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Austin Krell With NBA training camp opening this week, and with the season about 3 weeks from tip-off, it is time to introduce the story lines for each team heading into the 2017-18 season. Number 1: Golden State Warriors  With a 16-1 record in last years NBA playoffs that resulted in a world championship for the Warriors, it did not seem as if they could get any better. First, they re-signed versatile sixth man and elite defender, Andre Iguodala, as well as 2-time MVP and three-point sniper Stephen Curry to keep them exactly where they were at the end of last season. But then, they bolstered their bench with the signing of veteran shooting guard Nick Young, whose shooting ability will keep defenses honest once Klay Thompson, Curry, and Kevin Durant are subbed out. They also seem to have found another diamond in the 2nd round of this summer's NBA draft in power forward Jordan Bell, who was very impressive in summer league. The only question is, with the shift of NBA stars from...

Tyler Kemp Just when it looked like a normal day in the NBA offseason right before training camp begins to roll around, what looks to be the final shockwave in what has been a wild NBA summer has already had its ripple effect. The New York Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed in principle to a trade that would send Carmelo Anthony to OKC while New York receives Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a future second round pick. While this immediately looks like a win for Carmelo Anthony, there are a lot of different moving pieces in terms of who won and lost this trade. Let's get it started: Winner: Carmelo Anthony This is pretty obvious, right? The 13 year veteran finally got his trade request granted and escaped a tumultuous situation that was the New York Knicks, who are constantly the resident laughingstock of the NBA. He will now be paired up with Russell Westbrook and Paul George, two guys that he is very familiar playing with during summers of the olympic...

Patrick Zeng @Roundtripper891 Cavs Nation You've heard time and time again this summer that this NBA offseason has been nothing short of insane. It truly has been more exciting than last season's abysmal regular season and much of the postseason as well. And it just got more wild. Kyrie Irving is headed to Boston in an absolute blockbuster of a deal. Kyrie is off to Boston in exchange for for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a 2018 first round draft pick from the Brooklyn Nets. Kyrie getting his wish in being moved isn't all that shocking. As more and more information came out this summer it became apparent that the relationship between LeBron James and Kyrie had broken down to the point of no return. Kyrie was forcing his way out of Ohio, the question was just where would he end up? And that is what is so shocking about this deal. Kyrie is headed to the Cavs top competition. Boston was the number one overall seed last season and seems to be the only te...

Patrick Zeng @Roundtripper891 The Undefeated This NBA off-season has been nothing short of spectacular. While its balance of power for play on the court can often be questioned, no one can challenge the ability of the NBA to churn out headlines for the action off of the hardwood. That notion is no different with reports stemming from ESPN that Kyrie Irving has asked Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert to trade him. This off-season has been a bit of a mess for the reigning eastern conference champions and with this shock request, it may be well on its way to becoming a lot worse. General Manager David Griffin was let go over a contract dispute much to the dismay of LeBron James. James has also been heavily linked to an exit next summer when he hits free agency with Los Angeles to be his rumored destination(because who wouldn't want to play with Josh Hart?). And while all of this has gone on, the Cavs biggest challenge in the east added Gordon Hayward and the Warriors aren...

Patrick Zeng @ Roundtripper891 📸: Business Insider                                                                                       The most hyped up Home Run Derby ever did not disappoint last night. Some of MLB's best sluggers put on an absolute show last night, destroying balls into the Miami night. This Derby was everything that Rob Manfred could have hoped for and more so than just an exhibition of some of baseball's brightest stars, it also outlines a stark difference. Baseball's all star festivities are the best of the core 4 leagues(I'd lump in MLS as a fifth for comparison too) and it's not even close. ESPN reported that their Home Run Derby numbers were up 38% and oh man were those numbers warranted. The Derby matchups were close, compelling and real...

By Patrick Zeng @Roundtripper891 📸: ABC News Early this morning it was reported by Ramona Shelbourne that the Phil Jackson executive era is over in New York. Jackson and the Knicks mutually parted ways in year three of his five year contract. Jackson was the head of the Knicks for 1,200 days, earning a staggering $50,000 per day as the Knicks president per  @DarrenRovell. Jackson's legacy as an executive will be looked at as nothing more than a laughing stock for his player personnel decisions, stubbornness and lack of work ethic. Phil's first choice a New York head coach was the disastrous Derek Fisher who coached the Knicks to a 40-96 in just over one and a half seasons. The Zen master's one bright spot during his time in New York was the draft pick of Kristaps Porzingis. The Lithuanian star gives the Knicks a legitimate force in their front court with his size and versatility. But even with that, Jackson found a way to alienate his best player to the point w...

By Patrick Zeng @ Roundtripper891 No one believes that Ice Cube's Big 3 league is coming to unseat the NBA, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy it. The ten week, ten city, eight team event kicked off in Brooklyn this past Sunday and aired Monday night on FS1. The league will culminate on August 26th in Las Vegas for the championship. The league brings to the table multiple rule changes that differentiate it from a conventional NBA game. First the games are played in the half court, giving the players more energy by not having to run up and down the court. The shot clock is only 14 seconds in comparison to 24 and the game isn't timed. Instead they are played to 60 which makes for constant action rather than running down the clock and milking poessions. And even three 4 point markers are scattered from 30 feet away from the basket allowing for dazzling shots. But my personal favorite of watching the leagues maiden broadcast last night was the physicality of it...

By Patrick Zeng @ Roundtripper891 With this week marking the occasion of the Yankees retiring Derek Jeter's iconic #2, much has been made of the fact that baseball has not had a true "face" since the Yankee captain hung up his cleats in 2014. Even with the likes of Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Clayton Kershaw and Kris Bryant dominating the game in markets all over the country, baseball has struggled to establish one star that shines above the rest. But they don't need one, because baseball differs from leagues like the NFL and NBA. Both these leagues are required to market their stars for they have so much more of an influence over a game than one MLB player. Players like LeBron James have the ability to score ten straight points for their team while Carlos Correa only comes up to bat once every nine players. The NFL and especially the NBA are much more individualistic leagues, so of course their star power is much more easily marketed. Debate always seems to center...