The Athletic NBA Daily: NBA Stock Watch with Fred Katz | Morning Shoot Around

Date: October 29, 2025
Hosts: Andrew and Dave DuFour
Guest: Fred Katz (The Athletic)

Overview

In this energetic, early-season episode, Andrew, Dave DuFour, and guest Fred Katz bring their informed, irreverent banter to an “NBA Stock Watch”—an assessment of which NBA teams, players, and trends deserve to have their “stock” rising or falling after a chaotic first week of the 2025–26 season. The episode blends deep X’s and O’s analysis, advanced stats, rookie takes, MVP narratives, and plenty of playful sarcasm.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stock Up: Eric Spoelstra and the Reimagined Miami Heat

Starts ~03:15

• Fred Katz’s “Stock Up” pick: Eric Spoelstra, despite already being considered one of the NBA’s best coaches, is getting even more buzz for dramatically retooling Miami’s offense.

  • Miami has virtually abandoned pick-and-roll and dribble handoff actions (“They are not setting screens at all—off the ball, on the ball, in transition,”—Fred, 04:01). Instead, the Heat employ a blistering pace and constant off-ball movement with few set plays, influenced by trends seen in Europe, particularly Paris basketball.
  • Stat: Heat are running an unprecedentedly low 19.8 pick-and-rolls per 100 possessions, less than half the previous record low (1819 Sixers with 38).

• Quote:

  “They are running it incredibly well... a team I did not think was fun to watch at all last year. Yeah, they're just fun to watch. They are just fun as hell.”—Fred Katz (06:53)

• Andrew draws parallels with European hoop trends:

  “Everybody kept saying, everybody wants to play like Paris...I didn’t think it would spread here this fast, but it makes sense when you’ve got athletes but not skill on the ball.”—Andrew (07:08)

2. Stock Up: Tyrese Maxey & the Philadelphia 76ers' Guards

Starts ~08:52

• Tyrese Maxey is a revelation:

  • Early stat line: 37.5 PPG, 47% from three (9.5 attempts), 11.5 FTA, 8.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds (note: early small sample).
  • Maxey is giving the Sixers a “life raft” to the next era as Joel Embiid shows signs of decline defensively and inconsistently on offense.
  • Maxey could be an All-NBA guard if his production is remotely sustainable.

• Notable Stat: Maxey is averaging over 43 minutes per game early—Nick Nurse is leaning hard on his starters.

• Other guards getting stock up buzz:

  • Vijay Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes praised for shooting and explosiveness.
  • Sixers’ young backcourt seen as legit, with shooting percentages sometimes approaching 50% or more.

• Quote:

  “He could be one of the six best guards statistically this year... Maxey is a legit 30-foot threat, you have to guard him as soon as he crosses half court.”—Andrew (10:57)

3. The Heat Offense and NBA Pick & Roll Evolution

Starts ~14:39

• Fred provides historical context on Miami’s offensive experiment:
  • Previous low for pick-and-roll actions per 100 possessions was 38; Miami is currently at 19.8, “halving” the prior record.
  • Emphasis on the league’s current offensive creativity—teams experimenting far more with movement, less structure, and drastically reduced screening.

4. Foul Rates and Pace: League Trends & Referee Impact

Starts ~16:46

• Hosts debate surging NBA foul rates:
  • This season, 8 teams average 25+ personal fouls/game (vs. only one team in prior 10 years).
  • The high pace, more pressing, and ragged defensive styles are leading to increased fouling, not just officiating quirks.
• Quote:

  “You look at the list... The Raptors are 25th. Ball pressure without the personnel to do it... But also the officiating side, there are a lot of shooting fouls, too.”—Andrew (22:53)

• Both expect rates to normalize as teams (and officials) adjust.

5. Stock Up: 2025 Rookie Class

Starts ~24:28

• Much better than last year: Star power, shooting, and competitiveness are apparent among new NBA rookies.

  • Standout names: Cooper Flagg (a little up and down), VJ Edgecombe, Dylan Harper, Con Knipple, Cedric Coward, Scion James, and others are all off to hot starts.
  • Rookie shooting stats are wild: Coward at 64%, Knipple at 53%, Kyler Murray Boyles at 50% from three, etc.

• Hornets praised for their draft haul (33:23), especially for picking up “connective” wings and a real NBA center.

• Playful moment:

  “Do you know what Trey Johnson’s real first name is?... Richard Johnson.”—Andrew & Dave (30:19)
  Discussion snowballs into a joking riff on NBA name oddities.

6. Stock Up: Wizards’ Young Core

Starts ~35:36

• Keyshawn George & Alex Sarr: Are they the Wizards’ new foundation?
  • George compared (in flashes) to Paul George for his advanced shooting mechanics, ball-handling, and smooth game.
  • Sarr described as “awesome”—Wizards playing competitive ball with fun, young talent.
  • The pod marvels at Washington’s trajectory: “When was the last time the Wizards had their stock up? John Wall… the last time the Wizard stock was up, Enron stock was up.” (38:11)
• Quote:

  “He doesn’t look overmatched handling more. He doesn’t look overmatched as a facilitator. And the Wizards are staying in these games.”—Fred Katz (36:35)

7. Stock Down: Atlanta Hawks (“Bread and Butter... Not So Much”)

Starts ~38:48

• Andrew vents at the Hawks for underperforming early:
  • “I’m annoyed with the Atlanta Hawks. This was supposed to just be bread and butter day one plug and play... and it has not been.” (38:48)
  • Trae Young’s role feels neutered and misused; his shots and assists are down.
  • Jalen Johnson good but not ascending as expected; injuries and thin depth exposed.
  • Team defensive struggles noted (e.g., giving up 138 to Raptors and 128 to Bulls).
• Quote:

  “You look at the teams that have quality backup bigs, and it’s the top half of the league in defense.”—Andrew (43:56)

8. Stock Down: Teams Without Point Guards — Texas Edition

Starts ~47:56

• Rockets and Mavs under the microscope:

  • Houston’s offense: No clear organizer or system—just tough shots, offensive rebounding, and piecemeal guard play.
  • Dallas: Big for no reason, dead last in offensive rebounding and points per possession, despite a “6'10” point guard.”

• The hosts dissect how offensive rebounding is back in fashion around the league, helping teams like Houston mask offensive woes (brought up by Fred with deep-cut Knicks and Tibs references, 51:41).

• Consensus: Current structure might get reg-season wins, but both teams are non-viable in playoffs without real point guard/playmaking upgrades.

• Quote:

  “It’s amazing to me that the Houston Rockets not having an offense is not a bigger story... Eme Udoka—what’s the offensive philosophy... outside of go beat the man in front of you?”—Andrew (48:19)

9. Quick Stock Down: Sacramento Kings (aka “Stock Down Kings”)

Starts ~56:25

• Brief roasted mention: Kings seen as a roster of talented individuals who don’t fit at all, drawing a "taco and chicken noodle soup" analogy.
• Quote:

  “The Kings are just a conglomeration of players...who make no sense next to anyone else they’re around and who bring out the best in no one around them.” —Fred (57:05)

10. Stock Up: “Skinny Luka” & Early MVP Race

Starts ~59:34

• Luka Dončić is in rare early form: Averaging 46 PPG over first two games, looking fitter and more dominant.
• The MVP race is shaping up as “epic” (Dave, 60:29): Luka, Giannis, Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and even Victor Wembanyama mentioned.
  • Giannis up to 36-14-7 on 70% FG through 4 games: “That’s numbers a guy would put up in 1962.” (64:46)
  • Wembanyama averaging “six stocks a game” (blocks + steals), redefining defense for a winning Spurs team.
  • Jokic and SGA as wildcards. Spurs as a sneaky top-six team means Wembanyama could enter the discussion.
• Giannis seen as favorite due to strong narrative, “best numbers,” and clear value to Milwaukee.

11. Other Notable Segments and Fun Moments

• Name riffs: The group riffs on NBA players with unique or unfortunate names, particularly “Dick Johnson, III.” (30:23–31:53)
• Wizards and their new “good vibes”:

  “Leaves you with good vibes and a loss... with flattened lottery odds, you don’t have to just be awful. Winning does matter. Learning how to win games when you’re young matters.” (37:27)

Notable Quotes (by Timestamp)

• On Miami's Offense (Fred):

  “They are just fun as hell. I love watching the Miami Heat right now. I don’t miss their games.” (06:53)

• On Maxey and Sixers (Andrew):

  “He could be one of the six best guards statistically this year...he’s a legit 30-foot threat.” (10:57)

• On Officiating & Fouls (Andrew):

  “The defense right now has no chance...it slows the game down so much...Have some respect for the fans’ time.” (17:23)

• On the Atlanta Hawks (Andrew):

  “I’m annoyed with the Atlanta Hawks. This was supposed to just be bread and butter day one plug and play, and it has not been there.” (38:48)

• On Kings’ Roster (Fred):

  “The Kings are just a conglomeration of players who are good players...who make no sense next to anyone else they’re around and who bring out the best in no one around them.” (57:05)

• On Stock Up for Luka & the MVP Race (Dave):

  “What a joy to watch Luka. Honestly stock up on just, like, this year’s MVP race... It’s set up to be an epic MVP race.” (60:13)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:15: Fred’s Stock Up on Eric Spoelstra/Miami Heat’s Offense
• 08:52: Andrew’s Stock Up on Tyrese Maxey (Joe-embiid/Maxey/Sixers Guards)
• 14:39: Pick and roll/pacing historical breakdown
• 16:46: NBA foul rates, league-wide style & officiating
• 24:28: Rookie class stock up and Hornets draft praise
• 35:36: Wizards’ young core & “good vibes with a loss”
• 38:48: Hawks stock down and roster construction issues
• 47:56–55:56: Teams without point guards—Houston’s “tough shots or bust” offense and the regression of offensive rebounding; Dallas issues
• 56:25: Sacramento “Stock Down Kings”
• 59:34: Skinny Luka, the MVP race, and Giannis’ insane numbers

Summary Table

| Stock Up | Stock Down | |--------------------|----------------------| | Eric Spoelstra | Atlanta Hawks | | Tyrese Maxey/Sixers| Houston/Dallas (PGs) | | 2025 Rookie Class | Sacramento Kings | | Wizards Young Core | | | Skinny Luka | | | Giannis, SGA, MVP Race| |

Tone and Flow

The show is lively and irreverent, blending advanced analysis (“true sicko stats” as Andrew quips), big-picture trends (“let the ball do the work”), and inside jokes. The hosts and Fred are quick to pivot between analytics, eye tests, and jokes about NBA names and team “vibes.” All three are bullish on the league’s influx of young talent and early-season innovation, but not shy about calling out disappointing teams or trends (“bread and butter” Hawks, “giant but guardless” Texas teams, and the always-rebuilding Kings).

This episode is required listening—or reading—for NBA fans who want early-season insights, a sense of what’s new and different in 2025–26, and a healthy dose of humor.