What is crack a lack in Hardwoodknos listeners and newcomers first time hardwo Knocks listeners.
I am Damna Valley coming at you solo for a mail bag. This
week was absurd. After we published like ten podcasts last week, I anticipated
more news upcoming this week, so I left everything open to try and do
like real time reactions to it. I was cautioned beforehand that we wouldn't have
anything until Summer League got underway in Vegas. I just didn't think that was
the case. I was clearly wrong. So we're coming at you with a
mail bag. This is probably going to be a two part mail bag.
If you asked a question via discord, you will definitely have your question answered
on this mail bag. If you ask multiple ones, they'll probably be split
up. I went with topical ones for the next one that will drop Monday.
This is why you should join our scord, the links to which is
in the podcast description and the YouTube description, because you get priority on your
mailback questions. But I got so many great ones because i'd like to throw
them out to Twitter, that I'm splitting it into two parts and so that
will drop on Monday. This one is coming out on Thursday. Be on
the lookout for it. I might send out another solicitation just to load up
a little bit more on questions for Part two. Lots of great questions just
before we get started very quickly. Please please, pretty please continue help building
our community by subscribing to our podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Give us
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haven't done that already, help us get too. We're passed. We're well
passed. One case subscribers. I'd like to get to two case subscribers very
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Hardwood Knox. Also, our TikTok is at Hardwood Knox and our ig is
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Damp Valley fav Ali. Hopefully I kept that to under three minutes. Let's
dive into this mailbag and really hope that none of this becomes outdated too soon.
Again, I went topical here and I'm starting with Discord members are going
to get first DIBs on the questions. I have one. It's a reoccurring
Twitter listener that's going to go first as well because he pairs they paired excuse
me with a nice question from Discord and it's on Kevin Durant and holy shit,
like as this is coming on my mouth, who knows that could become
outdated in millisecond. So we belly flop into mailbag. Now, Ryan asks
how long do we give the patience of the league on the Kadi Kyrie trades
before the rest of the NBA gets restless and starts making moves Again, this
is paired with a question from Kade on Twitter. What are the chances Phoenix
keeps Mchael Bridges in a k D trade? So let's begin with Ryan.
Look, the league did not completely shut down during fregency. Most of like
the big stuff is done. The things that I think we're waiting to see
are DeAndre Ayton's next contract. Is that coming as a sign and trade that's
part of a KAD deal going to Phoenix? Is it a straight sign and
trade elsewhere at this point, if you're looking for teams that into the moratorium
will be able to have the flexibility necessary to leverage an offer sheet, there
is Indie eventually or San Antonio, and then that's basically it, which is
why I think if he's leaving Phoenix and ends via sign and trade, Dad
is definitely gonna wait on the KD outcome for sure, I would guess.
I mean, I could be wrong here. I've been wrong about a lot
of things already. The rest of the stuff, Like I don't think Colin
Sex did not having signed. I really don't think that that's anything to do
with the Kevin Durant stuff. I think what you might see though, is
the trade market will be a lot different and you'll see certain teams like Phoenix
has made moves on the margins Bismack Bionbo, Damian Lee. We've seen the
Lakers do the same with Lolly Walker. The fourth using their miniml they brought
in Thomas Bryant. That was really good signing actually on the veterans minimum for
them, but Lakers, maybe even the Heat who still sort of need a
four, and then the Sons of course, like we'll see those teams start
to be more aggressive either on the trade market or sign additional free agents.
There are other teams though that either maybe they're waiting to see whether they're part
of this huge deal, or they just have these trade targets that teams will
be interested in, and we know they're on the block, and everyone's doing
their due diligence on Kevin Durant first, so Atlanta with John Collins and or
Clint Capela. I can expect that the heat up after the Kevin Durant stuff
is over with just Utah and whatever the hell that they're doing. Are they
tearing it down? Are they really rebuilding around Donovan Mitchell, like Danny Age
SAIDs we will get to that later in this podcast. I have no idea
at this point, but they're probably waiting on some of this. They've been
linked to DeAndre Ayton. I do not understand that. Again, I'll go
in detail more with that in a little bit. So I think we'll start
to see maybe trade rumors pick up and there will be some aditional free agent
signs, even the Nets, but they went and they got out with t
J. Warren. Depending on how many roster spots that they have to fill
or needs that they're going to have after the KD Kyrie trade, so they
will definitely be more business. I think the trade rumor mill might ramp up,
and it wouldn't surprise me if let's just say that Kevin. I think
it's the Kevin Durant deal that holing everything up. But like, I don't
know what other team wants Kyrie aside from the Lakers. I could see the
Mavericks if the price is right and they want to use picks to wash off
some of their like longer term or less savory salaries. But really beyond that,
it feels like the Lakers are bust. There. I could see after
the KD trade sort of like this trickled down effect. Were the Raptors eyeing
someone on a smaller scale they didn't kick Kevin Durant, or are we going
to see Land all of a sudden make some trades or Utah start willing and
dealing. I could see sort of an on rush of trade transactions more so
than free agency. Smaller signings there for sure, but mostly seeing the trade
actual transactions pick up, and certainly the rumors that aren't related to two k
D. And then the other thing is like the team that trades for D
might not be done. Are they gonna go out and make other trades?
How many? You know? Presumably it's gonna be a consolidation trade. They're
gonna have to go out on the free agent market. That gets really interesting
as well. So that's what I would expect. To the question posed by
Kad of what are the chances of Phoenix keeps Micaal Bridges in a KAD trade,
I want to say it's at about fifty fifty because I know we've heard
that the Brooklyn Nets are going to prioritize players. That makes I guess some
sense. If you're planning on moving forward with Ben Simmons, you did already
trade for Royce O'Neil. I just think that in the end you're gonna have
to prioritize like picks to some extent. More than that. If it is
Phoenix and we know that Phoenix is Kevin Grant's top choice at this point.
If it is Phoenix, they're gonna do everything in their power. I would
imagine to keep mcaal Bridges just because you're not making it out of this with
DeAndre Ayton would be my guess, whether he's going to Brooklyn or another team,
you're putting a lot of pressure then on your defense on a Chris Paul
who's getting older. Devin Booker was a lot better lash year, but that's
in part because of the flexibility that Eton and Bridges and then having Jay Crowder
there too afforded him. If you remove two of those bodies, life gets
difficult for Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, even Chris Paul they have, you
know, their centers right now are just unimpressive. That rotation without Eton.
What is that going to look like after the fact. So, if you're
the Sons, I think you're doing everything in your power to keep one of
eight Nerd Bridges, and my guess is that you would prefer to keep just
Bridges based off how this whole DeAndre eight and saga has unfolded, And so
it wouldn't surprise me to see just everything on the table that is not McHale
Bridges, Devin Booker or Chris Paul related for this deal to come through,
and that's they have. The Sons just have all their own picks. They
don't have any picks incoming, but they don't have any picks going out too,
so they can include. However, the Nets want to structure it through
twenty twenty nine, swaps and picks alternating in years like that. They have
Cam Johnson, they have Jay Crowder, they have other salary matching ballasts depending
on what happens with the DeAndre Eton sign and trade. If anyone listens to
this podcast or read some of the more popular NBA rats, you know that
Bacher compensation comes into play. That makes that difficult. But because it's the
off season and roster's in Brooklyn and then just around the league are so much
more appliable, you can step ladder your way to Kevin Durant with maybe not
necessarily sending out a major salary. I still think Eton would be the major
salary. He's just only counting his fifteen million or whatever an outgoing money.
So you have Jay Crowder, then he's at ten point two. Next season,
you have Dario sarch expiring nine point three Cameron Payne owed six million dollars,
Tory Craig five point one million, Cam Johnson five point nine million,
Landry Shamitt as well nine point five million when his extension kicks in. And
so I could see a scenario in which it's salary ballast, and it's not
even salary ballast. Maybe you're just dangling hey, useful players, Jay Crowder,
Cam Johnson, DeAndre Ayton, every single pick and swap under the sun.
Is that the best offer on the table looking at what Miami's offering,
looking at what Toronto's offering. I don't know, but I could see a
scenario playing out where the Sun's and I it's not even just in vision.
I would almost expect this to be not just their preference, but something they're
actively angling for, unless they're just like, WHOA, we want to get
rid of both Eighton and Michael Bridges because Roberts starves a cheap ass punk and
doesn't want all these big salaries on the books. Still, if I'm Kevin
Durant, big w for Devin Booker that Katie wants to play with you.
Chris Paul already wanted to play with you. I was not People didn't trow
me on Twitter, but they're like, well, haven't you seen Devin Booker's
player all Star votes? Yes, I've seen that, but there's a difference.
Like players have given all Star votes to Jamal Crawford, no one has
angled to try and play with Jamal Crawford. Now that we have two just
MVP candidates wanted to go play with Devin Booker. That's fucking cool, and
he's already accomplished so much he didn't need the validation. But that's just can
we just say it. It's fucking cool, so good for Devin Booker.
Totally not related, but that is my expectation. If you told me that
the Sons are going to be the team that acquires Kevin Durant, I would
say I'm gonna step out on limits, say there's better than a fifty percent
chance that they keep mcaal Bridges as part of the process, because I don't
necessarily buy into the notion that the Nets want immediate players as my I also
don't know if you already don't have stars in your possession, and I don't
really want to get into the Ben simm And stuff with that Michael Bridges is
a contract isn't going to make sense for every team. He is super plug
and play. His skill set is universally scalable, but you might need him
to play a bigger offensive role than he's capable of if you don't have the
right down around him. He is more valuable to mega contenders like the Suns
than he would be to a Brooklyn team that even wants to remain competitive.
Is in the infancy of this transition era. So I'm gonna step out on
a limb. I'll probably be wrong. I was already wrong about how this
week would play out. Again. I didn't think it was gonna be a
Kevin Durant trade necessarily. I just thought there'd be other stuff, just based
off the murmurings that you know, cascaded down my direction. I as usually
ignored the advice of people who are much smarter, more plugged in than I
though. And what's wrong? So we move on. If you're a Suns
fan, you should just buy into what I'm saying, because that is the
dream is to have CP three Michael Bridges, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker
and then just whatever the fuck out. It's like, who who cares,
You'll be fine, and I do not. I've been asked a couple of
times why I curse so much on this podcast. Is really just word vomit.
I'm not trying to sound tough or use it for emphasis. I'm sure
I've dropped an F bomb for emphasis before. That's just how I talk.
It's more so lighthearted and I'm a clown, a troll, however you want
to phrase it. So I apologize if your children are listening to this.
Clay Thompson has probably flat or guested at the language on this podcast sometimes,
so again, my apologies, and I have been asked about that. I'm
really not trying to be trendy or tougher or cool. I know I'm the
opposite. Moving right along Mountain dew seven twenty from bits Chord and Drew,
I would say, based off their Twitter handle hopping on the Chet train early,
what are your low, middling, and high expectations for Chet and the
Thunder after his amazing crazy debut on Tuesday. So a few things here that
are tangentially related. One I don't like, I will never call like.
There are times where I'll call out Lakers fans or Knicks fans or just fans
in general. I never want to loop an entire fan based under one umbrella.
My generalized advice is fan bases should not take their teams so seriously,
even if you feel like you're undercovered to the point that you're offended. When
Kevin Clark goes on a Ringer podcast and is making what was clearly just like
half Joe calf serious about how the Magic made mistake not taking chet home grant
and going with Powel Banco at number one. And Kevin Clark is like the
most nationally recognized Orlando Magics fan in the Twitter sphere. He's a fantastic follow
does a great job covering the NFL and stuff for the Ringer. I get
it that there are not enough podcasts and national media talking about the Magic.
I understand that that's going to rankle fans and as it should, like they've
been. I imagine my thoughts on mark el Folts. It's fine that you
don't think I watched mark el Folts or it's pretty clear I watched Franz Voggner
based on where I had him in my Rookie of the Year voting ballot.
But it's fine that you want to think that way, and I get that
it's you know, if you're trying to do actual takes, that's going to
incite more of a reaction. I did not understand like the outrage that were
throwing Kevin Clark away by a podcast I believe that is affiliated with Blue Ear
as well, and it was other podcasts on there too. Jokes are fine,
and that's not actively damaging. If people are buying into that as anti
magic propaganda with all sincerity, they're not like they're not someone that you need
to reach at all. And my issue is, I do believe if I'm
going to compliment this podcast more, give this podcast any sort of compliment.
I value localized coverage so much because of the detail, the nuance, the
savvy with which they're able to cover that team. And you have to admit
that those people, those podcasters, those writers, those media members are going
to know more about that team than someone who, like me, is tasked
with covering and wants to cover the entire league at large. But I do
think like it's okay to not curate the coverage you're exposed to so positively,
like take in some of the negative interaction to understand what's being said out there
and when it's really disingenuous and not presented as a joke. Again, at
the end of the day, unless we're talking about stuff that's happening off the
court, domestic violence, systemic racism, if we're talking about the actual game,
the Magic Organization as an MBA entity, it's not that serious. I
promise you. This is all just like it's sports. It's a game,
and it's entertaining. It's lucrative for one, and it means a lot to
a lot to a ton of people, including myself. But like it's okay,
and I'm getting to Mountain dew seven twenties question to me, it's okay.
Have the overreactions after Summer League. That's a part of fandom. Fandom's
not meant to be rational. It's just not when you think about how much
emotionally you're invested in what these grown adults are doing on a court, Like
none of that actually makes sense. It's escapism, it's entertainment. It's awesome.
Him, I freaking love it. You're welcome for keeping that PG.
How about that. But like it's okay, especially when it's a Magic fan
and like that is allow them their stream of conscious reactions when it's Kevin Clark
and if it is really disingenuous coverage and if I've ever said anything that's actually
disingenuous, I try to not do that. I think, yes, I
should absolutely be destroyed, and I have been. I've had DM conversations with
people I've been calling on Twitter. I've also admitted that I'm wrong. AKA
Dallas Mavericks fans at this point probably know what I'm talking about. So I
I just don't understand why it has to be Oh, they need to talk
about us more in a positive light, Like no, there's like legitimacy and
what criticism with the Magic where they haven't had the best draft track record that
being said, yeah recently, that's not really the case. And you look
at how some of those players panned out. They didn't have immense success with
the Magic, but Aaron Gordon's a really good player, Victor Oldipo became an
All NBA player after he left Orlando. Jonathan Isaac was a defensive system unto
himself before he got injured. The Magic also their draft track record. They
were really able to reboot Mark l Holtz. We don't have to call Jalen
Suggs a bust after one year, and I'm still I mean, I like
Shottie Mars better than Jon Suggs now long term, but I'm like, I
still think Jalen sugg is gonna be one of the five seven best players coming
out of that twenty twenty one draft class. I just allow the overreactions,
allow the takes, and don't be offended by the ones that don't align with
your view of the franchise. There's a difference between misinformed and then like sarcasm
and attempting to actually make a point, even if it might be the wrong
one. Not everything is what I'm getting at is disingenuous. That was my
I guess not so much of him, and he rant. This is all
to say, Chet Homegrin is going to be the greatest player in NBA history
in the Orlando Magic fucked up in all kinds of ways here. That's not
actually how I feel. I've not watched a ton of the Summer League play
to date. I did catch what Chet did. I would like to point
out that he was going up against Taco Fall. The thunder very much intrigued
me. Like, even just looking at what Jalalen Williams is able to accomplished.
Josh Giddy just looks like and I'm lower than most on Josh Giddy.
If like I don't, it doesn't even need to say the jumper comes along.
But like, if there's like this score first aggressive mentality that sustains for
more than a few possessions at a time, that dude might end up being
really good. Because I'm already tracking in the wrong direction with him. He
looks too good for Summer League at this point. So to Drew's question,
and I'm sorry it took me so alone to get here. I am boarding
the CHET train. If we were going low, middling and high expectations.
I don't want to call this the low end outcome, but they're here are
the things that would actually concern. The highest end outcome is like Janni's attend
to COOPO and Dirk and kar Anthy Towns and Kevin Durant got together and put
their DNA together and chet Holgrin's what popped out. But I do think that's
the highest end outcome is like this mix of k D and Jannis and then
like kar Anthy Towns and Dirk, that's when you look at the ball skills
he showed in that one game, and look he got on Wednesday night.
Kenny Lofton Junior is clearly the greatest basketball player alive. So these tags are
fluid and they're they're changing by the minute. That being said, with Chet,
the two concerns I have is will he fill out and get stronger to
where he's not just sort of like a shot blocker or defensive disruptor, but
he is someone who makes an impact by being a deterrent simply because he's on
the court, or being able to body up with bigger dudes, or you
get to a point where you almost need him to be guarding wing type players.
I think that would lower his ceiling just a little bit. The bigger
thing is, and I know we didn't have this opportunity at Gonzaga, what
does he actually become offensively? He probably needs to get stronger if you want
to see him deal with NBA contact, create NBA level separation. He does
have the size to just raise up over everyone. If the handle has like
a a quicker acceleration speed or like there's less of time it takes him to
process what he's doing. Based off I watched very little of him. I
didn't watch any of him live game in college. I went back I could
watch before the draft, and this is basing off summer league. If he's
not able to have those like ball skills become more and the body become more
of like this entire package to where he's gonna go up against stronger, more
athletic NBA defenders. I could just see him needing to be more of a
jump shooter and maybe one of doesn't create for himself. It feels like the
low end offensive outcome for him is like a Miles Turner type player, where
yeah, maybe he wants to post up and take guys off the dribble,
but you you're better off with him just like camping out on the perimeter and
stretching the floor that way. That might even be unfair, just because there
are a lot of people that think he's gonna end up not even playing a
lot of five or even four minutes at this point, the fact that that
feels like the low end out just watching him though, and I'm not saying
he would be the same type of player room protector Miles Turners on defense,
that's absolutely incredible. I feel like a reasonable expectation for him might be like,
what if Miles Turner was better at dribbling or had an off the balance
game, like a consistent off the bounce game on offense, and then his
defense was like, I don't even know what's a comp for him if if
there's gonna be a mid end outcome there, like a like a Maxi Kleba
on defense. And I'm not trying to make that I'm not really trying to
go Caucasian for Caucasian here, I promise just like, yeah, he's really
good. He's gonna be able to hold up on switches, and Cleba is
already stronger than Chet, Like do you trust him to play a bunch of
five or to be your primary big on defense? You'd almost rather throw Like
that was the Mavericks made the decision to have him chased around Kwhi Leonard in
the playoffs. So obviously not this season, in case anyone is thinking that
I've lost my mind. So like a Maxi Kleban on defense with a Miles
turn on offense feels like the little bit better than Miles Turner on offense,
feels like his mid end outcome less than a or about a miles turn on
offense feels more of the low end outcome there for him. I don't know
what the low end defensive outcome would be for him. Is it just like
a I don't even know, just like someone who can't even be like he's
sort of the empty shot blocker type because it's just his rim protection is Again,
it's more it's disruptive in the moment more than actual prevention or because he's
making the right reads. So and then the I already outline of the highest
and outcome. I am all aboard the Drew train. This question is also
going to be applied to Seth Justice, who asked Chet with a question mark,
Yes, that is my answer, Chet home Grin with a question mark,
I am fascinated by the thunder and look for the thunder specifically, they've
got a nice bass going now. I still don't know if I consider Josh
Giddy like the type of blue chip cornerstone to pair with Shay who is the
blue chip cornerstone. I would still I would bet on chet home Grin having
a better chance of being that player than Giddy. But the fact that there's
like three candidates there and I'm very interesting, how what they do with Uzman
Jang. They really trust those guys who can be disruptors on defense. Now
you have lu Dort lockdown Poku. I thought really started to put things together
last year, and you know he can be all over the place. I
saw someone I wish I could credit them on Twitter, but they tweeted something
like he is the best worst case ball at once. They have a ton
of with the two. Jealen Williams is they have a ton of bites at
the Apple here. And I don't know that their timelines is necessarily accelerated.
I could see them being like a real defensive irritant next year. But that
being said, you fast soward, skip ahead to twenty three, twenty four,
and this feels like a team. Are we talking about them? Like?
Oh? Orright? They on that fringe playoff track. It feels like
we are closer to like we've passed. We've at least entered the middle ladder
middle of the thunders rebuild, which is pretty incredible because they still have a
lot of assets coming their way in the form of draft picks. So I
think the Thunder are absolutely gonna be an irritant already, assuming men will start
shutting guys down this season, but they have so many bites at the Cornerstone
Apple now beyond, and I'm throwing hs Mon Jang in there. I really
like him, and I really like Poku additional home grin and I'll give everybody
Josh Giddy. It feels again I'm tracking toward the wrong end of Josh Giddy.
It feels like so Thunder absolutely going to be a fun watch this season.
Kyle Kay asked, how is DeAndre So, I'm sorry it's still in
the league and this has looped in with we had two K two Nuggets questions
from Discord members that are coming up. I honestly don't know. He has
mega star friends, which certainly helped him at one point. I think it's
like you watch him, but most recently in Philly, it doesn't seem like
he can jump or really move all that well. He's still kind of like,
I don't trust him to box out as a rebounder, but if you
need someone to stand still and grab a rebound if it comes in the vicinity
that he's still kind of okay at that and so just that size and then
go like this. I still think the Nuggets could have done better with the
minimum, but we're talking about filling less than fifteen minutes a game, probably
with Nicole Yokis there. And then also you have the the ability with Zeke
Naji, Jeff Green and Aaron Gordon to run like a smaller front court where
who's the five in that scenario, Maybe it's Jeff Green defending five. Is
zik Naji as the primary rim protector, YadA, YadA, YadA. You
could go that route. So I don't know why he's still in the league.
That was just I mean that if luckily that was not a harbinger of
how the Nuggets off season was gonna go, and they'd already made like the
KCP trade I thought was good, even if it looked like it was cutting
payroll to that end. Though stupid jerk who in discord has been anything but
a stupid jerk In my opinion, this is probably a bit too deep into
galaxy brain territory. But does a Super Bowl plus Stanley Cup win't change anything
about the Cronkey salary budgeting for the Nuggets, positive or negative? So yet
stupid jerk could ask this question before the Nuggets went and did everything in the
off season. Basically we'd stashed this question, so, and it's even more
timely now. I don't know if it'll have any sort of impact. I
will say, if anything, it should embolden them to be like, Yo,
we can we can do this. Granted, one of the markets they
won in was Los Angeles. It's a little bit different. That being said,
they did. They're in the tax right now. They're eleven million.
I have them as eleven million dollars into the tax, give or take like
whatever. The salaries, art cheats are all different. That being said,
there's still time for them to get out of it if things go wrong.
They've never really skimmed on their own talent. They extended Jamal Murray and Michael
Porter Jr. Rather than letting those guys hit restricted free agency, they just
give the Supermax to Nicole Yokitch. And then when I thought I really thought
they weren't going to use their mini mL E, that Bruce Brown signing.
Hell fucking yeah, probably the best signing of the off season. I would
say, what has happened for the Cronkies shouldn't bolden them to keep spending now
and they will it change the way that they view executives as maybe interchangeable we'll
see, probably not knowing them, but it absolutely should motivate them to continue
spending on the roster, which again, to give them some credit, they've
basically always done. We have to see though, and they you know,
we have to see whether they can they can still duck to tack this upcoming
or what I'm saying. But if the Nuggets are contender or even a really
good team, like if you're fourth in the West and you envision of everything
goes right and we're healthy in the playoffs, we can win, then you
should still remain in the tax at the end of at the end of next
season. And I expect that even if they hadn't won a Stanley Cup in
a Super Bowl, that's exactly what they would have done. So again,
they ducked the tax this past year, I believe because of those I didn't
I should have looked into that more. But yeah, they ducked the packs
last year with that sort of trade. Maybe unless I'm missing something here,
but anyway, let's just carry on that they did go that route. But
because of when that trade was completed, is what I mean. However,
like this is I would be shocked at this point the Nuggets if they're good.
I don't expect them to get out of the tax now, even though
they should be around eleven million dollars in like that takes you know, like
that's gonna take a lot for them to get out of. You're not you're
talking about dumping. I guess you could still theoretically do it if it's like,
okay, maybe Bruce Brown isn't working out and we have shmis expiring contract.
Okay, gone, Like, I guess you could go that way if
things go wrong, I would expect them to stay in it, though that
is I feel like that might be a compliment. It's a too strong of
a compliment. Who knows Hernspo from discord ass is Denver considered a contender?
What are they planning to do while having one of the best in the league?
Are they are? They? Are they planning? IM? I want
to check and make sure that I didn't like misread that at all. I
would view them as a as a as a contender if they're healthy. I
think that's a big if. With Michael Porter Jr's back, I'm less worried
about Jamal Murray, not just because we know he's like this like workaholic,
but he's and he has been a tough dude. Ac elandres are just not
the career enders they used to be. And even when he had his best
moments on offense, like yeah, are you alreadys gonna lose some of his
like stop and pop his ass, I suppose even when he had his best
moments on defense, like he was never just pride on being super explosive,
it was just like super tough and stab I'd be more worried about the drop
off on offense, to be honest with you, And I guess you can
worry about it on defense for sure, because Pique Jamal Murray is like just
like you know, steamrolling people, like going through screens or just making really
smart decisions and getting in front of people and just staying with them. So
again, I think he's going to be fine. And if he's fine,
I think that's more so the key than Michael Porter Junior, who the way
your rosters built right now, I feels like you could essentially live without You
should be able to get enough shot creation all around without him. I guess
you've by getting rid of Monte Morris and Will Barton, you've kind of hurt
yourself there, like you're in a shot creation deficit, so yeah, I
guess you can. Michael Porter Junior is more important unless you want to see
more ball skills with Aaron Gordon. I'm a big believer in Bones Highland though,
and that's someone who I think you can pick up with a ton of
the slack. So even if Michael Porter Junior can't be counted on, I
would still called the Nuggets to contender. It's if Jamal Murray just doesn't come
all the way back I would I would be concerned. And do I think
that the Nuggets have done enough to maximize yo could window. I would say
for the most part, yeah, they seem to be straddling like sort of
these semi cash conscious lines. But like again, the Monte more Street just
made all tons of kinds of sense for cantabious call o Pope and what he
can do for you at the point of attack. I mean, you did
go out and again signed Bruce Brown. We'll see if his three point shot
holds from from last season. I just I view them absolutely as a contender.
I can't assume that they're going to be fully healthy, but I also
just can't be like, well, we have to say that Jamal Murray and
Michael Porter Jrms like forty games each. We can't go that route either,
So I view them as a contender. If all goes right for them,
they they could be the team to pick in the West. And I'm just
not even kidding. Uh. The question is, if you're close, are
you willing? Yeah, you've traded, and they've also traded like first round
draft equity. They could technically trade a twenty twenty nine first round pick if
they you know, technically you would have to convey immediately and then turn into
nothing because that protected first in twenty twenty seven, ok se could spill over
into two twenty eight, two thousand and twenty nine. I leave, but
you could trade a first round pick. It's if you're closed, are you're
willing to go the extra mile to get what your roster is missing? I
don't know what that missing piece necessarily would be. At this point without playing
out the season, they seem like they have probably the most well balanced roster
they've ever ascended around Nikoleokitch, I really would have liked to have seen what
they looked like when they traded for Aaron Gordon in twenty twenty twenty twenty one
first before the Jamal Murray injury. But this is certainly to me just looking
at them on paper, the closest that they've come to having just full comprehensive
coverage. Like again, maybe if you don't believe bones Hiland can handle it,
or Michael Porter Junior is going to be in and out the lineup,
but just not as good because he was he was bad before he even left
for the season, but he was dealing with the back stuff before that.
Maybe there's a shot creation deficit a little bit. Are you worried about the
bench rotation in general? What if Bones Highland doesn't pan out? Like who
are you leaning on for that? And then the backup pig man rotation like
you're you're gonna be leaning on Deandres Jordan, Zeke Naji and Jeff Green Again,
is that there's some instability they if you're able to make those upgrades,
are you willing to give up an asset to get it done? And maybe
that asset is a Zeke najy Like what if it's a going after ken Rich
Williams and it's gonna cost you zeke Nagi, I don't even know if again,
you have Bruce Brown and Casey p Does that even make sense? Is
it making Look if maybe this season's going swell, the Nuggets are four or
five in the West, but Kevin Durant hasn't been traded and they have an
opportunity to get him, and you're putting like all your chips on the table
being maybe Michael porterjus having a fantastic here. Are you going to make that
bold of a leap? There's still that question, and that's like the least
likely scenario. That's actually really a terrible example. But is there are you
willing to make like smaller end moves depending on how the season plays out,
that is going to cost you more assets? I personally wouldn't trade bones Hihland
unless it's in a blockbuster. But again, Zeke Naji being the example,
is it pivoting to like even moving Aaron Gordon if you are you willing to
shake it up a side. Look, let's phrase it this way. You
willing to shake it up beyond the Yokich Murray corps right now because those are
still the most untouchable players on your roster, and I would still view Burry
as more intouchable than not especially now, because his value isn't going to be
especially high, and you typically aren't going to find teams of what should be
the nuggest caliber making those like wild turnover moves in the middle of the year.
Those that's like more off season oriented. So I'm looking more not on
the margins, but someone who could be The best way to phrase is what
the Celtics did this year. I'm all over the place. I'm sorry.
I have been thinking about this question though. They went after Derek White and
they gave up real stuff to do it. If that missing piece or who
you view is that missing piece becomes available, are you willing to go after
it to that extent? In the Nuggets case, it's a little bit different,
just because they can't trade a first round pick to twenty twenty nine,
But the Celtics did give up a twenty and twenty eight top one protected swap
in their deals, So are you willing to make a move like that?
That would be the only question you have to be in my mind when you
look at just Nicole Yokich's like one of the five best players in the league.
But I do think the Nuggets are a contender. How's that for just
sort of a roundabout way of getting there. Glad has multiple questions. One
I'm gonna save for part two is a fascinating I've actually been dying to answer.
But the first one from Glad is what would it take for the league
to swing back towards a two big twin tower type sets of the instead of
the space and pace we have now. It looks like the Rudy and Cat
duel will be the closest we get. But if he'll go Beart doesn't dominate
enough offensively to really move the needle for a team and be like, hey,
maybe we should do that. I don't know if it'll ever swing back
to the way it was where you have these two bigs who play inside the
arc as well. Say, Rudy and Cat will probably work because Cat can
still almost be a mismatch at the four spot depending on who you put on
him. You just look at his face up ball skills. I know some
people are worried about how that will play out. Maybe you could even punish
him with mismatches in the post because he can rise up and get over guys
and doesn't need a ton of space to work with him there. If they
have these smaller players who are giving him issues on the perimeter. I also
think that Rudy will be in path on offense because he's such a devastating finisher
and since Minnesota can spread the floor around him. When you look at there's
still questions about their shooting. But between Edwards, Danzel Russell and William Prince
or Jane McDaniels, like, if you're playing three of those guys plus Rudy
and kat now de lower, Anthony Awards has a real rim like a real
physical rim diver to use in addition to a pick and pop option with Karl
Anthony Towns and maybe he's not even setting a pick if if Rudy Gobert is
obviously this will impact Towns maybe more than most because he's probably not going to
be able to he's you know, fails to be staggered. But Gobert is
gonna have to do a lion share of the ball screening for that to work
out. Do I see teams ever following this model in full? I think
it's just watch it in Minnesota. What's happening in Cleveland? Whereas of now,
like Mobley has range to his game and he's more like bam Atabio Ish
on offense where he's not stretching the floor, but I could envision him getting
out there further and just his ball skills when in floor game is out of
this world. It's like a wing but Alan and Mobile or two guys who
are basically going to operate inside the arc. Even if Mobley and like bam
Adebayo, you can run fast breaks or you can attack going outside in like
you're still looking to get in. Is my point that it will be interesting.
We've also seen it work in Boston with Robert Williams the third now Horford.
There's always there even that though Horford is like a big who can camp
out beyond the arc, and then it works a lot as well because even
Daniel Tice who's now not with the Celtics, or Grant Williams, we're able
to stand beyond the arc. I don't know that we're ever going to see
teams invest in two bigs for the sake of defense that operate fully inside the
art. There's going to have to be an anomalous skill set to one of
them, skill assuming one of them, and that's probably gonna be if it's
not shooting, just the self creation, the face up ball skills when you're
looking at a bad at a bio and Evin mobile even Tho Karl Anthony Towns
who has gives you both the space and those those types of ball skills.
And I think if this works out, it is interesting because I do believe
that the league was sort of already shifting towards John Hollinger called it as like
space ball, where it's not you're not playing small the I guess the skill
set is considered small, but you're still using big players who just have these
offensive armories and even just quickness on defense instead are like guards or wings and
that's how you build out. And so then you're big and maybe you're better
set to do things around the basket defensively to control the glass, and then
by extension you're tougher. You can slow things down, I guess if you
want to, but you're also not sacrificing space or versatility. I think though,
and this was a fantastic question by the way, Glad just throwing that
out there, I think that the Timberwolves are gonna be like the most powerful
case study when it comes to this. But you're definitely gonna be watching what's
happening in Cleveland, and then we'll see if other teams try and sort of
implement this into their arsenal. I don't think. I don't even think that
we're at a point where spaceball is going to be the priority. Maybe Dallas
is trying to do it a little bit with having Christian Wood and Dwight Powell
and JaVale McGee there for some reason, and the Maxi Kleba, like that's
sort of the lower end of it. I feel like we're still a wild
success story away from it happening. Even the Golden State with Ludi and Draymond
Green does a similar thing. It's just that him on Green isn't a typical
big Others have pointed to Milwaukee with Johanness and Brook Lopez. The caveats there
is Lopez can still shoot and he can even put the ball on the floor,
not like bam out of bio or calling at the town's type acceleration there
or even stop on a dime, but like he can get his body low
and he can body in the guys. I also just like, is what
what is jannest He's a watch McCall it. He's like, is he a
big? Is he a combo? Forward is he he's his own he's his
own archetype. But I think that the search like for those maybe the yannest
type of players or teams are at least more open to it than they are
now because you're constantly trying to figure out a way to zig and zag,
so that like you're not trying to do the you know what, I thought,
the whole painting the league is like sort of just this mundane stylistic entity
now where everyone's playing the same way was has always been lazy, because yeah,
some of the shot profiles might look the same, but the mechanisms by
which teams are generating those shots have always been vastly different. But you are
looking for that next edge, and we're small ball. I felt like it
would be in vogue, maybe this big small ball where we want to play
We want bigs on the court, multiple bigs, but we still want to
have the option of playing four out at least on offense, or having a
ton of different creators on offense playing at the same time. That's the direction
I think it would head in. But definitely, like the Gobert Towns is
extreme in the sense of how much equity you've now committed to that pairing where
even the Celtics, like Al Horfer's in the final year of his deal,
but they're not even paying him and Robert Williams ad buying forty million next season
with RW three's extension kicking in. And that's what makes Minnesota so fascinating here.
But what do I think it would take. Minnesota would have to be
just a killer in the regular season and playoffs. And that's why I think
we talked about this on the Timberwolves Jazz Trade podcast where that's where this feels
like it could go off the rails and the playoffs, where teams do downsize
and you're creating problems for Minnesota on defense, not because Rudy Gobert can't switch,
but just because if you can't keep up up and they're able to target
you, or maybe even just like if you're able to play small and defend,
you might lose some juice from carling Town's on offense, just depending on
how big that four or bigger wing is going up against him, are they
able to take away what he's able to do off the dribble where that's no
longer this mismatch or an anomaly at that spot and that you'll definitely be watching
in the regular season. But if and when they get to the playoffs,
that's going to be a huge harbinger of where the league, whether the league
will be more open to that type of a team building concept. Just a
great question, Thank you, Thank you for that one. Glad the most
quoll and from Discord to ask. Let me know if I'm pronouncing your name
wrong. I've said it all the time now, and it's just it could
be a disaster. The Celtics have the Evan four Yer trade exception, which
is kind of tricky to use, but they can always absorb a bad contract
like Duncan Robinson and facilitrated trade in the process. What other options do they
have and which exceptions can they use? With all these financial assets, aren't
they considered the favorite to repeat their playoff from and possibly get the job done
this time? Does this imply also that Udoka is next Coach of the Year.
I'll answer the last question first. I think he has as good a
shot as anyone that you could throw in there. His case might also might
almost be weaker if they're good right out of the gate, because we saw
this body of work from them last season. It was a better story where
it was he was a rookie head coach. They turned themselves around mid season.
He's certainly like if they're gonna have the type of year they just did,
but all season rather than needing that that made year turnaround, there's absolutely
a possibility he will be towards the top of the Coach of the Year.
I don't know if I would peg him as as the favorite though, I
actually haven't given, I guess enough thought of who I would peg as the
favorite in that scenario. So, I mean, do I think he should
have top three Coach of the year agia? Why not? Like Boston's so
good and that's a prerequisite of this, And then it's just anecdotally. Are
they the Kings of the East at a time when it was supposed to be
Milwaukee or Miami type deal. I could see Nick Nurse being one of the
Coach of the year favorites next season as well Willie Green and New Orleans depending
on how good they are. Was I on coming back? As far as
the Celtics exceptions, they already I don't know if it's been confirmed, but
they have Neil Gallinari on the MINIMLI so that exception is gone. The two
things to keep an eye on are the every four year trade exception expires sevent
eighteen July eighteenth of this summer. It's worth seventeen point one million dollars roughly.
They also have the one Herning Gomez trade trade player exception that expires in
January to nineteenth, twenty and twenty three, right around the trade deadline,
so they can hold on to that one. They don't have to use all
of the Evan Fourier trade exception. By the way, it doesn't mean they
have to take back an expensive player. That being said, if one's available,
your tax bill is already projected to be high this year when you took
on Malcolm Brogden and like you didn't shed payroll in the process. I think
they are projected to have over a forty million dollars tax bill at this moment,
because they're merely twenty million dollars into the tax. If you really don't
care about that, can you look at and look The thing with this is
that these names need to become available. The ones that I'm about to list
off right now. Duncan Robinson was interesting from from demos cole I just are
you gonna help out Miami because it's that part of them getting Kevin Durant or
another player. If they're just giving him to you, Are they gonna want
to help out Boston? Are you less inclined to do that now that you
have Malcolm Brogden. I think you should just focus on like the backup wing
combo forward spots, or maybe if you even want another like big type.
I certainly wouldn't use, like go super expensive in that department though, that's
that's for sure. I thought about Marcus Moore's senior. If the Clippers think
they have a surplus of wings and they're looking to cut their their tax bill,
he does fit into the even four yer trade exception. I believe Kelly
Brady junior. What's going on in Charlotte. I thought before they signed Malcolm
Brogden, DeVante Graham would be interesting. That doesn't make too much sense anymore.
Terrence Ross could still make some sense. He fits into there. One
that's interesting is Al Horford's coming off the books. R W three is not
expensive. The fact that he like his extension was four forty eight and then
Mitchell Robinson gets sixty and unless there's like non guarantees or major incentives attached to
that which I've not seen yet. My god, Rashaun Holmes fits there,
and so was there Like I don't know the Kings give him up. I
doubt the Kings give them up for nothing, but is they're sort of just
like a smaller move there. Where do you send out Grant Williams because maybe
you don't want to pay his next deal if you're willing to pay for Shaun
Holmes just because he's capped where he's just making like under fourteen million dollars basically
every season on this contract, and then you're safeguarded against Horford leaving after this
year. Can you play Holmes and RW three together? Holmes has dabbled in
three point shooting previously, not recently, so no, but that's a route.
The other thing that they could look at is and it just depends on
if it KD trade sort of happens. Can they facilitate like players being moved
around from other teams that are getting k D. Let's use the Sun as
an example. Do the Brooklyn Nets want Jay Crowder or can the Celtics throw
a lower end asset into the mix that either the Nets or another team that's
involved want and they take in Jay Crowder. They could do the same thing
with Larry NaNs Junior. If the Pelicans wind up landing KD, they should
probably even look at Larry NaNs Junior regardless. I don't know why Leeds want
to get rid of him, but he is going to be a free agent.
That's something to consider. Jacchaperto would be over kill. Not that the
Spurs would get KD just having him Horford in RW three, but holy hell,
imagine maybe Nerlin's Noel. I also thought about, like, what if
the Nets opt for the tear down route at some point they the Celtics wouldn't
be a bad landing spot for Royce O'Neill. It changes when he's like your
your fourth most important wing rather than your first most important wing. Some even
lower end options that I'll throw in here. Ken Birch, Tory, Craig
Phoenix would also be looking to move him in advance of the KD stuff,
or maybe just in general. And then Justice Winslow, I don't know what
his place is in Portland. That feels more like a mid season decision they
would make, and he does pit into the wan Herna Gomez expiring thing.
Those are just some player types names that I would keep an eye on or
that I like for Boston. I hope everyone's ready to get drunk on Utah
Jazz topics right here. But at Alexander asked what's the best way for the
Jazz three tool around Nona Mitchell? Considering what's on the market currently, I
don't really see a scenario where the Jazz trade Mitchell, so it would be
interesting to hear what they could make for players. Happy to hear the eight
and talk coming to an end, and then also Karragan asked the Utah Jazz,
that is the question. That's a great question. So for the Jazz
specifically, I still don't buy that they're not gonna move Donovan Mitchell. I
get the reasoning they want to star there for when they host the All Star
Game. I just if anyone's gonna say screw it, it would be Danny
Ainge there. And they're just such a hodgepodge right now. I don't know
what their path to becoming immediately competitive is. That being said, I looked
at it as they have all these first round picks and even you know,
depending on how you feel about Leandro Valermo and Walker Kessler. They have just
like these interesting players. Then some of these shorter term contracts to Matt's like
Patrick Beverley, Molie Beasley, Mike Conley, and Boy mcdonovitch are still there.
Can they get involved in the Katie trade as taking on the higher end
players? That again, what if Brooklyn doesn't want to go to the player
out and so you're giving up draft compensation, not all of what you got
for Rudy Gobert, but a huge portion of it or a portion of it
to main competitive with Donovan Mitchell. And so if the names to monitor there
would be what if the Pelicans decide to get what if they get Kevin Durant
and they have to give up Brandon Ingram. What if the Nets dont want
Brandon Ingram. Yeah, he's younger and he's a he's under contract for the
next but he got four years left on that bad boy. Maybe he only
has three guaranteed years. He's got three guaranteed years left under a team control.
But maybe they don't want Maybe they don't want him. Can you that
would be a great pairing with Donovan Mitchell and he improved brand Ingram is both
a playmaker, and I thought he played really well, probably the best defensive
season of his career in New Orleans. Again, there might have been a
year in Los Angeles where he was even better than that. What about Jaren
Jackson Junior injured at the moment. If the Grizzlies want KD though, that
would be the name that you're thrown at the table. Again, maybe the
Nets don't want him. If you're the Jazz, well, can you give
up inside from salary matching tools in draft equity to get someone like him?
What if the Nuggets are giving up Michael Porter junior? Is there is there
a package there where you're willing to take on the risk that might be someone
who if you're willing to match the salary, you take on the risk and
it cast you minimal draft equity. And I don't in a nutshet don't think
the Nuggets would be dumping MPG right now, but that would be didn't even
consider what if the look the Raptors framework of like o G and Trent Junior
like using them as the base. What if they use Pascal Siakam as the
base as someone who is extension knowledgeable at the moment and just like closer to
thirty than twenty five. What if the next don't want him? Do you?
If you're the Jazz and you're serious about containing around Donovan Mitchell, what
does it take to bring him in? He'd be a great fit. I
don't foresee him going that route because I think you need the commitment from Donovan
Mitchell first, knowing that he's gonna be here. It's not just look,
you look at his contract and it's like, just commit to not trading him
until the year before free agency. And then you're operating on a two year
timeline that's like not freaking long, and you can't even guarantee you won't ask
for rout next summer when there are two years left him this deal before his
player options, so two years before you essentially hit free agency. If everything
goes right, I without like knowing, I just can't picture them going after
that type of a player. And so what I do good see them doing
is, well, can we get stop gaps or maybe players where their value
is plummeted a little bit but they could be super helpful, or like,
are we just gonna go after soon to be free agents who help us?
Now we monitor it moving forward, and so some names here like Miles Turner,
he could play him with Jared Vanderbilt up from depending on what the cost
is to get him. He's gonna be free agent. What's the cost of
John Collins right now in Atlanta? He would really work. He could play
him with Vanderbilt as well. What would Jonathan Isaac cost you? And we
actually have a question on that that I might be saving from part two still.
And then there's also like, again, these are mid end guys,
but Jaco Peardle, Laron Nash, You're josh Are Kyle Kuzma, they're also
probably players where you're dealing with mid season. Maybe these teams maybe Portland season
doesn't go according to plan, or New Orleans season doesn't go according to play,
or they're not using Laryon Nastrer as much as they expected. Yako Peardle's
probably already available. Could you go that route? That feels like the more
likely scenario where it's kind of looking at players with distress value about to enter
free agency, or they're really good, they'll help you now, but they
won't cost as much as it would go after another building block, like like
just a flat out building block to pair with Donovan Mitchell. That feels like
the most likely possibility for them, and it's not something that I would say
is ready made to happen right now again John Collins, A Miles Turner,
who I do like, they're like, yeah, maybe them, Jaka Purdle,
But there are some things that would have to spill, you know,
Kyle Kuzmar, like those are And look, Jordan Carston loves Utah. Here
ku Kyle Kuzma to stay there if you worry about him leaving in free agency.
And that is also going to be depending on what what do the Jazz
look like this season, depending on who's still there. Those are just those
are names and the like the situation types, and they can get whoever they
want aside from like another guard. You don't really need another guard unless they're
just incredible on defense, because Donovan Mitchell is there and you have so many,
but like, yeah, you just need talent, whether it's on the
front line, on the wings, another big just just go after that.
But I'm still leaving open the possibility that this thing would come a full fledged
tear down Carrie and also asked Vanderbilt at the five, does anyone else like
this idea? I do, and you almost look, he's gonna be a
five on offense regardless, so you ideally pair him with a floors basing big.
That would be good if Miles Turner you acquire him, or can you
get again, what does Jonathan? What does Jonathan? Is? What does
John Collins cost you? At this point where you don't really he's under contract
for a long time and he's but he's also young. It's like that would
almost be an ideal where he still doesn't tell you to one timeline. You
could turn around and move him Macdonovan Mitchell last route next season. But like
pairing those players with Vanderbilt and then using especially with Collins, Vanderbilt is your
defensive anchor. I don't I don't hate it. And look, Vanderbilt didn't
play a ton of actual center for the Wolves last year. One hundred thirty
three positions. The timberlost had a one or two point nine defensive rating and
they were good on the glass eighty two point one defensive rebounding rate. Played
a lot of those minutes with like disruptive athleticism. I would say Anthony Edwards
and Jaden McDaniels, even Moleigue bees in there the jazz, you would want
to surround him with similar talent if you're not going to have a truer big
at the five, I think that takes care of. Miles Turner would be
just perfect there, or even even Larry nance Junior a little bit. I
would absolutely try it. And look, you're so small on the perimeter right
now. I don't know, like if someone mentioned this in discord, like
you would have hired Mike D'Antoni if you wanted to get weird at the same
time, like you're almost you're forced to get weird if you don't make any
other moves right now, So you could still just surround him with spacing there
just wouldn't be like that disruptive size or athleticism at the moment. So if
you could get Miles turner's just the perfect acquisition to do that, or John
Collins. But I think Miles Turner is just well be We'll be cheaper in
terms of the assets they would give up. So I'm absolutely down for Vanderbilt.
Look, I'm a sucker for Walkey lineups and Jared Vanderbilt is caffeine and
bodily form. I tweeted that earlier today, and I would absolutely try him
at the five. Maybe they still wind up moving him, though. If
you have any targets that you'd like to the Jazz go after, feel free
to get at me. Let's make these the last couple ones. I told
you we had a ship ton of questions. Ian forty two from Discord asked,
so I've asked this question to several pundits that have never gotten a response.
Maybe you can answer it for me. In seven seasons, Gary Payton
has not played Gary Payton seconds not played more than two thousand total minutes last
year twelve hundred. Previous high minutes four hundred. Why is that team's not
knowing how to use him? League changes the Warrior system based on his historical
data, Peyton will be a disaster for the Blazers. Very curious on your
thoughts. Thanks in advance. Ian's trying to break my heart because I love
GP two. I think look, I thought about this with GP two and
Bruce Brown. It doesn't feel like the league was as willing to accept these
oddball guard types where they're not primary facilitators. They're not good shooters. Yeah
they can defend, but they're not particularly big. So there's sort of this
stigma against them. But as we saw with Bruce Brown, who's a better
a better passer both with the ball in his hands and even off of the
roles, and Gary Payton a second look at Gary Payton the second specifically,
it's the Warriors were just open to using him in different ways. It helps
that he hit thirty seven point seven percent of his spot up threes. That
absolutely matters, but they haven't been a team that's I don't discriminated against size
or ever pigeonholed size into a box. They were fine with moving him around
defensively. So that's like one thing getting over this, Oh he's six three,
he can only defend in the back court, no, like he was
on actual wings. The other thing is can you get creative with how you
use them on offense? Yes, his three point shot was helpful, bordering
on critical to how he was used. But they used him as the Roman,
like as the screener in the Roman in the playoffs, minimal usage he
was injured to start one point four three points per possession as the Roman in
the playoffs, minimal volume. Look just getting him moving like away from the
ball as a cutter, he evers one point six points per possession as a
cutter during the regular season. That was the best mark in the MBA among
one hundred and nineteen players who finished at least fifty of those possession types.
Garreting the second. By the way, it was in the higher end of
the volume there with one hundred and seven. Yeah, the Warriors helped that
because they know how to get players moving off the ball, and they also
had a live line. If he played, there was enough spacing to make
it easier on him where it's like, oh, not Looney and Draymond like
both clogging the floor at the same time. But the fact that he's also
willing to be used like that and never fancied himself a primary ball handler,
it makes it easier to use him in that vein and the call for Russell
Westbrook to set more of those ball screens and we used as a roller or
just a cutter. And so I do think perception is changing. I'm not
as low on what could happen with the Blazers. If his three point percentage
falls, that could be a detriment. They're gonna be lineups, especially some
of the smaller ones they could run out. Even if Nurkids is on the
floor where he has even more room to operate, and they don't need him.
They have Simons, they have Dame, they even have Jeremy Grant like
to use as the primary on ball guys. If you are willing to get
past this idea that Gary Payton the second either has to take a ton of
threes and make them at the super hide clip and you can get him moving
away from the ball. Easier said than done. But they have the guys
who can collapse defenses where he can just duck in from the corners, or
again use him as the screener. It certainly helps if you have bigs on
the court that can shoot threes, which the Blazers that's not I mean,
nurk, it's just dabbled. That's not going to be what he does.
But he could find Gary Payton a second on the short roll, and I
look, I do think that you could try and run pick and roll with
Gary Payton the second and a NRK And then just if you have Dame,
Anthony Simons and you know whoever else Jeremy Grant or Josh Hard on the court,
there's enough shooting to where yes, he can do those basic types of
reads and in my opinion, but you just don't use them that way.
And I think teams are finally starting to warm up to that idea that you
don't need to have these guard types in a box. It's okay to be
Gary Payton the Second and Bruce Brown. Like what they do on offense,
it's you need them to hit ultra wide, open threes and it's probably gonna
be on medium to super low volume, but that's okay if you can figure
out how to use them in other ways. What I bet on Gary Payton
the Second being as used old Portland in Portland as he was with Golden State,
I don't. I don't know. I can tell you, Ian,
I'm way higher on what he will do with the Blazers than you are,
unless it's health related, of course, mostly because I think that this is
a lead wide trend where you're sort of understanding that you can use players in
those more creative or unorthodox ways. I'm going to make this the last question
because I think that and Palito, you ask three. I'll get to your
other two in part two, but I feel like I'm moving my voice here.
What do you think the Charlotte Hearts off season looks like, if everything
goes perfectly from this portfoward, i e. Post Miles Bridges. Let me
use this opportunity to say that I think, look the domestic violence stump with
Myles domestic violence accusations claims. I mean, charges against Miles Bridges at this
point are real, They're genuine, and they need to be taken seriously.
Katie Hendel, who is the author of the Basketball Feelings newsletter and is just
published all over the place, went on the Lockdown Hoardet's podcast. I would
encourage everyone to head over to their YouTube and check out the conversations he had
about the way domestic violence Miles Bridges, but also the overarching issue of domestic
violence is covered in sports media and commentary overall. I'm not thinking about Miles
bridges next contract. I don't ideally like they're the case against him, like
needs to be resolved in a way where he is disciplined accordingly and effectively,
and like we can't forget about this, Like that's to me, the ideal
low season for the NBA and the Hoardets is let's not get caught up in
what Miles Bridges is making or how has impacted his his earning potential. It's
about if anyone saw the video of his kid talking about what it was like
seeing Myles Bridges. I believe choke. I don't even want to use her
name because I don't even know if that's like proper, which is part of
the problem. We need to educate ourselves on how to how to recover this.
But choking his mother, like having to see that is just that video
made me want made me want to ball, and Dan damn near did the
Hornet's actual best case offseason. I don't know what it looks like with the
Miles Bridges. I think they did a good job concerning like resigning Cody Martin
from here on out, it's I think they still probably need to acquire like
a veteran big who's not Mason Plumley, So it'd be nice if you could
get into the Miles Turner sweepstakes. I don't even like. I don't know
how this is going to impact Myles bridges next contract. I frankly don't care.
You do. Look at their team and however he's disciplined, if he's
gonna miss next season or a huge suspended for a year's chunk of next season,
if not more than that we can deal with that issue when it's actually
an issue. Is right now Miles Bridges is not unsigned and is not signed,
and they're just way more important things going on with the Hornets to get
into their actual team needs. And I don't mean to make this like a
gross segue. I probably would like to see them get involved on the Miles
Turner sweepstakes, if not even a Yaka peurdle. You do have Mark Williams.
There a lottery pick in addition to Kai Jones. I'm not telling them
going to mortgage the farm for all these guys, but both Pertal and Turner
are going to be free agents next summer. So is there a world in
which they just don't cost you a ton? So that would be like that
would be what I think they need the most. And they're not like drowning
in wings at the moment. They have Kelly Bridge Jr. Who feels like
more of a like a Kelly brid Junior is a wing but like PJ.
Washington is not. Cody Martin is like the quote like the second tim and
Kelly brid Jr. Is your primary Gordon Hayward as well. It would be
interesting to strengthen that spot overall, which would have to be done through trade.
But I did I like the Cody Martin bringing him back. I think
they needed to because of his defensive valuability. That ideally though, for them,
they would figure out a way to acquire a veteran, big profably one
who's either going to be one of the best room protectors you've ever seen or
who stretches the floor, or in the case of Miles Turner, could potentially
be both and maybe just sort of changing it up on the wings because you
don't have like, yeah, you can use uber at Cody Martin against the
other team's best wing, but I don't think you want to, Like you
probably want kellyerbrid Junior guarding a lot of like non ball handling wings because he
can take a ton of chances. I just don't consider him necessarily a wing,
a primary wing defender on defense. Gordon Hayward certainly not that anymore.
Cody Martin's probably your best bet actually there that would be something for them to
address. In my opinion, this mailbag was great an hour on the button
without me baking in the advertisements just yet, So thank you everyone who made
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you guys join our Discord. The link is in the YouTube description and the
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I appreciate all these questions, the engagement you guys give, and as
we sort of move into the crux or the dog days of the offseason,
though Kevin Durant trade his looming, I do want to thank everyone for continuing
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league wide podcast, but I also know that you have a lot of localized
alternatives when you're a fan of a specific team, and it really does mean
a lot that we have people in Discord who are engaging, sending us questions,
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