Knights

Alex Kennedy examines which NBA players could have played professional football if they had seriously pursued it.

Which NBA players could have realistically played in the NFL?

Eric Garner took his last breath on this earth seven years ago today, after being killed by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo. Garner was guilty of selling loose cigarettes outside of a convenience store and the officer administered an illegal choke hold despite him repeating the phrase &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t breathe&rdquo; 11 times. An unmoved group of fellow police officers stood around and did nothing as he was murdered in broad daylight.&nbsp;
This led to worldwide protests and demonstrations, which spilled into NBA arenas. Derrick Rose was the first NBA player to wear an &ldquo;I Can&rsquo;t Breathe&rdquo; shirt during warmups, followed by LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Garnett and many players from the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;
I have worked closely with Garner&rsquo;s daughter, Emerald, since inviting her to speak at a Black Lives Matter panel that I put together at Canaan Baptist Church in Harlem during the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend. The panel also included Isiah Thomas, Alonzo Mourning, Chris Broussard, and John Wallace among others.
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Fast forward to 2019: the Suns&rsquo; players were <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2019/02/22/nba-players-political-statements/2838011002/">interested in activism</a> and wanted to make an impact, so they brought Emerald and I to Phoenix to speak to the team. It was an emotional experience for the players, but one that was greatly appreciated by Emerald.&nbsp;
When I told Emerald about the invitation, the first thing she said was, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know much about the Phoenix Suns, but they were one of the teams who wore the &lsquo;I Can&rsquo;t Breathe&rsquo; shirts, so I would love to speak to them.&rdquo;
And with that, we were off to Phoenix.&nbsp;
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We sat down and watched the Suns go through a light practice. I hugged James Jones, who I have known for years from working with him on the NBPA&rsquo;s executive board (and I&rsquo;m so happy for him and his success as a GM). After practice, they all assembled in their media room and sat and listened for nearly an hour and a half as I asked Emerald questions. It was originally slated for only 45 minutes, but when I asked if they wanted us to wrap it up or continue, Jamal Crawford (who was an elder statesman on the team) replied, &ldquo;No, please continue. This is important and we don&rsquo;t have anywhere pressing to go right now.&rdquo; He looked around at everyone and the entire team nodded in agreement, so we continued.&nbsp;
I remember a young Deandre Ayton watching and listening intently to every word. Devin Booker forgot all about the fact that he had ice on his knees and the trainer had to peek in and tell him to take it off. I saw him shake his head, snap out of his trance, take his ice off and apologize for making any noise.&nbsp;
At one point, Emerald leaned over to me and asked, &ldquo;Do you think this is too heavy for them?&rdquo; And I told her, &ldquo;No, keep talking, you&rsquo;re doing great.&rdquo;
We discussed how her family was devastated after her father was killed by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, how they were still holding out hope for some type of justice, how afraid and traumatized she felt, and how much she appreciated athletes like them supporting her.
At the time, some people questioned whether an athlete wearing a shirt is activism and if it meant anything at all, so I asked her about that. The players heard directly from someone who was immediately impacted by their gesture, and she shared exactly what it meant to her and her family. She said she was so thankful for them because it made her feel like somebody cared.&nbsp;
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At one point, she said something that caused a player who I won&rsquo;t name to have tears in his eyes.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Imagine your father being murdered, and every time you turn on the TV, you see people justifying why he deserved to die,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t thank you enough for doing the opposite.&rdquo;
To wrap up, Emerald personally thanked each and every one of them for their support. After our talk, another player came up to her, with tears in his eyes, and asked if he could give her a hug.
I recently asked Emerald what she remembered about the talk and how she felt about the Suns bringing us in.
&ldquo;I was benefiting from it just as much as they were,&rdquo; Emerald said. &ldquo;I enjoyed answering all of their questions and I was amazed that they were that focused and locked in for the entire time. They just had practice -- one guy kept messing up the play and got in trouble -- but they were really interested in how they can get involved and be a part of the change, and I really appreciate that. Sometimes, talking about everything is really therapeutic for me. Sometimes, I feel like I&rsquo;m rambling and you always do a great job of keeping me focused.&rdquo;
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Whenever a similar tragedy occurs, Emerald said it&rsquo;s very hard for her and her family.
&ldquo;People don&rsquo;t understand the after effects of how it impacts the entire family structure every time [something like] this happens. It&rsquo;s not just another case or just another hashtag; we are people and it impacts our entire family,&rdquo; she said.
I also asked her if she remembered the player who teared up and gave her a hug afterward.
&ldquo;Yes, I remember that very well,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I had to look up who he was after, so I have been rooting for him ever since that day. He was so moved by my story. They all asked such good questions. Sometimes, the media will ask the stupidest, meanest, most insensitive questions, but their questions were really good. But that&rsquo;s usually how it is with younger people. When we go speak at schools, whether it&rsquo;s Horace Mann or The Eagle Academy, I&rsquo;m always blown away by the questions of the students, and this was no different. They cared. They didn&rsquo;t want us to stop. We went way past the time, and they wanted to keep talking to us.&nbsp;
&ldquo;From that day, I&rsquo;ve been a fan of the Phoenix Suns, and all of the athletes who supported my family after my father was taken away from us. It means a lot. More than people know.&rdquo;

In 2019, the Phoenix Suns hosted Eric Garner's daughter, Emerald, and Etan Thomas. Emerald and Etan look back on the powerful chat.

How an emotional conversation made Emerald Garner a lifelong Suns fan

Facing a hostile Utah Jazz crowd, and with the Los Angeles Clippers missing their leader and perennial All-Star in Kawhi Leonard (whose season may be in jeopardy due to a knee injury), Paul George had two options in Game 5: Shut up his critics. or give them further ammunition for ridicule across social media from national pundits. It seemed as though the naysayers were salivating at the chance to further mock the self proclaimed &ldquo;Playoff P."
But PG had other plans, scoring 37 points, pulling down 16 rebounds and dishing out 5 assists -- a performance that no other Clipper has had in a playoff game.
That&rsquo;s not to say that this was in any way a one-man show. The &ldquo;others,&rdquo; as Shaq refers to them, all stepped up in Kawhi&rsquo;s absence. Marcus Morris poured in 25 points and Reggie Jackson lit up the stat sheet for 22, while Terance Mann continued to impress with a solid 13 points and an electrifying dunk over the three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, as the Clippers pushed the top-seeded Jazz to the brink of elimination. The Clippers shot 51% from the field without Leonard, as they collectively willed themselves to victory. But the bulk of the praise has to go to George.
For the most part, all of the questions about George&rsquo;s ability to carry the team absent of Kawhi Leonard should have been put to rest. This was a statement game. His redemption song.
I picture Kool Moe Dee with his arms folded on his album cover back in '87 and his white Kangol and sunglasses on with &ldquo;How Ya Like Me Now&rdquo; at the top.&nbsp;
Serge Ibaka said it all with one tweet.
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Please, make sure you fill out the form appropriately. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClipperNation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClipperNation</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAonTNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAonTNT</a> <a href="https://t.co/3uz3ghWi5J">pic.twitter.com/3uz3ghWi5J</a>
&mdash; Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) <a href="https://twitter.com/sergeibaka/status/1405390154613739521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2021</a></blockquote>

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And there was much more praise from his piers where that came from. I reached out to former Clipper great Cuttino Mobley to get his thoughts.
&ldquo;Paul is a star," Mobley said. "For some reason there was a blockage mentally. I think he has opened up that block. He is being who we all knew he was. I&rsquo;m super happy for my guy. One of the most talented in the game, 'Playoff P.'" 
On my podcast, The Rematch, Darius Miles <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rematch/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-25-quentin-richardson-and-darius-miles-on-starting-knuckleheads-podcast,-life-after-the-nba,-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared his own feelings</a> on George.
"I&rsquo;m so proud of him in how he came back from last season and how he&rsquo;s playing and his mindset," Miles said. "I just DM&rsquo;d him the other day just out the blue and told him, 'Hey man, I&rsquo;m proud of you. You&rsquo;re out there looking good, you&rsquo;re looking happy and you look like you&rsquo;re in a zone.'"
I sat down with Clipps, lifelong Clippers fan and co-host of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/The-Follow-Through-podcast-with-Clipps-and-Drew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Follow Through with Clipps and Drew</a>, to discuss the significance of this epic performance by Paul George and if he has in fact silenced his critics.
Etan: Has Paul George made a statement to all of his critics?&nbsp;
Clipps: "A hundred percent. I mean, I did an interview yesterday and I think last night was the most important game in Clipper history. Yesterday was the saddest day in Clipper history, as well. And we've had many, Etan, like many; getting the news about Kawhi was absolutely devastating. But for the first time in my life, I wasn't sad or upset because I knew we could still beat this team. This wasn't like we had to win four games against these guys. We had win two without Kawhi. And all anybody wanted to talk about was, 'Will Paul George step up and rise to the occasion?' And he did that and more for us yesterday. And then with the <a href="https://twitter.com/Farbod_E/status/1405394982442135554?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news coming out that he told Ty Lue</a>, 'Look I've got this, I got you guys today. Don't even worry about it.' So yes, it was [a statement]. I think that from a statement that he made three years ago in a postgame interview, calling himself Playoff P has turned into this huge thing. And it's so crazy to me because Paul George has been great for us for the past two seasons. Yes, he had a really bad Bubble, but this playoffs he's been great for us. So yes, it is a major statement game for all of his critics."
Etan: You mentioned Playoff P, so let me ask you this: Why did that rub everybody wrong so much? Why did people get so upset about that?
Clipps: "Man, you're asking the wrong guy, because that's something I've been trying to figure out for a while now. It's kind of like... Etan, feel me on this. If you ask LeBron haters, 'Hey, why don't you like LeBron?' And they always say, 'Oh, well, because of The Decision, when he did The Decision, I just ended up hating him.' And it's like, okay, that's a really lame reason to hate LeBron. And then it's like, well, why do you hate Paul George? 'Oh, Playoff P, because he called himself Playoff P.' I don't know, man. I think there's just some certain players that the media want to pick on, and Paul George is one of them. It should never be about his athletic [ability] or his game at all because he's a top-15 guy, no matter what."
Etan: I agree. I thought it was interesting, last year in the Bubble, he came out and said that he had some mental health challenges and was depressed while he was there. And nobody cares. You know what I mean? They just pushed him aside. And other people came out and they said that they had mental health challenges and depression and they were praised. DeRozan, Kevin Love, they were praised for their courage to come forward, praised for helping so many people have the courage to open up as well, and they were on panels and all this stuff. But Paul George, it was like nobody cared. And then when he didn't perform well, they dumped on him even more. That's what I saw. Did you see the same thing?
Clipps: "Oh, 100%. And Kevin Love and DeRozan, they were not trendsetting, but they were being honored for their honesty with coming out and speaking about mental health. But [with] Paul George, [it] is looked at as an excuse, right? And I don't know if it's the Clippers either, Etan. I've been a diehard, Clipper fan for 30 years, man, and for the past 10, I've never met so many people that hate the Clippers. For a long time. Nobody cared about the Clippers. They could give... They just did not care about what the Clippers did or who they were for the past 10 years. And especially these past three [years], it's just, people want to find anything to hate the Clippers. And I think his case for having mental health issues was valid. I mean, the Bubble was not easy for anybody. Right?"
"But I guess it could be looked at as a soft excuse from his performance in the Bubble. You know what I mean? It could have been just something that he just didn't want to address and he wanted to write it off as mental health, but in actuality, players don't joke about that. Or they wouldn't joke about that. So I continue to believe in... Look man, the Bubble and last year, [there] was mental health issues for all of us, not just athletes in the Bubble. We were all going through it, and there was a lot going on with the Clippers at that time that we didn't know about. We didn't know that there was some beef, Lou Williams [was] doing his thing. And there was some issues with Montrezl Harrell, and obviously it came out later with Doc Rivers that there was some problems. But I think, especially his performance this season, I just don't know what more people want from Paul George, Etan, I don't understand. You tell me, what more can this guy do?"
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Etan: I agree with you 100%. I saw Serge Ibaka tweeted out apology forms for everybody that wants to sign up. What is it going to take for people to finally say, 'Okay, we apologize to Paul George?' Is it going to take him getting out of this round, the Clippers getting out the round or is that still not going to be enough? What is it going to take?
Clipps: "Okay Etan, I'll tell you this. I said it on our show the other day. First of all, it's never going to be enough. It'll never be enough for the talking heads. It won't be enough until you win a championship, I guess, right? But I want to speak on behalf of just the Clipper fan and Clipper Nation in me, 'cause a lot of Clipper Nation hates on Paul George, too. Clipper fans like to blame somebody or something. Yesterday morning, it was all about, 'Oh we're cursed, we're cursed, the Clipper curse.' And I was more like, 'I believe in our team, I believe in Paul George, Ty Lue and our whole squad.' I think that Clipper fans in general, this should be enough for you and Paul George, right? Look, this was the biggest game of our [season]. Do you know that Kawhi or Paul George, while they've played together, have not won in Utah?
"They haven't won a game in Utah, and for Paul George to do what he did, in Game 4 in the playoffs with a sold-out arena. Could you even hear the announcers talk? It was so loud and just rocking last night. And for him to show up and drop 37 [points], like a true superstar would and put our whole team on his back, that should be enough for Clipper Nation. Do I think it's going to be enough for Nick Wright? Or Chris Broussard? I don't think so. Because I think a lot the talking-head guys wanted him to fail so bad so they could have something to talk about for the next 24 hours. When in actuality, you should be praising Ty Lue and praising the Clippers and Paul George. Give him his flowers. And I don't necessarily need him to win the whole series. I think we should [win] with this series coming back home, because we can not go back to Utah, or we're in deep trouble. But, I think this should be enough for everybody. Like, I just don't understand what everybody wants."
Etan: Yep. You mentioned the Clippers fans that hate on Paul George. Lakers fans really hate on Paul George. Is it something to do with not wanting to see the Clippers have any success? It also doesn't seem like they hate on Kawhi the same way. I could be wrong. It seems like they have a special hate for Paul George.
Clipps: "They do, because they've got to find... Look, I think Laker fans are [upset] that Kawhi chose the Clippers over the Lakers, but for whatever reason, that doesn't piss them off as much as Playoff P [choosing to]. A Playoff P comment pissed them off, right? If anything, you should be mad at Kawhi, but he just toyed with your emotions two summers ago, because Laker fans really thought it going to be Kawhi, LeBron, AD when in actuality, we knew that wasn't going to happen. Laker fans are fickle, and I deal with a lot of them. They're just... Even if the Clippers the championship this year, which would be absolutely amazing, the Laker fans will always go back to, 'Well, we have 17. Get 16 more and we'll talk.' It'll never be enough for the Laker fans, either, to gain this guy's respect.
"And most of these Laker fans were huge LeBron haters, right? Huge LeBron haters! So I just think they're in a compromising situation right now. Because they absolutely love LeBron, even though they hated him before. I think people just pick a certain kind of player that they want to see fail, and Paul's that guy. And Etan, I said on our show, I think it's time for Paul George to just embrace being the hated guy. And I don't necessarily think he's a villain, but just embrace being... Having that Russell Westbrook, that Allen Iverson, that Kobe Bryant, that now-Trae Young kind of vibe where people just aren't going to like you -- wherever you go. They're going to have their opinions about you, but just embrace it and use that as fuel to prove everybody wrong."
Paul George has a lot of people rooting for him and happy for him, and he also has a lot of haters waiting for the opportunity to hate again. It&rsquo;s amazing how people will shout their criticisms from the mountain tops with a bullhorn, but whisper their praise. And some won&rsquo;t even do that, but instead will sit back quietly and simply wait for the next opportunity to be able to shout their criticisms again.
Hopefully, Paul George, a.k.a. Playoff P, continues to make them all eat their words.

Etan Thomas shares his thoughts on Paul George's statement game in Utah and gathers opinions on PG from his fellow former players.

Paul George is silencing his critics

Etan Thomas, Dave Zirin, Drew Gooden and Tony Massenburg discuss what John Wall meant to D.C. and Russell Westbrook's fit on the Wizards.

Etan Thomas, Drew Gooden, Tony Massenburg, Dave Zirin on Wall-Westbrook deal

Fans of the New York Knicks have been frustrated for a long time. It&rsquo;s been one emotional rollercoaster after another. Don&rsquo;t believe me? Just ask any New Yorker how they feel about the team. You won&rsquo;t get a simple answer like, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re looking forward to next season.&rdquo; You&rsquo;ll get a long-winded, emotional, triggered, overly passionate, hand-gestures-filled, voice-cracking response. They may even start sweating. It&rsquo;s time for Knicks fans to get a win.&nbsp;
After recent reports that Russell Westbrook is ready to move on from the Houston Rockets, there has been a lot of speculation as to where his landing spot would be. In fact, our Nekias Duncan <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-russell-westbrook-trade-demand-deal-possible-destinations-houston-rockets-los-angeles-clippers-indiana-pacers-dallas-mavericks-charlotte-hornets-out-request">broke down four possible destinations</a> for the former MVP.
Kevin Wildes from "First Things First" said <a href="https://youtu.be/oZih7ko-Pos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on yesterday&rsquo;s show</a>: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s in the weird spot where he doesn&rsquo;t necessarily need to win a championship. [James] Harden needs to win a championship. I&rsquo;d like if CP3 won a championship. But because he&rsquo;s such an electric player, Russ doesn&rsquo;t&hellip; I think it would be better if Russ just got the keys to the car, could drive it as fast as he wants, could crash it into a few trees if he wanted to (which will happen). But do it in New York with the bright lights. That&rsquo;s what he needs and that&rsquo;s what would be better for his legacy moving forward -- not to championship chase.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Chris Broussard added: &ldquo;When we think of Oscar Robertson, what&rsquo;s the first thing we think of? He averaged a triple-double for an entire season&hellip; It&rsquo;s the same thing with Russ. Unless triple-double seasons become commonplace and Luka [Doncic] does it and LeBron [James] does it, his legacy will be that this guy is the only guy to average three-straight triple-double seasons. It&rsquo;s not going to be about any championship he wins later in his career.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Then, they started breaking down potential landing spots for him such as Portland, Cleveland, Sacramento, Indiana, Philadelphia, etc. But as a lifelong Knicks fan, I would like to see Westbrook take his talents to New York.&nbsp;
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Admittingly, I am one of those emotional Knicks fans that I described earlier and, yes, I have been frustrated for years (and rightfully so).&nbsp;
I grew up a Knicks fan. I was born in Harlem and although I moved to Tulsa, OK, when I was young, I spent all of my summers in Harlem. I would watch the Knicks with my grandfather, who loved all things New York. He loved the Yankees, Giants, St John&rsquo;s, Syracuse; he even (lightly) cheered for the Mets and Jets. He had the Yankees fitted cap, yelled at the TV screen and everything.&nbsp; My grandmother would routinely come in and tell us to keep it down because we were going to disturb the neighbors (although we could clearly hear people all throughout the building cheering, yelling, fussing and carrying on just like we were).
I remember my grandfather always taking me to the park to watch the older guys play and I would just listen to all of them talk about the Knicks daily. They&rsquo;d say that the team was full of bums and then, the very next day, be fully convinced that they were going to take down Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. They talked about how much they respected how hard certain players played and how the one thing they didn&rsquo;t tolerate was a lack of effort.&nbsp;
I too fell in love with the Knicks&rsquo; style -- the grittiness, the physical play. I loved seeing Greg Anthony run down from the stands in street clothes to defend his teammates. He had on church shoes and everything! I loved watching Charles Oakley bully people every night. I loved when Coach Jeff Van Gundy grabbed Alonzo Mourning&rsquo;s leg when he and Larry Johnson got into a fight (which still makes me laugh to this day). It was all for one and one for all, no matter what. Seeing all of that made me become a diehard Knicks fan alongside my grandfather. And we were proud of it.&nbsp;
Now, the Knicks have been a constant stream of frustration. It has literally been one catastrophe after another -- from Oakley being accosted by the team&rsquo;s security during a game, to the way former Knicks executive Phil Jackson disrespected Carmelo Anthony, to trading Kristaps Porzingis only to see him blossom into a star with the Dallas Mavericks, to missing out on Zion Williamson, to hearing that the Knicks didn&rsquo;t aggressively pursue Kevin Durant (after the media spent months making it sound like KD to New York was virtually a done deal). I could go on and on.&nbsp;
But Russell Westbrook could change all of that.&nbsp;
Now, a lot of people have scoffed at the thought of bringing Westbrook to their team because of his performance in the playoffs (since he averaged just 17.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.5 steals while shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 24.2 percent from three-point range). However, many people are forgetting that right before play in the bubble began, Westbrook tested positive for COVID-19, which could have accounted for his timing being so visibly off.&nbsp;
Recently, Rockets forward Jeff Green joined me on my show (&ldquo;The Rematch&rdquo;) and said that he saw the same thing.
&ldquo;I saw it firsthand,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;He missed a handful of practices and then he comes back and he just didn&rsquo;t have it. Not [that he didn&rsquo;t] have it, but he didn&rsquo;t have a rhythm -- the rhythm of the game and where his shots were gonna come from. And it was a different game in the bubble. He came back and he was energetic, but the shots [weren&rsquo;t falling] and his legs weren&rsquo;t there. Then, he gets hurt and he misses the seeding games and he comes back after Game 4 of the first round against OKC, and he still didn&rsquo;t have the rhythm.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We had a Russell who [wasn&rsquo;t 100 percent]. The athleticism and the quickness were still there, but the rhythm and the legs just weren&rsquo;t there. And you know Russell, he&rsquo;s gonna fight it but there just wasn&rsquo;t enough time to get him reps to have his legs, to have his rhythm, because we played every other day. It started to feel like [we were playing] back-to-back-to-back-to-back and we just didn&rsquo;t have enough time to get him established with the rhythm of the game. And you know Russell would say, &lsquo;We&rsquo;re not gonna make excuses about it, we&rsquo;re gonna go with the results.&rsquo; But it was really tough for him.&rdquo;
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Westbrook is exactly the kind of player who would be embraced by New York fans. He&rsquo;s someone who will leave it all on the floor no matter what. No complaints, no excuses, no crying to the media -- he just works extremely hard and plays with all his heart. That&rsquo;s why Knicks fans loved Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, John Starks and Larry Johnson. Even when they were dealing with injuries, they all played with a ton of heart and emotions, and they always gave 110 percent effort. 
That&rsquo;s exactly who Russell Westbrook is. He has John-Starks-level intensity all the time and the New York crowd would eat that up and he would feed off of their energy. Instead of &ldquo;Fire Dolan&rdquo; chants, the Knicks fans would passionately chant Russ&rsquo; name.
Not to mention, this would only add to the rivalry between the Knicks and Nets, with KD and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn. Can you imagine the energy of those games? Westbrook and Durant -- once teammates, now foes -- would be crosstown rivals too. Imagine the Durant vs. Westbrook billboard in Time Square!
Not only would adding Westbrook be good for the Knicks, it would be good for basketball.

Etan Thomas, a lifelong Knicks fan, explains why he would love to see New York trade for disgruntled star Russell Westbrook.

Why Russell Westbrook would win over New York Knicks fans

Every few years, several NBA stars come together and form a super-team. Obviously, the most-recent example is the Golden State Warriors. By signing Kevin Durant in 2016, the Warriors immediately became the favorite to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy (and it was hard to envision a scenario in which they'd lose). When LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh teamed up on the Miami Heat in 2010, there was the same reaction (which is why their 2010 NBA Finals loss was so surprising).&nbsp;
Which NBA franchise will assemble the next super-team? We asked a number of NBA analysts to share their predictions:
New York Knicks or Phoenix Suns: &ldquo;That's a really good question. I think you'd have to put New York in the discussion. I know it's laughable; people have been hearing about New York being a potential super-team for 20 years now and they've never been able to execute it. But I still think it's a place where people want to play and someday it'll work out, so I'll put them into the discussion. I think a sleeping giant in the NBA - an absolute sleeping giant - is the Phoenix Suns. But I don't know if they have the ability, with their ownership (Robert Sarver), to pull it off. The Phoenix Suns were good for 20 years because people loved being in Phoenix and there are so many advantages there - from the wonderful weather to the life a player can lead to the no state-income tax, and they have just squandered it. In the last 10 years, they've squandered it. They have a superstar there in residence. When you think about building a super-team, usually you want to start with a star. It's much easier to start with a star, and I think Devin Booker is a mega-star in development. They have a window to do it and they have a coach who people want to play for [in Monty Williams]. There's everything there, but the ownership is so shaky that it's just really hard for me to believe that it can be executed. But I&rsquo;ve been saying this for five years: Phoenix is a sleeping giant. I would put those two teams - the Suns and Knicks - on the list for sure, as far as building up from nothing.&rdquo; 
-&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://audioboom.com/posts/7700254-brian-windhorst-on-covering-lebron-james-giannis-future-the-nba-s-next-super-team-and-2020-fr">Brian Windhorst, ESPN (on &ldquo;The Alex Kennedy Podcast&rdquo;)</a>
Miami Heat: &ldquo;The New York Kn... Nah, just kidding. My early guess is the Miami Heat. They already have two stars in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. They&rsquo;re slotted to have at least one max slot available, though we&rsquo;re still unsure of the effect the pandemic will have on the cap moving forward. Still, the Heat have stars, intriguing young talent, a great coach, a strong front office and a great location to pitch. They&rsquo;re going to throw their hat in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. And even if that fails, they&rsquo;ve been linked to both Bradley Beal and Victor Oladipo. It&rsquo;s hard to believe the Heat will go 0-for-3 on that front.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nekias Duncan</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="http://www.basketballnews.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com</a>
Miami Heat: &ldquo;The franchise that will assemble the next super team is the Miami Heat. Pat Riley showed what he can do with significant cap space when he lured LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade in South Beach. It's the league's worst-kept secret that Miami hopes to make a run at MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo next summer. Miami is a potential destination for Victor Oladipo too. When you combine All-Star Jimmy Butler with a proven core of players, the lavish lifestyle of living in Miami and a ton of money to spend, who wouldn't want to sit at the table with Riley for a meeting?&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://hoopshype.com/author/michaelascotto/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype</a>&nbsp;
Miami Heat: "Miami is the odds-on favorite to form a new super-team because they will have a solid amount of cap room."
- <a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Broussard</a>, <a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://foxsportsradio.iheart.com/featured/the-odd-couple-with-chris-broussard-rob-parker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox Sports</a>
Brooklyn Nets: &ldquo;Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and the No. 2 pick the Warriors will have in the 2020 NBA Draft is pretty darn super, but I'm not sure that qualifies as &lsquo;assembling&rsquo; since they technically already possess those pieces. I found myself writing and rewriting my answer several times before eventually landing on the Brooklyn Nets. The team already has Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and a slew of young players and draft capital that could be packaged in a deal similar to the one that landed Anthony Davis in Los Angeles alongside LeBron James. Nets general manager Sean Marks has both the know-how and relationships to get something like that done, whether it be for Bradley Beal, Devin Booker or Rudy Gobert (who will be a free agent following the 2020-21 season). It's a tough call, but I vote Brooklyn. They narrowly edge Miami because, at least based on today's standard, I regard a &lsquo;super-team' as one that has three bonafide superstars. I think Miami has one in Jimmy Butler. The Lakers obviously have two in James and Davis. Should Giannis Antetokounmpo opt to sign there, they&rsquo;ll be a super-team, but that couldn't occur any earlier than after next season. Brooklyn, I think, is the only team that has two superstars and the capital to trade for another right now.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://twitter.com/MokeHamilton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moke Hamilton</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://theathletic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/KDI_lg.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="AUTO" />
Golden State Warriors: &ldquo;The next super-team is the previous super-team: the Golden State Warriors. Kevin Durant may be gone, but if they can find good value for their No. 2 overall pick and their trade exception from the Andre Iguodala deal, they could be absolutely loaded again next season. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are a formidable trio, but with the assets at their disposal, the Warriors could very well turn back into a juggernaut with one or two moves.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://twitter.com/Trevor_Lane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trevor Lane</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://lakersnation.com/author/trevor-lane/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lakers Nation</a>
Dallas Mavericks: &ldquo;I already mentioned Brooklyn as my <a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="http://beta.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-teams-most-improved-biggest-leap-golden-state-warriors-brooklyn-nets-phoenix-suns-new-orleans-pelicans">team that will make the biggest jump next season</a>, but I'll go with Dallas here. The Mavericks have the ultimate building block in Luka Doncic, a special talent who looks like he's capable of winning multiple MVPs before his career is over. With Kristaps Porzingis' inspiring play in the bubble showing why KD once called him a 'unicorn' and an excellent coach in Rick Carlisle completing the remarkable transition of defensive maven to installing the best offense in NBA history, Dallas is right there. The Mavericks only need to find a third star, but Doncic will attract even more talent with his playmaking skills and limitless potential. With Mark Cuban, they also have an ambitious owner who will spend whatever is necessary to keep his franchise relevant.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Lee</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://theathletic.com/author/michael-lee/">The Athletic</a>
Dallas Mavericks: &ldquo;The Dallas Mavericks have the best building blocks right now. They already have two of the league's best young stars in Kristaps Porzingis and Luka Doncic, but Doncic's rookie-scale contract affords them max cap room in the summer of 2021 to add a third. While no particular team can be called a &lsquo;favorite&rsquo; to assemble a super-team, it's hard to find a better landing spot for Giannis Antetokounmpo than the team that once employed his brother, Kostas.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://twitter.com/NateDuncanNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate Duncan</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/duncd-on-basketball-nba-podcast/id986901174" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dunc&rsquo;d On Podcast</a>
It&rsquo;s Up to Giannis: "It's difficult to project where the next super-team will form, but the entire NBA hinges on&nbsp;Giannis Antetokounmpo's decision this offseason with the Milwaukee Bucks. Does he accept a super-max extension or choose to wait until he's a free agent in the summer of 2021? If he does, the Bucks may need to consider trading him, which is why the Golden State Warriors are trying to position themselves for another dynasty. It's obviously up to Antetokounmpo, who may choose to stay with the Bucks. But what if he decides to head to Miami to play with Jimmy Butler and the Heat? Or maybe he bolts for Toronto to join Pascal Siakam and Co. on the Raptors? Out in Los Angeles, would LeBron James take a paycut to make room for Giannis on the Lakers? The next superteam is wherever Antetokoumpo chooses to play, if he decides to leave Milwaukee."
-&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://twitter.com/EricPincus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eric Pincus</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: #ecf0f1;" href="https://bleacherreport.com/users/7951339-eric-pincus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bleacher Report</a>

Which NBA franchise will put together the next super-team? We asked a number of top NBA analysts to share their thoughts.

Roundtable: Which franchise will assemble next super-team?

In today's NBA, there's a ton of player movement and the rumor mill is always churning. Last July, we saw Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul, D'Angelo Russell, Mike Conley and Al Horford (among others) change teams over the course of 23 days.&nbsp;
Which NBA star will be traded next? We asked a number of NBA writers/analysts to weigh in:
Victor Oladipo: &ldquo;This is a tough one. My first thought was to go with either Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons, but I think the Sixers will see if they can find a coach who can make it work before they split that pair. So, in that case, I'll go with Victor Oladipo. The Pacers kind of got used to life without him for a few months and it wasn't all that bad. With the sides unable to reach an agreement on an extension before this season, and his free agency approaching in 2021, Oladipo looks like the most getable star who&rsquo;s available for teams (cough, Miami) seeking another piece to push them forward.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Lee</a>, <a href="https://theathletic.com/author/michael-lee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>
Victor Oladipo: "The Indiana Pacers are in a difficult position, not dissimilar to where the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans found themselves with Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis, respectively. They have an All-Star who can opt out of his deal after the coming season, potentially leaving as a free agent. The Pacers are heavily invested in players like Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. They're not likely to spend into the luxury tax and since Oladipo is a significant flight risk, they need to look to get the best value they can in return before he leaves them high and dry. That Oladipo can scare off other suitors with the threat of free agency is a potential problem the Pacers may need to navigate through." -&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/EricPincus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eric Pincus</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/users/7951339-eric-pincus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bleacher Report</a>
Victor Oladipo: "There&rsquo;s been way too much smoke with Victor Oladipo to think he&rsquo;ll finish his tenure in Indiana. The will-he-won&rsquo;t-he element of his bubble involvement was odd to say the least. Once you add in all of his connections to Miami -- he&rsquo;s a part-owner of a gym there, he rehabbed there and he is pretty close with Heat legend Dwyane Wade -- it&rsquo;s not hard to put two and two together and get four."
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nekias Duncan</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.basketballnews.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com</a>
Jrue Holiday: &ldquo;This is a tough call, as no one star seems likely to be traded this offseason. Jrue Holiday seems the most likely to me if he and New Orleans can't agree on an extension, since he can be a free agent in the summer of 2021 and he's older than New Orleans' core players.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NateDuncanNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate Duncan</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/duncd-on-basketball-nba-podcast/id986901174" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dunc&rsquo;d On Podcast</a>
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/Beal5_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
Bradley Beal: "Beal's name has been surfacing in trade rumors for quite some time, although the reports died down a bit since he signed a two-year, $72 million extension with Washington in October of 2019. However, coming off of a monster year in which he averaged career-highs in points (30.5), assists (6.1) and threes (3.0), Beal&rsquo;s trade value has increased. At 27 years old, Beal is several years older than the Wizards&rsquo; young core, which consists of Troy Brown Jr. (21 years old), Rui Hachimura (22), Thomas Bryant (23) and Moritz Wagner (23) among others. It&rsquo;s possible that Washington will keep Beal and hope that John Wall&rsquo;s return could lead to a playoff berth next year. However, many teams will be calling about Beal and Washington may decide to deal him for more young players and draft picks (especially if they get off to a slow start in 2020-21).&rdquo;
- <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA">Alex Kennedy</a>, <a href="BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a>
Bradley Beal: &ldquo;Of course, everyone seems to think that Bradley Beal will be the next star player who gets traded. For his sake, I hope so. He&rsquo;s too good to waste his career losing big in Washington.&rdquo;
- <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard">Chris Broussard</a>, <a href="https://foxsportsradio.iheart.com/featured/the-odd-couple-with-chris-broussard-rob-parker/">Fox Sports</a>
Chris Paul: &ldquo;Devin Booker and Bradley Beal would both be attractive choices here for obvious reasons, but neither has been reported to be anything but committed to their team. Plus, in the case of Booker, there's excitement about continuing to build in Phoenix with the obvious culture change that's transpired. I'll caveat this by saying that the trades that usually happen are the ones we don't see coming. We were all floored by Russell Westbrook being traded to Houston, just as nobody foresaw Kawhi Leonard landing in Toronto, Kyrie Irving heading to Boston or Jimmy Butler ending up in Philadelphia. Call me crazy, but I think Chris Paul is a good trade candidate, despite the Thunder far surpassing all preseason expectations. Despite overachieving, the Thunder are a team fixated on their future, and Sam Presti has always been proactive with respect to moving out players if there are doubts about their long-term future with the team. Kevin Durant is the obvious exception, and I think he's too smart to let something like that happen again. Truth is, the Thunder probably would've dealt Paul this past season if he wasn't regarded by the rest of the league as damaged goods. He's proven everyone wrong and his value probably won't get any higher. Dennis Schroder is just 26 years old and the progression of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could make moving Paul the right choice if OKC can get some value (see: draft capital) in return.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MokeHamilton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moke Hamilton</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://theathletic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>
C.J. McCollum: &ldquo;Star player movements can be hard to predict, but I'm going to go with C.J. McCollum. The Blazers' bubble run has been impressive and if they are all healthy, they are clearly a better team than their eighth-place finish suggests. However, an exit in round one might still necessitate a change. Damian Lillard is a bonafide star who has stuck it out in Portland and, at 30 years old, the clock may already be ticking. If the Blazers are going to give him a chance to win a championship, it has to happen right now, which means shipping off McCollum for someone who's a better fit alongside Lillard has to be on the table.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Trevor_Lane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trevor Lane</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://lakersnation.com/author/trevor-lane/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lakers Nation</a>
LaMarcus Aldridge: &ldquo;I think the next star player who will be traded is LaMarcus Aldridge. San Antonio missed the playoffs for the first time since 1997. Aldridge, 35, could be a missing frontcourt piece for a contender. DeMar DeRozan will likely exercise his $27.7 million player option for next season. If he doesn't, it will hasten a full rebuild in San Antonio. With Aldridge going into the final year of his contract at $24 million, trading him for assets now is the prudent decision if he won't be a part of San Antonio&rsquo;s long-term future. The Spurs can compete for one of the final playoff spots in the West if they keep Aldridge, but the upside is limited beyond that.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://hoopshype.com/author/michaelascotto/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype</a>&nbsp;

Which star player will be traded next? BasketballNews.com asked a number of top NBA writers/analysts to weigh in.

Roundtable: Which star will be traded next?

Here is the latest news on the Top 25 Free Agents in the NBA for the 2014-15 season, as ranked by Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.

Carey