24 hours have passed, and NBA free agency has already accelerated into hyperdrive. — The opening moments of free agency are comparable to Christmas morning for NBA fans. Checking Twitter a few minutes before 12:01 A.M., almost as if you’re opening your gifts early, and then rushing back onto your mobile devices as soon as the clock strikes midnight. …

In a matter of weeks the Pistons’ top-5 record evaporated into thin air. With just a quarter of the season remaining, is there enough time to escape death row? — Dial the clock back to December 1st, and you’ll find the Detroit Pistons at 14–6, sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference. …

Breaking down the intricacies of Isaiah Thomas’ first game in the purple and gold. — It seems like just yesterday Isaiah Thomas was pulling up from 25-feet, and taking handoffs from Al Horford in Celtics’ green. The fact that a fringe MVP candidate from last season has been traded two times in less than six months, is nothing short of absolutely freaking insane. From the…

Utah’s surge has moved them back into the thick of things in the Western Conference playoff race. — Twenty-one days ago the Utah Jazz suffered a gruesome 90–104 loss in Atlanta, dropping them to 19–28 on the season. The loss put them 5-games behind the Denver Nuggets in the loss column for the Western Conference’s 8th seed, and they also had the Los Angeles Clippers blocking their path…

Emeka Okafor’s comeback bid has been a long time coming. — When Emeka Okafor last appeared in an NBA game, LeBron James was looking to lead the Miami Heat to a second straight championship, Donald Sterling was still the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, and the New York Knicks had won over 50 games for the first time since Jeff…

An exception in O’Neale’s contract with BC Zalgiris has allowed him to latch onto Utah’s roster post-summer league, and the move is paying dividends for everyone. — When Royce O’Neale tagged the dotted line in July 2017, no one, aside from maybe Dennis Lindsey, could foresee the contributions that he’s made this season. At the time, O’Neale was (rightly) viewed as nothing more than a depth chart filler. …

After missing the team’s first 36 games, Isaiah Thomas dazzled in his long-awaited season debut. — The King of the 4th is finally back, this time sporting a wine and gold Cleveland Cavaliers jersey. Many still double-take at the sight of Thomas rocking something other than Celtics’ green, but if Thomas felt uncomfortable with his new teammates, he sure didn’t show it. While his return was…

How can the Bucks take another stride coming out of the new year? — 1. Look into a coaching change Through nearly 3 and 1/2 years as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, Jason Kidd has experienced a fair amount of success. He has gone 135–145 , and is on his way to capturing the team’s 3rd playoff appearance in 4 years. …

Dekker, Hezonja, Noel and Okafor are just a few players who have struggled to stick in an NBA rotation. Maybe a new home could set their talents free. — Sam Dekker — Los Angeles Clippers Oddly enough, Dekker made contributions on one of the best teams in the NBA last season. Former coach Mike D’Antoni trusted him off the bench as a 3/4 tweener, giving a depth-deprived unit some much needed lineup flexibility. In just his 2nd year of professional basketball, he’d seemingly found his…