1 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:19,920 What is krack alackin Hardwood Knock listeners, I am oh Fellows thermonuclear or a 2 00:00:20,039 --> 00:00:23,359 efforts, I apologize? What is up? I am Damp Valley coming at 3 00:00:23,359 --> 00:00:29,640 you with my certified fantabulous co host Grant Hughes. We have a segment oriented 4 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,799 podcast. We're just gonna go through a bunch of random questions, factor fiction, 5 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,439 start bench cuts. We thought that'd be a good exercise since I wasn't 6 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,799 up on top of soliciting the mail bad questions this week, and we don't 7 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,280 have as many as we would need to put out what I think is a 8 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:46,359 good enough episode. So we'll get to that eventually to beef those up. 9 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,159 But first, please remember to subscribe to us. If you're on YouTube watching, 10 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:52,920 hit that sub button, hit like comment, help you algorithm of us 11 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,960 back, subscribe to us wherever you get your podcast Apple, Spotify, Google, 12 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,200 Stitcher as a whole nine. If you've done both those things, cross 13 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,320 sub and if you've done that, please get the word out there about Shout 14 00:01:02,399 --> 00:01:04,680 us out on Twitter. Tell people who you know are looking for basketball podcasts 15 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:11,000 about Hardwood Knox and how great, how thoroughly mediocrely middlingly great it is over 16 00:01:11,079 --> 00:01:14,000 here join our discord. The link to that is in the podcast and YouTube 17 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,159 description. A lot of great discussions happening in there every day, so hop 18 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,959 in finally follow us on all the socials. Those are on screen if you're 19 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:25,079 on YouTube where they're in the podcast description at Hardwood Knox on TikTok, Twitter 20 00:01:25,159 --> 00:01:30,439 and YouTube at Hardwood Underscore Knox on Instagram, who Grant, How the heck 21 00:01:30,439 --> 00:01:32,959 are you doing since we last spoke, which was when listeners hear this, 22 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:34,239 it might be a day or two, but it was. It was even 23 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,879 longer than that for us. It was like five minutes, give or take. 24 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:41,079 Yeah, I mean the lots changed, the Sun's got bought, so 25 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:45,959 that was big. But yeah, no, I feel I feel similarly enthused. 26 00:01:46,079 --> 00:01:49,439 And just to just to buttress your point about discord, just a lot 27 00:01:49,519 --> 00:01:53,359 of great discussions and only like eighty five percent of it is what the Nuggets 28 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,599 should try to get for Michael Porter's guene. So there's a lot of variety. 29 00:01:56,799 --> 00:02:00,439 That's probably it's best feature. This is on the agenda, but it 30 00:02:00,519 --> 00:02:05,000 was breaking while we were doing our all star podcast. Four billion dollars for 31 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,760 the Suns. I'm just happy Robertsarver is going to be out there. His 32 00:02:07,799 --> 00:02:10,319 punishment is just getting even filthy or rich. Hopefully he'll be able to cope 33 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:15,759 with that. We're four billion, like forget you know, the ties to 34 00:02:15,479 --> 00:02:17,800 Michigan, and I don't want to mispronounce his name, but we're doing this 35 00:02:17,879 --> 00:02:23,120 off the cup. I think as matt Ishbaia, the primary purchaser name being 36 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,439 here, they expected to be approved. Poor Rohich is considered a formality. 37 00:02:27,319 --> 00:02:30,879 Four billion dollars right where you expected high or lower than you thought. I 38 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,400 think that was the you know, I think i'd seen maybe four and a 39 00:02:34,439 --> 00:02:37,120 half, but like if it were lower than four, that would have been 40 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:39,280 the surprise, because it just seemed like if you're selling an NBA team in 41 00:02:39,319 --> 00:02:43,319 any kind of decent market, that's about where it is now. And Phoenix 42 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,840 is like sneakily a lot of players want to live there. It's close enough 43 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:51,840 to La that he use a short short flight like seems about right. You 44 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,879 know, it's not my money, so it's four billion seems great. Yeah, 45 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:58,840 I'm like, I'm just curious and I'm not sure if it's I just 46 00:02:58,879 --> 00:03:00,479 want to know, like what would the Wars of the Lakers with the Knicks 47 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,759 go for at this moment if they were up. Is this just an issue 48 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,599 of we're not scaling, We're scaling too far enough, like ahead and saying, 49 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:10,120 oh, well, if the Suns went for four, the Warriors would 50 00:03:10,159 --> 00:03:13,759 go for eight. And maybe it's just really closer than we think. Or 51 00:03:13,759 --> 00:03:15,560 would that be like if just one of those teams was for sale, that 52 00:03:15,599 --> 00:03:21,280 would just be mind meltingly expensive, or the number would come back and just 53 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,199 smack us right in the face. I'm just I'm curious. Yeah, i'd 54 00:03:23,199 --> 00:03:27,400 have said seven or eight. I think that's that's right about it for those 55 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,400 three specifically. I don't know you get anywhere close to that for anybody else, 56 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,840 maybe Miami, I don't know. I'm wondering how quickly it's approved, 57 00:03:32,879 --> 00:03:37,439 because I had also wondered if this was holding up the Sun's doing actual business, 58 00:03:37,599 --> 00:03:40,120 like Robert Stover's technically not involved with the team, but would that have 59 00:03:40,439 --> 00:03:45,360 impinged They're they're spending it all at the trade deadline ability to take on longer 60 00:03:45,439 --> 00:03:49,080 term money, and so I'm curious of having this clarity. Doesn't mean Jay 61 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,680 Crowd is gonna be traded in five minutes, but if the approval is expected 62 00:03:51,719 --> 00:03:54,039 to come through very quickly. Is there just a scenario where Okay, now 63 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:59,800 the Suns are maybe more aggressive in planning like ahead for their future, or 64 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,319 even just more aggressive at the trade deadline. I don't need to tie this 65 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,840 back into trades. I was just Jay Crowder is not with the team, 66 00:04:03,879 --> 00:04:06,360 doesn't want to be with the team, and he's just still on the roster. 67 00:04:06,759 --> 00:04:10,280 Yeah, I mean, it can't hurt and that on that front. 68 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:14,680 The other thing is that I think Baxter Homes on Monday this week had to 69 00:04:14,879 --> 00:04:19,560 report about there's like fifteen high level executives that are that's you know, it's 70 00:04:19,639 --> 00:04:25,800 some some level of responsibility for the shittiness that went on in Phoenix, you 71 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:29,079 know, is attached to them, and they're just still employed. So I 72 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,000 think, you know, with that story dropping, getting the sale news out 73 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,439 now and getting the sale done, I think is a positive on that front 74 00:04:34,439 --> 00:04:38,079 too, because I assume there's going to be some house cleaning or further house 75 00:04:38,079 --> 00:04:40,680 cleaning than there already was. I might even think it we could go as 76 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,720 far as calling it a purge if it's as many as fifteen, maybe, 77 00:04:43,879 --> 00:04:47,079 you know, so more lighthearted segue here, we just have a bunch of 78 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,920 stuff that we wanted to get through. But I have to ask you the 79 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:55,360 first one as we're getting in the season. This came from Cyborgian on Discord. 80 00:04:55,800 --> 00:05:00,000 What's the most overrated holiday beverage? And you can even I didn't put 81 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,319 food in there, But what's like the most overrated edible drinkable holiday thing? 82 00:05:04,959 --> 00:05:09,639 Well, just the first thing that comes to my This isn't even a Christmas 83 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,920 thing, a holiday thing, just the just the turkey. Like, we 84 00:05:12,959 --> 00:05:15,959 don't need a turkey. I think we I think we need to think outside 85 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,879 the box. I think Christmas is more of a ham situation, which I'm 86 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:23,439 which I have better feelings about than a turkey. It's never the star right, 87 00:05:23,519 --> 00:05:26,240 Like it's just always sort of there. You can do a decent turkey, 88 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:30,480 but even a decent turkey is pretty low on the list of like quality 89 00:05:30,519 --> 00:05:32,759 main dishes. If you're just gonna have like some kind of animal in there, 90 00:05:32,959 --> 00:05:35,759 I do anything with like a give me some pork, give me some 91 00:05:35,879 --> 00:05:39,519 like some kind of cut of steak. You know, there's so many better 92 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,319 ways to go than just a turkey. I would prefer to have tofu over 93 00:05:43,399 --> 00:05:47,279 Ham, so that monster I want. The drink question is good, Do 94 00:05:47,319 --> 00:05:50,040 you have a drink? I'll kick it back to you because I have some 95 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:55,199 thoughts. I'm just gonna assume that anything pumpkin flavor is ineligible for this, 96 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:59,319 because pumpkin is absolutely trash, and anyone who who likes it, I question 97 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:04,040 your morals as a human being. But like this, the peppermint flavored shit. 98 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,600 And it's maybe it's because I don't like candy canes, which are just 99 00:06:06,639 --> 00:06:10,879 like these really pointy, long ass breath mints or whatever they're supposed to be. 100 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,639 These peppermint flavored beverages that come out I've even seen like peppermint eggnog, 101 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:18,399 and Eggnog's probably overrated in and of itself, but it's like peppermint frothy beverages. 102 00:06:18,439 --> 00:06:21,759 Starbucks will come out with them. Just no, any peppermint is no, 103 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,079 it's just like if I want it, like, I'd rather just chew 104 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,720 on like a mentos or something like. I don't need fucking peppermint in anything 105 00:06:28,759 --> 00:06:30,399 that I'm that I'm drinking or eating. I don't need to see like these 106 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:34,639 peppermint cookies. No, like where these peppermint like I don't like. I 107 00:06:34,759 --> 00:06:38,519 guess I've never seen peppermint cakes or pies, but like they're peppermint flavor. 108 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,040 There's definitely peppermint cupcakes. Absolutely not. I've never even tried them. I 109 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:46,000 can tell you that they're overrated as shit or just awful as anything. Okay, 110 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,319 so first of all, we're gonna have some serious disagreements now that we're 111 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:53,319 talking. We just we had no absolutely no arguments over all stars. But 112 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,000 now that we're talking about something important, we're gonna have to really, like, 113 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:58,839 you know, we're gonna be ourselves. We're not gonna just yes hand 114 00:06:58,879 --> 00:07:04,680 each other. So your peppermint take is incorrect. Peppermint by itself, nobody 115 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:09,160 likes peppermint by itself. Just a peppermint candy cane is in fact garbage. 116 00:07:09,199 --> 00:07:15,360 But peppermint as a bark or when crumbled up in conjunction with chocolate particularly, 117 00:07:15,439 --> 00:07:19,879 I've had how many, several over the last couple of days, these little 118 00:07:20,279 --> 00:07:27,879 these peppermint pretzel chocolate covered pretzel peppermint sticks excellent. You need to crumb the 119 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,839 peppermint needs to be crunched up. The sounds like as No, they're great, 120 00:07:30,839 --> 00:07:34,759 They're great. Peppermint and chocolate like a peppermint bark oh Man, excellent. 121 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:41,279 So this, but that goes into the drink thing. Peppermint drinks are 122 00:07:41,279 --> 00:07:45,680 tricky. If you're talking about like a hot chocolate with peppermint in it, 123 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:47,959 like a peppermint schnops in their mix, that's fine. I feel like this 124 00:07:48,079 --> 00:07:51,959 question is really trying to get us to badmouth eggnog, and I'm not gonna 125 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,839 do it because eggnog's fine. It's like just kind of like a weird milkshake 126 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,959 basically with some like spices in it. Are you aware of a drink called 127 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:05,680 hot buttered rum? And follow up? Do I even need to go further 128 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,319 than the name to just make your stomach turn? So isn't anything like butter 129 00:08:09,439 --> 00:08:13,720 beer from Harry Potter? Because I've had that at Universal and that's actually delicious, 130 00:08:13,759 --> 00:08:16,319 whether it's hot or cold. Well, I'm sure that's just like a 131 00:08:16,319 --> 00:08:22,439 bunch of sugar syrup shot into something. This but there's here's the two. 132 00:08:22,519 --> 00:08:28,199 The first two ingredients and hot buttered rum are rum and melted butter. I'm 133 00:08:28,199 --> 00:08:33,519 out immediately, don't need to know anything else that's disgusting. Butter just horrible. 134 00:08:35,039 --> 00:08:39,039 It's like you've you've lost me with the first two ingredients. I have 135 00:08:39,159 --> 00:08:43,399 never had hot buttered drum. I never will. That sounds atrocious as not 136 00:08:43,519 --> 00:08:48,120 something a person should be consuming. And in my research for this, I 137 00:08:48,159 --> 00:08:50,559 learned it goes back to colonial times. There are a lot of things from 138 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:52,879 colonial times that we should abandon, and I think hot buttered rum is probably 139 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,000 number one, So get out of here. The other thing we should probably 140 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:01,240 abandon is leaving out milk for Santa that not being chilled actively, like can 141 00:09:01,279 --> 00:09:05,080 you put it in an ice bucket or something. You're trying to poison Santa 142 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:09,879 Claus with just curdled sour warm like tepid room temperature milk has been sitting out 143 00:09:09,919 --> 00:09:13,919 for every many hours. Also irresponsible because warm milk is supposed to make you 144 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:18,039 fall asleep, and this guy is supposed to be flying around and landing on 145 00:09:18,159 --> 00:09:22,360 roofs and that's you know, distracted driving. We don't need that. He's 146 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:26,080 got he's got work to do. I'm tired of tradition taking presents over the 147 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:28,919 well being of Santa Claus. That's really just my the hill of I'm prepared 148 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:33,240 to die on. Yeah, I'm with you. Next up, this is 149 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:39,039 a little bit more basketball related, apparently, but factor fiction, the Celtics 150 00:09:39,039 --> 00:09:41,080 start to the season was overrated. And we say this as they have the 151 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:46,120 worst offense in the league over their last five games. Their defense has picked 152 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,039 up during that time, but they went from having this historically great offense, 153 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,799 so now they've been dead last over the past five games. What are your 154 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:54,639 what are just your thoughts and where the Celtics are at right now? I 155 00:09:54,639 --> 00:09:58,519 mean, overrated is the word I'm hung up on. I mean, like 156 00:09:58,639 --> 00:10:05,000 we so, I guess if you expected the Celtics to basically set the record 157 00:10:05,039 --> 00:10:09,240 for offensive efficiency and then have everyone on in the entire organization like down to 158 00:10:09,399 --> 00:10:15,320 like the equipment managers shooting forty three percent from three, Like, yeah, 159 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,559 I guess this is like disappointing and we overrated them. But like, and 160 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:22,159 the numbers are are rough. It's not just the last five. Just if 161 00:10:22,159 --> 00:10:26,279 you filter starting December first, they're last in offense, They're last in rim 162 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:31,360 frequency, Like they don't get to the basket at all anymore. They're just 163 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,879 not making threes at all. Their twenty eighth and three point accuracy in that 164 00:10:33,919 --> 00:10:39,720 stretch. But like even now, so yeah, sure they are not going 165 00:10:39,799 --> 00:10:43,519 to be the best offense in the league. I do think we should note 166 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:46,759 that they're the third best defense since December first, and that's kind of more 167 00:10:46,759 --> 00:10:50,440 in line seventh overall too, I think for something. So that's more what 168 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:54,519 we expected, I think. So I don't think the Celtics are broken. 169 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,200 I think some of the issues they're having like existed last year and they kind 170 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:01,399 of got over them. The stagnation, the term overs that stuff. The 171 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,919 shooting will will revert. It's just like the sample is small enough still where 172 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:09,960 I do put some value in the incredibly hot start. I do put some 173 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:13,519 stock in this rough stretch. But like I mean, are they not going 174 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:16,279 to be a top ten offense at the end of the year. Maybe, 175 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,279 but like they're not going to be there, They're not going to be terrible, 176 00:11:18,279 --> 00:11:20,360 and their defense might be the best in the league by that time. 177 00:11:20,399 --> 00:11:26,639 So not not too concerned. Boxer Celtics give me the bucks. There were 178 00:11:26,639 --> 00:11:31,720 my preseason East representative, So I think I'll just stick with that. If 179 00:11:31,759 --> 00:11:33,440 you have your honestly and he's healthy, you're gonna have to do a lot 180 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:37,279 of work to kind of talk me off of that. So I but there 181 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:39,919 might there is something that sometimes feels broken about their half court offense. Maybe 182 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,840 it's just Chris Milton hasn't played enough this season, but they're averaging point seven 183 00:11:43,919 --> 00:11:48,039 two points per isolation possession this season, so that worries me. But I'm 184 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:52,039 with you, the Celtics weren't overrated. I am starting to read I mean, 185 00:11:52,039 --> 00:11:52,799 the boxer might pick to come out of the East. I'm not really 186 00:11:52,799 --> 00:11:56,200 rethinking anything, but it's just was this sort of a rush to coronate as 187 00:11:56,240 --> 00:12:01,639 the Celtics is the closest thing to a championship inevitable this season had Yeah, 188 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,440 it's it's I know, I know they are supposed to be quick, but 189 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:07,519 it's just a signal of, like we gotta chill out with the you know, 190 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:11,759 five and ten games stretches defying the season, like the Pelicans are the 191 00:12:11,759 --> 00:12:13,159 greatest team on earth, and then they kind of struggle a little bit, 192 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:16,720 and then now we're not so sure, and you know, the Celtics are 193 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,360 the greatest offense ever, and then they have some off nights and it just, 194 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:22,639 you know, apply that all across the league, like trust your priors, 195 00:12:22,639 --> 00:12:26,799 trust your preseason predictions and thoughts. Even more still, now that we're 196 00:12:26,799 --> 00:12:30,200 a third of away into the season than what's happened in the last couple of 197 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,919 weeks leading into Christmas Day games. I thought it would be fun to do 198 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:39,279 this one start, bench, cut Jannie, Yokich, and bead brutal. 199 00:12:41,039 --> 00:12:43,600 I'm starting Yannis. I think he's the best player in the world. I 200 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:46,279 have no notes, just as we've said all year. I have no notes 201 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:50,720 for Yannis or the Bucks. I'm gonna bench Yokich and I'm gonna cut and 202 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:56,559 bead. That's real tough. But Yoka just won two MVPs in a row 203 00:12:56,639 --> 00:13:00,360 and Beads finished second. That's gonna do it for me. I cut you, 204 00:13:00,399 --> 00:13:03,120 honest, I would start Yokich, I would start you honest, I 205 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:07,320 would bench Yoki, and I would cut embiid. I just as I know 206 00:13:07,519 --> 00:13:11,480 that six or strains are probably tired of hearing the durability argument they are, 207 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:15,159 especially from Yokich stands. But like that, even if you think embiad is 208 00:13:15,159 --> 00:13:18,480 the more dominant player of the two, I want to guarantee like seventy plus 209 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:22,679 games of Yokich every season. Yeah, even if it was and make conference 210 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,039 finals. How about sixers, I mean, even if even if the Nuggets 211 00:13:26,039 --> 00:13:30,360 one was iffy and bubbly. Still, That's that's the thing. I want 212 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:33,039 to throw the next one to you because I feel like this is just could 213 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:37,039 we have a more tailor made question for the two of us, who'd you 214 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,120 rather have for the rest of their career? RJ Barrett or Jordan Pool? 215 00:13:41,639 --> 00:13:45,000 So for the rest of their career, not what's happened where we see in 216 00:13:45,039 --> 00:13:48,399 Jordan Pool like come up big in some pretty high leverage moments. I'd rather 217 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:50,080 have RJ. Barrett. And I know I flip flopped a lot on him. 218 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:54,360 He feels more plug in play. And I know Jordan Pool, there's 219 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:58,240 this school of thought that when he's starting, I mean, his numbers have 220 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,960 just been better when he's starting, but like you don't necessarily need that from 221 00:14:01,039 --> 00:14:05,559 him when Steph is there. And I keep going back to this, the 222 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:07,919 Warriors have never had and forget about his rookie season, and you can even 223 00:14:07,919 --> 00:14:11,679 throw out most of the sophomore season. I know we spent a good amount 224 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:13,960 of time in the G League there, They've just never had an above average 225 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:18,480 offense when he plays without Steff on the court. And I think that this 226 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:22,559 season he's been objectively bad. There have been some highs, including that game 227 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,360 against the Toronto Raptors where they didn't have Steff. But there's just like I 228 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:30,200 still think he's an underrated finisher, can be a better passer, but the 229 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,399 turnovers have been weird at points this season. And I'm not just looking at 230 00:14:33,399 --> 00:14:37,679 this season alone. I look at RJ. Barrett wing sized, started off 231 00:14:37,679 --> 00:14:39,399 the season terrible defensively, probably gotten a little bit better there. We're starting 232 00:14:39,399 --> 00:14:43,840 to see the shooting normalize from the perimeter. He's very much more plug in 233 00:14:43,919 --> 00:14:46,600 play and so my issue here is not my issue, but I look at 234 00:14:46,639 --> 00:14:50,399 this as these are two non stars. I don't think RJ. Barrett's going 235 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:52,480 to be an all NBA type player, all NBA type building block, and 236 00:14:52,519 --> 00:14:56,159 I think people believe the jury is still out on that. For Jordan Pool, 237 00:14:56,519 --> 00:15:00,559 I do not. And when he is such a zero for you offensively 238 00:15:00,799 --> 00:15:03,240 to where you have to think can I close games with him? Especially when 239 00:15:03,279 --> 00:15:05,600 Steph is going to be on the floor, and especially well, what does 240 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,759 Clay Thompson look like on that night could depend on that too. That's just 241 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:13,720 too many mental hurdles to get over to then invest in someone as a core 242 00:15:13,799 --> 00:15:16,840 part of your team, where yes, we may need to you know, 243 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:20,240 if everything pans out, does Jordan Pool have the higher ceiling maybe just because 244 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:24,440 of the way that perimeter shock creation works. And as a primary playmaker, 245 00:15:24,639 --> 00:15:26,720 I still think there's another level for Barrett to get to as a passer. 246 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,679 If the Knicks playman smarter lineups were eventually get rid of Randall and sort of 247 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:33,720 open up the share of the offense and open up just the half court in 248 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:37,799 general. And we've seen them do a better job opening up the half court. 249 00:15:37,879 --> 00:15:41,039 Just I think RJ. Barrett's role has room for improvement more. But 250 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,240 overall, when we're looking at these two level of players the rest of their 251 00:15:43,279 --> 00:15:46,559 career, I want someone who I think I can plug in somewhere and know 252 00:15:46,639 --> 00:15:50,639 that they're going to make a net positive impact. That's RJ. Barrett over 253 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,399 Jordan Pool for me. So I'm taking Pool, and I think the best 254 00:15:54,519 --> 00:15:58,639 argument for Barrett. You made good arguments for Barrett. It's it's a close 255 00:15:58,679 --> 00:16:03,200 case. Is that he's almost a full year younger than Pool, which at 256 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,480 this juncture of a career like actually matters because we're talking about rest of your 257 00:16:06,519 --> 00:16:08,759 career. How much runway do you have to improving. We agree both of 258 00:16:08,759 --> 00:16:14,159 them need to get a lot better. I really put this on and I 259 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:18,559 think we agree about this. Perimeter shot creation, the ability to get shots 260 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:22,240 for yourself and for teammates at high volume with good efficiency is the single most 261 00:16:22,279 --> 00:16:26,320 important skill and in like in a player that can that you can have, 262 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:30,120 and I think Pools just has been and will be better at that than Barrett 263 00:16:30,399 --> 00:16:33,320 for the duration. So just like Pool has been bad this year, it's 264 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:37,879 been really rough defensively, there's no I think he's one of the worst defensive 265 00:16:37,879 --> 00:16:41,720 guards in the league. But even with you know, a really tough stretch 266 00:16:41,759 --> 00:16:45,240 of games, He's at fifty six point nine percent true shooting on twenty eight 267 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:48,720 point eight percent usage, Barrett fifty two point one on twenty five six So 268 00:16:48,559 --> 00:16:52,000 volume in efficiency, Pool has still been better offensively. Last year the gap 269 00:16:52,039 --> 00:16:56,879 was enormous. Pool is just under sixty percent true shooting on more volume, 270 00:16:56,480 --> 00:17:00,399 actually slightly less volume. Barrett was barely over fifty one. Like these are 271 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:04,160 below league average true shooting figures. So the plug and play argument to me 272 00:17:04,279 --> 00:17:07,160 is tricky. With Barrett. He has the wing size, he has the 273 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:12,039 frame you want, and like a scalable guy, but like he just doesn't 274 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:18,759 score efficiently enough and make enough perimeter shots consistently for me to say, well, 275 00:17:18,799 --> 00:17:22,680 he's just gonna he's guaranteed to, you know, be a really quality 276 00:17:22,759 --> 00:17:26,839 piece or a starter going forward. Pool may not be that either, But 277 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,960 I just think what we know about Pool is that he can get shots, 278 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,880 and for me, that just kind of like tips it to him. But 279 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:37,720 yeah, like you're gonna have to scheme around him defensively, I think, 280 00:17:37,759 --> 00:17:41,599 although it is easier to do that with like a small guard that's gonna guard 281 00:17:41,599 --> 00:17:45,759 ones and twos, then for Barrett this is an issue. He's fine, 282 00:17:45,839 --> 00:17:49,359 I think defensively with some inconsistency, like he's gonna guard a wing and he's 283 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,400 gonna be okay. But offensively, Barrett's like a tough fit sometimes because if 284 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:57,279 the ball is just not going to go in, you know, I'm not 285 00:17:57,319 --> 00:18:02,319 sure. I'm not sure like how plug and play he actually is, because 286 00:18:02,519 --> 00:18:07,039 he cramps a team spacing at at this juncture as opposed to like being an 287 00:18:07,039 --> 00:18:10,880 asset in that regard, I would disagree on crimping the spacing. The catch 288 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:12,680 and shoot numbers aren't there for him. They're not there for Jordan Pool really 289 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:17,160 this season either. But like we've seen those catching shoot numbers tick up, 290 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:22,240 and I think also there's a when you look at Barrett's role, like he 291 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,279 is not going to actively shoot you out of games, because there are different 292 00:18:25,279 --> 00:18:27,480 ways to use him within the offense where if you need to give Jordan Pool 293 00:18:27,599 --> 00:18:32,240 like that type of volume he's going to continue to take because pull up jumpers 294 00:18:32,839 --> 00:18:34,640 are a problem, Like they're just not falling at even the clip they wore 295 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:37,519 last season when he was still kind of a below average pull up jump shooter 296 00:18:38,039 --> 00:18:41,279 statistically anyway, And he's still going to take those shots because that's such a 297 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:45,720 huge part of his value, even though I think the finishing and the passing 298 00:18:45,799 --> 00:18:48,559 is there too. So not again, not entirely sold on it, but 299 00:18:48,599 --> 00:18:52,440 I think at this point I'm maybe I'm just being too like colored by the 300 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:56,319 most of the season that we've seen from Jordan Pool right now. Yeah, 301 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:59,440 it's been rough, there's no doubt, Like defensively, especially again, I 302 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,759 don't know how you weigh it, but just there are quarters at a time 303 00:19:02,759 --> 00:19:06,680 where he's just not in a stance and like we'll just just blow by after 304 00:19:06,759 --> 00:19:08,599 blow, but it's like it's real tough. I don't know how much that 305 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:14,759 matters, but just optically man like. It's it's it's stuff to handle. 306 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,799 This one was inspired by something Jolt the Goat said and discord. So start 307 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:26,319 Bench, Cut, Desmond Baine, Tyres, Haliburton, Darius Garland. So 308 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,880 I'm starting Haliburton. I'm in the bag for Haliburton. I just love how 309 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:32,839 he plays, you know, one of the best passers in the league, 310 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:36,599 makes threes off the catch, off the dribble, super smart, makes guys 311 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,160 better. That was the easy part for me. The next one is brutal. 312 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:47,960 I think I probably go bench Baine and cut Garland, and I think 313 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:52,440 it's because Bain, to me, has been and it's hard because he's missed 314 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,920 so much time this year. It feels like we've sort of forgotten about him. 315 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:57,759 But in terms of the beginning of a career, he's about as good 316 00:19:57,759 --> 00:20:00,839 at high volume three point shooter is like we've ever seen. And I think 317 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:07,519 that's just a signature elite skill that coupled with what we saw earlier this year, 318 00:20:07,559 --> 00:20:11,440 improved like on ball stuff, improved playmaking. I think he's a much 319 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:17,599 more valuable defender really than any of these guys. Garlands. Garlands the only 320 00:20:17,599 --> 00:20:19,440 guy of these three that have been that's been an All Star. He's just 321 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:23,960 he feels a little too small for me sometimes and that's like a nitpicky thing, 322 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:30,440 but really small guards just have it harder, especially if you're if you're 323 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:34,000 expected to make plays. And this is gonna. I won't say anything more 324 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,480 about that, but it's tight. Haliburton is the easy start for me, 325 00:20:37,559 --> 00:20:41,440 but the other two guys, it's tough. I think Baine, though, 326 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:45,400 is the second best. I would probably Desmon Main defensive value makes that interesting 327 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,720 too, and just I feel like maybe we're too far removed from seeing how 328 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:52,400 good he was is the secondary creator in Memphis this season to w I'm thinking, 329 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:56,039 Oh, I thought it was Haliburton. You start Halibert and you bench 330 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,960 Darius Garland and then you cut Desmond Baine. It's not as much of a 331 00:21:00,279 --> 00:21:03,880 certainty, I guess now the way that you frame because I'm just thinking back 332 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:07,680 to how good he was at the start of this year, and there's the 333 00:21:07,759 --> 00:21:10,799 he's plugging play on offense, but might be able to give you the secondary 334 00:21:10,839 --> 00:21:12,759 minutes where jaws not off the court and he is sort of the engine of 335 00:21:12,759 --> 00:21:17,000 your half court offense. I need to see more of that though before I'm 336 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,759 gonna put him Ahad of Garland, who is just one of the best passers 337 00:21:19,799 --> 00:21:22,960 in the game when he gets in the in between range, Like yeah, 338 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:25,559 the decision making with the shots or those might not be falling at as high 339 00:21:25,559 --> 00:21:27,240 of a clip right now, but he is devastating when it comes to, 340 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:32,640 you know, teeing up his his teammates, and the variability of his speed 341 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:34,759 on ball when when he's attacking, and just this, you know, the 342 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:38,000 on a whim stop on a dime decision making, whether it's shooting or passing. 343 00:21:38,039 --> 00:21:41,160 I value that too, and I don't think Baine has that level of 344 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:45,319 facilitation in him, at least not right now. Yeah, that's fair. 345 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:48,599 I'm gonna see, Oh do you do you want to do one of them? 346 00:21:48,839 --> 00:21:52,559 No? No, you go, So I have this. I want 347 00:21:52,599 --> 00:21:56,599 to see how many players you can name out of this little this little stat 348 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:59,960 that I found, And we're gonna try and do like Stat of the Week 349 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,759 here, but I wanted to see moving forward, something that we find interesting 350 00:22:03,799 --> 00:22:07,160 either of us. As we just recovering the NBA full time, there are 351 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:12,599 exactly one hundred players who have finished at least twenty ISO possessions this season. 352 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:18,400 Who are how many of the top five and point score per possession? Can 353 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:23,559 you name? Uh? DeMar Derozen No, damn it, that was my 354 00:22:23,599 --> 00:22:27,480 surest one. I'll just I'll go through Sga, Oh, Luca, Luca's 355 00:22:27,519 --> 00:22:32,599 gotta be one, right, No, well, I'm running out of guys 356 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:37,279 de Ros and SGA. Luca used to be hardened. I'm not gonna I'm 357 00:22:37,319 --> 00:22:41,359 gonna float hardened, but I'm not gonna say hardened because you're gonna tell me 358 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,759 no, no, you have to cut me off at five wrong guests hard 359 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:48,480 Okay? So Harden is six? Okay, actually sorry, Harden's tied for 360 00:22:48,559 --> 00:22:52,319 fifth. Okay, So no, I wasn't shut out good who. I 361 00:22:52,319 --> 00:22:56,279 don't think you're gonna get one of them. I thought you were gonna get, 362 00:22:56,319 --> 00:23:00,079 but I don't think you're gonna get the other ones isolation scores. I 363 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:03,920 don't want to leave too much dead air here, so let's go with I'll 364 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:06,720 just say Booker. No, he's not on there either. So the top 365 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:10,079 five, and it's six because they're tied in this order. Kyrie is one 366 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:15,920 at one point three one points per possession, Larry Marketing is two, Eric 367 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,519 Gordon is three, Donovan Mitchell is four. That's the one I thought you 368 00:23:18,559 --> 00:23:22,440 were gonna get. And then D'Angel Russell and James Harden are tied for fifth. 369 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,680 Okay, I don't feel bad enough about not getting market In and Eric 370 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:27,880 Gordon I said, I didn't think you're gonna get those. Kyrie. I 371 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,680 was just like both of us have had him sort of on the back burner 372 00:23:30,759 --> 00:23:33,319 all season, so I kind of understood why you wouldn't get him. I 373 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:37,559 thought you might have gotten Donovan Mitchell. Yeah, I guess I don't. 374 00:23:37,799 --> 00:23:40,880 Weirdly don't think of him as an isolation guy. I don't know why he 375 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:45,160 has the highest effective field goal percentage of anyone in this field on isols. 376 00:23:45,519 --> 00:23:48,039 Yeah, probably because a lot of his isolation attempts are threes, because those 377 00:23:48,079 --> 00:23:51,599 all the dribble threes he's been, aside from staff, the best off the 378 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:53,400 dribble three point shooter in the game. There you go, all right, 379 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:57,960 I got one for you. So this is this is uh, they're okay, 380 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:00,519 Yeah, maybe pay attention to this. I don't know. There are 381 00:24:00,559 --> 00:24:06,279 thirteen players this season that average at least fifteen drives a game. Six of 382 00:24:06,319 --> 00:24:11,519 those guys shoot over fifty percent there on that high volume of drives, there 383 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:15,839 is one that has an assist percentage over fifteen percent on drives. So you 384 00:24:15,839 --> 00:24:21,160 can make the case that this guy is not is of high volume drivers, 385 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:26,160 the guy that is gonna make shots but really is going to spray it out 386 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,759 like better than anybody for good shots. Who who is this? Who am 387 00:24:29,759 --> 00:24:36,920 I describing? So the criteria is thirteen drives, fifteen drives over fifty percent 388 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:41,240 from the field on drives and this guy has is the only guy that has 389 00:24:41,279 --> 00:24:48,440 an assist percentage above fifteen percent on those drives. Holy crap, it Lucas 390 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:49,519 too much of an obvious answer. So it's not going to be him. 391 00:24:49,519 --> 00:24:52,559 And I don't think he passes that much on his drive. So it's not 392 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:56,599 Luca. It's not Shay because I don't think he would pass enough on those 393 00:24:56,599 --> 00:25:00,440 either. Oh my god, I don't know if I'm gonna e Is it 394 00:25:00,519 --> 00:25:04,640 Jail Brunson? No, it's uh so, Luca, You're you're kind of 395 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:10,680 The amazing thing is is we've we've sorted it for fifty percent or better shooting 396 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,880 on drives. Lucas at sixty three point one percent, which is like up 397 00:25:15,279 --> 00:25:19,160 ten percent better than anybody else on this list other than Zion, who is 398 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:25,119 just barely at fifteen percent or fifteen drives a game. In terms of scoring 399 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,000 on drives, Luca is just like, it's not close. He's by far 400 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:30,880 the best. But for reference, his assist percentage on drives is twelve point 401 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:34,480 nine, so he's below this cut off. I'll give you maybe one more 402 00:25:34,519 --> 00:25:38,519 and then I'll give it to you because this is this is hard. Fifteen 403 00:25:38,599 --> 00:25:41,279 drives, is it, Zion? No, fifteen is too high for Zion. 404 00:25:41,319 --> 00:25:45,799 I'm taking that back. No, he's he's uh, he's right at 405 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:51,559 fifteen, but his assist percentage is super low on drives. It's only five 406 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:53,559 percent. Honestly, I don't blame him. He's unstoppable. It's right, 407 00:25:53,599 --> 00:26:00,920 why would he pass? So it's Garland when I was, but it's freaking 408 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:04,799 Darius Garland. So I think this kind of this bolsters like both of our 409 00:26:04,839 --> 00:26:08,279 cases in a weird way, because you made the point of like he's just 410 00:26:08,319 --> 00:26:11,720 such a good passer. But I think a lot of it is like his 411 00:26:11,799 --> 00:26:18,079 shooting volume is like really low on drives, So what that says is he 412 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:22,160 gets in there and he's not tall enough to finish or go through contact, 413 00:26:22,279 --> 00:26:26,279 but he kicks it out and his passes are always good. He so Darius 414 00:26:26,279 --> 00:26:30,519 Garland getting in the lane is basically your best bet to get a good look 415 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:34,079 that doesn't come from him, because I think a lot of that's like he's 416 00:26:34,079 --> 00:26:37,599 got lobs to Alan, he's got lobs to Mobili, he's got kickouts to 417 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:41,759 Mitchell, doesn't have kickouts to literally anyone else on the team because no one 418 00:26:41,799 --> 00:26:47,160 else that plays can shoot. But I thought that was interesting, and it 419 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,759 makes me look stupid for cutting him, and it makes me look stupid for 420 00:26:49,799 --> 00:26:52,759 not thinking that he would have been I guess fifteen drives seemed high for him 421 00:26:52,799 --> 00:26:56,480 this year with Michel there, I don't think of him as a high volume 422 00:26:56,599 --> 00:27:00,400 drive guy. So this one is also Taylor made for you who says no. 423 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:06,200 The Warriors get Josh Richardson and Charlotte's twenty twenty three first round pick. 424 00:27:06,279 --> 00:27:10,160 It's top sixteen protected, then it's Lotto protected for two years and turns into 425 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,240 two seconds and so there's a chance it's not a first round pick. Then 426 00:27:12,279 --> 00:27:17,680 the Spurs get James Wiseman. So that's the key. The key to this 427 00:27:17,799 --> 00:27:19,759 is the pick, which I so it comes down to, are you trading 428 00:27:19,839 --> 00:27:26,240 James Wiseman for Josh Richardson And almost definitely a couple of seconds unless things really 429 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:30,480 turn around and Charlotte's so I'm just betting against Charlotte being better than the water. 430 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:36,079 So I think I think the Warriors say no, But it's like, 431 00:27:36,599 --> 00:27:41,599 what an indictment of Wiseman that you gotta think really hard about. Is richards 432 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,400 is Josh Richardson in a couple of seconds? For me, it's it's I'm 433 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:48,319 not And maybe this is wrong because Wiseman's value could drop further, but it 434 00:27:48,319 --> 00:27:53,000 feels like trading at the bottom of his value. It feels like while Richardson 435 00:27:53,039 --> 00:27:57,160 would probably be an upgrade. I think we joked about this off air as 436 00:27:57,240 --> 00:28:00,920 I was looking at this, like if you of Moses Moody Josh Richardson's minutes, 437 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:06,160 the numbers aren't like all that different except for assists numbers, And I 438 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:10,200 don't think Richardson will be asked to be a facilitator on Golden State, so 439 00:28:10,319 --> 00:28:12,799 like, I don't know that the upgrade is substantial enough. While conceding that 440 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:18,799 the Warriors like they need at least another guy to be in the rotation, 441 00:28:18,839 --> 00:28:21,759 so I think the Warriors say no, but man, it sucks that, 442 00:28:21,839 --> 00:28:23,559 like we really actually have to think about that. Are they more likely to 443 00:28:23,599 --> 00:28:29,839 say yes if it's Jacob Peartle, Well maybe because like I don't think Wiseman's 444 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,359 gonna play and Peartle would play, and that way, you're not just Anthony 445 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:36,640 Lamb I think is not someone you're gonna give rotation minutes too for the full 446 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:40,119 season. So yeah, I think Peartle might actually feel a bigger need that 447 00:28:40,279 --> 00:28:42,680 that's likelier I would say yeah, because you might keep Peartle. I don't 448 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:45,279 think Richardson would be someone you'd ever keep. See, And I look at 449 00:28:45,279 --> 00:28:48,359 it a different way. It's like, I guess if you're gonna keep Draymond 450 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:49,920 and Looney and you want comingo, Like, how much of a role is 451 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:52,079 Peartle gonna play for here? He's not gonna close for this team. And 452 00:28:52,079 --> 00:28:56,160 I think you would argue Josh Richardson wouldn't either, But I would also think 453 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:00,519 doesn't Josh Richardson have the clear path to closing? Then I don't think he 454 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:04,160 close, But yeah, I just don't know. I think I'm not saying 455 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:07,480 he would, But who would be more likely to in any giving game, 456 00:29:07,519 --> 00:29:10,920 would it be Peardle. Are you gonna close with Peartle and Dre or you're 457 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:12,960 gonna close with Josh Richardson And there's a lineup with Draymond at the five? 458 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:15,759 Maybe, yeah, you know, you're probably right, You're I don't well, 459 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:18,680 i'd I say neither of them is very likely to close. But yeah, 460 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:22,200 Peartle, like because Looney Looney closed finals games, you know, like 461 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:26,599 in certain situations, I don't think Peartle does the things that Looney does. 462 00:29:27,079 --> 00:29:30,359 If you're not gonna go Draymond at the five, that so that's I don't 463 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:36,319 know. I don't know. I think I think who's the worst player you 464 00:29:36,359 --> 00:29:40,000 would change trade James Wiseman for right now? Oh god, I have no 465 00:29:40,079 --> 00:29:42,319 idea who's even available, Like we'll give me, you gotta give me a 466 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:45,279 name or two. Like, so the deals have been flowed around there, 467 00:29:45,279 --> 00:29:48,279 like would you trade him for Kelly Olenick? Would you prefer Jay rich or 468 00:29:48,319 --> 00:29:52,200 Kelly Olynick? Well, I think you run in well, maybe you don't 469 00:29:52,279 --> 00:29:56,319 run into the same problem because his shooting could actually put him out there at 470 00:29:56,359 --> 00:29:59,559 the end of games with Draymond, because Draymond's gonna be on the floor at 471 00:29:59,599 --> 00:30:02,720 the end of game. I think you have Steph Wiggins and Draymond are your 472 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:04,720 three spots locked up? And I've kind of grant fathered Clay into that. 473 00:30:06,119 --> 00:30:08,960 Yeah, yeah, yeah, No, I think a link is better. 474 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:14,240 Is a better option than Peartle or Richardson. Wow. I just don't mean 475 00:30:14,319 --> 00:30:15,559 the Jazz I guess would give you a first round pick. Maybe they would, 476 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:18,960 Yeah, but the pick is the thing, Like, I you know, 477 00:30:19,279 --> 00:30:22,680 how bad is it that I thought about the Bulls pick in twenty twenty 478 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:26,039 five, But like that thing is top ten, then top eight, then 479 00:30:26,039 --> 00:30:29,160 like the Spurs aren't trading that because the Bulls. That's the thing. I 480 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:30,839 mean, it's Look, if this is what's out there, then maybe I'm 481 00:30:30,839 --> 00:30:36,079 wrong that this is, like, well, how much worse? How much 482 00:30:36,119 --> 00:30:40,240 worse could these offers get? Like for Wiseman, because I can stay hung 483 00:30:40,319 --> 00:30:45,400 up on his value has to improve just because it's so low. I just 484 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:48,079 I don't know that. I guess I was looking at it from if you 485 00:30:48,119 --> 00:30:51,519 get his salary off the books next season, you save like one hundred million 486 00:30:51,559 --> 00:30:53,759 dollars total because of taxes, which is not maybe they don't care, but 487 00:30:53,839 --> 00:30:59,400 if he's not really even playing for you and who is so this is better 488 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:03,920 what is the the player and it's a non star, Like what is the 489 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:06,480 player? And it's not specific twise me Like, what is the biggest need 490 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:08,640 for you for the Warriors right now? It's we talk about their bench depth 491 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:12,599 all the time, but like what specifically archetype or you know, specific type 492 00:31:12,599 --> 00:31:17,799 of value you're looking for. I think I maybe just too anchored to what 493 00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:22,240 worked last year, but speaking specifically about like a Gary Payton the second, 494 00:31:22,279 --> 00:31:26,000 but I think someone like Caruso. Alex Caruso is like the type of guy 495 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:29,720 and Deepncenzo has been a lot better lately because the ball's going in and that 496 00:31:29,799 --> 00:31:33,680 just changes everything for him. But someone that you can put in the game 497 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:38,839 to just really supercharge it and muck it up and create turnovers and make decent 498 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:42,720 decisions with the ball. Like that's that's really I think one of the main 499 00:31:42,759 --> 00:31:47,720 things they're missing. So if it's like if if if you get if the 500 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:49,880 Warriors could get Caruso and a pick for Wiseman, I think I probably do 501 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,279 that, but I would think that the Warriors might be the one setting out 502 00:31:53,279 --> 00:31:59,079 to pick an menequation Wiseman's gonna turn it around. Man, He's gonna learn 503 00:31:59,079 --> 00:32:01,920 how to catch a basketball eventually and everything will be fine. Yeah, that 504 00:32:02,039 --> 00:32:05,880 that'd be the type. I think that the type of player that they need, 505 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:07,599 not that there's all that many of those guys floating around. Did you 506 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:09,839 want to propose this? Who says not? Just because I was ready to 507 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:14,119 bounce it? And I'll state that I was the one that proposed in the 508 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:16,119 first place. YEA, yeah, sure. So who says no? The 509 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:22,839 Nuggets getting Davion Mitchell, Harrison Barnes, Rashaun Holmes, and the King's getting 510 00:32:22,119 --> 00:32:27,839 Michael Porter Junior, Christian Brown and Zeke Naji. I think the King say 511 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:32,839 no just because Michael Porter Junior's health is just so up in the air all 512 00:32:32,839 --> 00:32:37,400 the time. And I do think if you just surround them with more shooting, 513 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:39,119 that's fine. Harrison Barnes, when he's healthy, should be more. 514 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:42,880 It's gonna be more piddled to the defense. But I also think Michael Porter 515 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,160 Junior is more of an ability to be a playmaker on defense, is a 516 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:49,279 helper, and I wonder if that would factor in the equation. And part 517 00:32:49,359 --> 00:32:52,000 me was like, well, Harrison Barnes is going to be a free agent 518 00:32:52,039 --> 00:32:53,920 this sum Are they gonna keep him? But he's gonna make it less than 519 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:57,599 Michael Porter Jr. I know Michael Porter Junior's younger, but would you rather 520 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:00,880 have Harrison Barnes for the next three years or Michael Porter Junior for the next 521 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:02,920 three years? I don't think that's an easy answer. I don't and I 522 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:07,480 had something I can't remember. I think it was Betsy on Twitter was disagreeing 523 00:33:07,519 --> 00:33:08,880 with me and my value of davy On Mitchell. I think that's fair. 524 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:13,240 I just don't trust him on offense. I think that defenses play off him 525 00:33:13,279 --> 00:33:15,799 so much that yeah, he's made progress as a passer maintaining his dribble, 526 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:20,359 but if you start to involve him as the primary ball handler and more important 527 00:33:20,359 --> 00:33:22,359 lineups, I think you'll see him get flustered. Maybe I'm wrong there, 528 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:27,200 but I like they do need like sort of backup fives in Sacramento, and 529 00:33:27,279 --> 00:33:29,960 it's clearly not going to be Rashaun Holmes. Rashaun Holmes would be great in 530 00:33:30,039 --> 00:33:34,079 Denver. An upgrade over DeAndre Jordan helps their bench. And do you like 531 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:37,160 Christian Brown? Like he's shown some real flashes at both ends this year. 532 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:39,200 For Denver, I think you would have to value you would have to like 533 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:43,160 the idea of what Michael Porter Junior can become. If you're sacrament it's just 534 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:45,440 such as it's a huge commitment, and so I think the King's probably pretty 535 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:49,319 quickly hang up. But I was trying to find Denver a point of attack 536 00:33:49,359 --> 00:33:51,960 defender. I also don't know why either of these two teams, like involved 537 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:54,319 in the same playoff race, would ever do business. And I also sort 538 00:33:54,359 --> 00:33:58,079 of had a loss room, like we really still trying to find more defense 539 00:33:58,119 --> 00:34:00,759 for Denver. Like it's just they have lineups where they can roll out three 540 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:05,519 really good defenders at one semess just apparently that lineup is fine, but what 541 00:34:05,519 --> 00:34:07,960 it does to the rest of their depth just isn't enough. Yeah, So 542 00:34:08,239 --> 00:34:12,119 for me, I actually think the Nuggets say no, and I feel like 543 00:34:12,559 --> 00:34:15,679 one of the last MPJ holdouts, And a lot of it is just to 544 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:17,960 go back to the Wiseman stuff, like you'd be training him at like a 545 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:22,280 pretty low point in his value, and maybe that's where it is now because 546 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:24,199 this heel thing isn't going away. You've got all the back surgeries, all 547 00:34:24,199 --> 00:34:29,400 this other stuff. I still think Porter Junior just has a singular elite skill. 548 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:32,400 He's just one of the best shooters, especially from deep, that has 549 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:37,719 ever existed. It has done it for a relatively healthy season at like forty 550 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:42,840 four percent almost forty five percent. Just incredible shooter. I don't think Mitchell 551 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:46,119 is someone that should play rotation minutes on like a high end playoff team, 552 00:34:46,119 --> 00:34:51,320 just because I don't know where his offensive value is and he's a kind of 553 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:54,440 He's a great on ball defender, his size makes him not so great off 554 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:59,840 it. It's just I think the other thing is I think Holmes is a 555 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:04,239 piece that like is a buy low in contrast to Porter Junior. That could 556 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:08,880 help. But I'm not sure Barnes would improve Denver's defense, if that's the 557 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:14,679 point so much over Porter Junior because of some of the off ball help stuff 558 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:17,119 Porter Junior. I don't think he would. I just thought plug and play. 559 00:35:17,159 --> 00:35:20,760 His money comes off the books and they could play the same position. 560 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:22,880 Basically, you don't want to pay the money on the health are super compelling, 561 00:35:23,079 --> 00:35:28,119 super compelling because just to get off that contract that is just gonna pay 562 00:35:28,159 --> 00:35:31,480 Porter Junior like an All NBA player for half a decade, is that's a 563 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:37,199 priority. I just think the upside the version of the Nuggets that is the 564 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:42,559 best of these two possibilities includes Porter Junior just making tons of shots. I 565 00:35:42,559 --> 00:35:45,880 don't know how likely that is. It's gonna be really expensive. Also, 566 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:49,599 I really like Brown. I think I think Christian Brown is a rotation player. 567 00:35:50,039 --> 00:35:52,519 I think maybe not this year. But but that Low said like it 568 00:35:52,639 --> 00:35:55,880 was just an off handed comment. It was in a preseason thing where Christian 569 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:59,679 Brown is ready and I was like, what I have to ada madez from 570 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:02,079 DM we are about it, and he didn't really like and then oh yeah, 571 00:36:02,079 --> 00:36:05,360 he might be like is that more of a symptom of the state of 572 00:36:05,519 --> 00:36:09,599 Denver's like bench still but he's impressed. Had moments at both ends of the 573 00:36:09,639 --> 00:36:13,559 floor. And so if you, I still think that it's interesting that you 574 00:36:13,559 --> 00:36:15,920 think the Nuggets would say no, But if you if you view MPJ through 575 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:20,159 his peak lens, I would understand why you still want to hold out hope. 576 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:22,559 That's all it is. That's all it is, is like if you 577 00:36:22,679 --> 00:36:25,159 just get these guys, you know, if all these guys play the best 578 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:30,719 they realistically could, then Porter Junior just sent a different on a different level, 579 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:32,320 and all these guys I think just because of the shooting skill. It's 580 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:37,719 just the singular skill. I have another who says no for you, let's 581 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,880 hit it. The Lakers receive Fred van Fleet, Gary Trent Junior, Chris 582 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:47,159 Bouche, The Raptors get Russ Wantscano, Anderson, Max Christie swaps in twenty 583 00:36:47,159 --> 00:36:51,360 six and twenty eight, and then the Lakers twenty seven and twenty nine first 584 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:55,800 round picks. So I think the Lakers say no, and it's mainly because, 585 00:36:57,320 --> 00:37:00,360 well, there's a couple of reasons. One is they didn't seem keen 586 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:07,639 to do two picks and Russ for Miles Turner and Buddy Healed. It seems 587 00:37:07,679 --> 00:37:09,400 like probably maybe he can tell me if I'm wrong. It felt to me 588 00:37:09,559 --> 00:37:13,880 like if Indiana was gonna it, was ready to do it, the Lakers 589 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:15,679 like kind of were in charge of whether that was going to happen or not. 590 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:21,079 This feels like a worse deal for the Lakers because they're giving up those 591 00:37:21,119 --> 00:37:24,440 swaps, and the other thing is and with Ad getting hurt, I think 592 00:37:24,559 --> 00:37:29,800 that should probably push them farther away from from doing a win now move. 593 00:37:30,199 --> 00:37:35,119 The other thing that's kind of interesting is you have player options for Gary Trent 594 00:37:35,199 --> 00:37:38,480 Junior and Fred van Fleet. I don't know how likely it is Clutch family, 595 00:37:38,519 --> 00:37:42,199 so he's coming back, don't Wanner? Okay that that's a factor, 596 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:45,800 because this is going to eat into the cap space if either of them picks 597 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:50,559 up where they they opt out and get new deals. Do the Lakers have 598 00:37:50,639 --> 00:37:55,199 bigger aspirations than a couple of you know, starting caliber backcourt guys, although 599 00:37:55,239 --> 00:37:58,960 granted, like neither of them has played very well this year, Van Fleet 600 00:37:59,039 --> 00:38:01,199 just continue used to be under forty percent from the field. That seems like 601 00:38:01,199 --> 00:38:05,880 a problem. I just feel like this is not as good of a deal 602 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:10,320 as the Pacers deal, and the Lakers circumstances have changed such that they're less 603 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:14,199 likely to do something like this now, so I think they'd probably say no. 604 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:15,559 I thought the Raptors might say no. But I'm wondering if I was 605 00:38:15,599 --> 00:38:20,360 too aggressive on this, Like is there a deal here, Like let's throw 606 00:38:20,360 --> 00:38:22,079 that and let's say Anthony Davis is back, and like the Lakers are still 607 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:27,519 gunning for it at the moment, which is not an impost like implausible, 608 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:30,239 what would you give up for this package coming back? Because like, I 609 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:35,320 think the push and pull of this that's really difficult is the Lakers aren't giving 610 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:39,119 up a lot, but when your first real asset is not conveying until twenty 611 00:38:39,119 --> 00:38:43,119 twenty seven, because twenty twenty six is a swap, like is it would 612 00:38:43,119 --> 00:38:45,840 one swap into? Like would the two first even be enough? Because you 613 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:50,519 couldn't get I would just I think the idea of fred Van Fleet is probably 614 00:38:50,559 --> 00:38:52,800 better than a Miles Turner just for a shock creation and the defense he's supposed 615 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:57,360 to provide. But Ross has also become pretty important to the Lakers shock creation 616 00:38:57,400 --> 00:39:00,960 off the bench character and Junior though is also Yeah, he's a erratic, 617 00:39:00,159 --> 00:39:04,599 but he's kind of a two way wing and so that's something the Lakers could 618 00:39:04,639 --> 00:39:06,800 use. It. Also, Chris Bouche would be a perfect fit for the 619 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:09,000 from not hitting his threes this year, but there are things that and he's 620 00:39:09,039 --> 00:39:13,400 like being kind of slower defensively. It feels like, so maybe you value 621 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:16,320 your flexibility this summer, But my thing would be, you have thirty plus 622 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:20,920 million in cap space this summer. Are you turning that into a collection of 623 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:23,800 players who are better than Bouche, Gary Trench, Junior and Freder and Fleet. 624 00:39:23,880 --> 00:39:27,800 Now that you could just say, well, Gary trenjring Fleet are gonna 625 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:30,679 be free agents. Could they sign Van Vleet or or g t j out 626 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:35,480 right? They might be able to. But I think if you took the 627 00:39:35,519 --> 00:39:37,880 swaps out, I don't know why I'm putting value on the swaps, but 628 00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:40,920 if you just make the draft compensation less onerous going out from the Lakers, 629 00:39:42,559 --> 00:39:47,400 I think the stacks up pretty well against the hypothetical Pacers trade, mainly because, 630 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:52,760 like you know, I think Turner is a way better player than Chris 631 00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:54,639 Bouche. But in terms of like the roles that they would play for this 632 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:59,840 Lakers team, I think Bouche could give you seventy five percent eighty percent of 633 00:40:00,039 --> 00:40:05,000 what Turner would with, you know, the assuredness of he's not going to 634 00:40:05,119 --> 00:40:07,559 leave in free agency, because again, Turner is a free agent. Two 635 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:12,719 I think, unless I have that wrong, yes, he's inspiring. And 636 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:17,000 Van Fleet and trans Junior I think are you know, probably both just better 637 00:40:17,039 --> 00:40:22,039 two way players than Buddy Healed. So I think there's something there. I 638 00:40:22,079 --> 00:40:28,199 just think the Lakers one probably believe that there's a superstar that they're gonna sign 639 00:40:28,440 --> 00:40:31,960 or get somehow, and or are pushed farther away from swinging a big deal 640 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:37,199 like this because Davis his foot injury is you know, maybe just it's just 641 00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:39,920 that ends the season potentially for them, not necessarily for Davis, but missing 642 00:40:40,039 --> 00:40:44,679 enough time they're just not even gonna be a playing team. Well fair, 643 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:49,000 I don't I thought about could they do like the hedge move of it's none 644 00:40:49,039 --> 00:40:52,119 and Beverly for Buddy healed, just to open up the shooting and maybe you're 645 00:40:52,199 --> 00:40:54,719 including a second there, but you're actually helping Indiana probably getting out of Buddy 646 00:40:54,760 --> 00:40:58,400 healed deal. And yes, that eats into your cap space, but Buddy 647 00:40:58,440 --> 00:41:01,199 healed and an expiring contract might be able to be flipped over the summer. 648 00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:04,320 So that's kind of the trade that I've been like, well, it'd be 649 00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:06,599 like the Lakers are kind of making a win now move but not really. 650 00:41:06,920 --> 00:41:09,119 Yeah, yeah, trying to split the split it. So we got a 651 00:41:09,119 --> 00:41:15,480 couple more quick ones here. I'll throw you the first one playoffs, play 652 00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:21,320 in or lottery, and your options are Lakers, Warriors, Timberwolves. I'm 653 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:29,920 gonna go lottery for the Lakers, playing for the Warriors, playoffs for the 654 00:41:29,960 --> 00:41:32,800 Timberwolves. The Stephen injury is tough to I think the Lakers might be better 655 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:36,519 set up. Maybe this is wrong, but there's a chance that the Lakers 656 00:41:36,840 --> 00:41:39,400 have an easier time. Let's say they're both out a month. There's a 657 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:44,239 chance the Lakers have an easier time of nap just because they have Lebron and 658 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:47,400 the Warriors don't even have a singular force to put on ball like him offensively, 659 00:41:47,480 --> 00:41:52,280 and so I'm very worried about Golden State's offense. I think was the 660 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:54,920 Light Years podcast on about how Jordan Poachi becomes more valuable when not just in 661 00:41:54,960 --> 00:42:00,199 the starting lineup, but now you can plan your entire existence around Well, 662 00:42:00,199 --> 00:42:01,360 we don't have Steff. It's not just trying to buy a few minutes. 663 00:42:01,639 --> 00:42:06,320 I just can't try to extrapolate minutes without steffs seems more difficult to me in 664 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:08,679 theory. So I thought about putting the Warriors lottery. I still just trust 665 00:42:08,719 --> 00:42:13,280 the Timberwolves when they get healthy. Right now, they're winning without Gobaron Kat, 666 00:42:13,320 --> 00:42:16,960 so maybe that's the secret sauce Chris Finch is mentioning parking was the word 667 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:20,599 he used, Cat in the corner more when he comes back, that'll be 668 00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:23,400 an adventure. I don't trust any of these teams though, but I'll go, 669 00:42:24,199 --> 00:42:29,760 I'll go play in I'll lottery Lakers, even though they actually won't be 670 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:32,960 in lottery because the Pelicans will take their pick. Lottery Lakers play in Warriors, 671 00:42:32,960 --> 00:42:38,159 playoffs, Timberwolves. Yeah, you always want to park your max salary 672 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:43,239 franchise cornerstone in the corner. It's always a good sign things have gone great. 673 00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:46,920 From a team building perspective, I'm the Lakers are my lottery team. 674 00:42:46,960 --> 00:42:52,039 I'm gonna flip the Warriors and Timberwolves. I think playoffs Warriors play in Timberwolves. 675 00:42:52,599 --> 00:42:55,239 I think some of it is there are so many guys on the Warriors 676 00:42:55,239 --> 00:43:00,480 and some of the supplies to the Timberwolves that have played like about is evenly 677 00:43:00,679 --> 00:43:02,559 or poorly as you could expect. I think they will. I think Pool 678 00:43:02,639 --> 00:43:06,960 is going to be a lot better now that it's just his ball, and 679 00:43:07,239 --> 00:43:10,400 I think it's it's clear he's just comfortable doing that, and I think some 680 00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:14,880 of the young guys could still contribute. Cominga has come on. I still 681 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:17,199 think Moody should get in there every once in a while. I think Ty 682 00:43:17,320 --> 00:43:22,400 Jerome and Jamichael Green should just lose their rotation spots and they should be backfilled 683 00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:25,320 with other guys. It's tight. Though it's tight between the Warriors and Timberwolves. 684 00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:30,039 I just even without Steph, I think the Warriors can hang on and 685 00:43:30,239 --> 00:43:34,920 like break even for a while, in spite of evidence it says that they 686 00:43:35,000 --> 00:43:40,000 just never do that without Steph and the Timberwolves that it's there. It's been 687 00:43:40,079 --> 00:43:45,480 so bad for a few stretches that I just they have in addition to like 688 00:43:45,039 --> 00:43:50,679 the health stuff with Kat, the combustibility concerns that I don't really feel like 689 00:43:50,719 --> 00:43:53,239 the Warriors have. So that's the closest one though. I like that one. 690 00:43:54,599 --> 00:43:59,880 This one is your turn. So playoffs play in lottery, Pacer, 691 00:44:00,639 --> 00:44:04,880 Raptors, Bulls. All right. I don't want to be a prisoner at 692 00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:07,400 the moment, but I think that's how this is going to go. I 693 00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:13,239 think the Bulls are the lottery team. I think the Raptors are the playing 694 00:44:13,320 --> 00:44:17,079 team, and I think the Pacers are the playoff team. All of all 695 00:44:17,159 --> 00:44:23,519 three of these teams have incentive and or should be planning to make future focused 696 00:44:23,559 --> 00:44:30,280 trades. But the vibes are so bad with the Bulls and Raptors that I 697 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:35,360 just like it's almost Pacers by default. Even though the Pacers have been basically 698 00:44:35,400 --> 00:44:38,440 like a kind of fun to watch average team. The Bulls just feel like 699 00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:44,639 they can't do anything right, and the Raptors every other article you read it's 700 00:44:44,679 --> 00:44:49,440 just how it's just so dispiriting about how bad the half court offense is, 701 00:44:49,559 --> 00:44:54,719 how bad the shock creation is, the just they can't. It's so the 702 00:44:54,840 --> 00:44:59,079 arrows are really pointing down for those two. And the Pacers kind of feel 703 00:44:59,079 --> 00:45:02,199 like a fun like their decent still, So they're going to be my playoff 704 00:45:02,239 --> 00:45:07,159 team. I'm going bolls lottery Pacers play in Raptors playoffs. I think they 705 00:45:07,199 --> 00:45:09,119 figure it out or they make not the all in trade, but make a 706 00:45:09,159 --> 00:45:13,840 trade that improves the state of their roster, whether it's going after like an 707 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:15,840 Eric Gordon or somebody just to throw a name out there, or maybe they 708 00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:17,840 get a big I don't know, that's like, maybe it's DoD They just 709 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:21,480 take a flyer on Rashaun Holmes, depending on what the cost is, and 710 00:45:21,519 --> 00:45:23,440 that's someone who might be able to help them. So yeah, I don't. 711 00:45:23,639 --> 00:45:25,800 I almost include the Magic in this, by the way, because alls 712 00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:30,559 they do is win apparently except for Monday Night of course. But yeah, 713 00:45:30,639 --> 00:45:34,639 I'm with you on that. This was fun I enjoyed these sort of snackable 714 00:45:34,639 --> 00:45:37,000 segments. Do you want to take us out of here? Yeah, let's 715 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:40,079 do it. Everybody, Please rate, review, subscribe wherever you get your 716 00:45:40,119 --> 00:45:45,199 podcasts liken, subscribe on YouTube, Tell a friend, make sure you're spreading 717 00:45:45,199 --> 00:45:49,679 the word, make sure you're getting into our discord, follow us on socials, 718 00:45:49,840 --> 00:45:53,559 Promote us on socials. All the information is there on the frotube page 719 00:45:53,559 --> 00:45:59,039 if you're watching it. And thank you again for listening. And as always 720 00:45:59,079 --> 00:46:01,679 we have to apologize to Jared Allen and shout out the one and won the Frank Hillike