Looking back on it, 2025 was one of the craziest years in NBA history.  Nate and Danny look back on all of the biggest stories of the season, compare those to what we thought the biggest stories would be at the start of the year, and then pick their top-3 stories of 2025.

Sacramento Kings — 0:00:38 Will Sacramento’s ownership accept an intentional rebuild rather than one through ineptitude? Where does Doug Christie rank among the worst coaches of the last 10 years? Who pulls the plug first: Dallas, Sacramento, or Portland? San Antonio Spurs — 11:08 Has Stephon Castle’s improved play this season (outside of shooting) altered your stance on whether the Spurs should move him? Do the Spurs ultimately need to move on from Castle to reach their ceiling? Would trading Castle plus picks for Giannis make sense? How should we evaluate De’Aaron Fox so far this season versus his longer track record? Given Wembanyama’s size and historical risk for very tall players, should the Spurs consider a more aggressive “win-now” move? What do you see as the Spurs’ realistic ceiling and playoff outlook this season? Utah Jazz — 26:35 Thoughts on Ace Bailey so far — has your opinion changed on his floor or ceiling? Why isn’t Lauri Markkanen getting more All-Star consideration? How has Keyonte George’s development changed the Jazz’s outlook? If the Jazz choose not to trade Lauri Markkanen, should they shut him down?

Nate and Danny take questions on Indiana through Washington in the Eastern Conference.   Pacers — 0:13 What explains the divergence between the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers despite their seemingly comparable losses in talent? Did the Pacers truly “miss” on Ryan Nembhard given their existing guard depth with Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, and T.J. McConnell? Do the Pacers have a starting-caliber center on the roster (Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson, Tony Bradley), or will they ultimately need to upgrade? What should Bennedict Mathurin’s next contract and long-term role look like? Heat — 11:01 Why has the Bam Adebayo–Kel’el Ware starting lineup struggled defensively and in transition? What is going on with Nikola Jović, and was his extension an overpay? Can Jaime Jaquez Jr. eventually become a starter and primary handler, or is he capped as a high-end sixth man? Why is Kel’el Ware playing so few minutes despite his flashes? Which current Heat players are most likely to remain on the roster by opening night 2027? Bucks — 24:58 If Giannis Antetokounmpo is traded, should the Bucks keep Myles Turner or move him next to replenish assets? How much of Milwaukee’s struggles stem from coaching and scheme—offensive rebounding philosophy, defensive rebounding, transition issues, and rotation decisions involving Myles Turner, Andre Jackson Jr., and Amir Coffey? Knicks — 31:27 What has happened to Guerschon Yabusele compared to last season? Will the triangle offense ever make a comeback in the modern NBA? Is Miles “Deuce” McBride a starting-caliber guard on most teams? Magic — 40:47 How can the Magic realistically get under the tax—moving Jet Howard, Tyus Jones, Jonathan Isaac, or others? If the Magic truly believe in Paolo Banchero’s ceiling, should they consider trading Franz Wagner now while his value is highest? Should the Magic be considered the favorites in the Eastern Conference? With Moe Wagner returning, should the Magic increase minutes for Penda and consider moving Jonathan Isaac? Sixers — 51:55 What do we make of VJ Edgecombe’s rookie season so far? Did Tyrese Maxey deserve more All-NBA consideration given how he has carried the Sixers? Raptors — 59:09 What do Jamal Shead’s playmaking numbers and on/off data suggest about his long-term role? How much of Toronto’s improvement is due to Scottie Barnes’ development versus shooting and Immanuel Quickley’s influence? How should the Raptors manage R.J. Barrett’s future given his contract and offensive importance? Wizards — 1:09:00 Can Cam Whitmore turn things around after being benched for not meeting on-court standards? What should Wizards fans look for when evaluating Brian Keefe—player development, stylistic identity, or broader organizational signals?

With the East so open, should the Pistons push their chips in now for a star forward like Jaren Jackson Jr. (or Markkanen/AD), and what would that kind of trade cost? Is an Austin Reaves–Luka Dončić backcourt too weak defensively for the Lakers to be a true championship contender? ⁠Full Daily Duncs with links⁠⁠ Lawrence Frank Chris Paul-Clippers Chris Paul L.A. Clippers Cleveland Cavaliers Giannis Antetokounmpo Spurs-Magic Pistons-Bucks Dunc'd On Live Pat Spencer Denver Nuggets Denver Nuggets ⁠Full Daily Duncs with links⁠

CHA: Kon Knueppel has truly impressed early on