Hollinger & Duncan NBA Show - NBA Basketball Podcast

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2026

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2026

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2026

Hollinger and Duncan react to Minnesota’s stunning series win over Denver, the Knicks’ historic Game 6 destruction of Atlanta, the proposed lottery reform, and the biggest strategic developments of the playoffs so far. They also hit Celtics-Sixers, Pistons-Magic, Lakers-Rockets, and the players who have either survived or been exposed by the playoff crucible. Nuggets-Wolves fallout — 1:27: Minnesota’s defense, Denver’s offensive and defensive issues, the state of the Nuggets around Nikola Jokić, and whether Denver can still contend in a loaded West. Knicks-Hawks — 12:19: New York’s historic beatdown of Atlanta, the Knicks’ series adjustments, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby’s impact, and Atlanta’s offseason questions. Lottery reform — 24:07: The proposed new system, its anti-tanking incentives, and why it could make late-season basketball more watchable. Best teams and contender check-in — 32:33: Oklahoma City vs. San Antonio, the most impressive playoff performances so far, and Boston-Philly heading into Game 7. Coaching and tactical takeaways — 36:58: The best and worst coaching ideas of the playoffs, including San Antonio’s creativity and Portland’s struggles against Victor Wembanyama. Pistons-Magic and East bracket chaos — 39:39: Orlando’s depth issues without Franz Wagner, Detroit’s concerning matchup problems, Cleveland’s shaky path, and Toronto’s impressive adjustments. The playoff crucible — 48:49: Which players have been exposed or survived under postseason pressure, including Atlanta’s failed counters and Detroit’s center questions. Lakers-Rockets and other series notes — 53:56: Houston’s shortened rotation, Tari Eason’s importance, the Lakers’ health questions, Jalen Brown’s off-arm struggles, and the second-round outlook. Final playoff thoughts — 58:14: Potential Knicks-Celtics, Sixers-Knicks, Thunder-Spurs, and Embiid-Harden scenarios, plus closing thoughts on the postseason landscape.

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2026

John and Nate look ahead to the playoffs, picking all 4 rounds and the eventual champions.  Plus, they pick their: Most interesting series Least interesting series Best Individual Matchup Star player with the toughest matchup Star player with the easiest matchup Best coaching matchup Biggest coaching mismatch Series with the most variables Rotation players most likely to have their roles cut Deep rotation players who could emerge Most important non-star player Best playoff defense Best playoff offense Projected first round MVP

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2026

John and Nate do their 3rd annual Star Movement Draft, as they pick the stars they think are most likely to be on another team by the start of the 2027-28 season.   But first, they catch up on Giannis’ latest comments on the dysfunction in Milwaukee, and discuss how the injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves will affect the Lakers’ future.

Transcribed - Published: 6 April 2026

John & Nate look at teams that have already been eliminated from the playoffs and discuss their futures.  How good will Utah, Indiana, Dallas, Brooklyn, Washington, Memphis, and Sacramento be next year? ⁠Full Daily Duncs with links⁠⁠ Expansion doomed? Kawhi Leonard scandal Anthony Edwards awards Tom Izzo-Suns Trail Blazers’ Yang Hansen fine Yang Hansen value Steve Kerr Nikola Jokic triple-double Brandon Clarke arrested Wizards apologize ⁠Full Daily Duncs with links⁠

Transcribed - Published: 3 April 2026

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2026

John Hollinger and Nate Duncan do their annual coach rankings based on all the criteria that go into making a great (or terrible) coach. It’s a clear group of four at the top for both of them, but then it gets murkier with a lot of solid veteran coaches. How do they rate vs impressive young coaches like Mitch Johnson, Jordan Ott, Charles Lee, Will Hardy, JJ Redick, and more?

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2026

We actually do NEW episodes even 7 years in.  John and Nate draft the nine tanking teams to see who can draft the most wins the rest of the season.  Where does your favorite tanking team land in the rankings?

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2026

Transcribed - Published: 20 February 2026

Originally published in 2025 John Hollinger, who may or may not know anything about tanking, and Nate Duncan bandy about the best ideas they and listeners have for curbing the epidemic of tanking that has beset the league.  We go through basically every viable idea, and in the end agree on FOUR things we’d try to implement immediately.

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2026

John Hollinger joins Nate Duncan to break down the winners and losers of the deadline.

Transcribed - Published: 6 February 2026

John reacts to the league’s newest anti-taking and injury reporting proposals. Then, we turn to assessing the market for key players at the deadline. We hit on Jonathan Kuminga, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Zion Williamson, Jerami Grant, Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Ivica Zubac, and Bennedict Mathurin among others.

Transcribed - Published: 29 December 2025

In part 3 of their organization rankings, John and Nate make their picks for the bottom 10 teams in the league. Which will take the coveted #29 spot and avoid the bottom?! Plus, we discuss our biggest risers and fallers since last year, overrated and underrated teams, and which organizations we found the hardest to rank.

Transcribed - Published: 12 December 2025

A former executive and someone who will never be one are definitely the most qualified people to evaluate NBA organizations! But if we don’t do it, who will? In part 2 of a 3-part series, we examine each team’s organizational resume and determine which we’d most want running our team if we were fans, evaluating each team based on key criteria like their drafting, trade, and free agency record.

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2025

A former executive and someone who will never be one are definitely the most qualified people to evaluate NBA organizations! But if we don’t do it, who will? We examine each team’s organizational resume and determine which we’d most want running our team if we were fans, evaluating each team based on key criteria like their drafting, trade, and free agency record.

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2025

Nate and John continue their look at the Eastern Conference with discussion of Indiana, Brooklyn, Boston, Charlotte, Washington, and Orlando. Then, we look at five teams at the bottom of the West and assign them a panic rating based on how badly their seasons have started.

Transcribed - Published: 20 November 2025

After looking at the latest controversy in Memphis, John and Nate look at which of their season predictions they'd like mulligans on, whether it's awards, season wins, or anything else.

Transcribed - Published: 6 November 2025

John Hollinger gives his take as a former front officer on the betting allegations that have roiled the NBA.

Transcribed - Published: 30 October 2025

Hollinger & Duncan sift the rookie-scale extension rush—what looks smart vs. risky—and then dive into 2025’s biggest questions: true title equity, matchup landmines, awards races, hot-seat candidates, and which front offices set themselves up best. 0:30 — The extension wave under a rising cap: what looks smart vs. risky 1:00 — Keegan Murray pricing: two-way wing scarcity vs. limited upside 5:54 — Christian Braun and Denver’s apron math: role value vs. replaceability 12:00 — Dyson Daniels: age/size/defense bet and why a flat $25M structure matters 13:45 — Shaedon Sharpe: lock in upside now or gamble on RFA? 16:19 — Toumani Camara: converting a team option now vs. preserving flexibility later 23:18 — Aaron Nesmith: playoff proof-of-concept and Indy’s shorter 2/40 approach 24:39 — Why some wings/guards didn’t extend: the “wait-and-see” tier (Mathurin, Ivey, Eason) 27:26 — Jalen Duren: cap-hold strategy, center comps, and Detroit’s options 28:34 — Next summer’s center market: Kessler/Williams and the post-incentive era 29:12 — Framing the 2025 race: contenders, matchups, ceilings (no picks) 29:28 — East storylines: regular-season juggernauts vs. playoff-built teams; health variables 33:28 — West storylines: OKC’s rise, the Warriors’ matchup swing, and who actually has a ceiling 35:03 — The true title-equity bucket—and who’s one in-season move away 39:18 — MVP shape: the eligibility gauntlet, top tier, and the U.S. vs. international tilt 43:44 — Hot-seat watch: contexts around Doug Christie, Willie Green, Darko Rajaković, others 46:17 — Sixth Man: role volatility, eligibility traps, and what voters really reward 47:17 — Most Improved: high-ceiling leaps vs. low-baseline pop candidates 51:17 — Defensive Player of the Year: the unicorn case vs. voter fragmentation 51:42 — Executive of the Year narratives: asset plays, cap gymnastics, timing 53:29 — Why 2024–25 on-court styles will be especially diverse and fun

Transcribed - Published: 22 October 2025

John Hollinger and Nate Duncan break down which teams they disagree with the consensus (and each other) on the most this upcoming season.

Transcribed - Published: 8 October 2025

Now that Jonathan Kuminga is in the fold, how did the Warriors do on the deal and what can they be on the floor this year with Al Horford et al?  The hole keeps getting deeper for the LA Clippers as the circumvention allegations grow. What do we make of the Quentin Grimes situation in Philly, and is there actual reason for optimism there? Why did the Jazz agree not to extend Walker Kessler? And how should Houston handle the Tari Eason negotiations? Finally, we discuss which teams do the best and worst jobs of negotiating with their own players.

Transcribed - Published: 2 October 2025

John Hollinger & Nate Duncan discuss the ramifications of Fred VanVleet’s season-ending ACL tear and what the Rockets can and should do about it.  Then, they hit on the latest news regarding the Clippers circumvention case, Jonathan Kuminga’s saga with the Warriors, and Tyler Herro’s ankle surgery. Finally, a deal John thinks is underrated, and another he thought was underrated in how bad it was.

Transcribed - Published: 24 September 2025

John weighs in on the Kawhi Leonard no-show contract that has the LA Clippers in hot water. He and Nate discuss the next steps for the league and possible avenues for this saga to turn down as the league investigates. Then, we catch up on the latest news including Cam Thomas taking his qualifying offer, PJ Washington extending, and Max Strus breaking his foot in Cleveland.

Transcribed - Published: 8 September 2025

John Hollinger & Nate Duncan take a look back at the 2024 NBA Draft after Summer League and redraft the top-10 picks. Where does #1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher land? How about RoY Stephon Castle? What does Nate think of his top tier Reed Sheppard and Alex Sarr a year on? Which guys have moved up a lot? Then we give out a few more of our fake awards from Summer League, and attempt to answer the question of how many more championships OKC will win with this core?

Transcribed - Published: 25 August 2025

John and Nate pick their standouts from summer league in the following categories: Who will be the best rookie this year, and who will have the best career? Who changed your opinion the most for the better? Most disappointing player? “I nailed this one,” guys who looked exactly like we thought they would Who are you worried about? Best defensive player? Best rookie in the 2nd half of the first round? Best “sleeper,” 2nd round or undrafted? Premature victory lap guy

Transcribed - Published: 11 August 2025

Transcribed - Published: 2 August 2025

Nate and John hand out their offseason superlatives across the NBA. They pick the best and worst trades, contracts, and minimum signings, and dig into what made those moves stand out. They also explore broader trends like the resurgence of bigs, the Rockets-Suns blockbuster, and the evolving financial pressures of contenders like Denver and Minnesota. Plus, a close look at the Thunder's strategy, a breakdown of restricted free agency, and their thoughts on Mike Brown landing with the Knicks. Timestamps: Best trades of the offseason, including Hawks/Pelicans and Heat/Clippers. 0:48 The league-wide return of size and physicality. 6:06 Cam Whitmore to the Wizards and Houston's rationale. 13:00 Washington’s overloaded roster of prospects and vets. 14:42 KD to Houston and how the Suns and Rockets made out. 16:51 Phoenix’s likely plan to waive and stretch Bradley Beal. 18:35 Denver’s financial outlook and the Cam Johnson trade. 21:32 Nikola Jokić not extending—should the Nuggets be worried? 23:45 Minnesota’s priorities: 32:13 Worst contracts of the offseason: 36:10 Sacramento’s puzzling offseason. 37:20 Thunder give Chet Holmgren the 25% max—did they have to? 42:14 Restricted free agent outlooks for Grimes, Thomas, Giddey, Kuminga. 45:18 Most surprising contract of the offseason. 48:11 Best minimum signings:. 52:05 Mike Brown to the Knicks—will it pay off? 54:17

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2025

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2025

Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2025

John and Nate react to the shocking Desmond Bane trade from both Memphis and Orlando’s perspectives. They also assess where Kevin Durant might end up, and what kind of return Phoenix could realistically expect. Then it’s time for their final draft board discussion before the big day, including Cooper Flagg’s long-term upside, the rest of the top-5, and some of John’s favorite sleepers. What to make of Memphis trading Desmond Bane and what it says about their direction. 0:01 Why the trade is a big bet by Orlando on Franz, Paolo, and their defensive identity. 13:33 What Kevin Durant’s value is and which teams could plausibly trade for him. 18:13 Could Minnesota, Miami, or the Clippers be realistic suitors? 22:53 How Cooper Flagg compares to top past prospects and how he fits in Dallas. 29:54 Evaluating Dylan Harper and his unorthodox jumper. 35:00 V.J. Edgecombe’s unique strengths and concerns. 39:29 Ace Bailey’s upside and unpredictability. 43:01 John’s surprise top-5 pick: Kon Knueppel. 46:36 The electric upside and flaws of Jeremiah Fears. 50:00 Some of John’s favorite sleepers: Collin Murray-Boyles, Noa Essengue, and Carter Bryant. 54:10 Tre Johnson’s scoring chops and limitations. 58:26 Khaman Maluach. 1:01:33

Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2025

Nate and John run through a long list of potential trade candidates for what could be a seismic 2025 NBA offseason. They start with the two biggest possible dominos—Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant—and what their availability would mean for their current teams and potential suitors. From there, they cover a wide array of high-level trade options, including Lauri Markkanen, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown, as well as some lower-profile but still meaningful players like Anfernee Simons and Walker Kessler. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 1:06 Kevin Durant – 7:31 Lauri Markkanen – 15:59 Jrue Holiday – 25:07 Jaylen Brown – 34:07 Walker Kessler – 38:11 Trae Young – 42:08 Anfernee Simons – 43:49

Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2025

John and Nate continue their series assessing veteran-extension candidates: De'Aaron Fox – 0:21 Julian Champagnie – 9:55 Coby White – 11:24 Ayo Dosunmu – 11:24 Kevin Huerter – 15:06 Julian Phillips – 16:28 Darius Garland – 17:10 Craig Porter Jr. – 19:18 Dean Wade – 20:27 Kyrie Irving – 22:06 Daniel Gafford – 24:23 PJ Washington – 24:23 Rui Hachimura – 30:00 Dorian Finney-Smith – 31:10 Austin Reaves – 32:19 Norm Powell – 33:01 Karl-Anthony Towns – 43:13 Mikal Bridges – 44:50 Mitchell Robinson – 47:16 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 49:52 Luguentz Dort – 51:16 Kenrich Williams – 56:01 Jaylin Williams – 56:01 Collin Sexton – 57:10 Jordan Poole – 1:01:07 Khris Middleton – 1:01:29 Kristaps Porzingis – 1:02:06

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

How did we get to a Game 7 in Denver vs OKC, and what will be the key factors in who wins? Golden State petered out without Steph. What do they need to get back to contention and how does the restricted free agency of Jonathan Kuminga impact that? 6:44 Why did the Cavaliers fall short, and do they need to make major changes to compete in the East? 16:38 How will Boston navigate the franchise-altering injury to Jayson Tatum?  27:13 What should Dallas do now that they’ll have Cooper Flagg, and what will they do? 31:20 San Antonio should be in the mix for Giannis. Does it make sense to trade the #2 pick for him? 36:41 With Joel Embiid and Paul George, how will the #3 pick fit into the mix in Philly? 41:26 Plus, how the new CBA has affected the NBA combine. 44:14

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2025

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2025

Nate Duncan and John Hollinger break down the first week of the playoffs, including standout teams, superstar performances, the best and worst coaching jobs, surprising players, and early lessons from the playoff crucible Who has been the best team of the playoffs so far? Would we change our overall playoff predictions based on what we’ve seen? The biggest change to our pre-series predictions after the first week. Grading the superstars' performances in the early going. The best prediction we made heading into the playoffs. The worst prediction we made so far. The best coaching jobs and the most impressive adjustments of the playoffs so far. The worst coaching jobs and most questionable adjustments or non-adjustments. The most surprising/disappointing players of the first week. The best game of the playoffs to this point. The worst game we've seen so far. The best individual performance in a single playoff game. Who would make the All-Playoffs First Team after one week? Revisiting our playoff preview categories and early observations. The playoff crucible: who thrived and who couldn’t hack it? Which rotation players withstood the pressure? Which players have turned to ash? Full Daily Duncs with links⁠ Giannis Antetokounmpo Defensive Player of the Year Cleveland Cavaliers Thunder-Grizzlies Detroit Pistons Knicks-Pistons Nuggets-Clippers Scoring Game 3s Alijah Arenas ⁠Full Daily Duncs with links

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025

Nate and John take their unique look at the playoffs, discussing their picks for: Most interesting series Least interesting series Individual player matchup you are most interested in seeing Star player with the toughest matchup Star player with the easiest matchup Best coaching matchup Biggest coaching mismatch Series with the most variables Rotation players most likely to have their roles cut Deep rotation players who could emerge Most important non-star player who will affect the outcome of a series Best playoff defense Best playoff offense Plus, they give their picks for each playoff series winner and NBA champion. They also discuss Joe Dumars’ hiring in New Orleans and the ax falling for Michael Malone and Calvin Booth in Denver.

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2025

John and Nate go over their awards agreements and disagreements on Executive and Not-Executive of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and All-NBA. But first, they give their opinions on the NBA’s new European venture and discuss the future of the teams they think won’t make the playoffs. Plus, thoughts on Joe Cronin’s extension and the future of the Blazers. Full Daily Duncs with links NCAA championship game Trivia Kevin Durant Joe Cronin Trivia answer Seeds Awards No. 3 player Evan Mobley Rankings Full Daily Duncs with links

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025

John Hollinger joins Danny Leroux and Nate Duncan to break down our rankings of the top players in the NBA. Jokic or Shai at number 1? Who takes the 3rd spot? Where do old lions Steph, KD, and LeBron fall, and how do they compare with the young superstar bigs? How about the bevy of star guards? Plus, we discuss the biggest risers and fallers, the hardest to rank, and the players we think could make us look stupid for having them so low.

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2025

John and Nate look back at their picks with Zach Lowe from last year of which stars were most likely to change teams by the start of the 2025-26 season. Then, the same exercise this year, as they pick which stars could be on the move between now and the start of the 2026-27 season. They also discuss whether the Jazz being fined $100,000 will cause them to mend their tanking ways.

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2025

John and Nate discuss our coach rankings! What makes a great NBA coach, and how can coaches be evaluated? Then, we rank our top group of coaches in the league. Full Daily Duncs with links Anjali Ranadive Domantas Sabonis Sacramento Kings De'Aaron Fox-Mike Brown Draymond Green/Karl-Anthony Towns Jalen Brunson Mark Cuban Payton Pritchard-Derrick White 3-1 lead 2005-06 SuperSonics Full Daily Duncs with links

Transcribed - Published: 8 March 2025

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2025

Transcribed - Published: 7 February 2025

John joins us for a special unplanned H&D in which he gives us his special front office insight on what went down in Dallas, plus our evaluations of the Fox trade. On Luka: What the Mavs’ process was–and how it got circumvented Whether AD was the best they could have done to win now Whether it was a rational decision not to “shop” Luka Do we buy that Jason Kidd didn’t know this trade was coming? Nico Harrison’s comments about a 3-4 year horizon If Dennis Lindsey still being in Dallas would have changed things How much did this trade change our priors on what Luka is as a player? Is it possible Luka doesn’t stay in LA? On Fox: Why the Kings did ok here. Does this trade enable the Bulls to turn over a new leaf, or the same dead leaf over and over again? Full Daily Duncs with links Mavericks-76ers trade Warriors-Kevin Durant Golden State Warriors Luka Doncic Luka Doncic trade Thunder-Hornets trade De'Aaron Fox trade Dunc'd On Live Cap sheets MLE trades Full Daily Duncs with links

Transcribed - Published: 4 February 2025

John gives his unique insight on the De’Aaron Fox trade request, and we get into every aspect: How much do the Spurs value their young players like Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle? How much do the Kings value staying competitive, or getting their 2031 pick swap back?  How much are Fox and Rich Paul going to step on the scales to get to San Antonio–and how much are the Spurs willing to go all-in on Fox as the guy next to Victor Wembanyama? Plus, which other teams should get involved and what should their offers be? John and Nate also discuss the recent mock trade deadline, plus hit on what the Pacers or Hawks might do at the deadline.

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2025

John and Nate begin by analyzing the Nick Richards/Josh Okogie trade, and then John comments on the comments by the Warriors’ principals on the trade deadline. The meat of the show is our discussion of teams we’ve concluded have no chance to make the playoffs this year, and what their next steps are to return to relevance.  Brooklyn (11:32), New Orleans (20:37) , Charlotte (30:48), and Portland (38:48) are discussed.

Transcribed - Published: 17 January 2025

John and Nate look at the Kings’ decision to fire Mike Brown and how De’Aaron Fox’s contractual situation relates. Then, a look at which teams could and should get involved on Fox. The Jimmy Butler saga has taken over the media of late. What do we see as the end-game there? 27:09 The biggest non-star known to be available right now is the Nets’ Cam Johnson. Who are the potential suitors for him and what would be a reasonable price to pay? 42:37

Transcribed - Published: 4 January 2025

The annual tradition continues, a Dunc’d On and Hollinger & Duncan crossover to rank the top-10 prospects in the NBA 23 and under. Is Victor Wembanyama an obvious number 1? How can we sort through the injuries this year to find the rest of the top-10 among Paolo Banchero, Scottie Barnes, Franz Wagner, Jalen Williams, Anthony Edwards, Chet Holmgren, Evan Mobley, Cade Cunningham, LaMelo Ball, and more? Is anybody in the 2024 draft even in the top-15?

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2024