1 00:00:15,439 --> 00:00:21,280 What is krack Alac and Bell thermonuclear a efforts. I am Damp Valley coming 2 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:26,000 at you with some more hardwas hoops talk. Before we get started, the 3 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:28,800 usual reminders, Please remember to rate, review, subscribe to us where you're 4 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,679 getting your podcast. If you're on YouTube, hit that sub butotton like comment 5 00:00:31,719 --> 00:00:35,240 and help. The algorithm is back. Also, I've the same Knicks fan 6 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:39,280 has been down voting us on all these different podcast platforms, So if anyone 7 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,640 wants to go in there, throw us some ratings and reviews on Apple and 8 00:00:41,679 --> 00:00:45,119 Spotify that would help. It's some different variation of the same screen name. 9 00:00:45,119 --> 00:00:47,719 I get these wrap up reports every week and we've been getting a lot of 10 00:00:47,719 --> 00:00:50,560 one votes. I don't even think we talked that much about the Knicks lately, 11 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,719 but it's clearly a Knicks fan. Shout out to us for I guess 12 00:00:53,799 --> 00:00:56,439 angering people so much that they want to download our podcast for that, But 13 00:00:56,479 --> 00:01:00,799 please help us rebound from some of these weird ratings inundations. Join our discord 14 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,079 link that is in the podcast and YouTube description. Follow us on all the 15 00:01:04,079 --> 00:01:08,439 socials at Hardwood Knox, on TikTok a, YouTube and Twitter, and then 16 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,319 at Hardwood Underscore Knox on Instagram. That'll do it. I figured I would 17 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:18,760 just bounce around to talk some just like general MBA news and rumors if we 18 00:01:18,799 --> 00:01:21,920 want some TMI session. Though I am recording this even though I wasn't going 19 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:23,400 to record this because as our discord members might know, I just took a 20 00:01:23,439 --> 00:01:26,920 little bit of time to unplug. The past few days, I wrapped up 21 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,120 a like twelve months diet and training program for people. I've mentioned this in 22 00:01:30,159 --> 00:01:34,000 the podcast before, but I'm like a wanna be fitness bodybuilding enthusiasts. I 23 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,200 don't look like it. The past twelve months, though, I really dialed 24 00:01:38,239 --> 00:01:44,359 in with my diet. Fucking with macros and micronutrients really changed my training. 25 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,280 I did put on a lot of weight. I got up like one, 26 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,079 which is hard for me, like one ninety three. I don't know if 27 00:01:51,079 --> 00:01:53,439 I ever really maintained one ninety three, so it might have been closed from 28 00:01:53,239 --> 00:01:57,719 ninety one and then the last four months though we're spent like going through a 29 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,359 physique style contest prep cut. It was fucking hard. I thought my wife 30 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,560 was probably gonna divorce me by the end of it. And I finished it. 31 00:02:05,599 --> 00:02:09,000 Though took a few days to like kind of just eat and not intuitively 32 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,599 but counterintuitively, like I ate, I ate a lot of cheese cake. 33 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:15,599 So that was a lot of fun, but it took just a little bit 34 00:02:15,599 --> 00:02:19,319 of a break. Wasn't as active in discord and shout out to everyone who 35 00:02:19,439 --> 00:02:24,039 there were. We had people dm me who watched me on YouTube that asked 36 00:02:24,039 --> 00:02:28,240 if I was sick just because I guess my I didn't notice it as much 37 00:02:28,319 --> 00:02:30,759 because I see myself every single day, unfortunately, but I guess my face 38 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,360 was sunken in. I had some people come to the gym and say stuff 39 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,159 to me. Some of my family members were concerned, so I didn't notice 40 00:02:37,199 --> 00:02:38,719 it in real time. It's not the healthiest thing to do, but it 41 00:02:38,759 --> 00:02:42,639 gave me just like a you know, I wrote about this on Instagram. 42 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:45,240 It gave me something to focus on, a distraction, made what was just 43 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,879 a very uncertain and stressful year like it was for everybody. So I thoroughly 44 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,599 enjoy that stuff. I'm excited to really do it all over again, maybe 45 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:57,000 have a coach this time. But if you needed the TMI information and also 46 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,919 just as I kept meaning to mention it that no, I'm not sick, 47 00:03:00,039 --> 00:03:02,080 because there was enough people that asked me if ozz okay, and I'm always 48 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,479 gonna look tired just because I don't sleep enough. But it was really cool 49 00:03:06,879 --> 00:03:09,360 that, like, it's you're not randos on the internet. If you're watching 50 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:13,039 and listening to me, you're strangers on the internet. Like it was actually 51 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,560 genuinely nice that people were concerned. It's like the feedback when we've talked about 52 00:03:15,599 --> 00:03:20,319 the future of the podcast, that stuff is just really humbling and super appreciative 53 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:22,879 of it. So I didn't feel the need to It wasn't It wasn't droves. 54 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,800 I think I got like it was fewer than half a dozen messages about 55 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,479 it, but it was enough to where I was like, okay. And 56 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:30,800 then when I had people around the holidays start saying stuff to me at the 57 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:36,960 gym, like just people I've spoken to sometimes but not really that much, 58 00:03:37,199 --> 00:03:38,360 and then having family members say stuff to me, I was like, all 59 00:03:38,439 --> 00:03:40,439 right, well, this is you know, no, I'm not sick, 60 00:03:40,479 --> 00:03:45,080 this is I'm doing this to myself. But yeah, so that's that explains 61 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:46,319 the break in discord. I'll be back and chatting it up in there, 62 00:03:46,319 --> 00:03:50,439 probably around like Tuesday or Wednesday a bunch, but we have like news and 63 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,719 rumors to get to and I think the biggest news is that Kevin Durant dealing 64 00:03:53,719 --> 00:03:59,360 with that sprained right MCL that he suffered against the heat Jimmy Butler barreling into 65 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:03,000 his leg. I saw some people say that Jimmy Butler aimed for his leg, 66 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:04,840 and I'm just I don't know. I watched it a bunch of times. 67 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:06,520 I didn't see the game live. I want to make that clear, 68 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:11,360 but I know it didn't seem like Jimmy Butler was aiming to get into Kevin 69 00:04:11,479 --> 00:04:14,759 Durant's legs. Kevin duran will now be out, it seems like at least 70 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,480 a month. I'm curious to see what the ramp up will be like for 71 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:21,079 him, just because he is thirty four. He was averaging over thirty six 72 00:04:21,079 --> 00:04:25,680 minutes per game. I know a lot of people were. And I'm not 73 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,199 a doctor. Although the Glue guys the Brooklyn Nets podcast for the Athletic, 74 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,680 I did check out their episode because I saw that they had Raj Patetel on 75 00:04:32,079 --> 00:04:36,199 Doctor and he was talking about the injury. And I think this was my 76 00:04:36,439 --> 00:04:40,639 stance that was important. He didn't seem to think that playing time was tied 77 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,959 to this injury Jimmy but Like, go back and look at the Jimmy Butler 78 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,839 just like Kevin Durants like crumpled to bet. Like that's what the explanation is 79 00:04:46,879 --> 00:04:48,279 for this. And I will say, I don't know how many minutes you 80 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:53,600 want Kevin Durant to play. Ideally, he was twenty seven in minutes per 81 00:04:53,639 --> 00:04:58,319 game over the you know, since basically the before Thanksgiving, since November twenty 82 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,800 three, and I was at thirty four point seven minutes, So he was 83 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,240 under thirty five minutes per game for a lot of this dominant Nets stretch, 84 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,360 which probably had a lot to do with maybe how dominant some of the performances 85 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:10,240 were. I don't know how low you would have wanted his minutes to be. 86 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,279 I guess ideally, like, yeah, you'd like to see him at 87 00:05:12,319 --> 00:05:15,120 like thirty one thirty two. The Nets were still relying on him, and 88 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:17,519 those minutes. I think you can argue we're just like a bear for him 89 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,720 because he's been really important to them on defense this year too. And I 90 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:24,399 kind of, you know, not that I misspoke, but I think I 91 00:05:24,439 --> 00:05:27,399 undervalued his defense at one point this year, and then going back and kind 92 00:05:27,399 --> 00:05:29,639 of looking at the assignments that he's taken on, some of the helper in 93 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,199 protection he's provided. He's had an incredible year, both offensive and defensively, 94 00:05:32,199 --> 00:05:34,879 and so those minutes were they were fucking bear. I totally get it, 95 00:05:35,439 --> 00:05:39,560 But how few minutes do you want him to play? He's one of the 96 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,120 best players in the league, and so if you wanted him under thirty two 97 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,480 minutes, you know, I don't. I don't know, and that's not 98 00:05:45,519 --> 00:05:47,720 going to change the outcome of this injury anyway to me at least, So 99 00:05:47,879 --> 00:05:50,360 I can't get too caught up in his playing time when it was the beginning 100 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,920 of the year and it was just routinely, Oh, he was logging forty 101 00:05:53,959 --> 00:05:57,079 minutes at the start of the regular season in these games. Yeah, I 102 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,879 was concerned, but it seems like because the nets were winning and just under 103 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,199 Jacque Vaughan, the minutes have been a little bit more in check, and 104 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:04,959 so I just can't bring myself to yeah, I care about that, and 105 00:06:04,959 --> 00:06:09,399 he seems to have these injuries every year now, But like I can't, 106 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,079 I don't know that I need to harp that we collectively need to harp on 107 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,959 the playing time issue with this it's a big injury. This came from the 108 00:06:15,959 --> 00:06:20,879 Glue Guys podcast too. I don't know how like important and relevant it is, 109 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,560 but they tweeted this as well. It says, just to recap, 110 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,399 the last time Kadi went out with a knee injury, the Nets were twenty 111 00:06:27,399 --> 00:06:30,279 seven and fifteen. They're twenty seven and thirteen right now. The Nets were 112 00:06:30,319 --> 00:06:31,800 second in the East, and they're second in the East now. By the 113 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:35,000 time Kad came back, the Nets we're thirty two and thirty one, eighth 114 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:41,040 in the East. Harden was traded the season completely tanked. I don't I 115 00:06:41,079 --> 00:06:44,360 don't think that's going to happen this year, mostly because James Harden isn't going 116 00:06:44,399 --> 00:06:46,720 to request a trade from the Nets. But more ideally, I think the 117 00:06:46,759 --> 00:06:50,439 fact that you're not dealing with Kyrie Irving only playing in home games. You're 118 00:06:50,439 --> 00:06:55,160 gonna have him available every night. That should help. I like the fit 119 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:59,000 of this team better than I do like sort of last year. And also 120 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,360 the fact that you know you were waiting for Ben Simmons to come back last 121 00:07:01,439 --> 00:07:03,639 year and that was never gonna happen. Then you're dealing with the James Harden 122 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:08,120 stuff on top of that I think the Nets are better equipped to navigate this 123 00:07:08,199 --> 00:07:11,519 absence. I will say when you go and look at their schedule, I 124 00:07:11,519 --> 00:07:14,600 don't think they get any sort of breaks here. And this is also this 125 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,680 coincides with what I think is like their biggest national TV stretched. So before 126 00:07:18,759 --> 00:07:23,079 the it's you know, Kevin rant slated a month and bring him right back 127 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,240 around the trade deadline if he returns right there. But this could you just 128 00:07:26,279 --> 00:07:29,199 wonder like could they maybe try and buy time until the All Star break or 129 00:07:29,199 --> 00:07:32,319 something like around that February fifteen, sixteenth area and then Nets have eleven games 130 00:07:32,519 --> 00:07:38,120 on national TV, including Thursday's matchup with the Celtics, between then and the 131 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:42,480 All Star break. So that's just like you know the schedule they play the 132 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,439 you know they're gonna play Boston on Thursday. That's tough. Okay, see 133 00:07:45,439 --> 00:07:48,079 that's not a pushover. But then you get San Antonio Phoenix without Devin Booker 134 00:07:48,079 --> 00:07:51,240 and they've been kind of a mess. The Jazz have pulled back, Golden 135 00:07:51,279 --> 00:07:55,240 State's going to have Steph Curry back by then, so that's that's food for 136 00:07:55,279 --> 00:07:58,240 thought. Philly has been killing it. You get Detroit, the Knicks around 137 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,000 the come up then the Lakers. The Lake are kind of on the come 138 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,759 up right now too, and Anthony Davis feels like he might be coming back 139 00:08:03,759 --> 00:08:07,519 soon. Boston again, Washington and the Clippers are just Jack and hide. 140 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,600 Phoenix is Booker back by that point, that's February seventh, right before the 141 00:08:11,639 --> 00:08:13,439 trade deadline, the Bulls, which version of the Bulls are you're gonna get? 142 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:18,040 Then Philly again on February eleventh. February thirteenth is the Knicks. February 143 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:22,639 sixteenth is the Heat. February twenty four, Yeah, February fifteenth is the 144 00:08:22,839 --> 00:08:26,000 Heat. And so like that's a fairly like in terms of gimme games. 145 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:31,240 If Kevin Durant was healthy, you look at the Thunder the Spurs, maybe 146 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:35,240 both of those, like the Detroit game for sure, and then I would 147 00:08:35,279 --> 00:08:39,039 say both like at least one of the Phoenix games. And do you consider 148 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,039 like Utah or Chicago in that vein It's like, this isn't really an easy 149 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,960 stretch. There's just more parody in general. So I talk myself into every 150 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:48,360 team having this hard ass schedule not an ideal time for Katie to go down. 151 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:52,679 I'm insure to see what they do, like running the lineups and how 152 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,759 the offense really works without him. I think right now, when you're starting 153 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:01,480 Claxton, Durant, Irving, O'Neil AND's Simmons, the easiest thing to do, 154 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:03,679 from my perspective, would be just the slot Seth Curry in there. 155 00:09:03,759 --> 00:09:07,120 Maybe you try and give that spot to a Joe Harris, hoping that helps 156 00:09:07,159 --> 00:09:11,679 him come alive. But just replace Kevin Durant with another shooter around Ben Simmons 157 00:09:11,759 --> 00:09:16,000 and Kyrie Irving. The offense is more interesting to me and how it functions 158 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:22,080 because this is a team that felt like it really streamlined its process after Steve 159 00:09:22,159 --> 00:09:26,559 Nash was shown the door, And I guess you could still go that route 160 00:09:26,159 --> 00:09:31,039 without Kevin Durant, but that puts a lot on the shoulders of Kyrie Irving. 161 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,200 So I'm just wonder two of the things I'll look for. And by 162 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,559 the way, this is a team that gets out and transition more than you 163 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,000 think, and so it's not you know, do they do they have to 164 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:41,080 play a ton faster. Their transition frequency is actually fairly up there. I'm 165 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:46,600 more wondering like their third in ISOs, the frequency with which they rely on 166 00:09:46,639 --> 00:09:48,159 iOS. I think only phillion Dallas. So the teams are relying that more. 167 00:09:48,919 --> 00:09:52,840 Are we going to see them go with a more conventional pick and roll? 168 00:09:52,919 --> 00:09:54,960 Are they really? They're not? I mean, you can run that 169 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,879 with Kyrie Irving, but that's like that's never been Ben Simmons's game either. 170 00:09:56,919 --> 00:10:01,559 If you're putting the ball in his hands more, can you see more off 171 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:03,840 ball movement? Might be the thing that you could look to. But I 172 00:10:03,879 --> 00:10:07,519 think when you're looking at whose minutes might increase, it's going to be by 173 00:10:07,519 --> 00:10:09,799 committee. I wouldn't pinpoint any one player, and you already had some guys 174 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,120 like Rights O'Neil playing pretty heavy minutes and Irving as well, playing a bunch 175 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:18,639 of minutes as too. I think I would be just curious to see, 176 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:22,519 like can they get more dribble penetration towards the basket, and like, let's 177 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:24,919 really lean into that with Ben Simmons can be a driving force of that. 178 00:10:26,879 --> 00:10:28,879 I'm you know, maybe even like testing Nick Claxton out from the outside in 179 00:10:28,919 --> 00:10:31,679 a little bit more because he's showing some flashes of that. I don't know 180 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:35,360 if this leads them to rely on a Patty Mills or a T. J. 181 00:10:35,519 --> 00:10:39,279 Warren or a you know, cam Thomas even more. But I think 182 00:10:39,279 --> 00:10:41,000 because this is a team that is so reliant on kind of the in between 183 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:45,159 range, since Kevin Durant does exist, and then what you get from a 184 00:10:45,639 --> 00:10:48,320 Kyrie Irving as well. I would be curiously if they can figure out ways 185 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:50,720 to get to the basket more, and they certainly have the spacing to do 186 00:10:50,799 --> 00:10:54,200 that. I'm just is it more of let's put the ball in Simmons's hands 187 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,080 and ask him to create. That's going to be a big one for them 188 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:01,360 because they've sort of insulated him against having to have this super high offensive uses 189 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:07,080 or have this mission critical offensive role even and that's just you know, that's 190 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,600 going to be the biggest question mark for me. I could see them. 191 00:11:09,639 --> 00:11:13,480 I can't see them getting better defensively without them, but I can see them 192 00:11:13,519 --> 00:11:18,360 sort of treading water defensively to where they are now, where they're not getting 193 00:11:18,399 --> 00:11:20,799 substantially worse. I do think, you know, this is a team that 194 00:11:20,039 --> 00:11:26,000 it has climbed its way to ninth in points allout per possession, but they're 195 00:11:26,039 --> 00:11:28,480 like one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the league. And I think 196 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,519 Kevin rants almost you know, defensive rebounding numbers are down, but like it 197 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,840 is almost important to the way that they can defensive rebound better. So losing 198 00:11:35,919 --> 00:11:39,799 him is kind of a big deal there. It's how much do you trust, 199 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:41,519 Like if it's going to be a Utah wants Anobby or a TJ. 200 00:11:41,639 --> 00:11:46,360 Warren or more minutes for Harrison Curry to be sort of a part of front 201 00:11:46,399 --> 00:11:50,440 court rebounding, that's something that could harm them. They're not relying on getting 202 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:52,799 the foul line on their offense, which is good, but also just now 203 00:11:52,879 --> 00:11:58,320 you're taking one of your primary shooting foul threats out of the game too, 204 00:11:58,399 --> 00:12:01,320 and so that's something that could pull back. That's the offense is just endlessly 205 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:03,240 fascinating to me, And I think the player I'm going to be watching most 206 00:12:03,279 --> 00:12:07,799 closely here aside from Kyrie Irving, is probably just Ben Simmons, just to 207 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:11,879 see, like does his usage change at all or are they trying to empower 208 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,759 him to do things that he isn't necessarily doing right now because he was inoculated 209 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:20,679 just based off sort of their their offensive structure. I honestly don't necessarily know 210 00:12:20,759 --> 00:12:22,399 what the answer is. I would look to see, though there could be 211 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:26,639 more. There's been ball movement unders Jacques momb like, is there going to 212 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:31,440 be more player body movement now with Kevin Durant at not because he needs to 213 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:35,000 slow like things down. I think you can run the offense they've been running 214 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,360 with Kyrie and Kemp. That's what you do. That's how you optimize those 215 00:12:37,399 --> 00:12:41,120 guys, but almost by virtue of necessity, and so overall, I think 216 00:12:41,159 --> 00:12:43,799 when you look at this roster and what they've been able to accomplish, and 217 00:12:43,799 --> 00:12:48,879 what we've sort of seen from guys like Royce O'Neil lights out this year from 218 00:12:48,879 --> 00:12:50,440 Downtown and also been better defensively, I think a lot of people thought he 219 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:54,399 was cooked. Nick Clackson having a breakout campaign should probably be I haven't gone 220 00:12:54,399 --> 00:12:58,279 through all defense yet, but he's probably like he's in the discussion for an 221 00:12:58,279 --> 00:13:01,279 all defense spot, especially because you don't need positions for those. And then 222 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:05,720 like Kyrie's been, you know, he's had his like games where he just 223 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:09,879 his efficiency feels like it disappears, but then they'll just come alive in the 224 00:13:09,879 --> 00:13:11,639 fourth quarter. You need him to come up huge. I think you need 225 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:16,600 better play from Joe Harris is like his ankle bothering him at all and I 226 00:13:16,639 --> 00:13:18,200 guess you could look if you're the Nets, like, does this increase the 227 00:13:18,279 --> 00:13:22,799 urgency for you to go out on the trade market and try and find somebody 228 00:13:22,879 --> 00:13:26,279 or something. I don't think so, just because it's like, well, 229 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:30,039 who are you going after? You don't want this Kevin Durant facsimile because one 230 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:33,039 he doesn't exist, and two this is supposed to be a month, maybe 231 00:13:33,039 --> 00:13:35,159 a month and a half more. If they're going to try and push this 232 00:13:35,159 --> 00:13:37,200 towards the All Star break, maybe they're winning without him or doing better. 233 00:13:37,759 --> 00:13:41,600 If they can come out of this stretch though, and they're like five hundred 234 00:13:41,759 --> 00:13:45,159 or close to it, that's that's just a monstrous win for them. But 235 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:46,399 they do. I mean, if they really wanted to, like they have 236 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:50,639 first round picks to trade, they have some interesting like salary matching tools. 237 00:13:52,159 --> 00:13:54,360 Would there be a team that would roll the dice on Joe Harris has a 238 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:58,200 year left on his contractor for this one? I believe, And just if 239 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:01,200 you're a team it's not maybe in best and winning now or just needs more 240 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,799 shooting. That's a number that's certainly workable for you. He's at eighteen point 241 00:14:03,799 --> 00:14:07,200 six. It's just not astronomical. So can you build out something around that? 242 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:11,200 And because Claxton's played so well, like do you look at like does 243 00:14:11,279 --> 00:14:16,000 day Ron Sharp have any value on the open market? So you could look 244 00:14:16,159 --> 00:14:20,360 at dangling sort of a package along those lines, But who were you targeting. 245 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:22,399 It's just just like in Eric Gordon might help you buy time, but 246 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:26,240 it's just like day Ron Sharp and Joe Harris getting you Eric Gordon. I'm 247 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:30,440 not giving up at first Eric Gordon at this point, and then you're also 248 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:33,039 still sort of downsizing on the wings there. I think it's fine, like 249 00:14:33,039 --> 00:14:35,200 this team doesn't need to be super big. That's just not the way that 250 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,679 they're going to be built to play. But I don't know, I just 251 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:41,720 don't look at the trade market. It's sort of they could have used like 252 00:14:41,759 --> 00:14:45,360 some reinforcements upfront, Like this would be a team that if they can figure 253 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:48,159 out a way to latch onto Jay Crowder in a three team deal, just 254 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:50,080 because I don't know if they have anything that Phoenix would really want in a 255 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:54,279 straight up deal, that's just something for them to monitor. I don't think 256 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:56,320 that changes or if they wanted some different looks at center. Even though you 257 00:14:56,399 --> 00:15:01,039 have Claxton and you have Simmons, and those minutes with them together gotten better. 258 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:05,559 I wonder what those minutes are gonna look like one how often do they 259 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:09,240 go to them when when Kevin Durant isn't there, because he's just a big 260 00:15:09,279 --> 00:15:11,960 part of I mean, just he's fucking Kevin Durant's a big part making everything 261 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,600 work. But those were like a big part of why those were successful at 262 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:18,720 all. And so when you actually dig into like some of their line up 263 00:15:18,799 --> 00:15:22,759 data, they actually haven't tried Simmons and Claxton independent of Kevin Durant much. 264 00:15:22,799 --> 00:15:26,679 There at sub one hundred possessions for that duo without Kevin Durant, and they 265 00:15:26,679 --> 00:15:30,120 have a minus thirty four point four net rating, And so that's that's really 266 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:33,279 just something to keep an eye on. And you can't you can't get away 267 00:15:33,279 --> 00:15:37,279 from that, especially now because those are like two your two most important defenders 268 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:41,399 on this team. But they have a plus eight point eight net rating those 269 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,759 two when they play with Durant. So there's that huge drop off there and 270 00:15:43,799 --> 00:15:46,279 they haven't explored it a ton those So that was like, those are the 271 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:50,200 two biggest things I'm looking towards. Nothing really on the trade market. If 272 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:52,440 they were still going to trade for a bigger or some front court help. 273 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,639 I don't think this changes that because Kevin Durant stated, to come back, 274 00:15:54,799 --> 00:15:58,440 you're going to be in the mix. Just a huge, mission critical stretch 275 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,879 though for the net there's not a lot of margin for error in the East. 276 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:03,559 It's good that they've worked their way up to second. It's impressive. 277 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:07,240 I think I've probably slept on them as a contender, been unfairly pulling Kevin 278 00:16:07,279 --> 00:16:11,759 durantpack in the MVP discussion as we talked about last podcast. But they maybe 279 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,039 third as I record this, or tie for second, ever you want to 280 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:18,480 frame it. They are, you know, six losses back of the eighth 281 00:16:18,519 --> 00:16:26,159 place Miami Heat, and so it's really just like that can change over the 282 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,159 stretch in a month, Like in one bad stretch, if they're going to 283 00:16:29,279 --> 00:16:30,840 drop back and they're all of a sudden in play in territory, it could 284 00:16:30,879 --> 00:16:34,519 happen. You don't want to put all this on Kevin Durant's return because if 285 00:16:34,519 --> 00:16:37,519 he comes back and you all of a sudden, you're need to have him 286 00:16:37,519 --> 00:16:41,000 on a minute's limit, like there's gonna need to be a grace period here, 287 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,559 and you don't want to have to increase his minutes or just throw him 288 00:16:44,559 --> 00:16:47,759 back baptism by fire too quickly is due to thirty four and he's dealing with 289 00:16:47,759 --> 00:16:51,240 a lot of lower body injuries it seems like every single season. And so 290 00:16:51,639 --> 00:16:55,519 yeah, huge obviously because Kevin Durant's out. I do think the Nets will 291 00:16:55,519 --> 00:16:57,000 be fine overall. Do they still end up top four in the East, 292 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:00,480 I don't know, But as long as his recovery goes according to plan, 293 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:04,559 I do think that they're built to, like maybe you know, play close 294 00:17:04,559 --> 00:17:07,920 to five hundred without this, and if they can't, like that's going to 295 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,839 have to open up some more fundamental wholesale questions because if you remember, Kevin 296 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:14,200 Durant did say and one of the reasons he requested a trade is like he 297 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:15,440 saw how bad the team was playing last year and when he was out, 298 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,559 and so like, let's see how that sort of works. Now, some 299 00:17:18,599 --> 00:17:23,039 other news just to bounce around here. Lebron James and had the interview with 300 00:17:23,039 --> 00:17:26,400 the athletics sam Amic and then he came out. So the line that came 301 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:30,680 out of the sam Amic interview was, y'all know what the fun should be 302 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:33,599 happening? I don't need to talk because Lebron was getting on the bus. 303 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:37,599 Then Lebron replied on Twitter, Hey, Sam, actually, my patience isn't 304 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:38,960 waiting. You make it sound like I'm frustrated when I'm really not. I 305 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:41,359 told you over and over my job is focused on the guys in the locker 306 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:45,680 room. My job isn't the roster. That's that's the reality of that conversation. 307 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,319 And I said what I said with the upmost respect and calmness, because 308 00:17:49,559 --> 00:17:55,039 that's the mood I'm in. You're welcome five game winning streak. So Lebron 309 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:59,079 out against Denver. As I record this, I will say Amy, I 310 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:00,599 don't have a problem with what came out of the discussion. Amy posted the 311 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:06,319 full transcript of the combo, and Lebron is thrown enough, just like not 312 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:08,640 so subtle passed with aggressive shots in the past, to know what he's doing 313 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,200 if he feels the need to respond on Twitter that, I don't have a 314 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:15,319 problem with that either. But there's he wants the Lakers to trade the picks, 315 00:18:15,319 --> 00:18:18,839 like that's the framing for the Lakers making a trade, and he should. 316 00:18:19,079 --> 00:18:22,440 I think when you look at this from a franchise perspective, they've been 317 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:26,839 so incompetent optimizing Lebron, James and the roster around him, that there's no 318 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,400 trade that's going to salvage this season. So why would you trade those picks? 319 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,279 You're slated have cap space this summer. Regroup, then see what's available 320 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,480 at that time. Yes, Lebron's going into his age thirty nine season, 321 00:18:37,519 --> 00:18:40,920 but you can't just trade the picks for the sake of trading the picks. 322 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:42,759 And I will also say then, I've struggled with this. I said it 323 00:18:42,759 --> 00:18:45,480 in discord and this is this is the low hanging three episodes. I'm just 324 00:18:45,519 --> 00:18:49,319 bouncing around the news and rumor mill, but like, this isn't Lakers content. 325 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,920 I've actually struggled with how much is Lebron responsible for this? He supports 326 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:57,279 the Westbrook trade and then he signs the extension at a time when he knows 327 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:02,039 that he won't be able to be traded this season, and so my sympathy 328 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:03,680 is limited there. At the same time, he's playing at an all NBA 329 00:19:03,839 --> 00:19:08,319 level. He's Lebron fucking James. You have an obligation to not suck around 330 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,240 him. It's like, I don't want to both sides this. I understand 331 00:19:11,279 --> 00:19:15,000 both sides. I ultimately just end up at what is the deal that's out 332 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,480 there? If you're trading one or both of these picks, who's the best 333 00:19:18,519 --> 00:19:22,079 player that you can get this season? Is it even Miles Turner anymore? 334 00:19:22,599 --> 00:19:26,119 I don't know. And if it is Miles Turner, you know that deal 335 00:19:26,319 --> 00:19:27,920 that we've talked about, they can get Miles Turner without giving up Russ. 336 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:32,160 But part of that deal was getting Buddy Healed. And so if you're trading 337 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:36,119 Russ to get Miles Turner and Buddy Healed, Russ has been probably overrated off 338 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:38,319 the bench, but he has become important as sort of a self starter in 339 00:19:38,319 --> 00:19:42,319 the offense. And so now you're bringing in Miles Turner, you're diminishing your 340 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:47,359 self creation arsenal unless you really just trust what Dennis Shrewder is doing. He's 341 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:49,880 averaging like one point five possessions in ISOs this year, so maybe that's that's 342 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,279 maybe that's where you're at, so you're doing that. And then also, 343 00:19:52,319 --> 00:19:56,720 oh, Anthony Davis was tearing up the league while he was at the center 344 00:19:56,759 --> 00:20:00,359 position, like what like, So I don't even know that that make trade 345 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:03,279 makes sense for the Lakers now, even though Miles Turners are fantastic player. 346 00:20:03,519 --> 00:20:07,680 Can you get Fred van Fleet, Gary Trent Junior and other money from the 347 00:20:07,799 --> 00:20:11,160 Raptors and you're dangling those picks, that would be the trade that interests me. 348 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:15,799 The Kyrie iringship is sailed, does Bradley Bealle or Zach Lavine demand a 349 00:20:15,839 --> 00:20:18,200 trade to you? I guess that would be worth discussing if either of those 350 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,079 two do that. I just don't know the trade that's out there for the 351 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:23,759 Lakers to make, and so can they just do something where it's okay, 352 00:20:23,799 --> 00:20:29,039 you have none his expiring contract, you have some other just like you know, 353 00:20:29,079 --> 00:20:33,480 even if it's Lonnie Walker the fourth his expiring money, you have Patrick 354 00:20:33,519 --> 00:20:37,559 Beverley's expiring money at thirteen million. Can you just get somebody to maybe increase 355 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:41,279 the shooting on this roster, the size on the wings on this roster. 356 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:44,559 Is there a Camraddish Evan Fournier trade to make? Like, I know Evan 357 00:20:44,599 --> 00:20:47,240 fouriers on the books for next year, But do you just if you're saving 358 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,519 your first round picks it's only a one year deal. Are you Lakers team 359 00:20:49,519 --> 00:20:52,559 that visions yourself actually using that cap space anyway? Maybe you don't want to 360 00:20:52,599 --> 00:20:56,240 do that. I totally get it then, but like you have the money 361 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,279 to where you could bring back other money. It feels like they could be 362 00:20:59,319 --> 00:21:02,279 a team. It's just that Eric Gordon is so small. They could easily 363 00:21:02,319 --> 00:21:04,119 bring in Eric Gordon. I think that's someone who improves them. But again, 364 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:08,160 they get so small, and that's what's like, that's why he's just 365 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:12,880 not like that's necessarily a quintessential fit for them. This is all to say 366 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:17,720 I find lebron comments interesting because he's clearly his patience. Maybe his patience isn't 367 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:19,640 waning because they've been winning, but like he wants them to make upgrades. 368 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,400 I think they're obligated to do that. Now are they obligated to make the 369 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:27,079 home run swing? I don't know anymore. But I also don't think I'm 370 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,000 not going to overlook Lebron's role in all this. Like I said, sympathy 371 00:21:30,039 --> 00:21:34,079 is limited, but it's a fan of basketball who's enjoyed what Lebron James is 372 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:38,079 doing and just understands like the responsibility you have when someone like him is on 373 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:42,920 your roster. I'm gonna side more with Lebron's thought process here and also say, 374 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,279 you know, Ron Blinka said, they were custodians of Lebron's legacy, 375 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,480 and so like he came out and said that he didn't have to say that. 376 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,440 That's on him. And the other thing is even for Lebron. I've 377 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,559 said this before, pushed for all these other moves that you didn't like, 378 00:21:57,079 --> 00:22:02,119 it's on the organization, the front office to not make those moves. Then, 379 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:04,359 just because Lebron says that the moves need to be made or he supports 380 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,799 them, Okay, that might make you feel better about Thank you Siri for 381 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:12,720 transcribing this entire podcast. Apparently just because Lebron supports it you Okay, maybe 382 00:22:12,759 --> 00:22:15,920 it makes it easier to make a move in the grand scheme, but that 383 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,359 doesn't mean that you just go ahead and do it like you have to as 384 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:23,000 the front office operate with that independency of Lebron James as great as he is, 385 00:22:23,039 --> 00:22:26,720 and I guess they're trying to do that now. I'm just not going 386 00:22:26,799 --> 00:22:30,960 to commend it because they've just fucked up to this point so often. I 387 00:22:32,079 --> 00:22:33,920 just where I landed. You got to try and scope out the medium sized 388 00:22:34,039 --> 00:22:37,640 deals. Is there something that you can get done without giving up a first 389 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:41,920 round pick? At this point if there were players though available. I you 390 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:45,559 know, if the Fred Van Fleet GTJ situations available, those are guys you 391 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:48,880 can say, well, we'll just sign them in free agency. With cap 392 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,279 space one, you're not going to afford both, and too, there's value 393 00:22:51,279 --> 00:22:53,119 in just getting them on your books. Now, I don't know where I 394 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,240 land with the Miles Turner stuff. I will say I don't think those picks 395 00:22:56,240 --> 00:23:00,759 are as valuable as people believe. They probably had more cache at the start 396 00:23:00,839 --> 00:23:03,319 of the season, if not during the off season. But there are a 397 00:23:03,319 --> 00:23:07,599 few things here to look at. And I'd mentioned this in our discord the 398 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:11,200 other day. Is I do think that in the next collective bargaining agreement we're 399 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:15,720 going to see at least a couple of years worth of windows where free agency 400 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,000 is more of a hot bed for talent acquisition than it has been. And 401 00:23:18,039 --> 00:23:22,039 if the Lakers can plan their books accordingly, they will be involved in the 402 00:23:22,039 --> 00:23:26,319 biggest names. And so I would certainly say maybe the twenty twenty nine pick 403 00:23:26,759 --> 00:23:29,559 doesn't have a lot of value just because you think that they're going to stumble 404 00:23:29,559 --> 00:23:32,920 into a star or two on the free agent market. Yes, they might 405 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:36,079 be limited in how they can trade for a star, but they could sign 406 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,200 one in free agency if a star hits free agency, and I believe that 407 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:44,480 free agency maybe may not change permanently, but just how extensions work. Like 408 00:23:44,519 --> 00:23:47,720 once we get into that twenty twenty seven area, there are going to be 409 00:23:47,799 --> 00:23:51,279 guys that are hitting during that new TV deal that want to hit the open 410 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:53,160 market, and so if the Lakers have money to spend, they will just 411 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:56,960 be in the mix because they are the Lakers and they are in Los Angeles, 412 00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:59,880 So teams are going to view it that way. And also executives, 413 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:03,759 they're not going to necessarily have the confidence they're the ones making these picks. 414 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,880 It's easier to get back all these distant first rounders when they're not let's not 415 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,640 even call them secondary assets, but when they're part of this larger asset pile. 416 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:15,559 When your primary trade asset or asset that is coming back in a deal 417 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:19,960 isn't conveying for closer to a half decade than not, it's just tougher to 418 00:24:21,079 --> 00:24:22,359 stomach because you don't have the job of security. You know you're gonna be 419 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:26,240 around. The Lakers aren't giving you a first round pick this year in any 420 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:29,680 trade that happens this season. They're not giving you a blue chip prospect like 421 00:24:29,759 --> 00:24:30,960 you're gonna if they're willing to give you Austin Reeves, Like, are you 422 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:34,359 really like taking a victory lap for that? Maybe? So, I think 423 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:38,240 it gets harder to sell as the primary turn on a really good player. 424 00:24:38,279 --> 00:24:41,880 Now if it's just sort of the Lakers wire willing to overpay and it's a 425 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,480 throwaway and you're the Pistons and it's playing on Magdonovitch, Yeah, I think 426 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:48,559 it gets easier to justify that. But when we're talking about a non star, 427 00:24:48,079 --> 00:24:51,920 or we're talking about a star or what could be a core piece for 428 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:56,720 this team moving forward, I just without any other accessory assets to attach that 429 00:24:56,759 --> 00:25:00,160 are super intriguing, it gets harder to sell as a top end pack. 430 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,279 Something else I want to touch on John Collins game an interview to Samy Makeup 431 00:25:03,279 --> 00:25:07,680 the Athletic where the poll quote was I don't give a damn about whether I'm 432 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:10,960 traded or not. I thought the whole interview was interesting and fairly candid, 433 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:14,599 and Collins has been candid in the past. His value has just following so 434 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:18,119 much. I want him off the Hawks, like it feels like everyone in 435 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:22,240 this situation just needs a reboot. He does seem to think that the Hawks 436 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:23,960 have a higher ceiling than they've shown, and I would I would agree with 437 00:25:25,039 --> 00:25:29,400 him, but he's just the roster even with Capella being injured right now, 438 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:33,440 it's not built to optimize him. And I really want to see him moved. 439 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:37,240 And my favorite destinations are I think the Pacers and had Tip Reett Bauer. 440 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:41,519 We've had conversations about this. On the side, just if you're going 441 00:25:41,519 --> 00:25:44,200 to keep Myles turn or I think Collins makes a lot of sense because you 442 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:48,599 have the ability to play Collins like a five on offense and then like a 443 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,480 four on defense, and so I'd love to seem Indiana. I kind of 444 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:55,279 just love to seehim in Utah because they run so many like five out stuff 445 00:25:55,319 --> 00:25:57,400 now, But you could also play him with Walker Kessler and they could even 446 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,880 go lowry market in there. Well, there was the report from Sham's that 447 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:03,920 the Jazz wanted multiple first round picks to take on this deal. If that's 448 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,119 where we're at with John Collins seventy eight point five million left over the next 449 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:11,319 three years, you know, that's just wild to me. I would give 450 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:15,079 up a first round pick. The idea that I'd bounced around, that Rhett 451 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:17,440 had bounced off me. He wasn't sure if the Pacers would do it. 452 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,200 Would you do Chris da Warte and those two like sort of bottom feeding picks 453 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,440 from Boston and Cleveland for John Collins. I would do it if I was 454 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:26,599 the Pacers, But my question is do you have to do it? Like 455 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:29,240 are you able to get away with one first round pick? Is it even 456 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:30,960 cost that. I'm not someone who's like super high on Christa Warte, But 457 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:34,200 if you're Indiana, why would you give up that much equity if that's just 458 00:26:34,279 --> 00:26:38,920 not John Collins's trade value? So I want to see him elsewhere. Those 459 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:41,640 are my two favorite destinations. I think if you're looking at other teams, 460 00:26:42,599 --> 00:26:45,200 let's get like fun here. I would kind of like to see him in 461 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:49,000 Miami with Bam. That would be something where you can't really use him as 462 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,799 a five on offense per se, but you could run just inverted picking rolls 463 00:26:52,799 --> 00:26:56,880 with John Collins and Bam out of Bio if you really wanted to. I 464 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,079 kind of for a minute found about would he be fun in Milwaukee? Like 465 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:00,079 is there a way to get him there? And I think he would be 466 00:27:00,079 --> 00:27:03,440 fun, But I'm not sure if he's exactly what they need. And then 467 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:07,279 you're all of a sudden, so Jannis Collins Lopez, like, how many 468 00:27:07,279 --> 00:27:10,640 games are those teams closings? You have Bobby Portis, who is arguably even 469 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:14,680 better than John Collins this season, Dallas his name that comes up. I 470 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,960 just don't see them, like, I don't know what the package is because 471 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:19,079 they're not giving you a first round pick and they just don't have a lot 472 00:27:19,079 --> 00:27:25,680 of attractive money on the table. Memphis for a minute was interesting. Just 473 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:29,839 imagine Jared Jackson junior and Collins in the front court. Are you trading Steven 474 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:32,640 Adams in that deal? Probably not? The why would the Hawks won him? 475 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:36,599 And that you're really looking at a prospect and then salary a prospect and 476 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:41,119 a pick, and then we're salary, so that gets really tough. Oklahoma 477 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:42,640 City would be fun. It's just too tough to get to the salary matching 478 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,160 from them right now. They're not going to trade Ludor or Sga and so 479 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,359 it's just a mess. After that, Phoenix has been mentioned, don't really 480 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:52,279 love him there. Portland could be kind of fun. Don't love him with 481 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:55,599 Nurkics though, Sacramentos. I don't think they're gonna have any interest, even 482 00:27:55,599 --> 00:27:59,079 though they were intrigued when Sabonis was there. I kind of go to San 483 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:03,319 Antonio sort of like a if they want to, you know, Doug McDermott, 484 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:06,000 Josh richardson route for John Collins, Like would the Hawks just do that 485 00:28:06,079 --> 00:28:08,759 to break him up into smaller contracts and then you try and reboot Collins' value 486 00:28:08,759 --> 00:28:11,960 as a member of the Spurs. I don't hate that one, like that 487 00:28:12,039 --> 00:28:15,200 was just the other team that I would semi intrigued to buy for him. 488 00:28:15,279 --> 00:28:18,720 So I here's hoping John Collins gets traded. I just want to see him 489 00:28:18,799 --> 00:28:21,880 if he wants to get traded. I don't want to, you know, 490 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:25,079 campaign on his behalf, but it seems like he wants to get traded, 491 00:28:25,119 --> 00:28:27,240 but it's gonna come short of saying it, and I feels like both sides 492 00:28:27,319 --> 00:28:30,599 need to move on at this point. I still think that there's like a 493 00:28:30,599 --> 00:28:33,759 fringe All star player in there somewhere, and so why not, you know, 494 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:36,680 get him somewhere where we could explore it more So. I'm pulling for 495 00:28:36,759 --> 00:28:41,119 Indie. I'd love to see it in Miami. I kind of even I 496 00:28:41,119 --> 00:28:42,960 wouldn't mind seeing it in Toronto either. I just don't know if Toronto would 497 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,680 be like kind of a board that train. But Indie Miami might be my 498 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:49,519 two favorites, with like my third I know, I said, Utah probably 499 00:28:49,559 --> 00:28:55,480 up there for sure, Maybe maybe San Antonio. I'd like to like those 500 00:28:55,519 --> 00:28:56,160 are the four teams. I'm just like, hey, like, let's go 501 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,920 take a shot on John Collins. Please, but anyone, seriously, please, 502 00:29:00,279 --> 00:29:03,759 for the love of God, just rescue him. Last thing I wanted 503 00:29:03,799 --> 00:29:07,559 to touch on is the Raptors, which we've talked about them more in detail, 504 00:29:07,119 --> 00:29:12,799 but this came from Tim Bontemps's article that the sources said there was at 505 00:29:12,799 --> 00:29:15,359 the beginning of the season a four year, one hundred fourteen point two million 506 00:29:15,359 --> 00:29:18,920 dollars extension on the table. That's the max Toronto could offer. Both sides 507 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,400 kind of elected that it was fine to wait. He can sign it before 508 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:25,559 June thirtieth, so there's no rush, is what van Fleet had said. 509 00:29:25,559 --> 00:29:30,400 That was also via TSNs. Josh Luimburg just kind of weird van Fleet's sufficiencies 510 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,960 down on catch and shoot threes. He also like it just feels like he 511 00:29:33,039 --> 00:29:36,119 peters out in game. Sooner. Now, I don't know if that's a 512 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:38,200 function of how the Raptors defend, how many minutes he's playing, some combination 513 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:42,200 of both, So I don't I think the extension would still be on the 514 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,200 table now. I don't think that he's played himself away from that. I'm 515 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,799 just curious whether he's played himself out of much money on the open market this 516 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:52,680 year there will be some additional caps based on the table. Is there a 517 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:56,720 team out there that's going to be impulsive enough to just throw him a fringe 518 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:00,319 max though that has room? I don't know. Like Detroit is not going 519 00:30:00,359 --> 00:30:04,039 to do it, and he's not gonna do it, you know. I 520 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:08,519 like who else is layd to have cap space at this point? Maybe Orlando 521 00:30:08,559 --> 00:30:12,759 would they do it? The Spurs are they gonna do it? So like, 522 00:30:12,839 --> 00:30:15,480 I don't know if he's cost himself money on the market. Okay, 523 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,599 see he's not gonna do it. I don't and the Spurs won't do it. 524 00:30:18,599 --> 00:30:22,799 I think you could circle Sacramento could techny have cap space this year, 525 00:30:22,799 --> 00:30:23,880 but we don't. Don't. They're not gonna be in the Fred van Fleet 526 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:29,880 sweep stakes. Orlando would be like the team and maybe I mean, like 527 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,319 no, the LA the Lakers too, the Lakers and maybe the Magic. 528 00:30:33,599 --> 00:30:36,839 I just don't know how much levers that gives him. I think he would 529 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:40,480 probably get more than the extension, maybe including from the Raptors. So I 530 00:30:40,559 --> 00:30:42,119 kind of don't expect him to sign it. But if he sort of continues 531 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:45,799 down this path being a small guard, it might behoove him to just lock 532 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:49,759 up the financial security. He was right saying no that he has outplayed his 533 00:30:49,839 --> 00:30:53,519 current contract. Tim bontemps so would also mention that people around the league are 534 00:30:53,559 --> 00:30:56,920 waiting to see whether the Raptors will sort of blow it up because there's not 535 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,359 a lot of sellers right now. We've heard that ad nausea, YadA, 536 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,880 YadA, YadA, YadA. They've also just been bad over their last twenty 537 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,039 games or so. They are now twelfth in the East at seventeen and twenty 538 00:31:07,079 --> 00:31:11,200 three. We've seen their defense slip. The offense has the same problems that 539 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,359 you think about. There's just not a lot of bankable depth on this team 540 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:17,559 right now. I don't know what the Raptors are gonna do. They're sort 541 00:31:17,559 --> 00:31:21,400 of they feel like tight lipped when it comes to these trade rumors. Where 542 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:23,880 yeah, things will leak out, but what do you really expect to find 543 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:26,079 from them? What they what they do is going to sort of just be 544 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:30,480 stealth and we'll find out about it either right before it happens or after it 545 00:31:30,519 --> 00:31:33,519 actually happens. I just would reiterate that one. I don't think this season's 546 00:31:33,559 --> 00:31:37,720 unsalvageable for Toronto, and so there are deals out there to upgrade their roster 547 00:31:37,839 --> 00:31:41,000 where they're not let's say it's not a star, but like they're not giving 548 00:31:41,039 --> 00:31:44,319 up a ship ton of equity draft equity. I just wouldn't put it past 549 00:31:44,359 --> 00:31:45,799 Massi to take this wing, because there's a talent at the top of this 550 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:48,759 roster, especially if you believe in Scotty Barnes, who's played a little bit 551 00:31:48,799 --> 00:31:52,759 better lately. I would say, however, even if the Raptors sort of 552 00:31:52,759 --> 00:31:56,000 elect to just like punt on this season, there's no guarantee it is in 553 00:31:56,079 --> 00:32:00,799 tandem with this blow up. They could just shot down Siakam and van Fleet, 554 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:06,279 then extend Siakam and resign Vanfleet over the summer, do the same thing 555 00:32:06,279 --> 00:32:08,359 with Annobe. See what they have in their young guys. Maybe you trade 556 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:12,200 some ancillary players, but you're not, you don't have to go to the 557 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,319 blow up route. I do think Gary Trench Junior gets traded. That's the 558 00:32:15,319 --> 00:32:20,359 prediction I will make here. I do think there's a higher than expected chance 559 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,720 that they do sort of a quasi blow up where it's no, I don't 560 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:27,039 know why you trade Siakam. I know he's older, but that's just an 561 00:32:27,039 --> 00:32:30,400 all NBA player right now, fringe all the NBA player. He's really good. 562 00:32:30,759 --> 00:32:32,680 Unless you're doing the full scale tear down, why would you move him? 563 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:35,759 And I'm surprising how many people are just like, well, let's see 564 00:32:35,759 --> 00:32:38,960 if they put Ognaobe on the open market. I just he's so young. 565 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:43,440 Why are you You're the raptors, like, why isn't he just a part 566 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:45,799 of even if you're rebuilding or even if you're reloading, why are you getting 567 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:50,599 why are you getting rid of him? Of all players? It's yeah, 568 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:52,240 okay, maybe you don't want to worry about his next deal to be his 569 00:32:52,279 --> 00:32:57,400 third contract, and so if you're getting a really high end rookie scale prospect, 570 00:32:57,519 --> 00:33:00,319 but just like you're probably not You're not to get the Donovan Mitchell trade 571 00:33:00,359 --> 00:33:05,799 package or Rudy Gobert trade package or og Anaoby would be my prediction, and 572 00:33:05,799 --> 00:33:07,240 then like, you're probably just not even getting And I had a conversation with 573 00:33:07,279 --> 00:33:10,839 someone aside about this, You're not even getting Benedic Mathrin from the Pacers and 574 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:14,960 Nogianna Nobi trade and so it's just like, what are you really getting. 575 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:17,359 Let's say you get two good first so without like a three good first package 576 00:33:17,359 --> 00:33:22,200 someone coming over the top or the equivalent in prospects, I just don't actually 577 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:25,640 know why they would even consider moving him. And that's like why I'm not, 578 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:30,079 you know, disenchanted with the idea of a Raptors blow up. I 579 00:33:30,079 --> 00:33:35,880 actually think they need to. I would probably explore moving Gary Trent Junior and 580 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:39,079 then everyone else who's not Siakam Barnes and an Anobi. I just feel like 581 00:33:39,519 --> 00:33:44,000 Van Fleet his next deal getting rid of his shot creation is super tough, 582 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:47,519 but like, let's let's keep yourselves a little leaner or look towards other different 583 00:33:47,519 --> 00:33:53,960 trade packages to where can you can you diversify your creation and go out and 584 00:33:54,079 --> 00:34:00,480 if you really want to one actually like kind of explore the play aking depth 585 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:02,799 of the Scotty Barnes then just yeah, like kind of trade one of the 586 00:34:02,839 --> 00:34:06,799 safety nets on this team, or can you get a hire and creator via 587 00:34:06,839 --> 00:34:09,239 trade over the offseason with some of the picks and prospects you accumulate from Fred 588 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:12,880 van Fleet. And so it's more of a matter of, Okay, we're 589 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,360 inflating our lottery odds this year. Let's just say by moving Vanfleet and Gary 590 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:19,519 Trent Jr. We're shutting some guys down here. Maybe seeing what Scotty Barnes 591 00:34:19,519 --> 00:34:22,320 can offers. There anything left on michaem al kaifln here, let's just really 592 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:25,760 unlock Christian Cloko and see if you can block and swallow the world at this 593 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:30,960 point. And then you're getting assets and prospects in return to build up what 594 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:32,199 would be a better trade package over the summer. And when I do think 595 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:37,199 the trade landscape is actually going to be pretty We'll have different podcasts about this 596 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:38,880 maybe later on the year, but I actually think the trade market's gonna be 597 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:44,480 like pretty like bumping, like as the kids from the nineties might say. 598 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:46,960 I think that the trademark is going to be super interesting over the summer this 599 00:34:47,039 --> 00:34:51,079 year, and so you're more equipped then to make that move. And also 600 00:34:51,599 --> 00:34:52,440 I would say, I don't know if I want to be a part of 601 00:34:52,639 --> 00:34:55,599 and Fleet's text contract. He is so good and I think this game should 602 00:34:55,639 --> 00:35:00,480 age fairly well. But if you're talking like four years and near as money 603 00:35:00,519 --> 00:35:02,960 for him as a smaller guard this year does give me some kind of pause 604 00:35:04,039 --> 00:35:07,199 and the limitations he has as an actual point guard. Or I do think 605 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:09,239 he's improved over the past couple of years as someone who's not though going to 606 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:14,360 necessarily buoy your half court offense on his own. Having sort of this one 607 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:15,920 point five level of scoring, if you want to call it that, rather 608 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:19,559 than every level of scoring. It does worry me, and that's not a 609 00:35:19,559 --> 00:35:22,239 shot at him. So I would look at moving Van Fleet also because I 610 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:24,320 think you get real value for him, just because of the dearth of sellers 611 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:29,199 on the market right now. However, I would kind of bet against the 612 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:31,920 full scare scale teller tear down. A Siaka move doesn't feel like a mid 613 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:36,840 season trade that would actually for me. I won't rule anything out in hashtag 614 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:40,639 this league, but it would actually for me and Anobi. That's the question 615 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:44,199 is I wish I had grant on this podcast, is who's more likely to 616 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:46,519 be traded mid season? And I don't think either of them do, but 617 00:35:46,599 --> 00:35:50,960 like who would be more likely O g Anobi or Siakam. That's something I'm 618 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:52,840 going to pose to you the listeners, but Grant at some point. But 619 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:55,719 yeah, so I don't think the Raft's season is unsalvageable, and I think 620 00:35:55,840 --> 00:36:00,480 the noise would kind of like that's a decision they're going to make, probably 621 00:36:00,559 --> 00:36:02,599 right at the trade deadline is let's see where they are in a few weeks, 622 00:36:04,239 --> 00:36:07,039 getting closer to the trade deadline around the end of January beginning of February. 623 00:36:07,199 --> 00:36:10,559 But I do think the team, they are a team to just keep 624 00:36:10,599 --> 00:36:15,079 an eye on, because I do believe they could talk themselves into being like 625 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:17,519 medium size sellers, in which case that changes the landscape for a lot of 626 00:36:17,599 --> 00:36:22,320 teams that might be on the market desperate for a buy now play. We'll 627 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:24,599 be back at some point this week, Grant and I with a couple of 628 00:36:24,639 --> 00:36:29,440 episodes. Just wanted to get that some of these news and rumor notes off 629 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:31,079 my chest. If there's anything that you want to ask me, feel free 630 00:36:31,079 --> 00:36:35,079 to DM me getting our discord the linked has in the podcast and YouTube descript 631 00:36:35,079 --> 00:36:38,000 shown And until next time, please remember to subscribe to us on YouTube and 632 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:42,360 wherever you get your podcasts. I'll mention again just because we're getting downvoted I 633 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:45,639 get I will say by the same Knicks fan, unless it's just a coincidence 634 00:36:45,679 --> 00:36:49,840 that it's lays Las Knicks fan or whatever it is. And there's versions of 635 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:53,239 numbers. They are committed to downvoting us on Apple, So if you want 636 00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:55,519 to go over there, whether you use Apple or not, it really helps 637 00:36:55,599 --> 00:37:00,119 us to the podcast charts or help us improve upon a ratings apparently dropping because 638 00:37:00,119 --> 00:37:04,679 I don't even know what we said. We were really appreciated. Beyond that 639 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:07,480 though, until next time. It has always with the shout out at one, 640 00:37:07,679 --> 00:37:09,320 the only, the legendary Frank Pila Gina