The Athletic NBA Daily: NBA Pressure Draft

Date: August 29, 2025
Hosts: Andrew Schlecht, Alex Spears
Guest: Fred Katz (The Athletic)
Episode Theme: A draft-style breakdown of who’s under the most pressure in the NBA heading into the 2025–26 season—star players, contenders, young players, front offices, and one “wild card” each.

Overview

This episode of Saturday Slam and Jam features a unique “Pressure Draft,” where the hosts and guest Fred Katz take turns selecting the NBA figures, teams, and groups facing the most pressure for the upcoming 2025–26 season. The conversation is energetic, funny, and loaded with inside analysis. Each round focuses on a different group: star players, title contenders, young players, front offices, and a wild card from anywhere in the NBA landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction: How the Pressure Draft Works

[01:32–03:38]

• The draft categories: Star Player, Contender, Young Player, Front Office, and Wild Card.
• Pressure isn’t always negative; sometimes it’s about big opportunity.
• Each participant selects which category they feel most confident about.

2. Round 1: Star Players Under Most Pressure

[03:43–14:28]

Fred Katz: Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)

• Trae Young is under both basketball and “off-the-court” pressure (contract extension talks stalled).

• Hawks aggressively built a roster to cover Young’s weaknesses—adding shooting, length, playmaking (Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nikhil Alexander-Walker, plus Kristaps Porzingis off the bench).

• Katz is buying Hawks hype—sees them as a possible 4th seed in East.

• Young must prove he’s the franchise guy or position himself for a future elsewhere.

  "My answer is Trae Young because he is under pressure from a basketball standpoint and from an individual standpoint." – Fred Katz [03:52] "This team has been built to fill in for the Trae Young deficiencies and it has also been built in in a way that if they decide the Trae Young deficiencies are still too great, they can move on." – Fred Katz [06:33]

Andrew Schlecht: Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)

• Cavs need to win "at a high level" after a strong regular season but early playoff exit.

• New coach (Kenny Atkinson) adds pressure, and improvements are expected.

• Mitchell is the leader; must evolve, especially as a facilitator, and carry Cleveland deep (conference finals or bust).

  "I think there’s a ton of pressure on Donovan Mitchell not only to get them to a certain point, but to kind of evolve his game a little bit.” – Andrew Schlecht [09:18]

Alex Spears: Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)

• Former Top 10 caliber, but since then: suspensions, injuries, system changes.

• With Desmond Bane gone, Grizzlies’ fate now squarely on Morant’s shoulders. Needs to show he still has superstar ability and can stay on the floor.

• Morant’s trajectory has gone from “rising superstar” to “big question mark.”

  "His career and status as a superstar, it’s at a crossroads. Like his career arc feels more like an aging star, but he just turned 26." – Alex Spears [10:15]

Notable Side Discussion:

• Comparing Ja Morant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s arcs; “Think about if someone asked now why is Shea better than Ja? I can give you a lot of reasons...” – Fred Katz [12:21]

3. Round 2: Contenders Under the Most Pressure

[14:28–25:37]

Andrew Schlecht: New York Knicks

• The Knicks made their championship-or-bust intentions explicit, firing Tom Thibodeau and releasing a dramatic statement.

• Mike Brown replaces Thibs, but it’s questionable if he’s an upgrade.

• In the East, with Indiana and Boston gone and the Cavs questioned, anything less than a Finals appearance is considered a failure.

  "They’ve stated it. They did it to themselves, and so now they have to go do it.” – Andrew Schlecht [17:46]

Fred Katz: Cleveland Cavaliers

• Cavs are now the league’s most expensive team, well above the 2nd tax apron.

• Good problem—they’re expensive because they have good players, but “nut-cutting time” for results.

• If Cavs don’t at least make the Conference Finals, they may have to break up the core.

  "This is the year it’s all or nothing for them... If the Cavs lose in the second round again... the Cavs might have to look at themselves and say this isn’t working.” – Fred Katz [19:53]

Alex Spears: Denver Nuggets

• Jokic’s prime is being spent; Nuggets have had one title but two second-round exits.

• Offseason moves mean “no excuses” for depth; expectations are Conference Finals or bust.

• The window can’t shut with only one ring for a player as historic as Jokic.

  “I feel like when you have a player like Nikola Jokic, you gotta come out of this window with another ring... that excuse [for lack of depth] is out the window.” – Alex Spears [24:03]

4. Round 3: Young Players Under Most Pressure

[25:37–34:28]

Alex Spears: Shaedon Sharpe (Portland Trail Blazers)

• Fourth season, not yet extended, but now the Blazers’ scoring opportunity is wide open (Simons gone).

• Team and league will be watching—Sharpe’s a dynamic athlete but must round out game, especially 3-point shooting.

  “You don’t really have to squint that much to see the outline of a really dynamic offensive player. But he still has to put it all together...” – Alex Spears [27:08]

Andrew Schlecht: Jaden Ivey (Detroit Pistons)

• Only played 30 games last year; expectations remain high for a now-competitive Pistons team.

• Needs defensive improvement and to finally show impact; up for an extension.

  “If he can get better defensively... not only make a lot of money, but I think he can help the Pistons take a pretty big jump.” – Andrew Schlecht [30:25]

Fred Katz: Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)

• Thrust into replacing Luka Doncic after Mavs blockbuster trade.

• Immense (and perhaps unfair) expectations: “has to be” Luka-level from public’s perspective.

• Flagg’s mental and physical gifts aside, his ability to handle the pressure as a rookie will define his start.

  “He basically needs to be as good as Luka Doncic in order for the general public to think that everything is okay again.” – Fred Katz [31:07] “That is real pressure... that is a lot to deal with.” – Fred Katz [32:30]

5. Round 4: Front Offices Under Most Pressure

[34:28–46:54]

Andrew Schlecht: Milwaukee Bucks

• Huge asset drain, desperate moves (waiving Dame, big gamble on Turner), little room for improvement.

• Bucks’ viability hinges on low-cost new additions working, and they’re walking the financial tightrope to keep Giannis satisfied.

  "At any moment, Giannis could call and just say, hey, it’s over...” – Andrew Schlecht [35:37]

Fred Katz: Phoenix Suns

• Changes in front office, owner Matt Ishbia’s public outbursts, waiver/stretch of Bradley Beal’s contract means long-term financial pain for maybe little short-term gain.

• Ishbia’s volatile expectations pressure the front office to deliver or constantly pivot.

  "There is pressure on that front office... You are putting pressure on yourself. Like, it’s just real tough.” – Fred Katz [42:53]

Alex Spears: Utah Jazz

• Missing the playoffs for a soon-to-be franchise-record-tying fourth straight year; loaded with picks but no clear “star.”

• Pressure to identify or develop one All-Star-level young player (Ace Bailey?).

• Likens Jazz’s situation to previous tankers (Pistons, Magic, Rockets, Thunder), who by year four usually have one core guy.

  “You cannot go into year five of a rebuild and still not feel like there’s at least one young player you’d bet your money on being a star.” – Alex Spears [44:23]

6. Round 5: Wild Card Picks

[48:50–59:59]

Fred Katz: Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets)

• Rockets’ offseason moves say “we’re ready now,” and Amen Thompson is primed to be a true, possibly elite, two-way star.

• Can he evolve from role player to cornerstone without a jumper? Katz thinks yes.

  “That guy has the potential to be an actual two-way star... I think his ceiling is so high that we can’t even see it.” – Fred Katz [51:34]

Andrew Schlecht: King Cake Baby (Pelicans Mascot)

• Pelicans are projected to struggle, so “King Cake Baby”—the bizarre mascot—faces the pressure to provide entertainment and keep fans invested.

• Call for creative mascot drama, including original vs. current Pierre the Pelican.

  “This giant baby with man arms and man legs has got to step up for the city of New Orleans and deliver the performance of a lifetime.” – Andrew Schlecht [54:58]

Alex Spears: ESPN

• Will ESPN “screw up” the highly anticipated Inside the NBA broadcast as it brings the classic crew over from TNT—especially with new competition from NBC/Peacock and Amazon?

• Questions about production, show format, and whether the casual, unstructured vibe can be replicated.

  “I just have a feeling people are not going to be happy with the way that ESPN handles inside the NBA.” – Alex Spears [56:16]

Additional:

• Highlights on Amazon’s new NBA product/network—optimism for its panel talent (Blake Griffin, Dirk Nowitzki, Brent Barry, Stan Van Gundy) and “actual basketball talk” approach.

Notable Quotes & Funny Moments

• “Pressure doesn’t necessarily have be a negative thing... opportunity draft...sometimes those opportunities can lead to a lot of pressure, which sounds negative, but maybe it’s good.” – Alex Spears [03:12]
• “You can’t make diamonds without some pressure, Alex.” – Fred Katz [03:43]
• “He basically needs to be as good as Luka Doncic in order for the general public to think that everything is okay again.” – Fred Katz [31:07]
• “In your face, everybody. We sucked and you thought we were good.” – Andrew Schlecht (on Suns owner’s tweet) [39:21]
• “King Cake Baby is my answer.” – Andrew Schlecht [54:58]
• “Is there a halftime act under serious pressure to be the best now that Red Panda tore?” – Fred Katz [60:57]
• “Providence star Lion Goings.” (as a cat pun) – Fred Katz [79:53](trivia; running joke)
• Best Ace Bailey draft quote: “I know it’s cold and it’s hot. It gets cold and it gets hot here.” – Fred Katz repeat [47:06]

Important Timestamps

• [01:32] – Show Starts, Draft Setup
• [03:43] – Star Player: Trae Young, Donovan Mitchell, Ja Morant
• [14:28] – Contender: Knicks, Cavs, Nuggets
• [25:37] – Young Player: Sharpe, Ivey, Flagg
• [34:28] – Front Office: Bucks, Suns, Jazz
• [48:50] – Wild Card: Amen Thompson, King Cake Baby, ESPN
• [59:59+] – Studio show/TV rights talk, lighthearted chat, trivia fun

Overall Takeaways

• The NBA is facing a season of extreme pressure points:
  Star players seeking validation/redemption, contenders with windows narrowing, young players asked to carry future hopes, front offices risking financial ruin, and even TV studios/mascots are not immune.
• The discussion mixes sharp, in-depth analysis with high-level humor and NBA insider knowledge, all in an entertaining draft format.

For New Listeners

This episode stands out as an engaging and informative look at the NBA’s “pressure points” heading into 2025–26. It's ideal for both die-hard fans and casual listeners who want to understand the narratives and stakes that will shape the season—plus plenty of great off-court color (including the legendary King Cake Baby and a wild studio rights segment!).

Full Round-by-Round Draft Results

Fred:

• Star Player: Trae Young
• Contender: Cavaliers
• Young Player: Cooper Flagg
• Front Office: Suns
• Wild Card: Amen Thompson

Andrew:

• Star Player: Donovan Mitchell
• Contender: Knicks
• Young Player: Jaden Ivey
• Front Office: Bucks
• Wild Card: King Cake Baby

Alex:

• Star Player: Ja Morant
• Contender: Nuggets
• Young Player: Shaedon Sharpe
• Front Office: Jazz
• Wild Card: ESPN

For the full flavor—including mascot drama, naming trivia, and more—make sure to catch the episode or dig into the show’s archives for related content.