1 00:00:15,359 --> 00:00:20,079 What is Cracklac and fellow thereon lear A efforts, I am Damn Valley coming 2 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:25,519 at you with a solo podcast. We are going to do updated win lost 3 00:00:25,559 --> 00:00:30,600 projections for every NBA team following the NBA in season tournament. Congratulations to the 4 00:00:30,679 --> 00:00:35,240 Lakers on winning the inaugural NBA Cup and pocketing half a million dollars per player. 5 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:39,399 I'm sure that night out in Vegas was pretty pretty fantastic before you had 6 00:00:39,439 --> 00:00:42,520 started very quickly. If you haven't, please hit the subscribe button on YouTube, 7 00:00:42,719 --> 00:00:45,439 subscribe on Apple and Spotify, ratings and reviews, help us out a 8 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,799 ton, and I would ask share our episodes with people, tell people about 9 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,880 us, help us continue to grow the community, and join our discord the 10 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:57,119 link to that in the podcast and YouTube description. Continue the conversation there. 11 00:00:57,119 --> 00:01:00,320 I think we're nearing a milestone. If we get ten more subscribers, I'll 12 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,640 do a special live episode in there or something, or maybe we need twelve. 13 00:01:03,799 --> 00:01:07,959 If we have fifteen more people in Discord, I think we hit a 14 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,280 membership milestone and I'll do a live podcast, maybe a mailbag or something that 15 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:18,000 I'll schedule around the Discord users. And finally, socials support us by buying 16 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,599 our merch as well. That does it. Though, Let's get into some 17 00:01:21,719 --> 00:01:26,000 updated win loss projections for every NBA team. So let's start look at that 18 00:01:26,239 --> 00:01:30,599 authored by me, updated win projections for every NBA team after the in season 19 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:36,480 tournament. What a great author really excited to go through this person's article in 20 00:01:36,599 --> 00:01:41,599 Lantahawks forty one and forty one. They're actually on a worse pace than this, 21 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,799 And you know, I don't think people are gonna want to bump them 22 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,959 up for the most part when you have watched them. I think that's fair. 23 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,439 There have been some bright spots, the fact that they're fifth or in 24 00:01:53,439 --> 00:01:57,079 the top five of offense when Trey Young hasn't been shooting too well. Dejontai 25 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,439 Murray's been really good as a score even though it's defense feels like it's regressed. 26 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:06,159 And then Jalen Johnson before the injury, was headlining the most improved player 27 00:02:06,239 --> 00:02:09,520 discussion. He was certainly among the primary names in there. When you just 28 00:02:09,599 --> 00:02:13,199 look at this team, though I don't know how they get better as currently 29 00:02:13,199 --> 00:02:16,159 constructed. The only real bright spots on defense are they forced turnovers and they're 30 00:02:16,159 --> 00:02:21,159 not really fouling a lot relative to those turnovers. They're not a good defensive 31 00:02:21,159 --> 00:02:23,240 team. They don't have the personnel to be better. They're interested in Pascal 32 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:29,280 Siakam. I like the offensive fit in Atlanta just fine. But if you're 33 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,120 keeping Murray and Trey, you're adding another ball dominant guy who's not been shooting 34 00:02:32,159 --> 00:02:36,479 well from three, and I don't know how much he actually improves your defense, 35 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:38,759 whether you're using him at the five, whether you're playing him next to 36 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:40,639 Jalen Johnson, or you're trying to play him next to a congou Or or 37 00:02:40,719 --> 00:02:46,319 Capella. This team feels like it needs a trade, like kind of a 38 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:51,960 mega trade that really nudges their defense in the right direction. The Boston Celtics 39 00:02:52,159 --> 00:02:59,039 sixty wins, and this might be just a little too conservative because they've just 40 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:01,919 they're just the machine and the offense can get a little sticky at points. 41 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:07,000 There are Knights when Drew Holliday, Jaylen Brown, even Jason Tatum go through 42 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,319 this just wonky decision making. They're just a defensive terror, though when you 43 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,439 look at how they're built to defend, there could be some injury issues here. 44 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,360 Porzingis has already missed some time. Al Horford is thirty seven. But 45 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,960 the Celtics, even if you don't like the way their offense looks, this 46 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,240 is a team that is elite at both ends of the floor, and they 47 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:29,240 just have the space to kind of offset a lot of the playmaking deficits that 48 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:30,879 they have. We'll see if this comes back to bite them in the playoffs, 49 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:36,199 but for the regular season specifically, keeping them at sixty might almost just 50 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,400 be too much, too little, excuse me, like they could easily win 51 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:43,319 more than that the nets. I'm gonna go with forty three and thirty nine 52 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,000 here. I did not expect the offense to be this good. Lonnie Walker 53 00:03:47,039 --> 00:03:51,240 the fourth hitting a bunch off the dribble jumpers before he gets injured. Cam 54 00:03:51,319 --> 00:03:54,039 Thomas has been lights out just from sort of those in between ranges. Mcal 55 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:58,719 Bridges has come along, Cameron Johnson's playing well, Dorrin Finney Smith is having 56 00:03:58,759 --> 00:04:01,520 one of his better offensive seas Spencer Dinwoodie by the numbers has been one of 57 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,639 the best one on one scores in the league too. And I think because 58 00:04:05,919 --> 00:04:08,879 you know, you still look at them and it's, oh, do they 59 00:04:08,919 --> 00:04:12,759 have enough playmaking? They have enough shot making and they can run a bunch 60 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,199 of these spacey lineups that are gonna offset, similar to the Celtics that are 61 00:04:16,199 --> 00:04:20,079 gonna offset any playmaking deficit and help them in the half court. The question 62 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:24,120 with them, ironically, is just how the defense holds up when you're gonna 63 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:28,439 rely on Lonnie Walker or Cam Thomas. Things could get dicey there. Nick 64 00:04:28,519 --> 00:04:30,879 Klaxton missing a ton of time probably doesn't help them, didn't help them. 65 00:04:31,079 --> 00:04:35,600 Now that he's back, we could see some normalization there. That being said, 66 00:04:35,639 --> 00:04:41,600 this is perhaps a team that needs to acquire some heft on the front 67 00:04:41,639 --> 00:04:46,560 line if it really wants to beef up its immediate window. And I wouldn't 68 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,360 expect them to. They're kind of in They're not necessarily in win now. 69 00:04:49,399 --> 00:04:54,439 They're more and they're not in you know, sit, let's see what we 70 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,000 have here mode. But they're kind of in between, and so that's a 71 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,879 solid spot to be relative to the pick equity they have moving forward if they 72 00:05:00,879 --> 00:05:06,079 want to make adjustments over the offseason. The Charlotte Hornets twenty four and fifty 73 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:11,439 eight had them higher, but the wins they got to come from, they 74 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,560 got to come from somewhere in this exercise, and so you start after the 75 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,920 initial runthroughs, and I think I mentioned this specifically with the Blazers. When 76 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,639 I get to them, you start pulling away from certain teams, and the 77 00:05:20,639 --> 00:05:25,120 Hornets were among the low hanging fruit. LaMelo's injured right now, the same 78 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:29,600 surgically repaired ankle that he the same ankle he had surgically repaired. I think 79 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,680 it was last March. The defense has been really bad, and Brandon Miller, 80 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:35,879 relying on a rookie has not really been a part of that. He's 81 00:05:35,879 --> 00:05:41,560 been one of their brighter spots defensively. Mark Williams looks over taxed. I 82 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,800 think this team eventually just gets to a point where, well, are the 83 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:49,319 bodies available, but also are they gonna kind of flip that switch think more 84 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:54,879 about the future. Move Gordon Hayward, maybe move Terry Rozier. They're not 85 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,720 a good basketball team anyway. If you told me that they don't make any 86 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,120 moves and that LaMelo's gonna, you know, still make kid to sixty games 87 00:06:00,199 --> 00:06:03,319 or something, I think you can bump up this win total, but I'm 88 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,160 not about to do it. The team has just not impressed me. Speaking 89 00:06:06,199 --> 00:06:09,759 of teams that have not impressed me, the Bulls, I don't have any 90 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,360 idea what to do with them. In Zach Levine's first few games out, 91 00:06:13,439 --> 00:06:16,600 they've looked pluckier. They beat Milwaukee, they beat New Orleans. Demarta Rosen 92 00:06:16,639 --> 00:06:21,439 was not available for that Milwaukee win either. There's there's real impact on the 93 00:06:21,439 --> 00:06:25,800 defensive end. They can still force turnovers. When you're looking at Javon Carter, 94 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,800 iod As soon move Alex Caruso. Of course, even Patrick Williams has 95 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,560 come along there. The Bulls we know were shopping Levine. There's also been 96 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,480 the report that Demarta Rosen trade is likely because the sides are so far apart 97 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:40,120 in extension talks. I could see the Bulls and this would bump up their 98 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:45,480 win total viewing zach Levine's absence and trying to move him for depth pieces or 99 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,000 as part of a not a consolidation trade, but a trade that gets them 100 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,399 maybe two guys who are gonna help them right away and they're not prioritizing necessarily 101 00:06:51,399 --> 00:06:56,199 picks in prospects. If they start to play really well without Zach Levine, 102 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:00,079 that's absolutely something this franchise would do. I still think when we get to 103 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,120 December fifteenth, maybe by January fifteenth, when a lot of other players can 104 00:07:04,439 --> 00:07:11,560 be traded. This team will finally, at long last make some seismic selling 105 00:07:11,639 --> 00:07:15,160 moves well in advance of the trade deadline. I don't don't. I don't 106 00:07:15,199 --> 00:07:18,959 personally expect this to linger until February, although it could. The calves. 107 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,759 I know a lot of people are down on the calves right now. Let's 108 00:07:21,759 --> 00:07:26,480 just see them get healthy. We haven't seen Mobi, Mitchell, Garland, 109 00:07:26,839 --> 00:07:30,160 Allen and Shrew's log a ton of time together. I will admit the offense 110 00:07:30,199 --> 00:07:34,879 has been very wonky during those stretches. They're not taking enough threes, They're 111 00:07:34,879 --> 00:07:40,079 not making their above the break threes. Darius Garland really hasn't come on from 112 00:07:40,079 --> 00:07:43,839 the perimeter just yet. He's also committed a bunch of turnovers. He's looked 113 00:07:43,839 --> 00:07:46,560 off a lot. That dynamic with Mitchell and Garland it's still just weird, 114 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:50,000 and so is the dynamic between Allen and MOBLEI. It can be weird, 115 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:54,639 inconsistent. They will do some big to big stuff, but probably not in 116 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:58,639 high enough volume. I still look at this team and as you get you 117 00:07:58,639 --> 00:08:01,680 know, Carislvert still working his way back from injury, and we've seen his 118 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:07,000 performance slip from where it was pre injury, Isaaco Korro dealing with injuries. 119 00:08:07,639 --> 00:08:11,120 I still think if you give this team time, they're going to be one 120 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,519 of the most elite squads in the Eastern Conference, and that the offense will 121 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,519 start to look a lot better with all five of their best players on the 122 00:08:16,519 --> 00:08:20,079 court. And I also you have to tip the cap to what Max Drews 123 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:24,319 has done for this team, not just beyond the arc, but inside it. 124 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,120 His movement, his playmaking. It's it's been big for them, Dallas 125 00:08:28,199 --> 00:08:33,559 forty five and thirty seven. This feels I'm lowering them off their current pace. 126 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:35,639 And we know the Kyrie injury isn't serious, which is great, great 127 00:08:35,639 --> 00:08:41,919 news for them, But they started out like gangbusters, they've kind of faded. 128 00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:45,159 Grant Williams is dealing with an injury. Max and Cleeb was barely played 129 00:08:45,159 --> 00:08:50,320 this season, and he remains incredibly important to kind of getting two or unlocking 130 00:08:50,519 --> 00:08:54,000 what should be some of their most important lineups. The defense is an issue 131 00:08:54,039 --> 00:08:56,480 here and I don't know what to make of it. Derek Lively has played 132 00:08:56,799 --> 00:09:00,759 really well, the mass rim protection is still shaky Patrick when he's off the 133 00:09:00,759 --> 00:09:03,120 floor. They are starting Derek Jones Junior, and he has played well. 134 00:09:03,159 --> 00:09:07,279 He's hitting his threes this season, but that's starting units a net negative overall, 135 00:09:07,279 --> 00:09:11,399 because when you have Derek Jones Junior on the court, defenses still don't 136 00:09:11,399 --> 00:09:15,120 care. They'll let him shoot forty plus percent a moderate volume if it means 137 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,320 that they're going to be able to close in, pack the paint, throw 138 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,480 more bodies at Kyrie and Lugadancic, and so that group's half court offensive rating 139 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:26,080 is actually below average. And so this team just feels like they are still 140 00:09:26,519 --> 00:09:33,279 a player archetype or two away from contention, and those player archetypes are not 141 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,039 on the roster. To me, it feels like at least they need one 142 00:09:35,519 --> 00:09:39,639 real wing or more point of attack defender. Josh Green is injured right now 143 00:09:39,639 --> 00:09:45,039 and he's been fairly disappointing as well. Still a very good team, but 144 00:09:45,159 --> 00:09:48,039 I just if you're asking me whether I think the Mavericks can win a playoff 145 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:52,919 series if they get there, I don't. I'll never just say Luca can't 146 00:09:52,919 --> 00:09:56,679 do it, because Luca has had some spectacular performances in the playoffs. But 147 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:01,440 they just still feel a significant player short is probably the best way to phrase 148 00:10:01,519 --> 00:10:05,320 it. More than one player, but it could be one significant player the 149 00:10:05,399 --> 00:10:09,639 Nuggets. Look, they can't beat the Rockets apparently, which is that's a 150 00:10:09,639 --> 00:10:13,080 little bit weird. They're just they're chugging along. They're on pace for more 151 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:18,840 than fifty victories. They do have their fourth in points allowed per possession against 152 00:10:18,879 --> 00:10:20,799 top ten offenses, so that's a big deal this season. They have that 153 00:10:20,879 --> 00:10:26,759 defensive gear. Murray hasn't really been great this year. He's still coming back 154 00:10:26,799 --> 00:10:30,519 from that hamstring stuff. I expect him to be fine. Jokich is probably 155 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,519 the favorite to win MVP as of now, even though he kind of turned 156 00:10:33,519 --> 00:10:37,559 into non Jokic games in a row. Aaron Gorn's three point shooting is a 157 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:41,279 problem, but you're getting really good minutes from Reggie Jackson. Christian Brown is 158 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:45,399 starting to perk up. I think you've run into a good problem with Michael 159 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:50,279 Porter Junior, where it feels like he wax and wanes on offense more than 160 00:10:50,279 --> 00:10:52,519 he does with his rebounding and defense. And you know what, that's going 161 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:54,639 to be just fine for this team. There's still things to harp on. 162 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,039 The bench is basically a mess after you Reggie Jackson and Christian Brown, but 163 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:03,840 the fact that you're still yet to a top seven like you were last year. 164 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:05,480 Yes, you would prefer to have Bruce Brown over Reggie Jackson or maybe 165 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:09,320 even Christian Brown in general, but you still run. It seems like seven 166 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:13,159 trustworthy players deep because I was wrong about Reggie Jackson. Of course, it 167 00:11:13,759 --> 00:11:18,320 sure seems like so far, that's just they're gonna be fine. They might 168 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,879 not finish with a one seed in the West. There are teams like the 169 00:11:20,919 --> 00:11:24,480 Thunder, like the tim Wolves that will want to go for it more. 170 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,200 This team is still really good, and I think you have to leave them 171 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,759 as favorites in the Western Conference. They don't really have the amo to make 172 00:11:30,799 --> 00:11:33,480 a trade if they did want to significantly deepen the rotation to get to an 173 00:11:33,519 --> 00:11:37,879 eighth or ninth guy. Where do we trusted big? Because how much can 174 00:11:37,919 --> 00:11:41,159 DeAndre Jordan actually play the ichnology. He's not having a good year and he's 175 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:45,799 kind of already fallen out. And do we think that Julian Strather or Peyton 176 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,559 Watson are just going to be ready by the playoffs. They don't really unless 177 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:54,039 they're looking to move off of one of their top seven guys. They don't 178 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:58,039 really have the AMMO or the salary to go do something significant. But you 179 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:00,679 look at their top seven, even if you want to say it's a top 180 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,080 six because you count Brown and Jackson as one player or whatever. Even with 181 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:05,759 their flaws, the Nuggets are the toast of the West. There's just no 182 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:11,720 reason to pretend otherwise. So the Pistons fourteen wins is three fewer than last 183 00:12:11,759 --> 00:12:15,399 year, and it might be a gift because they're currently embroiled in a losing 184 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,639 streak that has them on track to have the worst record in NBA history. 185 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:22,679 This team is a disaster right now. The j and Ivy stuff is officially 186 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,600 awkward, verging on detrimental. Now you're dealing with the Jaalen Duran injury. 187 00:12:26,639 --> 00:12:30,320 We've still seen a little bit too much. It's they're not staples. So 188 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,720 now that Bonian Bogdanovich is back, they'll be even less with staple fire. 189 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,559 The two big lineups into the sun and that includes Isaiah Stewart. It's just 190 00:12:37,879 --> 00:12:41,120 we're talking. Yeah, he's shooting five from three. The volume is not 191 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:43,559 that. The volume is not that high, and so do you call him 192 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,440 a stretch big? And part of being a stretch big is can you attack 193 00:12:46,519 --> 00:12:52,759 close outs? That's not something he's necessarily comfortable doing at the moment. Bogdona's 194 00:12:52,799 --> 00:12:54,399 coming back opens up the floor for Kate Cunningham, and we started to see 195 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:58,399 him play better before Bogdanovic even came back. That's a good sign. Star 196 00:12:58,519 --> 00:13:01,639 Thomps has been one of the most entertaining players to watch on defense in all 197 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:05,639 of basketball. Jaalen Duran was a d light before he went down with his 198 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:11,000 injury. This team can be better Monte Morris, he'll get healthier. That 199 00:13:11,039 --> 00:13:15,320 should help them as well. So everyone who's in a rush and will trade 200 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,320 Bogdanovich, trade Morris, trade Burkes, just get what you could get for 201 00:13:18,399 --> 00:13:20,440 them. Maybe they go that route. But if you're not gonna get a 202 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:24,679 good first round pick for Bogdanovich, you might as well just keep him because 203 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:26,440 your wind toll is gonna be low enough that you have top lottery odds anyway, 204 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:31,440 and his spacing, his scoring can streamline development for everyone else. And 205 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:33,600 now you get to a point where, yeah, we're going one big and 206 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:39,440 Bogdanovich and now we have you know, maybe the spacing if K's hitting his 207 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:41,320 threes, depending on who else, and Marcus Saster is gonna be on the 208 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:45,320 floor. But like you can get two lineups where there are at least two 209 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,720 to three positive shooters, and then you can mix and match with Kate Cunningham 210 00:13:48,759 --> 00:13:50,919 and Star Thompson and hopefully Jay and Ivy at one point. I won't pretend 211 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:54,399 that this season has been a success for the Pistons. It's just a it's 212 00:13:54,399 --> 00:13:58,000 an unmitigated disaster and they need to get their shit together. Otherwise Tory Reaver 213 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,320 is not gonna have a job time next year. I would assume the Warriors 214 00:14:01,639 --> 00:14:05,759 forty two and forty. Speaking of gifts, they're on pace to be below 215 00:14:05,799 --> 00:14:09,840 five hundred. I assume they'll get it together to some extent. But they're 216 00:14:09,919 --> 00:14:15,840 old, they're slow, they're unathletic. You can blame some things on Steve 217 00:14:15,919 --> 00:14:20,240 Kerr, but he's gotten away from some Moses Moses Moody mindis excuse me when 218 00:14:20,279 --> 00:14:24,559 it's mattered most at points. I don't know how this team is supposed to 219 00:14:24,639 --> 00:14:28,519 be a lot better than it is now, and it wouldn't be so frustrating 220 00:14:28,559 --> 00:14:33,960 if you're kind of just riding out the end of this dynastic era. If 221 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:39,759 Steph Curry wasn't a transformative player, still he can headline a contender the Warriors 222 00:14:39,799 --> 00:14:41,519 just haven't put one around him, and you're at a point now where it 223 00:14:41,559 --> 00:14:46,960 needs to be a big trade to make it happen. And this does not 224 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:52,080 really account for that because it is a new front office with Kirk Lacup and 225 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,600 Mike dunleavy in charge running the show, and they showed they being aggressive with 226 00:14:54,639 --> 00:14:58,960 the Chris Paul trade, specifically, will they do it mid season and will 227 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,840 they make the call of we're gonna get rid of Kaminga here, we'll move 228 00:15:01,879 --> 00:15:05,600 to future first round picks and we'll go after a Pascal Siakam and we'll try 229 00:15:05,639 --> 00:15:09,720 and get Ojannanobi. My point is you can't stamp Pat and hope to be 230 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:13,919 in the middle. This team. It's the dynastic eraror it's run out of 231 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:18,639 lightning in a bottle stores. They got that when they won the title in 232 00:15:18,679 --> 00:15:22,240 twenty twenty two. It's not happening again. And everyone can say we're waiting 233 00:15:22,279 --> 00:15:26,480 for Klay Thompson to be better. He'll be less disjointed on offense. The 234 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:28,720 defense is not coming back. He's thirty three, he's two major injuries under 235 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:33,440 his belt. And then there's the Andrew Wiggins stuff where Okay, you can 236 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:35,519 hold out hope that he's more consistent and just better. Overall, we have 237 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:41,559 nearly a decade of evidence that says twenty twenty two postseason Andrew Wiggins is the 238 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:43,519 exception, not the rule. And so if you're the Warriors, you need 239 00:15:43,559 --> 00:15:48,840 to be eyeing the trade market if you are actually concerned about optimizing what's left 240 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:52,240 of steps window. Again, this would be so much easier just to ride 241 00:15:52,279 --> 00:15:58,480 out, let them fade off into stunset. If Steph wasn't this transformative MVP 242 00:15:58,639 --> 00:16:00,960 type of player. He's still though, and so to me, you're obligated. 243 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,919 And We've said this multiple times on this podcast. I've said it, 244 00:16:03,919 --> 00:16:07,679 I've written about it, and the Warriors just have never done it. And 245 00:16:07,759 --> 00:16:11,639 they were kind of vindicated to some extent when they won another title, But 246 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:15,799 after seeing last year spending it mediocrity, you're doing the same again. Real 247 00:16:15,879 --> 00:16:18,200 changes need to be made if you actually want to make the most of Steph 248 00:16:18,279 --> 00:16:22,399 Curry's prime. Houston Rockets. I don't feel good about this one either. 249 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:26,960 I hate putting teams that are plucky. They're above five hundred right now as 250 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,720 I'm recording this, thirty nine and forty three feels right though there's nothing. 251 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:34,559 You look at this team's performance to date, there's nothing that feels too fluky. 252 00:16:36,159 --> 00:16:38,080 The defense feels real. Their top five in points, a lot of 253 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:44,919 per possession right now, they've gotten some opponents are not shooting like ultra high 254 00:16:44,919 --> 00:16:47,399 e clips from the three point line for them. But when you watch them, 255 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:49,159 when you watch Dylan Brooks, when you watch Fred VanVleet, when you 256 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,799 watch Jabari Smith Junior, when you even watch Alpha and Shangun, Tarry Eason, 257 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:59,480 Jayson Tate, there's a real like there's a real defensive system here or 258 00:16:59,519 --> 00:17:03,240 a lot of defensive talent that could be effective. The offense can have its 259 00:17:03,279 --> 00:17:07,599 highs highs as well, does explore some valleys. My question with them, 260 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:10,599 I mean, I have a multitude of questions for them, but the two 261 00:17:10,599 --> 00:17:14,480 primary ones are can Alprin shanegunin playoffits for an entire year. It's not that 262 00:17:14,519 --> 00:17:18,200 I don't believe in his talent. He's shouldering his biggest load ever and now 263 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:22,720 we're gonna extrapolate that across an entire eighty two game season. Could they fade 264 00:17:22,759 --> 00:17:26,519 a little bit and then what happens when Aman Thompson returns he has to. 265 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,480 I would face assume he factors prominently into the rotation where you're gonna lean on 266 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,680 a rookie to that degree, it lends itself to growing pains, and that 267 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:38,200 could hurt them in the immediate And there is a chance the Rockets look to 268 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,480 the trade market to improve upon just being sort of in the bottom of the 269 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:45,759 middle, however you want to phrase it. Their pick is owed to Oklahoma 270 00:17:45,759 --> 00:17:49,000 City this year top six, top four protection, I believe, But like, 271 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:52,799 is it really the time? Are you gonna go after a bigger name? 272 00:17:52,839 --> 00:17:56,000 What bigger name that's become available actually interests you? Is it? You're 273 00:17:56,039 --> 00:18:00,279 gonna be in on siakam oh Giannobi fits anywhere? It doesn't feel like he's 274 00:18:00,319 --> 00:18:03,680 available. Would you be in on brandon Ingram or Zion Williamson. Zion Williamson 275 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:06,680 is such a weird fit here now? Would you be in on Zion? 276 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:11,119 If the Pelicans decide to make a move there, I don't know, And 277 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:14,279 so I don't see them getting noticeably better at the trade deadline. Some of 278 00:18:14,279 --> 00:18:17,720 the backup big minutes, they could stand to rely on Jabari to run even 279 00:18:17,759 --> 00:18:22,319 more backup five minutes, Like there's some awkwardness there, but this team, 280 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:26,119 like they're interesting. I just don't know that they're good enough to do anything 281 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:30,079 else other than hover around playing territory. If they finish at five hundred. 282 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,440 If they finished at five hundred, it won't be surprised. If they're above 283 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:37,519 five hundred, it will be a little surprised. The Indiana Pacers NBA Cup 284 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:42,559 runner ups. Their offense is just it's thermonuclear. It's fast, devastating, 285 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:48,279 versatile, fast again, it's efficient. They have the best half court offense, 286 00:18:48,279 --> 00:18:51,400 which is a big deal because they were twenty third in that metric last 287 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:53,400 year. You can worry about the defense. I'm worried about the defense. 288 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:56,920 Aside from Aaron E. Smith, they don't really have the size to rumble 289 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:02,279 with these bigger wings. You're looking at Bruce Brown, TJ McConnell, Andrew 290 00:19:02,319 --> 00:19:06,720 Demhard. All those guys are undersized. Miles Turner looks over attacked on the 291 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:10,519 defensive end. I feel like sometimes it starts to impact him adversely on the 292 00:19:10,559 --> 00:19:14,039 offensive end as well. But you just look at what Indiana is doing and 293 00:19:14,039 --> 00:19:17,279 for the regular season, specifically, a team that can run and is in 294 00:19:17,319 --> 00:19:19,240 the shape to do this all season and there are a lot of holdovers from 295 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:22,799 last season, and so if you're worried about what we'll be topping be in 296 00:19:22,799 --> 00:19:26,680 good enough shape too. I mean, he's just a shot of adrenaline to 297 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:29,480 begin with. But if you're worried about Bruce Brown being in enough shape to 298 00:19:29,519 --> 00:19:32,680 play at warp speed all year one, I just these aren't the types of 299 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,359 players I worry about. But most of this Indiana team, so much of 300 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,279 the core was there last year. They're gonna be in shape to play this 301 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:41,119 way all season, and so I think that they're going to be a forty 302 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:45,720 seven win team. That just feels that just feels right. They you told 303 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:48,319 me they get to fifty, I wouldn't be shocked. I do think the 304 00:19:48,319 --> 00:19:51,559 defense is gonna is going to hurt them there. They are built to make 305 00:19:51,559 --> 00:19:53,039 a trade if they want to. They have Benn mcmather and they have Jarris 306 00:19:53,079 --> 00:19:57,079 Walker. They own all their their first I just don't know what the answer 307 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:02,319 is. I really do like Pascal Siakam here having the defense of him and 308 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:06,559 Miles Turner. He can do some of the elite wing defensive stuff, but 309 00:20:06,599 --> 00:20:08,440 he's more of a big and so that's a little awkward. How much you 310 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,559 give up for him, and then he's another player who's used to working on 311 00:20:11,599 --> 00:20:15,599 the ball and things have been fickle in Toronto because they have him sort of 312 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,960 seating touches and status. To Scottie Barnes, would it be the same way 313 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:23,319 in Indy? There's a lot better spacing there, so we can attack very 314 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,279 quickly off the catch and have more room to do so. I don't know 315 00:20:26,319 --> 00:20:30,440 if that's the answer. They're another team where it's oh, throw Giannanobi. 316 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:33,240 But could they get a you know, Dory Finney Smith would would make a 317 00:20:33,279 --> 00:20:37,160 difference, So Jay Sean Tate would make a difference. That's the prototype of 318 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:41,319 player that they should really be after. But they're a playoff teams constructed. 319 00:20:41,559 --> 00:20:45,640 I don't know what to do with the Clippers. They've come on lately the 320 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:48,720 lineup and look, Tyler's done a good job. I think of exploring more 321 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:52,480 certain lineups. PJ. Tucker has gotten five straight dnps, I believe, 322 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:56,160 and that's good, but it's also bad in the sense that, well, 323 00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:00,880 you want someone who could fill the minutes he was taking. I think can 324 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:03,400 play alongside another big They don't really have that right now, unless you're gonna 325 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:08,640 downsize to the hardened George Leonard Man combo alongside zoo bots, and that lineup 326 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:14,000 is absolutely annihilating opponents. Right now, they've been unable to find any sort 327 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:17,839 of lineup with hard and Russell Westbrook where it works. That will be something 328 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,839 to monitor. My part of my primary concern is, as I'm recording this, 329 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:23,319 Paul George and Kwhilander have played in every game, and so it'll be 330 00:21:23,319 --> 00:21:26,920 hovering around five hundred. When you've gotten that availability, and when their track 331 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:33,279 record suggests that this pristine availability is operating on borrowed time, it's just a 332 00:21:33,279 --> 00:21:38,680 little uneasy. The Clippers to begin with this season were both combustible and tantalizing. 333 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:44,119 The James Harden trade essentially made them more of both. They are more 334 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:48,359 combustible, but they're also more tantalizing. They do have some of the assets 335 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:51,799 to go out and make a trade. I don't necessarily know what they need. 336 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:55,640 Probably again, probably sort of a PJ. Tucker type is there's someone 337 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:57,880 they could get to stretch the floor at the five, but can also spend 338 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:02,799 time if they want to play with or Ticer or zoo bots. That might 339 00:22:02,839 --> 00:22:06,160 be something to look at, or they just could skew wing all together like 340 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,359 kind of a wing defender to help with some of the combinations where they are 341 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:12,160 a little bit more undersized. Norman Powell has become mission critical to this team. 342 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:15,519 I think the Clippers are gonna be really good, and I can see 343 00:22:15,519 --> 00:22:19,079 forty five and thirty seven being too low on them. But again, they've 344 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:23,039 gotten here and the post James Hardentree lose your first five, they've looked a 345 00:22:23,039 --> 00:22:26,880 lot better since. So we need to recognize that. You just you have 346 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:32,279 to doubt the durability of their top two stars. But even a hard or 347 00:22:32,319 --> 00:22:37,119 a Westbrook is something going to creep up at all this season. And that's 348 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:40,079 just where I'm at. You Again, you have to pull wins from somewhere. 349 00:22:40,079 --> 00:22:41,920 But the Clippers, they have a much higher ceiling than forty five wins. 350 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:47,079 The Lakers are gonna have it. Fifty wins. The NBA Cup winners, 351 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:48,880 you can't call it the I guess they are the NBA in season tournament 352 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:53,440 winners. Uh. They look as they've gotten healthier, they've looked a lot 353 00:22:53,519 --> 00:22:57,279 better. Lebron James looks spectacular. Quite frankly, the minutes without him are 354 00:22:57,319 --> 00:23:03,039 still disaster that's going to help him In the MVP discussion, Anthony Davis is 355 00:23:03,079 --> 00:23:07,519 building a defensive Player of the Year discussion game by game Here, D'Angel Russell's 356 00:23:07,519 --> 00:23:11,880 put together like decided the two way performances, which is just weird to watch, 357 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:15,200 and it complicates when you start to come up with trades to improve their 358 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:18,519 offense. It's well, does it make sense Zach Lvin's and then comes up 359 00:23:18,519 --> 00:23:21,680 does it make sense thinking up Delo and mariehat Chimore and other stuff to get 360 00:23:21,759 --> 00:23:25,160 Zach Lvine And when d'An angel Russell has been playing the way he's playing, 361 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,599 I don't know. Excuse me, I don't know that it does. And 362 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,279 so you do have to think about that, the fact that you are thinking 363 00:23:32,319 --> 00:23:36,119 about that there was a good spot for the Lakers to be in the question 364 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:38,440 has ever look this team? I know what they've done at points during or 365 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:42,319 what they did at points in the midseason tournament. There's not enough shooting in 366 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,359 terms of efficiency or volume from the perimeter. They need to address that. 367 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,480 Tore im Prints coming on a little bit will help. Max Christie's given them 368 00:23:48,519 --> 00:23:52,079 some good minutes. Cam Reddish has been really good defensively, Will gave Vincent 369 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:56,039 come back and maybe jack up their three point volume in efficiency. His three 370 00:23:56,079 --> 00:23:59,839 point clips have traditionally been all over the place, so you don't know. 371 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:03,839 I'd like to see them acquire a shooter that could track their closing lineup, 372 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:07,240 to be honest with you, because I look at it as very open ended. 373 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:10,559 I know a lot of people want to pencil de lo in there or 374 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,000 Ruey in there. Delo understands he's not always going to close games. I 375 00:24:14,079 --> 00:24:17,160 think Reeves, Lebron, and ad are kind of your three guaranteed spots to 376 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:21,519 close games. Can you get a shooter to add to that trio that you 377 00:24:21,559 --> 00:24:23,720 know is going to close games for you? And if you can, the 378 00:24:23,799 --> 00:24:27,000 Lakers become a real threat. And then of course there's Look, they'll be 379 00:24:27,039 --> 00:24:30,559 great as long as Lebron and a d are healthy. But neither of those 380 00:24:30,559 --> 00:24:33,119 guys have played in sixty games or more since twenty eighteen. Twenty nineteen. 381 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:40,519 The Memphis Grizzlies thirty three and forty nine feels right. It's incredibly low, 382 00:24:40,559 --> 00:24:45,799 but the Ron pace to win a lot less than that they're dealing with. 383 00:24:45,839 --> 00:24:48,079 In addition, look, Jahm Moran's coming back soon from his twenty five games 384 00:24:48,079 --> 00:24:52,359 suspension. They're dealing with a bevy of other stuff. Marcus smart as out 385 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,759 right now. Lukenard's only played in eight games while dealing with some knee problems, 386 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:57,759 which knee problems have been an issue in his past. That's something they 387 00:24:57,839 --> 00:25:02,599 keep an eye on. Neither Steven Adams or Brandon Clark are expected to play 388 00:25:02,839 --> 00:25:06,079 this season. That's a big deal. I don't know what you're gonna hope 389 00:25:06,079 --> 00:25:10,319 for from this Memphis team. You're there are five games in the lost column 390 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:12,920 behind the final playing spot a quarter of the way through the season. That's 391 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:18,000 a pretty big gap to bridge. And I don't expect them to do it. 392 00:25:18,079 --> 00:25:19,480 I don't. This isn't oh they need to blow it up now. 393 00:25:19,519 --> 00:25:22,960 But the season feels like a wash and they're gonna need to recalibrate over the 394 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:26,759 offseason. And I personally wouldn't. You know, if it's a small time 395 00:25:26,799 --> 00:25:30,559 trade and we're gonna get Andre Drummon to come in here and try and replicate 396 00:25:30,599 --> 00:25:33,119 a lot of what Steven Adams did for you, Okay, fine, but 397 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:34,440 I wouldn't be in the business of, oh, we need to make another 398 00:25:34,519 --> 00:25:38,440 trade to kind of advance our agenda this season. Because it just doesn't matter. 399 00:25:38,839 --> 00:25:42,000 To what end are you doing that to get the ninth spot in the 400 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:45,079 plays, I'm gonna be back your way into a first round exit. I'm 401 00:25:45,079 --> 00:25:48,200 not about it. I will be interesting how they're playing once Job returns. 402 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:52,920 But this season, frankly, this season's over for them. It's just it's 403 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,000 over. They've they've seed in too much ground and it's not entirely their fault. 404 00:25:56,519 --> 00:26:00,559 The Miami Heat. I'm gonna go with forty seven just because they're the 405 00:26:00,559 --> 00:26:03,799 Miami Heat, and I I'm not gonna doubt their ability to figure it out. 406 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:07,079 We got to a point they gave up Max Drus and gave Vincent, 407 00:26:07,519 --> 00:26:11,759 let them leave for nothing, and it doesn't fucking matter because the you know, 408 00:26:11,839 --> 00:26:15,359 the dribbling version of Duncan Robinson is real and hamay Hawks has come in 409 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,359 and even before he was hitting threes, was leaving a two way den and 410 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:23,119 now he's hitting threes. On top of that, there are dead last and 411 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:26,480 opponent percentage at the rim. They don't allow a ton of attempts there, 412 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:30,880 but to be thirtieth is pretty big deal for them. I think it speaks 413 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:33,720 to just how small Bam has never been a true rim protector, and they 414 00:26:33,799 --> 00:26:37,119 just they skew small overall. And if you're gonna play bigger, you're you're 415 00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:41,720 gonna have a defensive liability on the court. Does a healthier Caleb Martin allow 416 00:26:41,519 --> 00:26:45,680 wings forwards like Hawk has, like Jimmy Butler to pitch in more down low. 417 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:49,359 That's something to monitor or do you need to address that a little bit 418 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:53,880 more. Tyler Hero is gonna come back. That will, like in Fury, 419 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,000 help your offense, gives you, you know, the additional playmaking. 420 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,000 I think he's I don't know if he's an underrated passer, reason quality passer 421 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:03,079 enough and so you can use those minutes with him and Kyle Lowry and Jimmy 422 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:07,079 Butler and bam Adebayo. You have your passing down. But if you get 423 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:11,359 to a point where you're training Tyler Hero Kyle Lowry, you are probably gonna 424 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:15,079 need to bring in some additional playmaking. And shout out to bam here as 425 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,759 well. He's putting together yet another career off the defensive season, and I 426 00:27:18,799 --> 00:27:22,039 think that's gonna put him firmly in not just the conversation, but firmly on 427 00:27:22,079 --> 00:27:25,920 an All NBA team for the for the first time in his career, but 428 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:29,920 I'm just overtook. The Heat's defense has been a little weird. Some of 429 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:32,839 that. His opponents have been shooting well from the perimeter against them, and 430 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:37,319 you wouldn't expect all those percentages to hold relative to the reputation, though, 431 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:40,440 that is something to watch for. They're just gonna spit out forty five to 432 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:41,640 seven wins, Like, what are we even doing here? You just have 433 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:45,440 to I'm over doubting the Heat. Like we said, there's alien shit going 434 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:49,160 on in there. They're gonna upend the postseason landscape at some point. Milwaukee 435 00:27:49,279 --> 00:27:52,759 Bucks. Everyone's concerned about the Bucks, and I get it. The defense 436 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:56,440 is not great. No team allows opponents to get out and transition more often 437 00:27:56,480 --> 00:28:00,920 after live rebounds than Milwaukee. It's not just a matter of teams getting behind 438 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,440 their guards. There's a lot of just like watching and letting things happen. 439 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:10,480 From Brook Lopez and even Giannis Tantakumpo. I don't know that they're gonna solve 440 00:28:10,799 --> 00:28:17,480 these issues, these defensive issues with the personnel. It's on their roster necessarily. 441 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:21,480 We've seen Bobby Portis's minutes come down. We should note that both Pat 442 00:28:21,519 --> 00:28:25,240 Contenton and Jake Crowd are injured. They're still on this like fifty six win 443 00:28:25,279 --> 00:28:27,359 pace, which is what I have them for fifty six and twenty six. 444 00:28:29,599 --> 00:28:32,799 They're just gonna be fine. I mean, the offense is top five and 445 00:28:32,839 --> 00:28:37,400 they're not even like milking the Damian Lillard Downason Tentacupo pick and roll enough. 446 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:41,160 Is it concerning that there's been some rough late game execution. Bobby Port has 447 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:45,839 called it out from Adrian Griffin and the players the other day. It's slightly 448 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,400 concerning, But the Bucks still have a top five crunch time offense, and 449 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:51,599 so the fact that they haven't even reached their peak. Their rim protection has 450 00:28:51,599 --> 00:28:55,480 gotten a lot better since Brook Lopez started started playing more drop unless he's going 451 00:28:55,559 --> 00:29:00,240 up against Indiana. So for all that's wrong with them, they're still just 452 00:29:00,279 --> 00:29:03,640 on pace for this elite record. I think the concerns are going to manifest 453 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:07,559 more in the postseason, and it's can you get some additional point of attack 454 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:11,480 defense in here, or just maybe a different look on the wings. I 455 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:14,480 will say I've been really impressed with, for the most part, when League 456 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,440 Beasley has done on both ends of the floor this season. Probably not enough 457 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:21,680 defensively, but he's had games where he's played really well defensively. The Minnesota 458 00:29:21,759 --> 00:29:26,079 Timberwolves fifty eight and twenty four, because fuck it, this team is real. 459 00:29:26,519 --> 00:29:29,119 If I have to choose right now, I've already chosen in the preseason. 460 00:29:29,119 --> 00:29:30,160 But if I have to choose, I'm gonna pick the Nuggets to come 461 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:33,240 out of the West. After that, though, and we've had this conversation 462 00:29:33,279 --> 00:29:37,400 before, it's supposed to be entirely open ended. It's not, because the 463 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:41,759 Timberwolves exist and this team is just so good. When you look at the 464 00:29:41,799 --> 00:29:45,480 top eight nine of their rotation, depending on how you feel about Troy Brown 465 00:29:45,559 --> 00:29:49,799 Junior, that is superseded by no other team in the league one through eight 466 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:55,000 or nine. There might be deeper teams overall looking at New Orleans and all 467 00:29:55,039 --> 00:30:00,000 their optionality. OK, see of course, but but one through eight the 468 00:30:00,039 --> 00:30:04,599 Wolves have maybe the most bankable playoff rotation right now, nos Reed has made 469 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:08,160 another jump at both ends of the floor. I still need to see this 470 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:14,799 offense take more threes, and I think that's important because the dual big setup, 471 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:19,440 while it's been effective, especially on defense, it has created an environment 472 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:22,000 where it's harder for the perimeter players to get to the rim, and so 473 00:30:22,039 --> 00:30:26,799 the Wolves are not as often and those tighter spaces at points have resulted in 474 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:30,799 some additional turnovers, and three point shooting can be a way offsetting that. 475 00:30:30,839 --> 00:30:33,319 I'm not saying Cam Karl Anthony Town's out in the corner. Have him take 476 00:30:33,319 --> 00:30:37,160 ten threes a game, but Carl Anthony Towns take ten threes a game. 477 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:41,359 At this point, Carlin Town's been good though some variants on offense, and 478 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:45,079 then he's defended really well. Still slow in space, but when you look 479 00:30:45,119 --> 00:30:48,839 at what he's doing specifically, just like where he's supposed to be, he's 480 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:52,000 now there and it's not and it's not just there, and he's off balance 481 00:30:52,039 --> 00:30:55,079 and he's late. It helps that you're playing with nos Reed and Rudy Gobert, 482 00:30:55,079 --> 00:30:56,559 who probably needs to be the defensive player of the year right now. 483 00:30:56,559 --> 00:31:02,720 You go back and look at just five to seven possessions defense possessions from the 484 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:04,480 Wolves per game. He is all over the place. I said, I 485 00:31:04,519 --> 00:31:07,920 haven't seen him move like this in years. I think it was JJ Reddick 486 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:11,920 or Zach Lowe had recently said, and they're just probably right because it's them 487 00:31:11,119 --> 00:31:15,480 that he has never moved like this ever. They have the best defense in 488 00:31:15,519 --> 00:31:18,519 the league. It's not going anywhere, I think because you look at their 489 00:31:18,599 --> 00:31:22,359 second best defender, is it We know where their second best defender is. 490 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,519 But when you look at who Rudy Goberart is played next to on the perimeter, 491 00:31:26,079 --> 00:31:30,240 Athey Edwards, Jade McDaniels, probably Nikael Alexander Walker, probably Troy Brown 492 00:31:30,279 --> 00:31:37,519 Junior all would have registered as the best perimeter defender during Go Bear's final season 493 00:31:37,519 --> 00:31:40,599 in Utah if they were on that team. So to have all this personnel 494 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:45,799 around, I think it's worth the offensive trade off because you have decided, 495 00:31:45,799 --> 00:31:48,279 when you're looking at some of the guys you are playing naw, Troy Brown 496 00:31:48,319 --> 00:31:52,400 Jr. Kyle Anderson, even, you have decided that your three point attempt 497 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:59,079 trade may always be artificially or by design repressed. And I'm watching this team 498 00:31:59,079 --> 00:32:00,079 and it's just okay, I like to see them. I don't think it's 499 00:32:00,119 --> 00:32:02,720 a matter of that meeting to acquire someone. I think you look at Towns, 500 00:32:04,039 --> 00:32:07,119 you can even see it from Jade McDaniels, Anthony Edwards, who's pull 501 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:12,039 up three pointer has been going in this year. Can they up their three 502 00:32:12,039 --> 00:32:14,720 point volume because I think that would do wonders for the offense. But they're 503 00:32:14,799 --> 00:32:17,000 fifty eight. They're on course. I think for maybe sixty something. At 504 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,640 this point. We're gonna pull them back a little bit. But this is 505 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:24,400 probably gonna be the one seed in the Eastern Conference. Quite frankly, I 506 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:28,359 will be interested to see. My question with the Wolves is whether any of 507 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:31,599 the matchup stuff changes in the postseason. Is that when teams are scheming for 508 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:36,039 you, when they're going up against you potentially seven times in a row, 509 00:32:36,559 --> 00:32:38,599 does that make it harder to float the two big stuff? I think it. 510 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:42,519 I this might be a hot take. I think it will wind up 511 00:32:42,519 --> 00:32:45,799 impacting Karlathee Towns more than anyone because he might be more exploitable on defense than 512 00:32:47,599 --> 00:32:51,359 or not might be. He is more than a nas Reeder or a Gobert, 513 00:32:51,359 --> 00:32:53,319 and I think you could get by defensively with those two on the court 514 00:32:53,359 --> 00:32:57,720 together and Read and go Bear in a playoff series because of just how damn 515 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:02,359 switchable nas Reed is. The New Orleans Pelicans, I'm going forty five wins. 516 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:07,000 It's ambitious. You will be hard pressed to find someone who is higher 517 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:10,480 on this exact version. No changes of the Pelicans than me. I have 518 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:15,839 vacillated. We've made jokes in discord about it, the jokes been made on 519 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:20,000 Twitter about it. I was almost ready to deboard the bandwagon at one point. 520 00:33:20,279 --> 00:33:23,640 They're getting healthier. You can see the skeleton of a really great team 521 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:28,960 here. Tramer for the third's return is absolutely monstrous because I think it will 522 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,200 allow them to get to more of those Zion as your big units with Herb 523 00:33:32,279 --> 00:33:36,440 Jones so that you could and maybe even Dyson Daniels so that he's not the 524 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:40,720 one playing the center role specifically, but Zion load big units that don't torpedo 525 00:33:42,079 --> 00:33:46,240 your defense. I think still when you watch this team, there's some things 526 00:33:46,359 --> 00:33:51,559 plural missing, and no one in themselves is the primary issue. I will 527 00:33:51,599 --> 00:33:55,880 say Zion's rebounding and conditioning is clearly an issue. There's the report from Christian 528 00:33:55,920 --> 00:34:01,319 Clark of The Times pick un I think are la dot com about how the 529 00:34:01,319 --> 00:34:06,000 Pelicans have struggled to get Zion to change his diet and work on his conditioning. 530 00:34:06,839 --> 00:34:08,840 That's definitely somebody to monitor. I find it tough to be too critical 531 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:14,760 of someone in zion spot who can't necessarily get his because he's twenty three, 532 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:16,639 is my point, and just like how dedicated were you to nutrition when you're 533 00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:21,280 twenty three? You weren't getting paid this much money. But you do have 534 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:22,599 to remember who they're dealing with, a twenty three year old. However, 535 00:34:23,079 --> 00:34:28,199 his defensive rebounding rate is eight point sixty five when Yonis Valentiunis is off the 536 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:31,199 floor and when Cody Zeler's off the floor so effectively sometimes Nance is there, 537 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:37,760 but when he is a primary big that is impressively shitty. I have to 538 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,159 say it, that's something to be a concern. I look at them and 539 00:34:40,199 --> 00:34:44,760 it's Yona Salentunis is not the problem, and I'm not gonna say Larry as 540 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,920 Junior is the problem either. But they could use a different big look next 541 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:52,760 to Zion, someone who's going to protect the rim set really powerful screens. 542 00:34:52,159 --> 00:34:55,400 That player, and I believe we've talked about this on podcast, doesn't necessarily 543 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:59,960 need to be a floor spacer one because it's hard to find those guys. 544 00:35:00,079 --> 00:35:02,199 But two, if you could find that guy, definitely go out and get 545 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:07,159 him. But if you can just get someone to create separation with screens, 546 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:09,880 that will be a form of spacing and gravity in itself. And Zion doesn't 547 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:14,079 need a ton of room to get to the basket. He's been lighter on 548 00:35:14,159 --> 00:35:17,559 freakish athletic plays this year, and he can still just devastate defenses and get 549 00:35:17,559 --> 00:35:22,559 through double triple, quadruple teams. With that said, I do think the 550 00:35:22,599 --> 00:35:25,679 Pelicans really do need to improve their floor balance overall. Still, even if 551 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:29,920 you're gonna, you know, even with Trey Murphy being back, I don't 552 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:35,000 know. If I'm looking at this roster without any changes. I think there's 553 00:35:35,039 --> 00:35:37,679 the one big stuff. But the other thing you could try is can we 554 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:43,000 get Zion to set more super high ball screens for Brandon Ingram or CJ. 555 00:35:43,119 --> 00:35:46,519 Mccumps. They can dribble into threes that are gonna be twenty five feet and 556 00:35:46,559 --> 00:35:51,440 above the break, and then that give Zion room to kind of roam underneath 557 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:53,679 them after setting the screen. Is it a matter though, of going out 558 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:57,159 and getting a trade. I've actually the more I thought about it, I've 559 00:35:57,199 --> 00:36:00,079 love og Ananobi for this team because of what he could do in the Zion 560 00:36:00,119 --> 00:36:04,280 as your big lineups. You have him, you put herb on ball a 561 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:06,599 little bit more if you want, if you're worried about you know, maybe 562 00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:09,320 run some pick and rolls with him and Zion, but having herb and Og 563 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:14,880 specifically, that's gonna insulate you defensively against basically any big man unit and you 564 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:16,960 get the benefits of right. So throw Ingram and Trey Murphy there and there's 565 00:36:17,039 --> 00:36:21,199 just your spacing and you devastate. I do think for the Pelicans, who 566 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:23,920 actualize the contender version of themselves, they will need to make a trade. 567 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:29,719 But they are closer than I think some of their low moments might suggest. 568 00:36:30,559 --> 00:36:31,360 The New York Knicks, I don't know what to do with them. I'm 569 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:35,480 putting them at forty seven wins, which is what they had last year. 570 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:37,239 I think some fans will take that as an insult because they're on pace to 571 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:39,840 went about fifty right now. It's not an insult. I mean, we 572 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:44,519 have to consider the shifting landscape in the East. For one, Boston, 573 00:36:44,519 --> 00:36:47,920 Milwaukee, Philly not going anywhere. Orlando and Indy neither of them look like 574 00:36:47,960 --> 00:36:51,599 they're going anywhere right now, and at least one of them seems like they're 575 00:36:51,639 --> 00:36:53,960 here to stay. And then you kind of have to believe Miami and nor 576 00:36:54,039 --> 00:36:58,079 Cleveland will both climb up the ranks. And so the Knicks have been really 577 00:36:58,119 --> 00:37:00,079 bad against winning opponents this year. I think there's three and nine in those 578 00:37:00,119 --> 00:37:05,119 games. They're a really good team overall, though, and it's there's a 579 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:07,480 weird I should do a longer podcast on this, but it's the middle of 580 00:37:07,519 --> 00:37:12,679 the season and I don't want to dedicate way too much time to one team. 581 00:37:13,119 --> 00:37:15,880 I really like what they've done, even look the Quentin Grimes struggles. 582 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:19,679 They move him to the bench, Dante de vincenzls starting. What does that 583 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:22,000 do to the defense Because of how important Quentin Grimes was to defending on the 584 00:37:22,039 --> 00:37:27,360 perimeter, Our's been better there this year. But this gets leads into my 585 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:30,880 difficulty. There's just weirdness. The stuff that I can buy into the defense, 586 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:35,039 I just I buy into. Mitchell Robinson has been great. Some of 587 00:37:35,079 --> 00:37:37,519 the on off splits can be wonky, but you have to look at the 588 00:37:37,519 --> 00:37:40,079 way that he's just deterring teams from It's not just yeah, the rim volume 589 00:37:40,079 --> 00:37:44,119 can be a little bit higher, but he's just taking away floaters because they're 590 00:37:44,159 --> 00:37:46,760 terrified of him. And he's also being pulled away from the basket a bunch. 591 00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:51,039 I don't so I think the best way to look at this stuff. 592 00:37:51,079 --> 00:37:52,639 I like about the Knicks I think the defense is real stuff I don't like. 593 00:37:52,679 --> 00:37:57,360 It doesn't seem like they can defend teams that stretch the floor, like 594 00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:00,320 across all five spots or even four spots. That's a real problem. The 595 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:05,719 offense taking enough threes and hitting them at a high clip. I would still 596 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:09,480 like to see them take more threes. Jalen Brunson's emergence as one of the 597 00:38:09,519 --> 00:38:15,199 deadliest off the dribble three point shooters in the league absolutely real. Julius Rando 598 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:19,800 playing better lately may be real, but the inconsistency from him and now r 599 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:22,880 J. Barrett coming back from his Migram stuff, and even Josh Hart who 600 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:25,159 him and Grimes. They're talking about how hard it is to get in the 601 00:38:25,199 --> 00:38:30,000 flow of this offense because they're so deep, and neither of those two are 602 00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:34,159 Grimes I think could play on offense like Dante DiVincenzo. Josh Hart isn't really 603 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:37,159 wired to do that. But he can also go grab a rebound and then 604 00:38:37,239 --> 00:38:38,519 dribble it up the court. That's how you can generate your own offense. 605 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:42,719 They're almost it feels like they're too deep for their own good, and you 606 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:45,960 run into some awkwardness and the other issue here is how do you get to 607 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:50,440 the next step with this roster. Where's the internal leap coming from. I 608 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:52,639 don't know that Emmanuel Quickly is going to be much better. Quentin Grimes is 609 00:38:52,679 --> 00:38:55,599 currently in his slump but has been demoted. I just think that RJ. 610 00:38:55,679 --> 00:38:59,239 Barrett is going to be a roller coaster for his career. Felt like he 611 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:01,920 turned a corner as just a decision maker. There have been some of those 612 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:06,519 moments since he's come back from the migraine issue, but not nearly as many. 613 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,639 And it's I'm not insulting the Nicks in a sense that they need to 614 00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:15,079 make a trade or that they're doomed. It's just this is weird. They're 615 00:39:15,159 --> 00:39:19,199 good the path to them with this exact roster being a lot better and being 616 00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:22,639 a threat to come out of the East, a true blue threat. I 617 00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:24,159 don't know how they get there, But I'm also I'm gonna sit here. 618 00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:27,239 I'm not gonna sit here and pretend I know how do they get there with 619 00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:31,280 the trade? The names that are available, Zach Levine, Pascal siaka Ojiannanobi 620 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:34,599 is the guy, but he's the guy for every team, and I don't 621 00:39:34,599 --> 00:39:37,880 think the Raptors move him. I think they need the bigger wing type, 622 00:39:37,119 --> 00:39:40,360 doesn't need to be doesn't need to have ball skills, but we'll defend their 623 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:45,199 butts off and is going to hit and take a bunch of open threes in 624 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:49,239 Ojiannaobi type. I don't know that there's a lower end version of that that's 625 00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:52,880 going to become available to the Knicks. Still a really good team. I 626 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:57,639 just question whether they have a peak above forty seven wins, maybe winning one 627 00:39:57,679 --> 00:40:00,719 playoff series. If the indicators are there, their defense, this remains elite, 628 00:40:00,719 --> 00:40:04,239 and they remain continue to hover in the top ten of offenses as well. 629 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:07,159 I'll recalibrate at the halfway point. But something still feels off here. 630 00:40:07,199 --> 00:40:09,480 And again it's not in a bad way. It's like I said, they 631 00:40:09,559 --> 00:40:13,880 might be too deep for their own good. You could if you would like 632 00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:17,079 to restrain yourself from talking about the thunder. Sam Presty would certainly like you 633 00:40:17,119 --> 00:40:22,159 to. I'm done this team. They have not. They have not just 634 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:25,079 arrived. They've unpacked, They've changed the locks, and they've settled into their 635 00:40:25,079 --> 00:40:29,360 new spot, new digs atop the Western Conference and the ore the top of 636 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:35,599 the Western Conference. I won't say they're beyond concern because I have not many 637 00:40:35,760 --> 00:40:38,679 but a few. Well, Chet Holmgren hit a rookie wall like this is 638 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:43,880 just his first time going through an eighty two game season. The Josh Giddy 639 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:47,159 play guys. It's admitted it's been a drain and they now have to plan 640 00:40:47,639 --> 00:40:51,519 around it. That's going to be an issue. Some of their most important 641 00:40:51,519 --> 00:40:53,880 lineups. I think their most important lineups, We're getting to the point where 642 00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:57,360 I don't even want to see him in them. You had to start the 643 00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:00,559 game final to close the game. No other than that. You look at 644 00:41:00,559 --> 00:41:02,920 this team. Will they be the best three point shooting team in the league 645 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:06,880 all year? Probably not, And they also need to take more threes. 646 00:41:06,920 --> 00:41:09,559 The defensive rebounding and rebounding in general is an issue. Can they acquire more 647 00:41:09,639 --> 00:41:14,880 heft on the front line without doing the anti thunder thing of oh, we 648 00:41:15,199 --> 00:41:19,079 consolidate it into kind of a Winnish now trade. Those are concerns, but 649 00:41:19,159 --> 00:41:22,639 this team is great. You don't get inside the top five of net rating 650 00:41:22,920 --> 00:41:27,119 more than one quarter the way through the season on accident, shake Gillchchalexanders once 651 00:41:27,159 --> 00:41:30,480 again a top five MVP candidate, and he's not four or five there's Jokic, 652 00:41:30,960 --> 00:41:36,119 Hallie and SGA. I think Lebron is the other guy that's gonna have 653 00:41:36,119 --> 00:41:39,039 a case to be in the top four, So maybe SGA is four. 654 00:41:39,079 --> 00:41:43,400 I know a lot of people want to see Kevin Durant get there. I'm 655 00:41:43,440 --> 00:41:46,559 not lower on his case than most. He could certainly be in my top 656 00:41:46,599 --> 00:41:50,079 five. I haven't gone through it. I don't think he's in the top 657 00:41:50,119 --> 00:41:53,159 three though. I would have Sga, Halle and Jokic all ahead of him, 658 00:41:53,159 --> 00:41:57,400 and I probably have Lebron ahead of him as well. The Thunder though 659 00:41:57,599 --> 00:42:01,519 just Jalen Williams is now now JA Dubb is now in every level score. 660 00:42:01,599 --> 00:42:05,519 That's what it really feels like. Lou Dort defending his butt off. Has 661 00:42:05,559 --> 00:42:07,639 not been playing as well on offensive late, but he's still just low fucking 662 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:15,880 mac truck Dort and really, look, I can't overemphasize enough how much better 663 00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:19,679 he makes a Jdubb or Shay Gildas Alexander look, or even a Channel Wan 664 00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:22,880 look defensively because he insulates everybody against the most difficult assignment i'd Someone on Twitter 665 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:25,719 asked me if I thought Shay could make all defense this year. I think 666 00:42:25,719 --> 00:42:29,760 his defensive effort will be reflected in the MVP voting, But he's not gonna 667 00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:32,920 make all defense because he's so insulated on defense when you look at his one 668 00:42:32,960 --> 00:42:37,039 on one assignment workload thanks to lou Dort, Isaiah Joe just continues to do 669 00:42:37,119 --> 00:42:43,000 things. Case and Waller's been a great like a great rookie. The fact 670 00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:45,960 that he's so plug and play defends his butt off. Will hit open threes. 671 00:42:45,199 --> 00:42:50,079 That's a big deal. Aaron Wiggins shot of adrenaline. I think Jay 672 00:42:50,119 --> 00:42:52,559 Will will start to play a little bit better. I think this team is 673 00:42:52,679 --> 00:42:55,559 just are they a contender? They might be. I'm gonna have him fifty 674 00:42:55,599 --> 00:43:00,800 one wins, but if they can acquire some hef on the front line and 675 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:05,800 someone who doesn't need to crack their closing line up, but another frontcourt option 676 00:43:05,960 --> 00:43:09,079 that could's that has size and can play alongside chet Holme Grin. And it's 677 00:43:09,119 --> 00:43:12,760 hard to find a big who can't play alongside chet hulng Grin because of what 678 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:16,599 he does from the outside. They just that doesn't change their entire trajectory, 679 00:43:16,639 --> 00:43:21,079 but it turns them into a completely different They're not some at that point. 680 00:43:21,079 --> 00:43:23,639 They're not a plucky title threat. They're like an actual title threat. I 681 00:43:23,679 --> 00:43:25,960 just don't think they'll make that move. And look, they don't need to 682 00:43:27,039 --> 00:43:31,199 because as constructed, they will probably season into a contender eventually. The Erlino 683 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:36,719 Magic another surprise, We'll go forty eight wins here. I didn't see this. 684 00:43:37,280 --> 00:43:39,400 I could have seen a scenario where I was incredibly I think I took 685 00:43:39,400 --> 00:43:43,079 the over on the Thunder because of Sam. I listened to Sam pressI I'm 686 00:43:43,079 --> 00:43:46,079 a fucking idiot. But the Magic. I could never envision them winning almost 687 00:43:46,079 --> 00:43:51,199 fifty games. It's it's gonna happen at this point. I don't know where's 688 00:43:51,199 --> 00:43:55,079 the pullback gonna come from. You actually might get some boose. Franz Vagner's 689 00:43:55,119 --> 00:43:58,239 up been shooting the ball well from three. He still been making an impact 690 00:43:58,320 --> 00:44:02,360 on offense, though Caro's once again a terror. The defense has remained health 691 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:07,440 hire for the most part, without by the way Mark kel Foltz or Wendell 692 00:44:07,519 --> 00:44:10,320 Carter Junior. Jonathan Isaac is now dealing with another injury. So as the 693 00:44:10,360 --> 00:44:15,199 Magic get healthier, they might get even better on the defensive end. The 694 00:44:15,280 --> 00:44:17,920 offense is their problem. It's been better lately. They can do some things 695 00:44:17,960 --> 00:44:21,800 in transition they can get to the foul line. It helps that Palo Bank 696 00:44:21,840 --> 00:44:27,719 Carroll's essentially just murdering everybody as I record this. But they need they need 697 00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:30,719 shooting, and by that I mean not just someone who's hitting threes, someone 698 00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:36,880 who has defenses react like they're going to hit threes. Defenses don't care about 699 00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:38,639 guarding any of Orlando shooters at this point, even when it looks like they're 700 00:44:38,679 --> 00:44:43,840 four out or five out, they don't care about any of Orlando shooters. 701 00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:45,760 And so can you get them a shooter that defense is going to care about 702 00:44:45,840 --> 00:44:50,679 to make life easier on Franz Wagner, on Palo Bank Caro, even on 703 00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:54,519 excuse me, Mark L. Fultz, Like once he's once he's back, 704 00:44:55,519 --> 00:44:59,199 would they be willing to make that trade if? And I don't think it 705 00:44:59,239 --> 00:45:00,880 needs to be a stars Zach Levine still interests me a little bit for this 706 00:45:00,920 --> 00:45:05,679 team when they go after Anthony Simons, when they go after Gary French Junior, 707 00:45:05,920 --> 00:45:07,519 that's the level of player that could make a world of difference here. 708 00:45:08,159 --> 00:45:12,440 I'll rap by saying I think Anthony Black is probably gonna make like a trillion 709 00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:15,920 all defense teams for his career and I'll find I'll wrap it up finally by 710 00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:21,119 saying Jalen Suggs. I've said this probably too many times. He to me 711 00:45:21,199 --> 00:45:23,360 has been a lock for all defense. I think he's been one of the 712 00:45:23,360 --> 00:45:28,199 ten best defenders in basketball. And that's on top of kind of just improving 713 00:45:28,239 --> 00:45:32,760 on offense accepting a streamlined, more plug and play role. The Philadelphia seventy 714 00:45:32,760 --> 00:45:36,599 six ers are gonna win fifty three games. That's I think that's the exact 715 00:45:36,599 --> 00:45:38,880 base they're on now. If you're waiting for the pullback, it's just it's 716 00:45:38,920 --> 00:45:44,679 not coming. Tyrese Maxie has inoculated them against it forfeiting. James Harden's star 717 00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:49,400 power matters in a vacuum, but now you've replaced it with more all NBA 718 00:45:49,519 --> 00:45:53,960 caliber star power in Tyrese Maxi. He's averaging like twenty seven points in or 719 00:45:54,000 --> 00:45:58,480 twenty six points and seven assassooing over thirty nine percent on an absurd volume with 720 00:45:58,519 --> 00:46:01,960 threes. The sixers are the minutes he plays without Joel Embiid. That's a 721 00:46:01,960 --> 00:46:07,239 big deal. Joe Embiid having another MVP type campaign as well. The passing 722 00:46:07,239 --> 00:46:10,400 from him has gotten a lot better and there's more variance to Philly's offense. 723 00:46:10,440 --> 00:46:14,559 In general, it feels like there's been some I don't want to call it 724 00:46:14,639 --> 00:46:19,199 defensive noise, but concern. The Sixers are not good at keeping teams out 725 00:46:19,199 --> 00:46:22,760 of transition right now. They get even worse when Joel Embiid is off the 726 00:46:22,760 --> 00:46:25,360 floor. I do think this probably has at least a little to a lot 727 00:46:25,440 --> 00:46:30,519 to do with Nick Nurse deciding that he wants them to crash the offensive glass. 728 00:46:30,559 --> 00:46:34,159 But they could use another ball handler type to help control the ball on 729 00:46:34,239 --> 00:46:37,440 offense and then maybe limit the transition opportunities when you're looking at some of the 730 00:46:37,440 --> 00:46:42,039 turnovers they've had, or another wing to really because you look at their best 731 00:46:42,039 --> 00:46:45,960 defenders right now are Embiid Okay, he's not he's talk what you just said, 732 00:46:46,199 --> 00:46:50,039 those wing types, and then you have de Anthony Melton, and there's 733 00:46:50,239 --> 00:46:52,599 Jaden Springer and Tobias Harris has been solid, but he's cooled off after his 734 00:46:52,679 --> 00:46:57,239 surface at the Sun start. Kelly Brady Junior is not going to give you 735 00:46:57,280 --> 00:47:00,519 that type of performance on defense, So I would like to see them go 736 00:47:00,639 --> 00:47:05,519 after someone who would and if you're not gonna be another ball handler type to 737 00:47:05,519 --> 00:47:08,480 come off the bench to steady your offense. Without Maxi on the floor, 738 00:47:09,320 --> 00:47:13,199 they're just a ridiculously good team, though, and Maxi's give them optionality. 739 00:47:13,239 --> 00:47:15,159 They don't need to go out and trade for a number two. Now, 740 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:16,239 they don't even need a number three. He could say, we just want 741 00:47:16,239 --> 00:47:19,679 to deepen our rotation, and we're going to move some of these assets to 742 00:47:19,719 --> 00:47:22,599 get two or three guys in here who fill the gaps. I do think 743 00:47:23,039 --> 00:47:27,199 they're less likely to go that route and give up first round equity in the 744 00:47:27,239 --> 00:47:29,480 middle of the season. They want to wait and see what happens over the 745 00:47:29,480 --> 00:47:32,679 offseason with their cap space in the trade market. But again, Maxi has 746 00:47:32,679 --> 00:47:37,920 afforded them all sorts of optionality. The Phoenix Suns, I'm gonna go with 747 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:42,280 fifty. I know some people probably expect it to be less. Zero minutes 748 00:47:42,320 --> 00:47:45,400 have been played by their big three together this season. Bradley Beal's still dealing 749 00:47:45,400 --> 00:47:49,280 with the back stuff, Devin Booker missed some time. They're still winning. 750 00:47:49,320 --> 00:47:53,159 They're seven to four with KD and Devin Booker this year. That's a better 751 00:47:53,280 --> 00:47:59,280 than fifty win pace. And I do truly believe that by getting Bradley Beal 752 00:47:59,360 --> 00:48:01,760 back, you're doing two things. The turnovers have been an issue even with 753 00:48:01,800 --> 00:48:05,239 them and Booker on the court now, But when it's Booker and Beal and 754 00:48:05,360 --> 00:48:07,920 Durant and now you can have two of them on the court at all times, 755 00:48:07,199 --> 00:48:12,239 I think the turnovers will start to tamp themselves down. And then you've 756 00:48:12,239 --> 00:48:15,079 also removed one wild card from the crunch time rotation. You know that bial, 757 00:48:15,159 --> 00:48:17,880 Durant and Booker are going to play when they're all there. Now you 758 00:48:17,880 --> 00:48:22,480 futz and fiddle around them. Could they be bitten by the fact that they 759 00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:29,000 have a bunch of one way minimum contract guys or just guys who run hot 760 00:48:29,039 --> 00:48:31,679 and cold, including use of Nurkic, who's he's had some really good moments 761 00:48:31,760 --> 00:48:36,599 this year, but he's been there big nights where it feels like he's just 762 00:48:36,639 --> 00:48:38,760 not there at all, or where the defense is just is terrible. It's 763 00:48:38,800 --> 00:48:43,239 actually impressive that the Suns are not a bottom ten defense at the moment when 764 00:48:43,239 --> 00:48:45,400 you look at their personnel and how they had to rely on some of the 765 00:48:45,480 --> 00:48:49,960 units. I think backup five or five spot in general could become an issue 766 00:48:49,960 --> 00:48:53,760 come postseason. Are they able to get anyone to help that or are they 767 00:48:53,800 --> 00:48:59,159 gonna need to rely on smaller accommodations than Hey, Kevin Durant is now your 768 00:48:59,199 --> 00:49:01,719 backup five. I don't know. They have three stars and Bradley Beal will 769 00:49:01,760 --> 00:49:06,400 eventually be healthy. It's fair to question what they're sealing is now. I 770 00:49:06,440 --> 00:49:08,519 still think, Look, Minnesota's right there. This might be the team that's 771 00:49:09,119 --> 00:49:13,360 the third most ready to win a title in the West. The Lakers and 772 00:49:13,360 --> 00:49:15,119 the thunder kind of are giving me pause there, but they're certainly in that. 773 00:49:16,239 --> 00:49:20,159 Like when I'm talking Inner Circle contenders right now, and we did this, 774 00:49:20,239 --> 00:49:23,360 go check out our inner our podcast on Inner Circle contenders, I have 775 00:49:23,440 --> 00:49:30,079 Minnesota, Denver, Boston, and Milwaukee, and I'd be willing to consider 776 00:49:30,119 --> 00:49:32,280 putting Phoenix or the Lakers in there. I don't have them in there just 777 00:49:32,360 --> 00:49:35,840 yet, but the Suns are certainly in that next tier if they're not in 778 00:49:35,880 --> 00:49:39,639 the inner circle. The Blazers seventeen and sixty five, I promise you I 779 00:49:39,639 --> 00:49:43,559 have seen some Blazers. I know they're on pace to win more. I 780 00:49:43,639 --> 00:49:45,840 know that their offense, excuse me, their defense has been pretty good. 781 00:49:45,840 --> 00:49:50,320 They're tenth in points loud per possession in the half court. That's a big 782 00:49:50,360 --> 00:49:53,440 deal. They should get one. I think they're gonna get worse on defense 783 00:49:53,480 --> 00:49:57,760 because now you have Anthony Simons and Scoot Henderson back on the fold. But 784 00:49:57,960 --> 00:50:02,239 two, I think they'll get on worse by design. It's okay, you're 785 00:50:02,280 --> 00:50:07,000 going to rely on Scoot Henderson a rookie. The learning curve for rookie point 786 00:50:07,000 --> 00:50:10,119 cards is pretty steep. That's going to hurt you. And then the bigger 787 00:50:10,159 --> 00:50:15,199 one is how many of the guys who are helping them are still there after 788 00:50:15,239 --> 00:50:19,599 the trade deadline. I'm talking Jeremy Grant, Mattist, Steibel, Anthony Simon's 789 00:50:19,679 --> 00:50:22,719 himself, Malcolm Brockton. Of course, I think at least two of those 790 00:50:22,760 --> 00:50:27,320 guys get traded by the deadline, and I think I also think that even 791 00:50:27,360 --> 00:50:30,679 if they don't, this includes DeAndre Ayton, we're gonna start to see injuries 792 00:50:30,719 --> 00:50:35,559 to made up body parts and them racking up dnps because that's just the point 793 00:50:35,599 --> 00:50:38,000 of the rebuild. Portland's wouldn't shock me if they won more than this. 794 00:50:38,159 --> 00:50:42,280 But I think by the trade deadline, we'll look at this and say, 795 00:50:42,679 --> 00:50:45,440 okay, like this team is going to get worse on purpose one way or 796 00:50:45,519 --> 00:50:51,559 the other. The Sacramento Kings, I'm going with forty six and thirty four. 797 00:50:51,679 --> 00:50:55,239 Excuse me, he says thirty five. The issue forty six and thirty 798 00:50:55,280 --> 00:51:00,880 six is what it should say. I apologize. The issue there here is 799 00:51:01,559 --> 00:51:06,119 I don't think they're worse. I just don't know how much better they are. 800 00:51:06,280 --> 00:51:09,599 You've gotten defensive jumps from Keegan Murray before his back injuries and Daron Fox 801 00:51:09,920 --> 00:51:15,239 that kind of gets offset by the Harrison Barnes regressing regression and Davion Mitchell just 802 00:51:15,719 --> 00:51:19,960 becoming completely not completely unplayable, but he's just not as big of a part 803 00:51:20,000 --> 00:51:23,400 of the rotation. You're also getting hammered in the minutes that the Bonus plays 804 00:51:23,400 --> 00:51:28,519 without Fox. Offense is trending in the right direction since Fox's return. That's 805 00:51:28,559 --> 00:51:31,360 good. So I still just have questions about this team. The bigger one 806 00:51:31,480 --> 00:51:36,519 is the defense. Of course, they don't have the ability to be better 807 00:51:36,599 --> 00:51:38,440 than a bottom ten defense to me over the course of a season. They're 808 00:51:38,480 --> 00:51:42,199 another team where it's yes, O Jana will be be great, but if 809 00:51:42,199 --> 00:51:45,360 you can get a Jasehn Tate or Dorian Phinney Smith that will go a long 810 00:51:45,840 --> 00:51:51,280 long way. San Antonio Spurs. This one's hard because they look so bad 811 00:51:51,880 --> 00:51:54,920 on purpose right now, I have them at nineteen and sixty three. I 812 00:51:55,000 --> 00:52:00,960 could easily see them going higher just because they have the talent to get better. 813 00:52:00,599 --> 00:52:05,079 Wemby's the headliner, of course there does he hit a rookie wall, 814 00:52:05,119 --> 00:52:07,199 but like he's shooting over forty percent from three on real volume over his past 815 00:52:07,400 --> 00:52:10,159 I think the past like two weeks or something, nine games, whatever it's 816 00:52:10,199 --> 00:52:15,039 been, and at some point you would think, Okay, they're gonna get 817 00:52:15,079 --> 00:52:19,199 They're gonna start Trey Jones right or get away from Jeremy Soham playing so much 818 00:52:19,239 --> 00:52:22,599 point guard. And they have Zach Collins, they have Devin Vessel, they 819 00:52:22,639 --> 00:52:27,119 have Calden Johnson, they have good players. I would like to see them 820 00:52:27,159 --> 00:52:31,800 acquire another floor general type, not Devonte Graham, someone other than Tredy Jones, 821 00:52:32,039 --> 00:52:35,679 Tias Jones. Speaking of Jones, this would make a lot of sense 822 00:52:35,719 --> 00:52:37,360 for this team. I just don't think the Spurs are at that point, 823 00:52:37,559 --> 00:52:40,079 and you don't need to be at that point to make a trade for someone 824 00:52:40,119 --> 00:52:44,400 like Tyas Jones. But that's just not how they operate. I ultimately think 825 00:52:44,440 --> 00:52:46,880 that they're gonna continue with the experimentation. Would surprise me if they get a 826 00:52:46,880 --> 00:52:50,960 little extra cautious with Wemby. We get to the second half of the season 827 00:52:51,519 --> 00:52:54,880 nineteen and sixty three, I feel uneasy about that. But we haven't seen 828 00:52:57,559 --> 00:53:01,480 extended stretches of the Spurs playing a brand of basketball that makes you think they 829 00:53:01,519 --> 00:53:05,480 are going to be more of a threat in the Western Conference, or I 830 00:53:05,480 --> 00:53:07,239 should say, more of a threat to not finish with one of the two 831 00:53:07,280 --> 00:53:15,039 worst records in the Western Conference, the Toronto Raptors thirty five and forty seven. 832 00:53:16,599 --> 00:53:20,920 What do I say about the Raptors. Scotty Barnes' year three leap is 833 00:53:21,039 --> 00:53:24,280 for real, and it gives the Raptors access to a multitude of directions. 834 00:53:24,719 --> 00:53:29,239 Pick one, Pick one. You've not optimized the roster if you want to 835 00:53:29,320 --> 00:53:34,480 keep Siakam and Barnes and Anonobi together. There's just not enough spacing. Their 836 00:53:34,559 --> 00:53:37,559 half core offense has been more efficient overall than I would have expected, but 837 00:53:37,719 --> 00:53:42,199 they still struggle to open it up. Everything just feels like it not everything, 838 00:53:42,280 --> 00:53:45,880 but so much of what they do when it's effective, feels like it's 839 00:53:45,960 --> 00:53:49,480 too hard and that it should be easier. That is with mind you Dennis 840 00:53:49,480 --> 00:53:52,760 Shruter and Scotty Martin shooting better from three than I think anyone could have predicted 841 00:53:52,519 --> 00:53:55,920 there are not any more levers to pull, levers to pull. With this 842 00:53:57,079 --> 00:54:00,800 exact roster, you could hope Grady Dick kind of start shooting a lot better. 843 00:54:01,159 --> 00:54:05,639 You could move Garrett Trent Junior to the starting five. That's really it. 844 00:54:05,920 --> 00:54:07,760 And so if you are the Raptors and you want to be better than 845 00:54:07,800 --> 00:54:10,800 thirty five and forty seven, then you need to go out and be involved 846 00:54:10,840 --> 00:54:15,599 in the zach Lavine sweepstakes. If you want to be not trapped in the 847 00:54:15,639 --> 00:54:20,039 bottom of the middle, then you need to trade. I would say Siakam 848 00:54:20,079 --> 00:54:22,719 and Garret Trent Junior in advance a free agency because there's been this conversation in 849 00:54:22,760 --> 00:54:29,000 our discord I think was everything Blacks proposed it. They're not sure what's worth 850 00:54:29,360 --> 00:54:32,199 worse, letting Siakam and Garrett Trent Junior leave a free agency for nothing or 851 00:54:32,320 --> 00:54:37,599 just running back this entire roster. And it's a fair point. Pick a 852 00:54:37,039 --> 00:54:39,960 direction. You have Scottie Barnes, you know you need to flesh everything out 853 00:54:40,079 --> 00:54:44,199 around him. I do think there's a pathway to him in Siakam working, 854 00:54:44,519 --> 00:54:49,599 but you need to assemble a roster that opens that pathway to it working. 855 00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:53,159 They haven't done that. Will they do that? Messiah Jerry has been kind 856 00:54:53,159 --> 00:54:58,599 of cagy when it comes to blockbuster trade since the Kawhi Leonard deal. I 857 00:54:58,719 --> 00:55:01,960 know that they did trade. They traded Yaka Purtle in the Qui Leonard deal. 858 00:55:02,000 --> 00:55:04,960 That's the what the blackbuster I'm talking about. I know they went out 859 00:55:04,960 --> 00:55:08,440 and got Mark Basol later on that year. That wasn't really a blockbuster and 860 00:55:08,559 --> 00:55:13,760 since then their biggest move has been on the trade market has been bringing back 861 00:55:13,840 --> 00:55:17,440 Yaka Purtle for a top six protected first round pick. You have the equity 862 00:55:17,559 --> 00:55:22,599 to go out and be involved in some pretty splashing transactions depending on who becomes 863 00:55:22,599 --> 00:55:27,199 available. I like Zack Lavine in Toronto. I'm sure Toronto doesn't. He's 864 00:55:27,239 --> 00:55:30,519 just not that type of player. But if there's nothing wrong with that, 865 00:55:30,760 --> 00:55:32,239 you know, the right foot stuff he's dealing with. I know he had 866 00:55:32,280 --> 00:55:36,639 the PRP injection. If that's not a long term thing, he makes so 867 00:55:36,719 --> 00:55:37,599 much sense for this team. If you don't want to go that route, 868 00:55:37,639 --> 00:55:42,239 I get it, then it's time to trade Siakam and probably Trent I would 869 00:55:42,280 --> 00:55:44,320 keep out of no, but he just makes too much sense to me. 870 00:55:44,719 --> 00:55:49,880 Alongside Barnes Utah Jazz. I'm gonna go twenty nine to fifty three. I 871 00:55:49,960 --> 00:55:52,760 think we're seeing this season what everyone mistakenly thought we were gonna see from the 872 00:55:52,800 --> 00:55:58,239 jump last season, and that's the Jazz are at a talent deficit and it's 873 00:55:58,320 --> 00:56:02,000 now showing injuries to Walker Kessler. Larry market In. The hamstring stuff right 874 00:56:02,000 --> 00:56:07,360 now certainly haven't helped Jordan Clarkson's thigh stuff that's now diluted a playmaking well that 875 00:56:07,480 --> 00:56:13,400 really only has Kante George aside from Jordan Clarkson. This team does have the 876 00:56:13,440 --> 00:56:15,920 assets to say, well, maybe we'll go out and get more passing or 877 00:56:15,079 --> 00:56:21,039 actual wings, and actual wings will who will defend without maybe shrinking the floor 878 00:56:21,480 --> 00:56:24,920 on on the offensive end. I just I expect them to tilt more towards 879 00:56:25,039 --> 00:56:29,960 sellers than opportunistic buyers, which is what they were with John Collins. Were 880 00:56:29,960 --> 00:56:34,440 these opportunistic buyers. I do expect that they're more likely. I would frame 881 00:56:34,519 --> 00:56:36,519 it this way, and I'm not going to predict it. I think it's 882 00:56:36,599 --> 00:56:39,280 more likely Larry Marketen because he's going to be extension eligible, because they're going 883 00:56:39,320 --> 00:56:43,320 to start thinking about his next deal, because he's a fringe all NBA player 884 00:56:43,360 --> 00:56:46,119 and not necessarily a capslock building block for the future. I think there's a 885 00:56:46,159 --> 00:56:51,320 better chance he becomes this year's surprise trade candidate than the Jazz go out and 886 00:56:51,440 --> 00:56:55,639 make a move that addresses the you know, the playmaking uncertainty aside from George 887 00:56:55,880 --> 00:57:00,679 or just the complete absence of wings on this raw and wings that can also 888 00:57:00,840 --> 00:57:05,440 kind of diversify how you're running the front line right now, where you're kind 889 00:57:05,440 --> 00:57:08,920 of locked into, well, we're playing it's not three fours because Larry Marketing 890 00:57:09,000 --> 00:57:13,840 can play the three, but it's like, oh, we don't really have 891 00:57:14,199 --> 00:57:19,440 room or the like, the tools to get Lowry to the four a bunch 892 00:57:19,880 --> 00:57:22,840 And is John Collins best suited if he's playing alongside another big Is there any 893 00:57:22,840 --> 00:57:27,400 way to open up minutes for Taylor Hendricks and all this that's not really related 894 00:57:27,440 --> 00:57:30,320 to the Jazz changing up the way that they build a roster, but I'd 895 00:57:30,360 --> 00:57:31,400 like to see more of Taylor Hendricks. I do think we get to a 896 00:57:31,480 --> 00:57:37,079 point where we do see that, and so that will deflate their win total. 897 00:57:37,239 --> 00:57:42,639 And there are players on this team, not necessarily Marketing, but that 898 00:57:42,840 --> 00:57:46,039 you could see them moving that then actively hurt their immediate chances. I think 899 00:57:47,079 --> 00:57:52,039 I would say Walker Kessler and Larry Marketing and the players least likely to be 900 00:57:52,159 --> 00:57:55,119 traded, which is just weird because you could tell me that Larry Marketing gets 901 00:57:55,159 --> 00:57:58,840 traded over Taylor Horton Tucker because there's more of a demand, and the Jazz 902 00:57:58,840 --> 00:58:02,199 are decided to go that route. I just they're here because if they make 903 00:58:02,360 --> 00:58:08,920 monumental changes, it's not going to be to improve materially improve the roster this 904 00:58:09,079 --> 00:58:14,199 season. Our final team, the good old Washington Wizards, who are not 905 00:58:14,360 --> 00:58:16,679 good, will go fifteen and sixty seven. They're actually on pace right now 906 00:58:16,800 --> 00:58:22,199 to win only twelve. That's me or in fifteen almost feels bold because they're 907 00:58:22,280 --> 00:58:28,199 built to lose and play no defense, and what is their pathway to getting 908 00:58:28,280 --> 00:58:31,320 better than this twelve win pace? When you look at some of the players 909 00:58:31,360 --> 00:58:36,519 on this team, Jordan po will be there past the trade deadline, will 910 00:58:36,599 --> 00:58:40,039 Kyle Kuzma, Will Corey Kispert, Deni Avdya poison Pill. I think he'll 911 00:58:40,039 --> 00:58:44,159 be there past the trade deadline. Well, Tyas Jones would, a healthy 912 00:58:44,199 --> 00:58:47,079 Delon Right would well Daniel Gafford, And so you start to I could see 913 00:58:47,079 --> 00:58:51,079 them starting to move players to make themselves even worse, which would mean that 914 00:58:51,159 --> 00:58:54,119 fifteen is pretty ambitious. I will say, I just think when we get 915 00:58:54,159 --> 00:58:59,119 to late in the season and you're dealing with teams who start to initiate their 916 00:58:59,159 --> 00:59:04,480 own inorganic tanks or just good teams that have entered cruise control, the Wizards 917 00:59:04,519 --> 00:59:07,639 will pick up a few extra victories there, even after they move at least 918 00:59:07,719 --> 00:59:12,039 one of Kuzma and Tyas Jones, well, we'll limit it to that. 919 00:59:12,239 --> 00:59:14,800 I think at least one of those guys will be gone. I'll be floored 920 00:59:14,800 --> 00:59:19,840 if they're both still on the roster past the trade deadline. Bright spots though 921 00:59:19,880 --> 00:59:22,480 for this team, Denny Avia, blockhool Bali, Corey Kisper. I think 922 00:59:22,480 --> 00:59:25,239 those have been bright spouts. Lanry Shammitt before his was he deal with the 923 00:59:25,320 --> 00:59:30,639 neck injury. I think he had some really good moments for them before before 924 00:59:30,719 --> 00:59:35,119 that. The blockhoul Bali one, he just looks more ready, especially on 925 00:59:35,239 --> 00:59:37,159 offense, that he was supposed to be. And I would like to see 926 00:59:37,199 --> 00:59:40,559 the Wizards commit to really ratcheting up his front court touches for the rest of 927 00:59:40,559 --> 00:59:45,400 the year most certainly if they that would be a you know, a vote 928 00:59:45,400 --> 00:59:46,280 of confident, not a vote of confidence, but that would be one of 929 00:59:46,280 --> 00:59:51,239 the primary reasons to move Kuzma, maybe even Jones, maybe even scale back 930 00:59:51,280 --> 00:59:53,480 on Jordan Poole's role so that you can open up more touches in the front 931 00:59:53,519 --> 00:59:57,480 court for Block Cool Bali, which are still like I think he's outside the 932 00:59:57,559 --> 01:00:00,360 top five in the team on those and that's just not the way to go, 933 01:00:00,679 --> 01:00:04,079 quite friendly. I want to see more. I want to see more 934 01:00:04,119 --> 01:00:07,079 Block Cool Bali on ball and then the information that comes with it. Hope 935 01:00:07,159 --> 01:00:13,000 you enjoyed this. Please remember subscribe if you haven't already Apple, Spotify, 936 01:00:13,159 --> 01:00:15,440 YouTube, hit the subscribe button and please I would ask that you tell people 937 01:00:15,559 --> 01:00:20,639 or share our content with other people to help us continue building the community, 938 01:00:20,639 --> 01:00:23,480 which is getting harder and harder as Twitter progressively just sucks. Now. We 939 01:00:23,599 --> 01:00:28,679 appreciate all the support. Join our discord, Come continue the conversation with me 940 01:00:28,840 --> 01:00:32,199 with us, get your mouthbed questions in there always a blast socials. They're 941 01:00:32,199 --> 01:00:37,119 in the podcast and YouTube descriptions until next time, and as always, I 942 01:00:37,320 --> 01:00:40,079 get the shout out to the one feel me Frank Neil Kina and my sincerest 943 01:00:40,119 --> 01:00:45,840 apologies once again, and perhaps forever more to Reggie Checks