The Athletic NBA Daily — Morning Shootaround: NBA Opening Week (October 22, 2025)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode kicks off NBA Opening Week with a lively and insightful "Morning Shootaround." Hosts Andrew Schlecht, Dave DuFour (referred to as Dave [Analyst] throughout), Zena Keita, and Esfandiar "S" Baraheni recap major games and stories, debate the tradition of jersey retirements, dig into the evolving OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets, discuss NBA media presentation, and preview matchups and roster intrigue for the nights ahead. The tone is energetic and slightly irreverent, combining deep basketball analysis with banter and a dose of nostalgia.

Episode Highlights & Key Discussion Points

1. Jersey Retirements: Standards and Sentimentality

Timestamp: 03:39–09:03

• Lowering the Bar?

  • The group jokes about which former Thunder players might deserve jersey retirement. Jeff Green and Nick Collison are case studies — Collison “helped build the arena” and is beloved in OKC, but Jeff Green was considered a journeyman.
    • "Guys, the lowering of the bar for retiring jerseys, for who gets a statue. The statues are just—we’re overdoing it. I gotta find out what the scam is on the statues. Who’s making money on statues?" (Dave [Analyst], 04:47)
  • The crew debates if there's too much nostalgia in honoring players who didn’t spend long years or have transformative impact with their teams.

• Kevin Durant's Complicated Legacy

  • Where should Durant's jersey be retired? Golden State? Oklahoma City? The group is split, referencing his successes but also his roles as a 'mercenary.'
    • “If KD’s jersey was retired in Golden State, if the bar is you win two titles somewhere, that’s not a bad bar...But definitely it takes that kind of special circumstance.” (Dave [Analyst], 07:53)
  • Discussion of how fans' attitudes (boos vs. cheers) can evolve over time, drawing parallels to Vince Carter in Toronto.

2. Durant, OKC Fallout & Thunder’s Resilience

Timestamp: 08:36–13:18

• Fan Dynamics and Organizational Resilience
  • Andrew Schlecht reflects on OKC fans' sense of betrayal when Durant left, but notes how the organization rebuilt successfully.
    • "In large part with the way that Kevin played, they lost. And then he went and joined the team that they lost to and decimated the franchise. And ... a lot of people thought, okay, well, now the Thunder are gonna die...and they were able to get Paul George and Carmelo." (Andrew Schlecht, 10:31)
  • The crew highlights the city’s ongoing appreciation for its past players, and tracks the evolution of fan sentiment after star departures.

3. Houston Rockets Assessment: Clunky Offense, Defensive Foundation

Timestamp: 14:51–19:03

• Roster Construction & Ball Handling Issues

  • The hosts discuss Houston’s quirky roster—plenty of size and defensive talent but a gaping need for ball-handling guards.
    • "There’s not an easy bucket to be found… there is no flow to their offense...they just need a guard. They absolutely need a guard." (Dave [Analyst] and Zena, 15:20, 17:13)
  • Amen Thompson’s lack of shooting and organization at PG was spotlighted as a weakness, along with the Rockets' inability to initiate sets or consistently get to their half-court offense.

• Durant's Offensive Burden

  • The group marvels at Durant’s shot-making, wondering how sustainable his herculean load will be across a full season:
    • "Maybe Kevin Durant throws himself into like clutch player of the year conversations...their defense is so good, that’ll provide them a baseline. How do they survive offensively? TBD." (Esper, 18:25)

4. NBA Broadcast & Pomp: Nostalgia vs. Modern Presentation

Timestamp: 20:44–32:41

• Return of Classic Finals Floor Logos

  • Noted as breaking news: The NBA will again paint the Larry O'Brien trophy and Finals logos at center court.
    • "The NBA will return to painting the Larry O'Brien trophy at center court...starting this season." (Zena, 20:56)

• NBC Presentation Praise

  • Hosts rave about NBC’s production, noting it “felt like I was watching sports” again, with better color and atmosphere compared to recent ESPN coverage.
    • “NBC’s football coverage is awesome…They know how to do sports. They do the Olympics.” (Dave [Analyst], 21:54)

• Michael Jordan Features: A Double-edged Sword

  • The panel debates the NBA’s persistent nostalgia, especially using Jordan as a halftime feature.
    • “The NBA is obsessed with its past in a way that is actually just not good...like, that's for me, right? Michael Jordan being on TV at halftime is, for 45 to 60, all sports obsessed with your past." (Dave [Analyst], 24:52)
  • Some see value in introducing MJ to younger fans, others wish for more focus on current stars.

• Quote Comparison: Michael Jordan to Jay-Z

  • Zena draws a parallel between MJ dropping rare interviews and Jay-Z releasing new music, both creating a must-watch aura due to their legend status.
    • “When [Jay-Z] never drops songs anymore, but what if he were to drop a song today? Everybody would be like, I gotta lock in. …It’s the same thing as Michael Jordan.” (Xena, 31:39)

5. Opening Week Matchups & Storylines to Watch

Timestamp: 38:09–54:56

Host Picks & Games They’re Excited To See

• Zena: Portland Trail Blazers — Defensive upside, intriguing young core, possible playoff upside, faces the Wolves opening night. (38:13)
• Esper (“S”):
  • Dallas Mavericks’ new “Monstars”-style approach against San Antonio — curious to see how their size and lack of ball handling holds up. (41:07)
  • Ace Bailey against the Clippers’ defense — can a young scorer pop against an elite D? (42:36)
• Dave [Analyst]: Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks (“question mark teams” in the East)— contrasting offense/defense identities, Desmond Bane as X-factor for Orlando. (44:07)
• Andrew: Sixers vs. Celtics — Concerns about the Sixers’ injury issues and rotation of “third bigs” in their frontcourt, curiosity about Joel Embiid’s fitness. (49:20)
• General Take: Several teams — like the Pistons or Hawks — could be in position to upgrade through trade if the East remains wide open.

6. Deep Dive: Thunder’s Offensive Evolution & Experimentation

Timestamp: 55:35–64:34

• OKC’s Response to Poor Shooting Nights

  • Andrew explains OKC’s margin for error — strong defense keeps them in games even when three-point shots aren’t falling.
    • "They have a pretty wide margin for error...I mean they had it in the playoffs. They shot terribly from three...and they were still able to win.” (Andrew, 56:47)
  • Discussion on how to diversify offensive sets—using Chet Holmgren as a hub, leveraging Isaiah Hartenstein’s passing, featuring AJ Mitchell, and more experimentation.
    • “If they can find ways to diversify.…all of those aspects of the game kind of feed into what OKC needs from their halfcourt offense.” (Zena, 58:19)

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Patience

  • Andrew explains SGA’s tendency to start games passively, reading defenses and letting others eat before taking over late.
    • “He said that he didn’t want to be stubborn to start the game...in most cases, that’s going to pay off… Lou Dort’s not going to miss all eight threes in most games.” (Andrew, 62:14)

• The "Reed Shepherd Experiment"

  • Light-hearted concern regarding Houston's rookie being hunted defensively by OKC:
    • "Everybody was taking turns hunting Reed Shepherd...it was just like gifts being given...for the Thunder.” (Andrew, 62:14)

7. Eastern Conference: Who Makes the Leap?

Timestamp: 52:00–55:35

• Speculation on which East teams could cash in picks (e.g., Atlanta, Detroit) to grab a star like Lauri Markkanen.
  • "One of these East teams probably should trade for Lauri Markkanen." (Zena, 52:59)
  • Pistons seen as the most logical fit, given their desperate need for spacing next to Cade Cunningham.

8. Quick-Fire Fun: Jersey Retirements (Redux)

Timestamp: 67:12–68:49

• Return to the jersey retirement debate in a joking fashion — does Ibaka, Jeff Green, or even Michael Jordan (like Miami did) deserve a jersey in the rafters?
  • "I'm all for over-retiring. Like sure." (Zena, 68:40)
  • "Oh, so like you're cool with the Miami Heat retiring Michael Jordan?" (Dave [Analyst], 68:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We keep lowering this bar, and it feels like…I just, I don’t know. It bugs me that it’s not even that mediocre players…it’s like, used to be if you played a decade somewhere, you played 12, 15 years, then you got your jersey retired.” — Dave [Analyst], 05:06

• “The NBA is obsessed with its past in a way that is actually just not good...Michael Jordan hadn’t played a basketball game that mattered since I was in college. … He’s an old guy selling tequila on TV.” — Dave [Analyst], 24:52

• "When Shay wants to get to a spot, he gets to a spot. ... This evolution of his scoring throughout the course of a game is something we've seen." — Esper, 61:03

• “The NBA will return to painting the Larry O'Brien trophy at center court…starting this season.” — Zena, 20:56

• "There was something in the air last night with a lot...with the shooting from OKC." — Andrew, 60:57

Segment Timestamps Cheat Sheet

| Segment | Description | Time (MM:SS) | |---------|-------------|--------------| | Jersey retirements debate | Lowering the bar, Collison, Jeff Green, KD's legacy | 03:39–09:03 | | Durant’s OKC exit & franchise resilience | Rebuilding after stars depart | 08:36–13:18 | | Rockets clunky offense | Ball handlers needed, KD's shotmaking, what can work? | 14:51–19:03 | | NBA broadcast nostalgia | NBC’s presentation, MJ halftime spotlight, 90s trend | 20:44–32:41 | | Games/players to watch | What hosts are excited for this week | 38:09–54:56 | | East trade speculation | Who will go after Markkanen, Pistons & Hawks | 52:00–55:35 | | OKC experiment & offense | Diversification needed, SGA’s early passivity | 55:35–64:34 | | Reed Shepherd Rookie Watch | Defensive struggles, optimism vs. concern | 64:34–66:55 | | Jersey retirements redux | Does Ibaka deserve it? How far is too far? | 67:12–68:49 |

Final Thoughts

This edition of Morning Shootaround strikes an exuberant and deeply knowledgeable tone, hitting topical analysis (Houston’s and OKC’s trajectories, early takeaways on teams and stars) and wider NBA themes (broadcasting, nostalgia, traditions like jersey retirements). The mix of speculation, humor, and clear expertise makes it a must-listen for anyone hungry for insight (and friendly debate) as the NBA season tips off.