Last Word on Pro Basketball • September 3, 2019

Joe Johnson NBA Return: A Milestone for the BIG3

After racking up buckets and game-winners in the BIG3 league, newly crowned MVP Joe Johnson has garnered attention from potential NBA teams. Should it come to fruition, a Joe Johnson NBA return would be a milestone for the BIG3. In what started out as a nice “spin-off” of NBA basketball, Ice Cube’s BIG3 league has grown in popularity in its three years of existence. The BIG3 sells out arenas, has a new tv deal with CBS and has signed more well-known players. Milestones have been reached as the

Last Word on Pro Basketball • August 31, 2019

Eric Gordon and Houston Rockets Agree to Max Extension

Eric Gordon and the Houston Rockets have agreed to a four-year max contract extension per multiple sources. The contract extension locks Gordon in for the future as part of the Rockets’ future core. Houston Rockets shooting guard Eric Gordon reached an agreement on a max contract extension that will keep him in Houston. The extension adds three-years, $54.5 million onto the last year of his current deal, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski provided further details. In total, the extension gives Gordo

Last Word on Pro Basketball • August 30, 2019

Countdown to NBA Tip-Off: Miami Heat Season Preview

The Miami Heat ended the Dwyane Wade era last season and now they look ahead to new beginnings. With Jimmy Butler now in the fold, the Miami Heat 2019-20 season preview is exciting for basketball fans everywhere. Looking Back to Last Season The Eastern Conference was wide open at the start of last season, yet the Miami Heat did not enter as legitimate contenders. At best, they were as always a possible lock for the postseason, as the East is generally more favorable than the West in that aspec

Last Word on Pro Basketball • August 25, 2019

Countdown to NBA Tip-Off: Oklahoma City Thunder Season Preview

After a third consecutive first-round playoff exit, the Oklahoma City Thunder are rebooting as a franchise. With old faces gone and a boatload of assets in return, here is the Oklahoma City Thunder 2019-20 Season Preview. The Oklahoma City Thunder have had the reputation of being one of the most talent-heavy franchises, with little postseason success. After GM Sam Presti drafted three future MVPs in three consecutive drafts, the Thunder seemed like a contender. Now each of those three MVPs has

Last Word on Pro Basketball • August 24, 2019

Countdown to NBA Tip-Off: Brooklyn Nets Season Preview

The Brooklyn Nets became a team on the rise after last season’s surprise playoff run. Now, after agreeing to max deals with two superstars in free agency, Brooklyn has vaulted into future contender status. The Brooklyn Nets season preview shows a team that exceeded expectations last season and rebuilt their roster for this coming season by adding some stars to an already great supporting cast. A Look Back to Last Season The Eastern Conference became wide open a season ago as LeBron James depar

Last Word on Pro Basketball • August 20, 2019

Los Angeles Lakers: DeMarcus Cousins Replacements in Wake of Injury

The Los Angeles Lakers vaulted into contender status after notable free agency signings, but the loss of Lakers’ DeMarcus Cousins to injury is undoubtedly a significant blow. Los Angeles must look at these viable options as replacements. The Western Conference has had a long-standing reputation of being filled with multiple title contenders. Even after the wildest NBA offseason in recent history, it seems like all of the West’s elite added more pieces for a championship run. Yet ahead of the ch

Last Word on Pro Basketball • August 20, 2019

Countdown to NBA Tip-Off: Sacramento Kings Season Preview

Fresh off a 39-43 season that included a 12 win improvement from a year before, the Sacramento Kings have high expectations. With new free agency pieces, playoffs are the goal in this Sacramento Kings Season Preview. Looking Back to Last Season The Sacramento Kings became one of the rising teams to add to an already competitive Western Conference. Boasting one of the younger rosters in the league, the realistic goal ahead of the 2018 season was for Sacramento to show incremental growth. The Ki

Last Word on Pro Basketball • August 7, 2019

De'Aaron Fox Will Benefit from Team USA Basketball

Team USA has invited young players like De’Aaron Fox for training camp ahead of the FIBA tournament. If history has proven anything, its that young players like Fox will thrive. Whether he makes the team or not, the Sacramento Kings should benefit from the De’Aaron Fox USA Basketball exposure. A trending narrative this NBA offseason has been the lack of superstars vying to join Team USA ahead of the FIBA tournament. Big names such as Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard have chosen to forego the op

Last Word on Pro Basketball • July 25, 2019

The Oklahoma City Thunder Can Either Rebuild or Reload for the Future

The Oklahoma City Thunder lost two stars but received a plethora of assets in return. Now, Sam Presti has the chance to fix the mistakes of the past. With a loaded amount of first-round picks, the Oklahoma City Thunder future can be a reload or rebuild. The sight of Damian Lillard‘s clutch go-ahead three-pointer over Paul George is still fresh in the minds of fans. Many assumed Lillard “waving goodbye” in the aftermath echoed his Portland Trail Blazers sending the Oklahoma City Thunder home fro

Last Word on Pro Basketball • July 14, 2019

Golden State Warriors Free Agency Recap

A significant loss occurred as the Golden State Warriors watched Kevin Durant depart for the Brooklyn Nets. The move initiated what was to be a bleak offseason for the Western Conference champions. Instead, a re-tooling of the roster was the result of the Golden State Warriors’ Free Agency. No matter the result, the Golden State Warriors were heading into a franchise-impacting free agency this offseason. Two of their franchise players neared their impending free agency in Kevin Durant and Klay

Last Word on Pro Basketball • July 10, 2019

Sacramento Kings Free Agency Recap

Amidst a wild NBA Free Agency, the Western Conference unsurprisingly became even stronger. The Sacramento Kings were a team on the rise a year ago and successfully fulfilled their own needs this offseason. Now, these new additions will tell just how far this young Kings team can go. There is optimism in the capital of California, as the Sacramento Kings could be primed for another leap in 2019. A season ago, Sacramento compiled a record of 39-43, good for ninth in the Western Conference. Though

Last Word on Pro Basketball • June 28, 2019

NBA Free Agency: Best Landing Spots for Julius Randle

After a successful season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Julius Randle opted out as expected. Randle is now set to hit free agency, and will no doubt have a number of interested suitors. When Julius Randle signed with the New Orleans Pelicans a summer ago, it was essentially a “prove it” deal. Despite being the seventh overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Randle’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers left a little to be desired. Julius Randle did not seem to be a fit in the Lakers’ long-term plans

Last Word on Pro Basketball • June 23, 2019

Free Agents the Sacramento Kings Should Target This Offseason

The 2019 NBA Offseason could prove to be an impactful one for the Sacramento Kings. Coming off a season of surpassed expectations, Sacramento has a chance to take the next step. To do so, the Sacramento Kings should have a few specific free agents they should target. The Sacramento Kings were among the pleasant surprises of last season. Without their 2019 first round draft pick and boasting a young core, many were not high on the prospects of the Kings’ season. In what looked to be a blueprint

Last Word on Pro Basketball • June 18, 2019

Lonzo Ball Gets a Second Chance with the New Orleans Pelicans

The Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans kicked off the NBA offseason with a bang. Anthony Davis now finds himself alongside LeBron James in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Lonzo Ball is headed to New Orleans with the second chance he needed. Despite his ability to stay relatively healthy and in peak form, Father Time will always be undefeated. This was true last season when LeBron James suffered a significant injury that cost him 18 games sitting on the sideline. There was no more time to wait,

Last Word on Pro Basketball • June 14, 2019

NBA Finals Game 6 Recap: The Toronto Raptors Win Their First NBA Title

A rollercoaster NBA Finals Game 5 resulted in a Golden State Warriors victory. With a 3-2 series lead, the Toronto Raptors returned to Oakland to try and clinch their first-ever championship on the Oracle Arena floor in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors miraculously found themselves in a Game 6 situation back at Oracle Arena. With Kevin Durant injured once again, the defending champs needed to use his absence as motivation. Given this was Oracle Arena’s closing act, a win was

Last Word on Pro Basketball • June 6, 2019

NBA Finals Game 3 Recap: Toronto Raptors Outmatch Undermanned Golden State Warriors

Coming into Game 3 the 2019 NBA finals were tied at one game a piece.. Despite Stephen Curry‘s high-scoring output it wasn’t enough to get the victory. Check out our NBA Finals Game 3 recap between the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors. Without Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, the Warriors were at their most vulnerable against the Raptors in Game 3. Stephen Curry knew coming into Game 3 that he would have to shoulder the bulk of the offensive load. This was a game that the Raptors ab

Last Word on Pro Basketball • May 11, 2019

Warriors vs. Rockets: Series Recap

For the fourth time in five years, the Golden State Warriors have eliminated the Houston Rockets in the postseason. Regarded as the “must-watch” series in the West, Houston again failed to seize their moment. In contrast, Golden State showed the heart and poise of a champion. Let’s recap the 4-2 series win by the Warriors in this Warriors vs. Rockets second-round matchup. Despite this being a semifinals matchup, the victor of the Warriors vs. Rockets would be crowned as the unofficial winner of

Last Word on Pro Basketball • May 6, 2019

Oklahoma City Thunder: Where Do They Go From Here?

The Oklahoma City Thunder were ousted in the first round for the third straight postseason. After being dominated by the Portland Trail Blazers through five games, OKC has questions heading into the off-season. Among them, where does the franchise from here? Oklahoma City Thunder: Where Do They Go From Here? For the better part of the regular season, the Oklahoma City Thunder looked like a legitimate contender out West. Paul George was playing like an MVP on offense and a Defensive Player of t

Last Word on Pro Basketball • April 29, 2019

Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers: Series Recap

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 4-2 in the first round. The series was fiercely competitive and proved to be one of the better matchups so far this postseason. Let’s recap what we saw and what to look for going ahead. The Warriors drew their preferred first-round matchup once the regular season came to a close. The defending champs wanted to see the Clippers in the final eighth spot in the West. Among the reasons why: easier travel, the gap in superstar talent and fa

Last Word on Pro Basketball • April 19, 2019

Portland Trail Blazers Path to the Western Conference Finals

The Portland Trail Blazers have been stellar as they hold a 2-0 series lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder. After being swept in the previous two playoffs, the Portland Trail Blazers have a legitimate shot at reaching the Western Conference Finals. As the regular season wrapped up, many felt that the Portland Trail Blazers were purposefully looking to finish as the fourth seed. If that were the case, they’d likely face off against the Utah Jazz in the first round. Instead, Portland notched the