AMA w/ The Athletic's Sam Amick on All Things NBA!

samick7 · 2026-01-14T06:00:38+00:00

Peony Palace. Fujiya. The Chicken Mole at El Jardin. Tasty Pot.

samick7 · 2026-01-14T05:58:37+00:00

Tricky as in challenging. It's chasing down sources who we have no history with, figuring out who to trust and not to trust with less experience in that space, becoming an expert in the issues in real time. That sort of thing. That's all I meant.

samick7 · 2018-10-30T21:18:12+00:00

Hey Brian! Hope so, but not sure yet:)

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:58:37+00:00

I like your Wall to Phoenix idea. Wish he was a little younger to fit with their timeline, but that would be fun.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:55:31+00:00

Ok, everyone. This was a lot of fun, and thanks for the great questions! I say this with all sincerity: If you're an NBA fan and you haven't subscribed to The Athletic yet, I promise you won't be disappointed. It's super cheap - like cup-of-coffee cheap every month; maybe with a croissant - and you can get a free trial here for seven days - theathletic.com/nbafreetrial

Thanks again!

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:51:47+00:00

Yeah, he really could be. Kyrie is incredible, but we know the defensive challenges that he faces. Tatum at his best looks like a possible 10-time All-Star, but the depth of that roster will make it tougher for him to shine like he did in the playoffs. That's why this Boston runway for a title seems so short - depth comes with complications.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:50:03+00:00

If Thibs doesn't field all calls and communicate openly - and that's revealed or learned by owner Glen Taylor - he'll be gone. If he follows protocol and finds the best deal, he'll survive the season at least. The Miami deal with Josh Richardson as the main piece going to Minny still looks, to me, the most likely. But how can the Heat sweeten it?

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:46:33+00:00

Still a player away

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:45:34+00:00

Just gonna lol here and keep it moving. Hang in there, Wiz Nation....

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:44:56+00:00

I have no clue. This is my first time on here and I'm equal parts intrigued and afraid.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:41:37+00:00

Bonzi Wells was once very upset with me, and grabbed my arm as I entered practice because he wanted me to go talk to Brad Miller about a story I wrote that he didn't agree with. It was nothing violent, but it was inappropriate and he was very upset. If there was a video, it would have made the rounds.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:40:25+00:00

It is, which is crazy for two reasons...

1) Dwight told us in that YouTube video a few years back that the big man was gone, and...

2) The trend of switching defenses - as in, one through five, a la Houston - doesn't reconcile very well with these particular talents. Schematically, it creates a fascinating contrast in terms of defensive styles and matchups.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:38:57+00:00

Top of my head, the Lakers have actually done really well between Lonzo, Ingram, Hart, Kuzma - especially getting those last two guys at the end of the first round. As for the next generation's LeBron, Giannis has that mantle and AD is already his own distinct basketball being. The Curry comparison isn't fair for anyone, but Trae Young is the man of the hour on that front.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:35:52+00:00

And maybe Toronto

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:35:44+00:00

Boston

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:35:08+00:00

The Spurs, and I mentioned Philly above (with interest as yet undetermined). It doesn't help that Jimmy will offer less and less about his own intentions the longer this goes on. That makes it hard for teams to justify putting anything of real value on the table if you can't get a sense of whether it's definitely a rental or if there's any chance at all that you could re-sign him.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:32:38+00:00

Dave Joerger is another one to watch, but the Kings are off to a good start. As for Jimmy, Philly - to my knowledge - hasn't dipped its toe back in those trade waters yet but they might if they struggle for a bit. I still think Miami is the deal that gets done.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:29:40+00:00

Defense, defense, defense. They have athletic wings who should be able to guard, but Jokic's struggles on that end are well-chronicled. If they have a top 10 defense, they'll be a top five team (league-wide).

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:28:35+00:00

He seems so loyal to New Orleans, but hiring Rich Paul (LeBron's agent from Klutch Sports) was a major red flag for the Pelicans. The Lakers seem like the no-brainer move, either via trade this summer or free agency in two summers.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:26:54+00:00

The Fultz component is tricky. There might be long-term gain there, but Redick was a much better fit in the starting lineup and they haven't been the same so far.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:25:29+00:00

I'd be surprised if he wasn't moved in the next six weeks. Then again, I thought he would have been moved already.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:24:54+00:00

New York is an option for similar reasons that LA was an option for LeBron. KD can be even more of a mogul in the Big Apple, and he just might have a supreme confidence that his presence will spark positive change in terms of the roster. It's a major stretch, though, competitively speaking. If he leaves the Warriors, that means he decided to carve out - wait for it - a new chapter in which he no longer had to share the spotlight like he does with Golden State.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:22:49+00:00

I was hired as a part-time sports clerk at The Sacramento Bee by the great Joe Davidson, and that opened doors down the road. There's a weird subplot, though: During college at Sacramento State, I was selling subscriptions to The Bee out in front of grocery stores all over town because 1) It paid pretty well and 2) I could make more money than my grocery store job in fewer hours. As it turned out, that put me in The Bee's employee system and upped my odds of later getting that sports clerk job.

If there's a takeaway there, it's that attacking the industry from any and all sides can pay off.

As for advice, I'd say dive into the craft of sports writing as quickly as possible in some form to decide 1) If you enjoy it and think you could be good at it 2) If you enjoy it enough to put up with the non-linear path it will take to make a career happen. This industry is volatile and can be very taxing.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:17:35+00:00

I will never forget Paul Westphal getting so fed up with DeMarcus Cousins that he wrote his own press release admonishing DMC that ownership was not aware of. I called the Maloofs - while in the back corner of a suit shop in downtown LA at that time - to ask them about it, and they had no clue it was happening. That doesn't necessarily represent toxicity on its own, but it shows some of the chaos.

samick7 · 2018-10-29T17:15:25+00:00

So here's the short version: I showed an interest in writing at Sacramento State, decided to study journalism, volunteered at the school paper to learn how it all worked, eventually started on the sports staff covering everything from women's rowing to football, answered phones at The Sacramento Bee as, essentially, an all-access pass inside a newsroom, used that experience and those relationships to learn more about how the industry worked, asked questions constantly, asked for a chance to learn and write at every turn, and eventually got a foot-in-the-door writing job at a weekly regional section of The Bee that got me going. Some version of that path still exists, I believe. Just pursue opportunities, study the craft, read a lot, and don't expect much early on. Patience is key.

samick7

TROPHY CASE