2019-20 Timeline Review and Preview: The Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets’ first season after losing their star point guard Kemba Walker went a lot better than expected. They received great contributions from both rookies and sophomores alike, as well as their “big signing” Terry Rozier. But the biggest takeaway from last season was the emergence of 2nd-year point guard Davonte Graham as an absolute sniper. Trust me, nobody expected him to put up the numbers that he did: 18.2 points, 7.5 assists while shooting 37.3% from three-point three-point land on 9.3 attempts a game. This was exactly what the Hornets needed, development from their young players and hopefully, more development is instore next season. All of their young players (plus Nicolas Batum) will be on the roster next season, barring any trades in the offseason.

Even with all the pleasant surprises, this season wasn’t all positives for the Hornets. They struggled to finish and to stop their opponents inside the three-point line. On offense, they had the worst FG% and 2P% in the league (43.4% and 48.9% respectively,) and on defense, they allowed the 2nd best 2P% (55.8%). To get to that 55.8%, their opponents only shot 52.5 two-pointers a game, 24th most in the league, yikes.  

Coach Borrego: "Guys can you please guard the paint?!"

Hornets players: 

But this was a great building block year and the Hornets now know their strengths and what they have to improve on for next season. Let’s look back on their previous season and talk about the signings, trades and take a sneak peek at their offseason. 

June 20th - 2019 NBA Draft and Rookies

The Hornets held the 12th, 36th, and 52nd pick in the draft and they took: P.J. Washington (PF), Cody Martin (SF), and Jalen McDaniels (SF) respectively. 

I like Washington; I think he’s very versatile as he can play both the three and four. In some cases, he can even be a small-ball five. He wasn’t afraid of shooting behind the arc and if he improves his three-ball and his defense he will be a centerpiece for this franchise. Cody was okay, I need a bigger sample size but he looks like he’ll be a good rotation player in the future. 

Preseason:

Trades:

July 6th - The Hornets trade their star player for the last decade “Cardiac” Kemba Walker and a 2020 2nd round pick (least favorable between Knicks and Nets) to the Boston Celtics for Terry Rozier and a 2020 Celtics 2nd round pick (sign and trade). 

Terry Rozier came over with a 3 year $56.7 million contract. Sure it’s an overpay, but at least he’s playing well unlike Batum when he got paid. 

Signings - 

October 19th - The Hornets signed undrafted rookie Caleb Martin to a 3 year $4.19 million contract. He’s the twin brother of Charlotte’s rookie Cody Martin. Good to know they care about family.

Midseason:

Trades & Signings - Nothing to report here

Waving the past goodbye: 

February 8th - The Hornets bought out and waived Micheal Kidd-Gilchrist. Charlotte drafted him with the 2nd pick in the 2012 draft (yikes, they’re bad at drafting) and he never really panned out. He later signed with the Mavericks on February 11th. 

February 8th - The Hornets bought out and waived Marvin Williams. He was also a former 2nd overall pick (2005 draft) that didn’t pan out. At least he was a good defender. He later signed with the Bucks on February 10th. 

Preview

The Draft:

The Hornets somehow lucked out and moved up to the 3rd overall pick in the lottery. Charlotte should be praying that LaMelo goes 1st or 2nd, so they can have their pick of either James Wiseman or Anthony Edwards. Wiseman is the better option just because the Hornets truly need some sort of presence in the paint both offensively and defensively. Having him in the middle takes some attention away from guys like Graham, Rozier, and Washington. Edwards however, can fill the much-needed SG position because Graham will be more effective running the point and Malik Monk is smoking dope. 

Worst case scenario, if both of those players are taken before their pick they should pick up LaMelo. They’ll have to find a way to have them all get touches. My best guess is that LaMelo would be the PG, Graham will be in at SG because of his great shooting ability and they’ll demote Rozier to 6th man. I’m not a big fan of having three ball-dominant point guards trying to get touches, it may hinder the development of both Graham and Ball but c'est la vie.

November 18th - 2020 NBA Draft

The Hornets ended up selecting LaMelo Ball with the third pick. As expected since Edwards and Wiseman went off the board. I just hope that he improves his shot selection and tries on defense. They also held the 32nd and 56th pick where they selected Veron Carey Jr. and Grant Riller respectively. 

Free Agency:

The Hornets are set up very nicely in terms of cap space and contracts for the 2020-21 season. Most of their core players are on contracts for the next few seasons except for Zeller and Graham. For their free agents: Let Bacon walk, he just can’t shoot or do anything properly. Try to bring back Biyombo cheap, maybe like a 2 year $10 million contract or something. Bring back Hernangomez, he’s a big man that can shoot the three, if you don’t bring Biyombo give Hernangomez more minutes to see what he can do. 

The Hornets are actually in a decent spot to give out a decent big-money contract this offseason and still have space for the one in 2021. I think they should try to go after veterans to help mentor the young talent they already have on their roster. I expect the Hornets to go after either a SG or a SF in free agency.  

A guy like Jae Crowder (SF) could be a good signing, he can shoot the three and is solid defensively. He can make a good mentor or even replacement to Miles Bridges if he continues to regress. If not take a chance on Rondae Hollis Jefferson, he plays good defense and can finish at the basket well. If you want somebody with more offensive power, go ahead and try to push for Malek Beasley. He isn’t a good defender but he’s a lights-out shooter and also plays both the two and the three which are the Hornets’ weakest positions on the team. 

Lastly, I’ve been seeing tweets and reports that the Hornets are very interested in trading for Russell Westbrook and I would just like to calmly suggest to them: DON’T DO IT. I know the appeal of getting a superstar is massive, especially in Charlotte where nobody wants to be but It’s short-term satisfaction. I don’t have to explain why getting Westbrook will do you more harm than good because you already know what I’m talking about. A trade would most likely involve Washington, Rozier, or Graham and some picks, that’s all their core pieces gone, and for what exactly? 

Final Thoughts.

Their main priorities next season is to ensure they have enough room to resign Graham if he continues to develop and to establish a system where they can increase their pace. With all these young players it’ll be a waste to continue to have them operate at the slowest pace in the league (95.8). The Hornets have set themselves up for future success, I just hope they don't screw it up. 

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2019-20 Season Timeline Review and Preview: The Chicago Bulls

The Bulls seemed to enter the season filled with expectations and promise; they more or less retained their core group of players, their possible PG of the future in Coby White, and two lowkey free agency acquisitions of Thomas Satoransky and Thad Young who could provide solid contributions. With all these positives, the only problem was that Jim Boylen was still their coach, and nothing good will EVER happen with Jim Boylen as your head coach. 

It seemed the Bulls were doomed before the season began and it only got worse with each idiotic and questionable decision Boylen ever made. However, if I was to write out every iconic moment or quote during Boylen’s tenure then this would be a novel so to save myself the work ---------> https://www.radio.com/670thescore/most-bizarre-moments-quotes-jim-boylen-bulls-coaching-tenure 

https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/2020/07/17/heres-a-bunch-of-jim-boylen-quotes-that-prove-he-isnt-the-guy-for-the-job-fun-right/  

Enjoy!

Boylen aside, this was a season total disaster. Lauri Markkanen regressed heavily in Boylen’s system, multiple injuries throughout their roster and besides Zach LaVine nobody seemed to be able to score the basketball. After Zach (25.5 points per game), this entire team seemed to struggle to do anything offensively. 

The Bulls were in the bottom ten in almost every offensive statistical category: FG% (26th), 3P% (22nd), Total Rebounds (29th), Assists (23rd), and Points per game (27th). But hey, at least they were 1st in steals (10 per game), that’s good, and they were also 4th in the league in turnovers (15.5 per game), that’s……. less good.

On top of a horrible offense, the Bulls also came down with a serious case of the injury bug this season. Only four players played 60 games or more out of a possible 65. Their entire roster missed a total of 297 games in a shortened season which caused a serious lack of chemistry with any of their starting lineups.

The combination of the piss-poor coaching, player regression, and wasting of young talent drove fans over the edge. I’m sure they will be trying to erase all the scars and trauma that this season inflicted on them as soon as possible. Let’s do a quick recap of everything that went down during the Chicago Bulls “gas leak year.” (shout out to Community.)

June 20th - NBA Draft & Rookies

The Bulls had the 7th and 38th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. They obtained the 38th pick from Memphis in a trade at the beginning of the year. With their two draft picks the Bulls selected Coby White (PG) and Daniel Gafford (C) respectively. 

Preseason 

Trades:

July 7th - The Bulls acquired Tomas Satoransky from the Wizards in a sign and trade deal for a 2020 and 2022 2nd round pick. Wizards have the right to swap their Lakers’ 2022 2nd round pick for either the Bulls’ or Pistons’ 2022 2nd round pick, whichever one is more favorable. 

As a part of the sign-and-trade Satoransky signed a 3 year $30 million deal but that was Washington so that’s why it doesn’t go into the Signings section. I know I’m getting technical just bare with me. 

July 6th - The Bulls signed the veteran PF Thaddeus Young to a 3 year $43.63 million contract with a partial guarantee on the 3rd year (2021-22). 

July 11th - The Bulls signed Ryan Arcidiacono (PG) to a 3 year $9 million contract with a team option on the 3rd year (2021-22).

July 17th - The Bulls signed the giant sniper Luke Kornet (C) to a 2 year $4.5 million contract.

July 18th - The Bulls signed Shaquille Harrison to a 1 year $0.89 million contract.

October 22nd - The 2019-20 NBA season begins

Oh, you didn’t know? - The highlight of the Bulls season came on November 23rd with a victory over the Hornets. Zach LaVine* hit a 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left on route to a career-high 49 points. Both teams scored a combined 88 points in the 4th quarter alone as the game turned into a shootout in the final few minutes. I’ll leave a link to it in case somehow you haven’t it already ----> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ9pnTcGwxs&ab_channel=BleacherReport  

*Sad Fact: The 2020 All-star game was in Chicago and yet still Zach LaVine wasn’t an all-star. As a Zach LaVine stan, I found that wack.*

Mid-season: 

Trades & Signings - Nothing to report here

March 11th - The league is suspended. 

Overtime Notes:

April 13th - The Bulls fired long-time general manager Gar Forman. With his best years behind him, this was the right move as  Forman has spearheaded numerously questionable (at best) decisions, signings, and draft selections. He won NBA Executive of the year in 2011, which is ironically the last time they drafted somebody good in the 1st round (jury is still out on White and Carter Jr). Let’s not forget the time he drafted both Juseuf Nurkic (14th) and Gary Harris (16th) in 2014 and then traded them both to the Nuggets for Doug McDermott and Anthony Randolph. Good times, good times. 

May 1st - The Bulls hired Marc Eversley to be their new GM. Don’t know much about him but let’s hope he’s good.

August 14th - The Bulls fired head coach Jim Boylen. YESSSSSSSS SIIRRRRRRR LETSSSSSSS GOOOOOO!!!!!!! 

September 22nd - The Bulls hired Billy Donovan to be their new head coach. Donovan previously spent 5 years coaching the Thunder where he accumulated a regular-season record of 243-157. He led the Thunder to the playoffs in all five years and went to the finals in his first year (2015-16). He was named NBCA Coach of the year in 2020. 

I don’t think this was a mediocre signing. Donovan has proved to be a good coach however it always seemed to me that his success came more from guys like Westbrook and Paul George than his coaching. Even with superstars on his team, he has failed to lead the Thunder past the first round since his lone finals appearance. They got bounced by the Rockets twice, rookie Donovan Mitchell and Damien Lillard waved both Westbrook and Paul George out of OKC.  

So am I confident that Donovan is the man for the job in Chicago? Not really. Am I confident that he’ll do a better job than Boylen? Hell yeah. 

Preview

This picture was taken from Basketball-Reference and if you want more information you can check it out by clicking the link ---> https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/CHI.html 

The Bulls hold the 4th overall pick, moving up from their projected 7th pick. This would be their highest spot in the lottery since 2008 where they took Derrick Rose 1st overall. They’re in a good spot player-wise because they already have four of their five positions figured out. All that is truly left to figure out is the SF position. So they have two options here:

1. Draft Deni Avdija. He may not be the best shooter or defender but his playmaking and ball-handling make him an intriguing player. Maybe “Point Forward” is a stretch as of right now but he can certainly make plays for his teammates which will take the shot-creating responsibilities off of White, LaVine, and Satoransky. Assuming that Porter picks up his player option (he would be stupid not to) Deni can certainly benefit from learning from him for a year. 

2. Draft the best player available. Take a chance on somebody, whoever it may be, and just hope they pan out and don’t end up being a bust.

Looking at their contract situation it’s obvious that they’re leaving cap space for the 2021 free agency class so I think it’s safe to assume that they won’t try to lock themselves into big contracts this offseason. They shouldn’t resign Valentine, it’s time to give up on him. But they should try to re-sign Dunn at the right price because he’s the only reason why the Bulls aren’t complete garbage on defense. He’s a great-to-elite defender but his lack of growth on the offensive end can make him expendable.

Now that brings me to Coby White, he needs to take a big step next season. Not only does his playmaking need to improve but so does his shooting. He shot poorly pre all-star break but in the 10 games after the break, he looked like a completely different player. Take a look at his stats both pre and post All-star break right here --------> https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/whiteco01/splits/2020

The extra minutes and shot attempts helped him show Bulls fans the player he could be. Will he shine in a bigger role next season or will he revert to being inefficient like he was before the All-star break? I say you should let him start over Satoransky so we can get a bigger sample size of his performance with more shot attempts and minutes. 

With that being said I believe that the Bulls are set up nicely for the future and can be a real player in 2021 free agency if next season goes well. I trust that Donovan can establish a proper culture system with a good ball movement that will help get the most out of his players. Hot Take Alert!: The Bulls are going to make the playoffs next season as an 8th seed. They have enough talent to compete in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. With Jim Boylen out of the picture, the only way to go is up, right? (you can go sideways but let’s think positive.)

Hey Bulls fans, want to celebrate the firing of both Boylen and Forman? What better way to do it than with sweet merch from Fanatics, the global leader for licensed sports merchandise. Check out my link below to see their wide range of Chicago Bulls’ gear or merch from any other player or team you may fancy. Right now they’re offering 60% off selected items storewide so what are you waiting for? Now is as good a time as any to, in the words of Tom Haverford and Donna Meagle, “treat yo self.”

Link - https://fanatics.ncw6.net/LjZv3 

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Why do the Atlanta Falcons suck?

It is no secret that the Falcons are horrible this season. In the wake of starting 0-5, they fired head coach Dan Quinn after five seasons. His time at Atlanta can be summed up with two numbers: 28-3. The Falcons are now 2-6 and it would take a true miracle for them to even sniff the playoffs but how did we get to this point? We can start by looking at last season. 

Last season summary

The 2019 season was very mediocre as they went 7-9 but it could’ve been a lot worse. They went into their bye week 1-7 and managed to win six of their last eight games (most of them were against non-playoff teams but a W is a W.) Matt Ryan was decent enough; Devonta Freeman was a shell of himself coming off his injury-riddled 2018 campaign; Calvin Ridley had a breakout season and Julio Jones was, well, Julio Jones. Their defense was slightly improved but the collapse they suffered after 2016 was even more apparent. Dan Quinn missed Kyle Shanahan more than I miss leaving the house without my mask and it has been showing. 

Fun Fact: The Falcons’ defense was tied for 7th in the league for fewest plays allowed (985) but, of those plays, 42.8% of them ended up with their opponents scoring which was the 2nd highest in the league. 

So what’s going on?

The 2020 season has been nothing but torture for the players, coaches, and fans as the Falcons seem to be addicted to choking away leads. They're suffering from Falcons’ Murphy’s Law: “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong.” However, unlike with the Vikings, I don’t think their quarterback is entirely to blame. Matt Ryan is doing a good enough job airing it out. He’s posting his best QBR (75.8) since his MVP season in 2016 (I forgot he won an MVP lmao) and he and his wide receivers are the only reason this team is relatively competitive. However, I do believe we can look at three reasons why they are where they are.

1. Their Defense 

It’s no secret how atrocious the Falcons’ defense has been since their Super Bowl run in 2016. Their defense has always been their Achilles heel as no matter how many points Ryan and company put up or the size of the lead, it’s almost a guarantee that they would never hold on to it, and that hasn’t changed this season. 

Atlanta’s defense has been very nice to opposing offenses this season as they have allowed them to run up the score without much resistance. They’ve allowed 30 points or more on four occasions and only held a team to under 20 points once (Panthers in week 8) in their eight games played this season.  They’ve allowed the most yards in the league with 3285 but that mainly comes through the air. Their pass defense has been deplorable as they have allowed the most passing touchdowns (20) and the 2nd most passing yards (2491) in the league. 

Their defensive woes can be attributed to the fact that they are unable to get at their opponent’s quarterback. The Falcons are 24th in the league in total sacks (13) although they’re  5th in the league in terms of total pressures and blitzes.  They’re getting hurries and knockdowns still, but for some reason, they’re always a split second too late and they can’t seem to finish the job. It could be due to the secondary not being able to cover for long enough or taking too long to get to the quarterback but either way, this is a serious problem. 

Atlanta’s biggest problem for the last decade was that they never had an elite pass rusher, the only exception was Vic Beasley in 2016 when they went to the Superbowl. Injuries aside, they need to make some changes to their scheme to get to the quarterback quicker so their pressures can turn into sacks. Speaking of scheme changes, this bleeds perfectly into my next point.

2. Dan Quinn

So, the Dan Quinn firing was the right move. He was also an average coach, who was able to coast by thanks to the talent around him for years. He was the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks in 2013-14 (during their Super Bowl run) before getting the HC job at Atlanta. 

The main reason he got that job was that he was seen as a defensive genius because he was the play-caller for the “Legion of Boom,” but the problem he had was that he tried to copy and paste the same scheme in Atlanta without the same personnel.  Gus Bradley ran into the same problem when he had his stint with the Jaguars, if you try to run a system without the proper players you’ll always fail. Quinn’s unchanging defensive schemes in certain situations and his conservative play calling when he has a lead is what ultimately led to his firing. 

Another reason why it was the right decision to let him go was that I think his words ran stale in the locker room. After the choking in the Superbowl, two 7-9 seasons, another 0-5 start, and numerous blown leads, I can imagine that his attempts of rallying the troops began to fall on deaf ears. Sometimes players need to hear the same things from somebody else for it to have an effect. As the wise French Montana once said, “change is good for everybody.”

3. Choking big leads.

Growing up my father always had a saying whenever I did something wrong more than once. He said, “Son, once is an accident, twice is a coincidence but three times is a habit and that’s where it becomes a problem.” I think that saying perfectly sums up the Falcons this season as they always somehow end up stumbling on the final hurdle before they reach the finish line. 

The shadow of the blown 28-3 lead in SuperBowl four years ago is still looming over this team and has become a big part of their 2020 season. On three occasions the Falcons have had leads late in the 4th quarter only to see it vanish for one reason or the other.

Against the Cowboys, it was because their team forgot how to pick up a football. Against the Bears, it’s because the backup god “Big Dick” Nick Foles subbed in for Mitchell Trubisky and lit them up. Against the Lions, it’s because Todd Gurley couldn’t let down fantasy owners and decided to cross the goal line instead of stopping before running down the clock and kicking a game-winning field goal. Then again knowing the Falcons they probably would’ve ended up missing it, You know how Falcons’ Law goes. 

But aside from poor defense and the suspect coaching of Dan Quinn, I do believe that these three games have ruined the Atlanta Falcons season altogether. Football at the end of the day is about wins and losses, you are what your record says you are. They could’ve been 5-3 and competing for an NFC playoff berth, however, the 28-3 Super Bowl disaster still haunts this franchise as we see it rare its ugly head time and time again. 

We often hear that history repeats itself but how often is it that history repeats itself three times in one season I wonder. It’s a beautiful tragedy which sums up the Dan Quinn era in the Atlanta Falcons perfectly

Final Thoughts 

The defense showed signs of life against the Panthers in week 8 so hopefully, that carries into the rest of the season. Am I confident that it will? Absolutely not, it’s Atlanta after all, but I don’t mind being wrong. They should be in rebuild mode, but that's going to be easier said than done, but that’s a different topic for a different piece. 

Hey all you Falcons fans, want to celebrate the end of the Dan Quinn era? Why not do it in style with some fresh merch from Fanatics, the global leader for licensed sports merchandise. Check out my link below to see their wide range of Atlanta Falcons’ gear and while you're there feel free to check out the merch from all your other favorite teams and players. Right now they’re offering 60% off selected items storewide so what are you waiting for? Now is as good a time as any to, in the words of Tom Haverford and Donna Meagle, “treat yo self.”

Link: https://fanatics.ncw6.net/vXRVd

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The Ups and Downs of the NBA Bubble.

We are now two weeks removed from the end of the NBA Finals where we saw the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Lebron James, capture their 17th title over a very game Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. The conclusion of Game 6 not only brought an end to the 2019-20 NBA season (finally), but it also saw the end of the Orlando Bubble. So I thought I would share my thoughts on the entire operation that the league put together. 

Things that I loved about The NBA Bubble:

1. It brought basketball back into our lives, something that looked impossible after the league’s suspension in March. My biggest concern about the bubble was the health and safety of the players and staff; originally I didn’t even want the season to resume. I didn’t feel right that people would be risking their lives in a pandemic for my entertainment - I know it’s their job but still. However thanks to the league’s strict rules and guidelines, they were able to provide players and staff a safe space for three months.

2. It allowed players to express their social justice views specifically, it allowed them to amplify the Black Lives Matter movement. Players and coaches advocated for numerous causes like raising awareness for the movement and for seeking justice for Breonna Taylor. I was very proud that the league allowed players to use their voices and speak on social injustices. Adam Silver continues to show that he’s willing to listen to the concerns of the players and will do his best to try and support their actions for change in society.

3. It was like hanging out with a friend you haven’t seen in a very long time.  I honestly believed that the play would be sloppy but thanks to a few warm-up games, most of the rust was shaken off and players were roughly back to their former selves; from the minute that the first regular-season game started, it was like they never left. The excitement, the drama, the shocking moments - it was truly missed. 

4. Allowing teams that weren’t technically eliminated to participate in The Bubble added much-needed drama to regular-season games, especially in the West.  This revision to the schedule came in handy since the NBA had to play at least 70 regular season games or they would risk losing out on millions (*in the Rock’s promo voice*) ANDDDDDD MILLLIONSSSSSS of dollars. Read more about it right here ---------> https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/05/15/report-nba-would-lose-900-million-in-television-money-if-playoffs-are-canceled/ 

The fact that each game was literally a must-win for the teams was the biggest reason for The Bubble’s positive reception. Sure they weren’t playing for homecourt but it just meant that seeding mattered more than ever, especially for teams who didn’t have a seat at the “Playoff Table.”

5. The 8th vs 9th seed matchup forced the 8th seed to move forward while looking backward. They didn't have the luxury of a “cushion” to fall back on, which meant every win or loss meant more than it would’ve at the end of a non-pandemic season. The new dynamic provided some extra drama throughout the entire eight-game regular season but I don't think it can work when things go back to normal.

6. The multiple little adjustments that the NBA made to have it live up to its campaign of, “It’s a Whole New Game.” I.e. the different camera angles and the fact that when plays were reviewed and challenged, we were able to hear the referees speak instead of having the commentators speak to us. The virtual fans were a nice touch, especially when celebrities were in attendance. 

7. The fact that the bubble had 0 positive COVID cases proves once and for all that quarantining works, so hooray. 

Finally, the primary reason I think The bubble was such a huge success occurred during the playoffs: It completely erased home-court advantage, thus making it the great equalizer! The league did their best to try to give teams the feel of a home-court but there wasn't much they could do. There was no home-court advantage, no cheers or boos, no screaming chants for “DEFENSE.” It was just mano y mano -  who wanted it more. 

I used to think that home-court advantage wasn’t that important, but after witnessing some shocking upsets these playoffs (e.g. Heat over Bucks and Nuggets over Clippers), I think my opinion might change. 

Things that I didn’t like about the NBA Bubble: 

1. The fake audio noise that they tried to pump didn't do much for me. On a whole, I thought there were some audio problems but maybe it could have just been my cable provider. Some of the fake audio seemed to pause after a bucket was scored. 

2. The fact that coaches weren’t allowed to bring family members into The Bubble was whack. I know it was corrected after Mike Malone brought it up but still, they have every right to want at least one guest after spending so long in there. I understand the risk factor involved with it but they should’ve been given the option from the beginning. 

3. A lot of the refereeing was subpar. Several games had poor calls and the decisions really affected the outcome and flow of the game. The Tony brothers shouldn’t be allowed to even THINK about refereeing another NBA game and that’s on god. Scott Foster should be banned from officiating any Rockets game for the rest of his life. Bad calls happen and it’s a part of life but they seem more frequent with the aforementioned refs. 

For three months the Orlando Bubble gave fans some truly amazing and memorable moments and oh and how we needed them. From buzzer-beaters to 3-1 comebacks, you name it the Orlando Bubble had it all in spades. It made the basketball feel as normal as basketball could feel in a bubble with no fans in a worldwide pandemic. Sure circumstances were different but that doesn't take away from the fact that the journey and goal were the same for each team as it is every year - to win an NBA Championship. So contrary to what “Lebron Haters” say on Twitter - this ring does count. It isn’t a Mickey Mouse ring and you wouldn't be saying that if your team won it, so let’s not downplay the validity of the 2020 NBA Championship. *rant over*

As we say goodbye to the Orlando Bubble we are faced with numerous uncertainties regarding the next season. We don't know when the draft will be; when free agency will start; how much cap space will teams have and we don’t even know when the damn season is starting. But let’s just appreciate the fact that we were able to see the season through and we will face unknowns in the future. As Drake said, “Laugh now, cry later.” 

Andrew’s Favourite Bubble Memories 

• Caris LeVert leading the scrap heap Brooklyn Nets to 5 wins in the regular season.

• T.J. Warren becoming M.J. Warren (for like 5 games)

• The 8-0 Phoenix Suns (I’m still mad it wasn't them vs Blazers in the 8th matchup)

• The Miami Heat upsetting the Bucks in 5 games and eventually making the NBA Finals.

• The Raptors vs Celtics series

• The Thunder vs Rockets series

• Jamal Murray vs Donovan Mitchell

• The Nuggets coming back from 3-1 down…. Twice.

• Luka’s game-winner against the Clippers

• OG Anunoby’s game-winner against the Celtics in game 3.

• Lebron’s 4th ring and finals MVP.

• The Clippers still are not able to get out of the 2nd round. 

• Westbrook getting angry at Rondo’s brother in the stands, which was hilarious. 

• The 76ers firing Brett Brown before he even left the bubble, I mean that was just savage. 

• The players taking a stand and boycotting games after the murder of Jacob Blake.

• Danuel House getting kicking out for having an unauthorized female in his room, during the Rockets playoff series against the Lakers. LMAOOOOOOO!! My boy was starving.

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A look back at Bill O’Brien’s time with the Houston Texans.

On the 5^th of October 2020, the 0-4 Houston Texans fired their head coach, general manager, offensive play-caller, and probably team chef Bill O’Brien. My immediate reaction to this was to scream out “yessssirrrrrrrrrrr!!! It’s about damn time.” The fact that he had a job for as long as he did prove not only how weak the AFC South was, but also his ability to shift blame and avoid accountability. Let’s dive into his reign of ineptitude and mediocrity, shall we?

 

O’Brien was with the team since 2014 and posted an overall record of 52-48 in the regular season which included four AFC South Divisional Titles and a 2-4 playoff record.  During the early parts of his career, the only experience he had with the NFL was being on the New England Patriots staff from 2007-2011. He held many titles there during his four-year period. His highlight during that time was getting into a screaming match with the goat Tom Brady after he threw an interception against the Washington Redsk…... I mean Football Team on December 11^th, 2011.

 

From 2012 he then spent two seasons trying to revive the dead corpse of what was once called the Penn State football program. He was hired after the child sex abuse scandals involving their former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. Because of this scandal, the Penn State program was faced with punishments like a five-year probation, a four-year postseason ban, losing forty scholarships from 2013 to 2017, and many others. 

 

So, Bill was taking over a team made up of scraps for lack of a better term. But the team was able to be much better than expected posting an 8-4 and 7-5 record in 2012 and 2013 respectively. He was then hired by the Texans on January 2^nd, 2014 after they fired Gary Kubiak and had the worst record in the league with 2-14. Subsequently, with the 1^st overall pick in the 2014 draft, the Texans selected defensive end, Jadeveon Clowney.

 

Texans’ Tenure Summary.

 

He went 9-7 with the team in his first three seasons, winning two AFC South titles in 2015 & 2016. In the 2015 postseason, they got blown out the water by the Kansas City Chiefs 30-0. In 2016 they did manage to beat the Derek Carr-less Oakland Raiders (back when he was an MVP candidate) to advance to the Divisional Round for the first time since 2012. They then fell to O’Brien’s former team, the Patriots 34-16.

 

What’s interesting is that in those three seasons, O’Brien had a revolving door of QBs. From 2014-2016 the Houston Texans had a total of 8 starting quarterbacks: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett (2014 & 2015), Case Keenum, Brian Hoyer, T.J. Yates, Brandon Weeden, Brock Osweiler, and Tom Savage. And apart from Ftizmagic, all those guys were trash.

 

Oh yeah Brock Osweiler, remember him? Remember when they signed him to a 4-year $72 million deal in 2016? Good times.

 

Now in the 2017 Draft, the Texans traded their 25^th pick and their 2018 1^st round pick to the Browns to move up to 12^th and grab Deshaun Watson. Now finally for the first time, O’Brien had a decent young quarterback to build around.

 

Watson missed nine games in the 2017 season and that combined with their defense finally falling apart caused the Texans to slip to a 4-12 record. He did bounce back in both the 2018 & 2019 season winning the division twice with a record of 11-5 and 10-6 respectively. In the playoffs both years, they managed a 1-2 record, advancing to the Divisional round in 2019.

 

So, if just looked at his record and his accomplishments you’ll be thinking, “gee-whiz this guy isn’t half bad,” but my friend you would be dead wrong. You see we need to look a little deeper into what else transpired during his tenure for us to get the full picture.

 

Helping Circumstances.

 

Firstly, the AFC South was a trash division during his time. Besides the Colts in the early 2000s, this division has been a breeding ground for disappointment and mediocrity. From 2014-2019, only the Texans have a winning percentage over 50% at 54.1%, Colts = 50%, Titans = 42.7% and Jags = 33.3%. 

 

Secondly, in his first three seasons, they only reason that they were able to stay above 500 was that their defense lead by J.J. Watt. Watt won two DPOYs during O’Brien’s tenure and helped anchor their defense to top 10 finishes in most statistical categories in both 2014 & 2015. Without Watt and the other defensive studs that the Texans had, it’s safe to say that O’Brien’s record wouldn’t be what it was.

 

Finally, let's discuss some of the moves he made during his time there, as this will highlight his biggest flaw which isn’t his mediocre coaching, but it’s his ego.

 

PS – I’m not counting the Duane Brown trade because that was more between Brown and the Texan’s owner.

 

Firing up the Trade Machine.

 

After the Texans fired Brian Gaine after only one season with them on June 7^th, 2019, they soon appointed executive VP Chris Olsen as the interim GM. This was the beginning of the year-long quest for power that O’Brien set out on. Let me highlight some of his “best moves.”

 

September 1^st – He ships Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle for Jacob Martin, Barkevious Mingo, and a 2020 3^rd round pick. Clowney was reluctant to play for the Texans because the team didn’t want to pay him as it would’ve taken them over the cap limit.

 

September 1^st – He acquires Laremy Tunsil, Kenny Stills, a 2020 4^th rounder and a 2021 6^th rounder from the Dolphins in exchange for a 2020 & 2021 1^st round pick, a 2021 2^nd round pick, Johnson Bademosi and Julien Davenport. Now to me, isn’t even that bad. Giving up two 1^st rounders wasn’t ideal but Tunsil is a great lineman, so I find this was a decent enough trade.

January 28^th – A few weeks after blowing a 21-point lead to the Chiefs, Bill O’Brien was appointed the general manager of the Texans. For what reason, I still do not know.

 

March 16^th – He sends four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and a 2020 4th round pick to the Cardinals and got back a 2020 2^nd round pick, a 2021 4^th rounder, and David Johnson. Just WTF man. It is alleged that O’Brien compared him to Aaron Hernandez and that he didn’t like, “all his baby mommas around.”  Yes, that Aaron Hernandez, the murderer.

 

In the span of fewer than 2 years, the Texans traded away three All-Pros and didn’t even receive a single 1^st round pick in return. If this isn’t the height of incompetence and ineptitude, then I don’t know what is.

 

After presenting this evidence I am here to tell you that Texans ownership didn’t screw Bill O’Brien, Bill O’Brien screwed Bill O’Brien. Due to his own egotistical and megalomaniac behavior, he failed to separate business reasons from personal ones and with that effectively doomed not only himself but the Texans organization. He leaves the Texans with the highest payroll this season at $248 million (I couldn’t find a website to confirm this but since these reporters know more than me let’s just take their word for it), no 1^st or 2^nd round picks in the 2021 draft and with 17 players to resign next season.

 

There’s a quote from Frank Herbert and it says, “Power tends to isolate those that have too much of it. Eventually, they lose touch with reality and fall.” After years of blame-shifting and finger-pointing, Bill O’Brien’s quest for more power finally paid off. He was “the man.” However, when s**t this the fan and he looked around for people to blame, he found himself alone at Mount Rushmore, unable to hide from the consequences of his actions.

 

If any of you Texans’ fans out there want to celebrate this new era, why not do it with some Texans’ merchandise from Fanatics.com. They offer the widest selection of all apparel and other items from all major US sports leagues like the NFL and NBA. So click the link below, head on over to Fantics.com, and remember, in the words of Tom Haverford and Donna Meagle, “treat yo self.”

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