1 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:18,199 What is crack a lack in Hardwood Knox listeners, I am Damn Valley coming 2 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:24,000 at you with another solo podcast and then opening monologue or eight on deck. 3 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,760 Before we get started, just a quick reminder, we've been putting out a 4 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:33,719 lot of content. I beg plead humbly ask you all to rate, review, 5 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,399 and subscribe to this podcast if you haven't already. If you're not following 6 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:43,920 us on YouTube, TikTok Hardwood excuse me, Instagram and Twitter, do that 7 00:00:44,079 --> 00:00:48,119 immediately as well. YouTube dot com, slash Hardwood Knox or search Hardwooknox and 8 00:00:48,119 --> 00:00:52,079 YouTube. It'll come up. Subscribing to us on that channel as we've monetized 9 00:00:52,119 --> 00:00:54,359 it, even though I haven't finished the process of it, would help us 10 00:00:54,359 --> 00:00:58,079 out a ton. Join our discord where we have a lot of fun conversations. 11 00:00:58,119 --> 00:01:00,920 The link that to that is in the podcast descript as were the links 12 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,400 to all our social accounts. We are at Hardwood Knox on Twitter, at 13 00:01:03,439 --> 00:01:08,079 Hardwoodknox on TikTok, at Hardwood Underscore Knox on I G again, I do 14 00:01:08,159 --> 00:01:14,959 post a lot of native content to TikTok ig YouTube. It's not just clips 15 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,120 from this podcast, although those you show up as well. So yes, 16 00:01:19,159 --> 00:01:22,040 we appreciate everyone who's done all those things. If you have done all those 17 00:01:22,079 --> 00:01:26,319 things, consider helping us promote this podcast, retweeting our promos, telling people 18 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:30,200 who you know that like Hoops about it as we try and grow this community. 19 00:01:30,239 --> 00:01:36,040 Heading into a very busy MBA off season. But before we can and 20 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:40,359 ball in to the NBA off season and a mail bag that I've been promising 21 00:01:41,239 --> 00:01:45,400 our listeners, slash our Discord members who ask fantastic questions for this whole week. 22 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,799 But the NBA Finals we're going on and it got hectic. On the 23 00:01:48,799 --> 00:01:51,879 bright side, this is podcast number three this week. How about them? 24 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:53,280 How about that Apple? How about them? Apples? Can't talk. I'm 25 00:01:53,319 --> 00:01:59,640 still hung over from the not actually hungover, just very tired from Game six 26 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:06,640 of the NBA Finals. Warriors champions again four times in eight years, the 27 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,199 fact that they got back there this season. I don't remember my exact prediction 28 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,759 with them. I did take the under I believe on their win total and 29 00:02:13,759 --> 00:02:15,800 said I thought they were going to fish fourth or fifth in the West. 30 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:20,919 I do agree with everyone sentiment. Steve Kerr kind of said it, Steph 31 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,919 curry Tz did. It was going around on Twitter that this is the most 32 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,879 improbable title that they've had. I think, when you're looking under the circumstances 33 00:02:28,199 --> 00:02:30,280 in real time, I go back to twenty fifteen a little bit, just 34 00:02:30,319 --> 00:02:37,879 because they weren't pegged as those championship contenders. Really at the time, they 35 00:02:37,879 --> 00:02:40,000 were a really good basketball team, but they weren't at that level, and 36 00:02:40,039 --> 00:02:44,240 they sort of came to that level over the course of the year. But 37 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:47,960 I think when you look back, as it was clarified how good, how 38 00:02:49,039 --> 00:02:52,199 great they actually were, it's not that surprising. You also went up against 39 00:02:52,199 --> 00:02:54,520 the Cavs team that was really hobbled once you did make it through the West, 40 00:02:54,599 --> 00:02:58,919 and so you look at this season, Clay misses almost a thousand days 41 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:05,039 of basketball with the Allies in the ACL injuries, Steph Curry's just in his 42 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:07,400 age thirty four season, like for just in his age thirty four season. 43 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:13,280 You have Andrew Wickins, who it showed just signs before now after last season, 44 00:03:13,439 --> 00:03:16,919 but he really transformed his game into something different this season, especially on 45 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,599 defense. When you're looking at his on ball defense. Still I mentioned this 46 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,599 to Mo there was some confusion. People thought I was saying Andrew Wigins does 47 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:28,000 not shoulder defensive responsibility. He is the go to win defender for the Warriors. 48 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:32,000 I just don't I don't think that he has the same off ball responsibility 49 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,479 or is off ball awarts where it still seems like he's going to be prone 50 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:38,599 to ball watching or at least getting beat behind him. That would be a 51 00:03:38,639 --> 00:03:43,000 larger issue on different teams. But I actually don't care. I'm not wasn't 52 00:03:43,039 --> 00:03:45,960 trying to that was I wasn't trying to denigrate him. I was just going 53 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:49,599 into a game six analysis. The fact that he's become that player that is 54 00:03:49,639 --> 00:03:52,439 going to make life hell on Jason Tatum, is going to make life hell 55 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:57,439 on Lukadans. Even though Donchech had some really high moments in the conference finals 56 00:03:57,479 --> 00:04:00,280 that he had to go and check John Morant a bunch after the Gear Payton 57 00:04:00,319 --> 00:04:02,360 the second injury. That's the other part of this Warrior's team is that they 58 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,199 were you know, they had I don't want to call them bargains. They 59 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:11,439 definitely had star role players in the past. This wasn't Niggodall in his prime. 60 00:04:11,599 --> 00:04:15,599 They didn't have Sean Livingston. They had to mind value or roll the 61 00:04:15,599 --> 00:04:19,759 dice on the margins with Gary Payton the second, who Dany LaRue pointed this 62 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,240 out, and just something I didn't notice. That they had Gary Payton Second's 63 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,439 early bird rights, which is essentially just really important. Means that they're gonna 64 00:04:28,439 --> 00:04:30,639 be able to pay him one hundred and five percent of the average annual salary, 65 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:32,879 which is going to be more than ten million dollars if they want to 66 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,240 keep him in free agency. News flash, they should keep him in free 67 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:41,759 agency having Otto Porter the junior, having the having Otto Porter junior, not 68 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:46,160 Otto port Ravie junior, finding him and not rebooting his career. But he 69 00:04:46,199 --> 00:04:48,839 had fallen off over the past couple of seasons when you look at where he 70 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:54,199 was at his peak in Washington, even Demani bi Elitza playing him at points 71 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,439 in the finals, but also just getting really solivnants from him over the season. 72 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,319 You didn't have James Wiseman all year. You had Jonathan Comingo, became 73 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,879 a rotation staple, one of the youngest players in the NBA. Was he 74 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,000 the youngest player in the NBA this season, I can't remember, but you 75 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:10,839 had a teenager as part of your rotation. Never really relied to Ton Moses 76 00:05:10,879 --> 00:05:14,439 Moody. But those are all three players that were built as an important part 77 00:05:14,439 --> 00:05:17,319 of your future that either weren't present because they couldn't with James Wiseman, or 78 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,199 you're trying to straddle these two windows, and so you have two. You 79 00:05:20,199 --> 00:05:25,360 have a few roster spots on guys who are critical to your future, but 80 00:05:25,399 --> 00:05:29,720 you know they're not providing that value in the present. That can make shit 81 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,680 difficult. And I know that people will point to the Warriors getting any look 82 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,439 Draymond Green having like these ups and downs on offense. He's just a significantly 83 00:05:36,879 --> 00:05:41,360 easier offensive player to plan it around. Now if you're a defense, step 84 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,800 still opens up a ton for him, especially if teams were going to blitz 85 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:50,160 him, try face guarding him. But Draymond Green is I just feel like 86 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,519 less of an offensive weapon than he was like two or three years. So 87 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:55,680 that could be an age thing. Maybe he was banged up this season. 88 00:05:55,879 --> 00:05:58,399 He stepped up in the finals level defensively. I think he had like one 89 00:05:58,439 --> 00:06:01,160 and a half to two really bad games overall when you're looking at oh, 90 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:05,240 is his defensive impact able to overshadow what he wasn't doing on offense. Kavan 91 00:06:05,319 --> 00:06:11,600 Looney just absolute spectacular going from this player who was off unavailable to an iron 92 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,199 man for the Warriors, and look throughout the course the finals, probably their 93 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:21,639 third best player overall behind Steph and Andrew Wiggins. That is incredible, and 94 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,879 I know people are hit a point too. They had the gap years and 95 00:06:26,519 --> 00:06:29,480 that had to help Stephen Curry was able to sprinkle and rest through there. 96 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,920 But the biggest asset to actually that should have come out of those gap years 97 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:39,279 was the number two pick in twenty twenty and they made the wrong pick as 98 00:06:39,319 --> 00:06:44,279 of right now we can fast forward down the line and they are immune to 99 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:46,319 criticism for it because they want a title within that window when you're projecting a 100 00:06:46,319 --> 00:06:50,120 head to their future or a player who would have impacted the more in the 101 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:55,439 immediate Anthy Edwards. They didn't have a chance at Anthy Edwards, but LaMelo 102 00:06:55,439 --> 00:06:59,000 Ball would have been the better pick. Now do they get here in that 103 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,600 scenario if they have to give laml Ball certain amount of reps and touches, 104 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:05,079 you're obligated to play him with James Wiseman where they did bring him along more 105 00:07:05,079 --> 00:07:09,000 slowly when he was playing anyway. And then also he's injuried, so you 106 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,560 don't have to worry about that I don't know. I'm not even trying to 107 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,720 criticize that decision, but it wasn't probable that they would be here when you 108 00:07:15,759 --> 00:07:18,399 look at this season, even when you thought that we knew, but we 109 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:23,759 wrote off Kawhi Leonard for the Clippers. Did we think that the Nuggets were 110 00:07:23,759 --> 00:07:26,279 gonna become what they did, lose Michael Porter for the whole year, that 111 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:30,240 Jamal Murray wouldn't play, Maybe that was on the table, but the Lakers 112 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,759 weren't supposed to be dogshit and even beyond them, like the Grizzlies are going 113 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,639 to be an issue moving forward, and they really came alive. The Phoenix 114 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:42,920 Suns are an absolute powerhouse. The Mavericks had Lukadan Chich. It wasn't an 115 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,360 easy trip to get there. You look at I think at the beginning of 116 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,639 the year, had you said in the finals the Warriors were going to face 117 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:53,639 the Celtics or the Bucks or the Heat maybe even at that point the Sixers, 118 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,920 I mean, who the hell knows there, But like you probably would 119 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,680 have been more inclined to pick one of those East teams. And so the 120 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:03,480 fact that they're here while the Big three are not in their heyday anymore step 121 00:08:03,639 --> 00:08:07,399 Steph Curry very much is Clay Thompson was playing better by the end of the 122 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,680 year. The offense is coming gone, but I think we've seen a lot 123 00:08:09,759 --> 00:08:13,959 better performance from him defensively, including away from the ball. Makes me excited 124 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:18,560 for next season. Because Seth Partner pointed this out. I think it was 125 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:22,879 on the Nerdersy wrote podcast for The Athletic that he suffered basically two injuries that 126 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,560 are considered two year injuries each where you have to come back from them and 127 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:31,840 you need that grace period thereafter that one year and then in the second year 128 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,840 that's when you're maybe closer to whole Klay Thompson's older. I don't know if 129 00:08:35,879 --> 00:08:39,559 we'll ever see prime Clay again. He came back in the middle of this 130 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:43,120 season. By the end of the playoffs, he was an impactful player in 131 00:08:43,159 --> 00:08:46,320 my opinion, which means that the Warriors aren't done, but we don't need 132 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,600 to. This isn't really a time to project ahead for them. I am 133 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,679 fascinated by their off season. We will get into it in the future podcasts, 134 00:08:52,919 --> 00:08:56,919 but it's a time to appreciate it. It's a time for reflection that 135 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:00,360 this is one of the strongest dynasties in the NBA four titles and in eight 136 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,720 years, including six finals appearances. That's absolutely my nothing. And when they've 137 00:09:03,759 --> 00:09:07,519 been healthy, when they've had the Big three, like they've just made the 138 00:09:07,519 --> 00:09:11,240 finals. Over the course of that time, they Klay Thompson passed to injuries. 139 00:09:11,279 --> 00:09:13,200 They didn't even make the playoffs from one of the worst teams in the 140 00:09:13,279 --> 00:09:18,320 league in twenty twenty one. Also without him, they get bounced in the 141 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,879 play in tournament. It's incredible that they're here, and kudos to the Celtics. 142 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,720 I'll touch on them really quickly in a minute. The Steph Curry conversation. 143 00:09:28,039 --> 00:09:31,879 I think I dunked honest get Bayless tweet in a video I did for 144 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:35,399 ig TikTok YouTube specific and I think I posted on Twitter as well, so 145 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,840 you can go check that out. The discussion on Steph Curry. I think 146 00:09:37,879 --> 00:09:41,639 it needs to change, but it's marching towards change where it felt like I 147 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:46,639 was even yelling at the clouds by posting that video. I think generally the 148 00:09:46,759 --> 00:09:50,919 NBA intelligence is starting to recognize, like this is someone who is top ten 149 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:54,480 all time in that discussion at the very least, and he didn't need the 150 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,679 Finals MVP to get there. I want to make that clear. He didn't 151 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,039 need it to cement his legacy. You didn't need it to prove value independent 152 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:05,879 of Kevin Durant, didn't need it to prove anything to the talking heads and 153 00:10:05,919 --> 00:10:11,360 engagement soldiers who thought and insisted that he needed to get it. His legacy 154 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:15,840 was cemented. Everything he's doing at this point is gravy to me, and 155 00:10:15,879 --> 00:10:20,080 there will be longevity that matters when you're getting into a discussion of Steph versus 156 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,960 Tim Duncan or Magic Johnson or or Shack, and then I do think Steph, 157 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:26,159 look, he's always going to have maybe some of the all MBA count 158 00:10:26,279 --> 00:10:30,559 issues since he came on a little bit later in his career than a lot 159 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,200 of other of these guys, there may always be a deficit there. But 160 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:39,960 the numbers, like just all around, ESPN Stats and Info had this, 161 00:10:39,399 --> 00:10:43,600 six players in NBA history have at least four rings, multiple league MVPs and 162 00:10:43,639 --> 00:10:48,759 a Finals MVP, Lebron, MJ, Magic Johnson, Kareem, Tim Duncan, 163 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:56,320 and now Steph Curry. That is absolutely incredible. You look at you 164 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,399 know, people talking, oh, Steph never came up big in the finals 165 00:10:58,399 --> 00:11:03,320 and this at they're wrong, like they're they're lying or they're ignorant to what 166 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:09,840 actually happened. Steph is averaging thirty two point five points per game in title 167 00:11:09,879 --> 00:11:13,639 clinches, title clincher games previous PNS tested info for again, that's the second 168 00:11:13,639 --> 00:11:16,360 most all time, behind only Michael Jordan. You needed to play in a 169 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:22,919 minimum of two title clinching games. That is like, that is monstrous, 170 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:28,279 That is absolutely incredible. This is someone also, I think we need to 171 00:11:28,279 --> 00:11:31,440 take this into account, Like I don't want I don't think longevity has weighed 172 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:35,919 necessarily enough in a lot of the conversations when you're talking all time and it's 173 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:39,840 so hard to just rank players across different eras. The other thing that I 174 00:11:39,879 --> 00:11:43,559 don't think is taken into account enough, though, is just the sheer impact 175 00:11:43,039 --> 00:11:46,919 on the game. Did they warp it, change the way it's played, 176 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:54,399 transform it. Steph Curry has he has rewritten the book on how defenses need 177 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,480 to approach a player of his caliber. He has set a standard for shot 178 00:11:58,519 --> 00:12:03,360 selection that I don't know that we'll ever see a player perfectly mime or even 179 00:12:03,399 --> 00:12:09,320 a ninety percent facsimile of a Steph Curry, but it has been okay to 180 00:12:11,399 --> 00:12:15,799 take these ultra long threes early in the shot clock. Defenses need to be 181 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:18,879 on their toes for certain players. If it's a Damian Lillard, if it's 182 00:12:18,919 --> 00:12:20,960 a Trey Young. They're even just role players that have certain carte blanche to 183 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:26,919 fire away from from super deep. Whether you're talking about in a manual quickly 184 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:33,480 heat check, whether you're talking about someone like a fred Van Fleet. He 185 00:12:33,519 --> 00:12:37,039 has. And I'm not saying he's necessarily affected those players specifically. I would 186 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:43,759 argue Trey Young most definitely, but he's changed the game of basketball and it 187 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:46,679 is absolutely amazing, and I think we don't need to necessarily pay credence. 188 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:50,200 We're free to. I think dunking on them is fine if you're placing stock 189 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:52,759 in the opinion of Skip Bayliss at this point when it comes to I mean 190 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:58,039 really anything, but like that's that's your choice. Mark Jackson saying that Steph 191 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:03,279 needs to thank the Celtics for his Finals MVP. It's just it's just bullshit, 192 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:07,720 like the Celtics. And while I was definitely not smart enough to notice 193 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:11,440 this from the jump of the series, I talked about it with Modikuiel I 194 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:15,399 feel like I've shouted out Caitlyn Cooper Bunch of this podcast Philly. She pointed 195 00:13:15,399 --> 00:13:18,799 out on Twitter as a Jared Duban, the Celtics played dropped because they decided 196 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,559 that it was easier to try and take away other elements of the Warriors offense, 197 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:28,080 wide open shots for the supporting cast or you know, lanes for them 198 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:31,840 to cut and drive through, and then also just the short role playmaking of 199 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:35,720 Draymond Green. Then it was to go right at Steph Curry. Could they 200 00:13:35,759 --> 00:13:41,039 have done different things where there was sort of a happy medium, Maybe probably 201 00:13:41,039 --> 00:13:43,879 just a little tough with someone who as good as Al Horford is on the 202 00:13:43,879 --> 00:13:46,799 older side, he needs to retreat a little bit sooner. Even if he's 203 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,840 going to show up higher Rob Williams the third again, he can come up 204 00:13:50,919 --> 00:13:54,159 higher and held his own in certain situations. It's still just step against a 205 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:58,000 big if that's going to be your only look, Steph is going to win 206 00:13:58,039 --> 00:14:01,960 that battle like pent of the time, and when they did go after him 207 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:05,919 towards the end of Game four, a lot more in Game five, he 208 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:09,000 was able to punish them with his passing. Just the opportunities that he's creating 209 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:13,279 for all the others on his team like that is the impact of Steph Curry, 210 00:14:13,279 --> 00:14:16,919 and it's with a lot of players. This idea isn't unique to him. 211 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:22,279 It can be tough to quantify his actual value on the court, and 212 00:14:22,279 --> 00:14:26,240 gravity's become a cliche, but it means something with him. This is someone 213 00:14:26,279 --> 00:14:31,919 who is one of the most valuable offensive players on the court with when he 214 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:33,879 doesn't have the ball in his hands, when he doesn't touch the ball in 215 00:14:33,879 --> 00:14:41,679 a single possession, because of the movement that he subscribes to away from the 216 00:14:41,679 --> 00:14:48,200 ball, the attention that he's going to gain. Their defenses are frantically concerned 217 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:52,279 about him. There is ball watching. We know there's also Steph watching where 218 00:14:52,279 --> 00:14:54,919 you could be on the ball and you're still trying to look at maybe account 219 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,000 for Steph. But certainly when you're away from the ball, I in my 220 00:14:58,039 --> 00:15:01,519 lifetime is certainly seen a player like that. There's people who are far smarter 221 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:05,039 than I am when it comes to the functional nuances of this game who have 222 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:09,879 said the same thing. It is more egregious and I tweeted this, to 223 00:15:09,039 --> 00:15:13,600 leave Steph Curry outside your top ten than to put him on your mount rushmore 224 00:15:13,879 --> 00:15:18,039 and getting into the specific order. I don't know when the last time I 225 00:15:18,039 --> 00:15:22,399 actually sat down and did it and put a ton of thought into The only 226 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:26,799 ones that I would guarantee for me that are ahead of him right now are 227 00:15:26,679 --> 00:15:35,399 MJ. Lebron, Tim Duncan, I think, still Shack and Kareem. 228 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:41,080 I think he's surpassed Magic Johnson just when you're looking at and maybe not, 229 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:43,679 but if he hasn't, like I would say, he's no worse than seventh 230 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,279 at this point. And look, some people can put them lower. If 231 00:15:46,279 --> 00:15:52,000 you want to talk about Larry Bird, Will Chamberlain, I get it inside 232 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:56,120 that, I totally get it. I don't think there's a conversation between Steph 233 00:15:56,159 --> 00:15:58,519 or Kevin Durant anymore sort of those players. I would argue that Steph to 234 00:15:58,519 --> 00:16:03,840 me is very clearly surpassed Larry Bird when you when you're looking at the longevity 235 00:16:03,919 --> 00:16:07,240 argument specifically and even projecting ahead a little bit, even if you want to 236 00:16:07,279 --> 00:16:10,360 account for all, right, Steph is older, but do we have like 237 00:16:10,399 --> 00:16:12,840 two to five years Maybe five is a lot, but like even two three 238 00:16:12,919 --> 00:16:18,559 more seasons of Steph Curry playing at not a megastar level but a superstar level 239 00:16:18,759 --> 00:16:25,240 that's going to mean something when you're looking at his legacy there and so that's 240 00:16:25,279 --> 00:16:27,879 where he's at right now. And I think this title also means something because 241 00:16:27,919 --> 00:16:34,120 like it wasn't you couldn't assign more value to another player on this team. 242 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:40,320 There wasn't the Andre Gadala checking Lebron In twenty fifteen. Andrew Wiggins was great, 243 00:16:40,679 --> 00:16:45,960 but you look at how streamlined his offensive role was, even having less 244 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:49,120 playmaking responsibilities than a Sean Livingston or Andre Goodala did at certain points for the 245 00:16:49,159 --> 00:16:55,200 Warriors, Wiggins once fantastic defensively. I saw people point out that he was 246 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:56,840 the Warrior's best two way player, like if we want to want to do 247 00:16:56,919 --> 00:17:00,360 that, Like, yeah, that's fine. Steph was clearly the best player. 248 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,680 And the final thing that I can say about his legacy, I think 249 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,599 what's cropped up It was in the comments on YouTube ig TikTok a little bit 250 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:11,680 I've seen it on Twitter. Is that go the difference between Steph and these 251 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:15,599 guys. He's a defensive liability. Yeah, Steph is not as good of 252 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:22,079 a defender as Prime MJ or Lebron or Shack or Tim Duncan. He's just 253 00:17:22,079 --> 00:17:26,240 not on their level, not Kareem. He's not a defensive liability. Maybe 254 00:17:26,279 --> 00:17:27,519 he has at one point in his career. People point out now that he's 255 00:17:27,559 --> 00:17:30,640 gotten stronger, the Warriors have moved him around a bunch, and they've had 256 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:36,119 luxuries of matchups. This is also someone that they have not actively tried to 257 00:17:36,279 --> 00:17:38,599 hide all the time. And this is someone who I thought, even in 258 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:45,240 the Final, specifically held up against moments in which the Celtics were going after 259 00:17:45,319 --> 00:17:48,240 him. Now it gets a little bit more dicey if he when you have 260 00:17:48,279 --> 00:17:49,799 him in Jordan pull on the court at the same time, you're gonna running 261 00:17:49,839 --> 00:17:53,039 that issue with a bunch of players and not everyone could be all all world 262 00:17:53,079 --> 00:17:56,400 at both ends of the court. And there are people that I'm going to 263 00:17:56,519 --> 00:17:59,720 argue even if they were better defensively. Let's choosing the team. I think 264 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,920 I'll use. Steph Curry provides an offense is just light years ahead of what 265 00:18:03,079 --> 00:18:10,240 Hakim Malajuan did, and light years might be an insulting frame, but like 266 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:15,079 that is part of his value is you can be so good, so impactful 267 00:18:15,079 --> 00:18:19,039 on offense that it overshadows any defensive struggles. And I would argue steps not 268 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,079 bad on defense, So much as he's limited just by his physical profile in 269 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:26,519 certain instances, and I do think he's big enough to stand up against certain 270 00:18:26,559 --> 00:18:30,440 switches or when the wars have put him against primary ball handlers. It doesn't 271 00:18:30,559 --> 00:18:37,160 matter to me that he's had players, particularly during this stretch of Warriors dominance, 272 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:40,480 that have allowed them to be more flexible with their matchups. You do 273 00:18:40,559 --> 00:18:45,559 that with your best players in general these days, and whether they're considered liability 274 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:48,279 or not even engaged defensive. Lebron before this season with the Lakers, when 275 00:18:48,319 --> 00:18:52,359 he was playing at a high like that was someone that they were moving around 276 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:57,359 and putting in favorable positions. So I'm just not if you don't want to 277 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:00,480 make defense a part of Steph Curry like I see, I totally get that. 278 00:19:00,519 --> 00:19:04,839 I do feel like his value sometimes overblown, and it is his success 279 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:08,720 there has more to do with I think the ecosystem they've put around him in 280 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,160 recent years when you had Prime Clay and Agadala and Livingston and then Draymond were 281 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,920 the best defenders of all time. But I don't think it could be used 282 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,920 as a means to detract from him now if you want. If it's getting 283 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:22,960 into a discussion, between him or Tim Duncan or Shack. Yeah, that's 284 00:19:23,039 --> 00:19:26,839 maybe where you have to start accounting for it. I will come back to 285 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:33,559 though, I probably feel like I'm gonna have Steph on my personal Mount Rushmore 286 00:19:33,599 --> 00:19:37,839 by the time he retires, just accounting for another even another season like this, 287 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,960 two three seasons like this that goes a long way in separating him and 288 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:48,480 helping him climb the ladder. The final wrap up on this is we had 289 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:52,559 a discord question from lad Larry Bird versus Tim Duncan all time. After looking 290 00:19:52,559 --> 00:19:53,680 through the accolades and everything, I kind of feel like I have to lean 291 00:19:53,759 --> 00:19:56,839 Duncan. Obviously I never really watched Bird in his prime, but is there 292 00:19:56,839 --> 00:20:03,599 maybe more nostalgia going into the rankings than act full accomplishments and skilled and they 293 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:06,960 noted this question came from debating if Steff is now top ten all time, 294 00:20:07,039 --> 00:20:11,359 and who do you replace? They believe that it would be Shack or Will 295 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:14,559 who gets kicked out. I think it would probably be Wilt more likely. 296 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:18,319 It depends on your order specifically when it comes to Bird and Tim Duncan. 297 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:22,839 Just a longevity of Tim Duncan and even the accolades of Tim Duncan. Larry 298 00:20:22,839 --> 00:20:27,640 Bird was the more nomalous offensive player, but he was never and I did 299 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,680 not watch Larry Bird in his prime, but he was never a superstar at 300 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:36,200 both ends of the floor. Tim Duncan, Shack, those were superstars at 301 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:38,839 both ends of the floor. And that does go into why I think I 302 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:41,599 still have both ahead of staff. If you're gonna tell me you have Steff 303 00:20:41,599 --> 00:20:45,160 ahead of Tim Duncan or Shack, I'm not gonna. I'm just not gonna 304 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,359 fight you a ton on it. I think they are going to be valid 305 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:55,960 arguments that said logic is rooted. But congratulations to the Warriors. Congratulations to 306 00:20:56,519 --> 00:21:00,079 Steph one of the six or seven greatest basketball play of all time. That's 307 00:21:00,079 --> 00:21:03,920 where I'm at with Steph closer amount rush more than not at this but don't 308 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:07,680 even that's not even a spicy take. Again, this could be just me 309 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:11,200 railing against nobody at this point. Congratulations to the Celtics were making it to 310 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:15,400 the finals. The Laws seemed to really hit Jason Tatum pretty hard. Jalen 311 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:19,880 Brown was felt like he Australia beat Al Horford disappointed, but talked about their 312 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:26,319 growth. Smart went the I we wanted more route moving forward, because now 313 00:21:26,319 --> 00:21:30,319 we've tasted it. This was a spectacular season for them. They were dead 314 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:33,720 where they stood. I wrote them off in December or it might have been 315 00:21:33,759 --> 00:21:37,079 maybe it was January. Maybe I gave them to them, but I wrote 316 00:21:37,079 --> 00:21:41,559 them off then and they ended up in the NBA Finals. They have a 317 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,480 hlacious defense. I did see some of the discourse on Twitter shifted to poking 318 00:21:45,519 --> 00:21:48,680 fun at Jason Tatum, like, this is the NBA Finals. You were 319 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,599 the best player on a team that made it to the NBA Finals. There's 320 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:55,960 there's just no shame in that you went up against and Andrew Wiggins, who 321 00:21:56,319 --> 00:21:59,240 did a good job against you. Some of the decision making on Boston, 322 00:21:59,279 --> 00:22:03,839 the turnovers are issue. Christian Narsu of b Ball and Necks did point this 323 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:07,000 out that when you look at the types of turnovers they're having a lot of 324 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,359 it does have to do with the makeup of their roster, where you unless 325 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:15,200 you're going to get better ball handling from Tatum and Brown and even Smart like 326 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:18,240 this stuff might be ingrained into your offense. I do think part of it 327 00:22:18,319 --> 00:22:22,559 is an issue they can build upon. We've seen Jayson Tatum grow as a 328 00:22:22,559 --> 00:22:26,599 playmaker and make the less obvious reads, the ones that are going to keep 329 00:22:26,599 --> 00:22:30,680 defenses on tiltmore. Can Jail and Brown and even Marcus Smart do the same, 330 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:33,680 and I think Marcus Smart can do the same. Can you do the 331 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:37,079 same in high leverage moments might be my question against some of the defensive looks 332 00:22:37,079 --> 00:22:42,720 that were thrown at Boston throughout this series, and so naturally the conversation is, 333 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,720 oh, can they go out, can they get a point guard, 334 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:48,119 a game manager, or a playmaker. I so some people saying it was 335 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:52,200 too early to talk about that and it's overblowing the issues. Maybe it was 336 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:53,599 too early. It was during the middle of the finals game. So I'll 337 00:22:53,640 --> 00:23:00,880 definitely conceive that. I do think there is value or validity in having that 338 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,119 discussion. And I'm not saying they need to go out and make this monster 339 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:07,440 trade for a point guard where it's trade Marcus Smart to bring in a point 340 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:11,240 guard. No, that's not what I'm saying, and that is part of 341 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:12,839 their issue. Like you're looking at, let's assume how Horford is back, 342 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,599 So him, Jason Tatum, Jayn Brown, Derek White, Marcus Smart, 343 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:19,839 your top five guys, your top six guys. Let's throw Robert Williams a 344 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:22,960 third in there are your best salary matching tools, but can you afford to 345 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:26,599 get rid of any one of them? Maybe some people argue that's white. 346 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:30,599 They'll certainly argue it's Horford. I don't think it's as easy just to say 347 00:23:30,599 --> 00:23:33,759 that. But this is a situation where it's like, I'm wondering, if 348 00:23:33,759 --> 00:23:38,519 you got a Tias Jones in there, how much of a difference does that 349 00:23:38,559 --> 00:23:42,519 make? Would he be on the floor during crunch time to where you have 350 00:23:42,559 --> 00:23:45,920 to ask yourself, Okay, well then does that really matter? Are we 351 00:23:47,039 --> 00:23:51,599 talking about a team that doesn't need you know, oh, Fred van Fleet 352 00:23:52,039 --> 00:23:56,160 or Damian Lillard on this team, but as just like an example, do 353 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:00,440 they need to go after like a like Alonzo Ball not saying he's available, 354 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,880 but where he's not the traditional half court playmaker, but kind of to even 355 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:07,519 organize your offense just a little bit more. I don't know what caliber you 356 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:12,200 could peg, but I will say that if you had a Tis Jones level 357 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,279 player on this team, I think it could make a huge difference because that's 358 00:24:15,279 --> 00:24:19,119 how close the Celtics are, and if you need to play him in certain 359 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,480 higher leverage moments or just throughout the game to give you a better handle on 360 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:27,720 the defensive. The excuse me, the turnover issues that you're having, that 361 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,240 means a great deal, even if it's outside of crunch time, even if 362 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:36,359 it's outside the fourth quarter. Just average Tis Jones will be available via free 363 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:41,480 agency the Celtics, though, if we assume Al Horford is back, they're 364 00:24:41,519 --> 00:24:45,359 not going to have room to use the full mid level exception, the full 365 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,039 non tax players bid level exception. Excuse me, I think if how Horford 366 00:24:48,039 --> 00:24:52,079 comes back, they're just going to be flat out in the tax at that 367 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:57,359 that point. So how do you go about You can't you know, you're 368 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:00,240 not going to get involved in the sign and then because you can't work within 369 00:25:00,279 --> 00:25:04,519 the hard cap, so that is going to be what's difficult for them. 370 00:25:04,559 --> 00:25:07,000 And you go through just sort of the list of players who could be available. 371 00:25:07,039 --> 00:25:10,279 Yet I haven't spent enough time thinking about this. I'm not in the 372 00:25:10,279 --> 00:25:12,799 full offseason transaction more. Just yet, it doesn't seem like there's anyone who's 373 00:25:12,799 --> 00:25:15,759 just going to be readily available for them to maybe go out and get. 374 00:25:17,319 --> 00:25:19,480 If the Knicks were willing to give you a Derek Rose like in a trade, 375 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,039 how much does that help you? Even if Mark el Folts was on 376 00:25:22,039 --> 00:25:25,720 the table in Orlando, I don't think he's a good enough playmaker. Even 377 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:29,880 if he has some directionality and control to his game, he also makes a 378 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:33,880 crap ton of money, and so how do you find yourself matching that without 379 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:36,960 giving up a core player? And I would argue you certainly should not be 380 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:41,680 doing that for Mark el Foltz. If you know Dejean Day Murray became available 381 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:44,960 in San Antonio, you already have Derek White. I don't even know if 382 00:25:45,039 --> 00:25:48,759 Murray would be the answer that you need there. Mike Conley and Utah I 383 00:25:48,839 --> 00:25:52,200 do think would be really interesting. But again, when you get who you 384 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,000 would need to give up, I don't want to give up Marcus Smart in 385 00:25:56,039 --> 00:25:59,960 that deal or Derek White Al Horford. Sure, but why are the Jazz 386 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:04,039 doing that? And so you get into some pretty awkward discussions there. The 387 00:26:04,079 --> 00:26:07,880 free agency list for what you could even if you're willing to spend the entire 388 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:14,599 taxpayers mid level exception and they do have some trade exceptions as well, But 389 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,839 I you know, there's not a lot of just like floor general types or 390 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:21,279 good playmakers that teams are just gonna give you you're not gonna take Kema Walker 391 00:26:21,319 --> 00:26:23,240 back from the Knicks Like that's something that I would be shocked if they just 392 00:26:23,279 --> 00:26:30,559 decided to do so. Can you use the minimi level exception on beefing up 393 00:26:30,599 --> 00:26:33,920 the point guard? This might be a very interesting John Wall team if he 394 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,759 gets bought out again. I don't know if he's going to be the best 395 00:26:37,759 --> 00:26:41,559 half court organizer, but just to provide some structure there the lawn, right, 396 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:45,079 I think he would be part and upgrade. I mean, certainly when 397 00:26:45,079 --> 00:26:47,119 you're just looking at the bench, which is the biggest issue for sure. 398 00:26:47,519 --> 00:26:51,400 Is he available for the minimian level exception? I honestly don't know. There 399 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:56,960 was clamoring for Rubio before this year. That's someone if you could certainly buy 400 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:59,680 time until he's back from his ACL if you believe in that. I don't 401 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:03,319 know. Just when you look at his limitations as a score, I'm not 402 00:27:03,319 --> 00:27:06,839 even panning him as a shooter. We've seen him improve his stand still touch 403 00:27:07,319 --> 00:27:10,759 in the past. Just the half court set up. How much is he 404 00:27:10,839 --> 00:27:15,279 going to do for you there? It's so my point being, it's an 405 00:27:15,319 --> 00:27:19,400 issue that I think needs to be addressed unless you're projecting mega playmaking leaps from 406 00:27:19,519 --> 00:27:25,680 Jason Tatum and Jayon Brown moving forward, which you know fair. I think 407 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:26,799 it's something you have to look at, even if it's just a matter of 408 00:27:26,799 --> 00:27:33,079 putting you in a situation someone who plays the first forty three to forty four 409 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:37,559 minutes of a game, not consecutively, and you're not relying them so much 410 00:27:37,759 --> 00:27:40,319 on them so much in the crunch time unit. I think that's something that 411 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:45,240 it would impact this team a great deal. Finally, we have a trade 412 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:49,240 to talk about. I thought about recording an emergency podcast on it, but 413 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,559 it just didn't feel like it warranted it and I need to stop taking on 414 00:27:53,640 --> 00:28:00,559 too much. Basically, but the Mavericks are acquiring Christian Wood and it is 415 00:28:00,599 --> 00:28:03,279 a move. Look, we knew the Dallas was going to try and get 416 00:28:03,279 --> 00:28:06,079 a big but when you look at the value that they gave to the Houston 417 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:11,880 Rockets, I was I was surprised that christian Wood didn't cost more. I 418 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:14,200 guess would help if I gave you the package, would you not know they 419 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:18,680 put the Rockets traded would to the Mavericks for the number twenty six pick in 420 00:28:18,759 --> 00:28:25,160 the twenty twenty two draft. Bobon Trey Burke Marky's Chris and Sterling Brown this. 421 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:26,400 I tweeted this, this looks like a trade that was proposed on a 422 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:30,079 Reddit fan page. And even if you want to make the case that the 423 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:37,720 value between them isn't like this egregious descript discrepancy. I look at the four 424 00:28:37,759 --> 00:28:41,519 for ones and it's four players who see these fans, four players that their 425 00:28:41,559 --> 00:28:44,839 teams don't really need or don't play a ton for someone who they are going 426 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:48,799 to play a ton that like, those are the deals that we make fun 427 00:28:48,799 --> 00:28:51,440 of, and that's what this one looked like. Rockets fans for them, 428 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:53,319 they seemed pretty happy to get rid of Christian Wood into get a first round 429 00:28:53,319 --> 00:28:57,119 pick in the process. He is extension eligible and during the final year of 430 00:28:57,160 --> 00:29:03,079 his deal, he was not good defensively this past season. He has never 431 00:29:03,119 --> 00:29:04,920 really been good defensively. There have been moments, but there are a lot 432 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:10,119 of just there's a lot of off ball attentiveness. What feels like someone who's 433 00:29:10,119 --> 00:29:14,359 just not moving a ton on defense and playing with a lack of thrust there. 434 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,319 So it seems like they were pretty happy to get rid of him. 435 00:29:18,359 --> 00:29:22,119 And I think you can give organizations the benefit of the doubt that If this 436 00:29:22,279 --> 00:29:26,240 is what they accepted, there probably wasn't a whole bunch out there, and 437 00:29:26,359 --> 00:29:29,240 certainly maybe not much better offers. Could you've tried to wait out the free 438 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:33,119 agency market and maybe a team gets desperate. Sure, but you're in the 439 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:36,759 top three of the draft. You're probably gonna wind up with a Palo Bank 440 00:29:36,799 --> 00:29:41,880 Caro or I guess less like the chetogram slash to Barr Smith junior. You 441 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:45,039 already have Usman Grubu didn't play much this season, plus aut from Shane gun 442 00:29:45,079 --> 00:29:48,039 there's opensmitted to the front court like full stop. I get the logic, 443 00:29:48,079 --> 00:29:49,119 and you've got a first round pick, three first round picks. Now on 444 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,440 this draft, let's see if they can use twenty six and seventeen. I 445 00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:59,400 think that they have to move up and or just bring in guys like they 446 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:03,680 have the You know, the roster isn't like full of all these open spots, 447 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:04,720 but they could decide to go draft and stash it, or like I 448 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:07,359 said, again, move up. I think Eric Gordon gets moved this offseason 449 00:30:07,799 --> 00:30:11,240 as well. I think it's a fine trade for the Rockets. I'm probably 450 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:15,720 more different to the return at this point because if he was actively harming your 451 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:18,880 locker room. Then yeah, you needed to get out of get it, 452 00:30:18,039 --> 00:30:22,279 like, get him out of there. I don't know that you and another 453 00:30:22,279 --> 00:30:25,279 first round flyer in general is great. The twenty six pick to me, 454 00:30:25,319 --> 00:30:26,920 it just seems on the lower end when you're not getting back anything else that 455 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:30,880 would be abuse of use. And I don't I don't you Christian Wood is 456 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:37,759 that bad player. And I saw there were you know, people who are 457 00:30:37,799 --> 00:30:38,960 looking at this saying, you know you're gonna get fooled by the box score 458 00:30:40,039 --> 00:30:42,640 with Christian Wood. I don't know what you're gonna get fooled by the box 459 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:49,960 score on he is a very good versatile score anomalous for his size when you 460 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:55,079 look at this, which is pretty incredible. The only other players over the 461 00:30:55,119 --> 00:30:57,920 past three seasons to average twenty points per thirty six minutes while shooting as well 462 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:04,400 on two which is around fifty nine percent and threes thirty eight percent are an 463 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:08,240 addition to Christian Wood, John Collins and Michael Porter Jr. And for people 464 00:31:08,279 --> 00:31:11,440 who hate the per thirty six stuff, if you just go by per game, 465 00:31:11,559 --> 00:31:15,960 Christian Wood's points per game average during this time sixteen plus points. It's 466 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,000 him and John Collins. I opened. I used per thirty six don tell 467 00:31:18,079 --> 00:31:22,160 christian Wood, which maybe open up the candidacy for other players. Like in 468 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:29,119 MPJ, he has a really nice floor game for a big He gives you 469 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:33,240 some self creation, but it's also rolled into being able to be used as 470 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:37,440 an accessory device. Do you give him space and a good pick and roll 471 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:41,079 partner, He's gonna help as a pick and popper. He can even roll 472 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:45,279 to the rim finished lobs there. That's an addition to all the self creation 473 00:31:45,279 --> 00:31:48,480 he brings and just even having even if you don't think that I don't think 474 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:51,240 that he's someone that you should be funneling the ball too in the post, 475 00:31:51,839 --> 00:31:56,559 but someone who could face up in slower half court sets or just attack off 476 00:31:56,559 --> 00:32:00,799 the dribble immediately off the catch after popping. That's a huge value. It's 477 00:32:00,799 --> 00:32:04,079 not something Christops Perzinis could do with Dallas. I do also think that we're 478 00:32:04,079 --> 00:32:07,039 discounting a little bit. This is sort of the first like real team Christian 479 00:32:07,039 --> 00:32:13,559 Wood has played for now. Disrespect to the Pistons, the Pelicans and even 480 00:32:13,599 --> 00:32:16,759 the Rockets, they just weren't teams that were on these immediate win now timelines. 481 00:32:16,799 --> 00:32:21,960 None of them were contenders most certainly, I'm very and he's never played 482 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:25,519 alongside another He's never played alongside a playmaker as talented as Luca don Jag. 483 00:32:25,559 --> 00:32:30,440 I few have. But even just a point guard who ranks inside the he 484 00:32:30,519 --> 00:32:32,759 was there during the Drew Holidays in New Orleans, I believe. But like 485 00:32:32,799 --> 00:32:37,640 even a point guard who ranks like a top ten floor general or top fifteen 486 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:42,039 floor general for an extended period of time, the safeguard myself against the whatever 487 00:32:42,119 --> 00:32:45,839 Drew if people think of slandering Drew holiday for some reason, and just look 488 00:32:45,839 --> 00:32:51,079 at where the Pelicans were at that point anyway, So I like this play 489 00:32:51,079 --> 00:32:53,559 by the Mavericks. He doesn't address what they need defensively, but they had 490 00:32:53,599 --> 00:32:58,720 one of the seven best defenses this year without sort of having a premier room 491 00:32:58,759 --> 00:33:00,920 protector. Christophs Persnis was fine, what kind of unreliable are you do have? 492 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:06,359 Maxi Kleiba, Dwight Powell. He can play with either one of them. 493 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:08,880 You have Dorian Fitty Smith, Reggie Bullock. Still this is I think 494 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:12,359 you can incorporate a Christian Wood when you're looking at some of the dudes the 495 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:15,519 Mavericks play of this season without torpedoing your defense. I don't think he can 496 00:33:15,519 --> 00:33:17,839 be the only move and I'm not paying to get as a move that he 497 00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:25,079 clears the gap that's separating Dallas from title contention. But this was a very 498 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:30,200 low risk proposition. Did they give up on a first round pick because they 499 00:33:30,359 --> 00:33:32,519 have been very inclined to do over the past like two decades. Basically, 500 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:37,720 sure, But what was the number twenty six pick turning into. If you're 501 00:33:37,799 --> 00:33:40,400 lucky, it turns into a player who makes as much of an impact as 502 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:46,279 Christian would. Seriously, that's what you get if you're lucky. And yes, 503 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:51,200 that have a player under cost control for the next four years under team 504 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:53,839 control would be a very big deal. You have to assume that you're going 505 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:57,200 to hit on it. And if you do, think the Mavericks should have 506 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:01,079 kept that opportunity, I get it. I don't think the number twenty six 507 00:34:01,119 --> 00:34:06,039 pick would have actually played a role on this team in either of the next 508 00:34:06,039 --> 00:34:09,239 two years when you look at how urgent their timeline is, just because you 509 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:12,719 have one of the five best players in the game seven best players in the 510 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:15,719 game of Luca and you were just in the conference finals, sort of playing 511 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:19,159 the wait and see game or giving developmental reps to a rookie wasn't in the 512 00:34:19,159 --> 00:34:22,719 cards. And if you're worried about Christian Woods for some reason, just imploding 513 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:28,320 the Mavericks is like ecosystem or vibes or whatever. He's under contract for one 514 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:31,840 year at fourteen point three. That's a number that can be rerouted if the 515 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:36,880 Matters wants to. And I would say for next season, Christian Wood is 516 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:38,599 going to be more valuable than the number twenty six. Pick the other thing 517 00:34:38,639 --> 00:34:43,440 here, I think people have written off the idea that he would sign an 518 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:45,800 extension based off the number that it could be. I'm I'm not so sure. 519 00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:49,480 Is this someone who's gonna get twenty million dollars a year in free agency 520 00:34:49,559 --> 00:34:54,000 next year if he has a spectacular season. Sure? Maybe, But I 521 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:59,679 think we've also seen the value of Biggs is repressed when you're not a superstar, 522 00:35:00,519 --> 00:35:02,119 maybe when you're either more traditional bigger, when you play one side of 523 00:35:02,159 --> 00:35:08,400 the floor. And what I also will say here is that the dude can 524 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:15,000 move, and he leaves so much to be desired on the defensive end, 525 00:35:15,039 --> 00:35:19,079 but he has the size of mobility to muck up half court possessions if he's 526 00:35:19,119 --> 00:35:22,719 working out a drop coverages or making rotations around the basket when he's fully engaged. 527 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:27,719 We've just you can go look at Christian Wood film, which I did 528 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:30,559 in the past, not in anticipation of this podcast, but for something I 529 00:35:30,559 --> 00:35:32,840 was writing this season. There are good defensive moments, and they were good 530 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:37,039 defensive moments when he turned into an everyday player for the Pistons way back when 531 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:40,199 they've never been put together. If I'm missing something offensively, you can say 532 00:35:40,199 --> 00:35:44,000 that I didn't see enough of the Rockets, like yeah, if Houston Rocket 533 00:35:44,039 --> 00:35:46,679 Stan's watched every game twice, like I'm chopping in for chunks of games at 534 00:35:46,679 --> 00:35:51,119 a time, trying to watch as much film on players as I possibly can 535 00:35:51,119 --> 00:35:53,159 when I'm writing about them, and just to keep up. I recognize that 536 00:35:53,159 --> 00:35:55,719 there are people who are far more knowledgable about Christian Wood than I am. 537 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:59,880 I was having conversations with Rockets people, though, who were all not Rockets 538 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:01,440 emloyees. I want to make that clear. I don't know why anyone to 539 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:05,760 re aggregate this, but I had conversations with people who cover the Rockets that 540 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:07,159 were surprised if this is all they got for Christian would and I will say 541 00:36:07,199 --> 00:36:10,119 this and This is more in defense of the Mavericks. In the Rockets, 542 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:15,320 if this was their proposal in the middle of the season, if let's this 543 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:19,960 deal, this exact deal, even though the Mavericks functionally couldn't trade their their 544 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:22,039 first round pick, they have to do this after the draft because they go 545 00:36:22,119 --> 00:36:25,760 twenty twenty three to the next Even if they couldn't functionally off the package, 546 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:29,239 let's say it was on the table, the Rockets would have said no to 547 00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:30,760 it and fans would have been disgusted by it in the middle of the year. 548 00:36:31,199 --> 00:36:35,320 That's a nice value play by the Mavericks. And so knowing that he 549 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:37,880 can be moved and knowing that his next deal, if he's good, that's 550 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:40,719 not going to be immovable, Like this isn't someone also who is going into 551 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:45,159 his age thirty eight. See that's you know who else is going into their 552 00:36:45,199 --> 00:36:49,440 age three go in their age thirty three age thirty two season. He turns 553 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:52,760 twenty seven in September. He is entering his prime. I love the offensive 554 00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:55,920 fit with Dallas. It's only going to elevate them. And look, he 555 00:36:55,960 --> 00:37:00,880 doesn't replace Jalon Bronson if Jon Bronson leaves, but they just they needed another 556 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:05,440 dynamic to their offense. Aside from having Spencer Dinwiddi, Jalen Brunson and lucadanchag 557 00:37:05,559 --> 00:37:08,239 Is your primary creators. Christian Wood gives them that element in a way Chris 558 00:37:08,239 --> 00:37:13,079 Stops never did, in ways that Dwight Palam Maxie Cleveland never were going to. 559 00:37:13,599 --> 00:37:15,920 And I think this is a home run trade for the Mavericks. I 560 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:17,639 also think it's perfectly fine for the Rockets. I don't think they did anything 561 00:37:17,639 --> 00:37:22,440 wrong here. I just the package itself was just funny to look at. 562 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:23,840 And so does that make this a win win the second win win trade that 563 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:27,960 I've deemed of the off season or leading into the drafts, when we go 564 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:31,000 back to the thunder Nuggets trade. Sure, I think that this one is 565 00:37:31,079 --> 00:37:35,800 much more closer to Dallas one. This because of the value that they're getting 566 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:37,719 in this deal than Houston did. Let's see what they do with the number 567 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:40,800 twenty six pick and the rest of their first Let's get into this mail bag 568 00:37:42,079 --> 00:37:45,239 that I already recorded, So this is like a monologue on top of that, 569 00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:47,639 this was a lot of fun, and we appreciate everyone who are asking 570 00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:50,840 questions. If you want to ask a mail bad question, I do send 571 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:53,400 out solicitations join our discord, but you can I send them out on Twitter 572 00:37:54,119 --> 00:37:58,519 DM me at dam Favalley, fav Alee, and I just want to reiterate 573 00:37:58,599 --> 00:38:01,400 once more if you are listening to this post first time or otherwise, please 574 00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:07,159 consider subscribing to all of our socials and this the podcast in general. Download 575 00:38:07,159 --> 00:38:10,360 all your episode The biggest ways to help us though our subscribe rate, review 576 00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:15,360 this podcast, subscribe to our YouTube channel hardwe Knocks, check us out on 577 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:19,039 YouTube, and then also word of mouth. Help us with promotions as we 578 00:38:19,079 --> 00:38:22,239 attempt to grow. The off season is an important time I think for more 579 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:24,840 all league wide podcasts at this point, given how great the local coverage is 580 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:30,679 now when you don't have the idea of talking about projecting ahead or transactions where 581 00:38:30,679 --> 00:38:35,400 you need to have a better hold on the rest of the league during the 582 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:38,960 regular season, and localized coverage is so good that I recognize now that this 583 00:38:39,039 --> 00:38:43,360 podcast serves sort of a different purpose nowadays. We're always gonna talk about the 584 00:38:43,440 --> 00:38:45,559 entire league. I'm going to try and get into the weeds as much as 585 00:38:45,559 --> 00:38:49,800 I can, but transactions looking at things from a macro view, the time 586 00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:52,760 to do that is leading into the trade deadline, leading into the season, 587 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:55,599 leading into the off season. We've got a lot of great stuff planned here. 588 00:38:55,719 --> 00:38:59,280 So thank you for the butt of my heart, everyone who continues to 589 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:04,440 consistently listen and engage, and any newcomers You're more than welcome. I welcome 590 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:07,199 any feedback as long as you're not being an asshole about it. I'm rambling 591 00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:12,559 now though. Let's get into this bail back. We will begin with t 592 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:17,199 blub one one seven. What's your favorite basketball podcast not named Hardwood Knocks. 593 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:22,519 I have so many, and I'm not even sure that I have a favorite. 594 00:39:22,679 --> 00:39:25,039 I try and listen to. You know, I'm gonna listen to all 595 00:39:25,079 --> 00:39:29,079 the national ones that you guys listening to. I love the Low Post, 596 00:39:30,159 --> 00:39:34,760 that the Dunker Spot is great. They do a great job of also incorporating 597 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,400 w NBA coverage, and I'm trying to immerse myself in more w NBA. 598 00:39:37,639 --> 00:39:40,400 This year, we had a podcast with sabring a merchant awhile back where we 599 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:45,000 touched on it. It's so hard. I'm not I'm making an excuse with 600 00:39:45,039 --> 00:39:46,880 my schedule. It's been harder than I wanted it to while the NBA is 601 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:51,119 going on, and then even looking ahead to the draft and free agency. 602 00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:57,079 But I've also found the Step Through with Sabrina Merchant and her co host Evan 603 00:39:57,360 --> 00:40:00,760 that has been something that's been really usefully catch up on their on YouTube to 604 00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:05,920 step through, So definitely go go check that out. I like, I 605 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:08,519 am a dunked on Prime subscriber. I know people like to dunk on them, 606 00:40:08,559 --> 00:40:13,400 but they watch more NBA than than most people, and so I find 607 00:40:13,440 --> 00:40:16,559 that useful. I really enjoy Nerder, she wrote from the Athletic Dave dufour 608 00:40:16,639 --> 00:40:21,880 set Part now Modequiel, all those guys are great. The past two or 609 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:24,000 three seasons, I've tried to make it a habit of really investing in the 610 00:40:24,039 --> 00:40:29,519 localized coverage because you do get some of the best analysis from the people that 611 00:40:29,519 --> 00:40:32,599 are following these teams on an every not just day, but it's like every 612 00:40:32,639 --> 00:40:38,000 possession basis where they're watching these games two and three times. Kaitlyn Cooper and 613 00:40:38,039 --> 00:40:42,519 Marschendler do a great job with the Nie Cormoro's podcast and the series where they 614 00:40:42,519 --> 00:40:45,920 were doing stock Up, stock Down with Prospects. So like there's that national 615 00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:49,880 intreat there that's usually helpful if you want to, you know, have a 616 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:52,000 crash course before the NBA Draft, And you know my feelings on Kaylen Cooper 617 00:40:52,079 --> 00:40:58,800 just being like the single best basketball writer, like an analyst, combo out 618 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:04,039 there or ability just to right and distilled this complicated information in a relatable way, 619 00:41:04,079 --> 00:41:07,199 but even recognizing it in the first place, that versatility is just not 620 00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:10,719 even out there. The closest I would say it comes to that is Zach 621 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:15,320 Low and Kaylyn Cooper is I love Zach Low, not gonna get up. 622 00:41:15,320 --> 00:41:21,639 But Kaylen Cooper's writing is just like on a completely different level from anyone who 623 00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:28,719 typically covers the XS and o's as deeply as nuancedly as she does. I 624 00:41:28,760 --> 00:41:31,840 really enjoy the Timeline podcast. It's another Blue Wire podcast. They cover the 625 00:41:31,840 --> 00:41:35,480 Phoenix Suns. They do a great job. You should check them out. 626 00:41:35,679 --> 00:41:38,199 Of what else have we got here trying to think of? I should go 627 00:41:38,199 --> 00:41:42,119 through my podcast Apple and listening to I already mentioned I just listened to Locked 628 00:41:42,159 --> 00:41:47,679 on Nuggets Adamadas and Matt Moore. They do a really great job of running 629 00:41:47,679 --> 00:41:52,920 that show. Over there Thinking Basketball with Ben Taylor National podcast. Great. 630 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:55,159 Oh, how did I forget one of my favorites there are? I'm honored 631 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:58,760 to go on any podcast. Let me make that clear. I'm also honored 632 00:41:58,760 --> 00:42:02,880 when I get repeat request the fact that Fast Break Breakfast has me on. 633 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:07,880 It's hosted by Keith Parrish and and crew. That if they've had me on 634 00:42:07,960 --> 00:42:12,159 multiple times, that's like something I will geek out on because it's a podcast 635 00:42:12,199 --> 00:42:15,760 I listened to and enjoy as lighthearted. So we have a take podcast with 636 00:42:15,840 --> 00:42:19,679 friend of the podcast Tara bone Bigs that is just like a completely different way 637 00:42:19,679 --> 00:42:22,800 of covering the NBA and specifically the Portland Trailblazers that I love. It's lighthearted, 638 00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:27,760 it's an escape. When I tuned into episodes there, I can find 639 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:30,000 myself smiling, even if it's on in the background or if it's when I'm 640 00:42:30,039 --> 00:42:34,400 driving the Couid, like I can actually kear myself smiling. Light Ears does 641 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:37,039 a great job covering the Warriors. Everyone has to know about that as well. 642 00:42:37,199 --> 00:42:43,679 Nick's Film School. Absolutely fantastic job covering the Knicks. I really enjoy 643 00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:45,840 in the No No Longer with Blue Wire Pods with Brew crew, I believe, 644 00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:50,320 but they do a fantastic job as well covering the Pelicans. They're they're 645 00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:52,639 one of my favorites. Just had justin Rowan from the Chase Down podcast of 646 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:58,679 covering the Calves. As I'm going through this, I realized that I should 647 00:42:58,679 --> 00:43:02,719 like have all my team specific podcasts probably written down that I try to listen 648 00:43:02,719 --> 00:43:07,920 to on a regular basis. The Dane Moore NBA podcast. He delves into 649 00:43:07,920 --> 00:43:12,320 a mostly Minnesota tember Wolves better than anybody else but and has just great recurring 650 00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:15,320 guests on as well. But he also does a really good job of delving 651 00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:19,119 in the rest of the NBA at large. The Euro Step for the Milwaukee 652 00:43:19,119 --> 00:43:22,719 Bucks. Another Blue ire podcast, just like the Day More NBA podcast that 653 00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:28,719 is absolutely spectacular. Dishes and Dimes is still a favorite of mine. They 654 00:43:29,000 --> 00:43:34,679 have not been publishing as regularly, but they whenever they have dropped an episode. 655 00:43:34,719 --> 00:43:37,079 I think their last one was actually this week though, unless I'm maagining 656 00:43:37,119 --> 00:43:40,000 it, They're They're just great over there. If you haven't subscribed to Katie 657 00:43:40,079 --> 00:43:45,400 Heindel's Basketball Feeling Substack either, she has a great podcast there as well and 658 00:43:45,440 --> 00:43:50,599 always has really insightful discussions and guests on love listening to that. I think 659 00:43:50,599 --> 00:43:52,119 that's you could, at least you could accuse me of a lot of things 660 00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:54,920 of saying that I don't know jack shit, but I really do at least 661 00:43:55,000 --> 00:44:02,159 try to immerse myself and as much podcast listening and reading consumption as possible. 662 00:44:02,360 --> 00:44:05,760 And there have got to be people who do a better job of that than 663 00:44:05,800 --> 00:44:08,719 I do. But I think it's almost a necessity or an obligation if you're 664 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:12,840 in this industry the way that I am, and trying to cover the league 665 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:17,000 at large, that you're listening to not just the national podcast but like going 666 00:44:17,039 --> 00:44:22,159 in deeper and listening to these the localized covers on a regular basis, again 667 00:44:22,159 --> 00:44:24,039 in large part because it's so freaking good. I'm gonna miss the Hawks Report 668 00:44:24,079 --> 00:44:29,239 with Sarah Kay Spencer. She've been moved to the Georgia Football Beat, so 669 00:44:29,320 --> 00:44:34,599 I will definitely miss that. Also, I'm trying to feel like, Oh, 670 00:44:34,679 --> 00:44:37,880 Houston Rockets. The Red Nation Hoops podcast going through my library right now, 671 00:44:37,920 --> 00:44:42,960 hosted by Salomon Alis. That's a really good one as well. There's 672 00:44:43,000 --> 00:44:46,639 podcasts for every team that I should have made a more comprehensive list for it. 673 00:44:46,639 --> 00:44:50,800 I didn't anticipate going this long on my actual favorite podcast, the Grizzlies. 674 00:44:50,840 --> 00:44:52,519 GrITT and Grinds does a really good job. That's with Keith Paris and 675 00:44:52,639 --> 00:44:57,159 Fast Break Breakfast and they cover the Grizzlies a lot on Fast Break Breakfast. 676 00:44:57,559 --> 00:45:00,719 So yeah, if you need recommendations for specific you're free to hit me up. 677 00:45:00,760 --> 00:45:05,599 If you want to throw me recommendations maybe for some podcasts or writers that 678 00:45:05,639 --> 00:45:07,840 you feel are underserved and are doing a really good job that don't get enough 679 00:45:08,280 --> 00:45:12,480 recognition, go ahead and throw that my way. You could DM me on 680 00:45:12,519 --> 00:45:15,159 Twitter at damp Valley, or if you're in our discord, you could check 681 00:45:15,199 --> 00:45:19,440 that out as well. There's a lot of good podcasts out there, though 682 00:45:19,440 --> 00:45:22,280 I have no idea why you're listening to this one. Demo Cool asks what's 683 00:45:22,320 --> 00:45:25,800 the future like for Folts in Orlando? Who do you prefer Derek White or 684 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:29,639 Mark el Foltz, Who is the better fit for Orlando to draft? And 685 00:45:29,639 --> 00:45:32,599 what do they plan to do with more bamba? This question got me thinking 686 00:45:32,719 --> 00:45:36,880 more than any question about Mark el Foltz. Ever, Should I feel like 687 00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:39,800 I caught shit on Twitter a couple of weeks ago because I said I didn't 688 00:45:39,880 --> 00:45:43,880 view Mark el Folts as a cornerstone for the Magic and the pushback was, 689 00:45:43,920 --> 00:45:46,559 oh, the Magic Hume is a cornerstone. I don't I don't actually care. 690 00:45:46,679 --> 00:45:51,280 I don't think that they should, is my point. He is a 691 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:53,280 good useful player, though I don't think he can actually be the engine of 692 00:45:53,280 --> 00:45:57,360 your offense. When you're comparing him to Derek White. Is interesting. If 693 00:45:57,400 --> 00:46:00,280 you're looking for someone to be the engine of your offense, would prefer Folts. 694 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:05,719 There's more directionality to his off the dribble attacks. I think you can 695 00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:08,039 trust his mid range game. Dark White has that floater. He's not gonna 696 00:46:08,079 --> 00:46:10,639 hit off the dribble threes. Marko Folts isn't going to dream of shooting off 697 00:46:10,639 --> 00:46:16,119 the dribble threes. But Mark Heal Folts getting to his spots, excuse me, 698 00:46:16,199 --> 00:46:20,840 in that mid range, he does a better job of that. I 699 00:46:20,880 --> 00:46:23,960 also think that as as a passer like he's going to be slightly better when 700 00:46:23,960 --> 00:46:27,719 you're asking to create from scratch, where Derek White feels like sort of that 701 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:32,280 quick second past guy or make the really slick accelerated reads, Mark Heal Folts, 702 00:46:32,280 --> 00:46:34,960 if you need to slow things down, is going to be able to 703 00:46:35,039 --> 00:46:39,599 orchestrate. From that perspective, Derek White's off ball defense and screen navigation is 704 00:46:39,599 --> 00:46:44,239 definitely better than than Marco Folts, and I think I would prefer him overall. 705 00:46:44,360 --> 00:46:46,079 Folds really has some nice size and have two hill know to where he 706 00:46:46,079 --> 00:46:51,119 can defend some assignments that I don't think people fully appreciate. There's more sort 707 00:46:51,119 --> 00:46:55,400 of stop on a dime like footwork creation with him as well. So between 708 00:46:55,400 --> 00:47:00,519 these two specifically, I think if you're looking for someone to compliment a larger 709 00:47:00,599 --> 00:47:05,440 ecosystem that's already set up like Boston, Derek White is the way to go, 710 00:47:05,519 --> 00:47:07,519 hands down. But if you're actually looking to take a flyer on a 711 00:47:07,519 --> 00:47:12,480 player who can be a more prominent part of whatever you're doing, I think 712 00:47:12,480 --> 00:47:15,360 I would lean Mark el Foltz at this point. The future for him and 713 00:47:15,480 --> 00:47:21,920 Orlando I honestly I don't know. I mean, they're still there backcourt heavy 714 00:47:22,239 --> 00:47:27,360 without having anything figured out. Because they do have Jalen Suggs, they have 715 00:47:27,519 --> 00:47:30,519 Cole Anthony, they have RJ. Hampton. They're not going to draft another 716 00:47:30,559 --> 00:47:34,079 backwork guy with the number one overall pick, so there's you know, on 717 00:47:34,159 --> 00:47:36,920 Terrence Ross might actually be traded. So they're getting some clarity there, but 718 00:47:36,960 --> 00:47:39,119 they're still confusion. They're gonna be minutes for him and chances for him to 719 00:47:39,239 --> 00:47:43,719 in reps. I don't think that he is the playmaker of the future for 720 00:47:43,760 --> 00:47:46,199 this team. I think if he was going to be, and maybe they'll 721 00:47:46,239 --> 00:47:50,960 do this, you need to surround him with a lot more more shooting than 722 00:47:51,159 --> 00:47:54,559 Orlando is done at this point. But I do still think he's a really 723 00:47:54,639 --> 00:47:58,679 useful player. I don't know if I would view him as an asset where 724 00:47:58,679 --> 00:48:01,880 you're talking about trades. He's at sixteen point five million next year, and 725 00:48:01,880 --> 00:48:07,440 then he has a partial guarantee the following season for two million dollars on his 726 00:48:07,679 --> 00:48:09,119 seventeen million dollars salaries. So if you're a team, you can look at 727 00:48:09,119 --> 00:48:13,719 that as basically an expiring contract if you want to move money that way. 728 00:48:13,840 --> 00:48:17,039 But I think you need to have confidence that he can develop more off ball 729 00:48:17,199 --> 00:48:20,519 utility than he has now on offense. Otherwise you need to put the ball 730 00:48:20,519 --> 00:48:22,679 in his hands, and I don't think the magic are built in a way 731 00:48:22,719 --> 00:48:28,199 we're putting the ball in his hands is actually going to enhance their offense, 732 00:48:28,320 --> 00:48:30,360 Like it might give them a better floor, a higher floor than if you 733 00:48:30,400 --> 00:48:35,199 were to give it to certain other players. But I don't know right now. 734 00:48:35,199 --> 00:48:37,880 They're definitely not built for him to be the one that elevates their ceiling. 735 00:48:38,119 --> 00:48:42,920 And I'm still endlessly curious about what type of player he turns into, 736 00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:45,480 because I do think there's more to plumb with him. I think he has 737 00:48:45,480 --> 00:48:47,239 the ability to reach the basket more when you just look at his size, 738 00:48:47,840 --> 00:48:51,719 his strength, and then again some of the moves he made inside the arc 739 00:48:51,880 --> 00:48:55,079 this year. And I do think again, if you're looking for someone to 740 00:48:55,119 --> 00:49:00,440 shoulder more offensive responsibilities with the ball in their hands, I probably prefer Mark 741 00:49:00,519 --> 00:49:04,280 el Faults. But I think it's way easier and way more useful to fit 742 00:49:04,360 --> 00:49:08,280 in someone like a Derek White. I would now segueing back to the future 743 00:49:08,320 --> 00:49:10,960 Mark Hults in Orlando, I fully expect him to be in trade rooms at 744 00:49:10,960 --> 00:49:15,840 some point this season. I you know, unless he has just like a 745 00:49:15,960 --> 00:49:21,519 huge year. You're looking at Jalen Suggs. You're about to add another rookie 746 00:49:22,159 --> 00:49:25,199 in, you know, Jabari Smith Jr. Years What everyone thinks they're gonna 747 00:49:25,239 --> 00:49:28,119 do. We'll get to that in a second. I don't know if that's 748 00:49:28,159 --> 00:49:30,719 what they should do. It wouldn't surprise me, just because you are going 749 00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:35,800 to have another only another year technically after the next one left on his deal, 750 00:49:36,320 --> 00:49:37,320 and if you don't think he's your point guard of the future or a 751 00:49:37,320 --> 00:49:40,519 playmaker of the future, ever you want to phrase it, like, there 752 00:49:40,519 --> 00:49:43,800 could be a nice give and take there between him and Jalen Sogs. I 753 00:49:43,800 --> 00:49:46,480 think Jalen Suggs is like underrated because of how much we're reading into his rookie 754 00:49:46,519 --> 00:49:51,880 season and the responsibilities Orlando shouldered upon him, particularly before Mark el Fults even 755 00:49:51,880 --> 00:49:53,920 returned. So there's a lot of TVD stuff here. It just wouldn't surprise 756 00:49:53,960 --> 00:49:58,960 me if this season we're looking at Orlando kind of saying, okay, we 757 00:49:59,000 --> 00:50:04,519 are Franz Wagner. We have you know, whoever they draft at number one, 758 00:50:04,320 --> 00:50:07,159 I'm like ready to assign a name to it. When he doesn't exist, 759 00:50:07,480 --> 00:50:08,599 we have Sugs, Wagner, and over we draft at number one, 760 00:50:08,599 --> 00:50:12,920 like it's time to sort of lean further into that, consolidating the corn in 761 00:50:12,960 --> 00:50:15,559 that way and Faults and Isaac maybe even cool Anthony is available, and I 762 00:50:15,599 --> 00:50:19,920 think Wendell Carter junior to me has a better chance of sticking with the Corps. 763 00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:22,559 Then Faults that being says it does depend on who they pick. They 764 00:50:22,599 --> 00:50:25,840 might, you know, might if you're gonna take Chet home Grin I would 765 00:50:25,840 --> 00:50:29,920 think that he eventually projects as your five of the future, even though he 766 00:50:29,920 --> 00:50:32,960 can play next to another big But as John Hollinger wrote about at the Athletic 767 00:50:34,000 --> 00:50:38,239 there's spaceball where it's size and players who are huge yet play like wings or 768 00:50:38,280 --> 00:50:43,119 smaller players. They're not actually smaller players, so maybe they lean into that. 769 00:50:43,519 --> 00:50:45,920 If I was the Magic, I'm on the clock at number one, 770 00:50:45,400 --> 00:50:51,199 I full stop would draft Polo Benko. I think he has like every level 771 00:50:51,280 --> 00:50:53,599 offense in him and can score eventually, even if you don't believe in no 772 00:50:53,719 --> 00:50:58,800 like in every facet that you imagined. He wanted to probably put on some 773 00:50:59,280 --> 00:51:01,519 like more strength if he's going to finish through contact. But I think he's 774 00:51:01,559 --> 00:51:05,079 going to be someone who hits these tough off the dribble jumpers, can space 775 00:51:05,119 --> 00:51:07,079 the floor if he's away from the ball, could really get moving towards the 776 00:51:07,159 --> 00:51:10,159 rim, can just attack from a stand still, get going in transition, 777 00:51:10,920 --> 00:51:15,559 have some really difficult finishes to stop on a dime shooting. I trust that 778 00:51:15,599 --> 00:51:20,159 he's going to be an above average playmaker for his size. I really am 779 00:51:20,159 --> 00:51:23,679 just tantalized by his offensive potential. That being said, if I was the 780 00:51:23,679 --> 00:51:27,599 Magic and I was going for Fit or I was trying to go for a 781 00:51:27,599 --> 00:51:30,920 more complete package. Chat Holmegrin feels like the answer here because it feels like 782 00:51:30,960 --> 00:51:36,119 they could really build this transcendent defensive beast if you're not making any other moves, 783 00:51:36,480 --> 00:51:43,159 having Isaac home Grin and Mark ll Faults on your team just monstrous. 784 00:51:43,159 --> 00:51:46,519 Even having Chumiokiki there as well, will he show enough offensively to play a 785 00:51:46,519 --> 00:51:50,480 ton of minutes, But it's going to give you some good wing stoppage, 786 00:51:50,519 --> 00:51:52,800 power, wing stoppage, whatever you want to call it. I would just 787 00:51:52,840 --> 00:51:57,519 really like to see what holmegran and Isaac could commish together give you went super 788 00:51:57,519 --> 00:52:01,000 big, Like if you think Isaac can play the three or guard threes consistently 789 00:52:01,480 --> 00:52:06,239 playing Home Wrenn and Wendell Carter Junior at the same time in that scenario when 790 00:52:06,280 --> 00:52:10,119 you're looking at actual fit, I think Jabarr Smith Junior just he is so 791 00:52:10,239 --> 00:52:15,559 dynamic offensively already, and it's probably easier to plug him next to another big 792 00:52:15,599 --> 00:52:20,679 than even Palo Bank Arrow a little bit. I'm not sure who winds up 793 00:52:20,719 --> 00:52:24,039 being the fast forward five years, and I haven't done enough prep for this 794 00:52:24,159 --> 00:52:28,000 probably either. I'm not sure who I would Peg is the better defender. 795 00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:30,679 I think Palo is going to end up being a lot better on that end, 796 00:52:30,880 --> 00:52:34,039 at least more disruptive than people have given him credit for. I could 797 00:52:34,039 --> 00:52:36,440 see Jabarr Smith Junior, though, just as someone who's you were able to 798 00:52:36,440 --> 00:52:38,840 move around and make it easier to hide in a bunch of different spots. 799 00:52:39,079 --> 00:52:45,440 Maybe that's more valuable. He already feels a little bit more polished offensively and 800 00:52:45,559 --> 00:52:51,039 slots right in a little bit easier next to a Wendell Carter Junior and Jonathan 801 00:52:51,039 --> 00:52:54,519 Isaac. If that's the route that you want to go, I don't. 802 00:52:54,639 --> 00:52:58,440 If I like I would take Palo on the Magic, I would just go 803 00:52:58,519 --> 00:53:00,800 for the best player there. I would also prefer Chet home Grint though, 804 00:53:00,920 --> 00:53:05,079 then Jr. Barr Smith, You're edit to me. That immediately makes me 805 00:53:05,119 --> 00:53:07,800 feel like I'm missing something, because the consensus has been, or at least 806 00:53:07,800 --> 00:53:12,480 close to it, that they're going to take your Barr Smith Jr. So 807 00:53:12,480 --> 00:53:15,119 I don't really know what I'm doing wrong there. I won't say that plays 808 00:53:15,119 --> 00:53:19,000 out in the final last Betif this is what happens with Mo Bamba, I 809 00:53:19,000 --> 00:53:22,920 would be fairly surprised if they tender him a qualifying offer at this point, 810 00:53:22,039 --> 00:53:24,400 slated to be a restrictive free agent. Maybe they just do it anyway for 811 00:53:24,440 --> 00:53:27,719 the hell of it. They have their slay to de tap space and it's 812 00:53:27,719 --> 00:53:30,440 not like you're going to spend it. And if he can get cheap enough, 813 00:53:30,519 --> 00:53:31,320 like yeah, I guess you could keep him around and we try and 814 00:53:31,320 --> 00:53:35,239 move him for nasset later. Do you facilitate side and trade this summer? 815 00:53:35,679 --> 00:53:37,039 My predition would be he wants up on a different team, whether it's because 816 00:53:37,039 --> 00:53:42,840 they let him leave or there's a team that's actually willing to acquire via sign 817 00:53:42,840 --> 00:53:45,360 and trade. But I don't know if you want a hard tap yourself for 818 00:53:45,480 --> 00:53:50,639 mo Bamba, but you need to be pretty like well below the luxury tap 819 00:53:50,840 --> 00:53:53,960 Apron luxury tax Apron have no plans to even flirt with it, if that's 820 00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:59,440 something that you're looking at. The white versus faults question though, I spent 821 00:53:59,519 --> 00:54:02,119 more time on that then thinking about that, and I thought I ever would, 822 00:54:02,239 --> 00:54:06,920 so great question there, dark wing Duck asked, given expansion rumors, 823 00:54:06,920 --> 00:54:09,880 if there was an expansion draft this summer using previous expansion draft rules, who's 824 00:54:09,920 --> 00:54:14,239 the best player likely to be taken? I spent way too much time coming 825 00:54:14,239 --> 00:54:17,320 to like a terrible conclusion here. So the last I wouldn't get into the 826 00:54:17,400 --> 00:54:22,559 nitty gritty of the way that the most recent expansion draft in two thousand and 827 00:54:22,559 --> 00:54:25,440 four, the Charlotte Bobcats worked but every team was allowed to protect up to 828 00:54:27,800 --> 00:54:30,800 eight players who were either under contracts or slated to be restricted free agents. 829 00:54:30,800 --> 00:54:34,000 So if they were going to be a free agent, understand free agent, 830 00:54:34,360 --> 00:54:37,320 they couldn't be protected and the Bobcats could not draft them. But if it 831 00:54:37,360 --> 00:54:39,039 was a restricted free agent, they could be protected, and if they weren't, 832 00:54:39,400 --> 00:54:45,000 Charlotte was allowed to draft them and they would inherit their their bird rights. 833 00:54:45,079 --> 00:54:49,079 I'm just let's just assume that's the case here. There are teams that 834 00:54:49,119 --> 00:54:52,639 aren't going to want to protect eight players, I'm sure, especially with the 835 00:54:52,639 --> 00:54:57,119 way empty roster spots work in the off season. I tried to really come 836 00:54:57,159 --> 00:55:00,119 up with, like you know, in that draft, the best player or 837 00:55:00,159 --> 00:55:02,719 Charlotte took with Gerald Wallace, that just to give you sort of a glimpse 838 00:55:02,760 --> 00:55:07,559 into how teams are going to think they're they're not just going to make you 839 00:55:07,559 --> 00:55:09,960 know, they don't really like when you start to go through rosters, and 840 00:55:09,960 --> 00:55:13,760 you're allowed to protect eight players, like you get to the bottom of the 841 00:55:13,760 --> 00:55:17,119 barrel pretty quickly. Like most teams don't have eight above average players in their 842 00:55:17,159 --> 00:55:20,840 rotation at any given moment, And so there's that to consider as well. 843 00:55:21,079 --> 00:55:23,800 There's most of the aspect of well, when teams consider not protecting a player 844 00:55:23,880 --> 00:55:28,960 who has this massive contract and hopes that an expansion team would take him. 845 00:55:29,000 --> 00:55:31,199 And so that was the route that I kind of went with this, rather 846 00:55:31,280 --> 00:55:36,719 than just looking for the best player who might be unprotected, I came up 847 00:55:36,760 --> 00:55:38,239 with. I thought about Julius Randall for a minute, but I don't think 848 00:55:38,239 --> 00:55:43,559 an expansion team would be too high on taking him. And if you're targeting, 849 00:55:43,679 --> 00:55:46,480 like you know, Russell Westbrook would probably been available. I don't think 850 00:55:46,760 --> 00:55:50,159 that he is going to be taken either. Even if it was at Tobias 851 00:55:50,199 --> 00:55:54,079 Harris with Philly the one I settled on, and maybe they would protect him. 852 00:55:54,199 --> 00:56:00,280 You can tell me that I'm out of my mind. Would Denver want 853 00:56:00,280 --> 00:56:05,599 a mulligan on the Michael Porter Junior extension. I know that they're safeguarded against 854 00:56:05,679 --> 00:56:14,400 disaster on it, that is still a massive deal and it won't become fully 855 00:56:14,440 --> 00:56:20,480 guaranteed on that last year. It'll be performance based and so when you're really 856 00:56:20,519 --> 00:56:23,000 looking at his contracts, it's the first which and by the way, it 857 00:56:23,039 --> 00:56:27,800 hasn't even started yet. It starts next season. So they signed him to 858 00:56:27,800 --> 00:56:32,159 an extension and the first four years guarantee him one hundred and thirty six point 859 00:56:32,199 --> 00:56:37,320 six million dollars. That fifty year is worth forty point three, which would 860 00:56:37,360 --> 00:56:40,199 bring the total to one seventy six point nine. So what the nun to 861 00:56:40,280 --> 00:56:44,480 say with Michael Porter Junior is they essentially guaranteed him around one hundred and fifty 862 00:56:44,519 --> 00:56:47,599 million dollars over that four years. They could become more jump past one fifty 863 00:56:47,800 --> 00:56:51,280 if he makes an all MBAP parents where it's fully guaranteed. Again, there's 864 00:56:51,320 --> 00:56:53,119 that. That's how you get to the basically five years, one seventy seven 865 00:56:53,159 --> 00:56:59,199 million dollars number. Would they consider just being like, will will put him 866 00:56:59,239 --> 00:57:01,119 in the draft? And what it's team want to roll the dice on him 867 00:57:01,159 --> 00:57:07,280 because he is potentially so transcendent offensively. That is the best, like the 868 00:57:07,320 --> 00:57:10,400 biggest name that I could envision maybe getting to that point. I don't really 869 00:57:10,400 --> 00:57:14,920 know who else to get there with. I thought about what Chicago just want 870 00:57:14,960 --> 00:57:16,000 to get off of the Bouche contracts, and the teams gonna be like, 871 00:57:16,079 --> 00:57:19,960 oh, here's a useful player, final year of his deal, let's just 872 00:57:20,000 --> 00:57:23,280 take him. I honestly don't know, so I'm gonna I'm gonna settle on 873 00:57:23,800 --> 00:57:28,639 Michael Porter Jr. I don't know if that's the correct answer. You can 874 00:57:28,719 --> 00:57:34,000 let me know what you think, though. Let's get too Glad from Discord 875 00:57:34,039 --> 00:57:37,639 had a bunch of questions. The first one was top five players who haven't 876 00:57:37,639 --> 00:57:40,960 been named as an All Star in the league right now, and five players 877 00:57:42,440 --> 00:57:45,599 you think are going to take a leap in all star level next year. 878 00:57:45,679 --> 00:57:47,880 So I think I combined these two into one. I misread the question when 879 00:57:47,920 --> 00:57:51,599 I was doing the research on it, and the five players that who haven't 880 00:57:51,599 --> 00:57:53,159 made an All Star team, and I could see sort of making that leap 881 00:57:54,920 --> 00:58:00,199 next next season. I settled on and I'll give him my consider rations from 882 00:58:00,360 --> 00:58:07,239 other names, But I settled on Tyrese Haliburton, Schegelis, Alexander Anthy Edwards, 883 00:58:07,280 --> 00:58:10,360 Kaig Cunningham, and Evan Mobley. I thought about Scotty Barnes, says, 884 00:58:10,400 --> 00:58:15,360 Ben bayndy Or and Fox he jimccullum, John Collins, Jarreon Jackson Jr. 885 00:58:15,400 --> 00:58:16,840 Even Jamal Murray probably is. There's annorable mention there, even though he's 886 00:58:16,840 --> 00:58:21,599 coming back from the DCL injury. The fact that three of those guys are 887 00:58:21,599 --> 00:58:23,599 in the West makes me think that I should throw Scottie Barnes in favor of 888 00:58:23,719 --> 00:58:27,760 Edward Scheyer. I'm only two of those guys, Tyres Haliburn's no longer in 889 00:58:27,760 --> 00:58:30,639 the West. There you go, the balance is there. But those are 890 00:58:30,639 --> 00:58:34,679 the five that I could really see. Kaide and Evan Mobley. Obviously they're 891 00:58:34,719 --> 00:58:38,519 going to be sophomores, so that could technically get just a little difficult. 892 00:58:39,800 --> 00:58:45,159 But Evan Mobley was borderlined in that discussion already this year. And I really 893 00:58:45,159 --> 00:58:49,480 do think Kid Cunningham somehow just wound up having an underrated rookie campaign, people 894 00:58:49,519 --> 00:58:53,840 thinking he's capitalizing off of just like this unchecked license in Detroit, and he 895 00:58:53,920 --> 00:58:59,480 just has a command of the game that I think it's going to make him 896 00:58:59,599 --> 00:59:04,880 a top five player in the NBA for just a really, really really long 897 00:59:04,920 --> 00:59:07,079 time. And Mobiley just might be tougher. He plenties to have better offensive 898 00:59:07,119 --> 00:59:09,880 numbers. That's also why I didn't pick Scotty Barnes. It feels like you 899 00:59:10,000 --> 00:59:15,960 need his you need him that shoulder a bigger offensive role, which they did. 900 00:59:16,800 --> 00:59:23,440 They did like try to increase the volume and like complicate his uses a 901 00:59:23,480 --> 00:59:27,400 little bit over the course of the year. With Fred van Fleet there, 902 00:59:27,440 --> 00:59:30,599 Pascal Siakam, as long as they have Oganna Nobi and Gary French Jr. 903 00:59:31,159 --> 00:59:39,239 I think I think that there's a chance you're not going to see that growth 904 00:59:39,280 --> 00:59:45,360 from him by by design almost right of way. So those are the ones 905 00:59:45,400 --> 00:59:50,719 that I would stick with, and I think the best one, the player 906 00:59:50,840 --> 00:59:54,599 with the best chance to do it, of that group, I think it's 907 00:59:54,639 --> 00:59:57,800 him if he Edwards, even though he's in the Western Conferences, they if 908 00:59:57,840 --> 01:00:00,519 the Edwards or Kaid Cunningham. For me, I feel like I should I 909 01:00:00,519 --> 01:00:07,440 should say Shay, but I really can't. So there's that as well. 910 01:00:07,559 --> 01:00:14,039 But I think it's Anthea Edwards. Just felt like he really made a huge 911 01:00:14,119 --> 01:00:17,480 leap when you're looking at what sort of happened even in the playoffs, looking 912 01:00:17,480 --> 01:00:21,800 at his defense, there was still some defensive lapses, but he can really 913 01:00:21,840 --> 01:00:25,599 disrupt them that before. Now can score at every level. I can very 914 01:00:25,679 --> 01:00:32,239 much see like his efficiency a climbing next year, maybe turning into like this 915 01:00:32,280 --> 01:00:37,559 super lethal off the dribble three point shooter being the engine even on the termber 916 01:00:37,559 --> 01:00:45,079 Wolves offense. Maybe they're taking some initiation touches away from a D'Angel Russell if 917 01:00:45,079 --> 01:00:49,719 they're not going to move him and even funnily more of the offense through him. 918 01:00:50,599 --> 01:00:52,199 I did not give consideration of who I think the best players are in 919 01:00:52,239 --> 01:00:57,199 the league that haven't made an All Star appearance right now. I think a 920 01:00:57,280 --> 01:01:00,320 lot of that probably can be like it might there's a lot of that that 921 01:01:00,360 --> 01:01:08,119 can sort of be in this same list. If you're looking at like Anty 922 01:01:08,239 --> 01:01:12,840 Edwards has probably got to be up there. Definitely think Jay Jelis Alexander needs 923 01:01:12,840 --> 01:01:16,599 to be up there, Jalen Brown ready made Alster tream ss McCollum has definitely 924 01:01:16,599 --> 01:01:20,159 got to be on that list. Maybe a Clint Capella. If we're looking 925 01:01:20,159 --> 01:01:23,119 for more veterans, some people would throw DeAndre Ayton into that equation. So 926 01:01:23,159 --> 01:01:25,440 if you're just looking for names there, I do think there's gonna be some 927 01:01:25,559 --> 01:01:30,800 intersection here though, even with how young a lot of the players on this 928 01:01:30,800 --> 01:01:34,639 list are going to be one I did not name Harris Maxie could be a 929 01:01:34,719 --> 01:01:38,400 nicky candidate for an All Star team, but playing with Meade and Harden at 930 01:01:38,400 --> 01:01:42,400 the same time feels like that good sort of taper him off a little bit. 931 01:01:42,440 --> 01:01:45,800 But yeah, those would be the names to watch for me. Oh. 932 01:01:45,960 --> 01:01:50,119 The other part of this question was is it fair? Also? Is 933 01:01:50,159 --> 01:01:52,880 it fair to continue calling players who only had one or two good years all 934 01:01:52,880 --> 01:01:55,719 star players if they haven't been back to that level. I e. D'angela, 935 01:01:55,760 --> 01:02:00,360 Russell, Drew Holiday, Mike Conley. I think it just the heads. 936 01:02:00,559 --> 01:02:04,280 When it's Mike Conley and Drew Holiday and there's been like sustained really useful 937 01:02:04,320 --> 01:02:07,199 stardom for a longer period of time, I think it's fair to call him. 938 01:02:07,199 --> 01:02:08,119 You don't have to say all stars. Would at least call them stars. 939 01:02:08,159 --> 01:02:12,679 But if we're talking DiAngelo Russell, definitely on the fence about that one. 940 01:02:13,840 --> 01:02:15,760 But like you can't Mill Williams having one All Star appearance, Like, 941 01:02:15,760 --> 01:02:19,280 no, you we should not be calling it all star. Moll Williams, 942 01:02:19,280 --> 01:02:21,639 go ahead and nod he made an All Star team. It's also tough for 943 01:02:21,639 --> 01:02:23,840 me to ascribe too much value to All Star appearances. With how topsy turvy 944 01:02:23,880 --> 01:02:30,400 the results can still get even with the current formatting. Allah Andrew Wiggins being 945 01:02:30,440 --> 01:02:37,800 named an All Star starter this year, Glad also asked this question was interesting. 946 01:02:37,880 --> 01:02:39,000 I don't even think they meant to ask it, but we were having 947 01:02:39,000 --> 01:02:43,679 a discussion and discord. So I'm taking it from here. You're taking Gobert 948 01:02:43,840 --> 01:02:47,320 or Harden, and we said over the next four to five years, it 949 01:02:47,440 --> 01:02:52,199 was the stipulation. Next year, I am taking Harden. I just feel 950 01:02:52,239 --> 01:02:57,119 like there's a chance something clicked, or that he understands he doesn't get to 951 01:02:57,119 --> 01:03:02,239 switch teams again like this, and that he's going to need to get in 952 01:03:02,320 --> 01:03:06,159 better shape and stay healthier, and maybe just having an off season where he 953 01:03:06,159 --> 01:03:08,400 knows where he's going to be, or he's just going to be motivated because 954 01:03:08,440 --> 01:03:10,679 now people are sort of talking with him in different terms. There was one 955 01:03:10,679 --> 01:03:13,679 thing when he forced his way off of Houston, but then the way the 956 01:03:13,679 --> 01:03:16,000 stuff in Brooklyn went down. Even if you don't really like Kyrie Irving, 957 01:03:19,280 --> 01:03:22,559 I could see a scenario in which, if you're ask me, if James 958 01:03:22,559 --> 01:03:25,639 Harden more likely to continue sort of his drop off or be a top five 959 01:03:25,719 --> 01:03:30,079 or ten player again next year going to take the land, Are you am 960 01:03:30,079 --> 01:03:32,400 I more likely to invest in his MVP odds or bet on him having a 961 01:03:32,440 --> 01:03:36,320 season in which he doesn't make the All Star team. More likely to bet 962 01:03:36,320 --> 01:03:40,440 on his MVP odds over time, though. Yeah, like the stuff with 963 01:03:40,559 --> 01:03:44,440 James Harden was one. An iron man has been an iron man for so 964 01:03:44,519 --> 01:03:46,960 long with that high usage, I could see him sort of breaking down a 965 01:03:46,960 --> 01:03:51,320 little bit. He's played a more taxing role on the offensive end. Rudy 966 01:03:51,360 --> 01:03:53,480 Gobert, I do wonder how his movemental age defensively, but four to five 967 01:03:53,559 --> 01:03:58,079 years down the line, he just feels like someone even as a rim runner, 968 01:03:58,159 --> 01:04:00,679 rebounder, and if you have to put him completely in drop coverage all 969 01:04:00,679 --> 01:04:04,079 the time, like it'll be easier to extract value out of him three and 970 01:04:04,119 --> 01:04:08,400 four years down the line than James Harden. So are you taking the next 971 01:04:08,400 --> 01:04:14,199 half decade of Rudy Gobert James Harden? I'm taking Rudy Gobert somewhat reluctantly on 972 01:04:14,239 --> 01:04:16,360 the fence. If you're making it one or two years, I'm going with 973 01:04:16,519 --> 01:04:20,960 James Harden there. Outside of players that show up immediately and are really good, 974 01:04:20,960 --> 01:04:24,039 how long, on average would you say does it take for players to 975 01:04:24,039 --> 01:04:28,159 develop into all Star caliber players, Butler Levine, even Janis come to mind 976 01:04:28,159 --> 01:04:32,239 as more developed players than star players like Kadi Lebron. More recently, we 977 01:04:32,280 --> 01:04:35,960 could say like Trey Luca jaw Zion to an extent, who kind of came 978 01:04:36,000 --> 01:04:39,719 in and took over. To me, it looks to be about the fourth 979 01:04:39,760 --> 01:04:43,840 to fifth years I looked more towards that leap into twenty points per game is 980 01:04:43,920 --> 01:04:47,239 kind of all Star caliber. Obviously everyone was different. Yeah, this was 981 01:04:47,280 --> 01:04:51,360 interesting, and there's actually been studies done on it, and I think it 982 01:04:51,480 --> 01:04:57,079 was Dartmouth did a study in which they found that, and yes it was 983 01:04:57,159 --> 01:05:00,800 Dartmouth. The average age of an All Star player and an MVP is twenty 984 01:05:00,800 --> 01:05:04,559 six point five for an All Star player and twenty seven point nine for an 985 01:05:04,639 --> 01:05:10,039 MVP. I think all MBA. I saw this was on hoops Hype. 986 01:05:10,559 --> 01:05:15,679 The average age of an All NBA player is around it's between twenty seven and 987 01:05:15,719 --> 01:05:19,800 twenty eight. Again, so I don't know what year of a player's career 988 01:05:19,880 --> 01:05:23,239 that would be. If you're looking at All Star players specifically, like the 989 01:05:23,280 --> 01:05:27,159 twenty five twenty six range, which feels like for most guys are gonna be 990 01:05:27,159 --> 01:05:30,639 like the fifth or sixth season of their career or around there. So I 991 01:05:30,639 --> 01:05:33,119 would say that your spot on they're glad with the way that you phrase that. 992 01:05:33,199 --> 01:05:38,679 I think you mentioned in your question the fifth year. Last question here 993 01:05:38,760 --> 01:05:42,960 comes from Brandon. Clippers have a few trade exceptions, any idea of who 994 01:05:43,000 --> 01:05:45,320 you think what they could do with them? So, yeah, they have 995 01:05:45,400 --> 01:05:49,320 their two trade exceptions which are worth There's one that's eight point three million and 996 01:05:49,360 --> 01:05:55,679 there's one that's nine point seven million. About rounding that. The eight point 997 01:05:55,719 --> 01:06:00,440 three one is from the Rondo trade and then the nine point evan one is 998 01:06:00,480 --> 01:06:05,639 from the Sergebaca trade. I'd be curious to see if they, like I'm 999 01:06:05,679 --> 01:06:10,480 assuming Elaiah Hartenstein is on a different team next season. They have zoobots, 1000 01:06:11,000 --> 01:06:14,519 and I know that you can get bigs for maybe cheaper, but if the 1001 01:06:14,599 --> 01:06:16,199 Knicks were just willing to give you New Orleans Noel, are you willing to 1002 01:06:16,199 --> 01:06:20,800 take that into one of your exceptions or are you just so committed to closing 1003 01:06:20,840 --> 01:06:25,840 smaller that you're just fine finding someone on the super cheap having zu bots and 1004 01:06:25,880 --> 01:06:29,239 going from there. I would love to see Larry nance Junior on this team, 1005 01:06:29,280 --> 01:06:31,559 and he fits into that Surgebaca trade exception. You're not just getting him 1006 01:06:31,719 --> 01:06:35,000 for that. I don't know if there's a deal with non simultaneous trades that 1007 01:06:35,039 --> 01:06:40,039 could be struck there. If New Orleans de sides going in a different direction 1008 01:06:40,119 --> 01:06:43,760 this summer, maybe they're drafting a big or maybe they just don't envision having 1009 01:06:43,800 --> 01:06:47,800 like enough rotational room for Larry Ance Junior with Zion coming back and you have 1010 01:06:47,920 --> 01:06:50,679 Jackson Hays and you have Jonis non Junis. I don't think it gets to 1011 01:06:50,719 --> 01:06:54,039 that point, but that would just be a name in the middle of the 1012 01:06:54,079 --> 01:06:58,639 season maybe, And I think the Surge Ibaka trade exception expires. Yeah, 1013 01:06:58,679 --> 01:07:00,280 so that expires February ten, so they would have time to sit on it 1014 01:07:00,320 --> 01:07:04,079 if they wanted to. I also thought, what about TJ McConnell. I 1015 01:07:04,079 --> 01:07:08,119 don't really know how the Pacers view him. There was a report from Jake 1016 01:07:08,199 --> 01:07:12,159 Fisher that they're looking to lean further in the rebuild. So can you get 1017 01:07:12,440 --> 01:07:15,559 t J McConnell into that. Maybe the Pacers don't want his deal on the 1018 01:07:15,559 --> 01:07:18,280 books, and that would provide just some game management torpedo. You're floor spacing 1019 01:07:18,280 --> 01:07:21,880 a little bit, but it'll give you some defensive pressure and then also just 1020 01:07:21,920 --> 01:07:26,480 again, like someone to get you into stuff in the half quarter or push 1021 01:07:26,519 --> 01:07:30,960 it up the floor in transition. You could also go that route with Kemba. 1022 01:07:30,079 --> 01:07:32,880 I don't know what he has left, but it would be he'd be 1023 01:07:32,880 --> 01:07:38,920 a lot more useful on the Clippers than next to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. 1024 01:07:38,960 --> 01:07:42,679 Then whatever was happening in New York and he might be cooked. So 1025 01:07:42,719 --> 01:07:45,920 maybe you don't want to take on his eight million dollars salary when you know 1026 01:07:45,960 --> 01:07:47,719 how much it's going to cost for your tax bill. The other two names 1027 01:07:47,719 --> 01:07:50,679 that's brain of mind is if if the Bucks are looking to cut their tax 1028 01:07:50,679 --> 01:07:57,079 bill and you think that George Hill has anything left, he wouldn't be terrible. 1029 01:07:57,079 --> 01:08:00,320 He's old four million. And just if the Jazz are looking at their 1030 01:08:00,360 --> 01:08:03,159 tax bill, like do you take the flyer on Nikil Alexander Walker or do 1031 01:08:03,159 --> 01:08:06,480 you just really think that he has nothing there? Because the Clippers clearly trust 1032 01:08:06,599 --> 01:08:11,199 like their developmental program and they're probably looking for more immediate help. But those 1033 01:08:11,199 --> 01:08:13,920 are some names that I got into. You can feel free to get at 1034 01:08:13,920 --> 01:08:15,920 me, Brandon, if you have any others in the discord chat that'll do 1035 01:08:16,000 --> 01:08:21,119 it for me. This was fun. Apologies for the weird podcast publishing schedule 1036 01:08:21,159 --> 01:08:24,680 this week, but please just remember a downloading every episode, and if this 1037 01:08:24,720 --> 01:08:27,199 was the first time you listen to us, if you haven't done till we've 1038 01:08:27,199 --> 01:08:30,079 made it this far, please consider throwing us that permanent subscription follow us on 1039 01:08:30,199 --> 01:08:33,319 order to call the socials, the links to which are in the description. 1040 01:08:33,600 --> 01:08:36,199 Until next time, I leave you with the shout out Build one, the 1041 01:08:36,399 --> 01:08:40,840 Only, the Legend day Frank Neil Keenan