If We Ran the Hornets, Heat, and Clippers (with Cake)

Cleveland's Order of Operations

The Cavs just got swept by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Cleveland made the right decisions in the wrong order four years ago, and they're still paying for it. This is the companion to Wednesday's Detroit episode, where a front office is doing this work correctly in real time.

Detroit's Order of Operations

Detroit got criticized for not making a big move at the trade deadline. The conventional wisdom says they should have acquired a second scorer and prepared for a deeper playoff run. The Ten Commandments view is the opposite: Detroit is doing the hardest work in team building by sequencing their decisions in the right order. Before they acquire a second scorer, they have to answer the questions that determine what kind of scorer to acquire — what is Jalen Duren to this team, and what is Ausar Thompson?

The Memphis Grizzlies Are Waiting for Your Call

Memphis doesn't have to do anything. But they can do everything. The Grizzlies just finished sixth-worst in the league, traded Desmond Bane to Orlando, moved Jaren Jackson Jr. for picks, and have the most flexible roster of any team entering the offseason. Every contender that lost in the first round is about to call them — and Memphis can do almost any kind of trade those teams need. Warehouse a bad contract. Move a productive veteran. Send out a star at the perfect contract window. This is what front-office leverage actually looks like when a rebuild starts at exactly the right moment.

Denver Got Exposed, and Their Path Forward is Bleak

I picked the Denver Nuggets to win the championship. They got bounced in Round 1. In this episode: what the Minnesota series actually exposed about Denver's roster, why their options this offseason are few, and two trade ideas worth thinking about.

If We Ran the Hornets, Heat, and Clippers (with Cake)

We break down the three play-in casualties — Charlotte, Miami, and LA — and ask the question every fan asks after a disappointing season: what would we actually do this offseason if we were running these teams?