1 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:20,960 What is krack alakin fellow thermonuclear a effort. I am a dance valley coming 2 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,399 at you with my certified fantabulous co host grant Us. We are on to 3 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:30,199 the Eastern Conference mailbag that we promised you before we get started. My usual 4 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,920 reminders slash. Please, the best way to support this podcast is to one 5 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,439 subscribe to it across every platform, your podcast player and YouTube. If you 6 00:00:37,439 --> 00:00:40,759 haven't already, like comment on YouTube, tell the algorithm, love us back, 7 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,520 and to recommend us to people. If you've done all those things, 8 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,079 shout us out on Twitter, retweet our promos. If you do recommend us 9 00:00:47,079 --> 00:00:48,759 to someone and they take you up on us, let us know. We 10 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,240 like hearing that compliments are always good to hear. Join our discord. That 11 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,640 is the other way that you can best help continue to grow the community. 12 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:59,359 The link of that is in the podcast and YouTube descriptions as well, and 13 00:00:59,399 --> 00:01:03,519 follow our social handles at Hardwood Knocks on TikTok and Twitter, and YouTube at 14 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:08,040 Hardwood Underscore Knocks on Instagram. We do post native content just to those social 15 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:14,439 channels, so quick clips as well from from these longer podcasts with the housekeeping 16 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,200 noise out of the way and under a minute. We asked the question everyone's 17 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,920 actually dying to know the answer to Grant, how the heck are you doing? 18 00:01:21,519 --> 00:01:23,840 Like you two? Watson Abbe reacting to a Kyrie Riving tip dunk. 19 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:26,680 I am delighted to be here. Have you seen that? Did you see 20 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:33,040 his reaction to it? Yeah? That was incredible. It was just it's 21 00:01:33,079 --> 00:01:38,799 like you don't always get like genuine unfettered emotion in life, and so when 22 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,959 you see it, like and Watson Abbe is kind of like a darling right 23 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,359 now. Everybody like his approval rating is like one hundred and fifty percent, 24 00:01:46,239 --> 00:01:49,400 and to see him just like hands on head, just like giddy. After 25 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,959 Kyrie's tip dunk against I can't even remember who it was against the other day. 26 00:01:53,319 --> 00:01:56,280 It was that's great. That's that's like my favorite thing is just seeing 27 00:01:56,319 --> 00:02:00,200 somebody over the moon about like a silly play. Look the vibes coming out 28 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:05,719 of the nets right now, or just uncomfortably sanguine and it's making me. 29 00:02:05,799 --> 00:02:08,800 It's unsettling me. It isn't. We'll talk about them, but we are 30 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:13,439 going to get to some Eastern Conference mailbag questions, as you said, as 31 00:02:13,479 --> 00:02:16,560 promised, we will always deliver, and I have the Atlanta Hawks first. 32 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,039 If we're ready to go, let's dive in, right, Yeah, let's 33 00:02:20,039 --> 00:02:22,639 cannabi. I'm gonna belly flop in I think belly flop. I'm gonna jack 34 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:29,120 knives. Jack Knife's is underrated entry technique. So this is from crabtree. 35 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:35,319 What is the hawks two to three years ceiling? And so I guess like 36 00:02:35,719 --> 00:02:38,039 this is a ceiling I always think of as you know, if everything breaks 37 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:43,639 right or almost everything breaks right, Like how good is this team? To 38 00:02:43,719 --> 00:02:46,800 me? It's conference finalist, which is kind of like it feels like I'm 39 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:52,000 punting because they actually have been a conference finalist essentially with this core, So 40 00:02:52,039 --> 00:02:54,639 it's not the highest bar, but like to get beyond that to me, 41 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:59,680 or even to get there, because I think now in hindsight most people would 42 00:02:59,719 --> 00:03:05,520 agree at that run to the twenty one conference finals was you know, it 43 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,439 seems hard to it's hard to believe that happened. The path wasn't that difficult 44 00:03:08,479 --> 00:03:12,039 and just you know, a lot broke right, So that's kind of what 45 00:03:12,039 --> 00:03:15,479 we're dealing with. But just to flash forward to now, this version of 46 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:20,120 the Hawks is one in five over the last two weeks they can't score still 47 00:03:20,159 --> 00:03:23,879 their twenty second in offense. Their defense has been better than their offense this 48 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:25,919 year, which is like, I guess that's glass half full, but it's 49 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:31,039 also just what's going on. There's just not enough shooting, so their full 50 00:03:31,039 --> 00:03:35,759 season numbers are roughly where they are, even though the record is really rough 51 00:03:36,319 --> 00:03:38,120 over the last two weeks, last you know, ten days or so. 52 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,879 I just think if you look at the short term of this team, it's 53 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,599 kind of locked in because basically everybody's under contract next year other than Bogdanovich has 54 00:03:47,599 --> 00:03:52,319 an eighteen million dollar player option, which I assume he'll opt out because these 55 00:03:52,439 --> 00:03:54,439 can do, you know, at least as well over a multi year deal. 56 00:03:54,639 --> 00:03:59,000 The Holiday brothers are going to be free agents. What's it going to 57 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:00,719 cost to get off John Collins? Like, should it cost anything? We've 58 00:04:00,759 --> 00:04:04,439 talked about this a lot. Just I'm trying to think of ways for him. 59 00:04:04,479 --> 00:04:11,599 Did you see that report just Trump take on John Collins. That's that's 60 00:04:11,639 --> 00:04:14,680 never gonna not be wild to me. Even though he's shooting like twenty percent 61 00:04:14,759 --> 00:04:16,879 from three and it's rough, it's bad, it looks bad right now, 62 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,040 but I just can't get over you. Know his age twenty three or twenty 63 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:25,680 two season, whichever it was, twenty percent from three. He played great 64 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,720 defense in that twenty one Conference finals round, like he was a valuable playoff 65 00:04:29,759 --> 00:04:34,680 contributor. But so zooming back out, You could talk me into if everything 66 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:39,680 broke right, like Collins figures it out, young starts making shots. Uh, 67 00:04:40,079 --> 00:04:43,279 you know, DeAndre Hunter is not a massive disappointment. They bring back 68 00:04:43,319 --> 00:04:46,800 Ogdanovich the next two three years, you could talk me into them being better 69 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,279 than almost anyone in the East, than other than Boston, just because Boston's 70 00:04:50,319 --> 00:04:53,800 locked in. It has a ton of talent. Like maybe the things go 71 00:04:53,879 --> 00:04:57,279 bad with the Bucks, you know, Middleton doesn't re sign, Holiday gets 72 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:01,720 older, something falls apart there, Brooke Lens combustible obviously Philly. You know, 73 00:05:01,759 --> 00:05:04,439 maybe Inbeat asked for a trade because we're dealing with a three year window, 74 00:05:04,519 --> 00:05:06,639 so there's a lot on the table. I can't get past Boston. 75 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,000 I just they're just not going to be better than them, I don't think. 76 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,439 So. Yeah, that's about as high as I can go. And 77 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:15,560 the downside, I would add before I you know ask your thoughts are, 78 00:05:15,759 --> 00:05:20,240 like the downside is this team is rebuilding within like the next eighteen months, 79 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:25,000 and like that includes Trey Young being traded, that includes Collins being gone, 80 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,759 that includes trying to get picks back that you gave up for de Jontay Murray. 81 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:32,839 So the downside is, I don't know how how steep that gets, 82 00:05:32,879 --> 00:05:36,439 but you know, to me, it's more plausible we're talking about the Hawks 83 00:05:36,439 --> 00:05:41,639 starting over in a three year window than we're talking about them as like making 84 00:05:41,639 --> 00:05:46,319 the finals. I would agree with you on the overarching tentament here, which 85 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,480 is that it's more likely they're starting over in the next three years than not. 86 00:05:49,639 --> 00:05:53,399 And even if it's that's a recalibration around Trey Young, Like I'm not 87 00:05:53,439 --> 00:05:56,639 even saying it's new, you know, trade Trey, but it could be 88 00:05:56,639 --> 00:05:59,000 because at that point in the next three years, you're talking about his third 89 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,680 contract, like we're near in the end of his second. I don't know 90 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:06,600 what the pathway to this team to getting better is. Like they should not 91 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:11,199 have made the Kevin Hurder trade. That's pretty clear they've knew John Collins's trade 92 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,759 value, And I just I honestly don't know when you look at them, 93 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,639 what is their biggest need. It feels like they have biggest needs, and 94 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:19,240 that's like a major problem when you're not a team that seems like it wants 95 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:24,240 to spend, has a bunch of assets, or even is particularly flexible moving 96 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:28,160 forward. And so, like I've tried to think of in an ideal world, 97 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:30,680 I tried to look at it this way, what would be the one 98 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:35,480 player, non superstar that you could target that would significantly drum up their current 99 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:40,360 ceiling. And I've been unable to identify that player, I think, and 100 00:06:40,399 --> 00:06:42,160 I don't this is a cliche, but I was like, if it was 101 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,720 Oganna Noby, maybe, like, does he provide just enough shooting and shot 102 00:06:45,759 --> 00:06:48,639 creation to go along with the defense where you're alleviating the burden on even DeAndre 103 00:06:48,759 --> 00:06:51,560 Hunter where de Jean d. Murray has helped there. But I just I 104 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:55,519 like, and that's even still depending on what you would need Bogdanovitch to stay 105 00:06:55,959 --> 00:07:00,439 in that situation, they feel like they are two or three players away being 106 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:02,199 a routine contender in the East. And there's also the thing that I can't 107 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,360 escape here is yes, maybe Nate McMillan isn't the ideal coach here. The 108 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:08,839 shop profile is outmoded. I think a lot of that has to do with 109 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,279 their personnel. Frankly, when you look at where Trey and de Jean day 110 00:07:11,319 --> 00:07:15,319 Murray like to operate, but also okay, improve the coaching. Is there 111 00:07:15,399 --> 00:07:19,519 something here with Trey Young and like behind the scenes locker room issues, I 112 00:07:19,519 --> 00:07:24,480 don't want to overblow it, and like the Hawks have come out pretty forcefully 113 00:07:24,759 --> 00:07:28,560 and said, you know, the Sham's reporting is like what do they call 114 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:30,720 it bs basically, which is like, I trust Sham's is reporting on it. 115 00:07:30,759 --> 00:07:33,759 Whether it was there was actually substance, there are things we didn't know 116 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:39,079 already. That's a different story. But like there's there's been enough smoke here 117 00:07:39,279 --> 00:07:41,240 for there to be fire for a while. And the fact that the report 118 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,279 I don't even think this was from SHAMS came out that players in the locker 119 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:47,240 room would have sided with McMillan over Trey in this scenario. If that's even 120 00:07:47,279 --> 00:07:51,519 a like there's an iota of truth to that, that's a real problem. 121 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:57,279 And the other thing is just which might set them back because we've seen they've 122 00:07:57,319 --> 00:08:01,639 had other changes aside from Travis Slank stepping down, we know that Landry Fields 123 00:08:01,639 --> 00:08:05,079 reportedly he's more motivated than ever. Trade Collins, why did you let Schlank 124 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:09,360 go through the off season like he was the one that makes the Murray trade 125 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,160 extends, DeAndre Hunter goes through your draft, goes through the free agency for 126 00:08:11,199 --> 00:08:16,800 trades Kevin Hurder unless Landry Fields was the final saying on that like what like 127 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:20,240 now he's gone the middle of the season and you're sort of changing regimes. 128 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:22,519 I just I don't understand the logic here, and so I don't need to 129 00:08:22,519 --> 00:08:24,600 be all doing glue with the Hawks. They have a lot of talent. 130 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:28,639 I'm with you in the sense though, and maybe you have better ideas on 131 00:08:28,639 --> 00:08:31,279 how to fix them or what they need. I'm with you in the sense 132 00:08:31,279 --> 00:08:35,039 though, that over the next three years they're ceiling. It's conference finalists, 133 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:39,000 which is that's fine, but it's more likely not that they don't make it. 134 00:08:39,039 --> 00:08:41,799 That's always more likely. It's more likely that we're talking about a full 135 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:46,039 on tear down over the next three years than them being a conference finalist. 136 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:50,720 Again. Yeah, and I think so part of the problem is, you 137 00:08:50,759 --> 00:08:54,519 know, what the Hucks need is the guy, the version of DeAndre Hunter 138 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:58,120 that they thought was worth ninety million. That's like one thing. And then 139 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:03,240 I think, you know, optimized you and Capella hasn't been playing but a 140 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:07,279 kong Wu in the middle, as as just like a defensive you know, 141 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:13,159 game record. I think that solves a few things. Young not shooting thirty 142 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,279 one percent from three. I feel like I've mentioned that almost like every time 143 00:09:16,279 --> 00:09:18,919 we talk about the Hawks, like how much different does the season look if 144 00:09:18,919 --> 00:09:22,159 he's at thirty eight percent? But to me, you mentioned it, and 145 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:26,039 you don't want to overblow stuff like this, but I just have and and 146 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,000 no good point has ever started with I just have this feeling. But I 147 00:09:31,039 --> 00:09:35,440 just have this feeling that the Tray Young stuff is real and and some of 148 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:41,080 that is the reporting and some of that is just the idea that I really 149 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:45,159 don't I can I could totally understand why he wouldn't be someone that guys like 150 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,440 playing with both it's some of it's the heliocentrism, but he's a great passer, 151 00:09:48,639 --> 00:09:50,919 so there's like, well that offsets, you know, the fact that 152 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,799 he's always got the ball. But then there's also just like what makes Trey 153 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,879 Young great outside of the rain shooting, the great passing, the flow, 154 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,000 the craft, all that stuff, A lot of it's just the chip on 155 00:10:03,039 --> 00:10:07,440 the should like he's really like defiant, like super confident, like loves to 156 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:11,799 kind of rile things up type of player, and that just might not be 157 00:10:11,879 --> 00:10:13,720 the kind of guy that is a great teammate, Like I don't know. 158 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:18,279 I wouldn't say that if there weren't reports about the team. You know, 159 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:22,480 if it's me or him, we're going with McMillan. And that's just that 160 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,519 just factors into it. So it's almost as much as anything, I have 161 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,120 some skepticism about the Hawks, you know, mid and long term ceiling and 162 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:37,559 future, just because I totally it would never It would the farthest thing from 163 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:41,120 being shocked if it turns out that Young is just a tough guy to be 164 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:45,639 around and play with, and everybody else on that team, Collins, you 165 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:50,720 know, there's been it's been debunked and then bunked and rebunked over and over 166 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,440 that Collins and Young haven't seen ey'd eye. So it just feels like that's 167 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,080 a factor that can't be ignored when you're talking about, well, which direction 168 00:10:58,159 --> 00:11:01,639 is the arrow going for this team? A. J. Griffin was a 169 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:05,720 nice find. Can I very quickly? Can I play with within the next 170 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,320 year? I want to play Round of keeper trade with you for Atlanta. 171 00:11:09,519 --> 00:11:13,120 I'm just gonna go through some of their players, and I don't even want 172 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:15,960 an explanation. I just wanted to keep her. Trade on these guys. 173 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,480 Tray Young before let's say, before the twenty twenty four trade deadline is what 174 00:11:20,519 --> 00:11:26,279 we'll use. Tray Young trade, Welcome, Dejante Murray, keep Bogdan mcdonovitch 175 00:11:26,399 --> 00:11:30,320 going to be a free agent this year. Yeah, i'd keep him. 176 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:37,159 DeAndre Honor, trade John Collins keep damn it. No, they're gonna trade 177 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:43,320 him, but I would keep them. Clint Capella trade keep and aj Griffin. 178 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:48,200 Oh keep. We traded half of the rotation. Basically you're starting over. 179 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:52,120 Yeah, yeah, you did say keep Dejanta Murray, though, yeah, 180 00:11:52,159 --> 00:11:54,840 I think I can. I don't like a scenario where he's your best 181 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:58,879 player. I just think he makes I still think the logic of pairing him 182 00:12:00,039 --> 00:12:03,799 if Young works on paper, and I think if you had if he's a 183 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:07,200 guy that is a secondary you know, even he works fine as a primary 184 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:09,480 creator if there's just enough shooting around him. I mean, it was an 185 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:13,879 All Star in San Antonio with with you know, middling shooting. I don't 186 00:12:13,879 --> 00:12:16,440 think it's that hard. He's almost easier to integrate than someone like Young. 187 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:22,320 But just that's as much personality as anything. I don't know. And that's 188 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:26,840 assuming you don't have to max Hunter Max Murray outs that would like it all 189 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:28,159 depends on what you're gonna have to pay him on his next deal. That 190 00:12:28,279 --> 00:12:31,120 gets into and I don't want to spend more time to talk, but that 191 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,639 gets into an overarkling discussion. Like when he reaches free agency. I think 192 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:35,759 that free agency's gonna look maybe not vastly different, but I think it's gonna 193 00:12:35,759 --> 00:12:39,639 be a little bit more competitive. Where we've seen a lot of players just 194 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:43,000 signed contracts with their team and move later. I think there might be more 195 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,039 player movement on the horizon, so you might need to max him to keep 196 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,519 him. That's a scary thought. I don't feel great about that. Let's 197 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,879 move on to the Boston Celtics, who are my team. Shout out Grant 198 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:56,279 by the way for labeling these so that we didn't get last time. I 199 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:58,519 figured out before we went live, but I did research on like four or 200 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:03,600 five because I fucked up the order. There was no at least not that 201 00:13:03,639 --> 00:13:05,799 I know of. Maybe we'll find out now there was no mess ups at 202 00:13:05,799 --> 00:13:09,600 this time thanks to him the two guests Bastard. How good is the Celtics 203 00:13:09,639 --> 00:13:13,000 offense and is it as dependent on three point shooting as it seems were the 204 00:13:13,039 --> 00:13:16,879 first twenty games due to unsustainably high three point percentages? Or are the last 205 00:13:16,879 --> 00:13:22,480 ten or so due to unsustainably low ones? And so some background on this. 206 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:24,000 So the Celtics starts the season twenty one and five. This is how 207 00:13:24,039 --> 00:13:28,919 I broke it down for them. They were first in offense one twenty one 208 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:33,320 point seven offensive rating. Their effected field goal percentage of fifty nine point six 209 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:37,720 was first by a country mile. Basically, Denver was second at fifty eight. 210 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:41,960 Over their last twelve games, they're twenty sixth in offense at one twelve 211 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:46,120 offensive rating. Their affective field goal percentage has dropped by more than seven points 212 00:13:46,159 --> 00:13:48,600 to fifty one point six. That is twenty seven, So there are the 213 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,799 bottom five of both offensive rating and effected field goal percentage. They're shooting from 214 00:13:52,879 --> 00:13:58,320 three during the twenty one and five stretch forty point eight percent across the board, 215 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,600 both in the corner and above the break that led the league by a 216 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,399 comfortable not really. Denver shot the three ball well during that stretch, but 217 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:07,679 forty point eight percent that ranked first in the league. Over their last twelve 218 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:13,519 games, they are thirtieth at thirty point five percent on threes, including under 219 00:14:13,639 --> 00:14:18,679 thirty percent from above the break. To break this down one final time, 220 00:14:18,919 --> 00:14:22,039 during their twenty one and five stretch, they shot forty three point six percent 221 00:14:22,519 --> 00:14:28,120 on wide open threes. During this stretch, they were shooting thirty one point 222 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:31,159 three percent on wide open threes. This is with wide open threes accounting for 223 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:37,440 basically the same share of their total shot attempts, and so that hasn't changed 224 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:43,080 at all. That leads me to believe that we're just simply experiencing peaks and 225 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,159 valleys right now, and there will be a middle ground. And when you 226 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:52,080 look at this stretch, their highest volume three point shooters are and this is 227 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,559 an order of their attempts per game, Jayon Brown thirty one point eight percent, 228 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:58,879 Jason Tatum thirty point nine percent, Marcus Smart thirty point five percent, 229 00:15:00,159 --> 00:15:03,200 Al Horford thirty nine point six percent due to God, Malcolm Brogden twenty eight 230 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:09,639 point nine percent, Derek White twenty two point two percent, Sam Houser twenty 231 00:15:09,639 --> 00:15:13,799 eight point nine percent. And so you're looking at their seven, their top 232 00:15:13,879 --> 00:15:18,200 seven in terms of volume three point shooters, all being demonstratively below the league 233 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:22,360 average, not just not just what they were shooting before their league average. 234 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:28,159 When you look at those names Tatum, Brown, Brogden, Sam Houser, 235 00:15:28,279 --> 00:15:31,879 for sure, there's going to be some progression to a mean. Now, 236 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:35,679 do I think that Boston's offense was too reliant on threes? I don't, 237 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,799 because their three point at temph three was never astronomically high. It's always hovered 238 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:45,120 around like ten twelve for the season, and even now you know, as 239 00:15:45,159 --> 00:15:50,519 the as their bricklaying, it is currently at their third so like, yes, 240 00:15:50,559 --> 00:15:54,480 it's up there in three point a tenth three. Could you pull back 241 00:15:54,519 --> 00:15:56,320 from that? It seems like they've got away from driving and dribble penetration a 242 00:15:56,360 --> 00:16:00,240 little bit. They were doing Jason Tatum specifically a good job of getting more 243 00:16:00,279 --> 00:16:03,600 to the foul line. Yes, you can get back to some of that. 244 00:16:03,679 --> 00:16:07,039 I don't think. Did they have one of the five best offenses in 245 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:11,799 NBA history? I thought on paper that was probably always fluky, and a 246 00:16:11,799 --> 00:16:14,480 lot of it did have to do with the three point shooting. I'm not 247 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:19,360 worried about their offense long term. I think there's enough varying layers here to 248 00:16:19,399 --> 00:16:23,120 where they'll figure it out. And also they've had to reintegrate Robert Williams the 249 00:16:23,159 --> 00:16:27,320 third during this stretch, and that changes the geometry of your floor, and 250 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:32,200 that's something that they're gonna have to get used to. What do I think, 251 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:34,440 Like, you know, we see the extremes bottom five offense versus the 252 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:38,720 best offense in the league, I probably think they should still be settled into 253 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:41,679 not even just for the year because we know the first twenty six games will 254 00:16:41,679 --> 00:16:45,440 skeewe that, but they should be a top ten to twelve offense like that. 255 00:16:45,639 --> 00:16:51,039 Twelve feels like almost their floor just because of the level of individual shop 256 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,279 makers and creators that they have. And so no, I'm not worried. 257 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:56,919 If you're if their path to winning the title was, oh they're they're, 258 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:00,000 you know, one of the five best defense and five best offenses, I 259 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:03,359 think it's fair to question whether they fall under that umbrella. But I don't 260 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:07,319 view anything here as sinister that they need to make some type of move at 261 00:17:07,319 --> 00:17:10,799 the trade deadline. They have a nice little tidy trade exception to be good 262 00:17:10,799 --> 00:17:14,519 if they could do something with it or willing to pay the luxury TAXI, 263 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:18,240 you know, penalties for using it. That being said, this is still 264 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:22,480 they are probably Honestly, look, they're probably the safest bet to come out 265 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:23,599 of the East when you look at what's happening in Milwaukee. Will get to 266 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:26,079 them, Brooklyn, you just will get to them too. But I mean, 267 00:17:26,319 --> 00:17:30,680 why are you gonna trust Brooklyn. Philly's tearing it up right now, 268 00:17:30,839 --> 00:17:33,640 like what is Miami going through. They've gotten a little bit better, So 269 00:17:33,079 --> 00:17:37,799 I would say Boston's probably the safest bet in the East. And that hasn't 270 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:38,960 I didn't pick them to come out of the East. I picked the Bucks 271 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:44,000 and I'll stick to it. But that this hasn't moved me in the direction 272 00:17:44,039 --> 00:17:47,680 of panic. I don't know about you. No, I agree with pretty 273 00:17:47,759 --> 00:17:49,839 much everything you said. I think if the short answer to the question of 274 00:17:51,079 --> 00:17:53,160 how good is the Celtics offense is it's good enough. You know, it 275 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,480 doesn't have to be great, like it's good enough now. And I think 276 00:17:56,519 --> 00:18:00,799 specifically with a team like this, there aren't a lot of teams that I 277 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,960 give this kind of leeway to. But you know, they were in the 278 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:08,799 finals, They've made deep playoff runs. They you know, they look totally 279 00:18:08,839 --> 00:18:11,960 likely to do that. Again, I kind of am more interested in the 280 00:18:12,039 --> 00:18:17,200 highs and like the stretches where they're playing really great than I am concerned by 281 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,920 the lows, which you know, there's just been a ton of variants. 282 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,599 We're all we're trafficking in small samples, you know, cutting the season up 283 00:18:23,599 --> 00:18:27,599 into ten and fifteen game increments. Even so, it's like, I just 284 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:32,279 valued now, the shooting to start the season was totally unsustainable. It was 285 00:18:32,319 --> 00:18:36,279 just everybody was shooting forty whatever percent on good four percent of wide open threes. 286 00:18:36,319 --> 00:18:38,480 It's just like next level stuff. Yeah, it's just that wasn't ever 287 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:44,400 gonna last. But I think it's pretty compelling that they did. They did 288 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:48,799 sustain that for you know, what would have been a long chunk of the 289 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,759 playoff run. And that's all it really takes, like if you have the 290 00:18:51,759 --> 00:18:53,920 capacity, if you have the shooters, and I think Boston does have enough, 291 00:18:55,039 --> 00:19:00,000 like genuinely good shooters to say they could run that hot against playoff competition 292 00:19:00,599 --> 00:19:03,559 over a couple series or even more than that. For sure, I guess 293 00:19:03,559 --> 00:19:07,240 it's as likely that they could run cold like they have for other stretches this 294 00:19:07,279 --> 00:19:11,160 season. But I just like the highs. The highs matter more with a 295 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,400 good contender like this, I would say the only really quickly, sorry to 296 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:17,680 interrupt you, because I rambled for five minutes, was who was the actual 297 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,680 outlier throughout that entire stretch was Derek White. And I guess if you want 298 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:25,559 to go Marcus Smart to talk, but when you see Marcus Smart run hot 299 00:19:25,559 --> 00:19:29,039 for an entire season basically from three, yeah, No, it's just the 300 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,200 overarching thing is when you're talking about a team that's as good as the Celtics, 301 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:37,240 I think just when they show that they can hit a really high level, 302 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,960 it just matters more than when they slump, because I think even internally 303 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:44,200 it's kind of like, well, we're bulletproof and then you let your guard 304 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,640 down a little bit, and then that contributes some along with variants and just 305 00:19:47,759 --> 00:19:51,240 randomness and regression of the mean. But that's a factor two for teams that 306 00:19:51,279 --> 00:19:55,279 are this good. I think, speaking of teams that are this good, 307 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:00,720 the Brooklynness that's so good the brook the Nets have won a trillion games in 308 00:20:00,759 --> 00:20:04,559 a row. They're the best offense in all the land. They're grade at 309 00:20:04,599 --> 00:20:11,000 everything. And so this question is from not Grant Hughes at all. Come 310 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,680 on, get at us Brooklyn Nets fans for a question here. This is 311 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:18,440 why I've sent out four solicitations in total to our two to our discord, 312 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:22,759 one from Hardwoo Knox Twitter, one from MBA Mats Twitter. Where are you 313 00:20:22,799 --> 00:20:26,720 at? Nets fans? And Clippers fans kind of let us down this time. 314 00:20:26,799 --> 00:20:30,079 Maybe maybe they just don't care about anything until the playoffs, but for 315 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:34,240 sure as hell don't, that's for sure. Yeah. So we talk all 316 00:20:34,279 --> 00:20:37,359 the time about how we started the season, talking about how like, well 317 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:41,400 it's it already was a tire fire, it seemed like, and the combustion 318 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,720 potential was off the charts, the most high variance team in the league. 319 00:20:45,319 --> 00:20:48,720 Take that off the table for the Nets. Take Kyrie's gonna say or do 320 00:20:48,839 --> 00:20:53,480 something crazy. Uh, they're gonna try to get Jock bonfired for some reason, 321 00:20:53,559 --> 00:20:57,480 like take all the like on the trade, like take all that off 322 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:03,799 the table, take all the like. No way this is happening again to 323 00:21:03,839 --> 00:21:07,920 this team. So why shouldn't we believe the Nets can make the finals if 324 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:11,799 we just pretend? And this is kind of like this is purely a thought 325 00:21:11,839 --> 00:21:15,440 exercise, because I don't think it's safe to pretend this that none of that 326 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,319 stuff is going to creep in and kind of derail what's been one of the 327 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:22,559 best runs of any team this season, even though the schedule and hasn't been 328 00:21:22,559 --> 00:21:26,559 all that tough. But whatever, Like a winning streak like this is still 329 00:21:26,559 --> 00:21:30,680 a winning streak like this. So to me, there's just there's only a 330 00:21:30,759 --> 00:21:33,839 couple of areas you really look at, and almost all of them can be 331 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:38,359 just over there, papered over, overcome by incredible shot making, which this 332 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,720 team just has, you know, up and down the roster, particularly Durant 333 00:21:41,799 --> 00:21:47,799 Irving, you know, Curry, Harris, t J. Warren looks really 334 00:21:47,839 --> 00:21:52,119 good to me in limited stints. They're a little small. Nick Lackson has 335 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:56,279 been awesome, but there only other real center that they play is Darron Sharp 336 00:21:56,319 --> 00:21:59,839 and and like, I get it, you want to use Ben Simmons there 337 00:21:59,839 --> 00:22:03,039 if you can. Kadie can play some center. They're a little small, 338 00:22:03,079 --> 00:22:04,359 Like this is a problem for everybody, but like, what do you do 339 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:10,680 with MB in a playoff series? That's just that's really difficult for this team 340 00:22:10,799 --> 00:22:12,839 even you, honest I think probably poses a similar problem where there's just aren't 341 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:18,920 enough like bulky deterrence inside. Not the length is there because durance long and 342 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:21,920 they can play a lot of forwards and wings that can have some reach, 343 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:26,599 But that's an issue. It's tied to the defense. I think rebounding has 344 00:22:26,599 --> 00:22:30,880 been a problem for this team for most of the year. So through November 345 00:22:30,759 --> 00:22:34,400 they were twenty first and offensive rebound rate fourteenth and defense or though they were 346 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:40,400 dead last and both through November. Since December, during this run started twenty 347 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:44,599 first and fourteenth and offensive and defensive rebound rate respectively. That's improved a little. 348 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:48,359 That's still probably not good enough. I'm wondering if the sorry Ben Simmons 349 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:52,079 clacks ten minutes now working, I wonder if that's helped there. I haven't 350 00:22:52,079 --> 00:22:55,119 looked at the rebounding percentages of those lineups, but I'm wondering if that maybe 351 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:56,880 has helped them stabilize a little bit. It does, and they're a little 352 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:00,880 like the Celtics, where you know, the off can be good enough, 353 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:04,559 everything else can just be good enough, and then Durant is unstoppable and Irving 354 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:08,319 can get you thirty on seventeen shots, and like that's just the recipe for 355 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:15,759 winning. So size defense, I guess you could question their shot profile. 356 00:23:15,799 --> 00:23:18,480 They're really reliant on just making mid rangers. So their first and effective field 357 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:22,960 goal percentage this year, but they're twenty ninth in location based effective field goal 358 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:26,839 percentage. But that's the Kyrie kd effect, right. How big a concern 359 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,759 is that if you just know that the guys that take the most shots are 360 00:23:29,799 --> 00:23:33,599 really good at shots that you know theoretically you should not take. It's a 361 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,680 little bit like we talk about the suns, you know, the last couple 362 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:38,079 of years. Oh, they're mid range. Well it's like if Devin Booker 363 00:23:38,079 --> 00:23:41,240 and Chris Paul are taking all your mid rangers, they're just gonna make a 364 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:47,240 disproportionate amount. So I guess the other big one is like, how good 365 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:51,279 how useful is Simmons going to be in a playoff series? Yeah? I 366 00:23:51,279 --> 00:23:53,039 mean, like he's still I think I read the other day he hasn't taken 367 00:23:53,039 --> 00:23:56,240 a free throw. Since he hasn't made a free throw since November twenty five, 368 00:23:56,839 --> 00:24:00,799 that's problematic. Can he be on the floor at the end of games? 369 00:24:00,039 --> 00:24:03,839 I don't know. And he's so valuable to their defense that if you 370 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:08,000 can't play him, then suddenly it's Claxton and like Royce O'Neil's playing the only 371 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:12,160 other guy you'd really trust Durant. Maybe. So there's a few things, 372 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,559 but I just come back to like, if you're telling me that this isn't 373 00:24:15,599 --> 00:24:21,279 going to blow up for non basketball reasons, then we just have to We 374 00:24:21,319 --> 00:24:26,000 just have to view the nets as as as dangerous as like literally anybody else. 375 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:29,799 I don't have any other concerns other than what does Ben Simmons look like 376 00:24:29,799 --> 00:24:32,960 in the playoffs? And then what's the Kyrie Irvan Wildcar factor? I honestly 377 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:34,400 don't have anything to add to you. I will say that I think people 378 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:38,279 might be underrating how valuable Nick Claxton is. It's probably already the single most 379 00:24:38,279 --> 00:24:44,240 switchable actual center in the league. Opponents are shooting this year. His rim 380 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:47,640 protection has never been better. Boast is that bolt? Is that like zero 381 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,880 like level stop gap? Or someone's coming over as helper, or someone's breaking 382 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:53,519 up place from behind they're shooting, And I was looking this up. I'm 383 00:24:53,559 --> 00:24:56,119 getting used to a second screen. That's why you see me staring off here 384 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:02,000 rather than shaking my laptop my first laptop here. Fifty point nine percent against 385 00:25:02,079 --> 00:25:04,160 the classon at the rim. There have been thirty eight players who can test 386 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,680 at least one hundred fifty shots at the rim. Only Draymond and Jane McDaniels 387 00:25:07,839 --> 00:25:11,319 have better limiting percentages there. And his offense has been spectacular. I'm not 388 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:15,200 even talking about like rolling finishing at the basket. He's shooting like eighty percent 389 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:18,960 at the rim. Led the league in field goal percentage last time I checked. 390 00:25:18,039 --> 00:25:22,319 But he's hitting like fifty percent of his hook shots. He's putting a 391 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:25,200 ball on the floor. I posted actually a clip of him because I was 392 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:29,079 watching him, and so I posted some clips of like his more complicated usage. 393 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:33,519 People on Twitter comment think they're like some of these drives drives. They 394 00:25:33,519 --> 00:25:36,440 thought it was Kevin Durant. That's a huge swing piece. This is a 395 00:25:36,519 --> 00:25:38,119 player they almost traded for protected first round pick. That's the only thing I 396 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:41,839 have to add is that the only thing that's preventing the Nets from winning a 397 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:45,279 title, my eyes, my own skepticism which leads me to this is from 398 00:25:45,319 --> 00:25:52,039 not Dan for Valley at all. Ken Kevin Durant win the MVP Award? 399 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:57,000 Is it? And I guess it's Is it fair to hold what happened against 400 00:25:57,079 --> 00:26:02,599 him in the discussion and why's the answer. That's just gonna say that that's 401 00:26:02,599 --> 00:26:06,240 the question, because I don't know how you get over Well, the MVP 402 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:10,000 is just such a cluster anyway, because like what's value? You know, 403 00:26:10,039 --> 00:26:15,160 what's valuable? Is it on the court stuff only? Is it offense only? 404 00:26:15,279 --> 00:26:17,960 Do we care about catch all metric? You know, because Durant just 405 00:26:18,039 --> 00:26:21,279 excels in so many of those areas. But how do you get past? 406 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:26,640 I'll say this, I don't think voters are gonna get past the fact that 407 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:30,880 he really tried more than once to just blow the team up. And I 408 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:36,039 guess it's a credit to how great he is that he just came back and 409 00:26:36,519 --> 00:26:38,680 is playing at an MVP level. Like, I don't think that's really debatable. 410 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:41,680 But I just don't know how you get past how anyone's going to get 411 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:47,480 past the other stuff. Here's my thing. And I saw I can't remember 412 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:49,559 which podcast I was listening to. They were commending Durant's leadership, leading this 413 00:26:49,599 --> 00:26:53,480 team through the Kyrie Irving stuff, leading this team through his own trade demand, 414 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:57,359 but Steve Nash firing, no, you absolutely can hold it. He 415 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:00,400 might be the most valuable player in the NBA. But the nets were in 416 00:27:00,519 --> 00:27:03,640 lurch. Does the roster look any different or is it any better if he 417 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:07,359 doesn't make his trade demand. You were the one that wanted the coach fired, 418 00:27:07,799 --> 00:27:12,400 and so like, you didn't lead this team through anything that you didn't 419 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:15,680 create. Like, and I'm not going to give you bonus points for navigating 420 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,759 the Kyrie stuff because first of all, you did it quite poorly if we're 421 00:27:18,759 --> 00:27:22,640 being honest, And two, like, I don't want to hear another fucking 422 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:26,039 thing about his love of basketball. That is awesome. Kevin Durant is an 423 00:27:26,079 --> 00:27:32,160 underdog when you look at his life trajectory, everyone like if there are people 424 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:34,680 in like not this league isn't filled with Andrew Bynum's who are only playing because 425 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,680 like they make a lot of money and that was their best you know, 426 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:41,599 occupational option. I don't even know how to phrase that. Ever, these 427 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,720 players love the game. That's why they're here, That's why they're at the 428 00:27:44,759 --> 00:27:45,839 level. That's why most of them invest time in their craft. It's that 429 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,839 it's the money. You might be the famous celebrities accommodation of everything. Kevin 430 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:52,839 Durant is not like on some it's not so higher power because you think Kevin 431 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:56,559 Durant loves the game less than Steph Curry, Like, I just you think 432 00:27:56,640 --> 00:28:00,599 Kevin Durant loves the game less than Lebron James for them, and that's why 433 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:03,720 Lebron's Lakers have fallen apart. Doesn't love the game enough. Maybe if the 434 00:28:03,759 --> 00:28:06,279 station his career, he doesn't. I don't want to fucking hear it, 435 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,160 Like, if he's so love of the game that he wanted to be traded 436 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:12,880 from Brooklyn, have his coach in general manager fired. No, I'm just 437 00:28:14,519 --> 00:28:17,759 that is and I think, and I'm part of this, and I wanted 438 00:28:18,079 --> 00:28:21,319 and I'll try, and I'll be remedying something in my next MVP ladder. 439 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:25,119 I have artific I don't know if it's artificially. I've held him back in 440 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:27,519 the MVP discussion because of this where it's like he should probably be one two 441 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:30,559 or three at worst based on the body of work from him, the minutes 442 00:28:30,599 --> 00:28:33,559 that he played, especially at the start of the year. I just think 443 00:28:33,839 --> 00:28:37,480 that if we're going to talk about teams, like if wins and losses are 444 00:28:37,519 --> 00:28:41,920 a players stat, because the player has to come from this really good team, 445 00:28:41,039 --> 00:28:44,319 you know what, a player has to prove to me that he's not 446 00:28:44,359 --> 00:28:51,559 trying to submarine that team. Well, it's like if if a pilot of 447 00:28:51,599 --> 00:28:56,480 a commercial airliner like sees a couple of clouds and so I don't like those 448 00:28:56,519 --> 00:29:02,000 clouds. I'm gonna fly into the middle of this Category five hurricane and then 449 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:06,000 somehow like makes it out, like everyone thinks we're all dead on this plane 450 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,279 and he makes it out. Do you applaud the pilot? Like is that 451 00:29:08,519 --> 00:29:11,839 are we is? Like doesn't the first thing matter as much as the second 452 00:29:11,839 --> 00:29:17,480 thing? Like you, it's just's just the self created problem that you managed 453 00:29:17,519 --> 00:29:19,960 to navigate, just like, don't start the problem, like I don't matter, 454 00:29:21,359 --> 00:29:22,880 I don't mean it's It's also like I don't remember the show that this 455 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,279 came from now, Like I was watching a show away back when, and 456 00:29:26,519 --> 00:29:32,359 like someone set a fire in their school chemistry room. They put it out 457 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:36,440 and then they got an award for putting out the fire, and I don't 458 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:38,839 remember what show it was, Like That's that's what Kevin Durant did, is 459 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:42,160 he helped if it wasn't him who set it on fire, he handed like 460 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,480 the matches over to other people to do it for him, and then he 461 00:29:45,599 --> 00:29:49,640 put it out and just he's been terrific. He can be your MVP. 462 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:56,119 But let's not pretend that like his love of the game transcend it all here 463 00:29:56,200 --> 00:30:00,079 like fuck that fuck. Let's keep coming up with analogy. If you jump 464 00:30:00,119 --> 00:30:06,599 into the lion cage and he dragged twelve people with you, and then look, 465 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:10,799 Kevin Durant understands his why more than anybody else in the league. That's 466 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,440 that's why the Nets are here. Kevin Durant understands his why. He might 467 00:30:14,519 --> 00:30:17,559 have been he was clearly right about Steve Nash, but that also kind of 468 00:30:17,599 --> 00:30:21,240 goes on him because the Steve Nash get hired without Kevin Durant says, well, 469 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:23,319 yeah, let's not be naive. He at least said, cool, 470 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:27,680 let's do it at absolute minimum. And I don't mean Kevin Durant is one 471 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:32,759 of the ten greatest basketball players of all time. He's probably been wire to 472 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:36,680 wire the best player in the NBA this season? Is he the most valuable 473 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:40,119 player in the NBA this season? Just putting out your own fires count as 474 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:45,160 value. Who's this? Are we ready to hop onto my team, which 475 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:51,160 is there's Charlotte Hornets and we have We had more than one question on the 476 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:55,359 Charlotte Hornets. I appreciate that horns fans usher which duo would you rather see 477 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:59,720 with Wemby, Kayden Wemby or Lamello and Wemby. I chose just to do 478 00:30:59,839 --> 00:31:03,079 it make it more interesting, because I think Detroit has more young talent than 479 00:31:03,319 --> 00:31:07,319 Charlotte. I would rather see. Oh my god, I'd rather see LaMelo 480 00:31:07,359 --> 00:31:11,160 and Wemby. Let's just get this dude some fucking help. I think Cade 481 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:15,240 and then having Jade and Ivy, Killian, Hayes and Wemby and that Core 482 00:31:15,319 --> 00:31:18,240 and Detroit would be objectively better right out of the gate. But also, 483 00:31:18,319 --> 00:31:22,279 like, I want Wemby to get as much opportunity as possible on the ball. 484 00:31:22,319 --> 00:31:26,279 And if you have Jaden and Killian and Kaide, but especially Kade and 485 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:30,880 Jayden, how like does that limit his development? Also, Jalen Duran is 486 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:33,519 there too, like him and Isaiah Stuart aren't guys. They're gonna clog up 487 00:31:33,559 --> 00:31:37,519 the pipeline for Wemby, but it is part of the equation. So give 488 00:31:37,519 --> 00:31:40,559 me LaMelo and Wemby, and then Wemby just automatically your second option, and 489 00:31:40,599 --> 00:31:45,240 let's just let let let's see him cook on Charlotte and give some hope to 490 00:31:45,279 --> 00:31:47,920 the Hornets franchise in general, which I think is the most hopeless team the 491 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:49,640 league. We we name them the most hopeless team the league. But also 492 00:31:49,799 --> 00:31:55,119 just that's it kind of I want to see players. I don't want to 493 00:31:55,119 --> 00:31:57,160 get into the talk of well, what's LaMelo gonna do next after he signs 494 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:01,519 this extension. I want to just envision him being there because I like when 495 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:06,200 organizations, unless they just so blatantly run them out of town, which the 496 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:09,200 Hornets might be doing at this point, I want to see Lamello stay there. 497 00:32:09,279 --> 00:32:13,640 I want to see all these like I want to see smaller markets have 498 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:17,559 have their why have their core and when LaMelo would just be so much fun 499 00:32:17,599 --> 00:32:20,759 to me. I don't know where you landed on this. No, it's 500 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:23,519 it's LaMelo one hundred percent. And it's like, yeah, the Hornets need 501 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:27,200 when ban Yama the most, but they kind of deserve him the least. 502 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:30,200 So the way to put it, some part of me is is hesitant, 503 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:36,319 but just like I think, I think LaMelo is full stop one of the 504 00:32:36,319 --> 00:32:38,799 best passers in the league, and there's just not a lot of places to 505 00:32:38,799 --> 00:32:42,960 put the ball for him on this team, and just like, well, 506 00:32:43,039 --> 00:32:45,720 let's bring in the guy with the widest catch radius of all time, like 507 00:32:46,319 --> 00:32:51,960 imagine the lobs imagine, you know. And I think too, if there's 508 00:32:52,039 --> 00:32:53,880 anything to worry about with when Bin Yama, it's that he can do. 509 00:32:54,119 --> 00:32:59,279 He'll be able to do so much as a rookie just based on you know, 510 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,000 it's gonna be hard to tell him not to take tough threes just or 511 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:07,279 just really go into his bag because I mean, he's gonna rightfully believe he 512 00:33:07,319 --> 00:33:10,000 can do that stuff. But I think it will help a lot if there's 513 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:15,160 someone on his team that's just a high level thinker, distributor passer, just 514 00:33:15,519 --> 00:33:17,519 because maybe the you know, four or five easy buckets he would get from 515 00:33:17,559 --> 00:33:22,480 LaMelo. Not that Kade is you know, any you know is incapable of 516 00:33:22,519 --> 00:33:28,319 that kind of stuff, but LaMelo is just a dynamic facilitator of like cool 517 00:33:28,359 --> 00:33:32,400 shit. So I think I think having Mbiamba get easy stuff will be helpful 518 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:38,519 and Mabe prevent him from you know, falling into the crowd pleasing trap or 519 00:33:38,519 --> 00:33:43,799 the like I'm just gonna do this myself, I think, I think esthetically, 520 00:33:43,839 --> 00:33:45,680 and I think for his development, probably playing with LaMelo is better. 521 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:50,960 Charlotte also as much as their rosters just like man, they can't carve out 522 00:33:51,119 --> 00:33:53,960 better spacing. I would think around So let's say Mark Williams, Lamello and 523 00:33:54,799 --> 00:33:58,839 Wemby, you would have Terry Rozier just to get up shots and volume there 524 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:02,599 and then if hey word is healthy for some reason next season. So where 525 00:34:02,599 --> 00:34:06,839 it's Detroit, it's like Jay and Ivy such a question mark there than playing 526 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,960 him with Duran and because Ivy so ball dominant where Terry Rozier is not. 527 00:34:10,039 --> 00:34:15,639 And I would also although Wemby Durhan is the more intriguing from court pairing, 528 00:34:15,679 --> 00:34:21,440 Mark Williams and Wemby could do some awesome shit together too. Next Hornet's question 529 00:34:21,559 --> 00:34:27,400 comes from RMM, what are some realistic deals the Hornets can do at the 530 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:30,039 trade deadline? And I'll preface this by saying, I don't think they need 531 00:34:30,079 --> 00:34:34,000 to do anything because they're going to be organically bad enough to just be in 532 00:34:34,039 --> 00:34:37,599 the the Wemben Yama sweepstakes or Scoot Henderson who had like this. I don't 533 00:34:37,599 --> 00:34:39,800 know if you saw the Scoot Henderson dunk on Wednesday night, Tuesday night, 534 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:45,440 Oh my god, talk about that is like I'll take that consolation prize, 535 00:34:45,519 --> 00:34:50,960 so with Charlotte, and I'm not looking to get players that can help me 536 00:34:51,079 --> 00:34:53,199 per se this season. I'm looking to load assets up for the future. 537 00:34:53,559 --> 00:34:57,920 And I want draft pick flexibility because of the way that I protected the pick 538 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:00,920 that I don't even remember who owns it at point because it's been it's bounced 539 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:05,679 around the league so many times. There it's to Denver, but it's like 540 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,039 it's Lotto protected the next three years. So this year, twenty two four 541 00:35:09,039 --> 00:35:14,320 and twenty twenty five, I'm looking at just what can I get for guys 542 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:16,400 that I either shouldn't be investing in or won't be here long term. Jail 543 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:19,599 McDaniel is going to be a free agent. I think he'd get a second 544 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:23,840 for him, like not a great second, but like a second Terry Rose 545 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:29,159 year in the first of a four year extension that's basically fully guaranteed his partial 546 00:35:29,239 --> 00:35:31,320 guarantee on the final years, like twenty four point eight million of twenty seven. 547 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:35,840 It's just wild. I don't understand what like, I don't I just 548 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:38,280 want to know what went into that at all. I don't think you're gonna 549 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:42,920 get net positive value for him. But if you just want flexibility to get 550 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:45,840 his money off the books. Maybe in a shorter amount of time. The 551 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:47,480 Lakers to me are off the table with Westbrook. They're going nowhere, and 552 00:35:47,519 --> 00:35:52,719 Westbrook's been good off the bench, But like, what about a team that 553 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:54,920 won't would they be would teams to be a willing to send back expiring money 554 00:35:55,039 --> 00:35:58,559 or close to it for Terry Rose year and so two that I thought of 555 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:00,960 Milwaukee, if you build stuff, if you're at the Hornets and willing to 556 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:07,920 facilitate a step ladder trade Grayson Allen, George Hill's salary, you have, 557 00:36:08,599 --> 00:36:13,039 like Jordan Wara makes a little bit of money there as well. It's like 558 00:36:13,119 --> 00:36:15,960 you can get to bringing back or Joe Angels if you want to give him 559 00:36:16,039 --> 00:36:19,400 up. Obviously, you can get to bring back Tarry Rozier. And I 560 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,079 think he might help out I know you don't necessarily want him to dribble a 561 00:36:22,079 --> 00:36:23,760 ton, but he might help out Milwaukee's half court offense. The other one 562 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:29,360 I thought about, and I don't know if they would do this Orlando with 563 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:31,119 Tary Rozier, Like maybe they don't want to go to the consolidation route like 564 00:36:31,159 --> 00:36:36,920 you have some just Jonathan Isaac and Terrence ross Is expiring money for starters, 565 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:39,280 and you can flesh out other types of deals there. So I would look 566 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:43,960 at can get off Tarry Rozier's money. Caspace doesn't mean the world in Charlotte, 567 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:45,400 and I do think Rosier is valuable. We just talked about his facing. 568 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:49,400 This year has been for most of it a down shooting year for him, 569 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:52,400 but a lot of that was look at the burden they placed upon him 570 00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:54,079 earlier in the season. I get what you would want to keep him, 571 00:36:54,119 --> 00:36:57,039 but you're also not at the stage where it's like, well, we like 572 00:36:57,119 --> 00:36:59,519 Terry Rozier, I there's number for the next three years just doesn't make a 573 00:36:59,519 --> 00:37:01,440 ton of sense. So I don't know if you have any I'll throw it 574 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:04,719 to you after I have two more players to talk about. But, like 575 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:07,239 Terry Rozier, any teams bringing to mind for you or would you just keep 576 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,239 them? If you're Charlotte, I think the Clippers or another team you might 577 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:13,000 look at, just because the beyond, you know, John Wall has kind 578 00:37:13,039 --> 00:37:15,679 of has faded a little bit, and then you're just kind of looking at 579 00:37:15,679 --> 00:37:17,920 Reggie Jackson. I think what the Clippers might say is how much better is 580 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:22,519 Terry Rozier than like a healthier, you know, good version of Reggie Jackson. 581 00:37:22,599 --> 00:37:27,679 They're somewhat similar. But a team like that that just Orlando is a 582 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:30,119 great, a great option just because to get a guard in there that could 583 00:37:30,159 --> 00:37:32,719 kind of run things would be would and shoot, it would be would be 584 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:37,159 final. It's it's it's really it's a veteran team. It's a team that 585 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:40,159 is looking to consolidate a little bit. The Clippers are the only I mean, 586 00:37:40,159 --> 00:37:43,320 I think you covered a pretty well, but the Clippers are the one 587 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:45,159 that jumped in mind first for me. Clippers are interesting, so it's sort 588 00:37:45,159 --> 00:37:49,679 of like, would you prefer Terry Rozier over Marcus Morris and Luke Kennard? 589 00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:52,760 Though it could be Marcus Morris or tryor Zier straight up and the Clippers can 590 00:37:52,920 --> 00:37:54,559 get away with that, right A distant pick to sweeten it, I mean, 591 00:37:54,559 --> 00:37:58,119 Morris, I think is someone that you know, the Clippers just have 592 00:37:58,199 --> 00:38:00,719 such a log job. If I'm if I'm Charlote, I might do that 593 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:02,159 straight up, just because there's only one more year of Morris. I'm like, 594 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:06,239 yeah, plays that you could play him at the four small ball five. 595 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:08,199 Maybe he's a better alternative than PJ. Washington. Who's my next player? 596 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:12,280 Can you get a first for PJ Washington? I don't know which team 597 00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:16,360 would do that at this point. Maybe Miami the I thought about the Pelicans. 598 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:19,679 They're not giving up a first round pick for him after the Zion injury. 599 00:38:19,719 --> 00:38:22,159 Phoenix maybe, but what can you get. He's gonna be in restricted 600 00:38:22,199 --> 00:38:25,800 freeency. UNS think you're gonna keep him for like twelve million a year or 601 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:29,440 something. I would argue, we never see these teams make these moves. 602 00:38:29,480 --> 00:38:30,960 But I would argue, it's time to move on. And then finally, 603 00:38:31,559 --> 00:38:36,239 Gordon Hate oh PJ Washington? Any PJ Washington teams would you keep? Trade 604 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:37,800 him? What would you do with him? If you could tell? If 605 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:39,920 you told me I could keep him for twelve a year, I'd probably just 606 00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:43,159 hold on to him. I just don't know what the market is going to 607 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:50,119 be in restricted free agency for him. Miami's good. I just the number 608 00:38:50,159 --> 00:38:52,840 it's really for him because he has his uses, right, Like you know, 609 00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:54,840 you lose a little bit when you play him at the five defensively, 610 00:38:55,199 --> 00:38:59,719 but he's like fine defensively as a for something. Most of the time. 611 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:04,119 He don't play five now at all. He's proven he can shoot it. 612 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:07,639 He's young enough to where you're probably gonna get this level or better for the 613 00:39:07,679 --> 00:39:12,840 next you know, three, four or five years. If I could keep 614 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:15,960 him at a salary that's like low end starter slash like sixth seventh, eighth 615 00:39:16,039 --> 00:39:21,519 guy, which is probably twelve to fifteen, I'm I'm fine with that, 616 00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:25,360 just I just don't know the restrictive free agencies of If you're trading for him, 617 00:39:25,400 --> 00:39:27,920 you just have to know you have to. It's got to be a 618 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:30,000 wink, you know, handshake thing, and that's hard to do when any 619 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:35,639 other team can come in with an offer sheet. So I would probably move 620 00:39:35,679 --> 00:39:37,519 him though if i'm then because I think he ends up costing Grand Williams is 621 00:39:37,519 --> 00:39:40,760 gonna get fetch a pretty penny. I think Grand Williams is better than people 622 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:45,159 watching Clear. But that's like sort of a like market parallel for him that 623 00:39:45,400 --> 00:39:49,360 I think might drum up his number. Maybe we'll be wrong. His three 624 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:51,559 ball has started to fall a little bit more recently, though, so if 625 00:39:51,559 --> 00:39:54,000 he can if he hits those, I think that'll of his markets. Kellybridge 626 00:39:54,039 --> 00:39:57,880 Junior injury unless you're using him to take back bad money. At this point, 627 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:00,880 he had surgery when he was kind of putting it off all season. 628 00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:02,519 I don't like you could move in, but like, if he's actually gonna 629 00:40:02,519 --> 00:40:06,000 return this season, I don't You're not getting a first round pick for him 630 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:08,280 anymore if you ever were. Hayward to me seems immovable with the final year 631 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:13,679 left on his deal after this season and the fact that he's been so injured. 632 00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:15,880 But I did think, like, would you if you're the Hornets this 633 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:20,320 time, trade you should be thinking about what would Dallas give you to consolidate 634 00:40:20,400 --> 00:40:25,760 long term salary into Gordon Hayward. And that's Davis Burton's Tim Hardaway junior at 635 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:30,440 this point, maybe it's JaVale McGee is on that list as well, And 636 00:40:30,559 --> 00:40:32,199 I don't if you're demanding a first round pick for that, they probably say 637 00:40:32,199 --> 00:40:36,639 hell no because like they're not gonna trade. But if you're if you want 638 00:40:36,760 --> 00:40:40,159 like Josh Green or Jaden Hardy, is that something you consider if your Dallas 639 00:40:40,239 --> 00:40:43,039 is that too much for you? Would you rather just play this out? 640 00:40:43,079 --> 00:40:47,079 Because you kind of divested Chris Stops's contract into these two more like into these 641 00:40:47,079 --> 00:40:51,639 more digestible numbers, But Davis Burton's is just such a non entity for you, 642 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:54,079 So that might be a team that I could see saying, oh hey, 643 00:40:54,119 --> 00:40:58,239 like if Hayward was actually playing and then he'd had the money to get 644 00:40:58,239 --> 00:41:00,559 there, they would they would be interesting for him just because that Duncan Robinson 645 00:41:00,639 --> 00:41:04,440 deal. But that's just that's too low level on the deal spectrum. The 646 00:41:04,639 --> 00:41:07,760 Dallas has two. I know Tim Hartwo Junior has been better, but his 647 00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:10,679 contract office is contract. Maybe even if you don't want Spencer Dinwood's contract, 648 00:41:10,679 --> 00:41:15,880 though I don't necessarily know why you would prefer Hayward over him at this point. 649 00:41:15,679 --> 00:41:20,079 Yeah, I think I would consider it for Hardy if Hardy's the sweetener 650 00:41:20,119 --> 00:41:23,840 and going with the bad salary back. I like MAVs fans, just like 651 00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:28,480 through darts. I just part of it's I really like Josh Green a lot, 652 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:34,039 but the idea of like a healthy ish or as healthy as he ever 653 00:41:34,079 --> 00:41:36,639 gets Hayward on the MAVs, it makes a lot of sense to me. 654 00:41:36,679 --> 00:41:38,639 It's just, you know, the MAVs have changed a little bit how they 655 00:41:38,679 --> 00:41:44,239 played. It's still Luca you know, almost all the time, but another 656 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:47,119 guy like Hayward really does move the ball well and he's been a good shooter. 657 00:41:47,199 --> 00:41:50,800 It's just like, are we what are we are we chasing a version 658 00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:52,960 of Hayward that's never gonna exist again? Like that's a concern. And then 659 00:41:53,559 --> 00:41:59,119 you know, depending on how the MAVs want a time really hunting that real 660 00:41:59,159 --> 00:42:01,719 second guy. Having Haywards thirty one and a half million on the books next 661 00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:07,559 year is get more valuable to have, let's say the smaller contracts with Davis 662 00:42:07,599 --> 00:42:10,480 McGee and Tim Hardaway Junior to move with. Let's say they're pick conveys to 663 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:15,000 the Knicks their best offer, and I think it'll pay on comparison to others 664 00:42:15,039 --> 00:42:17,880 because they don't have Josh Green and Jane Like those aren't blue chit prospects. 665 00:42:19,519 --> 00:42:23,159 But are those salaries plus four first and three swaps better than let's say, 666 00:42:23,159 --> 00:42:28,800 Gordon Hayward's one salary four first and three. Like it's cleaner with Hayward, 667 00:42:29,039 --> 00:42:32,679 But teams might prefer the maaluability of just having the smaller deals. It's just 668 00:42:32,719 --> 00:42:37,199 that Haywards also comes off the books, dobas for Tom's and Tim's Hardaway juniors 669 00:42:37,239 --> 00:42:42,719 do not. Yeah, I think normally you'd want more pieces in the mid 670 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:45,440 tier salary ranges because it's just easier to do stuff with those, But the 671 00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:49,920 fact that you know, talking about next year thirty one and a half expiring, 672 00:42:50,599 --> 00:42:53,039 that's just that's one you dump on some team with cap space if you 673 00:42:53,119 --> 00:42:57,360 need to and throw a pick in there, or you use it as in 674 00:42:57,559 --> 00:43:02,199 to aggregate and get like some crazy you know star that wants out like That's 675 00:43:02,239 --> 00:43:09,719 so if you're we're getting way away from Charlotte, I guess because Alice wants 676 00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:14,360 to package him with something to the Wizards to get Bradley Beal and the Wizards 677 00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:19,159 say this is we don't have to pay anybody after this year. That's appealing, 678 00:43:19,519 --> 00:43:23,199 But but we're three We're three trades down down the pipeline at this point. 679 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:27,760 I'm happy that you have this next team. Yeah, because I didn't 680 00:43:27,760 --> 00:43:30,760 want them. I got the Bulls. This is from Everything Blacks. The 681 00:43:30,760 --> 00:43:35,559 bull situation isn't completely unsalvageable, is it? This year might be lost, 682 00:43:35,599 --> 00:43:37,960 but the roster seems closer to eating a few tweaks rather than a full tear 683 00:43:38,000 --> 00:43:45,239 down. Disagree. Uh So this is a win now roster, and you 684 00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:49,039 have to call it a win now roster just not just because of the age 685 00:43:49,079 --> 00:43:52,719 of like the Rosan Vukovich, but because of the pick equity that was given 686 00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:54,880 up to sort of put this roster together to win. Now, roster that's 687 00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:59,719 not winning. They're they're okay lately, you know they they're four and three 688 00:43:59,719 --> 00:44:05,000 in there last seven. They've had worse stretches. Unsalvageable was a strong term, 689 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:07,039 but it applies here because if what you're attempting to salvage is like an 690 00:44:07,039 --> 00:44:10,519 Eastern Conference contender, that's just not here. It's more, it's not just 691 00:44:10,599 --> 00:44:15,679 tweaks, it's the principles are not good enough, and the you know, 692 00:44:15,719 --> 00:44:20,639 the role players are you know, secondary, they're ancillary to the real problems, 693 00:44:20,639 --> 00:44:22,920 which is you're paying a bunch of money to players that are supposed to 694 00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:25,480 be your best guys and they're just not They're not good enough, they don't 695 00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:30,280 fit well enough together. There's reports that Levine and de Rozen have had friction, 696 00:44:30,079 --> 00:44:34,719 players only meeting stuff that's all driven by your best players, Like, 697 00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:37,800 no ninth man is the one that's saying we got to sit down in the 698 00:44:37,840 --> 00:44:40,599 locker room and hash this out because I don't get along with the twelfth Man. 699 00:44:40,719 --> 00:44:44,519 It's not that's not how it works. So you have hope that happened. 700 00:44:44,679 --> 00:44:46,239 I really hope that that happens all the time in the NBA, because 701 00:44:46,239 --> 00:44:52,760 that's great. So, yeah, I like, are the tweaks that you 702 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:57,119 get, you know, hypothetically Bonzo Ball is magically back and he's the connector 703 00:44:57,159 --> 00:45:00,360 that's been missing and the second perimeter defender it's been missing. Maybe I don't 704 00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:05,039 know if that's a tweak. At this point, you need a defensive anchor. 705 00:45:05,159 --> 00:45:08,199 Vuchovich ain't that guy. You need Pat Williams to be better. You 706 00:45:08,199 --> 00:45:12,440 need him to have a usage rate above like fourteen percent, and you need 707 00:45:12,519 --> 00:45:15,039 him. You know, he's shooting forty percent from deep, but he just 708 00:45:15,079 --> 00:45:19,679 doesn't it's such a like a hack criticism, but like he just doesn't do 709 00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:22,599 enough. It's just there if you watch him, they are long stretches on 710 00:45:22,599 --> 00:45:27,119 both ends of the over were you just don't feel him right. So and 711 00:45:27,159 --> 00:45:30,480 it's great if you shoot forty percent on low volume and you can defend, 712 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:35,320 but it's just that's just that's not fourth pick stuff, especially you know, 713 00:45:35,360 --> 00:45:37,119 a couple of years into the into the career, even if he's missed time. 714 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:43,719 So I don't feel like tweaks are are are the issue? Just a 715 00:45:43,719 --> 00:45:46,920 couple of things because this is usually more your territory. But so like, 716 00:45:47,840 --> 00:45:52,360 if if this isn't it, if this is unsalvageable, Lavine's the guy that's 717 00:45:52,360 --> 00:45:53,760 got to go. It can't because he's gonna bring you back the most. 718 00:45:55,239 --> 00:45:59,559 You can't do it till January fifteenth. But like, where are the teams 719 00:45:59,559 --> 00:46:02,000 that are saying, we've gotta have Zach Lavine at that number, like just 720 00:46:02,079 --> 00:46:07,000 gotta well, we're backing up the truck for him. It's like Miami just 721 00:46:07,039 --> 00:46:10,760 because they hunt stars. I don't think Lowry and a pick gets you like 722 00:46:10,880 --> 00:46:14,719 anywhere close. You got to throw in more stuff, and the Heat just 723 00:46:14,880 --> 00:46:17,800 are still a little short on assets. The Clippers again, just because you 724 00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:22,679 can throw Norman Powell and Filler and they can move some distant like twenty eight, 725 00:46:22,719 --> 00:46:27,719 twenty nine firsts like that. I don't know. Orlando definitely needs a 726 00:46:27,719 --> 00:46:30,719 guard that can score and they could throw Isaac and Suggs and Bomba and give 727 00:46:30,719 --> 00:46:35,960 back that twenty three first. Let's have these two teams deal again and maybe 728 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:39,159 another like it's just how many we'll get to this with the Knicks because I'm 729 00:46:39,159 --> 00:46:44,920 gonna bring up Lavine again, but I just don't know where I don't know 730 00:46:45,000 --> 00:46:49,559 where the team is. That says we're going to replenish your draft assets and 731 00:46:49,599 --> 00:46:52,519 give you, you know, not terrible salary because we've gotta have zach Lavine 732 00:46:52,519 --> 00:46:57,239 and we've got to have him at the deadline. So that's that's ultimately the 733 00:46:57,280 --> 00:47:00,519 biggest challenge. And that's like, that's not a tweak, that's a you 734 00:47:00,559 --> 00:47:04,039 know, a fundamental how do we fix this team question? Yeah, and 735 00:47:04,119 --> 00:47:07,960 Zach Levine has been a lot better lately too, but his knees are super 736 00:47:07,960 --> 00:47:10,079 concerning. Like you said, he's younger than Bradley Beale, I think by 737 00:47:10,119 --> 00:47:14,679 a year or two, but the cot and he's cheaper, but the contract 738 00:47:14,760 --> 00:47:17,320 is still like four years out. On that as a concern, I think 739 00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:22,079 Miami's a smart one. I kind of thought about Brooklyn build stuff around Ben 740 00:47:22,119 --> 00:47:24,760 Simmons and all the picks that you have in your cachet now. And if 741 00:47:24,760 --> 00:47:28,159 you don't know that Kyrie's going to be there long term, is that something 742 00:47:28,559 --> 00:47:31,159 you look at. Toronto could use him. I don't know what they would 743 00:47:31,159 --> 00:47:34,760 be willing to give up for him and does he fit into the project six 744 00:47:34,880 --> 00:47:37,320 nine whatever they're trying to do, But you would have to put you know, 745 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:40,880 why do the Bulls want Fred van Fleet? And that's Fred van Fleet. 746 00:47:40,960 --> 00:47:45,360 In that scenario, you're gonna have to probably use Ogan and Obi or 747 00:47:45,400 --> 00:47:49,159 Scotty Barnes. And I wouldn't trade Scotty Barnes for I might even trade Ojan 748 00:47:49,239 --> 00:47:52,239 and Obi for him at this point. And I think that's what's complicated to 749 00:47:52,239 --> 00:47:57,840 me is I think that Zach Lavine is still an exceptional player, and that 750 00:47:58,079 --> 00:48:00,599 the fact that he's been better gives the Bulls hope. And then if you 751 00:48:00,639 --> 00:48:06,039 look at the core of DeRozan, Caruso, Lonzo and Lavine next season, 752 00:48:06,599 --> 00:48:10,639 like that's real, But how are you building upon that now? Bohich has 753 00:48:10,639 --> 00:48:14,280 been fine this season. I just don't know that he's the answering the long 754 00:48:14,360 --> 00:48:17,000 term. Like you don't have your own all in trade package to go anymore. 755 00:48:17,119 --> 00:48:21,719 Like the Patrick Williams mysterity is worn off detO with Kobe White. I 756 00:48:21,760 --> 00:48:24,440 would assume it would be super valuable to someone as for sure, but like 757 00:48:24,840 --> 00:48:28,440 you've hamstrung yourself with the amount of picks that you can give up, and 758 00:48:28,440 --> 00:48:30,280 so how do you It's even if the Bulls are better than this, which 759 00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:34,480 were the healthy Lonzo and Zach Ldn playing the way he is now, and 760 00:48:34,519 --> 00:48:37,800 if they start beating teams that they should beat rather than just getting up against 761 00:48:37,800 --> 00:48:40,639 the good opponents, they should be better than this. But we talk about 762 00:48:40,639 --> 00:48:44,519 what's the hawks ceiling over the next three years. I think the Bulls ceiling 763 00:48:44,599 --> 00:48:46,760 is lower than the Hawks, in part because they're probably even less valuable when 764 00:48:46,760 --> 00:48:51,880 you look at the trade market to buy than Atlanta would be. Yeah, 765 00:48:52,000 --> 00:48:55,199 I agree with that, is that itight on Chicago. That's all I got. 766 00:48:55,719 --> 00:49:00,199 So that brings us up to a call Eveland. So we have I 767 00:49:00,199 --> 00:49:02,960 should probably loop a few of these. Let's loop this first two together. 768 00:49:04,079 --> 00:49:08,400 On Donovan Mitchell, Ippo Ougi Flirk asked, when did you realize that Donovan 769 00:49:08,440 --> 00:49:12,679 Mitchell is the greatest Cavalier of all time? And stupid Jerk asked, can 770 00:49:12,719 --> 00:49:16,199 we get a heat check on the Donovan Mitchell on whether Dono Mitchell can or 771 00:49:16,199 --> 00:49:23,079 can't be the best player on a championship contender? Take So what's interesting about 772 00:49:23,119 --> 00:49:25,960 that is I don't know where either of us landed on whether we thought he 773 00:49:25,960 --> 00:49:29,119 could be the best player on the contended to leading into the season. I 774 00:49:29,159 --> 00:49:32,519 do think we both thought Darius Garland was going to be the Calv's best player 775 00:49:32,599 --> 00:49:37,639 this year and that long term it would be Evan Mobley. I started to 776 00:49:37,679 --> 00:49:42,000 recalibrate a little bit on how obviously Dono Mitchell has been better than Darius Garland 777 00:49:42,039 --> 00:49:45,440 at this point and he is the best player for what. I was listening 778 00:49:45,440 --> 00:49:49,639 to Chase Down podcast and reaction to his seventy one point game, and Justin 779 00:49:49,760 --> 00:49:52,400 rowan friend of the podcast, Excellent what he does, said that he didn't 780 00:49:52,440 --> 00:49:55,719 really questify the Cavs is like one of those foremost contenders. I might be 781 00:49:55,760 --> 00:50:00,519 there for them, and Donov Mitchell is already their best player. If he 782 00:50:00,599 --> 00:50:05,000 can't be maybe he can't be the best player on a universal contender, but 783 00:50:05,079 --> 00:50:07,519 the way that the Calves are built, he can absolutely be the best player 784 00:50:07,760 --> 00:50:10,639 on this version of a title team. He's shooting lights out on off the 785 00:50:10,679 --> 00:50:14,960 dribble threes. It'd be nice if they played a little bit faster at points, 786 00:50:15,039 --> 00:50:17,639 not just in transition but in the half court. But he's so good 787 00:50:17,639 --> 00:50:22,159 at playing off of others as well. And numerous people have said this, 788 00:50:22,199 --> 00:50:23,599 and I didn't watch in real time. I took the night off because it 789 00:50:23,679 --> 00:50:29,199 was my birthday and I'm vain as fuck, but going back and watching like 790 00:50:29,280 --> 00:50:31,760 there was nothing in organic about the seventy one points, basically like he had 791 00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:37,320 what do you have tennisis lemnosis and they very much needed Garland wasn't playing, 792 00:50:37,360 --> 00:50:38,480 Mobile, wasn't playing, so they needed him to have that role. But 793 00:50:38,519 --> 00:50:43,480 he's so much more adaptable than I think people gave him credit for in Mars, 794 00:50:43,559 --> 00:50:46,679 part because Utah they had like these tertiary guys, but they were always 795 00:50:46,679 --> 00:50:51,760 either like two middle rung or towards the tail end of their primes. And 796 00:50:52,079 --> 00:50:57,039 Mike Conley or like I said, Joe Angels or Boyanmardonovitch, like they're ball 797 00:50:57,079 --> 00:51:01,000 handling specialists or secondary options when they are another I'm mary. So his adaptability 798 00:51:01,079 --> 00:51:02,920 is really shining through here, and yes it helps it. He gives a 799 00:51:02,960 --> 00:51:07,320 damn on defense again, So I don't know. I don't know where I 800 00:51:07,400 --> 00:51:09,320 landed on the take leading and I'll probably say that I didn't think he could 801 00:51:09,320 --> 00:51:13,159 be the best player on a contender, but I thought he made the Calves 802 00:51:13,199 --> 00:51:15,559 a contender. I will update my take to say I believe the Calves are 803 00:51:15,599 --> 00:51:20,000 a real threat to come out of the East now and Loan Donovan Mitchell is 804 00:51:20,039 --> 00:51:24,480 their best player. Yeah, I think when we talked about him shortly after 805 00:51:24,519 --> 00:51:29,880 the trade, I know that I thought that this is a good trade. 806 00:51:30,400 --> 00:51:32,679 But the version of the Calves that wins the title has Evan Mobley as their 807 00:51:32,679 --> 00:51:36,920 best player. And I'm starting, I mean, as I'm trending up on 808 00:51:37,039 --> 00:51:39,320 Mitchell as like, yeah, because of what you said, if your other, 809 00:51:39,440 --> 00:51:45,280 if your other like secondary players are have been All Stars and could be 810 00:51:45,400 --> 00:51:49,119 All Stars again and are young and are going to develop like that, maybe 811 00:51:49,159 --> 00:51:51,800 that gets you away from we've got to have a top five, top ten 812 00:51:51,840 --> 00:51:53,400 guy. If Donovan Mitchell is like the twelfth best player in the league, 813 00:51:53,440 --> 00:51:59,960 that's maybe enough. Provided that the Calves do figure out the small forward spot 814 00:52:00,360 --> 00:52:04,400 and just get a big wing that can guard and make threes like that, 815 00:52:04,400 --> 00:52:07,039 that to me is still the missing piece. But like, I don't want 816 00:52:07,039 --> 00:52:12,239 to take anything away because so much of what we look at in well can 817 00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:15,840 this guy be the guy on a title winner is when things slow down and 818 00:52:15,880 --> 00:52:21,760 you need buckets late in games like that's a that's a signature skill. And 819 00:52:22,039 --> 00:52:24,400 if you're in an account for ninety nine points in a game with your seventy 820 00:52:24,440 --> 00:52:28,559 one points and you're eleven assists, Like, I feel like that question is 821 00:52:28,599 --> 00:52:30,760 kind of answered. If you need a bucket, Mitchell, I think, 822 00:52:30,840 --> 00:52:35,840 is as good an option, you know, short of the absolute Kevin Durant, 823 00:52:36,039 --> 00:52:39,199 Steph Curry's, Luca's as bad as good as you're gonna get in that 824 00:52:39,320 --> 00:52:44,679 regard. So yeah, I think or do we need to recalibrate as a 825 00:52:44,679 --> 00:52:46,960 fair question? But it all sort of to me Hinges on the Calves being 826 00:52:47,039 --> 00:52:52,639 still just like one guy away there's next question on the Cavs came from Luke 827 00:52:52,760 --> 00:52:55,960 Jay thirty seven. I saw Zach Low say the Calves were looking for a 828 00:52:57,000 --> 00:52:59,840 short term wing option via trade who's most gettable and who would be the best 829 00:53:00,199 --> 00:53:04,760 for them most gettables, like for Concord mos so like something like. But 830 00:53:05,079 --> 00:53:07,760 so I said, I'm want to do this later on with the Pacers, 831 00:53:07,800 --> 00:53:09,079 but can you will you play who says no? With me? I came 832 00:53:09,159 --> 00:53:14,880 up with a few Cavs trades. Okay, carous leavert for Marcus Morris. 833 00:53:16,800 --> 00:53:21,360 That's just a good trade. I'm I don't I don't think anybody says no 834 00:53:21,440 --> 00:53:25,400 to that because they're another creator. I think that's valuable. I don't know 835 00:53:25,519 --> 00:53:30,039 it doesn't get weird with Reggie Jackson John Wallavert on the same team, like 836 00:53:30,079 --> 00:53:31,559 you could maybe a little bit, but that's a weak area of weakness. 837 00:53:31,599 --> 00:53:35,440 I do think that Morris might be a little big and slow to guard the 838 00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:37,880 threes that he would theoretically up to guard. But maybe Mobile makes that fine, 839 00:53:37,920 --> 00:53:43,199 and Alan makes that fine. I like that trade. I'm carous Leavert 840 00:53:43,400 --> 00:53:46,440 and Isaaca Coro and two seconds for Gary tren Jr. And a contract that 841 00:53:46,519 --> 00:53:51,559 Toronto's looking to dump, whether it's Chris Bouchet or more likely Ken Birch. 842 00:53:54,719 --> 00:54:01,119 I think that if anybody says no Toronto, well that's another two. I 843 00:54:01,159 --> 00:54:05,119 don't hate either of those because I think Trent gives you some of the shooting 844 00:54:05,159 --> 00:54:07,960 and is at least disruptive defensively when he's at his best. A little smaller 845 00:54:07,960 --> 00:54:13,159 than I want for that. That three for the Cavs, But like from 846 00:54:13,199 --> 00:54:15,800 Toronto's perspective, you don't know if you're going to have any control over Trent 847 00:54:15,920 --> 00:54:20,440 because of that player option, So I think you take back a flyer on 848 00:54:20,480 --> 00:54:22,000 a Koro and whatever else you can. I think that makes total sense for 849 00:54:22,039 --> 00:54:28,039 them too. This one is Cody Martin has not come back from a knee 850 00:54:28,039 --> 00:54:30,039 injury yet. He's appeared in one game this season, but he did just 851 00:54:30,119 --> 00:54:35,559 sign a contract basically at the what was less not basically at the mid level, 852 00:54:35,639 --> 00:54:37,039 was less than the mid level exception. So he's under a team control 853 00:54:37,440 --> 00:54:40,960 for the next four years essentially if you want him at no more than eight 854 00:54:40,960 --> 00:54:44,519 point seven million dollars. But again, he's playing one game this season. 855 00:54:44,880 --> 00:54:51,320 So Cody Martin for Dylan Windler and Lamar Stevens and if there's a second round 856 00:54:51,320 --> 00:54:53,400 pick that needs to go in there. My gut instinct with Cleveland might say 857 00:54:53,400 --> 00:54:58,000 no because they seem to really like Lamar Stevens. But you can sprinkle in 858 00:54:58,679 --> 00:55:00,840 other money. It's not gonna be Dean Wade like you could get. What 859 00:55:00,840 --> 00:55:05,639 would you do even you know Isaaco Coro for Cody Martin straight up you could 860 00:55:05,639 --> 00:55:07,960 do? Who says not? I mean, I'd rather have Caleb. Can 861 00:55:07,960 --> 00:55:10,760 we just make can we can we pull some Shenanigans and have it be Caleb 862 00:55:10,800 --> 00:55:14,719 Martin. He's their only option at the four side from Jimmy Butler now that 863 00:55:14,800 --> 00:55:16,639 Yovich is injured, and I guess they have Haywood Highsmith too, But still 864 00:55:17,480 --> 00:55:22,119 yeah, No, I have Martin's not playing as as a factor. And 865 00:55:22,440 --> 00:55:24,719 for do they like Lamar Stevens the Cavs or is it just like he's the 866 00:55:24,760 --> 00:55:28,639 only guy that we can throw out there that's just gonna guard really hard. 867 00:55:29,000 --> 00:55:30,480 I think I would prefer for with him to just get off Isaaco Coro for 868 00:55:30,559 --> 00:55:34,599 Cody Martin. I'm not gonna lie. Yeah, I think the I think 869 00:55:34,639 --> 00:55:36,960 we know what we know all we need to know about a Coro at this 870 00:55:37,000 --> 00:55:42,320 point. I think I have a couple more here. Okay, So would 871 00:55:42,320 --> 00:55:46,559 you do Van Fournier, Cam Reddish and two seconds for Lavert and Dylan Windler? 872 00:55:49,559 --> 00:55:52,599 I don't think so. I think the Cavs say no, they're Fournier 873 00:55:52,679 --> 00:55:55,360 feels like dead money and like is it a flyer on Reddish? If this 874 00:55:55,440 --> 00:55:59,840 is now, you know, let's take a shot on him. Is he 875 00:55:59,880 --> 00:56:02,039 a third draft guy? Now? I don't know how much stock I could 876 00:56:02,039 --> 00:56:07,719 put in Reddish anymore? Would you do Dylan Windler and Isaaca Coro for Gary 877 00:56:07,760 --> 00:56:14,159 Harris? Mmm? I think I probably would. I still feel like I 878 00:56:14,199 --> 00:56:17,960 think maybe I'm just a little too too rosie about Gary Harris. I still 879 00:56:17,960 --> 00:56:22,440 think he's denver Gary Harris. That just backcuts really well off Yokich. But 880 00:56:22,760 --> 00:56:24,800 I think I think Orlando says no, I would trade. If Orlando would 881 00:56:24,840 --> 00:56:29,480 do it, I would do Carris Labert for Gary Harris and if they want 882 00:56:29,519 --> 00:56:32,639 to include another money in there to match it up. But it works financially, 883 00:56:34,760 --> 00:56:37,519 yeah, I think that does give because again we've talked about it a 884 00:56:37,519 --> 00:56:40,639 lot. Lavert's just kind of superfluous with Mitchell and Garland and you don't really 885 00:56:40,679 --> 00:56:45,159 need that much more superfluous with markol Foltz and Colin Anthony and pal Bean Carol 886 00:56:45,159 --> 00:56:47,679 a little bit too though, a little bit, But I think, don't. 887 00:56:47,719 --> 00:56:52,159 I think I think Leavert's probably a better offensive player than Faults, But 888 00:56:52,239 --> 00:56:55,159 I mean, I mean not that that's like maybe not this season. I 889 00:56:55,159 --> 00:56:59,440 think Faults is definitely the better game manager, oh for sure. Yeah, 890 00:56:59,559 --> 00:57:02,599 I guess Lavert Lavert's just a six man to me that I wish could shoot 891 00:57:02,599 --> 00:57:07,119 a little better. And here is one that I came up with in light 892 00:57:07,159 --> 00:57:12,079 of the Devin Booker injury, Landry Shammitt and Jay Crowder for Cais Labert. 893 00:57:13,480 --> 00:57:15,880 I'm definitely doing that if I'm the Calvs. So I guess I guess it's 894 00:57:17,599 --> 00:57:21,480 I guess it's the sun saying no if I have to pick one, although 895 00:57:21,480 --> 00:57:22,920 how much better your offer is gonna get for Crowder At this point, I 896 00:57:23,360 --> 00:57:25,760 just is there are there any offers at all? And I don't know. 897 00:57:25,880 --> 00:57:29,760 Landry Shammon's had some higher moments, but I don't know if people want the 898 00:57:29,880 --> 00:57:31,639 you know, the longer term money that's left on his deal. I'm like 899 00:57:31,679 --> 00:57:37,719 the shooting that Landry Shammit provides will probably actually help Cleveland. Yeah, no, 900 00:57:37,840 --> 00:57:39,280 I think that's right. It's certainly more than I mean, Lavert has 901 00:57:39,280 --> 00:57:43,920 shot it, okay, but I just does anybody nobody's afraid of him, 902 00:57:43,960 --> 00:57:46,280 you know, catch and shoot? I just I don't see that going to 903 00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:50,519 cut in here. That'll do it for Part one of our Eastern Conference Mailbag. 904 00:57:50,519 --> 00:57:52,480 Be on the lookout for Part two. It'll come out the immediately the 905 00:57:52,559 --> 00:57:55,239 day after this. It's coming out on the Part one's coming out on a 906 00:57:55,880 --> 00:57:59,440 Thursday. It's the next one. I'll come out on a Friday. As 907 00:57:59,480 --> 00:58:01,880 always, please remember to rate reviews, subscribe to us wherever you consume us, 908 00:58:01,880 --> 00:58:06,360 subscribe on YouTube, tell people about us. Join our discord links in 909 00:58:06,400 --> 00:58:09,000 the podcast and YouTube description, follow us on all the socials at Hardwood Knox 910 00:58:09,079 --> 00:58:15,679 on TikTok, Twitter and YouTube of course, and then Hardwood Underscore Knox on 911 00:58:15,719 --> 00:58:19,599 Instagram until next time, And as always, we rode the apology to Jared 912 00:58:19,639 --> 00:58:21,679 Allen and also shout out to Frank Niela Kina