John Hollinger: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

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After finishing a very busy 2024-25 season with a 50-32 record under first-year head coach JJ Redick, the Los Angeles Lakers will kick off their playoff journey on Saturday, with a 3-6 matchup against the 49-33 Minnesota Timberwolves.

Portland Trail Blazers News / Blazer's Edge / April 16

Camara Makes Hollinger’s First Team All-Defense

Hollinger makes his picks for the major NBA individual awards. The Athletic’s John Hollinger has published his picks (subscription required) for the major NBA individual awards, and Toumani Camara of the Portland Trail Blazers is recognized.

Los Angeles Clippers News / LAFB Network / March 17

Los Angeles Clippers Guard Now Ineligible For Award Despite Elite Play

Following Tony Allen’s jersey retirement ceremony in Memphis, John Hollinger of The Athletic examined Allen’s six All-Defensive seasons with the Grizzlies.

NBA News / Hoops Rumors / March 17

Impact role players ineligible for All-Defense consideration

In the wake of Tony Allen‘s jersey retirement ceremony in Memphis, John Hollinger of The Athletic revisits Allen’s six All-Defensive seasons for the Grizzlies and notes that the veteran guard wouldn’t have made All-Defense in five of those six years if the NBA’s current 65-game rule had been in place.

NBA News / New York Knicks on SI / February 10

Potential Pelicans Buyout Could Be Option for Knicks

The New York Knicks have a full roster at this point in time, but they could still make some noise on the buyout market. The Athletic insider John Hollinger listed New Orleans Pelicans forward Bruce Brown as the top player that could be available on the buyout market.

Portland Trail Blazers News / Blazer's Edge / February 2

Hollinger Labels Deni Avdija as Player Worth Watching

The Athletic’s John Hollinger says people should pay attention to Avdija. Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija has been on a tear recently, and that play has earned him a spot on The Athletic’s John Hollinger’s list of ten players worth watching the rest of the season (subscription required).

Phoenix Suns News / Phoenix Suns on SI / January 16

Analyst: Suns Need to Bail on Failed-Star Experiment

Things just can't seem to steady themselves for the Phoenix Suns. What was once a promising start to the 2024-25 regular season has quickly soiled itself into a disaster in the desert.

Portland Trail Blazers News / Portland Trail Blazers on SI / January 12

Blazers' Current Season Trajectory Sets Them Up For Massive Failure Down the Line

Are the Portland Trail Blazers making a massive error this year? That's the overarching thesis of John Hollinger of The Athletic, who posits that the Trail Blazers' reticence to part with several of their extant veteran players — many of whom are at least fairly appetizing trade chips — could prove brutally costly to their long-term success.

Portland Trail Blazers News / Blazer's Edge / January 10

Hollinger Confused by Trail Blazers Rebuild Plan

The Athletic’s John Hollinger takes aim at the Blazers’ strategy and asks “What is the front office doing?” The Athletic’s John Hollinger is confused by the Portland Trail Blazers’ front-office strategy.

NBA News / Hoops Wire / December 10

NBA Takes a Breather: Cup Schedule Offers Rare Rest, Chance for Teams to Reassess

The NBA’s “bye week,” courtesy of the NBA Cup schedule, has arrived, as detailed by John Hollinger of The Athletic. Starting Monday, teams received a rare luxury: two games in 10 days.

Utah Jazz News / Utah Jazz on SI / October 18

Latest West Standings Predictions for 2024-25 Give Jazz Rough Outlook

Heading into the quickly approaching 2024-25 NBA season, the Western Conference expects to be as competitive as we've seen in recent years. Teams are back healthy, loaded with star talent, and effectively makes things a bit tougher for the Utah Jazz across the coming months.

Detroit Pistons News / Detroit Pistons on SI / October 15

NBA Analyst Gives Detroit Pistons Favorable 2025 Record Prediction

Coming off an offseason where numerous parts of the organization were revamped, improvement will be a top priority for the Detroit Pistons this upcoming season.

NBA News / Last Word On Sports / October 5

Hollinger’s NBA Teams That Will Exceed/Fall Short Of Expectations

Recently, John Hollinger of The Athletic posted five NBA teams that he expects to exceed expectations and five he expects to fall short of expectations.

NBA News / Phoenix Suns on SI / August 24

Former NBA Exec Not Ruling Out Future Suns, Rockets Trade

The Houston Rockets made headlines earlier this offseason when they acquired the rights to a handful of future Phoenix Suns draft picks. Rumors and speculation went wild, as numerous NBA insiders suggested the Rockets were eying a move for any of Phoenix's superstars in the future.

New York Knicks News / Posting and Toasting / August 15

Will the Knicks bring over this French Olympian?

John Hollinger calls him a “last-resort option.” Yesterday, John Hollinger of The Athletic wrote a summary article about this year’s Olympic basketball.

Boston Celtics News / Yardbarker / July 20

Celtics have tough decision to make on Sam Hauser's future

Boston is a second-apron luxury tax team and is on course to pay the repeater tax, so an extension for Hauser is more complicated than meets the eye.

Warriors owner weighs in on possibility of Celtics bid

The greatest NBA sixth men of all time

The 'Boston Celtics coaches' quiz

NBA News / Hoops Rumors / May 3

And-Ones: All-In Teams, Second Apron, Paris, Larkin

The Suns, Lakers and Heat have all mortgaged significant future assets and spent a lot of money to make themselves better in the present, yet none of the three won 50 games in the regular season and they combined to win just two playoff games before being eliminated in the first round, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic.

NBA News / Blazer's Edge / April 7, 2024

Hollinger: The Solution to the Historically Bad, Bottom-Heavy State of NBA Standings

The Athletic’s John Hollinger present a fascinating idea to solve the NBA’s plague of late-season awful teams. The bottom teams in the NBA have been bad this season, like historically bad, and it’s only gotten worse since the NBA All-Star Break.

NBA News / NetsDaily / March 26, 2024

Reversal of Fortune: How Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks switched places

John Hollinger talks about how the Nets look like the Knicks of old and vice versa. John Hollinger of the The Athletic isn’t just a writer on NBA topics, particularly how front offices work.

Los Angeles Lakers News / Los Angeles Lakers on SI / March 3, 2024

Trade For All-Star This Offseason Could Offset Lakers' Biggest Issue

With clear issues around the roster, The Athletic's John Hollinger broke down what he thinks your Los Angeles Lakers should do this offseason, highlighted

Los Angeles Lakers News / Los Angeles Lakers on SI / March 1, 2024

John Hollinger Calls Trade For All-Star This Summer A 'Perfect Storm' for LA

The Los Angeles Lakers' decision to stand pat at the trade deadline this season seemingly will have more of an impact on their options this coming offseason than many realize.

Los Angeles Lakers News / Los Angeles Lakers on SI / February 25, 2024

Executive Offers Low-Ceiling Scout On Bronny James

The Athletic's John Hollinger offered up an NBA player comparison for Bronny James that, all things considered, doesn't reflect well for LeBron's son. Hollinger compared Bronny to Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris -- a solid, but unspectacular, journeyman role player.

NBA News / Hoops Wire / February 12, 2024

Trajan Langdon, Elton Brand Among Candidates For Hornets’ GM Vacancy

New Orleans Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon and Philadelphia 76ers GM Elton Brand are among the candidates for the Charlotte Hornets’ head of basketball operations vacancy, per John Hollinger of The Athletic.

USC Trojans News / USC Trojans on SI / December 19, 2023

USC Basketball: Draft Expert Disappointed By Isaiah Collier's Deficiencies

USC Trojans guard Isaiah Collier joined the program as the nation's top recruit this season. As such, he carried lofty expectations. Many scouts had Collier

NFL News / Yardbarker / September 13, 2022

Former NBA exec: Broncos HC Hackett should play video games to refine coaching

Former NBA exec: Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett should play video games to refine late-game coaching

Nothing is stopping Nathaniel Hackett — or any NFL coach for that matter — from changing the settings in 'Madden' to hard, changing the game time to a realistic 15 minutes, and then making decisions regarding play-calling as well as timeouts as they happen.

'Clueless in Seattle': Hackett skewered for FG decision in loss to Seahawks

Hackett on FG call: 'Looking back at it, we definitely should have gone for it'

Broncos QB Russell Wilson did not think field goal attempt was the wrong decision

The biggest wish for every NFL fanbase in 2022

The '60-yard field goals' quiz