What is up, fellow thermonuclear A efforts. As we used to say in
the discord, don't say as much anymore. So what's up, Thermonuclear A
efforts? I am NAPA Valley coming at you with another Hardware Knox episode running
a little bit late on this Monday. Because I decided to actually try and
get my sleep pattern under control for a change to where I'm going to bed
maybe before the sun comes up. My body rebelled. I slept from like
one until like five fifteen in the morning, but I got up, was
able to go to the gym early rather than trying to squeeze a worked out
midday or late at night, which in fury, keeps me wired later and
later. So I'll keep you apprised of how that's going. I'm sure all
of you care. You should not. I'm just kidding about how my sleep
schedule is going. Before we get started, just a reminder, whether you
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ever and ever and ever. Not a ton of new news, and I'm
gonna have to try and get maybe creative until we start doing our offseason report
cards, which I delayed at this point because we're trying to wait and see
like maybe a Donovan Mitchell trade goes through or Katie trade goes through. There
was sort of a Friday news dump. I did YouTube videos about it,
and so the first part of this podcast will actually not be on YouTube,
so it's a podcast exclusive. Except there was already YouTube exclusive right before the
weekend. Sean Sharani of the Athletic reporting that the Hornets and Wizards are among
the teams that have like kind of been involved in the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes,
and they're really, aside from the Knicks and the Heat, the only team
that have been like tangibly mentioned. I feel like the Wizards were sort of
out there in the ether. There is a Donovan Mitchell, a few of
them, like photoshop and a Wizards jersey that you don't really have to go
hunting for still to hear that I'm not I don't read too much into the
Knicks and Jazz having not spoken in two weeks. Apparently that's more like,
per multiple sources, NBA executives go on vacation this time of year while holding
the rest of us hostage to this news cycle, who just want to start
analyzing and projecting forward and reviewing the offseason. In some I'm waiting to see
what happens with this stuff, and you can rest assured, I'm gonna leave
the team look aheads when we get there, the Jazz and the the Nets,
and then probably even in this I'm gonna have to leave those things to
the very end, just because of the way this is unfolding. But anyway,
where it's Wizards with the Jazz, I'll start with Charlotte. I don't
think they have the assets realistically to get a deal done. You're not going
to include Lamello because the whole point would be to play those two together,
and I love that fit offensively. Donoan Mitchell does a pretty good job playing
off the ball, and the Melo can play off the ball as well,
which is putting those two in the same system. That would be absolutely thermonuclear.
How about that a little call back there. I think you could worry
about what the end result would be. On defense, you're gonna worry about
that anyway. But now you start getting into I think first and foremost,
we have to assume that, like they figure out a way to include picks,
so they have their twenty twenty three first is gone at the moment,
and so they have Denver and that's lotto protected and you can count on basically
having that, but they owe their first right now to Atlanta. It's top
sixteen protected, then lottery protected for two years before it turns into two seconds.
That in theory, if you wanted to throw that out of the equation,
they can't trade a first round pick until two and twenty seven. They
could do something like two and twenty five contingent upon that obligation, but then
it could get pushed back and you can't look at that as a guaranteed first
round pick. But let's just say, like they can include the Denver pick
and if they're willing to go twenty seven and twenty nine there maybe with a
twenty twenty eight swap, So you could find a way to include three first
round picks. I believe unless my math is off here, I'm like looking
at my spreadsheet right now with the pick commitments. No, that should be
right. So the protections on that ends in two thousand and twenty five,
so you could go twenty seven twenty nine to twenty eight swap plus that Denver
twenty twenty three pick. Do you have any players who are immediately valuable enough
to the Jazz to kind of service that buffer of Oh, they're getting that
Denver first round pick, which is gonna be like number twenty seven or whatever
it will be, and then it'll convey like it'll convey, so you know
you're getting a first round pick. But do you want like you have your
own first round pick? You have Mini's first round pick. At this point,
how many twenty twenty three first round picks do you need? So there's
that to consider. I saw some pushback in the YouTube comments that well,
we can't give up Mark Williams in this deal, and I was like,
well, then there's a really good chance that you're not going to get Donovan
Mitchell because you need to sort of grease the wheels of a trade that can't
guarantee Utah draft assets really anytime soon, aside from that Denver pick. And
so yeah, maybe PJ Washington he's extension eligible. I don't think the Jazz
want to acquire someone like him or r J Barrett or Tyler Hero who is
in turn going to get paid. It just doesn't seem a round they want
to go. I still very much believe in James book Knight. Maybe I
just got too high on him during the twenty one Summer League. But if
I'm Charlotte and it's gonna take two of book Night, Williams and Ki Jones,
like, I'm just giving that up and then I'll include Reever records at
salaries needed to get done. That's complicated in itself because I don't know that
Utah is going to view Terry Rosier in the first year of his for four
year extension as an asset, just like they might have no problem taking on
that money, and he is a very useful player. But it's just like
four years and basically a one hundred million bucks not entirely guaranteed, but it's
just like, that's a lot of money for a player who's a non star
and you're just entering your rebuild. Maybe you don't care. Maybe Danny Angstel's
an affinity for him back from their Boston days. I honestly don't know.
You would have to get there probably with you do have those smaller salaries in
Book Night and Mark Williams. Let's just say that brings you to eight million,
and then you have Mason Plumley expiring, Kelly Bride Junior a twelve point
six million dollars expiring, So you can get there. It's not impossible.
I think if you have Mitchell and Lamello playing a bunch of minutes one,
it's good that you resigned Cody Martin, I'm gonna tell you that right now,
and you need to figure out a way to maybe keep Kelly your bride
Junior is part of this deal, so it does get a little bit finicky.
I don't think the Jazz are gonna want Gordon Award, but I think
this whatever team is getting Donovan Mitchell should maybe try or the Jazz or the
Lakers, like the Lakers should try and get involved as like sort of a
third team that's getting value. Maybe the Jazz don't want that they can get
rid of Russell Westbrook and that might be the path for them to explore there
if I'm being honest. So it's not the worst offer in the world,
but in this specific instance, I just don't view Charlotte as a team that
can beat the Knicks offer right now and peasibly go if you're Donavan Mitchell,
I really don't think that team is out there if OKC had better salary matching
fodder, if New Orleans had any like real motivation to go after Donovan Mitchell.
But you have see Jay McCollum and Brandon and German's eye on there,
like you don't. You don't need another point of attack creator on on offense
and my my, I guess not so humble opinion there, since we're speaking
in such absolutes at the moment. But that's like, that's the offer is
you have to figure out a way to get like three picks and then some
swaps in there, or at least one swap in twenty twenty eight. I
think the Jazz would value just the way that the Hornets have reacted. Are
you going to go that route in Charlotte again? I would do it,
but I just don't think you're gonna have the offer to beat like out other
teams. But it could help if the Lakers coming in, they're willing to
take Gordon Heyward, do they really want Tryer Rosier? So are they sending
another pick to the Jazz? Maybe two? If the Jazz are sending out
other money, Like if the Lakers can get their hands on Billiam mcdonovitch or
a Mike Conley or Malik Beasley in that so that might be a way for
them to read to get even more assets. But you are gonna have to
take in the fact that, oh, they are taking on Rosa Westbrook and
look, if I'm Charlotte and like this is gonna cost three of Washington,
book Night Williams and Kai Jones plus draft equity, it gets fickle. I'm
doing it anyway, I'm just I'm not gonna lie. I don't like why
is PJ. Washington going to be your breaking point there at this point?
So that's where I'm at. I would I get why Charlotte's interested. I
just question whether they have a viable package to offer. Washington, I think
can offer a stronger package than people credit and a lot of people need toube
comments pushed back because they don't watch the video apparently, and I know,
I get how the sausage is made, I get how reactions are made.
I guess I really only care that they're liking and subscribing. They don't even
need to watch at that point, but please watch the full video. Washington
is similarly pick strapped. They have a twenty twenty three Latto pick going to
New York, but it's top twelve protected basically until the end of time.
And by that I mean it's top nine protected in twenty and twenty six,
so it's probably going to convey. But if we're being honest and we're throwing
that out of the equation, they cannot offer promise a first round pick right
now before two and twenty eight, and you could go swaps in twenty seven
and twenty nine, and then that twenty twenty eight pick that's like very underwhelming,
even when you're including other stuff. You could try and broker a deal
with New York for them to unprotect that pick. Why is New York doing
that when they want Donvan Mitchell? I understand that's a hurdle. I do,
however, think that Washington is uniquely positioned to offer more tangible talent that
the Jazz should be interested in, and so that helps a little bit.
And we know that like the jazzer to have him in in first round picks
coming in from Minnesota in you know, basically every other year. In addition
to that pick swap in twenty twenty six, I believe that's unprotected so you
can build offers. I'm just gonna assume, and this was just I'm trying
to view it from Utah's perspective here, since I feel like they could almost
name their place with some of these other teams. Bradley Meal off the table,
he signed a supermax YadA yad YadA. Christaps porzingis you don't want him?
I just he's I guess he's young enough and you could use somebodies at
center if you don't want to take back a ton of players because you have
fourteen already on your roster. It's the offseason. Figure out a way to
do it. I don't he might. I don't think he's an add wins
tier rebuild. But whatever the thirty six million dollars player option on twenty three,
twenty four, I just I don't know why Utah would want him unless
they think unless Danny Ainge and company think that he's just sort of some diamond
in not I guess not the rough at this point. He played well efter
he was traded to the Wizards, but unless they sort of view him is
like, oh, this cornerstone who won't really impact our one year tank,
but you're gonna have to pay him soon. He's also making a shit ton
of money. If they want him, you give him up. I just
don't think they would, is where I'm at. And so now you're getting
into basically every other salary on your roster. And while Barton and Monte Morris
can't be aggregated until I don't know what the data is on that, I
can't remember if they're September sixth or like right at the start of September whatever,
this deal can be agreed to completed later just that that's where we're at.
Training camp doesn't open. It's it's really it's no later than like September
September six in my head. I don't know if it's because that's my wife's
birthday hashtag good husbanding, but it's it's it's before training camp. So everything's
fine there. But you have Barton at a fourteen point four million dollars inspiring
salary, Kuzma thirteen million dollars expiring salary. He has a player option for
next season that he's likely the client. Monte Morris has two years at under
nineteen million left that that's an asset there, not moving along rights in the
middle of the season. Rui Hachimura essentially expiring at six point three. And
then Denny Avdia, who I think is like one of the more intriguing players
that could be offered in a Donovan Mitchell deal. He's at four point nine
million, and so I think you've get a Washington package from this perspective,
is it's Denny avda Johnny Davis, and then I'm probably I probably pushed for
Daniel Gafford here, and that's like barely, I don't that's not even twelve
million dollars in total salary, but it's those three players off the Jazz want
Corey Kissper Like fine that, but I'm looking at those three players specifically as
anchoring your package. And then are you either you do have the salary filler?
I just line out like a whole bunch are the Jazz and tregues by
Hachimura? Can you get a first round pick for Kyle Kuzma or first round
pick for Monte Morris to the Jazz want Monte Morris. You could go the
route of like Wilbarton Monte Morris, Avdia Davis Gafford and then hope that can
you include enough draft equity and mayor is there a way to you know,
on to broker their protections off that New York pick? At that point,
you know, if you're the Knicks, I wouldn't like if you're just willing
to send them or maybe it's even as simple as like, hey, can
we get it top like something protect and keep the protections this year, but
then it's unprotected in two thousand twenty four, so you're sort of hedging against
the Wizards future another year and then you can at least send twenty six and
twenty eight picks and then twenty seven and twenty nine spops. If you're the
Knicks, you could be looking at it from the perspective of maybe we'll get
out of a Mitchell when he hit three agency. How happy is he going
to be in Washington. It's a challenge for Washington. But I do think
the players they can offer Gafford, Avvidya and Davis specifically, those are very
interesting talents. Is it better than the youngsters the Knicks can send over When
you ly at Grimes top in quickly specifically, I think it's on the same
level. I think of all the players are just named. While I'm very
high on Drimes, I think Denny Avda is very clearly the best player among
them right now so underrated defensively, I think he has more playmaking to offer.
I think there's a framework there. If the Knicks decide they're out of
it, or the Jazz want to complete a deal before the season, and
the Knicks one budge on they're asking price, I think the Wizards can get
in there. However, what I want to talk about is the scenario that
I don't know if enough people are talking about her, It's just something I
started pondering, would the Jazz consider actually letting this lead into the season.
And the whole point of the Rudy go Part trade was they got so much
because they made it clear that they were gonna they were okay with keeping him.
It's a little bit different now with Donovan Mitchell because you can convey that
sentiment, but you've already started blowing up your team and so it just gets
like super fucking awkward. If you go into the regular season with Donovan Mitchell
on the roster, is Mike come and Bolliam mcdonovitch and Jordan Clarksonel still there?
What is what is going on with that? So you know you're this
team in transition. I don't view Donovan Mitchell as for all this talk about
him wanting out of Utah. I don't know, like there were and the
reports of like riffs between with him and Rudy Gobert. That shit happens in
the NBA. There's not like reports of Donovan Mitchell being this shitty teammate or
a human being. So I don't know that he would agitate to get out
just because he's heard his name in trade rumors. I think it's also worth
noting while people have expected the trade demand to come and that reported that he's
not happening in Utah, like he's not the one as at least as far
as we know right now that is dry having this. It's the Jazz because
they were exploring and rebuild. That's fine. So if you bring him back,
I'm like weirdly okay with it, and I'll get into why, because
I don't think he becomes a disruptor. I also don't think that this Jazz
roster is currently constructed. I guess you could be worried about Mitchell's value being
hurt because you'll suck, But I also don't think the good part of that
is I still think you'll be kind of bad even if you don't trade Conley
and Bolliabodanovitch, Like it's not going to screw with your one season tanking you
of a whole season to get it done. Now. The reason you would
wait is maybe you're playing a game or chicken with the Knicks. But also
we're it's sort of like the optimistic point of the NBA off season, like
we're soon going to get into even more reports. Definitely going to training camp,
everybody lost fifteen pounds while somehow putting on ten pounds of extra muscle ione
decreasing their body percentage in a healthy way into single digits. They gained just
twenty five pounds of muscle if they were frail over a six week period,
because that's totally humanly possible and definitely happen. Teams are getting content with their
rosters. Maybe not if you're in the Kevin Durant sweep stay. It does
feel like we're waiting on more moves right now than normal, and part because
the Mitchell and Kemn Durrant stuff holding up transactions, what's going on with Colin
Sexton in Cleveland. So you couldn't make that case that there isn't a little
bit more unrest. But if you wait, could there be a team that
starts the regular season piss poor and they decide, oh, we need to
go all in on this NNTO in Mitchell trade. And one it could be
the Knicks if your youth out, like if they're drawing a hard mind in
the sand where it's like they only want to give three picks and like I
don't know, grimes and topping and then they want you to take on Randall
or Fournier. You could wait them out if they get if they just even
get off to like a four and seven start or something ridiculous, like not
even non ridiculous like that. But after receiving the criticism that they have and
going after brunchon Brunson and clearly the urgency with which they've at least tried to
get or have been eyeing other stars since Leon Rose came aboard, do we
really like, isn't there a possibility that they then go all in and they
their offer because they realize, oh, we're not as good without Donovan Mitchell.
Do you risk also like the offer is getting worse from them. No,
And that's why I think it's feasible that you could wait, because is
the Knicks, Let's say the Knicks' best offer right now? Is it going
to get any worse if you wait to go into the season. They're not
a team that's gonna worry about disrupting their roster in the middle of year.
I'm just gonna I'm gonna tell you that right now. They're not a team
that's gonna worry about that. So I think if you're just so sort of
turned off by what everyone else is offering and you're not you don't want the
Knicks package right now. Maybe you can't get as many of their first round
picks unprotected into the future as you want. I would wait it out just
to see, or maybe going into training camp they decide to just up their
anti and so it feels like Utah might have more levers there. And then
it also increases to me the likelihood that does another team come over the top
and it's I don't know what Miami's best offer is right now, but do
they get into a scenario where like, do they actually figure out a way
to get other first round picks to send to the Jazz? Is are there
surprise teams that does that become part of this in the middle of the year.
Those are harder to spot, and like, I don't really know what
you like what you get into, Like is Orlando good enough to were like,
well, maybe we should consider a Dono Mitchell trade because we're we're too
good right now? Does Toronto get off to a slower start or decide to
get involved with the Donovan Mitchell sweep stakes because they missed out on Kevin Durant
which would be sort of The other flip side of this is if a team
gets Kevin Durant, there were going to be other jilted teams out there.
Would they consider joining the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes at that point? I don't.
I don't know if they would. I think in itself it could be valuable
just to wait to see if the Knicks drive up their offer. And I
get that I'm having trouble spotting surprise shutters right now. I did think about
this before I came on, But like a Cleveland or something, they have,
they didn't do much over the offseason. Granted they weren't very flexible.
Mitchell's a very intriguing fit there. Does something happen in the middle of the
year after they've resigned Colin sext him where he could be used as salary fodder
you caroslavert where they're just more willing to do something nuclear when it comes to
maybe just trading away their entire draft. Since they're on this, you know,
you look at their core and it's not an immediate timeline. But at
the same time, Alan and Mobley and Darius Garland, like that's a real
legitimate triple, Like three player bass there and if you bring back con Sexton.
They made the trade with Caros Lavert because they clearly like viewed themselves and
like I was fine with the trade for Caroslavert last year, but I'm saying
they made that trade because there is some immediacy there, and so do they
come over the top with something. I don't think a team like Detroit or
Indiana would get involved, though I've been on the record saying like Indiana would
be like kind of sneaky fun. What about Memphis, Like if they just
I actually really hate the fit between Donovan Mitchell and John Morant, even though
don Mitchell can play well off the ball, are they like do they fall
off the field good vibes and find out that they've leaned too far into their
own development Just because you know, you let Kyle Anderson walk, You've now
placed a lot of pressure on Zier Williams, Drake, Jakelrabia and David Roddy.
I shouldn't say, maybe so much pressure, but you're clearly invested in
like continuing to develop. What if that slows, Like could they decide to
get involved and that I don't think, like we know many won't do it.
Milwaukee doesn't have the assets. New Orleans should not be interested. Okay,
see salary matching is too tough. I suppose Philly could all of a
sudden be interested, but aside from putting Tyres Maxie on the table like they
just don't have the pick equity to do it, Shoenix could be kind of
interesting if they miss out on Kevin Durant. It's the middle of the year
January. DeAndre is now trade eligible. He can decline a trade, but
would he'd have a chance to be the guy in Utah and you could build
out picks with that. I don't know how you feel about having Chris Paul,
Donovan Mitchell, and Devin Booker, but Donovan Mitchell and Chris Paul are
tight and Dono Mitchell certainly gives you that your third ball handler. And look
the Timeline podcast, I believe I'd think it was them phrased it the best
way that the Suns have a third best player problem right now, where it's
very clearly DeAndre atan, But do you trust that he is the self creation
enough to offset what you're sort of losing or what it looked like you lacked
a lot in the not just this past postseason when you flamed out, but
in the twenty one finals matchup with Milwaukee, you're smaller, But like Chris
Paul's getting up there in age. If you're allowed to keep Jay Crowder as
part of that deal, you're definitely not keeping Cam Johnson. Is there a
way to get Downlements without giving up Michael Bridges, because then that might make
it a little bit more palatable, So that that's maybe a team I already
said I would love it if Orlando would get involved. Portland's not gonna get
involved. I'll think Sacramental would get involved. That would be fucking wild.
But does Washington figure out a way to increase the appeal of its offer.
Maybe Chris stops is like off to a scorching star, but the Wizards aren't
good enough. I kind of thought momentarily, what if the Bulls got involved?
But they have de Rosen and Lavine and so like they've already traded away,
they're they're twenty twenty five pick, so they could and you can realistically
expect that twenty twenty five pick to convey. It's top ten protected, so
like you can sort of go the okay twenty seven and twenty nine and like
twenty seven expires immediately if it doesn't convey, but it's it's protected so far
out that that even gets tough. So you only have Portland's twenty twenty three
first, You're twenty twenty three first is headed to Orlando, and like you're
getting into a Lonzo Ball and Caruso. If Patrick Williams is involved and he's
having a breakout year, okay, fine, but you need probably a way
more than you need Donavan Mitchell. And so I'm looking at a team like
maybe Cleveland Washington just figuring out a way to be even more aggressive, Maybe
Charlotte figures out a way to be even more aggressive. And of course then
there's there's the Knicks. I mentioned the Raptors. Like it just feels like
stuff happens in the season that changes everything, couldn't the Celtics, Let's just
say they get they miss on the Kevin Durant steps six, so they opt
not to trade for Kevin Durant, which I don't I'm personally saying I don't
think they should. If it was like Jaalen Brown and salary filler. Straight
up, to get to that salary filler, it costs you a rotation player
though I might consider it. But let's just say they pass on Kevin Durand
or miss out on Kevin Durant, but then the season doesn't get like it's
just their offense. Let's just say it's bunk. Do they consider like getting
in on Donovan Mitchell? Can they do that without giving up Jalon Brown?
If they want to include r W three and Marcus Smart is in there?
Would you even consider Jalen Brown for Mitchell straight up at that point, even
though Wings are like most the most out after commodity in the NBA. I'm
not endorsing that, but I'm just saying that could that happen? Does something
open up with Brooklyn just like they decide that they want to move on from
Ben Simmons or kad Is. That's the other things like let's just say Katie's
not traded or and so a few things could happen, or Katie's not traded.
Maybe Kyrie Irving does get traded, maybe no one gets traded. Maybe
everyone gets traded in Brooklyn, but Katie gets traded in the middle of the
year. Can you latch onto that third team deal? Because then Nets still
want to win. They want to out of Mitchell. Ben Simmons gets moved
elsewhere is in a situation where maybe the Nets have both Kyrie and Katie but
they still want to go to the third ball handler approach. Wouldn't Utah be
interested in like a package built around Ben Simmons and other stuff. I don't
think that that's particularly likely, but I'm just saying even a you know,
Dallas, he'd be perfect. But just like they're not going to be able
to get the pick equity they can give twenty twenty five basically twenty seven and
twenty nine first round picks a swap in twenty six and twenty eight and twenty
four if they wanted to do that, and that's assuming they're picked to New
York conveys. But they just don't have the body equity. They have the
salaries to match, but Utah would have to really love you know, Josh
Green, Jade and Harvey, maybe Christian Wood a little bit. I'm just
saying there are scenarios that could arise in the middle of the season because teams
are going to be more reactive than they are right now when everything's sort of
rosy, and so I just think there's a higher percentage chance. Then we're
speaking about right now that Donovan Mitchell is on the Jazz leading into the season,
and my guest, my ultimate guests, would be just because when you
look at the trade landscape right now, it doesn't feel like there's any team
that's gonna blow New York's best offer, even if it's not what you talk
considers New York's best offer, like New York is, we know they're still
holding assets back. I think even with New York taking a reserved approach,
it doesn't seem like there's a team that can come really over the top beat
them that would realistically be interested in Donna Mitchell. I think that could change
if you wait until the season. Would I predict it? I still wouldn't,
But let me know that right now it feels like New York is the
field. It wouldn't. It wouldn't shock me if the Jazz, if the
Jazz are gonna wind up waiting. I just think it's a possibility there,
and so let me know what you think about that. Subscribe and whatnot to
the podcast rate review. If you're listening to this on iTunes or Spotify or
another podcast player. If you're on YouTube, please hit the subscribe button helps
us out a ton in the like button. I actually did have one final
issue I wanted to get in here too, and it's like it was the
Zion Williamson contract. Details that leaked out in advance on the weekend came from
la dot Com that Williamson's contract features a clause that states he will have wag
ins throughout the deal to measure his combined weight and body fat percentage to ensure
it doesn't exceed a total of two hundred and ninety five. If it does,
guaranteed money in Zion's extension, which takes in not this coming season but
the next one, can be reduced. So this became like a thing on
Twitter and talk shows. Zion's apparently pissed off about it. That wasn't something
I think he's pissed off, Maybe not even that it's out there, but
per William, Gillory of The Athletic was writing that Zion is annoyed that people
talk about his weight and that he doesn't actually have a problem with the fat
jokes is what william wrote, but that he does take issue with people criticizing
his work ethic as a result of the weight issues. So this is I
don't like this the clause existing, Like I kind of I understand it,
because if you're worried about a player's weight, like these are professional athletes and
they get commoditized as these assets, which I hate, but like I kind
of understand trying to head your betch when he's been injured. I'd be curious
to see, like, is there any leeway if he does get injured,
Like how hard is it to him to stay under combined two ninety five because
look two ninety five is he's listed. I'm looking right now at twenty four
and so that would be like a ten percent body fat percentage, which Stamon
Gundy once said per The Athletic that when he was coaching Zion, Zion was
at the Pelicans have been worried that Zion puts on muscle. So well,
I'm just I think what I have the bigger issue. And look, there
are people that I respect who have talked about Zion's distance from New Orleans in
the past, his work ethic issue, him coming into training camp out of
shape. I get all that, And you can't just say he's a twenty
two year old kid because he is a professional athlete taking care of your body
is going to be part and parcel of the job description here. That's the
industry that you're in. I'm just I'm not with the body shaming of a
twenty two year old. I guess like he's twenty two. We have people
in their thirties forties sitting on their couch, like the Keyboard Warriors calling him
fat, talking about the New Orleans food. That is regressive to me.
And even if Zion doesn't really have a problem with it, he's also a
human being, and so I get why he is pissed off that people are
like trying to equate this to a lack of work ethic. Could it be
maybe, But like the discourse around it, even if we're trying to be
more realistic than kind or even reasonable, because the discussion is not going to
go away. It just exists around professional athletes, there's a less destructive way
to have it. And I kind of, you know, like, again,
if I'm a twenty two year old, and most twenty two year olds
are not even in the NBA, are not in tune with their bodies to
the degree that the Pelicans are asking. But Zion, per the Athletics hired
a personal chef is taking this seriously. Twenty two year olds in the NBA
are not taking care of their bodies like you would think. Like we see
a switch flipping later on in the career where players even who do take great
care of their body. Not everyone's on Lebron And when did he, you
know, start taking like real care of his body when we're talking about a
meticulous diet and him spending over a million dollars per year on body maintenance,
Chris Paul becoming vegan That happened in the middle early to mid thirties for him.
And so I get the zion as someone who has a unique body type
needs to be more cognizant of it. And I get the criticism of if
you're investing all this money in someone, you want them to be committed to
the franchise coming in to training camp in shape, but he really hasn't had
a healthy off season basically since he arrived in New Orleans. Doesn't that factor
into it at all? Again, there's probably fair criticisms to be made here.
I just don't think we should troll him for being mad that people make
fun of his weight or that they think he's lazy. That is human behavior,
that is human emotion, and I feel very skiasy i make jokes on
Twitter about players who are younger than me. I'm also not trying to say
that like my jokes are the types of jokes you could make. But as
I've been in the industry a little bit longer and gotten a little bit older,
I try and I hope like getting away from the personal or something that's
like could really be offensive or might be beyond the player's control. I'm not
saying that Zion can't take better care of his body, but it's not what
I'm saying. And I'm sure some of this is within the realm of possibility,
but like, this is someone who's so anomalous when you look at his
build, could it just be tougher for him to keep the weight down and
to hit this number than most. I guess the organization does think it's a
that there's an element of a work ethic deficit here, or that there's a
reason this needs to be in it. Fine, we also knew it was
going to come out, because everything comes out these days, literally just just
everything. This is not something we should be mad that came out. It
was inevitable. I'm sure z. I knew it was going to come out,
but I just feel like the reaction that it's a lack of self awareness.
Someone told me on Twitter when I said that, this is just I
quote tweeted like the report abouts I being upset, like sources say, athletes
are human beings with real emotions. I'm just that is the stuff that gets
to me. It's like, we can't allow a player to be like,
you know, emotionally offended by what people have said about his weight or his
work ethic and yet there's the proven wrong mentality. But people like myself who
are not zoomed in on the situation should not be able to comment on what's
happening behind the scenes and just assume because he looks one way, we don't
know what he's struggling with off the court. And it's even like with the
Julius Randall stuff this past year, I hate to equate everything the Knicks.
I was exceedingly hard on him and his body language to me was fucking disgusting.
Now it's been said, and Knick's film schools noted this on multiple occasions.
I can't remember who else wrote about it that said I think maybe Fred
Katz had said something at the athletic I don't want to misattribute there, but
that when players are struggling that mightily there's something else going on. And I
want to be you know, I want to be able to acknowledge that and
account for that. But a lot of the stuff when you looked at Julius
Randall that was happening on the court was feeling like he was trying to exist,
like in an entirely different offensive ecosystem than the Knicks we're trying to run
or that needed him to be in. Like, that's the stuff that you're
going to criticize. Like, and I get that this is more basketball related.
I just in the end, unless you have intimate knowledge of what's going
on, and unless you're willing to put a name to it, and it's
I think the two need to be combined. It's not my name's on my
Twitter handles so I can call Zion obese. No, that's not how it
works. If there's gonna be people who are close to the situation that are
going to report about Zion as a teammate, or Zion's work ethic, or
about his weight struggles, put your fucking name to it. If that's going
to be in a report like not oh the team in generals, because no,
put your name on it. Like that's the whole anonymous sourcing thing provides
unfair protection on certain instances. I get when it's a trade rumor or whatever.
Fine, but when we're talking about like, oh yeah, I would
take you know, fucking Dorian Finney Smith is a better I don't mean what
you're talking about like players, where no, I think Colin Sexton sucks,
and like, put your name on that if you're if you're like plugged it
in and saying, oh, the Calves prefer Jenny Osman to context and I'm
making sit up right now. So that's where my issue comes. I don't
really think that this is a rant insofar as it just makes me uncomfortable when
people are and I understand. I want to make it clear that women and
others are objectified way more and harshly than professional athletes. So this is just,
you know, an indictment on our entire society, but Zion specifically and
the NBA specifically, because that's when I'm covering. It's a twenty two year
old that we're all as adults gonna come in and call fat and say that
he's lazy, and how many of us have been around or talking people close
in the organization. And I really hope I don't get DMS because that invariably
happens when I say things. I guess I should be happy that people are
listening, but it invariably I get their first time listeners. Maybe they're long
time listeners. They come into my DMS and say like, well, I've
actually heard from people who are like from the organization that's so and so actually
wants out and like this and that, and like, okay, fine,
I'm talking about specifically. You know, if people are putting that out there
themselves, is there a reason that you haven't put that out there? Then
if you're so close to these organizations and this is not it's again, it's
just happened in other scenarios. I'm just it makes me uncomfortable. The discourse
around what is the twenty two year old. I know it's different because of
the job that he has, and I know that these things are going to
leak out. And there's certainly a conversation to be had about work ethic players
coming in shape, how they're playing their diet, Like there's a conversation that
we had. I don't think we need to be demeaning, devalu or like
devaluing or deprecating and just assume that they all suck in general. It's like,
this isn't a James Harden situation either, where he was just very clearly
trying to get out of off of Houston and then off of Brooklyn, Like
yeah, that shit, it was happening on the court and you saw it
Zion struggling with his weight after missing a year because of injury, Like is
that really a surprise. He's such an again, such an anomalous body type
and human being. It's got to be harder to stay within that ten percent
body fat range when you're not as active and you're dealing with what is an
injury that's going to definitely inhibit your activity. So that's where I land on
it. It's not even just I'm disgusted by the clause. I would just
be curious if something's happening, like is there a leeway if he's injured,
Like how hard is it if he's listed at two eighty four and you're just
telling him he has to be a ten percent in the entire time? It
should he get injured again. I know there's so I'm curious to see how
it gets enforced. And I know that this the structure seems unique because the
athletic gave examples and there weren't like big name players, and it doesn't seem
like this is very common. So you're investing in someone who's been injured.
I get it, three years in a career, has missed more than half
the games that he's eligible to play for through those three years, And I
get it. I get why it exists or why these discussions have to be
had. I just hope there's a more productive way to do it moving forward.
When we recognize especially I'm not saying you should have carte blanche to criticize
Lebron not going low enough on squats because he's in his late thirties. I'm
not saying that either, Like we need that better discussions about this, especially
when like we're not, when we're uninformed intimately on this subject, when we
can't you can't tell me specifically, If you can't tell me specifically what's happening
behind the scenes, what he's struggling with. Is he just coming in with
you know, two dozen bennets as a pre workout meal every single day and
is refusing to work out away from the court. It doesn't seem like that's
the issue because the Pelicans are worried about how quickly he was gaining muscles for
the athletic So I guess that turned into a rant and I don't Again,
it's not with the clause, and I'm not saying that Zion has been this
beacon of like good health or work ethic. Honestly, I don't know.
I know jj Reddick had said on ESPN, and for him to say that
and put his name on it at the time that he was there or that
he knew for a fact, and when he wasn't there that like Zion seemed
like a distant teammate. It's also weird when you're injured and you're a twenty
two year old. It's twenty something year old who has like the hopes of
the franchise on the shoulders, and everyone's reporting shit without actually talking to you.
I get the frustration here, and it's compounded by the fact that everyone
was talking about his future and assigning stances to his name without really ever hearing
from him. I'm not saying all those are wrong because there aren't people I
trust who very much believed that there was an issue with Zion and how he
felt about New Orleans and just the distance to him in the organization, and
did this injury change that at all because he wanted to guarantee himself some long
term security. It's not me saying Zion is perfect. This is more so
just like I'm repeating myself here, I hope that we can be a little
bit more like we need to continue doing a better job of humanizing professional athletes
and so many other people put professional athletes, NBA players in general. Is
what we're talking about here. That is actually at this time. I hope
you all enjoyed my incoherent rambling at the end. Please remember to rate,
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next time, and as always, have you with the shout out to the
one, the only, the pinnacle of work ethic in the NBA, Frank Nila Keeter