Jordan Brand continues to find a way to expand its reach despite already being one of the biggest brands in the entirety of the world of sneakers. With their recent expansion, adding in a slew of athletes across a multitude of sports, it’s becoming clearer and clearer than Jordan Brand is after complete domination–much like His Airness, himself.
The freshly revealed Air Jordan 34 won’t just grace basketball courts far and wide, it will also find life on the diamond and the gridiron as well. Air Jordan is no stranger to the diamond with one of the greatest baseball players of all time fervently repping the winged brand.
With loosened restrictions on NFL cleats, Jordans influence had permeated almost every major field. The two cleats appear in the “Void Blue” and “Wear Test” colorways initially launched with the standard edition of the Air Jordan 34.
Jordan Brand’s roster of NFL stars includes Jets running back Le’Veon Bell and safety Jamal Adams, Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery, Ravens safety Earl Thomas and Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu.
Some of Jordan Brand’s MLB players who will be competing in the post-season are St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dexter Fowler and catcher Yadier Molina, Los Angeles Dodgers’ reliever Kenley Jansen, and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Gio Gonzalez. As of yet, the cleated versions are not yet slated for a public release.
Officially a week away from the NBA preseason, it’s another day, and another step closer to the end of the SneakerReporter NBA Top 30 Teams list. We’re nearly halfway through the lottery teams on our list, so let’s not waste any time and continue with our list.
Today’s squad at team #25: the Chicago Bulls.
The post-Derrick Rose era has not been pretty as we all have come to understand, with the Bulls undergoing coaching staff facelifts, roster overhauls and very little, if any postseason success. The six-time NBA champs haven’t really been in the conversation of the most viable threats in the Eastern Conference in the past 5 years, consistently putting up sub .500 records and finding themselves on the outside looking into the playoff picture.
Still, the Bulls show a lot of promise in the development of their young superstars in Lauri Markkanen, Zach Lavine, Wendell Carter Jr. and a bevy of other stockpiled assets to give their future a glimmer of hope.
While the Bulls may not challenge the likes of a Milwaukee, Boston or Philadelphia right now, the Bulls are still chipping away at the process of building a contender in the next couple of years with pieces that can only get better.
25. Chicago Bulls (35-47) – Maybe Not A Contender, But Definitely Not A Pushover
Maybe, just maybe…its time for Bulls fans to remove their vice grip from the throats of GarPax (dubbed organizational tandem of VP of Player Operations Jon Paxson and GM Gar Foreman), since they’ve basically been doing it for just about an entire decade.
For the first time since Jimmy Butler’s departure, the Bulls do not have to worry about being in the basement of the Eastern Conference. There is no major coaching controversy, and fans actually have a reason to believe their team’s record will look way different than how it did in 2018 one year later.
Chicago is growing the right way. The Bulls landed their point guard Coby White out of North Carolina and it looks like the Kriss Dunn era could be reaching its end in Chitown. So, the quartet of White, Markkanen, Carter, and Lavine could be a team to circle on your favorite team’s schedule, for these formidable four could wreak havoc on the East for years to come, and who knows, maybe this year.
Aside from their first-round pick, the trio of Markkanen, Carter Jr. and Lavine project to share the court for the majority of the season (with health permitting, obviously) and each has a different skill set which could help provide balance and structure to a team that has severely lacked it recently.
Markkanen, as some describe as another unicorn adjacent to Kristaps Porzingis, fits the bill of his nickname in a lot of ways. As the seventh pick in the 2017 NBA draft, the Finnish stretch big is known for his soft touch from outside the arc, as well as his astounding agility inside the paint. Also, the 22-year-old, third-year power forward has displayed some top-tier ball IQ in his two years as a starter.
The Finland native has drawn ceiling expectations to potentially being the next Dirk Nowitzki, and though his sophomore season was put on hold by an elbow injury that caused him to miss over 30 games last year, do not be surprised if Markkanen makes some major strides in 2019. Last season, he joined All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Vucevic as the only players in the league to average at least 18 points per game and 9 rebounds while drilling over 36 percent of their three balls.
He will undoubtedly be the center of the Bulls offensive nucleus, but what will be the most intriguing thing to watch this year is how, or if, Zach Lavine makes that next step to being an elite shooting guard for the Bulls to run the offense through. We know Lavine to be a natural athlete with explosive hops that even the gym of the United Center can barely contain, but though he experienced career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and field goal percentage last year, he has shown that he still lacks the ability to continually make smart and efficient decisions on offense and defense.
Hence, that’s where their first-round selection in Coby White comes in. So yes, Bulls fans can make it sound like both MJ and Coby (when pronounced, sounds like “Kobe”) both played for the Chicago Bulls.
Now, is he the same kind of guard? Yes and no, realistically, considering he is a shiftier on-ball and off-dribble scorer who’s drawn pro comparisons to Gilbert Arenas, and to some, Derrick Rose with how he was able to get by defenders with a tight handle that’s low to the ground while at North Carolina. White finished the season at UNC averaging 16.1 points and 4.1 assists per game earning All-ACC 2nd Team honors. But like Kobe, expect Coby to show a high motor on both ends of the floor, play hard defense and give mismatches something to remember at his athletic frame of 6’5, 185 lbs.
With an altered backcourt that will prioritize speed, change your expectations of the Bulls being 23rd in the league again in terms of the total pace of play as they were in 2018. The Bulls should be making some nice highlights in transition that will more than likely be posted on social media a lot this season, as they are now a team that can equally make you pay in the open court and halfcourt with the duo of Markkanen and Carter making their effect known down low.
Though the Bulls have their work cut out for them on the defensive end, their front office has made some good moves in free agency to bring in veteran enforcers to cover for their young core’s growing pains. The Bulls went and picked up Thaddeus Young in the offseason, which is good for the youthful Bulls considering he provides advice on what it takes to contend in the postseason. Young has been a part of some good Indiana Pacers rosters that have reached the conference finals when his former cohort Paul George burst onto the national scene.
He is capable of guarding small forwards and power forwards evenly, meaning he could be a necessary adversary for a team that has had trouble guarding anyone over the last couple of years. Young also has an eye for disrupting passing lanes, too. With fast hands and an even faster eye for picking the quintessential moment to jump the pass, only six players (Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Trevor Ariza, Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, and Paul George) have more steals between 2015 to 2019 than Young.
Wendell Carter Jr. may not make headlines for his ability to put the ball in the basket, but what he makes up for in his offensive insufficiency, he makes up for in his potential as a talented defender that can stick with just about anyone, anywhere, on the court.
In his rookie season, Carter was on a pedestal that not a single other rookie big man was able to reach. He finished 21st in overall true plus/minus among all of the league’s starting centers, a list that included the likes of Rudy Gobert, Joel Embiid, Al Horford and DeMarcus Cousins. There’s no doubt that the path he is on now can make him one of the league’s most intimidating defenders and his ability to move laterally off the switch, while still timing up blocks at the rim makes for a picture-perfect fit for the modern NBA that forces hybrid power forwards and centers to cover all positions.
Aside from their acquisitions in the offseason, the Bulls let some players walk in free agency like guards Antonio Blakeney, Wayne Selden, Bobby Portis (to the Knicks) and Timote Luwawu-Cabbarot (who just signed a training camp deal with the Cavs yesterday). Some names that will stay for the Bulls 2019-20 campaign are guard Ryan Archidiacono, Otto Porter, Denzel Valentine, Walter Lemon Jr., Shaquille Harrison, 2018 lottery pick Chandler Hutchinson and big man Christian Felicio.
Also, the Bulls picked up some beneficial parts to their team that could help them out in a variety of ways, more so on the offensive end. Chicago finished last season with the third-lowest team 3 point percentage in the league and 19th in the league when measuring threes made in a single season. But, that should change a little with the addition of former Washington Wizards guard Tomas Satoransky. Averaging 8.9 points per game while nearly shooting 40 percent from deep, Satoransky has shown flashes of being a starter, even on such a guard-saturated roster.
Along with his capacity to score and pass at a high level for a reserve, Satoransky’s 6-foot-7 size and ability to play the point guard position give him an advantage over most guards defensively.
Head coach Jim Boylen can only see up when theorizing how good these young Bulls can be this year, and the Bulls certainly have the talent to challenge for one of the final spots in the depleted bottom-half of the east, but the question remains: is it smart to do so now and waste the opportunity to get another lottery pick?
Tanking for another high draft pick is a good choice, but the Bulls do want to establish some competitive spirit, and it certainly looks like they can right now. Looking ahead, it looks like their next best chance to add a superstar is during the 2021 offseason, where the free agency class is already looking like one of the best we’ve ever seen, and probably better than this past offseason with all-stars, like that of Chicago’s very own Anthony Davis, having his one-year deal with the Lakers end.
In order to be a real contender for one of the top guys, they should look at how the Clippers and Nets were able to attract big market stars to small-market clubs this summer. as even though those two franchises are considered little brothers to the big city Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. The Chicago Bulls are a big and legendary name and if they put out a good product in 2019-20 while showing organizational stability, the plan to compete right away could make the Windy City a potential free-agent draw.
If Chicago can position themselves to make a run at the playoffs the next two seasons to show that they are trending in the right direction, that right there can be the ultimate difference as to whether they can get a star in the future.
Week 4 of the NFL gets underway as the Philadelphia Eagles head to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers. The NFC foes have started the season off going in opposite directions. The Packers have gotten off to an undefeated start thanks in part to a stifling defense. Green Bay is allowing 23 points per game through three weeks, which is the second-fewest in the league. Matt LaFleur was brought in to liven up the offense that had grown stale after a decade and a half of Mike McCarthy, however, it has yet to yield the results that many projected due to LaFleur coming from the Sean McVay coaching tree. Regardless, at 3-0 winning is the ultimate goal and that’s what the team has done so far. In Philadelphia, the Eagles have yet to find the groove that helped lead them to their lone Super Bowl victory in 2017. Carson Wentz is back and healthy and the team has a variety of weapons on offense in Zach Ertz, Alshon Jeffrey, Jordan Howard, DeSean Jackson, Dallas Goedert, and rookie running back Miles Sanders. Defensively, they have a fair amount of talent too and possibly the best defensive lineman not named Aaron Donald in Fletcher Cox. They limp into this primetime tilt with a 1-2 record after late losses to the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions in back-to-back weeks. The last time these two teams met was November 2016 and Green Bay won 27-13 on the road, but the Eagles would go on to win the Super Bowl.
QB Matchup – Carson Wentz vs Aaron Rodgers
This game features two marquee names in the NFC. Aaron Rodgers was once perceived as the best player to ever play the quarterback position. Carson Wentz was the number two overall pick out of North Dakota State and has blossomed into one of the top players at the position. For Wentz, he has become one of the beloved sports figures in Philadelphia, which is no easy feat. Yet, injuries have kept him from finishing seasons in two of his first three years in the NFL. When he plays, he has shown that he has the tools and skills to turn the Eagles into one of the better offenses in the league. Not only is he capable of slinging the ball around the field but he also has the requisite athleticism to be a threat with his legs. With the influx of toys, this season the belief was that we could see Wentz return to his 2017 version when he helped the team go 11-2 in the 13 games he played. In the first three weeks, he’s accumulated a QBR of 72.7 which is second only to the 77.2 rating he posted in 2017.
The word on Rodgers has been ingrained as fact since he took over for Brett Favre in Green Bay. Like Wentz, he has the arm to make every possible throw and also can tuck the ball and make plays with his legs. Prior to guys like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Kyler Murray entering (and excelling in) the league, Rodgers was the rare dual-threat quarterback in the NFL. Yet, the Rodgers that we know and love has been absent to begin this season. The Packers have become more of a run-first team under LaFleur. He set his season-high in passing yards last week when he totaled 235 yards on 29 attempts against the Minnesota Vikings. At some point, we believe that we’ll see classic Rodgers and having that breakout game with most of the football world watching on primetime would be a great narrative for him to try and add another MVP trophy to his mantle. Whatever the outcome of tonight’s game we’ll have a quarter of the season already passed by.
RB Matchup – Jordan Howard/Miles Sanders vs Aaron Jones/Jamaal Williams
As the league has transitioned to more of a pass-happy league a lot of teams have gone to running back duos instead of relying on just one primary ball carrier. Both of these teams playing tonight have adopted this approach. Before this season, Philadelphia had trouble finding any back to take the bulk of their carries. This season they added Jordan Howard from the Chicago Bears and drafted Miles Sanders out of Penn State with the 53rd overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. It was a real investment by this team to try and shore up what was considered their main weakness. As both try to adjust and find their footing with their new teams it’ll be interesting to see if Doug Pederson shifts towards giving the bulk of the work to one player in particular. Howard is a great runner in between the tackles and is a forceful and powerful runner whenever he gets his hands on the ball. Sanders is more of an all-around back. In college, he backed up Saquon Barkley for two seasons before finally getting his shot to be the man. Although he didn’t replicate what Barkley did–rarely does anyone have that type of career–he was a very good running back for the Nittany Lions.
On the other side, the Packers basically abandoned the run by the end of McCarthy’s tenure. With LaFleur it not only has been emphasized but it is the basis of their entire system. If they are able to establish the run it opens up all sorts of tricks and gadgets in their new coaches playbook. So far, both Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams have had steady careers with Green Bay. It was Jones who had a breakout game this year. Against the Vikings, he rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown and also caught four passes for 34 yards and a touchdown as well. If they can find a way to get one (or both) running backs going early tonight then they will have the Eagles eating out of the palm of their hands not before long. It will also be intriguing to see whether or not teams make the switch to defending this team more for the run than the pass. The numbers show that the Packers are running a lot more but Aaron Rodgers is still Aaron Rodgers. Flooding the box with seven or eight defenders could spell doom on the outside as long as Green Bay gives him time to survey the field.
WR Matchup – Alshon Jeffery vs Davante Adams
This is a battle of two number one receivers who happen to both wear number 17. Right now, Davante Adams is the bigger star. Coming out of Fresno State, Adams wasn’t thought of as a future star but since he entered the league in 2014 he has gotten better season-after-season and is currently one of the five best wide receivers in the entire NFL. His dedication to his craft and working tirelessly during the offseason has helped him become arguably the best route runner at his position. What Adams and Rodgers have developed on back-shoulder throws made them nearly impossible to stop. They just have such a connection that their timing and understanding of the defense is impeccable. It almost seems like they have mental telepathy at times. Also, if there is ever a pre-snap penalty by their opponent Rodgers is ready and willing to let one rip down the field and usually his target is Adams.
Alshon Jeffery’s health has kept him from becoming a household name that his talent shows. He’s already missed a game this season with a calf injury. Tonight he is expected o be back on the field and playing at 100 percent. In actuality, Jeffery had some of his best moments in Philadelphia when Nick Foles was replacing an injured Wentz. If those two could cement better chemistry then they could become one of the more dangerous pairings in the NFL. At 6’3″ and 218 pounds, he is a big target and not only is he great on jump ball throws but he also is deceptively fast making him a great deep threat. All it takes is for the opposing team to make one mistake and Jeffery could find himself walking into the endzone for an easy touchdown.
TE Matchup – Zach Ertz vs Jimmy Graham
Jimmy Graham was the original mismatch at the tight end position. The former basketball player at the University of Miami had the size and athleticism that made him too fast for linebackers and too big for safeties. He used to dominate the middle of the field in his prime. Sadly, since joining the Packers the glimpses of the former Pro Bowl player have been few and far between. With Green Bay emphasizing the run game it means there are more chances for tight ends to get onto the field. Graham has never been that great of a blocker and that flaw could keep him from having as big of an impact on the offense as some projected when he first came aboard. On the other end, Zach Ertz has taken the template that Graham laid out and brought it to another level. His 116 receptions last season were a record for the tight end position. He and Wentz have the same type of connection that I detailed Rodgers and Adams sharing. It seems like they just always know where the other is going to be. Ertz might not match his 100-plus receptions this season but if the Eagles are going to reach the heights many expected they will need to get the best out of their star tight end.
DEF Matchup – Eagles Defense vs Packers Defense
As mentioned above, the Packers have been led by their defense to start this season. That idea would have been inconceivable a few years ago. However, after investing on that side of the ball in the draft and free agency they have filled out their roster with young talent at all three levels. Jaire Alexander is the star of the show and he looks the part of a future lockdown corner. He’s played on the outside and in the slot in his first two seasons but it looks now like they’ll be using him to shadow the opponents best wide receiver. The biggest change comes in the pass rush as they have Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith (no relation) attacking off each edge. Combined they have totaled 7.5 sacks already and it looks like they won’t be slowing down anytime soon. It’s been a long time since Green Bay has been able to pair Rodgers with above-average defense. In fact, the last time might have been when they went on to win the Super Bowl in 2011.
The Eagles meanwhile have had one of the premier defensive units in the NFL over the last few seasons. Fletcher Cox is a one-man wrecking ball and even with the additional attention that teams throw his way he still has a way of making plays in the middle of the field. Whether that is in the run or passing game, Cox can do it all from the defensive tackle spot. Brandon Graham looks ageless coming off the edge and Derek Barnett is slowly rounding into shape as a player who can routinely affect the opposing team’s pocket. Their defensive backfield has been a weakness and it has yet to undergo a complete overhaul but Malcolm Jenkins and Ronald Darby are true ballhawks and if there is a ball up for grabs it is more likely than not that one of them will be able to get their hands on it. The hope is that they are able to right the ship quickly and a big game from the defense tonight can go a long way in making that happen.
One of the biggest musical performances of every year is the Super Bowl halftime show. The NFL made news when it was announced that it would team up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation to enact social justice reform.
Part of that deal allowed for Roc Nation to have a role in the production of the halftime performance.
Today, it was announced that musicians Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will co-headline this Pepsi Halftime Show in Miami.
Unlike last year’s fiasco that led to Maroon 5 headlining in a musically-rich city like Atlanta, it seems that the league—with perceived help from Jay-Z—was not going to make the same mistake twice.
Though neither artist hails from South Beach, Miami is a very latin-inspired place and getting two prominent Latinas is a great way to make sure the place is packed regardless of which two teams are actually playing.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter released the following statements from JLo and Shakira:
Statement from Jennifer Lopez on being the halftime entertainment of Super Bowl LIV: pic.twitter.com/pPTRWcvUny
Some exciting news, the NBA Preseason is exactly a week and a day from today, officially starting on Friday, October 4th! We are getting that much closer to on-court action and that can only mean one thing: it is time for another entry into the SneakerReporter NBA Top 30 team countdown.
The team featured today on our daily list as team #26: the Washington Wizards.
As if their offseason boded even worse than the rest of the league, DC’s team has been shellacked by injuries, injuries, and more injuries. Things have been going bad, and I mean really bad, for the Wizards. Their ace on the mound of sorts, perennial all-star John Wall ruptures his Achilles last fall and is notably done for the year and for possibly a slew of games next year, and the guy who was supposed to sub in for him, Isaiah Thomas, is sidelined for at least 6-8 weeks with an injured thumb.
What’s making the D.C. situation even worse (no, not that D.C. situation on 1600 Penn Ave) is that their lone star, the other half of the vaunted backcourt that propelled the Wizards to multiple playoff runs is probably going to bounce from Washington before the season begins, or before the February trade deadline. Bradley Beal has not signed his 3 year/$111 million extension, which leads many to believe it’s not a matter of if he’ll reconsider signing, but where he will be traded.
Beal is being courted by a litany of suitors, and where he lands is going to tell the story of who’s contender status gets immediately boosted at season’s beginning, or after the mid-season trade deadline.
The Wizards are in no rush to fight for a playoff spot, so their plan of growing their young core while mixing in veteran parts as well as include some free pieces as a result of some draft trades seems to be the move at the minute.
26. Washington Wizards (28-52) – An Impressive Draft, But Its Gonna Be A Long Year In D.C. Again
It’s looking more and more likely that the John Wall-Bradley Beal era is reaching its unwarranted end. We know the Wizards as an unlucky franchise, once getting to the mountaintop of challenging their division rival Boston Celtics to a game 7 to go to a conference finals, only to disappoint and come up short, even with all the star power that Wall and Beal brought to the nation’s capital. We don’t have even the slightest clue if John Wall will return to playoff form ever again pending his recovering Achilles (injured by slipping down the steps last season).
And, if Bradley Beal seeks elsewhere for contention, the 2019-20 Washington Wizards will not be a sight for sore eyes, to put it keenly.
Still, the show must go on and it’s not like there isn’t something to look forward to with this Wizards roster. New Wizards GM Tommy Shepherd struck gold piecing together Washington’s 2019 draft class in their first-round draft choice, picking up Rui Hachimura with the ninth overall pick. He will be a dandy to watch this year at the center position and Wizards fans can only expect greatness out of the 21-year old man out of Gonzaga.
The first-ever Japanese-born NBA Draft selection was an absolute beast in his three years under Gonzaga head coach Mark Few, posting up 19.7 points per game as the West Coast Conference Player of the Year, and a Naismith Award finalist. His name really got etched into a flurry of headlines after he and his Zags knocked off the Zion Williamson-led Duke Blue Devils at the 2018 Maui Invitational. Also, as a member of the Japanese Men’s National Basketball Team, Hachimura averaged over 20 points per game in FIBA competition.
Standing at a lofty 6’8 and weighing at 234 lbs, Hachimura is a dangerous blend of swiftness and strength. Comparing sizes, he just about matches the frame of Kawhi Leonard when looking at length and hand sizes. But what’s most intriguing about the Japanese-born big man is his style of play: dominating inside of the arc. While he has time to improve his defensive IQ, he has shown he can make those strides in his offensive game as an improved shooter, low post scorer, and vertical floor spacer when involved in Pick and Roll sets.
Aside from their first-round pick, The Wizards also acquired Tennessee Small Forward Admiral Schofield in the second round of the 2019 draft. In his final year as a Volunteer, Schofield was one of the country’s most chiseled prospects as he became one of the best shooters and all-around threats in the SEC under head coach Rick Barnes.
Schofield played a significant role for Tennessee on the wing, doing much of his damage as a floor spacer and shooter off the dribble within the Volunteer’s motion sets, but showed the ability to do just about everything in his senior season exploiting mismatches, filling lanes in transition, and showing growth as a passer.
Just like his frontcourt cohort Grant Williams (first-rounder to Boston), the two were both scrappy defenders who brought intensity and effort on every defensive possession. More specifically, Schofield’s impressive footwork and lateral quickness to keep up with guards off of the switch was not the only attribute he brought to the Volunteers, but his ability to mix it up and defend the rim can benefit the defensive effort of the Wizards as a whole once he is etched into head coach Scotty Brooks’s rotation.
Assessing the rest of the Wizards’ combination of youth and experienced players, the Wizards still have Thomas Bryant at Center and Small Forward Troy Brown Jr., while bringing in Power Forward Davis Bertans from San Antonio and eight-year veteran and journeyman Ish Smith Jr. at the guard spot.
Troy Brown Jr. and Thomas Bryant will be expected to take on larger roles with the team as they enter their second and third years, respectively. Thomas Bryant will become a focal point of this year’s Wizards team on the defensive side of the ball. Ian Mahinmi will come in to be a defense and rebound specialist, but as the one-time heart and soul for the Indiana Hoosiers, Bryant has shown that he can be a threat on that end of the court as well. Averaging 18.2 points per game, 10.9 rebounds per game and 1.6 blocks per game, the Wizards saw his intensity and effort, and backed up the brinks truck for him, offering him a 3 year/$25 million dollar extension with the team this offseason.
As it goes for Troy Brown Jr., it looks like he’ll be the starting small forward on opening night for the Wizards. As a lottery pick in the 2018 draft, the Wizards are being patient in letting Brown turn into a reliable small forward, like how he did in his sophomore year at Oregon.
Other than Hachimura, Brown was clearly the best player on the Wiz’s Summer League roster. In his only full game, he put up 18 points and 15 rebounds, but he only shot 40.6 percent in Vegas. Though he too is struggling with injury woes at the moment and may not suit up for the preseason (just announced: 4 weeks with a calf strain), Brown may be good enough to go for their October opening and will not have any pressure of being an offensive focal point, making it easy to create space for Beal and Thomas to gain some efficient scoring opportunities.
When his rehabilitation is complete, Isaiah Thomas will have to hold down the point guard position until John Wall returns in 2020 or 2021. Though Wizards fans try their best to forget, we all remember the epic performances Isaiah Thomas put on as the Boston Celtics’ primary go-to option against the Wizards in the playoffs, and as a whole during Boston’s many trips to the conference finals and other deep playoff runs.
The 5-foot-9 guard’s game has been substantially hampered by his physical ailments after his hip surgeries, but being able to run the offense for a point guard hungry Washington Wizards team could be the ultimate opportunity for another memorable comeback story in Thomas’s career. He signed a veteran’s minimum deal just to get back on an NBA roster – following his discarding from the likes of the Cavaliers, Lakers, Nuggets in the past two seasons – and this may be his very last chance to make a splash as a spark of energy and inspiration on the offensive end.
We know Thomas to operate off of mismatches and seamlessly run a heavy-motion, pick and roll favored offense, create his own shot off a tight handle and get bucket after bucket when he’s on the mark. At his peak, Thomas had two incredible All-Star seasons with the Celtics, averaging 28.9 points per game. Keep in mind – he finished FIFTH in MVP voting back in 2017 among the league’s greats of James Harden and LeBron James. If he can just stay healthy for a full season, and if Bradley Beal is willing to stick around in D.C., IT will serve as the perfect tool next to Beal.
Also, the Wizards signed guard-forward C.J. Miles, who is coming into his 15th NBA season. A 2005 second-round selection by the Jazz, Miles is known for his outside shooting and helped a good amount of teams – Utah, Indiana, Cleveland, Toronto and most recently Memphis – with his vocal presence in locker rooms and leadership. There is strong potential for these veterans to mentor younger Wizards and boost the team’s confidence with or without the help of Beal.
Though they let go a majority of their role players like Tomas Satoransky, Kelly Oubre, and Jason Smith, the Wizards got some veteran pieces from trades with teams like the Lakers in the draft.
Washington acquired center Moritz “Mo” Wagner, forward Jemerrio Jones, guard Isaac Bonga and a 2022 second-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team trade involving the New Orleans Pelicans. As a second-round addition to the Lakers last year, Wagner put up 4.8 points a game but average 11.4 points and 4.6 rebounds as a temporary starter when Los Angeles’ injuries started piling up.
A team that would have otherwise been a lock as a postseason favorite a couple of years ago now has to slam the reset button, but do not be surprised if this prediction is completely incorrect.
In a perfect world, the already-established maturity of Rui Hachimura and Admiral Schofield will show itself in how they command the attention of their offense and show their mental intangibles on the defensive end (in other words, what staying in school for 3+ years will do for a player’s development), Isaiah Thomas is healthy all year-round and puts up numbers like he was still in Boston, Thomas Bryant becomes a household name and Bradley Beal decides to sign that extension and stick it out until his comrade John Wall is completely healed for next season.
Unfortunately, life almost never turns out perfect, so be prepared to see the Wizards lose a bunch of games this year with a predictable offense that will struggle to defend fastbreaks in transition.
After consecutive losses, their last, and most displeased superstar may head elsewhere to offer another contender his contributions en route to a chance at an NBA title, making the Wizards another doormat in the much more competitive Southeastern division. Then, the Wizards will be back to square one in trying to build a roster capable of making noise in the Eastern Conference.
The only thing Scotty Brooks, Tommy Shepherd and all of D.C. faithful can do is wait and hope for the best, as cliche as that sounds.
Each week, SneakerReporter will put out their power rankings of all 32 NFL teams.
With Week 4 kicking off tonight (Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers, 8:20 PM EST on Fox and NFL Network) it’s time to unveil where each team sits.
The fun begins below and be sure to check back each Thursday to track how far up or down your favorite team moves from week-to-week.
1. Kansas City Chiefs 3-0 (LW: 2)
Last week’s must-see game lived up to the hype and the Chiefs used another explosive second quarter to hold off Baltimore.
2. New England Patriots 3-0 (LW: 1)
They have the best defense in the league—and still haven’t allowed an opposing offense to score a touchdown—but their easy schedule compared to Kansas City is why they drop down a spot.
3. Los Angeles Rams 3-0 (LW: 3)
Limiting Todd Gurley might be the best option for their long-term success but the offense just hasn’t had the same mojo this season.
4. Dallas Cowboys 3-0 (LW: 5)
They played with their food in the first half against the Miami Dolphins last week but their second half confirmed they are a legit contender.
5. Green Bay Packers 3-0 (LW: 6)
The defense has been the star of the show for the Packers in their first three games.
6. Baltimore Ravens 2-1 (LW: 4)
The Ravens looked like a completely different team (going for it on fourth down and multiple two-point conversions) and it nearly led them to pull off the unthinkable—beating the Chiefs at home.
7. Minnesota Vikings 2-1 (LW: 10)
Having a healthy Dalvin Cook has completely changed the way they play offense and so far it’s been for the better.
8. New Orleans Saints 2-1 (LW: 7)
This is why Teddy Bridgewater is the highest paid backup quarterback in the NFL at the start of the year (also that Alvin Kamara guy is pretty good).
9. Chicago Bears 2-1 (LW: 11)
Even though it was against the Redskins, the Bears’ defense looks once again looks capable of dragging Mitch Trubisky to a Super Bowl.
10. San Francisco 49ers 3-0 (LW: 14)
13 MORE GAMES JIMMY GAROPPOLO, YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!
11. Buffalo Bills 3-0 (LW: 15)
Buffalo gets their first real test of the season as the Patriots come to town, the outcome will tell us all we need to know about this team.
12. Houston Texans 2-1 (LW: 8)
They went on the road and snuck out with a victory over the Chargers but there are still holes that this team needs to plug immediately.
13. Detroit Lions 2-0-1 (LW: 22)
Could Matt Patricia be the first GOOD head coach to come from the Bill Belichick coaching tree????
14. Indianapolis Colts 2-1 (LW: 17)
Is Jacoby Brissett the better of the former Tom Brady backups????
15. Philadelphia Eagles 1-2 (LW: 10)
Back-to-back late game defeats make the record ugly but if they are able to right the ship Philadelphia is a scary team.
16. Seattle Seahawks 2-1 (LW: 16)
The Seahawks are holding on to the Most Average Team title for another week.
17. Cleveland Browns 1-2 (LW:12)
The early part of their schedule—and the incompetence of the offensive line—isn’t doing this team any favors.
18. Los Angeles Chargers 1-2 (LW: 19)
MELVIN GORDON IS COMING BACK; NO LONGER SHALL KEENAN ALLEN HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING.
19. Atlanta Falcons 1-2 (LW:13)
What a difference one week can make…again.
20. Tennessee Titans 1-2 (LW: 18)
This week’s “one of these teams has to win” matchup is Tennessee traveling to Atlanta.
21. Carolina Panthers 1-2 (LW: 23)
Is Kyle Allen…good?
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-2 (LW: 26)
Jameis Winston played two consecutive solid games but the other fatal flaw kept the Buccaneers from winning last week: the kicker.
23. Oakland Raiders 1-2 (LW: 20)
We have now hit the “Blame Antonio Brown” part of the Raiders season.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars 1-2 (LW: 25)
#FREEJALEN.
25. New York Giants 1-2 (LW: 31)
“DAN-IEL, JONES” clap-clap-clapclap-clap.
26. Pittsburgh Steelers 0-3 (LW: 21)
Steelers lost, Minkah Fitzpatrick went viral (for the wrong reasons), and they don’t have their first-round pick; everything is fine.
27. Arizona Cardinals 0-2-1 (LW: 24)
So much for the Air Raid System, Arizona’s offense looks more like the Air Retreat System through three weeks.
28. Washington Redskins 0-3 (LW: 27)
The fate of Jay Gruden’s coaching career likely rests in Dwayne Haskins, yet it seems like Gruden is doing all he can to NOT put the rookie in.
29. New York Jets 0-3 (LW: 28)
The positive for Le’Veon Bell is at least Pittsburgh is stinking it up too.
30. Denver Broncos 0-3 (LW: 30)
My poor beloved Vic Fangio.
31. Cincinnati Bengals 0-3 (LW: 29)
They are getting closer and closer to “Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t want to play for the Bengals” range
