Category: News

After many rumors, it’s official: Travis Scott’s planned concert at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza is canceled, per a statement from Live Nation Middle East.

The statement shared today (July 26) starts, “We regret to inform you that the UTOPIA show, originally scheduled for July 28th at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt is cancelled. Unfortunately, despite highest efforts, complex production issues meant that the show could not be constructed in the desert. We understand that this news is disappointing and not the outcome any of us desired.”

It concludes, “Refunds will be issued to all ticket holders at their point of purchase. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this cancellation may have caused and appreciate your understanding. We remain committed to bringing exceptional live performances to fans and hope to have the opportunity to do so in the future.”

The news follows reports that cultural concerns from the Egyptian Musicians’ Syndicate forced the Scott show to be canceled, with a statement from the group reading in part, “After examining social media opinions and feedback, as well as the news circulating on search engines and social media platforms, which included authenticated images and information about peculiar rituals performed by the star during his performance, contradicting our authentic societal values and traditions, the Syndicate’s president and board of directors have decided to cancel the license issued for hosting this type of concert, which goes against the cultural identity of the Egyptian people.”

Live Nation said in response at the time, “There have been no changes to Travis Scott’s show in Egypt; any reports to the contrary are false. We can’t wait to celebrate ‘Utopia’ with you in Egypt!”

Now, though, the show has indeed been canceled. There were reports earlier this week that Scott’s team was looking to find another venue for the show, but it’s not clear if that remains, or ever was, the case.

It makes some sense why, in Talk to Me – the new A24 horror film coming out this weekend by twin brothers Danny And Michael Philippou – a group of rambunctious young people would be so gung ho to let demons possess their bodies. Normally, even in horror movies, people don’t like that, as opposed to willingly letting it happen. (Though Ghost is a notable exception, but then again in that case we’re talking about Patrick Swayze.) You see, there’s this evil statue of a hand. If a person grabs the hand and says, “Talk to me,” a ghoul appears in front of the person. Next, the person has the option of letting the ghoul possess their body, which seems, from the get-go, a pretty bad idea.

The reason it makes at least some sense is both Danny And Michael Philippou (these are two very spirited fellows) made their bones with YouTube videos and, yes, at one time owned a YouTube house. If you are the kind of person who would willingly live in a YouTube house and, as the Philippous say, love attention, then, yes, I could see the hand being a pretty popular thing to do. Though, in the film, if you let the ghost possess you for over three minutes, there are repercussions, as Mia (Sophie Wilde) finds out the hard way as she is now haunted by visions even without touching the hand.

Ahead, Danny And Michael Philippou (did I mention how spirited these two are?) try to convince me that if I were at one of their parties I would touch the hand. I concede, yeah, maybe, but once I see a ghoul I’m not ever letting that thing inside me and that would be it. They didn’t believe me.

Danny: What are those posters you got behind you?

Michael: Is that La La Land on the right?

It is. It’s hanging up because I got quoted on it.

Michael: What’s the quote? What’s the quote?

“Glorious.”

Danny: [Laughs] How awesome.

So it’s all about my ego.

Danny: What about the one next to it? Did you get quoted on that one?

Well, that is a movie called Manhattan Cocktail and it came out in 1928, so I did not get quoted for that. By the way, it’s a lost movie. It doesn’t exist anymore.

Michael: Oh, really? Wow.

Okay, so your movie … you know what I thought after watching it? It’s just kids having fun.

Danny: Until it gets messy.

These kids wanted to show themselves a nice time.

Danny: That’s a beautiful way to view it.

So, usually in horror movies, people do not want to get possessed.

Danny: Man. I think that this generation would do The Hand if it existed. I think I would do The Hand if it existed…

To be fair, you both lived in a YouTube house. So I do believe you both would definitely do this, but there’s a large segment of society who do not want to live in a YouTube house as well.

Michael: Yeah, that’s the thing. I guess our take, if this was real, that’s what would be happening with people that we know. It’s just the world that we grew up.

Danny: If you look up Ouija board on TikTok, you’ll see kids just wanting to get possessed and doing that Ouija board…

But we all know that’s fake. This thing’s real. You see the monster. You don’t see anything with the Ouija board.

Michael: Back in the day, it used to be, “Don’t walk into the dark forest. Don’t do this horrific thing.” Now it’s, “Do it and film yourself doing it.” It’s this attention-seeking culture that we’re a part of. It’s anything to get attention: positive or negative. But young people haven’t built in their minds, some of them, what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s what gets seen. And that’s a big part of it.

Danny: Even people staying in haunted rooms, or are signing up for haunted experiences, or going on the tracks where serial killers murdered all these people, or obsessing over true crime – there is a morbid obsession with today’s society.

Michael: And doing it safely. I think that these kids, in their minds, are doing it safely. Because it’s like, “You have other people that can pull The Hand off. We’re going to time it.” You’re not scared and by yourself. You’re going to be looked after. And they’ve got a set of rules that they think works.

But I think once I see the grizzly monster right in front of me, well, I’ve had enough. I’m not going to let this thing inside me. I’m going to bow out gracefully here.

Michael: I’d be the same. I’d wait to connect with the spirit I want to let in. One that looks nice.

Danny: “Yeah that one looks nice, maybe I’ll let them in.” I feel like I’d do The Hand with a very close group of friends that I trust entirely. And I wanted to capture that, falling a victim to your vices a little bit. And throughout that film at those possession parties, every party, it dwindles, and it gets more and more sad and more and more lonely.

Michael: It starts off big, and then you see as the film goes on, the party’s getting smaller and smaller.

Danny: I think that the case of alcohol and drugs? It can be the case. Someone that gets addicted to those things.

To be fair, in Ghost, Whoopi Goldberg allows herself to be possessed.

Danny: Oh my God! That movie is so fun. I only watched that recently. It’s awesome.

I’ll admit, if I touch The Hand and Patrick Swayze is in front of me, yeah, I’d probably be like, sure, come on in.

Danny: Oh my God. She should have kissed Whoopi Goldberg. It should have been Whoopi Goldberg for that scene. It would’ve been phenomenal.

So you’d let in the grizzly monster? You would both do that? Or you’d only do it if it’s Sam Wheat?

Michael: I’d do it if it were Mike Ryan, I’d probably let him in.

Say no. You don’t want anything to do with what’s going on up here. Say no to that one.

Danny: Also, important for us as well, is that each of the demons that the kids are connecting to are connecting and drawn to their emotions and everything as well. So both your mental states are the same, that’s why you’re drawn to Michael’s physical being.

Living in a YouTube house, is that where an idea like this comes from? Like, what’s a crazy thing we could all do together that would get views?

Danny: The main inspiration for this were these neighbors that we watched grow up. And as one of these kids was growing up, he was experimenting with drugs for the first time, and he was convulsing on the floor and having a really negative reaction. And all the kids that he was with, no one went to help him. Everyone was filming him and laughing. And that clip was going around on Snapchat and I remember seeing that footage and it really bothered me. I’m so surprised that the reaction to this really horrifying reaction was literally just laughing, pointing, and stuffing his face. And he was on the floor! His eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head and people were shooting it. That just seems to speak to today’s generation a little bit. Not that I’m saying that social media is all bad. I don’t at all, because I think there are positives and negatives to almost all those things … You would do The Hand. You would do The Hand, my friend.

I said I would do The Hand. But once I saw the creature that would be it for me.

Michael: It’s the same with drinking. Imagine your alcohol had a face. It was like, it’s happy or sad. You’re like, “If it’s happy, I’ll drink it.” But if it’s sad you’re not going.

I did want to ask, a lot of people who get their start on YouTube and social media are still quite satisfied there and have huge followings. Was it you wanted more than that?

Michael: It’s been our dream since we were little kids. Film and television’s always been our overall goal. And when growing up, we didn’t want to be YouTubers. That was never a thing. We wanted to be filmmakers. YouTube we just fell into. So it was so quick to gain traction and all so much fun and you see progress straight away. You see subscribers.

You get immediate satisfaction.

Michael: Yeah, you can make stuff and then it gets seen straight away. With a script it’s not like that. It’s a lot of long nights – long sad nights by yourself writing. I mean, Danny is a depressed fool when he is writing. You don’t get that instant validation. And it takes time. It takes a lot more time. But it’s a long-term form.

Danny: It’s more rewarding! I feel that going on set, it was the most overstimulating experience: writing, casting, directing, editing. That whole entire experience of collaborating with all these masters of their craft and everyone putting all their creative energies into this one big product, is the most incredible feeling in the world.

‘Talk To Me’ opens in theaters this weekend. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

A little over a year after Mitski’s last album, she is welcoming fans into a new realm. Today, she dropped the lead single, “Bug Like An Angel,” from her next record, The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We.

“Did you go and make promises you can’t keep? / Well, when you break them / They break you right back / Amateur mistake / You can take it from me / They break you right back,” she points out.

Still, through the darkness, Mitski includes a somewhat lighter touch to the song, as a choir joins in — and also appears in the music video. Directed by Noel Paul, it visualizes the song’s themes of self-destruction as an older woman is intoxicated outside of a bar.

“As I got older / I learned I’m a drinker / Sometimes a drink feels like family,” Mitski sings, with the choir emphasizing “family.”

A few days ago, Mitski left a message for fans to announce the record, part of which was recorded at Nashville’s Bomb Shelter studios. According to a press release, the band recorded live together, and there is the presence of an arranged orchestra on the album.

Check out Mitski’s “Bug Like An Angel” above. Continue scrolling for the cover art and tracklist.

1. “Bug Like An Angel”
2. “Buffalo Replaced”
3. “Heaven”
4. “I Donʼt Like My Mind”
5. “The Deal”
6. “When Memories Snow”
7. “My Love Mine All Mine”
8. “The Frost”
9. “Star”
10. “Iʼm Your Man”
11. “I Love Me Aer You”

The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We is out 9/15 via Dead Oceans. Find more information here.

The Atlanta Hawks entered this offseason coming off of a second straight first round exit, but this year there is far more optimism after pushing Boston to six games and feeling like there is something to build off of.

This will be Quin Snyder’s first offseason as head coach of the Hawks, after he signed on midseason following the firing of Nate McMillan. After their playoff series, star guard Trae Young expressed his excitement about what Snyder was going to bring the team with a full offseason to install his system, as the Hawks look to avoid the Play-In this coming season. If they’re to do so, they’ll have to see some internal improvement under Snyder, as — as of now — there aren’t any major changes being made to the roster.

Atlanta had a fairly quiet offseason, making one major trade and, otherwise, only making additions via the Draft. Here, we’ll take stock of their summer so far, handing out grades for their Draft, free agency signings and contract extensions, and work on the trade market.

Draft: A-

The Hawks brought in three players via the Draft, with Kobe Bufkin as their first round selection and then adding Mouhamed Gueye and Seth Lundy in the second round. Bufkin and Gueye signed 4-year rookie deals to join the main roster, while Lundy signed a two-way contract. The Bufkin and Gueye picks were both well received, with our Brad Rowland giving Atlanta an A- for the Bufkin pick, explaining the grade as follows.

Bufkin is a very strong pick for the Hawks. He checks a lot of boxes on both ends of the floor with shooting guard size and point guard skills. Bufkin has strong basketball feel and he is already a quality defender that could continue to improve as he gets stronger.

Bolstering their point guard rotation and adding another young big made for a solid draft night, as the Hawks did well to seemingly maximize pick value.

Free Agency/Extensions: B

The Hawks haven’t signed any free agents this summer, which is rather incredible, but this was a team that came into the offseason without any real departures from their rotation. While they’ve been active in the trade market (both in discussions and deals getting done), they were never going to do much when it came to free agency.

There was one major contract decision for the Hawks to make, and that was whether to give a 4-year, $120 million contract extension to Dejounte Murray (the max they could offer this summer). They did and Murray accepted, as he got the big long-term deal he was seeking without having to be concerned about the free agent market next summer. Given what we saw this year with some free agents getting squeezed, it’s hard to blame him even if he very well could’ve gotten a bigger deal on the open market. For the Hawks, they’re now committed to the Murray-Young backcourt after some rumblings Murray was a part of trade talks early in the summer, but get Murray at a potential discount by locking him up on an extension now rather than waiting another year — and don’t have to worry about the possibility of losing him in free agency after trading so many draft picks to keep him around.

Trades: D+

After years of trying to move John Collins but balking at the offers from other teams, the Hawks finally sent him to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Rudy Gay and a second round pick. It was far less value than Collins’ production deserves in return in a vacuum, but considering how much is left on his contract (three years, $78 million remaining), how he was coming off the least productive season of his career, and the lack of teams with cap room this summer, there weren’t a lot of options. We have grown accustomed to the Hawks making moves to dodge the tax in recent years, but doing so and selling low is particularly bad and it’d be hard to sell lower on Collins than this summer.

They did do well in taking advantage of the Rockets’ haste to create more room for their pursuit of Brook Lopez by bringing in Usman Garuba and TyTy Washington, who they flipped alongside Gay for Patty Mills in a deal with the Thunder. Mills gives them a veteran guard who can shoot for their bench rotation, but how much he can help them is a question mark as he enters his 15th season in the league and is coming off a season in Brooklyn where he was used sparingly.

There is, of course, a chance the Hawks make another splash in the trade market and change their grade, as there are still rumblings of interest in Pascal Siakam amid their very public efforts to trade De’Andre Hunter. However, for now, they’ve not done particularly well, entirely because of the Collins trade made too late.

As Donald Trump continues to face a mounting barrage of indictments and lawsuits, reports have painted Melania Trump as largely indifferent to her husband’s legal troubles. The former First Lady has maintained a low public profile and is only occasionally seen with Trump at Mar-a-Lago where she reportedly lives in a separate area with her parents and son Barron.

However, a new report claims Melania’s involvement in Trumpworld is not as minimal as it seems. According to The New York Times, Melania has remained “defensive of her husband” and “deeply distrustful of the mainstream media.” (She’s reportedly an avid reader of the Daily Mail, which noted Never Trumper Meghan McCain is probably thrilled to know.)

More damningly, Melania is reportedly “skeptical” of the E. Jean Carroll accusations and “livid” with Trump’s legal team for losing the court case that found her husband liable for sexual abuse and defamation:

When Mrs. Trump saw coverage of her husband’s deposition in the case, she was livid at his legal team for failing to do more to raise objections. She has also privately questioned why Ms. Carroll could not recall the precise date of the alleged assault.

In another surprising twist, sources close to Melania also claim that she’s become increasingly receptive to a second term in the White House and has been paying close attention to Casey DeSantis’ activities on the campaign trail. However, Melania has yet to join her husband at rallies despite his repeated requests.

(Via The New York Times)

Barbenheimer went from a meme to a movement to a celebration of movies with the power of 1,000 Nicole Kidman AMC ads. In a world painted gray by the overuse of phrases like iconic, culture-defining, and earth-shaking, this phenomenon was actually all of the above. And it got that money, too. But will Barbenheimer’s success be studied like a new playbook or shaken off as a once-in-a-blue-moon perfect storm?

Let me start by saying I don’t participate in box office discourse, I endure it. Quickly assigning badges like “blockbuster” and “bomb” makes movies less accessible by telling an incomplete story about their actual quality. It also taints the overall conversation as debates over art and meaning give way to talk about franchise viability.

Some fans pay so much attention to box office returns that you’d think they’re getting points on the backend. It weirds me out. But Barbie and Oppenheimer combining to make approximately $240M through their opening weekend in the US (over $400 million worldwide) is undeniably interesting and worth comment. Especially when compared to the rather middling performances of this summer’s most anticipated tentpoles – The Flash, Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny, and Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1.

Those films collectively, represent a popular path that’s all about an assumption (somewhat undone by Barbenheimer) that there is only safety in franchises and in what is known, such as the 5th Indiana Jones, the 7th Mission Impossible, and the umpteenth DCEU movie. (I could have gone back and counted, but haven’t those films taken enough of my time?)

This is also why we get so many Marvel and Star Wars shows and movies every year: familiarity, but it’s starting to come at a risk. Like, people still get up for these projects, but the excitement and cultural conversation dominance are palpably lighter. The whys are myriad and subjective, but one thing is, as a Marvel and Star Wars fan, I might need to track 40-50 hours of entertainment each year to stay engaged with those two separate worlds. This is at a time when it feels like other “prestige” shows are cutting their episode counts or ending altogether after shorter-than-typical runs. Comparatively, Marvel and Star Wars fandom can feel like an obligation. A fun one, often, but an obligation all the same.

I think studios sense this. Despite critical hyperbole, they aren’t actually churning out carbon copies, it’s more like variations on the same. Big, explosive, CGI-powered variations on the same that expand ideas. It’s simple Hollywood math: the sequel to the sequel’s sequel must be 4X bigger than the original or what are we even doing here and why are we spending $400 million and don’t we have to spend that if we want to make a billion and don’t we HAVE to make a billion? It’s kind of desensitizing and it’s definitely exhausting.

It’s not that people don’t want to see familiar characters in slightly remixed scenarios, it’s that the urgency might just be capped because of the sheer volume of prompts every year to do exactly that with another familiar franchise. You can’t feel FOMO when it’s all a bit “been there done that.”

A movie about a doll with fading relevancy and a 3-hour historical epic about a weapon to end a war waged by our grandparents and great-grandparents. By those descriptions, Barbie and Oppenheimer weren’t supposed to capture broad audiences and crush at the box office. And yet.

It was almost immediately clear from the first images and footage that these films would be ambitious, specific, smart, well-acted, and the product of letting two tremendous filmmakers (Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan) cook. Barbie and Oppenheimer were fresh and unlike other things on the summer slate, and so originality and the promise of a good time became their own kind of must-see spectacle. Still, no one predicted the two films would combine to break records and unify fans, creating a celebratory moment of culture and commerce that we have rarely seen.

I’m sure, in some circles, this is all a little terrifying. A lot of people in the entertainment industry justify their existence by knowing the future before it happens when it comes to what audiences will and won’t gravitate toward. But this is why we play the game, and now we have new data that, hopefully, points toward betting on creative vision more and maybe letting off the gas a little when it comes to franchise golden geese before exhaustion settles in.

The audience is out there, money in hand, begging for more (that doesn’t necessarily mean Barbie 2 or the Adventures Of Young Oppenheimer). We’re ready to embrace more unicorn films like Barbie and Oppenheimer (and They Cloned Tyrone, which was the #1 streamed film on Netflix this weekend and an utterly fantastic, imaginative, and clever sci-fi social satire). Evidence is mounting that we’re verifiably less inclined to care about paint-by-numbers products pumped out by computers (or unambitious humans) that just repurpose and re-order pre-existing words and ideas, rarely challenging or respecting us.

Studios should remember all of this, especially in this tense moment as they consider the impact of the ongoing stalemate with the writers and actors that is, at least in part, about leaning into AI tech that would create that kind of cookie-cutter content. The resulting rationing of films and scuttling of positive momentum for the industry does not one any good in the short or long term. Because it’s not just about lost dollars, it’s about lost relevancy and enthusiasm, which are harder to recover.

Can you remember the last time there was this much excitement and joy about movies? It’s like there’s a shady figure just out of view sneaking up on all of us to drag us back down to the dregs of empty theaters and boring weekends. I hope someone does something about it. If we avoid calamity, we may have Barbenheimer to thank.

(Spoilers from The Walking Dead will be found below.)

A new teaser for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (starring Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira as Rick and Michonne) actually looks much better than I imagined it would look, given the lovey, dovey vibe stressed in initial promo images. This spinoff should arrive sometime in 2024, following the success of Dead City and the upcoming Daryl In Paris, both of which have already been renewed for second seasons.

However, we almost wouldn’t have received a Rick Grimes spinoff at all, or even much of Rick, if co-creator Robert Kirkman had originally gotten his way. Unlike with the comics (his own comics, mind you), Kirkman initially thought it would be amazing to make Rick bite the dust on TV. This obviously didn’t happen, and I am further convinced that Rick Grimes cannot be killed. I mean, he somehow survived the below scenario and kept living after un-impaling himself, no less, albeit with the wrong kind of help.

We were nearly deprived of this moment, too! Still, yeah, Kirkman admitted (during this past weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con) that he was a “lunatic” who wanted to kill off a beloved (although bad-decision-making) character. Via Entertainment Weekly:

“With Walking Dead, I was much younger and much more reckless,” Kirkman told the audience. “I was an absolute lunatic. I would get in the writers’ room and be like, ‘Kill Rick Grimes today! I don’t care! It’ll be funny! People will freak out, and it’ll be fun!’ The writers were like, ‘Robert, you’re crazy. We can’t do that.’ But any time there were big changes in The Walking Dead, that’s what excited me.”

I do wonder, though, how Kirkman wanted to do it. That first horse scene would have been the funniest in retrospect, but the entire trajectory of the show would have been altered. Who would we have seen Jon Bernthal’s character go nuts with jealousy against, after all? That had to happen, as did the flashbacks of their once-wonderful friendship. Yet it seems that someone talked Kirkman off that story ledge, and over a decade later, we’re about to see Rick Grimes and Michonne return with their own show (I hope she saves his ass several times) within the next year.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

A New York drug dealer connected to the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams received a two-year prison sentence on Tuesday after both The Wire creator David Simon and Williams’ nephew petitioned the court for leniency.

Carlos Macci was looking at 20 years in prison after being connected to the drug crew that sold Williams the fatal dose. Unlike fellow dealer Irvin “Green Eyes” Cartagena, Macci was not directly charged with Williams’ death, but he was still looking at significant jail time. In a letter to the court, Simon argued that Williams would’ve been opposed to the lengthy sentence.

Via Associated Press:

“I miss my friend,” he wrote. “But I know that Michael would look upon the undone and desolate life of Mr. Macci and know two things with certainty: First, that it was Michael who bears the fuller responsibility for what happened. And second, no possible good can come from incarcerating a 71-year-old soul, largely illiterate, who has himself struggled with a lifetime of addiction.”

Williams’ nephew Dominic Dupont, who was extremely close to the actor, also asked the court for leniency. Dupont told the judge that he sympathized with Macci’s plight and believed he could turn his life around.

“It weighs heavy on me to see someone be in a situation he’s in,” Dupont said. “I understand what it is to be system impacted.”

(Via Associated Press)

Ice Spice is one of the most strategic acts in the game right now — both on and off the mic. As she is adjusting to stardom, she’s come up with special ways to maintain her sanity while on the go.

In an interview with British Vogue, she revealed the things she likes to keep in her pink Chanel bag — including some handy garments.

“I always keep a pantie on me,” Ice said. “The baddies that get it, get it. All my panties are pink. I always keep a pantie because like, you just be having to change your panties.”

There was no shortage of pink accessories in her purse, in addition to the underwear. Ice likes to keep pink lip gloss, which she said she’s been wearing since she was in high school. She also carries a pink wallet, as she admits she has a spending habit.

But there’s one thing for sure that Ice can’t leave home without.

“The most essential thing a musician should have in their bag — earphones,” said Ice. “That way, you can, like, listen to beats [and] jot down some lyrics.”

She specifically noted that she prefers wired headphones, as Bluetooth headphones often have a lag with the sound.

You can watch the full interview above.

When the In-Season Tournament sprouted as an idea, a major discussion point was why players and teams should care about playing for a trophy not named after Larry O’Brien. What would incentivize players to play harder or teams to strategize for a random collection of games in the middle of the season?

The NBA decided against awarding a playoff spot, a draft pick, or funky salary cap incentives and decided a cash prize and a trip to Vegas in December would suffice. It’s difficult to imagine LeBron James or Steph Curry coveting the $500,000 cash prize, but that’s a nice chunk of change for a player on the minimum or a rookie-scale contract. Teams may also find extra incentive in having games early in the season where the competition level cranks up a half-notch. For example, in the knockout round, a team could test drive a young player to see if they’re ready for the bright lights in May and June. A team with little playoff experience or roster cohesion could fine tune their playoff rotation. The tournament could serve as a sandbox for the league’s most creative coaches. Somewhere Nick Nurse is dreaming about the gnarliest defensive scheme he could deploy in a single elimination tournament.

The Play-In Tournament has provided some highly entertaining and competitive games, but the Play-In is just a ticket for the real playoffs. The In-Season Tournament presents an opportunity for both teams and players to add something to their resumes. As the years go by, In-Season Tournament accolades will slowly drip into the discourse about a player, team, or coach. There will be an iconic In-Season Tournament performance or a championship game disaster. The single elimination format provides an opportunity for teams at the margins to take center stage. Only a handful of teams are title contenders each year, but in theory, any team can string together eight games and win the tournament. That opportunity will be especially meaningful to teams on the outside looking in. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few teams who should really value the In-Season Tournament.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder are transitioning out of the Sam Presti draft pick ponzi scheme into a promising young team loaded with talent. OKC probably isn’t ready for a deep playoff run, but with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the bevy of young playmakers around him, they’re poised to upset any team in a single elimination game. The tournament also gives head coach Mark Daigneault an opportunity to sort out his rotation. OKC currently suffers from their own success and Sam Presti’s addiction to making trades. They have 21 legitimate NBA players on their roster and will be forced to cut that down to 15 by the end of camp. Even after the roster cuts, dispersing minutes amongst all of OKC’s promising young players will be next to impossible. Who Daigneault chooses to play in deciding games could forecast which OKC youngsters will be around for the long haul.

Charlotte Hornets

Can you name the biggest moment in Hornets history? I certainly cannot. The franchise has never made the conference finals, and since the team was revived in Charlotte back in 2004, they have not won a playoff series. A run in the In-Season Tournament would mean a lot to a franchise like that. They would certainly hang a banner for a tournament win and it’s the kind of accomplishment that would mean more to them than many of the league’s title contenders. There could be no better way to initiate the In-Season Tournament than LaVar Ball standing next to LaMelo on the championship podium. That’s what the tournament should be all about.

Phoenix Suns

Is a weekend trip to Vegas enough to entice DeAndre Ayton into playing hard during the tournament? That’s one of many questions that will be facing this experimental Suns roster this season. The tournament could provide an early look at the role players surrounding the core four players in a competitive environment. Despite Devin Booker turning into a human flamethrower last season, Phoenix couldn’t overcome the shoddy shooting from their role players. The Bradley Beal introduction and new cast of role players will bring many questions for Phoenix, and the tournament may provide an early trial run to seek out some answers.

Sacramento Kings

Sacramento sprung back into relevancy last season through the sublime clutch play of De’Aaron Fox and the power of the beam. With a loaded Western Conference, there’s an expectation that Kings will regress a bit this season, but they’ll be eager to prove last year’s run to the 3-seed wasn’t a fluke. For Sacramento, the tournament provides an opportunity to define themselves as the league’s best up and coming team. Additionally, there is no better environment for a single elimination game than the Golden One Center. Hopefully the beam shines a little brighter for a In-Season Tournament win.

Los Angeles Lakers

There is no basketball argument for this. LeBron James does not need the In-Season Tournament for his legacy or to even challenge himself. The Lakers proved last year they could make a playoff run with very little roster cohesion. However, the Lakers winning the In-Season Tournament would send Laker fans into a frenzy. They would never stop talking about it (at least until the actual playoffs started). Every talk show endlessly discussing the meaning of the tournament. Eventually someone, somewhere, would say that Michael Jordan never won the In-Season Tournament. Maybe the Lakers even hang a baby banner. If Adam Silver wants the tournament to become a huge thing, this is the outcome that gets the most people talking.