The Ripple Effects of the KAT Blockbuster Trade, and a Goodbye to Dikembe. Plus, Preseason NBA Power Rankings, Part 2. | Group Chat

Justin, Rob, and Wos return with Part 3 of their annual preseason rankings, ranking teams 20-16. San Antonio Spurs (03:36) Los Angeles Clippers (27:48) Sacramento Kings (40:09) Golden State Warriors (51:48) New Orleans Pelicans (01:06:40) The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and Wosny Lambre Producer: Jessie Lopez Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Howard and Raja start the pod by discussing the passing of NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo. They discuss his impact on and off the floor, what he was like as a teammate, and the joy he brought to the sport (03:00). After, they touch on Derrick Rose’s retirement (21:43) before delving into the ramifications of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade to the Knicks, his fit with New York, and how Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo fit in with the Wolves (27:53). Finally, the guys answer your mailbag questions (52:14)! Email us your questions at [email protected]. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Hosts: Howard Beck and Raja Bell Producers: Jonathan Kermah and Eduardo Ocampo Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Justin, Rob, and Wos begin the show with their thoughts on Karl-Anthony Towns getting traded to the Knicks. They discuss how this changes the Knicks' outlook, why the Timberwolves made this deal, and more. Then they share memories and talk about the life of Dikembe Mutombo, who passed away at the age of 58 (34:36). Then they continue their power rankings by discussing teams 25-21. Utah Jazz (39:18) Chicago Bulls (52:48) Toronto Raptors (1:02:18) Atlanta Hawks (1:14:19) Houston Rockets (1:26:59) Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and Wosny Lambre Producer: Isaiah Blakely Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Howard Beck and Michael Pina fire up the mics to break down the ins and outs of the Knicks-Timberwolves blockbuster that sends Karl Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. The guys discuss Michael getting a tip earlier in the day that the deal was going down (2:25) before comparing the trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder’s trade of James Harden in 2012 (6:00). Then, they attempt to answer the all-important question: does this trade actually move the needle for the Knicks and Timberwolves (16:51) before making predictions on where each team will rank in their respective conferences (37:50).  Also, be sure to check out Michael Pina's latest piece: The Karl-Anthony Towns Trade Could Haunt the Knicks and Wolves. Hosts: Howard Beck and Michael Pina Producer: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Justin, Rob, and Wos are back with their annual preseason power rankings. To start the rankings off, they discuss the bottom five teams in the NBA. Brooklyn Nets (8:07) Washington Wizards (27:15) Portland Trail Blazers (40:02) Detroit Pistons (1:00:12) Charlotte Hornets (1:10:22) The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and Wosny Lambre Producer: Isaiah Blakely Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Howard and Raja start off the pod with an exciting update regarding Logan! Then, they go through the recent extensions of Joel Embiid (6:00) and Jamal Murray (23:00) and whether both were wise moves from the Sixers and Nuggets. After, they look into whether the Miami Heat potentially resigning Jimmy Butler is a smart or stagnant move (30:00). Also, they look into whether the Nuggets’ turnover over the past years highlights how quickly championship windows unravel (39:00). Email us your questions at [email protected]. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out rg-help.com to find out more, or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Hosts: Howard Beck and Raja Bell Producers: Jonathan Kermah and Eduardo Ocampo Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kyle, Seerat, and Michael bring two players each that they’re intrigued by going into the '24-'25 season. Hosts: J. Kyle Mann, Seerat Sohi, and Michael Pina Producer: Isaiah Blakely Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Seerat is joined by The Athletic’s James Boyd to talk about the Fever’s recent play and Caitlin Clark’s continued impact on the league (1:38). Then, writer Katie Heindl joins to talk through the fallout of Cathy Engelbert’s CNBC comments and discuss what happens next (53:35). And lastly, reporter Mark Schindler hops on to discuss the Lynx’s playoff potential and who he thinks will take MVP this season (1:24:26). Host: Seerat Sohi Guests: James Boyd, Katie Heindl, and Mark Schindler Producer: Erika Cervantes Additional Production Support: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Howard and Raja take a look into how the discussion around mental health in the NBA has evolved over the years. They start off by discussing the reaction back when DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love opened up about their mental health struggles (06:06), how the issue was dealt with, if at all, during Raja’s playing days (10:33), and more. After, Howard sits down with DeRozan upon the release of his new book, ‘Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm,’ to discuss his signing with the Kings, entering the later stage of his career, and his personal mental health journey (42:13). Email us your questions at [email protected]. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out rg-help.com to find out more, or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Hosts: Howard Beck and Raja Bell Producers: Jonathan Kermah and Eduardo Ocampo Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Seerat Sohi kicks off the debut episode of ‘The Ringer WNBA Show’ by talking with Indiana Fever play-by-play commentator Pat Boylan to discuss the Fever’s latest hot streak and the rise of Caitlin Clark (1:36). Seerat is then joined by Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times to discuss Angel Reese and the rest of the youth movement happening with the Chicago Sky (32:38). The show wraps with an in-depth conversation with Nekias Duncan about the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and the bumps on the road they’ve hit on their quest for a three-peat (55:08). Host: Seerat Sohi Guests: Pat Boylan, Annie Costabile, Nekias Duncan Producer: Brian H. Waters Additional Production Support: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices