The Ringer NBA Show | Real Ones – March 31, 2026

Episode: “Tiers for the 10 Tanking Teams”

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The Real Ones crew—Logan Murdoch, Raja Bell, and Howard Beck—dive deep into the 10 worst NBA teams, organizing them into three "tiers" based on how hopeful (or hopeless) their near future looks. Each host presents their own tier lists—Tear of Joy, Tear of Hope, and Tier of Sorrow—debating the teams’ outlooks, core players, management, and recent front office decisions. The crew wraps up by fielding mailbag questions on playoff dark horses, young prospects, and whether the Knicks are Finals contenders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tier Definitions & Ground Rules [01:00]

• Tear of Joy: Bad records but real optimism for the future.
• Tear of Hope: Some doubts, but there's a glimmer of sunshine.
• Tier of Sorrow: Hopeless for the foreseeable future.

2. Tear of Joy: The Most Optimistic Bottom-Feeders [01:58-07:53]

Consensus Picks:

• Indiana Pacers: All three co-hosts included Indiana in this category. The Pacers are well-stocked with talent (Halliburton, Siakam, solid young supporting cast, Rick Carlisle coaching) and a good pick incoming.

  "Pacers seem like the easiest one here, right? Tyrese Halliburton's coming back. Siakam's coming back...they've got their championship core...this one was easy, I think for all of us, right?" — Howard Beck [03:59]

• Utah Jazz: All put Utah in Joy, although Logan expressed reservations due to “bad habits” from repeated tanking and whether those can quickly be flipped into winning basketball.

  "My reservation for Utah...is I'm scared. You can't just turn these things on, and there's still a lot of growing that Utah has to do." — Logan Murdoch [06:45]

Contended Picks:

• Dallas Mavericks: Howard put them in Joy, citing Cooper Flagg’s upside and the chance to quickly bounce back if healthy.
  • Raja and Logan place Dallas in the next tier (Hope), citing "some doubts.”
• Brooklyn Nets: Logan is bullish. "They're a piece of art waiting to be made...they have all of their picks...a market they can sell." [05:54]
  • Raja and Howard disagree, pointing to the lack of a foundational star.

3. Tear of Hope: It's Not All Bad (Yet) [10:52–28:42]

Highlights:

• Dallas Mavericks: Logan and Raja have Dallas here due to Cooper Flagg's upside, but doubts about structure and star health.
• Washington Wizards: Mixed feelings. They now have Anthony Davis and Trae Young, but it’s a short-term pairing with questionable long-term upside.
  • “Temporary hope...AD, the clock’s ticking, and Trae Young...has limits. Are any of their young guys actual future stars? Not sure.” — Howard Beck [14:02]
• Chicago Bulls: Have cap space/flexibility, but lack identity and a proven front office.
  • “They’re basically a blank slate...a ball of clay. You could do whatever you want with that roster.” — Raja Bell [19:35]
• Memphis Grizzlies: Front office track record gives Howard hope. Young core in Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, and "war chest" of picks, but big doubts about Ja Morant's status and overall direction.
• Milwaukee Bucks: Listed by Howard, due to the “bright side” of a Giannis trade netting assets and a likely top-10 pick, though Raja places them in Sorrow.

Differing Views/New Orleans Pelicans:

• Raja includes the Pelicans due to Zion’s upside and a solid supporting cast.
  • Logan and Howard present a pessimistic view, seeing Zion’s health as too volatile and the organization as directionless.

Brooklyn Nets: Raja’s Hope case—lots of picks, bread (cap space), but not a true star.

4. Tier of Sorrow: Where the Pain Is Real [32:31–48:42]

Unanimous Sorrow:

• Sacramento Kings: Terrible owner (Vivek Ranadive), bad contracts, a “boring and expensive” lineup, and no plausible path forward.

  “They’re bad and boring. And old. And expensive.” — Howard Beck [41:46] “A perfect storm of ass.” — Logan Murdoch [41:52]

• New Orleans Pelicans: Logan and Howard—dismal ownership (Saints-focused), no picks, zero positive momentum, and limping along with Zion.

  "They’re clinging to the hope of, of Zion, who they—I don't even think they really want on their roster like that... organization doesn’t care about basketball." — Logan Murdoch [39:53]

Other Sorrow Picks:

• Brooklyn Nets: Howard sees no star, a bleak rookie class, and questions around Porter Jr.’s fit. “There’s nothing that’s really popping and you want something to pop at some point." [34:51]

• Chicago Bulls: Cited for decades of mismanagement, lack of bold moves, and poor usage of their large market.

• Milwaukee Bucks: Raja’s Sorrow pick: “You’re getting rid of the best player in your franchise’s history. You’re not good now... I don't see the hope immediately for them.” [33:11]

5. Synthesis & Quick Fire (Mailbag and Playoff Dark Horses)

“Which of these teams could make the playoffs next year?” [46:44]

• Indiana Pacers—obvious.
• Howard/Logan: Maybe Utah (if healthy, stability).
• Raja: Dallas, if Kyrie returns strong.

Playoff Dark Horses [51:02]

• Howard’s West: Clippers are “dangerous” (33-15 since slow start), but not a lock to upset Spurs/Thunder.
• East: Philly and Charlotte could pull an upset.
• Logan: "No way in hell" Clippers win a first-round series, but gives Suns/Rockets some credit. [51:17–53:10]

Young Player Development (Hawks, Riza Shay) [56:09]

• Howard: Coaching sees things fans do not; Riza Shay was #1 in weak draft, playing time has been there, maybe he just needs more time.

Knicks as Finals Contenders [57:43–61:53]

• Logan: “Knicks have a better chance than people think... this is not a great matchup for the Celtics on paper. I’d give the Knicks more of a chance than consensus.”
• Raja: “That Eastern Conference is going to be a dog fight. Definitely think the Knicks could wind up being the team that comes out on top, provided they catch some breaks.”
• Howard: No clear favorite in the East, doubts about Knicks’ top-end talent, but admits “they can make the Finals. It could happen.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “A perfect storm of ass.” — Logan Murdoch on the Kings’ situation [41:52]
• “They’re bad and boring. And old and expensive. Those are four things you don’t want to be at the same time.” — Howard Beck [41:46]
• "You've got a ball of clay. You could do whatever you want with that fucking roster." — Raja Bell on the Bulls [19:35]
• “Temporary hope...the clock’s ticking [on AD], and Trae Young...there’s limits. Are any of their young guys actual future stars?” — Howard Beck on the Wizards [14:02]
• “Dangerous thing in this league is believing in your own picks too much, and just paying guys on faith and being wrong.” — Howard Beck [42:46]

Timestamps — Key Segments

• [01:00] — Tier definitions & episode plan
• [01:58–07:53] — Tear of Joy teams debate (Indiana, Utah, Dallas, Brooklyn)
• [10:52–28:42] — Tear of Hope arguments
• [32:31–48:42] — Tier of Sorrow and brutal owner critiques
• [46:44] — Which bottom team might make playoffs next year?
• [51:02–54:54] — Playoff dark horses and the ever-misleading potential of the Clippers
• [56:09] — Mailbag: On Hawks’ Riza Shay (young prospect development)
• [57:43–61:53] — Knicks contender talk
• [41:37–44:16] — Sacramento Kings owner/Vivek rundown

Tone & Takeaways

This was a brutal but honest breakdown—equal parts analytic and darkly comedic. Hosts offered a nuanced view of rebuilding NBA teams: from assets and ownership to culture, coaching, and the emotional toll on fan bases. No team was spared. If you're rooting for one of these ten, be prepared for some hard truths—but maybe, just maybe, a glimmer of hope.

Want More?

For additional Mailbag Q&A (e.g., on young prospects, coaching disconnects, the Cam Thomas situation, and much more on the Knicks), tune in from [49:26] onward.

Summary prepared by The Ringer NBA Show Summarizer | March 31, 2026