DeShawn take covers the NBA primarily in Atlanta is where he is based, but
that doesn't stop him from reaching out and finding all that is NBA related to
cover and you can follow him on x at Tate's Take on Hoops and he
joins us here to talk a little bit about free agency, the Pistons and
specifically Kate Cunningham. DeShawn and we appreciate the time very much. Happy early
holiday to you and your family. Kate Cunningham reportedly set to sign a five
year, two hundred and twenty six million dollar extension. Why do you think
that's so important for the Pistons? Number one? And what do you think
it says about him and the Pistons relationship? Number two? Great relationship for
sure. You know, I'm kind of moving backwards here and thank you again
for having me, but obviously there's got to be some sort of a great
relationship there. And I don't know, I mean it kind of in terms
of Kate. Let's just be honest about something here for a second. The
vibe, the energy, and the feel is that this is essentially and this
is no disrespect to Kate, although it may sound like it a little bit
but he's like, he's like the ugliest pretty girl at the party, you
know what I mean. It's like, you gotta pay somebody. Somebody's got
to be the guy. Somebody's got to be the one, like Kate.
I don't know if I love Kase. I don't know. What they're asking
of Kate to do is necessarily is necessarily something that's going to take them to
the next level. That being said, is he worth two hundred and twenty
six million dollars? Many people will probably say no, But because you got
to pay somebody, and he's a face right now this franchise, and he's
going to be the guy. But it is a it's certainly a boatload of
money, uh, into what today's market, to be honest with you,
which is the elephant in the room that sticks out like a sore thumb.
Uh. They're you know, obviously looking at the way today's landscape is and
paying guys and so forth. I mean, one thing you can't disagree with
is that Kate is not the reason why things looked the way that they did
last year. That's for sure, agreed one hundred percent. You know,
I think the money is one thing, but you want to win. You
want to be around a winning culture that Pistons obviously don't have that. So
it's tough to say no to the money. But if you want to win
and you don't feel like your organization is going to win, you at least
leave your options open. So I think it does say something about him,
his character, perhaps the relationship he has with the Pistons, and perhaps and
this might be a reach to Sean, but perhaps the bringing in of JB.
Bickerstaff. I think with the proven track record that he has with developing
younger players, that bodes well. Why do you like or dislike the hiring
of JB. Bickerstaff as their new head coach? Well, I mean it
gives more feel of, you know, like it, not necessarily love it.
You know, if we're talking about for a short term, then I
think it's great. Long term, I don't love the idea. It kind
of reminds me of how I feel about a guy that just got picked the
other night in Dalton, connect from Tennessee. Kind of feels like that,
like like high floor, you know, low ceiling kind of thing. I
don't think this is something that we're gonna be talking about all right. Is
year eight for JB or anything like that, you know, but the development
of the players, like you just mentioned, in addition to the fact that
Cleveland was one of the not only better defensive teams in the NBA last year,
but certainly one of the better teams in the East. They were competing
for a second seed late into the season. Not just to mention that,
but I mean, listen, it's not bad. It's the most ideal he
personally, would I rather have Jay Wright maybe a name that hasn't been brought
up very often for whatever reason. But I mean, listen, you gotta
start somewhere. My concern with this team besides the shoot and we could have
a whole laundry list of things that we could discuss. But I sometimes think
that they try to get guys that fit the culture more importantly than guys that
fit together on the floor. And I love the culture. San Antonio has
its own, Miami has its, so Detroit has its own. I don't
think it's a terrible idea to have. I'm just not in love with grouping
a bunch of guys and it feels like the graveyard of the NBA the MotorCity
does. That has to change when you start talking about Marvin Bagley's and James
Wiseman. That isn't something that's gonna push guys over the top. But we
have to find somewhere to get started, and obviously taking holl In at number
five is a start. Yeah, I'm with you on all that. I
find it interesting what you originally said about JB. Bickers deaf John Blair Bickers
death, specifically that you know, you don't necessarily love it that he's the
guy for the short term, not necessarily the long term. How do we
know that when he really hasn't been given that much of an opportunity. I
mean Cleveland, he takes over for John Bline, He turns a team that
went twenty two and fifty, and he takes him to forty four wins than
fifty one wins and forty eight wins. Why do we not think that he
deserves the opportunity to be a long term answer when we've seen plenty of coaches
in the past not get that chance. Dan Campbell Lions for example, and
then make the most of it when people, most of them thought he was
a short bridge. I think part of it is because of the an experience
not saying a zero experience because he had a job obviously before Cleveland, but
because because we haven't, he doesn't have that long history of a resume,
right right, you know, would you rather have? And maybe someone that
I'm kind of grouping in comparing with him, a guy who obviously did very
good past year in Orlando was Jamal Mosley. Right, we probably could have
said the same thing, but because of what he was able to do in
the playoffs and even Cleveland, well I think when went further than they did
or just about as far, but he left a different kind of impression on
people, and I think that was a huge part by why I feel the
way that I feel. And it just feels like the same guys in a
coaching caresel over and over, going around and a round between Bago and actings
and and and and and and bicker Staff and so you know, just from
that standpoint, now, granted, nobody has the experience until somebody does what
gives you the experience. Nobody has success until someone gives you that opportunity to
have success. And here it is another opportunity. But make no mistake about
it, there's a there's a list of guys that is under him that were
not as considerable for the job in my opinion as he was. But you
know again, it's not an overwhelming great feeling. It's like, well,
here we go again. Let's just try it out, and let's just I
guess, well the dice and see what happens if we're you know whatever three
hundred and sixty five times two or three is down the line from now two
three years, we're talking about twenty twenty six and twenty seven from now.
Will anybody be ridiculously surprised that things maybe didn't work out? Probably not.
Now we're keeping our fingers toes, eyes and teeth and everything else crossed that
it does, of course, But would anybody be surprised, Probably not if
we're in this same situation again, I'm not sure. Just gonna surprise anybody.
Yeah, Deshaun Tate joining us here on Ex's and Bros faum on x
at Tate's take on hoops. What you just said there really piques my interest.
And as soon as you said it, here we go again. We
got the same guys. And obviously that's a different way of saying retreads.
I think of Okay, Well, JJ Reddick gets hired by the Lakers,
and people aren't necessarily overly thrilled with that he was their second choice. You
got Doc Rivers who took over in Milwauk, and he's been very accomplished in
his career, and yet they didn't respond all that well to him. I
don't know if there's the right solution. I don't know if there's the right
thing that makes us go, Okay, yeah, I want this guy because
he's got experience, and yet he's a retread, although I want to try
something new with fill in the blank. That's a difficult river to navigate for
general managers. I would guess it is. It definitely is. I'm not
saying I got all the right answers, because if I did, i'd certainly
be part of one of those decision makers. I'm sure that I'm talking to
you, which I'm so grateful to be doing, by the way, But
and you know, that is a very, you know, obviously very difficult
decision that you have to make, and the concerns about this team with which
direction they were going prior to hire having a head coach, and when they've
got so many new pieces over there, obviously with the Alaskan Assassin changing Langdon
as well. So to be able to have new energy, I think is
a start something that this team needs. And if people are looking forward to
them, you know, obviously looking significantly different than they did last year,
I'm probably be thinking you're fooling yourself. However, people are ready for this
team to be good again. People are ready for this team to at least
be competing, at least just contending for a playing spot. They give you
two extra opportunities at teams to be able to have a chance to play into
this thing, and they haven't been closed. And we all wish much better
than that. Obviously, like I said, there's probably no perfect guy that's
going to go to Detroit that is to be able to fit into that space.
But again, I'll throw it at you again and again. This guy
has no experience either. So it may sound like I'm contradicting myself a little
bit, but I just feel like the energy would be a little bit better
if you attempted to go after a guy like the Jay Wright. Yeah,
and I respect Jay Right a great deal. I don't know why he would
want to put up with a headache oftentimes come in the NBA when he's got
a pretty good gig right now. Number one? Amen. Yeah, And
and the other thing is, I do believe I do think it's interesting.
I think he's one of those coaches at the college level who could make the
transition to the NBA. It just doesn't work very often because of how different
you have to coach, and with my background and calling college basketball and the
NBA, I just I don't see many who fit it very well and could
do well at both. But it's it is an interesting thing to discuss Before
I get to a couple of free agents. I wanted your overall take on
Rona Hall on the second being the fifth overall pick. I think it was
the first early surprise of the NBA Draft. I can't say that it was
something that I expected, but I can't say that I necessarily dislike it either.
What is your take on the on the Pistons first first round point pick?
Well, yeah, I mean the idea that he's checking all the boxes
and all that, the athleticism and a wing span, and the potential.
It is just a potential draft. I mean, at the end of the
day, let's just be honest. If one of these guys didn't happen to
work out, with one of these teams, then I don't think anybody's gonna
be all that surprise or what have you. The guy the team that got
the perfect, the right guy probably just accidentally drafted the right guy. He
just fell in. They left some way, somehow they rolled the dice,
and that could be Holland for all we know. Only think taking him at
five was too early at all. I mean, you get a guy who
a lot of people were extremely high on, you know, around this time
last year, expecting to pot to be a potential number one pick, obviously
putting the eyes on him in a whole new situation. He's already been a
professional so far in his career at least one year, if not nothing else.
So I think that that's good from experience standpoint. But again, I
mean, got to work on his jump shot. I think you just said
that about probably every guy whose name was called a few days ago, and
you know, you know, I'm not sure that it was that they based
off of need. I know, it was really difficult to say that they
drafted based off of most available. But when you start talking about potential,
he arguably has the most potential in this draft. Another light, not love,
but it's really arguable when you look at who else was left on the
board, with the exception of maybe the exact Edie, if you wanted to
go after another big again, I guess, especially considering the fact that Isaiah
Stewart from an injury standpoint, there really wasn't a whole lot more left,
and I felt more comfortable saying, why would we do this? We have
this guy on the board instead typical Detroit pistons. I don't think he was
terrible, but at the end of the day, it's just something that we're
gonna have to wait and see. But also for fifty nine other guys,
by the way, yeah, for sure. When you see the free agency
and sell the numbers that are being thrown around right now, is there anything
that has really caught your attention? Like, wow, I can't believe.
For example, the Clippers gave James Harden two years, seventy million dollars,
you know, possibly four year deal for Paul George and Philadelphia, what's caught
your eyes in the early stages of free agency? Yeah, through twenty six
for k paid Kate is what I'm calling him now, not trade k paid
k I think it was interesting what the you know, uh, San Antonio
Spurs, did you know? I think clearly got a point where we're seeing,
maybe not from a money standpoint, but I think it's pretty evident that
Chris Paul is probably gonna be one of those greats that go down without a
ring. By adding him and putting him in a position or where he can
kind of teach other guys, it feels like an extension of a judonas Haslam
type role, although he's going to be playing. But that was really interesting
to me. Obviously you got to throw Paul George in that mix as well.
Klay Thompson should be relatively soon, I would imagine too. But where
to I don't know. I guess maybe that I would imagine that probably probably
would be the Lakers or Dallas however, or Dallas excuse me, or Dallas.
But you got the Lakers out there, the Lakers trying to get everybody
and get they're trying to get me and you for crying out out I think,
trying to call me prior to me coming on the air with you or
something, you know, seriously, I mean, but obviously Paul George being
an elephant in the room right here, being a guy that can fill that
need. I just I don't think that that really takes them over time.
We're gonna talk about them being contenders. We're talking about those guys being contenders
for somewhere relatively close to maybe what about ten years now or something close to
it. So overly and belief of the Philadelphia seventy six ers by any strutch
of the imagination, either primarily because of the health concerns to Joe Embi when
it matters the most. But I'm gonna be honest, Paul George, going
to the Sixers is not something that I felt was nearly as realistic as many
other people did. And if your capt to them for being able to land
them, but now I have to see the results. Yeah. Lastly,
real quick your wheelhouse, Deonta Murray goes from Atlanta to New Orleans. Surprised
because I think he's a hell of a player. Now, I would argue,
I mean Atlanta got an awful lot back for him, right. I
think they got Larry Nance Junior, they got Dyson Daniels. I think they
got a first round pick from either the Bucks or the Pelicans or something along
those lines. You would know the details better than I but that surprised me
a little bit. People felt like you had to decide between Trey Young or
Murray or why couldn't they coexist? What was your take on that trade and
why couldn't they co exist? Overall? Getting a lot back for him that
felt like a bunch of nothing considering what they've done over the last few days,
especially take the recess. But I think that's a whole another conversation.
The reality is just that it just wasn't a good thick got two guys who
can naturally play the playing guard position, obviously, you know, with Murray
being able to play off the ball a little bit. They had conversation for
quite a long time about maybe putting Tray off the ball in the situations,
and that wasn't gonna work as well. And I'm not sure that you know,
it'd be the smartest thing in the world to do that, to try
it. Maybe I don't think it's terrible, but it's just it's like mixing
water and oil to a degree in some ways. And I don't think that
there was anything out, you know, a personal situation like many people made
it out to seem, and all those kind of things, But it kind
of reminds me of, you know, last year's NBA draft. On this
time about a year ago, we were talking about what's the number two pick
or whatever it was. I think we saw Brandon Miller go to Charlie conversations
about Scoot Henderson's school, Inderson and LaMelo Ball. I just did not feel
like was going to work. Now, depending on what your definition of work
is, you may disagree with me, However, I just don't think you
can get the best. I don't think it was gonna be terrible, and
it wasn't terrible, but you weren't going to get the best that you can
get out of both of those guys on the same night at the same time.
If you were able to do that, then we might be talking about
something different. But because you weren't able to do that, in the situation
that the Atlanta Hawks are in, I think that's something that kind of hurt
them more than it helped. I don't think it was as bad some people
made it out to scene, but it really wasn't as good as some people
made it out to see either. And it just clearly looks like you're trying
to rebuild off of a rebuild now at this point, no idea what the
front office is doing. But I don't love it at all, and I
don't get really good feelings about it. Would I'd be surprised if Tray was
on the training block. Maybe the best thing to ever come through those doors
since the number twenty one, besides the guy who's got number twenty one outside.
But I guess we'll just have to play wait and see. It's great
stuff, DeShawn. I really enjoyed the conversation. Hope we can do it
again. Thanks for the insight. Continued success. Have a great week,
buddy, Appreciate it. Man. Yeah wait, thanks for having me