NBA A to Z with Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt

On this week's NBA A to Z podcast, USA TODAY's Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt talk season-openers between Boston-Cleveland, Houston-Golden State and Gordon Hayward's horrific injury to his left ankle and leg. Plus, Sam and Jeff share details of life on the road.

On today's pod, Sam checks in after returning from covering the NBA pre-season action in China and breaks down all your hoops news with Jeff. Then we listen in to an interview Sam did with Steph Curry while in the far east. Lastly, USA TODAY's Mike Singer joins Jeff for a discussion on rookie extensions and more.

On this week’s NBA A to Z podcast, Sam and Jeff talk national anthem and potential issues for the NBA, Russell Westbrook’s long-term deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dwyane Wade’s decision to join his good friend LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Jeff interviews The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd, who covers the Cavaliers and has a new book out detailing how the Cavs built their championship team.

On this week's NBA A to Z podcast, Sam sits down with the Oklahoma City Thunder's Paul George to talk about his Pacers past, the Thunder present and his free agency future. Jeff and Sam preview this coming season after all the superstar shakeup over the summer.

On this week's NBA A to Z podcast, Insiders Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt break down the free agency period that was highlighted by Gordon Hayward's exit from Utah to Boston, the blockbuster trades of Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler and Paul George, and what's next when it comes to the league-wide attempt to unseat the Golden State Warriors as champs."

On this special edition NBA A to Z podcast, USA TODAY Sports Insider Sam Amick breaks down the Chris Paul trade with Clippers executive vice president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. How did the trade with the Houston Rockets go down? What does life look like after Paul for the Clippers? How confident is he that free agent Blake Griffin will re-sign? Frank, who works with Doc Rivers and Jerry West and others in the Clippers' front office, dissects it all. "

On this week's NBA A to Z podcast, Insider Sam Amick talks with Houston Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni about the Chris Paul trade that shook the NBA. The former Clippers star will be joining forces with the Rockets' James Harden next season, and D'Antoni sheds light on how he'll make it all work and how - like so many other teams - Houston plans on gaining ground on the Golden State Warriors.

On this week's NBA A to Z pod, USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick talks with Clippers guard and three-time Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford about the draft (he's close friends with prospective No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz), free agency (his Clippers have some of the biggest in Chris Paul and Blake Griffin) and why he takes so much pride in the Seattle roots that have continued to grow during his career.

On this week's NBA A to Z podcast, USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt break down the three-match in the Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Sam talks to the longtime trainer for Warriors star Stephen Curry, Brandon Payne of Accelerate Basketball in Charlotte N.C.

On this week's NBA A to Z podcast, we help pass the pre-Finals time with two very different interviews. NBA Insider Sam Amick talks to Oklahoma City Thunder forward Enes Kanter about his harrowing reality right now. The 25-year-old from Turkey was detained at an airport in Romania recently and held for several hours because of - as he sees it - his outspoken views about Turkish president Recep Erdogan. His situation has shed light on the troubling situation in Turkey, with Kanter having been split from his parents back home for the last two years as a result and facing the constant fear of death threats.

On a much lighter note, fellow NBA scribe Jeff Zillgitt talks to Father John Misty drummer/NBA fan Dan Bailey about the playoffs and his addiction to hoops.