Author Archives: finleyk24

How Sam Merrill and Isaiah Joe Are Redefining the Three-Point Specialist Role

Sam Merrill is playing the best ball of his career this season. He’s averaging 13.4 points and 2.2 assists while shooting an absurd 47.4% from three on 7.3 attempts per game. The former 60th overall pick has become indispensable for the Cavaliers, regularly appearing in the starting lineup. Cleveland is 7.2 points per 100 possessionsContinue reading “How Sam Merrill and Isaiah Joe Are Redefining the Three-Point Specialist Role”

Cam Thomas, Moneyball and the Joy of Unwavering Fandom

Jon Horst is a fascinating fella. The moves he makes always seem to come out of left field. He works in silence and almost never does what’s obvious. You have to tip your cap to the guy, because the swings he takes have resulted in a championship, but also, more importantly, Giannis Antetokounmpo sticking aroundContinue reading “Cam Thomas, Moneyball and the Joy of Unwavering Fandom”

Jase Richardson Just Sneakily Won the Trade Deadline

The 2026 NBA trade deadline was full of activity and surprises and could go down as one of the most exciting ones in recent memory. Winners and losers of the deadline will be the talk of the town in the coming days. Which teams made the best and worst moves? Which players will succeed orContinue reading “Jase Richardson Just Sneakily Won the Trade Deadline”

2025-26 Bench Mob All-Stars

Bench Mob Blog’s core mission has always been to show love to the unknown players whose stories and impact go unnoticed by the average fan. That’s why the Bench Mob All-Star tradition was created back in 2022. This is a tribute to the NBA’s best end-of-bench ballers, guys who have been making names for themselvesContinue reading “2025-26 Bench Mob All-Stars”

The Heat Did It Again With Pelle Larsson

Every year, it feels like the Miami Heat unearth another second-round or undrafted gem. Their scouting department is the stuff of legends. Their work on the margins has been instrumental in their continued prosperity as an organization— they even made a Finals run on the backs of Caleb Martin, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent (well,Continue reading “The Heat Did It Again With Pelle Larsson”

5 Margin Moves That Would Make a Difference at the 2026 Trade Deadline

It doesn’t really feel like it, but NBA trade season is upon us. Usually, multiple deals would have happened by this point of the season, but we’ve only seen Trae Young moved so far. That said, with the East being wide open and the West being tightly contested, many teams will surely be looking forContinue reading “5 Margin Moves That Would Make a Difference at the 2026 Trade Deadline”

Thoughts on the Trae Young Trade

Welp, that didn’t take long. Two days after his initial trade request and just hours after the announcement of his preferred destination, Trae Young was traded to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. For such a star-studded deal, there isn’t a lot of shock factor here. After all, Young didContinue reading “Thoughts on the Trae Young Trade”

Is This the End for Tyler Smith?

Tyler Smith, the 33rd pick in the 2024 NBA draft, was waived from his two-way contract with the Houston Rockets yesterday. This is the second time Smith has been cut this season; the Bucks, the team who drafted him, let him go in the process of trimming their roster after training camp. The young forwardContinue reading “Is This the End for Tyler Smith?”

5 G League Winter Showcase Standouts Who Deserve an NBA Opportunity

The G League’s annual Winter Showcase just wrapped up, with the Salt Lake City Stars winning the tournament championship (shoutout John Tonje, Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit). In the Showcase, players have the opportunity to display their talents in front of scouts and front office personnel from all 30 NBA teams. Several showcase standouts alreadyContinue reading “5 G League Winter Showcase Standouts Who Deserve an NBA Opportunity”