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Coors Brewing Company, Golden Colorado. What's up, 11 00:00:42,719 --> 00:00:46,320 y'all is Jerusky and I've teamed up with Mountain Dew to produce a hilarious new 12 00:00:46,359 --> 00:00:50,520 basketball podcast called The Douzone. With Drusky, learn the backstories of your favorite 13 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,880 balls and celebrities like Jamal Murray. Did you have like a favorite team? 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,960 Was it the Raptors at the time or no, was the Raptors even started 15 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,600 around the top? Come on, Brod, you're like I'm vity Taylor Rose, 16 00:01:00,679 --> 00:01:03,079 Asia Wilson, and any more. You won't want to miss this. 17 00:01:03,319 --> 00:01:07,400 Listen to The Dudes One with Drew Ski on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever 18 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:21,920 you listen to podcasts. What is up Hardwinnox listeners. Damp Valley here with 19 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:26,159 some quick housekeeping notes before we get to our deep dive on the Wizards and 20 00:01:26,239 --> 00:01:30,280 Sixers. And just as a note there, we recorded this podcast before the 21 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:34,680 Wizards beat the Clippers and holy hell, wow Wizards just wow, they're on 22 00:01:34,719 --> 00:01:37,840 a little bit of a terror by their standards. As always, I do 23 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,760 want to remind you to please rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast 24 00:01:40,799 --> 00:01:44,159 wherever you're getting your podcast, but especially on iTunes, whether or not you 25 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:48,079 use it, just go to iTunes search Hardwinnox stores at five star rating right 26 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:49,640 a review. Those help a ton. But also just sort of a mini 27 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:55,480 announcement, we are going to be recording our weekly mail bags, which will 28 00:01:55,560 --> 00:02:00,319 be publishing every Monday still via the locker Room app now, and so what 29 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:01,959 you basically can do there, we'll send that a link that will be with 30 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:05,959 this podcast so that you can keep track of that, and we'll tweet out 31 00:02:05,959 --> 00:02:07,520 on a link when we're going into the locker room, you're basically gonna be 32 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,120 able to listen to it live if you haven't used a locker room at before. 33 00:02:10,159 --> 00:02:14,560 We'll even take questions live if we hopefully get enough people listening, but 34 00:02:14,599 --> 00:02:15,840 we'll have questions in the bank. We already have some of them in the 35 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:20,280 vault to use, and then we'll always listit them every week and then that 36 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,800 will still be published as a podcast on Mondays. It should be unless we 37 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:28,199 have something more pressing to go up before it. So nothing essentially changes for 38 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,840 this podcast seed, but please come check us out talk with us live. 39 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,199 We've bandied about the idea of starting a discord channel, but we just weren't 40 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,560 sure if we have the support for it. We have a ton of listens 41 00:02:38,599 --> 00:02:42,759 to every episode, and we love every single one of you guys who do. 42 00:02:42,759 --> 00:02:45,120 Whether you hate listen to us, actually enjoy us, or different to 43 00:02:45,199 --> 00:02:47,560 us, we appreciate all of you. It's just with national podcasts it can 44 00:02:47,599 --> 00:02:53,400 get you know, the relationship is awkward or not awkward, decentralized, detached 45 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:58,240 because this isn't regional coverage and you know, if you want to go, 46 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:01,439 you know for hours long EP dives into the Charlotte Hornets, you know, 47 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:06,800 check out the Charlotte Hornet's podcasts on Blue Wire and there are other writers that 48 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,479 you could go to. So we understand that there's that zoomed out perspective, 49 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,240 but we do try and interact with you guys as much as possible. We 50 00:03:13,319 --> 00:03:15,599 hope that you enjoy this podcast and if you can can talk with us live, 51 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:19,840 speak with us, lives engage, that'll that'll help, and that'll just 52 00:03:19,879 --> 00:03:22,280 also be fun, you know, just another way for us to connect with 53 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:27,080 our listeners, whom again for the eightieth time, we super duper appreciate. 54 00:03:27,199 --> 00:03:30,840 So there'll be more information on this as we you know, basically tweet out 55 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,039 the live links if you have not already, they'll definitely go download the locker 56 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,599 Room app on your phone first and foremost, be on lookout for more announcements 57 00:03:37,639 --> 00:03:40,159 via Twitter. We'll send out maybe reminders the next couple of podcasts at the 58 00:03:40,159 --> 00:03:44,800 beginning. But again, this is something that's you know, we're test driving 59 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:46,680 this for us. We want to make sure that you're there, you're listening, 60 00:03:46,719 --> 00:03:50,560 you're engaging with us. We would love to take live questions. That 61 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,719 would be the goal here and maybe that could lead to a discord channel, 62 00:03:53,719 --> 00:03:57,319 so that you know we can talk amongst ourselves outside of the podcast. I 63 00:03:57,319 --> 00:04:01,159 will send you all of my bad trade ideas. They range from horrid the 64 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,919 only like sort of kind of actually terrible. Anyway, though, let's get 65 00:04:06,039 --> 00:04:12,800 talking some Wizards and Sixers. With forty eight minutes is Chris Kross? What 66 00:04:13,199 --> 00:04:15,920 is up? Hardwin Knox listeners, I am Dan Favalley coming at you without 67 00:04:15,959 --> 00:04:19,879 my fantastic co host Adam Frammel. I am, however, super pleased to 68 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:26,319 be joined by Chris W. Krause. He covers the Sixers, Wizards, 69 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:31,399 and MBA at large. He's also an editor for forty eight minutes. Follow 70 00:04:31,439 --> 00:04:36,360 them on Twitter at forty eight minutes. That's spelled out so fo R T 71 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:42,720 y e I g h T m I n S forty eight mins, so 72 00:04:42,759 --> 00:04:46,040 follow them on Twitter. Also, while you're adical, follow Chris on Twitter 73 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,319 at NBA Krause spelled exactly as it sounds NBA c R O U se and 74 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:55,240 again covers the Sixers, Wizards, and NBA at large for forty eight minutes. 75 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,720 And as you could probably tell by that intro, we're gonna do some 76 00:04:57,759 --> 00:05:00,480 detis into the Sixers and Wizards, two teams that we didn't have time to 77 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:04,240 hit in depth before the season started, when we recorded like a zillion podcast 78 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:09,079 in the span of two weeks. And he Chris exists. I said this 79 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,800 to him when I reached out, he existed, like this really cool niche 80 00:05:13,879 --> 00:05:15,680 of you cover the Sixers and the Wizards, which is just not you know, 81 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,240 two teams that most people normally cover. So Chris, after that long 82 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:23,040 winded intro intro, thank you so much for coming on. How are you 83 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:25,759 doing. I'm doing great, Dan, Thanks for having me. I really 84 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,680 appreciate you having me on. Do you get that a lot that you like, 85 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,120 you cover the Sixers and the Wizards predominantly, Like that's just not like 86 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:36,279 that, it's a specialty. That's just so damn unique. I'm not the 87 00:05:36,319 --> 00:05:39,920 first person to cover two teams. I will say that, you know, 88 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,879 normally it happens where you see, like you know, someone's like doing like 89 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,480 Nets and Knicks coverage. Maybe someone's doing like you know, like Orlando and 90 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,000 Miami. It kind of makes sense. But even then, like you know 91 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:54,040 that that's that's a pretty far distance between the two. I think I'm the 92 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:58,639 only person doing both of these specifically right now. But yeah, it's it's 93 00:05:58,639 --> 00:06:01,120 been a weird year, you know, for everybody in all fields. So 94 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,639 you know, I figure, you know what, the double coverage, why 95 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,360 not get a little weirder, you know, this NBA season. Yeah, 96 00:06:06,399 --> 00:06:11,600 I mean they're in the same division and so you know, and you cover 97 00:06:11,639 --> 00:06:14,680 the league at large two. But it's just like, I've never seen those 98 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:16,120 two specific beats put together. You're sort of alluded to it like it would 99 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:19,160 normally be Lakers, Clippers or Nick's nets like sort of in there. So 100 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:23,680 never I've never seen Sixers and Wizards tied together, so I respect it. 101 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:29,079 Yeah, and their fan bases are two different kind of fan bases, and 102 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,439 I can't speak for all NBA twitters. Both the fan bases I love, 103 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:38,000 I love particularly, but like the Sixers fan base are very passionate. They 104 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,879 you know, some people may have said they're like a toxic X you know 105 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:43,639 whatever. You know, one day they love you, next day they don't. 106 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,560 Wizards are like a They're like a mother that's that had like every players 107 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,519 their first child, and you know, and and like you know that that 108 00:06:50,519 --> 00:06:54,600 that is fantastic, But you know, like there is a you know when 109 00:06:54,639 --> 00:06:57,959 when when you're when you're criticizing Garrison Matthew and that's not okay or like, 110 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,079 you know, at least like that's not a you know, there's not I 111 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,240 think anyone wants to hear. Then you know, like it's like, Okay, 112 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,639 Garrison Matthew is probably not going to get you, you know, Andrew 113 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:10,439 Drummond right or whatever it is. You know, it's kind of and you 114 00:07:10,439 --> 00:07:13,920 know every fan base has that kind of thing too. It was funny in 115 00:07:13,959 --> 00:07:15,720 the beginning of the year, I like proposed like a like a fake trade 116 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:23,800 for I think it was it was Ben Simmons for like a lot of picks 117 00:07:24,279 --> 00:07:28,480 John Wall, and both franchises like hated it. They were they were like 118 00:07:28,519 --> 00:07:30,160 it was it was like both like neither side was happy with this. And 119 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,600 I was like, okay, no more fake trades between these two franchises. 120 00:07:32,879 --> 00:07:35,879 You treated John Wall for Ben Simmons. I don't know why six or no, 121 00:07:35,879 --> 00:07:39,319 no, no, it was John Wall. And then uh, this 122 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,600 is this is actually when they had Al Horford. I was like, okay, 123 00:07:41,639 --> 00:07:46,879 if you send my proposal was basically like Ben Simmons Al Horford to the 124 00:07:46,399 --> 00:07:50,399 to the Wizards for John Wall. A bunch of young like basically the young 125 00:07:50,439 --> 00:07:55,480 assets and then as many like as much picks as they could go out then 126 00:07:55,519 --> 00:07:59,439 and basically you saying I'm all in with Bradley Beal and Ben Simmons and both 127 00:07:59,439 --> 00:08:01,120 franchises, they're like I wouldn't give up John Wall for that. I'm like, 128 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,120 what are you talking about? And then like you know, it's like 129 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,519 it's it was just like yeah, it was. It was like no more, 130 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:09,439 no more, no more fixtures between these two franchises because you know, 131 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:13,120 there's they're holding very very dearly to what they have. And yeah, and 132 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,800 and particularly with the with the Sixers with Simmons, you know, it's like 133 00:08:16,839 --> 00:08:20,480 a it's a love hate relationship up there. Yeah, they seem less detached 134 00:08:20,519 --> 00:08:24,759 to him or more detached to him than the Wizards seem to eastak Bonga, 135 00:08:24,959 --> 00:08:28,160 where he's very much among fans on Twitter teams like there could be savior. 136 00:08:28,279 --> 00:08:31,240 And then with Sixers fans it was like, yeah, we would trade Ben 137 00:08:31,319 --> 00:08:35,360 Zimmons for Bradley Beal. Yeah you know, and and yeah that's the thing. 138 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:41,240 Bradley's value as just like I think the hardened trade has really uh skyrocket 139 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:45,679 him his value as well, because he's kind of like the last like like 140 00:08:45,759 --> 00:08:50,480 he's the last like star. People have decided he is the next star that's 141 00:08:50,519 --> 00:08:54,120 going to leave, and it's without look, so let's just start with the 142 00:08:54,159 --> 00:08:56,840 Wizards. By the way, we'll do the anti clickbait thing where normally you 143 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:00,279 would start with the Sixers and stuff the Wizards at the end, and let's 144 00:09:00,279 --> 00:09:03,840 go to the Wizards. They've people decided that Bradley Beale is just the next 145 00:09:03,879 --> 00:09:07,639 star out and just the reporting is so strong that he doesn't want out, 146 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:09,519 and he's just set it at least alluded to it so many times. And 147 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:13,399 I know things can change, but it's interesting how you know his value is 148 00:09:13,399 --> 00:09:18,639 definitely through the roof, particularly when the star market is so bare right now. 149 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:22,000 But they've like this is a very this is just a situation where it's 150 00:09:22,039 --> 00:09:26,200 not identifying a star that might want out. People have just decided that he 151 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:31,080 needs to get out. Yeah, And I just don't see it like like 152 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:35,039 he is ingrained in in the franchise like they're they're like they treat him like 153 00:09:35,159 --> 00:09:39,039 Lebron has gotten treated in the Cleveland in the past, right, like you 154 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:41,200 have you have a say on personnel, you're there you know, like there's 155 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:45,200 really nothing that as long as they can do it, they're gonna they're gonna 156 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,399 help him like win, They're gonna help him be more comfortable. They're gonna 157 00:09:48,399 --> 00:09:52,679 make everything around him better, right, And uh, you know, I 158 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,279 don't think he's gonna get that like most most people, most players don't get 159 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:58,000 that enfranchises So I think he values that a lot. So it's not just 160 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:01,200 hey, you know, the Wizards aren't winning, let's just trade Bills, 161 00:10:01,279 --> 00:10:05,480 blow it up. It's like it's like Bill's building something here, getting better 162 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,440 every year. And uh, he's you know, he's at a point where 163 00:10:09,639 --> 00:10:11,240 you know, he's capable of carrying a team. Now. I think they're 164 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:13,960 gonna be much better in the second half because they had they've had some issues 165 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,759 in the first half. But yeah, I don't I will I will be 166 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,600 shocked if he got traded before the deadline. Now beyond that, it really 167 00:10:22,639 --> 00:10:26,360 depends on a lot of stuff. But he's committed to the to figuring this 168 00:10:26,399 --> 00:10:30,000 out right now, and he's he's kind of in the field with the you 169 00:10:30,039 --> 00:10:33,159 know, with his team right here. And look, I when I sent 170 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,759 you an outline, I asked exactly zero Bradley beal trade questions, and so 171 00:10:35,799 --> 00:10:39,039 I feel like if someone who covered the league nationally, I would like a 172 00:10:39,039 --> 00:10:41,879 small trophy for doing that. But I'm with everything you said. There where 173 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,159 a long term I think you could say this about any player and team. 174 00:10:46,159 --> 00:10:48,440 Their relationship is probably gonna end at some point if something does happen. I 175 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,559 would I would hazard that this is something that gets resolved over the off season 176 00:10:52,759 --> 00:10:56,759 rather than mid season for a team that's like still trying to figure it out 177 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:58,320 where it's you know, the the defense has picked up a little bit in 178 00:10:58,399 --> 00:11:03,440 recent week, and Russell Westbrook is perked up, and Davis Parton's is shooting 179 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:07,000 well again and everyone's in it in the East. And there's also the argument 180 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:11,960 to be made that is this really the season to make a major move amid 181 00:11:11,039 --> 00:11:16,200 the pandemic when just all the results are I don't know if the words not 182 00:11:16,279 --> 00:11:18,960 skewed, but like how valid are they? Like what can you take away 183 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,960 from this season Where I'm not going to discredit who wins the title or who's 184 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,799 playing well, but if a team does poorly or like can't figure out its 185 00:11:24,799 --> 00:11:28,320 direction, it's just such a bizarre circumstances. And so I too would be 186 00:11:28,519 --> 00:11:31,600 I'd be shocked if he winds up getting moved at the at the deadline. 187 00:11:33,919 --> 00:11:37,120 Yeah, and and I still think regardless of where they're understandings like they're they 188 00:11:37,159 --> 00:11:39,679 know where they want to be and there there's a goal to get there, 189 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,399 and if they don't, you know, it's you know, it's a weird 190 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,879 year. And there's kind of like these built in like excuses, I guess, 191 00:11:46,919 --> 00:11:48,559 which is not not not to say that you know, if if they 192 00:11:48,639 --> 00:11:50,639 end up being like the worst team in the East, which I don't think 193 00:11:50,639 --> 00:11:52,320 that's going to happen, but like at the end up being the worst team 194 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:56,960 East, they shouldn't be some consequence like you know, at some you know 195 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:01,039 something's gonna happen, like you know, firing or you know player you have 196 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:05,799 some sort of player acquisition in the off season. But yeah, they're they 197 00:12:05,799 --> 00:12:09,159 have a such direction and they're not letting like a dip in their in their 198 00:12:09,159 --> 00:12:11,919 production right now affect kind of their long term strategy for the year. Hey 199 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,720 everyone, before we get into today's pod, I want to tell you about 200 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,159 Blue Wire Hustle, a brand new program where you can host your very own 201 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:22,279 podcast here at Blue Wire Hustle. It was created to give everyone the opportunity 202 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:26,720 to take your podcast to the next level. Or if you want to host 203 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:30,399 a podcast and just don't know where to start, Hustle is the perfect place 204 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,639 for you. As part of the program, you'll receive personal cover art Q 205 00:12:33,799 --> 00:12:39,559 and a's with Blue Wire's top podcasters, access to our community discord, and 206 00:12:39,639 --> 00:12:43,360 an e learning course full of tips and tricks. 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But that's BW 216 00:13:20,879 --> 00:13:26,600 hustle dot com slash Join. Make Summer Memories in Hampton, visit the Virginia 217 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:31,200 Aaron Space Science Center, Discover four hundred years of history at Port Monroe and 218 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:35,720 explore our wide open beaches. Purchase your seat a Star's ticket and plan your 219 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:41,480 trip today at visit Hampton dot com. I don't see their long term direction. 220 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:45,840 I'm gonna be honest with you. They feel sort of aimless because you 221 00:13:45,919 --> 00:13:48,279 need, I think Russell Westbrook to really hit at some point, and maybe 222 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:52,600 that's a good place to start with him, is that he has perked up 223 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,679 a little bit, but he's still shooting sub thirty five percent on jumpers, 224 00:13:56,759 --> 00:14:00,960 sub fifty four percent on layoups, which is for Russell Westbrook, that's not 225 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:05,200 great. And he's getting to the rim less. Just what are you seeing 226 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:07,879 from him? And if you've been impressed with anything lately, what concerns you 227 00:14:07,879 --> 00:14:11,759 long term about this? What is the Is there a key to him becoming 228 00:14:11,159 --> 00:14:15,399 a real value to the Wizards over the next couple of years, because he 229 00:14:15,399 --> 00:14:18,159 does have two years on his deal left after this one. Just what have 230 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:22,279 you seen from him specifically lately? But if you have any longer term concerns 231 00:14:22,279 --> 00:14:26,200 based off watching the entire season, I don't know about longer term concerns. 232 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,960 I was. I was very worried earlier in the year just by watching how 233 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,360 he was playing. It reminded me of when Derrick Rose came off his first 234 00:14:33,399 --> 00:14:35,080 injury and you could tell like he wasn't driving as much, and like that 235 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,399 was part of his game, you know, he needs he gets he gets 236 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,919 to the hole and then like it opens up the other parts so he's able 237 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:43,080 to help teammates and do that. And Russell wasn't doing that, And I'm 238 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,240 like, oh, there might be something wrong here, like did like did 239 00:14:46,279 --> 00:14:50,960 Houston know something or whatever? Like who like maybe they just like more comfortable 240 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:52,039 with this risk than John Wall's risk. But this is still like not a 241 00:14:52,039 --> 00:14:56,039 great risks. He's got a little bit better. He's got a little more 242 00:14:56,039 --> 00:15:00,000 aggressive sense and I think I think, you know, taking more of those 243 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,600 shots and kind of he's got to put his body out there. I mean, 244 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:05,559 like this is like it's his job of what he does, and it's 245 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,480 tough because like you know, there's this notion of like do we want Russell 246 00:15:09,559 --> 00:15:11,960 to be doing this right now because that those last two years are not going 247 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,080 to look good. I mean, they went in the training camp with a 248 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:18,840 no Russell well, no, Russell Westbrook dunk role, Like he wasn't allowed 249 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,559 to dunk. They didn't want him taking those extra jumps, and like, 250 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,080 I've never heard of that before. I don't know, I mean, but 251 00:15:24,159 --> 00:15:28,639 like I understand that risk management part part of it. But yeah, there's 252 00:15:28,639 --> 00:15:30,759 there's a lot of these little things that make you worry. But right now, 253 00:15:30,799 --> 00:15:33,759 if you're getting this what we're seeing on the court right now, I 254 00:15:33,799 --> 00:15:35,000 still think you can. You can you can put out a good product with 255 00:15:35,039 --> 00:15:41,360 this version of Russell Westbrook. I think that there is probably one more piece 256 00:15:41,399 --> 00:15:43,000 that the Wizards need to get if they're going to like actually be a good 257 00:15:43,039 --> 00:15:48,399 playoff team over the next two years. Though yeah, they're definitely well, 258 00:15:48,679 --> 00:15:50,559 let's just keep going this way, youngster. Check in this here. Where 259 00:15:50,559 --> 00:15:54,480 are you see from Ruey Hachimura this season? You know Ruy? I like 260 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:58,440 Ruey a lot. He's basically at the threshold now if he's playing basically one 261 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,919 whole season because he miss some time last year and it was short and season 262 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:06,000 in this season being shortened, so so he's essentially just entering his second year. 263 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,320 I the comparison I like, and I've heard comparisons of like, oh, 264 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,320 he's like Kawhi Leonard. He's like that kind of player, could have 265 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:18,159 that kind of rise. I think he's more like LaMarcus Aldridge and that you're 266 00:16:18,159 --> 00:16:21,000 going to see him, you know, like I think ultimately he should really 267 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:23,200 play the five more. I know he's not he's not quite as big as 268 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,519 not as long as as you would like for that. But if they're not 269 00:16:26,559 --> 00:16:29,879 gonna if they're not going to defend the paint, you know, in an 270 00:16:29,919 --> 00:16:33,879 elite level, you might as well attack it from a different angle. But 271 00:16:33,039 --> 00:16:36,159 I do like him. I do like him long term. I think he's 272 00:16:36,159 --> 00:16:40,360 a piece there, and I think if he just went around the other pieces, 273 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,960 I mean Denny Uh, you know, like like Danny i Wold dies 274 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:48,320 like he he just has such a feel for the game. And my big 275 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,519 is worried about him is I think he's the most effective when he has the 276 00:16:51,559 --> 00:16:53,320 ball, and he's gonna grow that way, and and you know, whether 277 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:57,080 he's the piece that can also be with Bradley and and Uh and Russell. 278 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:00,360 I think that might be the biggest shan but really, I mean really can 279 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:04,519 be the third or fourth guy and do it really well. So I think 280 00:17:04,519 --> 00:17:07,279 I think Wizzards parents have something really good there. As far as his role 281 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:12,960 and his projection, yeah, there's the shooting is still definitely a concern with 282 00:17:14,039 --> 00:17:15,519 him. But he's finishing so well at the rim this year. He's close 283 00:17:15,559 --> 00:17:19,319 to seventy five percent there right now. And something that does intrigue me is 284 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,680 this is now year two, and you know it's counting. They're only thirteen 285 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:26,640 percent of his shots, but he's at forty one point two percent on really 286 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,240 long twos sixteen feet out to the three point line. That's after shooting forty 287 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:33,960 two point nine percent on those same shots last year. And it would give 288 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,480 me hope. I think that he should be able to back it up more. 289 00:17:36,559 --> 00:17:38,480 And we've seen his three point attempt rate go up this season and maybe 290 00:17:38,559 --> 00:17:41,480 that number improves, and we've seen the dip in his three throw percentage, 291 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:45,240 but like, he was eighty two point nine percent last year and he's seventy 292 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:48,880 almost seventy seven percent this year, and so those indicators to me seem like 293 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,759 because you know, I don't think he's going to be hitting these crazy jumpers 294 00:17:51,759 --> 00:17:55,960 off the dribble from that deep, but it feels like he might be someone 295 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,880 who long term can extend his range to where he becomes even more of a 296 00:18:00,039 --> 00:18:02,960 compliment because now you know, if he doesn't have the ball in his hands 297 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:06,160 defensive stuff to respect him and he's just you know, there's more room for 298 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:10,920 Bradley Beale and Russell Westbrook specifically to navigate. Yeah, I think you can 299 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:12,480 mitigate that a little bit. I think as a good point, he definitely 300 00:18:12,519 --> 00:18:17,200 needs to be more of that, you know, if he's going to continue 301 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,319 to play the four or even sometimes he's played the three, dependent on who 302 00:18:19,319 --> 00:18:22,599 they have out there. But like, I think you can mitigate that by 303 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,440 having you just need other shooters around him, right and especially with if you 304 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,279 have him and Russell on the floor, then the other three guys need to 305 00:18:29,319 --> 00:18:32,920 be shooters, which is which is why you're seeing Garrison Matthews in the starting 306 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:36,599 lineup, which is why you're seeing Mooe Wagner in the lineup as well. 307 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,759 And uh, I just think that, like, yeah, you have to 308 00:18:41,079 --> 00:18:41,960 realize what he is and I think I think you're him the nail on the 309 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:47,599 head there at what he is right now, and you can hope that he 310 00:18:47,839 --> 00:18:51,119 expands the game, but in the meantime, you got to you gotta kind 311 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:53,200 of accept him forty years and and the level of growth that he's given you. 312 00:18:56,000 --> 00:19:00,759 So you you briefly mentioned Denny Ava before he's actually seen in my expectations, 313 00:19:00,759 --> 00:19:03,359 I'm surprised that you're concerned about what he does off the ball. I 314 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:06,160 mean, he definitely looks a lot more fluid at this level on the ball 315 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,960 than I thought, But his just offensive bag in general is so much more 316 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,559 deeper than I thought, where maybe I thought he was probably going to struggle 317 00:19:11,599 --> 00:19:15,240 to do some work on the ball, and that's just hasn't really been the 318 00:19:15,279 --> 00:19:18,359 case for him this season. And so how do you feel about him long 319 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:19,400 term? What do you think about his fit with the with the rest of 320 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:23,880 this roster, assuming the skeleton of it remains in place moving forward. Yeah, 321 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,680 I think I think he's really high upside as far as his whole career. 322 00:19:26,839 --> 00:19:30,920 I just I see him. I mean, he's he's a player who 323 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,680 I think is going to need the ball, or at least like needed more 324 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:34,680 than he's been getting. I mean, he's in the second unit now, 325 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,640 that's probably the right role for him. I know, I know, like 326 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,799 you know, he's a top ten draft pick. You want to start him 327 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:45,839 right away, But like he's going to get more run and much more concentrated. 328 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:48,720 He's gonna be much more piece of the offense if he's in that second 329 00:19:48,799 --> 00:19:53,079 unit. So that might be where he actually sticks for the foreseeable future, 330 00:19:53,079 --> 00:19:56,839 as long as the first two stars are there. But yeah, I think 331 00:19:56,319 --> 00:20:00,759 and he could eventually grow into a piece that is one of your top two 332 00:20:00,759 --> 00:20:03,400 guys. It's just it's just a little bit of an awkward fit because I 333 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:07,480 think that he needs he needs the ball, but he's passing. It's just 334 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:11,359 it's it's like it reminds me of Powcasol. Like it's just like okay, 335 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:15,119 like you know, like like like you you watch Pow like you know, 336 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:17,160 in those Laker days, and you're just like, okay, you can just 337 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:21,200 do so much if you can just see all these angles and and and having 338 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:23,880 Denny do that as so such a young age, it's, uh, it 339 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:27,799 gives you a lot of reason to really believe in the future. Yeah, 340 00:20:29,039 --> 00:20:32,920 he he had this pass. I can't remember who they were playing and I 341 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:37,720 was watching. I think it was the Raptors game where he just, uh, 342 00:20:37,799 --> 00:20:41,519 he just makes just smart passes where it's like he's wide open in the 343 00:20:41,559 --> 00:20:44,759 corner, VC's defense is coming at him, so he's able to find one 344 00:20:44,799 --> 00:20:47,640 of the Wizards just camping out around the basket where it's it's kind of the 345 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:49,240 obvious pass, but it would have been so easy not to see. And 346 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:53,279 he can make some really good decisions, uh in transition and like these quick 347 00:20:53,279 --> 00:20:56,079 you know, maybe he doesn't even have the ball. It feels like he's 348 00:20:56,119 --> 00:21:00,039 making these these quicker second passes too, and you watch more than I do, 349 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,200 just a ton, so you know you're concerned about his fit with the 350 00:21:03,279 --> 00:21:07,319 roster as of now, then that's definitely salient. I'm wondering, then, 351 00:21:07,319 --> 00:21:10,200 does he just look much better on a version of the Wizards that doesn't include 352 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,720 Russell Westbrook? Then if your end goal is to is to really start him 353 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:17,640 and put him in a position where he could make more responsibilities, because Russ 354 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:19,839 can do some stuff off Denny Avda too, where you know, if Russ 355 00:21:19,839 --> 00:21:22,799 gets going in transition and they have you know, him off to the you 356 00:21:22,839 --> 00:21:26,480 know, running strong side, or if you want Russell Westbrook to cut more, 357 00:21:26,519 --> 00:21:29,400 which it's like he's not a threat as a jump shooter, and so 358 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,559 you get into problems with the half court and if if the concerns are, 359 00:21:32,559 --> 00:21:33,920 oh, we need to get Denny more reps, and you don't want to 360 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:37,119 view him as a second unit guy long term, he probably looks a lot 361 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:41,440 better on this team if Russell Westbrook isn't on it. It's just it's just 362 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:45,880 an awkward fit. But but I do think that Denny has a lot of 363 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:48,400 room and grow, and you know, he'd easily you know, expand the 364 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:49,720 parts of his game where he's off the ball, and that's that's a skill, 365 00:21:49,799 --> 00:21:52,839 right, there's a reason why, like, like you go to G 366 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,640 League tryouts and everybody looks good with the ball in their hands, like no, 367 00:21:55,799 --> 00:21:57,519 like like like half these players have never had to be the second unit 368 00:21:57,559 --> 00:22:02,200 and never developed those skills. And I think that then he has a good 369 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:06,359 chance that I'm actually doing that, especially you know he's there, he has 370 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:08,720 the talent, he has the attitude, he learns, he like, he 371 00:22:08,799 --> 00:22:11,359 wants to do it, so he so he might get there and it can 372 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:15,759 make it more smoother as he close along. I do think that we're talking 373 00:22:15,799 --> 00:22:18,359 about a very small sample size though, you know what, like thirty five 374 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:22,319 games with with with this team, and a lot of players have been in 375 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:26,359 and out, So I think I think, like I think you probably spot 376 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:30,200 on with like like seeing what you see and like, Okay, I'm very 377 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:36,400 impressed because it is impressive given the circumstances. How much money is Garrison Matthews 378 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:37,880 get in this summer when he's because he is a free agent. I believe 379 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:42,640 I was actually I was actually surprised that he still that he was like resigned 380 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,839 on a two ways. I thought he was going to get an actual NBA 381 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:51,079 contract because I also impressed with him last year in the very few minutes that 382 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:53,039 he played him then that I washed of that where it's yeah, okay, 383 00:22:53,039 --> 00:22:56,240 like I know, the shooting stands out like there's a little bit more there 384 00:22:56,279 --> 00:23:00,559 to him where it feels like he can take some shots off the d and 385 00:23:00,079 --> 00:23:03,160 you know the number of times relative to how much he's playing, like he 386 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:07,599 can really get to the foul line, Like that's an actual thing that he 387 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:11,400 can do for your offense. Yeah, And you know, it's funny because 388 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:17,480 last year Bradley Beale missed a stretch and Scott Books basically put him into that 389 00:23:17,759 --> 00:23:19,240 role in the offense and I didn't do as well. Right, it wasn't 390 00:23:19,279 --> 00:23:22,960 exact same, but it was like it was a four man's Bradley Bill and 391 00:23:23,079 --> 00:23:29,279 so so he has that kind of skill set. Now doing consistently is a 392 00:23:29,279 --> 00:23:32,160 whole another thing. But like I think you're, yeah, you're going to 393 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:33,680 see somebody take a chance on him. I mean, like wings go out 394 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:40,039 of premium, you know, especially if you could shoot. So I'm really 395 00:23:40,079 --> 00:23:41,599 curious to see. I mean, like the range, the range for a 396 00:23:41,599 --> 00:23:48,119 wing that that can shoot is probably the most volatile as far as salaries. 397 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,880 I mean, like I don't think we can predict it. Like I think 398 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:56,160 it'd be much easier to predict someone like Alice Caruso or like some somebody else 399 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,240 and like that that that that's a that's a you know, like an actual 400 00:23:59,279 --> 00:24:03,759 point carder or uh than it is to someone who who can shoot on the 401 00:24:03,759 --> 00:24:07,079 wing. Because we've seen just we've seen crazy contracts and we've seen some guys 402 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,799 get stuff that like like this doesn't make sense, Like like why is Daniel 403 00:24:10,799 --> 00:24:11,920 House only making this and like you know, maybe you know, maybe there's 404 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:15,440 other reasons why, like you know, like because because he was he was 405 00:24:15,519 --> 00:24:18,119 under contract, and like there was like you know forces that that kept him 406 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:22,640 in Houston. But like I just feel like the wing market is always so 407 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:27,799 hard to kind of pinpoint he's he's seen. I don't. I don't want 408 00:24:27,799 --> 00:24:30,920 to say he's redundant on this team. But if you have Denny Avia long 409 00:24:32,039 --> 00:24:36,400 term and then you have David Burton's there, uh, and then you know 410 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:40,200 you're gonna I think you need your wings to be just more defensively, like 411 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:42,759 you don't need to lean into the offense first model any further than you do. 412 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:45,079 And maybe that's where they run into an issue. But he's been like 413 00:24:45,079 --> 00:24:48,400 he's an offensive fire cracktor, and yeah, be nice, he got to 414 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:52,799 the rim a little bit more. But uh, I'm always just I'm I 415 00:24:52,799 --> 00:24:55,920 don't saying I guess we're not caught off guard anymore because of seeing it from 416 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:57,880 last season, but I'm like sort of always amazed that there's just there's an 417 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:02,720 extra layer to his game than just the shooting that people tend to focus on. 418 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,240 Oh, most definitely. And I do want to touch upon, you 419 00:25:06,279 --> 00:25:08,759 know, going away and not not going any anything more towards the offense. 420 00:25:10,279 --> 00:25:12,200 I would if I was running this team, and I don't, I don't 421 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,920 have that job, but like I would just be like we're all offense. 422 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:18,640 We we don't even care about defense anymore. And like you might say that 423 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:22,160 that already exists and we're seeing them get a little bit better defensively. But 424 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:26,839 I would just I would just go small ball lineups and just blitz people like 425 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:30,839 put Ruey at the five, shooting all around them and just just have like 426 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:33,240 the second best offense to lead behind like the nets, and just and just 427 00:25:33,319 --> 00:25:37,079 win games that way. And I think that, like, I mean, 428 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:38,799 there's reasons why you want to play defense. It makes life a lot easier, 429 00:25:38,839 --> 00:25:41,119 you know whatever, and you want to like have schemes and play a 430 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:45,559 center and do all that. But I would have investigated that, and maybe 431 00:25:45,559 --> 00:25:48,680 they will, you know, maybe maybe they will see maybe they'll do like 432 00:25:49,279 --> 00:25:52,400 a little less version of what Houston did last year. Do you think Ruey 433 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:56,720 could defend the five though that frequently if he's playing, you know, if 434 00:25:56,720 --> 00:26:00,480 you're let's say he just splits his time at the five. At this point, 435 00:26:00,519 --> 00:26:03,359 he's done, He's done a really good job in like in like low 436 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,400 minutes at that spot, and when he gets switches. I almost think Wally 437 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:08,640 can guard anybody, you know, I don't think. I don't think the 438 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,680 Wizards trade him. I think I think it would take like a lot to 439 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:14,799 get trade him, but like he would be so fascinating on the on the 440 00:26:14,799 --> 00:26:21,319 Warriors as as like as like another Draymond Green type player who you know is 441 00:26:21,319 --> 00:26:23,480 obviously younger and has has a little upside, but like, like I think 442 00:26:23,519 --> 00:26:27,160 he's like that kind of defender that you could look at him so okay, 443 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,839 like he's he's going to be an elite defender when it's all said and done, 444 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:33,079 if he hits if he hits his stride, So yeah, I definitely 445 00:26:33,079 --> 00:26:37,359 think he could. He could really guard like most players in the league. 446 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:41,519 But he's also like the best defender on the Wizards, which is not really 447 00:26:41,519 --> 00:26:47,079 saying much right now, but but I do think that eventually, you know, 448 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:49,079 as he continues to growing on this projection, like he's gonna be like 449 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:52,480 he's going to be one of the top defenders in the league and and and 450 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:55,680 you know, maybe maybe Guardian centers is going to be like a key to 451 00:26:55,759 --> 00:27:00,519 unlocking like the other part of his game as well, is Washington can out 452 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:04,160 on Eastock Bonga and Troy Brown Junior. They're playing time just seems so sporadic 453 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,119 for a team that you know, particularly Eastock Boa for what he should bring. 454 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:11,200 I would I would have expected him to have seen the floor more consistently 455 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:15,839 to this point. You know, it was funny because like I watched obviously, 456 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,920 I'll watch every game I'm there or whatever, and like sometimes I like 457 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:22,200 legitimately forget that Tory Brown juniors on the team, and I'm like, oh, 458 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:26,279 yeah, he's still here, Like like like I don't know, it's 459 00:27:26,279 --> 00:27:29,079 different because you're not in practices every day like last year, like you know, 460 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:30,880 obviously, Like it's it's like you see you actually see people you know 461 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:34,200 in person, you know, on the on you're doing the zooms and you're 462 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,680 doing like the you know, just basically watching on TV like everyone else. 463 00:27:37,759 --> 00:27:41,640 Until after the game. It's like you like they will never pan to to 464 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,000 Toroy Brown Junior for like three games in a row, and it'll be like 465 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:48,359 like it's kind of easy to forget him. But I don't really know what's 466 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:51,119 going on with with him. I wonder, you know, last year he 467 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:56,720 had some some plateaus in his game, and I wonder if you know what 468 00:27:56,759 --> 00:28:00,640 they're seeing in practice and and and basically like in training and leaning up this 469 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:03,000 season, they saw the same thing, and they're like Okay, this is 470 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,400 we know what he is. There's no there's no upside here to continuing this, 471 00:28:07,079 --> 00:28:11,599 and you know, he might just be not in the plans anymore. 472 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:15,039 And Bonga man, fans love Bonga, you know. And and Bonga is 473 00:28:15,039 --> 00:28:18,960 so intriguing because it's like you don't even know what position he is even now 474 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:22,119 he's been in the league for what it's like two plus years, and you 475 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:26,359 know, like I still don't know what really he should be playing. He's 476 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:30,119 kind of like a point forward who's also like you could play him at the 477 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:34,319 four, and it's a very it's a very unique skill set. It's just 478 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:40,880 like he just hasn't got an opportunity to kind of kind of grow his game. 479 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:42,559 And he's also very young. Man. I think he's like I think 480 00:28:42,559 --> 00:28:45,839 he's twenty or twenty one, so he'll he'll get there. But yeah, 481 00:28:45,839 --> 00:28:51,519 I mean, like right now, they're just on the rotation regularly. Would 482 00:28:51,519 --> 00:28:53,839 you expect Bonga to be on a different team next season because he is a 483 00:28:53,839 --> 00:28:57,119 free agent. I believe Troy Brown Junior has one more one more year left 484 00:28:57,160 --> 00:29:02,000 on his rookie scale, I would say they're probably being back Bonga. But 485 00:29:02,039 --> 00:29:04,839 like, like just because the Bonga is like I mean, they're gonna be 486 00:29:04,839 --> 00:29:07,559 able to put a qualify and offer in formm so like they have a little 487 00:29:07,559 --> 00:29:11,720 control on like if another team makes an offer, if they have to kind 488 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:14,200 of, but like I would say he's probably back because like you take the 489 00:29:14,279 --> 00:29:17,319 risk unless like some crazy offer comes in, like you know, I mean 490 00:29:18,559 --> 00:29:21,960 we've seen I mean we saw like the Tyler Johnson contract a few years ago 491 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:23,880 and like restricted free agency and like that kind of thing, Like, yeah, 492 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:26,880 sure if someone it's like the Kings are like, if the Kings want 493 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:29,920 to say he's our next Jeary Mee brand, he can make the leap, 494 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:33,119 great, they're gonna have them. But yeah, I think I think he's 495 00:29:33,119 --> 00:29:34,079 in the plans. Like you you would like to see this out. It's 496 00:29:34,079 --> 00:29:37,920 just right now, you know, it's not really not ruin a rotation, 497 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:41,440 but you know that's always something you changed, especially with people in it out 498 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:45,880 of the lineup and you know the COVID things injuries, short and schedule like 499 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:48,799 it's you really it's kind of a luxury to have Bong at the end of 500 00:29:48,839 --> 00:29:52,559 the end of the rotation. Do you think mor Wagner is going to be 501 00:29:52,599 --> 00:29:56,519 more valuable to them as a keeper beyond the season, or someone that they 502 00:29:56,559 --> 00:29:59,319 can maybe move as part of a larger package or for you know, just 503 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:03,000 small time value at the trade deadline this year, just because he's look, 504 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,880 he has. The thing I'll say is, I don't think he's a good 505 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:08,920 defender, but like he has pretty good hands on defense, and like he 506 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:11,680 does a lot on offense, Like he feels like he's really good finishing and 507 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:15,880 stride. He probably you definitely excuse me, want him to hit his three 508 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:18,640 is at a higher clip, but he can space the floor for you too. 509 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:22,079 And so he's an interesting he's fit on this team that has a lot 510 00:30:22,119 --> 00:30:23,880 of question marks at center, but it also feels like for what they would 511 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:29,079 need from fours and fives here that I'm not sure that he's like a you 512 00:30:29,119 --> 00:30:33,640 know, necessarily long for this roster. Yeah, And there's some complicating factors, 513 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:37,880 right, So, like they decline, like Tommy Shepherd declined his fourth 514 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:41,079 year action, which which puts a limit on how much they can retain it 515 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:42,480 for now. He might not get that contract and it might be fine, 516 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:47,160 but if they trade him to somewhere else that also gives the same amount of 517 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,160 limits. So the risk reward is kind of like capped, you know, 518 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:52,079 because if he outplays a contract for you, he looks like good that you 519 00:30:52,079 --> 00:30:56,119 want to give it to him, you can't. I'd imagine that unless it's 520 00:30:56,119 --> 00:30:59,519 like part of the bigger deal. He's still there throughout the season. He 521 00:30:59,559 --> 00:31:03,640 does bring that, he brings a little bit of shooting for a five that 522 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:06,640 you that you like. Uh. He he has run his game like like 523 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:11,119 I'm I would almost bet if you went back in time and and Tommy Shepherd 524 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,000 had time machine, he would he would extend the offer to him based on 525 00:31:14,039 --> 00:31:17,440 what he's playing this year. But but then then again, if he didn't 526 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:18,880 get the decline, does he does he work as hard? Does he added? 527 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:22,440 Does he add as much? I mean, it's a it's a butterfly 528 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:26,200 effect, right, but like and and quite frankly one that probably most listeners 529 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:27,960 don't want to hear about the more the you know, the mob Wagner butterfly 530 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:33,759 effect. But U but uh but yeah, no, I think that he's 531 00:31:33,799 --> 00:31:37,279 probably likely to be somewhere else next year just based on that. But I 532 00:31:37,319 --> 00:31:40,720 think he could. I think he's going to have a decent career, whether 533 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:44,559 he's like your second or third uh, you know center on your team. 534 00:31:44,599 --> 00:31:49,160 He's kind of carved that out for himself. I was a little surprised when 535 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:52,759 they declined his option. I think when they did that in December, I 536 00:31:52,799 --> 00:31:56,359 believe because I don't he like sort of fell off last year, but like 537 00:31:56,440 --> 00:32:00,279 there was a stretch. I think it was the beginning. Yeah, but 538 00:32:00,319 --> 00:32:02,440 he played really well for them, but it was just like what is this 539 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:08,200 guy costing you? Just why would you decline that rookie scale option? Yeah. 540 00:32:08,319 --> 00:32:12,839 I was a little surprised too, but you know, Tommy really hasn't 541 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:15,880 had many misses since he's got there. I mean, the fact that he 542 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:22,160 has Bonga and Wagner are like just the fact that he's like maintained flexibility with 543 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:24,200 his roster spaces, right because like that happened as part of the Anthony Davis 544 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:28,599 deal. And and basically I like like, uh, you know, if 545 00:32:28,599 --> 00:32:30,440 you kind of recall, like the Lakers need to dump more salary than they 546 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:34,279 thought they had to. They got to the cash rais, there were not 547 00:32:34,359 --> 00:32:37,759 enough money and like you know, and and Tommy was right there just like 548 00:32:37,759 --> 00:32:40,160 I got some spaces, like we'll take these assets, and like it's worked 549 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:43,440 out. I mean, like like you take those kind of chances all the 550 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:45,559 time, so I think that might have been behind it. It's like, 551 00:32:45,599 --> 00:32:50,200 okay, like having the roster spot and not having a little bit of extra, 552 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:52,160 you know, not being tied down with this guy. I think I 553 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:58,000 think he took a calculated risk, not not necessarily wrong either, because like 554 00:32:58,039 --> 00:33:00,480 you know, he might not get more than what they can from from I 555 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:01,799 think it's like four million dollars. He might not get it, but he 556 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:06,079 might, and in that case, it's like and also it also declined, 557 00:33:06,119 --> 00:33:08,759 like diminishes him as as a trade asset as well. So yeah, I'm 558 00:33:08,759 --> 00:33:12,759 with you there. It was a little curious, but one of those things 559 00:33:12,799 --> 00:33:15,079 I'd like to say, it's like process over outcome, and outcome wasn't great 560 00:33:15,119 --> 00:33:19,920 here, but I kind of see where he was going with that. Yeah, 561 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:22,240 we're still just a little bit surprising to me. The Jerome Robinson was 562 00:33:22,279 --> 00:33:27,920 obviously not surprising at all. The thing that's probably most in well maybe not, 563 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:30,880 but to be about this team right now. So since Valentine's Day they 564 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:34,559 are eighth in points allowed per possession. Are you seeing anything that would suggest 565 00:33:34,599 --> 00:33:37,079 this is a real change? Is it a product of maybe the schedule they've 566 00:33:37,119 --> 00:33:42,039 played, they have opponents are shooting sub thirty five percent I believe on wide 567 00:33:42,039 --> 00:33:45,880 open threes during this stretch. Or is there something here that's just more sustainable 568 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:47,599 and maybe they've turned a quarter. Yeah, I think it's twofold. I 569 00:33:47,599 --> 00:33:52,240 mean that coincides with Garrison, Matthew and Wagner coming into the into the starting 570 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:55,440 lineup, which I think is really the right move. Now, I mean 571 00:33:55,440 --> 00:34:00,400 that's not a sustainable long term playoff lineup, but like you got to work 572 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:01,960 with the lemons that you have to make the lemonade. And I think that 573 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:06,519 they do a good job there, and I think the defense intensity and efforts 574 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:09,159 has come up a little bit better, and people are like, people like 575 00:34:09,199 --> 00:34:15,519 the team is getting like basically a full their full win back. You know, 576 00:34:15,639 --> 00:34:19,360 it's no secret, like a lot of these players didn't play defense for 577 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:22,519 an entire year, right, And you know you can say, oh, 578 00:34:22,519 --> 00:34:24,039 it's just affort, you turn on a switch. Well, it's really hard 579 00:34:24,039 --> 00:34:27,800 to turn on a switch and kind of pace yourself throughout a game when you 580 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:30,079 haven't done it. Like, look at what Lebron is doing right now at 581 00:34:30,119 --> 00:34:34,000 his age, he's able to be at a high level for the entire game. 582 00:34:34,119 --> 00:34:36,400 And part of that he's like he knows how to pace himself as far 583 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:38,039 as energy. Now, not everyone can play at that level, but you 584 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:43,639 but every player needs to have that like understand what that does. So now 585 00:34:43,639 --> 00:34:46,559 if you're exerting effort on defense a lot more, you're gonna be way more 586 00:34:46,599 --> 00:34:50,320 tired at the end of the game. And I think it took a little 587 00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:54,920 bit to get that back after like a season of just like literally playing ping 588 00:34:54,920 --> 00:35:00,360 pong with other teams in the basketball court. That's that's like a that's like 589 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:05,840 a little bit deep and maybe like an outside of like like like maybe more 590 00:35:06,119 --> 00:35:08,519 conspiracy thing kind of thing, But I really think that's like like like that 591 00:35:08,639 --> 00:35:10,519 that's kind of what I believe is happening here. I think I think they 592 00:35:10,519 --> 00:35:15,360 took a little bit to get the like the conditioning, the right conditioning understanding 593 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:17,920 how to pace yourself throughout the game, especially for like feel and the top 594 00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:22,000 guys that are that are playing the allotment of minutes. So what's the end 595 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,239 game here right now for them? This season? They if we're both going 596 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:28,960 to assume they keep bal which I think is a more than reasonable assumption at 597 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:32,320 this point, do you just stand pat, do you make a smaller buy 598 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:36,679 at the trade deadline? Uh? There? Look there, you could say 599 00:35:36,679 --> 00:35:39,840 that they're like on the cusp of the playoff picture because they as we're recording 600 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:44,400 this, they're in eleventh place, which is only you know, two losses 601 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:46,639 back of the play in but it's it's also only three losses back of the 602 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:52,840 four seed in the Eastern Conference as well, So like, what is what 603 00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:54,920 do you see for this team for the for the rest of this season? 604 00:35:57,119 --> 00:36:00,360 I mean, it's an interesting position there. And because like they unless they 605 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:04,280 want to make a big move, because like most of their guys with with 606 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:08,559 with higher salary cap, like like they're not guys that are going to bring 607 00:36:08,639 --> 00:36:13,559 some like like like for example, like Robin Lopez at you know seven point 608 00:36:13,599 --> 00:36:15,880 three million is Smith six million. They're not going to bring back anybody probably 609 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:20,159 better than what they already have right just alone. Right, So, do 610 00:36:20,199 --> 00:36:22,320 they want to attach an asset? Do they want to attach a younger guy? 611 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:25,280 Maybe somebody wants to take a flyer in Tory bound junior, you know, 612 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:30,000 Bonder or one of these other guys. But I think it's unless they 613 00:36:30,079 --> 00:36:34,000 go and take I think it's more likely they strip they strip some of these 614 00:36:34,079 --> 00:36:37,400 veterans down, like trade them for for for multiple picks, like like Robin 615 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:40,320 Lopez I could see getting traded. I mean, he's been great for for 616 00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:45,360 for what what they expect him to be kind of the second center. You 617 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:46,880 know, they never expected Thomas Brian to go down, so like, you 618 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:49,840 know, you don't want to have him in the starting lineup. But like, 619 00:36:50,119 --> 00:36:52,880 I think it's more likely they strip down some of the veterans and try 620 00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:57,159 to get the right pieces around these guys, because you know, if Bill 621 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:00,079 is actually going to be there for another year and and and Westbrook's two years 622 00:37:00,159 --> 00:37:04,239 under contract, I think it's most important right now to get the right guys 623 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:07,119 around them. And one of the interesting things that I heard a couple of 624 00:37:07,119 --> 00:37:10,079 weeks ago was like, you know, the Chris top for Zingis thing and 625 00:37:10,119 --> 00:37:13,960 like him being like out, like you know, potentially in a rumor, 626 00:37:14,119 --> 00:37:16,519 like the Wizards were like monitoring that. They were like, okay, like 627 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:21,400 if we brought in the third guy has to be this guy. Now you 628 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:22,719 don't know what the price tag will be. You know, there's like why 629 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:28,239 range openions on on on for Zingis and you know, and we talked about 630 00:37:28,239 --> 00:37:30,039 the offensive defense thing. That's not going to be a that's not a defensive 631 00:37:30,079 --> 00:37:34,599 ad. But you know, like I think I think they're looking out for 632 00:37:34,639 --> 00:37:37,360 those kind of big deals. But like it's I think it's unluckily you see 633 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:40,360 anything crazy this year just based on based on who they can trade and and 634 00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:45,079 what kind of value they can give up and also where they are in the 635 00:37:45,159 --> 00:37:47,800 standings. But they should be able to rise just with more continuity. Though, 636 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:52,519 is the what's the most realistic improve it then for them to make at 637 00:37:52,599 --> 00:37:57,440 the trade deadline? Is it improve the you know, the Ishmi minutes weren't 638 00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:00,760 going well when he was healthy. Is getting it upgrade over him? And 639 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:06,159 how old netto? Is it getting a wing of some sort? Is it 640 00:38:06,199 --> 00:38:09,679 getting another big Where do you think is the most realistic type of improvement that 641 00:38:09,719 --> 00:38:13,760 though, that they should look to make or actually will make at the trade 642 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:15,599 that line. See, I do think they need a wing, right, 643 00:38:15,599 --> 00:38:20,760 Like the Garrison Matthew story is nice and where what he does for them, 644 00:38:20,840 --> 00:38:24,320 you know, and you can say maybe maybe there's other more pressing issues like 645 00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:28,079 like a like an actual center that can defend the rim. I just don't 646 00:38:28,079 --> 00:38:30,199 know where you're going to find that. So I think it's more likely that 647 00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:34,280 you can find another rotation piece if you're willing to give up picks or assets. 648 00:38:35,119 --> 00:38:38,239 So I would I would target that like that the three because the three 649 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:45,440 is really as an overall roster, not including like Thomas Bryan being because next 650 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:47,079 year they hope Thomas Brian comes back and he fills that spot at the five. 651 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:52,079 The three is their biggest problem long term and short term. And even 652 00:38:52,159 --> 00:38:54,880 with any which I think that I think Denny ends up being like a four 653 00:38:54,960 --> 00:39:00,840 for them, and at four in the NBA rather uh, I think I 654 00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:02,519 think you still look at that like three that you know, that wing that 655 00:39:02,519 --> 00:39:07,119 that can kind of like defend a little better as their biggest need. Okay, 656 00:39:07,159 --> 00:39:13,199 So to wrap up with them three quick hitter questions, do they make 657 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:19,719 the play in or playoffs this season? I would say yes. I would 658 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:22,480 say there was a lot earlier in the season, you know, Westbrook being 659 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:25,320 out a lot of players in and out. You know, they they they 660 00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:29,360 had to have their team get COVID and they couldn't like run you know for 661 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:31,239 a while, and they had to go play like they came back on condition 662 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:35,239 to play and not that they could do anything else. They they were recovering, 663 00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:37,480 so it's like you needed to like you need, you need the time 664 00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:40,800 to get back in the conditioning. The season just carried on. I think 665 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:45,199 that they're gonna come out. I wouldn't be surprised if they get somewhere a 666 00:39:45,199 --> 00:39:47,679 couple games below five hundred, like like like, I would not be surprised 667 00:39:47,679 --> 00:39:52,360 if they end up like the seventh or eighth seed and and you know have 668 00:39:52,519 --> 00:39:54,679 that have have that like home advantage in that play and playing game. But 669 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:58,480 yeah, I think it's it's very, very possible for them. Do think 670 00:39:58,519 --> 00:40:02,159 that's interesting is they've played the easiest schedule in the NBA to date. I 671 00:40:02,199 --> 00:40:07,480 believe if I'm looking if this is updated, and they have the hardest schedule 672 00:40:07,639 --> 00:40:10,719 remaining in the league over the bed, that's going to be tough for them 673 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:15,159 to crack. So I would almost if I had to pick, I mean, 674 00:40:15,159 --> 00:40:17,079 the East is just wild. Playing definitely seems reachable. But I'm thinking 675 00:40:17,079 --> 00:40:22,519 of like Atlanta getting healthier, Indiana should get healthier. Maybe you see the 676 00:40:22,559 --> 00:40:25,480 Hornets and Knicks fall back down to earth. The bulls are in front of 677 00:40:25,519 --> 00:40:30,360 them right now. I'm gonna say no, I'm gonna be hot. Taking 678 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:32,239 say, I don't think they make it, but I don't know. There's 679 00:40:32,239 --> 00:40:35,360 a little bit of fool's gold there with the Knicks and Hornets too. This 680 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:37,639 is not the season to predict that the last two quick hitters. I have 681 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:44,039 though, are is Bradley Beale on this team next season? I would say, 682 00:40:44,119 --> 00:40:46,039 yes. Is Scott Brooks the head coach of this team next season? 683 00:40:47,679 --> 00:40:51,760 I would say no, Look at that, just something to monitor. And 684 00:40:52,239 --> 00:40:53,800 the Scott Brooks thing, because people have been calling for his job. It 685 00:40:53,800 --> 00:41:00,159 feels like since he got it basically, but it would take like something the 686 00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:02,599 monstrative going wrong for him to be fired mid season at this point, right, 687 00:41:02,599 --> 00:41:05,760 because I don't even even if you're hoping to make the playoffs, like 688 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:08,320 what is like what could you reasonably miss on, you know, unless you 689 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:12,679 lose like ten games in a row or something along those lines like what the 690 00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:15,840 Rockets are doing right now. I just don't know what this team can realistically 691 00:41:15,880 --> 00:41:20,760 aspire to that Scott Brooks would have screwed up in a way mid season that 692 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:24,519 they want to start the process in the middle of the year. Yeah, 693 00:41:24,599 --> 00:41:28,079 no, exactly right, And I think that I think there's a chance that 694 00:41:28,119 --> 00:41:30,159 he comes back, but I think if we get to the point where we're 695 00:41:30,159 --> 00:41:34,000 looking at play in tournament right now, is his best case scenario That was 696 00:41:34,039 --> 00:41:37,880 not expectations right expectations where we were like, Okay, we can be a 697 00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:39,039 top six seed. We don't have to deal with the play in tournament. 698 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:43,960 And I think unless Brooks does get to that level, then yeah, we 699 00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:46,599 are talking about a new coach at the end of the year. But yeah, 700 00:41:46,679 --> 00:41:51,480 know, like it's not like a bad situation, Like it's it's not 701 00:41:51,519 --> 00:41:53,119 a situation that's going to blow up, Like no one's getting mad at Brooks 702 00:41:53,119 --> 00:41:57,719 and like demanding that he's gone or like you know, like like we've seen 703 00:41:57,760 --> 00:42:00,119 we've seen that with other coaches other places. It's like it's not like kind 704 00:42:00,159 --> 00:42:04,360 of situation. It's harmonious, like like the players love him. He's just 705 00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:07,000 like he's a nice guy. But maybe you need more than a nice guy 706 00:42:07,079 --> 00:42:12,599 right now, you know, going forward, I already dive into some sixers. 707 00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:15,199 Has that for a pivot? Oh yeah, no, definitely. So 708 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:20,239 I don't want to relitigate this too in depth, but where did you end 709 00:42:20,320 --> 00:42:22,000 up landing? And it's like, really, I think it's still a fair 710 00:42:22,079 --> 00:42:24,639 question, I asked, because the Sixers are our first place in the Eastern 711 00:42:24,679 --> 00:42:29,079 Conference, But would they be in a better position without James Harden had the 712 00:42:29,079 --> 00:42:31,639 opportunity presented itself, and the reporting says that he was on the table and 713 00:42:31,679 --> 00:42:36,599 that the Rockets essentially prefer the Nets deal or Tilmo Forte. I didn't want 714 00:42:36,599 --> 00:42:38,440 to deal with Darren Murray. If it was the Sixers choice, would you 715 00:42:38,440 --> 00:42:44,360 have included enough sweeteners to complete the James Harden trade or were you very much 716 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:46,440 of the mind that they made Let's say, insofar as it was their decision 717 00:42:46,480 --> 00:42:52,840 that they made the right decision not to. I guess sweetened the package with 718 00:42:52,920 --> 00:42:57,320 Ben Simmons enough to put them on the same level as Houston viewed in Brooklyn's 719 00:42:57,320 --> 00:43:04,039 package. Yeah, I'll preface it with I own a lot of land on 720 00:43:04,039 --> 00:43:07,199 on Ben Simmon's island. Like I am, I believe he's going to be 721 00:43:07,199 --> 00:43:09,159 a future m VP. I'm i'm, I'm, I'm full on like I 722 00:43:09,199 --> 00:43:14,519 think he's going to be probably exceeding most people's expectations. I would have done 723 00:43:14,559 --> 00:43:16,360 whatever I need to do and including including him and other picks to get James 724 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:21,039 Carton. James Harden's arguably the best player in the league right now. If 725 00:43:21,079 --> 00:43:23,119 you know, you know, you know, whether he's top five, whether 726 00:43:23,159 --> 00:43:27,199 he's whatever he's he could have had he could have been the MVP in each 727 00:43:27,199 --> 00:43:30,239 the last four seasons, right he like, he's just that good. He 728 00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:34,800 puts you in a contender window right now. And if you combine that with 729 00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:37,400 Joel, who has been healthy, who has been playing back to backs. 730 00:43:37,440 --> 00:43:39,039 But but look, we know there's a risk with big Man, especially with 731 00:43:39,079 --> 00:43:43,039 the kind of injuries that he has. I'm taking my shots, and I'm 732 00:43:43,039 --> 00:43:46,159 saying, Okay, James Harden with Joel and a decent team around him, 733 00:43:46,159 --> 00:43:49,760 really, I mean, like with with everything else, even if he gave 734 00:43:49,840 --> 00:43:52,000 up Max, even if he gave up Matise and he gave a future picks, 735 00:43:52,239 --> 00:43:55,519 I would have done it, you know, I just I just I 736 00:43:55,559 --> 00:44:00,760 also do wonder if there was anything that Jerry Moore could have offered the Rockets 737 00:44:00,800 --> 00:44:04,679 to get James Harden, or whether they were just going to string them along 738 00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:07,239 the entire time. Yeah, I think that's probably the bigger issue here is 739 00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:09,840 I don't think they ever had a realistic chance of getting him unless they through 740 00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:15,000 the kitchen sink. Plus Ben Simmons, which I in real time wouldn't have 741 00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:17,679 made the move after watching Harden in Brooklyn. Like, maybe it's easier to 742 00:44:17,719 --> 00:44:21,480 say they should have. I just don't think, Well, what made me 743 00:44:21,559 --> 00:44:23,559 uncomfortable is right, The Ben Simmons Harden's wap easier to justify. But the 744 00:44:24,039 --> 00:44:27,639 assets you attach players you attached to it, Like, that's where it gets 745 00:44:27,639 --> 00:44:30,320 iffy, because you are giving up an all NBA caliber player to get James 746 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:34,800 Harden, and so the gap not only in Harden's talent, but in the 747 00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:37,760 window in which you can compete for a title with him needs to meet or 748 00:44:37,800 --> 00:44:42,360 exceed that outgoing value. And that's where the questions sort of lied for me. 749 00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:45,440 Yeah, I mean I think I think I don't think there's anyone that 750 00:44:45,440 --> 00:44:51,239 would say, like Brooklyn made a bad trade, you know, given there, 751 00:44:51,280 --> 00:44:52,159 but I think that you might have had people if it was a six 752 00:44:52,280 --> 00:45:00,719 Ers just based on that one actual franchise piece. Yeah, I'm like, 753 00:45:01,679 --> 00:45:06,119 the Brooklyn stuff is weird because those picks look shiny now. But if Harden, 754 00:45:06,239 --> 00:45:08,239 Kyrie and Kadie just stayed together, then that's aren't gonna be bad for 755 00:45:08,280 --> 00:45:12,119 I would say at least three years, like that's at least three years, 756 00:45:12,159 --> 00:45:14,840 and so at that point, like how many swaps and picks if you used 757 00:45:14,920 --> 00:45:17,920 up? The fact that they have them going into twenty twenty seven is definitely 758 00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:22,760 valuable, but I don't think clearly now like and what the injuries Brooklyn's dealt 759 00:45:22,800 --> 00:45:28,400 with the limited availability of Kevin Durant specifically, it's like, it's good to 760 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:30,960 have James Harden who has been an iron man and can carry you to a 761 00:45:31,079 --> 00:45:35,559 win basically on any given night without the other two stars. And so I 762 00:45:35,760 --> 00:45:37,880 definitely think it. I forget what great I gave him When I graded it 763 00:45:37,880 --> 00:45:39,800 at the time. It might have been like I didn't fail them, but 764 00:45:39,800 --> 00:45:43,440 it might just been like a B minus. I would definitely up that at 765 00:45:43,480 --> 00:45:47,239 this point for them the Sixers, though, So Joella Bie would be my 766 00:45:47,320 --> 00:45:52,280 MVP pick right now if the season were to finish today. What's impressed you 767 00:45:52,280 --> 00:45:55,119 a most about what he's done? And why is it his off the dribble 768 00:45:55,119 --> 00:45:58,880 shooting, you know, not that I'm trying to put words in your mouth. 769 00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:01,199 Oh literally, that's just another level of his game that you're like, 770 00:46:01,400 --> 00:46:06,039 oh my god, like like like everything that Sam Hanky was talking about his 771 00:46:06,119 --> 00:46:08,119 resonation letter of all the greedness that Joel could be Like this is it, 772 00:46:08,320 --> 00:46:13,800 you know, and it's like it's just like to see someone do that and 773 00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:16,400 and everything else that he does. It's like like like I honestly believe he 774 00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:19,719 is the MVP and he will be unless he unless he gets hurt. Like 775 00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:23,559 there is like like we both watched the last night against the Jazz and just 776 00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:28,039 the way he takes over games, and he did that against the Calves and 777 00:46:28,039 --> 00:46:30,000 they lost against the Cavs on on a Saturday. But he's doing it night 778 00:46:30,039 --> 00:46:35,400 after night where where you're not seeing what he like, you've seen the consistency 779 00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:37,159 that you haven't seen before. So I think it's that. I think it's 780 00:46:37,199 --> 00:46:42,320 af terable shooting. And then it's also the consistency with it that is really 781 00:46:42,440 --> 00:46:46,280 just it's it's really remarkable to watch this season. You're gonna know these This 782 00:46:46,400 --> 00:46:50,320 is more for the listeners benefit and maybe they know them too. But last 783 00:46:50,360 --> 00:46:53,800 season, Joel Embiid shot fifty four of one hundred and sixty two on pull 784 00:46:53,880 --> 00:46:58,639 up two pointers. It's at thirty three point three percent. He shot six 785 00:46:58,719 --> 00:47:04,519 of twenty on pull three pointers. That's a thirty percent clip so far this 786 00:47:04,559 --> 00:47:08,360 season on pull up two pointers, he's seventy one of one fifty one, 787 00:47:08,480 --> 00:47:13,920 that's forty seven percent, and then on threes he's ten of twenty one forty 788 00:47:13,960 --> 00:47:16,480 seven point six percent. So he's already hit more pull up threes than he 789 00:47:16,519 --> 00:47:22,440 did I would probably say over the past more than last season, so six 790 00:47:22,519 --> 00:47:27,440 and he's at ten already. So that's just if that improvement it's sustainable, 791 00:47:27,599 --> 00:47:30,000 and I don't want to get I think it's easy to be skeptical that it 792 00:47:30,119 --> 00:47:34,400 isn't because we've never seen him hit them at this level before. But he's 793 00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:37,519 also talked about working on that shot before. I think it was specifically heading 794 00:47:37,519 --> 00:47:40,840 into last season where he was talking about how he could hit these face up 795 00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:44,480 off the dribble jumpers, and look, if he's gonna hit shots like he 796 00:47:44,519 --> 00:47:49,320 did the force over time against Utah if I don't know if the Sixers need 797 00:47:49,320 --> 00:47:51,960 to do anything we talk about what other moves could they make. I don't 798 00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:54,159 know if they need that other significant piece, because I think the thought process 799 00:47:54,199 --> 00:47:58,039 there is right well, Tobias Harrison Simmons, they can't be your primary crunch 800 00:47:58,079 --> 00:48:00,280 time weapons. And even with the yokas just so good in the clutch. 801 00:48:00,320 --> 00:48:04,639 There's this thought process that, well, Jabald Murray really helps you because you 802 00:48:04,639 --> 00:48:07,920 need that from scratch face up scorer, which yokis really is it give the 803 00:48:07,920 --> 00:48:10,119 ball the post that yeah, he could dribble going down hill, but everyone 804 00:48:10,159 --> 00:48:14,079 wants that like Way or Guard who could do it. But Joel beat is 805 00:48:14,119 --> 00:48:17,519 just hitting those shots for the Sixers right now. Yeah, And I think 806 00:48:17,559 --> 00:48:22,280 that you could see this team beating any team in a seven game series. 807 00:48:22,360 --> 00:48:25,760 They just have to, like their foot is completely on the gas and like 808 00:48:27,000 --> 00:48:30,760 you run the risk of it just going something going wrong, right, Like 809 00:48:30,000 --> 00:48:34,760 you are putting so much pressure on Joel to do so much, and I 810 00:48:34,800 --> 00:48:37,880 think that the only reason I would probably say, okay, maybe they should 811 00:48:37,920 --> 00:48:44,079 probably add like another ball handler is to not have Joel do so much right 812 00:48:44,119 --> 00:48:46,800 now. And you know Simmons does a lot when he's there. He's the 813 00:48:46,840 --> 00:48:49,920 other guy, but they don't have that third guy who can be who can 814 00:48:49,960 --> 00:48:52,519 kind of take over. And also like a guy who can shoot like Hoyle 815 00:48:52,599 --> 00:48:55,320 Larry would be amazing just to take some pressure off of it. Kind of 816 00:48:55,360 --> 00:49:00,159 like what like Dennis Shrewder is for Lebron in ad, you know, just 817 00:49:00,159 --> 00:49:05,719 just to have the other guy that you're not. You're just not exerting like 818 00:49:05,840 --> 00:49:07,880 top energy on it every night, and you kind of pace yourself throughout the 819 00:49:07,920 --> 00:49:12,480 season. You know. I do think there's a market for them. I 820 00:49:12,519 --> 00:49:15,920 think I think Kyle Lowry is probably a name I would go. I would 821 00:49:15,960 --> 00:49:16,920 go around the league. Maybe something, Maybe a guy who's like a little 822 00:49:16,920 --> 00:49:21,880 bit cheaper, you know, just sider cup Wise because Danny Green, Danny 823 00:49:21,880 --> 00:49:24,280 Green for fifteen million dollars, like trading him is the easiest way to kind 824 00:49:24,320 --> 00:49:30,199 of bring back and add actual value. But yeah, there's there's there's a 825 00:49:30,239 --> 00:49:32,039 need. But you know, the team itself, if you're if you're like, 826 00:49:32,079 --> 00:49:36,039 okay, playoffs started today, yeah you would. They can match up 827 00:49:36,079 --> 00:49:40,599 with anybody. Ben Simmins, I'm curious what you think about. He's shooting 828 00:49:40,639 --> 00:49:45,639 incredibly well on hook shots this year, basically over sixty percent I think first 829 00:49:45,639 --> 00:49:49,320 past ten or twelve games, and he's hit some really this season in general, 830 00:49:49,400 --> 00:49:52,360 Hiss, they're accounting for a larger share of his shots. They're not 831 00:49:52,400 --> 00:49:54,840 just sort of these you know, standstills like backing down guys and then hitting 832 00:49:54,840 --> 00:49:58,760 look like he's hit someone's on the movie. He's also done very well in 833 00:49:58,880 --> 00:50:01,320 his you know, on his post touches, which again are not like these 834 00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:06,280 monstrous part of his game, but they seem like they could be useful counters 835 00:50:06,320 --> 00:50:08,360 for someone who at this point we just have to assume that he's not going 836 00:50:08,400 --> 00:50:13,960 to ever be like a moderate volume shooter. And so if he's scoring you, 837 00:50:13,960 --> 00:50:15,719 you know, one point two points per post possession and they count for 838 00:50:15,760 --> 00:50:20,079 ten percent of his place, that's huge. Do you buy into that as 839 00:50:20,119 --> 00:50:22,559 like sort of a viable counter? What don't you get the playoff basketball or 840 00:50:22,599 --> 00:50:25,840 is there's still just like too many obstacles to overcome when you have another player 841 00:50:25,880 --> 00:50:29,800 on the floor. He's just still not going to be that threat outside of 842 00:50:30,000 --> 00:50:32,000 you know, let's let's be generous and say the paint and I could that 843 00:50:32,000 --> 00:50:36,280 that's stretching it a little bit too. Yeah, sure, And you know, 844 00:50:36,679 --> 00:50:38,960 it's it's a nice wrinkle to his game because you know, for so 845 00:50:39,000 --> 00:50:44,840 long he could get so close to the rim that it almost didn't matter in 846 00:50:44,880 --> 00:50:45,840 a lot of ways as long as he had like a lot of shooting around 847 00:50:45,880 --> 00:50:49,760 him, because he could just get down to that that area where he's in 848 00:50:49,800 --> 00:50:52,960 that range and now that he's added this shot at a nice efficiency rate, 849 00:50:53,079 --> 00:50:58,360 like it's it's going to be very interesting because if this has just spread out 850 00:50:58,360 --> 00:51:00,800 the floor like they like they have been with that and kind of like you 851 00:51:00,840 --> 00:51:02,599 know, played Dwight up at the top or played Joel up up at the 852 00:51:02,599 --> 00:51:07,079 top and like kind of let Simmons in. It's it's it's almost like it 853 00:51:07,119 --> 00:51:10,039 doesn't doesn't spread the floor in a way that you would want like a three 854 00:51:10,079 --> 00:51:13,639 point shot. We're not there yet. It's almost like a Simmons is like 855 00:51:14,199 --> 00:51:16,679 growing himself out to the three point line for whatever reason, like very slowly. 856 00:51:17,599 --> 00:51:21,079 But it is a nice wrinkle, and I think it's I think it's 857 00:51:21,199 --> 00:51:23,480 it just makes it even more hard to defend on there. It's like it's 858 00:51:23,480 --> 00:51:28,679 it's it's like another it's like a it's like a dominant post player who has 859 00:51:28,719 --> 00:51:31,840 the agility of a point guard to get down there. Like he's very unique 860 00:51:31,840 --> 00:51:37,719 in his own way. And I think we get distracted too much by the 861 00:51:37,760 --> 00:51:40,920 shooting, because this is still a top twenty five guy in the league with 862 00:51:40,920 --> 00:51:45,239 how he is right now, and there are very few players he's firmly in 863 00:51:45,280 --> 00:51:47,480 the defensive Player of the Year conversation. At this point, I would guess 864 00:51:47,519 --> 00:51:51,119 they'll probably finish top three. When I did it a month into this season, 865 00:51:51,159 --> 00:51:53,239 I actually had him beat a little bit higher than him on my ladder 866 00:51:53,360 --> 00:51:58,159 when I did my top three predictions for the year because I thought Ebid was 867 00:51:58,239 --> 00:52:00,480 you know, he's he's a monster on defense, but it felt like he 868 00:52:00,480 --> 00:52:02,320 was playing up higher at points too, which is having a baby that could 869 00:52:02,320 --> 00:52:07,159 do that was incredible. But he's been huge for them, and he could 870 00:52:07,199 --> 00:52:08,440 defend any player on the court, and there are so few players where you 871 00:52:08,480 --> 00:52:12,599 could basically say, like, hey, go delete that guy from the planet, 872 00:52:12,679 --> 00:52:15,039 and Ben Simmons can do that and so and then still you know, 873 00:52:15,119 --> 00:52:21,199 sort of disrupt things away from his primary assignment. So still a fantastic player. 874 00:52:21,280 --> 00:52:23,440 And I agree with pretty much everything you said there. If if he's 875 00:52:23,440 --> 00:52:25,559 going to hit those shots, if he can do it on the move, 876 00:52:25,679 --> 00:52:29,360 like that's the bigger things. Like I don't know how much it helps them 877 00:52:29,400 --> 00:52:30,760 if he's doing it exclusively from post ups, but if it's you know, 878 00:52:30,880 --> 00:52:34,639 the sweeping hooks that he's hit a little bit, I think that could end 879 00:52:34,679 --> 00:52:37,920 up helping them a bunch in the postseason. Yeah, you know, just 880 00:52:37,960 --> 00:52:42,159 this is the extra rikles he's bringing on really both sides of the floor, 881 00:52:42,199 --> 00:52:45,639 like like defensively, He's like, I do think he's gonna win the defensive 882 00:52:45,639 --> 00:52:49,639 player here, which is you think he's gonna win? Yeah, I think 883 00:52:49,639 --> 00:52:52,440 he's gonna end up getting it, which was I mean, Doc's campaigning for 884 00:52:52,519 --> 00:52:55,960 it, but then you have like juel In talking about how that's his goal, 885 00:52:57,360 --> 00:52:58,920 and I'm like, like, it's a little weird, you know, 886 00:52:59,000 --> 00:53:01,000 you both you both guys are the same thing. Like it's like and it 887 00:53:01,039 --> 00:53:04,840 just goes back to do these guys fit together? And I think they've they've 888 00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:07,679 made it work the best they can. I mean, everything's like Rosie right 889 00:53:07,719 --> 00:53:10,000 now, and they've decided that, like these two do fit together in the 890 00:53:10,000 --> 00:53:15,079 sense that they don't stagger them as much as they did under Brett Brown. 891 00:53:15,480 --> 00:53:19,519 And they've done they've even done things where it's not happening a lot. But 892 00:53:19,519 --> 00:53:22,400 I can't remember which Jim was watching, but like Ben Simmons was the screener 893 00:53:22,559 --> 00:53:24,599 while Joel Embid was on the floor. As when they're trying new stuff, 894 00:53:24,639 --> 00:53:28,480 and I'm fine with them, just like I don't think it doesn't work. 895 00:53:28,920 --> 00:53:30,599 It could work. They're definitely not the cleanest fit, but yeah, there's 896 00:53:30,599 --> 00:53:35,360 that level of awkwardness there. I do sort of appreciate though, how it 897 00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:37,559 felt like, at least previously a little bit, the Sixers were trying to 898 00:53:38,679 --> 00:53:43,599 like separate them or just be like they have to operate independent of one another, 899 00:53:44,239 --> 00:53:46,079 almost even though they were winning the minutes with those two on the floor. 900 00:53:46,519 --> 00:53:50,199 And it does seem like this season they've just decided that, no, 901 00:53:50,239 --> 00:53:52,320 you know what, We're gonna play our two best players together a bunch, 902 00:53:52,360 --> 00:53:55,039 because that's what you do. Yeah, exactly. They're like, we gotta 903 00:53:55,079 --> 00:53:58,199 get these reps in here. They want all the data they can get. 904 00:53:58,239 --> 00:54:00,800 I think Daryl Moore is like, I need this see if we're gonna make 905 00:54:00,840 --> 00:54:06,239 this work. I want to put everything into making this work. And I 906 00:54:06,280 --> 00:54:07,400 think I think it will work. I think it's fine. I think it's 907 00:54:07,440 --> 00:54:12,280 been very good. I just think the co campaigning for a Defensive Player of 908 00:54:12,320 --> 00:54:15,239 Year is a little word like, do you remember a team that had two 909 00:54:15,320 --> 00:54:17,639 legit defensive players of your candidates? No, they're both probably going to finish 910 00:54:17,639 --> 00:54:21,800 in the top five, too, right, I'd imagine, I mean you 911 00:54:21,880 --> 00:54:23,840 might if Joel wins MVP is probably not gonna win DEFENSI Player of the Year 912 00:54:23,880 --> 00:54:27,280 just because like how people vote, you know whatever. But I'm just trying 913 00:54:27,280 --> 00:54:29,679 to think of names. It's like Rudy, I think it's gonna come down 914 00:54:29,719 --> 00:54:31,639 to Rudy Gobert Ben Simmons at this point. And I still don't know how 915 00:54:31,679 --> 00:54:36,239 I would weigh like the Joel Embi Ben Simmons debate, but Rudy Gobert and 916 00:54:36,320 --> 00:54:38,119 Ben Simmons are gonna be there, Miles Turner's definitely going to be there, 917 00:54:39,320 --> 00:54:42,880 and then after that it's like, well, who are you who are you 918 00:54:43,000 --> 00:54:45,960 going with there? I don't think Jannie isn't gonna have the same love and 919 00:54:45,960 --> 00:54:49,440 the Bucks have done a lot of different stuff defensively this year. I also 920 00:54:49,480 --> 00:54:52,719 think that people are going to look more closely at how he's not necessarily guarding 921 00:54:52,760 --> 00:54:55,960 the best player because they use him to just you'll cover up so much, 922 00:54:55,960 --> 00:54:59,000 which is important. So maybe he's still in the top five, but I'm 923 00:54:59,039 --> 00:55:00,360 trying to think of you know, the name sort of run out soon, 924 00:55:00,440 --> 00:55:04,199 and so if you're gonna say five people are gonna finish higher than Joel and 925 00:55:04,199 --> 00:55:07,960 beat on that ladder. I just don't know who they're gonna be. Yeah, 926 00:55:07,000 --> 00:55:10,440 And you know, it's been a weird year in that, like you 927 00:55:10,480 --> 00:55:14,239 know, I'm zoomed in on these two teams. That the fact that, 928 00:55:14,280 --> 00:55:16,880 like I haven't seen much of Indiana outside when they played these guys, But 929 00:55:16,880 --> 00:55:20,079 just from what I'm seeing him, like his mouths, Turner is like blocks 930 00:55:20,079 --> 00:55:22,559 of it. Is it kind of like empty stats in a way. I 931 00:55:22,559 --> 00:55:24,079 mean, he's getting the blocks, that's nice, but like, and he 932 00:55:24,159 --> 00:55:29,599 obviously has an impact. I just I just wonder if like they are as 933 00:55:30,000 --> 00:55:32,800 as as valuable as the stat may indicate. Where he's like leading the league 934 00:55:32,840 --> 00:55:36,679 and by a margin I think Turner is. And I caught a lot of 935 00:55:36,679 --> 00:55:39,920 ship from Pacers fans when I left him off. I aired on the wrong 936 00:55:39,960 --> 00:55:42,599 side when I wrote it. It was a mother to the season. I 937 00:55:42,599 --> 00:55:45,280 probably should have just done a look at where this ladder is right now, 938 00:55:45,320 --> 00:55:49,239 but I decided to just make predictions and forecast, and I left him off 939 00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:51,639 the top three. The value he has on defense to them is real, 940 00:55:51,719 --> 00:55:53,199 Like it goes so far beyond his blocks, just the way that he's able 941 00:55:53,199 --> 00:55:57,679 to be in all these spots at once and recover to the rim or or 942 00:55:57,719 --> 00:55:59,920 get out and can test jumpers, so I think his value is real. 943 00:56:00,199 --> 00:56:02,800 But people do look at the overall defensive standings, and right now, the 944 00:56:02,840 --> 00:56:07,119 Pacers defense just isn't. Uh, you know, if we're looking at teams 945 00:56:07,119 --> 00:56:10,119 where it's I would assume you want your defensive player of the year to come 946 00:56:10,159 --> 00:56:14,480 from a top ten defensive team, they're sixteen, and there's you know, 947 00:56:14,559 --> 00:56:19,199 it's that's not. Part of that stuff gets to me a little bit because 948 00:56:19,199 --> 00:56:22,559 it's not fair to say that, like Miles Turner isn't playing forty eight minutes 949 00:56:22,599 --> 00:56:24,199 a game every single game for them, and he's actually shown that he could 950 00:56:24,199 --> 00:56:27,559 anchor some lineups on his own because of a lot of the things he's doing 951 00:56:27,920 --> 00:56:31,119 defensively. But stuff that factors in is and they're in the seventy six percent 952 00:56:31,119 --> 00:56:34,000 tile of defense when he's on the court. That should matter, but I 953 00:56:34,000 --> 00:56:36,719 don't even know that's seventy six percentile would high enough to do it. And 954 00:56:36,760 --> 00:56:38,480 then with him specifically, it's, well, he's not going to play as 955 00:56:38,480 --> 00:56:40,559 many minutes as some of these guys, and if he's going to continue to 956 00:56:40,559 --> 00:56:44,559 shoot so poorly from three as he has been lately, are you inclined to 957 00:56:44,559 --> 00:56:46,800 limit his minutes and then go with Sabonis at the five more so I think 958 00:56:46,800 --> 00:56:51,599 there are more uh you know, bumps that come into his case. But 959 00:56:51,679 --> 00:56:55,599 I do absolutely think that he is a transformative defender. Yeah, and no 960 00:56:55,880 --> 00:57:00,719 doubt. I just I just like it, and I think it's are I 961 00:57:00,920 --> 00:57:02,320 think we're gonna see some weird stuff in the voting this year because of the 962 00:57:02,320 --> 00:57:07,519 condemned schedule. I think your average media person that's covering your team is not 963 00:57:07,639 --> 00:57:10,199 seen as much outside of their team as they're used to, which is a 964 00:57:10,199 --> 00:57:14,679 problem because that you know, we want Andre Drummond get Defensive Player of the 965 00:57:14,719 --> 00:57:16,880 Year votes last year or sure, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like 966 00:57:16,960 --> 00:57:20,880 it's like it's like okay, like are we like what are we doing? 967 00:57:21,000 --> 00:57:22,440 And this year it's like you just have more games, more nights, and 968 00:57:22,519 --> 00:57:28,920 like like I mean I've seen Rudy go up against Joel and I've seen Miles 969 00:57:28,920 --> 00:57:30,599 Turner up against Droell this week, right, and I'm like looking at them, 970 00:57:30,679 --> 00:57:32,719 like I'm like, why are either one of these guys Defensive Player of 971 00:57:32,719 --> 00:57:36,440 the Year candidates? But you know, I know there's more to the story, 972 00:57:36,840 --> 00:57:38,280 right, you know, like like Joel is like probably one of the 973 00:57:38,280 --> 00:57:44,079 top matchups right for for this and I mean he's he's just playing out of 974 00:57:44,119 --> 00:57:46,400 his mind. So if these are like the best, you know, if 975 00:57:46,440 --> 00:57:49,880 these are the guys playing the best and he's playing the best against them, 976 00:57:49,920 --> 00:57:52,039 I mean, I think that that helps his the MVP case. But I 977 00:57:52,079 --> 00:57:55,239 think a lot of a lot of writers maybe narrative might help a little more 978 00:57:55,320 --> 00:57:59,199 this year than it has in the past because because you just don't have the 979 00:57:59,239 --> 00:58:04,039 time to see multiple games, because if you're covering your team then you're then 980 00:58:04,440 --> 00:58:07,000 a lot more of your nights in a congested amount of time is taken up. 981 00:58:07,400 --> 00:58:12,280 And yeah, it's just I think I think the narratives around these players 982 00:58:12,320 --> 00:58:15,159 are going to creep up as a more as a bigger factor this year. 983 00:58:16,559 --> 00:58:20,480 I would actually agree with you. I think that's something that people definitely look 984 00:58:20,480 --> 00:58:22,880 at because you know, maybe it feels like even like maybe BAM should be 985 00:58:22,880 --> 00:58:25,639 getting more love in this discussion. But I think they bring this back to 986 00:58:25,639 --> 00:58:29,559 the sixers. I absolutely think it. Beat and Simmons will both be in 987 00:58:29,599 --> 00:58:31,239 top five. And I can't remember the last time, maybe it's been recently. 988 00:58:31,280 --> 00:58:34,559 I have to go back and look and see when the last time two 989 00:58:34,599 --> 00:58:37,239 players were from the same team, were you know, finished in the top 990 00:58:37,360 --> 00:58:39,880 like maybe a Mike like it couldn't be that far away, but like a 991 00:58:40,000 --> 00:58:45,480 Jordan Pippin type deal. I'm just trying to think of pairings like Paul George 992 00:58:45,480 --> 00:58:47,440 and Kauai would have that potential. But that's not gonna happen this year anyway. 993 00:58:47,519 --> 00:58:52,519 I'm digressing terribly at this point. What's the biggest change you've seen from 994 00:58:52,559 --> 00:58:55,599 Dubaia's Harris this season? And as a preface, I did something where I 995 00:58:55,639 --> 00:59:00,199 just ranked shooters relative to the value they were providing shots from all the different 996 00:59:00,199 --> 00:59:05,039 distances. I did quarter threes, above the break threes, and then mid 997 00:59:05,119 --> 00:59:07,239 range just because I considered those the perimeter shots. He graded out as one 998 00:59:07,280 --> 00:59:12,519 of the ten most valuable shooters by value added in the league this season. 999 00:59:13,840 --> 00:59:15,400 And and and you kind of you kind of see that right now, like 1000 00:59:15,400 --> 00:59:19,920 what he's what he's bringing to this this this team, and I think I 1001 00:59:19,920 --> 00:59:23,599 think it's two twofold, right Doc. The familiarity has with Doc Rivers, 1002 00:59:23,599 --> 00:59:28,159 like that's kind of where they broke out in in LA. And when he 1003 00:59:28,199 --> 00:59:30,800 was in LA, he was really playing the four. I mean he was 1004 00:59:30,039 --> 00:59:35,559 he was paired with Dineal gallinari as the other forward who essentially was a three 1005 00:59:35,599 --> 00:59:38,599 a four space and guy, it's just way better for him to be in 1006 00:59:38,639 --> 00:59:43,079 that position where where he does he doesn't have to worry about two big men 1007 00:59:43,119 --> 00:59:45,400 and the lane is also open and he can't be a little more freer with 1008 00:59:45,400 --> 00:59:47,719 with how how they do things and the kind of sets that they run. 1009 00:59:50,199 --> 00:59:52,800 I think I think, I just think he may have been like miscasted as 1010 00:59:52,920 --> 00:59:57,239 as as a as a small forward for a while or like trying to fit 1011 00:59:57,639 --> 01:00:00,679 as that, and I think that's I think it's Doc rivers familiarity and and 1012 01:00:01,079 --> 01:00:06,000 and playing the right position now where he has a chance to grow and he 1013 01:00:06,000 --> 01:00:07,400 can he I mean, you could argue that he should be an All Star 1014 01:00:07,440 --> 01:00:10,480 this year. There was definitely a case for him, and he's got all 1015 01:00:10,519 --> 01:00:15,840 fuzzy at the end. I very easily would have taken Trey Bam or maybe 1016 01:00:15,840 --> 01:00:20,280 even Jimmy Butler over him, but Chris Middleton too, But yeah, I 1017 01:00:20,280 --> 01:00:22,559 mean he was in that, Like if you were mentioning the twenty candidates or 1018 01:00:22,559 --> 01:00:25,360 All Star spots in the East, he was definitely in it. Yeah, 1019 01:00:25,440 --> 01:00:29,239 I have an All Star theory and I have no I have no backing behind 1020 01:00:29,280 --> 01:00:31,159 this, but I think that some of the teams that did not go to 1021 01:00:31,159 --> 01:00:37,880 the Bubble were rewarded a little bit higher this year. Interesting, you know, 1022 01:00:37,039 --> 01:00:39,880 And I'm not I'm not just just on this level, right. You 1023 01:00:39,920 --> 01:00:44,800 know, they lost out on from revenue, right, so I don't you 1024 01:00:44,880 --> 01:00:46,039 know, it could just be nothing, but you know, Julius Randall, 1025 01:00:46,559 --> 01:00:52,159 Zach Lavine, who there was there was one more that was there that that 1026 01:00:52,280 --> 01:00:55,440 was from a Bubble team. I forget for a non Bubble team, but 1027 01:00:58,239 --> 01:01:00,480 I'm John Blink, who the third go was. Like, I was like, 1028 01:01:00,519 --> 01:01:01,760 okay, now, I think zach Lavine is a bonafide All Star. 1029 01:01:01,800 --> 01:01:06,719 I think Julie Randall is a bonafide All Star. But I wonder if it 1030 01:01:06,760 --> 01:01:10,400 would have been a much like a little more debate if it was a you 1031 01:01:10,480 --> 01:01:14,920 know, if it wasn't for that factor. But that's just my conspiracy theories. 1032 01:01:15,119 --> 01:01:17,639 Conspiracy had you know, no like I said, no information on that 1033 01:01:17,719 --> 01:01:22,000 or anything like that. I'm just like hmm, like, okay, like 1034 01:01:22,760 --> 01:01:25,039 you guys, get you guys, get your markets a little bit more glamorized. 1035 01:01:25,119 --> 01:01:30,000 This is All Star weekend, so which non star so basically, which 1036 01:01:30,039 --> 01:01:34,760 non Tobuyas Harris, Joel Embie, Ben Snibbons player has most impressed you this 1037 01:01:34,800 --> 01:01:42,079 season on The Sixers. Oh you know you sent me the question. Listen, 1038 01:01:42,199 --> 01:01:45,400 Like my first instinct last night was Dwight Howard and I don't have a 1039 01:01:45,400 --> 01:01:50,480 better answer than that. I think Dwight Howard has just been like from what 1040 01:01:50,519 --> 01:01:52,400 I expected. I was like, oh, I'll be a backup center, 1041 01:01:52,480 --> 01:01:53,599 you know, Like I didn't. I didn't think he was particularly that great 1042 01:01:53,639 --> 01:01:58,480 last year in LA he has been just everything they needed out of a backup 1043 01:01:58,480 --> 01:02:00,320 center filling and when they needed him to be, he's been like great locker 1044 01:02:00,400 --> 01:02:04,920 room guy. He's been like he's he's just been like so supportive of the 1045 01:02:04,960 --> 01:02:07,840 stars. I think that I just have to give it to Doy Howard. 1046 01:02:07,840 --> 01:02:13,079 He's like the you know that that like just just everything you want out of 1047 01:02:13,079 --> 01:02:16,079 a role player, and it's it's just it's just what he's he's become, 1048 01:02:16,159 --> 01:02:19,840 and I think that it's going to extend his career a couple of years. 1049 01:02:20,039 --> 01:02:25,800 Even even more so than than most people realize. Is a secondary ball handler, 1050 01:02:25,920 --> 01:02:29,800 shot creator, whatever you want to call it. The still the biggest 1051 01:02:29,800 --> 01:02:31,679 concerned need for this team or do you think they'll be comfortable in sort of 1052 01:02:31,760 --> 01:02:36,039 rocking with you know, Tyrese Maxie, shake Milton if they get into the 1053 01:02:36,079 --> 01:02:38,360 play well not if when they get into the playoffs. See, that's the 1054 01:02:38,360 --> 01:02:40,199 thing. I don't think you can. I don't think you can rely on 1055 01:02:40,360 --> 01:02:44,280 like, like, I'm a believer in Tyrese Maxie going forward. I think 1056 01:02:44,320 --> 01:02:46,880 he's gonna be like a really nice piece. I just don't know that you 1057 01:02:46,920 --> 01:02:51,480 can rely on him now this year, just based on what we've seen so 1058 01:02:51,519 --> 01:02:54,480 far, which is why I do think a trade will come. I just 1059 01:02:54,480 --> 01:02:57,840 don't know how big that trade will be. I mean, Darryl Moorey, 1060 01:02:57,920 --> 01:03:00,840 during his tenure with the Rockets, made the second most trades in the league, 1061 01:03:00,840 --> 01:03:04,440 going behind the Sixers. And Sam Pinky was there for part of that, 1062 01:03:04,519 --> 01:03:07,119 just like just like Matt scientists there. So you know, it's like, 1063 01:03:07,159 --> 01:03:10,039 ah, like I think we're gonna see Daryl make a trade before the 1064 01:03:10,079 --> 01:03:15,880 deadline? Are there? So to that end, are there any targets like 1065 01:03:15,960 --> 01:03:20,599 non from your targets, not Bradley Beale, not Kyle Lowry that you'll that 1066 01:03:20,679 --> 01:03:23,920 you like for them, or that you think you could envision them targeting when 1067 01:03:23,920 --> 01:03:29,079 Miami was struggling. I thought I thought Warren Dragons was was an interesting, 1068 01:03:29,800 --> 01:03:34,920 uh potential ad. I don't know that that happens now, but who knows. 1069 01:03:34,920 --> 01:03:37,880 I mean, like like he'll be whether he has a long term future 1070 01:03:37,880 --> 01:03:40,239 there or not. You know, like Miami likes him. Miamis has another 1071 01:03:40,280 --> 01:03:44,280 pick to give up for that deal, so like they're they're probably motivated not 1072 01:03:44,320 --> 01:03:46,840 to not to give him give him away, but if they can get you 1073 01:03:46,880 --> 01:03:50,440 know, uh you know they get they get a pick back for him. 1074 01:03:50,480 --> 01:03:52,760 I think maybe that that could be a move. I think that kind of 1075 01:03:52,760 --> 01:03:55,280 player that like that point guard who can play off the ball as well, 1076 01:03:55,639 --> 01:03:59,760 is really what they need. I mean, Shigmillan has been great, but 1077 01:03:59,760 --> 01:04:02,599 like he should really be like they're like he should really be like their fourth 1078 01:04:02,679 --> 01:04:06,880 guy handling the ball rather than a third Yeah. I mean you get into 1079 01:04:06,880 --> 01:04:11,280 a playoff situation and you do have the question is our shake Milton or is 1080 01:04:11,280 --> 01:04:14,360 shake Milton or Tyres Maxy? Like can they get give you enough shooting too, 1081 01:04:14,639 --> 01:04:18,000 because neither of them are Massy specifically, like he's shooting a ton of 1082 01:04:18,039 --> 01:04:20,639 threes or threes all that one And I think Milton's only is he below thirty 1083 01:04:20,639 --> 01:04:26,360 one percent right now? I should check that before. He's definitely been hot 1084 01:04:26,400 --> 01:04:28,800 cold this year. I don't know his own season, but like it's a 1085 01:04:29,000 --> 01:04:30,800 yeah, he's like It's just it's just like, what's kind of guy you 1086 01:04:30,800 --> 01:04:32,840 want? The same that with Danny Green. I'm not sure Danny Green is 1087 01:04:32,880 --> 01:04:38,079 like the fifth starter for this team or at least what you want this team 1088 01:04:38,119 --> 01:04:41,199 to do. But I mean it's so so I definitely think the move is 1089 01:04:41,239 --> 01:04:43,840 coming. I mean, what would you do if you were if you were 1090 01:04:43,880 --> 01:04:45,480 like the Sisters guy, Like would you like or if you were Darren Moorey 1091 01:04:45,599 --> 01:04:50,039 Rather? What's tough is so when I go through the list of names that 1092 01:04:50,079 --> 01:04:54,360 I think people should target, so many teams are just going to talk themselves 1093 01:04:54,519 --> 01:04:58,559 into being in the playoff race the right now. Because so many teams are 1094 01:04:58,559 --> 01:05:01,679 just in the playoff race right now, So I don't look at anyone is 1095 01:05:01,719 --> 01:05:06,039 just eminently available. And so for them specifically, it's like, you know, 1096 01:05:06,079 --> 01:05:10,079 it does Could they get a Terry Rozier would be perfect for them, 1097 01:05:10,119 --> 01:05:14,079 but I don't think Charlotte is going to move him this year. Could they 1098 01:05:14,119 --> 01:05:18,079 get like a Thomas Saturanski from Chicago or Chicago just gonna I mean, Zach 1099 01:05:18,159 --> 01:05:21,159 Lavine would be a good fit in Philly too. But focusing on non premier 1100 01:05:21,239 --> 01:05:25,079 targets, it's like, how many of these teams are gonna, you know, 1101 01:05:25,159 --> 01:05:28,320 be sellers And that is something that I think we've yet to see outside 1102 01:05:28,360 --> 01:05:30,159 of you know, okay see will be a seller. So George Hill makes 1103 01:05:30,159 --> 01:05:32,960 some sense for this team if if you could get him and you don't need 1104 01:05:33,000 --> 01:05:35,599 to give up Danny Green in that scenario, which I also thinks help so 1105 01:05:35,639 --> 01:05:40,920 he would be but there's also gonna be like a trillion teams going after Can 1106 01:05:40,960 --> 01:05:44,800 you go a super low end and just think with someone like Javon Carter, 1107 01:05:44,920 --> 01:05:46,320 can we use him and he'll hit more of his threes if he's on our 1108 01:05:46,360 --> 01:05:48,760 team. The problem there, though, is if you want someone who can 1109 01:05:48,800 --> 01:05:51,519 handle the ball too, he's just that's not going to be your your guy 1110 01:05:51,599 --> 01:05:55,360 that you turn to. And so I think they're going to be in a 1111 01:05:55,400 --> 01:05:59,519 market where they're just probably aren't as many options and they could end up with 1112 01:05:59,559 --> 01:06:00,920 like a low thing where it's right, the Knicks are just looking to get 1113 01:06:00,960 --> 01:06:04,440 rid of Austin Rivers at this point they get up with someone like that who 1114 01:06:04,480 --> 01:06:09,239 helps. But I just I'm wondering if they could get a big needle mover, 1115 01:06:09,960 --> 01:06:13,400 maybe an Evan Fournier if he's available, That would be someone who's really 1116 01:06:13,400 --> 01:06:15,039 good for them. Their names out there, it's just so tough, and 1117 01:06:15,079 --> 01:06:17,280 look, they don't have if you don't want to give up Danny Green, 1118 01:06:17,440 --> 01:06:20,920 which I think would be reasonable because your defense is still gonna be fine without 1119 01:06:21,000 --> 01:06:25,639 him and he's not going to close, you know. I think at this 1120 01:06:25,679 --> 01:06:29,519 point they seem if you had to predict their most you know, they're most 1121 01:06:29,519 --> 01:06:32,760 relied upon closing unit, like it's gonna be a bead Simmons, Curry, 1122 01:06:33,960 --> 01:06:38,519 Tobias Harris and probably shake Milton over Danny. Like maybe you mix and match 1123 01:06:38,599 --> 01:06:40,920 that a little bit. But at the same time, I would't understan why 1124 01:06:40,920 --> 01:06:44,559 you wouldn't want to give up Danny Green if the player you're acquiring isn't necessarily 1125 01:06:44,599 --> 01:06:46,920 going to be in the best version of your your closing lineup, and so 1126 01:06:46,960 --> 01:06:50,079 there's the lemma there. I think I was just a fault to George Hill. 1127 01:06:50,119 --> 01:06:54,599 Feels like he would be a really good fit for them. Yeah, 1128 01:06:54,599 --> 01:06:57,599 I think he's been linked to them before. You know, I wonder if 1129 01:06:57,599 --> 01:07:00,800 that's going to be a buyout thing more than anything else. And my guests 1130 01:07:00,800 --> 01:07:03,800 would be no, because before he had his right thumb surgery, he was 1131 01:07:03,800 --> 01:07:09,039 shooting like sixty something percent on drives and he could still stroke it from three. 1132 01:07:09,159 --> 01:07:12,440 And you have the option with that non guaranteed year on his deal next 1133 01:07:12,440 --> 01:07:15,280 season, I think for ten million, give the option of either waving him 1134 01:07:15,320 --> 01:07:18,239 for one or that might be useful just to bring back. So having that 1135 01:07:18,320 --> 01:07:21,480 little extra option of keeping him around, I think we'll go along, right, 1136 01:07:21,519 --> 01:07:25,280 So my expectation would be that he actually gets moved rather than bought out. 1137 01:07:26,599 --> 01:07:28,760 Yeah, because I do think he was playing really well. And like 1138 01:07:28,800 --> 01:07:30,559 you know, when you when you look at like the market for someone making 1139 01:07:30,599 --> 01:07:34,079 less ten million dollars a year, like most of these teams, most of 1140 01:07:34,079 --> 01:07:39,079 these contenders could probably squabble together enough salary to even to make that move. 1141 01:07:40,159 --> 01:07:42,679 And the sisters could do that as well. I mean, you throw Mike 1142 01:07:42,719 --> 01:07:46,280 Scott and one of the younger guys together, you're almost there. Is that? 1143 01:07:46,480 --> 01:07:48,199 Is that? Like? Enough? Is that? Is that what you 1144 01:07:48,239 --> 01:07:51,039 want to? Like? Do we want to give up Matisse Thyble for George 1145 01:07:51,119 --> 01:07:55,960 Hill right, And I think that's where that's where I think the difference between 1146 01:07:56,000 --> 01:07:58,480 like the trade and it may not take it. Maybe maybe the Thunder like 1147 01:07:58,519 --> 01:08:00,920 give us two second round picks or whatever it is, you know, even 1148 01:08:00,960 --> 01:08:03,199 this year's first for the Sixers, Like if it's a matter of justill like 1149 01:08:03,280 --> 01:08:05,719 like like what we know we're going to be in the in the bottom half 1150 01:08:05,800 --> 01:08:09,320 or the bottom bottom, like you know, like five to ten. Yeah, 1151 01:08:09,320 --> 01:08:11,639 sure, we'll get this over to you, and like, yeah, 1152 01:08:11,679 --> 01:08:15,480 that's the price and ensure. But I mean, I know, I know 1153 01:08:15,559 --> 01:08:18,760 teams are like if they trade matist table, like there's there's a lot of 1154 01:08:18,840 --> 01:08:23,439 just for for that guy. I mean, like he's he's like he's gonna 1155 01:08:23,439 --> 01:08:27,600 be in the you know, like all NBA defense, his conversation for the 1156 01:08:27,600 --> 01:08:30,239 rest of his career as long as he stay south. He's got work in 1157 01:08:30,239 --> 01:08:32,640 his offensive game. But like I think, if I'm a team like the 1158 01:08:32,640 --> 01:08:35,439 Thunder, if I'm a team like the Calves, I'm a team like even 1159 01:08:35,479 --> 01:08:39,319 the Wizards, probably you know, I'm looking at him and I'm saying, 1160 01:08:39,359 --> 01:08:42,560 okay, like if they trade him, I want to be I want to 1161 01:08:42,560 --> 01:08:46,000 know what that pricetag is because uh, you know, like I really think 1162 01:08:46,039 --> 01:08:50,000 that that's that that's their best, their golden ticket right now. I will 1163 01:08:50,039 --> 01:08:54,479 say, if Kyle Lowry ends up getting moved to Philly or anywhere else, 1164 01:08:54,479 --> 01:08:57,800 I'm gonna be so because it'll want it'll shock me. I don't think it's 1165 01:08:57,800 --> 01:09:00,159 gonna happen. I will also be I don't words, I'll be fascinated to 1166 01:09:00,199 --> 01:09:02,439 see what the package ends up being, because I think it has to be 1167 01:09:02,479 --> 01:09:06,159 like close to a monster hall for Toronto to do it. Unless Lowry just 1168 01:09:06,199 --> 01:09:11,079 flat out asked for out and he's coming up on free agency and they're still 1169 01:09:11,239 --> 01:09:14,319 like they're good. Now, I don't know why he would necessarily ask for 1170 01:09:14,399 --> 01:09:16,319 out, So I'll be shocked if he's moved, and I think it takes 1171 01:09:16,319 --> 01:09:18,800 like a really good offer to get him, which is why you know, 1172 01:09:18,840 --> 01:09:23,239 when people mentioned like the Clippers of the Lakers, is Lowry landing spots like 1173 01:09:23,279 --> 01:09:26,840 okay, cool, but what are those guys giving to Toronto Exactly? It 1174 01:09:27,079 --> 01:09:30,159 is it's like it's like, you know, like they don't have any picks, 1175 01:09:30,199 --> 01:09:31,880 they can't do anything right the Sixers could you know, it's just how 1176 01:09:31,960 --> 01:09:34,439 much do you want to give up for that? But yeah, I don't. 1177 01:09:34,479 --> 01:09:38,840 I don't see a scenario where he liked the Clippers or the Lakers could 1178 01:09:38,840 --> 01:09:42,359 do anything crazy. That's why you don't see it. Yeah, yeah, 1179 01:09:42,359 --> 01:09:45,520 I mean unless like they get like, Okay, we like this guy, 1180 01:09:45,600 --> 01:09:46,960 Horton Tucker, we'd love him, you know whatever, and like you have 1181 01:09:47,000 --> 01:09:51,199 like a situation like like the King's owner would Buddy Healed right, Like, 1182 01:09:51,319 --> 01:09:55,479 I just don't think that's Toronto though, you know, yeah, I mean 1183 01:09:55,560 --> 01:09:57,960 you could. They could do some interesting stuff if people are in love with 1184 01:09:58,039 --> 01:10:00,520 THHT. They have the Dennis Shrewder salary, they have Tress too. Those 1185 01:10:00,560 --> 01:10:04,119 are two guys that I don't necessarily I mean, Schroeder's essential to them now. 1186 01:10:04,159 --> 01:10:09,199 But if you I've I've entertained whether the Lakers should roll the dice, 1187 01:10:09,199 --> 01:10:13,560 I'm Victor Oladipo by like, are the Rockets going to get an offer better 1188 01:10:13,640 --> 01:10:17,399 than you know, Truder a second and THHT And maybe Lakers don't want to 1189 01:10:17,439 --> 01:10:20,399 keep up PHT for that, that's fine, But if you attach THT or 1190 01:10:20,399 --> 01:10:24,960 even A I don't think it could be in expiring guys like someone like Caruso 1191 01:10:25,079 --> 01:10:27,560 might be intriguing to teams, but they could go after him in free agency 1192 01:10:27,600 --> 01:10:30,439 if they want. But I've entertained, like, do they try and make 1193 01:10:30,479 --> 01:10:32,439 that high end swing because I don't think Shruder's the guy to anchor the no 1194 01:10:32,600 --> 01:10:36,880 Lebron lineups, And while those minutes are fewer and further between in the playoffs, 1195 01:10:36,880 --> 01:10:42,039 you still want another reliable creator on the wings. And I'm just I'm 1196 01:10:42,039 --> 01:10:44,680 curious to see whether that's him, and I'm not saying it's definitively not him, 1197 01:10:44,680 --> 01:10:46,079 but they could, look, they could move Tress and attach him to 1198 01:10:46,159 --> 01:10:49,479 salary and make a smaller type move there. You could get to probably Victual 1199 01:10:49,520 --> 01:10:55,399 Ladipo's salary by step laddering and starting with Tres and using THHT as the thing. 1200 01:10:55,520 --> 01:10:58,439 But that's you know, Kyle Lowry just makes so much money, and 1201 01:10:58,560 --> 01:11:00,840 first of all, those teams just don't have expect endable guys making a ton 1202 01:11:00,880 --> 01:11:06,279 of coin aside, unless you view Dennis Shooters expendable. So who's the let's 1203 01:11:06,279 --> 01:11:10,079 say, the Sixers, I think, And I don't know if it's ideal, 1204 01:11:10,119 --> 01:11:12,279 but I feel like the most likely outcoming you can correct me if I'm 1205 01:11:12,279 --> 01:11:15,039 wrong, is that they probably do something along the lines of salary filler and 1206 01:11:15,680 --> 01:11:18,520 picks maybe their own first round pick this year. But if they move an 1207 01:11:18,520 --> 01:11:24,520 actual player as an asset, not just salary filler, who's the most likely 1208 01:11:24,520 --> 01:11:27,159 one to be moved? Is it with Hestiable at this point or could it 1209 01:11:27,159 --> 01:11:30,760 be Maxie? Could it be Shake Milton. I think it's Tiable only in 1210 01:11:30,800 --> 01:11:35,079 the fact that he's the guy who's probably available, who has the highest trade 1211 01:11:35,119 --> 01:11:38,520 value, right, So I mean, all the all the coins on who 1212 01:11:38,560 --> 01:11:40,760 they bring back if they need to include him. But like if you're if 1213 01:11:40,760 --> 01:11:44,439 you're talking about Kyle Loward, you're talking about like I mean, Keith Pompey, 1214 01:11:44,760 --> 01:11:48,199 was you know, entertaining like a Looctor Oladipo, Like what would that 1215 01:11:48,239 --> 01:11:53,399 would that look like? And that would that would certainly entail Thiable going going 1216 01:11:53,479 --> 01:11:58,439 to Houston. I don't know that that's a great fit for for the Sixers 1217 01:11:58,479 --> 01:12:00,199 to get Ladipo, But yeah, if you're getting guy like that like thible 1218 01:12:00,399 --> 01:12:03,880 Is, he's the centerpiece in it. I think Maxie. I think I 1219 01:12:03,920 --> 01:12:09,039 think there's a reason why you heard the rumors of that they didn't want to 1220 01:12:09,039 --> 01:12:11,600 give up Maxie in the hardened deal, Like they believe in Maxie. He's 1221 01:12:11,640 --> 01:12:14,079 just not quite ready now, Like but he could be that guy. He 1222 01:12:14,119 --> 01:12:17,239 could be the starter in in a couple of years, and he might be 1223 01:12:17,279 --> 01:12:19,720 a point guard if you if you do trade Simmons for another piece and that 1224 01:12:19,920 --> 01:12:24,560 piece happens to be a win. But they're very They're very high on Maxie. 1225 01:12:24,600 --> 01:12:28,479 But I think most likely you see Diables as a main piece. If 1226 01:12:28,520 --> 01:12:30,840 it's not, if it's not that kind of deal, then yeah, this 1227 01:12:30,920 --> 01:12:33,720 year's first and and Mike Scott and Salary Piller, maybe it makes more sense. 1228 01:12:34,880 --> 01:12:39,159 Should they be considered the East favorites at this point even if they do 1229 01:12:39,319 --> 01:12:43,520 nothing? Uh, there's I think you can everyone points to the Nets. 1230 01:12:43,560 --> 01:12:46,039 I think is their most immediate threat. I'm just curious if they do nothing. 1231 01:12:46,079 --> 01:12:50,319 They have Simmons and Thible and they obviously haven't beat but they have Danny 1232 01:12:50,359 --> 01:12:54,079 Green. They even have Maxie. They could used to give you some ball 1233 01:12:54,119 --> 01:12:58,079 pressure like they could they could bump like the Nets. They're not going to 1234 01:12:58,119 --> 01:13:01,239 stop James Harton, Kevin Durant and everything like. They have more bodies than 1235 01:13:01,279 --> 01:13:04,640 most to throw at Brooklyn. And so I'm wondering, even as currently constructed, 1236 01:13:04,640 --> 01:13:09,039 if you think that they deserve to be favorites of the East or whether 1237 01:13:09,039 --> 01:13:13,399 that honor goes to I would presume you would pick Brooklyn or Milwaukee. Yeah. 1238 01:13:13,439 --> 01:13:15,399 You know, it's interesting because I do think that the Sixers match up 1239 01:13:15,439 --> 01:13:19,199 well, like somewhat well, right, And I think I think Milwaukee matches 1240 01:13:19,239 --> 01:13:23,920 up well, Like I would almost argue that Milwaukee has the right pieces to 1241 01:13:24,399 --> 01:13:27,399 match up player for player with their stars, you know, with yeah for 1242 01:13:27,439 --> 01:13:30,520 sure, be honest, and Drew and Chris Middleton, Yeah, and just 1243 01:13:30,760 --> 01:13:32,920 they need a little more time together because I mean, like they haven't like 1244 01:13:32,920 --> 01:13:34,960 like Drew missed a lot of time and I think I think he just came 1245 01:13:35,039 --> 01:13:39,119 back, you know, and and uh, you know, they need a 1246 01:13:39,119 --> 01:13:41,840 little more time to like Gell and actually get everything going. And uh, 1247 01:13:42,560 --> 01:13:45,800 they match up well. But I want to say that Sixers should be the 1248 01:13:45,840 --> 01:13:48,119 favorite. But like I I've watched Brooklyn every chance I can get, every 1249 01:13:48,159 --> 01:13:50,279 time they're not playing on a night when one of my teams are playing, 1250 01:13:50,680 --> 01:13:54,119 and like, I just don't see it. I'm like, how how does 1251 01:13:55,000 --> 01:13:59,199 any of these teams beat this team? Like I just don't like James harden 1252 01:13:59,279 --> 01:14:02,600 with with Kyrie is a third option and Kevin Duran healthy without an injury, 1253 01:14:02,800 --> 01:14:06,920 I don't understand how you beat this team could because because everybody else around like 1254 01:14:06,960 --> 01:14:10,920 all these other all these other players, like Joe Harris is really good. 1255 01:14:11,119 --> 01:14:13,239 You know your fourth guy, and then you go all the way down it 1256 01:14:13,600 --> 01:14:15,640 to like, you know, all the way down the eighth guy, ninth 1257 01:14:15,640 --> 01:14:17,640 guy. Like it don't matter as much once you get to the playoffs, 1258 01:14:17,680 --> 01:14:20,520 right, Like there's gonna be on the floor and you're gonna have hard and 1259 01:14:20,600 --> 01:14:24,720 carrying the team. You're gonna have have Durant carrying the team at times, 1260 01:14:24,720 --> 01:14:26,960 you have Kyrie, And if you have one of those guys carrying the team 1261 01:14:27,159 --> 01:14:30,840 the entire forty eight minutes, I just don't see how any team and He's 1262 01:14:30,840 --> 01:14:33,760 beats them. Yeah, it's tough to imagine them being beat four times and 1263 01:14:33,800 --> 01:14:35,960 seven tries. But when I look at them against Philly, it's like, 1264 01:14:35,960 --> 01:14:41,000 who who's guarding Joel and Beat in this situation? Like it's not shouldn't be 1265 01:14:41,119 --> 01:14:43,960 DeAndre Jordan? How many minutes is that gonna get you? And then the 1266 01:14:44,000 --> 01:14:47,000 thought of Jeff Green or Kevin Durant or Nick Klaxton, is Bruce Brown gonna 1267 01:14:47,000 --> 01:14:50,439 be defending Joel and Beat? At this point, I think it goes back 1268 01:14:50,439 --> 01:14:55,720 to like like last year the Wizards beat the Sixers and all they did was 1269 01:14:55,760 --> 01:14:59,199 they they they beat up Joell on the post and they let him get twos 1270 01:14:59,239 --> 01:15:00,640 and then they shot three and the threes went in, so they got one 1271 01:15:00,640 --> 01:15:03,399 win on them. Now, that's that's kind of the formula. That's that 1272 01:15:03,399 --> 01:15:05,920 that that Brooklyn can do. But they just have way better person able to 1273 01:15:05,960 --> 01:15:11,640 execute and great you know, have draw in the posts every time two points 1274 01:15:11,640 --> 01:15:15,119 two points, two points. If if you can't, if you can't stop 1275 01:15:15,119 --> 01:15:19,720 and slow down the offense that Brooklyn has, and they're they're equipped to do 1276 01:15:19,760 --> 01:15:23,479 it. If anyone can do it, it's it's it's it's them on Milwaukee. 1277 01:15:23,520 --> 01:15:26,840 But like, I just cannot. I just don't see a scenario. 1278 01:15:26,880 --> 01:15:28,760 I'd be very I'd be very shocked. I would love to see it. 1279 01:15:28,800 --> 01:15:32,359 I want I want a parade in Philly. I mean the saying there is 1280 01:15:32,359 --> 01:15:39,319 is preparation process parade. That's what they're saying in the building in Philadelphia, 1281 01:15:39,399 --> 01:15:42,279 and I love it. It gets me hyped up. I leave, I 1282 01:15:42,399 --> 01:15:45,560 leave, Zoom calls like oh my god, like I should like you know, 1283 01:15:45,640 --> 01:15:47,399 like like because the last parade in Philly was amazing. You know you 1284 01:15:47,399 --> 01:15:50,439 want you want another one now, especially once we're able to actually do that, 1285 01:15:50,600 --> 01:15:55,000 it'd be it'll be fantastic. I just don't see it unless like the 1286 01:15:55,039 --> 01:15:58,479 Nets have an injury, like it's they're they're just that good, like James 1287 01:15:58,479 --> 01:16:00,960 Harden is that good. And that's just that's just my take. I mean, 1288 01:16:00,000 --> 01:16:03,720 I haven't I haven't watched every single Nets game to be able to be 1289 01:16:03,720 --> 01:16:06,439 like, Okay, here's the weaknesses. And I'm sure Doc Rivers and his 1290 01:16:06,560 --> 01:16:10,880 team are are definitely on that way, way more than than I would be, 1291 01:16:11,000 --> 01:16:15,520 or you know, most people would be. I just it's just very 1292 01:16:15,520 --> 01:16:16,680 tough for me to say, Okay, like the Nets are not the favorites 1293 01:16:16,760 --> 01:16:20,079 right now. Is there anything I didn't ask you about either of these teams 1294 01:16:20,239 --> 01:16:24,520 that you wanted to get to before we got out of here, or anything 1295 01:16:24,520 --> 01:16:28,039 that's undercovered about the Sixers of the Wizards that you maybe have missed, something 1296 01:16:28,039 --> 01:16:30,199 that's misconceived about them, anything at all that we did not talk about. 1297 01:16:32,600 --> 01:16:38,000 One interesting thing from going from last year where we had games in Washington that 1298 01:16:38,039 --> 01:16:42,520 were like they you know, it was an offensive shootout, like I think 1299 01:16:42,760 --> 01:16:45,479 the Rockets came in. It was like one fifty eight to one, like 1300 01:16:45,479 --> 01:16:47,560 like like one one fifty or whatever for the one game, and like it 1301 01:16:47,600 --> 01:16:50,000 was like it was like crazy amount of points in these games. You go 1302 01:16:50,119 --> 01:16:55,439 from that to watching like good defensive teams. It was like I remember in 1303 01:16:55,439 --> 01:16:57,600 the beginning season, I was like, oh, I was like this six 1304 01:16:57,640 --> 01:16:59,760 or seems kind of boring compared to that. But then you're like, okay, 1305 01:16:59,760 --> 01:17:00,680 now I'm like okay, now much, I'm watching a good team, 1306 01:17:00,720 --> 01:17:03,119 Like this is actually fun to watch. But yeah, it's like, uh, 1307 01:17:03,279 --> 01:17:06,680 it's just watching these two different teams. They're two different styles, and 1308 01:17:08,359 --> 01:17:11,600 uh, it's a it's very interesting. So but but I will say, 1309 01:17:11,640 --> 01:17:14,079 like, you know, I want to pump up the Wizards a little bit. 1310 01:17:14,079 --> 01:17:15,720 They're they're fun watching. You know. They don't have any ESPN games, 1311 01:17:15,800 --> 01:17:17,319 you know, because I don't know why. I don't know why they 1312 01:17:17,319 --> 01:17:20,479 wouldn't do that, you know, put the hot offensive team on ESPN. 1313 01:17:20,560 --> 01:17:24,560 But I would say check them ou when they're on NBA TV a couple of 1314 01:17:24,560 --> 01:17:27,840 times in the last half of the year. Brady Beale is a joy and 1315 01:17:28,119 --> 01:17:31,399 Garrison Garrison Matthews is like controlled chaos. So yeah, they're they're worth a 1316 01:17:31,399 --> 01:17:35,359 watch. Yeah, it's it's fun times I'm watching it. Chris, thank 1317 01:17:35,399 --> 01:17:39,920 you so much for coming on. If you guys are not following Chris at 1318 01:17:40,079 --> 01:17:44,079 MBA Crouse, that's at MBA c R O U s E. He covers 1319 01:17:44,079 --> 01:17:47,520 the Sixers, Wizards, and NBA at Large for forty eight minutes. Follow 1320 01:17:47,600 --> 01:17:53,600 them on Twitter at forty eight men's spelled out fo r T y E I 1321 01:17:53,680 --> 01:17:57,119 g h T m I n S. Chris. I'm sure I'll be bothering 1322 01:17:57,119 --> 01:18:00,239 you again in the future. Thanks again for so thank you again so much. 1323 01:18:00,239 --> 01:18:01,880 Excuse me for coming on. I put up melon. Always a good 1324 01:18:01,880 --> 01:18:10,960 time down h