What is Kracklack and Varga Knox listeners, I am Daft Valley coming at you
with Noahmgaro. George, thank you so much for hopping on to talk some
San Antonio Spurs with this podcast. This podcast, specifically I told you before
we started recording, is endlessly fascinated with the Spurs after the Dejante Murray trade,
which I said without a character, but it's like, all right,
they signed and trade de Marduro's and last offseason they traded Derek White the trade
deadline. Maybe it's time to start re evaluating the character of this franchise.
However, before we belly flop into all things Spurs, the most important question,
Noah, how are you doing. I'm great, I'm really excited.
I'm getting prepared to go to Summer League soon so always enjoy being in Vegas.
So just great, honestly, really really great. I hope you're doing
well too. I'm spectacular over here. And the one as someone who is
whose employer wants them to go to Summer League and I constantly refused, I
encourage you to overreact to summer League. I think it's funny when people get
mad when people are excited about summer League, like the Chet home grin stuff
on Tuesday night or whatever that was, overreact, Chet Homer is gonna be
the best basketball player in NBA history. He's gonna be honest and Pat and
Derek and Katie all rolled into one. I don't care what happened on Wednesday
night, but thank you so much for hopping on before you go to Summer
League. And with regard to the Spurs, we have to start here,
and that's with are you still upset that they moved drew you bet less?
No? Sorry? Is the Dejante Murray trade? Like? What were your
thoughts about it now that you've had time to sort of ruminate on it,
And what do you think it says about their their overarching direction? Now?
I think it was the right decision for the San Antonio Spurs. They were
a team that if Jeante Murray's your best player and you didn't really have an
avenue to get another superstar anytime soon, you're not good enough to probably make
the playoffs, or even if you made the playoffs, make a deep run,
but you're also not bad enough to just outright tank and get a top
five pick without a ton of luck. So I think when you're looking at
de Gante Murray, he's a guy who, Yeah, he's only gonna be
twenty six years old, he just came off of his first All Star appearance.
But did you really want to pay him in twenty twenty four potentially five
year, two hundred and fifteen million dollar max contract. And for me,
the answer is no. And I think apparently the answer was no for the
Spurs two and for me looking at it from what they did, I think
they're ready for a rebuild. I mean they, like you said, they
moved on from Derek White, they moved on from Dejante Murray, they moved
on from Demarturoz and LaMarcus Aldridge. I mean, all these guys who were
pillars of this team for the last couple of years, and now they're left
with a team that right now is only an average age of about twenty three
point two years old. So it seems like a rebuild is on the way.
And that's just oring any other trades or moves. But that's very young
for the Spurs, who were consistently the elder statesman of the league. Do
you think that like the Derek White trade just because it happened in the middle
of the season, portended any of this or do you think this was very
much You know, Dejan Dymurray became extension knowledgeable this summer. They're probably trying
to get a feel if he'd be open to one, and once he I'm
assuming says no, which for him, you absolutely say no, just because
based on the rays they could have given him, if he hit the open
market today, he would probably get a MAX. Well, there's very little
cafspace friendly, but if he hit the open market this summer, even with
limited cap space, he probably would have had a MAX offer on the table.
Do you think it was like sort of that type of situation or do
you think that they were really kind of contemplating this right around when they made
that Derek White trade. Yeah, the Derek White trade is super interesting.
When I'm looking at the Derek White trade, I feel like the Spurs had
a goal of making the playoffs, Like, regardless if they were going to
make it, they were fighting for the play and they wanted to get in
the playoffs. Derek White probably could have helped them a little bit, but
he also has the second option next to de Jan tay Murray is a guy
who also is pretty streaky from three wasn't necessarily the biggest or best compliment next
to DJ felt like it was right to move him. You know, he
peak of his value, get some draft picks back, you get Josh Richardson
back, who's sort of a better fit off the bench or maybe even as
a starter. So I felt like when they moved him, it was sort
of to see, like, hey, what does Lonnie Walker have? What
does Josh Primo have to offer? And you know, depending on what they
show us, that might determine which direction we go this offseason. I felt
like, you look, the Spurs missed the plan. Lonnie Walker became expendable,
Josh Primo looked okay in Spurts, I think they just looked at that
and they said, hey, it's time for a rebuild. I don't think
that we can build around the gene while giving him that big contract number that
we talked about a second ago. So maybe it was a little bit of
a precursor, but it did feel like at them in the moment, it
felt like they were still trying to compete for something, even if that something
was just the play game. And I think what probably wasn't talked enough at
the time of that trade, and we weren't that our movement. They used
to go seemed like out of their way before last season to not play denoted
de Jante Murray together, and so that's why I looked at it was just
like, yeah, maybe this isn't that. And I also thought that the
perception of Josh Richardson veered too far away from reality. I was like,
I thought he was good with the Celtics lash year. I thought he was
fine for the Spurs. But if you say Josh Richardson is good, I
feel like Celtics and Sixers fans, yeah, like you really. I like
Josh Richardson a lot. To be honest with you, I think I think,
right now, give up a first round pick for Josh Richardson, not
like a super high one, but if you were a contender and the Spurs
are tearing it down, like, yeah, give me, give me Josh
Richardson if I don't need him to do off the dribble stuff. He showed
some of that in Miami. Clearly that must have been like the Miami sauce
where you don't want it to know necessarily rely on players the same way the
heat do. But yeah, is there the thing that I'm actually this is
the question I was dying, and it's it's nice that I can naturally put
it at the top because it's related. I just does this trade, say,
have any implications for Pop because it few even right now, like that
he could retire while we're recording this podcast, and I don't think anyone would
textually be surprised, even if it was a little shocking. But like I
think last season specifically, when you listen to him and watch him on the
sidelines, he seemed it felt like he was reinvigorated and maybe really appreciates like
this opportunity to coach like the youth movement. At the same time, now
you've kind of just completely deviated from even chasing a play in birth? Is
this just like Pop is totally okay with it. He'll leave when he leaves
anyway, which could be after next season, or is there maybe and maybe
I'm just reading or really don't ever want him to leave? Could he be
around just a little bit longer than we expected because he just wants to see
this through to like, if not the end, like maybe the more middle
stages of what again clearly just looks like a full scale rebuild at this moment.
Yeah, I think Pop's gonna be here for a few more years.
And I think you're absolutely right that he felt reinvigorated. That's something that he
talked about in press conferences from the beginning of the season to the middle of
the season to the end of the season that he really enjoys being able to
coach up these young guys in a way that wasn't really available for him when
he had David Robinson or Sean Elliott and Duncan Monu Tony Like competing year in
and year out for titles. Of course, those guys need coaching, but
in a very different way than guys who are learning how to play basketball at
the professional level, like a Malachi Brandam or a Josh Primo or even a
de Gentte Murray. And I think the most interesting thing from all of this
was Mike Finger from the San Antonio Express News said that it was confirmed to
him that Popovich gave this blessing for the de gen Te Murray trade and that
he's completely on board for coaching a bunch of young guys this year. And
so for me, if he's on board coaching the young guys, and he
spoke really highly and really just with a different demeanor than we've seen in the
last couple of years. It feels like he's going to be around for maybe
a couple more years. But I would be a little bit surprised if he
called it quits this summer. I really would. I feel like I'd be
heartbroken basically, And like that was the one My reaction to Gen Murray trade
was like, I think this is good for this Burs' future. Just I
didn't you had to be I'm assuming shocked. And how many first round picks
they really get out in the Hawks in that deal? Right? Yeah?
Oh my god? Yeah, two unprotected a lottery protected a pick swap,
like, yeah, they got a lot for de Jean Tamar. I know
that they were. I think Jake Fisher said that they were looking for something
like a Drew holiday package and they kind of got that. So I would
be happy if I'm a Spurs fan. Yeah, And that was my one
like lamentation was, Oh, if this is gonna be pops last season,
it would have been cool to see him coach for something, But if he's
gonna be around, and I had not seen that, Like people thought that's
how I guess out of touch. I am with that sentiment that he was
going to be around a little bit longer. That actually makes me if moving
de Jean des Murrays would it take to get Pop for another two to three
years instead of just one, I'm all for it are and I'm worried about
even asking this question in this way. The Spurs clearly aren't done this offseason,
But do you expect any other like biggish moves in the sense of would
you predict any of the veterans like a Peardle or Richardson or mc buckets is
on the move? Do you expect them to maybe you attached themselves to the
Kevin Durant trade that could happen at any moment where they're taking on salary that
some team doesn't want. I actually think that that's the perfect way for them
to go. You know that they could be that third party in a blockbuster
trade for Kevin Durant or you know, Kyrie Irving, and maybe they absorbed
somebody Russell Westbrook from the Lakers, or they absorbed something else from the Phoenix
Suns. Who knows, but I think that's the way to go. As
long as they can get some sort of draft draft compensation for doing that.
In regards to the Yaka Purdle and Doug McDermott and even Josh Richardson, I
think out of those three guys, probably Doug McDermott is who makes the most
sense to move off from quickly. You know, he doesn't really make a
lot of sense for this team. I think he provides the playmakers with a
lot of off ball shooting, some gravity there, but really he's thirty years
old. He's not a very good defender. Graded out it's one of the
worst defenders in the league last year. I think the Spurs are trying to
build a different identity and he feels like kind of the odd man out.
And if you could move him to you know, let's say Brooklyn, and
you end up getting a pick in some blockbuster trade for Kevin Duran or Kyrie
Irving something like that, not that they would be going to the Spurs,
but the third the Spurs would be the third party. I think that makes
a lot of sense because you do have him on the payroll for I think
another two or three years, so it would be the best for them to
move off of him and I also think they like to do right by their
players, and doing right by you know, Tug McDermott would not be keeping
him here for a rebuild. I mean, he's basically useless for a rebuild.
And love him, I think he's a good player, but he's kind
of useless for rebuild. I will say doing right by Doug McDermott involves giving
him a contract that pays him thirteen point eight million dollars. Not think anyone
was gonna match that. I would you think that they are going to try
and save a good chunk of, if not most, of the salary cap
flexibility they have right now, for it's so much harder for teams to dump
salaries mid season, at the trade deadline or even look at the draft,
Like what would it cost to get off of contracts around there? Do you
see that being a scenario or a priority for them, especially given how they
sort of have operated in the transaction game of Okay, Like we just talked
about it, the Demard Rozen sign and trade, the Derek White, Like
they're no longer opposed to making these these like bigger type of moves. Yeah,
I think so again, Like I for them talent acquisition is the name
of the game. They're probably not going to get a superstar. I know
some Spurs fans still want them to go chase for a guy like DeAndre Aiden
because they think, Okay, well you have the cap space, but does
it make sense. Probably not for them. I mean, if you want
to add him as a guy who's probably not much of a self creator,
mostly a play finisher, and you think he has on long term upside when
you can get the superstar that you're looking for. Sure, But yeah,
I think along the lines of what you're saying, just sort of be that
that team that's looking to make you know, moves as a third party and
just get as much draft compensation young players as you can. So that's what
I expect from the Spurs. We'll see what they do. I think they
still have I don't have the exact amount on the top of my head,
like thirty nine million dollars in cap space right now, depending on the Danilo
Gallinari guarantee. So we'll see what happens there. But that's what I expect
from the Spurs. Yeah, I have them at I think like this might
be the low end at thirty two, just thinking like eleven million for Gallo
because they readjust as guarantee. That's just they keep twenty like that. I
mean, just look at what okay Se did and then he ended up not
using it at the trade deadline, but like they used it closer to the
draft, that becomes a commodity in itself. The last sort of piece to
this will they make a move puzzle? Where does Keldon Johnson fit in?
Its all this? And this is not me saying I don't think Kelden Johnson
is good. I actually thought he did. Like his first two seasons,
it kind of felt like he needed to be the center of attention on offense,
so to speak, and he just felt a lot more complimentary this season
and more well rounded on offense to me. But he's extension eligible. You
didn't want to pay Murray, you're entering this rebuild. Is that like someone
whose future could technically be I don't even want to say in doubt but up
for debate or is this very much? Look, he's young, he'll enter
restricted free agency if they don't sign him to an extension, we're just gonna
roll with him moving forward. I think it's probably the latter. Right,
He's only twenty three years old, or he'll he'll be twenty three years old
by the time the season gets going, and he feels like a guy like
you mentioned, really more complimentary, got really good as a stand still shooter
off the ball, was a guy who was a pretty good cutter, straight
line driver. He even you know, at the beginning of the season where
he had like the blinders on on every drive and I felt like every decision
was predetermined. He got a little bit better throughout the season, was making
some kickouts to perimeter shooters, making a little dump off passes to people in
the dunker spot. So I like his developmental track. I know some spurs
fans, and that's fair. You know, fans are allowed to be irrational
sometimes. But I think some people think that he's going to be, you
know, the next phase of the franchise because now genre he's gone. But
when I'm looking at money for him, I think, if you look at
what my cal Bridges got from the Suns, I think you should be looking
about somewhere around there. I just don't think he's a max contract guy.
I don't think he's a guy who pay more than that, because I do
think at the end of the day, He's mostly a complimentary player. He's
not much of a self creator, or at least when he is, he's
not very efficient in that role. So we'll see what this season holds for
him, because I think he will be the featured option. We'll see how
that goes. But I think he'll be here for the rebuild. I mean,
who knows. I mean I thought dejan Da Murray might be here for
the rebuild even if it made sense to move off from him. So can't
guarantee anything, but it feels like he's a guy who's going to be here
for the long haul. And you very rarely see like players who are worth
a damn on rookie skull contract just get moved before there, before they sign
their second deal. And I think a lot of people will get sticker shock
if they extend him or resign in restrict the free agency with the cap rising,
it's just a lot different that being said, I would totally try and
extend him because I wouldn't want him getting into restricted free agency. We didn't
see people and played offer sheets this year. I think the cap is projected
to jump by like ten million next year. I'd be terrified of that.
And if you didn't want to give de Jean day Murray max money two years
from now, whatever it was you don't want to give, You definitely don't
want to give Kellen Johnson that type of money. Maybe he maybe if there's
like more directionality to a self creation, like you mentioned a straight line drives.
If there's like more like directionality to that stuff that he's doing and he's
a little bit less predictable, that's still that becomes a much more valuable player.
But that's the and I hate talking about players in terms of their number,
but when you're beginning to rebuild and if you can't extend him, you
do have to sort of project forward and think, like, if he hits
the restrict to free agent market, are we prepared to match an offer that's
just gonna be like that. Everyone thought that Andrey Aten was gonna get and
still hasn't gotten at this moment. Yeah, that's that's a that's a really
good question to ask. That's something that Spurts are going to have to consider.
And personally, again, like I don't know if I see top fifty,
top twenty five player for Keldon Johnson, he is a little stiff off
the dribble. As we mentioned, mostly a straight line driver, and I
know that he kind of has this reputation as a bruiser. You know he's
gonna will his way to the rim, but you know, since he entered
the league, he's been below average at the rim, finishing in the half
court every single season. Like, I don't think he has a ton of
touch. His floater doesn't have a ton of touch in the mid range.
You look at his pull up numbers below forty percent, actually below thirty five
percent from there, So I don't know if I see that in just to
add something in there from three point range. Last year he took fewer than
fifteen pull up threes, Like, I just don't see him like that.
Like he's not a guy who's running off screens, who's really relocating that well
off ball. He's mostly a stationary shooter, straight line driver, cutter,
you know, threatned transition. I just don't know if he has that next
gear to get to where we're talking about him as an All Star for so
for the Spurs, there's a lot to consider. Maybe he makes the jump.
Personally, I don't really think he's going to even if the numbers go
up. I think that's going to be more indicative of higher usage, more
touches, more shots, more minutes. We'll see what happens with him.
He is fascinating. He's already exceeded expectations does a twenty ninth overall pick.
But the Spurs have a lot of questions to answer, and luckily they're gonna
have all season to sort of answer those questions when it comes to Kelden I
think that helps too. It's just like they have the flexibility to kind of
plumb the depth of what his offensive skill set might be and if it looks
terribly like you know, even better for their draft lottery odds at that point,
then but you at least have the flexibility to try it. The Spur
that I actually am highest on long term, and I think nationally he's viewed
as more of an accessory to a really good team. I'm in love with
Devin Vassell, and they gave him more ball screens after the Derek White trade
last year. His in between game really came along, particularly at the beginning
of the season. I love what he can do on defense, and he
is someone that you can count on to make, like to make plays off
the ball on offense as well. What is like, what do you think
internally is the view of him or what is your view of him? Do
you view him as like a potential no, not the number one option cornerstone,
but maybe like, oh, this is the most important player on the
roster right now moving forward or is that somehow Keldon Johnson or Jeremy Sowen.
What is just a view for you of Devin Vassell. I really like Devin
Vassell. I think I do view him as more complimentary kind of a guy
who can be your third or fourth best player in a championship team. I
just don't see a lot of on ball equity or self creation there not super
shifty. One thing that I do really like from him is he is a
threat off ball. You know, he can relocate, he can shoot off
movement, he can shoot coming off screens, really good spot shooter, really
good from the corners. And another thing that he's gotten really good at is
just allowing guys to attack. You know, he can attack those clothesouts when
guys are a little over aggressive one to dribble pull up. He has this
move that I don't know if I see it too often around the league.
It's sort of like a step back slash spin move that he really likes to
go to going to his left. He's knocked that down pretty consistently, and
he's a good finisher at the rim when he's able to get I guess like
mostly in open lane, as you should be if you you know, if
you have an open lane to the basket. But I just don't see that
he has a lot of on ball equity. He didn't get a lot of
pick and roll possessions. Not a guy who really playmate for others. So
we'll see where his value is. But I think defensively he could be a
guy who could compete for all defense teams for years to come. I think
he's one of the most intelligent off ball defenders in his draft class in the
NBA, and I think he made some strides as an on ball defender last
year too. He added some muscle, he was able to take contact a
little bit better. He's not a guy who fouls very often, so really
love him as both an event creator and also as a guy who just does
really fundamentally sound making good rotations, you know, stunning near the nail,
digging near the nail. I just really love Devin Bassel that said, is
he the most important part of the team. Probably not, But I think
he's one of those guys that just fits regardless of the team makeup, right,
He's just someone who can envision contributing to a contending team. Now the
Spurs aren't there, but he just fits with anyone. And that's why I
love him because he's such a steamless fit anywhere he goes. Yeah, that
infinite scalability is important, and so is that just I think most people be
like, the most important player on the Spurs next year's first round pick,
But is that Jeremy so In now? Is that just? Like? Because
there's the unknownness there? And I guess this needs to be my larger question
of since drafting Tim Duncan. And it's been in part because they've just been
so good. The Spurs have kind of like brought their rookies along very gradually,
even with Kauai. That's how it worked out. Are they like,
is that going to be different this year because of the direction that they're headed
in When you look at the three first round prospects specifically that they added and
Wesley Branham and Sohan, I would sure hope so I don't. I don't
want the Spurs to enter this rebuilding process going Okay, you have to earn
your minutes over Kata Bates Diop, or earn your minutes over Gorgy Jang,
or earn your minutes over you know, Doug McDermott, like those guys definitely
deserve to play a little bit. But in regards to Sohan, I think
he should be playing from day one. You could make an argument that he
should start from day one, but if you don't want to put that pressure
on, let ugs start. I know that Doug and Kiln think didn't work,
and that's great for your lottery OTTs. If you want to continue to
do that for a little bit, go for it. But I think Sohan
should be starting by the All Star break. I think Malachi Brandam is polished
enough on offense to be a guy who can be a threat as a score
off the bench, maybe a secondary ball handler off the bench. And then
Man Wesley is the guy who I think probably the least polished, more tools
than skills right now. I would love to see him be thrown into Austin
sort of in that premo role, same role that we got to see Lucas
Shaman a Chin. We got to see de Jean T. Murray and Lonnie
Walker, and just let him be the primary option. Give him all those
on ball reps, touches, shots, pick and roll rests, like,
just let him get comfortable, let him experiment, let him explore without consequence,
and then maybe if he starts showing you something like Josh Premo did move,
move him on up. But I think at least for two of those
guys, brand Him and Sohan, they should be playing from day one.
I just don't think there's an excuse not to play them, especially if you're
rebuilding what is and it seems like you've given this actual thought. And it's
so soon after the Draftsdale, and we haven't gone through the meet and potatoes
or summer league. What's most appealing to you about so En is fit on
this team or the type of role that you think he can play both next
season, but even projecting ahead, I think it's just his versatility and switchability
as the guy who can I mean easibly switch one through five. I know
a lot's made of that, and that's maybe not fair. I think you're
more reasonably looking at you know, he can guard two, three, four,
small ball fives in a pinch, and if you need him to switch
out on a point guard or a smaller player, he can probably do that.
But I just think having watched so many of his games at Baylor,
he was I think could argue one of the anchors for one of those defenses
in college basketball for the fourth best team, or at least that's where they
finished in the AP Poll. As an eighteen year old, you know,
really good communicator, made timely rotations, could switch on to every position at
the college level, didn't make a lot of mistakes. He was a little
foul happy at times, and I think sometimes he closed out a little bit
too upright, But just his scalability as a defender going forward, I absolutely
love that. And then also just his ability to potentially be maybe not like
your primary playmaking hub, but a guy who can run a little bit of
pick and roll, who's going to be a good short role passer, who's
someone who can run off of dhos or maybe stabbos as like a pseudo playmaking
hub. Like I really like that from him. I don't know how much
that we're gonna get to see, but I think we're gonna get to see
a lot more of it now that de Jontay Murray is gone, because there
really just aren't very many playmakers or proven playmakers on this froster, so I
expect to let them or I expect the Spurs to let him experiment at least
a little bit with this playmaking because I think he has pretty good processing for
a guy who's six ten, nineteen years old. I like what I've seen
from him. I could sort of un defensive him becoming like what if Jonathan
Isaac didn't have dynamite in his body? Like he was play a less explosive.
His versatility there, and it feels like to me, he could be
the best defensive, like almost assistant. I'm to himself, and Jonathan Isaac
is a terrible comparison on offense because someone seems like he just has a lot
more ball skills and this ceiling is so much higher there. Love his haircut
as well. By the way, reminiscent of it made me think of that
Pop moment with George Hill where he was making fun of George Hill's hair.
I was like, what Pop reacted that hair? Now? Alcai random,
though, is that someone who's gonna drive Popovich just like crazy. That's interesting
because I feel like the last couple of years, especially young players have not
really gotten under his skin as much. Like when Lonnie Walker first got to
San Antonio and he was getting spot minutes here or there, Pop was in
his ear. Same thing with Dejonte Derek, like he was in their ear.
He was yelling at them, he was chewing them out if they made
mistakes and you're out of the game. I didn't really see so much of
that last season, like he kind of let mistakes go, turnovers go.
Now. I'm not saying he's like no accountability to someone ran him. I
think he might actually enjoy someone like Brandon, who's a little bit of a
wild card if you will, as as as a creator, you know,
out of the pick and roll. I think he's really fun. I think
he's super polished as a mid range score. You know, he can get
to his spots. He's not super explosive, he doesn't have a ton of
like a great first step, he doesn't have a you know, much lift
in the paint. But I just think he's one of those players that plays
at his own pace, really methodical, and I love I love Maliki Brandon.
I had him seventeenth on my big board. So when the Spurs got
him twentieth, I thought, that's tremendous value. So I hope that Pop
loves him as much as I do, because I really want to see him
playing from day one. I just don't want to see him, you know,
sitting on the bench. I really want to see what he can do
with the ball in his hands, too, because I think they're just again,
there's not a lot of guys on this team who are going to absolutely
command you know, those on ball reps, you know, or at least
the majority of them. So I want to see him get a sliver of
the pie. I want to see him get some of that pie. Is
there like a boom or bust element to him? And there was even that
on draft night because if some people had him like mocked, like comfortably in
the lottery at one point and then he slips, and it feels like there
were just questions about like his shot selection, decision making, or whether his
creation would actually translate. And it sounds like you're a believer that it will
be able to not asking you to predict superstar him, but it sounds like
you're that it can translate to the NBA. Yeah, I'm a little skeptical
of Malachi Brandham. I think some of my peers who do really deep dives
into the draft they had him in the lottery as you mentioned. But for
me, one of the things that really kind of gave me cause for pause
was his defense. I'm not so much worried about a shot selection. He
was really efficient. You know, sometimes he took some advice shots, but
he's really efficient, good spot up shooter. But it's the defense that kind
of gets me. He has some bad habits, stands upright, you know,
he's not a great athlete, and he has this tendency to get really
really close, like no space between him and his man, and guys blew
by him on the perimeter all season. One of the games that you can
see if you go back and watch the Nebraska game with Bryce McGowan's i mean,
it was barbecue chicken every time. I mean, he just got past
him again and again and again. And he's a guy who ball watches miss
his rotations didn't always communicate on switches. So for me, if you're not
gonna be I mean, he's pretty much a net negative at this point,
and with his tools regardless of you know, a six ten wingspan. I
think you're the most you can ask of him is to be a net neutral
on defense. And so can his offense come to a point where he's making
up for those defensive deficiencies or can he become that net neutral on defense?
That's where I worry because if you can score a little bit, if you
can play make a little bit out of the pick and roll, great,
But if you're a terrible defender, you're gonna get played off the floor in
the playoffs. Like that's just going to happen. So I kind of look
at it through that lens. Can he be on the floor in the playoffs?
And right now the answer is no, But it doesn't matter. The
Spurs are not going to be in the playoffs next season, so we'll see
where he goes from there. If the Spurs make it to the playoffs next
season, I need to know what happened with them and then the rest of
the Western Conference. Do you have any like strong thoughts on Blake Wesley,
who I think, unless somebody whar's your mouth you sort of mentioned is the
odd man out here, which would make sense because it feels like there's some
overlap with both his game and issues when it comes to Malkai Brandam, and
you also have all these other the Spurs are sort of leaning into. At
one point we talked about how the years ago, oh the Spurs need more
wings and now they're like they can run out positionless lineups at this point.
But it's just like you have between having Trey, between having Devin Vassal,
Josh Primo, Malakai Brandam. It's just it does feel like he would be
the Oddoman out. But do you have any strong thoughts on his game and
how that'll translate to this level. It's kind of funny. I think he's
somewhat comparable to a guy like Murray coming out of the University of Washington.
Not super efficient, you know, really blindingly quick first step can get to
the rim, but doesn't finish well at the rim. Showed some playmaking flashes
out of the pick and roll can make some of these. I don't know
if you would call the hammer pass because that's more of a set, but
those baseline drift passes where you know you're driving go baseline one hand of the
opposite, you know, either opposite cornery. He can do live dribble passes
like that. Now, it wasn't like every play, but the playmaking flashes
are there, the ability to get to his spots in the mid range are
there. He's just been really inefficient at Notre Dame, and I think that's
what worries me. The number one thing that worries me was he only finished
forty one point four percent of his shots at the rim and sure Dame,
Like that's unacceptable, Like I hate to use that word, but that's awful.
That's really bad. But he's not crunch times. Yeah, it's it's
not good. So I like him. I think he has similar tools to
de Gante, Murray, long lane, explosive, at least in terms of
first steps. So I think I'd like to see where he is in a
few years. But he to me, out of all of these guys,
he's probably the most boom or bust because if he doesn't really figure out the
shot, if he can never be efficient, and if he doesn't kind of
rain things in a little bit on the defensive end so that he can use
as a tool his tools and maximize those tools, I could see him being
a guy who's just not in the league, and you know, two or
three years. But if he does hit that upside, I think he could
be a guy who probably not an All star, but a strong, you
know, maybe secondary tertiary creator, a guy who can fill value to your
team. So we'll see you with him. But out of all of those
guys, he was the pick that I was probably the most iffy on.
He was still higher on my big board than the actual pick, so it's
good value. But I also had guys like Nikola Yovich who were still there
higher on my big board, So I would be lying if I told you
I wouldn't have preferred them to go maybe that route. But I'm excited for
him. Nonetheless, I'm excited to see what he can do, especially because
I think he'll probably be in Austin. That's interest thing that you feel that
way about him being boom or bust because normally, and based off the very
minimal footage that I've seen of him, So I'm just made that clear.
People who can pass off the bounce like he can almost feel like safer bets
because if they're going to be able to get rid of the ball at a
at a high level or in this sort of creative way, even if they
can't like they're not a super valuable score or finisher. It feels like they
can stick. But I guess like you're that concerned about what is this like
guy's scoring forteg going to be in this league? Yeah, I think it
just it just worries me because if you don't have any like off ball equity,
Like we saw him knock down shots off at screens and off movement and
stay in still, but it wasn't super efficient. You know, it was
below I think it was below like thirty percent from three sixty two point six
percent from the line, really bad at the rim, Like I just wonder
what his role on offense is. Then you know, he's not a great
cutter, he's not a good finisher, not super efficient. He's a good
passer. I think he has good court vision. He reads the floor well,
but it doesn't always make the right decision. So like, if that
guy is out there, how often, Like how long can you leave him
out there? Because like if he doesn't have the ball and like he's best
with the ball in his hands, what does he provide you off ball?
Like if he can't shoot and he's not a good cutter and he's not a
good finisher. Like, that's that's the questions that I have with him,
Like can he get better in those areas for sure? I mean he's gonna
work with Chip England, one of the best shooting coaches in the NBA.
He's gonna have plenty of time to beef up at some muscle. He was
frame and that helped to John Tay Murray. You know, Jontay is still
very skinny, but he added that lean muscle was able to absorb contact.
I think his rookie seasonally finished like fifty percent of his shop the rim.
Last year it was just six four percent a half quote, So, like,
is a pathway from to become a good player. I just think you're
betting on a lot to happen, for it to be like a sure thing.
And like again like no, no guy is a sure thing. And
for me, he's the biggest boomer bust. So we'll see with him.
I'm sort of the jury is out, but I like him. I think
he has the tools to be a good player down the road. Probably not
right away though. That's also in part why I was excited about the Sewer
and pick is knowing that he would get the chance to work with Chip England.
I think a lot of people thought someone would be good in New Orleans
because they have Fred Vincent there. Yea, like those are like two of
the guys of the three or four in the league where it's like if you're
gonna know the names of just like these assistant or like these specialized coaches,
like it's them, and so you get excited about younger guys working with them.
I am all for them taking a conservative approach with Blake Wesley because I
would love for them to turn Josh Primo loose next season? Is that going
to happen at So much can change. We are very early in the off
season and the transaction game is not done. But if you had to guess
right now, do you think that we're gonna see like real extended, consistent
run for him? I think so. You know, last year they started
him in that playing game. They didn't have to. Nobody was hurt.
You know, they could have gone with Lonnie Walker, they could have gone
a number of different routes, but Greg Popovich went with Josh Primo. And
I know a lot of Spurs fans were like, oh, you know,
we hardly played, but Josh Primo played fifty three games, and it's not
like he, you know, was playing twenty minutes per game or anything like
that, and a lot of those games ended up being, you know,
blowout or you know, the game's all but decided. You know, they're
just going to throw him in there for the last couple of minutes. But
I can see him getting minutes because I truly believe he's one of the only
guys on this roster who can consistently create advantages for himself and others off the
dribble. Like I just I don't see that from Kelden. I don't really
see that from Devin consistently. I like Trey Jones. I think he's a
steady hand, and we'll talk about him later probably, but I think out
of all the guys you took him in the lottery, he's one of the
youngest guys on your team. He can create kind of something out of nothing
in a way that other guys can't. I would expect him to get that
kind of opportunity. Now, will he start, Maybe maybe not, but
he should at the bare minimum. To me, he should be getting like
forty fifty touch and he should be in the game at least twenty two,
twenty three, twenty four minutes per game. There's just no reason for him
to be, you know, sitting on the bench during a rebuild. There's
just no reason for that. I didn't I expect the Spurs like Pop is
a smart guy. The Spurs are smart people, like they'll they'll figure out
how to utilize him. But I'm excited to see what he can do.
He wasn't efficient, but he did have some really high end flashes, and
that's what I'm excited for. Can he turn those flashes into more consistent production,
That's what I'm excited for. I really want to see him out there
and just give him the green light because he's fun. He's a lot of
fun. I'm in love with him, and look to this person's credit post
White Trade. He definitely playing from games that I watched and when I was
working on something going back, he played some like higher leverage minutes. I
just want to see him have full control, like cart Blanc over the offense
next season. There's like a in anarchic shiftiness to his game, but it's
also under control a little bit, and I just throw. I tend to
throw efficiency for the first two years of a player career out the window.
Unless it's higher than expected, then I'm just go gaga over them, which
is maybe inconsistent thought, but I'm gonna skew towards more optimistic when they're that
young. I really want to see him have that type of license. There
anything that you noticed about him that you really liked or what you want to
see him aside from the overall efficiency improve upon going into two year two,
Yeah, one of the things I'm actually really excited to see is the progress
that he's made coming out of the summer, being able to work out because
he's talked to it to the media or at least local media about shay Gil
just Alexander sort of being a mentor for him and being a player he aspires
to be like, and that shiftiness you're talking about sort of it's funky,
it's out of control, but somehow it's also like not too widely, it's
hard to describe it, but it does have some shades of shay Gil just
Alexander. I like that. I don't you know, he's not as big,
he's not as long. I don't think he's as good of a playmaker,
but I'd like to see what he can do just with a green light.
I think, out of all the guys on this roster too, he's
probably the guy who's best at creating his shot from beyond the arc. Like
you can pull up from beyond the arc off the dribble, he can make
you pay for going under a screen. Teams dare de Jontay Murray to shoot,
you know they did. They didn't care if he's shot. I think
the same case could be said with like a Kelvin Johnson who rarely took shots
off the dribble from three Lonnie Walker did so, but super inefficiently. Like
I just want to see what this guy and do with just the freedom to
do whatever he wants, Like I don't care if he turns the ball over.
I don't care if he dribbles it off his foot, Like the Spurs
should just be invested in getting whatever they can out of this guy. I
think he's exciting. I think he's fun and then defensively a whole lot better
than I thought he was going to be. Like some team defensive concepts he
got lost. I get it, he's nineteen years old. He was the
youngest guy in the league. I'm not gonna judge him too harshly for that,
but he had some real high end flashes as a secondary rim protector and
as a guy who really I thought read the passing lanes pretty well. Like
I'm excited for him. I don't know how else I can say it other
than just ready to see him have control of the offense, even if it's
not pretty. I think it'll be fun and I think he'll be better for
it in the long run, just being able to experiment without any consequences.
I also just think that he's gonna end up being a better like playmaking decision
maker, even if these are not I mean, you sort of mentioned it
with de Jean day Murray. I think he's going to be a better passer
than the Jean Murray. But even if it's not these fancy passes that I
think people look for as a barometer for whether they're talented playmaker, I think
he's just going to be like a really smart passer and I'm interested to see
what happens if they give him more control over the offense in a setting where
things slowed down and the look part of the reason I was in love with
the Spurs this past year, completely out of character for them. They have
the quickest average offensive possession time in the league, like not even pace,
just looking at their average offensive possession they were number one or two, I
think it was, and I think he's a fit for that. But I
think is he like gets older and more experienced, I think he's gonna be
able to really exploit some of the slowed down situations, and so he is.
I think I'm still highest on Devin Vessel if anyone on this roster,
but right now, and it's probably more so speaks to my ignorance of Jeremy
Sowen or some of the other guys on like Malkai Brandam. I'm like the
second highest on Josh Primo, and it might be to the point where if
you told me by February, I'm driving the Josh Primo is the Spurs is
most important play of the future bandwagon, Like I wouldn't or even just a
passenger on it, because put actual Spurs people on it first. I could
envision myself boarding that, boarding that bandwagon. Yeah, I think I think
he could end up being the most important player for the Spurs because I think
he does have real two way upside, and I think he also again is
one of the only guys on this team who has real on ball equity as
an advantage creator. I don't mean to sell the other players short, but
he's the only guy who showed you know, flashers are just flashes, but
they were pretty consistent flashes, and so I'm excited to see what he can
do in that role. Really young, and I think like people probably thought
he was really small just because he has that baby face, but he actually
has a really good frame, like he added a lot of muscle throughout the
year. I just want to see what he can do. Like, I
think you're right, he probably could be like the second or first most important
player on this team, and I wouldn't be surprised if, like everybody's on
that bandwagon by the end of the year. And also just really really pumped
to see him in Summer League because I think he's gonna get to do whatever
he wants and that like that for me, that's the most ideal situation is
just getting to see him do whatever he wants. So I'm super pumped for
that. He will not hear a peep out of me if he plays poorly
in Summer League, but if he looks too good to be in Summer League,
I will be among the loudest people talking about it. This So Trey
Jones became a super interesting player for me because I was watching a subset of
Spurs games at one point, like during the latter third of the season,
and I put a line in a larger piece that I was writing about every
single team just about Trey Jones is in between game mid range efficiency during that
stretch and his pocket passing just I considered to throw away. It was under
forty words and there were comments that were specifically happy about that. In the
bleacher Report app. Someone DMed me about it is Trey Jones the NBA's best
kept secret outside of San Antonio, because I know Spurs fans really like him,
but I have never had like or maybe I'm just not hunting enough in
the comments because I tend not to read them. I just thought I wrote
so much about other like Devin Vassell, Kelton Johnson, Janata Murray, but
it was the Tray Jones thing people latched onto. Yeah, Spurs fans are
like, you're either you love Trey Jones or you hate Trey Jones. There
are a lot of fans who are like, oh, he shouldn't be playing.
He's too small. They kind of scapegoated him for some of the late
losses in the season. You know, he wasn't he wasn't able to replace
Dejanta Murray too. Oh yeah, Jean Murray's an All Star and this guy's
probably a career backup. Other people really loved him. I'm in I'm in
that group. I really loved Trey Jones. I still think he is probably
a career backup. But I brought a few just kind of fun numbers to
talk about when it comes to Trey Jones, Like last year he only started
eleven games, but he averaged thirteen and a half points, four point six
rebounds, seven and a half assist, and just one turnover on forty eight
point eight percent shooting. Like it's probably, you know, not something that
he can do every single night, but he looked good in those spots starts.
He was also second in the NBA only to his brother Tias and assist
a turnover ratio. Like, when I look at Trey Jones, I think
he's sort of the perfect fit for the Spurs going into a build. Like
we talk about how rebuilding teams, it's good to have young players and young
assets, but you need a few like steady hands and veteran presences on the
team. And while he's not really a veteran because he's only what like twenty
two twenty three years old, he is that guy that I can see just
sort of being the floor general, the game manager, if you will,
if you want to talk about it in quarterback terms of an offense, just
keeps things moving along, you know, not gonna really vow you very often,
but really just level head on him. I think he's a guy who
they should hang on to. But you know, I know other people don't
love him, but for me, Trey Jones is a guy who they should
start to begin the season. And that way you don't really have to pressure
Josh Primo to be that guy from the very beginning. Sort of ease Primo
into that primary role, ease him into whatever you think he's going to be,
and let Tray Jones build his value. Like maybe you want to trade
him, maybe you think he's worth resigning. But I think Trey Jones is
one of those guys who, unless you're talking to me or a Spurs fan,
people probably don't care about him or don't realize how productive he was San
Antonio last year. I am like surprised that he's polarizing in a bad way
amongst spans, because even if you don't love his game, like, he
doesn't play a style where it feels like if it goes poorly that you should
be that incensed by it. So I had no idea that he was sort
of just like this point of division within this burst fan base. Spurs Fits
kind of needed someone to scapegoat every year, Like for the last couple of
years, it was Brent Forbes, and then when they moved on from Brent
Forbes, it was Doug McDermott for a little while because he wasn't playing good
enough defense for them, and like that's fair, he wasn't a very good
defender last year. And then once Doug McDermott got sat, you know,
they were done. You know, he sprained his ankle, they sat him
for the rest of the season. The attention sort of shifted towards Trey Jones
because he ended up playing a lot of minutes next to de Jante Murray,
which is kind of a funky pairing. You know, they're both not very
good shooters, they're both best with the ball in their hands. He wasn't
always that valuable as you know, like an off ball player. Like I
understand there were some frustrations there. You know. Again, when when DJ
was out with COVID for a little bit, he started in place. The
Spurs lost quite a few games with him as a starter, and fans were
really like, there was a large contingent of fans who were gung ho about
they need to make the plan, like they have to make the plan,
and so every loss when he was starting was like, well, we know
whose fault it was. You know who was the starting point guard, who
was running the offense. So like, I think that's what the where the
division came with Trey Jones. But I think if you had him on any
other team, he wouldn't be quite so divisive. Like, I don't think
he's as important as some fans made him out to be. But I love
him. I absolutely love Trey Jones. I wrote a like twelve hundred fourteen
hundred word article about him why the Spurs should really just be, you know,
married to him as their backup. That was when Dejante was here.
We'll see what they do with him. But I think he's a fantastic player
and great value. Forty first overall. Pick I had a first strong grade
on him that year. I was ecstatic when they took him with the forty
first overall. Pick I was like, Wow, they just got a steal,
and I think they thought so as well. I mean, they gave
him well, I think, like a three year, four point one million
dollar contract as a you know, second rounder, like that's not that common.
So I'm happy with Trey. We'll see where he goes though he could
be gone, he could be here for the long haul. Who knows.
And look, even if you don't think that the Spurs currently have and I
think the majority of people probably don't believe that the next Spurs superstars on the
roster right now, which is fine because you could say that about the odds
are in your favor of being right. That's just how Megan stardom works.
They just have so many intriguing even throw away the rookies, like before we
got to this point, there's just so many intriguing like younger guys or bigger
picture guys that could be really good even if they're not great NBA players.
And again that is like I'm not talking about the draft. I'm not that
they had this year. I'm not even talking about the future picks that they
have coming their way. Now, that's just looking at the Devin Vassell,
Kelden Johnson, Trey Jones, Josh Primo. There's just so much like Injurgue
on this roster. Yeah, I think that the Spurs, even if they're
not set up to contend, you have these players who you could see being
part of contention, like not as the fulcrum, not as like the number
one or maybe even number two guy, but just guys who could contribute to
winning. And I think that's what really intrigues me the most is maybe San
Antonio doesn't have that superstar. I'm also of the mindset they probably don't have
that guy on the roster, but they have a lot of good young pieces,
and I think that's the place you want to be in, Like,
whether you trade those guys for a superstar, you have the picks to trade
to add a superstar to that core at some point. So I just really
like what the Spurs have going on. And I think more so than anything,
I'm really may this may kind of come off as as bad, but
I'm more so just relieved than anything, that they really suck to a definitive
direction that they weren't really like happy to be in that gray area of we're
a playing team, we're a lottery team. We're not good enough to compete
for something important. We're not bad enough to you know, get a top
five pick or four pick or whatever. So I'm just happy that it seems
like they've picked a real hard direction, and for me, that just makes
the season easier to cover, Like there's not going to be this weight in
my mind that you know, what are they doing? Is this the right
decision? Are Spurs fans fighting in the comments like all day long? Like
there's just generally been less hostility in the comments section on Twitter, Like it
seems like everybody's sort of on board for a rebuild, even if it means
a lot of losses, because you already understood that that's what's going to happen
heading into the season. So I'm excited for this next era of Spurs basketball.
And look that shit matters. I know people think it's lazy analysis when
you say teams need to choose a direction. The kids have been following in
the wilderness for like eighty decades at this point, even if there's more to
running an NBA team than actually winning and contending for titles, there needs to
be like a rhyme or reason to what you're doing. And it's why I've
been so critical of the Knicks, or even if you like some of their
independent moves or don't think anything's been damaging, they're constantly like zigging and zagging
and short circuiting their own decisions. It's very confusing and the worst place to
be in the NBA. Whether you the endgame, yeah, when it's the
Hornets, Michael Jordan just wants his two games worth a playoff date revenue,
like, we get it. But there's even if the endgame isn't to make
it to the finals. Like, being in the middle is legitimately the worst
place to be in the NBA. And the Spurs were just there, and
yeah, if you threw them in the Eastern Conference, they might have been
like a little bit. I mean the East was a lot deeper this year,
but like some of the teams that were there, yeah, they might
have been a little bit higher. So they're in the West where there's a
lot more like it top end teams. I guess you could say if there's
especially if the Nuggets and the Clippers are going to be healthy, choosing the
direction matters, and it's it's clarifying for not just the fans, but for
the organization, and it allows you to do things and make decisions and take
swings. And that's why I was a big fan of Like, yeah,
I love Dejante Murray. I might even it sounds like I might even been
higher on him than you were. But I was also love the mind that,
like, unless you're gonna go out and get the guy who can be
above Dejante Murray, and you weren't gonna in all likelihood we've seen the Spurs
mind gems from the draft before, you weren't drafting in the territory where those
guys typically fall. And so that's why I shaded the decision that they made.
Absolutely no. I looked at you know, there are people who said,
hey, they should go after DeAndre Aiden or they should go after Zach
Lavine, and I think both of those guys are great. But when you're
trying to compete for something real, you really want to go deep in the
playoffs, it's probably not in your best interest to just have two like second
tier third tier stars, like you need a superstar, and DeAndre Aiden would
have been great next to de Jontay Murray, but that team's not going anywhere.
Same thing with zach Lavine, Like zach Lavine was the perfect player next
to Demarda Rosen because he's so good awful and can also create for himself and
stretches where DeMar is sitting or maybe he wants to defer. I think the
same thing could be said for like he's the perfect complimentary player to Deontay Murray,
but like for the money you were going to have to pay to get
him, it wouldn't have been worth it, and then you would have had
to pay de Jonta in two years, So like you would have had two
guys taking up, if I have this correct, almost sixty five percent of
your cap and two guys who are not superstars. So I just I think
the Spurs made the right decision. And I know I probably was not as
high on de Gante as some Spurs fans or even some other analysts, but
I just think there was a long way for him to go before you could
look in the mirror and say, yeah, this guy's the best player on
a championship team, and there's probably a long way to go before they had
a route to getting a guy like that to add next to him, So
the right decision. It hurts a little bit because I love Degonta Murray.
I was really happy just to see his progression from this guy who was overlooked
to a guy who overcame an ACL injury, got better, you know,
incriminally every single year until he became an All Star. It sucks to lose
a guy like that, but it also sucks to watch a team be in
this weird purgatory area where you know they're not going anywhere. So I'm excited
to see what the Spurs can do with a rebuild, like they haven't done
this since I've been alive pretty much, so I'm just excited to see something
new. I was all for the zach Lavine pursuit, like when Murray tweeted
and de leaded him in a Spurs jersey. I think in part because it
was at the point where if you were going to stick with Dejante Murray,
like, it had to be a move like that where you were acquiring a
big free agent v assign and trade. I do think your point is valid
where if Zach Lavine is your one A on offense, all of a sudden,
how good is that team? Mean, if you're surrounding him with the
perfect complimentary talent, I would have still been much higher on that than I
do not understand even people mostly I think it's nationally you're talking about, Oh,
well, the Jazz should go after eight now or the Spurs should still.
If you didn't want to pay Dejanta Murray thirty plus million eventually, and
if the Jazz already had Rudy Gobert and didn't want to pay him like DeAndre
Eton plus more first round picks, it's not really getting you like that much
further. And I think DeAndre is really good. There's just the juries out
on his self creation and so yeah, I'm with you on all of that.
When you do look at this roster though, whether you want to frame
it as well, if they were to acquire one type of player still for
the rest of the off season or just even moving forward, what do you
think just like the biggest need or void is for them right now? Yeah?
I know this is probably gonna be a cop out answer a little bit,
but I still think they just need like that high end foundational cornerstone piece,
Like you're not really building anything until you have that. And like the
Spurs can build towards that in a way by losing this year and getting other
guys experience and getting them more on ball reps and getting them comfortable in different
roles and just kind of seeing what they have and guys, But until you
really have that like cornerstone, like you get your I don't know, we'll
just throw names out there like a Luca don Chick or a LaMelo Ball or
a you know, John Moran. Until you have one of those guys,
yeah, yeah, for exactly, Like you're not really going anywhere. So
I just look at this draft class that's coming up as like that's probably your
best avenue towards finding that guy. Like I do draft stuff for pounding the
rock every single year, and so I'm already starting to do draft stuff for
next season. And just from my point of view right now, probably like
the top five six six ish guys in this twenty twenty three class probably could
have contended for you know, top three picking this class, and arguably like
the top three or four guys could have gone number one over Pawlow. So
we'll see where they am. I mean, nothing's set in stone, but
if the Spurs are really committing to this rebuild and they want to find that
superstar player, you don't necessarily have to you know, be bad and then
oh it's it's a disappointment you don't get the first pick. You may still
be able to find that guy with like the fourth pick. So I'm excited
for that. I think that's their best avenue towards finding that missing piece.
And after that we talked about it. I mean, they have some really
intriguing players, you know, from Devin Vassell, the Trey Jones too,
you know, Josh Primo to Jeremy so Hit, like they have some good
compliment in your pieces. And if they decide to hold on to Yaka Purdle
and Josh Richardson and they end up landing this like kind of foundational guy,
like you could be building towards something pretty quickly. And I know, like
quick fixes are not realistic, but if Spurs want to hold on to optimism
there, that's an optimistic point of view. I guess I agree with everything
you said. If they were to make or circle a need right now that
they wanted to dress like during the season leading into the season, it'd be
cool. I don't even know if cool is the word, but like to
have like more of a mobile or explosive five on the roster than a Yaka
Peardle or Gorgi Jang is like your primary biggs right now. And maybe look,
biggs are just traded all over the place. If they're not stars all
of a sudden, maybe that's like the type of player you're acquiring as part
of like that Kevin Durant trade where it's like a it's a role playing big,
but like just to sort of balance out the roster, give them a
different look. I'm, like I said, I'm endlessly fascinated with this team.
I do say that about every team. But after that, the John
Ty Murray moved, like the idea of the Spurs like really rebuilding for the
first time since Tim Duncan. Like that's just it really hadn't happen in my
lifetime. I don't I'm not old enough yet to remember when they even drafted
Tim Duncan basically, so just that's that's incredible to me. Two quick questions
before we get you out of here. Our victor one Banyama Jersey is gonna
be all over the AT and T s this year. I would love to
see that. I think Spurs fans are already like really in on Victor win
bin Yama, like potentially being their guy if they get the number one pick.
There's also a ridiculous hashtag going on Spurs Twitter right now. I think
it's like hashtag winking for Wim bin Yama. They really want him that bad,
Like it's a terrible hashtag. It's awful, but like it's all over
Spurs Twitter right now. So like I would love to see some of those
jerseys there. I know he's no longer with Tony Parker's team, he just
signed with I forget the name of the team, but he was with Tony
Parker's team that he owns over in France this past season. So Spurs fans
are already putting on there like tinfoil hats and they think it's like a done
deal. You know, they're gonna have it twisted or manipulated in a way
that he's directed to the Spurs. But like, yeah, it would be
cool to see Win bin Yama jerseys at the Spurs at the AT and T
Center this year. Yeah, it's like so the Spurs will get one of
the top four picks, and then he'll tank his work out with every single
other team because Tony Parker planted that seed. Is there anything about this roster,
this team, this franchise is future. I did not ask you about
that. You think needs to be just gus, you know, not really.
I feel like we touched pretty much on every single base. We didn't
talk a whole lot about Yaka Purdle, and I love giving him some some
shine, but honestly, like just again excited to see what they do in
a real rebuild. Like even with the Tim Duncan rebuild, it was like
a one year thing, you know, like a bunch of guys got injured,
they get lucked into the number one overall pick. But before that it
was like David Robinson, the Spurs were like fifty five, fifty six wins
for like a decade. So like, this is really new for not just
like me or you, but probably Spurs fans who are even in their like
forties right now. This is really new for everyone, and I think I
think just new should be exciting and Spurs fans just knowing it's a rebuild,
it's gonna be a lot easier to kind of swallow the pill of losses,
you know, taking a bunch of losses, because the losses will come at
the expense of development, and I think development is just the best thing that
that could come out of this season, and that in like a number one
overall pick, that would be great too, you know. Speaking of Purdle,
really, I have thought like whether I don't know if he would sign
it, just because it's it would depend on what the league's average annual salary
is. But if like one hundred and twenty percent raise is actually going to
be larger than that, an extension for him would look like somewhere starting between
eleven plus and twelve million dollars. That's like not an egregious number for him
to say if I could get long term money, and then if you're the
Spurs and you did extend him, that becomes he's not someone who ruins like
the development of anybody that's already on your roster, and then it becomes like
this major trade asset. For years, I've just been curious as to whether
I'm sure it's probably been offered or broached like internally, but I've wondered if
he would accept an extension and if he doesn't like at that point, are
you keeping him into free agency? I would say I would normally say no,
But just watching the big man market this summer, where Kavan Looney got
about as much guaranteed money as JaVale McGee, or about as much guaranteed money
over three years on a three year deal as Mo Bamba got in a two
year deal from the Magic, you could just be like, well, well,
let it play in and we could probably match whatever in the contract.
It will still be fine. I don't he clearly to me, he doesn't
seem like he fits long term into the team, But I could also see
him still being around for like quite a while. I do know that there
will be quite a few teams and fan bases who will be pretty peeved if
the Spurs do hang onto yakoperl though yeah, I know. That's the thing
is, I'd love to see him long term because I think he is just
such an underrated asset, Like there's a lot that's made about Oh, you
know, he's not a lop threat. He doesn't dunk very often, but
he's still finished like seventy percent of his shots at the rim. Was one
of the best rim protectors in the NBA contested the most shots per game in
the league. Like really good screener, really good short role pastor, like
can hold his own on the perimeter to an extent, Like he had some
really good possessions against Trey or Trey Young last season. Like I would love
to see him here, But just thinking about it, for like his career,
I think it probably makes sense to just try to get into a situation
where you know he's contending or competing for something, just do right by him,
because it does feel again, like I know it's kind of a cop
out, it's probably lame, but it seemed like the Spurs do that pretty
much with every single guy who they know they're just not gonna utilize. They're
not going to hold them hostage, they're not going to keep them here,
They're not going to make them play on a team that isn't with like in
line with their goals. Like I really do expect him to be gone,
but I would love to see him come back. I've really become like one
of the number one yaka Peurtle supporters probably among the fan base and riders.
But it's probably the right thing to try to get Like a first rounder or
two out of him, because I think he is really valuable. I think
he could start on hip team. He savon Looney do that like right,
and it would be so much better. And you're absolutely getting at least a
first for him, even with it being an expiring contract. I would just
like if they did move Yaka Peartle before the season, what is your big
man road Like, it's Gorgi Jang and Zach Collins is like, let's let's
blaze on, yeah, and that is the tough thing. It's like Gorgy
Jing is really just here, is like a veteran mentor in depth insurance option.
And I like Zach Collins, I just don't think he's a starter in
the NBA. So if those are your guys, like it even further signals
that, hey, like we're in a rebuild, if we're not afraid to
let anybody know it. I think that Yaka Pearl's kind of good for the
development because I think he is just such a steadying presence. But if you
can get a first round rounder out of him. Charlotte offered allegedly last year
a first rounder and Kai Jones and the first said no because they wanted two
first rounders. Well, like, if they can get that out of him,
I think that's good value. We'll see what they can get out of
him. He is a good player. I think he deserves to compete for
something meaningful. He is not old or anything. He's like basically the same
age as me. But once you start creeping towards thirty in the NBA,
especially as like a you know, a big man like, I think you
gotta take into account where he wants to be in his career. So wouldn't
be surprised if he's gone by the end of the season. There's something to
be said about streamlining a development with someone who can cover up at the rim
for a lot of defensive miscuses of the youngsters. And then just like he's
gonna make life easier on the more inexperienced ball handlers or someone like Keldon Anson
who is going to get more ball handling responsibility just with his screening and the
reliability there. And like, is he the most veteran player on this team
right now? I didn't even consider that. I mean, there's Doug McDermott
and Josh Richardson and then it's there's him, And like, I don't know
if he's considered like the super vocal ra RA leader, but there's something to
be said about still having that that guy both on the court, Like on
the court at least with just the reliability that you're not going to get even
in some of your other players who are better just because there's higher variants right
now kicked into their performance and development. Yeah, I think he would provide
some value there. And he's also like again, I think he's like close
to my age. I think he's gonna be twenty seven in the middle of
the season, as will I, which is an interesting thought for myself.
I feel like I'm getting closer to thirty every year. But anyways, uh
yeah, I mean like he is a guy who I think can streamline as
you mentioned, like a little bit of development for them. I don't know
that he's super vocal, Like just watching him on the court, he does
communicate, but I don't really see him as like the guy in the huddle
who's really taking charge, like the guys who come to mind or you know,
Dejante Murray who's no longer here. And also Josh Richardson, super vocal,
really good leader, great presence in the locker room, really got along
with the young guys, did not complain once about his role, about his
touches, about you know, sitting on the bench when he first got here,
he got a bunch of dnps like the Spurs really hadn't decided if they
were going to utilize him or not. So like, just having a guy
like that I think is important. I don't know if Yaka is quite you
know, the vocal leader like that, but I think he would be useful
for the rebuild, even if, like you know, he's probably better suited
elsewhere, at least if you're trying to do right by him. No,
this was fantastic. You're able to tell our listeners where they can follow you
and all the great work that you do. Yeah, thank you again for
having me. I had a blast talking Spurs basketball with you. You can
find me at in Underscore Magaro m A G A r O on Twitter.
You can find my stuff under my name Noma gar George on YouTube. I
do film breakdowns. I do some breaking news breakdown stuff there as well,
and then you can find my writing at Pounding the Rock and also the pcast
album was City Limits pretty much wherever you get your podcast. So again,
thank you for having me. I had a lot of fun and I hope,
I know, taught your listeners a little bit about the scores. I
learned a whole lot. I'm sure they learned a whole lot, and rest
assured I'll be festering you again in the future. So thanks very much for
coming on, and I have a blasted summer league.