1 00:00:15,519 --> 00:00:20,719 What is krack alacking Hardwood Knocks listeners, I am but Dan fa Valley coming 2 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:26,239 at you with my certified fantabulous Thermo nuclear af since I didn't just say that 3 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:30,800 at the intro for some reason. Co host Grant Hughes. Before we get 4 00:00:30,879 --> 00:00:35,320 started with a bunch of ground to cover on this one podcast or two podcasts 5 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:38,759 wherever it winds up a coming, Please remember to subscribe to us wherever you 6 00:00:38,799 --> 00:00:41,640 are consuming us. Hit that sub button on YouTube, liken comment, help 7 00:00:41,679 --> 00:00:45,399 the algorithm love us back. Please continue subscribing on your podcast players as well. 8 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,000 We appreciate ratings and reviews on Apple. Right now, there is like 9 00:00:49,039 --> 00:00:51,560 we've had Knicks fans downvoting us. I don't even know what we said about 10 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,880 the Nicks lately. I mentioned this on the last podcast, but they've been 11 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,320 downloting us for a little bit. So we can get some five star ratings 12 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:00,119 and reviews that would be great. Join our discord the link to that in 13 00:01:00,159 --> 00:01:03,319 the podcast and YouTube descriptions. Follow our socials. We were at Hardwood Knocks 14 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:08,560 on Twitter and TikTok, and we are at Hardwood Underscore Knox on Instagram. 15 00:01:08,719 --> 00:01:12,120 We have some straggler mail, bad questions. I didn't send out a solicitation. 16 00:01:12,159 --> 00:01:15,920 We got them anyway, So thank you everyone. As as always, 17 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,159 I believe it's on me anyway to start us off. And this one comes 18 00:01:19,159 --> 00:01:23,359 from kill Hoss. Are the heat going anywhere? Is it time for them 19 00:01:23,359 --> 00:01:29,920 to retool or are their contracts to terrible? Holy shit? Well, the 20 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,319 heat are kind of hanging. Well, just to keep a topical, the 21 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:34,599 heat are going to the foul line. Did you see who? They made 22 00:01:34,599 --> 00:01:38,480 forty out of forty last night and Butler's last one was the game winner. 23 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:42,760 Just make your free throws, kids. That was low average and free throw 24 00:01:42,799 --> 00:01:47,840 attempt rate to entering that game. But playing the thunder who are just like 25 00:01:48,239 --> 00:01:52,879 they play so hard, but there's just like there's an anarchy to the way 26 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,760 that they defend that is annoy Some of the calls were like bullshit too. 27 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:57,799 It got a little bit annoying there. But well, the last the one 28 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,640 that got Butler the game winning free throws, it was he had Jalen Williams 29 00:02:00,719 --> 00:02:04,200 on him and he got him down to the block and it was like the 30 00:02:04,239 --> 00:02:07,439 play was over. There was like no scenario where he wasn't going to foul 31 00:02:07,519 --> 00:02:08,599 him, and it was an and one, and that was it, Like 32 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:13,759 there was just that's that's too much for any rookie to bite off having Butler 33 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,520 down there. But the answer the question, so here's why I think the 34 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:23,280 Heat are actually potentially going somewhere or at least not just like, what's that 35 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:27,639 like to the lottery? Yeah, no, here's the thing. So that 36 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,360 so you got, uh, I'm looking at their lineups here and if you 37 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:37,800 can get Lowery, Hero, Struce, Martin and Bam on the floor, 38 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:39,800 there plus six point one, Lowry, Struce, Martin, Butler and Bam 39 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:44,240 there plus sixteen point six. And then in that scenario of you have Hero 40 00:02:44,439 --> 00:02:47,159 leading the second unit, this is per one hundred. So like if the 41 00:02:47,199 --> 00:02:52,000 he could just get everybody out there, they're one of the best teams in 42 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:53,599 the East. Just when they have their best players out there. They've had 43 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:57,080 a bunch of you know, Butler's missed a ton of time, Bam has 44 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,080 been out, Lowry hasn't been good. They still have enough forwards like, 45 00:03:00,159 --> 00:03:02,680 yeah, we were aware of all that, but when their best players are 46 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:07,479 on the floor, they're really good. And so and then they're so far 47 00:03:07,599 --> 00:03:13,599 their best high uses lineup heroes. I think clearly what the Heat's third best 48 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,280 player, Like, there's not really a conversation around that or no worse than 49 00:03:16,319 --> 00:03:21,360 that. So if you have and then the question for the playoff heat at 50 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:23,039 the last several years was, well, if heroes off the floor, do 51 00:03:23,039 --> 00:03:25,400 they have enough shot creation? Well, now, like you can play a 52 00:03:25,439 --> 00:03:30,080 really good lineup and then have Hero kind of runs second units. He's leveled 53 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,599 up. He's much better than he was last year, certainly the year before. 54 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:38,199 There's like a theory of the case for the Heat just this is the 55 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:43,000 stupidest like if healthy, because everybody is. If healthy, their high end, 56 00:03:43,319 --> 00:03:46,000 like their high level is as high as it needs to be. I 57 00:03:46,039 --> 00:03:49,159 think it's just can they can they get those guys out there often enough to 58 00:03:49,159 --> 00:03:53,520 reach it. I'd be curious whether their high level is actually high enough, 59 00:03:53,719 --> 00:03:55,039 Like let's just say they remainfully on. I think look, Bam has been 60 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:59,919 a bear this season, and he's probably not being talked about enough in gen 61 00:04:00,159 --> 00:04:01,319 for just how well he's done at both ends of the floor. You already 62 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,400 mentioned Tyler. Hero has been spectacular. Jimmy Butler is like kind of the 63 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:06,919 player who, yeah, he misses all this time, but when he plays 64 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,599 he might be released one of the ten or twelve best players in the game. 65 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,120 There's still just weird stuff with their half court offense, like they they 66 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:20,040 need more rim pressure, I would say, and like, I think that 67 00:04:20,079 --> 00:04:24,399 you need to excuse me, like the bench has been maybe it's not as 68 00:04:24,439 --> 00:04:27,480 big a concern in the playoffs, but also maybe it is because you're always 69 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,920 banged up and always seems like you're missing somebody. They're in the bottom seven 70 00:04:30,959 --> 00:04:34,439 of bench point differential on the season, I believe, and so like that's 71 00:04:34,439 --> 00:04:36,959 something to monitor. And it still just feels like some of their top end 72 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,360 lineups are really good. But you do to me, still need some more 73 00:04:41,399 --> 00:04:45,800 front court diversification, And so I would argue you need to go one way 74 00:04:45,879 --> 00:04:47,000 or the other kind of where it's like, well, can we get someone 75 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:50,519 to replace like the PJ. Tucker minutes or can we just get some more 76 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,680 rim pressure from the outside in. I think it helps that Victor Ladipo has 77 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,560 been good. Max Drews I think has been absolutely fine. I've been like 78 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:02,199 one of the most inconsistent undefined roles in the league right now. So I 79 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:06,480 will say, like, yeah, it feels like we're exaggerating how bad. 80 00:05:06,519 --> 00:05:10,360 Their contracts are. Who's on a bad contract where he has one year in 81 00:05:10,399 --> 00:05:13,680 twenty nine seven million left, not a great contract, but it's one year. 82 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,319 And then you have Duncan Robinson with three years left at you know, 83 00:05:16,439 --> 00:05:20,680 under sixty million dollars, and now that he's injured, he's even less valuable. 84 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,000 And there was some stuff like when he did play, like oh, 85 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:26,639 he'd kind of gotten like the floating range a little bit more than we were 86 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,120 used to, but it was just nothing spectacular. I do feel like, 87 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:32,800 I'll phrase it this way, I think they're obligated, like I'm not really 88 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,000 trying to see this season through like you need to. And I know Yovich 89 00:05:36,079 --> 00:05:41,000 is injured injured right now, but between picks and Jovich, like what can 90 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,639 you get if you attach those to Duncan Robinson? Like that is the move. 91 00:05:45,639 --> 00:05:49,519 And I think this team is not good enough to opt against exploring that 92 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:53,680 scenario. I think that's fair. I think the other thing is, you 93 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,680 know, we do this a lot with like defending champs and you know, 94 00:05:57,399 --> 00:06:00,759 dynastic type teams that have uneven regular season, but maybe we should apply it 95 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,600 to the heat because like just the idea that yeah, they kind of do 96 00:06:04,759 --> 00:06:08,959 have a gear that they don't really mess around with until the playoffs. And 97 00:06:09,439 --> 00:06:13,480 you know, I mean they made the finals in the bubble. They weren't 98 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:15,759 so hot the year after that, but they were still forty and thirty two, 99 00:06:15,759 --> 00:06:17,120 and last year they went to game seven of the conference finals. Like, 100 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:21,480 this is a team I think that might have good reason to believe. 101 00:06:23,079 --> 00:06:26,199 Just get us in there and then we'll turn it up. And Butler is 102 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,839 a perfect example of that, because that guy just in the playoffs, he's 103 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:30,480 a different I mean, you say he's top ten, twelve, like sometimes 104 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,759 he looks like a top five guy. In the playoffs, he just wins 105 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,519 them games. So is it smart to rely on that? I don't know, 106 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:40,720 give him the health, but like I do think they deserve a little 107 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:44,079 benefit of the doubt, you know, excluding all the like oh heat culture 108 00:06:44,199 --> 00:06:47,120 and all this stuff, Like they're super well coached. They do, you 109 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,319 know, they do everything you should do defensively. There's kind of just like 110 00:06:51,079 --> 00:06:54,519 I guess I give them a little more leeway than I wil a lot of 111 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,959 teams when things don't look great. All right, this is from Chris Curtis. 112 00:06:58,399 --> 00:07:00,319 If you got to if you got to choose the five best not most 113 00:07:00,399 --> 00:07:03,519 valuable players in the West, regardless of position, who would they be? 114 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,319 And also, could you make a case that at least four of those players 115 00:07:06,319 --> 00:07:10,639 are guards? And this is getting into the idea that the guard rotation in 116 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:12,800 the West is going to be brutal. Injuries might take care of that, 117 00:07:12,879 --> 00:07:15,199 but point taking, so, who are your five best players in the West 118 00:07:15,759 --> 00:07:21,439 and how many of them? Regards Steph and Luca are definitely there? So 119 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:26,360 there are two guards, Yo, Kitchen is there for me? So he's 120 00:07:26,399 --> 00:07:30,079 not a guard? Trying to think here, I guess I'm like now because 121 00:07:30,079 --> 00:07:34,319 it was mentioned, I'm trying to focus hyper focus on actual guards. Can 122 00:07:34,319 --> 00:07:38,720 I give you a prompt that gave me pause? Here? What do you 123 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:43,600 if it's best players? Is Anthony Davis in that list? Just based on 124 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,560 like he was in like what we saw from him before he got hurt this 125 00:07:46,639 --> 00:07:49,480 year? I think he's in the conversation, It would just be really tough 126 00:07:49,519 --> 00:07:53,360 for me to flat out it, like because at that point, is okay, 127 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,680 is what we're seeing from Kawhi Leonard right now? Like does he need 128 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:59,160 to be put there? Well? I don't know, because with Davis, 129 00:07:59,199 --> 00:08:03,000 you've got like what's third and Raptor and like six thin EPM and all these 130 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:07,120 all in addition to the counting stats and stuff like he had it. He 131 00:08:07,279 --> 00:08:11,079 was objectively, you know, an MVP shortlist guy before he got hurt. 132 00:08:11,279 --> 00:08:16,519 So are we talking about who are the five best players right been this season 133 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:18,759 in the West. It's like we're using if we're using what's happened so far, 134 00:08:18,759 --> 00:08:22,480 I don't think Anthony Davis makes it. That's how I took it. 135 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:24,439 So that's why I do have Davis in that list, just because all the 136 00:08:24,439 --> 00:08:28,240 other guards just bled together for me. And that's the point of this question, 137 00:08:28,319 --> 00:08:31,040 is how hard it is to be like, which two or three make 138 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:33,879 it on this list? I think it's Steph for me, Steph, Luca, 139 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:41,960 Yokich, Shay and Jaw, which would be four guards would probably be 140 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,679 the way that I go. I look, the one that's giving me pause? 141 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,039 Has he played enough? Is Zion? Oh? Interesting? I didn't 142 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:54,720 even think about him. I would probably put him above Jaw. So I 143 00:08:54,879 --> 00:08:56,799 so of that big group because if we just if I have a d in 144 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:01,120 there, which I guess I do just for because it makes conversation more interesting, 145 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:03,840 and I have to pick one of those guys. Jaw was the first 146 00:09:03,919 --> 00:09:07,840 name I put down, but quietly, Dame Lillard has had like a ridiculous 147 00:09:07,919 --> 00:09:11,279 year. He's basically the same Dame Lillard. And then it's like, what 148 00:09:11,279 --> 00:09:13,759 do you do with Yeah, he's had a good year, he's like kind 149 00:09:13,759 --> 00:09:16,240 of pulled back lately, which is what gave me pause on that too. 150 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:20,159 Devin Booker would I think Devin Booker has been better than him? What do 151 00:09:20,159 --> 00:09:24,039 you do with Booker? And then there's like the PG Kawhi Lebron, like 152 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:28,120 they're in the conversation at least if we're talking top five in the West. 153 00:09:28,159 --> 00:09:30,879 I don't know what to do with that. I think I probably go job. 154 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,600 But Zion messes it all up because if you're just talking about like who 155 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,960 has been the best at their best when they're healthy, I mean, he's 156 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,320 kind of you probably can't pick Zion if you're not gonna pick Davis. So 157 00:09:41,519 --> 00:09:43,919 for my perspectives, like I don't really have the option to picking zie On, 158 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:46,759 so I'd have to stick with the guards. I would consider putting like 159 00:09:48,279 --> 00:09:52,039 Lebron instead of Shay or Jaw would be the one that harps I don't Paul 160 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:56,919 George it's been great, but like that doesn't I don't think that sways me 161 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,799 so like my top six, like Lebron would I be six. But I 162 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,080 think there's really there's a case to put him over shay Or because like the 163 00:10:03,159 --> 00:10:07,960 Lakers have been you know, they're five, they're recent five game winning streets, 164 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,399 notwithstanding like they've been like kind of sad and a lot of the time. 165 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,159 But he's been he's been really good. I think the takeaway is that 166 00:10:15,519 --> 00:10:18,080 it's I mean, this is this will sound bad if without context, but 167 00:10:18,159 --> 00:10:20,799 it's almost a good thing that at least one or two of these guards in 168 00:10:20,799 --> 00:10:26,120 the West are not gonna will require injury alternates in the All Star Game, 169 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:28,639 because then you can just kind of shoehorn in all these extra guys because otherwise, 170 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,840 like there is a real scenario where like Devin Booker is not an All 171 00:10:33,879 --> 00:10:35,879 Star or something like that. I mean, the injuries that's gonna be a 172 00:10:35,879 --> 00:10:41,960 factor for him, but he's absolutely an All Star just you know, passing 173 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:46,120 the smell test. So it's these guys will get in because like Booker might 174 00:10:46,159 --> 00:10:50,080 not play, Steph might just oh I have a you know, ankle or 175 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,559 something I can't play, even if he's healthy, I feel like we'll get 176 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,840 a lot of that to at least keep keep the controversy to a minimum. 177 00:10:56,879 --> 00:11:00,200 Maybe I say this is every year, but it does feel like injury have 178 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,200 just like warped. How am I looking at the league and the players and 179 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,120 All Stars and all NBA discussions and the landscape more than usual? It just 180 00:11:07,159 --> 00:11:11,440 feels like I don't know if it's just because I'm like over sensitive to it, 181 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:16,399 but it feels like we've just been inundated with all these injuries and like 182 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,960 to the extremes where it's not like just load management where it's like no, 183 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:24,200 like shit was going on with Kauai for a while, and like I thought 184 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,279 about the other day they said Anthony Davis is like ramping up for his return. 185 00:11:26,279 --> 00:11:28,000 It's like, oh, he hasn't played since acts. I'm like, 186 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,759 holy shit, it's been that long. Since been a month late? Well, 187 00:11:31,799 --> 00:11:35,000 I was thinking today working on something like, you know, the high 188 00:11:35,039 --> 00:11:39,399 profile injuries the Durants and when Steph was out in ad like sure, what 189 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:43,159 if Lonzo Ball had started the season healthy, Like how differently do we view 190 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,559 the Bulls this year because they were twenty seven and thirteen before he got hurt 191 00:11:46,639 --> 00:11:50,919 last year and everybody was, you know, it felt a little paper tigery, 192 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,559 but like they were very good and on top of the East for a 193 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:58,200 long time, and they went I think it was like nineteen and twenty three 194 00:11:58,279 --> 00:12:01,159 down the stretch after he got hurt, and they're like nineteen and twenty two 195 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,279 now. So you're just below five hundred without Ball and you're a top seed 196 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,200 in the East with him. Exaggeration, but like there's there's that kind of 197 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:11,879 thing all over the league where guys we don't even think about haven't had huge 198 00:12:11,879 --> 00:12:16,679 impacts that like that might be the reason the Bulls blow it up. If 199 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:18,519 they blow it up, it's because they just didn't have a healthy Lonzo Ball 200 00:12:18,639 --> 00:12:22,039 and everybody got pissed at each other like that. It's it's unbelievable. And 201 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,879 we're also at the point where it's like, as my dogs are coming in 202 00:12:24,919 --> 00:12:30,159 to make their cammy up south with my office door open, it's like Clink 203 00:12:30,159 --> 00:12:33,279 Capella hasn't played in like the better part of a month, and we're just 204 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:37,039 like no one's talking, no one's talking about it because there's all these other 205 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:41,759 higher profile injuries going on out there. Yeah, it's it's it's wild. 206 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:43,240 It sucks. It sucks. It makes it unfun to watch games because you're 207 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,200 like, what am I gonna get from this? They don't have like a 208 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,399 Sun's game. Where are you gonna watch a Sun's game? Like, there's 209 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,799 just they're missing four starters. I'm happy I only had. I decided to 210 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:54,320 do extra work and have Sun's Warriors on in the background on Tuesday night. 211 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,639 I'm glad I did because it was just like it was kind of a funny 212 00:12:56,639 --> 00:13:00,799 barn burner. Maybe not so much for you. There's just I quit in 213 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:03,639 the third quarter. I was so angry, and then the fourth quarter that 214 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:07,600 actually the Warriors actually tried and kind of made it semi interesting. I'm gonna 215 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:09,120 skip ahead to this one because we about Blazers one, but I don't want 216 00:13:09,159 --> 00:13:13,759 to put the responsibility of you reading this one. Put it on foisted on 217 00:13:13,799 --> 00:13:18,200 you. I should say, comes from Ante Matisse, thyble dpoy. I 218 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:24,200 hear so much about what to do with a heliocentric guy and how to build 219 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,720 around them in a way that lets that guy go insane while being good enough 220 00:13:26,759 --> 00:13:31,519 overall to get to the finals. Most people say the answer is second All 221 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:35,200 Star or four three and D guys or get the best rim protector. Pretty 222 00:13:35,279 --> 00:13:39,440 much since the twenty sixteen finals, my mindset switched between those three. But 223 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:41,600 it can't be just four three and D guys and a bunch of bums, 224 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:45,879 or just have one amazing rim protector and a bunch of bums, or just 225 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:48,639 another all star bunch of bums. But after the Brunson deal, I think 226 00:13:48,639 --> 00:13:52,360 I have a new strategy that never seems to be an offseason priority or an 227 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:58,279 on court strategy. I've heard why don't teams pursue a system plus ISO specialist 228 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:03,960 more and just as a reference point, Like Matisse Stybel gave Lebron Kyrie twenty 229 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:07,679 sixteen, Lebron full time high usage point god. Kyrie is good enough on 230 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:11,559 offense to be both a part of the system but also unstoppable even against great 231 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,240 defenses, making him like a top eight finals talent, even if he's maybe 232 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,840 a top five regular season talent. Twenty sixteen to twenty nineteen, the Warriors 233 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,279 in KD ridiculous system offense, but oh yeah, Katie can go get forty 234 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:26,120 points in isolation on twenty shots against great d am. I expecting too much 235 00:14:26,159 --> 00:14:33,639 from players to even replicate seventy to eighty percent of situations like that. Okay, 236 00:14:33,679 --> 00:14:39,120 so there's a lot to unpack with that question. I think here's how 237 00:14:39,159 --> 00:14:43,480 I would look at it. I think the idea of heliocentrism and like it's 238 00:14:43,519 --> 00:14:46,960 such a hot topic right now and we've discussed its flaws as much as its 239 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:52,440 features, stems from the fact that there is a consensus that in team building, 240 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:56,000 if the goal is to win a championship, you need someone that is 241 00:14:56,039 --> 00:15:01,639 capable of being at the center of a heal centric team, offense, whatever, 242 00:15:01,759 --> 00:15:05,399 like, you have to have that guy. And then the thing that 243 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:09,360 gets underrated, and this is what the question gets to is like what do 244 00:15:09,399 --> 00:15:13,559 you do after that? And that's harder than it seems because there's just are 245 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:18,480 a lot of options, and so the ideal version and so then you get 246 00:15:18,519 --> 00:15:22,159 situations like the hardened Rockets, you know, the good version of Trey and 247 00:15:22,279 --> 00:15:26,360 the Hawks, or even now, even though the story is not written all 248 00:15:26,399 --> 00:15:30,399 the way of Luca and the MAVs, Like, what do you do around 249 00:15:30,399 --> 00:15:35,279 that guy? I think I think this is going to be an oversimplification, 250 00:15:35,399 --> 00:15:41,759 but like the goal should be that you have a system that accommodates a heliocentric 251 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:48,399 star who also happens to be capable of like just scoring when they need to. 252 00:15:48,679 --> 00:15:52,320 The Warriors are a fucked up example just because that's a collection of talent 253 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:58,080 and system and everything that you're just not going to see the KD Warriors specifically 254 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:03,200 I'm talking about. But I think in a perfect world it looks kind of 255 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:07,519 something like what the Nuggets have with Yokich, where he touches the ball more 256 00:16:07,519 --> 00:16:11,919 than anybody on the roster. Like I think he leads the league and touches, 257 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,440 but his touch time is like a fraction of what in terms of how 258 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:19,279 long he has the ball is a fraction of what Hard and Luca, Sga 259 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:23,399 all these other guys have. So he is sort of a heliocentric star and 260 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:29,559 he can go get forty, but he's also the guy that like defines what 261 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,559 everybody else gets to do. So you need the shortest answer is you need 262 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:37,039 everything to win a championship, to like build a championship roster, a guy 263 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:42,639 that can facilitate in a system and be your tough bucket getter in the playoffs. 264 00:16:42,679 --> 00:16:45,200 But but yeah, like I don't know, I don't know, so 265 00:16:45,519 --> 00:16:51,840 I guess I don't know what the if what's being proposed here is really any 266 00:16:51,879 --> 00:16:56,159 different or any new type of variation on how to build a team, because 267 00:16:56,480 --> 00:17:00,720 you just need the guy that can score in isolation and guy that can be 268 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,240 at the center of a elocentric offense, and a bunch of other guys and 269 00:17:03,279 --> 00:17:07,000 they have to like each other and they have to buy in, and you 270 00:17:07,039 --> 00:17:08,720 have to have a good coach. There's just all these hands. So I 271 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,960 don't know how new of an idea this feels like, I don't know if 272 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,920 you feel differently, like does this feel like a distinct thing that's being suggested, 273 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,920 or like how do you view it? So one, the Yokich way 274 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,480 that you frame that I think was perfect and not something that necessarily thought of, 275 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:26,759 But two I almost interpreted as like and it made it seem implausible to 276 00:17:26,799 --> 00:17:33,799 me, was do you have the isospecialist who is not informing everything else that 277 00:17:33,799 --> 00:17:37,640 you're doing, And so it would be like, so it's Jordan Clarkson or 278 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:44,079 something just just something someone along like a bucket getter juiced up Lou Williams, 279 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:47,559 And I don't think that's feasible because like you, I don't know that you 280 00:17:47,559 --> 00:17:51,279 would lean on that person enough and then you're deviating from your model in certain 281 00:17:51,319 --> 00:17:56,759 situations. And there's a reason why those guys aren't like the primary alpha's on 282 00:17:56,839 --> 00:18:00,160 teams to begin with. So maybe I was interpting the question because if you're 283 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:04,920 just looking for an ISO specialist star who can exist as part of a larger 284 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:10,000 ecosystem, well, yeah, I think that that's been that's what teams are 285 00:18:10,039 --> 00:18:12,240 looking for. Those players are just incredibly rare, and like if we're looking 286 00:18:12,279 --> 00:18:18,359 at so it's a player who can dictate everything that you do and how everyone 287 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:22,440 else operates, but also fit into the larger scheme. Like who are the 288 00:18:22,519 --> 00:18:26,640 actual best players on a I don't want to you want to say contender best 289 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:30,079 players on a really good team? Who would fit that mold? Like both 290 00:18:30,079 --> 00:18:37,160 sides defense, there's Steph, there's Yokich, Like who like Kevin Durant? 291 00:18:37,279 --> 00:18:40,880 I think for sure, Yeah, is there healthy? I is kind of 292 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:44,799 that guy, like he's it's kind of the guy that So we're tweaking the 293 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:48,759 question, but it like the ideal because I think the point being made here 294 00:18:48,839 --> 00:18:51,799 is like you need little Lebron and the Kyrie, like you need those to 295 00:18:51,839 --> 00:18:56,400 be two different people. But I think maybe what's most valuable is the guy 296 00:18:56,799 --> 00:19:00,680 like Tatum is a little bit that way, but like someone that can toggle 297 00:19:00,759 --> 00:19:06,920 between I'm part of the system and everything's cool and we're playing a certain style, 298 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:11,000 and then when we don't have an advantage and we can't create you know, 299 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:17,519 space with switches or just like the system is kind of failing, then 300 00:19:17,559 --> 00:19:19,680 that guy can also be the guy that's like, I'm gonna get an eighteen 301 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:23,000 footer or I'm gonna get fouled and I'm going to carry us for like five 302 00:19:23,039 --> 00:19:26,319 possessions in a row. Butler feels a little bit that way too. But 303 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:30,640 that's like all that saying is you just need one of the five or ten 304 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,400 best players in the league, because that's what sort of makes someone great. 305 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:37,720 It could also be, but it's like they added this Brunton is a six 306 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:41,119 foot point guard and it's a guarantee your defense will suffer. But he relives 307 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:44,559 so much pressure on the one superstar to have brunts and get twenty a game 308 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,960 on good efficiency against playoff d even if Reggie Bullock is technically a better quote 309 00:19:49,039 --> 00:19:52,880 unquote two way player, but he's like an eight points per game, scoring 310 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:56,039 below average efficiency in the playoffs, and so I'm wondering if it's sort of 311 00:19:56,039 --> 00:20:00,319 reframing it as you don't need that second guy to be a star. He 312 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:06,400 can be a fringe star. And that almost is like we saw that like 313 00:20:06,599 --> 00:20:08,559 Dallas, could they have won the title if Luca's your best player and Jalen 314 00:20:08,559 --> 00:20:11,880 Brunson is your second best player. Jalen Brunson clearly didn't want that, like 315 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:15,960 that's part of the reason why he left the mass definitely botched how they handled 316 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:18,799 that. But that like he didn't want to be that type of player. 317 00:20:18,839 --> 00:20:22,240 So there might be something to that. And it's almost like, think of 318 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:26,039 peak Kyle Lowry could probably fit into like the Steph Yokich category of never on 319 00:20:26,079 --> 00:20:30,440 the same level, but someone who could inform and instruct everything that you and 320 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:34,079 everyone else do, but doesn't need to. He's gonna fit alongside Kauai who 321 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:40,079 was the best player, or he's gonna fit alongside Siakam. So I think 322 00:20:40,079 --> 00:20:41,039 it's, yeah, there might be something too, well, you don't need 323 00:20:41,039 --> 00:20:45,599 to obsess over. In the Knicks' case, it's let's not get caught up 324 00:20:45,599 --> 00:20:51,039 in finding you know, let's use Donovan Mitchell's trade as an example, I 325 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:53,079 was hyper focused on, well, if you trade for Donovan Mitchell, you 326 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:56,599 now need to go out and find the Donovan Mitchell equal or superior to be 327 00:20:56,640 --> 00:21:00,799 a real contender. And maybe what Mattie's tye with dpoy is saying, if 328 00:21:00,839 --> 00:21:03,880 you have a player who's on the level of even a Donovan Mitchell, you 329 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:08,319 don't need that next player to be their equal or superior. I mean, 330 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:12,400 I think it all depends because and again this is there's no right answer, 331 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:15,359 but it's like, who are the other four guys? If it's you know, 332 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:19,599 you could absolutely construct a team I think that could win a championship if 333 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:23,440 Donovan Mitchell, like is your quote unquote superstar, it's just the other four 334 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:29,759 guys have to be creat you know, some combination of four great defensive players 335 00:21:29,839 --> 00:21:32,559 or rim protector good, you know, all this other stuff. It's just 336 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:36,400 they have to be super high level. I think, really is I always 337 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:38,200 come back to the I forget what year he said it, and it's not 338 00:21:38,279 --> 00:21:42,559 like attributable to him specifically. It's just kind of logical. But when Bob 339 00:21:42,599 --> 00:21:45,000 Meyers was asked, like, what do you need to win in the playoffs 340 00:21:45,559 --> 00:21:49,839 paraphrasing, it was basically, like you need as many guys that cannot be 341 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:55,200 exploited or schemed off the floor for some tiny reason as you can possibly get, 342 00:21:55,440 --> 00:22:00,799 Like you just so to to sort of tie it to this that isolation 343 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:04,759 scoring star. It can't be someone that defenses target like, so it's got 344 00:22:04,759 --> 00:22:07,880 to just it's got to be that, and it's got to be there can't 345 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:17,599 be some obvious shortcoming that a playoff series will exposed, like because it just 346 00:22:18,519 --> 00:22:21,799 you just look at the championship teams that have you know that that we think 347 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:25,759 that in the last handful of years, what they end up doing is just 348 00:22:25,799 --> 00:22:30,440 playing the guys that can't get attacked and that can you know, find some 349 00:22:30,599 --> 00:22:34,839 level of success offensively against whatever defense is being played. Like, so there's 350 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:40,400 a there's definitely like a balance component you don't necessarily need, Like this guy 351 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:42,119 can get you twenty five, this guy can create a mid range jumper at 352 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:48,079 all time. You just really need superstars. Sure, but then guys that 353 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:53,480 will not provide opportunities for a really smart opposing team to like create advantages on 354 00:22:53,519 --> 00:22:56,839 either end. So I mean, and that's why it's so hard, like 355 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:02,440 you just those guys are not obvious and and in short, supply, is 356 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:08,359 it possible to win a title with someone who deviates from this archetype as your 357 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:11,759 best player? Then, like and this has sort of changed, and so 358 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:15,960 I'll frame it this way. Is it more likely that Anthony Edwards is the 359 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:21,680 best player on a championship team or LaMelo Ball is the best player on a 360 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:25,000 championship team? Like and is it or And I'm not saying to pop like 361 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:26,640 we saw it kind of with I'm thinking of the like the last teams that 362 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:33,480 wouldn't have had the Lebron STEPH KD level type town the twenty fourteen Spurs, 363 00:23:33,559 --> 00:23:37,880 I guess the twenty eleven Mavericks would be in that. We know that Pistons 364 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:41,200 teams for sure, but like we're talking about like every seventh champion at that 365 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:45,880 point or whatever game. So you mean like the player type like LaMelo Ball 366 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:49,640 is like the more of a ball mover or just like a passer. He's 367 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:53,839 more of like the connective guy because like, yeah, he can distribute, 368 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:57,079 but like he's not the half or at least at this point in his career, 369 00:23:57,079 --> 00:24:00,519 and he doesn't look like he profiles has that player long term, but 370 00:24:00,559 --> 00:24:06,000 the from scratch like create in the half court for himself go up against like 371 00:24:06,079 --> 00:24:08,160 create the something out of nothing. And again I'm not saying you needs to 372 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:11,839 be at the Steph KD Lebron type of level, but even at the Yannest 373 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:15,920 level where there's and that's not to diminish what like, there's limitations to what 374 00:24:17,039 --> 00:24:18,319 he can do in the half court where it's he's almost a lot of his 375 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,440 best stuff during that finals run. It is like, oh, it's happening 376 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:23,279 in the two man game where maybe he's not starting off with the ball in 377 00:24:23,319 --> 00:24:27,599 the initial action. So it's a little bit of a tweak on the Myers 378 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:33,920 thing. I think I would say Edwards only because and I don't know that 379 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:37,279 either of these guys is at this stage yet. Certainly Ball isn't. Edwards 380 00:24:37,319 --> 00:24:41,880 has shown flashes, But I would lean towards the guy that if you're the 381 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:45,599 opposing defense, he makes you say, shit, we gotta change, we 382 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:51,079 gotta change something, Like he's he's beating his guy, he's creating advantages, 383 00:24:51,599 --> 00:24:53,799 he's putting us at in positions we don't want to be in. I don't 384 00:24:53,839 --> 00:24:57,920 know what LaMelo does necessarily, like great passer, is a good spot up 385 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:02,480 shooter, shoots it from like, but that's not the same to me as 386 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:04,640 well, one guy can't stay in front of Edwards, like, so we 387 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:10,720 gotta do we gotta do something, Like I think it's the guy that forces 388 00:25:10,839 --> 00:25:15,160 a defense to do stuff that it either hoped it wouldn't have to do or 389 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,720 like didn't imagine it would it would have to, you know what I mean? 390 00:25:17,799 --> 00:25:21,319 Like, it's he's the guy that compromises something in the game plan that 391 00:25:21,319 --> 00:25:26,440 a defense was hoping it wouldn't have to compromise. That's a great answer. 392 00:25:26,519 --> 00:25:29,599 This was a this is a very interesting question. Hopefully we didn't interpret it 393 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:36,400 completely incorrectly. At the very least, it was a good a good springboard 394 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:38,039 into conversation. You want to do these who says knows? Or you want 395 00:25:38,039 --> 00:25:41,640 to save them? Do you want to ask the Blazer's question? Yeah, 396 00:25:41,799 --> 00:25:45,880 I said I was gonna do that. Sure, Okay. This is from 397 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:51,400 Nicholas Hopson, Blazers fan admitted right upfront, Uh, love Aunt Simmons, 398 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:55,000 but wondering what kind of trade value he has come January fifteenth, twenty is 399 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:59,400 eligible to be moved. Who are some players who could really you could realistically 400 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:02,640 see coming back to the Blazers for him, and what are some teams that 401 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:07,559 would love to have his services? This is an interesting question. I think 402 00:26:07,079 --> 00:26:10,920 somebody about Sticker Shock when he signed at four years and one hundred million, 403 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,759 that just feels like a good contracted to I mean when you kind of look 404 00:26:14,799 --> 00:26:18,119 at you know, let's phrase it this way, versus RJ. Barrett, 405 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:21,880 Tyler hero On, Jordan Pool the money that they got, and then versus 406 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:25,799 with Anthony Simon's got who are you betting on having the best contract of those 407 00:26:25,839 --> 00:26:29,960 four different they're at different stages. Like Afrey Time's already on his I think 408 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,039 there might be a case for Tyler hero at this point. I think he's 409 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:37,279 leader right now. I might pick Anthony Simons just because it's a little bit 410 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:41,480 cheaper. So and Simon's has been good this year. He's sitting over thirty 411 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,960 six percent. It was off the dribble triples. His catch and shoots are 412 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:48,680 still about thirty seven percent. You're probably normally those used to being higher fifty 413 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:52,440 three percent shooting on drives this year, and you know the Blazers have not 414 00:26:52,599 --> 00:26:56,559 They've done better when Damian Lillard's playing without Simon's and Simon's without Lillard. There 415 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:59,839 gonna be a ton of noise in there. Damian Lillard missed a ton of 416 00:26:59,839 --> 00:27:03,079 time time, so we're seeing Simons go up against more starting units in those 417 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:07,960 minutes. The Blazers bench is also just like completely cratered after a hotter start. 418 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:11,279 They have like a bottom five point bench point differential since they started the 419 00:27:11,279 --> 00:27:15,599 season ten and four. Anthony Simon's is value around the league, I think 420 00:27:15,599 --> 00:27:18,640 would be pretty high, is my point here. Super young, someone who 421 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:22,359 could get his own shot, has shown some diversification on where he's getting those 422 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:26,279 shots, how he's getting those shots, and just as a passer overall, 423 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:30,240 not super complicated, but like, yeah, he could be the steward in 424 00:27:30,279 --> 00:27:33,440 those minutes where if you don't have your actual primary playmaker around him. When 425 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:37,039 you look at teams that would want him, and so I'm doing this from 426 00:27:37,079 --> 00:27:41,960 my perspective, and one of them that just yo stands out to me the 427 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,960 most would be Toronto because he just brings sort of everything that they're lacking. 428 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:52,000 And so is that someone where I'm not in favor of them giving up Ogianna 429 00:27:52,079 --> 00:27:55,559 Nobi? Like is Anthony Simon's an asset where okay, well, then all 430 00:27:55,559 --> 00:27:56,319 of a sudden, you're pairing him with Fred van Fleet. You know what 431 00:27:56,319 --> 00:28:00,640 you did this small guard thing already. I know Simon's doesn't defend like Lowry, 432 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:04,200 but his shock creation is just so like who is the best The best 433 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,039 shooter on the Raptors right now is Gary tren Jr? And like is their 434 00:28:07,039 --> 00:28:10,680 most important for space or with the way that Fred van Fleet's been shooting for 435 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:12,680 most of the season, So just like is that enough? Or even if 436 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:15,759 the Raptors decide to blow it up where I don't know what that looks like 437 00:28:15,799 --> 00:28:18,519 we need to have a separate pot on the Raptors or something or get into 438 00:28:18,559 --> 00:28:22,799 like that with like the trade deadline primer. It's just like if you were 439 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:27,559 the conventional way to blow things up is you trade your oldest best player and 440 00:28:27,599 --> 00:28:30,920 recruit draft equity or a high end prospect. Simon's has already been paid, 441 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:33,039 but he's young enough to wear Like is that how you like kind of get 442 00:28:33,039 --> 00:28:37,960 a Siakam deal done or something? I also think a team that should look 443 00:28:38,039 --> 00:28:41,240 at him. They're not at this point in their development, but like the 444 00:28:41,319 --> 00:28:44,720 Spurs could really use someone like him, And it's I don't know what you're 445 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,880 willing to give up there, like if it's if it's draft equity or whatever. 446 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:51,519 But that's a team that I thought of. And if you have teams 447 00:28:51,519 --> 00:28:53,799 that you wanted to throw out there, I've a I've one that's like mean, 448 00:28:55,119 --> 00:28:57,400 it's not mean, but it's just like, you know, the Suns 449 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:00,559 could really use him, and so it's like, I don't know who you're 450 00:29:00,559 --> 00:29:03,200 giving them, Like are you giving up Michael Bridges, fran Frey Simons, 451 00:29:03,519 --> 00:29:06,759 because then you all of a sudden you have CP three for another maybe you 452 00:29:06,799 --> 00:29:08,559 get rid of a CP three after this season, but that's like because the 453 00:29:08,599 --> 00:29:12,039 Blazers don't look like they're gonna be sellers and so you're not moving Simons as 454 00:29:12,079 --> 00:29:15,400 part of a cell job. But like Simon's on the Suns could theoretically make 455 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:18,799 a lot of sense. Simon's on the Magic and then I know this one 456 00:29:18,839 --> 00:29:22,880 won't be popular and they can't really get to the money matching right now, 457 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:25,279 But like Simon's on, the Thunder would make a lot of sense, even 458 00:29:25,279 --> 00:29:26,559 with Giddy and Shay Gilraz Alexander. They are just curious, like if you 459 00:29:26,559 --> 00:29:29,839 had I have other teams, but did you have any teams? Yeah? 460 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:33,799 So again I think my number one, so I want if I'm getting Simon's 461 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,720 right, I'm just trying to think of like trade partners for the Blazers on 462 00:29:37,759 --> 00:29:41,519 this. I gotta be a team that has like a surplus of length and 463 00:29:41,599 --> 00:29:45,240 defense, because I think he just defensively, he's been really bad. I'm 464 00:29:45,319 --> 00:29:48,200 concerned that this is the type of thing where that's just how he's what he's 465 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:53,079 gonna be. That puts like a sub you know, elite number one option 466 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:56,599 ceiling on him, which is fine because you're not paying him like one of 467 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:59,920 those guys. You're paying him at rates where it's like he's a quality star 468 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:03,359 a little bit better than that. So that's fine. So my very first 469 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:04,839 team was Toronto. I just don't know what the package looks like, for 470 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,839 all the reasons you said, not the least of which being I think if 471 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:12,119 you're getting an Andobie back, which everybody should want, and he fits particularly 472 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:18,440 well on the Blazers, like the Blazers have this pick encumbrance going to the 473 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,960 Bulls is first through fourteen, protected through like twenty seven, so you've got 474 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:27,400 to get the protections amended on that. You gotta figure out how you convinced 475 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:33,559 Toronto, that it makes sense to give up An Andobie for Simons, and 476 00:30:33,839 --> 00:30:38,440 that probably they're assuming that both van Fleet and Trent are not coming back, 477 00:30:40,839 --> 00:30:42,480 so that it's a weird fit, Like it's both a perfect fit and like 478 00:30:42,559 --> 00:30:48,599 almost impossible to execute. The other two that I had were Orlando. I 479 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:52,519 feel like you could put stuff together that you know, gives the Blazers back, 480 00:30:52,559 --> 00:30:57,160 Like maybe you've used Jonathan Isaac who finally might be ready to play basketball 481 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:02,359 and could, theoretically if help, be a huge defensive boost to a team 482 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:06,960 that, again, surprise, surprise, needs a defensive boost. Maybe you're 483 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:11,160 talking about like folks and sugs or something. I don't know what all you'd 484 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:14,400 need to do to sort of put the pieces together. The other team is 485 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:19,319 the Clippers to me, just because like I think Wall has faded and Reggie 486 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,759 Jackson basically isn't going to play anymore. It looks like for a while like 487 00:31:22,839 --> 00:31:26,119 he fell out of the rotation. Luke Kennard is an option at the point, 488 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:29,839 but he's a flawed one and he's in and out of the lineup, 489 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:33,519 I think with a calf. The problem is, like, are the Blazers 490 00:31:33,559 --> 00:31:40,519 interested in you know, some combination of like Marcus Morris and Batoomb or Robert 491 00:31:40,519 --> 00:31:45,839 Covington and like a twenty twenty eight first rounder twenty nine twenty seven swap like 492 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:51,440 the Clippers draft is you know, tied up for several more years, so 493 00:31:52,039 --> 00:31:55,359 you'd have to be it's a weird move for the Blazers, Like why Like 494 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:57,960 I don't know how much those guys help, And then like why do you 495 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,440 care about first rounds that are seven years six years away? I don't know. 496 00:32:02,559 --> 00:32:06,599 But teams that need a point guard or a scoring guard that can give 497 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:09,519 up length basically was what I was looking at. And it's like Dallas would 498 00:32:09,519 --> 00:32:12,680 make a ton of sense. But like even if we're waiting to the off 499 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:15,880 season where they can give out like the picks package special, it's sort of 500 00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:22,000 just like why is why is Portland interested in that? And that's where it 501 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:23,839 makes it harder. But one I was going to ask you about on this 502 00:32:24,759 --> 00:32:32,880 what about Memphis? So you're basically upgrading the Tiess Jones spot more or less 503 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:36,039 in the rotation, But it's like, what do you get because you're not 504 00:32:36,039 --> 00:32:37,759 training Bain and you're not training Jaron Jackson Junior. At that point, it's 505 00:32:37,759 --> 00:32:40,200 like to the Blazers. Yeah, they're not rebuilding. It's that that just 506 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:45,960 makes it like a super tough fit here. I mean you could say, 507 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:52,400 I mean if the Blazers were high on Zayre Williams or thought Brandon Clark could 508 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:54,720 do more than kind of play, you know, twenty five minutes at center 509 00:32:54,799 --> 00:32:59,440 type of thing. I mean you could put in and then the grizz I 510 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:01,400 have a bunch of pis Like I think the Grizzlies could put a package together. 511 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:05,759 It would be you know, so asset rich. Potentially it would be 512 00:33:05,799 --> 00:33:10,400 hard to turn down. But yeah, I don't. It's tough because it's 513 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:19,359 hard to find like a win Now piece that upgrades Simon's and also is not 514 00:33:19,519 --> 00:33:23,079 doesn't have to be like buttressed by picks, which I don't think Portland would 515 00:33:23,119 --> 00:33:25,119 care that much about. So it's I mean, it'd be nice that they 516 00:33:25,119 --> 00:33:29,880 could get them to open up their own trade possibly, but you want players 517 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:34,440 like yeah, sort of when you when you sign Dames to the extension, 518 00:33:35,079 --> 00:33:38,720 you sort of like you kind of like incoming first round picks are kind of 519 00:33:38,799 --> 00:33:43,759 like, we're not planning to work that way. For a while, it 520 00:33:43,839 --> 00:33:49,559 was the message I think, well you know what technically could work is the 521 00:33:49,599 --> 00:33:53,440 Wizards. They have Obvia, they have Kuzma Monte Morris, and then like 522 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:59,359 if they're willing to trade conditional picks because the obligation to the Knicks, like 523 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:01,480 is how much you're Like because Bradley Beal, I think Bradley Beale and Simon's 524 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:05,240 work and they don't work defensively, Like that's just not going to be the 525 00:34:05,319 --> 00:34:08,320 thing. But like that's almost a perfect where Simon's is not your point guards, 526 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:12,199 Like it allows Beals to run things, but like Simons can run things 527 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:15,159 as well, and they need they need more variable cadence from like their their 528 00:34:15,199 --> 00:34:19,039 non Bradley Beal guard spots at this point. So that would be a team 529 00:34:19,079 --> 00:34:22,960 I think Toronto or even the Spurs, just because if they wanted to and 530 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:25,400 you're the Blazers, like if they're gonna put Kelvin Johnson or Devis Sell on 531 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:29,360 the table, like that's that can make a ton of sense for you in 532 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:31,000 addition to other I don't even know if there would be other stuff involved, 533 00:34:31,039 --> 00:34:35,679 just like that's what's tough about Simon's where you know the Raptors, Like yeah, 534 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:38,119 there's or like if it's OGNAOBI for Simons, like and that's the framework 535 00:34:38,159 --> 00:34:42,400 of a deal, there'd be more money involved. Who's given up more like? 536 00:34:42,559 --> 00:34:45,000 Is that that might be the closest thing to like, the straight up 537 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,039 sensible one. But if you're looking for sort of to divest, let's say 538 00:34:47,079 --> 00:34:52,719 Simons into picks and immediate help, the Wizards might be a partner. I 539 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:54,119 did I want to leave the who says no, But we have a who 540 00:34:54,199 --> 00:35:00,480 says no for the Blazers from Ian that has this the Jazz received if Anthony 541 00:35:00,559 --> 00:35:04,480 Simon's Josh Hart and a first round pick, the Blazers receive lowry market and 542 00:35:04,599 --> 00:35:07,239 Jordan Clarkson and Jared Vanderbilt. I think the Jazz say no. They're just 543 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:10,239 because I think marking in is. I mean, the first and Heart are 544 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:14,280 great sweeteners, but like I really like, I still really like Vanderbilt, 545 00:35:15,039 --> 00:35:17,719 and I think I think I mean marking into me is. I don't know 546 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:22,000 that Simons will ever reach the level marketing In is at right now, and 547 00:35:22,079 --> 00:35:24,800 it's not like marketing is old, so I'm hesitant to trade market and unless 548 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:30,320 I'm getting back like someone that is probably gonna be an all star. Like 549 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:34,199 now, Heart's interesting because it gives you like sort of an authentic wing but 550 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:37,320 like now you're and Simon's is just like okay, well he's younger than Clark, 551 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,280 saying Clarkson's up for a new deal too, but like you already have 552 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:44,400 sexed in there, Conley still on the roster, and like Malik Beasley's there, 553 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:46,519 you have to pay heart after this season. I think it's an interesting 554 00:35:46,599 --> 00:35:51,519 concept. But if you're gonna pry lowry marketing from the Jazz, my guess 555 00:35:51,639 --> 00:35:54,039 is they're getting two first round, two first round picks, picks picks, 556 00:35:54,559 --> 00:35:59,840 and I'm not saying they're unprotected. Maybe this season's is unprotected. We probably 557 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:04,039 get two first round picks and something else. Simons is better to me than 558 00:36:04,159 --> 00:36:07,480 that. But when Utah's like, I don't even want to say it's their 559 00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:08,960 weakness. Isn't guard play right now? Like they get a ton of dribble 560 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:14,360 penetration from everywhere, I don't. I think that this probably falls short for 561 00:36:14,480 --> 00:36:17,760 them. I agree. I think Marken in just the fact that you know, 562 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:21,800 we talk about this with like the magic hypothetically, but the fact that 563 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:24,480 Marken and can be a guy that can score on the ball and then can 564 00:36:24,599 --> 00:36:29,119 run around off of it at a big forward position just makes it so that 565 00:36:29,239 --> 00:36:32,199 like your guards don't have to be you know, you don't need a guy 566 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:36,159 that gets into the paint all the time. That like it just downgrades the 567 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:38,400 requirements from your backcourt spots when you have a big guy that can, you 568 00:36:38,519 --> 00:36:42,920 know, you bend the defense just by sort of being out there. So, 569 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:45,000 yeah, Simon's is a good player. I just don't know that he 570 00:36:45,159 --> 00:36:50,519 improves the Jazz enough without tons of stuff to justify like Marking, and I 571 00:36:50,559 --> 00:36:52,440 don't if there's no way they trade market in right, like just full stop. 572 00:36:52,519 --> 00:36:55,599 I can't imagine the Jazz would do that unless they're getting like a gober 573 00:36:55,800 --> 00:37:01,639 size size agra for him. Who is Okay, here's a good one. 574 00:37:01,639 --> 00:37:05,960 Who's more likely to get traded mid season? I'm gonna have to timestamp this 575 00:37:06,079 --> 00:37:08,400 because I'm like, I think this is such a great question. Mid season, 576 00:37:08,639 --> 00:37:12,480 Yeah, not offseason. Who's more likely to get traded mid season? 577 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:17,440 Larry Marketing or Pascal Siakam talking about before this year's deadline? Yeah, Siakam, 578 00:37:17,679 --> 00:37:21,480 I just I just don't. I don't, Well, it's a combination 579 00:37:21,519 --> 00:37:24,440 of things, Like you know, certainly we talked about well the Jazz are 580 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:27,719 going to trade all these guys or because you know, but that was when 581 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:29,960 we were saying like, well, because they're gonna win too much and all 582 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:32,360 that other stuff. But nobody foresaw market and being this good at this age. 583 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:36,639 Toronto is also in that like what are they gonna do? We'll do 584 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:39,000 a pod. I'm sure, like he said, I could see the reasoning 585 00:37:39,199 --> 00:37:44,719 for Toronto doing it, trading Siakham more so than I can imagine a jazz 586 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:50,920 team that is thinking about the next five years trading a mid twenties I don't 587 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:52,800 know. I have twenty age twenty five in my head for market, and 588 00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:55,840 I don't know how old he is exactly, but like a guy that's just 589 00:37:57,039 --> 00:38:00,400 starting his prime and is not on a you know, max deal, that 590 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:04,039 is going to be an All star or should be an All star, Like 591 00:38:04,719 --> 00:38:07,239 I don't know how you trade that guy. I just I don't see it. 592 00:38:07,679 --> 00:38:10,199 Like it's not like he's not as untouchable as like well the well the 593 00:38:10,239 --> 00:38:15,199 Bucks trade honest or you know, the world wars like whatever. The level 594 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:20,159 below the this guy's gonna have a statue is is like marketing to me feels 595 00:38:20,199 --> 00:38:24,559 like that level because Pulus also last thing on this when you feel like you 596 00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:28,920 just got like you pulled off a heist, like you lucked into this guy 597 00:38:29,039 --> 00:38:31,559 that was way better than you thought he would be, Like, I feel 598 00:38:31,639 --> 00:38:36,840 like there's some sort of like pot committed, you know, analog to that 599 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,360 where it's like we're never getting We're like, we just found all this money, 600 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:43,559 We're never going to give it up. That's a good point there too. 601 00:38:44,239 --> 00:38:46,199 This final segment is going to be super quick. I'm not even sure 602 00:38:46,199 --> 00:38:49,119 I'm gonna put it in the podcast. It's gonna be a short, but 603 00:38:49,159 --> 00:38:52,079 we're going to do and we'll do more in depth like trade deadline previews buy 604 00:38:52,199 --> 00:38:57,000 seller Hold for every team in the league. That's gonna amount to hopefully two 605 00:38:57,000 --> 00:39:00,119 minutes or less so that our video clip editor Ian doesn't have too much work 606 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:04,519 to do to chop it down. We're gonna start. You want to start 607 00:39:04,679 --> 00:39:07,199 with the with the West. I'll name him off to you go for it, 608 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:10,800 all, right, So we are onto the Western Conference. This is 609 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:16,760 again by seller Hold entering the NBA trade deadline. Dallas Mavericks by Denver Nuggets 610 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:27,519 by Golden State Warriors, Bye Houston Rockets, sell LA Clippers by Los Angeles 611 00:39:27,639 --> 00:39:37,039 Lakers hold loser, Memphis Grizzlies by Minnesota Timberwolves give a hold, okayc thunder 612 00:39:39,519 --> 00:39:46,800 sell bye, Phoenix Suns hold on. You forgot you forgot the Pelicans. 613 00:39:47,320 --> 00:39:54,320 Oh sorry, New Orleans Pelicans there by, Phoenix Suns sell, Portland Trailblazers 614 00:39:57,119 --> 00:40:05,360 by Sacramento Kings hold. San Antonio Spurs sell Utah Jazz sell. That wasn't 615 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:07,159 spicy enough for me. But you did it under a minute too. And 616 00:40:07,199 --> 00:40:10,920 that's with me forgetting the Pelicans. As I one of my favorite exercises just 617 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:15,079 to write out all the NBA teams like I'll see if I can remember. 618 00:40:15,280 --> 00:40:19,519 I remember them in alphabetic order in reverse. I forgot the Pelicans this time, 619 00:40:19,559 --> 00:40:22,239 who are one of my favorite teams to watch. I always remember what 620 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:24,440 number slide If I get to the Knicks, I'm on the twentieth slide or 621 00:40:24,480 --> 00:40:28,079 something or whatever I think it is for a thirty team. Or my quick 622 00:40:28,119 --> 00:40:30,960 reaction to yours is your coward. When it comes to the thunder the Lakers 623 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:34,519 should at least do a mini by like a second year, right. I'm 624 00:40:34,559 --> 00:40:38,679 just sticking in my stupid and I respect the Phoenix Suns cell let's go all 625 00:40:38,679 --> 00:40:40,920 in on Wemby at this point. Unless you're getting it all starts, it's 626 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:44,800 Wenby time. Yeah, they're done. We got we could do a plot 627 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:49,199 about them. And how about how fast windows close? All right, I'm 628 00:40:49,239 --> 00:40:52,400 gonna give you the East teams. You're ready, uh, not even a 629 00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:55,280 little bit, but yeah, I'm ready. All right. Atlanta Hawks well, 630 00:40:57,199 --> 00:41:04,480 Boston Celtics I, Brooklyn nets By, Charlotte Hornets sell if they have 631 00:41:04,559 --> 00:41:09,760 anything to sell. Chicago Bulls sell, love it, we agree, Cleveland 632 00:41:09,800 --> 00:41:16,360 Cavaliers by, Detroit Pistons sell, maybe hold, but sell, Indiana Pacers 633 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:24,239 by do it Pacers, Miami Heat Bye, Milwaukee Bucks bye, please buy. 634 00:41:25,239 --> 00:41:30,480 New York Knicks sell, sell, sell, sell, sell. I 635 00:41:30,519 --> 00:41:36,039 can't believe you're tired of Jalen Brunson already. Orlando Magic hold, Philadelphia seventy 636 00:41:36,079 --> 00:41:38,920 six Ers hold, just because, don't trade Tyree's Maxie please, like you're 637 00:41:38,920 --> 00:41:45,280 not getting it, don't do it. Toronto Raptors sell. I've said bye, 638 00:41:45,400 --> 00:41:50,199 sell, it's time. It's keeps siakam OG's Goatti and that's it. 639 00:41:50,400 --> 00:41:53,360 Everybody was the hardest one in the league. Washington Wizards sell, please, 640 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:55,760 for the love of God, fucking sell already Wizards, So thank you. 641 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:01,920 It's kind of fun not having to give a justification for anything. I like 642 00:42:02,079 --> 00:42:05,199 it. I like it. I don't want to be held accountable. I 643 00:42:05,199 --> 00:42:07,599 don't want to. I don't want to put logic behind it. Are you 644 00:42:07,679 --> 00:42:10,000 ready to? That's it unless you have anything else you want to get off 645 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:13,599 your chest here. This was a very This isn't going to all be put 646 00:42:13,639 --> 00:42:15,840 out in the sub hour thirty minute like we did like eighty five minutes. 647 00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:21,800 It felt like very frenetic or hectic in a refreshing way. I agree. 648 00:42:22,119 --> 00:42:24,000 I think that worked. Well, we'll have to do it again. Less 649 00:42:24,039 --> 00:42:28,320 preparation is better. It turns out all right, Well, I'm gonna take 650 00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:30,199 us out. You're ready for me to take us out? I think we've 651 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:32,719 done all the damage we can do. Yeah, we're I'm ready to I'm 652 00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:37,760 ready to buy you taking us out. I wouldn't sell you. I'm ready. 653 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:39,719 I'm ready to sell me. Remembering all the things I usually say. 654 00:42:40,079 --> 00:42:45,719 But anyway, thank you everybody for listening. Uh please, as Dan said 655 00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:49,239 at the top, remember to rate, review, subscribe, get all those 656 00:42:49,320 --> 00:42:51,920 knicks downboats out of out of the ware. I don't know how you do 657 00:42:52,079 --> 00:42:57,239 that, but give like six star reviews on Apple that'd be great. Tell 658 00:42:57,280 --> 00:43:00,679 your friend's word of mouth still helps. Make sure if you are following us 659 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:02,840 or the pod on socials to rectify that, we if you're watching us on 660 00:43:02,920 --> 00:43:06,840 YouTube, they are down there in your bottom right corner. Otherwise we are 661 00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:12,320 at Hardwood Knocks on Twitter, at Hardwood Underscore Knox on Instagram, Hardwoodknox on 662 00:43:12,519 --> 00:43:15,480 TikTok, and just you know, search Hardwoo Knocks wherever and subscribe wherever it 663 00:43:15,519 --> 00:43:20,000 allows you to do that, as we do every time. I would like 664 00:43:20,079 --> 00:43:22,239 to give a shout out on Dan's behalf and also sort of mind to the 665 00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:27,159 one and only rank Nella Keenan, and also apologize to Jared Allen who got 666 00:43:27,199 --> 00:43:28,840 no mentions at all from this whole part