The Ringer NBA Show

The Ringer's Chris Vernon and Kevin O'Connor celebrate the kickoff of the NBA season by selecting their top storyline for all thirty teams. Topics include: the Warriors' dominance (4:00), Doc Rivers's need for creativity (6:00), Boogie's ideal coach (10:00), What is Harrison Barnes? (13:00), Anthony Davis's eliteness (19:30), Emmanuel Mudiay's leap (22:00), Oladipo's scoring ability (26:00), How good is Dante Exum? (30:00), Danny Ainge's many assets (33:00), Sixers potential with Embiid and Saric (37:00), LeBron as an underdog (44:00), Drummond's defensive struggles (46:00), Kemba Walker's shooting clip (51:00), Winslow's opportunity in Miami (54:00), and Brad Beal’s massive contract (57:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Chris Vernon is joined by former ESPN analytics guru and current Memphis Grizzlies vice president of basketball operations John Hollinger to discuss developing his formula for PER (8:00), working for a franchise vs. covering a franchise (21:00), the importance of making smart personnel decisions (30:00), and the upside of the Grizzlies this season (38:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Chris Vernon is joined by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey to discuss the growth of analytics in sports (6:00), handling criticism of team chemistry (14:00), his beef with Charles Barkley (18:00), the additions of Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson (26:00), and potential NBA rule changes to increase pace of play (30:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Chris Vernon and Jason Concepcion discuss why the Timberwolves are the top hipster team this season (6:00), Chandler Parsons's Instagram (11:00), the longest-tenured players on one franchise (15:00), the promising Bucks (22:00), Devin Booker's trash talk (26:00), Boogie's playoff chances (36:00), Embiid's media availability (40:00), and Dwight Howard's smile (44:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Chris Vernon brings on Washington Post national NBA writer Tim Bontemps to discuss the new-look Warriors (6:00), Steph Curry taking a backseat to Kevin Durant (12:00), who's the second-best team in the West (18:00), the NBA's need to avoid work stoppage (23:00), why the Knicks will be horrible this season (30:55), the health of the Grizzlies (36:00), and the best League Pass team this season (40:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Chris Vernon is joined by the godfather of grassroots basketball and former sports marketing executive for Nike and Adidas, Sonny Vaccaro, to discuss betting his job with Nike on signing Michael Jordan (6:00), the first time Kobe showed his true skill (10:00), T-Mac's unknownness (14:00), Adidas missing out on LeBron (17:30), Under Armour's luck with Curry (28:00), Dwight Howard vs. Al Horford (36:00), and the Knicks' playoff potential (41:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Chris Vernon makes his hosting debut with help from Kevin O'Connor to discuss Ben Simmons's injury (8:25) and the "buzzard's luck" of the Sixers. Then, the duo play a game of 'Three Things We Feel Alone in Feeling' (15:35) and make bold declarations about the upcoming NBA season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by the head coach of the Boston Celtics, "The President" Brad Stevens, to discuss coaching in the NBA vs. college (5:00), Brandan Wright's time with the Celtics (16:50), Marcus Smart's career arc (22:00), success against the Warriors (29:30), the efforts to recruit Kevin Durant and Al Horford in free agency (34:00), potential NBA rule changes (41:00), picking the brains of Popovich and Belichick (52:20), and the 3-point shot's impact on positionless basketball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Tate Frazier and Jonathan Tjarks discuss the upcoming Olympic basketball knockout round, the expectations for Team USA, which team is the biggest dark horse, the standout stars from Rio, and Coach K's final farewell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Chris Ryan and Juliet Litman discuss Team USA's eventful summer in Rio and LeBron's back-to-back European travel schedule. Then, Tate Frazier joins to lament Kyrie Irving's inability to lose lately. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices