Show Notes
Kostya Medvedovsky, creator of DARKO, joins Nate to explain how his projections work, what we can learn from preseason, and where his team and player evaluations differ from conventional wisdom. They also explore aging curves for the NBA’s veteran stars, the impact of tanking reform, and which player profiles translate best to the playoffs.
0:00 — Introducing Kostya Medvedovsky and DARKO’s player projections and historical ratings.
4:17 — How DARKO weighs career history, recent performance, and garbage time.
7:02 — Sample sizes, shooting percentages, and identifying real improvement.
9:30 — What Summer League and preseason results can tell us about teams and players.
14:46 — Team projections: Houston’s young core and potential for improvement.
17:10 — Boston’s roster through an analytical lens.
20:15 — Philadelphia’s talent, offensive fit, and changing player roles.
23:27 — Miami’s depth and regular-season outlook.
25:15 — Kawhi Leonard’s offensive impact.
28:02 — Aging curves for veteran stars and which skill sets hold up.
33:43 — OG Anunoby and the value of ceiling raisers versus floor raisers.
37:08 — Tanking reform, competitive incentives, and the league’s win distribution.
44:51 — Projecting playoff performance: which player profiles translate best?
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