiid said that all he wants to do is win a championship in an interview with Mav Carter. The issue is that he also said whether it’s in Philly or somewhere else, he wants to win. That sent everyone in Philadelphia into a frenzy because he even hinted at the idea of wanting out. Embiid then took to Twitter to say that it was actually all a troll job. Is anyone believing this?

NBA Summer League has come and gone, so there are winners and losers coming out of it. Some prospects did very well and others didn’t do so well. Who are your winners and losers and do they line up with ours?

Then, we check in on the James Harden and Damian Lillard situations. Both star guards are still on the same teams and they aren’t seemingly moving any time soon. They both only want to go to one team, but that doesn’t help either one of their cases. Which one will be traded first and will either one go to the team they really want?

Finally, we take a look at all of the remaining free agents. We talk about where they should go and how much money they could end up signing for. That includes players like Christian Wood, PJ Washington, and Kelly Oubre Jr.

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

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:06:05 NBA Summer league winners and losers
00:45:42 Joel Embiid’s championship comments
01:03:27 Damian Lillard and James Harden still not traded
01:13:22 Remaining NBA Free agents
01:24:19 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

2023 NBA Free Agency Roundup | TAF278

On episode 278 of The Atlantic Files: 2023 NBA Free Agency was shaping up to be crazy and so far it hasn’t really been that amazing. Players like Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Kyle Kuzma, and Khris Middleton all stayed put. Fred VanVleet got paid, Dillon Brooks headed to a different team, and Grant Williams and Max Strus went through a sign-and-trade. We give all of our thoughts and reactions on the signings and trades so far and the ones that are yet to come like Damian Lillard and James Harden.

The free agency period has been a little lackluster compared to all the hype and rumors thrown around before it officially opened. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks both got a good bit of money to switch teams, but outside of them a lot of the more significant contracts went to guys that just stayed with their same squad. Draymond Green, Kyle Kuzma, and Jerami Grant are just a few names that didn’t switch teams. So, which teams had the best free agency?

We also take a closer look at the Atlantic Division teams and how they fared throughout the free agency period so far. The 76ers and Nets seem to be sitting back and waiting for bigger moves while the Raptors and Celtics decided to make a few moves and bring in some new faces. We’re still waiting to see if the Knicks have anything else up their sleeve as well.

Finally, there are the annoying situations of both Damian Lillard and James Harden. Lillard decided to wait until the last possible minute to request a trade and he’s acting like a child when he says he will only play for the Miami Heat and absolutely no one else. Harden, also acting like a child, received a huge ego check and will sit around waiting for Daryl Morey to trade him because he didn’t like the fact that he didn’t receive a ton of money this offseason.

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

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:07:16 Atlantic Division free agency roundup
00:47:01 Can Damian Lillard replicate Stephen Curry and Isiah Thomas?
00:55:51 What’s going on with Dame and James Harden?
01:04:17 Houston lands Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks
01:07:13 We love meatloaf
01:10:11 Back to Houston’s free agency
01:15:46 Kyle Kuzma stays in Washington??
01:21:36 Phoenix Suns have a good free agency
01:25:03 Early NBA Summer League thoughts
01:31:52 Outro

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.

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

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!

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

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