Grab your cereal. We’re pushing the pace today:

NFL schedule drops this week. Highlights so far - Eagles vs Cowboys Opening Night. Eagles by 40. Chiefs vs Broncos Primetime Christmas Day. A Very Mahomes Xmas. Vikings study abroad. Will play Week 4 in Dublin, Week 5 in London…MLB welcomes back Kershaw on Saturday. Acuna hits the rehab trail. Confirmed Skenes for the WBC in Spring 2026. Oh, and Javy Baez is worth every penny this year. Viva El Mago…PGA sends Tiger to the White House which sends Trump to Saudi Arabia who yells at Crown Prince to kill LIV. Very normal stuff. Happens all the time in sports…NHL is hummin. Leafs host Panthers tonight in Game 5. Series tied 2-2…NBA sees Pacers return to Conference Finals as legitimate title threats. Blazers officially up for sale. Yet another mid-market team for sale as valuations hit a high water mark at the same time payrolls balloon.

Not Pacers pace, but decent. No doubt would generate a corner three.

My late night steroid musing only cost me one subscriber. BON VOYAGE SKINNY BOY.

For the rest of you, the open-minded, steely individuals, we’ll try to find Giannis (the Greek Freak himself) a new home as Milwaukee prepares to say “Αντίο!” Where does Giannis wind up after the wayward bounce of a few beer pong balls.

Modern NBA team building adheres to few principles:

- Timeline: Superstars (and role players) reach the peak of their powers from ages 27-31. MJ, Lebron, Shaq, Steph all won their first rings at 27 or 28 years old. The exceptions - Kobe, Dwade, and Duncan - were each paired with veteran teams and generational coaches. For teams, it’s not enough to find superstars. You must align them at the right moment, squeeze them within cap constraints, and surround them with similarly aged talent (plus pray for their achilles). In a league that sees the first round of its draft dominated by 19 year olds, none of this roster construction is as easy I could make it look. Teams make moves when they feel like the timelines of their stars are aligned. For Milwaukee, the timeline of their team (it stinks), no longer syncs with the timeline of their star (Giannis).

- Currency: Superstars are the League’s gold, but you need a currency to pay for them (beyond, yaknow, actual chedda). Teams hoard first round picks in order to dispense them at just the right moment when a player becomes available. The Knicks shipped out 5 first round picks for Mikal Bridges (worth it apparently). Should teams do this? Maybe. While certain cities are always destinations for talent, others have to find their stars in the draft or via trade.

Last call in Salt Lake is 1am. Even Jazz fans were looking to close the bars down celebrating Cooper Flagg. Since that didn’t happen, how does a team that was fined for tanking last year improve its roster? Trading for an all-star (preferably under contract) might be the Jazz’s best shot. Lucky for them, they’re the proud owners of 8 tradeable first round picks over the next 6ish years. They have rights to 13 different selections with some protections. That’s great news (and Giannis doesn’t drink)! The bad news - they ain’t the only skier on the lift chasin first tracks.

Brooklyn, desperate for a star, has 13 tradeable 1st rounders. The Rockets have 9, and the Spurs own the second pick in this year’s draft plus 3 future tradeable selections (even after trading for De’Aaron Fox). At this point, it’s fair to point out that only 5 dudes play on the court and only one can shoot. What is the point of these vaults of first round picks if not to cash them in?

Speaking of vaults, the Bucks’ is as empty as they get. They don’t control their first round pick until 2031! Tanking does them no good as they owe that pick to another destination. Giannis should be moved this summer because he’s still in his prime title winning years, the team’s talent doesn’t match his timeline, and the Bucks can play 3-4 teams against each other in a bidding war. The Rockets and Spurs are looking to accelerate their title chances, while the Jazz and Nets are looking to cash in their stash.

Where does that leave us? San Antonio. Remember those ping pong balls? They bounced in San Antonio’s way too. Now the proud owners of the 2nd pick, they should absolutely ship that selection, at least 4 others, Devin Vassell, and more to Milwaukee. Giannis and Wembenyama fit perfectly together. Score in the paint. I dare you. Offensively, Wembenyama’s 3pt shooting and perimeter game would leave the paint open for Giannis to cook.

Deep down I don’t want the Bucks to ship Giannis to the Western Conference. Woops. I said it. I guess it wasn’t that deep down. As a Laker fan, I can remember the post-Shaq Laker years. They sucked, but the Lakers don’t get Pau, Lamar, and two more rings if Kobe ended up a Bull. Forget timelines, sometimes you have to hold on to your stars. Time moves like lightning in the NBA. Dame Lilliard’s contract goes from liability to expiring contract faster than you think. Enjoy the Packers, catch a Brewers game or 30, and just keep it on Miller time for a while Milwaukee. You’ll be back.