Basketball Intelligence For 7/27/25

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LEAGUEWIDE

How Masai Ujiri Helped Shape the NBA’s African Revolution
Shlomo Sprung, Boardroom

NBA shooting coach on working w NBA pros; Podziemski form; 1-2 vs Hop
Eric Apricot/Marc Campbell, Dub Nation HQ

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5 NBA Rosters That Make Zero Sense
Dan Favale, Bleacher Report

NBA Power Rankings
Kristian Winfield, NY Daily News

Undervalued Summer Stars Who Could Play Key Roles in 2025
Owen Daszko, LWOS

TEAM-SPECIFIC

CHI: Bulls and guard Josh Giddey have time and a will to get the deal done
Joe Cowley, Sun Times

DEN: Nuggets’ youngsters should thrive with lessened pressure this season
Ben Handler, Nugg Love

Last season, we all know how ugly the Nuggets’ depth was. They had to lean on Russell Westbrook and the starters for almost everything, as every other veteran proved to be unplayable. This led to an impossible situation for the young players trying to develop.

There was an unfair spotlight on guys like Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, and Jalen Pickett thanks to deficiencies all over the roster. Realistically, those guys should have been learning their way through growing pains and trying to develop.

But instead, those guys were thrust into high-leverage positions, often out of their comfort zones, and there was very little margin for error. Understandably, they all struggled with consistency, which led to Michael Malone yanking around their roles and minutes.

By the time the playoffs rolled around, none of them really knew their standing, and it was hard for anyone to find a rhythm. The Nuggets basically trimmed the rotation down to the bones, and Malone played his starters into the ground until the group wore down and eventually fizzled out in round two against the Thunder.

Roles should be more consistent this year

This time around, things should be different. The Nuggets have a real bench and have brought in veterans like Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valanciunas to do a lot of the heavy lifting. But a Nuggets coach at summer league was quick to point out to Keith Smith of Spotrac, “We still like our younger guys too. The pressure is just off them a bit to have to be great every night.”

MIL: Damian Lillard reflects on Bucks tenure: Injuries, favorite moments, playing with Giannis
Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel

MIL: Andre Jackson Jr.’s missing piece is preventing him from starring with Bucks
Dalton Sell, Behind The Buck Pass

ORL: Alex Martins’ legacy for the Magic
Philip Rossman-Reich, World R Squared

PHI: Ricky Council IV was great for the Sixers until asked to do more. Now he’s been let go

PHX: Inside the War Room: The Suns take us behind the scenes on draft day
Brandon Duenas, Bright Side Of The Sun

The Suns put together a great piece of content, taking us behind the scenes
Keith Pompey, The Inquirer

SAC: Kings got the steal of the draft in Nique Clifford
Tyler Watts, A Royal Pain

SAS: Lindy Waters III’s Outside Shooting
Paul Garcia, The Spot Up Shot

No Paywall Today!! Basketball Intelligence Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive the entirety of each new post and to support our work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.

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