1 00:00:16,039 --> 00:00:22,719 What is up, fellow thermonuclear A efforts. I am Davia Valley, freshly 2 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:28,039 returned from my vacation. It was by not as relaxing as it should have 3 00:00:28,039 --> 00:00:33,039 been, and include the usual tug of war between me trying to unplug and 4 00:00:33,079 --> 00:00:37,240 then my wife noting that I did a terrible job of unplugging and that it 5 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:40,600 was frustrating to watch. Still, it was relaxing overall. It's good to 6 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,079 be back in so far as you care about me being able to hit the 7 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:48,240 reset button a little bit. I appreciate everyone who has tuned into these what 8 00:00:48,359 --> 00:00:53,759 If podcast Those mini pods they bombed, but hey, we're experimenting here, 9 00:00:53,799 --> 00:00:57,280 and that's why I decided to record something in advance of this final installment with 10 00:00:57,359 --> 00:01:00,640 the Southwest Division. I also had FOMO with all the news that I felt 11 00:01:00,719 --> 00:01:04,599 like I just needed to catch up on and give some spew my takes on. 12 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:08,879 But yes, I am back. We're going to be really cannonballing into 13 00:01:08,879 --> 00:01:11,640 Team look Aheads. There will be days where I released more than one podcast, 14 00:01:12,159 --> 00:01:15,200 but those will be up and running beginning this Friday. We've already done 15 00:01:15,239 --> 00:01:19,159 the Rockets, the Thunder, and the Why I Blanking on the third one. 16 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,000 There's another one up but I can't remember what it is, but go 17 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,200 check out the look aheads all the landing page live as well. I built 18 00:01:26,239 --> 00:01:29,280 that, but I'd like to get out like five or so episodes of those. 19 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:30,719 Also, if this is your first time listening, if you're on the 20 00:01:30,719 --> 00:01:34,480 YouTube channel, hit subscribe. It means the world that we continue to build 21 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,280 the channel. I know the what if project bomb, but we go in 22 00:01:37,359 --> 00:01:40,599 depth. We have all episodes. All our episodes, excuse me, aim 23 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,599 to be thorough and we do a great job covering the entire m yeah around 24 00:01:44,599 --> 00:01:47,879 these parts. Also, if you're not subscribe to the audio version of this, 25 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,280 that is where we're most popular. Still head over iTunes, Spotify, 26 00:01:51,519 --> 00:01:53,159 Apple, Spotify. I don't know why I still call it iTunes. Hit 27 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,359 that subscribe button. Ratings and reviews are appreciated. It means the world. 28 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:00,719 If you're downloading you every episode, feel free to recommend us, retweet our 29 00:02:00,719 --> 00:02:02,200 promos on Twitter. If you shout us out on Twitter, I will engage 30 00:02:02,239 --> 00:02:07,200 with you and retweet those comments as well. It's all appreciated. I fucking 31 00:02:07,239 --> 00:02:09,360 love you all. As I note at the beginning of every podcast, it 32 00:02:09,439 --> 00:02:13,080 is good to be back. Some of the news we have to cover, 33 00:02:13,159 --> 00:02:17,080 though, is not really all that good to be back with. We'll begin 34 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:23,360 with I guess some happy news. Robert Sarver has begun the process of looking 35 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:29,479 for someone to purchase the Phoenix Suns. This felt like it was probably always 36 00:02:29,479 --> 00:02:35,800 the endgame, even though, like Adam Silver had come out and said probably 37 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,599 nothing that was inaccurate when he's saying that NBA owners have certain rights over just 38 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:43,319 employees, but was not a great look for the league. But even just 39 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,319 handing out this one year suspension and the fine, I do think that there 40 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:52,039 was at least an element of the league or a subset of the league, 41 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,360 maybe not with the owners, but all the employees of the league. Obviously 42 00:02:55,360 --> 00:03:01,919 the Adam Silver himself thinking that maybe Silver Sarver would to public pressure, and 43 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,479 I know a lot of people have said it most that they were actually surprised 44 00:03:05,479 --> 00:03:09,319 he didn't. I just felt like with the outrage and it's hard to kind 45 00:03:09,319 --> 00:03:13,960 of step aside from the Twitter bubble that we all live in, it really 46 00:03:14,039 --> 00:03:16,520 kind of felt like this was always going ahead to that point, or that 47 00:03:16,599 --> 00:03:21,039 maybe at the very least it wouldn't be swept under the rug or forgotten about, 48 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:27,199 like so many other controversies in the NBA are I did chuckle in sort 49 00:03:27,199 --> 00:03:31,560 of a morbid way when I read this statement that Sarver had released. This 50 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:35,199 is the part that stands out. And I'm not just pull quoting here, 51 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,520 but Sarver said, as a man of faith, I believe in atonement and 52 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:42,520 the path to forgiveness. I expected that the commissioner's one year suspension would provide 53 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:46,960 the time for me to focus, make amends, and remove my personal controversy 54 00:03:46,039 --> 00:03:50,240 from the teams that I and so many fans love. But in our current 55 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:54,840 unforgiving climate, it has become painfully clear that that is no longer possible. 56 00:03:55,000 --> 00:04:00,199 That whatever good I have done or could still do, is outweighed by things 57 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:01,919 I have said in the past. For those reasons, I'm beginning the process 58 00:04:01,919 --> 00:04:05,840 of seeking the buyers for the Sun's and Mercury. I would just like to 59 00:04:05,919 --> 00:04:11,759 say, on behalf of anyone who is a decent human being, fuck you, 60 00:04:12,199 --> 00:04:18,000 Robert Sarver. This is him complaining, him playing the victim, him 61 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:26,879 crying cancel culture without mentioning mentioning cancel culture. And I've seen, like not 62 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:32,800 necessarily counter arguments to this but the whole thing is cancel culture is it's just 63 00:04:32,879 --> 00:04:38,680 so accountability is not getting canceled. And this is if you want to talk 64 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:44,240 about having the right to atone to make amends, it's a lot harder to 65 00:04:44,439 --> 00:04:49,399 believe someone leaning on that crutch insofar as they even should be in this situation. 66 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,920 But when you look at Sarver, this was a pattern of behavior. 67 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:59,160 It was repeated behavior, repeated offenses, and some of the claims, some 68 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:02,600 of the allega as are as recent as two and twenty one, based on 69 00:05:02,639 --> 00:05:05,240 the reporting that's out there. So this is something that has spanned from two 70 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:09,959 thousand and four to twenty twenty one, that has been cyclical, it's been 71 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:14,959 consistent. He is just someone who seems like a really crappy person, and 72 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,120 it's not someone who learned his lesson. There were reports that he pushed back 73 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,240 against the league's punishment in the first place, which was a year's suspension and 74 00:05:20,319 --> 00:05:25,480 ten million dollar fine. That doesn't that's not a harbinger of someone who has 75 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,480 changed, who is actually looking to a tone, who actually feels remorseful for 76 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,560 the things that he said, for the things that he did. Shout out 77 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:36,680 once again to the people that came forward, who suffered through all this over 78 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:42,399 the years, who broke non disclosure agreements at the time. I know a 79 00:05:42,399 --> 00:05:45,079 lot of them were throwing out the window once the law firm got involved. 80 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,079 But it just takes a great deal of courage, a great deal of gall 81 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:54,639 of backbone, to come forward and talk about what was clearly for many people 82 00:05:54,720 --> 00:06:00,920 just extremely painful experiences parts of their lives. And Robert Sarver is once again 83 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:06,040 just diminishing all of this and trying to play the victim here, and it's 84 00:06:06,079 --> 00:06:11,319 grotesque. It's just grotesque, and there's no other word for it. I 85 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:15,079 would encourage people to listen to the Timeline podcast latest episode where they went into 86 00:06:15,319 --> 00:06:20,759 more detail about who might be among the candidates to buy the team. But 87 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:28,240 I just think, look, this is good news just to get him Sarver 88 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,720 away from the league. What is interesting is he owns thirty five percent of 89 00:06:31,759 --> 00:06:35,639 the team, and Baxter Holmes that tweeted that he does have the right as 90 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:41,639 that sort of majority stakeholder to sell the entire team if he wants to, 91 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:46,519 and it'll be fascinating to see how that plays out, and says that will 92 00:06:46,519 --> 00:06:48,920 he look to sell the entire team, I think he might, just because 93 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:54,839 theoretically it should probably drum up the total cost of the Suns, which then 94 00:06:54,920 --> 00:07:01,199 drums up the total money that Starve himself is getting. And so if you're 95 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:10,360 part of if you're a ultra rich billionaire or even part of a larger purchasing 96 00:07:10,399 --> 00:07:15,199 group, I think you would be willing to pay more upfront for the entire 97 00:07:15,279 --> 00:07:19,360 team, or an actual majority of the team rather than just that minority share. 98 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:25,759 But also like being the majority stakeholder in general. On ESPN, numbers 99 00:07:25,759 --> 00:07:30,480 were floated around as high as three or four billion, I would probably Forbes 100 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:32,360 value the Suns at one point eight billion, And I think some of the 101 00:07:32,439 --> 00:07:36,839 numbers that feel more accurate or realistic would be if the entire team is sold, 102 00:07:38,079 --> 00:07:40,959 they can expect to fetch probably between two and two and a half billion. 103 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,439 If it was more, I'd be fairly surprised, but not entirely shocked, 104 00:07:44,439 --> 00:07:48,399 just given how much NBA franchise values of skyrocketed. But get this guy 105 00:07:48,439 --> 00:07:54,279 all the way away from this league, and he's not the only just culpable 106 00:07:54,399 --> 00:07:56,879 party here. We need to see, like if they're still going to be 107 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,600 people at the top who helped enable this behavior if not part took in it, 108 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:05,120 that they will eventually be held responsible. And this is also just we've 109 00:08:05,199 --> 00:08:07,480 seen things happen with the Mavericks in the past. We know what happened with 110 00:08:07,519 --> 00:08:11,720 Sterling and the Clippers, Like there is a toxic culture throughout the NBA when 111 00:08:11,759 --> 00:08:15,839 you're looking at the ownership ranks as there tends to be when you're dealing with 112 00:08:16,319 --> 00:08:20,600 billionaires or in Sarver's case, like hundred millionaires and like just when you get 113 00:08:20,639 --> 00:08:24,199 to that scale of wealth and how you got there, and there are story 114 00:08:24,279 --> 00:08:26,519 floating around the league. So this is not just oh, the NBA is 115 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:33,000 really getting rid of all the amral owners. There's so many other discussions to 116 00:08:33,039 --> 00:08:37,919 have. But after what came to light and what's already been known before this 117 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:41,639 investigation even unfolded in full, it's good that he's leaving. And I don't 118 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:46,039 want to hear anyone whinding that cancel culture is unfair and you believe in redemption, 119 00:08:46,399 --> 00:08:50,320 that that's great that you believe in redemption. Robert Sarver has not shown 120 00:08:50,399 --> 00:08:54,440 that he deserves the opportunity to redeem himself, that he has any interest in 121 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:58,159 doing so. This was not just him doing or saying something one, two, 122 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,159 three, four, five, six, seven, even a dozen times. 123 00:09:01,159 --> 00:09:07,840 These are just like dozens of like fucked up interactions that he had instances 124 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:15,759 of abuse verbal and physical with people who were employees that he was his subordinates, 125 00:09:15,799 --> 00:09:18,600 Like however you want to frame it, And it was just so I 126 00:09:18,639 --> 00:09:20,919 said this on the when I did record on vacation as an intro, like 127 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:28,360 this just crossed so many of the you know, a moral like bingo boxes 128 00:09:28,399 --> 00:09:33,320 off the list because he was dealing with issues of race and misogyny and they 129 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:39,039 were physical authorcations and verbal abuse and like sexual harass, like just just disgusting, 130 00:09:39,159 --> 00:09:41,639 and so get this guy all away from league. Don't allow him to 131 00:09:41,639 --> 00:09:43,879 play the victim. This is big. I'm happy for Suns fans. I'm 132 00:09:43,879 --> 00:09:46,440 happy that this should make it at least a little bit easier for Suns players 133 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,759 to have to deal with Chris Paul. We saw came out and said something. 134 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,879 The onis was always going to fall on them to answer for this, 135 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:56,200 which is unfair. But Robert Sarver can't wait for him to sell the team. 136 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:00,039 And it's not a punishment, it's not a punishment he paid. I 137 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,080 think four hundred million dollars for thirty five percent stake of the Suns. Let's 138 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:07,559 say he sells the entire team, or if we're let's say the Suns are 139 00:10:07,639 --> 00:10:13,159 valued at like two point three billion dollars. Let's just use that conservatively. 140 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:18,720 Looking at someone who's gonna get eight hundred over eight hundred million dollars double up 141 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:22,440 on his investment. His punishment is that he just got to you know, 142 00:10:22,519 --> 00:10:26,000 double his investment and make almost a billion dollars off this. So they do 143 00:10:26,039 --> 00:10:31,879 sell for like between three or four holy holy shit, So he is hopefully 144 00:10:31,919 --> 00:10:33,840 on the way out. I'm sure there's more to come from this, but 145 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:37,279 shout out to Bax their homes as well for the reporting he did on this 146 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,480 situation from the beginning, and as well just all the people that that came 147 00:10:41,519 --> 00:10:46,679 forward risked jobs or just had to you know, reopen these wounds that were 148 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:52,639 probably never fully healed or closed, but to have to relive a really tumultuous 149 00:10:52,639 --> 00:11:01,000 turmoil. And I'm just endlessly impressed and thankful, frankly, but endlessly grateful, 150 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,799 however you want to frame it, for everyone who had come forward, 151 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,519 and just again, it just shows a level of courage that we should all 152 00:11:07,519 --> 00:11:11,519 be able to appreciate. So again, let's just close with fuck you Sarvi. 153 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:13,519 The other thing, one of the other things I wanted touch upon. 154 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:16,679 This is kind of it's not old news, but it happened while I was 155 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:22,399 away, and it happened just after Adam and I had said that Anthy Edwards 156 00:11:22,399 --> 00:11:24,559 should probably be one of the more marketable stars in the league, just based 157 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:30,879 off his personality. He was fined forty thousand dollars for using what the NBA 158 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:35,600 called offensive and derogatory language. Again the video of him using it, which 159 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,000 has since been deleted. That come out was on vacation, not making an 160 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,039 excuse for what we said. Clearly, we don't know him well enough to 161 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:45,159 say that he should be one of the more marketable stars in the NBA. 162 00:11:45,879 --> 00:11:48,440 If you have an issue with the fine, these things and the scale of 163 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:52,440 them are usually collectively bargained. I think the real issue, aside from the 164 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:58,159 fact that Aavy Edwards used this homophomic, homophobic slur, is I'm not like 165 00:11:58,399 --> 00:12:01,600 the class of tion of this offensive and derogatory language, Like, let's come 166 00:12:01,639 --> 00:12:07,879 out and call it what it is is a homophobic slur, anti you know, 167 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,080 anti gay language, like, let's be more specific about it, not 168 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:16,759 generalize it. Members of the lgbtq I A plus community deserve to feel like 169 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,919 their fandom matters, that this is a league that they can root for, 170 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:24,360 and any time this happens, that's a big l for the league when you're 171 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:26,600 looking at their culture and how they want to present themselves. I know Anthy 172 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:31,639 Edwards is young. That's part of the problem, the casuality with which these 173 00:12:31,639 --> 00:12:35,480 homophobic slurs are still tossed around just in general. I'm not talking about NBA 174 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:41,120 locker rooms specifically, even in locker rooms at all, specifically, just in 175 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:46,200 life like they're still like the homophobic slurs are just used like way and all 176 00:12:46,279 --> 00:12:52,440 this derogatory language that could be aimed at demeaning or insulting the lgbtq I A 177 00:12:52,519 --> 00:12:56,840 plus community. That's it's damaging and it's still just all too prevalent and it's 178 00:12:56,879 --> 00:13:00,679 disgusting. There should be I don't know if you want to call it harsher 179 00:13:00,799 --> 00:13:03,240 punt like punishments here. Financially, these are they're all gonna be for most 180 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:05,360 of these guys that drop in the bucket when you look at how much they're 181 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:11,759 making like maybe there should be just classes, like they should have to be 182 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:13,759 forced to go through, and I don't want to forced. It was like 183 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:18,440 such a crappy way to spin this. You want something good to come from 184 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,720 this, and that's for the players to learn something and for the other players 185 00:13:20,759 --> 00:13:24,320 around them and for other people to learn something from this, and so should 186 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:28,240 they have to, you know, undergo It's like, I don't want to 187 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,000 call it sensitivity training, because this isn't something that you should have to grapple 188 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:35,799 with emotionally or mentally, like LGBTQ, I A like that community, Like 189 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:41,440 they deserve to feel safe and they deserve to exist and there's nothing there's absolutely 190 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:46,399 nothing wrong. So it's just so it still makes my skin crawl that we're 191 00:13:46,399 --> 00:13:52,120 in the year twenty and twenty two and this is just one form of you 192 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:56,759 know, prejudice among many that are going to make me sick still, and 193 00:13:56,879 --> 00:14:00,200 I just don't think it should be thrown out the window or just it and 194 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:03,159 off. And we've seen other players use this, even something like Nicole Yokitch 195 00:14:03,159 --> 00:14:07,600 I think it two and eighteen had an incident with using a homophobic slur and 196 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:09,919 then Aaron Gordon coming out and it was kind of tough. He had thumbs 197 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,759 down quote tweeted and then deleted it thumbs down to the Anthy Edwards fine, 198 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,080 and then he tweeted something along like to the effect of how can I be 199 00:14:18,159 --> 00:14:22,799 homophobic? And then deleted that. Dude, I unless the thumbs down was 200 00:14:22,919 --> 00:14:28,000 him trying to show that he was not a fan of what Anthony Edwards said, 201 00:14:28,279 --> 00:14:31,120 Like shut the fuck up there, because that's just adding to this again, 202 00:14:31,159 --> 00:14:35,919 it's clearly then if those are the thoughts that Aaron Gordon has on this, 203 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:41,240 that Anthy Edward shouldn't be fine for using a homophobic slur on camera, 204 00:14:41,879 --> 00:14:46,279 Like there's there's clearly that a bigger issue in the league, and that maybe 205 00:14:46,679 --> 00:14:52,200 certain players need to be more properly educated on this matter and to understand that 206 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:56,159 even if they're they're thinking it's this throwaway comment, it's not. And to 207 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:03,600 see people with their platform with a scale of yo fame, even if you 208 00:15:03,639 --> 00:15:05,960 want to call him, like we're talking about Andy Edward's a rising superstar, 209 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:09,600 Aaron Gordon's like the fourth best player on his own team or whatever you want 210 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:13,279 to frame that, like, that's still a pretty big platform. He's still 211 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:16,639 a recognizable face, and his brand is probably even a little bit larger than 212 00:15:16,679 --> 00:15:18,679 someone who might be the fourth or fifth best player on the team, just 213 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:22,000 because of what we know about him from the you know, his scale recognition 214 00:15:22,039 --> 00:15:26,440 from the dunk contest days. But that's wildly disappointing. And so this is 215 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:28,600 still clearly an issue, and I think it needs to be addressed more, 216 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:33,000 even if you don't even want to say forcefully, let's say at least convincingly 217 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,039 specifically to where it's just not looped under this offensive and derogatory language. It's 218 00:15:37,159 --> 00:15:43,440 it's something different. It's showing a prejudice against a huge group of people, 219 00:15:43,159 --> 00:15:50,240 of important of important fans that the league should be trying to ensure not not 220 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:54,039 just like feel safe in life, but feel like they could just root for 221 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:58,240 this league without having to grapple with a player from a team that they might 222 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:02,320 root for, a player that they just want to root for. Using this 223 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:06,080 language off camera when they're not going to be caught like this shouldn't be these 224 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:10,440 homophobic slurs, all this language, all this pre prejudice should not be as 225 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:15,879 common as it is, as casual as it as it is. So those 226 00:16:15,919 --> 00:16:18,440 are my thoughts on that, and it's not to say Auntie Ever's cannot redeem 227 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:22,320 himself. And I would encourage everyone to listen to an episode of the Dane 228 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,919 More podcast. He covers the Timberwolves of His podcast is great in general, 229 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,559 but he spoke with Chris Hyne, and openly gay sports reporter who covers the 230 00:16:30,559 --> 00:16:33,639 Wolves. He's among the beat writers. I believe they had a I went, 231 00:16:33,679 --> 00:16:37,600 I went and listen. They had a fantastic conversation about this, and 232 00:16:37,679 --> 00:16:41,720 I thought hend did great job just unpacking everything and it was awesome to hear 233 00:16:41,799 --> 00:16:45,279 his perspective. So don't listen to some just random ass person like me ramble 234 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,200 on about this. I'd encourage you to check out that podcast. But that's 235 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:52,039 where I sort of land on that. We have a lot of injury news 236 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:59,759 to get to as well. Robert Williams the third another another knee issue for 237 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:04,599 my guy here. He will undergo arthurscopic surgery or procedure on his left knee 238 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,960 UH and he's expected to need four to six weeks to recover, which means 239 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:14,160 that he will miss part of the season. It's also this is an issue 240 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:18,039 that's come six months after he had that initial left knee surgery. He he 241 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:22,559 played through pain during the NBA Finals. Woade said that the procedure is being 242 00:17:22,559 --> 00:17:26,240 described as a cleanup and it is expected quote to allow Williams to return to 243 00:17:26,279 --> 00:17:32,720 full strength early in the regular season. The Celtics, they've already lost Nil 244 00:17:32,799 --> 00:17:37,880 Gallinari. Now you're losing Robert Williams the third. Is this? I mean, 245 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,160 it's a loss. I think they'll be fine. They have the depth 246 00:17:40,559 --> 00:17:45,119 in the front court to whether this overall, they probably are gonna you know, 247 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:47,200 we have they have out Horford and current Williams. That's going to help 248 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,680 them a ton. Luke Cornette probably gonna have a triple doubles now for forever. 249 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:53,200 I guess they did cut Bruno Kaboklo so he would be out of that 250 00:17:53,559 --> 00:17:59,559 front court consideration there. It's just it's just something to watch because Robert Williams 251 00:17:59,559 --> 00:18:02,319 the Third has been dealing with this leftnee specifically, he's been dogging him since 252 00:18:02,319 --> 00:18:04,039 the end of the twenty twenty twenty one season, I believe, and so 253 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:07,079 to have this many knee issues even though he's so young, and then also 254 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:11,839 just you lose an element from your offense without him for a team that not 255 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:15,160 doesn't generate a ton of raw rim pressure. Overall, the Celtics were twenty 256 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:19,279 second the share of their field goal attempts that came out at the rim last 257 00:18:19,319 --> 00:18:25,119 season. Now you lose someone who is just your best pick and roll option 258 00:18:25,319 --> 00:18:29,160 when you're looking at the raw rim pressure. Al Horford is more of a 259 00:18:29,599 --> 00:18:32,920 he's gonna pop off screens. Did oo for Graham Williams. The same thing 260 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:37,400 for Luke Cornett there too. Again, I don't think it hurts them a 261 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:41,880 ton, especially because Al Horford and Graham Williams are like good and dynamic in 262 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,880 those situations when you're looking at what they can do from the perimeter. But 263 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:49,880 you're good at miss Williams and he's just one of the best switch defenders as 264 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:52,480 a center in the league. And then you also look at what he's able 265 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:56,480 to do as a decision maker on short roles or off the roles in general. 266 00:18:56,559 --> 00:18:59,319 This isn't someone who's just catching and finishing lobs or just being able to 267 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,599 finish the rim. He can make passes on the move and he's a good 268 00:19:02,599 --> 00:19:06,200 screen setter. That's that's big for the Celtics, And after already losing Gallinari, 269 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:07,799 who I don't think would have factored into the center rotation. But knowing 270 00:19:07,799 --> 00:19:11,440 how the Celtics like to play a little bigger upfront, losing someone who's six 271 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:15,680 ten and then losing a Robert Williams like six nine but has like the athletic 272 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:19,960 pop to make it seem like he's seven eight or whatever when he's on the 273 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:23,880 floor having that presence, it really just sucks. Did miss while I was 274 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:29,240 gone? Dennis Shrewder signed a one year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers because 275 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,319 they clearly needed more guards. I don't think this is insignificant, and I'm 276 00:19:33,319 --> 00:19:36,519 sure you know the jokes you saw about him turning down. He's making like 277 00:19:36,799 --> 00:19:40,440 two point eight a little over that million dollars this year. That's probably about 278 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:44,079 an eighth, a ninth, maybe a tenth of what he would have about 279 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:47,319 it, more like less than a tenth of what he would have made in 280 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:49,359 his four year, eighty four million dollars deal with the Lakers that he had 281 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:55,599 turned down a couple of years back. I don't mind the flyer in general. 282 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:59,880 For a minimum salary he gives you, Dennis shrewders like he's probably two 283 00:20:00,079 --> 00:20:03,359 high usage for the Lakers. But if you want to have him run some 284 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:07,680 second units. He did show that final year in Okay see shot forty one 285 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:10,839 plus percent on catch and shoot threes. He's been a little over thirty five 286 00:20:10,839 --> 00:20:12,960 percent on catch and shoot threes for the past two seasons, one of which 287 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,680 he spent with the Lakers. That's not really high enough to be locked down. 288 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:18,559 He does give you some rim pressure on the ball. Needs to get 289 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:22,480 rid of those junkie in between pull ups like he had the year and okay 290 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:26,240 see when he when Chris Paul and Shake killers Axander were both there where he 291 00:20:26,279 --> 00:20:29,680 absolutely tore it up. But aside from that, he's been just sort of 292 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:36,759 mediocre to sub mediocre from those areas. It's interesting though that the Lakers signed 293 00:20:36,839 --> 00:20:40,839 him trade for Patrick Beverley. They already have, uh, you know, 294 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:45,039 Kendrick Nunn is like the hottest things in sliced bread in Los Angeles apparently right 295 00:20:45,039 --> 00:20:47,680 now when you talk to people, and then Lonnie Walker, the fourth is 296 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:49,519 just sitting there. What does this mean for Wessell Westbrook? Why would the 297 00:20:49,599 --> 00:20:55,359 Lakers do that? If I was, to paraphrase Brian Winhorth, add another 298 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,640 guard to the fold doesn't do I think this makes it more likely Russell Westbrook 299 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:00,799 is traded. I'm going to say no. I do think it makes it 300 00:21:00,839 --> 00:21:03,799 more likely that the Lakers decide to bring him off the bench, which is 301 00:21:03,799 --> 00:21:06,480 something that seemed like he was on the table from the moment they acquired Patrick 302 00:21:06,519 --> 00:21:08,960 Beverley. Maybe that's something that if they don't explore right out of the gate, 303 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,960 they explore, you know, a few games are a little bit more 304 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:17,160 into the season. I don't hate the flyer for the Lakers, but it 305 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:19,680 is just like they're setting themselves up for memes here if they don't trade Russell 306 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,279 Westbrook, and it certainly intensifies the speculation. There was the report today that 307 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:29,359 the Lakers and Pacers talks fell apart for a heeled Turner trade that would have 308 00:21:29,559 --> 00:21:33,039 put Russell Westbrook Indiana. The Pacers wanted two unprotected first twenty seven and twenty 309 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:38,039 nine, and the Lakers balked at that. I kind of understand both sides 310 00:21:38,079 --> 00:21:41,400 there, like the Lakers and if it's me, I just do it because 311 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:44,000 I think Miles Turner is really good. He can not only play with Anthony 312 00:21:44,079 --> 00:21:45,599 Davis, but we could close games with Anthony Davis that would actually work. 313 00:21:45,759 --> 00:21:49,240 But he heels valuable to that team. Is sort of a knockdown shooter who 314 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:53,119 can score just it's functional shooting. Not a lot of shooters score in motion. 315 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,000 With Lebron James, we've seen in the past a lot of guys just 316 00:21:56,039 --> 00:22:00,319 really planting themselves at a standstill. But he has the ability to hit some 317 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:03,400 pull ups off the dribble, to fly around screens, to really fan out 318 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,960 in transition. And I don't think his deals that terrible. The Lakers don't 319 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,279 want to put long term money on their books, and Field has guaranteed money 320 00:22:10,319 --> 00:22:14,240 for twenty three twenty four, where the Lakers could have near max space. 321 00:22:14,279 --> 00:22:18,480 I don't know if they're still hoping in light of redacted most recent stupid ass 322 00:22:18,519 --> 00:22:23,920 tweet that maybe the trade talks with the Nets could reignite. I understand not 323 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:29,200 wanting to give up the rest of your future draft equity without bringing back a 324 00:22:29,279 --> 00:22:32,039 real star in return. And Milester is going to be a free agent if 325 00:22:32,039 --> 00:22:34,240 you don't think you can keep him, that's something to consider. I'd probably 326 00:22:34,279 --> 00:22:37,000 do it, certainly if I'm the Pacers. If I'm the Pagers, I 327 00:22:37,079 --> 00:22:40,480 might even consider it. If you can get one pick in a swap where 328 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:42,559 it's like a twenty six swap and then the twenty seven first. That's something 329 00:22:42,599 --> 00:22:47,880 I might still consider. Maybe they revisit that, maybe there's another deal that 330 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:51,759 materializes. But the Lakers just I'm holding off on their team look ahead specifically 331 00:22:51,799 --> 00:22:55,240 because I think that their rosters going to change. So they're probably one of 332 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:59,400 the last teams that we do for anyone who cares about what happens with scheduling 333 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:03,839 podcasts. The next bit of depressing news, Shay Gilder's Alexander has a Grade 334 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,880 two MCL spring in his left knee. He will be out for at least 335 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,960 okay SE's first two preseason games and reevaluated in two weeks. That just sucks. 336 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:18,720 This season in okay See is going from enthralling for me as a national 337 00:23:18,759 --> 00:23:22,559 observer to just like, we're about to fucking watch them shut down guys again 338 00:23:22,599 --> 00:23:26,359 and really slow play this chat. Holme Grins out for the year. Shakils 339 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:30,440 Alexander missed the final ten games of the season with a right ankle injury. 340 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:33,599 Now he has a sprain MC on his left knee. I imagine the thunder 341 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:37,119 will continue to bring him along slowly, not just because they're not trying to 342 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:41,440 win this season, but he is also until actual these this trade speculation proves 343 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:45,720 to be accurate, he is their future. He and chet Holme Grin, 344 00:23:45,759 --> 00:23:49,079 I would say, even more so than Josh Giddy without Shakils Alexander Lets. 345 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:52,240 Does he miss some games to start the regular season, I don't know. 346 00:23:52,319 --> 00:23:55,039 This doesn't seem too serious, but it sucks. If he does miss the 347 00:23:55,039 --> 00:23:56,680 start of the regular season, that will be really a test of how far 348 00:23:56,759 --> 00:24:00,519 Josh Giddy has come and can he sort of lead the charge as a primary 349 00:24:00,519 --> 00:24:03,440 playmaker and perhaps be more aggressive as a score But I want to see Shay 350 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:07,079 play a bunch this season. He is one of the I still think he's 351 00:24:07,079 --> 00:24:08,319 one of the most underrated players in the league, even though a bunch of 352 00:24:08,599 --> 00:24:15,440 fans from different teams are really lusting and pining after his services on the trade 353 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,160 market for him that should not technically exist because publicly he has not requested to 354 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:23,160 trade, and everything he said runs counter and even the way that the thunderactor 355 00:24:23,319 --> 00:24:26,960 runs counter to that logic. They have all the picks in the world. 356 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,920 They made a consolidation trade for Rusmon Jang. They signed Shade to a five 357 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,839 year extension, not that they wouldn't have done that even if they were looking 358 00:24:32,839 --> 00:24:36,079 to trade him. This just seems like we're rushing to talk there, and 359 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:38,400 my thoughts are well documented. You go go check out a previous podcast, 360 00:24:38,519 --> 00:24:41,880 or go check out a Thunder look Ahead which is up on YouTube and in 361 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:45,559 your podcast fees where we get into that with Olivia Punchhall, formerly of the 362 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:49,160 of Daily Thunder a little bit. But yeah, this doesn't seem too serious 363 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:52,880 for Shade, but it is something to monitor. He's dealt with stuff. 364 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:57,680 Some of that has probably been overly cautiously handled. That's a terrible way to 365 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:00,079 frame it. The Thunder had probably been more cautious than they need to be 366 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:03,920 with some of his injuries or invented some of those injuries. But it's just 367 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:07,920 something to keep an eye on because Shay is like, part of what makes 368 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:14,799 his game so captivating is his ability to just change these speeds on a dime, 369 00:25:15,079 --> 00:25:18,960 and if he's dealing with some knee stuff or that becomes habitual issues where 370 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,200 he's dealing with ankle and knee issues, that could compromise him a little bit 371 00:25:22,279 --> 00:25:27,519 on the offensive end. Finally, Lonzo Ball will be reevaluated in four to 372 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:33,519 six weeks after a second left knee surgery. The first one happened eight months 373 00:25:33,519 --> 00:25:37,400 ago to pair a torminiscus that was in the same knee that left knee. 374 00:25:37,519 --> 00:25:42,039 This is also the third surgery lonzos Now had on his left knee. This 375 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:45,880 is big for the Bulls, who at full strength, they're probably a better 376 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:49,960 team than people are crediting just because they forgot like how long the Bulls were 377 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:55,119 good last season, but there was a material change in the way they were 378 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:59,079 able to operate, not on offense as much, but on defense. When 379 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:03,440 a Lonzo first exit in the lineup. Remember he the day after Christmas, 380 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,759 I think it was he went into COVID protocols and then he was dealing with 381 00:26:06,799 --> 00:26:11,240 the knee injury. Shortly thereafter after he came back for a bit, the 382 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:15,680 Bulls were blown out into two like his final games, and then he's done 383 00:26:15,839 --> 00:26:19,200 for the rest of the season to deal with that left knee injury. Losing 384 00:26:19,279 --> 00:26:22,559 him as huge they were, I mean, they'll break it down. Before 385 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:26,680 Christmas, the Bulls were nineteen and ten, nine games over five hundred, 386 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,000 had a top six net rating. We're in the top eight of both defense 387 00:26:30,039 --> 00:26:36,039 and offense. After Christmas, which is when they first started missing Lonzo ball, 388 00:26:36,079 --> 00:26:37,200 and then he really only played in how many games was it, I'll 389 00:26:37,279 --> 00:26:41,759 check really quick. After Christmas he only played in a total of six games. 390 00:26:41,799 --> 00:26:45,519 So but after Christmas they still were over five hundred in general twenty seven 391 00:26:45,559 --> 00:26:49,039 to twenty six, but they were twenty first in net rating and dropped to 392 00:26:49,079 --> 00:26:53,240 twenty seventh in points alout per possession. So they went from eighth in points 393 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:59,799 per possession before the Lonzo injuries slash entry into health and safety protocols to twenty 394 00:26:59,799 --> 00:27:03,400 seven. That's a huge drop off. If you're gonna have a healthy Alex 395 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:07,519 Caruso, if Patrick Williams is even going to be healthy and you expect to 396 00:27:07,519 --> 00:27:11,440 see a bunch of progress from him, that should that should help you sort 397 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:15,920 of navigate those waters and just having Gore and Dragic, having Demard Rosen, 398 00:27:15,279 --> 00:27:18,119 having zach Lavine, if he's healthy, you'll be able to make it work 399 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:23,640 on offense, but still defensively is where I'd be more concerned because Lonzo and 400 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:29,640 Caruso are part of what allowed the Bulls to play so aggressively early on and 401 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:33,119 would be part of why they're able to play so aggressively now or why lineups 402 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:37,440 where De Rosen at the four might actually work. And I think overall, 403 00:27:37,559 --> 00:27:41,160 if just for this team, you want to see more of what should be 404 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:45,240 their best lineups, which is not a luxury we had last season. And 405 00:27:45,279 --> 00:27:51,200 so I probably lower on the Bulls even with a healthy Lonzo. Then I 406 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:53,160 don't know even know if it's consensus, but I'm a little bit lower even 407 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:57,839 when considering their peak from last season, just looking at how much the Eastern 408 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:02,079 Conference improved in general, how deep it sort of seems at the top now. 409 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:06,039 But that look in the one hundred and eighty nine possessions which is not 410 00:28:06,079 --> 00:28:07,480 a lot, but the one hundred and eighty nine possessions that Vouch, de 411 00:28:07,559 --> 00:28:11,440 Rosen, Levine, Caruso and Ball played, and I looking at this roster, 412 00:28:11,559 --> 00:28:15,359 that's still their best five man unit. To me, you could try 413 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:18,240 and sandwich Patrick Williams in there for somebody, but who after the season de 414 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:22,440 Rosen had, It would have to be Caruso or Bust And you know, 415 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:26,839 I don't. I'm just more intrigued defensively by Caruso Ball pairing than uh, 416 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:30,559 you know I If you have Williams at the four and then having ball in 417 00:28:30,599 --> 00:28:34,960 the backcourt with Lavigne, but that unit Lonzo, Caruso, Levigne, de 418 00:28:36,079 --> 00:28:38,480 Rosen and Vouch plus twenty point six points per one hundred possessions. They just 419 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,759 only played one hundred and eighty nine possessions. Again, not a lot, 420 00:28:41,839 --> 00:28:44,960 but the Bulls didn't have a ton of continuity to begin with. Their most 421 00:28:45,039 --> 00:28:49,279 used lineup only logged five hundred and twenty one possessions, and even that unit 422 00:28:49,359 --> 00:28:52,559 that I outlined that didn't see a ton of time together, it was their 423 00:28:52,559 --> 00:28:56,480 fourth most played lineup on the season. So want Lonzo would get healthy, 424 00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:59,759 but that's a long time to miss, and he's already missed so much time 425 00:28:59,799 --> 00:29:02,519 that when he does return, what is he going to look like is they're 426 00:29:02,519 --> 00:29:04,599 gonna need to be a grace period there. If you're the Bulls right now, 427 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,119 not only do you need like let's not forget Lavine is dealing with the 428 00:29:07,279 --> 00:29:11,960 stuff, but not only do you need Lavine to stay healthy, Caruso to 429 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:14,680 stay healthy, but like you need and Williams to stay healthy. You need 430 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:18,039 meaningful contributions once again from Iota Suon Moo and then Patrick Williams to be probably 431 00:29:18,039 --> 00:29:22,319 even better than he showed when he was healthy last season, and you probably 432 00:29:22,319 --> 00:29:26,039 at this point you need to bank on just like hitting somewhere that we're not 433 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:30,319 talking about, because like, is Gorn Dragic more effective than we're thinking right 434 00:29:30,359 --> 00:29:33,480 now? Does Booch have a bounce back year as a score? He did 435 00:29:33,599 --> 00:29:37,480 find from two point range last year, but does this outside shot return? 436 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:40,759 Does Kobe White all of a sudden make strides here? They need one of 437 00:29:41,039 --> 00:29:42,680 You know, we talk a lot about Williams and his development, and then 438 00:29:42,759 --> 00:29:48,160 Caruso and Lonzo remaining healthy, even Zaqueline remaining healthy, and we talk probably 439 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,559 a little bit more about the backup five situation. Now you brought Derek Jones 440 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:55,720 junior back, you signed Andre Drummond, you have Tony Williams still Tony Bradley 441 00:29:55,759 --> 00:29:56,720 scuse me, still float around this roster. But you know, all of 442 00:29:56,720 --> 00:29:59,640 a sudden kind of need to hit. I'm like, oh, can I 443 00:29:59,759 --> 00:30:03,960 under would just like explode again? Or can we get development from Kobe White? 444 00:30:03,119 --> 00:30:07,440 Or is Gorn drag or even a Dawn and Terry like what we see 445 00:30:07,519 --> 00:30:11,200 him at all this season? Like you're gonna need one or two just I 446 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:17,599 don't want to say unforeseen developments, but just one or two silver linings that 447 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:19,799 we're not really focusing zeroing in too much on right now, that we're not 448 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:26,039 counting on right now to probably hang with the upper crust of the Eastern Conference, 449 00:30:26,119 --> 00:30:30,279 which just includes the Calves after training for Donna Mitchell, a healthy six 450 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:33,160 or squad. The Celtics, even with the injuries they're dealing with, the 451 00:30:33,319 --> 00:30:37,160 Bucks with Chris Middleton coming back, the Miami Heat are still floating around there. 452 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:40,720 I'm still pretty high on the Toronto Raptors, even though I have questions 453 00:30:40,759 --> 00:30:44,680 about their half court offense there. It's just going to be a bloodbath through 454 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:47,720 the top six of the East and there's no spot there. Even if the 455 00:30:47,759 --> 00:30:51,839 Bulls were healthy, I would say where they would be guaranteed one of those 456 00:30:52,119 --> 00:30:56,519 six spots. I mean, like, if we're being brutally objective, I 457 00:30:56,559 --> 00:31:02,960 mean, what top six, my definitive would be Boston, Milwaukee, Philadelphia. 458 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:07,559 I'm gonna throw Toronto in there, and then like Miami, I would 459 00:31:07,559 --> 00:31:12,680 have to put them in there, and then just like Atlanta or Cleveland or 460 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,319 Brooklyn. Yeah, that's just seven teams. And I didn't even get to 461 00:31:15,359 --> 00:31:18,799 the Bulls there. And like those eight teams which should be the top eight 462 00:31:18,799 --> 00:31:22,839 teams in the East, Baranni surprises Miami, Boston, Milwaukee, Philly, 463 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,400 Toronto, Chicago, Brooklyn in Atlanta, and then throw Cleveland to be top 464 00:31:26,519 --> 00:31:29,799 nine. Holy hell, like there, Yeah, there's some variants there, 465 00:31:29,839 --> 00:31:32,119 Like I have no idea what the fuck the Nets are gonna be and I 466 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:36,640 would never bet on them. But the Calves or the Hawks specifically could be 467 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:40,920 due for a major jump in raw win totals from the forty three slash forty 468 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:45,400 four that they won last year. And then you have the Bucks Heat Celtics 469 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:48,480 sixers, who were very much in the not going anywhere persuasion. I think 470 00:31:48,519 --> 00:31:52,599 the Raptors, having just won forty eight games, they're even better. Maybe 471 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:55,240 they don't win as many games, or maybe it's still dead on it's another 472 00:31:55,319 --> 00:31:57,160 forty eight games, but they're just better. They're deeper than they were last 473 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:01,000 season, and so the Bulls might point here is the Bulls need Lonzo Ball. 474 00:32:01,039 --> 00:32:05,960 I think there's aspects of their team where they are better without him than 475 00:32:06,039 --> 00:32:08,440 we saw last season because of all the other stuff that they were dealing with, 476 00:32:08,799 --> 00:32:13,119 and maybe some internal development they could get, but he is just mission 477 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:16,480 critical to their defensive success. It's good to be back. I missed you 478 00:32:16,599 --> 00:32:21,319 all, even though I guess I didn't really leave too much. Please remember 479 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,440 to subscribe wherever you're getting this podcast, YouTube, Apple, and Spotify specifically 480 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:29,880 down every episode. Subscribe on every platform on both YouTube and then a podcast 481 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:31,839 player. It means a lot. Throw out recommendations, shout us out on 482 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:36,400 Twitter, retweet the promos I put out there again. It really all means 483 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:38,000 the world when you can pitch in and help grow the community. Join our 484 00:32:38,039 --> 00:32:40,839 discord, the link to which is in the podcast description, along with all 485 00:32:42,119 --> 00:32:44,680 of our socials. Until next time, and as always, I leave you 486 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:47,440 with the shout out to the one, the only, the glorious Frank niel 487 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:51,400 Akina And I don't know why I'm making this the outro, because you're about 488 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:57,240 to listen to some what NBA what ifs? What is up, fellow thermonuclear 489 00:32:57,319 --> 00:33:00,920 affer is. I am a very pumped, if a little exhausted Dan Favali 490 00:33:01,279 --> 00:33:07,319 coming at you with our final installment of this NBA what if series Before we 491 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:12,079 get started, just my usual plea for everyone to subscribe to this podcast wherever 492 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:15,319 they consume it, Apple, Spotify of course, if you follow the show 493 00:33:15,359 --> 00:33:17,960 and download every episode. That's the biggest way to help us climb up those 494 00:33:19,039 --> 00:33:22,000 basketball podcast charts. If you've already done that, hit that subscribe button on 495 00:33:22,119 --> 00:33:24,920 YouTube, like comment on our videos to help the algorithm love us back, 496 00:33:25,519 --> 00:33:29,960 follow us on the socials the links that are in the podcast description, please 497 00:33:30,079 --> 00:33:32,720 please pretty please join our discord the link to that is in the podcast description. 498 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:36,960 And if you've done all those things, still consider shouting us out on 499 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:39,000 Twitter if you enjoy our content. I put out a lot of it. 500 00:33:39,359 --> 00:33:43,240 These are shorter podcasts, but we have a lot longer ones. I've been 501 00:33:43,319 --> 00:33:45,400 going almost daily throughout the off season. We've done a lot of cool stuff. 502 00:33:45,519 --> 00:33:50,400 Look aheads are already underway and they will fire back up when I return 503 00:33:50,519 --> 00:33:55,119 from my long awaited vacation that I'm trying to work ahead to be free for 504 00:33:55,640 --> 00:34:00,319 You don't care about that, though, so again, shout outs on Twitter, 505 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:01,599 Retweet our promos, tell people about us if you know they liked the 506 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:06,640 basketball podcast. I always get just super excited not look people DM me a 507 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:09,000 bunch, and I appreciate that about our listeners telling telling me how much they 508 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:13,000 appreciate my effort, how much they appreciate the content. Discord is great. 509 00:34:13,599 --> 00:34:15,320 The public shout outs on Twitter or in those threads where people are trying to 510 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:20,280 look for the best sports or basketball podcasts, those mean the world as well. 511 00:34:21,119 --> 00:34:22,719 And finally, before we get started, just a brief reminder how this 512 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:27,480 works. This is the final installment installment of MBA. What Ifs is a 513 00:34:27,519 --> 00:34:30,760 project I did for Bleach Report a couple of months ago. With their blessing, 514 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:32,400 I am putting out an audio version of it. I get that these 515 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:37,320 can be sometimes tough to follow. I've released them by division in these short 516 00:34:37,639 --> 00:34:39,800 you know, fourteen to twenty minute increments and hopes that makes it easier. 517 00:34:40,079 --> 00:34:44,719 I've practiced reading them. I've readone a bunch of readings because I was stammering 518 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,239 through. There are still some hiccups, but I do think it's at least 519 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:52,519 consumable and interesting. And the way I handled this project was I asked one 520 00:34:52,599 --> 00:34:55,679 person who covers follows the roots for every team, a smart person, an 521 00:34:55,719 --> 00:35:00,159 awesome person, what their biggest what if would be for that franchise. I 522 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:02,440 took their responses, included some of my own words, and that's the project 523 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:06,920 you will be listening to now if you've not checked out the other versions head 524 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:10,000 over to YouTube, where they've been released as single team clips. You can 525 00:35:10,119 --> 00:35:14,119 check out our podcast feed. I released these by division. We are in 526 00:35:14,519 --> 00:35:17,960 the final stage the sixth and final NBA What If episode and it is none 527 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:23,039 other than the Southwest Division. We begin up next in this NBA would If 528 00:35:23,119 --> 00:35:29,280 project with the Dallas Mavericks. Initially I approached the Dallas Mavericks as part of 529 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:31,960 the shindig, determined not to go, though what if they drafted? Joannis 530 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:37,159 attent to Coupo in twenty thirteen route he was considered a stab in the dark 531 00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:39,599 reach by the Milwaukee Bucks at number fifteen. We can't harp too much on 532 00:35:39,679 --> 00:35:44,760 the teams that went different directions, though, to be fair, Dallas later 533 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:49,079 playing that he was on its radar card doesn't help. Steve Nash's departure in 534 00:35:49,079 --> 00:35:52,559 two thousand and four is my pick. His exit almost as surely cost him 535 00:35:52,559 --> 00:35:54,880 as another title during that dark Nivitzky era. At the very least, the 536 00:35:54,960 --> 00:36:00,079 organization would have more Finals appearances under its belt. That did tempt Lauren Gunn, 537 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:04,320 who was a co host of the Gunshot podcast and also a credential to 538 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,719 NBA media member, But she ultimately went a different direction. Here's what she 539 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:13,360 told me. This is an incredibly fascinating question because the correct answer is absolutely 540 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:16,199 what happens if Nash stays. But my mind can't help but go to the 541 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:21,639 post twenty eleven. Dirk years after letting the team go, after bringing home 542 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:24,199 the trophy, they were in a position the following year to reel in the 543 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:29,679 top free agent of that class, Darren Williams. In fact, the MAVs 544 00:36:29,719 --> 00:36:31,880 had the first meeting with Williams, and years later he said that he was 545 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:36,079 going to sign with Dallas, but was turned off by the fact that Mark 546 00:36:36,119 --> 00:36:39,159 Cuban neglected to show up to their meeting. Pairing him with Dirk while they 547 00:36:39,199 --> 00:36:44,119 were both in their primes would have likely put Dallas back toward the top of 548 00:36:44,199 --> 00:36:49,239 the Western Conference. Unfortunately, the Mavericks didn't land him that year, and 549 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:55,639 the slow transition into a rebuild commenced that. I don't disagree with how Lauren 550 00:36:55,719 --> 00:37:00,519 framed this, and it's actually more tantilizing. I think I'm probably then I 551 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:04,719 gave it credit for before she described it to me, just because I think 552 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:08,639 we remember what Williams sort of became, and so I very much digged this 553 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:14,719 view. Extending actual title windows are more bankable what ifs than carving out theoretical 554 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:17,679 ones around Yannis, for example. But that's why the Nash pick is still 555 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:22,960 up there. Let's also be real, we were all flabbergasted, if not 556 00:37:22,079 --> 00:37:27,000 offended, the MAVs opted to move so thoroughly away from their title winning corps 557 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:30,599 in twenty eleven. Dee Will's prime ended up not lasting nearly as long as 558 00:37:30,679 --> 00:37:34,000 most expected, but the next two to three years of Dallas basketball would have 559 00:37:34,119 --> 00:37:37,599 unfurled at a much higher level that he joined the party in twelve. Next 560 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:44,360 up in this NBA what if exercise, we have the Houston Rockets. It's 561 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:47,920 nice when the what if decision at hand boasts a glaringly obvious consensus, and 562 00:37:49,039 --> 00:37:52,360 as Salomon Ali of Red Nation Hoops outline, that's just what we have for 563 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:54,239 the Houston Rockets. Here's what he told me. There are a lot of 564 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:58,199 contenders here, but the number one spot is a no brainer. What if 565 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:00,920 Chris Paul never suffers a hamstring dre in the twenty eighteen Western Conference Finals. 566 00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:06,119 There's just no other scenario that directly could have led to an additional banner for 567 00:38:06,159 --> 00:38:12,360 the Rockets. He's right context is of course king in this instance, though 568 00:38:12,559 --> 00:38:15,480 it's probably also painful. As Ali also wrote, the Rockets were on the 569 00:38:15,519 --> 00:38:17,880 brink of taking a three to two lead over the Warriors and had all the 570 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:22,840 momentum of the series in their favor. Home court advantage was theirs, and 571 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:27,119 it seemed like they had figured out the Warriors on both ends. Defensively, 572 00:38:27,199 --> 00:38:30,679 the Rockets perfected a switch everything scheme they crafted that summer specifically for the Warriors. 573 00:38:31,159 --> 00:38:35,679 Paul was an integral point of attack defender for Houston. On offense, 574 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:37,679 James Harden led a masterclass against the Warriors for the first three and a half 575 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:42,599 frames. Paul, one of the greatest crunch time performers in NBA history. 576 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:45,800 Was their closure in the fourth quarter. The audacity of my media colleagues to 577 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:51,239 equate an injury to Andre Igadala, Golden State's fifth most important player at the 578 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:53,320 time, to an injury to one of the greatest point guards of all time 579 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:58,760 in his prime, was laughable in the moment and even more ludicrous in himsight. 580 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:02,400 Here the caveats what Ali says. The Warriors still could have beaten the 581 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:07,760 Rockets even if Paul had never gotten injured. At the same time, the 582 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:12,800 end result leaves open the possibility that Ali is right. Houston lost Game seven 583 00:39:12,880 --> 00:39:15,480 by single digits without CP three, and if we believe the Rockets get past 584 00:39:15,519 --> 00:39:20,039 the Dynastic Warriors, we might as well go ahead and believe that their sixty 585 00:39:20,119 --> 00:39:24,679 five win corps also would have dispatched the twenty eighteen Cavaliers in the finals. 586 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:30,239 As Ali closed, the Rockets team should go down. That Rockets team should 587 00:39:30,280 --> 00:39:34,639 go down as one of the greatest in NBA history to never win a championship, 588 00:39:35,079 --> 00:39:38,239 but their collective unpopularity may prevent them from being remembered as such. I 589 00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:43,000 definitely agree with this, even if you think they're bigger Rockets what ifs. 590 00:39:43,880 --> 00:39:50,280 The fact that this specific team with Chris Paul and James Harden isn't remembered more 591 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:54,440 fondly for his two eighteen postseason run very much is indicative unfairly so, of 592 00:39:54,599 --> 00:39:59,199 just their reputation having to do with some of the individuals on the team, 593 00:39:59,480 --> 00:40:02,199 and then this track record of Chris Paul and James Harden always coming up short, 594 00:40:04,039 --> 00:40:06,480 where there are some valid criticisms of both, but many of them vier 595 00:40:06,519 --> 00:40:08,119 away from reality. This has to be the what if though, and you 596 00:40:08,199 --> 00:40:12,760 have to appreciate if nothing else. Even though they lost, the Rockets were 597 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:16,800 one of the few teams that Italics went for it when the Warriors were at 598 00:40:16,800 --> 00:40:22,000 their absolute Next up in our MBA what if exercises, we have the Memphis 599 00:40:22,039 --> 00:40:27,360 Grizzlies. Because the twenty fourteen two fifteen Memphis Grizzlies have derailed the start of 600 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:31,480 the Golden State Warriors dynasty. Amy Stagmeyer of the Flyer grizz Blog thinks so 601 00:40:32,079 --> 00:40:36,679 I will forever maintain. She wrote that if Mike Conley doesn't get his face 602 00:40:36,760 --> 00:40:40,239 broken by CJ McCollum in the first round in twenty fifteen, and Tony Allen's 603 00:40:40,239 --> 00:40:45,840 hamstring issues were resolved, the Grizzlies would have been the twenty fifteen champions. 604 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:49,400 Memphis would have won the series against Golden State and gone on to beat Houston 605 00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:52,960 in the Western Conference Finals and ultimately be Cleveland to win the championship, and 606 00:40:53,039 --> 00:40:58,079 we would all be having a very different discussion in the years since. Wow, 607 00:40:59,039 --> 00:41:01,679 Wow, this is spicy. I love it. It's not unfounded. 608 00:41:02,559 --> 00:41:07,000 Mike Conley even agrees. This is what he says. This is what Mike 609 00:41:07,039 --> 00:41:08,800 Conley said during a twenty twenty one appearance on The Old Man and the Three 610 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:14,000 podcast with JJ Reddick, that series is our what if more than anything, 611 00:41:14,519 --> 00:41:16,119 if we win that series. Who knows? If the Warriors of the Warriors 612 00:41:16,239 --> 00:41:22,079 dynasty that everyone sees today, I get what Conley and Amy are saying. 613 00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:25,079 The Grizzlies jumped out to a two to one lead in that series and for 614 00:41:25,159 --> 00:41:30,159 a while appeared to be in control, but the Warriors ended up mismatching their 615 00:41:30,159 --> 00:41:32,840 way to a seven game victory, in large part because they had Andrew Bogitt 616 00:41:34,599 --> 00:41:38,679 quotes guarding Tony Allen, who was an offensive non entity. Well, Golden 617 00:41:38,719 --> 00:41:43,119 State have gotten away with that shift. If Allen wasn't harboring a hamstring injury. 618 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:46,159 Maybe how much better off with the Grizzlies have been if Conley, playing 619 00:41:46,199 --> 00:41:50,480 at a face mask, didn't shoot sub forty percent on twos and sub twenty 620 00:41:50,519 --> 00:41:54,360 two percent on threes over the final four games. Who knows. Leaning towards 621 00:41:54,519 --> 00:42:00,119 alternative selections is reasonable and probably my preference. Grizzly still would have needed to 622 00:42:00,159 --> 00:42:05,039 beat the Rockets, who weren't yet the Capslock Rockets, but also weren't stepping 623 00:42:05,079 --> 00:42:07,320 stones the two and fifteen, Calves would have been beat aboth. Both Kevin 624 00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:10,440 Love and Kyrie Irving still got hurt in the finals, but they weren't barren 625 00:42:10,559 --> 00:42:15,079 of fight. Even so, Amy's decision feels like the right call, and 626 00:42:15,159 --> 00:42:19,639 if it isn't for me, it probably needs to be Zach Randolph's Game seven 627 00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:22,719 suspension in the first round of the twenty fourteen playoffs, or the Grizzlies drafting 628 00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:25,960 Cashim to beat at number two in a two thousand and nine class that saw 629 00:42:27,119 --> 00:42:30,440 James Harden, Steph Curry, and Demarda Rozen all go after him and still 630 00:42:30,559 --> 00:42:35,760 in the top ten. And our next team up in this MBA what if 631 00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:40,599 exercise is the New Orleans Pelicans. Spotting what ifs throughout the New Orleans Pelicans 632 00:42:40,679 --> 00:42:45,639 history isn't particularly difficult. There's the obvious what if Chris Paul and Anthony Davis 633 00:42:45,719 --> 00:42:49,320 never esk out angles and a few ad injury moments to boot, and then 634 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:51,960 we always have though, what if the CP three to the Lakers trade was 635 00:42:52,039 --> 00:42:55,679 never basketball reason into oblivion? My personal pick is game seven of the two 636 00:42:55,679 --> 00:43:00,360 thousand eight Western Conference semifinals. What if they beat the Spurs. They've been 637 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:02,639 able to punch out the Lakers, and if so, could they have then 638 00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:07,719 up ended the eventual champion Celtics. For his part, Brute Crew medias shem 639 00:43:07,880 --> 00:43:13,239 Duo went with what feels like the actual correct choice. Here's what he told 640 00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:15,880 me. The biggest what ifs for the Pelicans in recent memory is the DeMarcus 641 00:43:15,960 --> 00:43:22,360 Cousins injury in twenty eighteen. New Orleans was just finding its stride that January 642 00:43:22,679 --> 00:43:25,559 when Boogie went down in a win against the then dominant Rockets. The Pelicans 643 00:43:25,599 --> 00:43:30,119 would later go on to trade for Nicola Mirotitch and sweep the Portland Trailblazers that 644 00:43:30,159 --> 00:43:35,360 same season before fardling short in five games against the Kevin Durant Arrow Warriors. 645 00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:38,039 They probably don't win a title that season, but Boogie and Davis would have 646 00:43:38,079 --> 00:43:42,960 provided the Doves with a matchup they had never faced before. Cousins was also 647 00:43:43,079 --> 00:43:45,719 up for a new contract that coming off season. How does the team build 648 00:43:45,760 --> 00:43:49,880 around the Twin Towers and Drew Holiday moving forward? Could they have outlasted the 649 00:43:49,920 --> 00:43:52,639 Warriors? Corn been around for the Bubble Ring with Del Demps and Alvin Gentry 650 00:43:52,719 --> 00:43:57,400 still be the lead executives of the franchise. So many questions. We'll just 651 00:43:57,480 --> 00:44:01,679 never know the answer to that from Shammitt is perfect, and I don't know 652 00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:06,800 that I considered it. I definitely didn't consider it in this way going into 653 00:44:06,800 --> 00:44:09,960 the exercise, and then when I thought more about it, there's another potential 654 00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:15,960 implication to do as answer. Does the Twin Towers approach become in vogue sooner 655 00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:19,519 if Boogie and a D had stayed together for the long haul. We're seeing 656 00:44:19,559 --> 00:44:22,719 a quasi revival of the dual big lineups, not just in Boston with Al 657 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:27,559 Horford in RW three, or with Cleveland in Evan Mobley and Jared Allen, 658 00:44:27,679 --> 00:44:30,599 and now Minnesota with Kat and Rudy Gobert, but also in places like Memphis 659 00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:36,960 with Triple J and Steven Adams, and even in Orlando with Mobamba and Wendell 660 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:42,440 Carter Junior this past season with Palo Bank Arrow entering the mix. Now Boogie 661 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:46,199 and a D share specific similarities with the Cat Gobert pairing we're about to watch. 662 00:44:46,679 --> 00:44:51,639 Maybe this approach would have reignited sooner if the Pelicans had gotten an actual 663 00:44:51,679 --> 00:44:57,679 window with their own version. Our next team up in this MBA what if 664 00:44:57,920 --> 00:45:01,480 exercise, and it will also be the final team team number thirty. If 665 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:07,320 you've been following us all the way the San Antonio Spurs, where would the 666 00:45:07,320 --> 00:45:12,639 San Antonio Spurs and Kawhi Leonard b if Zaza Patrulia never stepped under his left 667 00:45:12,679 --> 00:45:16,679 ankle in Game one of the twenty seventeen Western Conference Finals? And hell, 668 00:45:17,039 --> 00:45:21,920 where would Golden State and Toronto b if that moment in time was removed from 669 00:45:22,000 --> 00:45:27,039 history. This set of questions is equal parts tantalizing and emotionally eviscerating for Spurs 670 00:45:27,119 --> 00:45:30,239 fans, which is why Paul Garcia from Project Spurs presumably chose to focus on 671 00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:34,880 it. Here's what he told me. Yes, the Warriors were a juggernaut 672 00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:37,480 with Kevin Durant and won sixty seven games that season and eventually the title. 673 00:45:37,880 --> 00:45:40,639 But the Spurs were also in a lead team, winning sixty one games and 674 00:45:40,719 --> 00:45:45,519 holding a twenty one point lead with eight twenty eight left in the third quarter 675 00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:49,400 of Game one. What if Leonard didn't get hurt and the Spurs won Game 676 00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:52,480 one, they would have stolen home court advantage, And then who knows? 677 00:45:52,960 --> 00:45:57,199 Both teams had top ten offenses and defenses that season. The element a title 678 00:45:57,239 --> 00:46:01,039 contender needs that game was the last time Spurs were a title contender. Garcia 679 00:46:01,119 --> 00:46:06,159 continued, Leonard played only nine games in twenty seventeen twenty eighteen, and he 680 00:46:06,239 --> 00:46:08,559 demanded a trade and ended up in Toronto the following summer. Had the Spurs 681 00:46:08,639 --> 00:46:13,159 defeated the Warriors and then won the title in twenty sixteen twenty seventeen, does 682 00:46:13,199 --> 00:46:16,159 the Leonard Spurs relationship not fall apart considering he would now be a two time 683 00:46:16,280 --> 00:46:21,679 NBA champion with them. This is a great point, and I think I 684 00:46:21,800 --> 00:46:23,920 might have even like skipped over it and gone right to what if the Spurs 685 00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:29,400 never traded Kawai even though he was asking for out? But we needn't even 686 00:46:29,480 --> 00:46:32,800 rewrite the outcome of the twenty seventeen Western Conference Finals to ponder and alternate reality 687 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:37,519 in San Antonio. That injury was the beginning of the end for those Spurs, 688 00:46:37,679 --> 00:46:40,199 and it was the subsequent quad injury to Leonard that became the source of 689 00:46:40,280 --> 00:46:45,480 so much discord and distance between he and the organization. So many other what 690 00:46:45,599 --> 00:46:49,639 if since were born from that moment in Game one, including what if the 691 00:46:49,679 --> 00:46:54,000 Spurs accepted a different, more future focused return in the Kawai trade? Or 692 00:46:54,199 --> 00:46:59,159 how about does he even still injure his white right quad. Do the Spurs 693 00:46:59,159 --> 00:47:01,639 put up enough of a f versus the Warriors if not upset them out right 694 00:47:01,920 --> 00:47:06,679 to keep things hunky dory a while longer? Would they even have needed to 695 00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:10,000 move Kawai. No other what if comes close to matching this one. There's 696 00:47:10,039 --> 00:47:14,119 a case for Game six, or even Game seven of the twenty thirteen NBA 697 00:47:14,199 --> 00:47:19,800 Finals, but losing that series drove the twenty fourteen championship push that we all 698 00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:22,639 as basketball fans, not only Spurs fans, hold near and dear to our 699 00:47:22,679 --> 00:47:29,159 heart. The biggest what if for the Spurs is just almost as shortly has 700 00:47:29,239 --> 00:47:31,880 to be traced back to Kawai. And it's that moment, that injury that 701 00:47:32,079 --> 00:47:39,800 proved to be unknowingly the beginning of the end that does it for our MBA 702 00:47:39,920 --> 00:47:44,159 what if project. I do. Hope you enjoyed this quick, digestible series. 703 00:47:44,199 --> 00:47:46,199 If you have feedback on it, hit me on my DMS at Dampa 704 00:47:46,280 --> 00:47:50,760 Valley on Twitter, join our discord dm me there. I'd rather not shame 705 00:47:50,840 --> 00:47:53,559 me publicly in the chat amongst everyone. Please remember to subscribe to this podcast. 706 00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:58,199 Ratings and reviews help put on as well as those downloading every episode, 707 00:47:58,320 --> 00:48:02,440 subscribe to us on YouTube, and without further delay, I leave you to 708 00:48:02,519 --> 00:48:07,800 everyone's favorite portion of the podcast, the shout out to the One, the 709 00:48:07,920 --> 00:48:10,280 Only, be Forever Frank Neila Key