Pro Basketball Talk on NBC Sports podcast

Magic Johnson is synonymous with the five-time champion Showtime Lakers — the fast-break master with the no-look pass whose infectious smile belies one of the most competitive players ever to lace them up.In his incredibly well-researched new biography on Earvin "Magic" Johnson, author Roland Lazenby dives into the complex personality of of Magic, the guy who never forgot his roots and always seemed grounded, but also continues to compete with Michael Jordan on the financial front. Kurt Helin of NBC Sports and Lazenby discuss how Magic and Larry Bird — along with David Stern — turned the NBA into a prime-time, must watch show (setting the stage for Michael Jordan). They also delve into Magic's HIV announcement and how that was received domestically and internationally, his family and the influence of his mother and father on the man Magic would be, and how Magic the businessman made his billion dollars by focusing on building for underserved black communities in Los Angeles. It's a full discussion of one of the NBA's greats with details not often discussed about the Magic man.

The Western Conference is stacked — 12 teams enter the season thinking they can make the playoffs. That will lead to some very disappointed fans (and front offices/coaches on the hot seat) come April, and veteran NBA journalist Mark Medina joins NBC Sports Kurt Helin to break it all down.The Denver Nuggets are the team to beat and believe they can start where they left off in championship form, despite the loss of Bruce Brown, because they have Nikola Jokic. Chasing them are the Phoenix Suns, a top-heavy roster but one that's a threat if they can find enough depth and defense by the time the playoffs start. The Lakers and Warriors are threats, but both have aging cores — if the Lakers' LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and the Warriors' Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, can get to the playoffs healthy, they are threats.What about Memphis, without Ja Morant for the first 25 games of the season? Do we trust the Clippers? Does Minnesota figure it out this season with two bigs and the emergence of Anthony Edwards? The Thunder are set to make a leap. Do we trust Zion Williamson to stay healthy and make the Pelicans a threat?We break all that down and more.

Every NBA season comes with questions and opportunities, but this season more than most: What's going to happen with James Harden and the 76ers? Could the Cavaliers be better than the Sixers? Would that make Evan Mobley Defensive Player of the Year or maybe J.B. Bickerstaff for Coach of the Year?Those outcomes could make a savvy bettor money, so today we break down the coming NBA season with Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) of NBC Sports Bet the Edge. We talk about under/overs we like and how to really take advantage of that if you're really confident a team will comfortably beat the number (as I am with the Raptors). We also talk about how to approach the awards market, as well as the East champion or division champion markets in a way that brings real value. Drew knows his hoops so this is more than a betting conversation but also a good basketball one. 

This year's version of Team USA, even without America's biggest names (or maybe because of that), has shown more chemistry than we have seen from the men's senior national team in a long time. However, will that be enough against a very good German team in the FIBA World Cup semifinals, and against Canada or Serbia in the Finals (if the Americans advance)? Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports discuss what they have seen with Team USA, what has worked, and what players have looked good at the World Cup.Then in Corey's Jukebox, Corey explains how Erykah Badu ties into Team USA.For Kurt's Korner, the pair breaks down the Central division. How much pressure are the Milwaukee Bucks under after Giannis Antetokounmpo's offseason comments? Can the Cleveland Cavaliers push the Bucks? Kurt thinks everyone is sleeping on the Pacers. Then what should be the Bulls next move? What should be expected of this season's Pistons?

In the middle of what is usually the quiet period of the NBA calendar — when the focus should be on the basketball Hall of Fame and the WNBA — James Harden and the 76ers have kept the drama going. The 76ers ended trade talks (for now) for Harden and say they want to bring him to camp, Harden called 76ers President Daryl Morey a "liar" and said he would never play in an organization Morey is part of.Is there a good outcome for anyone in this scenario? Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports discuss that and how both sides have few good options.Then the conversation shifts to Diana Taurasi, who became the first woman to break the 10,000-point barrier in the WNBA. They discuss her place in the league, and if she should be in Paris next summer as part of Team USA at the Olympics. From there the conversation takes a sharp shift to discussing how Radiohead ties into the Australian NBL in Corey's Jukebox.Finally, the duo discusses and previews the Northwest Division. Denver is a contender with Nikola Jokić, but how much will they miss Bruce Brown and Jeff Green? Are we sleeping on the Oklahoma City Thunder? What exactly are the Minnesota Timberwolves and are they Anthony Edwards' team now? Where is Utah in its development, and where does John Collins fit in? Then there is Portland, with the Damian Lillard trade looming and a shift to the Scoot Henderson era.

DiJonai Carrington's path to the WNBA was not smooth. While she came from an athletic family — her father, Darren Carrington, played eight years in the NFL, and her mother, Vickie, ran track at Northern Arizona — she had to overcome multiple knee surgeries, including one this past offseason. It hasn't slowed her down as Carrington is one of the frontrunners to be Sixth Player of the Year, and she has helped lead the Connecticut Sun to a 19-7 record that has them as one of the title contenders this season.Carrington joined NBC Sports' Kurt Helin on this week's PBT Podcast to discuss how a Southern California native is adjusting to Connecticut, what is feuling her run this season and how making it to the WNBA Finals last year and losing on their home court has motivated the Sun this season. They also talk about overcoming all those injuries, her desire to win Sixth Person of the Year, and what musical act she'd jump on stage with and sing/rap along with.

With Summer League and free agency in the rearview mirror, this is supposed to be the slow offseason of the NBA. Not so much this summer. There was plenty for Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to dive into, including the latest on the James Harden trade saga — while there is little movement on the trade front itself, there is plenty of posturing. What everyone around the NBA is really watching is  how Joel Embiid reacts, and Corey and Kurt get into that.From there the topic shifts to the WNBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas and how Sabrina Ionescu  stole the show and proved that the 3-point contest is the highlight of all things All-Star in basketball. Then it's time for Corey's Jukebox to combine the Smiths and the Phoenix Suns' local broadcast rights moves.Finally, in Kurt's Korner the duo discusses the NBA's in-season tournament plan — is this aimed at an overseas market more than the American one? Finally, Kurt talks about a few of the less-mentioned standouts he saw at Summer League in Las Vegas.

The NBA off-season has come fast and furious and it's time to talk about the biggest moves so far — with the Damian Lillard and James Harden trades still hanging out there. Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports dive into all the biggest NBA offseason stories: The Boston Celtics trading away Marcus Smart and bringing in Kristaps Porzingis, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez coming back to Milwaukee, Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks heading to Houston, plus much more. They then get into the possibilities of Damian Lillard getting traded to Miami and how that will drag out.Not all the offseason moves have been great, which gets to Corey's Jukebox and "Oof" by Inner Wave.Finally some lightning round to round out the summer: Could Chet Holmgren top Victor Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year? Is Anthony Edwards the face of the Timberwolves now (and what does that mean for Karl-Anthony Towns)? Which Los Angeles team made better offseason moves? Then they end it on a fun note discussing their favorite summer BBQ foods. 

So much news to get to this week that it took a few minutes even to get to the NBA Draft. But they got to it.First up was the news of the Bradley Beal  trade to the Phoenix Suns. Did anyone win? Phoenix got its man but at the possible exception of roster depth, which was already its biggest weakness. Can Beal and Kevin Durant stay healthy? Can a "big three" roster work in the world of the modern CBA? Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports debate all that then move on to the Ja Morant suspension and if 25 games is the right number. From there it's time to discuss Draymond Green and Kyle Kuzma turning down their player options, was that the right move? Then what about the start to the WNBA season and just how impressive is Breanna Stewart (very, very impressive)? Finally, we move on to Corey's Jukebox and tie Mat Ishbia's Suns into Gang Starr.In Kurt's Korner they run through Kurt's consensus NBA Mock Draft for the lottery. He feels pretty good about Victor Wembanyama going No. 1 to the Spurs, after that just about everything is up in the air.

Here's what we know for sure: The San Antonio Spurs will select Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. After that, it could be chaos with Charlotte at No. 2 and Portland at No. 3 open to trading their picks (as is Houston at No. 4), with names as big as Zion Williamson potentially in play. It's going to be a wild night next Thursday and Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report and podcast joined Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to discuss the Portland Trail Blazers plans. First, that does not include a Damian Lillard trade, the plan in Portland remains to build around the greatest player in franchise history and win with him there. Building around Lillard means the Trail Blazers want to trade the No. 3 pick as a lot of teams covet Scoot Henderson, but will Charlotte trade its No. 2 pick for that reason before Portland can act? Or do the Hornets take Brandon Miller and let Scoot fall to three?Also, is New Orleans really ready to move on from Zion? Is Brandon Ingram in play at all? And what other teams would have interest in a big, bold move to jump up to a top-three pick to land Scoot or Miller? Also, the duo talks about all the expected trades in the late teens and 20s as contenders try to round out their rosters with affordable rookie contracts, a byproduct of the new CBA.