WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:07.559 This is the baseline, discussing the hot button topics of the NBA. Welcome 2 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:11.400 everybody, your tune to the baseline. Cali Warnshaw discussing the hot button topics 3 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:16.359 of the NBA. And we are down to like the final week and a 4 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:21.000 half, two weeks before we say bye bye to the NBA regular season, 5 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:26.519 Hello to the playings. But there's still a little bit of time left for 6 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:33.560 us to make sure that we're properly eulogizing teams that clearly have no shot whatsoever 7 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:39.960 to be a part of this year's twenty twenty three, twenty four NBA season. 8 00:00:40.840 --> 00:00:44.759 But with that being said, it doesn't mean that these teams don't give 9 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:49.119 you a little something to look forward to, right And so again our coveted 10 00:00:49.159 --> 00:00:52.759 autopsy report, we're covering those teams, you know, as always, man, 11 00:00:52.880 --> 00:00:57.719 it's great because there's so many cross sectioning things happening when it comes to 12 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:03.319 the game and the game of basketball, NCAA Final four championship game, you 13 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:07.560 know, NBA basketball. It's just all good in the wood, my man. 14 00:01:07.799 --> 00:01:08.799 And as always, when we roll out the red carpet to my brother, 15 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:12.040 mister Warren Sharping out of Fort Florida or Florida. What's good, mister 16 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:15.200 Shaw. And as much as basketball is moving to shakey, you my friend, 17 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:18.159 are also doing a little bit of moving to shake And as we were 18 00:01:18.200 --> 00:01:21.760 recording this podcast too, well you know what it is friendly, you know, 19 00:01:21.959 --> 00:01:25.400 representing the nineteen Media Group always got a little something going on, sturning 20 00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:27.480 in that capacity. So yeah, we'll be covering them on film Festival here 21 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:30.680 for nineteen Media Group slash Upe interviews. But you know, we're to talk 22 00:01:30.680 --> 00:01:38.239 about hoops and these final two teams really before we get to the playing situation. 23 00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:41.480 And we'll see how next weekend goes when we're recording and who actually is 24 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:44.359 in and who is out. But I think we have a pretty good indication 25 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:48.519 of the top ten right now on both conferences. So I think this is 26 00:01:48.599 --> 00:01:52.760 actually our final hot Tops report of the non play and worthy teams, I 27 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:56.319 think at this if my count is correct, So exciting times here ahead, 28 00:01:56.359 --> 00:02:00.159 man, and the NBA basketball is getting its most most exciting part of the 29 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:02.079 season with the playoffs right on the horizon. Yeah, and and to your 30 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:06.519 point, you know, these the last few games are going to be the 31 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:08.479 most important. I mean, typically we already will know, you know, 32 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:14.400 which teams have pretty much positioned themselves to be participating in the play in and 33 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:17.879 the teams that have already locked in their seedings for the playoffs. But this 34 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:21.759 has been one this has been a year where it is really going to come 35 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:24.759 down, you know, to the final stretch of games and more importantly, 36 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:30.319 may determine which team has home field advantage sort of speak when it comes to 37 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:35.000 the play in situation, which may be crucial, you know, for the 38 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:38.080 participant. So it's good to see that. But I think also as well 39 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:40.919 too, these regular season games are being impacted by the teams that we're going 40 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:46.759 to be discussing in regards to their autop seeing like you know what you're seeing 41 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:50.800 from you know, the two teams that will be discussing this week, which 42 00:02:50.840 --> 00:02:55.400 will be the the Brooklyn Nets and the Portland Trailblazers. You know what they 43 00:02:55.479 --> 00:03:00.560 have going on, I think still will impact and still you know, have 44 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:05.159 meaning in some regards to what we're talking about and what the future may look 45 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:07.840 like. And I think that's why it's so important to take some of that 46 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:09.840 opportunity of time and know the focus and attention is going to be about the 47 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:14.560 play in and the playoffs. But we also want our listeners who are Portland 48 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:19.479 Trailblazer fans and Brooklyn Nets fans do they want to feel encouraged about what they're 49 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:23.199 seeing from their team in their final stretch of home games because it's going to 50 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:25.120 be a long off season. This team may not even look These teams may 51 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:29.280 not look like, you know, what they represent themselves as by the end 52 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:31.280 of this season, come the start of next season, and I think you 53 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:36.479 just want to start focusing, you know, towards draft, towards Summer league, 54 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:39.199 like what steps and strides are going to be made for these teams respectively. 55 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:43.960 Yeah, and that's what we're here to discuss. So I think Brooklyn 56 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:47.879 and you know, the Portland Trail Blazer is very very different seasons. But 57 00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:52.080 I don't know what they're going to have different in terms of what they expected 58 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:54.199 coming in. You know, I think maybe Portland expected to be this bad, 59 00:03:54.759 --> 00:03:58.840 Brooklyn did not. But now how they both move forward, I think 60 00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:01.159 that's the similar trajectory that they're both throw on and they have some real decisions 61 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:03.039 to make, as all teams do when they head to the off season. 62 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:06.719 Absolutely, as always be sure to get at my Manshaw as Sports, NBA 63 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:10.360 get at me a game face leader shows, Twitter handle at NBA. Based 64 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:14.159 on available on all the major platforms, be sure to check us out go 65 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:15.879 to the home website in order to check out not only this show, but 66 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:19.000 our other shows as well too. As the Mainshaw alluded to, we also 67 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:23.879 rock with the nineteen Media family group. Be sure to check us on YouTube 68 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:26.399 and if you see the blue and white logo, that's nineteen Media Group. 69 00:04:26.439 --> 00:04:30.720 So go to www dot Ninetemediagroup dot com to not only check out our show, 70 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:33.399 but the family of great shows and content creators that we have rolling with 71 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:38.600 nineteen Media covering everything from music, sports, entertainment, culture, you name 72 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:42.399 it. Nineteen Media Group has got it. So without any further do show. 73 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:45.199 Let's get right into it, man, let's talk about you know, 74 00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:47.279 in our coveted autopsy report, we're going to discuss the Brooklyn Nets and then 75 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:51.439 later on we'll discuss the Portland Trailblazers. So starting with the Brooklyn Nets, 76 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:57.199 I think you know one of the things, and we've had this conversation before. 77 00:04:57.480 --> 00:05:02.000 You know about Brooklyn. It it sucks in some regards because now you're 78 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:10.360 seeing the New York Knicks once again stake their claim as again being the king 79 00:05:10.439 --> 00:05:13.279 of Kings in New York as far as you know, the basketball vibe, 80 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:16.040 the basketball culture goes. And one of the things that has really troubled me 81 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:20.040 when it comes to the Brooklyn Nets, and I've expressed this in previous shows, 82 00:05:21.160 --> 00:05:25.519 is if you don't get this right, if you don't do this correctly, 83 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:30.240 if there's not sustainability in how the organization and the franchise operates and the 84 00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:34.360 way that it tries to you know, become a successful group, which is 85 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:39.439 you know, reflective on the way that the team operates, how the team 86 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:45.399 continues to conduct business, how the players respond and react. You basically become 87 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:49.680 a marginalized organization and in many respects to the outside community, it makes it 88 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:54.759 look like a fluke organization, a fluke team, right where guys can just 89 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:59.240 go there and get paid but not necessarily do anything productive. And so this 90 00:05:59.319 --> 00:06:01.759 is the thing that I you have some nice pieces, you have some nice 91 00:06:01.800 --> 00:06:08.759 players, obviously led by Michale bridges Are we saying that Mchal Bridgesshaw is a 92 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:13.319 front line guy, a guy who is what your starting block should be in 93 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:17.000 order to start building a successful franchise. And I'm not saying rebuild. I'm 94 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:21.079 saying building because this is what it always feels like with the Brooklyn Nets. 95 00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:26.720 It's never a true build. It's never a rebuild. It's always kind of 96 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:30.199 like a stopgap placement because no one truly understands the dynamic and the direction and 97 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:33.319 where the team is moving forward. And I just wonder, how does that 98 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:39.480 start and begin with McHale Bridges and the rest of the roster in kind well, 99 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:45.000 I think with Bridges, they were hoping and banking on the Lait season's 100 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:49.160 success from last year was going to really roll over into him proving to be 101 00:06:49.720 --> 00:06:55.959 a one a ish type player. I think we have enough evidence here now 102 00:06:56.040 --> 00:07:00.639 that that's probably not his role. And that's not to knock this into He's 103 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:02.920 a very good basketball player, you know, and it's kind of a plug 104 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:08.199 and play guy in a lot of systems. But if he's your lead dude, 105 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:10.800 like the lead horse, there's going to be a cap on how far 106 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:13.879 you can go. And granted, this team has struggled with a lot of 107 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:18.360 injuries, the coaching situation, the front office situation, so there has been 108 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:21.240 a rock of stability here throughout the course of this, but I don't. 109 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:24.959 I think everybody in the league can say is like, all right, I 110 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:30.079 wouldn't feel comfortable with mcle Bridges as my number one guy. And now the 111 00:07:30.120 --> 00:07:32.600 issue is with Brooklyn. They have a lot of guys who are good basketball 112 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:38.199 players, solid basketball players, rotation basketball players, but all probably a little 113 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:41.720 bit more miscast because it's starting at the top where with Bridges is. So 114 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:46.519 everybody's basically a slot out more from where they probably should be. And that's 115 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:49.879 an intriguing place to be from a franchise because you can't say you're devoid of 116 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:55.680 talent because I think those are players that other teams may want and would potentially 117 00:07:55.720 --> 00:08:00.360 build around. Or do you have enough juice here to bring in somebody else 118 00:08:00.399 --> 00:08:03.319 now to take some of that lead those lead responsibilities away from Bridges. That's 119 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:07.040 a very very dynamic space to be in. I think right now for Brooklyn, 120 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:11.360 given everything that they have gone through in the last years, I don't 121 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:13.560 know that they're going to be a free agent destination for anybody. And as 122 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:16.680 we've said through the autopsy report, not a great free agent class. So 123 00:08:16.759 --> 00:08:22.360 when do you make that potential move and that's probably still a year out the 124 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:26.040 reason I say that here too, and I definitely want to tell you back 125 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:30.439 in next year, Ben Simmons's deal comes off your books. That's forty million 126 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:33.600 dollars extra in cap space that you'll have. You'll be so well below the 127 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:39.559 cap threshold, presumably so that it would make sense to make play for that 128 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:43.399 twenty five NBA free agent draft class and kind of seeing what you can do 129 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:46.840 there. They missed a boat at least in the previous year to get to 130 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:50.360 trade Bridges again. A lot of people's was a lot of us adventured about 131 00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:54.200 that Houston deal potentially where they could have got jill In Green and most of 132 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:56.639 the draft capital back from the James Harden deal, which probably would have been 133 00:08:56.639 --> 00:09:01.120 a better move for the long term stake of this franchise. But Cam Croderus 134 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.120 spilt milk, and I don't know if that that deal is still there for 135 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:05.759 them now, especially with the way Jallen Green has ascended in Houston. So 136 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:09.120 for me right now, the Brooklyn Nets are very much in the state of 137 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:13.240 transition. But I think they know that Bridges can't be the lead guy, 138 00:09:13.320 --> 00:09:16.799 and I think the hold on to him and see what twenty five brings for 139 00:09:16.840 --> 00:09:22.080 them in free agency. So you bring up some interesting points about Michale Bridges, 140 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:26.039 and I think we obviously we acknowledge the fact that he's he's not a 141 00:09:26.120 --> 00:09:31.320 number one. The one thing that I had always leaned on Shaw is again, 142 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:35.279 it's not that I can't. It's not that I would never see Michail 143 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:39.480 Bridges being a number one. It's what it takes for him to get to 144 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:41.840 that point. It's not about a mentality, it's not about it's about a 145 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:46.360 style of play. It's about a it's about a style that obviously has been 146 00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:50.799 marginalized because of the fluctuation happening in, you know, with the in the 147 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:56.440 coaching space. So it isn't as if Michal Bridges came in and his style 148 00:09:56.840 --> 00:10:01.200 augments what Shaw Marks needs to do in order to to build around it. 149 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:05.120 It's kind of like they're just you know, placing pieces to kind of see 150 00:10:05.159 --> 00:10:11.159 what may fit jigger. And now they're beginning to realize that nothing that they're 151 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:15.200 going to do is gonna really shake or transform this. This this is gonna 152 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:18.240 come down to there has to be a style, a system that they can 153 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:20.679 they can build off of and build from. That to me is what I 154 00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:26.559 get the sense of Kevin ally has been an admirable coach. I can't see 155 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:30.960 whether or not, you know, he's transformative and is going to be able 156 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:33.399 to to to develop some of these guys. You've got some really good players, 157 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:39.279 like in Claxton. I think just recently I was watching the other night 158 00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:46.159 Clowney. I believe, uh Noah Clowney upside athleticism there, right, But 159 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:50.639 where does all that come to play, not just with mckel bridges, but 160 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:54.799 just with the way that the Brooklyn Nets want to play basketball, with the 161 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:58.480 way that they want to execute, especially in a very loaded Atlantic division. 162 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:03.240 So so all of that being said, Shaw, you brought up the one 163 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:07.759 person who I wanted to be on board with him so much because I felt 164 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:11.679 like some of the deals that he did were by you know, hostage situation 165 00:11:11.799 --> 00:11:16.320 right with Sean Mars. He did it because he was at the behest of 166 00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:20.200 Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, right, and the desperation was there right coming 167 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:24.679 from the top down. With josiehs as an owner, now I'm beginning to 168 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:31.120 see, even at the top of his powers, he is not the greatest 169 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:39.360 evaluator of talent, And I think this now is going to come full circle 170 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:43.080 with whether or not you continue to ride or die with Marx and the roster, 171 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:48.000 or you continue to ride with Mars to clean up this roster. Either 172 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:52.480 way, what you're beginning to see is if you are leaning into what your 173 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:54.919 point is shaw, once they get under the cap, am I going to 174 00:11:54.960 --> 00:12:00.120 be confident that Marx is going to pick out quality talent to collectively together can 175 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:03.840 come out and look like what the Oklahoma City thunder look like. I don't 176 00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:07.720 think so. And if it's based on him making moves as far as moving 177 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:13.600 McHale Bridges and getting something back, okay, maybe, but again it puts 178 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:16.200 us right back in the piece of when when he took it, when he 179 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:18.879 rolled that dice and got back Bridges and he relied on Bridges and Johnson. 180 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:22.639 Are we now collectively saying this is what we want the future to look like 181 00:12:22.679 --> 00:12:26.720 with the Brooklyn nets and because Mark is making that call? Are we now 182 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:30.679 Marx is making that call? Are we now feeling confident he can come around 183 00:12:30.679 --> 00:12:33.679 and do something like that again, but with the slate wiped clean and not 184 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:37.879 still kind of you know, still playing from behind because of what didn't work 185 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:43.399 with the Simmons move and everything like that. I mean, and it's unfortunate 186 00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:48.799 that so much salery is tied to somebody who is just not able to stay 187 00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:52.360 healthy and we're not quite sure quite Frankly likes basketball. I just you know, 188 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:54.519 I know where I am with that shaw. You know where I've been 189 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:58.519 at. Yeah, And it's not to reltigate any of that, but the 190 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:03.519 callery hold is what the is what the interesting part of this is too, 191 00:13:03.559 --> 00:13:07.879 because like you can't extrapolate any value from that any way, shape or form 192 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:11.360 right now, and that's really unfortunate. It's interesting because you mentioned Clowne, 193 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:16.399 Who's what tail end of the season. Wait, shah, there's one thing 194 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:18.639 I want to I want to I'm not saying. Maybe I'm misinterpreted what you're 195 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:22.159 what you were saying, and it's not about relitigating, but I want to 196 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:26.600 throw this caveat in and then get back to Clowney. I I feel like 197 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:31.720 this is part and parcel of the problem too with Marx in his selection of 198 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:41.559 coaches. I think that he has not been the best quote unquote evaluator of 199 00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:46.440 head coaches that should hold accountability to the players and to the system and the 200 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:50.519 style, because if you think about it, he's responsible for jacqu Vaughan. 201 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:54.840 And while jacqu One was okay, the rumors about him catering to Ben Simmons, 202 00:13:54.840 --> 00:13:58.320 which I thought was an absolute miss. I don't know why he even 203 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:01.720 thought that that may in any sense regardless of whether or not Ben Simmons was 204 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:05.519 healthy or not healthy. I'm just saying that, like, not since Atkinson 205 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:11.200 have we seen a legitimate head coach who can come in and it's about, 206 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:16.960 Hey, my coaching acumen out ranks any of what you guys think that you 207 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:20.440 know or can or will ever know about the game of basketball until you get 208 00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:24.120 to that level. Until I see Marx execute like that, which I don't, 209 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:28.159 I have no confidence that he's going to do that. This will always 210 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:31.639 plague a lot of the decision making that he makes, even moving forward. 211 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:37.799 I mean, and again, I think he's been okay in middle to late 212 00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:41.759 round evaluation in terms of talent coaching. I think being believed to some degree 213 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:46.240 and too strong of a term I think for today's culture. But if you've 214 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:50.279 toisted his arm because of the high level coaching that was there, high level 215 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:52.559 players that were brought in, sorry, and then you got rid of Atkinson 216 00:14:52.600 --> 00:14:54.600 to bring in Nash and then that didn't work out. Then to like I 217 00:14:54.600 --> 00:14:58.080 said, again, the coaching side a lot to be desired. The talent 218 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:03.600 evaluation side not as bad, especially when it comes to middle and late round 219 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:07.159 draft picks. But they need to be in a situation where they can try 220 00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:11.720 to get into the top five or top ten at least and see what they 221 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:13.759 do there. And even with Clowney who's playing some minutes here, now, 222 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.919 well, what is the future of his role on this team? Because you 223 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:22.440 also have to pay Nick Claxton? What do you pay Nick Claxton with this 224 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:24.320 team? And I think we talk about it all the time when it comes 225 00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:28.240 to when it comes to players and their salaries and when they need to be 226 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:31.799 evaluated, A lot of it is based on whereas a team at that given 227 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:35.440 moment is like, hey, your services complement us in this way, so 228 00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:39.000 we're willing to pay maybe a couple of dollars extra because of that. Are 229 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:43.360 you just paying Claxon to keep him around? Do you want to feature him? 230 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:46.720 Because he's I think again, solid basketball player, but he's not a 231 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:50.799 building block. And that puts you in a very precarious situation when you're trying 232 00:15:50.840 --> 00:15:56.159 to create a financial structure that can be somewhat withstanding. Is Claxon a guy 233 00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:58.360 is not to pick on him here too, but is he is somebody else? 234 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.720 Well, Hey, when twenty five comes and free agents are available, 235 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:03.080 Hey, I want to go go to Brooklyn and play with Nick Claxon and 236 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:08.320 Michel Bridges. I don't know that that's but overly enticing. But remember the 237 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:14.200 New York Knicks had had had faced a very similar situation with Mitchell Robinson. 238 00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:18.039 And you can see, you know, give credit to the New York Knicks. 239 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:22.360 They recognize very quickly what needed to be addressed, right, even if 240 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:26.039 at at the expense that they wind up saying, we may not be able 241 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:29.320 to keep Mitchell Robinson, pay Mitchell Robinson. Whatever the case may be, 242 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:33.879 the focus of this team, the strength of this team lie in the compatibility 243 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:40.360 of the players that they see are versatile and can execute based on what In 244 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:42.519 other words, you had to lean more into Tom Tibbs and what Tom Tibbs 245 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:47.399 needs, or you had to lean more into what you're seeing your your personnel 246 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:52.039 and your players give you. And until guys like Nick Clason are on the 247 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:55.519 floor, you know, first you know for several games at a time, 248 00:16:55.559 --> 00:16:59.519 for several minutes, and you see how he interacts with Bridges, You see 249 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:03.200 how they're two man game can operate. You see what Claxon is he really 250 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:06.559 a difference maker defensively all that kind of stuff. You're not seeing any of 251 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:10.440 that stuff materialize. You have to pivot. Like the pivoting game in the 252 00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:15.160 NBA is even quicker than it has been in previous years. There there was 253 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:18.039 always that lag time where you can still give time and evaluation. We would 254 00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:22.319 have already told you the moment that Ben Simmons started, you know, having 255 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:25.640 these injuries and all of this other stuff going on, that you had to 256 00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:29.079 quickly say, we need to have a backup plan. We need to pivot 257 00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:33.680 because how confident can you possibly be with some of the players and the way 258 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:37.200 that the roster is constructed that you're gonna be able to clearly make an evaluation 259 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:40.240 about what steps you're going to do one year, two year, three years 260 00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:44.079 down the line. If you're solely depending on people coming back, or solely 261 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:48.400 depending on people saying they're going to be a better version of themselves but they 262 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:52.880 never show up or it never comes to fruition, well, and Claxon Mitchell 263 00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:56.799 Robinson R. Is a suitable I think comparison, at least in terms of 264 00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:59.799 the salary exercise, you know, maybe not lightful life in terms of their 265 00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:03.480 old all skill set. But Robson is in the fifteen to sixteen million dollar 266 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:04.720 range. I'd be fine if you need to play Clacks in that. But 267 00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:07.279 if I'm Claxton, I'm looking at cam Johnson, who was all the SA 268 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:11.079 a good part of this year, and he's in the twenty five to twenty 269 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:15.200 you know, twenty four million dollar range. I'll be listen, I'm doing 270 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:18.119 a lot more than this guy, and his agent is probably saying the same 271 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:19.640 thing. So then that puts, you know, Marx in a precarious situation. 272 00:18:19.720 --> 00:18:22.359 It's like, all right, well, and some people may still say 273 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:26.519 that Camra Johnson is better, has a better trajectory and overall talented skills set 274 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:30.759 than Nick Clackson. Maybe you would make that argument, but I don't think 275 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:33.839 Nik Claxson would make that argument, especially because he's been available for the most 276 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:37.240 majority of part of the year. So now is he worth twenty five million 277 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:41.119 dollars over the next three years to your franchise organization? To kind of keep 278 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:44.400 their locker room happy. You know, That's where I say Marx is it 279 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:47.079 is tough. It's tough, and I wouldn't want to be him. From 280 00:18:47.160 --> 00:18:49.279 from this side, I think that they have a team option on Cam Thomas, 281 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:53.240 who's another guy who's polarizing. Let's just kind of put it, you 282 00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:56.359 know, let's put it mildly there. I think they pick up the team 283 00:18:56.359 --> 00:19:00.799 option and then give themselves on this another year to evaluate what he is and 284 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:04.279 you know who what he means even to this team and its future. Otherwise, 285 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:07.200 do you not take the team option there, free up more salary and 286 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:11.400 continue to try to develop younger guys Brooklyn to me, especially with the coaching 287 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:14.880 situation, if all he's gonna stay, shit, I mean, if Marx 288 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:18.759 is even going to stay, this is this is more of the same. 289 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:22.359 I think next year kind of this. You know, twenty five to thirty 290 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:26.319 win team at best can do a little something here and there, you know, 291 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:30.599 if they try defensively, but it's not there's not a lot here of 292 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:33.640 meat on the bone here for this Brooklyn Nets team that I'm excited about at 293 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:37.960 least going into next year. How confident you are Shaw with the back court 294 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:45.680 situation for the Brooklyn Nets. I believe. I believe that's that's the question, 295 00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:48.920 what is the backcourt situation exactly? Because as far as from what I've 296 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:52.000 seen and the way that camp Thomas plays, there's no way that you can 297 00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:55.920 ask of him to transition. There's he is a score. That's what he 298 00:19:56.039 --> 00:19:59.880 is. That's that's and that's what you you know. I'm not saying that 299 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:03.920 he he cannot evolve, but he is not going to evolve well enough with 300 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:07.839 I think even the field of possibilities that are going to be out there in 301 00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:12.319 this upcoming draft, with what may be available to you as far as free 302 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:17.440 agency goes. It just it's interesting to me that we're still kind of at 303 00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:22.079 that point where maybe you were hoping for that from Ben Simmons. That should 304 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:26.160 not even be the case. I believe that if you are the Brooklyn Nets, 305 00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:30.519 you need a true, true point guard. I think Shrewder is a 306 00:20:30.599 --> 00:20:33.920 serviceable guard, but he is not a starting point guard. He's not absolutely 307 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:37.960 a floor general. I think he's a plug and play kind of player and 308 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:41.000 a guy who I think can help a guy like Thomas from a second unit 309 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:45.559 perspective. But you have to be thinking draft wise, you need to be 310 00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:49.519 thinking we need a floor general. We need somebody that is going to elevate 311 00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:55.799 McHale Bridges, elevate Cam Johnson, elevate Nick Claxton, elevate some of these 312 00:20:55.799 --> 00:20:59.119 other secondary guys. And I don't know how whether or not you're gonna be 313 00:20:59.160 --> 00:21:00.000 able to find that. I mean, we're not trying to, you know, 314 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:03.519 talk predictions about this upcoming draft class yet or anything like that. What 315 00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:07.720 I'm saying is is that to your point, it makes it a tougher fine 316 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:11.039 because either you're gonna have to find it from the free agency aspect of things, 317 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:15.640 or you're really hoping that there's a deep enough class of players from the 318 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:21.319 backcourt position that can help immediately to address that. For Kevin Ollie, Yeah, 319 00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:22.640 I don't know that there is. So I think it's another era of 320 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:26.839 Dennis Srudery, is another year left on a contract. Maybe bring back Dennis 321 00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:32.079 Smith Junior to be the serviceable quote unquote backup. But then, like you 322 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:34.440 said, Cam Thomas playing that too or just that kind of that wing position 323 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:38.799 wherever you want to slot him in the backcourt. It's it's not you know, 324 00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:41.519 there's not a lot of path here then, and that's it's amazing that 325 00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:45.960 they're thirty wins. Shaw, It's amazing that they they've eclipsed thirty wins. 326 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:49.200 It's not that they're a bad basketball team, but I'm a little surprised by 327 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:52.240 it because you look at a lot of the way that they play, and 328 00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:56.319 it almost feels like the Brooklyn Nets have guys just out of position, right, 329 00:21:56.640 --> 00:22:02.279 like they've all had to play dual you know, roles sort of speak 330 00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:07.400 to compensate for what they don't really do great and they don't necessarily do poorly. 331 00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:10.720 You know, they just sit in the middle with a lot of those 332 00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:14.079 things you don't This is the worst place to be in the MBA, and 333 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:15.640 in a lot of ways, well second worst, because I think it's like 334 00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:18.839 when you're the proverbial eight seed all the time and so then you're out of 335 00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:22.480 the lottery and everything like that too, Like this is now, but this 336 00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:25.960 is a different type of predgatory because even in terms of the roster construction, 337 00:22:26.200 --> 00:22:30.079 good but not great players. So now it gets you into the middle to 338 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:33.759 late part of the lottery and you know you really kind of have to try 339 00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:36.759 to figure out can you hit home runs from there or are you going to 340 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:38.599 start to diversify some of these nice role players, I mean and Doran, 341 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:42.480 Finnie and Smith. Maybe somebody would have some interest there. If you try 342 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:45.880 to move him, you're not going to get a lot of draft capitable back 343 00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:48.319 from him, So maybe hold onto them to you know, until next season 344 00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:52.960 trade deadline where people say, hey, he might be the missing piece type 345 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:56.079 of situation, but people aren't going to jump at that right now as you're 346 00:22:56.079 --> 00:23:00.759 going into the summer, especially with free agency on the on the rising and 347 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:04.000 other trades that might be available. So to me, Brooklyn, despite us 348 00:23:04.039 --> 00:23:07.920 talking negatively about them, yeah, they're they're probably on pace for another, 349 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:11.960 you know, twenty eight to thirty two wins season next year with solid, 350 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:15.119 if you will, talent, but nothing that's going to overwhelm anybody. Yeah, 351 00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:18.720 and they sneak up and beat you on some nights because maybe they'll just 352 00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:22.880 I'll score you, especially if Cam Thomas is hot. But going back to 353 00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:26.000 your earlier point, you know, the backcourt situation is one that they're gonna 354 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:30.160 have to address in some semblance of getting even just more talent up there, 355 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:33.880 and that might come through again the draft, that might come through minimum minimum 356 00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:37.079 free agents, so to speak, or maybe even the Chi League. But 357 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:41.039 this is a situation that is not truly tenable when it comes to the Italian 358 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:44.440 evaluation for the Brooklyn As, they've got to figure out a way to get 359 00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:48.279 more on this roster. You're tuned to the baseline Cali Warrenshaw discussing the hot 360 00:23:48.279 --> 00:23:52.640 button topics of the NBA. Coming up, we will focus our attention on 361 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:56.319 the Portland Trail Blazers. I know it's a rough season for the Blazers, 362 00:23:56.720 --> 00:24:02.640 but Keim Billipson Company help this team take a step forward. Is there a 363 00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:06.319 path to some possible success everything that's been going on out there in Portland, 364 00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:08.000 you don't want to miss out on that. But first, did you know 365 00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:11.359 that there's a whole collection of Black Led products that fit into your daily routine 366 00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:15.160 and lifestyle that you can get at Walmart. 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Cali Warrenshaw 388 00:25:47.160 --> 00:25:52.440 Baseline NBA podcasts Our covet At Autopsy Report just finished discussing the Brooklyn Nets, 389 00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:57.440 and so now we're going to focus our attention to the Portland Trailblazers. Shaw. 390 00:25:57.559 --> 00:26:02.599 When we talk about the Portland Trail blos it's it's kind of weird. 391 00:26:02.680 --> 00:26:07.279 Like, I know, everyone expected the Blazers to be a struggling basketball team. 392 00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:12.759 I gotta tell you, though, given the way that this team is 393 00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:17.160 structured, and given the way things like, things could have really kind of 394 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:22.160 fallen apart, uh very or gone sideways, very very bad. And while 395 00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:27.119 this team is essentially the fifth or maybe about the fifth worst team in the 396 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:30.759 NBA, I think a lot of people probably predicted it would have been far 397 00:26:30.759 --> 00:26:33.880 worse. They probably would have been one of the worst teams in the NBA. 398 00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:40.279 Right given you look at the comparative rosters, but the Portland chair Blazers 399 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:45.359 have over twenty wins, which I was surprised at. And I think given 400 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:49.880 this situation, Chauncy Phillips has done an admirable job. You know, you 401 00:26:49.880 --> 00:26:56.160 don't have your your star guard the person who you essentially gave up, you 402 00:26:56.200 --> 00:27:02.599 know, gave Damian Lillard for essentially you moved on with, moved from Damian 403 00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:06.680 little with. Given he's been gone for a good portion of the year and 404 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:11.200 while he has not had a successful season, a successful rookie campaign, I 405 00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:18.119 think all things considered, the Portland Trailblazers have escaped basketball purgatory in some ways 406 00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:25.240 of being ostracized immensely given what we knew was going to happen to this team 407 00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:30.640 coming into the regular season. Well, I mean that's ironically don't they play 408 00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:33.559 in the Rose Garden or something like that or used to do so I think 409 00:27:33.559 --> 00:27:38.240 that's a rosy outlook on this. And I'm what I'm concerned about by for 410 00:27:38.359 --> 00:27:42.319 Portland is, you know, this is one of those situations bottom third and 411 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:45.720 pretty much everything twenty ninth, twenty second, twenty seventh, you know, 412 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:51.039 and a lot of things like it's it's pretty dire. But what I think 413 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:53.640 I'm perplexed even by even some of your own assessment, is like, well, 414 00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:56.720 I think we came into the season and feel like, hey, they 415 00:27:56.759 --> 00:28:02.119 have some solid NBA guys and some guys who think might have some pride, 416 00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:04.559 and would this be a little bit of like the Utah Jazz situation from a 417 00:28:04.599 --> 00:28:08.759 year ago, or they overplay there? Yeah, they just kind of overplay 418 00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:15.960 their expectations. What has happened though, And I want to be careful how 419 00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:18.880 I say this, is that I think they are probably going to be able 420 00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:22.200 to trick themselves into saying it's like, well, we were vastly injured. 421 00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:25.640 You know, we didn't have a lot of our guys for a good part 422 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:27.599 of the season, and had these guys been here, yeah, we would 423 00:28:27.640 --> 00:28:30.559 have had a better record, maybe would have been a thirty four to thirty 424 00:28:30.599 --> 00:28:34.359 five win team, still not great enough to make the playoffs in the West, 425 00:28:34.680 --> 00:28:38.240 but you feel like you're in a better spot. I don't know if 426 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:44.920 that's the accurate approach to this, though, because I think the roster duplicity 427 00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:48.200 in some ways is I don't know that everybody compliments each other in the way 428 00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:53.319 that they maybe they would hope to Scoot came into the year probably you know, 429 00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:57.799 hands on favorite to least finish third in the Rookie of the Year voting. 430 00:28:59.079 --> 00:29:00.920 And I don't even if he's played enough games in essence to get there, 431 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:04.640 right he just he's just missed so much time, you know, I 432 00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:07.759 think will be very close for him. I think he's at fifty eight games 433 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:11.000 of fifty seven games played right now. But the rest of this roster, 434 00:29:11.079 --> 00:29:15.759 how does it work? Like truly, how does it work? It shaded 435 00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:18.359 him sharp, you know, more camp Thomas as we were talking about, 436 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:22.599 you know, with the Miilka nets in the segment previously. Or is he 437 00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:26.000 more versatile than that? You know, obviously more athletic than than Thomas is, 438 00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:27.480 you know, and a much better leaper. But again, is he 439 00:29:27.640 --> 00:29:32.160 just a high level scorer? And can he do other things that help help 440 00:29:32.200 --> 00:29:37.119 your roster? DeAndre Ayton, you know, we've I've had poked some fun 441 00:29:37.160 --> 00:29:38.319 at you know, his nicknames and all the things he's tried to do. 442 00:29:38.680 --> 00:29:42.640 Sure he's playing better here now to close the season, but nobody's really playing 443 00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:47.039 hard. So yeah, he's getting his double doubles and looking you know, 444 00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:51.799 dominating if you will, But I think it's a little bit empty calories and 445 00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:56.000 then the salary of Jeremy Grant. So so to me, the roster is 446 00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:57.319 just kind of like missing each other, you know what I mean, kind 447 00:29:57.319 --> 00:30:03.119 of like passing ships. And Billips has a really difficult job to kind of 448 00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:06.559 reconcile what this roster needs to be, because what is going to be the 449 00:30:06.599 --> 00:30:10.880 minutes diet from everybody, if and assuming everybody is healthy. Remember Robert Williams 450 00:30:10.920 --> 00:30:12.559 missed most of the year. Rockton has missed most of the year as well 451 00:30:12.599 --> 00:30:17.119 too. So those are all two key, two key veteran pieces that they 452 00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:18.880 thought were going to be there and be helpful for them. And I just 453 00:30:18.920 --> 00:30:22.440 don't know that you can count on one the health or the continuity of this 454 00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:26.759 roster to be a much better team than we've seen this year itself. Yeah, 455 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:30.799 so a lot of great points that you're making, Shaw, I'm gonna 456 00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:33.359 sum it up this way. And I still and I think we said this 457 00:30:33.400 --> 00:30:38.759 as well too. What were they doing putting this roster together? Right? 458 00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:45.599 I thought that there probably still would have been moves made. And I think 459 00:30:45.640 --> 00:30:49.640 it's interesting that this team in a way, I don't think that they over 460 00:30:51.079 --> 00:30:53.279 overachieved sort of speak as much as it is like this is what this is 461 00:30:53.319 --> 00:30:56.240 what you can have, you know when you do have some talented guys, 462 00:30:56.519 --> 00:31:00.519 But this is also what it's a reflection of when these towns of guys just 463 00:31:00.519 --> 00:31:04.240 don't mesh. Okay. I'm wondering whether or not people are gonna ask the 464 00:31:04.359 --> 00:31:11.680 question about this team shaw. Does the combination of Simons and Henderson work? 465 00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:15.519 I don't think it does. I think you have to make a hard decision. 466 00:31:15.240 --> 00:31:19.119 Simons is twenty four, Henderson is nineteen. Obviously you're looking at the 467 00:31:19.200 --> 00:31:23.720 upside of what Henderson can give you. And we've been talking about how you 468 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:30.039 know Anthony Simons can be perennially like that guy. You know that he could 469 00:31:30.039 --> 00:31:34.200 have been the one that would have made that decision for Portland's management to decide 470 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:37.079 on what to do with Damian Lillard. But in essence, it it made 471 00:31:37.160 --> 00:31:41.200 them decide more about CJ. McCullum than it made them to decide about Damian 472 00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:45.000 Lillard. And now by keeping Simons and you see what this looks like with 473 00:31:45.119 --> 00:31:47.400 him, and I don't see where this works, and it doesn't. You 474 00:31:47.400 --> 00:31:49.799 can have whatever coach you want on there. I just don't see where Simons 475 00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:52.960 and Henderson work as a comb as a backcourt combination, as any kind of 476 00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:59.000 combination for the Portland Trailblazers. And with that being said, now we've shift 477 00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:01.839 our focus Jeremy Grant. We're saying the moment that you move Lillard should have 478 00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:05.839 been all you already are tip fielding calls about what you can do to move 479 00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:09.880 Jeremy Grant because again, his skill set and the way that he plays kind 480 00:32:09.880 --> 00:32:13.839 of reminds me a lot like McHale Bridges. But his skill set in the 481 00:32:13.880 --> 00:32:16.000 way that he plays, tell me how that's gonna fit in the grand schemes 482 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:20.559 of what Billips is trying to implement or work or do. So again, 483 00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:23.519 like some you know, talent wise, you could look at somebody these guys 484 00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:24.799 and say, oh, well, you know, these guys will get you 485 00:32:24.839 --> 00:32:29.680 some games. But as far as what the future can look like, is 486 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:35.519 it really showing you whether or not the Portland Trailblazers have an opening where there's 487 00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:38.960 some upside, you know, potential in play. And I say this because 488 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:44.799 you've got Simon's twenty four, eight and twenty five, Henderson at nineteen and 489 00:32:44.839 --> 00:32:47.599 I guarantee you before we get to the third year of this conversation, Shaw, 490 00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:52.160 two of these guys are probably not or should not be on this roster 491 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:55.400 because I don't see where they're going to be competitive and they're going to mesh 492 00:32:55.480 --> 00:33:01.000 clearly unless something miraculously happens in the off season. This this is to me, 493 00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:05.519 is untenable, you know. And then you add on top of Brogden 494 00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:08.400 and Grant and other you know, veteran guys that I just think are out 495 00:33:08.440 --> 00:33:14.799 of sync with whatever the Portland Trai Blazers are doing. This could go sideways 496 00:33:14.960 --> 00:33:19.319 even worse, even given what they've they were able to overcome for this past 497 00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:22.799 season. Yeah, they've played guys here. You know, I think a 498 00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:25.920 lot of a lot of the casual fans and even myselfder myself casual like, 499 00:33:27.079 --> 00:33:30.519 well, who's that guy? You know? And they've they've more so like 500 00:33:30.640 --> 00:33:32.759 why is he? Why is he here now? Like why why is he? 501 00:33:32.839 --> 00:33:35.680 Why are you? Why are you in the game now? Like what 502 00:33:35.720 --> 00:33:38.319 are you doing here? Man? Where did you come from? Just quite 503 00:33:38.359 --> 00:33:43.559 frankly, but they've they've they've they've had to patchwork, and I get that, 504 00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:45.880 you know, even you know, Bonton who they've gotten, I guess 505 00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:52.160 from from Boston. Sure, you know you took a flyer and you try 506 00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:54.960 to figure out, all right, well what is he? He's still not 507 00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:59.000 sure in terms of his roster, Like I think like they slought him as 508 00:33:59.000 --> 00:34:01.640 a point guard, but he's more more of just a wing but not a 509 00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:05.839 great shooter, but somebody who can you know, can slash a little bit 510 00:34:05.880 --> 00:34:07.679 and can hit at least the corner threes from from time to time. But 511 00:34:07.800 --> 00:34:09.840 is he going to really be a big part of what you do here, 512 00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:14.679 even even next year? Assuming shade and sharpest back and you know Chris Murray 513 00:34:14.679 --> 00:34:16.519 who they drafted, and all those things. Like like you said, it's 514 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:20.280 just a lot of pieces that don't make a whole lot of sense. Grant, 515 00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:22.960 they couldn't move until January, but I think the salary is going to 516 00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:25.920 scare a lot of people up, especially with all of his money being guaranteed, 517 00:34:25.960 --> 00:34:30.440 including a last year being a player option at thirty six million dollars, 518 00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:32.159 which he will be opting in too. So now he's like, all right, 519 00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:35.280 well do I want to be on the hook for that? You know, 520 00:34:35.320 --> 00:34:38.559 at granted, at thirty five years old, playing thirty six million dollars. 521 00:34:38.760 --> 00:34:40.320 I don't know. If I don't know, a lot of teams are 522 00:34:40.440 --> 00:34:45.519 signing up for that long term future, you know, any anywhere soon. 523 00:34:45.880 --> 00:34:51.199 So to me, even the Robert Williams, the mantistibles like this is but 524 00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:52.480 to your point, though, Sear, this is where if you're croning, 525 00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:57.760 you need to own this and eat it. Okay, eat it because to 526 00:34:57.840 --> 00:35:01.400 your point, Chris Murray's coming back, where are you putting them? How 527 00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:06.559 are you going to evaluate Sharp Murray? When the ball is going to be 528 00:35:06.639 --> 00:35:08.960 in Grant's hands, Grant is going to want to take his shots. You 529 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:15.000 can no longer justify paying this guy that much money and still assume that you're 530 00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:16.480 going to figure out a way or Billups is going to figure out a way 531 00:35:16.840 --> 00:35:22.480 to make the ball work for everyone. When the whole idea is even if 532 00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:25.119 you're trying to go young, right, you're trying to you know, get 533 00:35:25.159 --> 00:35:30.679 younger. Getting younger doesn't mean age. Getting younger also means looking at the 534 00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:36.400 talent of what the age reflects. And so you got guys that are on 535 00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:39.719 the roster that are going to have to take shots right, that are eating 536 00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:44.719 minutes and eating opportunity for the guys, you really should be evaluating at this 537 00:35:44.760 --> 00:35:49.480 point. Well, And I think it's it's interesting because the book on Simon 538 00:35:50.119 --> 00:35:54.199 is Simon's rather is a little different for depending on who you ask, And 539 00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:58.079 some people like, yeah, they should have moved him potentially to a team 540 00:35:58.119 --> 00:36:00.920 like Orlando who is desperate for offense, because that seems to be what he 541 00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:05.440 does pretty pretty well and is a capable and sometimes even very efficient score. 542 00:36:06.079 --> 00:36:07.559 But then if you move him off this roster, then do you want Jeremy 543 00:36:07.559 --> 00:36:10.960 Grant taking the line's share of those shots? And the answer to that is 544 00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:15.199 no, like no, Like that can't be. That can't be your existence. 545 00:36:15.599 --> 00:36:17.719 Even if DeAndre and is in the space where he's going to be consistent 546 00:36:17.760 --> 00:36:21.280 and giving you twenty plus a night, even if that's the case, he 547 00:36:21.320 --> 00:36:23.880 still needs some sumblance of somebody on the perimeter doing something, and that's where 548 00:36:24.199 --> 00:36:28.440 Scoot is supposed to come in. But he's still a slasher at this stage, 549 00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:30.400 and he's going to grow and get better presumably so and you know, 550 00:36:30.440 --> 00:36:34.519 find a way to hit the mid range consistently than the three, et cetera. 551 00:36:34.960 --> 00:36:38.239 All that you expect to happen. But I don't know that they're ready 552 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:43.639 to give up the ghosts on Simons because he's the loan chip that they have 553 00:36:43.760 --> 00:36:47.599 that has I think value to them personally and then around the league if they 554 00:36:47.639 --> 00:36:51.760 were trying to move him and decided that they would go another direction. So 555 00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:55.440 with the way this season went rather, I don't think they felt comfortable in 556 00:36:55.519 --> 00:36:59.880 moving off of him just yet. And that remains to be seen what they 557 00:37:00.159 --> 00:37:04.320 do when it comes to the summer of the when their evaluation hits and Shandon 558 00:37:04.360 --> 00:37:07.400 Sharp comes back and all these other guys, and to me, one of 559 00:37:07.440 --> 00:37:10.519 the big keys here too is Brockden, and not from just like the locker 560 00:37:10.559 --> 00:37:14.320 room presence, and he's a veteran guy, you know, all those you 561 00:37:14.320 --> 00:37:17.159 know, keywords that we'd like to utilize. But when he played this year, 562 00:37:17.199 --> 00:37:22.239 he played well. But is he a part of what you need in 563 00:37:22.239 --> 00:37:24.119 the future, And can you send him off now in the final year of 564 00:37:24.159 --> 00:37:28.880 his deal for one year rental for somebody else? And I know he's looking 565 00:37:28.920 --> 00:37:30.599 for stability, So even if you're trying to trade him, he probably wanted 566 00:37:30.599 --> 00:37:35.119 to resign with whatever that next destination ultimately is so that he can stop moving 567 00:37:35.159 --> 00:37:37.000 around. But there's a difference. So they have a couple of moves that 568 00:37:37.039 --> 00:37:42.199 they can make that can kind of define and put them on the right path. 569 00:37:42.199 --> 00:37:45.039 I can't say it's going to get them right there immediately, but it 570 00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:46.199 can start to lay the groundwork for where they want to go. But you 571 00:37:46.239 --> 00:37:52.400 know, to your point, though playing well is good, playing well as 572 00:37:52.400 --> 00:37:55.880 far as all eyes on me. The reflection of how my game can translate 573 00:37:55.960 --> 00:38:00.079 and be productive for any team I play for, but well with the team 574 00:38:00.119 --> 00:38:05.800 that is in flux or transition like the Portland Trailblazers, makes you say to 575 00:38:05.840 --> 00:38:08.400 yourself, well, having him on the roster does what for Scoot Henderson? 576 00:38:08.519 --> 00:38:13.760 Having him on the roster does what for Shad and Sharp? You know what 577 00:38:13.760 --> 00:38:15.119 I'm saying. It's not to say that he's not a good player, but 578 00:38:15.239 --> 00:38:20.679 if i'm you know, Malcolm Brogden, given my success when I played with 579 00:38:20.760 --> 00:38:23.599 the Boston Celtics, remember he should have probably been a starter, but he 580 00:38:23.719 --> 00:38:29.239 proved that he can play as a six. Right to me, it doesn't 581 00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:32.639 mean that it can't equal and equate to something successful for other teams. I'm 582 00:38:32.679 --> 00:38:37.800 hoping that Malcolm recognizes that that he's a plug and play and he can give 583 00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:40.840 you exactly whatever it is that you need, but let it be meaningful for 584 00:38:40.880 --> 00:38:45.559 that next team and not compromise yourself in saying I gotta still play for the 585 00:38:45.559 --> 00:38:47.960 Portland Trailblazer because the thing I fear more than anything is he may believe that 586 00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:52.880 he can be an asset to the Portland Trailblazers. But I think if you're 587 00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:55.159 the Portland Trailblazers, you really have to look at this and say, do 588 00:38:55.199 --> 00:39:00.400 we want to hang on this perception of we need vetering and lock guys in 589 00:39:00.440 --> 00:39:02.599 the locker room. We need you know what you've got, Chauncey Billups. 590 00:39:02.679 --> 00:39:07.039 If I'm Chauncey Billups, I want it all young because I know that I 591 00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:09.920 can teach these guys. I can coach them up, rather than kind of, 592 00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:15.880 you know, putting that on having a veteran presence in there. No 593 00:39:15.760 --> 00:39:19.360 no, no, no no. The way that your youth movement is a 594 00:39:19.400 --> 00:39:22.000 reflection of Shaw to me, go all in with it. Just get the 595 00:39:22.079 --> 00:39:25.599 right coaches around to coach up these guys to the type of system that you 596 00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:30.400 want, and then you will begin to see, you know what I'm saying, 597 00:39:30.400 --> 00:39:35.760 the results bear fruit. Rather than allowing the veteran guys to continue to 598 00:39:35.840 --> 00:39:39.440 hold up this facade that the team is going to be successful even these guys 599 00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:43.719 say or don't stay if they move on. Well, now we see that 600 00:39:43.760 --> 00:39:45.360 these guys are gonna flourish on their own. You will see what we've seen 601 00:39:45.360 --> 00:39:49.719 with the Detroit Pistons. You will see what we've seen with the Houston Rockets. 602 00:39:50.039 --> 00:39:52.800 You will see what we've seen with the Orlando Magic. You don't want 603 00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:54.960 to be in that space because you have this perception of holding on to veteran 604 00:39:55.000 --> 00:40:00.159 guys that you may think are good, but not good for what you You 605 00:40:00.199 --> 00:40:04.880 need your young players to be at a specific point too. Yeah, and 606 00:40:04.920 --> 00:40:08.320 you know, just for shifts and giggles here, if I'm brog then I'm 607 00:40:08.320 --> 00:40:12.000 not going to cause a stink, right, But I don't. I don't 608 00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:15.559 want to be tied to whatever the Portland future is. Just I just wouldn't 609 00:40:15.599 --> 00:40:17.719 want to be. And I think again, it's a matter of how you 610 00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:22.880 see yourself. But you know, Brogden could could could perceiably go to a 611 00:40:22.920 --> 00:40:28.079 team like maybe like San Antonio. While and while san Antonio is obviously we've 612 00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:30.519 already autopsied them as well too. Futures right out of there, simply because 613 00:40:30.519 --> 00:40:34.760 Wemby's there and they could utilize a point guard. Right. So if I'm 614 00:40:34.800 --> 00:40:36.679 brog then I'm like, hey, if I'm going to be on a bad, 615 00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:39.039 bad team, right, if you believe want to go where this promise 616 00:40:39.159 --> 00:40:45.000 exactly, if you believe Wemby is already there, this isn't even a question 617 00:40:45.159 --> 00:40:47.519 of oh, we need to give him another year or you're trying to pair 618 00:40:47.639 --> 00:40:52.840 him with No. No, whoever Wemby is getting paired with. Wemby is 619 00:40:52.880 --> 00:40:58.320 on a uh is on a trajectory that clearly is a reflection of we need 620 00:40:58.360 --> 00:41:00.920 to get some success. To your point, let's go ahead and accelerate that 621 00:41:01.000 --> 00:41:05.559 timeline a little bit. And so you need somebody that is going to get 622 00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:08.519 that ball to him in his spots, give him that rhythm that he needs. 623 00:41:08.679 --> 00:41:12.920 And we've seen Malcolm Brognen become that kind of player. We've seen him 624 00:41:12.920 --> 00:41:15.920 become that kind of guy. Yeah. Yeah, So there's there's a couple 625 00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:20.320 of teams I think can utilize him potentially, you know, Portland world to 626 00:41:20.320 --> 00:41:22.519 move off of that, but that's where I said, it puts Portland in 627 00:41:22.519 --> 00:41:25.719 a position where at least they can explore those things and try to create, 628 00:41:25.960 --> 00:41:29.800 you know, a better pathway for the talent that they need. They truly 629 00:41:29.840 --> 00:41:31.840 need to evaluate, you know, and and see them get make sure that 630 00:41:31.840 --> 00:41:36.360 those players get those reps so that they can also get better, so everybody 631 00:41:36.360 --> 00:41:38.559 knows where they stand in the short term. Broglin doesn't really necessarily fit that, 632 00:41:38.880 --> 00:41:42.440 and I'd be curious to think if they feel, like Robert Williams does, 633 00:41:42.480 --> 00:41:44.960 if he can ever stay healthy and be on the floor as well too. 634 00:41:45.039 --> 00:41:47.119 I think he seems to be kind of another plug and play center but 635 00:41:47.320 --> 00:41:52.840 just has a problem staying healthy. So can he be the requisite backup behind 636 00:41:52.840 --> 00:41:58.400 DeAndrea and moving forward? But Portland it's been a rough year, rougher than 637 00:41:58.400 --> 00:42:00.760 they would have even expected. I'm sure they wanted to see more out of 638 00:42:00.760 --> 00:42:05.760 Schoot Henderson more specifically, and the injuries just just robbed them. I think 639 00:42:05.880 --> 00:42:07.239 of that, and that's why I thinking, Hey, they can trick themselves 640 00:42:07.280 --> 00:42:09.760 into saying, oh, well, which need to get healthy and it will 641 00:42:09.760 --> 00:42:13.079 be better. And like I said, it's in the beginning. I don't 642 00:42:13.119 --> 00:42:15.679 think it's quite that simple. But we'll see what path they ultimately decide here 643 00:42:15.760 --> 00:42:19.679 to go down. During the off season, in the summer. Sounds like 644 00:42:20.360 --> 00:42:22.800 sounds like you were like you're saying, you were saying they were giving him 645 00:42:22.800 --> 00:42:29.159 a morphine drip, trying to numb the pain. You need to get that 646 00:42:29.239 --> 00:42:31.760 morphine. It can be very intoxicating though, right, You know, it 647 00:42:31.800 --> 00:42:34.719 can really be when you feel like, oh, well, we were just 648 00:42:34.800 --> 00:42:38.239 hurt, and it's just it's a very very easy excuse. So I just, 649 00:42:38.760 --> 00:42:43.559 you know, I'm taking a more I guess pessimistic approach to that and 650 00:42:43.599 --> 00:42:45.320 not saying that wouldn't have been the only issue that they had, because had 651 00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:50.480 everybody been healthy, then there could have been the aspect of well, I'm 652 00:42:50.480 --> 00:42:52.360 not getting enough shots for the role because I'm looking over this guy and he's 653 00:42:52.360 --> 00:42:54.920 not efficient, and so forth and so forth. It just became one of 654 00:42:54.920 --> 00:42:59.599 those things, Well, everybody was out at various times and then a lot 655 00:42:59.679 --> 00:43:04.039 of over lap. So now you have your your what's it wreaths and Banton's 656 00:43:04.079 --> 00:43:07.760 coming in here kind of closing after season when they weren't even sniffing the light 657 00:43:07.800 --> 00:43:09.840 of day, you know, on their on their perceived rosters or the respective 658 00:43:09.880 --> 00:43:14.440 rosters going into the year. Absolutely, this has been a great show, 659 00:43:14.480 --> 00:43:17.360 Shaw, really good stuff. You know what I what I like most about 660 00:43:17.400 --> 00:43:21.519 when we do our autopsy reports. I know a lot of people are like, 661 00:43:21.519 --> 00:43:22.960 well, why would we want to be Like what is there to discuss? 662 00:43:23.159 --> 00:43:27.320 You know? There there there the team is a reflection of you know 663 00:43:27.480 --> 00:43:30.079 what they do offensively, defensively, and we can get into the numbers and 664 00:43:30.119 --> 00:43:34.119 things, but what this really becomes down to shaws like we get into like 665 00:43:34.559 --> 00:43:37.159 what is the ref Like what is it that you're taking from this, Like 666 00:43:37.159 --> 00:43:40.840 if you had an exit an exit interview session, Like what is it that 667 00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:45.599 we're looking at from this team that's making us feel good about what they have 668 00:43:45.760 --> 00:43:49.320 going on going leading into the offseason? What what good do they have? 669 00:43:49.719 --> 00:43:52.519 You know what I'm saying. By the time that we get to all of 670 00:43:52.559 --> 00:43:58.480 the what they call Christmas time in the NBA Free agency Draft, summer League, 671 00:43:58.679 --> 00:44:01.880 it's a whole even like the four month window before you even get to 672 00:44:01.920 --> 00:44:07.679 training camp, you ought to be talking glowingly and optimistically about what you want 673 00:44:07.679 --> 00:44:09.960 to see for your teams moving forward, and it just feels like that time 674 00:44:10.039 --> 00:44:14.400 blows by so quickly, which is why it's so important to figure out what 675 00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:17.119 is the what does what is this team done? The last handful of games 676 00:44:17.159 --> 00:44:21.559 going into the end of the regular season to make you feel like, hey, 677 00:44:21.599 --> 00:44:24.320 we're just one or two moves away from taking another step forward, or 678 00:44:24.440 --> 00:44:29.559 we're one or two moves away from blowing this thing up, or were one 679 00:44:29.639 --> 00:44:34.079 or two moves away from basically holding on for dear life. You know what 680 00:44:34.119 --> 00:44:37.760 I'm saying, Like, it's just it's really phenomenal when we start looking at 681 00:44:37.760 --> 00:44:39.199 some of these teams because we want so much for them to be a part 682 00:44:39.239 --> 00:44:43.880 of the conversation come next year, and depending on how they looked at how 683 00:44:43.880 --> 00:44:47.880 they ended the season this year, it plays such a critical role in in 684 00:44:47.880 --> 00:44:51.480 in a in that belief system and that you know what I'm saying, in 685 00:44:51.559 --> 00:44:54.039 that optimism that you want to buy into with these teams. Well, I 686 00:44:54.079 --> 00:44:59.760 mean, I'll close it by saying this right in a in an NBA where 687 00:44:59.840 --> 00:45:04.000 the there are literally twenty playoff spots up for grass if you include you know, 688 00:45:04.079 --> 00:45:08.880 the play in situations you know to be out already mathematically eliminated and revo've 689 00:45:08.920 --> 00:45:13.320 been in this now with the last four weeks. Some teams that have been 690 00:45:13.480 --> 00:45:16.079 eliminated a whole month ago. That says a lot about the state of their 691 00:45:16.159 --> 00:45:22.000 proverbial franchises. So you have to be pretty bad to not be able to 692 00:45:22.000 --> 00:45:24.440 be in the top ten, you know, of your respective conferences, you 693 00:45:24.480 --> 00:45:29.679 know, a month out from the season even being being finished. So that 694 00:45:30.679 --> 00:45:32.039 should provide I think, you know, some direction. I think for some 695 00:45:32.079 --> 00:45:35.800 of these organizations is like, all right, you may not be able to 696 00:45:35.880 --> 00:45:37.639 jump three steps, but at least take a step forward, so you could 697 00:45:37.639 --> 00:45:40.599 at least be in the in the conversation for the plane within the final two 698 00:45:40.639 --> 00:45:44.639 weeks of the season, right, I mean like to be out a month 699 00:45:44.639 --> 00:45:46.559 I have nothing to play for. That just sets a bad culture. And 700 00:45:46.760 --> 00:45:49.880 some people say, oh yeah, I can just begin to continue to talent 701 00:45:49.880 --> 00:45:52.440 and evaluate. But what are you evaluating? Especially if nobody else is playing 702 00:45:52.440 --> 00:45:55.719 for anything? So I think that's where, you know, these teams need 703 00:45:55.760 --> 00:46:00.480 to take a more stern approach to what they're doing in the short and long 704 00:46:00.599 --> 00:46:04.239 term and hopefully we won't be able to autopsy people, you know, four 705 00:46:04.239 --> 00:46:07.360 weeks before the season concludes next year. Yeah, it does get a little 706 00:46:07.400 --> 00:46:13.679 tiring, killing you know what I'm saying, doing these things in bunches bleak 707 00:46:14.000 --> 00:46:17.480 bleak, real good stuff, good stuff all around, and we just want 708 00:46:17.480 --> 00:46:20.679 to get you know, hear from you guys as well too. Be sure 709 00:46:20.679 --> 00:46:23.360 to get at us at NBA baseline. Let us know you know what you 710 00:46:23.440 --> 00:46:27.719 think. If you're next fan, if you're a Blazers fan, you know, 711 00:46:27.960 --> 00:46:30.480 how are you feeling? Is your appetite? There? Are you feeling? 712 00:46:30.760 --> 00:46:34.199 You know, pretty warm and fuzzy about this team's future to these teams 713 00:46:34.239 --> 00:46:36.800 futures? You know, we definitely want you to let us know what's going 714 00:46:36.880 --> 00:46:39.840 down for the baseline, Cali warn't y'all. We appreciate you guys for hopping 715 00:46:39.880 --> 00:46:43.639 on board with U this week. Thank you so much. Man, enjoy 716 00:46:43.760 --> 00:46:46.840 the basketball that has left to play. Catch up with you next time