Basketball Intelligence Newsletter

Author Gerry Schultz joins Ray and Nick to discuss the history of the Sacramento Kings before they were the Sacramento Kings, focusing on the Cincinnati Royals era of the franchise. Ray and Nick discuss Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman, Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas, Tiny Archibald and Sam Lacey, and much more in a wide-ranging conversation with Schultz, the author of Cincinnati’s Basketball Royalty. Schultz, who has written four books including the aforementioned book about the Royals as well as Jerry Lucas, Mr. Ohio Basketball about the Cincinnati star, discusses the origins of the Kings franchise with the Rochester Royals, before diving deep into the 15 years of Royals basketball across Ohio as the Cincinnati Royals. They cover the heyday of Robertson and Lucas at length, the devastating Stokes injury and how it affected both his teammates and the franchise, and the impact of Bob Cousy on the team. Finally, they wrap up by covering the end of the franchise’s tenure in Cincinnati and the move to Kansas City and Omaha that eventually led to the team’s move to Sacramento.

Banner Year: 1957, two amazing rookies arrive, and the Celtics’ dynasty begins
Mike Dynon, SBNation

Team-specific and draft-related stories follow for paid subscribers

Basketball Intelligence For 8/2/26

Basketball Intelligence — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:53:05 GMT

TEAM-SPECIFIC

BOS: Dillon Mitchell decision just got a whole lot more complicated
Josh Cornelissen, Hardwood Houdini

DAL: Seva Ishchenko is the Mavericks’ biggest steal of the draft
Noah Weber, The Smoking Cuban

DET: Isaac Jones determined to return to standard deal
Coty Davis, Detroit News

IND: There’s no skipping over the importance of Aaron Nesmith and skip concepts
Caitlin Cooper, Basketball She Wrote

IND: Does It Make Sense For The Indiana Pacers To Fill 15th Roster Spot?
Tony East, Forbes

MIA: NBA scout offers pros and cons of veteran players Heat could add
Ira Winderman, SunSentinel

MIN: Timberwolves solving their biggest problem should ease power forward concerns
Eamon Cassels, Dunking With Wolves

While it's totally reasonable to have concerns about the Timberwolves' power forward room, they upgraded their biggest flaw: point guard play.

MIN: Josh Green is quietly an ideal fit with the Timberwolves
Eamon Cassels, Dunking With Wolves

NYK: Rookie Tyler Nickel can ‘make them pay’ with sharpshooting skills — as ex-coach knows too well
Andrew Crane, NY Post

SAC: The Biggest Development Goals for Kings’ 3 Sophomores
Will Zimmerle, Sports Illustrated

SAS: Spurs’ depth chart puts Keldon Johnson in a difficult situation
Jahlil Williams, Air Alamo

LEAGUEWIDE

NBA Power Rankings
Brad Botkin, CBS Sports

From Spurs (1) thru Bucks (30)

2026-2027 NBA Power Rankings
Zac Graham, FTN

From Spurs (1) thru Kings (30)

Ranking top 5 deepest NBA teams
Ty Small, Air Alamo

Did NBA players agree to a hard cap disguised as the apron system?
Gary Washburn, Boston Globe

THE DRAFT

Scouting Report: Tennessee’s Juke Harris
Derek Parker, Sports Illustrated

Basketball Intelligence For 8/1/26

Basketball Intelligence — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 16:34:44 GMT

TEAM-SPECIFIC

DAL: Early peek at Mavericks’ roster
Eddie Sefko, Mavs.com

GSW: Should Golden State Be Doing More?
Jacob Sutton, JSutt Hoops

HOU: Adding Marcus Smart is a step in the right direction of reshaping the Rockets’ identity
Josue Pavon, Clutch Points

IND: The Value of Ivica Zubac
Con Brennan, Wait For The Screen

MEM: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s buyout was right move for Grizzlies
Damichael Cole, Commercial Appeal

MIA: Recipe for success? Heat ingredients are there, despite the doubters
Ira Winderman, SunSentinel

ORL: All eyes are on Jalen Suggs this season
Philip Rossman-Reich, World R Squared

ORL: Magic’s Biggest X-Factors Heading into 2026-27 NBA Season
Sports Illustrated

ORL: 3 Keys to Magic Making Noise Next Season After Quiet Summer
Ryan Kaminski, Sports Illustrated

PHI: Dominick Barlow is ‘willing to play wherever’ to help LeBron James and the Sixers
Adam Aaronson, Philly Voice

SAC: PODCAST: Summer 2026 State of the Sacramento Kings Part Two
Nick Agar-Johnson/Ray LeBov, Kings Weekly Podcast

SAS: Q & A: Dylan Harper
DJ Siddiqi, RJ.org

WAS: Kyshawn George holds the key to how far the Wizards can actually go
Kyshawn George, Wiz Of Awes

Leaguewide, Draft & WNBA stories follow for paid subscribers

Basketball Intelligence For 7/31/26

Basketball Intelligence — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:03:28 GMT

LEAGUEWIDE

After the NBA’s wild offseason, what’s most fascinating in the Eastern Conference?
Royce Webb, 5x5

Royce asked 18 leading NBA voices on Substack to answer

Which teams can keep the NBA’s parity run going
Ben Golliver, ESPN

Basketball Intelligence For 7/30/26

Basketball Intelligence — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 16:04:42 GMT

TEAM-SPECIFIC

ATL: Hawks should be thrilled to have Onsi Saleh leading basketball operations
Garrett Brown, Soaring Down South

DEN: Zeke Nnaji contract continues to haunt Nuggets
Sean Keane, Yardbarker

DET: Paul Reed Video Breakdown
Bryce Simon, Game Theory

GSW: The Warriors are standing pat as the Curry era reaches another crossroads
Anthony Slater, ESPN

GSW: Where the Warriors Go From Here
Yossi Gozlan, Third Apron

On the Warriors striking out again, their outlook for the upcoming season, the allure of 2027 cap space, why their roster will likely look very different soon, and how Stephen Curry factors in.

HOU: Kevin Durant’s playing time, Fred VanVleet’s future: Rockets’ offseason wins and losses
Will Guillory, The Athletic

The rest of today’s team-specific stories as well as leaguewide and draft-related stories follow for paid subscribers

Basketball Intelligence For 7/29/26

Basketball Intelligence — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:38:28 GMT

FEATURE OF THE DAY

Peyton Watson, Christian Braun, and the Restricted Free Agency Problem Denver Should Have Seen Coming
Nathan Grubel, No Ceilings

TEAM-SPECIFIC

BKN: Demin 2026 NBA summer league highlights
Sharif Phillips-Keaton, USA Today

BOS: Looking ahead for the post-Brown Celtics
Adam Taylor, Celtics Chronicle

Basketball Intelligence For 7/28/26

Basketball Intelligence — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:19:11 GMT

TEAM-SPECIFIC

BOS: Summer League | Chris Cenac Jr.
Bryce Simon, Game Theory

CLE: No LeBron James? Here’s what Cavs coaches can do
Terry Pluto, cleveland.com

Basketball Intelligence For 7/27/26

Basketball Intelligence — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:48:57 GMT

TEAM-SPECIFIC

CLE: Mario Hezonja | One Game Video Breakdown
Bryce Simon, Game Theory

DAL: Summer League | Sergio De Larrea
Bryce Simon, Game Theory

MIA: Heat need to avoid falling into DeMar DeRozan trap after…

Basketball Intelligence For 7/26/26

Basketball Intelligence — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:29:56 GMT

TEAM-SPECIFIC

DAL: New GM, new coach, new players.
Matt Gilroy, SBNation

DAL: Mavs’ new front office likes taking swings on once-hyped prospects who need a change of scenery
Noah Weber, The Smoking Cuban

GSW: Stephen Curry on missing out on LeBron James and the Warriors’ uncertain future
Marcus Thompson II, The Athletic

GSW: After LeBron James Miss, Can Warrio…

Basketball Intelligence For 7/25/26

Basketball Intelligence — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 17:23:46 GMT

PODCAST: Dean Oliver on the Meaning of Analytics
Ray LeBov/Nick Agar-Johnson, No Weak Stuff

Dean Oliver, the godfather of modern basketball analaytics, currently of ESPN and formerly of four different NBA teams in a decades-long career in the league, joins Ray LeBov and Nick Agar-Johnson to talk about the meaning of analytics and the purposes of analytics as prompted by the field of strawmen in the aftermath of the Jaylen Brown trade. They discuss the fundamental purpose of analytics, how team goals factor into the scope of analytics-related inquiries, the origins of Oliver’s Four Factors, and many other topics related to the nature of analytics in a wide-ranging conversation about analytics, statistics, and basketball.

TEAM-SPECIFIC

ATL: Hawks’ smart contract management as a reason for optimism.
Yagya Bhargava, Basketball Network

BKN: How East’s Emerging Great Race Affects Nets
Steve Lichtenstein

BKN: Nets still have a Michael Porter Jr. call to make
Brian Lewis, NY Post

BKN: Michael Porter Jr. wants Brooklyn, but the post-LeBron market may test the Nets
C J Holmes, Daily News

CHI: Bulls have sneaky depth with a few outsiders trying to crack rotation
Joe Cowley, Sun*Times

DAL: Mavericks’ path to sign Vsevolod Ishchenko has a complicated roadblock
Will Miller, The Smoking Cuban

GSW: Warriors facing harsh truth, enter next NBA season without realistic title expectations
Nick Friedell, The Athletic

GSW: Warriors’ focus shifts to Draymond Green, young core
Nick Friedell, The Athletic

MIA: Heat miss on LeBron James’ return but won’t downplay a victorious offseason
Eric Nehm, The Athletic

MIN: Timberwolves’ LeBron pursuit falls short. Now they move forward with new-look roster
Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic

ORL: Magic have a deeper bench and a stronger rotation
Philip Rossman-Reich, World R Squared

SAC: Darius Acuff Jr. is the new face of the Kings
Brett Siegel, Clutch Points

LEAGUEWIDE

Start, Bench or G League? Predictions for Every 2026 1st-Round NBA Draft Pick
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report

NBA Power Rankings: Where all 30 teams stack up in 2026 offseason
ESPN

NBA Power Rankings: Where every team stands after LeBron James’ move to 76ers
Law Murray, The Athletic

NBA Power Rankings: The 76ers could own the East with LeBron
Ian Levy, Fansided

NBA Power Rankings for all 30 teams updated after LeBron James signs with 76ers
Ricky O’Donnell, SBNation

Updated NBA Power Rankings After Philadelphia 76ers Sign LeBron James
Andy Bailey, ESPN

Power ranking all 30 NBA teams following LeBron’s decision
Jacob Camenker, USA Today

Eastern Conference Tiers: Contenders, Playoff and Lottery Teams
Blake Silverman, Sports Illustrated

LBJ

LeBron James: An Odyssey
Louisa Thomas, New Yorker

The remainder of today’s coverage of the LBJ signing ( links to 9 of the best stories) follows for paid subscribers

Basketball Intelligence For 7/24/26

Basketball Intelligence — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:08:54 GMT

LeBron James, Sixers agree to two-year, $8 million contract
Gina Mizell, Philadelphia Inquirer

NOTE: Much more on this story in our next edition

TEAM-SPECIFIC

BKN: Grading The Brooklyn Nets’ Offseason
Fran Leiva, Fadeaway World

One of the smarter, underrated moves of the summer was the Nets landing Keon Ellis after he became a very coveted trade asset last se…

Basketball Intelligence For 7/23/26, Part Two

Basketball Intelligence — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:52:53 GMT

LEAGUEWIDE

The top 5 moments of the 2026 NBA Summer League
Sarah Todd, Deseret News

NBA Intel: Anthony Davis, Trae Young, Jonathan Kuminga, Benn Mathurin, Cam Johnson, Miles Bridges, free agency and trade talks
Michael Scotto, Hoops Hype

Five Summer League players who earned bigger NBA roles
Sean Keane, Yardbarker

TEAM-SPECIFIC

CLE: Meleek Thomas has the perfec…

Basketball Intelligence For 7/23/26

Basketball Intelligence — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:56:37 GMT

LEAGUEWIDE

What NBA Summer League told us about each 2026 draft pick
Law Murray, The Athletic

Glimpses of greatness: Watching AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and especially Caleb Wilson
David Thorpe, True Hoop

2026 NBA Summer League Superlatives
Jed Katz, Sports Illustrated

What we’ve learned about each NBA team this of…

Basketball Intelligence For 7/22/26

Basketball Intelligence — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:03:50 GMT

PODCAST: Summer League: Who outperformed their draft selection?
Nick Agar-Johnson/Ray LeBov, No Weak Stuff

Ten players whose Summer League play appear to have outperformed where they were drafted in 2026: Labaron Philon Jr., Cameron Carr, Chris Cenac Jr., Bruce Thornton, Meleek Thomas, Trevon Brazile, Ryan Conwell, Dillon Mitchell, Emanuel Sharp, and He…