LeBron James is out for tonight's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to ankle soreness, per Mike Trudell and the Lakers.
&nbsp;

LeBron James is out for tonight's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to ankle soreness, per Mike Trudell and the Lakers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LeBron James is out tonight in OKC with right ankle soreness.
&mdash; Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/1453422602060435459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

James will miss his second consecutive contest. Anthony Davis is also listed as "questionable" for Wednesday's game. The Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs without James on Tuesday

LeBron James is out for tonight's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to ankle soreness, per Mike Trudell and the Lakers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LeBron James is out tonight in OKC with right ankle soreness.
&mdash; Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/1453422602060435459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

James will miss his second consecutive contest. Anthony Davis is also listed as "questionable" for Wednesday's game. The Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs without James on Tuesday, winning&nbsp;

LeBron James is out for tonight's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to ankle soreness, per Mike Trudell and the Lakers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LeBron James is out tonight in OKC with right ankle soreness.
&mdash; Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/1453422602060435459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

James will miss his second consecutive contest. Anthony Davis is also listed as "questionable" for Wednesday's game. The Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs without James on Tuesday, winning 125-121 in overtime.

James is listed out for Wednesday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

LeBron James to miss second straight game due to ankle soreness

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. So many front offices considered to be the best in the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors have gone through rough patches of recent. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs--no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton, and the additions Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis last year.

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed that he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. So many front offices considered to be the best in the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors have gone through rough patches of recent. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs--no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton, and the additions Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis last year.

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed that he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one, but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. So many front offices considered to be the best in the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors have gone through rough patches of recent. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs--no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton, and the additions Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis last year.

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed that he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one, but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. Many of the front offices considered to be the best in the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors have gone through rough patches of recent. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs--no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton, and the additions Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis last year.

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed that he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one, but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. Many of the front offices considered to be the best &mdash; such as the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors have gone through rough patches of recent. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs--no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton, and the additions Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis last year.

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed that he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one, but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. Many of the front offices considered to be the best &mdash; such as the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors &mdash; have gone through rough patches recently. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs--no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton, and the additions Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis last year.

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed that he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one, but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. Many of the front offices considered to be the best &mdash; such as the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors &mdash; have gone through rough patches recently. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs &mdash; no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton, and the additions Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis last year.

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed that he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one, but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. Many of the front offices considered to be the best &mdash; such as the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors &mdash; have gone through rough patches recently. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs &mdash; no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton, and the additions of Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis last year.

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed that he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one, but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. Many of the front offices considered to be the best &mdash; such as the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors &mdash; have gone through rough patches recently. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs &mdash; no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton and last year's additions (Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis last year.

We are more than a week into the 2021-22 NBA season; can you believe it? Hot takes are flying, highlights are being made and surprise teams are making their marks out of the gate.&nbsp;
As fans begin their reactive discourses surrounding the early successes (or failures) of their respective squads, the conversations usually shift to front-office moves. People love to talk about roster construction and fitting the puzzle pieces together, so we decided to provide our own two cents on the subject.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA franchise has the best front office? 
Alex Kennedy: The Toronto Raptors stand out to me. Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. not only do a terrific job of identifying talent, they are also outstanding when it comes to developing their own players. After all, that&rsquo;s how they became the first team in NBA history to win a championship without a single lottery player on the roster. Ujiri may be the most valuable executive in the entire NBA, which is why the Raptors had to take care of him with his new deal as vice chairman/president (despite <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/10/25/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head-sources-say.html?utm_source=Twitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialMedia&amp;utm_campaign=Business&amp;utm_content=edwardrogersmasaiujiri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempts from the team's co-owner to oust him</a>). As ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31966285/masai-ujiri-gets-new-deal-vice-chairman-president-toronto-raptors-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> when he signed his new contract: &ldquo;Ujiri has established himself as one of the most prominent, successful and sought-after executives in professional sports. In the final months of his expiring contract, Ujiri turned back overtures from several pro sports organizations beyond the NBA.&rdquo; Ujiri has taken Webster under his wing, and the two of them have created a special culture in Toronto. They have also identified quite a few diamonds in the rough such as Fred VanVleet (undrafted), Pascal Siakam (No. 27 overall), OG Anunoby (No. 23) and Malachi Flynn (No. 29). Scottie Barnes is looking like a tremendous pick too. The Raptors are in excellent hands going forward.
Nekias Duncan: If we're splitting up front-office duties between transaction/financial stuff, scouting and coaching, I'd find myself splitting hairs between the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the organizations with the best blend of those three. The Heat have been doing it longer, so I'll give them the slight edge.
Spencer Davies: Determining who has the best front office is a tough task. Are we judging this on the team's longevity as a legitimate competitor, or for the bold, win-now moves that create a championship window that becomes rather narrow? I've long maintained that the San Antonio Spurs have been the standard-bearer of how to run a team, but their questionable free-agency period made me take a step back. I also believe that the Utah Jazz deserve more love for what they've built. However, the mantle, for me, may very well belong to the Atlanta Hawks. Travis Schlenk has constructed a well-balanced team that employs a star in Trae Young, a perfect partner in John Collins, veterans to guide the youth and a soon-to-be Most-Improved-Player candidate in De'Andre Hunter. Draft well, make moves with care and allow the pieces to find their fits &mdash; that's how you build.
Ethan Fuller: The Atlanta Hawks, led by general manager Travis Schlenk, are on an absolute roll. They've drafted extremely well since Schlenk took the front office and nailed a number of key free-agent signings, including swooping in to acquire Bogdan Bogdanovic. Many people (including myself) doubted the Lloyd Pierce firing last season, but Nate McMillan came in and steered the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks are way ahead of their expected timeline.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Miami Heat. There are obviously plenty to choose from here, but since Pat Riley left New York for Miami 27 years ago, the Heat have missed the playoffs just six times. They&rsquo;ve managed the cap prudently, consistently fielded contenders and &mdash; from Alonzo Mourning to Dwyane Wade to Bam Adebayo &mdash; have always managed to find a way to land impact players. Anyone who&rsquo;s played in Miami will tell you a thing or two about &ldquo;Heat Culture,&rdquo; and the fact that they&rsquo;ve had such incredible continuity from an organizational standpoint says a lot. Let&rsquo;s also recall their six Eastern Conference crowns and three championships.
Evan Sidery: It has to be the Milwaukee Bucks, right? Jon Horst showed that he can be very aggressive when needed during his acquisition of Jrue Holiday. There are many other solid contenders around the Association, but the Bucks&rsquo; front office put their chips into the middle of the table recently, and it paid off.
Blake Hairston: It&rsquo;s tough to pick one, but there are a few that stick out for various reasons. As a draft guy, the Denver Nuggets have done a great job at selecting impact players over the years regardless of draft position. Also, It&rsquo;s hard to argue with what Jon Horst has built in Milwaukee with the exclamation point of a championship last season.
Alexander Cohen: This is a difficult question to answer. Many of the front offices considered to be the best &mdash; such as the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors &mdash; have gone through rough patches recently. Even the Spurs are finally missing the playoffs &mdash; no team is perfect. I'll stay with the Raptors though, despite their failure to do much of anything last year or get value back for Kyle Lowry. I still have faith in their development system, and that Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will turn them into contenders again soon enough.
Mark Gunnels: The best front office in the NBA has to be the Milwaukee Bucks right now. They were able to lock up Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term while putting great complementary pieces around him with Khris Middleton and last year's additions Jrue Holiday, PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis.

Which franchise has the best front office? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which franchise has the best front office?

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council'.
Source: Tim MacMahon/ESPN

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council'.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1453203042094944259?s=20">Tim MacMahon/ESPN</a>

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council', reportedly consisting of Luka Donc.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1453203042094944259?s=20">Tim MacMahon/ESPN</a>

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council', reportedly consisting of Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1453203042094944259?s=20">Tim MacMahon/ESPN</a>

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council', reportedly consisting of Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1453210305836822538?s=20">Tim MacMahon/ESPN</a>
&nbsp;

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council', reportedly consisting of Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1453210305836822538?s=20">Tim MacMahon/ESPN</a>
ANALYSIS: While players always have an ever-increasing role in today's NBA, there has never been suc

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council', reportedly consisting of Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1453210305836822538?s=20">Tim MacMahon/ESPN</a>
ANALYSIS: While players always have an ever-increasing role in today's NBA, there has never been anything quite like this.&nbsp;
It seemingly represents a shift in Kidd's personality as a coach, being far more accepting of what the players want than he was in Los Angeles.
It remains to be see

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council', reportedly consisting of Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1453210305836822538?s=20">Tim MacMahon/ESPN</a>
ANALYSIS: While players always have an ever-increasing role in today's NBA, there has never been anything quite like this.&nbsp;
It seemingly represents a shift in Kidd's personality as a coach, being far more accepting of what the players want than he was in Los Angeles.
It remains to be seen what other affects this council could theoretically have if they're already abel to have significant input on rotations.

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council', reportedly consisting of Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1453210305836822538?s=20">Tim MacMahon/ESPN</a>
ANALYSIS: While players always have an ever-increasing role in today's NBA, there has never been anything quite like this.&nbsp;
It seemingly represents a shift in Kidd's personality as a coach, being far more accepting of what the players want than he was in Los Angeles. But&nbsp;
It remains to be seen what other affects this council could theoretically have if they're already abel to have significant input on rotations.

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council', reportedly consisting of Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1453210305836822538?s=20">Tim MacMahon/ESPN</a>
ANALYSIS: While players always have an ever-increasing role in today's NBA, there has never been anything quite like this.&nbsp;
It seemingly represents a shift in Kidd's personality as a coach, being far more accepting of what the players want than he was in Los Angeles. But we do not yet know who exactly makes up this leadership group.
It remains to be seen what other affects this council could theoretically have if they're already abel to have significant input on rotations.

Jason Kidd played all 15 active players last night, in a move requested by the Mavericks' three-man 'leadership council', reportedly consisting of Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Tim Hardaway Jr.

Mavs play 15 players at request of three-man 'leadership council'

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb.&nbsp;

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb. LaVine intends to play through the injury as it is a matter of "pain and tolerance".
Source: Shams Charania/The Athletic

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb. LaVine intends to play through the injury as it is a matter of "pain and tolerance".
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1453368316442071041?s=21">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb. LaVine intends to play through the injury as it is a matter of "pain and tolerance".
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1453368316442071041?s=21">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The Bulls have gotten off to a 4-0 start, in large part to LaVine's heroics.

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb. LaVine intends to play through the injury as it is a matter of "pain and tolerance".
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1453368316442071041?s=21">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The Bulls have gotten off to a 4-0 start, in large part due to LaVine's heroics.
LaVine is averaing 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds,&nbsp;

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb. LaVine intends to play through the injury as it is a matter of "pain and tolerance".
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1453368316442071041?s=21">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The Bulls have gotten off to a 4-0 start, in large part due to LaVine's heroics.
LaVine is averaging 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb. LaVine intends to play through the injury as it is a matter of "pain and tolerance".
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1453368316442071041?s=21">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The Bulls have gotten off to a 4-0 start, in large part due to LaVine's heroics.
LaVine is averaging 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb. LaVine intends to play through the injury as it is a matter of "pain and tolerance".
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1453368316442071041?s=21">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The Bulls have gotten off to a 4-0 start, in large part due to LaVine's heroics.
LaVine is averaging 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
Despite the Bulls being undefeated, they have only edged out

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb. LaVine intends to play through the injury as it is a matter of "pain and tolerance".
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1453368316442071041?s=21">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The Bulls have gotten off to a 4-0 start, in large part due to LaVine's heroics.
LaVine is averaging 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
Despite the Bulls being undefeated, they have only edged out poor teams

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb. LaVine intends to play through the injury as it is a matter of "pain and tolerance".
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1453368316442071041?s=21">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The Bulls have gotten off to a 4-0 start, in large part due to LaVine's heroics.
LaVine is averaging 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
Despite the Bulls being undefeated, they have only edged out poor teams and a LaVine absence could hamper them significantly.

Zach LaVine has suffered a small ligament tear in his left thumb. LaVine intends to play through the injury as it is a matter of "pain and tolerance".

Zach LaVine to play through small ligament tear in thumb

Simmons reportedly met with the team in the past week to tell them he was "not mentally ready" to play in regular season games.

Sixers have stopped fining Ben Simmons for missed practices and games

Curry and Bridges both led their teams to 3-0 starts in the opening week.

Steph Curry, Miles Bridges earn Player of the Week honors for Oct. 19-24

What is your biggest NBA-related pet peeve? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: What is your biggest NBA-related pet peeve?

Gilbert Arenas posted a length response with his thoughts on Instagram.

Gilbert Arenas says Sixers threw Ben Simmons under the bus

The first weekend of the 2021-22 NBA regular season is here, as everybody has now hit the floor in meaningful action to start things off.
A common argument always surfaces when discussing ways to improve the league's postseason picture. Too often we're hearing that the season doesn't truly matter, and coaching decisions to manage players and their bodies (rightfully so) kind of back that claim. But what if every game did matter, and divisions and conferences were strictly for scheduling purposes?
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Should the NBA reseed the playoffs?
Alex Kennedy: Yes, this seems like a no-brainer since it would lead to better matchups. However, I&rsquo;m not sure if it&rsquo;ll ever happen since a number of NBA executives have reportedly pushed back against this idea, blaming travel concerns and the fact that it would diminish existing rivalries. Still, I hope we see the NBA adopt this change at some point in the near future.
Nekias Duncan: I think it's a cool idea, but I understand the hesitation with some of the travel weirdness that could pop up with some of the matchups. I'm fine with keeping things as is.
Spencer Davies: I'm usually more of a traditionalist, but I'm actually open to this idea. Geography shouldn't determine why you don't make the field of 16 postseason teams (well, with the play-in tournament that's probably expanded to a larger number, but you get the point). If travel is really that much of a concern, just take the strategy from baseball to make the quarterfinal rounds a best-of-five instead of seven. The difficulty would probably be adjusting to different time zones and such, where the league would have to think hard about amount of days in between. But hey, it can be done.
Ethan Fuller: No! I don't know if this is a hot take, but this is an unnecessary change that carries considerable risk with marginal payoff. The postseason always creates its own fantastic matchups; reseeding in an effort to pit the best teams together in the Finals isn't a perfect strategy. The travel aspect is much more important. If fans want to see the best players play at their best, travel and injury risk should be limited, which means the West stays in the West and the East stays in the East.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;ve gone back and forth on this one. My final answer would be based on how the reseeding is done. If it&rsquo;s as simple as taking the top 16 teams irrespective of conference and cross-matching them, I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;d be in favor of that. The doomsday scenario there would be the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers (or Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers, for example) drawing each other in the first round. Although it&rsquo;s not likely, employing a system like that could have unintended consequences, especially when New Orleans and Houston or New York and Brooklyn could end up drawing one another in the first round. Perhaps it would be less of an issue if the league went to a 2-3-2 format for all rounds, but there are serious cons to that as well. The simplest answer at this point is to leave things the way they are, as the most obvious ways to reseed seem to have more cons than pros.
Jannelle Moore: I think the NBA should absolutely reseed the playoffs and do away with East and West matchups. Doing this will create new rivalries. The intensity of competition will be elevated, and it's a more organic way to create more interest in the league compared to midseason gimmicks.
Evan Sidery: As of right now, no, I don't think so. Finally, the Eastern Conference looks well-balanced and competitive this season. I've always loved the traditional East and West format, and the play-in tournament is a nice little wrinkle to it as well.
Blake Hairston: I still prefer separating the playoffs by conference. I think that structure still holds onto the idea of having rivalries because of how often one team sees another. Also, I've been a fan of the play-in format so far since it keeps the teams in the 7-to-12 range fighting until the final days of the season. But... have I dreamed of a "March Madness" type of NBA Playoffs? Yes. Hear me out: All 30 teams in, single elimination until you get to the Sweet 16 to spice it up, then go back to the 7-game series structure from there.
Alexander Cohen: It may difficult to pull off with travel, but it's hard to argue that the 16 best teams in the league should not compete for a championship. A setup with the No. 1 seed playing the No. 16, the No. 2 seed playing the No. 15 and so on would be much less arbitrary than the current play-in design. It would prevent ever having an outcome like 2014, where the Suns missed the playoffs with 48 wins as the 38-win Hawks made it, from happening again.
Mark Gunnels: I know this is a popular discussion every year, but I don&rsquo;t think they should mess with what&rsquo;s working.

Should the NBA reseed the playoffs? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: Should the NBA reseed the playoffs?

The star point guard has not played for the Sixers in any capacity this fall and was recently thrown out of practice and suspended.

Ben Simmons tells Sixers he is 'not mentally ready' to play right now

Which team will hit its “under” win total? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which team will hit its 'Under' win total?

Daryl Morey has stated that he will not give in to pressure to trade Ben Simmons. In a Philadelphia radio interview, he went as far as to say, "People should buckle in, this is going to go a long time," that it "could take four years", and that they will only trade Simmons for a difference maker.