Josh and Kwab are back after a week off to touch base on the latest NBA headlines including Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and the Dallas Mavericks honeymoon phase being over, What the Blazers should do going forward with Damian Lillard, are the Knicks getting tired of Julius Randle's temper, and will Jaylen Brown remain a Celtic when his contract expires?

Timeline:
00:00 Start
03:05 Kyrie and Luka not happy in Dallas
17:24 What's next for Dame and Portland?
30:07 Is Julius Randle's temper a problem?
38:52 Does Jaylen Brown want out of Boston?

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Josh and Kwab touch base during a turbulent time for a few contenders. Are the Celtics as good as everyone thinks they are? What is going on with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on the road? What will the Memphis Grizzlies be when Ja Morant comes back?

Timeline:
00:00 Start
03:49 Are the Celtics fugazi?
15:32 Road Woerriors
26:31 Memphis, we have a problem

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Part 2 COMING SOON with the Hornets, Bulls and Cavaliers

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• Moves for the Celtics to make at the trade deadline
• The timeline & development of the young Celtics
• Why to be optimistic about this team moving forward
• Coach Ime Udoka's rookie season

… and much more! 

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One of the more interesting things to follow this season will be the trajectory and impact of the 2020 rookie class. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, first-year players have seen their time to prepare for the NBA level cut short. From the draft to training camps to preseason contests and to opening tip-off, rookies are looking at a months worth of time to get accustomed to the new level of play and their new teammates and coaching staffs.

In this piece, myself and Ronnie Flores do our best to predict which rookies will have an immediate and lasting impact throughout the 2020-21 NBA season.

Ronnie's Top Pick: Isaac Okoro | SG | 6-5 | 225 | Cavaliers

This former McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) product went a bit higher in the draft than we anticipated but with the makeup of Cleveland’s roster I expect him to have tremendous impact. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if he started at some point in the 2020-21 season.

Cleveland just needs a major upgrade defending the wing and perimeter and Okoro foots the bill with his size, core strength and activity level. His play is contagious and he’ll get starter type minutes if his shooting comes around. Cedi Osman just doesn’t defend well enough against the elites in the league to keep Okoro on the pine, while Dylan Windler is coming off an injury.

Windler shoots it well enough and will get opportunities, but Okoro will just create them with his approach. Point guard Sharife Cooper (a freshman at Auburn who may never play pending NCAA eligibility) got most of credit for the success of McEachern (the No. 2 team in the FAB 50 in 2018-19), but it’s apparent Okoro was a big reason why the team went 32-0 and is regarded as one of Georgia’s best ever.

Ronnie's Second Pick:  Isaiah Stewart | PF| 6-9 | 250 | Pistons

Isaiah Stewart

6'9"   -   C   -   2019

The Portland Trailblazers drafted him, but the 2020 All Pac-12 choice will learn the NBA ropes in Detroit. We don’t think it will take him long to get comfortable because of what he brings to the table physically and mentally. Stewart, simply put, is a man and he’s a load to move. Even though the game is so perimeter-oriented nowadays, there is still a spot for a big man that goes after every rebound and sets screens that foes feel. He is a total team-first player and will pick up on what the veterans teach him about the rigors of NBA post play quickly. Does Stewart need to get better offensively? Yes. Does he need to make defenders respect him more outside 8-10 feet from the basket? Of course. But I have a hunch he’s going to get an opportunity because the Pistons likely won’t be very good. And when Stewart does get the opportunity, he’ll be ready and will eventually be a solid contributor. Rebounding always translates and Stewart led the Pac-12 in total rebounds in his only season in college. Rebounds might not win rings for the Pistons, but they’ll win the Piston’s coaching staff over and get Stewart on the floor. 

Ronnie's Third Pick: Jahmius Ramsey | SG | 6-4 | 195 | Kings 

Nothing is guaranteed with NBA second round picks, and that is especially true with such a short turnaround between the draft and the start of the NBA season because of COVID-19. With that being said, it’s a terrific sign for Ramsey that the Kings signed him to a three-year rookie deal, with two of them guaranteed. Ramsey has first round talent with his ability to score and knock down the perimeter shot, which he did in his lone college season at a 42.6 percent clip from three-point range. He's quite versatile and is a capable defender, too. Yes, Ramsey is going to spend plenty of time in the G League, but he’ll be ready for his call-up because the Kings could move one of their guards before the trade deadline and already like what they see in the shard-shooter from Duncanville (Texas). It’s not going to be an easy season for second rounders by any means, but of the ones near the top of the second round we like Ramsey’s chances to make a lasting impression.

Devin's Top Pick: Deni Avdija | SF | 6-9 | 210 | Wizards

Many believed heading into the draft that Avdija was a top four to five talent, and while he slipped a little from that original prediction - going No. 9 to the Wizards - the early returns are looking really good for D.C. The 6-foot-9 wing had an impressive preseason debut, scoring 15 points on 6 of 6 shooting and 3-for-3 from three-point range. Avdija looked confident and comfortable on the floor with his new teammates and that feeling of poise likely stem from Avdija's extended time playing at the highest levels of the Euro League. Avdija fits in seamlessly with the Wizards roster and his combination of size, skill and offensive versatility should mesh nicely with Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal, Rui Hachimura and Davis Bertans. Avdija flashed the ability to score from all three levels of the floor from the catch-and-shoot three to an off the bounce pull and even some back to the basket skill in the painted area which all bode well for his immediate and long-term NBA future.

Devin's Second Pick: Malachi Flynn | CG | 6-1 | 185 | Raptors

Flynn was one of college basketball's most dynamic scorers during his redshirt junior season at San Diego State. The 6-foot-1 combo guard is a crafty and confident scorer and playmaker off the bounce who has deep and consistent NBA range on his three point shot. Toronto is a great fit for Flynn as he can learn the ropes of the professional game from seasoned veteran Kyle Lowry and also model his game after one of the game's bright young guards in Fred Van Vleet. The purpose of this story is about the opportunity for immediate impact at the NBA level, and with Flynn's ability to play both on or off the ball as a creator and scorer, he should see plenty of action off the bench with the Raptors in his first season. In his first two preseason games, Flynn scored nine and 17 points, respectively, against the Hornets in just under 20 minutes of action in each contest.

Devin's Third Pick: Payton Pritchard | PG | 6-2 | 190 | Celtics

Payton Pritchard

6'0"   -   PG   -   2016

There are few players who were drafted to a better fit than Pritchard to the Celtics. The gritty floor general who spent four years running a high-level program at the University of Oregon brings that steadiness, toughness and high IQ feel for the game that will fit well with what Brad Stevens does in Boston. Pritchard is known for his tenaciousness on the defensive end and ability to create for others in both the transition and half-court settings while not turning the ball over - evidenced by his career 2.3-to-1 assist to turnover ratio in college - but his offensive repertoire often gets overlooked when breaking down his game. Pritchard averaged 20.5 points per game in his senior season for the Ducks and shot 41.5 percent from three and 82.1 percent from the free throw line. To me, Pritchard has the offensive maturity and competitiveness on the defensive end to be a viable back-up point guard from game one and beyond.

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On Episode 82 of our In The Paint Podcast, co-hosts Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland take a closer look at the Western and Eastern Conference Finals in the NBA Playoffs, what this year's college basketball season will look like and Michael Jordan's latest movement within the NASCAR racing sphere.

Click the play button below to tune in to the full episode!

What did the Denver Nuggets do differently in game three to help it get back into the series against the Lakers? Los Angeles' lack of consistent perimeter shooting reared its ugly head yet again, is that a viable concern for the rest of the postseason? Should the Lakers be worried?

Heading over to the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics won game three to take a step closer to tying the series against the Miami Heat. Did the return of Gordon Hayward come at the perfect time for the Celtics whose bench was struggling to produce? How does Miami get back on track for game four?

The next topic tackled by Ron and Dev is what will this season look like in college basketball. We have a firm start date of November 25 and non-conference tournaments are changing dates and locations to adhere to COVID-19 restrictions in some parts of the country. Will we see an NCAA Tournament this season? Will it be a bubble type of atmosphere?

The guys close out the show by discussing the latest move by Michael Jordan and him teaming with longtime NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin to start their own team. The feature driver for MJ will be Bubba Wallace and Ron and Dev break down how MJ has been able to successfully transcend multiple sports.

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With the 2020 NBA Draft date of Nov. 18 swiftly approaching, we wanted to take a deeper dive into this year's crop of talent. The winner among the losers on NBA Draft Lottery night was the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team with the third-worst regular season record was awarded the first overall selection.

The Golden State Warriors, who are looking to get healthy and return to their winning ways, will pick second, the Charlotte Hornets third, with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers rounding out the first five selections.

This will be one of the most unique NBA Drafts on record due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only is the draft delayed by five months, NBA front offices will be making picks with far less real-time evaluation because of the cancellations of many conference tournaments and last season's NCAA Tournament. Another interesting aspect of this draft is NBA scouts and front office personnel will not be able to evaluate prospects in a live draft combine setting, but rather a virtual one taking place at regional sites.

In this piece, myself and Ronnie Flores do our best to predict which players the lottery teams will select based on fit and team needs. Check out our selections in a three-part series, beginning with picks No.'s 10-14 below.

14. Boston Celtics (from Memphis)

Ronnie’s Pick: Precious Achiuwa | PF | 6-9 | 225 |Memphis | Freshman

Precious Achiuwa

6'9"   -   SF   -   2019

Why: The Celtics have done a good job in the draft and on are the cusp of being the best team in the East, so whoever they bring in would be fighting to become a rotation player. Achiuwa has a chance to do that because he brings energy to both ends of the floor and is a hellacious rebounder. The brass will be taking a long look at North Carolina’s Cole Anthony, but the Celtics don’t need perimeter scoring more than they need front court depth. Achiuwa fits the bill.  

Devin’s Pick: Jalen Smith | PF | 6-10 | 225 | Maryland | Sophomore

Why: I can see Boston going in multiple directions with this pick, because when you look at the Celtics roster, there’s not a specific area of need they need to fill. With Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart occupying the guard positions along with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward on the wing, if Boston keeps this pick I can seeing them adding some more front court depth as current starter Daniel Theis is fills more of a glue-guy type of role. Smith, if available would be a nice choice here of proven production at a high college level with plenty of tools to build on at the NBA level. Smith was a double-double machine for the Terrapins during his sophomore season, averaging 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, and his 2.4 blocked shots per game were good for second in the Big Ten Conference. Smith shot 36.8 percent on just under three attempts per game from the college three point line, which makes me think he could be a potential two-way impact guy as a rim protector and versatile scoring option at the five, which is very reminiscent of Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner.

13. New Orleans Pelicans

Ronnie’s Pick: Saddiq Bey | SF | 6-8 |215 | Villanova |Sophomore

Why: The Pelicans have some terrific offensive pieces and could shore up their defensive prowess, and Bey foots the bill. If he earns minutes on the floor because of his defense (which would be a tremendous value at this spot), he is a good enough spot-up shooter to keep defenses honest and compliment Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.

Devin’s Pick: Saddiq Bey | SF | 6-8 | 216 | Villanova | Sophomore

Why: This will be another interesting pick come draft night as the Pelicans have a host of young talent on its roster to go along with the veteran leadership of Jrue Holiday and J.J. Redick. New Orleans has nine players aged 24 years or younger and we didn’t get to see the full extent of what the youth movement looked like due to Zion Williamson missing time due to injury and the stoppage of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking strictly at roster need, three-point shooting is always of value, especially when your best long distance shooter (Redick) is heading toward his 36th birthday. I think Bey fits in nicely here because of his size, length, athleticism to go along with his 45.1 percent three-point shooting clip as a sophomore at Villanova.

12. Sacramento Kings

Ronnie’s Pick: Patrick Williams | PF | 6-8 | 225 | Florida State | Freshman

Why: The Kings’ front office is in transition and after some draft gaffes in recent years, they want to get this pick right. This isn’t a particularly loaded draft, but Williams has the potential to stick because of his frame, foot speed and long-term defensive ability. There are some terrific wing defenders in this draft, and the Kings can’t afford to swing and miss badly. Williams didn’t produce at a high level offensively in his lone college season, but the Kings need a shot in the arm not someone jacking up shots. 

Devin’s Pick: Aaron Nesmith | SG/SF | 6-6 | 215 | Vanderbilt | Sophomore

Why: For me, this is a best available pick type of situation for the Kings. The point guard spot is locked up with De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic (if he re-signs) will see the majority of the time at shooting guard, while Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley III and Richaun Holmes will continue to see the minutes in the front court and Sacramento needs a reliable piece that can come in and help right away. The best available guy at No. 12 could be Nesmith out of Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-6 wing brings versatility on the offensive end as evidenced by his above 50-percent shooting clip from both two and three-point range to go along with his 82.5 percent success rate from the free throw line. Nesmith played only 14 games last season due to injury, and while that’s a small sample size to draw from, his scoring feel on the perimeter and has some defensive versatility upside with his frame.

11. San Antonio Spurs

Ronnie’s Pick: Aaron Nesmith | SG/SF | 6-6 | 215 | Vanderbilt | Sophomore

Why: The Spurs will take a long look at Florida State’s Patrick Williams and can only hope Isaac Okoro (Auburn) falls this far. He likely won’t, so Nesmith is a terrific value pick because he can really shoot the deep range shot and complement the talented backcourt players the Spurs already have. It will be enticing to pick up a defensive-oriented forward, but passing up an offensive talent the likes of Nesmith will be too difficult to pass up.    

Devin’s Pick: Patrick Williams | PF | 6-8 | 225 | Florida State | Freshman

Why: This is the first time in a long time (23 years to be exact) that the Spurs will draft in the lottery, so San Antonio will have to rediscover this uncharted territory. As most know, this franchise has a rich history in drafting an unknown international player, stashing him, and bringing him over at the perfect time to help them on a championship run. Could that happen again this year? Sure, but for the purposes of this “mock lottery” let’s pick a player for Pop & Co. The reason I go with Williams here is because San Antonio could benefit from adding some athleticism and energy to its front court. The one-and-done forward out of Florida State fits that bill quite well with his explosive leaping ability, mobility in transition and ability to finish with through and above contact in the paint. Williams didn’t put up eye popping numbers during his only college season, averaging 9.2 points and four rebounds in 22.5 minutes per game and needs some work to refine his all-around offensive skill set. Where better to do that than with the Spurs who happen to have one of the best power forward’s the world has seen on its coaching staff.

10. Phoenix Suns

Ronnie’s Pick: Killian Hayes | PG | 6-5 | 215 | France | PRO

Why: The Suns ended the season on an upswing and hope to keep the positive momentum going with a home run at this spot in the draft. The Suns will likely look to the backcourt with someone who can play on the ball and be effective off it. Tyrese Maxey (Kentucky) will get a look at this range, but Hayes has terrific upside and there won’t be tons of pressure for him to perform right away. If Hayes can learn the NBA game from Ricky Rubio and be a complement to Devin Booker, this would be a terrific spot for him. 

Devin’s Pick: Killian Hayes | PG | 6-5 | 215 | France | PRO

Why: The Suns need to show they are committed to building a long-term backcourt around superstar guard Devin Booker in addition to providing a true point guard who can operate out of ball screen action with stud power forward De’Andre Ayton. Hayes might be the perfect successor to Ricky Rubio at the point guard position in Phoenix. The 18 year-old lefty plays with a high basketball IQ, great vision and decision-making out of the pick and role, and knows how to use angles and changes of speeds to get into the paint. Just imagine a high ball screen with Hayes and Ayton with Booker spotting up on the wing. That’s tough to guard. Hayes does need to get better as a three-point shooter to keep defenses honest in those ball screen situations.

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As replies started pouring in the list of names expanded drastically with debates, snubs and sensitivity quickly following. Episode 77 of the Ballislife In The Paint Show expands on Baron's tweet as Ron and Dev discuss some of the best California high school basketball players they've seen.

Damian Lillard

6'1"   -   PG   -   2008

The guys go into depth on two specific California hoopers, Damian Lillard (Oakland High) and James Harden (Artesia High) with their high school coaches. Oakland High coach Orlando Watkins goes in-depth on when he first watched Dame play, his recruitment and how he developed into the player he is today.

James Harden

6'5"   -   SG   -   2007

Scott Pera, the current head coach at Rice University, joins to discuss coaching James Harden in high school. Pera breaks down what type of player Harden was as a freshman, how he had to urge him to be more aggressive offensively and when he started to develop some of the patented moves we see in the NBA today.

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Rajon Rondo, if he could only shoot.. would he be the best PG in the league?

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Larry Bird's last game at the Boston Garden in the 1992 playoffs. Cavz led the series 3-2 going into this game and nobody, not even Larry himself knew he would be retiring a few months later.

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