1 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:19,760 What is Krack Lakin Fellow Thermal Nuclear aavers. I am Dan Valley coming at 2 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:25,160 you with another twenty twenty three twenty twenty four NBA team look Ahead. We're 3 00:00:25,199 --> 00:00:30,960 onto the Oklahoma City Thunder and joining me for the first ever I believe Hardwood 4 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:37,159 Knox four person podcast. We have the Uncontested Podcast almost in full. We 5 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:43,560 have Jacob Niffin, Nick Crane, and Taylor Peterson. Their Twitter handles will 6 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,119 be in the podcast and YouTube descriptions, as will the link to where you 7 00:00:47,119 --> 00:00:51,079 can subscribe to the Uncontested Podcast, which is a really great podcast that I 8 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:56,679 just so happened to appear on momentarily before recording this. How are you guys, 9 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:58,960 let's start with let's throw it out there. How are you doing? 10 00:00:59,039 --> 00:01:03,159 Jacob? I'm good man. It's a you know, we're two and a 11 00:01:03,159 --> 00:01:08,280 half weeks away from preseason basketball. Opening night for the Thunder is CHET v. 12 00:01:08,439 --> 00:01:12,959 Wemby in preseason hoops in Oklahoma City, so just counting down the days. 13 00:01:15,599 --> 00:01:18,560 Maybe Wemby will probably be rested for that game. I feel like, 14 00:01:19,519 --> 00:01:22,560 Nick, how are you doing? I'm good man. I'll tell you this. 15 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,439 We maybe talk about this in the pod, but it's really hard to 16 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:30,280 think about this Thunder team and cover them leading up to this season when there's 17 00:01:30,359 --> 00:01:34,400 still like nineteen or twenty guys in the roster and we don't actually know who 18 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,959 the fifteen man is gonna be. But I guess that actually makes them more 19 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,760 exciting. So it's it's it's a fun time ready for the season to be 20 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,920 here. Like Jacob mentioned, they do confuse the living fuck out of me 21 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,000 when I'm putting together like the outline and trying to figure out rotations because of 22 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,439 how they're set up. Taylor, how are you doing doing amazing? Like 23 00:01:52,599 --> 00:01:56,120 both of the guys mentioned, we're getting closer and closer to training camp. 24 00:01:56,159 --> 00:01:59,200 I believe we're about two weeks out here, which is just so exciting because 25 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,680 Dan, I'm willing to be real honest with you, you're one of the 26 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:09,439 good few like national media members who aren't just talking about should the Laders just 27 00:02:09,439 --> 00:02:14,960 go ahead and trade Dame and James Harden and Joannest Like I can only hear 28 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,479 those same exact arguments over and over for so long because like we're just scraping 29 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,960 the bottom of the barrel. So I'm really excited to get into into some 30 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:29,719 actual media days and training camps and eventually into the NBA season. I am 31 00:02:29,759 --> 00:02:32,759 a little concerned that the content you've been exposed to is so bad that you 32 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:37,800 appreciate the content that we're putting out over here. But I appreciate it nonetheless. 33 00:02:38,159 --> 00:02:40,439 We can we appreciate though, Like we were talking about this in your 34 00:02:40,439 --> 00:02:45,240 podcast, there's narratives surrounding the Thunder, like it's probably frustrating to hear the 35 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:46,840 low bar, like they should have traded for this guy or assigned this guy. 36 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,879 But there are national narratives for the OKAC Thunder. I think that's a 37 00:02:50,879 --> 00:02:54,159 pretty big deal. We are back as bad as they are, man Like, 38 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:58,960 at least there is narratives. This team wasn't talked about for two and 39 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:04,479 a half years much at all in the national scene. Yeah and yeah, 40 00:03:05,039 --> 00:03:07,639 and I think people are still going to think that they were rebuilding when it's 41 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:12,360 like we're kind of entering a different phase here. I want to start with 42 00:03:12,599 --> 00:03:15,879 last season though, and I'll throw it to we'll work our way backwards now. 43 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:21,680 From the set up on screen, Taylor, they Shay received deservedly so 44 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:23,120 most of the attention from this team and were just mentioned like wow, the 45 00:03:23,159 --> 00:03:28,800 Thunder f Shay and look what he's doing. But was there like one of 46 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,159 the many guiding principles of this team that stood out to you that sort of 47 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:39,960 drove them just absolutely annihilating expectations last year. That's really tough because I think 48 00:03:40,039 --> 00:03:44,120 specifically, if you think about a principle, it's probably the defense. And 49 00:03:44,159 --> 00:03:46,680 again I don't have this actually pulled up in front of me right now, 50 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,840 but for the majority of the season, they were top twelve and defenserbrating in 51 00:03:50,919 --> 00:03:55,360 the NBA. And that is not so much personnel and experience to your point, 52 00:03:55,439 --> 00:03:58,759 Dan, like you kind of mentioned, this is a very inexperienced young 53 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,680 team as much as it is the culture and I think the coaching that's been 54 00:04:02,759 --> 00:04:06,599 in place from Dignal and the entire coaching staff. I think the defense really 55 00:04:06,639 --> 00:04:09,879 stood out to me. And it's a big reason for that because, like 56 00:04:09,919 --> 00:04:14,759 you mentioned, we know Shay's extremely talented offensively, a lot of offensive talents 57 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,439 on this team, but then being able to regardless of you plugged in, 58 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:21,639 I mean, there were some very random rotations, very deep rotations throughout the 59 00:04:21,759 --> 00:04:25,240 entirety of the season. It's not like you just had an eight man rotation 60 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:28,560 throughout the majority of the season, regardless who it was, just at next 61 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,160 man up mentality defensively, and that really stood out to me for a big 62 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:35,959 reason for their success this past year. Nick, are you on the same 63 00:04:35,959 --> 00:04:41,439 page there? Yeah? I think the coaching was huge, Like Mark deserved 64 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,199 all of the votes he got for Coach of the Year and all the hype 65 00:04:44,199 --> 00:04:49,920 he got for what he did. Not to discount what Okaysey did, but 66 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,600 it was a little bit of lightning in the bottle. I think where it 67 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:59,600 was minimal injuries. There were certainly injuries with guys that were more you know, 68 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,759 friend rotation to you know, seventh, eighth, ninth men. But 69 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:09,800 they really squeezed every ounce of every player on that team out. Like you 70 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:14,040 look back at the statistics and like what you saw on the floor, almost 71 00:05:14,079 --> 00:05:18,360 every player on the team maybe pull out two or three guys like we're better 72 00:05:18,399 --> 00:05:25,639 than expected and that's super rare for any team, I guess are So where 73 00:05:25,639 --> 00:05:29,519 do you land on that, Jacob? Yeah? I think the defense, 74 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,160 like Taylor mentioned that they were top twelve for a long time, and that's 75 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:38,439 with playing guys like six foot six ken Rich Williams at the center position, 76 00:05:39,319 --> 00:05:42,879 like they just they threw shit at the wall and it's stuck, and it 77 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:48,959 was really impressive. They were playing thirty fourth overall pick rookie Jay will Jalen 78 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:55,560 Williams out of Arkansas starting at center on a is it a four game road 79 00:05:55,560 --> 00:06:01,720 trip in Miami, Philly, Chicago, Brooklyn And this guy like went toe 80 00:06:01,759 --> 00:06:08,319 to toe was Joel Embiid. They're like beating the nets before it all completely 81 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:13,720 imploded. Just this run that they went on was just phenomena. But you 82 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,040 hit the nail on the head, Like the catalyst of it all was Shako, 83 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:24,279 just Alexander, the clutchness, the efficiency. The kids shot like eleven 84 00:06:24,399 --> 00:06:28,639 free throws a game and hit ninety plus percent. That's like a ten percentage 85 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:33,920 point jump from his career free throw percentage rate. You when you put all 86 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:38,079 that stuff together, like Nick said, you kind of got lightning in a 87 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,480 bottle. But you also look at this team, how young they are, 88 00:06:42,319 --> 00:06:46,199 how many guys that you just look at, whether it be Josh or Shay 89 00:06:46,399 --> 00:06:51,759 or Jade ub Chet coming in. Dan's favorite flavorite player on Planet Arthus Monjay, 90 00:06:51,759 --> 00:06:57,040 Like, the capacity for growth is so large. It feels like we're 91 00:06:57,079 --> 00:07:00,399 just hitting the tip of the Iceberg. So it's really exciting. We've got 92 00:07:00,399 --> 00:07:05,439 to make Jan Gang shirts and and send Dan one called him. You called 93 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:09,000 him ooze on the podcast that like an act one that like ooze, like 94 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,120 oo ze, we can call him that, Like that's a bet, little 95 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:17,040 uzi Berg. I mean there's all kinds of Look, that's just proof, 96 00:07:17,279 --> 00:07:26,959 further proof he's gonna make multiple atturtles to return of the use I think for 97 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,480 me, I mean the defensive ball pressure just like and I think that them 98 00:07:30,519 --> 00:07:33,240 being young and the way they can come at you from the perimeter was intense. 99 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:38,959 Their offense when you watched it was very eccentric where it was they weren't 100 00:07:38,959 --> 00:07:43,639 necessarily living in transition, like they would just push and get into their offense 101 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:47,160 early after another team makes a shot. And I thought that was a sort 102 00:07:47,199 --> 00:07:50,319 of an understated way that you know, people looked at the offense and there 103 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:54,879 wasn't enough shooting and outside shay would they have they like kind a lee average 104 00:07:54,879 --> 00:07:57,879 half court offense, I think in large part because no, they weren't necessarily 105 00:07:57,959 --> 00:08:01,360 always in transition, but like they were able to get the lane really quickly 106 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:05,399 with Jay dub and Josh Giddy and SGA and like that helps set everything else 107 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,160 up and that probably caught teams off guard, but it was like, to 108 00:08:07,199 --> 00:08:11,759 do it consistently is not something that other teams complaint, Like if you're gonna 109 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:13,879 push after makes, you're gonna push after makes and like low it's like, 110 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:16,279 oh, they're not racing the ball at the floor necessarily, but they're just 111 00:08:16,279 --> 00:08:20,519 gonna get into their half court offense really early. So I thought that drove 112 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:22,279 it. This is all to say, though, they were so good that 113 00:08:22,319 --> 00:08:26,560 I got to a point where people like myself wanted them to start making some 114 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:30,360 splashes over the off season. We all knew they wouldn't. They did the 115 00:08:30,439 --> 00:08:33,360 exact opposite, Like I mean, they get Thavis Berton's, they get Victory 116 00:08:33,399 --> 00:08:35,480 Ladipo, they have Kays and Wallace. Now they bring over me Jach sign 117 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:39,759 him Jacob and you two can chime in after you know, Jacob says whatever. 118 00:08:39,759 --> 00:08:43,279 So I don't make this podcast last two hours by going through each of 119 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:48,039 you individually for the question were you I know you weren't surprised by how the 120 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,720 off season played out, but what were your general impressions of how their off 121 00:08:50,759 --> 00:08:56,039 season played out? There was a little bit of surprise, like I was 122 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:01,320 a believer that Vasila mi Chich was just never coming over, So that was 123 00:09:01,399 --> 00:09:05,639 a big surprise to me. Renting out the cap space not a surprise at 124 00:09:05,639 --> 00:09:13,759 all. This is a team who's biggest free agent acquisition ever probably Nerland's Noel 125 00:09:13,879 --> 00:09:20,120 when he left the Dallas Mavericks. Wow, I guess you could Carmelo Anthony 126 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:24,200 maybe if you consider like him waving the no trade clause, but yeah, 127 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:28,279 that doesn't really count. Paul George after he technically hit free agency for like 128 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:35,399 two hours. This is just a yeah, that one was very clearly made 129 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,600 with let's run it back one more year and if you don't like it, 130 00:09:37,639 --> 00:09:41,519 we'll trade you. Trade turned out even though he wasn't even on our roster. 131 00:09:41,799 --> 00:09:46,360 Yes, yeah, trade turned out pretty pretty dad goom good. But 132 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,639 so a little bit of surprises and free agency for me, just because I 133 00:09:50,639 --> 00:09:54,120 didn't think they would bring Mitchetts over ever. But running out the cap space, 134 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:00,480 that's nothing really new with this team. Didn't expect them to make a 135 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:05,960 splash because ever since they traded Russell Westbrook and really kicked off this rebuild, 136 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,399 the messaging from the front office has been very clear. They even took out 137 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,600 an ad in the local newspaper and wrote a massive op ed, a Sam 138 00:10:13,639 --> 00:10:18,360 Presti op ed, which I'm surprised didn't end up going on like a seven 139 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:22,679 hundred page thesis about how they were going to go through this process, and 140 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,759 they were the quote that always stuck out to me. We will play the 141 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:31,960 empirical odds, which means they're gonna draft guys. They're gonna play the draft 142 00:10:33,039 --> 00:10:35,559 lottery odds. And that is what they've done, and to be honest with 143 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:39,440 you, I think that's what they will continue to do. You saw some 144 00:10:39,519 --> 00:10:43,279 moves over the summer where they take a pick this year or next year and 145 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,879 kick the can down the road to twenty twenty nine. They got a twenty 146 00:10:46,919 --> 00:10:52,600 twenty nine Denver like top five protected pick. We might all be dead from 147 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:54,759 a nuclear holocaust in twenty twenty nine for all we know. But the Thunder 148 00:10:54,799 --> 00:11:00,919 are trying to drag these assets out that I don't know if they're ever cashing 149 00:11:00,919 --> 00:11:03,039 in all the picks. I think their plan is just to continue to replenish 150 00:11:03,039 --> 00:11:09,480 with draft picks and not dive into free agency and just create the sustainable team 151 00:11:09,519 --> 00:11:13,840 of young guys who continue to grow over time. So not a lot from 152 00:11:13,879 --> 00:11:20,120 free agency really surprised me. They told us what they're gonna do, They've 153 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:24,919 written what they're gonna do, and they're doing it. And if Sam Presty 154 00:11:24,039 --> 00:11:28,440 is nothing else, he is consistent and what he does with his messaging. 155 00:11:30,399 --> 00:11:33,559 Nick, do you think there was any chance that the offseason could have played 156 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:37,480 out differently if we're talking about an actual Chet home grin sample size from last 157 00:11:37,519 --> 00:11:39,759 season or no, it always would have just I mean, Jacob kind of 158 00:11:41,039 --> 00:11:43,320 outlaid it that he believes they're not even never going to cash in their picks 159 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,679 anyway, So what would it always have ended this way even if Chet was 160 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,840 the rookie of the year or something. No, I think it actually could 161 00:11:50,879 --> 00:11:56,679 look quite different. Okay, this is a team that the reason they run 162 00:11:56,919 --> 00:12:01,399 these strange lineups were referred to and play thirteen deep sometimes is because they really 163 00:12:01,519 --> 00:12:09,000 value time on court and analytics and who plays well with who and giving everybody 164 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,519 an opportunity. I truly think the reason not that they would have made a 165 00:12:13,639 --> 00:12:18,000 huge blash, but the reason that Thunder didn't make any kind of splash this 166 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:20,919 offseason is because they want to see what che Wren looks like before making a 167 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:24,879 move right if he even summer leagues down enough of his sample size, Like 168 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:28,919 if he ends up being a guy that okay, he needs to play power 169 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:33,639 forward next to a traditional big that's completely different, then this guy's are permanent 170 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:37,559 five and you can play Jada next to him at four long term, And 171 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:41,559 so I think that definitely would have played into it. Like in terms of 172 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:45,879 surprises, though, I was kind of surprised they drafted a guard in Cason 173 00:12:45,919 --> 00:12:50,799 Wallace, traded up to get him No. Less two right right, you 174 00:12:50,799 --> 00:12:54,480 you bring in Mitchech as well, another guard, and then this team plays 175 00:12:54,559 --> 00:13:00,399 four guard lineups a lot. So there's there's there's minutes to go around, 176 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:05,879 no question. But I if you would have gun into my head when that 177 00:13:05,919 --> 00:13:09,039 pick came up, who's Oklahoma City taking? I thought Grady Dick would have 178 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,559 been the guy because he just like helps you now, he's got a ceiling, 179 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:15,000 he's a shooter, he does a lot of things that under need short 180 00:13:15,039 --> 00:13:16,720 and lung term. And when it was Kason Wallace, great player, I 181 00:13:16,759 --> 00:13:20,279 think up being really really good. That was probably the most surprising thing for 182 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:26,320 me in the offseason. Is like from Taylor from what you know or your 183 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:30,480 early impressions of Kays and Wallace, who, by the way, just I 184 00:13:30,519 --> 00:13:33,879 can't say his name without thinking of the protein. I just can't. I 185 00:13:33,879 --> 00:13:39,320 don't know why was he worth like that they took on the Davis Perton's money. 186 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:43,039 There's some that leaks into next year, and it was to move up 187 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,799 two spots and just based off like kind of how some of the other salary 188 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,120 dumps went for other teams like the Spurs. It felt like that could have 189 00:13:50,159 --> 00:13:52,960 been worth more. Like what am I missing with Kays and Wallace the player 190 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,320 that he could be, and then his overall fit on the Thunder team that, 191 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:58,200 as Nick just said, has a trillion guards and even if they're gonna 192 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:01,200 play for guard line, I say, I don't know how many minutes are 193 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,639 going to be available for him out of the gate here. No, it's 194 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,080 a very fair point, I think the first thing. And again I also 195 00:14:07,159 --> 00:14:11,799 was very surprised that Cayson Wallace was the pick. Cason. Cason kind of 196 00:14:11,799 --> 00:14:22,000 a became a thing before the draft. It's a whole correct, you're correct, 197 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,559 it's yeah, not to take us down that rabbit hole, but that 198 00:14:24,679 --> 00:14:28,360 is it was a topic of debate there because Cason said that his mom calls 199 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:33,000 him Cason. Our own guy, Jacob here was there for that introductory press 200 00:14:33,039 --> 00:14:39,559 conference, but he actually went in like with the team before Summer League and 201 00:14:39,639 --> 00:14:45,679 corrected the pronounced pronunciation and and it's Cason, so apparently his mom calls him 202 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:50,399 Cason. So anyways, long story short, I also was very surprised that 203 00:14:50,519 --> 00:14:54,720 Cayson was the pick. However, there was some talk there I think the 204 00:14:54,039 --> 00:14:58,919 Magic out of eleven maybe we're eyeballing Cason potentially, but I also think about 205 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:05,360 just like the kind of players that Pressy drafts, and this is another I 206 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,399 understand. I think he's six four, so he's not short by any means, 207 00:15:07,759 --> 00:15:13,559 but has some extremely long wingspan, extremely strong point of attack defender. 208 00:15:13,919 --> 00:15:16,480 He also, again we were all us so we were fortunate to be in 209 00:15:16,559 --> 00:15:20,200 Vegas for Summer League. Got to watch this first Summer League game and saw 210 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:24,519 what he looks like, not only with the ball in his hands like we 211 00:15:24,559 --> 00:15:28,360 saw some in Kentucky there at the end of the season, but also the 212 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,759 shooting and when I think he was like what six of like eight from three. 213 00:15:31,919 --> 00:15:33,960 Again, it's just off the top of my head for that first again, 214 00:15:35,279 --> 00:15:37,200 and there's just a lot of things that we saw there in Vegas that 215 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:43,320 could translate with how he plays with these guys that we've talked so much about 216 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:46,480 with his Thunder team. It will take some time, though, and so 217 00:15:46,519 --> 00:15:50,320 that that will be very interesting to see how And that's a really big question 218 00:15:50,399 --> 00:15:54,519 kind of hanging over this Thunder team. How does Dagnalt balance and Prescy balance 219 00:15:54,960 --> 00:16:02,360 these young guys and their development verse the trajectory and improvements of Shay and Giddy 220 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:06,080 and Dort and the competitness of this team right Like, there's there's a fine 221 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:10,039 balance between both of those things. So it'll be really interesting to see how 222 00:16:10,159 --> 00:16:14,519 how Cayson kind of fits in that moving forward. And Dan something we've learned. 223 00:16:14,559 --> 00:16:18,399 You've seen this probably the last two seasons. Sam's a great talent evaluator, 224 00:16:18,559 --> 00:16:22,200 like no question. His draft history speaks for himself. When he wants 225 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,440 a guy, he doesn't care if you ever pay look Usman Jang. He 226 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:29,799 traded three picks four, you know, so Kason Wallace taking on the Burton's 227 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:34,679 contract. Technically it was for both Dub and correct Correct Gret. But when 228 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,200 he wants a guy, he says, I don't care if this is my 229 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:41,960 guy, I'm gonna go get him, and so sometimes we'll see time will 230 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:45,759 tell, but kind of gotta trust Sam that's some at some point, you 231 00:16:45,799 --> 00:16:48,360 know, he gets the benefit of the doubt. Which is why I wasn't 232 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:52,600 harsher when we did offseason grades, even though thunder fans weren't happy with ours, 233 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,360 And there was also the element of like they just had all this money 234 00:16:56,399 --> 00:17:00,200 that they needed to spend, Like what is taking on Davis Burton's them. 235 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,279 I just wasn't this totally steps those those what we talked about on your podcast. 236 00:17:03,279 --> 00:17:03,960 I just wasn't a fan of the Lodges, Like, well, now 237 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,079 they can move this trade for a player who's really going to help them, 238 00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:10,960 Like move this player for another players really gonna help them make you more money. 239 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,839 And I'm like, but you didn't want them to spend in free agency 240 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:15,160 or make a trade. Now, what's the difference if they do that in 241 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,759 December? Because you saw chet Homegren playing twenty three games, I guess that 242 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:22,480 that totally matters. So That's where I'm landing on it. I just if 243 00:17:22,519 --> 00:17:26,200 his shooting is as advertised and even the way he's gonna hustle defensively and what 244 00:17:26,319 --> 00:17:29,920 he can do off the ball, I see the vision. But it's like 245 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:33,799 Jacob, like, who is who's playing more in year one? Is it 246 00:17:33,839 --> 00:17:37,720 gonna be the twenty nine year old rookie in Mesich or Metch? How what's 247 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:42,319 his pronunciation? I thought I've heard both, Yeah, so I different. 248 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,279 I'm like, fuck, I've messed that one up. Is it the twenty 249 00:17:45,319 --> 00:17:48,319 nine year old rookie or is it this guy coming out of Kentucky who was 250 00:17:48,759 --> 00:17:52,480 a little bit of a mystery box, the full package, just because he's 251 00:17:52,519 --> 00:17:56,599 a Kentucky guard and we all know that they're underutilized there. It's such a 252 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:04,240 fun question because these are two totally different players. Like Mitchich is the maestro 253 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,960 with the ball in his hands, you know, throwing All these assists can 254 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,839 shoot the ball. But the question is the defense. We've seen European players 255 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:17,400 who are a little bit older come over to the league in the past and 256 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:23,319 the defense just cannot hold up. Cason is much younger, and I mean, 257 00:18:23,559 --> 00:18:30,359 the dude's a dog like he doesn't care, He'll he'll d up anybody, 258 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,279 like he just wants to get out there and fight and scrap. Sam 259 00:18:33,319 --> 00:18:37,240 Presty described him as a no agenda basketball player. He just wants to get 260 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:42,359 out there and hustle Jacob who is a football player that you'd sitting there with 261 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:48,400 Mark Dignal and the after the Interest Decorate press conference and Dig made a comparison 262 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:53,680 there. Yeah, a reporter asked Ignal, who's your comparison for Cason Wallace? 263 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:59,759 And without missing a beat, coach goes ed Reid say to the Ravens 264 00:18:59,759 --> 00:19:04,200 and I mean completely unexpected, like they're expecting a basketball player. And yeah, 265 00:19:06,319 --> 00:19:11,799 this is a really hot take. Kason Wallace is Jimmy Butler's mentality and 266 00:19:12,559 --> 00:19:17,119 on court like got that dog at him in a guard's body like that, 267 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:21,000 that is that is the way he plays. You're selling me if that's what 268 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:26,519 it's gonna look like back. So for the Thunder, like Mark Dagnal values 269 00:19:26,599 --> 00:19:29,240 defense. If you get out there and you cannot defend, you are not 270 00:19:29,319 --> 00:19:32,960 going to play. There was a whole thing two years ago with Trey Man 271 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:34,480 and Trey Man could go out there and he could shoot the piss out of 272 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:37,640 the ball, but he wouldn't defend. Mark would pull him. Always talked 273 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:41,519 about eating your broccoli before you eat your skittles. That became a big thing 274 00:19:41,519 --> 00:19:45,920 in like the Thunder Universe. Eat your broccoli before you eat your skittles. 275 00:19:47,799 --> 00:19:51,640 I mean, I think defensively, Cason can come in and play, but 276 00:19:51,759 --> 00:19:55,400 do you go with the guy that has way more experience, albeit not NBA 277 00:19:55,519 --> 00:20:00,519 experience, but who you know is going to be a steadying offensive or can 278 00:20:00,559 --> 00:20:04,160 get you into your sets, can hit an open shot. The question with 279 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,920 Mitchich is always going to be the defense, and so it's going to be 280 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:11,119 so interesting to see what he looks like throughout camp, throughout the preseason, 281 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:15,319 the early part of the year. If I had to bet, I would 282 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:19,960 say that Mitchich plays more minutes than Cayson Wallace this year would not surprise me 283 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:26,000 if Cayson plays ten fifteen games in the G League either. The Thunder love 284 00:20:26,079 --> 00:20:29,799 to utilize their G League program, which is housed in the same building, 285 00:20:30,039 --> 00:20:33,519 plays the games on the same floor that the Thunder playoff. And I know, 286 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:34,880 I guess it isn't a huge deal because of O Casey flexibility, but 287 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,680 you also you gave him the room exception. It's like, would he have 288 00:20:37,799 --> 00:20:41,200 come stateside? That's good money, but would he have come stateside without the 289 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:45,319 promise of actual minutes is just where I've kind of so I've always defaulted to 290 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:49,200 him, but it feels like Cason is clearly like the higher upside play just 291 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:53,480 because of not just his youth, but like the actual package that he could 292 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:59,119 theoretically bring in. We have not talked about, or I haven't asked about 293 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:03,599 chat Homegren, who, in case anyone didn't realize, did not play last 294 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:11,240 year. So let's start here, Jacob, what are the year one expectations 295 00:21:11,319 --> 00:21:15,599 for him? Looking at his role? Is it? Are they going to 296 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,359 try and bring him along a little bit more slowly even if he's starting is 297 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:21,519 it? Is he just going to be totally unleashed from the get go? 298 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:23,880 What are they going to look for him to do on offense? Defense? 299 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:27,279 Like? What should we expect to see from his year one role on this 300 00:21:27,279 --> 00:21:33,000 team? De facto year one role? Excuse me? Yeah, to make 301 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:37,279 another reference to a dog, because he's a dog. I think the chain's 302 00:21:37,279 --> 00:21:41,960 off. He's good to go. He's gonna go out there. He's gonna 303 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:45,680 be starting center night one. I think he's playing the five. That's the 304 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,759 plan is to play him at the five. He's a five. I the 305 00:21:48,839 --> 00:21:52,079 Summar League. Just so I had questions. I'm not gonna lie. I 306 00:21:52,079 --> 00:21:56,559 think a lot of people do He's he's the five and I As far as 307 00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:03,200 like offensive expectations, this team hasn't had a lop threat like ever. They 308 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,799 have had no one that can set a screen rolled at the basket and get 309 00:22:06,799 --> 00:22:10,839 above the rim to catch the pass. We've talked on our podcast there's a 310 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:15,119 free four assists a game between Shay and Josh giddy On just lobs to the 311 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:19,079 rim for check Homegroun. They've never had anybody like that before the pick and 312 00:22:19,079 --> 00:22:23,319 pop game. I think he's going to provide a lot. As far as 313 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:27,039 spacing is concern, he was in a boot almost all of last season. 314 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:30,880 All he could do was shoot the basketball, and so he practiced shooting. 315 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,880 He said at the end of last season his goal is to be a fifty 316 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:41,920 ninety guy. Like he's mad that he didn't refer to it as like a 317 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:49,400 two point three point percentage type thing rather than fifty and the defensively, I 318 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:55,640 mean we talked at the top of the show. They played ken Rich Williams 319 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:59,319 at the five, a six foot six guy. You're now about to put 320 00:22:59,759 --> 00:23:03,480 the one thing this team lacked last season was rim protection, and they made 321 00:23:03,519 --> 00:23:08,279 up for it with strong point of attack defense and with Jay Will drawing charges, 322 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:14,200 their rim defense was playing below the rim and drawing charges. Now you 323 00:23:14,279 --> 00:23:19,759 bring in arguably the best shot blocking rookie we've seen in what a decade. 324 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:27,240 I think he will completely revolutionize the way that this team plays basketball. Like 325 00:23:27,279 --> 00:23:30,880 I think it's going to look so much different than it looked last year. 326 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:34,799 He is insane and drop coverage, and I'm typically not a fan of drop 327 00:23:34,839 --> 00:23:38,079 coverage defense, but when he got a guy like Shay or lou Dort who 328 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:41,400 can just be a dog at the point of attack, you can let Chet 329 00:23:41,519 --> 00:23:47,839 drop and protect the rim. He is so good and not just like reading 330 00:23:47,839 --> 00:23:49,920 the play, but his placement, his rotation. You watch some of those 331 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:53,799 Summer League games, He's at the top of the key on the left hand 332 00:23:53,839 --> 00:23:56,559 side, and the next thing you know, he's two hand blocking Jake la 333 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:00,359 Ravia on the other side of the RIM's like sending the guy to the shadow 334 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:06,480 realm. It's everything will change when Chet homing takes the floor for the thunder, 335 00:24:06,839 --> 00:24:08,440 and I think it's gonna take a while for them to all adjust. 336 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:14,599 But the sky's the limit. I mean, if you told me he's gonna 337 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:18,920 play sixty five games next year in average twenty eight to thirty minutes a game. 338 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,839 I'm not surprised at all. Hey, that's double the amount of game 339 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:26,519 Zion will probably play it, so progress. There's also the element of like 340 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:30,000 him being in drop and just around the basket, like that helps your rebounding 341 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:33,319 where I think were they twenty eighth and defensive rebounding rate last year? So 342 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:34,880 let of help. But he's a skinny dude who will grab boards. And 343 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:37,839 the point that Jake was maybe he reminds me a little bit the ground that 344 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:42,799 he can cover effectively from the outside in anyway is like Anthony Davis ESQ. 345 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:48,720 Like what we saw on Anthony Davis against the Warriors. That's what I had 346 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:51,680 to think about it too hard, but like that's what it sort of reminded 347 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,559 me of. Jacob did mention though, that it might take a while for 348 00:24:55,599 --> 00:25:00,480 everyone to adjust Nick. Is there like any specific cern about his fit on 349 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,839 this team or adjustments that they're going to need to go through? Is it? 350 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:07,880 Well, how do Sga and Giddy work with him? Does one of 351 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,480 them develop a better connection with him than the other, does one of them 352 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,680 struggle to adapt? Like? What is just the biggest if there is a 353 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:15,799 concern about his fit with this team leading into the season. Yeah, I 354 00:25:15,839 --> 00:25:22,279 think a lot of people talk about Chet Homegrin's difficulty adjusting to the NBA, 355 00:25:22,319 --> 00:25:23,920 but the reality is that maybe the guys around him that have a more difficult 356 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:30,079 time adjusting to him. This could be too small a sample size, but 357 00:25:32,039 --> 00:25:37,160 Josh and Chet in Summer League last year so before the injury, was was 358 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:42,640 bonkers, like on off the court, best buds, you know, perfect 359 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:48,400 chemistry from day one, So I maybe foolish. I think they're gonna be 360 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,480 fine from day one. Him and Shay will be a work in progress, 361 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:56,039 and playing with any superstars tough, like it's it's just a different game. 362 00:25:56,480 --> 00:26:04,000 I do wonder how the Thunder approach him being near the rim versus on the 363 00:26:04,039 --> 00:26:08,079 perimeter. I think there's a lot of things Chet does really well in space, 364 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:12,039 but it takes him away from the rim. He covers ground great, 365 00:26:12,079 --> 00:26:15,400 he can go block shots on the weak side, but I think that could 366 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,720 be an adjustment that's tough for him specifically, is like putting himself in a 367 00:26:19,759 --> 00:26:26,359 spot to do the things he does well as often as possible. Because he's 368 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:29,400 so versatile, you can put him in spots that he will still be impactful, 369 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:33,000 but may inherently remove some of the value he brings because he's not in 370 00:26:33,039 --> 00:26:38,200 the spot that he's most impactful, if that makes sense. Yeah, is 371 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:41,160 there a chance even though we're all in agreeing with that he's a five tailors, 372 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:45,160 there a chance that we see like him and Jay will play minutes together, 373 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:47,640 like they'll play him with another I say, true, big, but 374 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:52,480 like there's Jay will and that's just that's it. Absolutely, Dare you disrespect 375 00:26:52,559 --> 00:27:00,200 alexey Pokashevski Dan? Yeah, but correct the thunder adjuts find these seven footers 376 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,359 who can ply all over the court, growing on trees, Him, Ushman, 377 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:07,319 Jang like they're just they're all over the place. Apparently, it is 378 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:11,000 a very fair point. Like I keep thinking about this, Dan, just 379 00:27:11,079 --> 00:27:18,279 a complete fun aside. Imagine a ridiculous what I'm calling the quote unquote long 380 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:25,599 boy lineup of Shay Giddy, Usman, Jang, Poku and Chet just too 381 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:27,960 much. Like that's like wingspan that can cover the circumference of the earth, 382 00:27:29,319 --> 00:27:33,960 right, Yeah, it'd be wild to your point. Yes, and again 383 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:37,279 I make that joke only because it just shows you the versatility of this team, 384 00:27:37,799 --> 00:27:40,920 and something that we've talked a lot about on our podcast, something that 385 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:45,240 you've talked about when you came on on our podcast here not very long ago, 386 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:49,680 is the versatility, right, A bunch of long, versatile, high 387 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:55,920 IQ basketball players who can just rip the ball off the rim and take it 388 00:27:56,039 --> 00:28:00,920 in transition. Like, yeah, you can see Chet playing the four. 389 00:28:00,799 --> 00:28:04,799 And I mean honestly, like there's not going to be a true four or 390 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:10,119 five like you see. You could see Chet with any combination of like we 391 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:14,720 talked about Kenrith Julian is playing the five last season, right, but yes, 392 00:28:14,799 --> 00:28:18,680 I think we will see him with like a true maybe a more traditional 393 00:28:18,759 --> 00:28:22,039 five like Joe'll think about yeah, right, yeah, And I don't even 394 00:28:22,039 --> 00:28:26,759 think about there's a two way player like Joel we'll see. I even think 395 00:28:26,799 --> 00:28:33,200 about there's a two way player that that's undersigned Olivier Saar who's been with the 396 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:37,720 team on two way and and ten day contracts here over the past year or 397 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:42,880 two at seven two like kind of true big. His younger brother actually is 398 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:48,960 a very prominent NBA draft prospect in this upcoming draft, which may or may 399 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:52,319 not have something to do with that. We'll see regardless, Like I do 400 00:28:52,440 --> 00:29:00,680 see Chet playing alongside somebody like an Olivia Saar or gosh, like you said, 401 00:29:00,799 --> 00:29:04,359 like a j Will But ultimately I see him playing that true five kind 402 00:29:04,359 --> 00:29:10,720 of like Jacob Loud to shake Guilder. Salvisator has become a problem for this 403 00:29:10,759 --> 00:29:14,519 podcast because you reach a certain level of awesome, you can't really ask any 404 00:29:14,559 --> 00:29:18,160 more questions. But these podcasts are designed for the people who don't follow the 405 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:19,960 Thunder, even though the most compliments we get are from people who will probably 406 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:25,359 follow the Thunder because we have you guys on is there a next runtier for 407 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:26,880 him? Is it just like Taylor? Is it like, oh, look, 408 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:32,640 he shot actual three pointers like on volume this year, Like what is 409 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:34,519 it like? What would the next runtier for Shay Gilders doesn't even look like 410 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:41,599 at this point, I mean honestly and again like very much admitting my homerism 411 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,880 here full disclaimer, but you see him in FIBA and Dane you talked about 412 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:51,240 that became on our podcast, Like it just it almost seems like he's continuing 413 00:29:51,279 --> 00:29:55,000 to take a leap after what he did last season when he finished top five 414 00:29:55,079 --> 00:29:57,720 in the MVP voting, was first team All NBA, and I think he 415 00:29:57,759 --> 00:30:02,519 will continue that like what we're seeing. We saw him more consistant three point 416 00:30:02,559 --> 00:30:07,480 shot. We saw more elite separation in terms of his step back shot, 417 00:30:07,599 --> 00:30:10,759 like it's step back from three, and he's going to continue to create. 418 00:30:10,799 --> 00:30:12,880 We talked about Chet coming here, you know, coming into this the starting 419 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:18,279 lineup and giving him more options there and even this thunder team surrounding him with 420 00:30:18,319 --> 00:30:22,599 more shooters, like there is a lot to be excited about with Shay and 421 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:27,880 again like you don't you don't want to overhype it per se, but like 422 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,519 I don't know, Dan, I think he might be able to take I 423 00:30:32,519 --> 00:30:36,000 don't want to say another similar leap to last season, but I think he 424 00:30:36,079 --> 00:30:40,079 will improve. And we'll be talking about Shay as an All Star and potentially 425 00:30:40,119 --> 00:30:42,400 Top three and be peeking at it like that's kind of maybe the best case 426 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:48,359 scenario. It's curious for me. It's the defense, like we've we've we 427 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:52,039 saw Shay take a huge leap defensively last year, but if you go back 428 00:30:52,039 --> 00:30:56,319 and watch, it was mostly like crunch time, fourth quarter, like when 429 00:30:56,359 --> 00:31:00,440 it mattered most, he showed he could defend, Like can we see that 430 00:31:00,759 --> 00:31:04,960 all game long? Can you carry that offensive load while also being that guy 431 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,359 on defense all it's exhausting. There's very few guys that can do it. 432 00:31:10,119 --> 00:31:11,920 But that to me is like the three point shots obvious. But if he 433 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:17,000 can be the high level defender, disruptor on that end, playmaker on that 434 00:31:17,119 --> 00:31:19,599 end all game long, I mean, good grief, what is the ceiling 435 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:22,839 at that point? So really quick, before Jacob goes dan, you actually 436 00:31:22,839 --> 00:31:26,640 mentioned the SNAr podcast earlier that we recorded before this, So I went ahead 437 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:30,680 and pull up these stats because I had a screenshot of it. That's what 438 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:34,119 he joked about after the fever on YouTube. Yeah, I'll go ahead and 439 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:38,039 hold it up for the people to see. Taylor does not suck around. 440 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:45,000 That's right. I got my stats and I am prepared. But in terms 441 00:31:45,039 --> 00:31:48,079 of defense, Shay was number one lous falls recovered, number two in deflections, 442 00:31:48,519 --> 00:31:52,160 number one amongst guards and contesting threes, number one amongst guards and blocks, 443 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:56,960 and number three amongst guards and steals. So he really did take a 444 00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:01,440 pretty significant leap defensively this past season. To nick point, Jacob, you 445 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:07,599 have anything to add on Shay, I think they covered it. Just every 446 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:13,359 time Shay takes a step away from organized basketball. He comes back better. 447 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:15,160 You know, he was the twelfth pick in the draft. He came in, 448 00:32:15,279 --> 00:32:21,000 he over achieved in his rookie year. I have a stats pulled up 449 00:32:21,039 --> 00:32:24,440 here when he just looked at points throughout his career ten point eight to nineteen 450 00:32:24,519 --> 00:32:30,480 point zero to twenty three point seven to twenty four point five to thirty one 451 00:32:30,559 --> 00:32:36,359 point four. We talked a lot about progress not linear. His is pretty 452 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:40,039 dag gum linear. Like it's every time he leaves he comes back with something 453 00:32:40,079 --> 00:32:43,599 new. A couple of years ago, it was the step back three and 454 00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:45,839 it didn't work. So you've mentioned what do you do? Last year, 455 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:47,920 he just purged it. He shot like two a game. I want to 456 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:52,160 be surprised to see those numbers go up. And I think Nick brings up 457 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:59,000 a good point about making the defensive impact more consistent across the game. The 458 00:32:59,039 --> 00:33:02,720 thing is, with all these young guys and all this promise on this team, 459 00:33:02,839 --> 00:33:07,240 he doesn't have to go out and gun on offense every single night. 460 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:12,079 Now he can defer a little bit more and save some of that energy and 461 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:15,160 be more of an impactful defender. I think we will see a better Shay 462 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:22,920 gilches Alexander this coming season, even if it's not just basic stats better, 463 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:28,400 I think I was so impressed with him defensive. You guys watched him more 464 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:30,200 than I did over the past few years obviously, So like, I'm just 465 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:32,880 he carries such a heavy load on offense, and I don't know why you 466 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:37,359 would want to necessarily take away from that load right now, even though you 467 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:39,559 have Jadub, you have Josh Getting, you have Jed Holgrin. But I 468 00:33:39,599 --> 00:33:45,519 could see something I didn't think about until Jacob just gave his answer, is 469 00:33:45,559 --> 00:33:49,200 like, if lou Dort kind of gets squeezed from this rotation because of the 470 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,200 way it's set up, and if he's like taken too many shots because it's 471 00:33:52,279 --> 00:33:57,599 very clear that he needs to take fewer shots at this point, then everyone 472 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:00,599 sort of gets leveled up a bit, and so you have j Dub, 473 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:05,000 but then like a lot more of a burden falls on SGA and Josh Giddy. 474 00:34:05,039 --> 00:34:07,920 But I do think, like when you look at someone like the matchups 475 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:13,440 Shay found himself in most frequently last season, like they weren't nobody dudes like 476 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:15,199 they were Got. They weren't stationary guys as well, say, they weren't 477 00:34:15,199 --> 00:34:19,119 primary ball handlers for the most part, but they weren't stationary, and he 478 00:34:19,159 --> 00:34:22,199 was just there weren't as many lapses. It felt like he was doing really 479 00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:24,039 well on the gaps. I was just so floored. It comes back to 480 00:34:24,119 --> 00:34:28,480 I think it's a cliche. It's just the shooting, Like, dude, 481 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:31,440 fire up more threes because he he's hit enough big moment step backs where it's 482 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:35,480 like, hey, if you shoot thirty three percent thirty one percent on those, 483 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:37,960 there's value in the volume. But I will ask you collectively this, 484 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:44,199 do you guys know what he shot on step back threes last year off the 485 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:46,840 top of my head. Now, I know two seasons ago it was very 486 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:50,559 poor. I don't know what it was last year, though I knew it 487 00:34:50,599 --> 00:34:52,800 off the top of my head only because I belabored it to no end and 488 00:34:52,840 --> 00:35:00,559 a few things. I wrote thirty seven point two percent last year, So 489 00:35:00,679 --> 00:35:06,039 thirty seven is step back, step back, step back threes, by the 490 00:35:06,079 --> 00:35:09,880 way, not just like filtering out step back two is there? So Shay, 491 00:35:10,159 --> 00:35:14,360 if you're listening, you obviously are like just fucking take them, Like 492 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:19,639 come on, like, just just take them. Uh. Nick I was 493 00:35:19,719 --> 00:35:22,440 labeled to Josh Giddy Hayter, and I think deservedly, so I was just 494 00:35:22,519 --> 00:35:25,280 solo on him. I wanted your podcast last year talked about Hello, I 495 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:30,639 was on him. I said it many times on my podcast. He proved 496 00:35:30,639 --> 00:35:35,639 me wrong, like eighty times over to start. What was the biggest development 497 00:35:35,719 --> 00:35:37,480 for him last season or the thing that he did better or added to his 498 00:35:37,519 --> 00:35:43,239 game that was most impressive to you? I think probably a cop out answer, 499 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:46,920 but I think just the the ability to process the game and no moment 500 00:35:47,039 --> 00:35:52,239 being too big, Like his best game of the season arguably was in the 501 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:58,360 plan. I agree where a lot of guys at I mean, was he 502 00:35:58,679 --> 00:36:00,920 was he even yet? Was he nineteen? Was he twenty at that time? 503 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:07,199 Could he make him the new like Perma nineteen year old like Jayson Tatum 504 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:09,000 is because I had no idea he was that young until we did. You 505 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:15,039 your podcast and you guys like, yeah, it's it's nuts. But the 506 00:36:15,079 --> 00:36:19,920 way he processed, Like if you if you didn't really watch the NBA and 507 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:22,320 you just went and watched a Thunder game and you watch Josh Giddy, the 508 00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:27,119 way he leads the offense and reads the game and processes of the game and 509 00:36:27,159 --> 00:36:29,719 makes the right moves, you think the dude's been in the league for ten 510 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:31,920 years, and while we saw flashes of that as a rookie, there was 511 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:37,679 a lot of bad rooky mistakes as well. There's still room to improve. 512 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:43,960 But like at that age, the way the team performed a lot of it's 513 00:36:44,039 --> 00:36:47,360 not what you did well, it's what you didn't do wrong. Like if 514 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:50,480 you turn the ball over a lot as a team, you're you're kind of 515 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:53,119 screw. Didn't matter who's on your roster. Tiger playing his ability to like 516 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:59,000 play smart and have the ball in his hands a lot, I mean heat 517 00:36:59,039 --> 00:37:00,360 two point eight turnovers game last year for how much he had the ball in 518 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:05,440 his hands at his age, super impressive. So that was what stuck out 519 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:08,840 to me most. There's obviously the three point shooting was improved, started drawing 520 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:13,280 fouls a bit more, a little bit better defensively, Like there's a lot 521 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:16,599 of things to love about what he did, but the processing just bonkers, 522 00:37:16,599 --> 00:37:22,119 Like it's it's next level. The same question to you and Jacob Taylor. 523 00:37:22,679 --> 00:37:25,519 Jacob and Taylor, excuse me, I like anything was it? The shooting? 524 00:37:25,639 --> 00:37:30,199 Was it? The processing was even just shout like fifty percent of voters 525 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:31,880 last year I think too, is like that part of his game was was 526 00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:35,920 really polished. Anything else, Like just what stood out the most to you 527 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:40,880 will go Jacob, I think, I mean Nick hit the nail on the 528 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:45,800 head. I think another piece that goes into that it is just the toughness. 529 00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:49,760 I think as a rookie, a lot of guys kind of get pushed 530 00:37:49,800 --> 00:37:52,639 around, unless you like Steven Adams, who came in the league and took 531 00:37:52,639 --> 00:37:58,639 a sucker punch from Zach Randolph and kept jogging down the court. I Josh 532 00:37:58,679 --> 00:38:01,719 took a big leap as far as just his physicality. That's something that this 533 00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:07,480 team harped on a lot at their end of season interviews two years ago after 534 00:38:07,559 --> 00:38:13,760 Josh's rookie season, and you just saw a lot more of that from him. 535 00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:19,880 Sam Presty noted specifically, like this in traffic rebound that Josh got at 536 00:38:19,880 --> 00:38:22,800 the end of a Chicago Bulls game in Oklahoma City that kind of sealed the 537 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:27,639 win for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and how he didn't care if he was 538 00:38:27,679 --> 00:38:30,559 the point guard or he just went in there. He bullied some guys out 539 00:38:30,599 --> 00:38:32,599 of the way, he grabbed a rebound and sealed the game off. And 540 00:38:32,639 --> 00:38:37,119 just I think my favorite two of my favorite players from Josh Giddy last year. 541 00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:43,880 One was in that playing game when I'm gonna forget the guy's name. 542 00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:46,760 He played at Edmund Santa Fe. He's a wing for Josh Richardson. Josh 543 00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:52,599 Richardson took a shot and got and got giddy in the you know the backstory 544 00:38:52,639 --> 00:38:57,000 of Josh Richardson without knowing, I didn't know anything you said until you just 545 00:38:57,039 --> 00:39:00,079 said the said, not a lot of NBA guys come out of Oklahoma City, 546 00:39:00,159 --> 00:39:05,719 Dan. So we get him, we remember him, except when we're 547 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:08,880 on the hard Work Knocks podcast and I forget his name. Josh Richinston took 548 00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:13,840 a shot and like hit Giddy and the nuts and Getty got up like ready 549 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:15,920 to swing and was like screaming at him, and you could very clearly see 550 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:22,039 on the broadcast he was like pointing at Richardson saying, don't do that shit 551 00:39:22,159 --> 00:39:25,039 again. So that was moment number one. Moment number two was a game 552 00:39:25,159 --> 00:39:34,719 in Brooklyn when he back down. Who do you guys remember who it was? 553 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:37,800 It? Yeah, I think it was Claxton. He backed down Nick 554 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:39,920 Claxton turned around, hit a layup over his head. I mean he was 555 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:45,800 being physical and then did the two small gesture and pointed out him did the 556 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:51,360 two small gesture on the way back down the court and Josh Giddy he can 557 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:54,719 get a little hot and you love to see it from a twenty year old. 558 00:39:55,159 --> 00:39:59,039 I think he just took such a leap with his physicality and just playing 559 00:39:59,079 --> 00:40:04,199 tough. If he comes in this season at like two twenty pounds two hundred 560 00:40:04,239 --> 00:40:07,920 twenty six nine two twenty five point guard, like, what do you do 561 00:40:07,039 --> 00:40:09,840 with that? Yeah, the shots not great. I think it will continue 562 00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:14,880 to grow because he's twenty. But to me that one of the biggest steps 563 00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:17,159 for him was just learning the physicality of the game and embracing it. A 564 00:40:17,159 --> 00:40:21,199 lot of guys will shy away from that. I think the thunder of building 565 00:40:21,199 --> 00:40:23,480 a team just again full of dogs who just want to get after it, 566 00:40:23,559 --> 00:40:27,920 want to get physical, want to rough the game up, and I want 567 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:30,079 to be surprised to start kind of seeing that as their identity moving forward, 568 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:36,400 Taylor, what should we be watching most closely for from Josh Giddy and year 569 00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:38,639 three, Whether it's something to perfect add to his game or just a concern 570 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:43,920 or anything. Well, I think the low hanging threw here is the three 571 00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:46,719 point shooting, right, We saw that improve. But that is going to 572 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:52,079 be huge because we've talked so much about this, Dan already being here on 573 00:40:52,119 --> 00:40:54,599 your podcast, but we've talked a lot about it when you were on our 574 00:40:54,639 --> 00:41:00,920 podcast as well. When you're playing alongside players like Shay Guilds, Alexander and 575 00:41:02,519 --> 00:41:07,039 Jaylen Williams at a Kaju Santa Clara, Jaylen Williams, and you have all 576 00:41:07,039 --> 00:41:10,559 the a Mitchete even like you have all these different ball handlers, you have 577 00:41:10,599 --> 00:41:15,280 this identity that the Presti and the th Nerd building towards where you have so 578 00:41:15,320 --> 00:41:19,159 many different guys who can do play make at a high level, but you're 579 00:41:19,199 --> 00:41:22,960 going to need some spot up shooting. I believe Giddy was much better at 580 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:25,960 that last season. Thirty four point cent at thirty four percent is off the 581 00:41:25,960 --> 00:41:30,159 top of my head, and that is an improvement, especially like you mentioned 582 00:41:30,199 --> 00:41:32,960 earlier, Dan, like when you have somebody like Chip England coming in from 583 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:37,960 the San Antonio Spurs, like that is huge. And he spent a lot 584 00:41:37,039 --> 00:41:42,000 of time with Josh Giddy this last year, and that that's not just like 585 00:41:42,079 --> 00:41:45,880 hearsay like every picture in practice, like he was right there with Josh Giddy, 586 00:41:45,920 --> 00:41:51,119 and they're obviously honing in on that because they want shay And and Josh 587 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:54,960 be able to play alongside one another and being incredibly efficient. But I think 588 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:59,599 that three point shooting, that spot up shooting, even off the dribble that 589 00:41:59,719 --> 00:42:01,840 they're point shooting, is going to be very important for this team moving forward. 590 00:42:02,320 --> 00:42:05,519 I'll throw in one. I alluded to it a second ago. He 591 00:42:05,559 --> 00:42:09,639 got better, a long way to go. Most guys that break out from 592 00:42:09,639 --> 00:42:16,880 like this young rising star to an actual star, they rapidly increase their point 593 00:42:16,880 --> 00:42:21,760 production from the free throw line, like that's where they generate the point he 594 00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:23,679 was off from shape. Okay, Josh Giddy's free through rate was like thirteen 595 00:42:23,719 --> 00:42:28,280 percent last year, the worst on the team. And he gets to the 596 00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:34,880 rim a lot a guy's position, consider his frequency as a driver and as 597 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:38,599 a rim shooter, and that free throw rate is just like if he can 598 00:42:38,639 --> 00:42:40,679 fig and he talked about at the end of the season, it really is 599 00:42:40,719 --> 00:42:43,679 something you have to learn, like in the league, you gotta learn how 600 00:42:43,679 --> 00:42:46,079 to draw fouls. When he gets that and he's taking five, six, 601 00:42:46,119 --> 00:42:49,880 seven free throws a game, tack on an extra five points. Now we're 602 00:42:49,880 --> 00:42:52,400 talking about a guy, it's averaging twenty two you know, nine and seven 603 00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:55,480 next you know what I mean. It's it's that that is the next thing 604 00:42:55,519 --> 00:43:00,079 for Josh Giddy tea. And we talked so much about this on our The 605 00:43:00,119 --> 00:43:02,360 Uncontested podcast when we were talking about Shay and that next step he needed to 606 00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:06,280 make here, I mean not quite a year ago, more like two years 607 00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:08,880 ago. We talked a little bit about some last off season as well. 608 00:43:09,199 --> 00:43:14,519 We saw Shay do that well in FIFA again, I mean FIVA again, 609 00:43:14,639 --> 00:43:17,400 Like, this is very if FIFA. I've been watching my My Chelsea Blues 610 00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:22,800 a little too much recently and FIBA, like we saw that. I believe 611 00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:28,320 he averaged like around and guys correct me. Was it nine pre throw attempts 612 00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:32,159 per game? Something around there? Like if that can translate into the regular 613 00:43:32,199 --> 00:43:38,519 season, that's very exciting. Is it too national podcast? Or who doesn't 614 00:43:38,559 --> 00:43:43,920 watch any games of me Jacob to be curious about, Like what do the 615 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:47,280 no SGA minutes look like with Giddy this year? Because I think when you 616 00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:51,400 dig into the numbers, they were not good last year. I think they 617 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:55,639 were were I have a huge ten percentile in offense, they weren't hitting threes 618 00:43:55,679 --> 00:43:59,239 in a high clip, And I'm just wondering how much does that have anything 619 00:43:59,239 --> 00:44:01,199 to do with Giddy's limitations or is it more about, well, how much 620 00:44:01,199 --> 00:44:04,400 shooting was in those lineup, because if you're gonna dig into those, there 621 00:44:04,400 --> 00:44:07,559 are a lot of like, Okay, well he's with both Jail and williams 622 00:44:07,679 --> 00:44:09,280 Is and maybe they're throwing Isaiah Joe out there, but there's at least one 623 00:44:09,320 --> 00:44:14,280 other shooting liability. So there could be times you're playing with Giddy and then 624 00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:19,599 three shooting liabilities are three sub average shooters. Was it more about that than 625 00:44:20,119 --> 00:44:23,519 any limitations of Giddy's game? I think the answers somewhere in the middle, 626 00:44:24,000 --> 00:44:30,800 right, it's in the gray area. He's got to take the next step 627 00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:36,039 as being like a self creator and not just a creator for others. I 628 00:44:36,079 --> 00:44:38,360 think also just some of those statistics, just Shay was so damn good at 629 00:44:38,360 --> 00:44:43,360 any time he was off the court, things went downhill pretty quickly. But 630 00:44:44,800 --> 00:44:46,440 yeah, I think you could put some of that at the feet of Josh. 631 00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:51,880 But I think this year there's going to be so many other tools around 632 00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:54,480 him. When Shay is off the floor, you put Mitchette out there with 633 00:44:54,559 --> 00:44:59,719 him. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a lot of no Shay 634 00:44:59,719 --> 00:45:04,119 but Josh Giddy and home grin lineups, because those two have already proven they 635 00:45:04,119 --> 00:45:08,920 have great chemistry. I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of Josh Giddy 636 00:45:09,079 --> 00:45:15,440 and Jay Dub together whenever she's off the floor, just to try to maximize 637 00:45:15,519 --> 00:45:20,239 what Josh is good at, which is get inside and then find open guys 638 00:45:20,519 --> 00:45:24,480 as shooters, but even more importantly as cutters. This team the death of 639 00:45:24,480 --> 00:45:28,840 a thousand paper cuts. They'll just cut to death and get shots at the 640 00:45:28,920 --> 00:45:35,000 rim. So I want to be surprised to see a little more intentionality around 641 00:45:35,039 --> 00:45:38,400 him whenever Shay is off the floor. But I do think it's a combination 642 00:45:38,440 --> 00:45:43,239 of some of it's Josh and he's a second year guy who slumped at the 643 00:45:43,239 --> 00:45:47,000 beginning of the season started to rise at the end, and you know some 644 00:45:47,079 --> 00:45:51,440 of the pieces that they had around him. I think both of those things 645 00:45:51,480 --> 00:45:54,159 are totally fair. Yeah, I think it's different when you're not only not 646 00:45:54,199 --> 00:45:59,119 worried about covering him like on threes, but you're not covering like two other 647 00:45:59,119 --> 00:46:01,920 players you don't care exactly, like clogged the lane and make the game nasty 648 00:46:04,280 --> 00:46:07,880 nick keeping with the what we just saw versus what should we be watching? 649 00:46:07,920 --> 00:46:13,519 Moving forward onto Jalen Williams. What most impressed you or surprised you about Jalen 650 00:46:13,559 --> 00:46:17,639 Williams' rookie seat Ja Dubbs rookie season. Sorry, a lot of things. 651 00:46:19,639 --> 00:46:22,559 I'll admit I was not the highest on him coming into the draft, Like 652 00:46:22,639 --> 00:46:27,800 he started to get that really late buzz during the pre DAFT process and people 653 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:30,880 were talking about him as a late first mid first round guy. He went 654 00:46:30,880 --> 00:46:32,159 in the lottery, I was like, holy cow, Like that is that 655 00:46:32,199 --> 00:46:39,159 feels like a reach. I think the improved three point shooting surprised me a 656 00:46:39,199 --> 00:46:43,519 lot. Like he came out and was really bad from three early on, 657 00:46:43,559 --> 00:46:49,639 and I think he finished the season thirty six thirty seven percent from three early 658 00:46:49,679 --> 00:46:53,239 in the years, like in the twenties for a long long time. The 659 00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:57,320 defense didn't surprise me. There's a lot of people. I got crucified on 660 00:46:57,360 --> 00:47:00,639 Twitter early in the season for saying Jalen williams defense is underrated. Don't be 661 00:47:00,639 --> 00:47:05,360 shocked when he makes a huge impact, and you know, people look at 662 00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:07,079 the numbers he's so bad on defense, and like dude, he's played four 663 00:47:07,119 --> 00:47:12,079 games, Like, give him a chance. Look at the numbers on defense 664 00:47:12,159 --> 00:47:16,280 is just so such a fucking true metrics. They can be used team stats, 665 00:47:16,559 --> 00:47:22,599 imperfect. Right. Also, the dude had a crater and like not 666 00:47:22,679 --> 00:47:27,119 a crater in his face, but he like broke his eyeball game one for 667 00:47:27,280 --> 00:47:31,440 game one, he said on a recent podcast that like he still has to 668 00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:36,679 take eye drops and sleep sitting up. Yeah, said he couldn't see. 669 00:47:36,719 --> 00:47:39,679 He couldn't see peripheral peripherally. It's a really hard word out of the eye 670 00:47:39,719 --> 00:47:45,719 that got hit until like Christmas time he got hit in October. Yeah, 671 00:47:46,320 --> 00:47:50,039 I wish you would have played with an eye patch. Person basically dubbed it 672 00:47:50,119 --> 00:47:53,039 all that on one eyeball. Imagine what he's gonna do with two eyeballs having 673 00:47:53,119 --> 00:47:57,920 peripheral vision. Yeah, he said he shot out two rams for like two 674 00:47:57,960 --> 00:48:00,800 mouths. Sorry, Dick, I can believe that. I'll conclude with this 675 00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:05,000 the thing that shocked me most, which I don't know if it's sustainable. 676 00:48:05,280 --> 00:48:08,239 Dan, you may have an opinion on this. His at the rim efficiency 677 00:48:08,880 --> 00:48:15,119 was not just like rookie good, but like top of the league good. 678 00:48:15,679 --> 00:48:20,320 I'd love for that to continue, that's gotta drap that. That feels like 679 00:48:20,320 --> 00:48:24,320 a regression to the mean pretty hard this year. So I mean, sure 680 00:48:24,360 --> 00:48:28,760 you're not, like I think you're not gonna shoot seventy percent at the rim 681 00:48:28,920 --> 00:48:31,280 all the time. I would guess anyway, unless you're a big However, 682 00:48:32,159 --> 00:48:36,360 now you're putting him in a better spacing environment and he was just in an 683 00:48:36,400 --> 00:48:37,599 imperfect one, and like, if he can do a little bit more, 684 00:48:38,199 --> 00:48:42,280 if there's like a little bit more laterality to his game. Maybe this I 685 00:48:42,320 --> 00:48:44,880 didn't know about the peripheral vision thing, Like maybe that's why I felt like 686 00:48:44,920 --> 00:48:47,320 there wasn't a lot of on ball laterality to his give like the east westness. 687 00:48:47,559 --> 00:48:51,599 He's gonna add that. Why wouldn't, Like, now you've chet home 688 00:48:51,599 --> 00:48:52,760 grin, if he's in line up with meat hits, and maybe Josh Giddy 689 00:48:52,800 --> 00:48:58,760 makes another shooting slump, Like if he's in a lineup consistently with three shooters 690 00:48:58,760 --> 00:49:00,800 like around him, who might be considered a shooter at this point himself? 691 00:49:01,480 --> 00:49:07,280 I wouldn't rule it out. Uh. Jacob liked to make emotion to a 692 00:49:07,519 --> 00:49:13,320 kick out Nick from the uncontested in that Dan it would be a lockside of 693 00:49:13,360 --> 00:49:17,960 trade that's trading Jannis Frisia, Joe and Dan's favor. That's that's not true. 694 00:49:19,000 --> 00:49:22,719 We need we need Nick for the balance that yeah you got you have 695 00:49:22,079 --> 00:49:25,599 contested one of my very best friends. I like to get him a hard 696 00:49:25,639 --> 00:49:29,119 time as he does to me. Yeah, I give. I do the 697 00:49:29,159 --> 00:49:32,519 same thing to my co host who picked Jalen Williams to win Rookie of the 698 00:49:32,599 --> 00:49:39,079 Year. And I did not know that any opinion related to the Orlando Magic 699 00:49:39,079 --> 00:49:46,079 could go that viral, and like fans like we've their book Ahead podcasts actually 700 00:49:46,119 --> 00:49:52,119 are one of our better performing look Ahead podcasts. The stuff that was on 701 00:49:52,159 --> 00:49:54,440 Twitter because I just I thought he made a compelling argument for j dub So 702 00:49:54,480 --> 00:50:00,360 I put on Twitter mistake one and it just got picked up. But and 703 00:50:00,400 --> 00:50:05,800 there was like people from like big websites just claiming he doesn't watch games, 704 00:50:05,800 --> 00:50:08,880 and it's like, bro, you cover another sport. Mister, who's that 705 00:50:08,920 --> 00:50:10,760 guy at the ringer. He's really funny, he does a great job, 706 00:50:10,840 --> 00:50:15,880 Kevin, he's a Magic fans anyway. No, he's not a thrower anymore. 707 00:50:15,039 --> 00:50:21,639 Oh shoot, he doesn't deserve as he seems like a great guy. 708 00:50:22,039 --> 00:50:24,800 He was really fucking shitty on that day with Grant, but like it went, 709 00:50:24,880 --> 00:50:29,639 Magic fans were rabid, and I thought Grant was wrong. I p 710 00:50:29,760 --> 00:50:32,320 I pen Palo Bank Carrow. I thought his role was just more complex, 711 00:50:32,719 --> 00:50:36,639 like he's a Santa Clara along. So if you need someone who's high on 712 00:50:37,119 --> 00:50:40,760 Jay Dubb, okay, there's a little bit of maybe, but I love 713 00:50:40,840 --> 00:50:45,360 him already. I mean, Brandon Pagemski is gonna have some propaganda on your 714 00:50:45,400 --> 00:50:47,599 pod this year? Then yeah, I mean and look this, the amount 715 00:50:47,639 --> 00:50:52,480 of times we have like Steve Nash references on this podcast when we're never ever 716 00:50:52,639 --> 00:50:55,519 talking about Steve Nash AND's he got fired from the Brooklyn Nets is just it's 717 00:50:55,519 --> 00:51:00,760 impressive. Honestly, that's the name. I just went, he's a producer 718 00:51:00,920 --> 00:51:04,280 for was that Surui reached out? Oh it wasn't. And I can't even 719 00:51:04,280 --> 00:51:06,480 look him upcause I'm followed him when I saw, like, how rude, 720 00:51:06,519 --> 00:51:09,920 you're good And maybe it's not even Kevin not I'm thinking about it, but 721 00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:15,480 he hoists the NFL show. There's like craze right now, it's not even 722 00:51:15,519 --> 00:51:22,599 probably Kevin. Yeah, look what koc He's good, but the other Kevin's 723 00:51:23,719 --> 00:51:29,880 so Jacob, what should we be watching foremost with Jalen Williams entering year two, 724 00:51:30,840 --> 00:51:36,320 what should we not be watching? Like you're hoping he like adds or 725 00:51:36,440 --> 00:51:38,599 is it let's see what he looks like in the offensive pecking order. Now 726 00:51:38,679 --> 00:51:43,440 that is there, I think he's still gonna be high in the pecking order. 727 00:51:43,559 --> 00:51:46,760 I would say probably the three point shooting. Nick mentioned it. He's 728 00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:52,480 shot thirty five point six percent on two point seven attempts last year. To 729 00:51:52,599 --> 00:51:55,719 see that go up a little bit, He's got some juice from outside. 730 00:51:55,760 --> 00:52:00,320 He's got a step back game. He's I mean he played point guard his 731 00:52:00,840 --> 00:52:06,039 whole life until he got to Oklahoma City. I would probably say the three 732 00:52:06,079 --> 00:52:09,039 point shooting and the defense are like the two things where if he makes jumps 733 00:52:09,079 --> 00:52:15,119 there, it just it gets to silly time really quick. He's built like 734 00:52:15,239 --> 00:52:21,320 a freaking brick house. He's six six. When you look at Instagram pictures, 735 00:52:21,360 --> 00:52:23,320 like he's getting drug tested as soon as he gets to campus. I 736 00:52:23,360 --> 00:52:28,000 mean he got jed. Literally, he made a joke about that. Yeah, 737 00:52:28,119 --> 00:52:30,559 he's six six with a seven three wingspan. I mean he just has 738 00:52:31,400 --> 00:52:35,199 all the physical tools you guys are talking about. Is at the rim finishing 739 00:52:36,039 --> 00:52:39,599 a lot of that is just his footwork and his positioning and his physicality, 740 00:52:39,719 --> 00:52:44,880 Like he just bullies guys out of the way. He's such a great cutter. 741 00:52:45,079 --> 00:52:51,239 He gets so many players just off bat cuts. Really cerebral player that 742 00:52:52,760 --> 00:52:54,639 now that he's gonna start the season being able to use both eyes, I 743 00:52:54,679 --> 00:53:02,320 mean the Skuy's. You know, I am very, very very high on 744 00:53:02,519 --> 00:53:09,320 Jadub. He and he's the one guy on this team that to me at 745 00:53:09,360 --> 00:53:15,599 least really fits like this is what a really good NBA player looks like. 746 00:53:15,199 --> 00:53:21,519 Like Josh is so unique and chet people look at I can't tell you how 747 00:53:21,559 --> 00:53:25,199 many like very casual NBA fans like no, I run an NBA podcast and 748 00:53:25,320 --> 00:53:29,000 say, well, there's no way Jet Holmgren is going to be able to 749 00:53:29,039 --> 00:53:30,400 play in the NBA. Someone's gonna back him down to the rim. And 750 00:53:30,440 --> 00:53:32,440 I'm like, all right, bro, it's not nineteen eighty five, like 751 00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:38,440 the game has changed, but there's they're so specific and so unique in what 752 00:53:38,519 --> 00:53:43,920 they do and j Dub Like, to me, JDub looks so much like 753 00:53:43,960 --> 00:53:47,000 a Jimmy Butler, and like a Jalen Brown, and like a Paul George 754 00:53:47,440 --> 00:53:52,760 and like a Kawhilon he just he has that type of size and build and 755 00:53:53,519 --> 00:54:00,079 style of play that he's the one that is like most rep applicable. I 756 00:54:00,119 --> 00:54:06,360 don't know if that's a word to like just kind of copy paste your traditional 757 00:54:06,559 --> 00:54:09,760 NBA superstar. Well he get there, I don't know, but he's he's 758 00:54:09,800 --> 00:54:14,519 the one that fits the mold the easiest. And I just think that the 759 00:54:14,639 --> 00:54:21,199 combination of the physical tools, the basketball like you, the unselfishness, I 760 00:54:21,440 --> 00:54:24,280 think it's really gonna pop this year. And we've talked a lot about this, 761 00:54:24,880 --> 00:54:28,199 Sorry, Dan, and I want you, I want your opinion on 762 00:54:28,280 --> 00:54:31,519 this, because we've talked a lot about for example, here a year ago, 763 00:54:31,559 --> 00:54:35,119 we were talking about two years ago, we're talking about say, getting 764 00:54:35,119 --> 00:54:37,280 to the free thro the line. It's kind of his next step into EMBA 765 00:54:37,400 --> 00:54:39,800 stardom. We just talked about Josh Giddy getting to the freeth the line more 766 00:54:40,000 --> 00:54:45,360 being more physical. And I understand you need spacing on a basketball team in 767 00:54:45,639 --> 00:54:51,400 this day and age, but therap disagree. But fair point, but this 768 00:54:51,559 --> 00:54:55,760 their Sorry. This last season, Jadab average five point two free throw attempts 769 00:54:55,760 --> 00:55:01,239 point at the free throw attempts per game on seventies seven percent from the free 770 00:55:01,239 --> 00:55:06,400 throw line, and when you saw him at size, like, I'd love 771 00:55:06,440 --> 00:55:08,599 to see him get to the free throw line more that those are just I 772 00:55:08,639 --> 00:55:13,800 mean, do you need facing if all your guys can get to the free 773 00:55:13,840 --> 00:55:17,320 throw line at such a high rate and make him at such a higher I 774 00:55:17,360 --> 00:55:21,559 don't know, it's it's a fascinating thing to think about. He does have 775 00:55:21,679 --> 00:55:23,599 the type of build though, where it feels like he won't get the benefit 776 00:55:24,079 --> 00:55:28,079 on a lot of plays near the basket, like that whistle, just because 777 00:55:28,079 --> 00:55:30,840 he's so strong that dudes al either bounce off of him where it's like it's 778 00:55:30,840 --> 00:55:34,440 like the Zion effect kind of where it looks like he's getting just womped and 779 00:55:34,519 --> 00:55:37,320 it's just oh no, Like he's huge, so especially some of the players 780 00:55:37,320 --> 00:55:38,760 that are gonna be defending him, it might be smaller, but yeah, 781 00:55:38,800 --> 00:55:40,920 there's that, and I would like I mean, Jacob mentioned that he has 782 00:55:40,920 --> 00:55:44,239 a little bit of a step back. I would like to see more of 783 00:55:44,320 --> 00:55:47,719 just sort of the squishiness to his on ball game where it's like, is 784 00:55:47,760 --> 00:55:51,559 there the pull up he didn't really bust out. I think I only feel 785 00:55:51,599 --> 00:55:53,920 like one step back at tempt from him that I'm remembering in games that I 786 00:55:54,079 --> 00:55:57,079 watched, so I'd like to see if he could add that. I don't 787 00:55:57,079 --> 00:56:02,239 know if it's necessary, but speaking of infinitely scalable future NBA superstars, us 788 00:56:02,320 --> 00:56:07,000 Monjang is nine feet tall, as we mentioned on your podcast, and if 789 00:56:07,039 --> 00:56:10,519 anyone wants to outline the picture that's apparently flowed around out there, feel free. 790 00:56:15,119 --> 00:56:19,719 Oh I can't wait to look then he I actually think he's a pretty 791 00:56:19,760 --> 00:56:22,480 cerebral player on offense when you look at the passing feel anyway, I think 792 00:56:22,519 --> 00:56:25,920 he's you guys have mentioned he's a little slow based defensively, I think around 793 00:56:25,920 --> 00:56:29,800 the basket, he's really fantastic. Now he's just bigger, so I just 794 00:56:29,840 --> 00:56:31,199 like I can only imagine what that'll look like. So he needs to get 795 00:56:31,280 --> 00:56:37,159 quicker. When I'm struggling with here, I'll throw this to Jacob. What 796 00:56:37,360 --> 00:56:39,920 is his role on this team? Because he doesn't feel to use your phrase 797 00:56:40,199 --> 00:56:44,000 copy and paste on offense at all. I just don't know what he is 798 00:56:44,480 --> 00:56:46,559 without the ball, and there are so many different mouths to feed on the 799 00:56:46,639 --> 00:56:51,079 ball now, there are so many different skill sets. That is he in 800 00:56:51,239 --> 00:56:54,679 danger of not playing a prominent role or can we expect him assuming he stays 801 00:56:54,719 --> 00:57:00,480 healthy that he is going to be like sixth or seventh in this rotation. 802 00:57:00,960 --> 00:57:05,480 It's a great question, just because we didn't see much of him at all 803 00:57:05,639 --> 00:57:09,440 last year, and when we did, he was showing some really good flashes 804 00:57:09,519 --> 00:57:14,280 before the wrist injury. There was a game done in Atlanta where he came 805 00:57:14,320 --> 00:57:16,840 in and had like nine or ten points and like two or three assists, 806 00:57:17,639 --> 00:57:24,719 and it's just like wow, like here's ouse and he looks awesome. Summer 807 00:57:24,760 --> 00:57:29,559 League started a little rocky for him. One thing that really stuck out to 808 00:57:29,639 --> 00:57:31,159 me, and this is kind of back to the on ball stuff that you 809 00:57:31,239 --> 00:57:37,400 mentioned, Dan, there was a game in Summer League against the Indiana Pacers. 810 00:57:38,639 --> 00:57:44,239 The Thunder had like four guards and zero of them knew how to get 811 00:57:44,280 --> 00:57:46,199 the ball at the chet homegrin on a post up, on a roll, 812 00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:51,679 to the rim, on a cut anything. Then they put the ball in 813 00:57:51,840 --> 00:57:57,639 Usmanjang's hand and he immediately got like four assists to chet, just like feeding 814 00:57:57,679 --> 00:58:00,159 it over the top of the pick and roll and over the help defense. 815 00:58:01,400 --> 00:58:07,800 You know, throwing these these wraparound passes. The Thunder are very very clearly 816 00:58:07,960 --> 00:58:16,119 building a team of players who can pass dribble and are working on the shooting. 817 00:58:16,960 --> 00:58:22,519 They want guys that have a high level of IQ and as Sam Presty 818 00:58:22,719 --> 00:58:30,239 has described it, play with more rhythm less pattern. I feel like Usmanjang 819 00:58:31,360 --> 00:58:37,679 really fits that if the kitchen shoot three can come along, especially from the 820 00:58:37,719 --> 00:58:42,679 corners. He's pretty good at cutting. I think all three of us would 821 00:58:42,679 --> 00:58:51,400 agree. Our biggest complaint from for Usmanjang last year was the inability to take 822 00:58:51,440 --> 00:58:54,000 contact. He would shy away from contact. He would shoot these weird like 823 00:58:54,320 --> 00:59:00,320 finger rolls and these these floaters, and we're saying that like Dujr. Six 824 00:59:00,519 --> 00:59:04,039 nine, six ten, two fifteen, like go yamt on somebody. I 825 00:59:04,159 --> 00:59:07,679 think he's starting to learn to embrace that contact more, which will come in 826 00:59:07,880 --> 00:59:13,719 great hand cutting off the ball. I don't see a ton of possessions for 827 00:59:13,800 --> 00:59:16,079 him where he is like the on ball creator. But I think in the 828 00:59:16,239 --> 00:59:22,840 ideal Thunder system, they don't want one guy sitting with the ball all of 829 00:59:22,920 --> 00:59:28,239 the time. They want that ball to ping around, drive cut, kick, 830 00:59:28,480 --> 00:59:31,000 cut, drive kick out, drive, cut kick again, and then 831 00:59:31,079 --> 00:59:36,400 somebody's got a wide open layup. Guys that can make very fast decisions. 832 00:59:36,920 --> 00:59:38,920 And I think I mean us Monjang played point guard his whole life, Like 833 00:59:39,360 --> 00:59:45,400 he shot up six inches in like his high school junior senior year before he 834 00:59:45,480 --> 00:59:49,760 went over to New Zealand to play for the Breakers and kept all those guard 835 00:59:49,840 --> 00:59:55,239 skills. Kind of a theme with this theme with this team, and I 836 00:59:55,320 --> 00:59:58,880 think that's where he fits in. I think it's gonna take some time. 837 01:00:00,559 --> 01:00:04,400 But if you told me at the end of the year, who has played 838 01:00:04,400 --> 01:00:08,559 in seventy games and is averaging eighteen twenty minutes, like, I wouldn't be 839 01:00:08,639 --> 01:00:14,079 surprised. Especially now with the Poku injury to start the season, there's a 840 01:00:14,199 --> 01:00:17,000 lot more open reps for a big wing on this team, and I think 841 01:00:17,519 --> 01:00:21,679 Jang is ready to slide in. And you want to talk about young guys, 842 01:00:21,760 --> 01:00:23,320 like Jang's like freaking fifteen or something. I don't know, He's like 843 01:00:23,400 --> 01:00:28,880 he's a baby. He is so young. I honestly, I think Nick 844 01:00:29,039 --> 01:00:30,079 is he's still nineteen? Is he twenty? Do you think he was? 845 01:00:30,679 --> 01:00:37,119 He's just turned twenty. I think he's younger than like all but ten guys 846 01:00:37,199 --> 01:00:43,599 that went in the first round back in June, So he's he's still very 847 01:00:43,719 --> 01:00:46,400 very young. I wonder what a six men of the Year were betting odds 848 01:00:46,440 --> 01:00:52,360 would be like even if there's like a sports book that's offering though I would 849 01:00:52,360 --> 01:00:53,679 be shocked if he was on there. But if he was, I don't 850 01:00:53,760 --> 01:00:59,199 think he believed me on there. You can't trust the thunders like I mean, 851 01:00:59,599 --> 01:01:01,519 entire rotation really for guys getting out of kat You certainly can't trust it 852 01:01:01,559 --> 01:01:04,920 off the bench. But I'd one one hundred percent. I mean, like 853 01:01:04,920 --> 01:01:07,400 when you're looking at who would be the first guys off the bench unless they're 854 01:01:07,400 --> 01:01:10,519 planning on eventually like moving lou Dort there or something. He's not really a 855 01:01:10,599 --> 01:01:14,360 sixth Man of the Year type guy. Just I'd just be intrigued, Like 856 01:01:14,400 --> 01:01:19,960 I'd be intrigued in what they are, uh Nick, given the I mean 857 01:01:20,000 --> 01:01:23,320 there's the Poku injury, but given they have Jay will Chad Holme, Grin 858 01:01:23,440 --> 01:01:29,039 now the ken Ridge Williams at center lineups that we all have an affinity for, 859 01:01:29,719 --> 01:01:31,320 and I mean, I guess I'm gonna say it's mon Jaget center lineup 860 01:01:31,360 --> 01:01:34,320 says you're like the dudes like nine pe tall, like you might as well 861 01:01:34,400 --> 01:01:37,079 try it is Poku no longer a thing, and don't let the fragile state 862 01:01:37,760 --> 01:01:43,119 of my heart relative to your answer impact what that answer actually is. I 863 01:01:43,159 --> 01:01:45,000 mean, look at the shirt that you're wearing. There, Dana, go 864 01:01:45,079 --> 01:01:50,719 to the merch right here, great block by Mike. There we go. 865 01:01:52,039 --> 01:01:57,039 Uh No, I think people the injuries have been super unfortunate, like this 866 01:01:57,280 --> 01:02:00,039 is three in a row now that have kept him out for at least several 867 01:02:00,119 --> 01:02:06,519 weeks. But people forget at the beginning of the season he was phenomenal. 868 01:02:07,280 --> 01:02:09,880 And not only is the phenomenal, he was playing in a role that he 869 01:02:10,000 --> 01:02:14,119 really probably shouldn't be playing, like he was thrust into playing a lot of 870 01:02:14,239 --> 01:02:16,760 center, where if you're asking me, he's not a center like he is, 871 01:02:17,000 --> 01:02:22,760 he's a wing to me, he's like a combo forward. So I 872 01:02:22,840 --> 01:02:25,280 think absolutely, assuming he comes back healthy and can. He's gonna miss training 873 01:02:25,320 --> 01:02:29,679 camp, which kind of sucks for rotational purposes, but if he can integrate 874 01:02:29,800 --> 01:02:36,079 himself into the lineup in the first ten fifteen games, I think he could 875 01:02:36,079 --> 01:02:39,199 be a guy. I would take Poku six minut of the Year odds before 876 01:02:39,199 --> 01:02:45,920 I would take us. I'll say that it's it's human natured to every recency 877 01:02:45,000 --> 01:02:51,559 bias. If we re round back to November, Poku is awesome, So 878 01:02:52,400 --> 01:02:55,599 I'm not out on him. Got to stay healthy obviously, but the things 879 01:02:55,639 --> 01:03:00,360 he does at his size, like defensive playmaker, he was guarding all five 880 01:03:00,400 --> 01:03:06,119 positions, blocking, stealing in the passing lanes, grab it, rebound, 881 01:03:06,199 --> 01:03:09,519 pushed the ball like he's a guard like he is very very good. And 882 01:03:09,559 --> 01:03:13,519 I think he checks a lot of the boxes for the thunder one and he 883 01:03:13,599 --> 01:03:17,239 can slot into four positions. We've seen point Boku. I don't think we'll 884 01:03:17,239 --> 01:03:21,559 see point Poku much this year, but he theoretically can't play five positions and 885 01:03:21,599 --> 01:03:27,280 we've seen it, so I think it would be shocking if he wasn't in 886 01:03:27,320 --> 01:03:30,960 the rotation earlier in the season. Music to my ears, and I will 887 01:03:31,000 --> 01:03:36,480 say, I think it's important that nationally everyone says recognize that like this isn't 888 01:03:36,960 --> 01:03:39,239 some novelty like he You mentioned the stuff he was doing defensively. I thought 889 01:03:39,239 --> 01:03:42,800 he got really a lot better as a helper last year. And I think 890 01:03:42,800 --> 01:03:45,280 even Sam Press he talked about all the improvement he has made incrementally, even 891 01:03:45,280 --> 01:03:47,960 if you don't notice it each year, And I do you know you mentioned 892 01:03:49,039 --> 01:03:51,440 him pushing the ball. One of the things that I think impressed me most 893 01:03:51,639 --> 01:03:52,760 there's a point in the season and I don't remember where it was. He 894 01:03:52,840 --> 01:03:54,880 knew where to be without the ball, and it just felt like he was 895 01:03:54,920 --> 01:03:58,840 making quicker decisions when the ball came to him in the half court. I 896 01:03:59,039 --> 01:04:01,199 really believe all jokes side that this is like a could be an impact NBA 897 01:04:01,320 --> 01:04:05,280 player, and so I hope he's in the rotation. But this is one 898 01:04:05,280 --> 01:04:11,360 of the things that I'm incredibly biased on. The Taylor. Thing I wanted 899 01:04:11,360 --> 01:04:15,679 to ask here is we kind of mentioned all these different dudes. Now the 900 01:04:15,800 --> 01:04:21,440 Thunders rerecord this have nineteen players under contract. I believe what are some there 901 01:04:21,480 --> 01:04:25,039 are some easy guys where it's like, okay, like Jack White's not gonna 902 01:04:25,039 --> 01:04:27,079 be on the overnight roster. We just know that's not going to happen. 903 01:04:27,159 --> 01:04:30,800 Like who else, Like how are we trimming from this to get down to 904 01:04:30,079 --> 01:04:34,480 like the roster maximum? And that's that's the big question hanging over this Thunders 905 01:04:34,519 --> 01:04:38,960 off season, right. A great problem to have, granted, but something 906 01:04:39,000 --> 01:04:44,000 that we've talked about in this podcast. Sorry I'm the Uncontested podcast. Dan. 907 01:04:44,119 --> 01:04:46,280 I believe we even asked you a little bit about this when you were 908 01:04:46,360 --> 01:04:50,760 on then Contested Here earlier as well. It gets very tough. But you 909 01:04:50,840 --> 01:04:55,679 think about guys like, for example, and this is something we've tried to 910 01:04:55,760 --> 01:04:59,159 preach over the past couple of years, like they're going to be very good 911 01:04:59,199 --> 01:05:01,480 players or a cut I shouldn't say very good, but they're going to be 912 01:05:01,559 --> 01:05:05,840 competent NBA players who are cut from this team and we'll probably go on to 913 01:05:06,000 --> 01:05:12,000 other teams and flourish. That's just the reality of what Sam Prescy is building. 914 01:05:12,639 --> 01:05:15,960 And it shouldn't be like, oh my gosh, the blank player went 915 01:05:15,000 --> 01:05:17,800 to this team and has been playing so well, Why did the thunder cut 916 01:05:17,920 --> 01:05:21,559 him well, because he didn't necessarily fit with what the Thunder building, And 917 01:05:21,960 --> 01:05:25,679 you know, there will be opportunities for these other players to go and flourish. 918 01:05:26,000 --> 01:05:28,360 And some of the players that I'm thinking of ore for example, trade 919 01:05:28,400 --> 01:05:32,199 Man Trey Man is a player who showed a lot of promise his freshman season. 920 01:05:33,519 --> 01:05:38,039 Freshman season, I'm a very much in college football mode right now his 921 01:05:38,280 --> 01:05:42,199 rookie season, but this past year he kind of struggled. He especially with 922 01:05:42,360 --> 01:05:45,679 some of these guards and playmakers like that we've talked so much about here tonight. 923 01:05:46,800 --> 01:05:49,599 Tree Man's won this on the top of my mind right now, I 924 01:05:49,679 --> 01:05:56,440 think about JR. Et Jeremiah Robinson Earl who also had a very good rookie 925 01:05:56,519 --> 01:06:00,639 season but last year kind of struggled between injuries, mean and I'll rotation, 926 01:06:00,119 --> 01:06:03,440 but a very competent NBA player. One of those guys from Villanova we talked 927 01:06:03,480 --> 01:06:06,800 so much about on our podcast, the Villa Nova that can take you guys, 928 01:06:08,079 --> 01:06:12,800 these guys who can at that same really had Sam Pressy really values from 929 01:06:12,840 --> 01:06:15,599 these college programs who can come in and impact a game immediately, right or 930 01:06:16,280 --> 01:06:20,599 can impact a team immediately, but they kind of fallen out of the pecking 931 01:06:20,639 --> 01:06:25,280 were because, like you get to a point where the thunder rat do you 932 01:06:25,480 --> 01:06:30,920 value the development of guys that we've talked about such as why am I going 933 01:06:30,960 --> 01:06:34,119 blank now? Usman Jaying and players of that nature that you want to see 934 01:06:34,159 --> 01:06:39,920 some of that development from compared to like getting JR just some playing time. 935 01:06:40,760 --> 01:06:43,960 I think JR. Treyman are two the ones that come to the top of 936 01:06:44,079 --> 01:06:46,559 my mind. Jacob Nick who am I missing here? I mean, Jack 937 01:06:46,599 --> 01:06:51,719 White's an obvious one as well. Thicker all three, so I mean it's 938 01:06:51,880 --> 01:06:57,920 tough. I'd be pretty shocked if JR. He was on this roster beyond 939 01:06:57,960 --> 01:07:03,719 trading camp Jack White is the obvious one. I think one of the big 940 01:07:04,039 --> 01:07:09,559 contracts will likely go, whether it's Berton's or Lady. But it doesn't mean 941 01:07:09,800 --> 01:07:14,400 waiver cut. That could mean trade, although you probably have attached an asset 942 01:07:14,559 --> 01:07:19,320 as we saw Oklahoma City get to take on those players, but that's just 943 01:07:20,800 --> 01:07:27,000 taking in one of those players and cutting a tray Man or an Aaron Wiggins 944 01:07:27,800 --> 01:07:30,599 is really hard. So you have to like value. Do we think that 945 01:07:30,679 --> 01:07:33,559 we could reuse this contract at the deadline, do we want to take it 946 01:07:33,599 --> 01:07:38,559 as expiring money or do we want to continue to have a guy like Aaron 947 01:07:38,559 --> 01:07:42,960 Wiggins on the roster. And then Aaron Wiggins is probably on the radar as 948 01:07:42,960 --> 01:07:46,360 a guy that is fighting for a roster spot and he's a solid rotational player. 949 01:07:46,360 --> 01:07:48,960 He's probably a guy that if you've never watched The Thunder where you don't 950 01:07:49,159 --> 01:07:53,119 follow the Thunder, you probably never heard of the guy. But dude is 951 01:07:53,159 --> 01:07:55,800 a legit rotation. But he played in the play in had great minutes. 952 01:07:57,440 --> 01:08:00,400 Tray Man is a tough one. I'd prefer to see a trade man trade, 953 01:08:00,559 --> 01:08:04,400 even if it's for pennies. In the dollar before a cut. He's 954 01:08:04,440 --> 01:08:08,760 got upside, man, It's just he needs some more time to fill out 955 01:08:08,760 --> 01:08:13,760 the game, Jacob, is this the year that we could see and this 956 01:08:13,880 --> 01:08:15,239 might run counter or just like you go up and down the roster, it's 957 01:08:15,239 --> 01:08:17,479 like, no, all these dudes should play. But is this the year 958 01:08:17,560 --> 01:08:26,640 that we could see Mark Dagnold titan and regularize his rotation. We thought it 959 01:08:26,720 --> 01:08:29,720 was gonna come last year down the stretch when they're pushing for the playoffs. 960 01:08:29,920 --> 01:08:38,000 And there was a very contentious moment in a postgame press conference where it may 961 01:08:38,119 --> 01:08:42,279 have been the game these other two guys might remember better a game late in 962 01:08:42,319 --> 01:08:46,079 the season where they lost at home to Charlotte and PJ. Washington went for 963 01:08:46,199 --> 01:08:50,880 like forty five or something ridiculous and the Thunder just played no defense, and 964 01:08:51,600 --> 01:08:57,359 people were very upset that Dagneld played like twelve guys that night, and he 965 01:08:57,520 --> 01:09:01,479 said, Hey, whether we're in playing contention or not, we're going through 966 01:09:01,520 --> 01:09:08,159 our process and we're giving guys opportunities, and this isn't the play and isn't 967 01:09:08,199 --> 01:09:11,800 the destination, right, and we got to figure out what we've got on 968 01:09:11,840 --> 01:09:15,640 this roster and give guys opportunities It's not gonna shock me at all when they 969 01:09:15,640 --> 01:09:21,000 do that again. Like will it be a little more regular, Yes, 970 01:09:21,560 --> 01:09:25,960 but I don't think it's gonna be one of these. We've got nine to 971 01:09:26,079 --> 01:09:30,159 ten guys they play every night, and then maybe for a week we're going 972 01:09:30,199 --> 01:09:34,520 to rotate somebody else in just to give them an opportunity. Like thunder season 973 01:09:34,600 --> 01:09:40,720 opens on what the twenty fifth. By two weeks into the season, if 974 01:09:40,760 --> 01:09:44,720 we haven't seen all fifteen guys and a two way guy get significant run, 975 01:09:45,039 --> 01:09:50,000 I'll be shocked. That's just the way this franchise operates. They're gonna give 976 01:09:50,119 --> 01:09:53,640 everyone their chance and let them prove it, especially with how young they are 977 01:09:54,159 --> 01:09:59,039 and early. They like to get the rookies and young guys minutes before the 978 01:09:59,279 --> 01:10:01,680 G League show case starts, and they send those guys down, so it's 979 01:10:01,760 --> 01:10:04,920 like a get your minutes, now, send you the G League. And 980 01:10:04,960 --> 01:10:09,000 they almost send guys that are third fourth year players at the G League too, 981 01:10:10,279 --> 01:10:13,520 and then another group gets an opportunity while those guys are down, and 982 01:10:13,680 --> 01:10:16,960 it just I agree, Jacob, I think it's gonna be the by committee 983 01:10:16,960 --> 01:10:21,399 approach once again. So if you were forced to choose, and I am 984 01:10:21,479 --> 01:10:27,239 forcing you to choose what would the top ten rotation for this team look like? 985 01:10:27,359 --> 01:10:29,119 And it's sort of as a guid. I feel like they do have 986 01:10:29,439 --> 01:10:33,000 nine locks where if you look at Josh Giddy, Sga, Lou Dort, 987 01:10:33,439 --> 01:10:39,039 Jay Dubbed Chet Home, Grin Ushman, Jang, Ken Rich Williams, Jay 988 01:10:39,119 --> 01:10:43,079 will and then I have Isaiah Joe is a lock just because because of the 989 01:10:43,119 --> 01:10:45,039 shooting. So if we're just like the top ten that you think you're going 990 01:10:45,079 --> 01:10:47,680 to see the most this year, would those nine be in it? Do 991 01:10:47,680 --> 01:10:50,800 you think there's like should we be displayed like it's someone more of a question 992 01:10:50,840 --> 01:10:56,159 mark that's from that group? I'd remember Jang and add mitchege. Oh, 993 01:10:56,479 --> 01:11:02,119 that's a good see that. That's where that's so resting because like does Pokuga 994 01:11:02,199 --> 01:11:05,239 in there? Well, there's I did leave off one spots. There's like 995 01:11:05,279 --> 01:11:09,239 a ten spot to give out like we could have Nick, we could have 996 01:11:10,279 --> 01:11:15,600 and Jang in the rotations like that if you had Pokus just out of the 997 01:11:15,640 --> 01:11:20,760 picture. I left before the like before the ankle injury news, And what 998 01:11:20,800 --> 01:11:26,880 do you do with number ten? Overall? Pick Cason Wallace Aaron Wiggins played 999 01:11:26,960 --> 01:11:31,479 like seventy four games for this team last year and was good. What it's 1000 01:11:31,479 --> 01:11:35,159 a good problem to have. I don't know what the top ten look like 1001 01:11:35,239 --> 01:11:40,920 on the starting five, and then like if you forced me to pick, 1002 01:11:42,239 --> 01:11:55,079 I would go Mitchech, Jay will Poku, Isaiah Joe ken Rich Williams. 1003 01:11:56,560 --> 01:11:59,199 Yes, I don't. I think. I don't think there's a combination of 1004 01:11:59,239 --> 01:12:01,479 players you could spit out unless you were including like Jr. E in it, 1005 01:12:01,600 --> 01:12:03,520 like always making the final roster. He's gonna be in it that I 1006 01:12:03,560 --> 01:12:08,159 would be. It's going to be in their dad gunning. Yeah, we're 1007 01:12:08,159 --> 01:12:14,560 about Victor Oladipo's returning from injury early. Is this is related to the roth? 1008 01:12:14,720 --> 01:12:16,880 Is there like a chance that we see lou Dort's role like diminish a 1009 01:12:16,920 --> 01:12:20,159 little bit on this team based on how it's built and how I don't know 1010 01:12:20,159 --> 01:12:23,640 what the kindest way to put it is, like how damaging he can be 1011 01:12:23,720 --> 01:12:27,960 at times on the offensive end. Answer is yes it should and yes it 1012 01:12:28,079 --> 01:12:32,640 will. Okay, he we did this activity in our podcast the other day. 1013 01:12:33,079 --> 01:12:39,479 Lou Dort last season, I'm pulling it up now, took eleven point 1014 01:12:39,600 --> 01:12:44,680 eight shots per game. That's down from fourteen shots per game the previous year, 1015 01:12:45,760 --> 01:12:48,960 he's got to be subtend This year just has to be. I try 1016 01:12:49,000 --> 01:12:54,920 to remember you guys saying, Matt that is low. He's like the second 1017 01:12:55,039 --> 01:13:00,039 percentile and finishing at the rim. It's bad. He shot like forty percent 1018 01:13:00,079 --> 01:13:04,319 at the rim or like it was high. It's it's it's a it's a 1019 01:13:04,439 --> 01:13:11,680 problem. He's got a race shot quality and I think catching shoot and rhythm 1020 01:13:11,680 --> 01:13:15,760 will be key. He's still very very much especially when he hits one. 1021 01:13:16,159 --> 01:13:19,720 He'll catch the ball eight feet outside the line, take a dribble, pull 1022 01:13:19,840 --> 01:13:24,079 up. It's like I could live without that. You know, we're not 1023 01:13:24,560 --> 01:13:29,319 whenever you're cutting from twelve to ten shots. It's not like don't be aggressive 1024 01:13:29,600 --> 01:13:30,560 or like if you have a lane, don't take it. It's just like 1025 01:13:31,520 --> 01:13:38,000 cut the fat hone in exactly. And as Thunder fans watched FIBA obviously, 1026 01:13:38,319 --> 01:13:43,000 as as many bands did, and I think that role that Ludwort played again, 1027 01:13:43,000 --> 01:13:45,199 I don't have those stats pulled up in front of me, but the 1028 01:13:45,399 --> 01:13:49,720 role that Lou played for the Canadian team, I think it's it's kind of 1029 01:13:49,720 --> 01:13:54,359 the epitome of what we would like to see moving forwards. This Thunder team. 1030 01:13:54,960 --> 01:14:01,800 It's such a challenging question because the defensive impact is absolutely undeniable. He 1031 01:14:01,960 --> 01:14:05,880 guarded Paulo Bank Carol for this team last year. The Dude six three. 1032 01:14:06,680 --> 01:14:11,199 I mean, there was that game against the Clippers late in the season where 1033 01:14:11,239 --> 01:14:15,399 Kauhi couldn't even get a shot off at the buzzer because he got put in 1034 01:14:15,439 --> 01:14:18,319 the dorture chamber. Like, I think I remember clipping that play because I 1035 01:14:18,359 --> 01:14:20,600 just watch again. I was like, this isn't fucking real. Yeah, 1036 01:14:21,760 --> 01:14:27,079 it's insane. I mean, there's the super famous one of him checking Lebron 1037 01:14:27,159 --> 01:14:30,079 at the end of the game and doing like the crazy arms and forcing a 1038 01:14:30,159 --> 01:14:35,479 Lebron miss. Like, the defensive impact cannot be understated, but how much 1039 01:14:35,840 --> 01:14:40,239 is it taking away when you have him on the offensive end? And there 1040 01:14:40,279 --> 01:14:43,880 has to be a balance that I don't think they will bench him, And 1041 01:14:44,399 --> 01:14:45,760 there was a game last year where he played off the bench and it was 1042 01:14:45,920 --> 01:14:51,119 a pretty fascinating game. But what happens if one of these other guys just 1043 01:14:51,359 --> 01:14:57,800 make what happens when usman makes the leap that's the name. Yep, that's 1044 01:14:57,880 --> 01:15:00,960 right, Jacob. I appreciate the crazing man. Do you want to slide 1045 01:15:00,119 --> 01:15:03,520 everybody down and let Dub play the three instead of the four and put us 1046 01:15:03,680 --> 01:15:10,520 in at the four. What happens when our Lord and Savior Lexey Pokahevski comes 1047 01:15:10,560 --> 01:15:14,079 back from this ankle injury and we're ready for the thin Towers in the starting 1048 01:15:14,119 --> 01:15:19,319 lineup? Is lu Dorf the one that steps out then, so there will 1049 01:15:19,319 --> 01:15:24,840 be a role change for Lou. I feel very confident in that I sweted 1050 01:15:24,920 --> 01:15:28,640 our discord. I can't even remember they were saying the Thunder should trade for 1051 01:15:28,800 --> 01:15:32,479 player X and playing with poku chat homere gonna call them the Holy Affinity, 1052 01:15:33,279 --> 01:15:35,960 And I can't remember who the player was. I wish I could. I 1053 01:15:36,000 --> 01:15:41,520 was gonna say bull balls. It might have been. Yeah, ho Afinity, 1054 01:15:41,720 --> 01:15:45,479 that's a T shirt to happen. I'll get that tattooed on my chest. 1055 01:15:45,239 --> 01:15:47,319 Yeah, I mean yeah, I'll get that tattooed in my forehead. 1056 01:15:47,479 --> 01:15:51,319 If they just trade for Kevin Durant decides to like go back to his roots 1057 01:15:51,359 --> 01:15:55,600 and play the Holy Affinity with that. So I did not say this. 1058 01:15:55,680 --> 01:15:58,199 We're reaching the out of the podcast, which means we are we are already 1059 01:15:58,279 --> 01:16:00,920 in the cookie cutter portion of the podcast, and we just went through one 1060 01:16:00,000 --> 01:16:04,239 of them. Could I get one lineup beginning with Taylor from each of you's 1061 01:16:04,319 --> 01:16:09,159 weirdo conventional out there. Maybe they won't try it, but should line up 1062 01:16:09,199 --> 01:16:12,079 you would like to see. You might already spoil your I have it off 1063 01:16:12,159 --> 01:16:15,720 the top of my head. I am ready, Dan, I'm going Shay, 1064 01:16:15,680 --> 01:16:21,279 Josh Giddy, us Monjang poku chat. We're calling the long boy lineup. 1065 01:16:24,199 --> 01:16:26,720 I'm here for it. Nick, what do you have? I'm gonna 1066 01:16:26,760 --> 01:16:35,680 go, Shay dub Dort, Cason, Wallace, King Rich Williams. Really 1067 01:16:35,840 --> 01:16:41,239 you really lack size, but those dudes will absolutely get after it. Like 1068 01:16:41,359 --> 01:16:46,840 Josh Giddy's your sinner at that point, I love that never will happen to 1069 01:16:46,960 --> 01:16:49,199 you to your original point, didn't have to be a real lineup, but 1070 01:16:49,239 --> 01:16:55,119 that would be incredible. So we're not going realistic here. It doesn't have 1071 01:16:55,319 --> 01:16:58,000 to be realistic. Okay, okay, my crazy thing it was day. 1072 01:16:58,079 --> 01:17:01,560 Don't like these could be realistic. It could in theory. Lue Dort, 1073 01:17:01,600 --> 01:17:09,680 got Jacob lu Dort, Cason, Wallace, two Way Guy, Keyante Johnson, 1074 01:17:12,960 --> 01:17:15,800 ken Rich, Williams, chet homegrin the We're coming to beat the shit 1075 01:17:15,840 --> 01:17:20,600 out of your lineup, I dig it. Yeah, there's like so many 1076 01:17:20,680 --> 01:17:25,279 good combinations. I think I'd want to see the Shay plus they would call 1077 01:17:25,359 --> 01:17:28,399 them. They're not the like Shaye plus four bigs, Like let's get Poku 1078 01:17:28,640 --> 01:17:31,840 Jang, Ken Rick Williams who's played five and chet Home Grin and we'll just 1079 01:17:31,920 --> 01:17:34,840 throw them next to say, see what that looks like. That's by my 1080 01:17:34,960 --> 01:17:39,600 standards, that's not really that weird. But they could and probably will happen. 1081 01:17:40,560 --> 01:17:42,760 Good. So if you guys can alert me on Twitter when it's on 1082 01:17:42,800 --> 01:17:45,359 the floor, if that's still operational, i'd be what's what's the name of 1083 01:17:45,399 --> 01:17:47,079 the lamp again? Have you have you coined it? No? I don't 1084 01:17:47,079 --> 01:17:50,399 have a name. I mean Shay plus Biggs like four, Well, it's 1085 01:17:50,399 --> 01:17:55,520 called the fourth center lineup. They've all played center, right, Yeah, 1086 01:17:55,600 --> 01:18:02,079 like that? So, Jacob, is there any strength or concerns about this 1087 01:18:02,239 --> 01:18:05,279 team are related to the team that we haven't talked about that you think need 1088 01:18:05,359 --> 01:18:12,640 to be discussed, Not that I can think of. They have a very 1089 01:18:12,760 --> 01:18:15,119 interesting and I think they're the second youngest team in the league coming into this 1090 01:18:15,199 --> 01:18:19,560 year, right behind Detroit. Still a lot of people are ready for them 1091 01:18:19,600 --> 01:18:24,600 to make the jump. They are still a bunch of babies who are in 1092 01:18:24,680 --> 01:18:30,239 the infancy stage of this thing. It's another year of exploration. I think 1093 01:18:30,279 --> 01:18:32,560 the only thing we touched on a little bit didn't get super deep into. 1094 01:18:34,800 --> 01:18:39,079 People don't know who he is. If you put him in a lineup, 1095 01:18:39,159 --> 01:18:43,840 they would guess that he is an accountant for the business down the street. 1096 01:18:43,880 --> 01:18:47,720 But Mark dagnal has just been a freaking phenomenal higher if you don't know the 1097 01:18:47,760 --> 01:18:55,920 background. He didn't play college ball, ended up making his way to an 1098 01:18:55,960 --> 01:19:00,640 assistant coach at the University of Florida. Thunder actually hired him away from Florida 1099 01:19:00,680 --> 01:19:05,239 before they brought in Billy Donovan. Dagnalt coach the G League team got bumped 1100 01:19:05,359 --> 01:19:10,800 up to on the bench with the Thunder, and then whenever Dagnalt or sorry, 1101 01:19:10,840 --> 01:19:14,640 whenever Billy Donovan left and went to Chicago, they upgraded him again. 1102 01:19:14,720 --> 01:19:18,279 So they've had their same Presty specifically has had his eyes a Mark Dagnalt for 1103 01:19:19,760 --> 01:19:25,239 god the better part of a decade now. And just like they do with 1104 01:19:25,479 --> 01:19:30,279 their players, they got their coach in the pipeline and they slowly took the 1105 01:19:30,359 --> 01:19:35,079 training wheels off and built him up, and what he's able to squeeze out 1106 01:19:35,079 --> 01:19:40,079 of this team has just been phenomenal. I think they have an incredible staff. 1107 01:19:40,399 --> 01:19:44,039 I think a lot of the benefits of what we saw last year are 1108 01:19:44,119 --> 01:19:49,560 due to his coaching style and what they do. I think he's the kind 1109 01:19:49,560 --> 01:19:56,720 of the unsung part of this whole organization moving forward that maybe doesn't get the 1110 01:19:56,800 --> 01:20:00,119 credit it deserves. So let's go wrap it fire on two fronts here, 1111 01:20:00,199 --> 01:20:04,199 I'll circle to three of you. We'll start with Taylor. They're over under 1112 01:20:04,560 --> 01:20:09,279 for this season, he said, at forty four and a half. Are 1113 01:20:09,359 --> 01:20:14,720 you taking the over or the under? I think that's a great line that's 1114 01:20:14,760 --> 01:20:17,520 been set for the Thunder compared to is good at this there's only like one 1115 01:20:17,600 --> 01:20:20,119 or two trees every year where it's like, the hell were they thinking? 1116 01:20:20,399 --> 01:20:23,960 Dan, I'm gonna help you out because Taylor needs this, he said rapid 1117 01:20:24,039 --> 01:20:26,840 fire. By the way, Taylor, well, if we dive into the 1118 01:20:26,920 --> 01:20:31,479 past five years and take the acronym is getting I'm I'm going over Nick over 1119 01:20:31,640 --> 01:20:34,560 under, I'm going under. I've I've said from the start, this is 1120 01:20:34,640 --> 01:20:43,560 a five hundred team. Jacob, give me the over, dammit. I 1121 01:20:43,640 --> 01:20:45,359 will not reveal mine until we actually do the over under podcast, but I'm 1122 01:20:45,399 --> 01:20:50,880 sure you three could probably collectively guess, Jacob, how which teams are you 1123 01:20:51,039 --> 01:20:56,960 prepared to guarantee are better than the Thunder next season in the West. In 1124 01:20:57,079 --> 01:21:03,560 the West, Denver Nuggets, if we're assuming health is kind, the Phoenix 1125 01:21:03,640 --> 01:21:12,279 Suns. There's a reason all the other ones there over unders are clumped within 1126 01:21:12,399 --> 01:21:15,960 two games. Forty four and a half might be the most popular win total. 1127 01:21:15,039 --> 01:21:16,840 By the way, this year, I feel like every single team, 1128 01:21:16,880 --> 01:21:19,000 I'd have to go back in the dock and look of the like forty four 1129 01:21:19,000 --> 01:21:21,000 and a half. Forty four and a half, Yeah, it's crazy. 1130 01:21:23,439 --> 01:21:29,199 Those two are the ones that I would say for sure. I think all 1131 01:21:29,239 --> 01:21:30,359 of the rest of them are kind of fair game. That's not to say 1132 01:21:30,359 --> 01:21:33,880 I think the Thunder gonna be third, that's like best, best best case 1133 01:21:33,880 --> 01:21:39,760 scenario. But if I have to just guarantee, those might be the only 1134 01:21:39,800 --> 01:21:45,159 two I go with. Because what happens with the Pelicans and Zion, The 1135 01:21:45,319 --> 01:21:49,600 Lakers are old. San Antonio is gonna sit weeb late in the season, 1136 01:21:49,680 --> 01:21:55,039 probably because they're gonna slow build this thing because they're San Antonio. Houston is 1137 01:21:55,119 --> 01:22:00,600 Houston. Dallas has Kyrie, so he's probably gonna be on news Max every 1138 01:22:00,680 --> 01:22:09,760 other game and not actually playing basketball, So we I can only say two. 1139 01:22:09,920 --> 01:22:14,159 I think, Nick, how many teams would you? Would you add 1140 01:22:14,159 --> 01:22:19,479 any teams to that? I'll throwing Golden State obviously older and could be injured, 1141 01:22:19,560 --> 01:22:26,159 but I think they've spread the amount of veterans they have that can really 1142 01:22:26,239 --> 01:22:30,279 impact winning and have done this before. Like, even if Steph gets hurt, 1143 01:22:30,319 --> 01:22:31,760 you got Chris. If Chris gets hurts, still a good team. 1144 01:22:31,920 --> 01:22:38,680 I've got Golden State. So I'm gonna substitute that one. I don't quite 1145 01:22:38,760 --> 01:22:42,279 trust Golden State right now. I'm gonna go ahead and go with Sacramento. 1146 01:22:42,760 --> 01:22:48,960 Oh I love the continue the Yeah, how they looked plus season they got. 1147 01:22:50,600 --> 01:22:54,079 I'm so I'm actually with Jacob. I just have the two teams. 1148 01:22:54,079 --> 01:22:57,239 That doesn't mean I think the thunder are gonna finish third. The West is 1149 01:22:57,279 --> 01:23:01,039 just so all over the place with Factramento is a good one though, because 1150 01:23:01,399 --> 01:23:04,600 a lot of people look at their season and say they got really lucky with 1151 01:23:04,720 --> 01:23:09,560 health. They didn't so much get lucky with health as the fact that Domasa 1152 01:23:09,640 --> 01:23:14,680 Bonus is just just play and is going to play with like shattered bones that 1153 01:23:15,920 --> 01:23:21,439 er, thank you very much. Something with good Zaga centers in the Oklahoma 1154 01:23:21,439 --> 01:23:26,560 City Thunder, I don't. I don't know. So is there anything else 1155 01:23:26,600 --> 01:23:28,760 we haven't talked to I already asked this to Jacob, really, but Nick 1156 01:23:28,840 --> 01:23:30,159 or Teilors, anything else that I just haven't asked you guys that you think 1157 01:23:30,239 --> 01:23:34,359 needs to be needs to be covered here. I think as good as Chet 1158 01:23:34,439 --> 01:23:40,520 home Grinn will be, I don't think he fixes all of their problems in 1159 01:23:40,560 --> 01:23:45,359 the front court immediately. This is a team that's going from no real center. 1160 01:23:45,560 --> 01:23:47,399 Like Poku is the size of a center, He's not a center. 1161 01:23:47,760 --> 01:23:54,520 Jay Will is a super undersized center, not a real center. Chet is 1162 01:23:54,520 --> 01:23:59,600 a real center. But when he struggles, the team will struggle, And 1163 01:23:59,680 --> 01:24:01,600 so I think that we should have very high expectations for Chet. I think 1164 01:24:01,640 --> 01:24:05,319 it's gonna be awesome, but the same problems we saw last year. You 1165 01:24:05,399 --> 01:24:11,800 mentioned, defensive rebounding, paint presence, when Chet's sitting, Chet's hurt, 1166 01:24:11,920 --> 01:24:15,319 Chet struggling, that's gonna be tough for the Thunder. Still gonna be an 1167 01:24:15,319 --> 01:24:20,439 Achilles who I think Obviously we joke about me and being the Sunshine Pumper on 1168 01:24:20,520 --> 01:24:24,880 the podcast. But I do think about, like we've done a lot of 1169 01:24:24,920 --> 01:24:29,960 that on this podcast here on Hardwick Knocks, But what happens if the Thunder 1170 01:24:30,000 --> 01:24:34,640 don't take it a significant leap and we're talking about Ken Shay and Getty Coaxest 1171 01:24:34,680 --> 01:24:38,760 again, That's one thing I'm thinking about and the other is something we haven't 1172 01:24:38,800 --> 01:24:41,279 talked a whole lot about. But look, there are a ton of assets. 1173 01:24:41,760 --> 01:24:44,960 It doesn't have to be a win now push the button, as Presci 1174 01:24:45,119 --> 01:24:47,319 said in the past, right, it doesn't have to be a Yannis or 1175 01:24:47,359 --> 01:24:53,640 a Dane Lillard type of trade. Buddy Hilled, We've got the notification from 1176 01:24:53,680 --> 01:24:57,279 Shaun's earlier today, Like what if it's a player like that? What if 1177 01:24:57,319 --> 01:25:00,119 it's a player like that that the Thunder make a a minor trade four that 1178 01:25:00,239 --> 01:25:02,840 improves his team? Right, something to keep in mind, doesn't have to 1179 01:25:02,880 --> 01:25:06,960 be a superstar swing for the fences. He just feels weird to trade for 1180 01:25:06,960 --> 01:25:11,239 Buddy Heald when you have Isaiah Joe and Lyndy Waters on a two way contracts. 1181 01:25:11,319 --> 01:25:15,079 See why not all the shooters around Shay. Guys, this was great. 1182 01:25:15,119 --> 01:25:18,079 Thank you so much for spending nearly ninety minutes with this episode, and 1183 01:25:18,159 --> 01:25:23,520 of course we did another hour on yours. I would like you to all 1184 01:25:23,680 --> 01:25:27,159 promote yourself individually. So Taylor, where can they Where can our listeners find 1185 01:25:27,199 --> 01:25:30,479 you? So I have a weird spelling Taylor with any You can find me 1186 01:25:30,520 --> 01:25:34,840 at Taylor Underscore p. Fifteen and obviously you can find me on the Uncontested 1187 01:25:35,000 --> 01:25:40,039 on Sundays Wednesdays. We're having a ton of fun with it and that would 1188 01:25:40,039 --> 01:25:45,000 really appreciate you having a salon Dan Nick, how about yourself yet, Twitter 1189 01:25:45,279 --> 01:25:48,359 or X whatever we're calling it at Crane, Twitter, c r AI, 1190 01:25:48,720 --> 01:25:51,840 n NBA. I'm with you. I am not adopting the name X, 1191 01:25:53,000 --> 01:25:56,199 just like it's always Staples Center. I'm not calling it crypto dot com or 1192 01:25:56,239 --> 01:26:00,640 whatever the hell they renamed it to crypts. Somethings do not change afford to 1193 01:26:00,760 --> 01:26:04,560 call it crypto dot com anymore. Like I don't know on there, Jacob, 1194 01:26:04,640 --> 01:26:08,000 can you let our listeners where they can find you? Yeah? So 1195 01:26:08,239 --> 01:26:12,039 I'm on Twitter at Jacob Niffin K and I F F E N. You 1196 01:26:12,119 --> 01:26:15,479 can find the podcast any where you download your pods. We're on Facebook, 1197 01:26:15,520 --> 01:26:20,920 Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok so if you're interested in some Thunder coverage 1198 01:26:20,960 --> 01:26:26,199 and some poke who love check us out there. You sold you sold us 1199 01:26:26,199 --> 01:26:28,800 all, You sold me right there. The link to the podcast will be 1200 01:26:28,880 --> 01:26:31,840 in the YouTube and podcast description as well. There are individual Twitter not x 1201 01:26:32,239 --> 01:26:36,159 handles and links. Thank you guys so much for coming on, and if 1202 01:26:36,159 --> 01:26:39,600 you have not subscribe to the Uncontested please do so already they do. You 1203 01:26:39,640 --> 01:26:43,960 guys do a great job over there. You are highly, highly entertaining and 1204 01:26:44,039 --> 01:26:46,039 I promise I'm not just blowing smoke because you agree to come on the show. 1205 01:26:46,840 --> 01:26:50,000 And as you have look, I'm gonna spam your dms again in the 1206 01:26:50,039 --> 01:26:54,920 future. So thank you guys so much for coming on. Thank you Dad, Thanks damn