1 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:20,039 What is krack lacking, fellow thermonuclear a effort. I am a damn valley 2 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,480 coming at you with some more hoops. Talk later than normal on this Friday 3 00:00:24,519 --> 00:00:27,679 because I pulled an all nighter at work quasi on night, or I did 4 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,280 go to bed at five thirty for like three and a half hours, got 5 00:00:30,359 --> 00:00:33,560 up how to do a radio interview? Figured might as well record a podcast 6 00:00:33,679 --> 00:00:36,719 and talk about a couple of things that I really wanted to discuss this week 7 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,000 but couldn't. Before we get started the usual housekeeping notes, Please remember too, 8 00:00:41,079 --> 00:00:44,560 subscribe to us wherever you're getting these podcasts. If you're on YouTube, 9 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,240 hit that like and subscribe button. Comment, help the algorithm love us back. 10 00:00:49,079 --> 00:00:52,920 Positive discourse or at least constructive discourse is always appreciated. I need to 11 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,200 do a better job of steering clear of the people who just accuse us of 12 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:00,799 not watching basketball or just telling us for wrong or that we suck and only 13 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,599 answer the positive comments. Maybe just make myself less successful on YouTube regardless, 14 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,040 but please subscribe on YouTube, subscribe wherever you get your podcast Apple, Spotify, 15 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:11,799 Stitchery, Google Play. As we continue to try and build a community, 16 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,439 and you know, speaking of that, the sort of year end reflection 17 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,079 here in the interest of being more open, I normally don't get into numbers, 18 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:23,680 just because I think part of me has always been a little embarrassed that 19 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,920 we're not bigger somehow relative to the general MBA space. But we're also in 20 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:32,719 a very localized focused content era right now, where it does feel like, 21 00:01:33,599 --> 00:01:38,000 unless you are our social media influencer, have this huge following or are super 22 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,599 popular and of course great at what you do, but it just feels like 23 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:45,120 the general NBA pods or not as bigger or as popular, and even if 24 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,599 they're as popular, there might be disdained for them. That's not a woe 25 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:49,760 is me. I think the local coverage is just so good and so in 26 00:01:49,879 --> 00:01:57,400 depth that it gives fans even analysts, just sort of this niche to live 27 00:01:57,439 --> 00:02:00,640 in, to immerse themselves in. And as someone who tries to listen to 28 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:05,799 as many singular team podcasts as I can, I totally get the appeal. 29 00:02:06,159 --> 00:02:09,039 But this was a good year for Hardwood Knox. We are probably going to 30 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:14,520 finish with a round between four hundred and ten to four hundred and twenty thousand 31 00:02:14,719 --> 00:02:17,879 downloads, and that's just not including anything we do on YouTube or anyone who 32 00:02:17,879 --> 00:02:22,639 does watch our IG and TikTok clips please follow us on there as well at 33 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:27,800 Hardwood Underscore Knox and IG at Hardwood Knox on TikTok at Hardwood Knox on on 34 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,960 Twitter. And so it's a number I'm proud of. I would like it 35 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:35,759 to be bigger, but at the same time as my phone alarm goes off 36 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,039 there, I did also want to make a note that Hardwoo Knox will probably 37 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:43,759 be scaling back at some point in the near future. It will not be 38 00:02:44,199 --> 00:02:46,080 immediately. We want to get through a Western conference mailback and it's a bunch 39 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:50,960 of other things that I wanted to actually focus on. But in the interest 40 00:02:51,039 --> 00:02:53,879 of full transparency here, like we'd Grant and I are just not and this 41 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,759 isn't the air dirty laundry. I don't want people tagging a company. We're 42 00:02:57,759 --> 00:03:00,120 just not getting paid right now to do this, and neither of us do 43 00:03:00,159 --> 00:03:04,759 this for that. We are both full timers that Bleach Report and so this 44 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,560 is something that we do on the side of the Passion project. But we 45 00:03:07,879 --> 00:03:12,479 and I specifically invested way too much time I think in building what's a top 46 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:17,599 notch podcast that does have a steady stream of listenership, and I'm gonna, 47 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:21,360 you know, to focus on it as much as I have where I've tried 48 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,159 to be and I enjoyed. I enjoy being accessible on discord, on YouTube. 49 00:03:23,159 --> 00:03:25,319 I'm putting out a ton of content, trying to build up all the 50 00:03:25,319 --> 00:03:30,680 social platforms, working with shout out Ian to find good social clips that we've 51 00:03:30,719 --> 00:03:36,159 been killing it with its quite frankly over the past month or so. I 52 00:03:36,319 --> 00:03:38,159 have to focus my time elseware and stuff that's actually going to make money, 53 00:03:38,199 --> 00:03:42,120 and I will figure out the future of the podcast. It's not going anywhere, 54 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:46,000 but I do feel an obligation because I think we have not the biggest 55 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,560 listenership, but a loyal listenership. And I don't know how far we'll scale 56 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,120 back. I don't know what exactly when it will happen, but it will 57 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:57,280 happen until we figure it out. It has been suggested to me that maybe 58 00:03:57,319 --> 00:04:00,560 we should open a Patreon. I just don't this would I don't think my 59 00:04:00,599 --> 00:04:03,479 ego could handle it when we don't have any Patreon subscribers. I like the 60 00:04:03,479 --> 00:04:06,080 idea of having a free pod. I don't think people are very much interested 61 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:11,439 in paying for a general NBA pods, let alone this NBA pod. If 62 00:04:11,439 --> 00:04:14,599 it's something with dunked on Prime where they offer you all those different types of 63 00:04:14,639 --> 00:04:17,040 services, I totally get it. I don't think it's it's worth it for 64 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,279 us, and I never wanted to have it behind a paywall, And like 65 00:04:19,319 --> 00:04:23,759 I said, let's just be selfish fragilely speaking here, like when we get 66 00:04:24,079 --> 00:04:27,240 two or three subscribers, it would probably be a blow to my ego. 67 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,439 Anyway, we've thought about maybe we'll make shirts if anyone would wear a thermonuclear 68 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,680 or AfD shirt or a certifiably fantabulous shirt, just to figure out a way 69 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:39,560 to I don't even not even monetize it, but like make our name a 70 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,360 little bit more out there, or people could represent us in clothes. If 71 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,720 that's something you would wear, you could definitely let me know join our discord 72 00:04:45,759 --> 00:04:46,720 to do that. If you're not already in there. The link is in 73 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:53,839 the podcast and YouTube description and I'm closing up on the preamble, so you 74 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:58,639 know, don't don't worry, sit sit tight. If you have suggestions as 75 00:04:58,639 --> 00:05:00,759 to what you think we could do to grow up or I think at this 76 00:05:00,759 --> 00:05:02,480 point the best way to help the pod and ensure that it keeps us going. 77 00:05:02,519 --> 00:05:06,199 If you're already subscribed, tell people about us, get other people to 78 00:05:06,199 --> 00:05:10,360 subscribe, help us spread the word about it. I don't want the sympathy 79 00:05:10,439 --> 00:05:13,639 subscriptions of oh, they're not getting paid at this point, but the content 80 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:17,839 we provide here, I think we have an absurdly fun time. Don't take 81 00:05:17,879 --> 00:05:21,639 ourselves too seriously. We're willing to have, especially in Discord. There are 82 00:05:21,639 --> 00:05:25,399 commenters on YouTube that great on me. I'm not gonna lie when you come 83 00:05:25,399 --> 00:05:28,279 in and say that Grant is giving surface level takes on the Nuggets and it's 84 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:31,079 annoying whether you're on Twitter, whether you're on YouTube, and he's talking about 85 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:35,319 specific pick and roll coverages and he's using historical contests context Like, yeah, 86 00:05:35,399 --> 00:05:38,920 my response is going to be fuck you. You want to go. On 87 00:05:38,959 --> 00:05:42,480 Discord, we had a very spirited chat about how much as someone who picked 88 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:46,759 the Nuggets to win the title, about their defense, whether it was important 89 00:05:46,759 --> 00:05:49,800 about YO kitchen. It was like, those are the conversations I love having. 90 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:51,959 But yeah, I will get defensive and need to do a better job 91 00:05:51,959 --> 00:05:55,560 of just not answering those people. But like I said, I think we 92 00:05:55,639 --> 00:06:00,519 are one of the more underrated, understated leaguewide MBA podcasts out there. I 93 00:06:00,519 --> 00:06:04,639 think we do a great job here and I will redouble focus once we some 94 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:09,199 stuff is going to be in the fire, but I will redouble, retriple 95 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:11,920 focus on it when I think it's going to be worth it for the two 96 00:06:11,959 --> 00:06:15,279 of us. And that's for Grant as well, who's been like a fantastic 97 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:17,759 teammate throughout all this, but when he came on like this wasn't supposed to 98 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,160 be something that was just this free endeavor, and I'm not going to continue 99 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:26,959 to put the amount of time and effort into it when the return is going 100 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,519 to be like nothing and actively cost me money when you look at having to 101 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:32,920 pay for different subscriptions and software. So I wanted to be fully transparent with 102 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:36,000 that, since I'm not going to guarantee when it happens. I'd imagine not 103 00:06:36,079 --> 00:06:39,720 the first week of January, but the second week and beyond. I will 104 00:06:39,759 --> 00:06:43,000 be scaling back here and it will probably be noticeable, and if I don't, 105 00:06:43,079 --> 00:06:46,879 I guess I'm just a psychopath who doesn't like sleep or sanity or getting 106 00:06:46,879 --> 00:06:50,879 paid apparently, So I did want update with that. Like I said, 107 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,639 you can support the show, don't want the sympathy support. You don't need 108 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,639 to. This is not woe is us. Grant and I are fine, 109 00:06:57,639 --> 00:07:00,920 spectacular. Still love doing this great passing project. It's cathartic when we get 110 00:07:00,959 --> 00:07:03,519 to speak with each other. I love every single one of you who actively 111 00:07:03,519 --> 00:07:06,279 listens, engaged. If you want to help us spread the word, or 112 00:07:06,319 --> 00:07:09,680 if you even have ideas you can, Discord is gonna be the best way 113 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:13,279 to get at me there, but Twitter at Dana Valley. YouTube comments will 114 00:07:13,319 --> 00:07:15,959 be tough. If there's any you know, aside from hey, suck least 115 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:20,120 you look. I can't suck last. I'm sorry, but that is that 116 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:26,079 after a seven eight minute long intro here, I will just remind you though 117 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:30,360 Discord channel, YouTube past, YouTube podcast description, that's going to be probably 118 00:07:30,399 --> 00:07:32,680 the best way to more consistently be in touch with me. And just if 119 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:38,000 you want more good active basketball discourses, we're going to pull back from Look 120 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:41,800 I've been doing consistently for the past six to eight months, probably between four 121 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:45,160 and seven if not more, and we're doing Team look Ahead pods a week 122 00:07:45,519 --> 00:07:47,680 like we've been pumping out content. Hopefully you will miss it. I don't 123 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,920 want you to miss it. Hopefully we'll get back to that type of stream. 124 00:07:50,959 --> 00:07:54,920 Even this week, like I had to force myself not to publish two 125 00:07:54,959 --> 00:07:57,800 extra ones, We're gonna end up with three maybe four this week. I 126 00:07:57,879 --> 00:08:01,720 thought about recording others. I have to pick what's going to be like profitable 127 00:08:01,759 --> 00:08:05,720 for me at this point. That's where I'm going to focus my time for 128 00:08:05,759 --> 00:08:11,480 the for the for the interm and so yeah, the social channels as well 129 00:08:11,519 --> 00:08:16,720 at Hardward Knox on Twitter and TikTok at Hardward Underscore Knox on Instagram, and 130 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:20,000 subscribe, cross subscribe on all the platforms. But any way that you can 131 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,959 help us continue to get the word out there is the best way to support 132 00:08:22,959 --> 00:08:26,560 the show. Or again just to reiterate, if you have any ideas that 133 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,000 you think that you need to to run by me, or if you think 134 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,519 the shirts are a good idea, I'm not really I grant and I've gone 135 00:08:31,519 --> 00:08:35,120 back and forth on them. Or it doesn't ever be shirts, sweatshirts, 136 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:39,919 close hats, whatever, merchandise, merch that's not something that I've thought. 137 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:43,919 This podcast has been popular enough to ever have, so appreciate any and all 138 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,600 feedback. There's not really a discord channel for it. If you want to 139 00:08:46,639 --> 00:08:48,639 go in there, I can create one. If we think our listeners and 140 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:50,840 there would like to bandy that out or just throw us compliments. But yes, 141 00:08:52,159 --> 00:08:54,519 this these ten minutes are over. So let's get to the stuff that 142 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:58,399 matters, which is first and foremost. We had the this isn't foremost, 143 00:08:58,399 --> 00:09:01,840 by the way, I just want to talk about it. The rumor on 144 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:07,559 Christmas from WOA that James Harden would seriously consider a return to the Houston Rockets 145 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,840 in free agency this year. The timing of that was weird because it was 146 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:16,200 Christmas. The Sixers are like on a tear and Harden's been playing well, 147 00:09:16,279 --> 00:09:20,600 Joel Embiid has been playing well, and so it doesn't really when you think 148 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:24,559 about it, makes sense about the timing and also just having the It wasn't 149 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:28,039 a throwaway line, but it was in a throwaway spot. It was at 150 00:09:28,039 --> 00:09:31,840 the end of the WODE article where it said that the working relationship between Joel 151 00:09:31,879 --> 00:09:37,120 Embiid, Doc Rivers and then James Harden is this like not is unfinished as 152 00:09:37,159 --> 00:09:39,919 a work in progress applies that it's not great. That's like it's not a 153 00:09:39,919 --> 00:09:45,399 five alarm fire. But that's pretty notable here, and so I first interpreted 154 00:09:45,799 --> 00:09:48,200 it as well, this is max contract leverage for James Harden. He took 155 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:52,759 a discount to stay in Philly and sure they get PJ. Tucker and Daniel 156 00:09:52,799 --> 00:09:54,919 House this year helped grease the wheels of that d empty Mountain trade. Then 157 00:09:54,960 --> 00:10:00,120 working with under the within the hardcap, excuse me for that. So that 158 00:10:00,279 --> 00:10:01,879 is that was my first instinct, and I do think there might be an 159 00:10:01,879 --> 00:10:05,200 element of play where that idea would be floated around out there. But then 160 00:10:05,279 --> 00:10:07,879 I thought about it, got to talking with Red Nation hoops of Salmon, 161 00:10:07,919 --> 00:10:11,440 Alie, and this doesn't feel like it necessarily would have come from Hardened because 162 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:16,480 the timings so weird. Freegency is so far away that you're not gaining like 163 00:10:16,639 --> 00:10:18,879 a ton of leverage here. This feels like something that gets out maybe because 164 00:10:18,919 --> 00:10:24,200 you don't have a concrete specific agent as far as we know, sort of 165 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:28,559 handling your things behind the scenes, and there's going to be no one in 166 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:35,000 league circles really invested in keeping that under wraps or your interest there, and 167 00:10:35,159 --> 00:10:37,519 so it feels like I don't know if it was a mistake or just this 168 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:41,600 has been out there. Apparently it's not something that I was privy too, 169 00:10:41,639 --> 00:10:43,799 but I've just been told that it's just been out there for quite some time, 170 00:10:43,799 --> 00:10:46,559 and it did mention, which gives it legitimacy. By the way, 171 00:10:46,919 --> 00:10:50,519 I think it was Jake Fisher. I can't remember if he was a Bleacher 172 00:10:50,519 --> 00:10:54,440 Report at the time, but he's at Yahoo Sports now and mentioned that that 173 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:56,639 was something Harden to consider to look at over the offseason. The ties to 174 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:00,679 Houston really missing Houston, and we all know that he has highs beyond the 175 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:05,200 Strip Club jokes to Houston like that is a place where he signed multiple extensions 176 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:09,639 instead of going to free agency. He had the I don't want to say 177 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:11,799 he was the run of the organization. He was the top priority in the 178 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:16,759 organization. They tailored a lot around him, and rightfully so. He had 179 00:11:16,799 --> 00:11:18,480 cache there when he had the same cache if he goes back. We'll get 180 00:11:18,519 --> 00:11:22,960 into that in a second. I buy into the rumor, though the timing 181 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:26,519 is just weird, and I don't know that it's consequential, and there's a 182 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:30,440 lot of basketball left to be played and you'd rather focus on that. Hard 183 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,080 himself said everything as well, and Philly, we have to see how the 184 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,559 playoffs end. We have to see what they're willing to do for him in 185 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,440 free agency. Again, I think the idea could be sort of a leverage 186 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:41,559 player from Harden, but the timing doesn't imply that that's what this was. 187 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:46,039 It implies that this is something that has been out there that is real, 188 00:11:46,399 --> 00:11:52,720 that he will look at it and way maybe his happiness outside of basketball or 189 00:11:52,799 --> 00:11:56,200 just in tandem with basketball and in general other than the best spot that he 190 00:11:56,240 --> 00:12:01,679 would be able to win a championship right now, which look at Houston's roster 191 00:12:01,799 --> 00:12:03,360 and yes, they have Jalen Green, they have Alperyn, Shane Gun, 192 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:09,159 they have Jabari Smith. You and you're Tarreason's fucking fantastic. You throw Harden 193 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:11,000 on there and they could just basically sign him out right. Their cap space 194 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,960 is if they're if they're going to get rid of the Eric gordonhold, which, 195 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,200 by the way, something that's been theorized among me and others is maybe 196 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:22,679 that's why Eric Gordon just hasn't been traded yet. He's a James Harten homie, 197 00:12:22,759 --> 00:12:24,039 and if you have him there, maybe that's another reason for James Harden 198 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:28,200 to come back. Perhaps you don't pay him the full boat of his salary 199 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,759 that's non guaranteed next year, but you could still bring him back anyway. 200 00:12:33,039 --> 00:12:35,480 If you insert James Harden in that team, and let's say Eric Gordon is 201 00:12:35,519 --> 00:12:37,879 there, they're not immediately a contender. And we've seen this movie before where 202 00:12:37,879 --> 00:12:41,000 if a player says, no, I'm happy to play with the youngsters and 203 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:45,320 come back, and it's it's we're gonna win a title and we'll build up 204 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,679 there. James Harden's gonna turn thirty four, it's it's not happening. Maybe 205 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,919 if he wins a title in Philly and then just decides like, hey, 206 00:12:50,919 --> 00:12:54,279 it's time to go back to Houston, perhaps there's a level of contentment there. 207 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:58,440 But if you sign James Harden, there's an implicit level of urgency. 208 00:12:58,639 --> 00:13:03,000 And so you're gonna look at trading this year's pick whoever wherever it lands. 209 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:05,639 And then you also know the Rockets are probably gonna want to try and win 210 00:13:05,639 --> 00:13:09,360 anyway because they owe their twenty twenty four pick to OKC. With top four 211 00:13:09,399 --> 00:13:15,080 protection, that urgency is already kicked in. Harden is only going to accelerate 212 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:16,960 that, and so you're going to look at trading for at least one other 213 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:22,679 major player and this could be a Kauai Paul George situation on the older scale, 214 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:26,799 where James Harden is coming with somebody Kevin Rant MVP candidate. Right now, 215 00:13:26,879 --> 00:13:31,000 things are hunky Dorian Brooklyn doesn't stay that way leading into the off season, 216 00:13:31,039 --> 00:13:33,600 depending on what happens with Kyrie Irving's own free agency. Who knows, 217 00:13:33,639 --> 00:13:37,720 maybe that's the guy that comes with James Harden and you have the assets to 218 00:13:37,759 --> 00:13:41,440 make it happen because you have extra picks from Brooklyn themselves. That would actually 219 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:43,480 be hysterical if some of those picks are going back to the Nets in that 220 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:48,240 deal. But you also have a bunch of these youngsters, and that would 221 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:50,320 be the other thing I would bring up. If you're getting James Harden, 222 00:13:50,919 --> 00:13:58,519 I would be floored, flabbergassed, and shocked. If Jabari Smith, Trison, 223 00:14:00,279 --> 00:14:03,679 Jalen Green, Kevin Porter, Junior Alpern, Shangoon plus next year's first 224 00:14:03,759 --> 00:14:09,120 round pick are all just there next season, there will be a consolidation trade. 225 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:11,600 I think you can argue the Rockets needed consolidation trade as is. You 226 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:15,159 just wouldn't be like, oh, let me trade Shangoon and Jabari Smith or 227 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,039 Jalen Green or Eason. Those guys I think would be considered off limits. 228 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:22,360 It's oh, like, do we turn Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba into something 229 00:14:22,799 --> 00:14:26,519 Kevin Porter junior salary this upcoming summer? Maybe we look at look at moving. 230 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:30,879 You're gonna look at more of a wholesale consolidation here though, And I 231 00:14:30,919 --> 00:14:33,960 don't love the fit between Harden and Green. You need to set up your 232 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:37,639 defense in a very very specific way, especially if you want them to play 233 00:14:37,679 --> 00:14:41,000 with Shangoon. This isn't to say that players wouldn't be available out there. 234 00:14:41,159 --> 00:14:45,679 What's going on in Toronto? Would Og be available this summer? I'd probably 235 00:14:45,759 --> 00:14:50,080 bet against it, But could Siakam? That might be an interesting one. 236 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,480 That would be a name that would fit the bill. But you are if 237 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:54,840 you're gonna get a Siakam if I don't want to use that. Even if 238 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:58,559 you're gonna get an Ogi Ana Nobi, you're not gonna go after Bradley Bieler 239 00:14:58,639 --> 00:15:03,440 zactly. And that doesn't make sense because you have James Harden. Would you 240 00:15:03,559 --> 00:15:05,799 go after You're not going to go after a Carl Anthony Towns. That's just 241 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,080 that wouldn't make too much sense in that scenario with Jalen Green and James Harden 242 00:15:11,159 --> 00:15:13,759 in the fold unless you're gonna give up Jayalen Green as part of that deal 243 00:15:15,399 --> 00:15:18,440 to sort of maybe Towns as best suit as your number three option, but 244 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:20,320 you're still gonna have to build out a really specific defense, and so I 245 00:15:20,399 --> 00:15:24,559 just don't think he would be like your primary aim. If that's someone that's 246 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:28,960 going to be floating around the open market, an actual name that maybe springs 247 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:33,120 to mind, like some people still want to bounce around Jalen Brown, I 248 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:37,120 just can't see it because the Celtics are so good. Maybe if the Clippers 249 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,519 decided to blow it up after this year, but I don't I don't really 250 00:15:39,559 --> 00:15:41,440 know that they would do either. Jimmy Butler is that someone who would want 251 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:46,399 to play with James Harden if things kind of go south in Miami this year. 252 00:15:46,679 --> 00:15:48,919 Bam Adebayo would make the most sense, but he's just not going to 253 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,559 become available. But a player, like a star that's going to become very 254 00:15:52,799 --> 00:15:58,840 you're going to need to give up stuff to get stuff, and that would 255 00:15:58,879 --> 00:16:02,639 be I think you would try and press to keep Jalen Green the most, 256 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:04,720 but that would be your first round pick this year. On the table and 257 00:16:04,799 --> 00:16:07,639 then having to decide, all right, are we willing to part with Jabari 258 00:16:07,759 --> 00:16:11,279 Smith? Maybe on a smaller scale, trying to decide will we part with 259 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,799 Eason at End or Shangon is part of this deal in addition to just know 260 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:19,240 other throwings future future picks. It depends on the player on. To make 261 00:16:19,279 --> 00:16:22,480 that clear, I'm not saying, oh, okay, Wendell Carter Junior became 262 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:26,000 available, you have to trade your Barry Smith and your pick that. No, 263 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:30,120 that's not It would have to be a higher end talent who becomes available. 264 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:37,159 Kevin Durant would certainly qualify there. So that's a move the Rockets will 265 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:40,039 make if they get hardened, and that's why I believe they could be reticent 266 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:42,879 to make it happen. At the same time, I absolutely believe given their 267 00:16:42,919 --> 00:16:48,519 own pick commitments to Okay see coming up, given the cap space they have, 268 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:49,919 they would absolutely sign James Harden if he wants to go there, and 269 00:16:49,919 --> 00:16:52,399 they'll figure out the rest later. Maybe they try and buy a gap year. 270 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,679 Again, I wouldn't expect it. Are they a team that just gets 271 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:59,159 in on the Lebron James sweepstakes? If Harden wants to go to Houston. 272 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,320 Is that just the next pay Lebron who could be traded this summer and then 273 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:06,519 James Harden and Houston. I don't love the idea of short circuiting the rebuild 274 00:17:06,559 --> 00:17:08,559 that much. I just wouldn't put it past the Rockets to consider it. 275 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,519 And I think you get out of that deal if you're signing hard and out 276 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:18,119 right, you get out of that deal while not having to gut your entire 277 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:23,599 youthful asset base like Lebron at this point because the size was contract his age. 278 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:29,519 I don't think like I think the return on Lebron James would be lower 279 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:33,440 than a lot of people would expect after seeing what Rudy Gobern, Donovan Mitchell 280 00:17:33,799 --> 00:17:37,599 got, And maybe most people wouldn't. I think most reasonable people wouldn't expect 281 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,920 Lebron to command that much in the trade market. Maybe Kevin Durant does. 282 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:44,240 I ultimately think the Star trade market's going to settle a little bit, that 283 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:49,400 they were sort of this overcorrection with the way and the timing and the cavalierness 284 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,960 with which teams willing to give up future first round picks. Right now, 285 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:56,519 those distant first round picks are drying up because so many teams have already traded 286 00:17:56,559 --> 00:17:57,720 them. And I also think that we're gonna you're looking at us having in 287 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:02,359 Minnesota right now, talk about a borderline dumpster fire. Teams are gonna be 288 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:04,359 a little bit more cognizant of hey, whoa, we need to pump the 289 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,519 brakes here. And so we'll see some pullback on the star trade market, 290 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:11,960 especially when that star is pushing forty in Lebron James, and you know, 291 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,240 he could wind up being a rental if he really wants to play with Brownie 292 00:18:15,279 --> 00:18:18,880 when he enters the league, and so you're looking at having him for two 293 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,039 years, Let's say, how does he age then and does he stick around 294 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:26,160 beyond that? But my point being here is if you get James hard and 295 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,559 it's not to just be a part of this rebuild in Houston. He's not 296 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,000 going to Houston with the idea of being a part of the rebuild. He 297 00:18:33,079 --> 00:18:36,279 loves Houston, and I think his ties to the organization to the city are 298 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:38,440 underrated, to get overlooked lost in the memes about strip clubs, which are 299 00:18:38,599 --> 00:18:42,359 I mean, those are funny, but there's real emotional ties there. This 300 00:18:42,559 --> 00:18:48,200 is real to me, and that's with the Sixers kind of looking like an 301 00:18:48,279 --> 00:18:52,480 actual contender of late and they're they're gonna get tires Maxie back, which is 302 00:18:52,559 --> 00:18:57,839 huge for them, and Tibias Harris has been playing really well. Their defense 303 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:02,960 is perked up and I think has room to actually even improve still, so 304 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:07,000 that team is a real threat. But if James Harden's not happy and he 305 00:19:07,079 --> 00:19:08,640 misses Houston and it seems like he does, it's based off the reporting that 306 00:19:08,759 --> 00:19:12,519 was there after he left Houston in the first place. This is real, 307 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,279 This could happen, and I don't know whether you would endorse it as a 308 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:19,160 Rockets fan. If you're a Rockets fan listening to this, watching this comment, 309 00:19:19,319 --> 00:19:22,880 let me know if you would want James Harden back as as like really 310 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:26,920 bad, not come back with a year left in his career to retire, 311 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,640 but you want him to come back be part of what's ever happening here, 312 00:19:29,759 --> 00:19:34,319 or you're willing to fashion a more urgent, lead, competitive team around him 313 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,279 or with him, so long as you get you get to keep. What's 314 00:19:37,279 --> 00:19:40,440 they get one player or one asset here. If you're really that married, 315 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:44,799 because you're in the victor one of Yama sweepstakes, how are you fleshing out, 316 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:47,319 Like, is what is the goal here? Is it to try and 317 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:51,359 keep two of this year's pick Jalen Green and Jabari while also acquiring a star? 318 00:19:51,759 --> 00:19:55,119 Is that feasible? I don't know. Maybe that would probably be my 319 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:57,599 preferle if you can keep two of those guys this year's pick, Jabari and 320 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:02,000 Jalen Green, I'm a lot more open to the hard Nightey, I'll open 321 00:20:02,039 --> 00:20:03,640 to it now quite frankly, but like I'll be a lot more open to 322 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:08,160 it then. So James Harden stuff that's a real threat. This is going 323 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:11,759 to be a fascinating way to play out in six months. If you're if 324 00:20:11,799 --> 00:20:14,599 you're Houston, there's nothing you could really do unless you need to back channel 325 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,880 some tampering or figure out what stars are going to be available this summer that 326 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,680 you could try to pair with James Harden. You sit tight at this point. 327 00:20:21,759 --> 00:20:26,400 Do what you're doing right now. Maybe you know, continue to up 328 00:20:26,559 --> 00:20:30,519 Shango's usage. They've learned a lot more stuff through him since since Thanksgiving. 329 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,519 Been good to see. It took him too long to get there, but 330 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:36,960 look, bring your young guys along. I don't know what to do with 331 00:20:37,079 --> 00:20:38,720 Eric Gordon in this situation. If you view him as mission critical to getting 332 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:41,640 Harden and you want to keep him, fine, I don't know that you're 333 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:45,920 getting a first round pick for him alone anyway right now, but there's nothing 334 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:48,200 for them to do. This is more of a let's see how the Philly 335 00:20:48,279 --> 00:20:53,920 season ends, Let's see how James Harden season ends. Let's see what happened 336 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:59,039 in the in the postseason. Specifically, it's a very weighted out, which 337 00:20:59,039 --> 00:21:03,240 is why the timing I don't think was in service of James Harden necessarily. 338 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,720 Other thing, one of two other things I want to talk about, Devin 339 00:21:06,759 --> 00:21:08,440 Booker, the groin injury. A lot of injuries going around right now. 340 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,440 We don't even you know, if we did an update like once a week 341 00:21:11,559 --> 00:21:15,079 on just all the injuries in the NBA, that could be its own podcast, 342 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:18,079 just to note what teams are going through who rested. The Devin Booker 343 00:21:18,319 --> 00:21:22,119 groin injury is a big one. He's going to miss at least four weeks. 344 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,039 This is the injury. It wasn't Chris Paul, it wasn't Cam Johnson, 345 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:30,960 it's not Jay Crowder ghosting on the team. This is the injury that 346 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:34,559 threatens Phoenix this season because of how integral he is to them. Devin Booker 347 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:38,319 is to them on offense. Now, score playmaker, off ball mover, 348 00:21:38,559 --> 00:21:44,000 someone who just draws an absurd amount of defensive attention. The Suns as I 349 00:21:44,039 --> 00:21:48,440 record this or twenty and sixteen fifth in the West. That's only four losses 350 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:52,240 back of first place, which is the Pelicans. It's also, you know, 351 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:57,359 only two wins back of the play in territory or three wins three losses 352 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:02,240 excuse me, back of dropping out into number eleven in the West, which 353 00:22:02,279 --> 00:22:04,559 is the Timberwolves. Right now, this is a scary stretch for them, 354 00:22:06,039 --> 00:22:10,400 and I think what's going to be there has to be some sort of inaction 355 00:22:10,519 --> 00:22:17,240 remorse here. Maybe not on the part of the suspended owner, Robert Tarver, 356 00:22:17,279 --> 00:22:19,759 who still owns a team for now as the sale goes through to matt 357 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:25,799 Ishbaya, but like, this is a team that should have made a move 358 00:22:25,839 --> 00:22:30,559 already to diversify or expand its weapons on the offensive end, or just to 359 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:34,680 improve its top end talent. They've gotten great moments and minutes at points from 360 00:22:34,759 --> 00:22:38,000 Damien Lee and Josh Kogi. This year. They figured out the backup five 361 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,039 rotation as always campaign before he injured his foot. That's another injury they're dealing 362 00:22:42,079 --> 00:22:45,480 with. He was playing better this season, but now you've had all these 363 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:49,759 reminders, these Flashbowl moments peppered into the to the season. They're telling you, 364 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:56,599 hey, like we need someone something to really juice up this rotation. 365 00:22:56,839 --> 00:23:00,599 And it's not just a matter of the Jake crowder of placement. I think 366 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:03,319 it's this has always been it, and it's why you were tied to the 367 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:07,680 Kevin Rand sweepstakes in the first place. A ball handler or at least a 368 00:23:07,799 --> 00:23:11,839 secondary tertiary ball handler who can also log minutes alongside Chris Paul and Devin Booker, 369 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:15,799 that's not really going to be campaign, especially in the playoffs. It 370 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:18,880 could be Eric Gordon. But now I'm wondering, does this make it less 371 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,559 likely they even make that move, because they're gonna want to see where they're 372 00:23:22,559 --> 00:23:25,000 at, or at least make that move anytime soon. They're gonna want to 373 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:27,640 see where they're at in a month four weeks when Devin Booker returns, where 374 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,960 they will still have time before the trade deadline, although we'll be within a 375 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,720 couple of weeks of it. Then does it make it more likely that they 376 00:23:37,079 --> 00:23:40,599 kind of try to be additionally aggressive on the trade market, and I thought 377 00:23:40,599 --> 00:23:44,000 a lot about you know, Sam Cooper at the Timeline Pod was like, 378 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:47,359 this is the genesis the Julius Randle of the Sun's train. Jruis Randalls are 379 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,519 playing really well on offense now and someone like him would be super valuable to 380 00:23:49,559 --> 00:23:52,839 the Suns. Where yes, Michael Bridges has improved, Deandreton finds a way 381 00:23:52,839 --> 00:23:59,039 to make finesse sometimes that's unnecessarily so work, but it's not the same as 382 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:04,079 like a tried and true self Creator zero. Even step self Creator doesn't necessarily 383 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:08,839 need the head of steam to get going and to move laterally or put some 384 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:14,519 North South juice on the opposing defense and throw them into rotation. I do 385 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,119 think we've seen more of that from mckel Bridges this year, which is good. 386 00:24:17,519 --> 00:24:19,279 Not on the same level as a Julius Randall or certainly on the same 387 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:23,559 level as a Kevin Durant. I've even thought about does Gary Trent Junior inject 388 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:27,000 enough sort of on ball anarchy to make this work and you could play him 389 00:24:27,039 --> 00:24:34,160 with Chris Paul and Devin Booker. So like, I think there are moves 390 00:24:34,279 --> 00:24:38,079 to be made out there that there are players who are feasibly available or will 391 00:24:38,559 --> 00:24:45,680 become available. I'm just wondering, given how risk averse the sun seemed dur 392 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,440 in the middle of the season to begin with, and how hesitant the James 393 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:55,400 Jones era front office has been to make these bigger swings in the trade market. 394 00:24:55,519 --> 00:24:57,440 And yes, they traded for CP three. That was just a no 395 00:24:57,599 --> 00:25:00,319 brainer. That was he wanted to come to Phoenix. It made so much 396 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:06,160 sense, especially given what they had done following their performance in the bubble, 397 00:25:06,279 --> 00:25:08,400 that just that wasn't a risk I want to be like ever since then, 398 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:15,599 they've gone the medium swing route at most, and I think even trading for 399 00:25:15,759 --> 00:25:19,440 Eric Gordon, I mean even trading for like no, not kJ Martin might 400 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:22,319 be the soul, but like if trading for Eric Gordon would be like the 401 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:30,119 single biggest risk or swing that they've taken during the CP three era. And 402 00:25:30,319 --> 00:25:33,680 so it's out of character for what they're doing. And again I'm sure the 403 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,920 change in ownership or lack thereof right now is going to hold up or at 404 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:44,160 least limit what they can do. And so while NBA sales might take a 405 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,039 little longer to go through normally, I'm wondering if there's an incentive for the 406 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:51,160 league to try and push this through so that the Sun's can be aggressive at 407 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:53,759 the trade deadline, meaning into it. And I do think regardless of where 408 00:25:53,799 --> 00:25:59,160 Booker is, you're still trying to capitalize in CPT's window and you needed that 409 00:25:59,519 --> 00:26:03,119 player anyway, and they are. I think there are numerous needs the Suns 410 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:07,799 have, but like the idealistic acquisition would be someone who could play forward spots 411 00:26:08,279 --> 00:26:14,720 and be that primary third, primary ballhunder alongside CP three and Devin Booker, 412 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:18,240 like it, not just staggering them playing in Tannem. That's like the highest 413 00:26:18,759 --> 00:26:22,559 end quintessential. If you had to pick the nirvanic acquisition the Suns could make, 414 00:26:22,839 --> 00:26:25,640 and it doesn't have to be Kevin Rand, but that type of a 415 00:26:25,759 --> 00:26:29,359 player, I think you just need someone even if it is a Gary Trencher, 416 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:33,759 you're an Eric Gordon who could give you some additional on ball creation at 417 00:26:33,839 --> 00:26:36,559 this point. While also then yes they're a lineups. They might be smaller 418 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:38,559 than you'd like, but you can get away with CP three and Devin Booker 419 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:45,440 for certain playoff stretches. I don't know if that player becomes available aside from 420 00:26:45,519 --> 00:26:49,599 the Gary Trench junior Eric Gordon tier. I know some people have talked I 421 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,160 don't. I don't think o Janao he fits that Bill and Well, I 422 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:55,640 guess while this team could need him, I don't necessarily know if that's the 423 00:26:55,759 --> 00:26:57,680 route they need to go. Julius Random would be kind of interesting. What 424 00:26:57,759 --> 00:27:00,839 are you giving up to get him? If the Knicks, I would still 425 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:03,000 just if you're offering me expirings and maybe now you want the Sun's first round 426 00:27:03,039 --> 00:27:07,839 pick this year protected for whatever I do it if I'm the Knicks, just 427 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:10,599 to like they're still yes, they want eight in a row. Now, 428 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:12,440 they've lost five a row, They've been injuries. They're just their team that's 429 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,920 in the middle, and their long term version is hazy. Julius Randall is 430 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:21,039 not additioned by subtraction per se, but he continues to open up runway when 431 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:25,400 Obie Toppin comes back, and he also continues to ensure that when you are 432 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:27,400 at full strength. R J. Barrett's getting more on ball reps, and 433 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:32,440 I recognize that he has played more without Julius Randall lately. You're also getting 434 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:36,440 more looks with Duce McBride, Quentin Grimes and Manual Quickly ball all guys who 435 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:40,000 have factored into their recent success, but you could more heavily feature them, 436 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:44,480 build towards the future, maybe pick up some extra flexibility and assets moving forward 437 00:27:44,519 --> 00:27:47,799 from Phoenix. I've come around on Julius Randalls to Phoenix, which is not 438 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:52,200 something that I thought I would do previously. I don't know that John Collins 439 00:27:52,279 --> 00:27:53,400 gives you enough on this, Like he has a little bit of a floor 440 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:56,799 game that I think has been under explored, but like, we don't need 441 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:00,640 to go the exploration route. The Suns need some one who's going to be 442 00:28:00,759 --> 00:28:03,799 just more proven in that area. I had, like, and I had 443 00:28:03,839 --> 00:28:08,680 a weird dream the other night that Jimmy Butler requested a trade to the Atlanta 444 00:28:08,759 --> 00:28:12,599 Hawks. It was just it was random and he'd have been playing better off 445 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:15,279 late, But like that would imagine Jimmy Butler becomes available to just fed up 446 00:28:15,319 --> 00:28:18,519 with, like, oh, when you're replace the PJ. Tucker minutes. 447 00:28:18,799 --> 00:28:22,799 He just seems too entrenched in Miami, So like, try to look at 448 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:26,079 higher end names that might become available. That Kevin Durant ship has sailed. 449 00:28:26,759 --> 00:28:29,759 It's not really in my humble opinion, he's just playing so well, as 450 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,559 are the nets that it would be truly bizarre to see them go that route. 451 00:28:33,079 --> 00:28:36,799 Someone did suggest me when were talking about Raptors targets, like why wouldn't 452 00:28:36,839 --> 00:28:38,079 they just take a flyer on Fred van Fleet? At the cost is right? 453 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,720 I just the equity you have and like a CP three being traded as 454 00:28:41,759 --> 00:28:45,079 part of that deal, and like, that's a move you could make in 455 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:48,480 theory if you wanted to trade CP three and like Trey Young all of a 456 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:52,920 sudden did become available, that might help. But it's not. That's just 457 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:56,640 that's too nuclear, Like that's just too nuclear. And I also think, 458 00:28:56,799 --> 00:28:59,839 though I'm talking about it being too nuclear, I don't think the Sun's need 459 00:29:00,359 --> 00:29:03,200 someone more than what if we just traded for PJ. Washington because of what's 460 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:07,319 going on in you know, what's going on in Charlotte this season and PJ. 461 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:11,640 Washington has played a little bit better lately. I just like it has 462 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:15,240 to be someone better than that on that scale. I don't think kJ Martin 463 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:18,759 alone could be your acquisition. If it's in tandem with Gordon and Martin. 464 00:29:18,839 --> 00:29:21,519 Yeah, like that's something that's let's talk about it. It needs to be 465 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:23,119 higher end than that. And I've thrown out some names and I recognize them 466 00:29:23,119 --> 00:29:27,559 talking in circles because the trademarket is that undefined right now, there's that there's 467 00:29:27,599 --> 00:29:32,200 so many dearth of sellers. Maybe the Sons would being on Lebron if he 468 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,279 could legally be traded, which he cannot be because of when he signed his 469 00:29:34,359 --> 00:29:37,480 extension, which he did so by design, so it can't really feel too 470 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:41,640 bad from there. The name I had thought about, and it's too tough 471 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,920 now with the poison pill. I had wondered if the Spurs would listen on 472 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:48,839 Kelton Johnson. They got him on a fucking song of an extension and I 473 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:52,759 wouldn't move him right now. Maybe Phoenix comes in with a godfather offer and 474 00:29:52,799 --> 00:29:56,559 you're way able to work. You know, the Spurs have cap space to 475 00:29:56,640 --> 00:30:00,880 burn, so it might make the trickiness of or it can make the trickiness 476 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:04,839 of the poison pill provision that much easier. That would be a name like 477 00:30:06,039 --> 00:30:08,160 Ken. Are they willing to say, Okay, we're really going to go 478 00:30:08,319 --> 00:30:11,480 further into this. I don't think they would, but they have tried Jeremy 479 00:30:11,519 --> 00:30:15,640 Sowin more at Point Guard. They have Devin Vascell when he's healthy running a 480 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:19,000 bunch of pick and rolls and he's been magnificent there. Johnson more more so 481 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,640 looks like he's going to be like the quintessential third option on a really good 482 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:26,680 team rather than sort of this number one, number two types. San Antonio's 483 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,759 tested him out from I'd be shocked if they'd move him, but that is 484 00:30:29,839 --> 00:30:33,799 my it's not my dream target for the Suns, but if he had to 485 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:37,640 leave the Spurs, like Kelton Johnson on the Suns, to me, would 486 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:38,960 just make a lot of sense. And he's shown that he could be plugging 487 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,559 play as a shooter while giving you some of the downhill juice. And I 488 00:30:42,599 --> 00:30:48,640 think there's been more unpredictability and changes in cadence to his game when he is 489 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:52,559 getting going downhill and just been for a lot of this year. Like we've 490 00:30:52,559 --> 00:30:57,559 seen the efficiency numbers can be, they'll wax and Wayne like, this is 491 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:00,799 someone who was in the all our conversation for a little bit, and he's 492 00:31:00,799 --> 00:31:03,279 been you know, he's posting career numbers. Even if you like some of 493 00:31:03,279 --> 00:31:07,240 the efficiency to tick up, even if you're worried about, oh well, 494 00:31:07,279 --> 00:31:10,440 what does his role look like? How does it scale if he's going to 495 00:31:10,519 --> 00:31:14,240 be in this featured context. I don't think you want him in that context 496 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:17,720 long term. It's it's fine now and you're plumbing the depths of what he 497 00:31:17,759 --> 00:31:21,200 can do and his and his overall limitations. But I think the Suns and 498 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:25,480 maybe I'm just Phoenix fans might be married at the idea of Cam Johnson when 499 00:31:25,519 --> 00:31:26,839 he comes back, and so like, what does that? Does that give 500 00:31:26,839 --> 00:31:30,680 you enough to say we're playing Keldon Johnson? Like, is Cam Johnson then 501 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:34,079 back off the bench? Is Keldon Johnson someone you would rather bring off the 502 00:31:34,119 --> 00:31:38,359 bench and he's about to get paid, So why or his extension about the 503 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:41,000 Kicken? Would you have paid him that to be your sixth man? And 504 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:45,319 I think that's where you sort of running issues, is that you want if 505 00:31:45,319 --> 00:31:47,519 you're going to acquire someone or give up a lot to get someone, you 506 00:31:47,559 --> 00:31:49,079 want to be a clear well, we're going to start them or close them. 507 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:53,440 If it's the Godfather offer Kevin Durant, Yes, he closes over Cam 508 00:31:53,559 --> 00:31:56,799 Johnson. It's Michael Bridges well, I guess, and Kevin Durant situation, 509 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,839 though you're not dealing with keeping all of Michael Bridge is DeAndre and Cam Johnson 510 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:06,119 theoretically in a Kelton Johnson situation, you could, but that was just sort 511 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:09,079 of my I would say off the beaten path target that I don't expect to 512 00:32:09,119 --> 00:32:12,400 become available. And then of course you need to mention Kyle Kuzm I think 513 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,960 would be exactly what this team needs. And you can definitely toggle with, 514 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,960 oh, maybe he's not closing every game once Cam Johnson is healthy, but 515 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:22,559 also maybe you're going when I've looked at and it's different if you're going to 516 00:32:22,599 --> 00:32:24,559 be the primary backlon guy. But like the way Kuzma is defended this year 517 00:32:24,599 --> 00:32:28,559 and some of the help plays that he's made around the basket, you could 518 00:32:28,599 --> 00:32:31,200 just go like really super small during the non eight minutes and with Kuzma, 519 00:32:31,279 --> 00:32:35,640 Johnson, Bridges CP three, and Devin Booker when you're fully healthy. Those 520 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:37,720 are just some names to think about. I think even a boy on Bodonovitch 521 00:32:37,759 --> 00:32:42,000 would go a long way still here, depending on the cost. And that's 522 00:32:42,039 --> 00:32:44,480 someone who I don't think you'd be obligated to close all the time. They'll 523 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:47,000 be matchups where you might prefer Cam Johnson. We're just gonna provide you with 524 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:54,279 more defense, and that that's a big deal. Boye Madonovitch better I'll say 525 00:32:54,319 --> 00:32:57,519 comparable shooters, but he's gonna give you more out of ISOs. At this 526 00:32:57,559 --> 00:33:00,200 point, he's been one of the more effective scores on draws this year out 527 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:04,160 of isolations. That's just another good late game weapon to have, or just 528 00:33:04,279 --> 00:33:07,519 again someone with side who can play alongside Devin Booker and Chris Paul. Took 529 00:33:07,519 --> 00:33:10,039 me song again him because I think we've talked about him at nauseum on this 530 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:13,759 pod as a target for the Suns. That's where amount of phoenix I think 531 00:33:13,759 --> 00:33:15,000 they need to make a move, not to take away from what's actually happening 532 00:33:15,039 --> 00:33:17,319 on the core, but like you're already pulling back in the standings, Devin 533 00:33:17,359 --> 00:33:22,480 Booker was clearly even going through it, like before his actual injury, tried 534 00:33:22,519 --> 00:33:24,759 to play on Christmas Day. I couldn't do it. This is this is 535 00:33:24,799 --> 00:33:28,200 the injury. When it was Cam Johnson, it was Trouble Someone, it 536 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:31,119 was CP three. I had moved beyond the He's mission critical to what they 537 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:35,920 do. But we know who the most important, most valuable player to the 538 00:33:36,039 --> 00:33:37,839 Suns really is on the court, and that's Devin Booker. And to be 539 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:42,119 without him for this long in a Western conference with such a thin margin for 540 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:45,200 error is a little bit terrifying. I'm not gonna lie. I'm just look, 541 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:49,079 I'm not gonna lie. It's said it before. You are four losses 542 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:52,400 back the first place in the West, which you were in first place earlier 543 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:54,000 this month. I believe you've had like four or five different teams have the 544 00:33:54,079 --> 00:33:59,599 top spot in the West during December. That's wild. You were also like 545 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:05,119 even go past the Timberwolves at this point. You're currently four losses in front 546 00:34:05,319 --> 00:34:07,519 of the twelve seed Oklahoma City Thunder, and we could throw the Lakers in 547 00:34:07,519 --> 00:34:09,760 there if you want to pay five losses, but they're just irrelevant to me 548 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:16,000 at this point. Last, but certainly not least, and we need to 549 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:19,519 I need to shout out the question. I'm going to try and find it 550 00:34:19,639 --> 00:34:22,280 here that it didn't inspire me because I had written about this, so it 551 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:27,159 ended up being super topical. But it's the MVP discussion, and it's with 552 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:31,320 Nicole Yokich. Hopefully Nuggets fans. They were pretty pissed at the conversation we 553 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:37,559 had, which I thought was fine on YouTube and some on Twitter about building 554 00:34:37,559 --> 00:34:39,760 a defense around Yokich and whether it could win a title. I believe it 555 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:43,760 could, Grant believe it didn't. I thought we both brought valid points, 556 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:45,519 and then it's fair to be concerned. But that's fair to say just because 557 00:34:45,559 --> 00:34:49,800 we've seen it like we've never seen it, doesn't mean it can happen. 558 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:54,920 But the question came from La Murray, what are some arguments against Yokich winning 559 00:34:55,000 --> 00:35:00,280 MVP that aren't about things like voter fatigue? And this is something I've given 560 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:02,320 a lot of thought too, because I do an MVP ladder every other week, 561 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:08,599 and numerous times throughout this season, I've wondered whether my own cowardice has 562 00:35:08,639 --> 00:35:14,119 held back Nicola Yokich is standing within that ladder, not the overarching discussion. 563 00:35:14,119 --> 00:35:16,880 I don't pretend to matter on this. I don't even I'm so bad at 564 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:21,599 like the feedback loop from the podcast and how much I've invested in it and 565 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:24,360 how browbeat and you are when things aren't going well, I don't even promo 566 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:28,880 my written work now, which is you know, I'm proud of the written 567 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:31,119 work put out there, but I'm just afraid still it's a weird. I'm 568 00:35:31,159 --> 00:35:37,079 progressing further in the industry, but I'm more worried about getting this feedback loop 569 00:35:37,119 --> 00:35:39,599 of if people disagree or if something goes against the grain. I put Nikoliokas 570 00:35:39,639 --> 00:35:43,480 at number one on my MVP latest MPP ladder. That was my point I 571 00:35:43,559 --> 00:35:45,800 had. This was before Luca Dontage went for a sixty burger against the Knicks, 572 00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:50,800 and so like that's like again, the MVP race is going to be 573 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:53,000 epic if it keeps up. But I had Yokich at my number one spot 574 00:35:53,039 --> 00:35:58,599 my MVP ladder when I last did it, which was December twenty seventh. 575 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:01,639 Numerous times throughout this season, He's been no higher than five before that, 576 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:07,920 and I've wondered whether my own cowardice has held him back in that ladder because 577 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:10,039 it's not meant to be predictive, those are mine. What I'm saying right 578 00:36:10,079 --> 00:36:15,039 now, I probably vote for Nicole Yoki for MVP. That is my pick. 579 00:36:15,320 --> 00:36:17,760 That is not based on what I think will happen, which is I 580 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:22,760 think that voter fatigue will kick in for him and Joannis both because they've combined 581 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:29,760 to win the past four awards at the same time. Even though I'm approaching 582 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:34,760 it this way, the idea that voter fatigue alone will probably prevent Yokis from 583 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:38,079 winning a third trade MVP. It gnaws at you, and even if inadvertently, 584 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:42,079 it probably factored in at least once or twice. Even though I don't 585 00:36:42,079 --> 00:36:45,880 think he had the most MVP is start to the season, he was clearly 586 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:50,599 looking to involve others more than he has though right now I finally got past 587 00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:59,119 that point because he is Yokich is checking every imaginable MVP box emphatically and beyond 588 00:36:59,159 --> 00:37:02,480 a shadow of a doubt, do you need your MVP to pile up counting 589 00:37:02,559 --> 00:37:07,960 stats on Bonker's efficiency, Yokis is doing that. He's averaging a triple double 590 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:13,880 over the past few weeks while shooting sixty sixty seven percent inside the arc. 591 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:19,559 Basically is domination of advanced metrics your thing. That's not a sweat pick a 592 00:37:19,639 --> 00:37:23,960 catch all stat Yokish probably Yokis probably ranks number one in it. The Denver 593 00:37:24,079 --> 00:37:27,840 Nuggets are also better with him on both sides of the floor, and he 594 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:31,880 continues to lead the MBA in net rating swing among everyone who is logged at 595 00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:37,639 least one hundred and twenty five minutes this season. And this is like the 596 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:39,920 net rating swings we've now I think played enough games to where we can look 597 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:46,000 into them as meaningful. And yes, Denver's bench does help prop that net 598 00:37:46,119 --> 00:37:52,079 rating swing up because they are so bad without Nikola Yokis on the floor. 599 00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:57,920 But this isn't last season where Nicol Yokis is on the floor and they're good 600 00:37:58,159 --> 00:38:00,880 amid just a supporting cast that is less than ideal. When a quote Kitch 601 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:07,599 is on the floor, they are trucking opponents, just absolutely annihilating them by 602 00:38:07,719 --> 00:38:10,679 eleven point one points per one hundred possessions. Their defensive rating is better with 603 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:14,000 him on the court. That's something we will talk about in a second. 604 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:20,400 So you can't sit here and use voter fatigue as an excuse anymore. And 605 00:38:21,039 --> 00:38:22,840 first forget that. So we'll have the net rating for the largest in the 606 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:28,960 league. Do you also need your MVP to have concrete evidence that he uplifts 607 00:38:29,039 --> 00:38:32,760 everyone around him. Dever's affect the field goal percentage improves by eight points with 608 00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:37,039 Yo Kitch in the game. That's the league's highest mark again, and so 609 00:38:37,199 --> 00:38:38,280 yes, it makes sense when he has the highest net rating fing but like 610 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:45,639 he's improving the efficiency of his team by a margin that is larger than anyone 611 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:49,360 else in the league. And the other thing that I think we need to 612 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:52,920 consider here our team wins important to you or does best player on the best 613 00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:59,039 team speak to you. The Nuggets are second in the Western Conference, within 614 00:38:59,119 --> 00:39:04,320 a heartbeat of first, within a heartbeat of a top two record in the 615 00:39:04,400 --> 00:39:08,000 league. There this is not a trade off of oh, Yokis doesn't have 616 00:39:08,079 --> 00:39:12,760 enough help around him, We're rewarding him. They are a really fucking good 617 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:16,199 basketball team. They are a title contender. And the other thing, and 618 00:39:16,280 --> 00:39:20,880 I think this might be the most important to actually ensure that Yokis could win 619 00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:24,920 his third MVP Award consecutively, which is something that Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, 620 00:39:24,920 --> 00:39:29,800 and Larry Bird are the only players to ever have done. Last year 621 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:32,280 it was a matter of wow, look at what Jokich is doing with so 622 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:36,679 little help around him. The year before was look how dominant Yokich is and 623 00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:40,639 how dominant the regular season Nuggets are. This season is a meld of both. 624 00:39:42,159 --> 00:39:45,719 You haven't Jamal Murray's gotten better, but he has not been Jamal Murray. 625 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:50,199 These recoveries from an ACL are typically, as Kahi Leonard said, a 626 00:39:50,280 --> 00:39:52,079 two year process where it's you're out and then you have to work your way 627 00:39:52,119 --> 00:39:55,679 back and then it's hopefully you return to normal. Jamal has looked better. 628 00:39:55,840 --> 00:40:00,159 He has not been top twenty five, fringe top twenty five player, JRM 629 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:04,320 Murray Michael Porter Jr. Has barely played. They've saddled Bones Highland with too 630 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:07,320 much responsibility. In light of the Monte Morris trade. You don't regret that 631 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,840 trade because of how good of a fit KCP is, but it's it's it's 632 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:14,519 definitely put a strain on him. He's not ready for maybe it helps him 633 00:40:14,519 --> 00:40:17,760 down the line. The bench has not been great overall, and so the 634 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:22,519 Nuggets they're supporting Cast, even if on paper it looks more ideal. They're 635 00:40:22,519 --> 00:40:27,360 supporting Cast. Outside of their top six guys, outside of their top end 636 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:30,639 units, it's been less than ideal. It's been in flux, and even 637 00:40:30,679 --> 00:40:32,679 some of their top end guys have either not been available or not been themselves. 638 00:40:34,280 --> 00:40:37,280 And so it's, oh, look how much help, Look how much 639 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:42,159 more help Yoki could need? And yet the Nuggets are still elite elite, 640 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:46,039 So that argument that you're not picking one, it's both. It's a marriage 641 00:40:46,039 --> 00:40:51,960 of both of them. Now Yokich leading a team to title contention despite not 642 00:40:52,199 --> 00:40:57,719 having a picture perfect supporting cast that has played let's call it according to plan, 643 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:00,840 because I don't just wanted to Smith dismiss your moment or contribution. The 644 00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:06,719 two million game between him Nakooki is gorgeous still And so back to the question 645 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,760 from a lot, what is the actual reasonable argument against the Koyokach winning MVP? 646 00:41:10,239 --> 00:41:15,719 And when we're at this level, if you want to split hairs and 647 00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:21,719 say to fall to someone you trust more in the postseason, that's fine if 648 00:41:21,760 --> 00:41:24,440 this is a regular season award, But if you at the level have to 649 00:41:25,239 --> 00:41:29,800 really look at it and say, wow, I can't separate between Kevin Durant 650 00:41:30,199 --> 00:41:35,400 and Luca don Chich and a healthy Steph Curry what Jason Tatum has done in 651 00:41:35,519 --> 00:41:39,639 Boston. If you can't, if we're at a point where you can envision 652 00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:45,559 multiple players reasonably winning MVP, and right now I would say I can envision 653 00:41:45,679 --> 00:41:49,440 that to where Steph pulls back because of the absence now, but between Kevin 654 00:41:49,559 --> 00:41:53,480 Durant, Tatum, Yo Kitchen don Chich, I think there are four players 655 00:41:53,840 --> 00:41:57,159 that if you told me you were going to pick them to go to be 656 00:41:57,280 --> 00:42:00,920 the MVP this year, I don't know that I have like the best overall 657 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:05,440 counter argument for you because they've all been so great. And it also that's 658 00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:09,000 part of the ambiguity behind MVP criteria. There's no definitive set of what constitutes 659 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:12,599 if you wanted to be the best player on the best team, that needs 660 00:42:12,639 --> 00:42:15,440 to be stipulated. I don't think team wins aren't a stat to me, 661 00:42:15,679 --> 00:42:17,119 But if we want to go that route, the Nuggets are again one of 662 00:42:17,159 --> 00:42:21,239 the best teams in the MBA. This is not just the Kol Yoki's benefiting 663 00:42:21,320 --> 00:42:25,119 from a lack of help or me penalizing Jason Tatum for having a really good 664 00:42:25,159 --> 00:42:28,960 supporting cast. Right, gravitate more towards guys who are kind of just the 665 00:42:29,559 --> 00:42:31,559 driving force of everything on offensive, both on and away from the ball, 666 00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:36,239 A Yokich, a Curry, even a don Chich. Sure, but like 667 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:38,679 Tatum is in the discussion. But when we're at this level where there are 668 00:42:38,679 --> 00:42:42,000 four players and let's just say Steph came back tomorrow, I could see it 669 00:42:42,079 --> 00:42:45,480 being five, Like that's how good he was is this season, and you 670 00:42:45,599 --> 00:42:46,679 have to look at it through the lens of the postseason. I get it. 671 00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:51,920 You also have to acknowledge that Nakole Yokich has been really great in the 672 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:55,920 postseason offensively. He was great against the Warriors last year. And if you're 673 00:42:57,119 --> 00:43:00,840 going to harp on the defensive concerns again, I think though are really fair. 674 00:43:01,519 --> 00:43:05,280 They Nuggets more recently than I have showed that they're going to try and 675 00:43:05,320 --> 00:43:07,119 defend different ways with different bodies on the court. You can go back and 676 00:43:07,199 --> 00:43:10,440 listen to the Nuggets conversation. I think at full strength, their top end 677 00:43:10,559 --> 00:43:14,800 units are good enough defensively to win a championship. I'm not arguing that. 678 00:43:15,840 --> 00:43:19,079 Do I think that Nicolociu is a liability on defense? No? I do 679 00:43:19,199 --> 00:43:22,039 not. Is he liability in certain matchups? Absolutely, you could say the 680 00:43:22,079 --> 00:43:25,679 same for almost every player in the NBA. Do I think he forces you 681 00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:29,320 to defend a certain way where he has to come up to the level of 682 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:31,719 the screen or you have to avoid drop as much as possible. Yes and 683 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:35,639 no, Yes I think he does. But like if you have someone else 684 00:43:35,679 --> 00:43:37,760 with size in addition to Aaron Gordon, so someone else with real size, 685 00:43:37,840 --> 00:43:42,639 not a not a Bruce Brown, who I think I always discredit for his 686 00:43:42,800 --> 00:43:47,400 size, like KCP it's six five. Ruth Brown is a little bit growthier, 687 00:43:47,480 --> 00:43:51,880 but he's also he stands at six nine, and so I say size, 688 00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:54,519 but like he's just a like feels like a low center of gravity six 689 00:43:54,639 --> 00:43:58,880 nine. Is that unfair to say he's like perfect but like someone who's bigger, 690 00:43:59,639 --> 00:44:00,519 like longer, lanky, or whatever you want to say. If it 691 00:44:00,599 --> 00:44:04,000 was pairing a Jeremy Grant with an Aaron Gordon, then I think you could 692 00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:07,320 defend out almost however the hell you want around Yokichen. So I don't think 693 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:10,920 it's I don't think it's inflexible beyond repair. And I think we've seen the 694 00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:15,280 Nuggets try a bunch of different that having Christian Brown in there at certain moments 695 00:44:15,320 --> 00:44:20,599 because he's a little bit bigger has helped recently and they I think it was 696 00:44:20,599 --> 00:44:22,039 I can't remember which game it was I mentioned this on the past podcast. 697 00:44:22,159 --> 00:44:24,960 Was against the Grizzlies, where was they threw just a like it was, 698 00:44:25,039 --> 00:44:29,119 Hey, we're gonna go after them with size and length and like through more 699 00:44:29,280 --> 00:44:31,880 coverages than I think you would normally see in the half court defensively at Memphis, 700 00:44:32,079 --> 00:44:37,159 And so there's that. I think that everything is that they are good 701 00:44:37,280 --> 00:44:39,960 enough at their top end to win a title and that we can't use this 702 00:44:40,079 --> 00:44:46,159 to discredit Yokich's MVP case even look, I mean simple things like defensive rebounding 703 00:44:46,199 --> 00:44:51,880 and ending possessions the other team's possession that has value in itself. But if 704 00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:53,360 you're going to look at it and say that is the argument is my point 705 00:44:53,480 --> 00:45:00,559 which speaks because it's relatively flimsy as far as counter arguments go. It speaks 706 00:45:00,760 --> 00:45:05,559 to how serious a contender Nakole Yokich is for this third consecutive MVP award and 707 00:45:05,679 --> 00:45:07,679 for making MBA history. You asked me to choose. Now, I don't 708 00:45:07,719 --> 00:45:13,920 have faith that voter fatigue won't kick in for him and for Yannis, by 709 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:15,320 the way, who's that kind of on the outskirts of this discussion. But 710 00:45:15,360 --> 00:45:17,559 the Bucks are weird all of a sudden. I know they haven't add Chris 711 00:45:17,639 --> 00:45:21,599 Middleton and the big three has played five games together, but it's just the 712 00:45:21,639 --> 00:45:24,719 half court offensive Bonky and Janie has taken and he's made some really nice bed 713 00:45:24,840 --> 00:45:29,519 rangers. But it just feels All could still enter the conversation because he's honest. 714 00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:34,760 That being said, while I don't have faith that Nicole Yokich will win 715 00:45:35,119 --> 00:45:38,039 his third consecutive MVP Award. The argument against him, it's not that it 716 00:45:38,119 --> 00:45:44,119 doesn't exist. We are now at the scale where it's like microscopically finn and 717 00:45:44,239 --> 00:45:49,239 you really have to search for reasons not to include him in the discussion or 718 00:45:49,320 --> 00:45:52,239 to forget about voting him. He needs to be in this discussion, and 719 00:45:52,320 --> 00:45:53,840 I don't know. I've seen people to be about the agendas of leaving him 720 00:45:53,880 --> 00:45:57,840 off. I've seen him, and including my own MVP ladder number on, 721 00:45:57,840 --> 00:46:00,320 I've seen him in other MVP ladders. We don't need to invent all men 722 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:02,639 when we know they exist, and that Drew Hanlon's gonna tweet something fucking stupid 723 00:46:02,960 --> 00:46:07,199 about it eventually if he hasn't already. He already did it at Luca's expense, 724 00:46:07,239 --> 00:46:09,360 so I was wouldn't say that. I don't think there aren't other deserving 725 00:46:09,400 --> 00:46:13,199 picks. I'd Luca taught my MVP ladder for the longest time. I'd steph 726 00:46:13,199 --> 00:46:16,079 ahead of Yokis for the longest time before his injury. Yokis is a real 727 00:46:16,159 --> 00:46:21,239 candidate to win his third MVP Award, and voter fatigue is not an excuse, 728 00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:24,880 like Klaul Murray mentions it would be. Do I trust him enough in 729 00:46:24,880 --> 00:46:30,119 the postseason relative to Luca or to Kevin Durant, or to Steph Curry or 730 00:46:30,199 --> 00:46:36,199 to Jason Tatum, and you should trust Yokich at the level because of what 731 00:46:36,360 --> 00:46:38,480 those guys do best are what they're mostly going to do best in the playoffs. 732 00:46:38,480 --> 00:46:42,920 Should Jason Dayson Tatum not win because of how he was shut down by 733 00:46:42,960 --> 00:46:45,480 the Warriors in the finals. This is a regular season award, and it's 734 00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:50,719 an important to separate that. But at the level of where we're at right 735 00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:54,000 now, I understand where you would scale forward into the postseason, and I 736 00:46:54,039 --> 00:46:59,159 don't think that needs I don't think that needs to be a huge part of 737 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:01,079 the thinking, nor do I think that it should be a huge part of 738 00:47:01,119 --> 00:47:04,159 thinking. This is a regular season a ward at its heart. It's just 739 00:47:04,239 --> 00:47:07,639 that this isn't last year where I think Yoki. I mean, you could 740 00:47:07,679 --> 00:47:10,239 have went you honest and maybe even embed so like it was close enough to 741 00:47:10,480 --> 00:47:14,800 that's how what swayed your vote. But if your vote was voter fatigue or 742 00:47:14,920 --> 00:47:17,599 Yokis is just a liability on defense or a team that has him can't win 743 00:47:17,639 --> 00:47:22,679 a title, that doesn't work anymore insofar as it ever did, which by 744 00:47:22,719 --> 00:47:24,800 the way, it didn't. It doesn't work now, it's disingenuous, and 745 00:47:24,840 --> 00:47:28,320 so you have to be honest, which is something that I would want to 746 00:47:28,360 --> 00:47:31,920 do with yourself, and say, Okay, do I trust Yokich as much 747 00:47:31,960 --> 00:47:35,880 as I trust Luka Natchez in the playoffs? And you know what, the 748 00:47:35,960 --> 00:47:38,480 answer to me is yes, because of what they both do best is going 749 00:47:38,559 --> 00:47:43,480 to scale to the playoffs. When you get into flaws, if Jayson Tatum 750 00:47:43,559 --> 00:47:47,800 can be sort of a you know, harassed by by length and double teams. 751 00:47:49,280 --> 00:47:51,480 Yeah, it's only one team, but should that matter? Like or 752 00:47:51,559 --> 00:47:54,119 maybe it's two, two, three teams depending on the defensive personnel. Should 753 00:47:54,159 --> 00:47:59,280 that matter? Like all these players have their flaws, I think, I 754 00:47:59,360 --> 00:48:02,000 mean, like having to rants probably pretty close to a flawless player with the 755 00:48:02,079 --> 00:48:06,920 way that he's defending for most of this year. Still, if you want 756 00:48:06,960 --> 00:48:08,960 to frame it that way, I think that's fine. It's not something I 757 00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:13,880 would necessarily do to say I trust Kevin Durant Moore or Lucamore in the playoffs, 758 00:48:13,880 --> 00:48:16,320 so that's who I would vote for. That would has not been my 759 00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:21,159 deciding factor yet I'm saying that it could be a deciding factor. And that's 760 00:48:21,239 --> 00:48:23,079 fine. Do I agree with it? I look at this is the regular 761 00:48:23,119 --> 00:48:29,440 season award. Nikolioki is checking every regular season box imaginable. One that shouldn't 762 00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:31,760 even count for as much as they do, which is capslock team wins. 763 00:48:31,960 --> 00:48:36,639 They're there, the Nuggets contending for a top spot in the Western Conference. 764 00:48:36,719 --> 00:48:42,360 This isn't them hovering around five six whatever. So Nicole Kich might actually win 765 00:48:42,400 --> 00:48:46,039 his third MVP award if people are paying attention and can get past voter fatigue. 766 00:48:46,079 --> 00:48:50,599 He has been, to me the league's most valuable player to date, 767 00:48:50,719 --> 00:48:52,000 and I don't know if that would have changed with the Steph Curry injury. 768 00:48:52,039 --> 00:48:55,239 I might go back and forth with Luca on any given day. He to 769 00:48:55,360 --> 00:49:01,840 me right now is the single most valuable season player in the league. Hope 770 00:49:01,880 --> 00:49:05,960 you enjoyed this podcast. Hope you if you listen to the full episode, 771 00:49:06,159 --> 00:49:09,800 enjoyed some of the candor and transparency that was behind it. Thank you all 772 00:49:09,880 --> 00:49:15,960 for a great year helping us set our modest record for downloads again just audio 773 00:49:15,639 --> 00:49:19,159 at least, you know, at least seeing half a million insights was pretty 774 00:49:19,199 --> 00:49:22,360 cool, not including YouTube and all that haven't gone through the year on YouTube, 775 00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:23,760 but that was a pretty good year for growth, even though we're still 776 00:49:24,239 --> 00:49:28,079 I'll subscribe to us YouTube and all your podcasts. If you're this far and 777 00:49:28,119 --> 00:49:30,880 you're not subscribed, I don't know. I honestly, I'm impressed, like 778 00:49:30,880 --> 00:49:35,920 I'm almost impressed like that you've avoided subscribing. Subscribe though, and tell people 779 00:49:35,960 --> 00:49:37,519 about us, you know, if you can convince someone to listen to us, 780 00:49:37,519 --> 00:49:39,679 Send me a screenshot, tag me on Twitter about it, Tell me 781 00:49:39,719 --> 00:49:44,159 about it that you recommended us via word of mouth and feedback because I mentioned 782 00:49:44,159 --> 00:49:46,639 it's always appreciated ways for the pot to get better, to expand, anything 783 00:49:46,719 --> 00:49:51,320 along those lines. Until next time, join the discord linked in the YouTube 784 00:49:51,320 --> 00:49:53,920 and podcast this podcast description, and I also leave you with a shout out 785 00:49:53,960 --> 00:49:59,519 to one the only, the legendary, the real MVP if we're being honest, right,