1 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:18,199 What is Krackwack and ourar Knox listeners, I am Dan Fellig, coming at 2 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:22,160 you without my fan Daggers co host Adam Cromwell this time. I am, 3 00:00:22,199 --> 00:00:26,679 however, super pleased to be joined by recurring guest and friend of the pod, 4 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:32,799 Sabrina Merchant writes a lot about basketball for Espnation. She also just recently 5 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:39,320 became the women's basketball director for SPI Nation and over at Swiss Appeal. There 6 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,240 she's now covering women's basketball full time. And we're doing a little bit of 7 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,479 a different podcast format here. I hope that you can appreciate it. We've 8 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:54,320 wanted to pepper in and figure out how we can offer more w NBA coverage 9 00:00:54,399 --> 00:00:58,880 on this podcast. I myself have not been religiously into it. I was 10 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:02,799 getting more into it right for the pandemic, and then at that point there 11 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:06,920 was some overlap with NBA scheduling, but also I just became over employed. 12 00:01:07,359 --> 00:01:10,640 That's a ship ton of excuses. I'm not trying to say that I probably 13 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:12,319 couldn't have carved out more time to do it. It is a focus now 14 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:18,799 after a wild free agency period and start to the offseason for them, and 15 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,439 we get into a lot of that with Sabrina Merchant for anyone who's just more 16 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,760 interested in following the WMBA more intimately, and I think it's a great idea 17 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,319 to do so not just to show support, but to actually just take in 18 00:01:30,359 --> 00:01:34,959 the product, which is, you know, having worked in social media consulting 19 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,319 industry until recently, like I was part of doing you know, women's March 20 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,400 Madness, some of the WNBA covered, and so you watch these games, 21 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:47,959 see these highlights. It's incredible and it's fun. And I think that there 22 00:01:47,959 --> 00:01:49,879 are you know, there's there's great websites out there that are it's cool to 23 00:01:49,879 --> 00:01:53,719 see, you know, Espionation investing in a full time person to help cover 24 00:01:53,799 --> 00:01:57,359 women's basketball, and there are sites out there, you know her her hoop 25 00:01:57,439 --> 00:02:01,319 stats, the next subscribe to their newsletter. There are a lot of good 26 00:02:01,319 --> 00:02:05,040 writers and people out there doing great work. I also have to shout out 27 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,680 the dunker Spot podcast does a good job. I think of at least choppering 28 00:02:07,719 --> 00:02:12,240 in to talk about the w NBA and mixing it in with their NBA coverage. 29 00:02:12,719 --> 00:02:15,639 We would like to do something similar. We don't get as nuts and 30 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,919 bolts and x's and o's as the awesome awesome, awesome Steve Jones and Nikai 31 00:02:20,039 --> 00:02:22,840 Is Duncan over there, but we would like to try and roll these out. 32 00:02:22,879 --> 00:02:24,000 I don't know how regular it will be, but like I said, 33 00:02:24,039 --> 00:02:30,319 I'm getting more into it. We know people who cover the WNBA, maybe 34 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:35,439 not exclusively, but more thoroughly than us, and so this might be something 35 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,039 that again hopefully you can enjoy and appreciate, try and get into, and 36 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,400 that we will roll out every once in a while before we dive in. 37 00:02:43,039 --> 00:02:45,400 I also want to know if there's plenty of NBA talk on this at the 38 00:02:45,439 --> 00:02:47,560 end of the podcast or after talking about w NBA free agency, we get 39 00:02:47,599 --> 00:02:53,520 into our biggest questions post All Star break for the Western Conference, I'm gonna 40 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:59,199 have probably an Eastern Conference podcast specifically for this topic, where we might even 41 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,639 have more questions for the East. It just feels like that race is more 42 00:03:01,719 --> 00:03:06,199 unsettled than what's happening in the West for the most part. Finally, the 43 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,280 usual housekeeping notes, and this time it's a plea. We had someone one 44 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:14,560 star us on iTunes, so please and write a review saying we talked for 45 00:03:14,599 --> 00:03:17,199 thirty minutes about COVID on the last pod, which wherever you land of the 46 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:21,960 Kyrie Irving stuff. I clocked at it maybe seven minutes and change, and 47 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,639 I'm pretty sure that was including an intro that wasn't all about Kyrie Irving. 48 00:03:24,719 --> 00:03:28,520 So please help us out. Go over to iTunes if you haven't already. 49 00:03:28,599 --> 00:03:30,800 Don't care if you use it as long as you have access to it. 50 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:34,120 Throw us a five star rating and also write reviews so that we can nudge 51 00:03:34,159 --> 00:03:38,719 the one star off of there and help our average out. So subscribe to 52 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,719 us, rate and review us wherever you're getting your podcast. If they allow 53 00:03:42,759 --> 00:03:46,080 you, Spotify, lets you throw in ratings now five stars only. Write 54 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:49,840 reviews. Helps us out a ton. Follow us on Twitter at Hardwood Knox. 55 00:03:49,919 --> 00:03:52,639 Follow us on YouTube that can help us out a ton and our quest 56 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:57,919 to get up there to a thousand followers. YouTube dot com Searchardwoo Knox will 57 00:03:58,199 --> 00:04:00,800 come up. The link is in our podcast to script and as is the 58 00:04:00,879 --> 00:04:03,439 link to our discord. Come join us. We have a lot of fun 59 00:04:03,599 --> 00:04:06,879 in there. That's where a lion's share of our mail bad questions are coming 60 00:04:06,919 --> 00:04:10,759 from. At this point, we really want to help build up that community 61 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,879 and it was it was great leading into the trade deadline. We still have 62 00:04:13,919 --> 00:04:17,120 people talking now, especially when when games are on. So yeah, dive 63 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:19,800 right in there, come in there, hang out, talk about what's going 64 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:24,319 on an All Star weekend, unless you're listening to this after All Star weekend, 65 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,759 in which case just go subscribe to Discord. Anyway, However, that's 66 00:04:27,879 --> 00:04:30,519 enough of me rambling on. Let's talk to Sabrina Merchant, who just does 67 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:35,199 such a fantastic job covered basketball at large Respionation, like I said, is 68 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:41,240 now the women's basketball director for Spnation. Follow her on Twitter is a fantastic 69 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:45,800 follow gets into really the granular stuff of the w NBA even the NBA still, 70 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,079 which is why we talk about the Western Conference. She's again on Twitter 71 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:54,120 at Sabrina JM. That's at s A b R E n A j M. 72 00:04:54,199 --> 00:04:57,480 Apologies for this long intro that is still fewer than thirty minutes long, 73 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,759 but yeah, that's enough. Let's go talk lots and lots of hoops with 74 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,920 Sabrina. Sabrina, welcome back to the Hardwood Knox Podcast. Thank you so 75 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:10,399 much for joining us as usual, First and foremost, before we even ask 76 00:05:10,439 --> 00:05:15,560 you how you're doing, congratulations on your new gig covering women's basketball at Espionation. 77 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:19,120 That's really spectacular, and I'm elated that you agreed to come on for 78 00:05:19,879 --> 00:05:26,279 out this podcast, first time stepping into the waters of WNBA coverage, so 79 00:05:26,399 --> 00:05:30,279 I'm very appreciative of it. But also just major congrats and congrats to Espionation. 80 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:32,759 We got to do a better job of that, Like, let's graduate 81 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,160 the companies were making the smart hires rather than making it look like, oh, 82 00:05:36,199 --> 00:05:40,120 you're so fortunate to have landed with this company. Esbionation is lucky to 83 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,839 have you. Thank you, thank you. That's very kind of you. 84 00:05:43,959 --> 00:05:46,040 And yeah, when I got to Asmonation, one of the things that I 85 00:05:46,079 --> 00:05:50,560 wanted to do more of was Zomen's basketball, and because of just like the 86 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:56,279 crazy pandemic schedules, it was not possible while I was covering NBA. So 87 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,800 it's kind of cool that now I get to focus on just this one thing 88 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,959 particular. And like you mentioned, I love talking to w NVA, so 89 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,079 I'm very happy to be on the show to talk about free agency. I 90 00:06:06,079 --> 00:06:09,720 did when you announced it, I saw that you had mentioned or maybe it 91 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:13,319 wasn't the piece you wrote about it that you came to realize that was what 92 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,120 you wanted to do. Was to focus on the women's out the game. 93 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,319 Was that like a gradual process and epiphany? When did this sort of like 94 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,920 when did that become clear for you? Because you've written a lot about like 95 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,240 you've been on the podcast before to talk about them, You've written a lot 96 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:30,399 about the NBA. Yeah, you know, It's it's interesting because you know, 97 00:06:30,439 --> 00:06:33,839 another thing I mentioned in that piece when I wrote about the new gig 98 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:41,040 was that there's I was a little just uh trepidacious, let's say, of 99 00:06:41,079 --> 00:06:45,000 being pigeonholed into women's basketball coverage just because I'm a women. I'm a woman 100 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:46,759 writing about sports, and I didn't want to be just put in that box 101 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:51,240 of hey, you should also write about women. But the longer I've been 102 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,040 in this and like, I don't get me wrong, I love talking about 103 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:58,000 the NBA. I loved Flippers, Lakers. It's been great like thing for 104 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,560 me in my career, and I'm very happy. Yeah, I'm very happy 105 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:02,680 that I've had the opportunity to cover both of those teams, you know, 106 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:09,199 and the sacrament of Kings too. But just seeing the depth of coverage that 107 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:15,480 men get and just the chasm that exists between men's sports coverage and women's sports 108 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,839 coverage, Like there's no reason that that should exist. And I love watching 109 00:07:19,879 --> 00:07:24,800 basketball, so just to have an opportunity to cover basketball and you know, 110 00:07:24,839 --> 00:07:29,839 in space that deserves more coverage and a league that I think would people would 111 00:07:29,839 --> 00:07:33,120 really like to watch. So I'm just happy to be a part of WNBA 112 00:07:33,199 --> 00:07:39,720 coverage, and you know, it's it's just another fun opportunity for me. 113 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:43,800 Right, Like there's there's so much saturation in the men's basketball space, and 114 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:46,439 not to say that that's a bad thing, Like we get some really good 115 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:48,800 coverage, but I just want that to exist for women as well, and 116 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:53,120 there's no reason why it shouldn't. So you know, one small step here, 117 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,319 well that's dope as hell. I'm excited to see you kill it. 118 00:07:56,399 --> 00:08:00,120 And I know we're like kind of a little bit removed from the peak of 119 00:08:00,439 --> 00:08:03,079 free agency for the w NBA, but like this was kind of a good 120 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:07,160 offseason where if the NBA like draws all this interest because of the transaction game, 121 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:11,959 it seemed like w NBA free agency was like out of like control this 122 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,839 offseason, Like it was busier than usual, or at least the some of 123 00:08:16,879 --> 00:08:20,040 the moves that were made were bigger than usual. Yeah, I would say 124 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:24,920 the last three seasons. Ever since the new collective bargaining agreement was established, 125 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,759 there's just been an astronomical increase in player movement. And I was worried that 126 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,319 it was going to just be limited to that first year when there was a 127 00:08:31,399 --> 00:08:33,480 capspake, like sort of like what we saw on the NBA in twenty sixteen, 128 00:08:33,519 --> 00:08:37,759 but like, thankfully, it's just continued ever since. And this ability 129 00:08:37,879 --> 00:08:41,720 for you know, players in the w to finally have real player movement, 130 00:08:41,759 --> 00:08:43,840 it is just awesome because, like you said, to create so much more 131 00:08:43,879 --> 00:08:48,120 interest, and I think it's just better for the teams because you have to 132 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:52,720 work harder to keep you your best players and there's just this continuous arms race, 133 00:08:52,759 --> 00:08:56,159 which is awesome. One of the teams that stood out to me from 134 00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:01,840 free agency was the Mercury, who went seems like very much all in, 135 00:09:01,919 --> 00:09:05,519 Like you just don't see a team as good as the Mercury were last season, 136 00:09:05,799 --> 00:09:09,679 then just go add the leading score, ye, Charles, So what 137 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:15,480 did you kind of think about between getting Charles the Shields? What did you 138 00:09:15,519 --> 00:09:18,919 think about their decision to go that much all in, especially when you look 139 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:20,720 at they did give up a twenty twenty three first rounder. I think for 140 00:09:22,159 --> 00:09:24,759 the Shields, did you agree with, like, I know you have Diana 141 00:09:24,799 --> 00:09:28,039 Tarassi your windows now, but did you agree with, like the the aggression 142 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:33,600 with which they approached the off season this year? Absolutely, like you said, 143 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:35,679 you know Diana Tarrazzi, I don't know if it's her last year or 144 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:37,279 not, but this is the last year for a contract, and you just 145 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:41,399 can't expect her to continue playing, especially at the level that she has been 146 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:43,480 for that much longer. So as long as you have you know what the 147 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:48,639 w NBA collectively recognized as the goat on here team, you just you have 148 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,000 to go all And I don't think there's any qualms about giving up a first 149 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:54,840 round pick in an upcoming season, like and frankly, the Mercury have been 150 00:09:54,879 --> 00:09:58,960 operating on this type of hicble for like several years. They haven't selected in 151 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:03,360 the first round since maybe eighteen twenty nineteen, so this is this is just 152 00:10:03,399 --> 00:10:05,960 what they do. You know, they get veterans and they just go all 153 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,240 in as best as possible. And I think it's the right move because they 154 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:16,480 just needed some extra offensive firepower and like like you said, adding the league's 155 00:10:16,519 --> 00:10:20,720 leading score from a year ago, who can actually play next to your best 156 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,360 players, is a pretty good way of going about it. Like, I 157 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:26,720 understand, it's going to make some changes, so they're starting line up because 158 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:30,360 Branda Turner, who is a fantastic defensive player, probably won't be starting for 159 00:10:30,399 --> 00:10:33,720 them and Tina Charles will be taking her place. But when you can upgrade 160 00:10:33,799 --> 00:10:39,759 like semi average post player into Tina Charles, one of like the greatest of 161 00:10:39,879 --> 00:10:43,120 all time at her position, and are reigning Olympian and scoring champion, and 162 00:10:43,759 --> 00:10:48,159 really like, yeah, you gave up a pick, but who cares in 163 00:10:48,159 --> 00:10:52,480 the grand scheme of things, I think it's a slam doc move. The 164 00:10:52,519 --> 00:10:56,000 the Shields trade, I was a little less high on. It fills a 165 00:10:56,080 --> 00:11:00,320 positionally because they're starting small forward for this season. Tory cl during last ye 166 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:01,720 playoffs, so it's gonna be really hard for her to come back this season, 167 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:05,840 so you just needed someone to fill that spot. So logically I get 168 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,720 it because all they gave up was a point guard who really wasn't playing for 169 00:11:09,759 --> 00:11:15,120 them much last season, so just fit wise, it makes a lot of 170 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,320 sense. But Deshield has been I don't know, a lot more potential than 171 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:22,120 actual production. For the last three years, and there's a reason why Chicago, 172 00:11:22,159 --> 00:11:26,200 the defending champions, was like, yeah, we can let her go. 173 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,679 Do we see? So I guess based off what you said, we're 174 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:33,879 going to see a lot of Tina Charles and Brittany Grinder play together. And 175 00:11:33,919 --> 00:11:35,639 how does that like, Is there any concerns there or is this just like 176 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:39,759 the pure upside when looking at those two and how they compliment one another. 177 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,600 I would think it's mostly upside. So Tina Charles was on the Olympic team, 178 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,159 like I said, as was Brittan Grinder. They didn't directly played together. 179 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,200 Britney played mostly next to Asia Wilson and Tina Charles played mostly next to 180 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:56,120 Soviet fouls. But Charles was the four on that Olympic team, and she 181 00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:00,200 expanded her range significantly last year, like a shot thirty five plus percent from 182 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,360 threes as a member of the Mystics, So she has the shooting range to 183 00:12:03,399 --> 00:12:07,480 compliment Brittany and Grinder can also step out and hit that mid ranger two. 184 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:11,000 So both of them are just such versatile offensive players that I don't think it's 185 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,200 gonna be an issue at all having the two of them on the court together. 186 00:12:13,279 --> 00:12:18,279 Especially when you consider that Charles will be replacing Turner, who really her 187 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:22,679 only function on offense is like offensive rebounding and a lab threat, So it's 188 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:28,039 not like they were they had great spacing before this. Anyway, Do they 189 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:33,200 have the I was strolling through like the projected starting lineups for each team? 190 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:37,000 Do they have the best starting five in the league. That's a good question. 191 00:12:39,039 --> 00:12:41,039 You know, Connecticut had the best record in the league last year, 192 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,919 and they returned four of those five starters, along with Courtney Williams, who 193 00:12:43,919 --> 00:12:48,879 has been on Connecticut before. So I think they're right up there. Chicago 194 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,159 did just win the title, and if they bring back Ali quickly, they'll 195 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,840 be able to bring back last year's starting lineup. So there's a lot of 196 00:12:54,879 --> 00:12:58,519 teams in contention. I haven't even mentioned Seattle, who I think has the 197 00:12:58,519 --> 00:13:03,039 best player in the league in France Stewart. So the fact that we can 198 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:07,159 have this discussion just tells you how hard every team is going for the twenty 199 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:11,840 twenty two w NBA title. I don't really know who it is yet. 200 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:15,639 You could say that it's Phoenix, and I wouldn't argue with you, but 201 00:13:15,879 --> 00:13:18,120 you could say it's four other teams and I'd be like, yeah, sure, 202 00:13:18,879 --> 00:13:22,159 And I guess the other thing is like do we what do you know 203 00:13:22,519 --> 00:13:26,759 or expect from like having the new head coach in Vanessa and I guard there. 204 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:33,679 Yeah, that's kind of the underrated part of the Phoenix off season because 205 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:37,039 Sandy Brondelo. I think it's an awesome head coach and the fact that they 206 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,840 just decided it was time to move on from her, Like, I get 207 00:13:39,919 --> 00:13:43,080 it's been eight years, but it's not like it was an unsuccessful eight years. 208 00:13:43,159 --> 00:13:46,240 Like she made the playoffs every single season, you know, made it 209 00:13:46,279 --> 00:13:50,759 to the finals a couple of times, the semi finals multiple times. Just 210 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:54,000 because the Mercury haven't won a title since twenty fourteen doesn't mean I think that 211 00:13:54,039 --> 00:13:56,639 they were underachieving by any means. Like I think the fact that this team 212 00:13:56,639 --> 00:14:00,320 made it to the finals last year is a real testament to Brundell's coaching and 213 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,039 the way they were able to adapt, especially in that series against Vegas. 214 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:07,039 So losing here is a really, really big loss, And I think New 215 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,480 York is going to benefit quite a bit from having hired Sandy. We just 216 00:14:09,519 --> 00:14:13,799 don't know anything about Venis and Igard, like her main claim to fame is 217 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:18,039 that she was a high school coach in southern California and like a really great 218 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,480 high school program. Let's let's not like discount that, but like it's not 219 00:14:20,519 --> 00:14:26,320 the w NBA. So she was an assistant coach last year for Vegas incidentally, 220 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,200 the team that lost to Vanix in the playoffs. So I just don't 221 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:33,279 know what what to think of her. It's it's really big shoes to feel 222 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:37,720 like it's an incredibly difficult assignment to step into right away. I don't know, 223 00:14:37,799 --> 00:14:41,840 kind of like analogous to like what Steve Crow is stepping into with the 224 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,080 Warriors, were like even more pressure because it's not like, you know, 225 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,480 Stephen Curry was at the end of his career when Steve Grew stepped into that 226 00:14:48,559 --> 00:14:52,679 job or coming off the Finals appearance? Was Steve or coming off the Finals 227 00:14:52,679 --> 00:14:56,480 appearance? Right, Yeah, So I think like there's just so much unknown 228 00:14:56,519 --> 00:15:01,559 there and do you don't I don't know, you don't have to see like 229 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:07,120 coaches just immediately come in and have success in the W like you do in 230 00:15:07,159 --> 00:15:09,159 the NBA. I mean there's been a lot of first time I had coaches 231 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:11,240 that just immediately wanted title, like three in the last six seasons, I 232 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:16,840 think. But ah, that's the That's why I major concern about the Mercury. 233 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:18,919 Honestly, it's not anything with the roster. It's just I have no 234 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:24,200 idea what to expect for Vanessa, and they obviously hired her for a reason. 235 00:15:24,279 --> 00:15:26,960 You know, this is not an organization that is like pinching pennies or 236 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,159 not going to get the best coach possible. But it's it's a question mark, 237 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:35,320 say, Lewis, what is it? You know you mentioned Brondel leaving, 238 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,279 and I think it was framed from the reporting I saw that it was 239 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:41,840 mutual, which probably means that it wasn't mutual. Was it just a stay 240 00:15:41,879 --> 00:15:43,919 on this? They're like, what was it? I know Broundella is still 241 00:15:43,919 --> 00:15:46,159 coaching, but it's like, what was the reasoning? You just I get 242 00:15:46,159 --> 00:15:50,039 the ten years long, but you just came off and you were two wins 243 00:15:50,039 --> 00:15:52,480 away due It's not like you just got obliterated necessarily, like you were two 244 00:15:52,519 --> 00:15:56,799 wins away, you know. So her contract was up, so it's not 245 00:15:56,879 --> 00:16:00,919 like they fired her by any means, like they just decide not to bring 246 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:06,360 her back. I think it was just a time for something new. You 247 00:16:06,399 --> 00:16:11,679 know, and that's that's fair. I guess it's just to go for a 248 00:16:11,759 --> 00:16:18,240 rookie head coach is interesting to me, you know, it's not It's not 249 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:19,120 what I would done. I think Broundella is like one of the top three 250 00:16:19,159 --> 00:16:25,039 coaches in the league. So for her to move on is it's a big 251 00:16:25,039 --> 00:16:29,039 win for the Liberty So don't want to say this next team full disclosure. 252 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,799 The only thing that I actually cared about this offseason was that Sue Bird was 253 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,120 going to play again next year and super is going to play again next year. 254 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:38,639 But did did Seattle like do enough when you look at Yeah, they 255 00:16:38,639 --> 00:16:41,759 predominantly kept their own free agents. Like, is that a team that we 256 00:16:41,799 --> 00:16:45,240 need to watch? What do we expect from you know, you met shethan 257 00:16:45,279 --> 00:16:47,600 Bronna Stu. It's the best player in the league. What do we expect 258 00:16:47,679 --> 00:16:49,879 from her coming off that achilles injury? She's just going to be ready for 259 00:16:49,919 --> 00:16:53,279 the start of the year. Yeah, that that's the main question to me, 260 00:16:53,399 --> 00:16:57,159 because when I talked to her back in December, she said that there 261 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:00,879 was no real timeline for her to come back because she wanted to play for 262 00:17:00,879 --> 00:17:06,160 her Russian team before started the stub NBA season. And that hasn't happened yet, 263 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:11,799 so that's a little concerning. She was at the USA camp for their 264 00:17:11,799 --> 00:17:14,960 World Cup qualifiers, but she wasn't on the team that actually played in the 265 00:17:15,039 --> 00:17:21,319 qualifiers. So just little things that don't make you entirely excited about what Brianna 266 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:23,920 store is going to be capable of this year. But if I've learned anything, 267 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:27,240 it's just not to bet against Stewie unless she's like, you know, 268 00:17:27,319 --> 00:17:30,640 in a boot on the sideline, and she's not in a boot anymore, 269 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:36,000 so that's a good thing. I think Seattle had a pretty i don't know, 270 00:17:36,039 --> 00:17:38,480 like fine offseason. You know, the majority was keeping their three star 271 00:17:38,519 --> 00:17:41,119 free agents, which Super, Juel, Lloyd, Brianna are all back. 272 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,640 We could talk about the link of those contracts some other time because next year 273 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,240 is going to be equally challenging for the Storm. As far as the off 274 00:17:48,279 --> 00:17:52,519 season goes, I think they did a good job by getting Brianne January and 275 00:17:52,559 --> 00:17:56,640 just like another nice defensive guard who can help compliment Super who also spaces the 276 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:00,640 floor, which just wasn't the case with Jordan Canada. They're like defensive minded 277 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:03,039 guard from a year ago. I thought the trade for Gabby Williams was a 278 00:18:03,079 --> 00:18:08,640 little weird, just like another ball handler who doesn't shoot. It seems like 279 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:12,039 they got rid of one in Canada and then brought another one back and Gabby 280 00:18:12,039 --> 00:18:18,200 Williams and I I feel like the Seattle offense just works best when there's as 281 00:18:18,279 --> 00:18:21,480 much space and like driving Cake as much as possible. So that was a 282 00:18:21,519 --> 00:18:25,039 weird move to me. But yeah, like this was a team that I 283 00:18:25,079 --> 00:18:27,920 thought was going to win another title before still we got hurt and they have 284 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:33,880 those key pieces back, and so long as she and Lloyd and Bird play 285 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:38,960 together like that team is is damn near impossible to be. So I was 286 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:44,799 looking at juwe Lloyd's clutch stats from last season and they were just absolutely through 287 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:48,240 the roof. She might have been the clutchest player in the w NBA last 288 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:53,519 I mean, they don't call her the Gold Mama for nothing. So you 289 00:18:53,519 --> 00:18:57,480 would build them as like would you build them as a as a real threat. 290 00:18:57,519 --> 00:19:02,640 So when at all last years there's very much justly okay, even like 291 00:19:02,759 --> 00:19:07,680 with the uncertainty with Stewart. Yeah, because until she says that she's not 292 00:19:07,839 --> 00:19:11,240 ready to play the season, which was not the vibe at all in her 293 00:19:11,519 --> 00:19:15,079 free agency press conference last week, then i'd expect to be back, you 294 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:18,400 know, in May and ready to go them. I guess you. I 295 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:22,240 don't know what you could have expected them to do after they just won. 296 00:19:22,599 --> 00:19:26,440 But like the Chicago Skuy cut, like I think only a few days before 297 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,240 recording this, Courtney Vanderslute is like officially coming back, and that was I 298 00:19:29,279 --> 00:19:30,559 don't know if it was up in the air or if it was just like 299 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,839 you know, fake drama that was always going to play out and she was 300 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:38,480 always returning. Do you think that they're still unless I'm mistaken, they're basically 301 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:42,039 bringing back most of the same team, Like are they gonna be able to 302 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:47,680 put up a viable title defense? And also just given when you go back 303 00:19:47,759 --> 00:19:51,880 and look at the past champions, how hard it's proven over the past decade 304 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:55,160 and a half to actually defend your title or two decades basically at this point. 305 00:19:55,799 --> 00:19:57,279 Yeah, So the last team to successfully defend a title in the w 306 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:02,759 NBA was the Lost Angeles Sparks back two thousand three, two two thousand and 307 00:20:02,799 --> 00:20:06,559 three. So it's it's been a minute. It's not a thing that happens 308 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:08,519 all that often in the w NBA. Two thousand and two. Sorry, 309 00:20:08,519 --> 00:20:12,279 they want an O one and O two. So yeah, it'll it's been 310 00:20:12,319 --> 00:20:15,400 twenty years since the team repeated at the w NBA, so it's it's challenge. 311 00:20:15,519 --> 00:20:18,680 Showed my age by saying like a decade, because two thousand, yeah, 312 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,559 like maybe a decade decade happen. It's really two decades. It's really 313 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,960 two decades. The thing with Chicago, and it kind of reminds me about 314 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:30,119 Phoenix that I should have mentioned earlier, is that the way they played in 315 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,640 the playoffs was so markedly better than the way they played during the regular season 316 00:20:33,799 --> 00:20:40,720 that it's you don't really know which team you're getting when it comes to like 317 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:42,759 May seventh, when the season tips off. And that might actually be another 318 00:20:42,799 --> 00:20:45,519 reason why Staney Broundella was let go because for as well as they performed in 319 00:20:45,519 --> 00:20:49,079 the playoffs, like they were perennially disappointing regular season team, Phoenix marker wear 320 00:20:49,319 --> 00:20:52,680 and they had to win a lot of like single elimination games just to stay 321 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:53,720 alive in the playoffs, and it's great that they were able to. We 322 00:20:53,759 --> 00:20:56,680 don't want to always put yourself in that position. So that's kind of the 323 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:59,880 thing with Chicago too, is that like, these were the five and six 324 00:21:00,039 --> 00:21:03,759 seeds out of twelve teams during the regular season. And yeah, it's great 325 00:21:03,799 --> 00:21:06,839 that Chicago looks so dominant on their playoff run, but they were sixteen and 326 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:11,960 sixteen during the regular season and that's not exactly like screaming title contenders. So 327 00:21:11,559 --> 00:21:15,440 they did bring back the majority of the rotation during the title run. Stephanie 328 00:21:15,519 --> 00:21:19,599 Jolson is gone, but they replaced her somewhat with Mme Seman, who's just 329 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:25,599 a phenomenal pastor Finals MVP in twenty nineteen. Great score, Like, I 330 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:29,640 think that's an upgrade, with all due respect to Dolson, like in every 331 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:33,480 sense of the word. The salute thing there was just like a little bit 332 00:21:33,519 --> 00:21:36,880 of drama because her Russian team was offering to pay her to sit out this 333 00:21:37,039 --> 00:21:41,839 season in order to spend more time with the EuroLeague club. And thankfully for 334 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,319 all the w NBA fans, that did not happen. And it's not like 335 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,119 unprecedented. I don't know if you remember, but Diana Torazzi was paid back 336 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:52,000 in twenty fifteen to sit out the entire season and she did because it was 337 00:21:52,039 --> 00:21:55,440 substantially more than her MBA contract. So it's just a good thing for the 338 00:21:55,599 --> 00:21:57,279 w NBA that one of their best players, I think the best point guard 339 00:21:57,319 --> 00:22:00,559 in the league is not going to be said out because that would just suck 340 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:04,720 for everyone involved. The only thing Chicago is really waiting on is Corny Vanderson's 341 00:22:04,759 --> 00:22:08,880 wife alive. Quickly they're starting shooting guard if she chooses to retire or come 342 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,640 back, because I don't think she's playing anywhere else so if quickly comes back, 343 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:15,680 which I'm assuming she will. Like this is a team that I've one 344 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:18,000 projected to can beat for a title last year, and even though the regular 345 00:22:18,039 --> 00:22:21,839 season was a little underwhelming, you can kind of chalk that up to injuries. 346 00:22:21,839 --> 00:22:26,920 I think they found something during the playoffs and that rotation is back relying 347 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:32,160 on like Candas Parker's health once again, which you know, it's just just 348 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:34,240 getting up there, like it's it's not a given that she's gonna be playing 349 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,559 like eighty percent of year games anymore. So. I think Chicago is another 350 00:22:37,599 --> 00:22:42,119 team where maybe the regular season doesn't look super smooth, but so long as 351 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,960 they have all of their pieces in place, like I trust them to look 352 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:48,839 just as good as they did in the playoffs as they did a year ago. 353 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:52,400 I will say I would kill to have an age was it thirty five 354 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:56,920 season? Like Candas Parker just did. No complaints from me there. That's 355 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:00,559 actually leaves me a question that I didn't send you. Now, how many 356 00:23:00,559 --> 00:23:06,880 of these players are like still playing year round in this league. That's a 357 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:11,880 good question. I would say everyone, like most players who are like pre 358 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:17,039 thirty play year round and then it starts to drop off after that. You'll 359 00:23:17,079 --> 00:23:19,759 see some situations where they still go play overseas, but it's not for the 360 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,480 entire overseaseason, Like they'll take a break up until January and then head over 361 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:29,000 to start playing for their European team or Australia, Israel or wherever they happen 362 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:33,200 to be playing. The bigger names who can afford it, you know, 363 00:23:33,519 --> 00:23:37,039 start taking off like handis Parker obviously like Moonlights as an analyst instead of going 364 00:23:37,079 --> 00:23:44,680 to play overseas a very good one, glorious. I would say among the 365 00:23:44,799 --> 00:23:48,920 youngest stars, Asia Wilson's the only one who doesn't play, or Jewel Lloyd 366 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:51,640 as well as Wilson Joeloyd are the only ones don't play overseas. Everyone else 367 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:53,880 pretty much does. And then they get to the point where they're like thirty 368 00:23:55,039 --> 00:23:57,920 ish and they decide to stop because they've banked enough money or they're you know, 369 00:23:59,039 --> 00:24:02,160 got the endorsement fields and it just doesn't make sense for their bodies to 370 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:06,319 have to play overseas that much. But the not so big stars, like 371 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:11,880 they still play overseas their entire careers even as they get older. Like we're 372 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:17,359 talking about Brion January earlier with a Seattle storm. I think she is still 373 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:22,200 playing overseas this season even though she is thirty five and she's already announced this 374 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:27,000 is her last year in the w NBA. So that's just an idea of 375 00:24:27,079 --> 00:24:37,200 like the the dual gigs that they're still forced to do the La Sparks specifically 376 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:40,839 misapplyoffs the first time in half a decade. Did they do enough? I 377 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:44,640 know, you know Liz Kambage, like that was the big one. Kennedy 378 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,319 Carter, who I knew nothing about really and I went back and was watching 379 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:51,680 just film on her, and I know she playing eleven games for the Dream 380 00:24:51,759 --> 00:24:53,359 last year, and like she did not shoot the ball well, but there's 381 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:57,279 like film of her like really just like stroking it like it is. It 382 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:03,279 is incredible. Did they do enough to like to re enter the playoff discussion 383 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,240 or are they still sort of just on the lower end of or the the 384 00:25:06,319 --> 00:25:07,880 contender discussion. Are they sort of on the lower end of that room. 385 00:25:10,279 --> 00:25:12,920 I wouldn't put the Sparks in the contender discussion yet. I think the goal 386 00:25:14,039 --> 00:25:17,519 this season was to get back in the playoff hunt, because, like you 387 00:25:17,599 --> 00:25:19,519 mentioned, they missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade actually since 388 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:25,599 twenty eleven was the last time they missed the playoffs, So it was it 389 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:27,240 was a nice successful run for them, But like you know, kenn Sparker 390 00:25:27,279 --> 00:25:30,720 overlaps are allotted that so that what about's going to do with it. Kenny's 391 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:34,799 warker necka was not healthy for a good chunk of last season as well. 392 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:40,400 So I like what they did this offseason quite a bit because it seemed like 393 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:42,799 they were hamstrung financially by all of the contracts they handed out in twenty twenty 394 00:25:42,839 --> 00:25:45,079 one, and they did a good job of getting out of a couple of 395 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:48,880 those to turn Erica Wheeler into Kennedy Carter, even if it cost them a 396 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:52,480 first round pick, which might be a heavy price, But like you kind 397 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:56,200 of can convince yourself that Kennedy's that first round pick because she is incredibly explosive 398 00:25:56,240 --> 00:26:00,759 in the half court, like she can stroke it. Her handle is maybe 399 00:26:00,839 --> 00:26:03,559 the best in the WNBA, Like it's outstanding. Her rookie season highlights from 400 00:26:03,559 --> 00:26:08,559 the Bubble are truly, truly suctacular. There's a reason why she was available 401 00:26:08,559 --> 00:26:12,880 from the Atlanta Dream, and it's because she has had some locker room troubles 402 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:17,759 with Dream and uh, you know the Dream or not. That's not an 403 00:26:17,799 --> 00:26:19,880 isolated instant on the Dream, to be fair to Kennedy Carter. Like there 404 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:23,000 there was a video that surfaced of two players on the Dream getting into fight 405 00:26:23,039 --> 00:26:26,799 outside of food truck, you know, earlier this year, and one of 406 00:26:26,839 --> 00:26:30,799 their best players who was an All Star and the Dream said that they were 407 00:26:30,839 --> 00:26:33,160 not bringing her back because of you know, team values that they were trying 408 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:37,359 to create. So I don't know how much of it to place on the 409 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:42,359 Atlanta droom culture versus Kennedy Carter as a Sparks fan, I'm going to put 410 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:48,279 all of it on the culture or not Kennedy Carter. But like there is 411 00:26:48,759 --> 00:26:53,279 there's gonna be some managing for Derek Fisher and the veterans in the Sparks locker 412 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:57,279 room next year. Like, I don't think they would have done any of 413 00:26:57,319 --> 00:27:00,279 these moves, said Echo Boomicky not signed off on them. So for them 414 00:27:00,319 --> 00:27:03,319 to bring in Liz Cambaige, who is, you know, one of the 415 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:08,000 more outspoken stars in the w NBA. She's very willing to say things all 416 00:27:08,039 --> 00:27:14,279 the time and that are not the most complimentary obviously, and then to bring 417 00:27:14,319 --> 00:27:18,200 in Kennedy Carter, two extremely talented players who are way better than what the 418 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:23,200 Sparks were having at their position a year ago. But it's going to be 419 00:27:23,319 --> 00:27:30,559 tricky just to manage all of those egos and personalities together. It's gonna be 420 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:34,039 freaking fascinating to watch on the basketball court, because just to have a guard 421 00:27:34,079 --> 00:27:37,079 who can actually shoot and get to the rim the way Kennedy Carter can, 422 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:41,799 and to have a post who commands just attention the way Liza's who can play 423 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:47,640 next to neck too, just elevates this team's offensive ceiling far beyond what they 424 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:52,960 were capable of a year ago. I do think just the uncertainty and like 425 00:27:53,079 --> 00:27:57,039 having to fit all these new pieces together prevents me from putting them on the 426 00:27:57,039 --> 00:28:00,680 same level as those teams we talked about earlier, but definitely like this team 427 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:03,559 only finished one game out of playoffs year ago, it wasn't that far back, 428 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:08,279 and that was I think mainly because they were missing their their best players 429 00:28:08,319 --> 00:28:11,720 for most of the season, like for injuries. So I put them in 430 00:28:11,759 --> 00:28:18,839 that playoff consideration fairly comfortably, but still I think a step away from top 431 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:22,759 tier contender. Did they do enough to sort of and like you said, 432 00:28:22,759 --> 00:28:26,920 there were injuries last year, but point nine two three points per possession on 433 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:30,000 offense last shot, it's awful, and it was. It was the worst 434 00:28:30,039 --> 00:28:34,200 offense by like a pretty cosmic margin. Even sometimes you look at the numbers 435 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:37,160 and you think it doesn't really stack up with what you watched, Like that 436 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:42,440 number feels charitable considering what the Sparks offense look like. So did they do 437 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,119 enough to sort of be like, do we expect Kennedy Carter get a real 438 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,720 shot to play a role then? If knowing that, if that was like 439 00:28:48,759 --> 00:28:52,079 their baseline, even if they're healthier, it seems like they need like a 440 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:55,920 lot of help. And also, how does Jordan they did have to their 441 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:56,640 credit, what were they in defense? I had it right up here. 442 00:28:56,640 --> 00:29:00,200 They were the third best defense in the league, like feels like ends up 443 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:06,400 really bolstering that which is maybe not necessarily something that they needed. Yeah, 444 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:08,200 I think they're going to have a good defense regardless. Like I think they've 445 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:14,400 been top three every year since Derrick Fisher game, which coincidentally is when Letitia 446 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:18,880 Chamnel, their assistant coordinator who runs defense, also came. So I'm not 447 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:21,599 worried about the Sparks defense one bit. Like you could swap out a lot 448 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:22,440 of the talent. I feel like I'm talking about the Lakers at this point. 449 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:25,880 You can swap out a lot of the defensive talent and I trust them 450 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:29,319 to foax, uh, you know, an above average defense in the league. 451 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,160 Liz is just an awesome offensive player. And adding Katie Lou Samilson too, 452 00:29:33,319 --> 00:29:37,240 just like a little bit of floor spacing that they really did not have 453 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,279 a year ago. I think it's going to help quite a bit if they 454 00:29:40,319 --> 00:29:42,880 could just keep Chrissy Tolliver healthy, honestly, Like she played nineteen out of 455 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:45,119 the thirty two games last year, and they were ten and nine in those 456 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:51,039 games, and I want to say, like one and eleven or one and 457 00:29:51,119 --> 00:29:52,880 twelve when she didn't play, like it was really bad when she didn't play. 458 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:57,079 So just having like two shooters on the court at all times, like 459 00:29:57,079 --> 00:30:03,960 if they start you know Canada Tolliver, Samuelsnecka and Campaige. Like that is 460 00:30:04,039 --> 00:30:08,559 a real life, functional spacing lineup which just did not exist on the Sparks 461 00:30:08,799 --> 00:30:14,799 or Ago. So you're saying Derek Fisher did a good job over the off 462 00:30:14,839 --> 00:30:18,079 season. I think this is a really good offseason. I mean we're going 463 00:30:18,119 --> 00:30:22,839 to be checking out the status of that twenty twenty three first rounder for most 464 00:30:22,839 --> 00:30:23,880 of the year. Like the Sparks miss the playoffs, that's a catastrophe, 465 00:30:25,319 --> 00:30:27,079 but I don't think they will, in which case, like to give up 466 00:30:27,119 --> 00:30:33,599 a non lotto pick for Kennedy Carter. Good decision. Last year's two best 467 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:37,960 regular season teams, the Sun and the Aces, had I guess like final 468 00:30:38,039 --> 00:30:41,559 I mean, you keep John Quyle Jones, you win the off season in 469 00:30:41,839 --> 00:30:45,319 some respect if you're the Sun. But should we expect either of those teams 470 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,319 to take a step back? And the one I'm kind of just looking at 471 00:30:48,359 --> 00:30:52,559 the coaching change with Becky Hammond coming in. Does that signal like sort of 472 00:30:52,599 --> 00:30:56,559 a different direction or do you expect both of these teams to sort of be 473 00:30:56,759 --> 00:31:00,200 near the top of the league again. Yea, So let's start with the 474 00:31:00,279 --> 00:31:03,359 Sun. It was such a weird end to their regular season because they had, 475 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:08,119 you know, just blitzed through the regular season with their top five and 476 00:31:10,279 --> 00:31:12,039 you know, minor contributions off the bench. Kurt Miller runs one of the 477 00:31:12,039 --> 00:31:18,279 shortest rotations in the league, and it's hilarious because, like you'd think a 478 00:31:18,359 --> 00:31:22,519 team that's that good would just be able to throw in their bench players more 479 00:31:22,599 --> 00:31:25,559 often. But he likes his seven players, and he six was the Sven 480 00:31:25,559 --> 00:31:30,720 players. But then with the reintroduction of Elisa Thomas, it was real challenge 481 00:31:30,759 --> 00:31:33,799 for them to navigate the front court minutes with John quill Jones, Allis Thomas, 482 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:37,960 and Brue Jones. And I would hope that they have a better understanding 483 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:41,279 of how to navigate those three together this upcoming season, because it was very 484 00:31:41,319 --> 00:31:45,039 clear that like the Connecticut Son played one way during the playoffs, and then 485 00:31:45,039 --> 00:31:48,480 Allissa Thomas came in and played another way, and that was a really hard 486 00:31:48,559 --> 00:31:52,000 balance districtor in the postseason, and they ended up not being able to So 487 00:31:52,759 --> 00:31:56,559 I think the main challenge this offseason is just figuring out how to work all 488 00:31:56,559 --> 00:31:59,000 those there players together, because you cannot play all three of them at the 489 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,000 same time like that as it possible, but just figuring out how to keep 490 00:32:02,039 --> 00:32:06,240 the style of play a little more cohesive is the main challenge. They have 491 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:09,200 enough talent where I think they're gonna be great during the regular season, and 492 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:13,720 then I think Courtney Williams provides a nice little just offensive joelt that they didn't 493 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:16,039 have. Like their perimeter players are excellent defenders, but it's just a little 494 00:32:16,039 --> 00:32:20,880 bit redundant when like everybody on the roster is a good defender, if you 495 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:23,319 don't need two ball stoppers at you know, at the point of attack. 496 00:32:23,799 --> 00:32:28,519 So bringing Courtey Williams, who can like actually create our own shot, which 497 00:32:28,599 --> 00:32:30,759 is something bryand January could not do, I think is going to help quite 498 00:32:30,759 --> 00:32:35,359 a bit. And also like someone who can deliver an entry pass to John 499 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:40,160 will Jones, which proved surprisingly challenging against Chicago's defense for the playoffs. That's 500 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:44,400 that's a huge child. So I think I think they're gonna be just as 501 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:49,440 good during the regular season. I remain I'm not gonna say unconvinced, but 502 00:32:49,519 --> 00:32:52,799 I have some questions about their playoff ops side. Still I'm just not sure 503 00:32:52,799 --> 00:32:55,880 that they have quite enough offense to get over the hump. But that's a 504 00:32:55,960 --> 00:33:00,359 question for like, you know, six months down the line. As far 505 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:05,279 as the Aces, you know, losing Campaigees is not nothing. But they 506 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:07,799 have so much front court depth, like you just start Deer Hamby next to 507 00:33:07,799 --> 00:33:10,279 Asia Wilson, and I think they're going to be just fine during the regular 508 00:33:10,319 --> 00:33:14,440 season. And there's always sort of been like a clunky fit between Asia and 509 00:33:14,559 --> 00:33:16,880 Liz because neither of them, you know, I want to space out that 510 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:22,200 much. And I think this is where the Becky Hammond hiring is really going 511 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:28,359 to show itself, because Bill Ambier loves his two big lineups, hates taking 512 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:31,799 threes. Like everything that you've known about Bill amber for the last fifty years 513 00:33:31,839 --> 00:33:35,720 still applies as head go to the Lost Angeles I sorry, Las Vegas Aces 514 00:33:35,759 --> 00:33:39,599 in twenty twenty one. So just modernizing that offense a little bit I think 515 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:45,160 will help quite a bit. I am still just befuddled as to what happened 516 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:49,240 to the Aces in the playoffs, Like this is a team that was racking 517 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:52,960 everybody else during the regular season. They're only problems are when they got hit 518 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:59,359 with COVID and I still have no idea what happened to them during that series 519 00:33:59,359 --> 00:34:01,440 against Phoenix, how they lost, How like Liz camp Bagel out or self 520 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:06,440 be blocked by Diana Tarassi. How they were just allowing open threes on atos. 521 00:34:07,159 --> 00:34:12,599 They needed a change, like something needed to give and to bring in 522 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:15,440 a head coach who has the promise of Becky Hammon, who by all accounts 523 00:34:15,559 --> 00:34:19,159 is just whip smart and super ready to take control of our own team. 524 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:22,880 We could be looking back at that is the most important change of the offseason, 525 00:34:22,519 --> 00:34:27,960 even after all of the player things we already talked about. Does at 526 00:34:28,159 --> 00:34:30,639 to your point about lmb or They averaged sixteen point two three point attempts per 527 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:34,960 one hundred possessions last year, which is basically five three point attempts over the 528 00:34:35,039 --> 00:34:37,280 second to last team and Yana five few or three point attempts in the second 529 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:44,159 Yeah, Yanda Fever. I'm assuming they have good shooters like Personna Williams good 530 00:34:44,199 --> 00:34:45,840 shooter. Yeah, yeah, only the storm I'm looking at it only have 531 00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:50,440 to higher three per I'm thinking that number will go up with Becky Hammon. 532 00:34:50,639 --> 00:34:54,760 Yeah, We'll go up. What are they losing anything? I think the 533 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:59,199 one I'm in to hear you mention was Angel mccautrey. Did they lose anything 534 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:01,440 substantial in her? Like? What is that like? Does that create any 535 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:06,079 sort of avoid or is that just a non issue? So Angel was out 536 00:35:06,119 --> 00:35:10,840 the entire season last year with the tornycl and they did just fine without her. 537 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:13,519 I mean, I think they could have used her during the playoffs, 538 00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:16,559 mostly for that just veteran common presence that she ended up being during the twenty 539 00:35:16,599 --> 00:35:22,960 twenty playoffs, but I think they'll be okay without her. I do wonder 540 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,800 if they have like a real three on this roster, like Jackie Young, 541 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:30,920 I guess is their small forward. She's not quite the jump shooter that Angel 542 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:34,960 mccatriy is, but she's gotten so much better every single season, and even 543 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,400 without being a three point shooter, which I imagine Becky Hammon will coax her 544 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:40,760 to being a bit more of a shooter than Bill Mbier ever tried. So 545 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:46,079 the development in Becky Hammon's offensive game, sorry not the development in Jackie Young's 546 00:35:46,119 --> 00:35:50,119 offensive game has been pretty consistent over the last three years, even if she 547 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:53,119 hasn't turned into like a knockdown jump shooter, So I think she can handle 548 00:35:53,159 --> 00:35:58,559 that that small forward role just fine even without Angel presence, And I imagine 549 00:35:58,559 --> 00:36:01,119 they're just going to run a little bit more small lineups with like Kelsey Plumber, 550 00:36:01,159 --> 00:36:05,480 Quonda Willams, Chelsea Great together and just force teams to run up and 551 00:36:05,519 --> 00:36:07,679 down with them because they're so good in transition, and like, if you 552 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:12,320 don't have Liz, you can run five out lineups and like Asia Wilson at 553 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:17,519 the center and just be devastatingly hard to guard. Having not watched much of 554 00:36:17,639 --> 00:36:21,960 them last season, it sounds like that would be a stark contrast to how 555 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,119 they played last season if that's what they're going to do. The thing is, 556 00:36:24,159 --> 00:36:28,000 it's like, even with Billy and Beer, they were still a good 557 00:36:28,039 --> 00:36:30,599 transition team. It's just they never pushed the pace as much as you'd want 558 00:36:30,679 --> 00:36:36,280 to. And I just hope that that's what Beckhamon does because their roster like 559 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:40,880 screams running gun. Who would you pick is the better like MVP bet right 560 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:45,079 now it would be Asia Wilson or John qll Johnes. It's a great question, 561 00:36:46,159 --> 00:36:52,000 So I guess John quill is a defending MVP Asia one in twenty twenty. 562 00:36:52,199 --> 00:36:54,440 I do wonder if we're going to just have like another name come out 563 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:58,400 of nowhere, like because no one was really picking John Quill at the start 564 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:06,360 of last season. I probably go Asia just because there's some kind of voter 565 00:37:06,559 --> 00:37:08,119 fatigue, you know when a team does really well in the regular season and 566 00:37:08,239 --> 00:37:12,599 craps out in the playoffs and you don't want to exactly reward them again for 567 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,800 doing well in the regular season. Yeah, so I do like that. 568 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:21,400 I do like when you go through like the MVP winners, there's just like 569 00:37:21,679 --> 00:37:25,079 so much more parody and like who was selected compared to the like, even 570 00:37:25,119 --> 00:37:29,239 though there's more teams the NBA than the NBA winners, it feels like there's 571 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:31,400 more room for I like the unknown, like going into stuff like that. 572 00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:37,159 So and then with a w NBA, there's like a really consistent run of 573 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:42,679 oh, best player on best team wins MVP, like I think the last 574 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:46,880 last five years, last six years, maybe like the top seed has produced 575 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:52,159 the MVP or maybe like the top two seeds. So it really comes down 576 00:37:52,199 --> 00:37:53,480 to which of these teams you think is gonna have best toiler season and just 577 00:37:53,639 --> 00:37:57,920 pick the best player on that team. And I think Vegas is going to 578 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:01,039 come out really hot because they're going to be incorporating a new system and they're 579 00:38:01,039 --> 00:38:06,000 gonna have to try hard, like it's they underachieved the year ago, and 580 00:38:07,119 --> 00:38:09,639 like I think they just feel like they have allowed to prove. So I'd 581 00:38:09,639 --> 00:38:13,519 probably go Asia as a stronger breath of Johnquell, but like, I'm not 582 00:38:13,599 --> 00:38:15,239 even sure that I would think that she's a great bet, just a better 583 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:20,840 one than JJ at this way. Do you like the ideas the and I 584 00:38:21,079 --> 00:38:24,440 just could apply to so many different sports of the MVP award having that sort 585 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:28,679 of even though it's not set criteria, you just know that it's going to 586 00:38:28,719 --> 00:38:30,119 go to the best player on one of the two best teams. Or do 587 00:38:30,199 --> 00:38:35,039 you like the idea of it being so open for interpretation to the point that 588 00:38:35,119 --> 00:38:39,559 it just becomes like this divisive debate if there's anything other than a formality. 589 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:45,960 I kind of like that it comes from the best team, because, in 590 00:38:45,079 --> 00:38:51,840 my opinion, value comes from wins, and that's the most wins come on 591 00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:54,119 the top teams, Right, So, I mean the NBA pretty much has 592 00:38:54,159 --> 00:38:57,239 this too, right, like the top three seeds always win an MVP, 593 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:00,119 I mean, other than Russell Westbrook, but that it is an anomalous situation, 594 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:05,880 So yeah, I like it. I it bum it bugs the crap 595 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:08,119 out of me in baseball when you have a player who doesn't make the playoffs 596 00:39:08,199 --> 00:39:13,400 and wins MVP and then it's only really bugs me because it happened a lot 597 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:17,360 when like Marry Bonds is winning MVPs and like the Dodgers were winning the division 598 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:23,400 and not collecting I mean I baseball at me, I wouldn't even be able 599 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:27,079 to figure out because I don't think there's like any one player that can make 600 00:39:27,199 --> 00:39:30,719 like that much of a of a difference. So we already talked about some 601 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:34,559 of the new coaches, but of the there were four new hires I think 602 00:39:34,599 --> 00:39:39,360 over the offseason, Becky Hammond and Las Vegas or and we had sorry whereon 603 00:39:39,679 --> 00:39:45,159 uh Sandy Brundelo is with the Liberty And why am I missing this list? 604 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:50,000 Maybe I'm and Vanessa and Eye Garden Vanessa and I Garden Phoenix and then Tanisia 605 00:39:50,079 --> 00:39:52,599 right in Atlanta, Denisa right in Atlanta. Which one of them do you 606 00:39:52,639 --> 00:39:58,199 see making like having the biggest impact on their during new team? Probably Sandy 607 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:04,199 or Becky. Maybe Sandy just because Becky already has such a high standard like 608 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:07,440 that the Aces have lived out to already. But the thing is like wins 609 00:40:07,519 --> 00:40:10,079 losses wise, I don't think Becky's gonna affect the Aces that much because they 610 00:40:10,119 --> 00:40:14,159 were already winning so much, like I said, but she could dramatically affect 611 00:40:14,199 --> 00:40:20,800 the style of play that Las Vegas plays, which would be far more significant 612 00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:23,440 than you know, the Liberty winning eight more games, because you change the 613 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:28,159 style of play like you weaponize Asa Wilson all of a sudden, like I 614 00:40:28,199 --> 00:40:30,199 think that's much more important than a team like moving from the eighth to the 615 00:40:30,239 --> 00:40:37,960 four seed. So I just I'm low to give like a rookie head coach 616 00:40:37,039 --> 00:40:43,119 this much credit before seeing what they are capable of doing, even though I 617 00:40:43,159 --> 00:40:46,719 think it's going to happen. I'd go Sandy Brondela just tod dr beats because 618 00:40:46,719 --> 00:40:51,239 I know she's a good coacher. And I'm just assuming that Vanessa and Igar 619 00:40:51,360 --> 00:40:53,079 is going to be under the brightest spotlight because of the city. Oh my 620 00:40:53,119 --> 00:40:55,639 gosh, I like they might as well have hired Diane's Rozzie as a player 621 00:40:55,679 --> 00:41:00,639 coach because she is going to be yelling at everyone to get things and and 622 00:41:00,119 --> 00:41:05,199 we'll see what happens there. Wanted to get your thoughts on some quick hitters 623 00:41:05,280 --> 00:41:07,719 here, Which team, whether we discussed them or day or not, do 624 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:10,599 you think had just the best offseason so far? In some It's funny we're 625 00:41:10,599 --> 00:41:15,519 doing like a round table on this very question for switching people later, and 626 00:41:15,559 --> 00:41:20,440 I've been going back and forth between like seventies. I'm gonna be a super 627 00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:22,199 homer here and say the Los Angeles Sparks had the best offseason, because the 628 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:27,079 cardinal sin of the twenty twenty one Los Angeles Sparks was not that they're bad, 629 00:41:27,440 --> 00:41:31,039 that they are boring, and they are no longer boring and healthier. 630 00:41:31,119 --> 00:41:35,639 I guess yeah. I mean they can carry a full twelve player roster this 631 00:41:35,719 --> 00:41:38,000 year with the salary cap machinations, so that's gonna help quite a bit. 632 00:41:38,519 --> 00:41:42,119 Is there a team that had like an underrated off season that we just didn't 633 00:41:42,159 --> 00:41:45,960 talk about when I was asking you the questions? So I already mentioned like 634 00:41:46,119 --> 00:41:55,679 everyone underrated off season. You know, I think Chicago is getting a lot 635 00:41:55,719 --> 00:42:01,000 of level already. You know, Indian is interesting because it's like they waved 636 00:42:01,039 --> 00:42:04,960 their lottery pick from a year ago, and I don't think anyone's expecting them 637 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:07,159 to do much of anything this year, but I think they finally picked a 638 00:42:07,199 --> 00:42:12,239 direction, Like they they got three first rounders in this year's draft. They 639 00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:15,480 moved on from two Ki catchings GM, which, as much as that sucks 640 00:42:15,559 --> 00:42:17,800 from like a fan perspective because she is the Indiana Fever, I think they're 641 00:42:17,840 --> 00:42:23,199 making just like smart, measured decisions to actually, you know, rebuild and 642 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:27,760 move forward, which they have been reluctant to do for the last five years. 643 00:42:28,159 --> 00:42:30,639 So even if it doesn't pay off immediately, I think that there is 644 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:34,840 a sign of good things to come for the Fever. I am sort of 645 00:42:34,840 --> 00:42:38,320 wondering if the Mystics just by virtue of them coming out and promising that Eleanta 646 00:42:38,360 --> 00:42:40,880 del Don's is going to play in more than three combined games over the next 647 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:44,760 two years, if that's just like one of the biggest editions of the offseason. 648 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:52,480 When Alanta Deladon plays, the Mystics look like just it's it is night 649 00:42:52,599 --> 00:42:55,760 and day between when she does play and when she doesn't play. And you 650 00:42:55,840 --> 00:42:59,519 know, I mean, I keep bringing up the Sparks, like the Sparks 651 00:42:59,559 --> 00:43:01,840 had the mis fortune of being in one of the three games that Atlanta Talaton 652 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:05,599 played this season, and they were down by like thirty at the end of 653 00:43:05,639 --> 00:43:08,960 the first quarter, Like it was so incredible the level of ball movement and 654 00:43:09,280 --> 00:43:15,400 just player movement that happens when Edd's on the court. I never know she's 655 00:43:15,440 --> 00:43:19,719 gonna be healthy, So if she is, then like I am highly underrating 656 00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:23,039 the Washington Domestics, but I'm just a little a little shell shocked after what's 657 00:43:23,039 --> 00:43:27,840 happened last years. Is there a bigger loser or a team that had a 658 00:43:28,119 --> 00:43:32,039 disappointing offseason so far, it's you. I kind of hope that the Dallas 659 00:43:32,119 --> 00:43:36,920 Wings would make some sort of consolidation trade. They have such a deep roster 660 00:43:37,320 --> 00:43:42,639 and not everyone gets to play, and they're all like good young players and 661 00:43:42,719 --> 00:43:45,559 you could see them developing into stars. But I kind of think there was 662 00:43:45,559 --> 00:43:47,920 an opportunity for them to go after a big fish, even if it meant 663 00:43:49,159 --> 00:43:52,280 sacrificing two of their smaller players, and it just didn't happen. And so 664 00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:54,719 we're basically going to see the same team this year as we did a year 665 00:43:54,760 --> 00:44:00,599 ago. And yeah, maybe they'll like make enough internal improvements where it doesn't 666 00:44:00,599 --> 00:44:04,840 matter, But I think there was there was more to be done that didn't 667 00:44:04,920 --> 00:44:07,360 happen. For the Wings. They did. When I was going through all 668 00:44:07,360 --> 00:44:10,559 the different articles I had like winners from WNBA free agency or free agency grades, 669 00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:15,719 they were the team that was most mentioned as like no grade or TBD 670 00:44:15,400 --> 00:44:19,880 incomplete. Right. Yeah, you seem like in lockstep with with those thoughts. 671 00:44:20,639 --> 00:44:23,440 Uh. Which offense should we, especially me, be most excited to 672 00:44:23,519 --> 00:44:30,280 watch next season? Oh? Good question. I'm excited to watch the Aces 673 00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:32,960 just because I think that they could look dramatically different than a year ago. 674 00:44:35,159 --> 00:44:38,360 Uh. And then I'm always excited to watch Seattle because super duel Lloyd and 675 00:44:38,519 --> 00:44:45,079 Stewie and like three man actions is is magic. It's just magic. Uh. 676 00:44:45,559 --> 00:44:47,760 The last year's team, the Aces, they played it like a blistering 677 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:52,760 pace too, right, They were just super fast, so that I'll definitely 678 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:55,199 can Do you think the Liberty are going to slow it down under Brundella or 679 00:44:55,280 --> 00:44:58,880 what? Should they still be a team that's going to be playing it like 680 00:44:58,960 --> 00:45:02,320 a higher octane to I think they'll try to keep the pace up. And 681 00:45:04,079 --> 00:45:06,079 like who do they bring in the office? And they brought in Dolson, 682 00:45:06,159 --> 00:45:10,039 who is perfectly capable of like running running up and down like she played like 683 00:45:10,039 --> 00:45:15,400 three on three and she's a good trail three three point set or so yeah, 684 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:17,679 my guess is that their their core is best suited to planning fast. 685 00:45:20,119 --> 00:45:22,599 So which team do you think is going to make the biggest take the biggest 686 00:45:22,599 --> 00:45:24,519 step back compared to last season? And which team would you have is going 687 00:45:24,559 --> 00:45:28,320 to make the biggest step forward? And you kind of already mentioned the problems 688 00:45:28,360 --> 00:45:31,639 with this where how do you define going from like very low wind totals to 689 00:45:31,880 --> 00:45:36,440 like medium winds wherever you want to, like, you know, interpret it. 690 00:45:37,320 --> 00:45:39,719 What's crazy is I don't think any team in the league got worse in 691 00:45:39,800 --> 00:45:44,880 the top ten. Okay, well, which is which is a lot of 692 00:45:44,920 --> 00:45:47,280 the teams in the NBA winder, There are twelve tears, so I don't 693 00:45:47,320 --> 00:45:51,119 think any of the top ten teams got worse. So that kind of makes 694 00:45:51,159 --> 00:45:53,719 it hard to pick an overall loser because Indiana Atlanta didn't want a ton of 695 00:45:53,800 --> 00:46:01,639 games last year, So that's that's so tricky. I guess only because Nafisa 696 00:46:01,679 --> 00:46:07,239 Collier is pregnant, Like Minnesota could take a step back because I think she 697 00:46:07,360 --> 00:46:10,920 was their second best player a year ago, like better at some things than 698 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:15,480 Sylvia Valles, but not nearly as important to Sylvia fALS and yeah, they 699 00:46:15,559 --> 00:46:21,679 signed Angel mccatrey, but angels on the latter half of her career and I 700 00:46:21,960 --> 00:46:24,960 don't see her being nearly as impactful as Nafissa was in twenty twenty one. 701 00:46:27,039 --> 00:46:30,559 So if a team like it was actually good last year has to take a 702 00:46:30,599 --> 00:46:35,880 step back, I would say it's Minnesota and that sucks because I freaking Adorse 703 00:46:35,960 --> 00:46:38,239 shell Reeve and like so many players in Minnesota are so great to watch. 704 00:46:38,360 --> 00:46:44,800 But Collier is awesome and for her not to be around is just sucks. 705 00:46:45,880 --> 00:46:52,840 And then as far as a step forward, I would say the sky all 706 00:46:52,920 --> 00:46:57,480 right, I would say the sky, yeah, because they considering that and 707 00:46:57,559 --> 00:47:00,360 I don't think there are five hundreds of team like I think they're much better 708 00:47:00,360 --> 00:47:02,840 team, which obviously the playoffs showed. So yeah, regular season wins, 709 00:47:02,840 --> 00:47:06,119 why I'm gonna say them it's gonna take a step back, Chicago take a 710 00:47:06,119 --> 00:47:08,719 step forward. Delivery have a chance on a Brundella to take that huge step 711 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:15,400 like do we see like incredible things or maybe Sabrina Youannsku. I would love 712 00:47:15,440 --> 00:47:19,360 for Subre gonna take a big step forward because I mean, obviously a big 713 00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:25,320 fan, you know, for the obvious reasons. But yeah, I thought 714 00:47:25,320 --> 00:47:29,320 they were gonna make a bigger splashing free agency. They had so much catform 715 00:47:29,360 --> 00:47:35,159 to work with, and I think they're big swings just like went like unfulfilled. 716 00:47:35,199 --> 00:47:37,199 Like I know they wanted. They had the meetings with like Stewie and 717 00:47:37,280 --> 00:47:42,400 Jewel Lloyd, and I'm sure they made an effort to go after like mashanz 718 00:47:42,400 --> 00:47:46,519 Allen and I'm amusement, and those just didn't pan out. So I do 719 00:47:46,639 --> 00:47:50,440 think there's gonna be substantial internal improvement. They're like I think Sabrina's gonna be 720 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:54,440 much better than she was these last few years. But I just think Chicago 721 00:47:54,519 --> 00:47:58,480 has too much talent, Like for that that team to have been a five 722 00:47:58,519 --> 00:48:00,719 hundred team is like ridiculous. It's it's so I think that's where the biggest 723 00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:06,039 one jump is going to come from. Is there anything else anybody else anything 724 00:48:06,079 --> 00:48:07,639 about this off season? I didn't ask you about that you think we need 725 00:48:07,719 --> 00:48:12,599 to hit on? And maybe any Draft day storylines that you're monitoring, which 726 00:48:12,599 --> 00:48:15,519 I still can't get used to, like that there's still on a date for 727 00:48:15,559 --> 00:48:19,320 the draft because I know that they have to Everything happens after the March madness 728 00:48:19,360 --> 00:48:22,880 tournament, I'm assuming, so I still can't. That's not something I can 729 00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:24,760 wrap my head around, to be honest with you. You know, usually 730 00:48:24,760 --> 00:48:29,679 they've had the draft pretty consistently, like the Wednesday after March Madness, so 731 00:48:29,760 --> 00:48:31,480 I'm surprised that they haven't settled on that date yet. I know the last 732 00:48:31,480 --> 00:48:36,000 two years they haven't had any person draft, so maybe it's just getting back 733 00:48:36,000 --> 00:48:39,800 to a person that's leading to that delay. I don't I don't really have 734 00:48:39,880 --> 00:48:43,960 any big draft takes this year or the good classes are coming in twenty three 735 00:48:44,000 --> 00:48:49,079 and twenty four, so that's why it's so interesting, not even now, 736 00:48:49,119 --> 00:48:52,400 like a Leo Boston and Haley Jones next year, so the big names are 737 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:54,480 coming in the next couple of years. This one is going to be I 738 00:48:54,559 --> 00:48:58,400 think a little bit of a tamer class, which is why it was so 739 00:48:59,119 --> 00:49:01,360 interesting to see somebody twenty twenty three picks Chang Chance because I think that's gonna 740 00:49:01,360 --> 00:49:07,320 be really good, really good draft this season and next season. Then with 741 00:49:07,400 --> 00:49:14,519 those draft classes in me so the the WNBA lottery actually takes into account the 742 00:49:14,599 --> 00:49:19,079 last two seasons, So even tanking for one year doesn't entirely help, because 743 00:49:20,000 --> 00:49:22,679 you know, you have to count the wins from the year before, but 744 00:49:22,760 --> 00:49:24,920 Indiana and Atlanta, it's definitely prepping for like a really good fix in the 745 00:49:24,960 --> 00:49:30,079 twenty twenty three draft. Well, thank you for steering me through all this. 746 00:49:30,239 --> 00:49:34,800 It was great to pick your brain about it. Did you have a 747 00:49:34,880 --> 00:49:38,039 few minutes to answer some patented NBA Western Conference questions before I let Yeah, 748 00:49:38,119 --> 00:49:42,320 let's do it. Let's do it. I say you a bunch just to 749 00:49:42,360 --> 00:49:45,599 deal with the west of things that I'm like curious about and monitoring post All 750 00:49:45,679 --> 00:49:49,599 Star break. Feel free to throw your own in there, but I'll throw 751 00:49:49,639 --> 00:49:52,760 the first one at you, is like, is this sort of a make 752 00:49:52,840 --> 00:49:58,480 or break year for the Utah Jazz And if it is, why weren't they 753 00:49:58,519 --> 00:50:02,480 more aggressive in doing something other than clearing tax room, taking a flyer on 754 00:50:02,519 --> 00:50:07,880 GNAW and keeping Daniel House at the trade deadline? Just all the noise. 755 00:50:07,039 --> 00:50:10,280 I can't I'm not going to shake the idea that Donov, Mitchell Y Golbert 756 00:50:10,320 --> 00:50:13,559 just don't like each other, Like there's just been too much smoke for there 757 00:50:13,599 --> 00:50:15,440 not to be some sort of fire here. And if you, I know, 758 00:50:15,519 --> 00:50:21,239 they've had excuses over the past two postseasons, but like sure, losing 759 00:50:21,320 --> 00:50:23,639 to a Clippers team that had no like the Terran's Man led Clippers, like, 760 00:50:23,719 --> 00:50:30,000 that's also not okay. Yeah, for all the excuses that Utah had 761 00:50:30,079 --> 00:50:31,440 last year, I'd argue that the Clippers had a much bigger one, and 762 00:50:31,599 --> 00:50:35,800 I think they had excuses like Rudy Gobert could not jump. By the end 763 00:50:35,840 --> 00:50:38,400 of that series. He literally lost the tips at the start of games five 764 00:50:38,440 --> 00:50:42,480 and six, which never happens. The Clippers never win the tip, especially 765 00:50:42,480 --> 00:50:46,000 when they're starting a centerless lineup, so and then you know, Donovan Mitchell's 766 00:50:46,000 --> 00:50:50,519 ankle was a huge concern as well, but I would say them being able 767 00:50:50,599 --> 00:50:52,719 to play is still better than Kahi Leonard not being able to fly. So 768 00:50:53,239 --> 00:50:55,800 yeah, those excuses don't really hold a lot of water in my opinion. 769 00:50:58,159 --> 00:51:00,719 I would have said this was to make or break here for the Utah Jazz. 770 00:51:00,719 --> 00:51:02,760 And then Joe Ingles got hurt and it was just sort of not that 771 00:51:02,840 --> 00:51:06,960 he's, like, you know, the third most important player even on the 772 00:51:07,039 --> 00:51:10,559 Jazz, but it just felt like, I don't know, like part of 773 00:51:10,599 --> 00:51:15,519 their collective soul had broken, and like I just don't expect anything from them 774 00:51:15,639 --> 00:51:20,559 now he was there. I just don't trust best passer, which is and 775 00:51:20,639 --> 00:51:22,840 he was pretty bad this year, so like it is, the fact that 776 00:51:22,880 --> 00:51:27,039 he was their third most important playmaker, though, is like kind of scary 777 00:51:27,159 --> 00:51:30,599 because now it's not ideal. It's not ideal if it's Jordan Clarkson. Now, 778 00:51:30,679 --> 00:51:35,400 like that's a problem. You probably trust invest in to kill Alexander Walker, 779 00:51:35,519 --> 00:51:39,079 I guess also also a problem. So you if let's just assume they 780 00:51:39,119 --> 00:51:43,840 get bounced early in the playoffs, which I think is fairly reasonable, you 781 00:51:43,840 --> 00:51:46,079 wouldn't expect there to be like any core changes here, you would. You 782 00:51:46,079 --> 00:51:50,320 would think it's more likely they just run it back. Yeah, I think 783 00:51:50,360 --> 00:51:51,840 they were just running back. I mean, what are they gonna do, 784 00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:54,400 Like, everybody's still under contract. It's not like they have big decisions to 785 00:51:54,440 --> 00:51:58,880 make in the off season, so I don't know, just try to find 786 00:51:58,920 --> 00:52:00,920 a wing, you know, through out some of those late later picks that 787 00:52:01,000 --> 00:52:06,719 are now available to you. But yeah, I mean, the Chazz are 788 00:52:06,719 --> 00:52:08,760 just kind of disappointing to me. Now I had such high hopes for them, 789 00:52:08,800 --> 00:52:13,000 and now it just feels like their window has already shot. Honestly, 790 00:52:14,199 --> 00:52:16,920 we did. Their offense is taf which we coined as thermonucle or as fuck 791 00:52:17,079 --> 00:52:22,199 on this podcast which they were banged up. But I would I normally agree 792 00:52:22,280 --> 00:52:27,119 with you. I'm convinced like they're trading Rudy Gobert's ask if theyn't win this 793 00:52:27,199 --> 00:52:29,280 year. I don't think it's his fault that they haven't. But you can't 794 00:52:29,280 --> 00:52:30,679 get rid of Donovan Mitchell even if you think he's unhappy, because I do 795 00:52:30,880 --> 00:52:35,880 think just his role in the playoffs is more important operating from the point of 796 00:52:35,880 --> 00:52:39,159 attack and the shots he hits. I kind of expect more wholesale changes if 797 00:52:39,199 --> 00:52:43,440 they if they flame out, and if they decide to go all in on 798 00:52:43,519 --> 00:52:46,519 a Jeremy Grant or Harrison Barnes has become available by making those later first rounders 799 00:52:46,559 --> 00:52:51,000 available. Why didn't you do that at the trade deadline when those players were 800 00:52:51,079 --> 00:52:53,320 in fact available, didn't get moved. Would be my art friends, just 801 00:52:53,519 --> 00:52:59,320 perpetually available. He can't now if he wants to sabonus Fox bearing to work. 802 00:52:59,519 --> 00:53:02,719 I feel like you have to keep extend Harrison Barnes for Yeah, they 803 00:53:02,760 --> 00:53:06,360 really should extend him. We're going into a last year of his contract. 804 00:53:06,480 --> 00:53:08,960 Oh man, is there anything that you want to throw out there like that? 805 00:53:09,079 --> 00:53:13,400 You're very You mentioned this on your outline, but do you understand what 806 00:53:13,480 --> 00:53:16,559 the Mavericks are doing. I have no fucking idea. I get. The 807 00:53:16,679 --> 00:53:20,360 only way I can justify it, and it has nothing to do with on 808 00:53:20,480 --> 00:53:23,239 the court is they broke up. They were so out on Chris stops, 809 00:53:23,360 --> 00:53:27,880 which is which is fine. He was better defensively this year, but he 810 00:53:27,960 --> 00:53:30,480 thinks he's like needs touches from mid range and in the post, and it's 811 00:53:30,519 --> 00:53:35,400 like, dude, no h. So you have those smaller contracts, but 812 00:53:35,519 --> 00:53:39,199 Spencer Dinwoody is having his worst year in quite some time. Couldn't operate next 813 00:53:39,280 --> 00:53:42,880 to Bradley Beale, and I know Jason Kidd has been willing to try, 814 00:53:43,679 --> 00:53:45,760 probably for worse different things on offense, where Lucas not on the ball, 815 00:53:45,880 --> 00:53:51,559 but Lucas not any more like less ball dominant than Bradley Beale is. And 816 00:53:52,079 --> 00:53:53,920 Dinwoody wants, upon a time, would give you the rim pressure you don't 817 00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:59,199 have. He is getting to the rim at a career low clip this season. 818 00:53:59,480 --> 00:54:01,880 So you've broken it up into smaller contracts, which leads me to believe 819 00:54:01,960 --> 00:54:06,320 you think there might be something to do over the off season, and that's 820 00:54:06,360 --> 00:54:08,519 your flexibility. It's not even cap space, which doesn't mean a damn thing 821 00:54:08,679 --> 00:54:13,480 in Dallas anyway, Like they just they correct. They're the kings of missing, 822 00:54:13,880 --> 00:54:15,960 like Danny Aingel's been ging of almost when it comes on making moves. 823 00:54:16,360 --> 00:54:21,960 So I have no idea if this works out from a bat like Davis Burton's. 824 00:54:21,960 --> 00:54:23,480 I know he's had knee stuff. I know there was the COVID h 825 00:54:23,519 --> 00:54:25,800 he had COVID last year, and he seems like he never recovered. He 826 00:54:25,960 --> 00:54:30,039 wasn't even he was. He's being paid like fifteen million a year to be 827 00:54:30,119 --> 00:54:34,960 the Wizard's like twelfth Man at one point. I just don't And maybe they 828 00:54:35,039 --> 00:54:37,280 help on offense because Dallas's offense is sol vanilla, But you did trade your 829 00:54:37,320 --> 00:54:43,000 best rim protector when you've had the most surprising defense in the league, I 830 00:54:43,119 --> 00:54:45,320 think, and I know it was predicated on or is on keeping opponents out 831 00:54:45,360 --> 00:54:49,400 of transition. And then I think we're probably not talking enough about how they've 832 00:54:49,400 --> 00:54:52,920 gotten lucky on opponent three point shooting from deep. It was just I don't 833 00:54:52,920 --> 00:55:00,199 know. The potential payoff here doesn't feel worth not even selling low on Chris 834 00:55:00,239 --> 00:55:04,280 Stops just it feels like he still gave you the immediate higher ceiling and you 835 00:55:04,320 --> 00:55:07,639 didn't give yourself enough outs to me in that trade. Yeah, I don't 836 00:55:07,679 --> 00:55:10,960 see how this makes sallus better now or in the future. And like if 837 00:55:12,320 --> 00:55:16,079 neither of those two times, then when I understand moving on from Chris stops, 838 00:55:16,119 --> 00:55:19,599 I get it. It's just you have to get something back. And 839 00:55:19,760 --> 00:55:23,519 like I was just super high on Davis Burtime's back in nineteen twenty when he 840 00:55:23,599 --> 00:55:27,280 was like king of my fantasy team and I was winning through point category every 841 00:55:27,280 --> 00:55:30,480 week, but like, what does he do for you? I don't understand, 842 00:55:30,519 --> 00:55:34,039 Like you can't play him defensively. Spencer Dinity, I've never understood the 843 00:55:34,119 --> 00:55:37,800 draw with I don't know why teams were clamoring to like get him a year 844 00:55:37,840 --> 00:55:43,119 ago, but I just I don't understand it. I hope for better for 845 00:55:43,280 --> 00:55:46,519 Luca because he is so awesome, and I just want him to be surrounded 846 00:55:46,559 --> 00:55:51,239 by good players, and the Mavericks seeming capable of doing so maybe it'll be 847 00:55:51,280 --> 00:55:55,639 addition by subtraction because you don't have like the ego of personality offense, so 848 00:55:55,800 --> 00:56:00,599 it's like you can distribute to touches differently, but Gamin and it's like, 849 00:56:00,079 --> 00:56:05,360 was this supposed to inoculate you against Jiland Brunson getting paid too much? This 850 00:56:05,440 --> 00:56:08,000 make Field Brunson feel better that you've brought in another point guard as its potential 851 00:56:08,119 --> 00:56:12,119 replacement. Like, I'm all for a vibes clearing trade. I get that. 852 00:56:12,559 --> 00:56:15,360 I just don't think Spencer Dinwoody is the guy you bring in when you're 853 00:56:15,400 --> 00:56:19,119 making a vibes clearing trade when everyone on Washington is so happy that he's gone. 854 00:56:19,559 --> 00:56:22,119 Yeah, it was Bill asked. I said this on trade Day. 855 00:56:22,159 --> 00:56:27,559 Bill asked for Sibonis, the Wizards gave him Porzingis and got rid of Dinwoody's 856 00:56:27,719 --> 00:56:30,679 pep talks instead, which is like that's a fun that's fair, that's fair. 857 00:56:31,159 --> 00:56:35,239 That quote is like it's gonna be tattooed to memory where we're doing, 858 00:56:35,320 --> 00:56:37,119 Like, yeah, I tried to be a leader in talk, but they 859 00:56:37,199 --> 00:56:42,199 were really about what I had to say. Uh. The other one of 860 00:56:42,239 --> 00:56:45,280 the biggest questions I had, which I think was answered before we recorded this 861 00:56:45,360 --> 00:56:49,199 podcast, is will Zion wi him play this season? And word is he 862 00:56:49,320 --> 00:56:52,599 needs a second foot surgery. So I'm gonna go ahead and say no, 863 00:56:52,760 --> 00:56:58,840 I'm curious where you're at with that. That makes me so sad. I 864 00:56:58,840 --> 00:57:00,840 don't know if people who are listening the show, no, but I am 865 00:57:00,880 --> 00:57:06,440 a ducalum and I love Zion deeply, deeply, and he's just another player 866 00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:09,440 who's tremendously fun to watch, and I worry that we're getting Greg Oden type 867 00:57:09,480 --> 00:57:14,519 situation from him, and it's it's such a bummer, especially because I think 868 00:57:14,519 --> 00:57:17,840 New Orleans is like finally doing some things right. Like I liked the moves 869 00:57:17,880 --> 00:57:22,960 that they made at this trade deadline, and I don't know, like brandon 870 00:57:23,079 --> 00:57:28,119 Ingram and Zion should be awesome. That should be a duo that we're talking 871 00:57:28,159 --> 00:57:30,960 about, like in the same breath as like John Mary and Jerran Jackson Junior. 872 00:57:31,000 --> 00:57:35,400 And yet you know the Pelicans are just fighting for the ten see, 873 00:57:35,519 --> 00:57:38,719 like that's it's lame. It sucks. If he did come back, though, 874 00:57:39,039 --> 00:57:42,280 that's like a team all of a sudden with CJ. McCollum, and 875 00:57:42,519 --> 00:57:45,599 I don't know, they'd played better defensively for a huge portion of the year. 876 00:57:45,000 --> 00:57:49,039 You had some like five good players, honestly, right, if you 877 00:57:49,119 --> 00:57:52,519 add CJ and Zion, I imagine that wouldn't continue. But that wouldn't be 878 00:57:52,599 --> 00:57:54,280 a team. No, I wouldn't pick them to beat the Warriors, Like 879 00:57:54,320 --> 00:57:59,239 I wouldn't want to face a Pelicans team with Zion with Brandon Ingram playing like 880 00:57:59,320 --> 00:58:02,960 this and then just having CJ. Mccullums bucket getting experience like in the playoffs. 881 00:58:04,039 --> 00:58:07,119 That's what I think has always been under appreciating his game is it's scaled 882 00:58:07,199 --> 00:58:09,000 to the postseason for the most part. That's not a team that I would 883 00:58:09,039 --> 00:58:10,920 want to face. But I guess there's not a lot of teams I'd want 884 00:58:10,920 --> 00:58:15,840 to face in the West, unless it's like do you want to face Yeah, 885 00:58:16,280 --> 00:58:20,079 I'll get you out of here with this one. How do you sort 886 00:58:20,119 --> 00:58:23,480 of see the play in spots shaking out one through six teams set like Dallas, 887 00:58:23,559 --> 00:58:28,320 Denver, Memphis, Utah, Golden State, Phoenix. Right now you 888 00:58:28,440 --> 00:58:30,159 have teams that are trying to get to ten, like one of those final 889 00:58:30,199 --> 00:58:34,280 four spots, and the Wolves, Kings, Pelicans, Clippers, I would 890 00:58:34,280 --> 00:58:37,880 say, and Lakers. And there are two teams in Portland and San Antonio 891 00:58:37,199 --> 00:58:42,159 that the way they've played since the deadline or Portlandson's Dame's injury might fall ass 892 00:58:42,280 --> 00:58:45,639 backwards into that. So if I forced you to choose your four play in 893 00:58:45,760 --> 00:58:50,519 teams who would you roll with? How want to be super boring and just 894 00:58:50,559 --> 00:58:54,639 pick the four that are actually trying to win, So Minnesota, the Pelicans, 895 00:58:54,679 --> 00:58:59,440 and the LA teams. I wouldn't expect the Clippers to be in this, 896 00:58:59,559 --> 00:59:00,719 but Dave, like Tylo has to be in the coach of the year 897 00:59:00,760 --> 00:59:04,719 discussion at this point right, Like what makes him such a great coach? 898 00:59:05,199 --> 00:59:07,679 So you know how I was talking about the Chicago skyrolier and how like you 899 00:59:07,760 --> 00:59:09,000 watch them and that's not a five hundred team, Like I watched the Clippers 900 00:59:09,119 --> 00:59:12,599 on a good night, like you cannot have them. How this team is 901 00:59:12,639 --> 00:59:16,400 under five hundred. Like they've played so hard, they try so many unique 902 00:59:16,440 --> 00:59:21,599 things on defense, like they're always prepared. They just don't have enough offensive 903 00:59:21,679 --> 00:59:24,760 juice, I guess. But tylu I think one. Like people just adore 904 00:59:24,840 --> 00:59:29,239 him and he's just great personality. People are willing to like run through walls 905 00:59:29,280 --> 00:59:31,800 for him. So that's a big part of it. He's so whip smart 906 00:59:31,840 --> 00:59:35,880 with his adjustments, like the things that he's able to fix mid game. 907 00:59:36,360 --> 00:59:39,440 Like most coaches, it takes them like you know, half time or like 908 00:59:39,679 --> 00:59:42,719 you'd have to like call time out and actually fix it. I know, 909 00:59:42,840 --> 00:59:45,679 Chauncey was saying this from Portland. Came to play like the Clippers that like 910 00:59:45,960 --> 00:59:49,880 Ty just fixes it on the fly and like while you're thinking about are like, 911 00:59:50,039 --> 00:59:51,639 Okay, how am I going to adjust it? As like Ties, 912 00:59:51,760 --> 00:59:54,280 he's already gotten to it. And the fact that the Clippers can actually execute 913 00:59:54,320 --> 00:59:58,719 on his adjustments like in the middle of a game is I think attestament to 914 00:59:58,840 --> 01:00:01,000 how one they have so many good veteran friends, but like, just what 915 01:00:01,079 --> 01:00:06,679 a great job the coaching staff has done of making their players flexible. It's 916 01:00:06,719 --> 01:00:08,199 a it's a damn shame that Kawai is not going to come back this year 917 01:00:08,199 --> 01:00:13,199 because I think this Clipper team could be just generationally good honestly if Kawhi were 918 01:00:13,239 --> 01:00:16,880 healthy. But yeah, I don't. I don't think it's a team that 919 01:00:16,960 --> 01:00:22,159 like went to the conference finals and now is fighting for the plan boasts your 920 01:00:22,199 --> 01:00:24,880 typical coach of the year resume. So that's probably why Tie is not going 921 01:00:24,960 --> 01:00:28,519 to get in there. But like if you talk to people around the league, 922 01:00:28,559 --> 01:00:30,079 I think there's a consensus to Tie is like a top three coach at 923 01:00:30,159 --> 01:00:34,119 worst, and so for him to never be in a position where he's actually 924 01:00:34,119 --> 01:00:35,960 gonna win Coach of the Year is kind of silly, but that's just how 925 01:00:36,079 --> 01:00:39,119 these this award works. Yeah, he's he's awesome, like just just really 926 01:00:39,159 --> 01:00:42,440 really good. Can you imagine if the Lakers had just like ponied up and 927 01:00:42,480 --> 01:00:45,880 given him money. Look, the Lakers are cry poverty at every turn. 928 01:00:45,920 --> 01:00:51,159 They need they need a federal government loan program that helps them with luxury tax 929 01:00:51,199 --> 01:00:54,559 payments. They gave it back. They didn't want to take on the Dave 930 01:00:54,639 --> 01:00:59,280 mcmdman reporting coming to the deadline where he's where the Lakers said they were in 931 01:00:59,360 --> 01:01:01,800 lockstep with A D and Lebron that they were fine not making moves, and 932 01:01:01,840 --> 01:01:06,760 then mcmannon's like, sources told me that's bad, not true, and a 933 01:01:06,880 --> 01:01:09,400 D and Lebron wattered the Lakers to make moves there. They're a disaster. 934 01:01:09,519 --> 01:01:15,519 But the Clippers are the fact that they're even I know they had Paul George 935 01:01:15,559 --> 01:01:16,960 for a while, and like they do have defensive talent, Like this isn't 936 01:01:16,960 --> 01:01:20,960 shouldn't be like a top five defensive team even when you're looking, Yeah, 937 01:01:21,000 --> 01:01:23,360 it doesn't seem like it. Yeah, And I also would like to learn 938 01:01:24,000 --> 01:01:29,360 Nicholas Batoums like catches it over his head but shoots it in the same motion. 939 01:01:29,599 --> 01:01:32,400 Like he has to be shooting at least on those specific catch and shoot 940 01:01:32,440 --> 01:01:36,360 looks at least seventy five percent, because I don't think I've seen him miss 941 01:01:36,400 --> 01:01:38,960 one of those. Off season. If you go to a Clipper shoot around 942 01:01:38,960 --> 01:01:42,960 that, it is literally all of a tomb dies is just high release threes 943 01:01:43,159 --> 01:01:45,920 over and over again. That's that's all he's working on, which is great. 944 01:01:45,960 --> 01:01:51,480 I mean, like I remember growing up and like constantly hearing about crew 945 01:01:51,519 --> 01:01:52,920 of Adult bar teaching the Laker bigs like keep the wall high, keep the 946 01:01:52,920 --> 01:01:55,000 ball high, and like that was my favorite thing about Pawcasol was that, 947 01:01:55,039 --> 01:01:58,400 like he would get an entry and like keep the ball high. Nick Patoon 948 01:01:58,480 --> 01:02:00,559 just takes that to like an absolutely different level. You don't need to keep 949 01:02:00,599 --> 01:02:04,000 the ball high, I don't know, three point range. When his his 950 01:02:04,159 --> 01:02:07,599 releases, it's insane. It's so cool. His like renaissance in LA just 951 01:02:07,679 --> 01:02:10,280 in general. We talked about this leading into the season, that he led 952 01:02:10,360 --> 01:02:14,519 them in total minutes last year has been maybe feel good as a Hornets fan, 953 01:02:14,719 --> 01:02:16,840 but like it's been really fun to watch. But have lost Niko, 954 01:02:16,920 --> 01:02:21,880 but Tuman Malik monk in back to back off seasons for minimum contracts past a 955 01:02:21,960 --> 01:02:24,079 second, if you lost Monks in the minimum though, that's that's on you. 956 01:02:24,119 --> 01:02:27,480 You clearly didn't want him, and so like that's, yeah, that's 957 01:02:27,480 --> 01:02:30,800 gotta be a little good. I don't understand why they didn't want or is 958 01:02:30,840 --> 01:02:32,719 the bar for the Lakers just that low. I mean he's been good. 959 01:02:34,199 --> 01:02:36,719 I think Monk is good. I think Monk is good, and he'll leave 960 01:02:36,719 --> 01:02:37,760 after the off season because they don't have Bird right, Yeah, he will 961 01:02:37,760 --> 01:02:43,039 have priced himself out. I did, unless he is so happy with his 962 01:02:43,679 --> 01:02:46,159 rumored new girlfriend Diggy as Alien in Los Angeles that he wants to stay here 963 01:02:47,440 --> 01:02:52,360 he's dating. I did not know that he is following the Nick Young blueprint 964 01:02:52,559 --> 01:02:55,440 to a freaking tea. Uh well, let's let's hope not to a freaking 965 01:02:55,519 --> 01:03:00,719 tea, because that didn't end so well for me. Young was one step 966 01:03:00,800 --> 01:03:05,199 that I would hope from a leak fund to avoid, and it probably includes 967 01:03:05,280 --> 01:03:08,440 hanging out with DeAngelo Russell or anyone who's specially you could also just be faithful 968 01:03:08,519 --> 01:03:13,760 would be the alternative, but throwing out both options the Clippers. Lastly, 969 01:03:14,119 --> 01:03:16,800 I'm hoping they bring back Roco and are able to keep Patum. I think 970 01:03:16,800 --> 01:03:21,039 he still has a player option for next year. Yeah, you have so 971 01:03:21,119 --> 01:03:24,599 many interesting now with if Kawai's healthy, Pg's healthy. We also didn't talk 972 01:03:24,599 --> 01:03:28,000 about like they might not have Norman Powell now for the rest of the season 973 01:03:28,039 --> 01:03:30,800 all of a sudden, like what the hell? They have so many like 974 01:03:30,920 --> 01:03:35,079 no guard small ball lineups that I would just love to see them trot out 975 01:03:35,119 --> 01:03:37,599 if you bring all those guys back. And so that's why I'm hoping they're 976 01:03:37,599 --> 01:03:38,960 still pretty much. I know people are like, oh, Roco might just 977 01:03:38,960 --> 01:03:42,199 be a rental because they want to make the playoffs. I'm like, fuck, 978 01:03:42,280 --> 01:03:44,679 no, bring him back like Portland was trying him at the five and 979 01:03:44,760 --> 01:03:47,679 you're specifically built to play that way. Yeah. I will say that the 980 01:03:47,880 --> 01:03:52,880 no guard all wing lineups don't work nearly as well when none of your guards 981 01:03:52,920 --> 01:03:54,480 are primary ball handlers. I mean, none of your wings are primary ball 982 01:03:54,519 --> 01:04:00,119 handlers. Like the Clippers without Reggie Jackson on the floor are a disaster at 983 01:04:00,119 --> 01:04:02,079 the moment because they don't have a backup point guard. And I get like, 984 01:04:02,239 --> 01:04:04,599 if you have to include Eric Klitz, it was matching salary and Norman 985 01:04:04,599 --> 01:04:09,719 Palatrod you'd do it like one hundred times out of one hundred. But if 986 01:04:09,840 --> 01:04:14,199 this team like actually wants to be good in a playoff series, and you 987 01:04:14,280 --> 01:04:16,000 know, Paul George and Foil Leonard are unavailable, like I do think, 988 01:04:16,400 --> 01:04:20,960 I do think there's a way that the Clippers could be a real nuisance to 989 01:04:21,039 --> 01:04:25,239 the Warriors or the Suns in a playoff series even without their two stars. 990 01:04:25,440 --> 01:04:27,960 Like I don't think they would win said series, but I think they could 991 01:04:28,000 --> 01:04:30,719 be really, really uncomfortable for them. You gotta get some sort of point 992 01:04:30,760 --> 01:04:32,679 guard off the buy out market though, in order for that to happen, 993 01:04:32,800 --> 01:04:36,599 because Reggie Jackson is having to play like forty minutes and it's a disaster when 994 01:04:36,599 --> 01:04:42,039 he's off the court. Hashtag get a shooter hash I don't know what other 995 01:04:42,079 --> 01:04:44,920 plays yeah available for them. I mean, Sammy Osuly is just you know, 996 01:04:45,039 --> 01:04:47,039 sitting in a roster spot, no real need for him. Would you 997 01:04:47,159 --> 01:04:55,079 so the Clippers without Kauai or the Nuggets without Jamal Murray slash Michael Porter Junior, 998 01:04:55,119 --> 01:04:58,199 who would pose a bigger threat in a Warrior's if they're going up against 999 01:04:58,199 --> 01:05:00,239 the Warrior the Sun, you would take it as the Clippers just because of 1000 01:05:00,239 --> 01:05:02,880 how they defend. I would think the Clippers because of how they defend. 1001 01:05:02,920 --> 01:05:04,960 Yeah, yeah, because they're just gonna attack, like the Warriors, just 1002 01:05:05,000 --> 01:05:10,159 gonna attack your over and over again. It is a podcast with us on 1003 01:05:10,280 --> 01:05:12,599 it, though, so I do feel obligated to ask you have any Sterling 1004 01:05:12,639 --> 01:05:15,119 Brown or de Laan Wright takes that you need to uncork before we are are 1005 01:05:15,239 --> 01:05:20,440 Sterling Round and Delan Right these days. It's one of the good the not 1006 01:05:20,599 --> 01:05:27,000 good players that surrounds Luka Don Chitch and Delauan Right is still in Atlanta hanging 1007 01:05:27,039 --> 01:05:31,320 out with old friend lou willis for them too. Yeah, I've always been 1008 01:05:31,599 --> 01:05:34,960 intrigued by the theory of Delan Right. That Utah scene with him and Kyle 1009 01:05:35,039 --> 01:05:39,639 Kuzma and Yaka Fertile. That was a good college team. Uh. And 1010 01:05:39,760 --> 01:05:42,960 he just even like looking back at his time in Toronto, like he ran 1011 01:05:43,119 --> 01:05:45,639 some really feisty bench units when they're primary. Yeah, that's right. He 1012 01:05:45,800 --> 01:05:50,400 was part of those Kyle Lowry plus bench units. Right. Yeah, Sabrina, 1013 01:05:50,480 --> 01:05:54,079 this was awesome. As usual, You're able to tell our listeners where 1014 01:05:54,079 --> 01:05:56,960 they can find you on social media and all the great work that you do. 1015 01:05:58,159 --> 01:06:01,280 Yeah. So I'm on social on Twitter at Sabrina and JM and you 1016 01:06:01,400 --> 01:06:06,679 can find all my work covering women's basketball at switchpeel dot com. To do 1017 01:06:06,800 --> 01:06:10,480 follow her, She's a fantastic follow up, great basketball mine. Thank you 1018 01:06:10,559 --> 01:06:13,599 so much again for giving me a bunch of your time, and I hope, 1019 01:06:13,599 --> 01:06:15,719 as you know by now, I'm going to be pestering you down the 1020 01:06:15,800 --> 01:06:17,800 road, so I will be talking to you soon. Yeah. Even having 1021 01:06:17,880 --> 01:06:19,880 moved out of the NBA, you still found a way to get me back. 1022 01:06:21,039 --> 01:06:24,719 Yeah. And you were able to uplift the podcasts like you always eat. 1023 01:06:24,760 --> 01:06:28,440 I found a way for you to bury the podcast even more than normal.