defector-orange-no-empty-space

lede_post_card_default

lede_post_card_stacked

lede_post_card_featured_post

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero

lede_post_card_featured_posts_sidebar

lede_post_card_highlighted_post

lede_post_card_horizontal_a

lede_post_card_horizontal_c

lede_post_card_related_post

lede_article_featured_16x9

lede_article_featured_3x2

lede_article_featured_flexible

lede_article_content

lede_article_content_wide_width

lede_article_content_full_width

lede_byline_avatar_post_card

lede_byline_avatar_highlight

lede_profile_coral_avatar

lede_logo

lede_logo_banner

lede_logo_footer_banner

lede_logo_simple_header

lede_sponsorship_logo

lede_sponsorship_logo_river_card

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card_logo

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card

Footer Legal

Header - Categories

Header Menu

The last good website.

Topics

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

defector-no-empty-space

Defector

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

back-in-stock-for-a-limited-time

Merch v3

headshot1

Patrick Redford

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 15: Bobby Portis #9 of the Milwaukee Bucks walks backcourt during a game against the Orlando Magic at Fiserv Forum on January 15, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Orlando Magic v Milwaukee Bucks

Bobby Portis’s Big Suspension Is Ruinous Bullshit

Sir John Falstaff On A Visit To His Friend Page, At Windsor. From The Merry Wives Of Windsor, By William Shakespeare. Drawn And Etched By George Cruikshank. From The Illustrated Library Shakspeare, Published London 1890. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Sir John Falstaff On A Visit To His Friend Page

Interviews

Jeremy Gordon On Grief, Connection, And His Novel ‘See Friendship’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Luka Doncic #77 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during the fourth quarter of a game against the Indiana Pacers at Crypto.com Arena on February 08, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Indiana Pacers v Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron And Luka Will Have To Make A Weird, Compromised Roster Work

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 31: Majority owner Glen Taylor of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on prior to the start of the game against the Chicago Bulls at Target Center on March 31, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Chicago Bulls v Minnesota Timberwolves

The Ridiculous Timberwolves Ownership Saga’s End Is In Sight

Screenshot 2025-02-11 at 10.05.31 AM

Capital

For Sale: The End, And The Means To Wait For It

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 03: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles and Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs chat on stage during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night at Caesars Superdome on February 03, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Super Bowl LIX Opening Night

This Is So Stupid

What Time Does “What Time Does The Super Bowl Start?” Start?

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 02: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers stands next to Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter in game one of the Western Conference Semifinal Playoffs at Chase Center on May 02, 2023 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors – Game One

Everyone Thinks They Have A Shot

image0 (5)

Israel Daramola

Image from iOS (36)

Luis Paez-Pumar

IMG_3819

Tom Ley

Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during The Pop Out – Ken &amp; Friends Presented by pgLang and Free Lunch at The Kia Forum on June 19, 2024 in Inglewood, California.

The Pop Out ‚Äì Ken & Friends Presented by pgLang and Free Lunch

Defector Music Club

Defector Music Club Travels Back To M.A.A.D City

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings go for a rebound in the first half at Golden 1 Center on December 01, 2024 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

San Antonio Spurs v Sacramento Kings

The De’Aaron Fox Trade Is A Bet On Victor Wembanyama

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 31: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons looks to drive around Olivier-Maxence Prosper #8 of the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at Little Caesars Arena on January 31, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit won the game 117-102. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Dallas Mavericks v Detroit Pistons

Cade Cunningham Will Beat You Up

A stock graph shows the value of the $TRUMP meme coin displayed on a mobile screen in this photo illustration in Brussels, Belgium, on January 19, 2025. (Photo by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto)

Super $Trump Meme Coin – Photo Illustration

Politics

Donald Trump Has Finally Come Up With A Use Case For Crypto

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JANUARY 16: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers attempts to drive past Cason Wallace #22 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at Paycom Center on January 16, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

Cleveland Cavaliers v Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder Articulate A Philosophy Of Pressure

SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 15: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies tries to dunk over Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Frost Bank Center on January 15, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

Memphis Grizzlies v San Antonio Spurs

Ja Morant Summited Mount Wembanyama

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 13: Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets shoots the ball against Zach Edey #14 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half at Toyota Center on January 13, 2025 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Memphis Grizzlies v Houston Rockets

The Basketball Is Really Good Right Now

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 10: Head coach Doug Christie of the Sacramento Kings reacts during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on January 10, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings v Boston Celtics

Doug Christie Gives The Surprising Kings The Freedom To Be Good

TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 3: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic leaves the court following the NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on January 3, 2025 in Toronto, Canada.

Orlando Magic v Toronto Raptors

Injury Luck Is All About Timing

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 7: Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a home on January 7, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images)

Powerful Winds Fuel Multiple Fires Across Los Angeles Area

Climate

The Future Of Fire Cannot Look Like Its Present

A black-and-white image of some nerds doing computing and codebreaking at an IBM 7090 Data Processing System in the early 1960s.

cryptography

Journalismism

One Weird And Unusual Trick To Deciphering And Decoding A Josina Anderson Report Or News Item

parkcity

The Logic Of Private Equity Explains The Park City Ski Patrol Strike

MIAMI, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 12: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat looks on against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Kaseya Center on December 12, 2024 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Toronto Raptors v Miami Heat

The Jimmy Butler Fiasco Is Getting Ugly

An Iranian rock climber scaling a climbing wall in Tehran.

Iran-Youths, First Stage Of The Boulder Cup Rock Climbing League

Life Lessons

How Do You Win When You Compete With Yourself?

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 16: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the second half at Golden 1 Center on December 16, 2024 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Denver Nuggets v Sacramento Kings

It Feels So Over In Sacramento

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 25: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs battle for a rebound during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden on December 25, 2024 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

San Antonio Spurs v New York Knicks

Victor Wembanyama Crafted A Fittingly Weird Christmas Masterpiece

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

rachelle-hampton-headshot

Rachelle Hampton

IMG_5859

Giri Nathan

VictorPortraitWClaw

David Roth

Firefighters wash up after fighting the O'Brien Creek fire. Lolo national Forest, Montana, August 21, 1940.