<description>&lt;p&gt;What if the modern NBA went back to just 8 teams like they had in the 1960s? Only 16% of the current players would still have a roster spot in a reduced league. Everyone else would have to play in the G-league, Europe, Australia, or just get a regular job. We took the top 80 players from the 2024-2025 NBA and placed them on 8 teams. Here is what those teams would look like:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Team 1 - San Francisco Warriors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Shai Gilgeous-Alexander&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Kyrie Irving&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Zion Williamson&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Brandon Ingram&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;DeMar DeRozen&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Miles Bridges&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Pascal Siakam&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Evan Mobley&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Nikola Vucevic&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Keynote George&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Team 2 - Boston Celtics&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Giannis Antetokounmpo&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Anthony Davis&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Steph Curry&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;James Harden&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jaylen Brown&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Coby White&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Austin Reaves&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Sharron Sharpe&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Collin Sexton&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Deni Avdija&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Team 3 - New York Knicks&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Nikola Jokic&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Damian Lillard&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Karl-Anthony Towns&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Ja Morant&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jaren Jackson Jr.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jordan Poole&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Kristaps Porzingis&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Tyrese Haliburton&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Michael Porter Jr.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;De’Andre Hunter&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Team 4 - Los Angeles Lakers&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Luka Doncic&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Lámelo Ball&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;LeBron James&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Zach Lavine&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Normal Powell&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Darius Garland&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Scottie Barnes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Julius Randle&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Bam Adebayo&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Bradley Beal&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Team 5 - St. Louis Hawks&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Anthony Edwards&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Devin Booker&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Victor Wembanyama&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;De’Aaron Fox&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jalen Williams&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jalen Green&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Anfernee Simons&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Cameron Johnson&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;OG Anonuby&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Immanuel Quickley&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Team 6 - Detroit Pistons&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jayson Tatum&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Paolo Banchero&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Trae Young&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Joel Embiid&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Kawhi Leonard&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Brandon Miller&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Desmond Bane&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jalen Johnson&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Andrew Wiggins&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Malik Monk&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Team 7 - Philadelphia 76ers&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Kevin Durant&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jalen Brunson&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Franz Wagner&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Tyler Herro&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jamal Murray&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;RJ Barrett&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Domantas Sabonis&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;John Collins&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Mikal Bridges&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Dejaunte Murray&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Team 8 - Cincinnati Royals&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Tyrese Maxey&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Cade Cunningham&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Cam Thomas&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Donovan Mitchell&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Trey Murphy III&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;CJ McCollum&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Alperen Sengun&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Lauri Markkanen&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jaden Ivey&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Jimmy Butler&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CREDITS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;MUSIC&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;"Horizons" by Roa&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://sportshistorynetwork.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;sportshistorynetwork.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://sportshistorynetwork.com/podcasts/basketball-history-101/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;sportshistorynetwork.com/podcasts/basketball-history-101/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FACEBOOK&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://m.facebook.com/Basketball-History-101-103801581493027/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;m.facebook.com/Basketball-History-101-103801581493027/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BUSINESS CONTACT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:bballhistory101@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;bballhistory101@gmail.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Basketball History 101

Rick Loayza

Episode 294 - The NBA is 8 Teams Again

APR 28, 202615 MIN
Basketball History 101

Episode 294 - The NBA is 8 Teams Again

APR 28, 202615 MIN

Description

What if the modern NBA went back to just 8 teams like they had in the 1960s? Only 16% of the current players would still have a roster spot in a reduced league. Everyone else would have to play in the G-league, Europe, Australia, or just get a regular job. We took the top 80 players from the 2024-2025 NBA and placed them on 8 teams. Here is what those teams would look like:Team 1 - San Francisco WarriorsShai Gilgeous-AlexanderKyrie IrvingZion WilliamsonBrandon IngramDeMar DeRozenMiles BridgesPascal SiakamEvan MobleyNikola VucevicKeynote GeorgeTeam 2 - Boston CelticsGiannis AntetokounmpoAnthony DavisSteph CurryJames HardenJaylen BrownCoby WhiteAustin ReavesSharron SharpeCollin SextonDeni AvdijaTeam 3 - New York KnicksNikola JokicDamian LillardKarl-Anthony TownsJa MorantJaren Jackson Jr.Jordan PooleKristaps PorzingisTyrese HaliburtonMichael Porter Jr.De’Andre HunterTeam 4 - Los Angeles LakersLuka DoncicLámelo BallLeBron JamesZach LavineNormal PowellDarius GarlandScottie BarnesJulius RandleBam AdebayoBradley BealTeam 5 - St. Louis HawksAnthony EdwardsDevin BookerVictor WembanyamaDe’Aaron FoxJalen WilliamsJalen GreenAnfernee SimonsCameron JohnsonOG AnonubyImmanuel QuickleyTeam 6 - Detroit PistonsJayson TatumPaolo BancheroTrae YoungJoel EmbiidKawhi LeonardBrandon MillerDesmond BaneJalen JohnsonAndrew WigginsMalik MonkTeam 7 - Philadelphia 76ersKevin DurantJalen BrunsonFranz WagnerTyler HerroJamal MurrayRJ BarrettDomantas SabonisJohn CollinsMikal BridgesDejaunte MurrayTeam 8 - Cincinnati RoyalsTyrese MaxeyCade CunninghamCam ThomasDonovan MitchellTrey Murphy IIICJ McCollumAlperen SengunLauri MarkkanenJaden IveyJimmy ButlerCREDITSRick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voiceJacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC"Horizons" by Roa SPORTS HISTORY NETWORKsportshistorynetwork.comsportshistorynetwork.com/podcasts/basketball-history-101/ FACEBOOKm.facebook.com/Basketball-History-101-103801581493027/ BUSINESS [email protected]