What is up, fellow thermonuclear hey efforts. I am damn valley thing ready
to plunge in to another hardwood and Ox mail bag. I will say,
I'm gonna try and do these two a week. We'll separate them into discord,
which I think will be Fridays, and then maybe Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, just midwek for Twitter and YouTube. I said this on the past
podcast. I am humbled and thankful, grateful, gracious, however you want
to phrase it, that we actually can get enough questions to tackle two epper
mail bags in a week. I also this time of year when we're not
dealing with anything mission critical, and I'm really trying to delay doing any offseason
grades at the moment to see if anything kind of happens with Donovan Mitchell or
Kevin Durant. I think that they're good material. And I also, you
know, I don't know why podcasts don't do this more if they don't have
the engaged listener base. I totally get it, we're lucky enough to have
it. But I want to talk about what you guys are asking, and
if you're asking questions out of pity, I appreciate that too, but I
like some of these questions or thought exercise I never thought of, or you
know one that's coming up in this podcast, like sort of oh, you
would think about it, but we haven't gone into detail with it. And
I do think, like you, the audience is the most important part of
podcasting, writing, or whatever we need to. I need to put out
stuff that you guys want to talk about, and so it means the world
that you want to asking questions again, even if it's out of pity,
but also just like I want, I would do mail begs every single day
if if we had the material, or if that's what the audience really wanted.
It's fun to dive into what you all are thinking or the questions that
you have, and then to my incorrect answers on them. It's fun.
These are some of my favorite episodes. I love everyone knows I love good
like not necessarily hypothetical trade episodes, but like analyzing new fits, whether it's
signing or trades. But mail begs are by far and away some of my
favorite content. And so if you're wondering why we do two a week or
why there was a week where I did like eight of them, like that's
just why I love them, and I think if the questions are there,
why not utilize the audience and hopefully you all enjoy them back. That's way
too much rambling for an intro, but I will put in. Finally,
remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us where you're getting your podcast.
If you're on YouTube, hit that subscribe and it would be absolutely spectacular.
As we build up the community. Closing in on one point five k
YouTube subscribers, I really want to get to like a zillion YouTube subscribers.
But if you can help us juice up those numbers, let's go two k
before the season at minimum. But I would like to, like, can
we flirt with three k or five k? Like really get the word out
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you name a podcast that people should listen to for basketball or sports? Or
that's underrated because we are underrated, AF I am or I guess we keep
using the we're gonna go. We still with the pronoun there, and you
all are underrated AF two for listening and slogging through these three minute introductions.
Let's move on though, Let's dive into the mail bag. I'm gonna have
one discord question here because it's related to something that came on Twitter, but
this was through Twitter and YouTube. Let's start with Jay Childers from YouTube asking
what are the potential best benches in the league going into next season. This
was like a thinker and there are some teams that I think this could change
depending on how the rest of the off season shakes up. So some of
the first ones that came to mind, Boston and I'd like snuck up on
me because I'm sure there'd be people that make the case that they're shallow just
looking at their rotation now coming off the bench, Danilo Gallinari, Malcolm Brogden
and still have and Grant Williams there and let's not forget about Peyton Pritchard as
well. I guess, you know, do you want a different type of
They did signed Bruno Caboclo. He has a chance to make the training camp
ross apparently, as well as Noah von Ley. It does seem like they're
a little concerned about having that. I would call them a third big because
Horford and RW three are gonna start together, like that nine man rotation is
just and Derek White I didn't even mention him, So that nine ten man
rotation is just chock full of guys who are all really ridiculously good defensively,
and maybe look Jason Tatum, Al Horford, Jalen Brown, Maltom Brogden,
Derek White, Marcus Smart, Robert Williams the third and Grant Williams. So
that's your eight man rotation right there, and they're all really good defensively.
And then I didn't mention Deaniel Gallanari's like, you have four strong bench players
at least they could be there. I'm wondering if I'm taking a risk just
because their bench skews like small or it's a Daniela Gallanari or Grant Williams,
where it's both of those are both kind of one position players. Do you
want Grant Williams at the five? They could be in there. This deal
is weird because I'm not high on their off season at all. But Dallas,
if they're really going to start JaVale McGee and Christian would you have so
you would have coming off the bends, Maxie Cleveland and Spencer Didnwoodie, which
is a great start right there. You all know how I feel about Frankielina.
Reggie Bullock is probably also part of that equation. It's Tim Heartaway Junior
coming off the bench as well. I think it would you're looking at.
So let's assume they're going to start would in JaVale McGee, which I think
is fucking stupid. But wood McGee, don Chich, Dorian Phinney Smith,
those are your four? Are you putting in didn'woody in the starting lineup to
try to replace Brunson or do you just put Tim Hardaway Junior there because he's
such a quintessential fit with Luca. But then if you have him coming off
the bench or did Woody coming off the bench. I could just I could
see it. We have to. This was the first team that I think
came to my mind was the Clippers. They're just so deep, there's so
many wings. To the point that myself and also Brandon from Discord, we've
been trying to find Marcus more senior trades so that we can ensure that I'm
your Coffee plays and he wants to see more of Brandon Blond Junior as well.
They're starting lineup. I think it's gonna be Reggie Jackson, Paul George
Kawhi Hodard, and then a Visa Zubats who gets the starting other four spot,
I guess you would call it. I assume it's gonna be Marcus Morris,
and then you're looking at Norman Powell, Luconard, Robert Covington, John
Ball, Nick patoum all coming up, Terrence Man, that's eleven fucking players.
They can't play eleven. We need to shorten this rotation up. I
didn't even mention Brandon Boston Junior and mir Coffee are gonna be on that bench
too. This team is so deep they're probably going to have as of right
now, I'd say the best bench in the league. I mean, look
it, let's just name these players. Forget about let's start. We know
some of them will start, but Paul George Kawhi, Marcus Morris, Norm
Powell, Luconard, Robert Covington, Reggie Jackson, a Vita Zubats, Nick
Patum, John Wall, Terrence Man and if you really end, then a
mereor coffee like, that's twelve. If you feel differently about Brandon Boston Junior
and thinkin needs to play, that's just twelve guys. And so only five
of those twelves are gonna start. That gives you just like a very intriguing
seven man bench rotation. The other team that I have here and I have
questioned marks witting around them because I'm not sure if they should be here.
I have the dubs. I think you look at the kids and they're kind
of the swing pieces there. But you have Dante de Vincenzo that's gonna be
a perfect addition, Jordan Pool coming off the bench already. And then if
you're getting cominga moody Wiseman, what if two of those guys hit, that
just becomes like incredibly absurd. And so I don't know, I think they
could work their way into the discussion even if one of the kids hits this
seasons. This Moody looked just looks ready, feel like he's just gonna be
plug and play. Cominga had some nice moments. If James Wyatt is healthy.
I don't expect them to go all bench guys at once. That's a
lot of pressure on Jordan Pool and Dante Devincenzo. But kind of having dv
and Pool as your top two guys off the bench, you probably want.
And then I just Moody, it's probably the guy I'm not highest on long
term, but just immediately Moody comingo Wiseman. I think they deserve an honorable
mention there. One that I'm sure, I'm not sure is getting enough Shoine,
I mean, are We've been talking about benches in the discourse at this
point of the offseason. The Pelicans, so you're starting five should be Ion
valanciunists Ingram CJ. McCollum, and I would say Herb Jones that you don't
need a point guard in there, and so you're looking at off the bench,
DeVonta Graham could have a better year. Larry NaN's junior Jackson Hayes,
Trey Murphy the third, and then does Dyson Daniels crack this rotation? Does
Kyra Lewis crack this rotation? A lot of intriguing guys when you're looking at
basically roster spots one through twelve, still at least one through eleven. So
there I could see their bench just being incredibly potent. I like, individually
all of their talents. How do they colace if you're looking at you know,
I don't. I'm not in love with Jackson Hayes, but Larry Nance
Jr. Specifically, everyone who listens podcast knows that I am like incredibly sky
high on Dyson Daniels and then also Trey Murphy the third, So that just
right there is is a great baseline. And then, like I said,
DeVonta Graham is a better basketball player than he showed last year. And then
you're assuming they're always going to have like one of Ingram McCollum and Zion on
court. At one point, I actually I want to see I guess it
depends on Yeah, I think I want to see a lot of Zion.
Let's go full bench here, or at least close to it, because Larry
Nance Jr. That's your front court stretched the floor there. I guess that's
sort of we'd doubt Jackson Hayes certain instances. Dyson Daniel's not the best shooter,
but having Trey Murphy in there in the DeVante Graham that would be a
five minute it out absolutely faith that I fave that that's the Zion plus bench.
I want to see it in New Orleans. Finally, I don't know
if this is going to hold, but the Knicks, their bench was basically
a high point of what they did last season, and so it's tough to
I get I guess pinned down exactly what their bench will look like. But
let's just assume that Mitchell Robinson Randall runs in and RJ Barrett or guarantee your
starting spots is the third one going to Fourgnier? Is it going to go
to cam Resch or Quentin Grimes if they want to lean defense. The caveat
to all of this is what if Dono and Mitchell is acquired. There's probably
more Fourna in that deal, probably no more Quentin Groves, I think factor
than the best rotation. But I'm gonna get a possible bench. Guys here,
d Rose has been good for them. But Isaiah Hartenstein, we're a
fantastic pick up by the Knicks, Obi Toppin, Manuel Quickly and then Cam
Reddish or Quentin Grimes and or Quentin Grimes. And even if look two of
these three you're gonna be coming off the bench and Cam Reddish, Grimes and
Fournier, that's fine. That's a great spot to be in. And so
if the Nick wind up not in acquiring Don and Mitchell, I could very
easily see their bench being a bright spot yet again. And I really hope
we get to see basically RJ. Barrett plus your four best bench players let's
say, or maybe not even four best. But give me RJ. Barrett
at this who I project to start. Give me RJ. Barrett and then
off the bench with Grimes quickly, Hartenstein and Toppin give me that five men
unit. I favor that too. I'm faving a lot of things right now.
Those are my if I had to predict the I wanted to win it
down to five, and I think I have six here. I'm gonna say
Boston, Dallas, Golden State, the Clippers, the Pelicans, and the
Knicks. There are definitely more that could creep in there, but those are
the ones that stood out. I can tell you right now the Lakers bench
is not making the cut for me, insofar as anyone cares about that.
Nathan Stock from YouTube ask, I know you already responded through this before,
but which team will we hire in seatings next year? Magic or Pistons and
long term, say five years? The five year questions really tough here because
Kate Cunningham is my favorite player on both of these teams, even acting in
Palo ban Caro, Jalen Suggs and Jay and Ivy in Detroit. But it
does feel like the Magic have more ready made, slightly more proven NBA level
talent that fits in long term to where Oh, okay, we know that
okay, aside from Ban Carroll, but we know that Folks works. We
know that we're still invested in Joen Suggs. We know Franz Wagner is already
really good. We know if Jonathan Isaac is ever healthy, what we could
potentially have at him. We know Wendell Carter Jr. Is good, Bamba's
good. So I think Orlando looking at next season specifically, will be higher
in the standings. The pathway to that not happening is one Kate is a
fucking superhuman, which I'm just gonna pencil in anyway. And then two,
oh band Carroll's not good right off the bat, and Wendel cler Junior regresses,
Jalen Suggs doesn't improve from the last year. Maybe we see a drop
off from Franz Wagner and even Mobamba. I'm not predicting any of that,
So injuries, I'm like, throw that out of the equation. Long term,
oh man, in five years, I'm still probably going with the magic
here. It's just the Pistons with a Nivy and Jalen Duran. I for
me, it's hard to project having not seen that in action yet to where
I can look at the baseline of this Orlando team and know that Franz Wagner,
Suggs, Wendel Carter Junior, Mo Bamba, even mark El Folks after
he was not injured anymore last year, like I watched those guys play together.
Like Gary Harris is still on this team too by contract that's built the
trade that he signed, but he was very good for them, had a
story of an offensive renaissance. Right now, I think you have to go
then because there's more guaranteed talent there, but the Pistons have a better chance
of being the five year answer, I think than the immediate answer, because
Kaide still needs a lot of these other pieces around him to develop. I
think you could just also argue though, that, like the top end talent
of Orlando could end up being better in Franz Vogner, Jew and Suggs and
Pala Bancaro versus k J. Nivey and Duran or unless you want to put
to Deep Bay and Durn's placed there. I'm assuming no one's gonna put Billion
Hayes there. I'm gonna go with Orlando. I don't feel great about the
five year answer next season, though I definitely think it's it's the Magic.
We do have another Magic related questions, so let's get to that. Drew
asked the Magic question mark and so the Welcome Wagon and Discord asked the Orlando
Magic have a bit of a log jam at guard. Who's their point guard
now? Is Sug's definitely the point guard of the future. I'm not.
I'm gonna let's answer the second one first. I don't think Sug is definitely
the point guard of the future, because maybe he's not a point guard.
You can easily play him at the two. I don't think the magic we're
ever gonna be in this position. Because of how big they are, you
could get away. I think in certain matchups with playing him at the three.
I liked what I saw from him last year, looking at the fundamental
aesthetics of his game. I think the self created jumper is going to be
fine. I think this is someone who has the strength to really make plays
when going downhill, and they gave him the opportunity the agency over the offense
to really explore and basically drive things. Maybe that's not his best role.
Maybe the team just wasn't talented enough around him. Let's see what he looks
like when there's Bank Taro and Franz Wagner surrounding him. That could be super
helpful. I still believe that jals Suggs is going to be an All Star
in the league. I guess asked me in a year and see if I
still believe that. But that's where'm at with Jalen Suggs their point guard right
now. If we're just looking at I mean, the answer is whether it's
for starting or long term purposes. I think it's mark el Folts. I
caught ship from Orlando Magic's fans on I think it was Twitter, maybe it
was YouTube o Kado. Remember at this point, I didn't cite mark el
Folts as a building block for them. I just don't think that's him.
Like it's good that he can. You know, we've seen him like snick
pick and rolls, hit me and range jumpers get going downhill. I think
his rim volume still leaves a little bit to be desired. Can he hit
more of his free throws? Can he get to the foul line more often?
The three point shot is can there be like sort of a slow moving,
methodical release where defenses are dropping and he's making him pay, or just
sort of a set three point shot where he's getting hit with the ball from
Ban Carro or Sugs maybe even Wagner Wendow Carter Junior a good playmaker as well,
and you see like that stuff happen before I say that he is their
point guard of the future or even like a cornerstone in the same breath as
not just Ben Carro and Vagner and let's say Suggs, but even as a
Wendell Carter Junior. When I'm looking at the long term value of the roster,
I do think Folts might have a better chance of being a building block
for this team than Isaac at this point. I also think you just start
him this season. He's probably Ben Carroll could end up being the best passer
on your team right now. But you look at what Folks does defensively,
he's no worse than your second best passer. Could Sugs or Wendell Carter juniors
or pass him this season. Maybe Cole Anthony's not going to that's just more
of a microwave scoring sixth man, I think. And then r J Hampton,
who the aesthetics of when he gets going, I'm still sort of smitten
by he has yet to really put it together. So I don't like those
are your only other options. I don't know that you're gonna hope to find
someone else. Now. The real answer could be that the point guard,
let's say, the floor general of the future, is not on this team.
I think that might be a fair thing to say, because perhaps it
doesn't. I'm gonna kill a bug that's flying around me at the moment.
How's that for podcasting? If you're on video, there's a chance that,
like you needed either need a draft your floor general or acquire them via trade.
I think that's why Donovan Mitchell has been sort of a popular name here,
or even a shake Hill Soxander for whimsical thinkers. Even if you don't
view those guys as floor generals, the combination of them, Ben Caro and
Suggs feels like it makes a lot of sense there. But Foltz has the
best chance I still think of being the long term answer on this roster,
but I also might tilt toward Yeah, even if I think ban Caro's the
best passer, are going to be the best passer on this team, the
answer might just be, Oh, that player is not currently on the roster,
and that's not an insult to the Magic's rebuild. Like I said,
we've named off a lot of great talent that they have there. Gracious Hope
from Twitter asked what's the best rotation for the Timberwolves going to be with their
current roster? That's a good question, I think. Look, the starting
lineup is etched in Stone Dlow, Anthony Edwards, Jane McDaniels, karn Anthy
Towns, and Rudy Gobert. How are you gonna mix and match the bench.
I think what happens, I'm not including him in the bench rotation,
but you want to see more of Cat I think with the bench players,
just because of what he does offensively, and like your secondary creation isn't necessarily
all that strong at the moment, and it gets weaker if you trade.
Decide to trade D level though maybe you're bringing back another passer in that scenario.
So I think that what this is all to say. I don't know
where naz Reid fits into all this. Maybe they decide to still stay duel
Biggs with Kat and naz Reid in second units, but I could see him
getting squeezed out of the I'm trying to build a ten man rotation here or
nine man rotation. If you're asking me, who are you going to be
like the most used bench players Kyle Anderson for sure, that's why you sign
him. I think Austin Rivers is gonna play really were not really important,
but fairly pivotal role on this team, just as someone who can give you
some wing minutes and space the floor. Perhaps I think Jordan McLoughlin, who
really shout over forty percent from three to close out the year last season.
That's someone you need to keep in the rotation as well. Just like I
said, you don't have a lot of secondary creator here, which is sort
of the sacrifice of giving up Patrick Beverley, and then you weren't even deep
in that area to begin with. Maybe you thought Blie Beasley could do more
of that than an Austin Rivers. But you have Anderson. I think Torrian
Prince, he had a fairly good season for them, so you need to
play him. So I would have Anderson, Rivers, McLoughlin, and Prince
is my foremost used bench players. And then I'm assuming that we see a
lot of cat there. If not, then Naz Reid for sure. Pencilman
is that tenth maybe at least Brent Forbes being the odd man out. I
can't imagine we'll see McLoughlin or Rivers get squeezed for him. Maybe if they're
not hitting their threes, that's where you would put Forbes in because he's just
a pure fucking score. That's how I'd probably structure my rotation, though I
want to see the most with the bench mob. You could tell me if
you disagree, but I think that's the route to go. Given there I
don't want to say dearth of offensive secondary offensive creation, but it's like sort
of what they have is they have all these tertiary creators, but no one
you would look at and say, oh, that's that's like a second primary
or a third primary behind Delo and Edward. I think McLoughlin comes closest to
that. Maybe it's Kyle Anderson, so Delo Edwards, Jane McDaniel's Cat and
Golbert in the starting lineup, and then my most used bench player is Kyle
Aderson, Austin Rivers, Jordan McLoughlin, Torrian Prince. I have Nazrid after
that, But again I'm just curious to see if they are going to Pencil
and Cat or even Golbert to a lot of solo big man minutes, which
in turn would kind of Nazri can stretch the floor and play with either one
of them. But in theory, if you want some of those one big
minutes, he's going to be the player that gets squeezed. Siddo Cinematic Universe.
What does a Trey Young buy de Jenday Murray backcourt look like at its
best and at its worst? Same with Gobert and Cat front court in Minnesota.
So for Trey and Dejean Murray, I think what it looks like is
we see the Hawks having their point of attack defender against really every single team.
It makes it easier to not only move around Trey Young, but then
move around DeAndre Hunter, who his assignments are all Now I'm trickling down to
the number two or the number three option, and that ends up being a
no brainer fit. On offense, the best version is Trey Young gets moving
off the ball, you're setting screens from He's flying around knocking them these quick
fire looks off the catch, while Murray sort of orchestrates push some pressure on
the basket and on defense maybe hits some mid range jumpers coming out of the
pick and roll. At its worst, though, I think they struggle to
find the ball off ball dynamic between them. Trey Young probably can't set screens
on his own away from the ball for others. But what if he's just
not a guy who can get moving off the ball. What if he's more
Luca don Chick or James Harden in that regard than he is Steph Currier Damian
Lillard who's not really used in that capacity. Still, I think he could
be. And then John Day Murray. If you need Trey Young on the
ball, can he hit enough of his set threes, Maybe it uses as
a cutter, can use him as a screener. That would be at its
worst to where your offense with these two actually regresses from the tray centric offense
that you've had these years. Also on the best version is Jean Day Murray
is able to elevate your tray list lineups two and we saw some combinations work
for Atlanta last season. But if you have Dejan Day Murray and John Collins
and maybe is bogged on Madonovitch starting no like if you have those three as
sort of your base and you're filling out the rest of the bench there,
you're hoping you win the tray minutes now all of a sudden. So best
case, you've really elevated your defensive pet order and while also enhancing your offensive
structure, especially with tray off the court. Worst case, they just don't
mesh on the offensive end, And I do think that's a possibility, which
is why it was a gamble sort of buy the gamble by Atlanta. For
Minnesota, the best case is just that they're a top seven defense and a
top seven offense. Maybe it's top five five, but Karlenthy Town's the way
he spaces the floor and can be used. I don't think there's a problem
making him your day facto for on that side of the ball. And you're
getting, like, you know, all having Delo and Anthy Edwards and those
lineups as well, you should be able to get enough shooting, including with
Jade McDaniels. And then on defense, it's just you're allowing Carllythtowns to be
hyper aggressive playing up Gobert's behind him if players get by him. Maybe Towns
is just smarter because now he's learning from Gobert or practicing with Gobert and just
becoming more nuanced on on defense. Is he all of a sudden just a
much better rim protector when it comes to making reads on help? But I
think the Wolves specifically now we're built to be even more aggressive on defense to
where you have Jade McDaniels and Auntie Edwards and Carlathy Towns sort of flying around
and taking chances. You're meticulously carving out the Angel Russell's matchups, and all
the while you know Gobert's behind cleaning up everything, and if he needs to
come out, you have Auntie Edwards are more likely Jade McDaniels to come in
as just your helper and muck up plays should they happen around the basket.
Worst case, we're just looking at the defense, maybe not being the defense
is gonna be I think the offensive fit. Maybe where is there some sort
of crimped spacing. Karnathy Towns can space the floor great, but like Anthy
Edwards, even De'angelo Russell and Jane McDaniels are all those guys above average enough
shooters that Gobert has ample opportunity to be so devastating when he's rolling out of
the screen and rolls and making those dives to the basket. If you can't
count on those guys did a very high percentage of their catch and shoot clips,
or if it's Deloon and Edward's running the primary pick and roll, I
could see the offense more so than the defense actually being worse than expected.
I am hoping this is apropos of nothing. I want to see big on
big pick and roll. I just want to see Karnathy town running pick and
rolls for where with Rudy Gobert as the screener. Will it work? I
don't know. If the other players are shooting the ball well enough, then
sure, But yeah, the offense could be just fickle, especially if like
how is kyl Anderson fitting in? Are you ever playing him with Gobert at
the same time and then him and Golbert and Kat at the same time.
There are some certain questions there. It's it's weird that I have the more
on offense for a team with Towns and Edwards and Dilo. The next question
is also Timberwolves related. Kayden yoss thoughts in the lack of Anthy Edwards talk
this summer. Seems people are forgetting about him. He's been working on his
floater and short mid range game, which are expectations be for him and the
Timberwolves as a whole this coming season. I don't think it's weird that there's
been a lack of Anthony Edwards talk. Everyone sort of has accepted that he's
just like this certified star ascending, which is a great place to be.
And then the Wolves just went all the way in not just on Rudy Gobert
looking at that shade, but Karl Anthony Towns because they gave him that Supermac's
extension, and there's sort of been the trickle down effect of one the conversation
of was it worth giving up the extra draft that could need to keep Jay
McDaniels, And what's gonna happen with Delo. He's in a contract here,
very expensive salary at the moment. Is he Is he someone that they're able
to move divest into deepening their rotation a little bit, or are they going
to move forward just with this I don't want to say very top heavy,
but a very intriguing tippy top of your nucleus. But for Edwards, if
he's working on his mid range game and floater game, that's huge for the
Wolves to have someone who aside from below and can do it, maybe hopefully
more efficiently than Nilo have that in between touch, and it adds just another
dimension to Edwards offense where he's putting real pressure on the basket and he is
a dangerous shooter. His catch and shoot threes have been mostly fine. He
did shoot thirty four point four percent after the All Star Break on off the
bounce triples. That's huge And so if you're gonna progress as an in between
scorer there you just become a threat, not just at every level but sort
of in every form. He shot fifty percent on drives, and I actually
think he has like a lot of room to grow as a finisher when you're
kind of looking at his angles and takeoff points. Something to watch for is
he's definitely made improvements as a packer. His decision making after he can leave
his feet or throw those jump passes and those like eleventh hour decisions, they're
really good and impactful. But when you watch him and he I liked it,
he's sort of he's making quicker. It feels like the swing passes where
you guysn't holding on to the ball as long if he's not attacking. Can
he be more of that methodical setup man envelop the chemistry in the half court
with Gobert, because a lot of the assists that he's racking up, they're
not coming out of passing guys open. It's he's passing to guys who already
open because he collapsed the defense, and there's going to be some more complicated
reads he has to make if you want him to connect with Ruey Gobert.
I also think it's important that he sort of makes that jump because if you
don't think Delo Delo is long for this team even beyond next year, well
you don't have that guy like that primary floor general type to slow things down
and make those plays. And you might even argue that Dealo's not the perfect
solution should he stay there. Anyway, I think Edwards is capable of making
that type of a leap as a playmaker, just because he's still so young,
and we've seen someone who's willing to get rid of the ball and he's
not going to put it on the floor. And again after he's leaving his
feet finding guys, and he already looks comfortable just Towns specifically, he just
knows where Towns is going to be and throwing passes behind him. So he's
made some difficult passes. But in terms of making more complicated reads or pass
seeing guys actually open outside of transition, maybe I'm just saying I'd like to
see him not rely less, but Kenny passed outside the context of well,
the defense is giving me so much attention as as I'm going downhill or I'm
catching the ball and throwing that touch pass or that swing pass. I'd like
to see him make those more conventional floor general type reads, and I think
it's going to be important to him actualizing his ceiling. I look at him
defensively, though maybe he'd like to see a little bit more one on one
improvement. He is what I would call a defensive disruptor or playmaker where now,
especially with Gobat and Jade McDaniels there, even Lane's with Kyle Anderson,
this is someone can force turnovers away from the ball in bunches. If you're
asking for his ceiling in general, and I've mentioned as many times before,
it's all NBA top ten player in the league material, that's where he's at.
For me, I don't know if I would go top five that far,
but like if you told me he was the second past two guard in
the league last year behind Devin Booker. Let's use an example where it's Devin
Booker or Jellen Brown. Let's say just say top three with those two there.
I'm not I'm not gonna push back. He's probably already a top five
two guard or off guard wherever you want to call it. If you want
him to be the top ten player in the league material, I think he
does need to make the biggest leap at as that primary offensive engine, not
as a score but as a passer, and I do think he's capable of
it. Does he get there this year? I don't know. There's a
lot of moving parts here with Minnesota's roster, but I will say we should
expect him to be in the All Star discussion, if not fringe all NBA
material. And the Timberwolves as a whole, I don't want to even tether
them to a playoff context because I just don't know. But I think in
the regular season this is a team I don't want to say, I'm gonna
say it should be a top five team in the West because you have to
recognize Phoenix in Golden State shouldn't go anywhere. The Clippers and Nuggets are going
to be healthier, so like they should be around that same The Timberwolves are
the Pelicans to me or the teams that I look at and say, okay,
even more some of the Lakers right now, they should be hovering around
that that four team tier of Phoenix, Golden Date, Denver in LA.
If the LA Clippers, both of them are both those squads are are healthies,
That's where I'm at. Timbers, I think they're going to be dominant
during the regular season. I just have questions with the playoffs. And I
think Anthony Edwards is a future top ten player in the league. I think
he will be closer to All Star slash all and I think he will be
closer to all NBA consideration than outside it this year. And by that I
mean like, this should be someone who's probably a decidedly top twenty five,
top twenty guy in the league consensus by the end of next season. And
I apologize if that insulted any timber Wolves fans, because I know there are
people who support teams that get mad when you know and say, oh,
we'll best in the league for each of these guys. Tom asked, here's
the proposal. Make the half court line at four point line. Your thoughts,
fuck it, do it. I'm all for just innovation to see how
it works. I don't think we get players, at least other than Steph
Curry maybe trying to take those during real game time. It might add an
element of intrigue to the end of games, though, where teams are trailing
by four and it's all of a sudden it's a one possession game. Can
we make that like the final two minutes or something. The half court like
line is worth four points. I would absolutely try it, though, because
I don't really think it would impact shot selection for the first forty three minutes
of games at least, and maybe you'll only make it again during a final
time there. But I think the league in general talk is cooled on the
addition of a point line when they see how far these guys are taking shots
anyway, and I do wonder how people would feel knowing like, Okay,
well, what does that do to when we're trying to provide context across history
when it comes to scoring. That's also some of the same issues running too,
when you talk about shortening a season. I favor it, though it
wouldn't be the top of my priority list, tom, but give me,
give me a four point half court line, even if it's only again for
the end of games. Luke Angelica asked what metrics slash statistics do you think
hold the most weight in predicting future success of a player? Objectively, there
have been studies done where steel rate and free throw percentage from college pretty much
translate well to the pros. It's the same as true shooting percentage. If
you're looking for an advanced metric that trust to project moving forward. I don't
know that there is one. When we look at regularized adjusted plus minus RPM,
being able to look at that at a three and five years scale,
maybe that allows me to project impact at least, you know, mentally,
like when I'm thinking about it critically a little bit more. But that might
just be more of a better version of like recapping, recapping impact other and
projecting. I will say, when I'm trying to assign future value to a
player, I'm looking at context a lot more now, Like, yes,
the efficiency matters, but I'll go by this. When I'm looking at college
guys going to the pros, or if I'm just looking at players who are
young, are they scaling upward or they're just being talked about more, I'm
looking at the criteria or the manner in which they are. Let's say shots
are coming, and that's like the biggest one for me. If their efficiency
is holding really well and most of their baskets are coming off assists and their
play finishers catch and shoot guys, that's great, that's fall I am looking
at. Though. Let's you Shay Gilaxander as an example. Not the most
efficient player ever, but when you've seen the past two seasons, like eighty
five percent of Maine field goals have gone assisted. It matters that he's been
able to prop up any sort of league averagesh efficiency when he's responsible for generating
so many of his own looks. And it's the same thing with RJ.
Barrett, although that's difficult more difficult to discern, just because we've seen his
role change so much. And that's another thing you're looking at is how does
their usage change, not just in totality, but the context of it.
We've seen RJ. Barrett towards the end of last season he was taking more
self generated looks. That matters when you're talking about whether you're worried about his
efficiency numbers right now. But it also matters that this is someone who buy
and large throughout his career has done a promising job of hitting his catch and
shoot threes, because it implies that he is more plugging play than people give
him credit for. This isn't Damark Rosen who needs to have the ball in
his hands to make an impact. You can trust him right now to hit
those set jumpers. I would say definitely more than a Derozant. Maybe this
point even more so than a Jimmy Butler, given as how his career arc
has panned out. So I know that's not a quintessential or the perfect answer
to your question, but those are the context of someone's role usage. The
way that their shots are coming is something that I use a lot when I'm
trying to evaluate, not what just happened when I'm watching, what I'm seeing,
what I'm feeling, but what could happen moving forward? And so for
RJ. Barrett, and we had this question on a previous mail bag,
No, he has not finished the year as league wide efficiency of the average
efficiency yet through three years that could be concerning, but we've seen it happen
with other players like a Bradley Beal or even a Kema Walker. And with
Bradley Beal specifically, there's the parallel of their role. It's not even just
the types of shots they're taking, but their role changed flip flopped a lot
throughout those first three years. And the fact that we know a little bit
more about r J. Barrett is a catch and shoot guy that we saw
specifically towards the latter end of the season. What do you could do as
an on ball creator? What we've seen in the past two years when you
plug him as sort of the main guy in bench mob units, if that's
valuable, and I try and look at those things, and it doesn't mean
I'm throwing efficiency out the window, but if you're gonna say that R.
J. Barrett is super inefficient, I do think it's important early on to
understand why for fast forwarding five years, he's been in the league for seven,
eight, nine seasons. Then you can get into the macro taste of
well, maybe this guy and even before then, but that's where you get
to, well, maybe this guy is who he is, and there's not
that much room or runway for growth overall, though Luke, free throw percentage
and steel rate have been this I've read and I think Seth part now of
the athletic nurdersy ropepod is banging this from a lot like those are two good
predictors of NBA success, but like really only in those categories. You can't
extrapolate free throw shooting though, to see whether a player might have more range
or more consistency from beyond the arc. Eric, how much better is Donovan
Mitchell than Dwayne Wade? I, Eric, are you like a Jazz fan,
or would you be a Nicks or he at this point just curious Donno,
Mitchell not better than Dwayne Wade. Definitely a more dynamic jump shooter.
But you look at there. I went with their age twenty five seasons specifically,
and let's break it down per thirty six minutes, Donovan Mitchell twenty seven
point five points per thirty six minutes, five point seven assists, fifty three
point three percent of his two's and thirty five point five percent of his threes.
Last year. Wade twenty six points per thirty six minutes, seven point
two assists, and he was he hit less of his free throws shot forty
nine or excuse me, shot fifty one point one percent on two. So
Mitchell has the edge there as well, twenty six point six percent from three
on substantially less volume. Their shot profiles are drastically different here when you look
at just what's coming at the rim for Wade versus what was for Mitchell,
I will say what stands out differently, Dwayne Wade at this stage was actually
the better playmaker, definitely the better rim pressure guy and finisher. Would I
would think at least better at putting pressure on the backst so better passer,
better room finisher, getting to the line more, almost like he doubled Donovan
Mitchell's free throw attempts per thirty six minutes and his age twenty five season,
So we're talking about someone who his drives, his attacks, they don't bell
out as much as Mitchell, who was more likely to settle for is more
likely to settle for those mid range jumpers. And then also the thing that
we can't discount is like Dwayne Wade at age twenty five was better defensively than
Mitchell is right now, and not like the best defensive player in the MBA
material, but this is someone and we didn't have the same metrics or maybe
i for talent that we did then he was a three time member of All
defensive teams, and like Mitchell hasn't even hinted that he might be on like
that type of trajectory. And Wade made an All defensive team I think it
was in his second season. Yeah, two thousand and four, two thousand
and five, I'm right. So I don't think don Mitchell right now is
better than Dayne Wade. Do I think he has a ceiling where he could
be better than Dwayne Wade looking at the versatility behind his offense, where he
could be more of an every level score those off the dree those off the
dribble threes, and then even just like as a mid range guy, maybe
you would trust him more. Overall, I do think there's an outcome where
he's the better offensive player than Dwyane Wade. But overall, it's tough without
Mitchell making like this monster leap on the defensive end. And maybe we see
that with his next team or or next season. But like you know,
or maybe there's just like a draftic improvement at getting to the line. There
needs to be I would say a semi seismic improvement somewhere in one area of
Mitchell's game for him to be on that kind of trajectory. With all due
respect Eric that here's our last question. NBA Chicken asked, what are your
thoughts on a no conference system? Just have playoffs of one to sixteen by
record plus play in and go from there. Could have the opportunity to have
some wild playoff matchups. Yeah, I'm all for fuck divisions and conferences at
this point. I understand though, that travel is something the league is worried
about. Then better that much when you get to the postseason and you can
space games out a little bit more. The other thing is just like it
would be really cool the playing could get wild then, so you're having all
these sort of different teams in there, and I'm wondering, could we do
it this way in the intern if they don't want to go for the significant
appreciable chinge. Let's keep it like the top six teams from each conference guaranteed
a playoff spot. But then do we have seven, eight, nine,
ten from each conference those eight teams are thrown into the same playing pools that
something is that unfair at all? And maybe you could even say the teams
with the best records there like the two best or let's say the two best
records get to pick their opponent for the like, let's do something creative like
that. I would be all for no conference overall. I do. I
don't know if the league ever get there. I'd be more optimistic on something
on these lines, And it seems like they're not as focused on it when
you're looking at this mid season tournament that they're going to implement down the line.
But can we get a taste of it a little bit like, can't
we use the playing to that degree or is that just a hard no because
we're talking about single game elimination and think of the travel there, space them
out more. I want to see just something a little bit different, and
like, yeah, you're looking at them like the Grizzlies would have played,
which, by the way, wild and just under the radar. The Grizzlies
had they weren't just a two seed in the West last year, they the
second best record in the NBA. That is just wild when it's framed that
way. But we were like Grizzlies Calves. That's been a hell of a
playoffs here. He's like, that's what it would have been if we just
went with the the best teams, although the playing technically would have happened,
so maybe it wouldn't have been, but like, yeah, there there would
have been a bunch more fun matchups, the heat versus the nets in the
first round. Maybe i'm, i'm the matchups would be a lot cooler.
And then it gets you out of theoretic a point where it feels like maybe
we would be watching the NBA finals sometimes unfolding the conference finals. But people
often too much oversimplify that in general, So I don't have like a major
issue with conferences, and like there's been when you're going ten deep in each
conference, at the moment, there's less egregious of oh well, all these
mediocre East teams are getting in still generally speaking, like the I'm more intrigued
by the bottom half of the West than I am the bottom half of the
East, and in a given season thus far. So yes, I'm all
for getting rid of conferences, But could we maybe get rid of it for
the play in because that would like does that correct a little bit? And
I can tell you right now that there are so many teams that pushed back
against it. I believe the loudest one would probably be the Charlotte Hornet,
who exist to finish under Michael Jordan between seven and ten in the Eastern Conference.
But maybe even the Wizards would have object that. But yeah, can
we at least get to that point? This mail bag was fun, It
was great. I hope you enjoyed it. We'll have another one later this
week just for Discord. Thank you everyone for their questions. As always,
if this your I'm listening to the pod, please subscribe. It's subscribe button
on YouTube subscribe button wherever we get your podcast players, And until next time,
I leave you with the shout out to the Womp, the only Frank Mueli Cheap