Joel Embiid

The 76ers believed Joel Embiid was best served playing through his knee issues and getting into better condition while Embiid believed he needed a different approach, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. However, the team and player are now aligned, per Charania.

I'm surprised Embiid kept playing if he believed he shouldn't have. He had agency in the situation. That obviously indicates high levels of trust in the 76ers, but I'm curious where that stands now.

We can never know what would've happened if Embiid shut it down sooner. But him playing didn't work. He never neared his prior effectiveness this season, and Philadelphia just lost a ton, with or without him in the lineup.

If Embiid is hindered beyond this season, there will certainly be plenty of room to second-guess the 76ers' handling of the situation.

Mike Budenholzer

Mike Budenholzer is "miserable to deal with," according to Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro, who cites people within and around the Suns. The well-connected Gambo even repeated the phrase "miserable to deal with" for emphasis.

Budenholzer certainly looks miserable. He brings – or at least brought – positives as a coach. But raising a team's spirits doesn't appear to be one of them.

He has coached only one losing team in the last decade, his final year in Atlanta. And he immediately got out of dodge. He didn't sign up for this – and he's not helping.

Add this context to Devin Booker's gripe, and it seems increasingly likely Phoenix will be on its fourth coach in four years next season.

Kevin Durant-Suns

The Suns and Kevin Durant are expected to work together on trading him to a contender this summer, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

Durant lacks a no-trade clause, though with only one remaining season on his contract, he can persuade or dissuade certain teams. I doubt a team he doesn't want to join would make the best offer, anyway. It's just not worth giving up as much capital for a potentially unhappy Durant.

But just in case it matters, it sounds like Phoenix wants to do right by him. So, likely, as long a team on his list makes a reasonable offer, that's where he will go.

Luka Doncic-Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Bucks rejected the Mavericks' inquiries about trading Luka Doncic for Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Gery Woelfel of Woelfel's Press Box.

Doncic can become an unrestricted free agent next year. Antetokounmpo is locked in an additional season and has shown an affinity for Milwaukee, repeatedly re-upping with the Bucks. However, Doncic is four years younger, and there are rumors Antetokounmpo might not stick for much longer. (Then again, those rumors also swirled before Antetokounmpo's extensions with Milwaukee.) Also consider sentimentality, as Antetokounmpo has led the Bucks to a championship and is beloved in Milwaukee.

I understand the Bucks passing. It's also a move they should have at least considered.

Between this report and a similar one about Dallas checking on Anthony Edwards with the Timberwolves, it's cloudy whether prior reports were accurate about the Mavericks offering Doncic to only the Lakers.

Dunc'd On Live

Watch Nate and Danny visually react to the Rookie of the Year, MVP, and Not Executive of the Year second-place races – then pick and explain their awards:

Nikola Jokic

Nate's recollection on the pod was correct: Denver's offensive rating with Nikola Jokic on the floor – 125.8, per NBA.com – is highest on record for any player/team.

He's on pace to break his own record (124.2 in 2023). Darius Garland (124.5) is also on track to break Jokic's prior best.

Highest on-court offensive ratings in the play-by-play era (minimum: 1,000 minutes):

Jokic is playing in a high-scoring environment. But even relatively, he shines.

With Jokic on the court, the Nuggets have scored 12.6 points per 100 possessions more than the average team has this season.

That's third behind only Steve Nash with the 2005 Suns (14.1 points more) and Stephen Curry with the 2018 Warriors (12.8 more).

Cleveland Cavaliers

Also as noted on the pod: The Cavaliers' relative offensive rating is all-time great.

Cleveland's pure offensive rating – 122.9, per Basketball-Reference – is second-highest ever. The Celtics' offensive rating last season was 123.2.

But teams scored 1.3 more points per 100 possessions league-wide last season.

The Cavs' offensive rating this season is 8.9 points higher than league average – also second-highest ever. In 2004, the Mavericks' offensive rating topped league average by 9.2 points.

Highest relative offensive ratings since the league began tracking turnovers in 1973:

So, the leaderboard is led by two Steve Nash offenses, a Stephen Curry offense and these Cavaliers.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are raising season-ticket prices an average of 8.61%. Standard operating procedure for many NBA teams – notable for the one that just traded Luka Doncic and alienated its fan base.

Ultimately, the Mavericks can get away with charging only what people will pay. If enough fans will pay the higher prices, that's just how it goes.

But I am curious whether that will be the case, given the vitriol directed at the organization.

Gregg Popovich

ESPN described Gregg Popovich's meeting with the Spurs last week:

"Sources told ESPN that tears were shed from those in the room during Thursday's meeting and players saw physical signs of what Popovich has gone through since the stroke. The meeting, however, was filled with motivational messages, jokes, critique and praise from the coach, sources said."

I like to imagine Popovich delivering Michael Scott-esque "boom, roasted" critiques of everyone there.

Meyers Leonard

Meyers Leonard – who became infamous for saying an anti-Semitic slur then a shining example of learning from his mistake and making amends – announced his retirement from basketball.

Before his 2021 controversy, Leonard was a stretch big with timely production. The Trail Blazers drafted him No. 11 in 2012 then gave him a four-year, $41 million contract in 2016. He became a strong representative of the Sour 16s (even in Portland, which also overpaid Allen Crabbe, Evan Turner, Maurice Harkless and Festus Ezeli that summer). Leonard also had an all-time out-of-nowhere performance, scoring 30 points – 25 in the first half! – of the Trail Blazers' Game 4 loss to the Warriors in the 2019 Western Conference finals (a season in which he averaged just 5.9 points per game.

Leonard, who last played for the Bucks in 2023 and is now 33, announced his retirement by song.

-Dan Feldman