Zach Lowe reacts to Giannis Antetokounmpo signing an extension in Milwaukee. Then he and Kevin Pelton predict every major NBA award, the Finals matchup, and 2024 NBA champion — plus quick-hitters on all the new contract extensions, James Harden/Clippers latest, much more.
0:00 Giannis signs extension in Milwaukee
10:43 Rookie of the Year
16:07 Most Valuable Player
23:02 Defensive Player of the Year
30:32 Grizzlies without Steven Adams
36:37 Coach of the Year
40:37 Minnesota’s financial crunch
48:40 Most Improved Player
56:18 6th Man of the Year
101:32 Latest on Harden
1:13:32 Finals Predictions
☑️ Subscribe to ESPN+: https://plus.espn.com/
📱Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn
🏀 Subscribe to NBA on ESPN on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2yxs3Og
☑️Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoYOUTUBE
☑️Watch ESPN on YouTube TV: http://es.pn/YouTubeTV
21 Comments
really when you have this guy i sleep in 5 min..can't stand him.
kings sixers finals with sixers winning in 5
Lebron must be so triggered watching the Bucks do right by Giannis consistentently after the Cavs did nothing for 9 years to help him win first time lol
What a waste of the best talent the league has ever seen lol
Suns over Bucks in 6
Last year the Sins had no shooters. CP3 was not shooting well even before he got hurt. This year it will be Yuta, EG, and Allen shooting these wide open shots that Okogie, Ish, and Sham couldn't make.
Shout out to Herb Kohl for putting in stipulations saying they would keep the team in Milwaukee. We could very well be talking about the Vegas Bucks if MJ and Tiger would have bought the team 😢.
If I were the Sixers I would wait until February as Brogdon passes his trade restriction and other recently signed players come on the market. Teams like the Spurs and Blazers have useful pieces that could facilitate better returns as part of the package and take some big contracts so the Sixers and Clippers can both improve likely for the price of a couple of firsts in the trade a couple of seconds and players that don't impact either of those teams who are both trying to remain in the contention picture.
Giannis never wanted to leave, we know that. He just wanted to make sure the Bucks organisation were serious about competing for the title. They showed him they are by acquiring Dame and he signed the extension to in turn show them he is satisfied.
Finally some love for Anthony Davis. Dude played more games and minutes than JJJ last year and showed him up in their series.
Denver may have found the next guy on the cheap on a rookie deal, Strother. Dude is money…
Why is Tyrese Maxey not Philly's number one point guard yet?
Clown spent two hours before this pod crying about how big markets are owed every single star. It's time we clown these losers into the ground
Zach, happy you have your own podcast. Love your sensible takes as opposed to the Muppets you work with.
😂 Dame pulled Giannis to the side and was like look are you staying or not. I've been thru this with Aldridge already.
Giannis isn't top 2 anymore.
He was BITW from 2019 to 2021, then by 2022 it was neck and neck between him and Jokic for 1st and 2nd
Then in 2023 he dropped to 4th behind Embiid who won his 1st MVP after finishing 2nd in 2021 and 2022 by averaging 33 on great efficiency and defense and KD who averaged 30 on 55/40/90 splits while being the only reason his teams won.
Giannis on the other hand had a down season where he couldn't shoot outside of the paint (check his shot chart it's all red outside the paint), shot 65% FTs, was the 4th least efficient star (only Trae, Ja, LeBron less efficient by TS%), and he was 2nd in turnovers (behind Trae), additionally he averaged under a block and steal because Brook anchored tbe defense and Jrue locked up the perimeter. Then in the playoffs, he got outplayed by Duncan Robinson in that series who only played 20 MPG vs Giannis' 30.
Giannis isn't that far ahead of Luka and Tatum who should improve and eventually overtake him.
Ironically now after ADs dominance in the playoffs defensively showing he's the best defensive player in the NBA, he's back in the conversation with Giannis and they both got the same 3 year 186M extension.
Look obviously it's good to sign your Superstar to an extension, but I don't like how people live in the past. It's like y'all always a year behind me, in 2019 I had Giannis as BITW, y'all said he wasn't top 5. It took y'all until 2021 to crown him and now after Jokic clearly passed him y'all acting like it's 2022 when it's debatable between them.
Grizzlies is thin up front. Now or never for Lofton . They need a trade.
Scottie Barnes gotta be a top early contender for MIP. He's coming in ready to go aggressive full game, should have highest usage on the team this yr overtaking Siakam. If his shot shows any improvement (which it is showing in a big way so far), he's gonna make a huge leap. Keys to the franchise are being handed to him.
Jaden McDaniels absolutely needs to get better at rebounding. That said, he spends 90% of his time guarding the best perimeter player on the opposing team. He's not near the basket so he isn't going to get the same rebound numbers as someone else who's 6'11'' playing at the 3.
I find it hilarious that casuals say, "Oh everybody is disrespecting Denver" "Bro they just won the title last season how you picking X team over them." Denver maybe a Small Market team, and may not have a big fanbase. But to proclaim them to be Disrespected or not talked about enough is disingenuous. THEY ARE THE CHAMPIONS, EVEN ESPN ANALYSTS are picking them, Vegas is picking them. THEY'RE NO LONGER UNDERDOGS NOR CAN THEY BE UNDERDOGS BECAUSE THEY ARE DEFENDING NBA FRICKING CHAMPIONS. I say all of that to say this, Denver will not, AND I REPEAT, will not come out of the West. They're rotation pieces are unproven new guys and old vets one of whom played no minutes with them in the playoffs. The Suns will catch this team if we match up against them, and tbh championship hangover will hit one of the starters and that attention to detail and laser focus will not be as sharp as last year.
Nice job bucks organization. Made a huge deal and managed to resign your cornerstone
We Magic fans really do exist, thanks for the last podcast, and bringing up Franz in this one!