1 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:20,079 What is crack lacing Fellow thermonuclear a Efforts. I am Dana Valley coming at 2 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:24,000 you with a quick intro to tell you that this is part two of our 3 00:00:24,199 --> 00:00:29,640 early NBA season Overreactions podcast. We did the West that went up on Friday. 4 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,399 This is the East. It's going up on Monday. As a note, 5 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,280 it was recorded after the first two days of NBA Action. The predictions 6 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,000 were still big picture, so it's not like we're necessarily getting into a ton 7 00:00:40,039 --> 00:00:43,000 of game stuff and none of the predictions have changed. We also cap it 8 00:00:43,039 --> 00:00:47,000 off by getting to your hot or not submissions. That was a lot of 9 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,320 fun at the end of it, so be sure to check this all out 10 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:52,679 before we get started. The usual reminder, I'll blow through it. If 11 00:00:52,679 --> 00:00:57,280 you're new here, please subscribe YouTube, Spotify, Apple if you're already subscribed. 12 00:00:57,359 --> 00:01:00,000 Two things we ask you to do across all three of those platforms, 13 00:01:00,159 --> 00:01:02,920 or two of the three if you're you know, if you're only using an 14 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,280 Apple, but subscribe on YouTube and one of the podcasts, uh listening players, 15 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:08,439 what have you, whatever you want to call them. And if you've 16 00:01:08,439 --> 00:01:12,519 done those things, please ratings and reviews help us out a ton on Spotify 17 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,799 and Apple. And then if you've done that as well, recommend us share 18 00:01:15,799 --> 00:01:22,359 our videos, retweet our promotions when we're putting them out on Twitter. But 19 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,159 the word of mouth recommendations can go a long way. And if you found 20 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:30,680 this podcast because you happen to stumble upon us through social media TikTok or YouTube 21 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:34,519 shorts or something, let us know that's always good to hear, or someone 22 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:38,959 recommended us to you that we'd always love to hear those stories as well. 23 00:01:40,599 --> 00:01:42,480 Uh that, and then follow us on all the socials. The link the 24 00:01:42,519 --> 00:01:46,120 links to those are in the podcast and YouTube descriptions. They might also be 25 00:01:46,239 --> 00:01:49,519 on your screen. Join our discord that you could submit things like hot or 26 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:53,040 not or mailbag questions. When we'll fire that back up again and that is 27 00:01:53,079 --> 00:01:56,560 actually it, so Grant and I, we're gonna get right into it. 28 00:01:56,599 --> 00:01:59,599 And just as a reminder, these are you know, these are meant to 29 00:01:59,599 --> 00:02:02,879 be on the Boulder side, not unreasonable, totally implausible, but they're probably 30 00:02:04,079 --> 00:02:07,840 We're making predictions that you think have maybe a fifty to fifty chance of happening 31 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,800 at most. So it's a lot of fun. Go check out the West 32 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:15,919 episode as well. Listen to this episode, and that's enough for me. 33 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:23,800 Let's talk with Grant which team player you want to take us too? First? 34 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,599 Well, my tickes on the East won't be as hot, probably, 35 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,800 but I have several predictions. How about somebody on the Brooklyn Nets is going 36 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:36,159 to make an all defensive team? And this is kind of cheating because there 37 00:02:36,159 --> 00:02:38,960 are so many options to choose from here for me, but I just think 38 00:02:39,199 --> 00:02:45,879 between Bridges between Claxton, Finny Smith, and Royce O'Neill are probably just not 39 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,360 going to be notable enough to get those honors. But Ben Simmons might be 40 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,800 a sneaky one because he's done it more than once before. So I just 41 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,759 think, I guess the overarching thing is like there's a scenario where Brooklyn's defense 42 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,000 is just nasty like all the time, and so some one's gonna get rewarded 43 00:03:00,039 --> 00:03:04,000 for that. And I think Clackson and Bridges both kind of have the profile 44 00:03:04,479 --> 00:03:09,560 and the broader recognition to sneak onto one of these all defensive teams if if 45 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:14,879 if Brooklyn's defense overall winds up being as good as I think potentially it could 46 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:16,960 be, Jo those are your only two that you're considering. No, Ben 47 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:22,039 Simmons in that discussion, Ben Simmons is like my sneaky one like it because 48 00:03:22,199 --> 00:03:25,159 I just can't. It would be a hot take to say Ben Simmons is 49 00:03:25,159 --> 00:03:30,599 definitely gonna do something really good because I can't. I don't believe that yet. 50 00:03:30,759 --> 00:03:36,479 And also Jack Vaughn sort of telegraphing how he's gonna spread the minutes around. 51 00:03:36,479 --> 00:03:37,919 I don't know if you saw that. He said, no, one's 52 00:03:37,919 --> 00:03:40,719 probably gonna log thirty minutes consistently because of the way that they want to play. 53 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,240 I'm assuming he meant everyone. It's at McHale Bridges who played thirty five 54 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:49,319 plus in the first game. But I think that's I'm wondering if that's not 55 00:03:49,439 --> 00:03:53,879 hot enough. You should have went to Brooklyn nets. McHale and Nick Claxon 56 00:03:53,919 --> 00:03:57,560 could. But I guess because McHale's shoulders is such a heavy offensive load. 57 00:03:57,639 --> 00:04:00,360 There's a bowl in this there because his defense did sort of drop off a 58 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:02,240 little bit after the trade. All right, yeah, I'll try to be 59 00:04:02,479 --> 00:04:05,680 you know what, I will tweak all these to try to be more unhinged 60 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,400 if possible. Well, so I have a nets one too. We'll stick 61 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:15,639 with the nets here. Cam Thomas will average twenty five plus points per thirty 62 00:04:15,639 --> 00:04:21,279 six minutes. Now, before you say that's an overreaction, consider that Cam 63 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:26,160 Thomas averaged twenty two point nine points per thirty six minutes last year. Now, 64 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:30,000 before you say this isn't spicy enough, consider that the small sample size 65 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:35,079 of fewer than a thousand minutes favored him. And consider that the only players 66 00:04:35,439 --> 00:04:41,519 since two thousand who have averaged twenty five plus points per thirty six minutes before 67 00:04:42,079 --> 00:04:46,000 their age twenty three season are Luka, Doncic, Trey Young, Devin Booker, 68 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:50,519 Kevin Durant, Carmelo, Anthony, John Morant, Jason Tatum, Zion 69 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:57,079 Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Donovan, Mitchell d Low, Christops Lebron, Amari 70 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,560 Stotdomeyer, and Kobe Bryant. So the list is fairly a extensive, but 71 00:05:00,639 --> 00:05:04,959 consider the the type of names on that list. But he's just gonna come 72 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,959 in and get up shots. And I mean, you know, he's not 73 00:05:08,959 --> 00:05:12,519 gonna shoot seven to twelve on twos outside of the restrict area forever, but 74 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,920 he's gonna get a shots. I think I think it's possible he would he 75 00:05:15,959 --> 00:05:18,879 be the most random player on that list. For you, or is it 76 00:05:18,959 --> 00:05:21,879 like, oh, I could kind of see d Lo or Amari being that 77 00:05:21,879 --> 00:05:25,759 that guy. No, once you got to d Lo, I was kind 78 00:05:25,759 --> 00:05:30,399 of like, well, then Cam Johns'll, cam Thomas will definitely do it. 79 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:35,040 Ami were hyped up right at that age in a way that Cam Thomas 80 00:05:35,079 --> 00:05:41,639 is not. I think Cam Thomas is just like he's so clearly just built 81 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,680 to score, like mentally fit, Like all he wants to do is get 82 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,240 buckets, and I mean he like, yeah, he the efficiency might not 83 00:05:47,319 --> 00:05:51,519 be there like it was in Brooklyn's first game, but like I mean, 84 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,920 if I'm going to be critical, I think I think if he got twenty 85 00:05:56,959 --> 00:05:59,720 what do you say, twenty two nine per thirty six last year, I 86 00:06:00,079 --> 00:06:01,560 don't see a reason he can't get to twenty five. I think that's a 87 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:08,639 good that's a sufficiently uh bold prediction slash overreaction. I don't I like that 88 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,360 one a lot. That was a nice little brisk pace for Yeah, look 89 00:06:11,399 --> 00:06:15,399 at that. Are we trying to be alphabetical? I guess not, since 90 00:06:15,399 --> 00:06:19,879 we didn't start with Atlanta, I promise I had this take before the Chicago 91 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:27,480 Bulls had a play, the earliest players only meeting in the history of professional 92 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:31,800 sports. Can we you don't get to downplay that? No, it was 93 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:36,000 game one, Buddy, tell people did you see the quote? Basically like 94 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,120 Billy So for people that don't know, the Bulls got blown out in their 95 00:06:40,199 --> 00:06:44,240 season opener by the thunder and Billy Donovan, head coach, goes into the 96 00:06:44,319 --> 00:06:47,240 locker room, and the way the reporting phrased it was like the guy the 97 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,439 players seem to say something like can you give us a minute? And he's 98 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:55,160 like, cool, I'm not just slowly does the home the homer Simpson backs 99 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:59,680 into the hedge meme basically, uh, And there was a player's only meeting 100 00:06:59,759 --> 00:07:04,439 after a game one and there's I've seen different you know reports. Maybe you 101 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:08,480 can enlighten me on the subject of it, but it seemed to be like 102 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:12,240 there's not enough passing, we don't have a pure point guard, like guys 103 00:07:12,279 --> 00:07:15,439 are you know? It's just whatever it is if you're having a player's only 104 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,759 meeting after your season opener, like what is anyway? So, my my 105 00:07:19,879 --> 00:07:27,120 overreaction is that Demarta Rosenen and Zach Lavine and Nikolovucevich will be traded this season. 106 00:07:27,279 --> 00:07:30,120 The whole thing. The Bulls are going to trade all three of their 107 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:35,519 you know, best slash most expensive veterans. Who so I who is? 108 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:41,160 Where are they trading? Vouch the the deals like who I owe Memphis? 109 00:07:41,519 --> 00:07:46,120 Hey, maybe I don't hate it. Yeah, Now that you'd have to 110 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:48,680 wait on until what December fifteenth or is a January fifteenth on them or him? 111 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:53,360 It should be December? Okay, So you know, well, here's 112 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,639 that coincides with I'm just gonna throw this. We'll have the discussion. I 113 00:07:56,680 --> 00:08:00,399 predicted they were gonna blow it up by Christmas. Yeah, because and that's 114 00:08:00,439 --> 00:08:03,399 bold in the sense that the Bulls just don't do that. They think that 115 00:08:03,399 --> 00:08:09,040 they're they're they're habitually addicted to the bottom of the middle, right Apparently, 116 00:08:09,279 --> 00:08:13,680 Well it's sort of like, I guess since the Wizards finally did it, 117 00:08:15,199 --> 00:08:18,439 the Bulls are now the team we've complained about the longest for not doing a 118 00:08:18,439 --> 00:08:22,600 hard reset because this this core is just like a five hundred corps if everything 119 00:08:22,639 --> 00:08:26,560 goes well, and that's about it. So it is. I know it 120 00:08:26,639 --> 00:08:30,399 is bold to say they're going to finally do the thing that they should have 121 00:08:30,439 --> 00:08:33,679 done but have not done for what seems like forever. So yeah, I 122 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:37,919 think that December fifteenth deadline looms as the you know they gotta once they get 123 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:41,960 past that. I mean, you can move Levin today or DeRozan today. 124 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,799 But which I think might be one of the modest, one of the modest, 125 00:08:46,919 --> 00:08:52,559 one of the most underrated. I combine most and underrated assets in the 126 00:08:52,639 --> 00:08:56,080 league. Right now, when you look at the cap going up in his 127 00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:00,679 deal, I understand that he can't be the best player on a Champ team. 128 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,399 Who fuck cares? Like, first of all, how many players? 129 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,799 Is that? Right? That? Well, so that's a great question, 130 00:09:05,879 --> 00:09:09,879 like is I mean, certainly zach Lavine is I think if you get zach 131 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:15,679 Lavine at his current salary, you're it's it's not it's a positive value, 132 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,600 right, Like I think he's You're not saying zach Lavine is the type of 133 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:24,080 guy that you, well, now, we need somebody at like, you 134 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,519 know, cut rate salary to sort of make our books make sense. I 135 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:31,080 think zach Lavine is like properly paid. Is that that's not a hot take? 136 00:09:31,159 --> 00:09:35,159 Right? He's gonna be worth over the next well, he might decline 137 00:09:35,159 --> 00:09:37,399 his player option, but this season, in the next two seasons on his 138 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:41,120 deal, about thirty twenty nine to thirty percent of the projected cap. That's 139 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:46,000 fine. Yeah, that's okay. I think so do you think. I 140 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:50,440 mean, we've probably talked about this, maybe this time last year or maybe 141 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:54,480 before he signed. Like you get in two firsts, three firsts for him, 142 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,639 you know, like I was over under if we set the over under 143 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,960 two have first round picks or the equivalent, and they got to be real 144 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,039 ones, right, none and none of these Like this is the Knicks pick 145 00:10:05,159 --> 00:10:11,240 via Washington, that's top forty three protected and over under two and a half. 146 00:10:13,759 --> 00:10:16,600 You're on over. Yeah, I think I probably go over too, 147 00:10:18,039 --> 00:10:22,559 especially if it's just like you're you know, the other salaries aren't anything crazy. 148 00:10:22,919 --> 00:10:26,159 Yeah, he like exactly me. He's just a good and also like 149 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,360 he's further removed from the knee surgery he had last offseason, and he was 150 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,360 way better down the stretch last year than he was overall. Like his numbers 151 00:10:31,399 --> 00:10:37,120 are somewhat misleading from last season because he just improved over the course of the 152 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:39,720 year, which makes sense considering he had his knee cut open and operated on. 153 00:10:39,879 --> 00:10:45,080 So yeah, we're both we're both, uh, we're both bullish on 154 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:50,200 the Bulls being broken up. I think I also saw a report and I 155 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:52,360 did this is who who had it? I don't want to get the reporting 156 00:10:52,399 --> 00:10:58,600 wrong, but oh so this is sham Sharania from The Athletic on FanDuel TV's 157 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:03,600 Run at Back show said that the two sides are apart on multiple fronts. 158 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:07,200 De Rosan and the Bulls including salary and terms. Those are all the fronts. 159 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:11,879 Yeah, I mean that just he's the one where it's like, okay, 160 00:11:11,879 --> 00:11:16,000 if you had to bet even the you're betting on all three. But 161 00:11:16,039 --> 00:11:18,840 if you had to take the over under of one point five of these players 162 00:11:18,879 --> 00:11:22,759 getting traded or even just like I would throw Caruso in there. That's someone 163 00:11:22,799 --> 00:11:24,799 who you should probably get rid of too. I think this is the year 164 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,799 they do it because they're forced to, and like they could do pretty well 165 00:11:28,919 --> 00:11:33,360 because Caruso has value if you want to just for him, right, I 166 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:35,960 think? So? I think, And like, here's the big one. 167 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:39,519 Do you move Patrick Williams? So it's not an extension, right? I 168 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:45,919 think? Well that's I mean, what's the cost you to keep him around? 169 00:11:45,919 --> 00:11:48,240 You got his cap hold. I think you probably hold on to him 170 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:50,200 unless you can get I don't know what you get for Patrick Williams is the 171 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,000 other thing. I don't know if you're definitely getting a huge like a return 172 00:11:54,039 --> 00:11:58,600 that you just got to take, right because who like who views themselves as 173 00:11:58,399 --> 00:12:03,080 one Patrick Williams away right or or like well, I guess the counter to 174 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:09,240 that is, you know, it's in some ways there should be more suitors 175 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:13,039 for Patrick Williams than there should be for someone like DeRozan because DeRozan's got to 176 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,960 go to a veteran led team that's trying to win now and may or may 177 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:20,759 not give a shit about re signing him. You are Chicago bull. That's 178 00:12:20,799 --> 00:12:24,000 how this ends, right. But Williams, it's like, I don't know 179 00:12:24,039 --> 00:12:28,279 if the Wizards wanted Patrick Williams to just like throw him into the rebuild, 180 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,480 like maybe maybe he has appeal there even though he's you're not going to give 181 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:35,240 up the teams that I guess he might make the most sense for in theory, 182 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:37,759 you're not going to give up stuff for and then if contenders give up 183 00:12:37,799 --> 00:12:41,159 stuff for him, that stuff isn't going to be too flashy. So yeah, 184 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:45,000 that's a good point. Yeah no, I yeah, bulls are bulls 185 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:46,360 are getting busted up. Let's see, do you have another one or you 186 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,720 want me to I have, Well, do you want to go reverse alphabetically? 187 00:12:48,759 --> 00:12:52,919 So let's let's talk about the Hawks, who did not have a player's 188 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,320 only meeting after they lost their first game, So they're gonna win the title. 189 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:03,919 Clearly, Trey Young will make second team All NBA. He has a 190 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:05,840 third team selection under his belt. I know they got rid of positions, 191 00:13:05,879 --> 00:13:09,919 but this is the equivalent of me saying then that Trey Young will be one 192 00:13:09,919 --> 00:13:13,039 of the top ten most impactful players in the league who also appears in the 193 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:18,200 equivalent of sixty two plus games. It's this is coming. I'm saying this, 194 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:20,159 this will go out. I'm probably gonna hold it for a few days, 195 00:13:20,159 --> 00:13:24,679 but I'm saying this after he shot four of nineteen in Game one. 196 00:13:24,759 --> 00:13:28,559 Here's my thing with him. He's still got fifteen free throw attempts and made 197 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:33,440 fourteen of them. He's still one of the best passers, just the best 198 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:35,639 love dribble passers. At the game. You need a bucket at the rim, 199 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:39,519 you need to set up a corner three pointer. And despite the issues 200 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:43,039 that I think many haven't, we both ourselves have some issues with his ball 201 00:13:43,039 --> 00:13:48,399 dominance. One of the most lethal just off the dribble creators. When it 202 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:52,159 comes to the shots he could take. You look at his floater, ability 203 00:13:52,159 --> 00:13:54,399 to pull up from mid range, just a three pointer in general, Yes, 204 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:58,120 you don't want to see him. You'll shoot from about the timeline with 205 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:00,919 seventeen seconds left on the shot clock. But he's one of the few guys 206 00:14:00,919 --> 00:14:03,240 in the league where if I said, hey, they're gonna shoot that at 207 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:07,320 a thirty four percent clip for the year, you're probably okay. Dame Steph 208 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:11,480 Trey like, he's on that short that short list, and I trust that 209 00:14:11,519 --> 00:14:15,559 the Hawks will figure it out spread. And look when you looked at their 210 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:20,039 shot profile last year and they're still just had this wildly elite offense, especially 211 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,879 towards the second half of the season with Quinn Schnyder. There's like real room 212 00:14:24,919 --> 00:14:28,799 for growth there. And we can get into will he be used differently wellves 213 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:33,399 efficiency climb. I just feel like because of the defensive issues, which I 214 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:37,480 do, I no longer believe they matter. They're conspicuous, they're just not 215 00:14:37,559 --> 00:14:41,679 as pronounced. The past two years, like he has been harder to screen. 216 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:46,279 He has had more possessions where it looks like he's giving active exertion on 217 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:50,320 the ball. It feels like it's all sure, it's the defensive stuff, 218 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:54,759 but it feels like it's all this behind the scenes stuff where his relationship with 219 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,879 first what was his first coach? That was Lloyd Pierce, right, am 220 00:14:56,919 --> 00:15:01,519 I getting that wrong? And then you're going and then Nate McMillan. So 221 00:15:01,919 --> 00:15:05,440 there's that stuff. There's the if enis with the players were frustrated behind the 222 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:07,559 scenes with him, John Collins has thrown some shade towards Atlanta. That stuff 223 00:15:07,559 --> 00:15:11,399 all matters. But Trey Young is a star, and so I'm just gonna 224 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:16,799 say I'm gonna take the optimistic route after a pessimistic performance and say he gets 225 00:15:16,799 --> 00:15:18,679 second team All NBA. Yeah, I think I would echo all that. 226 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,600 I think now is a good time to sort of buy in on Trey Young 227 00:15:22,679 --> 00:15:26,679 because because of all the things you said, like the you know, the 228 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:30,039 the you don't you don't want to shout it, but you could whisper like 229 00:15:30,159 --> 00:15:35,559 the coach killer I don't know label and it's not totally unwarranted. So far, 230 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:41,879 my mine is less hot take he although, like I guess so I 231 00:15:41,879 --> 00:15:45,480 don't think so. Trey Young has led the NBA and assistant turnovers two years 232 00:15:45,559 --> 00:15:48,279 running, and he's not gonna do that. And I think it's because he 233 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:52,480 will be used differently, and I think that will be a net positive for 234 00:15:52,559 --> 00:15:56,320 him because the efficiency should go up, the off ball reps should go up, 235 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:02,320 because Quinn Snyder just, you know, you want to even great coaches, 236 00:16:02,399 --> 00:16:06,080 you coach, you know to your talent. So if Trey Young is 237 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,200 just a great pick and roll orchestrator, you're not gonna just excize that from 238 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,879 you know, what you do on offense. But I think when I think 239 00:16:11,919 --> 00:16:15,559 of Quinn Snyder, I think of the advantage basketball that Utah played, where 240 00:16:15,559 --> 00:16:18,480 guys are getting it on the move and running around, and Trey Young is 241 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,159 I think gonna do more of that. I hope do more of that, 242 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:23,960 and I think it'll unlock kind of the best version of him because he'll be 243 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,559 a threat whether he has the ball or not, and so far in his 244 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:32,200 career he's just not been a threatening player off the ball and he'll just stand 245 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:34,200 around. I think that changes, and I think that triggers you know that 246 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:40,799 all NBA second team ceiling you're talking about where we go next. Trying to 247 00:16:40,799 --> 00:16:47,159 find my most ridiculous thing here. How about this. The Detroit Pistons are 248 00:16:47,159 --> 00:16:49,399 gonna win fewer games than anybody else in the NBA this year. Is that 249 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:53,759 bold? Well, I mean they're over runder is not the lowest. And 250 00:16:53,799 --> 00:16:57,159 the Washington Wizards exist and gave up one hundred and forty three points to the 251 00:16:57,159 --> 00:17:03,320 Pacers on opening night and figure to lose a lot of games in which they 252 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,599 gave up one hundred and forty. I think the Pacers offense is good and 253 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:10,440 fun, but like I think that's more Washington than anything else. So for 254 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:12,880 the Pistons to finish with the worst record they got, I mean, you 255 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:17,599 know, what's the usual suspects Like san Antonio, even though they have Wemby 256 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:21,720 and we've said a trillion great things about him, should be bad. Portland 257 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:25,880 should be bad. The Wizards are definitely gonna be bad. Houston. We 258 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:30,160 don't know who else is in Utah? Could Utah is probably a slight cut 259 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,920 above that Charlotte, although they won on opening night. I just think that 260 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:38,000 we're just they're one to know they might be. I mean, at this 261 00:17:38,039 --> 00:17:41,559 point, we're talking about the fewest wins in the league being one to oh 262 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:45,240 like actually matters, because that could be you know, like five percent of 263 00:17:45,279 --> 00:17:52,079 your season total, the more I look at the Pistons and see that they 264 00:17:52,119 --> 00:18:00,119 are basically gonna have an inexperienced slash like semi experience but unproductive guard in like 265 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:04,440 on the floor all the time, all the time, and they're they're gonna 266 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:08,680 they got all these bigs that are still really young and or like James Wiseman 267 00:18:08,759 --> 00:18:12,119 did not play in their first game at all, like the number two pick 268 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,799 just d MP, Sorry you can't. Williams his job on the line. 269 00:18:15,839 --> 00:18:22,640 Now he's gonna be the highest paid coach of all time that I got. 270 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:26,039 Well, if that's the thing is, he's not going anywhere with that contract. 271 00:18:26,559 --> 00:18:30,960 I just think the recipe for being really bad depends a lot on playing 272 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:37,119 inexperienced guards and between like Ivy Killian Hayes, Asar Thompson, Cunningham is a 273 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:41,480 different breathe like Cunningham is good. He had thirty Like he's just gonna be 274 00:18:41,519 --> 00:18:44,079 good. But you're always gonna have someone out there with him that is as 275 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:48,079 liable to you know, do damage as they are to be helpful. So 276 00:18:48,039 --> 00:18:53,359 I think the Pistons have a floor that is like terrifyingly low, which is 277 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:57,000 bad because they're like, what two years into this rebuild now, like this 278 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:02,720 is the year three of it, and they're just they're looking rough. Uh 279 00:19:02,759 --> 00:19:04,039 they're over under his twenty eight and a half. By the way, that's 280 00:19:04,039 --> 00:19:07,680 bad. That is not the worst in the league. So I guess, 281 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:11,240 I guess, Uh, I'm overreacting to how bad they look by saying they'll 282 00:19:11,279 --> 00:19:14,519 have the worst record. So I was thinking won along the lines of Jay 283 00:19:14,559 --> 00:19:18,759 and Ivy won't be on this team next season. Tame deal. Tell me 284 00:19:18,799 --> 00:19:21,839 more. They're bringing them off the this that's not even my prediction, but 285 00:19:22,039 --> 00:19:26,200 just they're bringing them off the bench. He plays seventeen minutes on opening it's 286 00:19:26,279 --> 00:19:29,960 so early. They telegraph this is how they're gonna use him during the preseason. 287 00:19:30,039 --> 00:19:33,279 But my god, that's weird, right, I mean, what does 288 00:19:33,319 --> 00:19:37,039 it say. I understand staggering, but and to not even it's not even 289 00:19:37,079 --> 00:19:41,240 about him not starting, it's the seventeen minutes. Yeah, an I think 290 00:19:41,319 --> 00:19:45,519 that like there were like there are fourth quarter minutes that mattered, you know, 291 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,039 you know what I mean my actual prediction for the Pistons though, when 292 00:19:49,039 --> 00:19:53,880 I shouldn't say necessarily that. Uh So I went back and watched every k 293 00:19:55,279 --> 00:20:00,640 Cunningham offensive possession from that game. So I'm at the point where I'm gonna 294 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:07,240 predict that Kaig Cunningham averages twenty five points eight assists at least while shooting thirty 295 00:20:07,279 --> 00:20:12,559 five percent or better from three. Ooh. Now, I feel like if 296 00:20:12,599 --> 00:20:18,559 I have to set up why this is bold or an overreaction, it's because 297 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:22,400 Kate Cunningham is still super young. His three point shot has been rickety and 298 00:20:22,839 --> 00:20:27,920 there's only one player who has ever hit that line before their age twenty three 299 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:33,359 season. It's Luka Doncic. I am here's the we can get to the 300 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:37,279 concern. So the volume is gonna be there, and that's why I'm comfortable 301 00:20:37,319 --> 00:20:41,079 with the points in the assists. It's clear based off how he was used, 302 00:20:41,079 --> 00:20:45,599 that they're not gonna sub out you know, Kid Cunningham leading transition, 303 00:20:47,319 --> 00:20:51,480 taking balls off handoffs, running with ball screens in the half court. They're 304 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:55,960 not subbing that out for more Jade and Ivy or Asar Thompson or more Tillian 305 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,400 Hayes. And I know Montey Morris was dealing with the quad strain right now. 306 00:20:59,799 --> 00:21:04,200 That's encouraging the shot. With Caid, it's always looked esthetic enough to 307 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:08,160 where you believe, okay, like it could come around. And I'm not 308 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:12,279 saying he's an issue four of nine every single night from three thirty five plus 309 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:17,400 percent or lead gaverage however you want to frame it. So thirty six I 310 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,359 think he gets there. In part he still looks comfortable, just kind of 311 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:25,279 casually dribbling into those pull ups in the half court. It's just he seems 312 00:21:25,319 --> 00:21:30,039 a lot quicker off the catch, and so I'm just this is someone who 313 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:33,799 is shooting sub thirty three percent on spot up threes for his career. That 314 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:37,240 number is going up, way up, and so I almost feel like twenty 315 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:41,160 five eight on thirty five percent or better shooting them three isn't bold enough. 316 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:42,880 But you go back to history, that just doesn't happen. And maybe the 317 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:48,799 Pistons are just so bad that getting eight assists becomes untenable. But that's where 318 00:21:48,799 --> 00:21:52,440 I'm att with k count like he is. I didn't predict him to win 319 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:55,240 Most Improved Player. I had him in my top three. That is someone 320 00:21:55,319 --> 00:21:57,279 who I watched in Game one where if I was gonna change anything about my 321 00:21:57,319 --> 00:22:00,680 ballot other than six Men of the Year because the Celtics hate us. I'm 322 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:06,440 just I'm looking at that going oh whoops, Yeah, yeah, all right, 323 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:08,640 I'm gonna jump all the way to the end of the alphabet because we 324 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:12,559 don't care about it. We both have wizards takes. That's gonna be fantastic. 325 00:22:12,599 --> 00:22:15,559 I do. I do have a wizard's sake, and I'm i The 326 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:19,440 thing I wrote for for br I don't know last week was not was not 327 00:22:19,559 --> 00:22:26,359 ridiculous enough. So I think Jordan Poole is going to lead the NBA in 328 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:33,240 total points and total turnovers this season. So to do that, he's gonna 329 00:22:33,279 --> 00:22:37,160 have to play a lot, which he does. He played all eighty two 330 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:38,880 last year, seventy sixth the year before, so he's gonna get the playing 331 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:44,759 time. He only took eighteen shots in Washington's first game. You'll only but 332 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,519 Dan, that was in twenty six minutes. That's a lot of shots in 333 00:22:48,559 --> 00:22:52,359 twenty six minutes. And he had four turnovers in twenty six minutes. I'm 334 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:55,440 not gonna do the math to extrapolate that out, but I feel pretty good 335 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:57,920 about my prediction. So, I mean, he's gonna have to average like 336 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:02,799 close to close to thirty a game, probably because there'll be guys over thirty 337 00:23:02,839 --> 00:23:06,559 that don't play, you know, seventy five games or whatever. I believe 338 00:23:06,599 --> 00:23:08,559 he can do it. I believe he has it in him. I don't 339 00:23:08,599 --> 00:23:11,880 know what his field goal percentage is gonna be. I should have gone a 340 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:15,559 trifecta of like, you know, most turnover, most missshots, most points, 341 00:23:15,599 --> 00:23:19,400 most turnovers or something, but that would have gotten too complicated. Do 342 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:25,039 you maybe that's not ridiculous enough or maybe that's not enough of an overreaction. 343 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,480 But I saw eighteen shots in twenty six minutes. I just like, this 344 00:23:27,559 --> 00:23:32,279 guy is gonna chuck all year and he's gonna turn it over all year and 345 00:23:32,319 --> 00:23:36,319 it's gonna be amazing. That's I mean, total points is bold because you're 346 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:42,119 banking on a certain level of availability and the fact that he actively furthers what 347 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:47,240 is eventually going to be a more egregious tank job where it's like, like 348 00:23:47,279 --> 00:23:49,559 it would almost be bolder to say that Kyle Kuzma is on this team past 349 00:23:49,599 --> 00:23:56,119 the trade then pot I'm trying to look up right now, who's what the 350 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:59,000 total team? But I guess he has so yeah, he had four turnovers 351 00:23:59,039 --> 00:24:02,279 in twenty six minutes, so they get the turnovers will be there. I 352 00:24:02,319 --> 00:24:04,599 was just wondering, is he gonna pass? Try passing enough, but his 353 00:24:04,759 --> 00:24:08,359 he's advent. He doesn't have to pass that much. The adventures after Dribble 354 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,839 could help. So I have a pop. Well, I guess yours was 355 00:24:11,839 --> 00:24:17,000 both positive and negative. Nice way to strike a balance there. Here's I'm 356 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:18,480 gonna run through the list again. I did this on the West Pod, 357 00:24:18,519 --> 00:24:22,359 but since this is a different pod. Of the top who finished in the 358 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:26,119 top ten of Most Improved Player voting last year Larry market In, Shay Jylen 359 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:30,720 Brunson, McHale, Bridges, Nick Claxton, Tyres Albert, and Trey Murphy. 360 00:24:30,039 --> 00:24:33,519 Dearon Fox and kvon Looney were tied at eighth. If you Care, 361 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:38,240 Austin Reeves was a tenth. Denny Avdya is going to crack the top ten, 362 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:44,200 and I say this. I went back and was watching everything Denny Avdya 363 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:48,160 did in game one. It was not much, and he started out more 364 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:52,880 aggressive than he finished. We're gonna get this is the year, We're gonna 365 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:56,119 get there. This is someone who sees the floor in transition. He looked 366 00:24:56,119 --> 00:25:00,359 a little bit more aggressive attacking the basket again very early on. I know 367 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:03,880 that this is coming on the heels of them giving up eight trillion points to 368 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:08,480 the Pacers, but his defensive assignments and performance have always been tougher and better 369 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,960 than you think. I do question whether enough people, and I'll throw myself 370 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:18,400 in this included we'll see enough of the Wizards like live games, rather than 371 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,640 going back and watching possessions and doing film work to say, oh, Denny 372 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:25,279 Avia belongs here. Will the three point volume come up? Will the volume 373 00:25:25,319 --> 00:25:27,480 in general be there? Because he took under ten shots? Again, this 374 00:25:27,519 --> 00:25:32,279 is someone who has never averaged ten shots a game, never had a usage 375 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:37,920 rate grant of seventeen or higher. That is so Infantismal pj T loves it. 376 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,079 He's putting it together, and I think because the opportunity is going to 377 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:45,400 be there, and the opportunity will grow as the season goes on and Kyle 378 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:51,880 Kuzma joins another team. I think that's the only the reason that's a good 379 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:56,759 overreaction is because it is so hard, if you're a bit like a perimeter 380 00:25:56,839 --> 00:26:00,279 defender, to continue to care for the full life length of a season when 381 00:26:00,319 --> 00:26:04,640 nobody else on your team is defending and you're just you're down by fifteen five 382 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:08,599 minutes into every game. So I like that. I I feel like there's 383 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:12,680 certain guys that we're sort of aligned on and just like, please let this 384 00:26:12,759 --> 00:26:15,400 be the year. And Avidia is just at the top of that list, 385 00:26:15,599 --> 00:26:19,079 I think for for certainly for me, because I know we've harped on like 386 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,319 what an underrated perimeter defender he is, how he sort of like does the 387 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:27,079 quote unquote plays the right way thing? So I would be This also explains 388 00:26:27,079 --> 00:26:32,720 why in a in one of our stat padding things you put Denny obvious contract 389 00:26:32,759 --> 00:26:34,680 as your favorite of a group of three. So so now it's all adding 390 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:38,279 up for me. Two Wizards. Thoughts. Do you have some where would 391 00:26:38,279 --> 00:26:41,519 you like to go next? Can I do something that might date by the 392 00:26:41,519 --> 00:26:45,400 time I put this podcast up, but I'm gonna I might even leave it 393 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:49,160 in. It got to be wrong because I'm trying to manifest this to existence. 394 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:56,039 Jane Pardon will be traded somewhere other than the Clippers. Oh, now, 395 00:26:56,519 --> 00:27:00,480 I want to be clear, I'm not basing this all off of the 396 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:04,920 Clippers walking away from the negotiating table doing that. I want to make this 397 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:11,799 clear. In late October is the equivalent of acquiring James Harden. There's no 398 00:27:11,839 --> 00:27:19,119 guarantee it sticks from but there is we've already kind of seen it. Whereas 399 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:22,119 there's going to be a team, and it feels like the Clippers. We 400 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,599 didn't talk about them on the Overreactions Pod. I mean, they beat up 401 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:27,160 on the Blazers and Kuhi and Paul George. Look, I don't know what 402 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:33,240 to I don't know what else to say. There's a there's a higher probability 403 00:27:33,279 --> 00:27:37,680 even though I look at the Clippers this way. Either they get off to 404 00:27:37,759 --> 00:27:41,200 a great start and it should technically still increase their urgency to win just because 405 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:48,319 the window remains finite, or they start off slow and that still increases the 406 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:52,200 urgency because the window is so finite. But there's also that outside possibility they 407 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:56,960 start out so good they decide, hey, you know what, like, 408 00:27:56,839 --> 00:28:02,079 we don't want to give up a small ranch them for an over thirty, 409 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:07,720 a star in his mid thirties approaching free agency with a questionable postseason resume who's 410 00:28:07,759 --> 00:28:11,680 transcendent playmaking comes at the cost of functional valuability. And maybe yeah, they'll 411 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:17,680 still make a trade, hopefully for someone or that cracks their preferred closing lineup. 412 00:28:18,079 --> 00:28:19,680 But it might just be it doesn't need to be a James Harden, 413 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:26,000 So I'm catering to that possibility. And I'm also just saying there's going to 414 00:28:26,039 --> 00:28:32,640 be a team somewhere that will start off poorly enough, extremely worse for wear 415 00:28:33,079 --> 00:28:37,119 relative to their preseason projections, desperate for an infusion of something, anything, 416 00:28:37,599 --> 00:28:42,480 anyone, and they will talk themselves into James Harden being an upgrade through over 417 00:28:42,519 --> 00:28:45,880 what they have through at least mid April, late April whatever. I don't 418 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,839 know who that team is, shout out Timberwolves, maybe Bulls, maybe Nicks, 419 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:53,119 whoever they're gonna tal. I'm just I'm trying to will it into existence. 420 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:57,279 If you're asking me for a confidence meter on this, it's we're at 421 00:28:57,319 --> 00:29:03,079 like we're single digits out of a hundred. I as you're as you're talking, 422 00:29:03,119 --> 00:29:07,640 I'm trying to think, I love this, I love the take. 423 00:29:07,759 --> 00:29:11,720 I'm trying to think, like who that team is going to be? Like 424 00:29:11,799 --> 00:29:15,400 who you know? You you hear Miami, But that always just kind of 425 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:18,359 feels like half of a joke because of the conditioning side of it and hardened 426 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:25,359 being involved in that. What's Miami's penchant now for almost acquiring Stars. Well, 427 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:27,559 yeah, they're like the Danny They're the new Danny age Celtics of the 428 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:30,680 NBA of like we were in on it. We just, you know, 429 00:29:30,839 --> 00:29:33,240 we just couldn't get there, man, Like where does Harden? I guess 430 00:29:33,279 --> 00:29:37,680 if there were an easy answer, that suitor would have emerged. But yeah, 431 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:41,920 I think it'll take some level of desperation and some amount of passage of 432 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:44,799 time, and then you will get more because like, if the Clippers were 433 00:29:44,799 --> 00:29:45,720 gonna do this, they would have done it, right, Like, by 434 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:49,119 this point, it's couldn't you see what's more? So? What's more, 435 00:29:49,319 --> 00:29:52,319 it's I think we know what's more likely if they start to play poorly or 436 00:29:52,319 --> 00:29:56,799 there's an injury, that's going to increase their urgency to get a hardened deal 437 00:29:56,839 --> 00:30:00,000 done more than if they're playing well. Right. Yeah, I think that's 438 00:30:00,079 --> 00:30:04,920 right because if they're playing well, the Clippers sort of have validation of oh 439 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:08,559 no, these two guys plus role players will work as long as we're healthy 440 00:30:08,599 --> 00:30:12,640 and we're playing well, and then we don't need to introduce this massive variable 441 00:30:12,759 --> 00:30:17,880 to the equation. I think that's right. And yeah, and it's also 442 00:30:18,119 --> 00:30:23,079 just if you're the Clippers, what you're willing to offer probably diminishes a little 443 00:30:23,079 --> 00:30:27,279 bit with each passing game, because now you just you're getting hardened for fewer 444 00:30:27,319 --> 00:30:32,279 guaranteed games, Whereas if you your best offer in theory should have been on 445 00:30:32,279 --> 00:30:36,279 the table when you knew you could have theoretically had him for all eighty two, 446 00:30:37,079 --> 00:30:40,079 and now it's just okay, a share of this season is being eaten 447 00:30:40,119 --> 00:30:42,480 into with each passing game. Is their offer going to get worse? And 448 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:47,440 so? Is there just another team who's more desperate that maybe they're still not 449 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:49,960 giving up a crap ton and maybe it has to be like a nineteen team 450 00:30:51,039 --> 00:30:53,640 trade scenario, but they're gonna give you more than the Clippers are willing to 451 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:56,680 give up at this point. And that's just sort of I don't Again, 452 00:30:56,759 --> 00:31:00,279 I don't know how much I believe this, but I of randomness. So 453 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:06,119 I'm gonna I'm gonna curry to that, all right. I have, like, 454 00:31:06,279 --> 00:31:11,119 I don't know how much you know there is to chew on here, 455 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:14,559 but I have an Orlando Magic take. Are you prepared for it? Would 456 00:31:14,559 --> 00:31:17,359 you? Please? I'm just I'm asking, don't get them angry, don't 457 00:31:17,359 --> 00:31:19,200 get the fans angry. I have nothing to lose. Dan I got nothing 458 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:25,880 to lose with Orlando and like this will be another hybrid positive. So it's 459 00:31:26,519 --> 00:31:32,559 that's what the that's what they uh. I think at the end of this 460 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:36,720 season, you will not find many people. I don't know how to frame 461 00:31:36,799 --> 00:31:40,960 this, like I think it will be broadly accepted that Franz Wagner is the 462 00:31:41,039 --> 00:31:48,680 better prospect than Paula Bancaro too hot, not hot enough. I don't think 463 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:52,680 it's I think it strikes the right balance, but I wouldn't call it a 464 00:31:52,839 --> 00:31:59,319 hybrid positive. I feel like that would make some people angry because you're maybe 465 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:01,400 not no, let's let's let's go at it from this way. I don't 466 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:06,000 think it means like bank hero is gonna you know, shoot thirty eight percent 467 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,640 from the field and just not matter. I think he will get a lot 468 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:12,079 better. I think he'll you know, I think he's going to be a 469 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:15,359 very good player and his ceiling remains like stupid high. I think Wagner, 470 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:20,279 though, like just cut last year eighteen six three and a half assists, 471 00:32:20,279 --> 00:32:23,759 four point one rebounds, shot thirty six point one percent from three forty eight 472 00:32:23,759 --> 00:32:27,839 and a half percent from the field. Is age twenty one season and then 473 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:30,759 goes and plays in Foba. I know, like it's easy to you know, 474 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:34,839 all the Anthony Edwards stuff in Foba is like, oh, he's arrived, 475 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:37,200 and then it's like, well, you know, it's nice. But 476 00:32:37,799 --> 00:32:42,400 I think that Foba stuff does matter sometimes, especially when it's a guy that, 477 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:46,319 like his role for Germany is different than it is for the Magic, 478 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:50,119 right, Like there's other in Germany has to do, just he has to 479 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:53,640 stretch and do more stuff, and as an international player, like he was 480 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:59,480 awesome, And I just think that suggests to me that Wagner is somebody that 481 00:33:00,119 --> 00:33:04,480 well, like put one of his main strengths is his ability to make open 482 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:07,160 shots, to defend, to attack the basket, to pat like he's versatile. 483 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:09,880 That's like a big plus for him. I think there's just more of 484 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:15,799 everything that he can do. And I think what he did in Foba and 485 00:33:15,839 --> 00:33:19,400 sort of like just the natural progression of his game, starting out as a 486 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:22,559 rookie already being able to do way more than he was billed as like he 487 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:23,880 was supposed to be. Like, well, i think he's going to make 488 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:27,759 open threes coming out of college, but I'm not sure what else. And 489 00:33:28,039 --> 00:33:30,839 immediately that was debunked. I think he has such a complete game and is 490 00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:36,640 so capable of being like just higher in the pecking order on all fronts as 491 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:39,160 a scorer, as a distributor, as a defender. That will end this 492 00:33:39,279 --> 00:33:45,559 season and look at him as someone that is just like remember when Gordon Hayward 493 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:47,640 was like at his absolute peak, you know, with you like coming off 494 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:51,640 those Utah seasons, Whereas like, this guy's game just has no holes. 495 00:33:51,759 --> 00:33:54,799 Like he he understands how to use his frame, he's quick, he's strong, 496 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:59,079 he scores at all three levels. I think that's I mean, that 497 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:02,079 might even undersell what I think Franz could do, but I see him surpassing 498 00:34:02,119 --> 00:34:07,440 ban Cao in terms of like, oh this is our guy. Yeah, 499 00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:09,320 that's it. That is pretty bold, just because even if bank Caro has 500 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:14,519 a like regresses this season for some reason and which I don't think will happen 501 00:34:14,599 --> 00:34:19,280 to be clear, yeah, or Franz Wagner is like improves a bunch while 502 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:22,119 that happens, it's you look at I think bank Carroll's passing for me and 503 00:34:22,159 --> 00:34:25,239 the ability to get to the foul line is the biggest thing. Uh. 504 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:29,440 And I don't know if there's gonna be enough of a differentiator for them on 505 00:34:29,519 --> 00:34:31,480 defense. I think Palo's more switchable. I think Franz is definitely the better. 506 00:34:32,039 --> 00:34:36,199 Gives you more positional malleability technically, and it's going to be better in 507 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:39,320 one on one situations. It's I I'll frame it this, I was probably 508 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:44,960 overreacting to your overreaction. If that comes to fruition, that's that's a good 509 00:34:45,039 --> 00:34:49,400 problem to have, I think. So the other thing is this changes if 510 00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:52,519 ban Caro because he only shot one three in Orlando's first game Bankaro did, 511 00:34:52,559 --> 00:34:57,519 and he shot under thirty percent from deep last year, that matters a lot 512 00:34:57,559 --> 00:35:00,000 less if he's just gonna be a center, you know, at some point 513 00:35:00,039 --> 00:35:02,599 point, which won't happen now, because Wendell Carter is you know, a 514 00:35:02,639 --> 00:35:06,480 pretty good starter and is on a good contract and is just going to be 515 00:35:06,519 --> 00:35:09,800 the five there. But if if we start getting signs that ben Caro is 516 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:14,159 just like, oh no, he's he's a five that can handle the ball 517 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:19,639 and pass and score and attack the basket, like, then the prospect uh 518 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:23,239 calculus changes a little bit because that player type is like, that's rare and 519 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:27,719 that's incredibly valuable. So but I don't know that that's going to happen this 520 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:31,199 year. Maybe the maybe the really crazy overaction would be it'll be abundantly clear 521 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:36,119 that benk Caro is going to play center full time by some point during this 522 00:35:36,199 --> 00:35:39,159 year. That would be I think I would. I'm trying to figure out 523 00:35:39,159 --> 00:35:44,599 what would surprise me more. I just think Carter is good enough to just 524 00:35:44,679 --> 00:35:47,920 they're not going to mess around with that too much yet. Probably. Okay, 525 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:52,840 you're ready for a Milwaukee overreaction. And we haven't even seen Milwaukee play 526 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:54,920 yet. And that's not because we didn't watch their game. It's because we're 527 00:35:54,960 --> 00:36:00,599 recording this before they make their season debut. The Bucks will have have a 528 00:36:00,679 --> 00:36:07,039 top three offense and defense this season. The offense is sort of self explanatory 529 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:15,000 because Damian Lillard turns what was once their greatest weakness into probably one of their 530 00:36:15,039 --> 00:36:20,079 biggest strength now, which is just half court creation, shot making versatility overall. 531 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:25,639 Now, the defense gets it gets iffy because you go, I mean, 532 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:30,320 after your top four players, then one of them, your top four 533 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:32,079 players, Damian Lillard, who's not a good defender, and so by getting 534 00:36:32,119 --> 00:36:37,239 rid of Drew Holliday, it's not just that you lost your best perimeter defender, 535 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:42,519 it's that you now have added one in Damian Lillard, who a lot 536 00:36:42,559 --> 00:36:45,840 of the times is going to be actively damaging, right, And so you 537 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:52,320 are deciding that, hey, you know, Brook Lopez and ghanaz can just 538 00:36:52,360 --> 00:36:57,400 handle all like everything we need from them. And I think that's the reason 539 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:00,000 we're had to make I just I look at this team and yeah, I'm 540 00:37:00,079 --> 00:37:05,760 kind of okay, we need Pat Connaton and Malik Beasley and Jay Crowder to 541 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:08,679 have really good seasons probably for them to crack the top three of defense. 542 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:13,760 But I just when you can stagger Brook Lopez and Jiannis and just still kind 543 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:19,840 of have the same base defensive approach, like it can work. And last 544 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:24,840 year specifically, like their defense when Brooke and Giannis were on the floor without 545 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:30,880 Drew Holiday still rated in the ninety seven percentile. And so we're talking about 546 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:35,000 a sub seven hundred possession sample size, but that's not nothing. And when 547 00:37:35,039 --> 00:37:38,159 you can separate those two, now what happens when you're adding Dame rather than 548 00:37:38,599 --> 00:37:43,360 Javon Carter into the mix, Like, yeah, okay, it's a lot 549 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:46,320 different, But we're supposed to be overreacting here. We haven't seen them play 550 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:50,480 yet, So it's all roses for me, And I think the bigger thing 551 00:37:50,599 --> 00:37:54,000 is, what are you more worried about the talent being able to float a 552 00:37:54,079 --> 00:38:02,079 top three defense or getting enough availability from let's say Middleton, Lopez and Yannis 553 00:38:02,079 --> 00:38:06,400 for that top three defense to exist. Yeah, I think it's the latter 554 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:10,800 because my main my first thought was like, Middleton's got to do some heavy 555 00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:14,440 lifting, like as a wing defender on this team, and that makes me 556 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:17,320 a little uncomfortable. I just but I still when they made the trade, 557 00:38:17,559 --> 00:38:22,239 I had we probably talked about this. I had defensive questions. But if 558 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:24,360 if it does, if it comes right down to it and Lopez and Janis 559 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:27,880 are on the back line, like how bad is it really going to be? 560 00:38:28,039 --> 00:38:30,000 You know, like that there's it can only be so bad. My 561 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:35,039 my take was probably not as uh well, I don't know. It was 562 00:38:35,079 --> 00:38:39,800 also offense related that Jannis is going to have his highest field goal percentage of 563 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:44,800 his career this year, which like his career highs fifty seven point eight percent, 564 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:46,679 which was in seventeen eighteen, and that's high. Like, if you're 565 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:52,440 up close to sixty percent, that's pretty good. I just I just think 566 00:38:53,039 --> 00:38:59,880 having Dame there, in my mind, should just eliminate like Giannie's four worst 567 00:39:00,079 --> 00:39:02,280 shots per game, just he doesn't have to take those anymore. And you're 568 00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:08,519 from there, You're just you know, he's gonna bump up whatever five percent 569 00:39:08,559 --> 00:39:12,159 and that's gonna get right to it. But I like that. I like 570 00:39:12,239 --> 00:39:17,559 your take. I think I'm trying to think what I'm more concerned about the 571 00:39:17,599 --> 00:39:22,960 top three offense or defense because the late game stuff is solved with Dame. 572 00:39:22,039 --> 00:39:27,199 But I wonder, over the course of forty eight minutes, like how I 573 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:30,320 that's a good thing, because there are ways for it to go very wrong 574 00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:34,320 on both sides. For right, I just their half court offense when Middleton 575 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:38,440 came back the second time last year, was borderline statistically elite, Yeah, 576 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:44,199 and socially. Now you're just thrown Dame in there. And maybe or could 577 00:39:44,199 --> 00:39:49,960 I be overestimating the upgrade of going from regular season Drew Holliday to regular season 578 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:53,840 Damian Lillard. I don't think I am offensively, but it's probably like Drew 579 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:59,519 Howdy makes jumpers in the regular season, that's what he does. No, 580 00:39:59,639 --> 00:40:01,920 I think I kind of like that one. I'm trying to see if I 581 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:06,079 have any other ones. I must get out into the world. If you 582 00:40:06,079 --> 00:40:07,559 have one, hit me. But I have a couple, and I think 583 00:40:08,079 --> 00:40:14,480 I think they're mostly quick. We both predicted Evan Mobley to win Defensive Player 584 00:40:14,519 --> 00:40:16,079 of the Year. I think I'm gonna stick with this, even though I 585 00:40:16,079 --> 00:40:22,119 said Kate Cunningham made me rethink everything most improved or defensive player. Theyre Kate 586 00:40:22,119 --> 00:40:24,519 Cunningham is not winning Defensive Player of the Year. No, no, I'm 587 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:29,480 it's a preamble. Okay, all right, all right, sorry, apologies, 588 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:32,480 Kate Cunningham, Devin miss Out, Franz Wagner, all players that made 589 00:40:32,519 --> 00:40:37,199 me kind of wonder if I should go this route. Evan Mobley's gonna win 590 00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:40,000 Defensive Player of the Year and most improved Player. I love it. It 591 00:40:40,519 --> 00:40:45,039 comes down, I think to two things. We know what he is on 592 00:40:45,119 --> 00:40:51,480 defense, but can he be that on defense while also playing minutes at center 593 00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:54,159 when Jared Allen is one injured like he is right now or just off the 594 00:40:54,199 --> 00:40:59,000 court. I think he's there. There's a lot of stuff going on with 595 00:40:59,039 --> 00:41:00,280 that first calvs. Game, which is the only game we've seen in the 596 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:02,960 Cavs sample size. We have to work off for this. That's gonna be 597 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:07,440 the caveat as we wrap up this podcast, but it's gonna come down to 598 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:10,480 can he be the center? And I think he can. I think that 599 00:41:10,519 --> 00:41:14,960 there is a little bit more of a physicality to his game. The bigger 600 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:17,199 thing he might be more foul troubled during those minutes. He's gotta figure that 601 00:41:17,280 --> 00:41:22,480 out. The other thing is just is he branched out enough on offense, 602 00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:24,079 because no one's gonna look at his defense say, oh, hey, he 603 00:41:24,159 --> 00:41:28,639 did so good as the center, like he's defensively he's the most improved player. 604 00:41:29,239 --> 00:41:30,559 I think he'll get there. On offense, we saw in the first 605 00:41:30,599 --> 00:41:37,639 game sort of flickers of it. His decision making and confidence level levels feel 606 00:41:37,639 --> 00:41:39,960 like they have increased, and it also seems like he's just quicker working from 607 00:41:39,960 --> 00:41:45,199 a face up, working in the post. What he's doing looks less like 608 00:41:45,239 --> 00:41:49,079 an anomaly and looks more fluid, like he's been doing it and it's second 609 00:41:49,159 --> 00:41:52,800 nature and is at home doing it. It wasn't in high enough volume, 610 00:41:52,159 --> 00:41:59,440 it didn't look great in the third quarter, but I think he can and 611 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:04,239 will get The bigger question for me is is there the runway for it to 612 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:07,559 happen on an iteration of the Calves team, of a Calves team that has 613 00:42:07,599 --> 00:42:15,400 Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland to shoulder so much of the offensive burden. Is 614 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:19,320 Evan Mobley our number one guy on the list. I was talking about of 615 00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:22,920 let god, let this be just do it, get there, get there, 616 00:42:22,119 --> 00:42:25,039 Let this be the year because Ojiannaobi had it for me for a long 617 00:42:25,079 --> 00:42:30,360 time, and Dearn Fox was that guy and then wasn't and then now is 618 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:34,199 again and has already arrived, and he's gonna be like top you know seven 619 00:42:34,199 --> 00:42:37,719 in MVP voting. I think we're not talking about the West, but Mobiley, 620 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:40,000 I think is the one we just want to we just please get there, 621 00:42:40,079 --> 00:42:43,480 right, He's got to be our number one. We need to come 622 00:42:43,519 --> 00:42:45,199 up with a name, for a label for this category of player. Is 623 00:42:45,239 --> 00:42:49,880 that a rush to urgency though he's in year three, That's the thing's all. 624 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:52,039 It's more ridiculous for us to feel that way about him than even like 625 00:42:52,119 --> 00:42:58,159 Avdia, because for Mobiley to become what we keep hoping for him to be, 626 00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:01,239 it's gonna take till he's like twenty five or twenty six, and like 627 00:43:02,199 --> 00:43:07,159 what we hope he is is so high it's so much more than we expect 628 00:43:07,159 --> 00:43:10,599 from like all these other guys we're rooting for. Yeah, well, Discord, 629 00:43:12,039 --> 00:43:15,480 somebody on Discord figure out what we call that category player. I don't 630 00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:19,320 have a Cavs one because I was just gonna say Mobile's gonna win Defensive Player 631 00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:22,679 of the Year, which feels like an overreaction out because when Bin Yama exists, 632 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:25,639 but I have a heat one, you want to hear my heat one 633 00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:30,159 please? All right? So historically, just they figure out how to defend 634 00:43:30,559 --> 00:43:37,639 because they have a militaristic approach to training and they always try hard, and 635 00:43:37,800 --> 00:43:43,119 Eric Spolstra just deploys the heat in ways that make defense good. They were 636 00:43:43,119 --> 00:43:45,239 seventh on defense last year. They were twenty fifth on offense. I think 637 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:51,320 those numbers could flip this season, which is wild because they still have bam 638 00:43:51,360 --> 00:43:53,880 Adebayo, they still have Jimmy Butler. This is based on the theory of 639 00:43:54,920 --> 00:43:59,760 you're gonna play a lot of minutes with Duncan Robinson and Tyler Hero on the 640 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:04,000 floor together, and that's gonna make your offense a lot better than twenty fifth, 641 00:44:04,039 --> 00:44:06,280 which is like, just looking at that from last year, it's so 642 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:09,800 hard to fathom how this offense was so terrible, it's also gonna make your 643 00:44:09,800 --> 00:44:14,280 defense a lot worse than seventh. So I think there's a really good chance 644 00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:17,639 Miami Field's a top ten offense this year and is in is close to the 645 00:44:17,679 --> 00:44:22,440 bottom ten defensively, because I'm also pricing in. I think Butler's gonna miss 646 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:27,760 some time. That just is a given. And I think Lowry is now 647 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:31,079 just someone that like, I'm not what do we do with Kyle Lowry at 648 00:44:31,079 --> 00:44:35,000 this point? Like it happened, like it's the aging curve is what it 649 00:44:35,079 --> 00:44:38,719 is. But I just I don't think he's someone that he used to be 650 00:44:38,760 --> 00:44:43,880 such a disruptive defensive weapon for a guy his size, and I just don't 651 00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:47,679 really see that anymore. Uh So, mostly though, you're gonna play a 652 00:44:47,719 --> 00:44:51,960 lot of Hero, a lot of Robinson, a lot of Hero Robinson together, 653 00:44:52,760 --> 00:44:54,719 and I think that's just gonna make it too there's too many holes to 654 00:44:54,719 --> 00:44:59,159 plug if that's if that's how you're going for it, so the numbers will 655 00:44:59,159 --> 00:45:02,960 flip. I did like you were saying hero Ball with Robinson, like the 656 00:45:04,159 --> 00:45:07,159 Hero hero Ball with other Robinson. But yeah, that's interesting. They're a 657 00:45:07,199 --> 00:45:13,079 team that I just have no great feel for and part of that is they 658 00:45:13,239 --> 00:45:16,559 just made the finals. They did lose key players like Tyler Herro wasn't playing 659 00:45:16,639 --> 00:45:21,519 during that post. It's just I'm down on what they did over the off 660 00:45:21,519 --> 00:45:23,480 season because of not getting Dame Lollard and laying those guys. But it's also 661 00:45:23,639 --> 00:45:28,039 just like everything you lay out, I could also see them having an elite 662 00:45:28,039 --> 00:45:34,280 defense still though, just like that's there, Yeah, I have I have 663 00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:38,760 two more quick ones. My margin for error here is not very wide because 664 00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:44,440 I already predicted two of my top three MVP finishers, which one of them 665 00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:46,119 already went against what I said in the preseason. I had Devin Booker in 666 00:45:46,159 --> 00:45:50,199 the top five. I put him third, said in the top three. 667 00:45:50,320 --> 00:45:52,119 Oh no, I said it in the top five, and he won't be 668 00:45:52,159 --> 00:45:54,960 fourth or fifth. So and I have Jokic winning it, as do you. 669 00:45:55,679 --> 00:45:59,920 Yeah, Jason Tatum will be in the top three of MVP voting. 670 00:46:00,079 --> 00:46:05,119 Is that not spicy enough? Well, I think it's. I think it 671 00:46:05,199 --> 00:46:09,360 might run up against although like since since you're giving such a narrow like band, 672 00:46:09,559 --> 00:46:13,559 I think that makes it spicy enough. But like, he's gonna be 673 00:46:13,639 --> 00:46:15,840 on a team that wins a ton of games, and he'll be the best 674 00:46:15,880 --> 00:46:22,599 player on that team. So I'm not sure it's just really good players tend 675 00:46:22,599 --> 00:46:28,039 to cannibalize importance that he's playing with Drew Holliday, Chris Tops, who's apparently 676 00:46:28,840 --> 00:46:31,880 Pek Rudy Gobert, and the best version of Karl Anthony Towns possible all at 677 00:46:31,880 --> 00:46:36,159 once. And look, we know he had a good season in Washington. 678 00:46:36,719 --> 00:46:39,559 I did not think the fit was gonna be as squeaky clean in Boston, 679 00:46:39,679 --> 00:46:45,639 kind of knocking him down a peg or two in the offensive hierarchy. He 680 00:46:45,679 --> 00:46:47,760 looked super comfortable. And I know it was the Knicks, and I don't 681 00:46:47,760 --> 00:46:51,679 think their bigs are set up well to defend him, but he was. 682 00:46:52,119 --> 00:46:55,360 They were the Knicks for Craven. They were terrified of christ Top. They 683 00:46:55,360 --> 00:46:59,280 didn't know what to do with him in that game. And this is before 684 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:00,880 I thirty. This is all the say. So you have him, you 685 00:47:00,920 --> 00:47:07,039 have Jalen Brown still, Andrew Holliday, so to kind of separate yourself enough, 686 00:47:07,079 --> 00:47:09,840 which I think will happen. But he is one of the most complete 687 00:47:09,840 --> 00:47:14,079 scores in the game. Now, that is the Jason Tatum stuff. Concerns 688 00:47:14,119 --> 00:47:16,960 about that that ship is sailed years ago. At this point, maybe some 689 00:47:17,000 --> 00:47:20,320 of the turnovers you get worried about. It comes down to the playmaking. 690 00:47:20,920 --> 00:47:24,519 I think he's shown that he can get there and make more complicated reads. 691 00:47:24,559 --> 00:47:28,280 I think he needs to get better at getting rid of the ball when he's 692 00:47:28,320 --> 00:47:30,760 kind of working slower on some of the angles and the half court, or 693 00:47:30,920 --> 00:47:35,719 just he can get a little bit tunnel visiony on his drives, separating yourself 694 00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:37,800 just from that group to say, hey, you deserve to win MVP, 695 00:47:37,199 --> 00:47:40,880 but best player on the best team is certainly okay. That's that's a case 696 00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:45,840 that might write itself for him. Except here's the problem, and this is 697 00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:49,119 why he's bold. Nicole jokicch and the Nuggets exist. So best player on 698 00:47:49,199 --> 00:47:52,519 the best team already sewn up that, you know, that is a strong 699 00:47:52,559 --> 00:47:58,000 point. I don't disagree with that. I'm trying to think, like, 700 00:47:58,840 --> 00:48:00,880 I mean, we could just talk abouts if we're going to overreact to stuff, 701 00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:07,960 because like he just looked unbelievable. I wonder if if part of what 702 00:48:07,079 --> 00:48:13,760 could make your Tatum MVP prediction, you know, more like kind of out 703 00:48:13,800 --> 00:48:16,280 on a limb than it might seem, is that Boston's still really thin, 704 00:48:16,840 --> 00:48:21,480 and you know it's not necessarily a team like that. Level of or lack 705 00:48:21,519 --> 00:48:23,880 of depth, I think means that, like you know, an injury or 706 00:48:23,920 --> 00:48:28,239 two means the regular season record might not be that great. We all agree 707 00:48:28,239 --> 00:48:30,760 that, like that top six is going to just crush in the playoffs. 708 00:48:30,800 --> 00:48:34,480 That's what it's built to do. But maybe if they are not at the 709 00:48:34,480 --> 00:48:37,360 top of the conference, which I think they will be, but you know 710 00:48:37,480 --> 00:48:40,440 that's not a given, then Tatum's Tatum has to be really great statistically, 711 00:48:40,800 --> 00:48:45,320 which which is possible. Was definitely like on the table for sure. But 712 00:48:45,320 --> 00:48:49,360 but the risk of Boston's depth being an issue I think kind of helps your 713 00:48:49,400 --> 00:48:53,159 case as a as an overreaction or a bold prediction. And they're clearly just 714 00:48:53,239 --> 00:48:55,679 trying stuff. I know some of this had to do with what the Knicks 715 00:48:57,159 --> 00:48:59,760 do on the offensive glass, but they were playing Chris Tops and Blue Cornette 716 00:48:59,760 --> 00:49:02,800 together at one point, so like, you're clearly fun. They're searching my 717 00:49:02,880 --> 00:49:06,079 final one on the East before we get to the listeners. So unless you 718 00:49:06,119 --> 00:49:07,039 have you have any others, no, no, no, go ahead. 719 00:49:07,280 --> 00:49:10,880 This is it's not necessarily because I believe in this team, but I'm just 720 00:49:12,000 --> 00:49:15,840 convinced that this is the route it's gonna go. The Toronto Raptors are going 721 00:49:15,880 --> 00:49:20,960 to make another win now trade everyone's waiting for the Raptors to trade some of 722 00:49:21,000 --> 00:49:23,400 their good players to their favorite team. The Raptors are gonna go the other 723 00:49:23,440 --> 00:49:29,000 way, and they've almost boxed themselves into a corner. One. First of 724 00:49:29,000 --> 00:49:31,199 all, they don't subscribe to group think. If they did, they wouldn't 725 00:49:31,199 --> 00:49:34,639 have let Fred van Vleet lock for nothing. They would have resigned Hm or 726 00:49:34,679 --> 00:49:37,559 trade him at the deadline. But like, you're at a point now where 727 00:49:37,559 --> 00:49:43,760 it's you can't you almost can't roll this back. You have Siakam, Trent, 728 00:49:44,280 --> 00:49:47,440 and Oji Annoby are all headed to free agency, so you've passed the 729 00:49:47,440 --> 00:49:51,199 peak of their trade values. For sure, you're gonna settle for less. 730 00:49:51,559 --> 00:49:53,559 And you've re signed Yaka Pertl, who, by the way, you gave 731 00:49:53,679 --> 00:49:58,639 up a top six predicted first round pick for that conveys to San Antonio this 732 00:49:58,719 --> 00:50:02,400 year, you are by extension and like it's it's either it can go both 733 00:50:02,440 --> 00:50:07,239 ways too. Maybe Scottie Barnes can like looks great and that's okay, like 734 00:50:07,280 --> 00:50:08,719 we can do something now, or it doesn't look that great, and you 735 00:50:08,800 --> 00:50:14,119 gotta account for that somehow. So maybe they still end up moving one of 736 00:50:14,159 --> 00:50:16,239 the guys that everybody wants. But it'll be part of a win now trade. 737 00:50:16,320 --> 00:50:20,320 And this is all you know, depending on whether you ask Messi Eu 738 00:50:20,400 --> 00:50:23,039 Jerry, they loosely flirted with Dame. If you ask Bobby Webster, they 739 00:50:23,079 --> 00:50:27,840 basically had Dame like there's there was no party line there. It seems like 740 00:50:28,360 --> 00:50:31,360 I'm just convinced everyone's expecting Toronto to do one thing. And I'm not saying 741 00:50:31,360 --> 00:50:36,280 they're the new Bulls, but it's they're kind of the opposite. They they're 742 00:50:36,360 --> 00:50:42,679 just doing the unexpected and so I I don't know if they're gonna be good 743 00:50:42,760 --> 00:50:45,079 enough to do this. And this is something that will probably play out closer 744 00:50:45,119 --> 00:50:47,280 to February. They will make a win now trade. I'm not saying it'll 745 00:50:47,320 --> 00:50:51,400 be a big win now trade, but they will make a win now trade. 746 00:50:52,280 --> 00:50:58,000 They almost have to. That's that's you boil down my one minute ramble 747 00:50:58,119 --> 00:51:00,400 to it. They you know, they they just they almost have to. 748 00:51:00,559 --> 00:51:05,119 And it's not like they won't be doing it from a position of strength. 749 00:51:05,440 --> 00:51:10,280 I don't think that's the I think I think that's right My my take on 750 00:51:10,320 --> 00:51:14,119 them was that they will pick a direction, which is the boldest thing you 751 00:51:14,119 --> 00:51:16,800 could possibly say about Toronto because they just won't or have not for a couple 752 00:51:16,840 --> 00:51:20,440 of years, and we've harped on them for it. But yeah, like, 753 00:51:20,840 --> 00:51:23,239 if you got these three guys hitting free agency and you've got this, 754 00:51:23,639 --> 00:51:30,199 your tanking isn't really a great strategy for you this year and you just watch 755 00:51:30,320 --> 00:51:34,199 van Fleet walk away and you did not move Gary, Trent or van Fleet 756 00:51:34,239 --> 00:51:38,000 last year when this exact situation was looming, like you gotta like, you 757 00:51:38,079 --> 00:51:40,000 gotta you might have. I mean you might as well. I don't know 758 00:51:40,039 --> 00:51:43,639 what that looks like though, you know, if you if you make a 759 00:51:43,679 --> 00:51:46,639 win now trade, like what are the pieces? I guess I maybe if 760 00:51:46,679 --> 00:51:51,599 you trade Barnes that's pretty win now. But that's that's I mean, imagine 761 00:51:51,599 --> 00:51:54,079 the stake, the situation they'd be in if they move Barnes and they got 762 00:51:54,119 --> 00:51:58,519 all these free agents and you took on like veteran money or something. I 763 00:51:58,639 --> 00:52:00,159 try to think what player would need to come avail, But they didn't trade 764 00:52:00,199 --> 00:52:04,639 him for Kevin Durant. So I'm just kind of like and Ognanobi is uh, 765 00:52:05,119 --> 00:52:07,599 you know, you need six first round picks to get in anobe, 766 00:52:07,639 --> 00:52:10,039 So that's that's a tough one too. Are you ready to get into hot 767 00:52:10,119 --> 00:52:15,599 or not? Yes, but I always do so I always do this wrong. 768 00:52:16,119 --> 00:52:21,079 So if my answer is that is a hot take, I'm saying I 769 00:52:21,239 --> 00:52:24,159 disagree with that, that's too ridiculous. And if it's not a hot take, 770 00:52:24,559 --> 00:52:28,119 I just want to be clear because I feel like whenever I answer these, 771 00:52:28,360 --> 00:52:30,039 I'm like doing the opposite. So the idea is basically, you would 772 00:52:30,039 --> 00:52:34,280 bet if you're saying hot, because these are first of all, they're they're 773 00:52:34,280 --> 00:52:37,559 submitted by our listeners, our Discord members. Again, get in Discord. 774 00:52:37,559 --> 00:52:40,000 We try and run some stuff where you guys are everyone's involved, and also 775 00:52:40,159 --> 00:52:45,000 we just appreciate when people ensure that we're not the only ones like coming up 776 00:52:45,000 --> 00:52:46,920 with it. We want to do what people who are listening to this podcast 777 00:52:47,199 --> 00:52:51,440 actually want to hear about. And it seems like our Discord members enjoy this. 778 00:52:51,840 --> 00:52:54,039 So they're giving us hot or not hot takes that they believe are hot. 779 00:52:54,079 --> 00:52:58,360 And if we say hot, we're bet against We're betting against it happening. 780 00:52:58,400 --> 00:53:00,119 And if we're saying no, we're not sake it's a formality, but 781 00:53:00,159 --> 00:53:04,760 it's just it's more likely than not, or more plausible than implot got it. 782 00:53:04,800 --> 00:53:07,360 Okay, So I've been approaching this correctly. I've just been in my 783 00:53:07,400 --> 00:53:08,599 own head about it. So if I say that's a hot take, like, 784 00:53:08,639 --> 00:53:12,239 oh man, I don't know about that one. Okay, I'm ready. 785 00:53:13,000 --> 00:53:15,800 So this one comes. It was a YouTube submission from Snoozer. Both 786 00:53:15,880 --> 00:53:22,679 the Pelicans and Wolves will finish in the top three of the conference conference and 787 00:53:22,719 --> 00:53:28,920 no team from Texas will make the playoffs. Oh that's a hot one. 788 00:53:29,280 --> 00:53:31,239 That's a hot take. I was. I was like ready to call it 789 00:53:31,280 --> 00:53:35,199 hot, just on the first part of the Pelicans and Wolves in the top 790 00:53:35,519 --> 00:53:37,199 top three. Although I do have I think Minnesota has a chance to be 791 00:53:37,239 --> 00:53:39,639 a really good regular season team. The Pelicans, I think. I don't 792 00:53:39,679 --> 00:53:43,800 know about that. I like the Texas bit though, very hot. I 793 00:53:43,800 --> 00:53:46,719 didn't watch the Timberwolves first game. They had their fans very concerned. They 794 00:53:46,719 --> 00:53:52,800 did, We were both we did it again after maybe we were so relistant. 795 00:53:52,840 --> 00:53:55,000 We were just high on the Timberwolves again and uh, double down, 796 00:53:55,400 --> 00:53:59,800 double down, great, great hot take. Okay, So I would say 797 00:53:59,800 --> 00:54:06,679 that a well Trey real Stroker Murphy from Discord. This is only a hot 798 00:54:06,679 --> 00:54:09,119 take because everyone is way too high on them. But the Oklahoma City Thunder 799 00:54:09,480 --> 00:54:16,599 will miss the postseason. Ooh, I mean that's on the board. I'm 800 00:54:16,599 --> 00:54:21,159 gonna say that's not a hot take because I think what I said. Okay, 801 00:54:21,199 --> 00:54:23,360 see when forty four and you had them at forty two. The West 802 00:54:23,440 --> 00:54:29,559 is a total quagmire. There's like fifteen I shouldn't say fifteen. There's twenty 803 00:54:29,599 --> 00:54:31,960 seven teams in the West that could all finish between you know, three and 804 00:54:32,039 --> 00:54:37,800 twelve or whatever. So that's that's not that hot. I think the Thunder 805 00:54:37,840 --> 00:54:43,000 could both be very good and interesting and exciting and also miss the playoffs. 806 00:54:43,159 --> 00:54:45,840 I think here's here I would say not if you frame it this way, 807 00:54:46,079 --> 00:54:50,840 the Thunder will not be in the top ten of the West. Is that 808 00:54:50,960 --> 00:54:53,199 still hot? Because who are the teams and this isn't just about the Thunder 809 00:54:53,239 --> 00:54:57,280 that you would be willing to bet are going to be in the bottom five. 810 00:54:57,480 --> 00:55:00,679 I still think it'll be the Spurs. Yeah, if Oneby's not in 811 00:55:00,679 --> 00:55:05,039 foul trouble every game, Portland, Houston is there. I'm out on Houston. 812 00:55:05,079 --> 00:55:08,840 That's over. Though Utah is in the bottom five, right, Yeah, 813 00:55:08,880 --> 00:55:15,639 and then it's yeah, I don't know, I think that's hot though 814 00:55:15,679 --> 00:55:17,119 to say they wouldn't be a top ten team in the conference. Maybe, 815 00:55:20,480 --> 00:55:23,360 So I like they're gonna win sixty one games just because of him, So 816 00:55:23,840 --> 00:55:28,119 unless all the other teams win more than that, that's tough. Yeah, 817 00:55:28,159 --> 00:55:30,159 that's a good one. That's that. That's a thinker. We have two 818 00:55:30,280 --> 00:55:35,559 from cosmic raccoon. This one kind of steps on the toes of uh, 819 00:55:36,079 --> 00:55:37,880 why she No, it doesn't. It goes the opposite route. Oh no, 820 00:55:38,079 --> 00:55:40,760 it went the same route as you did. Hot or not. With 821 00:55:40,880 --> 00:55:45,199 Morant out, Tias gone, Adams and Clark out will finally reach a breaking 822 00:55:45,239 --> 00:55:49,679 point for what Taylor Jenkins can overcome, and the grizz will get off to 823 00:55:49,719 --> 00:55:52,480 a very slow start. Yeah, I don't think that's I think that's not 824 00:55:52,599 --> 00:55:55,840 hot. Just you know, I think it's going to be an offensive issue 825 00:55:57,239 --> 00:56:02,320 because Adams really matters and Morant obviously matters offensively. I mean, yeah, 826 00:56:02,360 --> 00:56:05,599 I could see a slow start. I could, but but really, like, 827 00:56:05,639 --> 00:56:07,400 I think the defense is gonna be fine, but but I think the 828 00:56:07,480 --> 00:56:12,360 lack of scoring is going to be put a slow start in, you know, 829 00:56:12,519 --> 00:56:15,519 very much in the realm of possibility, and then it's like, suddenly, 830 00:56:15,639 --> 00:56:17,239 I don't know what would you view that as? Like a referendum on 831 00:56:17,280 --> 00:56:21,000 Taylor Jenkins though I guess that's not really what the question is saying. But 832 00:56:21,119 --> 00:56:22,840 I'm just saying that he won't be able to kind of magic his way out 833 00:56:22,840 --> 00:56:25,039 of this. I think that's I think that's I think that's not a hot 834 00:56:25,039 --> 00:56:28,400 take. I think that's right. I would say not hot. This one 835 00:56:29,119 --> 00:56:34,039 is is a little bit more interesting, hot or not with how Kid is 836 00:56:34,079 --> 00:56:37,159 dealing with the lineups. The MAVs are going to get off to a slow 837 00:56:37,199 --> 00:56:40,320 start, and Kid is going to be fired before Christmas. Oh well, 838 00:56:42,599 --> 00:56:49,719 uh that we're just that girl reacting to the drink meme. Well, I 839 00:56:49,760 --> 00:56:52,880 gotta do the Alonzo morning one next. I don't think that's no, that's 840 00:56:52,920 --> 00:56:57,760 not hot, because if you asked me to pick like five coaches, and 841 00:56:57,800 --> 00:57:00,880 you know, the top five most likely to be fired, kids just always 842 00:57:00,880 --> 00:57:04,480 gonna be on that list. So I don't think that's quite hot enough for 843 00:57:04,559 --> 00:57:07,159 me. That's what I agree. I'm gonna say hot, it's not to 844 00:57:07,199 --> 00:57:12,000 me. It's not incomprehensible that they'll get off to a slow start. But 845 00:57:12,320 --> 00:57:15,320 what makes it hot for me is two things. What were you expecting from 846 00:57:15,320 --> 00:57:16,920 this team as the front office? If they're gonna be a deal, what 847 00:57:17,000 --> 00:57:20,760 is kid? Would the offense? To me would have to be a train 848 00:57:20,840 --> 00:57:24,239 wreck for them to not meet expectations. Everyone thought the defense was gonna be 849 00:57:24,280 --> 00:57:27,880 bad. Everyone kind of recognizes that, No, they're not in the upper 850 00:57:27,920 --> 00:57:30,599 echelon of the West and so unless they're like they have a worse record than 851 00:57:30,639 --> 00:57:36,760 the Rockets or something, what are what are they missing there? And so 852 00:57:36,960 --> 00:57:39,280 the other thing that I think would bode well for Kid is the fact that 853 00:57:39,320 --> 00:57:44,920 he tried Derek Lively, so immediately, yeah, that's got to count in 854 00:57:44,920 --> 00:57:46,960 his favor. I don't think he's a great coach by any stretch, but 855 00:57:47,039 --> 00:57:50,280 like some of the stuff he's trying. Maybe, hey, look we already 856 00:57:50,280 --> 00:57:52,800 talked about play four bigs with Luca. He'll try it. Let's do it. 857 00:57:54,639 --> 00:57:58,280 Do you think though that I know we're trying to be quick here, 858 00:57:58,320 --> 00:58:02,159 but don't you think that like a coach gets fired because he fails to meet 859 00:58:02,199 --> 00:58:07,719 like the organization's expectations, which aren't always rational, and the Mavericks are by 860 00:58:07,760 --> 00:58:12,440 definition not rational because they traded for Kyrie Irving, so as opposed to like, 861 00:58:13,039 --> 00:58:15,119 yeah, we all agree the MAVs are, you know, in that 862 00:58:15,320 --> 00:58:17,920 mess of the West, they're not a serious contender. I think what matters 863 00:58:17,960 --> 00:58:22,920 more is that Dallas probably internally thinks this team, we have Luca, we 864 00:58:22,960 --> 00:58:25,320 have Kyrie, were great, we got Grant Williams, we made all these 865 00:58:25,320 --> 00:58:29,119 great moves, we got Derek Lively. And then if they do get off 866 00:58:29,159 --> 00:58:30,880 to that slow start, then Kid just is going to be the guy to 867 00:58:30,920 --> 00:58:36,280 get blamed because you can't turn around and trade Kyrie so easily that that's kind 868 00:58:36,320 --> 00:58:38,079 of where I go with it, and I just Kid gets worse every year 869 00:58:38,119 --> 00:58:42,960 he's with the team. That's just like the demonstrated pattern. So you might 870 00:58:43,159 --> 00:58:45,239 I could see him getting fired before Christmas, though, I guess if you're 871 00:58:45,239 --> 00:58:47,280 gonna do it, you might as well do it soon. Yeah, I 872 00:58:47,280 --> 00:58:51,360 would have a more respect for that rather than well though, there's something to 873 00:58:51,360 --> 00:58:53,320 be said about what the Hawks kind of did later in the season, but 874 00:58:53,320 --> 00:58:55,719 it was because they wanted to go out and get who they believed was the 875 00:58:55,760 --> 00:59:02,280 guy. Yeah, oh cars, as does this count? The West will 876 00:59:02,320 --> 00:59:07,320 have four fifty plus win teams. That absolutely does count absolutely does count. 877 00:59:07,440 --> 00:59:12,519 Yeah, that's hot because I think we both predicted only two or three. 878 00:59:12,800 --> 00:59:16,079 So like, who's the So if we if we agree Denver Phoenix are the 879 00:59:16,079 --> 00:59:22,639 two most likely, well, well who knows. But if that's the consensus 880 00:59:22,880 --> 00:59:25,239 based on the over unders, so you got to get two of the what 881 00:59:25,519 --> 00:59:30,599 Warriors, Lakers, Wolves, and then you're dipping into like the Pelicans, 882 00:59:30,719 --> 00:59:32,599 MAVs, Grizzlies tier. Do you know what the problem is? And I 883 00:59:32,599 --> 00:59:36,360 know you would. I'll throw the Warriors in here for your benefit. Is 884 00:59:36,360 --> 00:59:38,360 that there are so many teams that if things break right, I could envision 885 00:59:38,360 --> 00:59:42,920 winning fifty plus games. Because if you don't me, the Pelicans and the 886 00:59:42,960 --> 00:59:46,400 Timberwolves did it because their guys stayed healthy. Sure, yeah, Denver, 887 00:59:46,599 --> 00:59:51,960 we already mentioned Phoenix for sure. The Clippers, they're in that conversation. 888 00:59:52,079 --> 00:59:54,079 Is that a little too early on the thunder. The Kings are certainly in 889 00:59:54,239 --> 00:59:58,639 that conversation. I throw the Grizzlies out of there now that's over, but 890 00:59:58,679 --> 01:00:01,719 the Warriors as well. So it's because there are so many teams with fifty 891 01:00:01,760 --> 01:00:06,719 plus win ceilings, it works against there being that many fifty plus win teams 892 01:00:06,920 --> 01:00:09,079 and therefore, oh, Oh, I see what you're saying. Well, 893 01:00:09,119 --> 01:00:12,320 so is that a hot take or not? What did you say? I 894 01:00:12,400 --> 01:00:15,119 think it's a hot take just because I don't think the wins will be available. 895 01:00:15,360 --> 01:00:17,800 I see they're gonna They're gonna all spread them out too much. Yeah, 896 01:00:17,800 --> 01:00:22,400 I think I think I agree with that. And part of the reason 897 01:00:22,480 --> 01:00:25,360 that this is a hot take is because of this one from Kill hoss kdi 898 01:00:25,599 --> 01:00:30,199 hot or not Kdie. Beal and Booker play fewer than thirty five games together 899 01:00:30,280 --> 01:00:36,000 during the regular season. That is, well, let's see this is gonna 900 01:00:36,119 --> 01:00:38,559 I'm gonna say that's not a hot take because that should just be the expectation 901 01:00:39,159 --> 01:00:44,400 based on how few games Durant has played over the last several years and Beal 902 01:00:44,480 --> 01:00:47,360 has not been an iron man. But I did I forget what the context 903 01:00:47,480 --> 01:00:52,119 was. You asked me if I picked duran as the most likely guy to 904 01:00:52,119 --> 01:00:58,800 play over sixty five games in podcast time like twenty minutes ago among a bunch 905 01:00:58,800 --> 01:01:01,400 of injury prone guys. So I am arguing with myself, but I don't 906 01:01:01,400 --> 01:01:05,639 think that's a hot take. I think that's pretty close to the expectation. 907 01:01:06,039 --> 01:01:09,119 Yes, and as Kill has followed up, they sent the tweet of like 908 01:01:09,320 --> 01:01:14,559 we've already seen beal missed Son's first two games. That's one one down. 909 01:01:14,840 --> 01:01:21,679 Maximum is eighty one now now now it's two, no eighty. Yeah, 910 01:01:21,719 --> 01:01:29,840 this one from from Rubik scal hot or not. Brandon Perzemski is gonna steal 911 01:01:29,920 --> 01:01:35,599 Clay spot in the starting lineup. If I if I made you privy to 912 01:01:35,679 --> 01:01:37,639 some Santa Clara text threads, I'm on, that's not a hot take. 913 01:01:40,239 --> 01:01:45,320 Uh, that is way too hot. Pods did not play in the opener 914 01:01:45,239 --> 01:01:52,000 because Corey Joseph is a game manager and Steve kerles veterans, so I'm not 915 01:01:52,039 --> 01:01:55,719 seeing a huge role for Pods this year. Yeah, that's hot. Lanas 916 01:01:55,800 --> 01:02:00,039 underscore t the Memphis Grizzlies will finish top four the West, so they're going 917 01:02:00,079 --> 01:02:04,800 in the opposite direction of what that's a hot one. That's a scorcher. 918 01:02:05,039 --> 01:02:08,400 Yeah, that is a scorcher. Probably submitted before the Adams injury. I 919 01:02:08,519 --> 01:02:14,480 suspect Ruby Scout. No, No, it was I sent this out the 920 01:02:14,559 --> 01:02:17,679 day before we recorded, so this is you know, regular season already started, 921 01:02:17,920 --> 01:02:23,199 so hot. Uh. Ruby scu also submitted Russell Westbrook will injure his 922 01:02:23,280 --> 01:02:27,679 knee before January and set out the rest of this season. I don't want 923 01:02:27,679 --> 01:02:30,559 to weigh in on that. I don't want to root for for an injury. 924 01:02:30,840 --> 01:02:35,360 That's that's hot because his availability has never really been in question. I 925 01:02:35,360 --> 01:02:37,880 know he's dealt with n stuff and is getting older. I would say that's 926 01:02:37,920 --> 01:02:40,480 hot though and morbid, even though Ruby Scout disagrees. So I said that 927 01:02:40,519 --> 01:02:45,760 in discord. Uh. And finally, well, this is ruby Scal's last 928 01:02:45,880 --> 01:02:49,760 last submission. Uh. Cad Cunningham will win Most Improved Player? Hot or 929 01:02:49,800 --> 01:02:52,360 not? Oh? Well, I know that's a hot take for you since 930 01:02:52,400 --> 01:02:54,039 you've already and it's a hot take for me. Jalen Williams is gonna win 931 01:02:54,039 --> 01:02:57,519 it. Sorry, well, it's not a hot take because we picked someone 932 01:02:57,519 --> 01:02:59,880 else. It's I would say, if they're going to finish not with the 933 01:03:00,039 --> 01:03:01,719 the top five or something makes it a hot I would say that's not hot. 934 01:03:02,519 --> 01:03:06,719 Well, is he does he fit the profile of a most improved guy? 935 01:03:07,039 --> 01:03:08,920 You don't get You don't get to say that when you picked this second 936 01:03:08,960 --> 01:03:14,360 year player. I know he's technically an at I picked a generational second year 937 01:03:14,400 --> 01:03:17,920 player, to be clear. Yeah, No, that's a good point. 938 01:03:17,960 --> 01:03:22,000 That's a good point. I think, yeah if he if Kid Cunningham won 939 01:03:22,519 --> 01:03:25,639 Most Improved, nobody would be like stunned, right, not at all? 940 01:03:27,079 --> 01:03:30,960 So I guess that's I guess that has to be a not hot Austin. 941 01:03:30,519 --> 01:03:37,320 The Pacers will be a top five offense this year, hot or not five, 942 01:03:37,679 --> 01:03:40,760 even though they scored so much. It's hot. That's hot because let's 943 01:03:40,800 --> 01:03:44,079 let's see, Well, what do you think before we list the teams that 944 01:03:44,079 --> 01:03:47,039 should finish top five? The Nuggets are there, yep, I guess we 945 01:03:47,199 --> 01:03:51,559 I have to put the Bucks there just because I predicted them to finish in 946 01:03:51,599 --> 01:03:53,199 the top three. But that was a hot hot one. I think, 947 01:03:53,440 --> 01:03:57,840 so the candidates, I would say, certainly the Bucks, the Nuggets, 948 01:03:58,159 --> 01:04:00,199 I think, I mean the Kings. The Kings are not going to forget 949 01:04:00,239 --> 01:04:03,079 how to score. Yeah, And I'm wondering, like, does a full 950 01:04:03,119 --> 01:04:11,000 strength Clippers team get there? Or Dallas? I mean Boston too, I 951 01:04:11,000 --> 01:04:13,760 mean they weren't super. That was like they ugly, like the Knicks, 952 01:04:13,840 --> 01:04:15,760 ugly up games from time to time. That's what they do. I mean, 953 01:04:15,880 --> 01:04:19,719 Cleveland was seventh last year and they added Max Struce like that. I 954 01:04:19,719 --> 01:04:24,559 mean Golden State was what eighth, ninth, something like that. And I 955 01:04:24,559 --> 01:04:27,480 mean they added a point guard that won't throw the ball into the stands. 956 01:04:28,079 --> 01:04:31,360 The Pacers are one of the teams similar to the vein of the Mavericks. 957 01:04:31,519 --> 01:04:34,800 And I don't mean this is they are so in on the offensive end right 958 01:04:34,800 --> 01:04:38,159 now when you look at their personnel in the lineups they run. Yes, 959 01:04:38,960 --> 01:04:41,480 yeah, they were twenty first last year though. The Pacers, I guess 960 01:04:41,679 --> 01:04:45,639 full season of Haliburton's. That's too hot. I can't get them up there. 961 01:04:45,679 --> 01:04:49,920 I mean maybe trans top five transition frequency. Can we compromise. I 962 01:04:49,920 --> 01:04:54,800 think I think that's where they'll be. That's not at all. Yeah, 963 01:04:54,880 --> 01:05:00,360 that's a given. Uh hb Bergie. So he had They gave U three, 964 01:05:00,480 --> 01:05:01,719 but there's one we already covered with. Well, let's do it this 965 01:05:01,760 --> 01:05:06,000 way. The MAVs are a playing team, hot or not. Actually I 966 01:05:06,280 --> 01:05:12,719 can't tell if they're looping all three of these together, but so let's loop 967 01:05:12,719 --> 01:05:15,840 all three of these together. Hot or not. MAVs are a playing team. 968 01:05:15,159 --> 01:05:18,079 Lakers are a five seed at best, Warriors are a six seed at 969 01:05:18,119 --> 01:05:24,239 best. The MAVs bit is not a hot take. You know, they 970 01:05:24,280 --> 01:05:27,360 could be tenth, they could be twelfth, they could be eight. They 971 01:05:27,360 --> 01:05:31,639 could be sixth. I think both the Lakers, the Lakers and Warriors ones 972 01:05:31,840 --> 01:05:36,119 are hot takes because either of those teams could be like second in the conference. 973 01:05:36,159 --> 01:05:39,639 I think I don't think they have a fifth and sixth seed ceiling. 974 01:05:41,639 --> 01:05:45,920 Austin has the Wizards will have the highest average points per game scored in NBA 975 01:05:46,119 --> 01:05:53,239 history. I'm assuming they meant He meant allowed, Well, they're off to 976 01:05:53,280 --> 01:05:58,480 a great start. I mean, well, I'd have to look up what 977 01:05:58,599 --> 01:06:02,320 the worst defense of all time time is, So by definition, I have 978 01:06:02,400 --> 01:06:08,519 to call that hot just because we're talking about historically bad defense. I think, 979 01:06:08,519 --> 01:06:11,159 though, I think it's definitely not a hot take to say they'll have 980 01:06:11,199 --> 01:06:14,360 the worst defense in the league this year, but all time is I don't 981 01:06:14,360 --> 01:06:15,719 know. I can't quite get there. I mean, especially if you're looking 982 01:06:15,719 --> 01:06:20,519 at just opponent points per game. I'm sorting this as I'm talking to you. 983 01:06:21,199 --> 01:06:26,559 So Washington currently is number one, then they give up one three. 984 01:06:26,679 --> 01:06:30,719 Nobody's ever, do you know? So there are two teams in NBA history 985 01:06:30,840 --> 01:06:34,760 the nineteen Wow, Oh no, that was also too all right? So 986 01:06:34,760 --> 01:06:38,880 so many are twenty twenty three, twenty twenty four. There's one team in 987 01:06:38,960 --> 01:06:42,719 NBA history, the ninety ninety one Nuggets that allowed over one hundred and thirty 988 01:06:42,719 --> 01:06:45,079 points per game. Yeah, okay, you think the Wizards could be after 989 01:06:45,119 --> 01:06:47,920 that. I had to filter out this season because the Spurs and Utah are 990 01:06:48,000 --> 01:06:50,960 also on this list. Eighty one, eighty two, Nuggets, one hundred 991 01:06:51,000 --> 01:06:56,559 and twenty six. The SuperSonics in nineteen sixty eight were over one hundred. 992 01:06:56,639 --> 01:07:00,159 So there's only been three teams in NBA history that allowed over one hundred twenty 993 01:07:00,199 --> 01:07:02,239 five points per game. And I know we're not dealing with pace adjusted right 994 01:07:02,280 --> 01:07:06,280 now, but this was the That's pretty hot, right, Yeah, that's 995 01:07:06,280 --> 01:07:11,440 pretty hot. I like that. That was a little bit of a thinker. 996 01:07:12,079 --> 01:07:15,320 Oh man, Peto hot or not? Trey Murphy is going to surpass 997 01:07:15,360 --> 01:07:20,159 Brandon Ingram is the most important player on the Pelicans outside of him, assuming 998 01:07:20,199 --> 01:07:25,679 outside of Zion. I mean, if granted Ingram gets traded, then I 999 01:07:25,719 --> 01:07:28,679 think you're in good shape there. Otherwise, that's a little hot, especially 1000 01:07:28,719 --> 01:07:31,159 since Murphy's starting. You know, he's gonna be playing ketchup coming off the 1001 01:07:31,320 --> 01:07:36,960 injury in the offseason. Jt Alexander hot or not? I promise this isn't 1002 01:07:38,000 --> 01:07:42,280 reactionary and reflected in my over under predictions. But the Hawks will not even 1003 01:07:42,360 --> 01:07:45,199 make it to the plant this year. That's way too hot. I think 1004 01:07:45,480 --> 01:07:49,119 maybe I forget who was higher on them than between you and I. But 1005 01:07:49,400 --> 01:07:53,199 I think the Hawks can win, you know, in the high forties. 1006 01:07:53,400 --> 01:07:56,480 I don't see him missing the plan. As Mike Age added, I have 1007 01:07:56,559 --> 01:08:00,000 him finishing ahead of the sixers at Northern Knicks. I think he said he's 1008 01:08:00,000 --> 01:08:03,199 not real. JT said that they're not overreacting, so I thought this would 1009 01:08:03,199 --> 01:08:08,159 have been a reflection of okay, the Hornets. They losing to the Hornets 1010 01:08:08,199 --> 01:08:13,079 does that? But ooh, Austin, this is a big one. Zion, 1011 01:08:13,360 --> 01:08:16,279 PG and KD all play in sixty five plus games this year. Hot 1012 01:08:16,399 --> 01:08:20,479 or not, that's way too hot, way too hot. I would bet 1013 01:08:20,520 --> 01:08:25,079 against all of them playing sixty five games, let alone. Would you really? 1014 01:08:25,359 --> 01:08:30,840 Yeah? It wasn't It was Paul George, not Kauai. I stand 1015 01:08:30,880 --> 01:08:34,600 by it. I it's I'm gonna say it's not hot because I believe it 1016 01:08:34,640 --> 01:08:38,279 and I respect it. Kudos to you, Austin. That was That was 1017 01:08:38,319 --> 01:08:43,640 a good one. Uh Okay, Christopher Hot or not? Despite a bad 1018 01:08:43,720 --> 01:08:47,199 opening night showing, I think ad wins Defensive Player of the Year, which 1019 01:08:47,239 --> 01:08:51,520 also doubles as me predicting he'll play in sixty five games or more this season. 1020 01:08:53,560 --> 01:08:56,880 Hot or not, I can't. I gotta go, not just because 1021 01:08:56,880 --> 01:09:00,199 we've seen him play like the best defensive player in the world and all you 1022 01:09:00,199 --> 01:09:02,319 need him to do is stay healthy, which is a massive if. But 1023 01:09:02,640 --> 01:09:06,439 yeah, like it again going back to the theory of would you be shocked 1024 01:09:06,439 --> 01:09:10,319 if this happened? No, you know no, I would not be shocked 1025 01:09:10,359 --> 01:09:12,720 if he wonted Defensive Player of the Year. So not a hot take. 1026 01:09:13,159 --> 01:09:15,279 I think it's hot because of the sixty five game threshold. I'm sorry, 1027 01:09:15,359 --> 01:09:21,079 I don't mean to dilute it down to that. Uh wow, Oh no, 1028 01:09:21,119 --> 01:09:25,039 Okay, So Austin has despite taking it this is the last couple, 1029 01:09:25,079 --> 01:09:29,319 despite taking a swing on him and having basically nobody to build around yet the 1030 01:09:29,359 --> 01:09:36,720 Wizards will want out of the Jordan Poole era by this summer. You're really 1031 01:09:36,920 --> 01:09:45,439 trying to get me to say something reckless. I I I'd say that's not 1032 01:09:45,600 --> 01:09:54,840 hot. Uh, because can't you just envision like him just going a little 1033 01:09:54,840 --> 01:09:58,319 too far with the hijacking of the offense and they realize that this is not 1034 01:09:58,359 --> 01:10:01,880 a good environment to develop anybody. If that's how he's gonna play, it's 1035 01:10:01,920 --> 01:10:04,960 close, but I'm gonna say not hot. I'm gonna say that's not hot 1036 01:10:05,079 --> 01:10:09,520 either. And this is the let me just double check. This is the 1037 01:10:09,640 --> 01:10:15,760 last one comes from usher. Devin Booker is gonna prove to the league this 1038 01:10:15,840 --> 01:10:20,439 season that he is undoubtedly a top three guard, not just shooting guard. 1039 01:10:20,880 --> 01:10:25,159 I think by season's and the only guards may be ranked above him will be 1040 01:10:25,319 --> 01:10:29,359 Steph and Luca, assuming you consider him as a guard. He mentioned his 1041 01:10:29,359 --> 01:10:31,439 playmaking has become underrated, which we talked about of the last pod. So 1042 01:10:31,520 --> 01:10:35,560 hot or not not hot? I think Fox and Haliburton I'm really high on 1043 01:10:35,840 --> 01:10:40,359 kind of making a similar surge potentially, But yeah, that's not hot. 1044 01:10:40,399 --> 01:10:42,760 I mean he might just be that right now. It's a testament to have 1045 01:10:42,800 --> 01:10:45,119 a Booker that is not hot because there's Luca and Steph for sure, but 1046 01:10:45,199 --> 01:10:49,520 like we're also you mentioned Haliburton, Fox, There's Damian Lillard exists. We 1047 01:10:49,520 --> 01:10:53,119 don't know how great. I mean, Trey Young exists, Donovan Mitchell, 1048 01:10:53,159 --> 01:10:56,039 Darius Garland, Jamal Murray is a name we threw out there. I do 1049 01:10:56,159 --> 01:10:59,319 think it's very clear though, to be a top three guard. We're kind 1050 01:10:59,319 --> 01:11:02,439 of talking about VP level guards and to me, there's four of those right 1051 01:11:02,479 --> 01:11:05,239 now, and you'll have to let me know if you'd add anybody, Steph, 1052 01:11:06,319 --> 01:11:12,760 Luca, Devin Booker, and Shay. Yeah. I think that's right. 1053 01:11:12,800 --> 01:11:15,359 I think that's right. I mean it's yeah, and then Fox and 1054 01:11:15,399 --> 01:11:17,600 Halibert and I think we probably both have just like could get there but aren't 1055 01:11:17,600 --> 01:11:20,399 there yet, right, I think that. I think that's right. Yeah, 1056 01:11:20,439 --> 01:11:25,880 Booker, It's could be the season of Devin Booker for sure. Grant, 1057 01:11:26,159 --> 01:11:28,479 this was fun. Do you want to take us out of here? 1058 01:11:28,479 --> 01:11:31,600 Though? I agree? This was fun? Yeah. So especially thank you 1059 01:11:31,720 --> 01:11:38,640 everybody that offered up, everything from guests of that player that we've done in 1060 01:11:38,640 --> 01:11:41,439 the past to all of these hotter nots. Thank you for listening, Thank 1061 01:11:41,439 --> 01:11:44,760 you for participating. If you would like to participate in you are not and 1062 01:11:44,800 --> 01:11:46,920 you have been listening or watching, you can do that by joining our discord. 1063 01:11:47,720 --> 01:11:50,039 That is one of the best ways to get involved, to kind of 1064 01:11:50,079 --> 01:11:53,520 keep up with what we're doing, to have input on what we do, 1065 01:11:53,920 --> 01:12:00,079 and to just kind of be a part of this whole undertaking. So yeah, 1066 01:12:00,079 --> 01:12:01,399 thank you everybody that's done that. If you haven't, please do it, 1067 01:12:01,760 --> 01:12:04,640 rate, review, subscribe, follow us on all the socials, all 1068 01:12:04,680 --> 01:12:09,720 the information you need to do that and get get some of our merch in 1069 01:12:09,800 --> 01:12:14,039 the YouTube and podcast descriptions, Tell your friends, tell your enemies, submit 1070 01:12:14,079 --> 01:12:17,039 hot takes, and yeah, just join us. This is fun and it 1071 01:12:17,119 --> 01:12:21,600 only gets better the more participation we get. And we will close this podcast 1072 01:12:21,640 --> 01:12:25,640 as we do all of the others, with a shout out to Frank Nilachina 1073 01:12:25,680 --> 01:12:30,039 and an apology to Jared Allen and rip to Frank Nilachina is twenty twenty three 1074 01:12:30,760 --> 01:12:32,359 four season We're all both gone too soon.