1 00:00:14,679 --> 00:00:19,719 What is krak Alakin fellow thermonuclear a efforts. I am Dan Valley coming at 2 00:00:19,719 --> 00:00:23,600 you with get Another twenty twenty three, twenty twenty four NBA Team look Ahead 3 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,000 and because I actually know when this one is going up, this is the 4 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:32,079 midway point of the look Ahead series number fifteen that I have up before October 5 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,439 one. So I'm kind of impressed with myself. I'm normally running around like 6 00:00:35,439 --> 00:00:38,119 a maniac, and I'm still running around like a maniac. But these might 7 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:42,320 all be up in time. We're onto New York Knicks, which means it's 8 00:00:42,359 --> 00:00:48,560 time for Andrew Jay Claudio from Knicks Film School. G MAC, as many 9 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,679 of you may know him, does a great job doing basically everything over there. 10 00:00:52,719 --> 00:00:56,359 He does. He does everything. Follow him on the Twitter machine at 11 00:00:56,399 --> 00:01:00,719 Andrew Jay Claudio Underscore, don't leave out the unders were like I did. 12 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,239 It is on the screen. It'll be in the YouTube and podcast descriptions, 13 00:01:03,519 --> 00:01:07,000 as will the links to where you can subscribe to Nick's Film School. If 14 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:10,719 you're listening to this podcast and have not subscribed to them already. Given the 15 00:01:10,799 --> 00:01:14,200 number of times like Grant and my Hat tipped them, what the fuck, 16 00:01:14,359 --> 00:01:18,439 guys, so go do that, Claudio, how are you doing for Valley? 17 00:01:18,599 --> 00:01:22,719 I'm doing great. Can't complain, although as a football fan, I 18 00:01:22,719 --> 00:01:26,680 guess I can because of what happens to my quarterback a little over a week 19 00:01:26,719 --> 00:01:30,439 and a half ago. But we are here to talk about the stability of 20 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,840 a James Dolan owned franchise. Notice the New York Knicks. How about you 21 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,920 like them? Apples? How about that for irony that I'm turning to the 22 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:42,640 Knicks for my safe space where I can't be hurt anymore. The Nicks. 23 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:47,959 This podcast is always fascinating for me because of how I grew up a Knicks 24 00:01:47,959 --> 00:01:51,920 fan. But they're so steady. At the moment, I had trouble with 25 00:01:51,959 --> 00:01:53,680 the outline be so it was just like it could have been really short, 26 00:01:55,359 --> 00:01:57,400 like I could I could have just sent you like we could have done this 27 00:01:57,439 --> 00:02:02,159 in like seven base questions because they're so continuity has been prioritized there, which 28 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:07,439 is a good thing. So yeah, I mean let's start with well, 29 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:12,280 maybe we should start with any recent events. Do you read anything into James 30 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,159 Dolan saying he doesn't like owning sports teams or do you read into Julius Randall. 31 00:02:15,159 --> 00:02:19,840 I know you guys, talked about this on KFS. Already leaving CIA. 32 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,479 The CIA thing is more interesting for me at least, I don't even 33 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:28,759 know what it's interesting in pertaining to like, is it interesting because I think 34 00:02:28,759 --> 00:02:35,280 he's gonna leave the Knicks. Is it interesting because how closely CIA and the 35 00:02:35,319 --> 00:02:39,199 Knicks and the relationship is, or how may CIA may run the Knicks if 36 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:46,000 you believe what's out there. I just think it's been very obvious who gets 37 00:02:46,199 --> 00:02:50,840 a certain type of treatment with the Knicks, and it's the CIA clients. 38 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,159 The thing about Randall that's fascinating in that sense is like you need to be 39 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:59,159 one of two things to be in, like the cool kids club with the 40 00:02:59,199 --> 00:03:04,240 Knicks CIA client or a Kentucky grad. So he does still have that going 41 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,879 for him, and I wonder if that's enough. He did have ties with 42 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:13,719 the guy that he's going to be working with over at WMI. I don't 43 00:03:13,719 --> 00:03:17,080 think it's as important a relationship as some Knicks fans are making it out to 44 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:24,199 be that that's why he left CIA. The Dolan thing, a billionaire gave 45 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,759 a quote when he was talking about that was more of a troll class right 46 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,960 right right, I there is. It was the topic of conversation because it's 47 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:38,919 the offseason and Knicks fans need to react to everything in the most non nuanced 48 00:03:38,199 --> 00:03:44,479 way, shape and form. I but like, here's that's what we're talking 49 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,000 about. Like those are the Knicks stories at the moment. An All Star 50 00:03:47,719 --> 00:03:54,000 change representation. The owner has a new building in Vegas that looks like a 51 00:03:54,039 --> 00:03:58,560 golf ball and we're asking him about it and he was like, oh, 52 00:03:58,639 --> 00:04:01,680 yeah, being an owner is kind of annoying. Like that, there's nothing 53 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,680 up in the air about how far we've come, right, Like, I'm 54 00:04:05,719 --> 00:04:11,319 not worried about whether or not my head coach is liking porn tweets on Twitter 55 00:04:11,919 --> 00:04:16,240 or getting in a fight with Matt Barnes or the Charles Oakley getting banned from 56 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:21,600 the garden. Like we've come like David Finsdale bringing an axe to practice, 57 00:04:21,759 --> 00:04:26,680 Like we're so far removed from those days that I'm just like, I hope 58 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,439 this extension gets done before the season starts. You know. Yeah, I 59 00:04:30,519 --> 00:04:34,600 will say I tend not to buy into the I don't think there's a bias 60 00:04:34,639 --> 00:04:38,240 against the Knicks and the media and somehow you and I always tumble into this. 61 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:42,800 But I am I think people actually appreciate this sentiment that normally probably hate. 62 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,560 Listen we talk about the Knicks. I did see there was the clip 63 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,319 going around I forget from which podcast, But the way someone was talking about 64 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:54,240 the Knicks and their concerns was just like, okay, like it's we can 65 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,480 make fun of the past, and we can even make fun of like maybe 66 00:04:57,519 --> 00:05:00,879 the structure a little bit of this runoff, but like they have for the 67 00:05:00,879 --> 00:05:04,399 most part proven that they are not incompetent. So like the way that it 68 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:09,000 was being discussed was that the Knicks have all this instability and what's going on 69 00:05:09,079 --> 00:05:12,360 with Dolan and can you trust their their front office? And it's just like 70 00:05:13,399 --> 00:05:17,560 even the Julius Randall discourse makes me a little uneasy because I there are concerns 71 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:23,079 real valide you know's about Julius Randall. You don't make two all NBA teams 72 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,040 by accident, and so it's we can talk about tough as fit would be 73 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,920 with other teams. So it's great to see how far the Knicks have come. 74 00:05:29,959 --> 00:05:33,160 Where we're coming up on October. We're not talking about a potential like 75 00:05:33,399 --> 00:05:36,600 mega trade, even though like the theories will be out there, but it's 76 00:05:36,639 --> 00:05:40,199 not like oh fuck, like the Knicks should have went after they didn't give 77 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:44,720 up enough to go get Donovan Mitchell. So I enjoy kind of just like 78 00:05:44,759 --> 00:05:48,680 this stability element because it allows you to focus more on the team that's there 79 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:54,199 and like those concerns and those fits, even if you're not super high on 80 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:58,240 them, Like, let's talk about that my first My first question, though, 81 00:05:58,319 --> 00:06:00,720 I think we do have to start with last season, and I do 82 00:06:00,079 --> 00:06:08,240 find it an instructive exercise when like mega things happened in the playoffs and the 83 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:12,879 dust settles. How much did you read into the circumstances of how they lost 84 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,160 to the heat. Was there anything leading into the off season that really stuck 85 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,560 with you the most that maybe we even still harping on leading into this season. 86 00:06:19,079 --> 00:06:26,759 So when you sent me to this question, I was fascinated by how 87 00:06:26,759 --> 00:06:30,720 you worded it with the circumstances of their loss to the Heat. I gotta 88 00:06:30,759 --> 00:06:33,199 be honest, when the dust settled, and I really looked at last season, 89 00:06:33,319 --> 00:06:36,319 and I think this has been a common thing with a lot of us 90 00:06:36,319 --> 00:06:41,000 over at Knicks film school. Man. I think the Knicks can hold their 91 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,279 head high that they're the East team that gave the Heat the most trouble. 92 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:47,519 And I know, like you don't want to claim a moral victory, and 93 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,680 that's kind of cliche, But for a franchise that hasn't claimed a lot of 94 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:55,480 victories period over the last two decades, I think I'm gonna claim that moral 95 00:06:55,560 --> 00:07:00,319 victory, especially with the criticism that they received from this podcast. We did 96 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:02,879 our They haven't caught up yet, but we did our regrades for like last 97 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:06,199 off season and revisit what we said some of the ship that I said about 98 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:11,279 the jail and runs and acquisition. Nothing I want to make. Nothing to 99 00:07:11,319 --> 00:07:14,079 do with the contract. That's what everyone goes to. Like they thought, 100 00:07:14,279 --> 00:07:16,160 No, I was all about the machinations and what I thought it said about 101 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:20,360 their vision. I missed, like you absolutely celebrate what was there. We 102 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:25,000 we both smashed the over because it wasn't there over under like thirty seven or 103 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,680 something. God pounded thirty seven by by the opening night. Yeah, and 104 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:32,839 the victory they obliterated Acts. They won a playoff series against the team I 105 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,839 picked the Calves to beat them, and did I pick the Knicks because I've 106 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:40,120 did whatever You picked the Calves. I remember I did Calves in six. 107 00:07:40,199 --> 00:07:43,399 I think I probably wanted Kavs in seven. You want a playoff series against 108 00:07:43,399 --> 00:07:46,519 the team that I didn't go. I don't have receipts, but I would 109 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:50,040 argue most people pick Cleveland to win that series. They the Cleveland was favored 110 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:54,160 to win the series too, which is why it wasn't a crazy thing when 111 00:07:54,279 --> 00:07:57,519 you were leading up during our series preview with a lot of people saying that 112 00:07:57,519 --> 00:08:01,240 the Calves were gonna win. Even more so, like all that research we 113 00:08:01,319 --> 00:08:03,759 did on the Calves last year leading up to that series, We're like, 114 00:08:03,759 --> 00:08:07,720 oh, this is really good basketball team, you know. And it's why. 115 00:08:07,839 --> 00:08:11,120 Like I was talking to John the eve of the first playoff game, 116 00:08:11,639 --> 00:08:13,519 and we were both saying, like, why are we not more excited about 117 00:08:13,519 --> 00:08:18,360 this series? And we both came to the conclusions because everything single thing that 118 00:08:18,399 --> 00:08:20,879 we read about the Calves and research the Calves like, oh, they like 119 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:24,279 they're probably gonna win this series. They're really good. And to see the 120 00:08:24,279 --> 00:08:31,800 way the Knicks thoroughly dominated them, like you have Mitchell and Allen and these 121 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,200 introspective quotes that are out there of like am I tough enough? Did I 122 00:08:35,519 --> 00:08:39,000 not meet the bright lights of the playoffs in New York City? With the 123 00:08:39,159 --> 00:08:43,399 right frame of mind. And look, that might just be like a young 124 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,440 player getting his first taste of playoff basketball. Not Mitchell, but like Jared 125 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:50,279 Allen and Evan Mobley and these guys that have never been in this situation, 126 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:56,039 and like the Knicks rose to the occasion. And I remember the night that 127 00:08:56,039 --> 00:08:58,159 they clinched. Sure, they beat the Calves, they won the series in 128 00:08:58,279 --> 00:09:03,559 five. You had to sit there and be like, it's house money from 129 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,919 here if you had them winning a playoff series, not even just any playoff 130 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,399 series, but the Donovan Mitchell bull they're the team that didn't trade for him 131 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:15,440 and then beat him in a five game series, Like the rest has to 132 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,200 be house money. And for as much as the Heat showed up to the 133 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:22,000 playoffs as an eighth seed that has struggled most of the year. And if 134 00:09:22,039 --> 00:09:26,919 you wanted to discount like what they had accomplished, like almost lost in the 135 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:28,960 play in like we forget there, like three minutes away and a couple of 136 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:33,480 Max Ruse threes away from losing to the Bulls in that fourth quarter. Look, 137 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:37,440 if allowed the de Rosen to come to that game, we might be 138 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:39,720 talking about it completely. That's all I'm saying you never know, maybe the 139 00:09:39,759 --> 00:09:43,639 Knicks are in the conference finals and then it's a whole different story. But 140 00:09:43,759 --> 00:09:50,000 like I thought, that was a different Miami Heat team that at a certain 141 00:09:50,039 --> 00:09:56,320 point, like because they've been there, they're able to rely on their experience. 142 00:09:56,399 --> 00:10:00,799 I wasn't disappointed, but I was annoyed that they a loss of series. 143 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,960 I was like sad that the season was over, But I had a 144 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:05,960 lot of respect for that Heat team, especially when they went up three on 145 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,279 the Calves. Especially when they beat the Calves, and then through two games 146 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,919 of that Nugget series, it was like, are they gonna do this again? 147 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,399 And then you know, the basketball gods have finally decided that they weren't 148 00:10:16,399 --> 00:10:20,879 going to shoot forty percent from three in every series. But yeah, I 149 00:10:20,519 --> 00:10:24,840 leave last season with so many more positives than negatives, including what ended up 150 00:10:24,879 --> 00:10:30,039 being their downfall in that series against the Heat. I think the challenge of 151 00:10:30,039 --> 00:10:33,000 having a season like that, and that's why I phrase the question this way 152 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:37,000 is now you have to progress forward, and I think a lot of people 153 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:41,360 struggle to understand that growth isn't linear, Like the Knicks could technically have a 154 00:10:41,399 --> 00:10:43,759 worse record, but maybe be a better basketball team, like maybe maybe you're 155 00:10:43,799 --> 00:10:46,919 just trust their half court offense more outside of getting rebounds type deal, or 156 00:10:46,919 --> 00:10:52,399 like Jalen Brunson having an ISO his way to you know, the thirty points 157 00:10:52,519 --> 00:10:58,159 or whatever. And I received a lot of criticism from an unflattering subset of 158 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:01,879 Knicks Twitter earlier this offseason because I said, if I had to bet against 159 00:11:01,919 --> 00:11:05,840 them being better or worse, it would be worse because I don't think that 160 00:11:05,879 --> 00:11:09,279 they solved some of their biggest issues, in part because I don't think this 161 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,720 off season was set up to solve some of their biggest issues. And I 162 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:16,279 think a lot of people I'm not trying to pat myself on the back here, 163 00:11:16,279 --> 00:11:18,759 but when you're giving the analysis of oh, this Knicks off season wasn't 164 00:11:18,799 --> 00:11:22,000 very splashy. It could it wasn't supposed to be like it just wasn't set 165 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:24,399 up to be. And so do you like, what do you make of 166 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:26,399 their off season relative to that where a lot of people are, oh, 167 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:31,480 they should have been more aggressive on the trade front versus No, that's separate 168 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:33,440 from what reality is, like, this is what they were able to do. 169 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:37,799 So just what were your general impressions of how they did this offseason overall? 170 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:41,480 I don't understand anybody that says that needed to be more aggressive. I 171 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:45,519 don't see the move that's out there that they needed to make. This isn't 172 00:11:45,519 --> 00:11:50,720 really a buyer's market at the moment unless you were all in on Dame and 173 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:54,879 all in on James Harden trade. At this point, there wasn't an obvious 174 00:11:54,879 --> 00:11:58,200 trade to make for the Knicks for what their needs are. Like you said, 175 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:01,120 any issues that they may have on the roster, we're not going to 176 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:07,759 be solved. The Obi situation needed to be resolved. They did. They 177 00:12:07,799 --> 00:12:11,480 needed were shooting, and they got a guy that I think is going to 178 00:12:11,519 --> 00:12:16,559 at least incrementally and improve their shooting. They solved two of their issues there. 179 00:12:16,799 --> 00:12:20,399 He said, I think the words you used were second coming of Steph 180 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:24,080 Curry. I did see. See the things you say off the record are 181 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,879 supposed to stay off the record. That's why I've never been a Capitol j 182 00:12:28,039 --> 00:12:31,559 journalists. Gotcha, gotcha. I think they're in pole position. Pole position 183 00:12:33,279 --> 00:12:37,440 when it becomes a buyer's market again. And like there was conversations that we 184 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:43,879 were It's funny we heard that they were having conversations. They were interested in 185 00:12:43,879 --> 00:12:46,360 ogn and Nobi and that there was some Knicks Raptors talk, and then what 186 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:50,679 news came out of the Knicks and Raptors that the Knicks are suing the Raptors 187 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:54,600 in civil court. So I don't know if that takes that off the table 188 00:12:54,799 --> 00:13:00,000 or fight. As far as I'm concerned, I was satisfied with the Nick 189 00:13:00,039 --> 00:13:01,519 soft season. I thought they got better this offseason. I don't know how 190 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:09,120 much better, but I like the options that this this current roster was going 191 00:13:09,159 --> 00:13:13,120 to uh now have going into this season. And the truth of the matter 192 00:13:13,279 --> 00:13:16,679 is, like the big move that they made this offseason happened at last year's 193 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:20,519 deadline and getting Josh Hard and they've just they've hit a whole different ceiling with 194 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:24,320 him on the roster and could do so many different things with him on the 195 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:31,320 team. And I I'm all in on this Knicks Villanova version that h that 196 00:13:31,399 --> 00:13:35,000 they wrote to a lot of success last season. I would argue the biggest 197 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:39,399 move of the offseason was actually Josh Hart's like you up tweet to mckel bridges 198 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:43,200 away. I think that was the most important move of the of the off 199 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,879 season. You know, if it wasn't for the fact that the Nets and 200 00:13:46,879 --> 00:13:50,720 the Knicks haven't made a trade with each other since Reagan was running for reelection. 201 00:13:52,879 --> 00:13:54,720 I'd be all in on, like get the we're one away like they 202 00:13:54,759 --> 00:13:58,480 got Archidiacono on an exhibit ten. So we're just we're one away, Like 203 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:03,039 what's it? What's the Nets Knicks trade to make it happen? And it's 204 00:14:03,039 --> 00:14:05,960 just it's not happening. He's gonna have to go to another team that then 205 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:09,240 dalso doesn't want him, and then he'll go to the Knicks. But for 206 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:13,840 now, we'll settle for our j Barrett, you know, So do you 207 00:14:13,879 --> 00:14:20,120 think Donte Decenzo provides enough shooting and movement to really jazz up this offense? 208 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,759 So there's two different questions there. The shooting I think he does if it's 209 00:14:24,799 --> 00:14:28,879 simply that he's taking all of Obi Toppins three point attempts and I have it 210 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:33,360 here like last season, Deeven Tnzo shot thirty nine percent overall thirty nine point 211 00:14:33,399 --> 00:14:37,240 seven from three forty three percent from the corners, and it's forty percent in 212 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:41,679 one corner forty eight percent in the other. And ironically that forty eight percent 213 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:46,639 is the highest in the league from that spot that corner. The opposite three 214 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:50,159 point corner. The Knicks have Quentin Grimes, who shot forty seven percent, 215 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:56,039 So they have the two guys that shot the highest percentage from both corners last 216 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:00,799 year, which I think can come in handy when you have them probably interchanging 217 00:15:00,799 --> 00:15:05,279 with each other on the court at all times. The simple adjustment of every 218 00:15:05,399 --> 00:15:09,320 Obi corner of three that he probably shouldn't have been taking in the first place 219 00:15:09,399 --> 00:15:11,440 is now going to be taken by a guy that's good from the corners. 220 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:16,399 It makes a team better. It is a a version of the Knicks that 221 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:22,519 I can get behind. Not for nothing, but he might take some of 222 00:15:22,639 --> 00:15:26,639 Josh Hart's threes next season, and Hart, does Josh Hart have threes that 223 00:15:26,679 --> 00:15:30,080 you can do? So like that's the thing. He was taken to a 224 00:15:30,159 --> 00:15:31,879 game and there'd be like a couple of games where he'd take five. Like 225 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:35,919 here's the other part. Maybe Josh Hart taking some of Obi toppins three some 226 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:43,279 last season as now you're backup four slowly makes them have more shooting than as 227 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:48,480 a result of the adjustment of him moving into the backup four role. That's 228 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:52,240 the shooting side of it, the movement. I mean that means to be 229 00:15:52,279 --> 00:16:00,320 seen. Oh really, that's the that's the conversation about that's the conversation about 230 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:04,639 TIBs and about the offense. Like it was great point. Yeah, I'm 231 00:16:04,639 --> 00:16:08,240 looking at the player. The answer is yes, but will he be allowed 232 00:16:08,279 --> 00:16:11,919 to provide the movement that we're probably that's okay, that's it's like, it's 233 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:17,120 the million dollar question. The Nicks had an outstanding offensive rating last year. 234 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,840 It played to their strength the way that they play. This penetrate, get 235 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:25,240 to the rim. Everybody crashed the boards ton of isolation. It's a read 236 00:16:25,279 --> 00:16:29,279 and react offense. It's why I think they went and got another cornerboy in 237 00:16:29,399 --> 00:16:33,279 Dante di Vincenzo, because if you drive and two guys collapse, the corners 238 00:16:33,279 --> 00:16:37,559 will be open. And for half the season they were learning the offense. 239 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:41,879 You'd have r J with tunnel vision, You'd have Julius with tunnel vision. 240 00:16:41,919 --> 00:16:45,720 You'd have Jalen Brunson at time with tunnel vision. And as the season went 241 00:16:45,759 --> 00:16:52,759 along they started to find the corners. I'm curious if a summer around Steve 242 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:57,519 Kurt and our expolstra for Tom Thibodeau inspired the thought of more ball movement and 243 00:16:57,559 --> 00:17:04,440 some more screening and more pick role. I'm not as optimistic as maybe some 244 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,039 that they're gonna change up too much, because I do think the strength of 245 00:17:08,039 --> 00:17:14,319 this team is still it's physicality and they're they're taking advantage of the offensive boards. 246 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:18,440 But it could be wrong. Maybe maybe the old dog can learn some 247 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:22,960 new tricks that I mean to relay all this Di Vincenzo like, I do 248 00:17:23,039 --> 00:17:26,319 think he can add that element. I'm just it remains to be seen if 249 00:17:26,319 --> 00:17:30,920 he will be adding that new element. I think my concern is when you 250 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:34,119 look at what they and again I want to reiterate that I don't think it's 251 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,519 an out there I don't think it's bad that they signed Donte Devincenzo. I 252 00:17:37,599 --> 00:17:41,240 think he is an intriguing fit, if not a good fit, but this 253 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:47,039 idea that he kind of fills the role which I saw floating around, which 254 00:17:47,039 --> 00:17:52,039 is why it's a concern that he's some capslock, higher volume shooter that's not 255 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:57,039 like what he's historically been. He's at I think him being around like eight 256 00:17:57,079 --> 00:18:00,200 three point attempts for thirty six minutes the past year years, that is great 257 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,519 volume. You mentioned the corners. I think that's great. Corner three point 258 00:18:03,519 --> 00:18:07,640 attempts are still at the Knicks like peak, that's the only twelve percent of 259 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:12,319 their shots coming from the offense. And Donte Devincenzo specifically, yes been good 260 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,319 from the corners. He's also only shot overall like part of really space in 261 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:18,720 the floor is like can you hit those above the brakes? He's been shaky 262 00:18:18,759 --> 00:18:22,200 above the break up and down throughout his career. He's only shot better than 263 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:26,160 like thirty six percent on catching shoot threes twice in his career. And look 264 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:30,400 he had at basically every stop. Sacramento was weird. It was post injury 265 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:34,960 that era and Sacramento what was happening. But he's had great guys like looking 266 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,319 at Milwaukee spoon feeding him and so it's not like, oh, we gets 267 00:18:37,319 --> 00:18:41,440 to play with Jalon Brunton, now this is fine. So I think he's 268 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:47,680 a good fit. I'm just curious whether we see what the Knicks need most, 269 00:18:48,079 --> 00:18:51,039 like, does he nudget enough to where we see a material difference, 270 00:18:51,079 --> 00:18:53,319 because it might be a different type of player that they need, And again 271 00:18:53,599 --> 00:18:57,240 that player wasn't out there, So go ahead and take get Donte DiVincenzo. 272 00:18:57,279 --> 00:19:02,599 I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm just concerned learned that the expectations for his 273 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:07,079 impact are being set a little too high or maybe being divorced a little bit 274 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:11,880 from what they will be in reality. So I'm not sure. I hope 275 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:15,599 I'm not projecting that I think specifically, except for your Steph Curry comment, 276 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:19,240 Well, I mean you see greatness, you recognize it, you acknowledge it. 277 00:19:19,319 --> 00:19:22,759 Dan, I think they're gonna be better. Like it's it's not. 278 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:27,319 I don't think they're gonna be one of the best. I just he's gonna 279 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:30,279 take all of Obie toppings three pointers from last year. Obie Topping came into 280 00:19:30,279 --> 00:19:34,160 this league after shooting one hundred and two three pointers in college and was told, 281 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,480 like, go corner to corner, like that's what we're asking you. 282 00:19:37,519 --> 00:19:41,079 Like he did also shoot above the break threes two and had one stretch where 283 00:19:41,079 --> 00:19:45,839 he was shooting thirty seven percent for like two months and then regressed back to 284 00:19:47,079 --> 00:19:49,319 what he probably is, which is a guy that should be taking two to 285 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:53,240 three threes a game while running rim to rim and releasing on the break and 286 00:19:53,279 --> 00:20:00,480 getting easy buckets that way instead and take advantage of his vertical spacing rather than 287 00:20:00,559 --> 00:20:06,359 his on court spacing. I think Stevencenzo u in that role and then just 288 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,960 being able to go Josh Hart at the four rather than Obi at the four. 289 00:20:10,039 --> 00:20:12,599 We'll just it'll fit a lot better. And especially we have no idea 290 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:17,319 what RJ is going to be this year, so it's just like every year, 291 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:19,400 it's just like it's it's a thing like if RJ's not hitting his three 292 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:23,480 is, then he and Hart end up being like it becomes even more important 293 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:29,000 for you to have another shooter out there, because teams just went zone against 294 00:20:29,039 --> 00:20:32,759 the nixt second unit so many times. I mean shit, they went zone 295 00:20:32,799 --> 00:20:37,400 against their first unit so many times, and so it was very easy to 296 00:20:37,519 --> 00:20:41,480 find ways to stop them. And I think Evencenzo adds an element that can 297 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:47,599 that can help break those zones whenever they get stuck facing one. Is there, 298 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,039 Like, should we bank on there being more three point volume from Josh 299 00:20:51,079 --> 00:20:53,480 Hart this year, because I'm a very big believer in in the volume itself. 300 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:57,200 Forget about the percentages for a second. Defenses defend you differently when they 301 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:02,599 know that you're not actively of waiting that shot. And Josh Hart at times 302 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:04,960 you mentioned there were stretches where he didn't in Portland, he saw hat in 303 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:10,079 New Orleans a little bit it's definitely saw a new y like he actively avoids 304 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:15,160 taking three pointers for these long stretches. So it's funny. When he first 305 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:19,119 got to New York, he said that one of the first things Tips said 306 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:22,559 to him was, you've got the green light, like, let it fly. 307 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:26,440 You take as many threes as they'll give you. And for a while 308 00:21:26,519 --> 00:21:32,319 it seemed like he found like a niche and he's actually he shot pretty well 309 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:34,519 from three when he first became a Nick and it was I don't think this 310 00:21:34,559 --> 00:21:37,920 will last long, but like, well, we'll ride this for as long 311 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,680 as we can, and the volume went down, and then the first round 312 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,279 series against the Calves, he shot really well from three, and then the 313 00:21:45,319 --> 00:21:49,839 Heat series happened, and what you're talking about him how the Heat guarded him 314 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,759 and said, we'll just if josh hart beats us from three. Then josh 315 00:21:52,759 --> 00:21:56,319 hart beat us from three, and a game two he did, and then 316 00:21:56,359 --> 00:22:00,920 by Game three, when Josh Hartt was having offers from between Game one and 317 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,279 Game three, the Knicks finally went back to their starting lineup that worked for 318 00:22:03,319 --> 00:22:07,839 most of the year with Kriton Grimes, and it was too late at that 319 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:12,880 point to save the season. And it's why. I because he's coming in 320 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:18,160 as your backup four. I don't see his the need for his three point 321 00:22:18,279 --> 00:22:23,279 volume to go up as much if he was still playing your traditional your traditional 322 00:22:23,519 --> 00:22:29,000 three or two, whichever lineups he was gonna play. Maybe, but he 323 00:22:29,039 --> 00:22:32,519 can kind of be like the Draymond role to an extent, a little Draymond 324 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:37,759 Draymond next to Looney. It doesn't have the most amount of spacing. But 325 00:22:37,319 --> 00:22:41,279 like, because Heart's gonna play the backup four, I think he can. 326 00:22:41,759 --> 00:22:45,759 He can get away with his one to two three pointers a game or even 327 00:22:45,799 --> 00:22:51,400 fewer. And as of right now, I'm not as concerned about his volume 328 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:55,599 going up. I will take the other rounds. I want to see it 329 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,359 go up, like I would like to see it double like a four. 330 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:00,880 Yeah, And I think it's a testament. I do think it's a testament 331 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,599 of fact what you're saying, what he does as a defender as sort of 332 00:23:04,599 --> 00:23:08,400 a pace setter, ball mover for this team, that you're comfortable with him 333 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:11,759 taking one and a half two attempts per game because you know how much value 334 00:23:11,799 --> 00:23:15,759 he's providing elsewhere. I just think there is I'm not even talking about makes 335 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,200 and like I mean, he did shoot what was he at last year when 336 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:22,000 he was with the next like fifty one percent from three feet two, which 337 00:23:22,039 --> 00:23:26,240 again I'm not sold on that being I think the key over his season, 338 00:23:26,319 --> 00:23:30,240 you know, so I would like to see it go up. I'm just 339 00:23:30,279 --> 00:23:33,599 curious to see whether it will. He remains incredibly important to the team either 340 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,920 way. I think the extension, by the way, was fine, especially 341 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:38,720 when it's reviewed against the cap going up. It's kind of tacked onto his 342 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:42,440 current deal. He's never gonna be making more than twelve percent of the cap. 343 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:48,799 So I'm just fascinated because like they've kind of leaned into these guys who 344 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:51,400 like, without having these unless you're gonna play having four yer a bunch of 345 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:53,160 minutes, Like you just don't have a ton of guys that are going to 346 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:56,599 come in and just get you a bunch of looks from three or get off 347 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:00,319 a bunch of looks from three. First of all, I guess that's not 348 00:24:00,319 --> 00:24:06,440 gonna happen that playing N forty eight a bunch of minutes. I think it's 349 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:10,039 important for him to get his volume up, and this may be the case 350 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:17,720 if Tibbs is determined to play him next to RJ and Mitch in consistent stretches. 351 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,839 Because this is this is like my biggest criticism of Tibbs, Like the 352 00:24:22,079 --> 00:24:26,319 RJ, Josh Hart lineup cannot it can happen, like it just it cannot. 353 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:29,640 It's a thing that just did not work last season when Heart came over. 354 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:32,480 I've got some lineup data that I went and got. So if you've 355 00:24:32,519 --> 00:24:37,920 got r J and Heart and Mitch together in ninety minutes last year was a 356 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:41,920 negative eighteen point four net rating proposing offensive rating on that probably sub one hun 357 00:24:42,079 --> 00:24:45,640 under one hundred, under a hundred. Yeah, so it's like it was 358 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:51,319 really really bad. But when you switch out Mitch for Isaiah Hartenstein, who's 359 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:55,960 not always in the dunker spot, so this allows r J and Heart to 360 00:24:56,079 --> 00:24:57,880 either get to the rim or maybe you have to honor their three point shooting, 361 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:03,359 it's a plus eleven. Then you add the Quentin Grimes to that lineup 362 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:07,960 and it's plus Now, this is this is an eighteen minutes we're talking about, 363 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:11,319 but it's a plus twenty nine and a half. Then you add, 364 00:25:11,839 --> 00:25:17,759 uh job, you add how do I have this? R J? I 365 00:25:17,839 --> 00:25:21,759 Emmanuel quickly to that, and it's plus twenty five. Like I'm solely looking 366 00:25:21,799 --> 00:25:26,440 at the bench units here, because that's what we're talking about is when Immanuel 367 00:25:26,519 --> 00:25:30,319 Quickly is on with the two of them, when Quentin Grimes, you might 368 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:33,799 play some backup minutes or basically if you swap out Quentin Grimes or Donte di 369 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:37,799 Vincenzo, uh, it works in that same type of format. And then 370 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,359 if you take Mitch out, who is like four to six feet away from 371 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:45,160 the rim at all times, then you know the rim might be opened a 372 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:51,759 bit. They ran the offense with Isaiah Hartenstein at the at the three point 373 00:25:51,759 --> 00:25:53,960 line or the foul line extended from time to time last year, so you 374 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,079 were able to see what this team looks like when the rim is open. 375 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:03,279 Oh, Josh Hard from and quickly for RJ. Barrett and I think the 376 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:07,440 Josh Hart volume on threes can stay where it's at if you're playing him in 377 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:11,279 the right lineups. If you've got a Mitch in r J and especially Julius 378 00:26:11,279 --> 00:26:14,599 out there, then yeah, he's he's your other shooter. Like teams are 379 00:26:14,599 --> 00:26:17,839 gonna play zone and it's like okay, like it's Jalen Brunson has to take 380 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:22,440 contested threes or r J. One of r J Julius Josh Hart are gonna 381 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:26,319 have to take threes. So it's my biggest criticism of Tips is to put 382 00:26:26,319 --> 00:26:32,519 the lineups with spacing out there or with shooting out there. And the biggest 383 00:26:32,559 --> 00:26:36,759 thing you can do is to split up r J and Josh Hart minutes as 384 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:41,319 much as you humanly possibly can Emmanuel quickly. I feel like there's so much 385 00:26:41,319 --> 00:26:45,279 to talk about with him. Let's begin with actually last season, what impressed 386 00:26:45,319 --> 00:26:49,160 you the most about his development? Maybe even something that was missed because he 387 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,480 did enter it sort of the national lexicon at some point last year when he 388 00:26:52,519 --> 00:26:56,119 really started to take off. Maybe that's one of the radar about his development. 389 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:00,480 So like it's like you just hit on it. Like it's tough to 390 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:04,400 say that someone that finished second it's sixth Man of the Year didn't receive enough 391 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:08,799 recognition, even if I thought he should have finished first and sixth Man of 392 00:27:08,839 --> 00:27:12,440 the year. Not that I'm rehashing old arguments with Dan for Valley, but 393 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:18,480 that's neither here nor there. I often suggest that maybe the right player won 394 00:27:18,599 --> 00:27:22,400 six Man of the Year. It seems as if the availability of Malcolm Brogden 395 00:27:22,839 --> 00:27:26,279 was as much of a deficiency during the regular season as it was during the 396 00:27:26,279 --> 00:27:34,839 playoffs. Dan for Valley agree the cliff look. I think he finally got 397 00:27:34,839 --> 00:27:40,200 the opportunity when they went to a nine man rotation to just show like what 398 00:27:40,279 --> 00:27:45,759 he can do if given the opportunity, and like his per thirty six numbers 399 00:27:45,759 --> 00:27:49,519 were around the same when he finally started to get the rotation minutes when they 400 00:27:49,599 --> 00:27:52,119 when they took forty eight out, when they took Cam Reddish out, when 401 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:56,559 they took Derek Rose out, and just said quickly, you're the backup point 402 00:27:56,599 --> 00:28:00,680 guard at times, you're gonna play next to Jalen Brunson. And he really 403 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:04,039 showed some off ball defense and it goes the underrated part is his defense is 404 00:28:04,079 --> 00:28:10,920 his rebounding, Like he was an outstanding defensive rebounder for for long stretches last 405 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,519 year. In fact, he got hurt in the playoffs in Game three against 406 00:28:14,519 --> 00:28:18,319 the Heat and then in Game four when he wasn't there that he got like 407 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:22,279 eleven offensive rebounds because he was always getting to the line, like that's a 408 00:28:22,319 --> 00:28:25,599 that's a tips principle, as he preaches to his guards get to the free 409 00:28:25,599 --> 00:28:30,000 throw line on on three point attempts, and the Heat were doing that like 410 00:28:30,079 --> 00:28:34,039 beating them at their own game all throughout the Game four and the rest of 411 00:28:34,079 --> 00:28:40,000 the series. So I have so many good things to say about Manuel Quickly. 412 00:28:40,079 --> 00:28:44,079 Also, uh, it's it's a bit of a cherry picked stat but 413 00:28:44,319 --> 00:28:48,720 I looked this up. On the offensive end of there were only thirty nine 414 00:28:48,759 --> 00:28:53,400 players last year that shot at least four hundred and fifty three's and four hundred 415 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:57,559 and fifty twos. They're only third nine players that did both of those last 416 00:28:57,599 --> 00:29:04,279 year, and Emmanuel quickly grades out at about the top fifteen in a efficiency 417 00:29:04,359 --> 00:29:07,960 it's about it's around the exact same spot as Jason Tatum. I'm not saying 418 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:12,279 it may quickly is Jason Tatum. I'm saying on that type of shot diet, 419 00:29:12,759 --> 00:29:17,519 he was pretty damn efficient, And you know, from a sixth man 420 00:29:17,559 --> 00:29:22,079 perspective, I think getting that type of impact, that type of value in 421 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:27,400 that spot is partly why they were able to be kind of fine when Jalen 422 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:32,480 Brunson wasn't on the floor. This wasn't just like Jalen Brunson carried the Knicks 423 00:29:32,519 --> 00:29:34,640 to the five seed and forty seven wins, Like they had a lot of 424 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:40,680 depth on this team and coming from impactful places lower down the roster. Also 425 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:42,119 a friendly reminder, even as someone who would not pick him to win sixth 426 00:29:42,119 --> 00:29:45,799 Man of the Year, that filling in in the starting lineup when their injuries 427 00:29:45,839 --> 00:29:48,240 is part of being the sixth man. That is part of right, that's 428 00:29:48,319 --> 00:29:53,279 right. I was very impressed during the regular season, at least with his 429 00:29:53,319 --> 00:29:56,720 live dribble decision making, I thought came a long way. And then the 430 00:29:56,759 --> 00:30:00,039 defense, Like you said, the playoffs, however, were like pretty disastrous 431 00:30:00,079 --> 00:30:04,279 for him. Has it? Did they change how you view him at all? 432 00:30:04,359 --> 00:30:07,160 What is the Was it the ball handling that worried you the most? 433 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:11,039 Was it him just like it felt like it was being knocked off his spots 434 00:30:11,119 --> 00:30:12,680 or not getting to his spots? Was it just What do you take away 435 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:18,960 from his playoff campaign? Yeah, deer in headlights has been the perfect description 436 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:25,599 both apparently. So, man I it's a tough part about the postseason for 437 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:30,880 me is that I love the playoff win and getting past the Cavs, and 438 00:30:30,599 --> 00:30:33,119 you know, even the two wins against the Heat were pretty fun and the 439 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:37,319 Garden was amazing, and I don't get to celebrate any of it with the 440 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:41,680 manual quickly or his success. He did have some moments in the Cavs series, 441 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:45,359 like games three. In Game four he was on the court with the 442 00:30:45,359 --> 00:30:47,839 garbage time game he got like ten of his twelve points. Or was that 443 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:51,200 game three? I can't remember what that so that might have been. That 444 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:55,680 might have been game three of the Heat series when in for garbage time. 445 00:30:56,359 --> 00:31:03,519 Uh point being the way I'm I'm trying to compartmentalize his season is that like 446 00:31:03,599 --> 00:31:08,680 the eighty two games sample is the more impressive thing. The playoffs are absolutely 447 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:15,480 disappointing. Jalen Brunson in his first playoffs with the Mavericks was so disastrous that 448 00:31:15,519 --> 00:31:22,039 he was losing minutes to Trey Burke by Game seven. So Rome wasn't built 449 00:31:22,079 --> 00:31:26,000 in a day. Certain young players take playoff failures early on in their career 450 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:30,319 and they turn it into making them better and making them more successful. And 451 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:34,119 if there's one thing that Emmanuel quickly has shown Knicks fans over the years, 452 00:31:34,119 --> 00:31:38,440 it's that he's going to take every learning experience he can to get better. 453 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:45,160 And I'm trusting that he'll do that this offseason. I do think because the 454 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:49,160 playoffs matter just a ton, especially with an aspiration. The aspirations that the 455 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:52,759 Knicks have. What is it like? How does it impact how you view 456 00:31:52,839 --> 00:31:56,279 a potential extension that I think we all do expect. I would probably bet 457 00:31:56,319 --> 00:32:00,400 on it getting done rather than not getting done. Is there like, what 458 00:32:00,559 --> 00:32:05,359 is the number? Like the highest number? They're like, okay, Like 459 00:32:05,359 --> 00:32:08,000 this is fine because when we had this podcast, well I don't know if 460 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:10,599 it was this podcast, but you and I are podcasting sometime last season. 461 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:14,319 I think we came up with like one hundred and ten million. Yeah, 462 00:32:14,359 --> 00:32:17,519 we would have been okay with Is that still the number? Has that changed 463 00:32:17,559 --> 00:32:23,880 it all for you? I'm hoping they can settle around four for ninety. 464 00:32:24,119 --> 00:32:30,559 I would go to four one oh four puts him in the ballpark of R. 465 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:34,519 J. Brunson, Randall. The they've they've done a good job. 466 00:32:34,559 --> 00:32:40,559 If there's no clear alpha contract wise on this team, look, I think 467 00:32:40,599 --> 00:32:47,559 you can heal a lot of any potential issues with the minutes that are going 468 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:52,759 to be distributed this year. I think Josh Hart's gonna play a lot of 469 00:32:52,759 --> 00:32:57,680 crunch time this year and as a result, there really at least one rotation 470 00:32:57,759 --> 00:33:02,680 spot or one of courts spot for four people between Dvencenzo Grimes, R. 471 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:08,119 J and quickly, and if quickly's like approaching restricted free agency, that could 472 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:13,480 lead to some issues in the locker room. And I think all of that 473 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:15,240 goes away if you just pay him like a starter, And if you pay 474 00:33:15,359 --> 00:33:20,599 him four one oho four, which, as every single NBA podcast out there 475 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,559 acknowledges, with the cap going up, that contract is going to look fine, 476 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:28,559 especially if the team trades for him and wants to start him. So 477 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:32,799 I'm I'm at four one oh four, maybe putting incentives in there, and 478 00:33:34,279 --> 00:33:37,240 so it's a four ninety that can get to one oh four. He's just 479 00:33:37,599 --> 00:33:42,319 he's such an important piece to what they're gonna need to be this year. 480 00:33:42,599 --> 00:33:45,920 Like God forbid, Jalen Brunson gets hurt, here's Emmanuel Quickly. He can 481 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:49,400 be your backup point guard for however long he's out. And while there is 482 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:52,799 a drop off, in my mind, it's not enough of a drop off 483 00:33:52,079 --> 00:33:59,039 that he still can't help you win games. I think I'd probably be fine 484 00:33:59,119 --> 00:34:00,160 with that number, But do you think again, I think it's more of 485 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:04,920 a negotiation, how just because of how the playoffs unfolded, And it seems 486 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:07,640 like kind of unfair to read into such a small sample size, but it's 487 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:12,079 such an important time of the year because it's such an important sample size that 488 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:15,559 I do think it becomes more of a negotiation based off what just happened Dan 489 00:34:15,599 --> 00:34:17,079 if he had had a good playoffs, like if they had got into the 490 00:34:17,119 --> 00:34:20,719 conference finals and quickly it had a couple of games where it's like, oh, 491 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:22,480 they had a quickly game. I think we're talking four one twenty, 492 00:34:22,639 --> 00:34:27,920 like that's how good he was last season, and then what the playoffs might 493 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:30,960 have potentially cost him. I think they're they probably started at four for eighty 494 00:34:31,159 --> 00:34:37,599 or four for eighty four, and they they you've heard the I'm sure you've 495 00:34:37,599 --> 00:34:40,679 read the stuff about how he wants four he wants nine figures, which is 496 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:49,920 why I said, like, if he's if there's any potential dysfunction or dissension 497 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:53,519 in the locker room that could come from his camp because he's losing minutes and 498 00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:59,440 his approaching free agency restricted free agency. The way you avoid that isn't just 499 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:05,079 pay him like a starter and he could play sixteen minutes one game because r 500 00:35:05,119 --> 00:35:07,519 J's going off, or you want to close with Evan Kenzo or Grimes, 501 00:35:07,679 --> 00:35:12,480 and it's like, Okay, that's fine. I got paid like there's there's 502 00:35:12,519 --> 00:35:21,679 no issues here anymore. Julius formerly of CIA, Randall dead to me one 503 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:24,840 of the most divisive players in the league. I again, I said it 504 00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:28,840 at the top. It's for someone who made two All NBA teams, even 505 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:31,199 if he wouldn't have voted for him in either season. Just absolutely, it's 506 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:37,239 interesting because of how he's viewed. I'll use the word interesting and it's bizarre. 507 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:39,639 I do think last season, but he probably didn't receive enough credit for 508 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:44,639 In the regular season, I thought he did a better job of playing within 509 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:46,519 the larger context of the team. I think a lot of it could have 510 00:35:46,519 --> 00:35:50,519 been incremental. You start digging into the type of touches he was using, 511 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:52,239 how long he was holding the ball. Though, I think there was a 512 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:58,039 real even if it wasn't an effort, there was a real difference. However, 513 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:00,960 we're now like we've got through another playoff campaign. I know he was 514 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:05,480 banged up, but it under delivering there looks like he can kind of be 515 00:36:05,519 --> 00:36:07,320 out of sorts. We'll get to RJ. Barrett. But RJ Barrett has 516 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:14,280 all this success driving it on the ball. Where are you at on Julius 517 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:17,320 Randall? What makes him so divisive do you view him as I mean, 518 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:20,239 we'll get to that. When we talked to like, where are you just 519 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:23,079 at with Julius Randol? What are you? He's been in the league forever 520 00:36:23,199 --> 00:36:25,920 now, but like, what are you he's on this team, what are 521 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:31,679 you watching most closely for at this point relative to his fit with this on 522 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:37,639 this roster. So I will start here. I think the further I got 523 00:36:37,679 --> 00:36:42,920 away from the playoffs, the more I empathized with the two ankle injuries. 524 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:47,719 By all accounts, he wasn't healthy when he played Game one in Cleveland, 525 00:36:47,800 --> 00:36:52,559 and it showed he just didn't have the same burst that he used to He 526 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:58,000 really guided. He was kind of out there as a decoy for a lot 527 00:36:58,079 --> 00:37:00,679 of the Cavs series, and in the Heat series he did play better. 528 00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:04,840 But guess what last game of the Cavs series, when he was actually playing 529 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:08,079 well in that first half of Game five, lands on cars Lefert's ankle, 530 00:37:08,159 --> 00:37:13,960 the exact same injury he suffered against the Heat during the regular season. And 531 00:37:14,039 --> 00:37:17,440 so then he comes back and only misses one game. And you know, 532 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:23,280 I've I accept the playoff numbers for what they are and how bad he was 533 00:37:24,079 --> 00:37:30,280 and it's tough. There's no defending him. I think I'm able to compartmentalize 534 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:32,840 and at least not get him a pass. But like, the guy did 535 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:37,079 have two really bad ankle injuries, like suffer and then at surgery after the 536 00:37:37,119 --> 00:37:40,760 season, and you're at least to be able to be like he was playing 537 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:45,039 hurt, Like you're out there, there's no excuses for performance, like you 538 00:37:45,199 --> 00:37:49,199 have to like if you're on the court, you're healthy enough to play. 539 00:37:49,559 --> 00:37:53,320 And I have to judge that. I can at least contextualize it too, 540 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:57,840 like he was out there playing on a bad ankle. As far as like 541 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:01,440 what Julius Randall is, I'm I'm Joe Pesci in the Irishman. It is 542 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:06,199 what it is. I don't think there's another level for him to get to. 543 00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:09,719 I was impressed at the three point volume last year and his willingness to 544 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:17,000 shoot eight was nine attempts per thirty six minutes. I think he needed to 545 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:22,239 for what that offense was. They were gonna need that type of volume from 546 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:24,719 him, especially if RJ was gonna have the regular season that he had. 547 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:31,039 And look, I as you said, like not a lot of knicks have 548 00:38:31,119 --> 00:38:36,880 made all NBA twice in their franchise. That is like grading him against other 549 00:38:37,039 --> 00:38:40,559 knicks, which might not be the best, you know, grading Rubric to 550 00:38:40,719 --> 00:38:45,079 use. But well, let me I accept him for what he is. 551 00:38:45,199 --> 00:38:47,400 You know, I wanted to interject here he made All NBA twice. They're 552 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:51,159 only fifteen All NBA spots. I don't want to hear that if so and 553 00:38:51,239 --> 00:38:53,199 so played in more games, I don't want to hear he waited Julius Randall's 554 00:38:53,199 --> 00:38:55,800 availability, looking at his midsplayed too much. I don't want to hear that 555 00:38:55,840 --> 00:39:01,239 they just got rid of positions. Making all NBA caveats and all is fucking 556 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:05,119 difficult. And so I am. You know, I'm not the biggest Julius 557 00:39:05,239 --> 00:39:07,960 Randall guy. He's a two time All NBA player. That's not something that 558 00:39:08,039 --> 00:39:10,599 you can just write off. If you want to have the discussion about he's 559 00:39:10,639 --> 00:39:15,079 just such a unique player and his fit is so specific or it's so tough. 560 00:39:15,199 --> 00:39:19,199 If you don't want him to play the way he's playing in New York, 561 00:39:19,559 --> 00:39:22,800 that's a fine discussion have. He still has made two All MBA teams, 562 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:24,280 and it was not even if you didn't vote for him, it was 563 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:30,360 not completely undeserved. On accident fueled buy. Injuries are part of every NBA 564 00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:32,440 season, So I just let me just interject there with a little bit of 565 00:39:32,599 --> 00:39:36,880 like the and you're not that you were, You have not been disparaging his 566 00:39:37,039 --> 00:39:39,880 all NBA appearances. I just think I recognize that I don't think he has 567 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:45,880 like a ton of trade value, but he's incredibly valuable in his role right 568 00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:49,840 now for the most part, and that led to to all MBA apperances. 569 00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:52,880 So I just I find it weird that we can't sort of like separate the 570 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:57,639 compartment to usual the word compartmentalize the two, Like, yeah, Julius Randall's 571 00:39:57,639 --> 00:40:00,920 a flawed player who he's more valua of the Knicks and any of the other 572 00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:04,119 team, but Julie t Rendel is also a pretty useful basketball player in the 573 00:40:04,199 --> 00:40:07,719 role that he is playing right now. Just twenty five, ten and six 574 00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:12,320 is not something to sneeze at, you know, And I know counting stats 575 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:17,480 aren't valued the way they used to be, but they're is proof average points 576 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:22,000 a game signs a minimum deal. That's clearly But also, like the guy 577 00:40:22,119 --> 00:40:28,639 did also like the impact metrics also great out that he's not think it's a 578 00:40:28,639 --> 00:40:31,159 pretty impactful player too, because of his defensive rebounding and what he can give 579 00:40:31,199 --> 00:40:37,079 you on that end of the floor. Yeah, I think a lot. 580 00:40:37,119 --> 00:40:38,280 As far as Knicks fans are concerned, I think he's just gonna have to 581 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:43,480 have a monster playoff once and all these questions get answered, like dominate a 582 00:40:43,519 --> 00:40:45,599 playoff series, be the reason the Knicks won a playoff series, And I 583 00:40:45,679 --> 00:40:49,639 mean this is going to turn into an RJ conversation, I'm pretty sure so, 584 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:54,559 Like RJ had a miserable regular season and the takeaway from last season for 585 00:40:54,719 --> 00:41:00,320 him is eight playoff games, and Julius had an outstanding regular season and the 586 00:41:00,440 --> 00:41:04,559 takeaway for him is like eight playoff games. And it works the exact opposite. 587 00:41:04,679 --> 00:41:08,039 And it's funny how like every other year, Nick's fans have to choose 588 00:41:08,039 --> 00:41:12,039 between the two, and they've made it really easy. At times. They've 589 00:41:12,039 --> 00:41:14,199 never both been good at the same time, We're both been bad at the 590 00:41:14,239 --> 00:41:16,599 same time. It's always like, oh, I'm definitely on Julius side this 591 00:41:16,679 --> 00:41:20,920 time. I'm definitely on our Ja's side this time. You know. With 592 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:25,079 r J, I think what's most I think why people might have glom onto 593 00:41:25,119 --> 00:41:29,119 what he did in the playoffs was that it was basically a proof of concept 594 00:41:29,679 --> 00:41:31,119 because of what he was doing. If he does this, if he's given 595 00:41:31,199 --> 00:41:36,039 this opportunity. And John wrote about this, It was a fantastic piece. 596 00:41:36,679 --> 00:41:38,159 I think it was earlier this offseason's newsletter. I don't know how many weeks 597 00:41:38,159 --> 00:41:40,760 ago. I did quote it in the outline I sent you. RJ has 598 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:45,239 these incredible numbers over is like the final eight games of the playoffs or whatever 599 00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:47,440 it was. But and John presented this caveat, and it's one that you 600 00:41:47,519 --> 00:41:51,760 and I have talked about on this podcast, on the Nick Film School podcast. 601 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:57,320 It is so abundantly clear he is most comfortable and best when he has 602 00:41:57,400 --> 00:42:01,199 the on ball opportunity. Not just we're worried about his three point shooting numbers, 603 00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:04,960 but it feels like it opens up the rest of his game, and 604 00:42:05,719 --> 00:42:09,840 that's like the most useful version of him. What is the path forward for 605 00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:15,480 this? RJ and Julius Randall dynamic because for so much of the handwringing over 606 00:42:15,559 --> 00:42:17,880 like, oh, it's gonna eventually be Randall or Obi, and it was 607 00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:21,440 like, no, it was never Randall or Obi because Randall was clearly way 608 00:42:21,480 --> 00:42:25,320 better than Obi. It feels like a Randall or RJ discussion if it needs 609 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:28,199 to be had. I'm asking you, if you see a path forward with 610 00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:30,000 them together, or if you view it in the same vein, who's the 611 00:42:30,079 --> 00:42:35,000 one that's gonna have to have the larger conceit if this dynamic is going to 612 00:42:35,039 --> 00:42:37,599 work, just take it wherever you want. But that is this. This 613 00:42:37,719 --> 00:42:40,400 might be the single most fascinating question for me entering the nixt season is just 614 00:42:40,599 --> 00:42:45,119 this RJ and Julius Randall not necessarily the dynamic together, Like how does this 615 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:53,079 look moving forward if it's going to be together long term? So as I 616 00:42:53,199 --> 00:42:57,880 was just teasing, like Knicks fans know it's one or the other, Like 617 00:42:57,960 --> 00:43:00,960 Knicks fans have come to terms with the fact that it's gonna end up having 618 00:43:01,039 --> 00:43:07,000 to be either Julius or RJ. I think two years ago it was very 619 00:43:07,079 --> 00:43:15,760 clear who Knicks fans shows after the season Julius had and the last like two 620 00:43:15,199 --> 00:43:19,599 three months of the season what RJ was with a thirty usage And I was 621 00:43:19,639 --> 00:43:21,920 like, all right, this is inefficient, but it's thirty. It's twenty 622 00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:27,480 four game Like, you can't can't fully discredit it. John has the theory 623 00:43:27,639 --> 00:43:31,800 that they were trying to boost his trade value for Donovan Mitchell, which we 624 00:43:31,880 --> 00:43:36,679 all saw how that went. And then last season, I mean, you 625 00:43:36,760 --> 00:43:38,599 want to talk about fall off a cliff and look, you could say the 626 00:43:38,719 --> 00:43:42,159 on ball reps is what he wants and what he needs. The guy ran 627 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:45,320 the second unit, like It's not like he wasn't getting on ball reps. 628 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:49,840 It wasn't like they weren't calling plays for him. This isn't a guy that 629 00:43:50,440 --> 00:43:52,880 you know, when Julius isn't there gets a twenty six usage. This is 630 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:59,119 a guy throughout last season finished the season with a twenty six usage. That's 631 00:43:59,199 --> 00:44:01,239 not low. You know, it's the third highest usage on the team. 632 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:06,280 If you're saying he should be the second highest usage, that's a different conversation 633 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:08,840 and a different roster construction. And look, if Julius gets hurt this year, 634 00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:13,000 you're gonna see it because guess who's the backup for right now Josh hard 635 00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:16,920 Which works in concept, but you know, as the starting four might look 636 00:44:16,960 --> 00:44:23,119 a little different. I think, at least for this season, it's it's 637 00:44:23,159 --> 00:44:29,159 really gonna be on tips to figure out the right lineups that they play together, 638 00:44:29,559 --> 00:44:32,159 like I think with heart with Hartenstein, so that with the rim is 639 00:44:32,239 --> 00:44:38,159 more free at times, will be good to make sure that you have one 640 00:44:38,239 --> 00:44:43,920 of the Vincenzo grimes or quickly on it all times. Next to Julius and 641 00:44:44,119 --> 00:44:50,400 r J will be important like the funny maybe the best kept secret or maybe 642 00:44:50,440 --> 00:44:54,239 the not the best kept secret, but like the more more forgotten timeline of 643 00:44:54,360 --> 00:44:59,000 last seasons are they stopped playing crunch time after Josh Hark got traded to the 644 00:44:59,039 --> 00:45:02,719 Knicks, like was not playing in closing minutes, and the Knicks were better 645 00:45:02,880 --> 00:45:07,639 as a result. So you know there will be certain games. So maybe 646 00:45:07,760 --> 00:45:12,000 RJ doesn't play in crunch time and it stinks to say that. And you'd 647 00:45:12,079 --> 00:45:16,800 love to think that the what we saw in the playoffs ignited something and maybe 648 00:45:16,920 --> 00:45:22,920 did prove a concept that a lot of RJ Barrett stands out there have said 649 00:45:22,039 --> 00:45:29,960 needed to happen. I'm not so sure that. I'm not so sure that 650 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:35,360 it will necessarily lead to its more minutes and a big change next season. 651 00:45:35,639 --> 00:45:39,679 You know that is a real problem though, because he is starting the four 652 00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:43,800 year, one or seven million dollars extension, and I think I think what 653 00:45:43,880 --> 00:45:47,039 you outlaid is what's best for this team. If you are eventually trying to 654 00:45:47,079 --> 00:45:50,679 pick between these guys, or you've already made your choice and you think that 655 00:45:50,760 --> 00:45:53,800 it's Julius Randall that is not r J. Beret could kill it, like 656 00:45:54,119 --> 00:45:57,599 in that role, but if he's not closing games for you because you view 657 00:45:57,679 --> 00:46:00,280 him as that much of a liability under your current roster construction, it messes 658 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:04,400 with his trade value, It could mess with the look he got paid. 659 00:46:04,760 --> 00:46:07,480 So maybe it won't mess with the dynamics of the team, and that this 660 00:46:07,639 --> 00:46:09,239 doesn't get talked about enough. I think outside of the next circles, like 661 00:46:09,280 --> 00:46:13,400 the vibes coming from that next team least right just imaculate, like they are 662 00:46:13,840 --> 00:46:17,320 clearly just like close and get along behind the scenes, which not mission critical, 663 00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:22,840 but like that's pretty like that's a good luxury to have. So I'm 664 00:46:22,960 --> 00:46:25,079 so fascinated by it. I still believe that if he could be on the 665 00:46:25,159 --> 00:46:30,039 floor as the second primary ball handler and there's like three positive shooters around him, 666 00:46:30,039 --> 00:46:32,360 I mean, you talked about this already. I think that's not just 667 00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:37,119 the pathway forward. I actually do think that that is one we'll see consistent 668 00:46:37,519 --> 00:46:40,360 attack mode, more efficient opened up his game. R J. I still 669 00:46:40,360 --> 00:46:45,679 fully believe that is that more valuable than what Julius Randall brings to the table. 670 00:46:45,159 --> 00:46:50,519 I honestly have no idea positionally because he's six seven maybe, but like 671 00:46:50,679 --> 00:46:54,559 RJ. Barrett, regressed defensively last season, and if that continues, that's 672 00:46:54,840 --> 00:46:59,800 this becomes a whole different discussion. And that's the thing, the defensive side 673 00:46:59,840 --> 00:47:02,199 of the ball. I haven't even talked about my bigger issue. And I 674 00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:07,159 had to make sure I went and got the stats to remind myself how bad 675 00:47:07,239 --> 00:47:10,039 he was last year, Like, you've got to shoot better than thirty one 676 00:47:10,079 --> 00:47:13,559 percent from three for me to be like, oh, we just need you 677 00:47:13,840 --> 00:47:16,840 to like, like we're gonna take away all your three pointers, so because 678 00:47:16,880 --> 00:47:21,199 you're not good there, and if you're then gonna tell me that he needs 679 00:47:21,239 --> 00:47:23,440 to be getting to the rim with his own ball reps and his passing, 680 00:47:23,760 --> 00:47:25,719 Well, you need more than two and a half assist a game. You 681 00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:31,000 need more than fifty less than fifty percent from two last season. Like, 682 00:47:31,199 --> 00:47:36,320 yes, he gets to the rim at will, it doesn't change the fact 683 00:47:36,400 --> 00:47:38,559 that he's not good when he gets to the room. He's better last year, 684 00:47:38,599 --> 00:47:43,679 don't get me wrong, but like, you have to be a more 685 00:47:43,719 --> 00:47:47,639 efficient player for me to then demand you get more shots. Now. Again, 686 00:47:47,840 --> 00:47:51,840 this some of this does fall on the head coach. Like I'm not 687 00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:55,159 someone that like thinks anything tips touches is is. He's not King Midas. 688 00:47:55,280 --> 00:48:00,239 I do think you need to deploy r J in the correct line nine of 689 00:48:00,360 --> 00:48:05,719 specifically ones that don't have Josh Hart and don't have Mitchell Robinson. But that's 690 00:48:05,760 --> 00:48:08,119 the reserve. Like that, that's a very specific thing, Like you could 691 00:48:08,119 --> 00:48:13,159 play Julius in a lot of lineups, and especially at the shot making ability 692 00:48:13,280 --> 00:48:16,480 that Julius had last season. You know, It's why I think I'm gonna 693 00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:22,239 always lean in that direction. If far as Is becomes more efficient this year, 694 00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:25,719 I'm not even saying like he doesn't have to be a fifty forty ninety 695 00:48:25,800 --> 00:48:32,159 guy. I'll settle for forty four thirty six like eighty at this point, 696 00:48:32,320 --> 00:48:37,400 like I'll settle for am Manuel quickly splits last season, which is why it 697 00:48:37,480 --> 00:48:39,880 became very evident quickly his third best player on this team. Quickly is the 698 00:48:40,000 --> 00:48:44,840 third reason why this team is going to to be the five seed and make 699 00:48:44,880 --> 00:48:50,400 it to the second round. The playoffs were great. I will always appreciate 700 00:48:50,559 --> 00:48:55,079 what those eight games were. The regular season sample size is gonna have to 701 00:48:55,239 --> 00:49:02,800 start to mirror it more for me to start making like exs and O strategies 702 00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:07,199 around making sure we cater the team to RJ strengths, you know. And 703 00:49:07,360 --> 00:49:12,039 also if we're going to criticize Julius Randold for being such a unique and specific 704 00:49:12,119 --> 00:49:14,840 fit and then you need to do the same thing for RJ B what we're 705 00:49:14,880 --> 00:49:17,239 talking about. I will say I hope him. I think he was at 706 00:49:17,519 --> 00:49:21,960 like forty three or forty four percent from mid range, and the playoffs that 707 00:49:22,039 --> 00:49:23,480 better not emboldened him to take more mid range. I don't I don't want 708 00:49:23,480 --> 00:49:27,119 to see it. Get that guard like that probably needs to be eradicated from 709 00:49:27,119 --> 00:49:29,840 his game. He's taken almost like a third of his attempts from there, 710 00:49:29,880 --> 00:49:31,960 and that's just you need to You have not proved to me that you have 711 00:49:32,079 --> 00:49:37,000 like any sort of pull up game or that you like just from the Like, 712 00:49:37,280 --> 00:49:38,599 your jump shot is just not something we could trust. So I'd like 713 00:49:38,599 --> 00:49:42,239 to see him cut down on those. Maybe that helps your efficiency. I 714 00:49:42,280 --> 00:49:44,880 do think some of the rim stuff when you're watching him, a lot of 715 00:49:44,920 --> 00:49:46,039 it's on him. Some of the other stuff is like all right, well 716 00:49:46,119 --> 00:49:49,559 there was this was a little bit more open around here. It could be 717 00:49:49,679 --> 00:49:52,039 better. But again it gets into the wire you tailoring your roster construction to 718 00:49:52,119 --> 00:49:58,199 RJ Barrett when he is not compared to Julius random Julius Randold's played better over 719 00:49:58,239 --> 00:50:00,719 a much larger SAMP, much better over watch larger example, to warrant that 720 00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:06,119 consideration, whether you want to give either of them that consideration, different matter 721 00:50:06,199 --> 00:50:08,679 altogether. And look, I feel like I've been way too negative about r 722 00:50:08,760 --> 00:50:15,760 J. I need to emphasize how much of a revelation those eight playoff games 723 00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:22,199 were, like the same way that I understand people having their hesitations about quickly 724 00:50:22,639 --> 00:50:28,480 after last year's playoffs are why I also join in the celebration of what RJ 725 00:50:28,760 --> 00:50:30,719 was. That they don't beat the Calves without RJ Barrett. We were wondering 726 00:50:30,760 --> 00:50:35,599 if he was gonna get benched after that second Cleveland game, and he showed 727 00:50:35,679 --> 00:50:38,519 up and a shook Cleveland team was on the floor, and honestly it shook 728 00:50:38,599 --> 00:50:43,360 nixt team was on the floor except RJ Barrett in Game three, and then 729 00:50:43,400 --> 00:50:46,920 he puts up almost thirty in Game four, and then he's with a hobble. 730 00:50:47,079 --> 00:50:51,960 Julius and whatever, like a short circuited em manual quickly. RJ. 731 00:50:52,159 --> 00:50:54,239 Barrett is the one keeping them in games in the Heat series, Like, 732 00:50:55,280 --> 00:51:00,239 I have to acknowledge how great he was, and I'm like rooting for him 733 00:51:00,280 --> 00:51:04,840 to duplicate that over an eighty two game sample this upcoming season, and I 734 00:51:04,920 --> 00:51:07,119 think he's gonna get the opportunity and at least for one more year. You 735 00:51:07,199 --> 00:51:14,360 know what should we be watching monitoring most closely for Quentin Grimes. You're three 736 00:51:15,000 --> 00:51:24,000 mm hmm, so because he like next year he will be extension eligible and 737 00:51:24,159 --> 00:51:29,800 he's based like the minutes have always. The minutes are going to be tricky 738 00:51:29,840 --> 00:51:35,800 to navigate this year because of the acquisition of well, not the acquisition, 739 00:51:35,840 --> 00:51:42,519 the signing of of Deevincenzo, and then what Quentin Grimes his minutes became with 740 00:51:42,679 --> 00:51:47,079 Josh Hart. I've been reading a lot about not reading a lot of but 741 00:51:47,199 --> 00:51:53,360 I've been taking note of his workouts with JJ Reddick. I'm hoping that that 742 00:51:53,599 --> 00:52:00,880 leads to more of emulating the guy's career and emulating the guy's game. This 743 00:52:02,000 --> 00:52:07,960 I hate to bring up coaching again, but he's gonna need the Evan Fournier 744 00:52:07,119 --> 00:52:10,840 playbook. I don't need him to just get two three point attempts a game. 745 00:52:10,920 --> 00:52:15,960 Maybe on penetrating kicks. I think you can call plays like pin downs, 746 00:52:17,280 --> 00:52:22,159 picking pops, like you can do stuff for Quentin Grimes to say this 747 00:52:22,400 --> 00:52:25,719 is the shot like we're trying to get in this offense. It doesn't just 748 00:52:25,840 --> 00:52:30,079 have to be corner threes or above the break threes. You can actually run 749 00:52:30,119 --> 00:52:32,119 a play to get him open so he knows where his shots are coming from. 750 00:52:32,639 --> 00:52:37,320 I think that's the biggest thing I'm looking for with Grimes, is is 751 00:52:37,400 --> 00:52:44,440 he going to get enough shots or specifically no, like, is he gonna 752 00:52:44,440 --> 00:52:46,840 be able to keep the same efficiency from three without always knowing when where his 753 00:52:46,880 --> 00:52:51,960 shots are coming from? But even more so, is he gonna be on 754 00:52:52,079 --> 00:52:57,159 a roster that actually knows to make sure shots are going to come for him? 755 00:52:57,159 --> 00:53:00,280 You know what I'm saying? Yeah? And is that like a concern 756 00:53:00,360 --> 00:53:01,840 at all when you're not looking at just him, but even RJ. Barrett 757 00:53:02,039 --> 00:53:06,760 Emmanuel quickly if you want to throw Deuce McBride and there go ahead like this 758 00:53:06,920 --> 00:53:10,199 current roster set up, there's a I would say maybe dart's too strong of 759 00:53:10,280 --> 00:53:13,679 a word, but shooting is still a concern. Let's put it there, 760 00:53:13,760 --> 00:53:16,320 and you have this surplus of ball dominance in the sense that, Okay, 761 00:53:16,320 --> 00:53:20,400 there's Jille and Brunson, there's Julius Randall. Then there's other guys who would 762 00:53:20,440 --> 00:53:23,639 prefer to operate on ball. Looking at Emmanuel quickly, looking at RJ. 763 00:53:23,800 --> 00:53:28,039 Barrett, we want to talk about can we get plays call for Quentin Grimes 764 00:53:28,079 --> 00:53:29,960 off the ball? Okay, fine, but if you want Quentin Grimes to 765 00:53:30,039 --> 00:53:31,639 like drive a little bit more, get him some on ball reps? Is 766 00:53:31,719 --> 00:53:37,440 this and you can maybe it's like, is it not necessarily conducive two steps 767 00:53:37,519 --> 00:53:40,920 forward from these young guys or is there one player of those three core youngsters 768 00:53:42,280 --> 00:53:46,880 that stands to see their development an opportunity limited the most because of the way 769 00:53:46,920 --> 00:53:52,519 that this roster is built. If it's contributing to winning, yes, and 770 00:53:52,679 --> 00:53:55,679 I it's a kind of a cop out answer, but like I'm not, 771 00:53:55,880 --> 00:54:00,760 like we just talked about it. I'm not gonna like make sure RJ has 772 00:54:00,880 --> 00:54:06,280 on ball reps if it's at the expense of like we just want to see 773 00:54:06,280 --> 00:54:08,079 what this looks like, right, Like I'd rather I know what this looks 774 00:54:08,119 --> 00:54:12,119 like when you have Jalen Brunson on ball reps. I know what looks like 775 00:54:12,199 --> 00:54:17,440 when you have Julius Randall on ball reps. I think this team came up 776 00:54:17,599 --> 00:54:22,920 with a strategy that worked really well, especially post Josh Hart trade. And 777 00:54:24,760 --> 00:54:29,440 as like the growth in development, this is not a team that's rebuilding. 778 00:54:29,519 --> 00:54:37,159 This isn't a team that is necessarily, you know, trying to maximize I 779 00:54:37,199 --> 00:54:39,800 don't want to say it's not important that these guys get better and like it 780 00:54:39,960 --> 00:54:44,280 like who cares. But at the end of the day, like I'm looking 781 00:54:44,360 --> 00:54:46,039 for a team that's trying to win as many games as possible next year like 782 00:54:46,159 --> 00:54:50,320 this, like like you said, like, this is the team that it's 783 00:54:50,360 --> 00:54:53,079 gonna at least want to, if not win the same number of games as 784 00:54:53,119 --> 00:54:55,519 they did to a year ago. They're at least don't want to make the 785 00:54:55,599 --> 00:54:59,320 playoffs and get as far as they did a year ago, which is gonna 786 00:54:59,320 --> 00:55:04,760 be even more difficult. And unfortunately that might mean that you know, some 787 00:55:04,880 --> 00:55:12,400 of these guys take more linear moves in development than they do you know, 788 00:55:12,679 --> 00:55:15,880 gigantic steps forward. Now, look, if you want to actually give you 789 00:55:16,000 --> 00:55:21,559 I already mentioned the worry, and it's that there's one crunch time spot for 790 00:55:22,280 --> 00:55:27,159 four guys in this on this roster, and I have no idea how Tips 791 00:55:27,239 --> 00:55:30,960 is going to navigate this. I think it should be it's gonna be Brunson, 792 00:55:30,000 --> 00:55:32,599 it's gonna be Randall, it's gonna be a center, And then I 793 00:55:32,639 --> 00:55:36,519 think it's gonna be Josh Hart. I think Josh Hart, as much as 794 00:55:36,599 --> 00:55:39,159 I love him and think he's a highly impactful player, and he's Jalen Brunson's 795 00:55:39,159 --> 00:55:44,000 boy from Villanova, I think his spot should be up for grabs. I'm 796 00:55:44,360 --> 00:55:47,559 realistic to the fact that he can miss a crunch time here and there if 797 00:55:47,639 --> 00:55:52,079 someone else has it going, or if it's matchup dependent, and I think, 798 00:55:52,599 --> 00:55:55,719 like quickly the ladder not to step on the toes of like a later 799 00:55:55,840 --> 00:55:59,960 quite But I hope that the way they look at closing games, just because 800 00:56:00,159 --> 00:56:02,440 of how their personnel shakes out. I do hope Tips builds it more around 801 00:56:04,079 --> 00:56:06,199 matchups. I mean, like, who has it going? It's kind of 802 00:56:06,199 --> 00:56:07,960 the same thing, like I hope it's I hope it's more fluid, Like 803 00:56:08,000 --> 00:56:12,199 I get the Randall and Jalen bruns In locks like fine, like I at 804 00:56:12,239 --> 00:56:14,719 a center, yeah, at a center, Like it can't just be there's 805 00:56:14,760 --> 00:56:17,639 a four guarantee crunch time spots because then like if RJ has it going, 806 00:56:17,719 --> 00:56:22,199 it's him or Josh Hart like that has to be the case. If Quickly 807 00:56:22,280 --> 00:56:24,239 has it going, like honestly, Quickly would be my guarantee, and then 808 00:56:24,280 --> 00:56:28,480 it's the three spot that is up for grass. But I recognize there will 809 00:56:28,480 --> 00:56:30,519 be night where they need more size, so you go with RJ eight to 810 00:56:30,599 --> 00:56:32,599 two, and then go with a shooter, whether it be Grimes or de 811 00:56:32,679 --> 00:56:37,599 Vincenzo, like, there are options to use. This can't be hockey shifts 812 00:56:37,679 --> 00:56:44,519 where it's like very clear who is playing now and there's one spot that gets 813 00:56:44,519 --> 00:56:49,280 alternated out, which is probably my biggest fear. The Knicks exist in this 814 00:56:49,360 --> 00:56:52,119 weird space and I'm not sure there's another team in the league that's a good 815 00:56:52,119 --> 00:56:57,519 analog for them where they're good. They're looking to compete now, but I 816 00:56:57,599 --> 00:57:01,559 think even internally and externally with their fans, meet members, everyone just recognizes 817 00:57:01,719 --> 00:57:06,800 this is not the team. And yet they're also at a point where you're 818 00:57:06,840 --> 00:57:10,639 not even banking on one of the youngsters turning this into the team, Like 819 00:57:10,760 --> 00:57:14,519 I think the ship is sailed on RJ. Barrett. There you can have 820 00:57:14,639 --> 00:57:17,239 I hopes for Quentin Grimes or Emmanuel quickly, but I don't think anyone's looking 821 00:57:17,280 --> 00:57:21,960 at even if they reached their ninety nine percentile outcome. They've elevated the Knicks 822 00:57:22,000 --> 00:57:24,559 two title contenders. So the and I think this is a correct assumption. 823 00:57:24,880 --> 00:57:28,159 People think it's about the Thunder. I think it'd be more correct about the 824 00:57:28,199 --> 00:57:31,119 Knicks. They are going to push their chips in at some point. It 825 00:57:31,239 --> 00:57:35,159 is, it's just going to happen. That's not saying they suck. I 826 00:57:35,199 --> 00:57:39,760 think it's just a fact. How has the emergence of Joe and Brunson as 827 00:57:39,840 --> 00:57:47,480 just an all NBA caliber player shifted How that search needs to unfold in two 828 00:57:47,519 --> 00:57:52,800 ways. First, if you were I'm assure, I'm assuming we talked a 829 00:57:52,880 --> 00:57:57,559 year ago and said that the Knicks need two stars right like they were there 830 00:57:57,599 --> 00:58:00,639 were two superstars away right. Neither of us thought Jalen Brunson was going to 831 00:58:00,639 --> 00:58:04,039 be a superstar. I think I was higher. Oh no, I was 832 00:58:04,159 --> 00:58:07,440 hiring him than you, But I knew. I knew they had like a 833 00:58:07,480 --> 00:58:09,679 potential All star here. It was probably a phrase where it's like now you 834 00:58:09,719 --> 00:58:13,719 would probably still say they need a player. I would argue, who is 835 00:58:13,760 --> 00:58:15,559 better than Jalen Brunson. To part Jalen Brunson, I probably said you need 836 00:58:15,639 --> 00:58:19,880 two players better than Jalen Brunson, which I don't think you need anymore. 837 00:58:20,000 --> 00:58:22,599 I would have agreed with that a year ago, and now after watching wood 838 00:58:22,719 --> 00:58:29,039 Brunson gave us in the playoffs, bro if anybody else shows up in game 839 00:58:29,119 --> 00:58:31,599 six against the Heat, I'm literally one other player that was by four points 840 00:58:31,760 --> 00:58:36,760 in that game and Jalen Brunson had forty of them. Like one other person 841 00:58:36,880 --> 00:58:38,920 shows up, if Tibbs shows up, If Argi goes one for ten, 842 00:58:39,000 --> 00:58:45,239 Julius goes three or fourteen quickly doesn't play like if one other person, like 843 00:58:45,280 --> 00:58:47,079 the only person that showed up for him was Scott Foster, and then he's 844 00:58:47,119 --> 00:58:55,440 a hero. I think I tickled Dan. If one other person shows up 845 00:58:55,519 --> 00:59:00,800 in that game, he's a hero that forced the game seven back to MSG. 846 00:59:00,480 --> 00:59:05,239 Like that's how high I am on Jalen Brunson. Yes, you do. 847 00:59:05,239 --> 00:59:07,800 You need to go get if you want to contend for a title, 848 00:59:07,239 --> 00:59:10,639 and go get another guy, Like, yeah, this isn't the roster, 849 00:59:12,400 --> 00:59:16,840 but I'm at the point where there's one untouchable on the roster right now, 850 00:59:16,920 --> 00:59:21,639 it's Jalen Brunson, and that wasn't the case a year ago. The thing 851 00:59:21,760 --> 00:59:25,960 that's fascinating if you look at what this offseason was is because the untouchables Jalen 852 00:59:27,000 --> 00:59:31,320 Brunson, the Knicks are out on the point guard trade market like Dame was 853 00:59:31,440 --> 00:59:37,320 never a conversation for me, And there's like some even there was reporting on 854 00:59:37,440 --> 00:59:39,920 Harden. I don't even think that was a real conversation. That was like, 855 00:59:40,000 --> 00:59:43,199 oh, is they Philly just looking at salary? Dump him? Like 856 00:59:43,239 --> 00:59:46,199 okay, then let's talk. But like I think, if you were trading 857 00:59:46,280 --> 00:59:50,719 for James Harden, it's like you said, because you're then flipping James Harden, 858 00:59:50,920 --> 00:59:52,440 Like maybe the Knicks would have tried to make that work for a year. 859 00:59:52,519 --> 00:59:55,119 I don't think. Look, there's a trade that the Knicks might want 860 00:59:55,159 --> 00:59:58,880 to make with the seventy six ers, it's not for James Harden, you 861 00:59:59,000 --> 01:00:02,039 know. So, Yeah, I love they do love Daniel House. Yeah, 862 01:00:02,159 --> 01:00:05,719 yes, yes, oh so Bias Harris Long Island Native. No, 863 01:00:05,960 --> 01:00:08,360 you we obviously know who the big fish is on the sixes of the Knicks 864 01:00:08,440 --> 01:00:15,280 want Cia client Joel Embiide. I think that it's been really fascinating to be 865 01:00:15,400 --> 01:00:19,400 like, yeah, it was never realistic that they were gonna go in after 866 01:00:19,559 --> 01:00:22,639 Harden. And there's been nothing like Stephen A. Smith said, go get 867 01:00:22,760 --> 01:00:25,159 Dame, and there's been nothing that's come out from the Knicks that are like, 868 01:00:25,239 --> 01:00:29,719 yeah, we're interested in Dame and which I wouldn't make sense to do 869 01:00:29,840 --> 01:00:32,199 it either. I will say I like the idea of Dame next to Jalen 870 01:00:32,199 --> 01:00:36,239 Brunson way more than I do James Harden, who just doesn't play off the 871 01:00:36,280 --> 01:00:39,159 ball well at all. And you what would be your like, why would 872 01:00:39,159 --> 01:00:43,079 you like James? I'm why would like either? I'm like, no, 873 01:00:43,159 --> 01:00:45,559 no, no, I think they should go after either. But if it 874 01:00:45,679 --> 01:00:47,840 was between the two and they were gonna do this, it's not even like 875 01:00:49,280 --> 01:00:51,639 close for me. I'll just like, no, it'd be it'd be Dame 876 01:00:51,760 --> 01:00:53,440 that I'd want to see overhard next to jeln bruns I want to see neither. 877 01:00:53,719 --> 01:00:58,480 We should make that clear. I'm choosing options. See if you're telling 878 01:00:58,559 --> 01:01:01,159 me there's no option, See, I would also choose Dame Overharding. I 879 01:01:01,800 --> 01:01:06,320 But that's like the takeaway of the season is that they they're out on the 880 01:01:06,360 --> 01:01:07,920 point guard market, they got it, Like, now they need to surround 881 01:01:08,000 --> 01:01:10,239 him. It's a trade young models, how they need to build the roster 882 01:01:10,280 --> 01:01:14,559 and hopefully do a better. Yeah, well, just like you need to 883 01:01:14,639 --> 01:01:16,920 surround him with defense and shooting, like you need to make sure you have 884 01:01:17,320 --> 01:01:22,360 average to above average defender. Honestly, you probably need elite around him because 885 01:01:22,440 --> 01:01:25,480 of his size. He is a small guard that gets picked on a lot 886 01:01:27,000 --> 01:01:30,880 against against good teams, especially good teams good point guards. So while he's 887 01:01:30,920 --> 01:01:37,679 gonna have an elite offensive ability that you know your t other teams are honestly 888 01:01:37,719 --> 01:01:40,559 not even gonna be able to stop, you're gonna have to someone hide him 889 01:01:40,559 --> 01:01:45,840 on the defensive end. Is there like a I know there's the Joel and 890 01:01:45,880 --> 01:01:47,719 beat stuff that's going around out there. I tend to think more of that. 891 01:01:47,920 --> 01:01:51,760 And this is dependent on availability, but I think we can frame it 892 01:01:51,840 --> 01:01:54,119 this way because Joelbi is not available right now either. I just feel like 893 01:01:54,159 --> 01:01:59,239 it needs to be sort of this power wing that like the Combo two or 894 01:01:59,239 --> 01:02:01,719 three four guys a little bit more positionless with size than they have right now. 895 01:02:01,800 --> 01:02:05,599 Where it's yeah, they have some really good rebounding under size guards, 896 01:02:05,639 --> 01:02:07,880 but the wings on this team. If we're talking like true blue wings, 897 01:02:08,760 --> 01:02:13,960 RJ. Barrett comes the closest to filling that criteria and he does not fill 898 01:02:14,000 --> 01:02:16,800 it on me. It's just because he's that six seven body where everyone else 899 01:02:16,880 --> 01:02:21,119 like the de Vincenzos and the Quentin Grinds, and that Josh Harts are like 900 01:02:21,199 --> 01:02:24,880 these six five six four six foot six like not wings, like they're like 901 01:02:25,119 --> 01:02:29,360 swing men or Josh Josh Hard even feels like more of a forward even though 902 01:02:29,440 --> 01:02:32,559 he's like smaller. So I think that needs are but are there regardless of 903 01:02:32,920 --> 01:02:37,119 whether it's a big what they fall? There any names aside from Embid that 904 01:02:37,159 --> 01:02:39,400 you just have circle that you're monitoring not I'm not talking right now. I'm 905 01:02:39,400 --> 01:02:42,599 think you're talking about this year's trade in line, but like, let's look 906 01:02:42,639 --> 01:02:45,440 forward to the twenty twenty five traded Like what names do you just have circles? 907 01:02:45,960 --> 01:02:52,119 Is mcal Bridges potentially avail on another team in twenty twenty five not on 908 01:02:52,199 --> 01:02:57,400 the Nets? I do I So I diverge from you where I do think 909 01:02:57,400 --> 01:02:59,840 the Nets would trade him to the Knicks if they get to the point where 910 01:02:59,840 --> 01:03:02,199 they're moving him. I honestly don't think the front office that's in place. 911 01:03:02,280 --> 01:03:06,119 From what I know about the team when I was there, more, I 912 01:03:06,159 --> 01:03:09,039 don't think Sean Marks gives a fuck, And so I believe that if they 913 01:03:09,079 --> 01:03:12,519 were going that route, they are not going to look at us like, 914 01:03:12,599 --> 01:03:15,960 WHOA, we can't trade him to the team in the same city who we're 915 01:03:15,079 --> 01:03:19,079 trying to be worse than right now, And even though divisions don't really matter 916 01:03:19,159 --> 01:03:22,559 anymore, Like, I just don't. I don't see that whereas you do. 917 01:03:22,679 --> 01:03:24,440 Maybe there's something I'm missing there, but from what I understand, I 918 01:03:24,480 --> 01:03:28,840 just don't think that would be an issue. Listen, you're probably right. 919 01:03:28,920 --> 01:03:34,239 In fact, probably you're right. I'm of the mentality that I'll see it. 920 01:03:34,239 --> 01:03:36,239 I'll believe it when I see it, like I will, just I'll 921 01:03:36,239 --> 01:03:39,719 wait until the trade happens before I consider it a possibility. Like the Nixon 922 01:03:39,800 --> 01:03:44,079 Heat have made one trade. Ever, it was for pat Riley to be 923 01:03:44,159 --> 01:03:46,639 the Knicks head coach, like Appartley still there to be the Heath head coach, 924 01:03:46,760 --> 01:03:50,679 be the Heat head Coach's yeah, like pat Riley's still there running that 925 01:03:50,880 --> 01:03:53,440 show. So like I get that a little bit more where it's and Brooklyn 926 01:03:54,000 --> 01:03:59,960 is trying like Brooklyn doesn't want to help further a Knick's agenda of let's play 927 01:04:00,159 --> 01:04:03,639 the twenty sixteen Villanova Wildcats all on the same roster, Like, I don't 928 01:04:03,639 --> 01:04:06,840 think they're gonna help facilitate. If you're trying to be good, you absolutely 929 01:04:06,840 --> 01:04:10,679 don't want to do that. If you're entering a different phase of your existence, 930 01:04:11,199 --> 01:04:15,119 you just you can't afford to care. As the Nets, I'm not 931 01:04:15,159 --> 01:04:18,119 talking about the like if it's if there are two teams that are on this, 932 01:04:18,320 --> 01:04:21,599 like let's forget about Michail Bridges. Let's just say there was a trade 933 01:04:21,920 --> 01:04:25,880 between them. Now they're both trying to be good before or five seeds in 934 01:04:25,880 --> 01:04:29,440 the East, whatever, and there's like there could be a mutually beneficial trade 935 01:04:29,559 --> 01:04:32,360 for them. I could see that being a factor. But if you are 936 01:04:32,480 --> 01:04:38,760 pivoting this into a directional shift as Brooklyn, which by the way, I 937 01:04:38,800 --> 01:04:41,480 would predict is coming, I don't know if it's this season, but this 938 01:04:41,599 --> 01:04:44,519 idea that they're going to kind of float around like in six and five and 939 01:04:44,519 --> 01:04:46,239 staid like it's cute, it's not gonna happen. They will. They will 940 01:04:46,400 --> 01:04:49,840 enter a rebuild. That is my prediction. By I would say by the 941 01:04:49,880 --> 01:04:53,840 start of twenty four twenty five, I'd be shocked if they're not rebuilding. 942 01:04:54,039 --> 01:04:57,880 So how long do those Harden picks last? Like, how long do they 943 01:04:57,920 --> 01:05:02,440 have until those expire? Uh? Because that's that's a cat. There is 944 01:05:02,519 --> 01:05:09,360 a Shawn Marks has already done the thing where it's like your picks are gone. 945 01:05:09,840 --> 01:05:12,039 I don't think he cares about that. I mean it's a factor. 946 01:05:12,400 --> 01:05:14,880 Yeah, but I think if it gets to a point where, well, 947 01:05:14,920 --> 01:05:17,480 what are we doing here, we might be sending a pick that's like it's 948 01:05:17,519 --> 01:05:23,639 currently constructed. I'm not they might send top ten picks out every year anyway. 949 01:05:23,840 --> 01:05:28,159 Yeah, so all right, maybe I still I believe it when I 950 01:05:28,239 --> 01:05:30,800 see it. It's this is across all sports. Like the Mets and Yankees 951 01:05:30,800 --> 01:05:33,719 don't make trades. The Jets and Giants have made one in the last two 952 01:05:33,760 --> 01:05:38,119 decades. Like this is like Raiders than Islanders have never made a trade. 953 01:05:38,320 --> 01:05:41,840 Like this is a thing that happens in the city. If it happens, 954 01:05:42,039 --> 01:05:45,480 like you might be right that the narrative of New York teams not trading with 955 01:05:45,639 --> 01:05:48,719 each other, it might be enough that it doesn't matter. Miles that make 956 01:05:48,800 --> 01:05:54,320 meet Miles Bridges is not the player I'm trying to mention Michael Bridges is the 957 01:05:54,480 --> 01:05:59,679 ideal dream scenario, uh, the probably more available one as og Na Nobi 958 01:06:00,079 --> 01:06:02,800 and the CIA of it all. You want to talk about things I noticed 959 01:06:02,840 --> 01:06:10,000 this offseason, it equally as important as Julius leaving CIAA was O g n 960 01:06:10,079 --> 01:06:15,679 and Obi joining CIA. My opinion is, yeah, as long as Mitchell 961 01:06:15,719 --> 01:06:18,239 Robinson is here, the Knicks have enough players who have higher turnover rates that 962 01:06:18,280 --> 01:06:25,800 assist rates just but when you're putting guys next to Jalen Brunson, they need 963 01:06:25,880 --> 01:06:30,719 to be above average three point shooters and elite defenders. He fills both of 964 01:06:30,760 --> 01:06:34,920 those boxes. And look, you want to talk about opening up usage for 965 01:06:35,519 --> 01:06:39,840 oh, he'd probably go out for r J or come here for RJ or 966 01:06:39,960 --> 01:06:44,199 quickly. But like, because he's not going to command such a high usage, 967 01:06:44,280 --> 01:06:48,719 that opens up the potential for more Quentin Grime shots or more whicheveryone stays 968 01:06:48,840 --> 01:06:53,639 quickly or r J shots. You know, I I wonder if you run 969 01:06:53,679 --> 01:06:56,840 into the same issue of him or Josh Hart needing to be on the court 970 01:06:56,960 --> 01:07:00,239 one or the other. But defensively, those are the two types of players, 971 01:07:00,280 --> 01:07:04,239 along with Curt and Grimes that you'd want to put next to Jalen Brunson, 972 01:07:04,519 --> 01:07:09,679 And it's why I'd be I'd absolutely be interested in in O Gianna Noobi 973 01:07:09,760 --> 01:07:12,679 trade. Personally, I would. It would depend on price. For me, 974 01:07:12,760 --> 01:07:14,480 he is entering the final year of his deal. I tend to be 975 01:07:14,599 --> 01:07:16,719 lower just on his offense than most other people. But he has done a 976 01:07:16,760 --> 01:07:19,599 good job coming away as a shooter. But because I had Michael Bridges on 977 01:07:19,679 --> 01:07:23,840 my list and you mentioned O Giana Nobi, is there an element of and 978 01:07:23,920 --> 01:07:28,239 it's twofold that Jalen Brunson is good enough and that if we inject like real 979 01:07:28,360 --> 01:07:31,239 spacing into this team, it doesn't need to be We're waiting on a Joel 980 01:07:31,320 --> 01:07:34,920 and bad trade. We're hoping the Clippers implode and Paul George becomes available that 981 01:07:34,920 --> 01:07:38,599 I'd be another fantastic fit. By the way, even though he's he's older. 982 01:07:38,679 --> 01:07:42,199 We're sitting there waiting for it's gonna go wrong in Phoenix at some point 983 01:07:42,239 --> 01:07:45,800 and Devin Booker is gonna need to request out is it? Are they maybe 984 01:07:45,159 --> 01:07:48,079 has Jalen Brunson changed at all? Where the potential of this team or even 985 01:07:48,079 --> 01:07:55,199 if you don't inject, I'll keep saying Capslock bold text Italics Superstar in Oganna 986 01:07:55,239 --> 01:08:00,199 Nobi level player or mcaal Bridges level player could really fuse this team with like 987 01:08:01,599 --> 01:08:06,239 a higher plane of purpose where maybe they're not one of the three foremost contenders, 988 01:08:06,320 --> 01:08:10,360 but like there's a scenario where they come out of the East. I 989 01:08:10,440 --> 01:08:14,519 mean, we did to see an eighth seed get to the finals last year, 990 01:08:14,719 --> 01:08:17,399 and that's like real alien shiit coud like it is, Okay, so 991 01:08:17,520 --> 01:08:20,359 one of Miami is. I don't care about the numbers. I watched to 992 01:08:20,439 --> 01:08:24,800 the games. It's alien shit. I don't know what is And if it 993 01:08:24,880 --> 01:08:28,920 happens again and they don't get Dame and they just let two rotation players leave 994 01:08:29,359 --> 01:08:33,319 for nothing, extraterrestrial shit, I don't. I don't understand what's going on 995 01:08:33,479 --> 01:08:39,079 in there. I agree, and it's why Like when when I saw them 996 01:08:39,159 --> 01:08:42,319 doing it to the Celtics too, I just pointed at what was going on. 997 01:08:42,439 --> 01:08:45,039 I was very much Lebron and that meme of j R. Smith. 998 01:08:45,399 --> 01:08:48,159 I was like to Nicks fans, see they do it to everybody. You 999 01:08:48,239 --> 01:08:51,079 mentioned the Celtics, by the way, the real Galaxy brain thing, and 1000 01:08:51,319 --> 01:08:54,600 it's not gonna be the player that you think I'm about to say, is 1001 01:08:54,640 --> 01:08:58,039 it goes so wrong there? Jason Tatum's like, no, I'm not signing 1002 01:08:58,079 --> 01:09:01,199 my Supermax and then like, that's that's the name. That is the name. 1003 01:09:01,920 --> 01:09:08,560 I hinted at this with John that he can technically like request the trade 1004 01:09:09,159 --> 01:09:15,520 next offseason. I also think like the Lakers are the team that, like, 1005 01:09:15,600 --> 01:09:17,560 if he's gonna go anywhere, it's gonna go play for Kobe's old team. 1006 01:09:18,199 --> 01:09:21,520 I think he's gonna sign what Austin Reeves and two picks that's not getting 1007 01:09:21,520 --> 01:09:24,840 you Jason Tatum, No, well he'll leave. He could just leave in 1008 01:09:24,920 --> 01:09:29,239 two years, like he'll go, oh, that's not happening because the league 1009 01:09:29,279 --> 01:09:32,239 has essentially neutered free agency. That'll be I'll be I'll be shocked if he 1010 01:09:32,600 --> 01:09:36,039 if we see a caliber of that player's walk in free agency. Listen, 1011 01:09:36,319 --> 01:09:41,319 if the Bucks say we're not trading you nice, we may get that there 1012 01:09:41,479 --> 01:09:45,319 too. So there, so all right, I guess the difference would be, 1013 01:09:45,600 --> 01:09:48,840 is Jason Tatum a player you play it out with if he doesn't guarantee 1014 01:09:48,880 --> 01:09:51,239 he'll come back? The answers yes, But if you have and the answers 1015 01:09:51,319 --> 01:09:54,840 yes. With Johannis like it was with Kadi and Okay. See, the 1016 01:09:54,960 --> 01:09:59,760 difference is is if they're actually requesting out, you don't play it out. 1017 01:10:00,119 --> 01:10:02,319 Kevin Durant requested out. The only reason he got traded is because he got 1018 01:10:02,399 --> 01:10:06,880 hurt and Kyrie went well. Kyrie like if they were there were seven, 1019 01:10:06,920 --> 01:10:10,880 they were twenty and two at one point last year. So the thing I 1020 01:10:11,000 --> 01:10:14,880 disagree about though, is that if Kyrie's trade request came and Kevin Durant was 1021 01:10:14,960 --> 01:10:16,760 healthy, that Kevin Durant trade requests would have followed anyway, because hey, 1022 01:10:16,800 --> 01:10:19,840 that's what happened over the off season. They were both healthy. Kyrie requests 1023 01:10:19,880 --> 01:10:25,600 the trade, it didn't work out well. Then Kevin Durant issued his mandate 1024 01:10:25,680 --> 01:10:30,000 and then he played takebacks on it. So so you're saying that, So 1025 01:10:30,119 --> 01:10:33,079 you're saying, because that is what happened last off season, that Kyrie asked 1026 01:10:33,119 --> 01:10:35,840 for a trade, they said no, he signed, he opted in for 1027 01:10:35,880 --> 01:10:41,439 the full They tell him to go find one signed and he couldn't. Well 1028 01:10:41,840 --> 01:10:45,520 except like you go go be a Laker was the only thing. And the 1029 01:10:45,279 --> 01:10:50,840 nets were like, we don't want the Lakers package, and then the what's 1030 01:10:50,880 --> 01:10:57,199 it called? Then like during the day of free trade and then you get 1031 01:10:57,319 --> 01:11:01,319 during the season. I just I'll never forget the day that they that Kyrie 1032 01:11:01,359 --> 01:11:04,079 asked for a trade. John and I were doing a Patreon pod. Macie 1033 01:11:04,119 --> 01:11:08,640 and I were doing a Patreon pod and we were saying, like, if 1034 01:11:08,680 --> 01:11:13,960 you had to put a hypothetical one hundred dollars chip on a championship winner right 1035 01:11:14,000 --> 01:11:16,439 now or an Eastern Conference winner right now, who would it be? And 1036 01:11:16,560 --> 01:11:19,359 I said the healthy version of Brooklyn. He's like, man, that's that's 1037 01:11:19,399 --> 01:11:24,479 my answer too, because of what they looked like. And I wonder if 1038 01:11:24,840 --> 01:11:28,479 like winning being the cure all if you just don't play it out, if 1039 01:11:28,520 --> 01:11:30,560 your guy, even if you guys, your guys ask for a trade. 1040 01:11:30,680 --> 01:11:34,520 If you're saying that Kyrie would have asked for a trade even if they were 1041 01:11:34,640 --> 01:11:39,560 thirty in two on that day, then yeah, maybe that's like enough of 1042 01:11:39,600 --> 01:11:42,680 a nuclear situation. I don't know that Jannis and Jason Tatum, we're gonna 1043 01:11:42,880 --> 01:11:45,279 make things that nuclear well. And I think the difference there though, is 1044 01:11:45,520 --> 01:11:48,760 is it Kyrie's trade value had reached a nader and so if you decided not 1045 01:11:48,880 --> 01:11:51,359 to trade him, or maybe he doesn't request a trade, you decided because 1046 01:11:51,359 --> 01:11:55,399 you didn't offer him an like an extension that he wanted, that you were 1047 01:11:55,439 --> 01:11:57,880 going to let it play out anyway and risk him leaving. Kevin Durand had 1048 01:11:57,880 --> 01:12:01,359 already signed an extension. That situation plays out so much differently if he was 1049 01:12:01,439 --> 01:12:03,760 in a contract year, they wouldn't have been like, no, we're just 1050 01:12:03,840 --> 01:12:08,399 gonna play this out after the Kevin Durant trade requests. So if Jason Tatum 1051 01:12:08,920 --> 01:12:13,000 is KG and won't request to trade or say he's not coming back and did 1052 01:12:13,079 --> 01:12:15,439 overy honest, those teams have to play it out if they believe they have 1053 01:12:15,479 --> 01:12:20,319 a chance of keeping it. I agree, And I also there's one team 1054 01:12:20,359 --> 01:12:25,520 I think Tatum would go to, Like, it's absolutely one tam Like. 1055 01:12:25,560 --> 01:12:28,720 It's very much the Dame situation, except Tatum is closer to free agency. 1056 01:12:29,640 --> 01:12:31,079 I think he would walk and go to the Lakers. Look, I said 1057 01:12:31,079 --> 01:12:34,239 it was Galaxy brain. I'm just I don't think it's gonna be. I 1058 01:12:34,279 --> 01:12:39,880 would be shocked if he walks. If he walks like I would, it 1059 01:12:39,920 --> 01:12:42,279 would be a trade. To me, that would be my guest. But 1060 01:12:42,520 --> 01:12:47,279 I guess it's the Lakers cap she is pretty clean in two years and look 1061 01:12:47,319 --> 01:12:51,000 we're getting makes so much money that it doesn't matter like to pass on the 1062 01:12:51,079 --> 01:12:56,199 long term security, but the trend that we have seen, I agree with 1063 01:12:56,359 --> 01:12:59,159 you. I think he's gonna sign an extension next summer. I'm saying, 1064 01:12:59,399 --> 01:13:03,560 if there's one alternative reality, I think it's to walk to go to the 1065 01:13:03,640 --> 01:13:08,359 Lakers. I think there's one version of Jason Tatum's career that he'd be okay 1066 01:13:09,760 --> 01:13:13,880 pivoting to that isn't an entire career with the Celtics. It's going and playing 1067 01:13:13,880 --> 01:13:16,359 for Kobe's old team. This has predictably gone off the rail, so that 1068 01:13:16,439 --> 01:13:20,640 my final question on kind of the trade front was real quick, real quick. 1069 01:13:21,079 --> 01:13:23,920 I agree with you all. Paul George. By the way, Paul 1070 01:13:23,960 --> 01:13:28,840 George, what I don't think that's realistic for this offseason and who knows about 1071 01:13:28,880 --> 01:13:31,960 he's the perfect this off season that ends in like so like there was a 1072 01:13:32,039 --> 01:13:36,399 portion of this offseason when Nick Sedworth thought of potentially to be the third team 1073 01:13:36,720 --> 01:13:42,079 in a James Harden trade, where it's like Will sends you the depth and 1074 01:13:42,159 --> 01:13:45,119 the pick pieces that you need, Clippers, just send us Paul George and 1075 01:13:45,720 --> 01:13:51,840 you build around Kauai James Harden, Russell Westbrook and you know R. J. 1076 01:13:53,000 --> 01:13:56,479 Barrett or whatever you want to call the rest of that roster, and 1077 01:13:57,159 --> 01:14:00,800 like Paul George's then your back up for he's the perfect win the playoff of 1078 01:14:00,560 --> 01:14:05,760 like like Josh Hart and Julius Randall and would anchor TIBs defense and off ball 1079 01:14:05,840 --> 01:14:09,359 defense the way that he needs you to. I'm right there with you on 1080 01:14:09,399 --> 01:14:13,319 Paul George. I just I don't know how realistic it is anymore. You 1081 01:14:13,439 --> 01:14:16,079 need I mean, in a way it would be the ideal scenario, but 1082 01:14:16,159 --> 01:14:19,560 you need the Clippers not to sign him or Kauhi to an extension, which 1083 01:14:19,560 --> 01:14:23,640 I think it's probably fair to say they won't. Like I don't know what 1084 01:14:23,760 --> 01:14:26,119 you're if they want the max, Like, I don't know what you're like 1085 01:14:26,199 --> 01:14:29,399 based off their availability the best few years. I don't know how you offer 1086 01:14:29,520 --> 01:14:31,760 that. It would have to be Oh shit, went sideways again in LA. 1087 01:14:32,079 --> 01:14:35,600 There's another injury that's not Paul George that has thrown their season, you 1088 01:14:35,680 --> 01:14:39,600 know, into the fire. James Harden isn't there of course, like the 1089 01:14:39,640 --> 01:14:42,520 Sixers didn't trade him there, and Paul George just like, hey, I'm 1090 01:14:42,600 --> 01:14:45,000 leaving after this season, so you get him middle of the year. They 1091 01:14:45,039 --> 01:14:47,680 don't really have any leverage, so the price point is so low. This 1092 01:14:47,880 --> 01:14:53,560 is kind of a nice segue into my question though, is is there any 1093 01:14:53,680 --> 01:15:00,840 worry or concern that the Knicks' best trade offers have diminis in shine and I 1094 01:15:00,920 --> 01:15:03,039 will I want to phrase it this way, not because I think that they 1095 01:15:03,119 --> 01:15:06,439 have no assets, but when you kind of look at the Wizards and Pistons 1096 01:15:06,520 --> 01:15:11,199 picks, you can't guarantee those will ever convey the fact that they're protected so 1097 01:15:11,279 --> 01:15:14,399 far out and they get a little looser. Okay, great, the Bucks 1098 01:15:14,479 --> 01:15:17,920 pick is looking a lot more valuable because of what Jannis said, so that's 1099 01:15:17,960 --> 01:15:23,159 a plus. However, we've already seen RJ. Barrett's on his new deal 1100 01:15:23,359 --> 01:15:27,399 not nearly as valuable as he was even this time last summer, like they 1101 01:15:27,439 --> 01:15:30,199 were still more of a mystery box appealed to him. I Q has headed 1102 01:15:30,239 --> 01:15:32,760 that same direction in the sense that maybe he's viewed more highly around the league, 1103 01:15:33,119 --> 01:15:35,600 but because he's getting off his rookie scale, we just see percept. 1104 01:15:35,960 --> 01:15:40,680 Look at how perception of Tyler Hero and Jordan Pool change as soon as they 1105 01:15:40,720 --> 01:15:44,319 signed their second contracts. They've already gotten off of Obie who got them to 1106 01:15:44,760 --> 01:15:47,199 second round picks. And now when you look at the Knicks' own picks, 1107 01:15:47,279 --> 01:15:49,439 you can still say, hey, we're gonna short the future of the Knicks, 1108 01:15:49,439 --> 01:15:51,239 because the Knicks are the Knicks. Are the Knicks or the Knicks. 1109 01:15:53,279 --> 01:15:57,800 If you're giving them a good player and they have Jalen Brunson, the Knicks 1110 01:15:57,840 --> 01:16:00,159 are not gonna knicks Like the Knicks are gonna be good and that'll be the 1111 01:16:00,239 --> 01:16:03,600 new Knick. Like that that's what knicksing will be. So I look at 1112 01:16:03,640 --> 01:16:09,079 it and say, if you get into these really competitive the Joel Embiid sweepstakes, 1113 01:16:09,399 --> 01:16:13,119 the Jason Tatums Reef stakes that you and I have just manifested, apparently, 1114 01:16:13,720 --> 01:16:16,119 like once you get to that level, how confident are you that they 1115 01:16:16,159 --> 01:16:20,640 can actually cobble together the best offer? Now? Like I do think and 1116 01:16:20,760 --> 01:16:24,319 I think this is a good thing that Jalen Brunson has changed so much for 1117 01:16:24,359 --> 01:16:29,039 them. I don't know if they have the same asset firepower they did a 1118 01:16:29,199 --> 01:16:32,840 year or two years ago. Like the mystique of it all, and part 1119 01:16:32,880 --> 01:16:35,800 of the mystique was, oh, it's the Knicks. So like, if 1120 01:16:35,840 --> 01:16:39,720 you can get a future Knicks pick in twenty twenty seven. That's gonna mean 1121 01:16:39,720 --> 01:16:43,640 a lot. This is a testament to what the Knicks are now. But 1122 01:16:43,720 --> 01:16:46,199 I don't think a twenty twenty seven Knicks pick is actually all that valuable anymore. 1123 01:16:46,560 --> 01:16:53,199 Man, I just I disagree. I think the number one thing that 1124 01:16:53,399 --> 01:16:59,039 James Stolan does for this franchise is the best thing he ever. That he 1125 01:16:59,119 --> 01:17:01,319 hates owning, that he doesn't like to be the owner of. But the 1126 01:17:01,560 --> 01:17:06,000 number one thing he can always do for this franchise, at least at current 1127 01:17:06,239 --> 01:17:14,640 time, is that teams will always value their picks more because they are convinced 1128 01:17:14,760 --> 01:17:17,680 something he owns will crash and burn. Do I recognize that they don't have 1129 01:17:17,840 --> 01:17:23,399 rookie scale guys to trade and like the Dallas tanking so that way they get 1130 01:17:23,439 --> 01:17:27,159 ten instead of the Knicks getting eleven did kind of mess with their plans? 1131 01:17:27,640 --> 01:17:30,279 Sure, But I also think like going into next offseason, if Dallas gets 1132 01:17:30,399 --> 01:17:35,199 thirteenth pick, the Knicks could potentially have two picks in this upcoming draft to 1133 01:17:35,319 --> 01:17:41,680 offer teams. Maybe a twenty twenty seven Knicks pick might not be as valuable, 1134 01:17:41,760 --> 01:17:46,479 especially if they have Jannis or Embiid and Jalen Brunson or Jason Tatum. 1135 01:17:46,760 --> 01:17:50,640 You know who knows we need to start This needs to be a thing like 1136 01:17:50,760 --> 01:17:57,119 let's get the Jason Tatum watch. Yeah, yes, people give a photoshop, 1137 01:17:57,199 --> 01:18:02,640 get on that look. Because the Knicks are have not They've had a 1138 01:18:02,720 --> 01:18:05,800 nice little three year run. They've had a nice three year stretch of competence 1139 01:18:05,920 --> 01:18:13,000 that I think has raised their curating to a point where we're finally talking about 1140 01:18:13,000 --> 01:18:17,760 basketball. Right, it doesn't change well, so like even last year during 1141 01:18:17,800 --> 01:18:23,880 the Donovan Mitchell sweep sticks, right, we were told that like three Knicks 1142 01:18:23,960 --> 01:18:27,840 picks are going to be super valuable because if you can bet on a team 1143 01:18:27,960 --> 01:18:30,279 to fuck up over the next ten years, it's gonna be the Knicks. 1144 01:18:30,359 --> 01:18:34,000 And if you're telling me in twenty twenty seven, when Jannie or and Beat 1145 01:18:34,000 --> 01:18:39,119 are still there, it's not as valuable. Fine, But if you're stretching 1146 01:18:39,199 --> 01:18:43,880 these things out to twenty thirty two, like what's more likely in twenty thirty 1147 01:18:43,880 --> 01:18:45,920 two, James dolean team is gonna be good or James Dolean's team is going 1148 01:18:46,000 --> 01:18:49,079 to be bad. And that's the calculation that a lot of teams are gonna 1149 01:18:49,119 --> 01:18:54,479 make. And it's what I've been been standing on the Knicks still have all 1150 01:18:54,520 --> 01:18:59,600 their picks to offer. They can throw in all these you know protected you 1151 01:18:59,720 --> 01:19:02,239 know Milwaukee pick. I think that might actually be their best asset at this 1152 01:19:02,359 --> 01:19:06,520 point, best singular asset unless you think twenty thirty Knicks pick. I think 1153 01:19:06,600 --> 01:19:11,640 the twenty thirty one Knicks pick right now is like, who knows what that 1154 01:19:11,760 --> 01:19:15,560 could be. It's it's not even necessarily a golden ticket. It's just like 1155 01:19:15,319 --> 01:19:19,119 we've seen this team give out golden tickets, have golden tickets because they're bad 1156 01:19:19,159 --> 01:19:24,640 and not know what to do with them, you know, I get that. 1157 01:19:24,840 --> 01:19:27,479 I do think though, and maybe this was always the case that they're 1158 01:19:27,520 --> 01:19:31,520 probably a little bit more reliant on whatever star becomes available, like naming them 1159 01:19:31,560 --> 01:19:34,119 as a team that they want to go to, then they probably were like 1160 01:19:34,239 --> 01:19:38,960 they always do, which they always do. They well, yes, but 1161 01:19:39,000 --> 01:19:41,880 I'm saying, like we've seen scenarios where the team just go like Paul Georgian, 1162 01:19:41,880 --> 01:19:44,319 okcy, they go out and trade for him anyway, Kawai and Toronto. 1163 01:19:44,880 --> 01:19:46,000 Maybe that happens with Dame. I wouldn't expect it to, but I 1164 01:19:46,000 --> 01:19:49,560 would love it too. Uh, let's get to the cookie cutter portions. 1165 01:19:49,600 --> 01:19:57,119 Dost Uh, is there any under the radar strengths and or concerns about the 1166 01:19:57,199 --> 01:20:00,199 Knicks. We have not really discussed yet. It's one. It's literally one 1167 01:20:00,279 --> 01:20:04,399 strength that I'm well. It's one concern that I have, and it's what 1168 01:20:04,479 --> 01:20:08,520 if Julius Randall goes down, Like I'm fine with Josh Sharters, you back 1169 01:20:08,600 --> 01:20:13,520 up for I'm not as confident in it. If he's just starting for now, 1170 01:20:14,000 --> 01:20:17,880 maybe this could lead Tips finding religion and going to some smaller lineups with 1171 01:20:18,079 --> 01:20:23,079 r J at the four or Josh Hard at the four and just maximizing zing 1172 01:20:23,159 --> 01:20:27,800 shooting as much as possible you get either Fournier or Deuce McBride in the rotation. 1173 01:20:27,880 --> 01:20:30,479 Dear God, don't let it be just I'm gonna go to Jericho Sammons 1174 01:20:30,479 --> 01:20:32,840 because then I'll lead the league in rim protection and offensive rebounds like great, 1175 01:20:33,159 --> 01:20:40,880 here comes the zone again. I still think that the Knicks strength last year 1176 01:20:41,039 --> 01:20:45,800 was their physicality, led by Julius Randall being like a dominant force going to 1177 01:20:45,960 --> 01:20:48,600 the rim and making you honors three point shot. So if he goes down, 1178 01:20:49,079 --> 01:20:53,159 I do think that is a step down for the Knicks where they just 1179 01:20:54,079 --> 01:20:57,039 it's the sneaky part about keeping obi last year that a lot of Knicks fans 1180 01:20:57,079 --> 01:21:01,560 had an issue with is like Julius Randol went down in the playoffs and they 1181 01:21:01,600 --> 01:21:05,119 needed Oie tapping like to help them win a couple of playoff games in the 1182 01:21:05,239 --> 01:21:11,600 first round. So they don't have that luxury this year. I think mine 1183 01:21:11,640 --> 01:21:13,880 would be And it's a concern rather than a strength. Not to be too 1184 01:21:13,920 --> 01:21:19,199 pessimist. Is just like the Mitchell Robinson high stakes experience because of how limited 1185 01:21:19,239 --> 01:21:21,720 he can be on office. I actually think he did earlier on in the 1186 01:21:21,720 --> 01:21:25,199 season, specifically, like we saw a little bit he got smarter on handoffs. 1187 01:21:25,199 --> 01:21:27,800 I felt like he was making more decisions than he normally did on offense. 1188 01:21:28,119 --> 01:21:30,399 But like when you're in crunch time, I feel like he poses his 1189 01:21:30,560 --> 01:21:35,359 defense and rebounding is so valuable. But we've already talked about a center we 1190 01:21:35,439 --> 01:21:39,720 didn't name that Jo Robinson is d center. He was four or twelve from 1191 01:21:39,720 --> 01:21:41,720 the foul line in crunch time. He didn't go there often, but he's 1192 01:21:41,800 --> 01:21:44,920 got thirty three percent in crunch time at the foul line. Can he improve 1193 01:21:45,319 --> 01:21:48,159 at all in free throws where if you're gonna have to one where you don't 1194 01:21:48,199 --> 01:21:50,479 think about pulling him in crunch time. Then if he's on the floor, 1195 01:21:50,960 --> 01:21:55,760 teams won't look to kind of foul him. Now, it helps that once 1196 01:21:55,760 --> 01:21:57,760 you get inside two minutes, like you're not going to commit the off ball 1197 01:21:57,760 --> 01:22:00,920 fouls anyway. But I'm even talking like six minutes left in the fourth quarter 1198 01:22:00,079 --> 01:22:03,399 or something. Well, so this is this actually would lead to a strength 1199 01:22:03,479 --> 01:22:09,239 and a concern. He was so dominant in that calv series, like completely 1200 01:22:09,319 --> 01:22:13,479 neutralized Moblian Allen to the point where I'm pretty sure his shoulders were like still 1201 01:22:13,560 --> 01:22:16,479 tattooed on the chest of Evan Mobley. I'm pretty sure. I'm not sure, 1202 01:22:16,560 --> 01:22:20,159 but man, that game five for him and Josh Hart, they had 1203 01:22:20,239 --> 01:22:27,520 as many rebounds as the Calves. Was just it was insane to see how 1204 01:22:27,680 --> 01:22:31,640 much his offensive rebounding became not just like us strength, but the reason that 1205 01:22:31,680 --> 01:22:35,880 they're going to advance to the next round. And then spow neutralized it. 1206 01:22:36,159 --> 01:22:40,640 But Spo looked at the same crunch time free throw numbers that you're looking at, 1207 01:22:41,199 --> 01:22:45,000 and the strategy for the Heat all playoffs or all series against the Knicks 1208 01:22:45,079 --> 01:22:48,000 was if Mitch gets a rebound, you found like he's not getting put backs 1209 01:22:48,039 --> 01:22:50,800 he can get as many rebounds as he wants. If he gets an offensive 1210 01:22:50,840 --> 01:22:55,600 rebound, make him learn two shots at the line, and like we saw 1211 01:22:55,720 --> 01:22:58,600 over those six games, he was just completely neutralized. It was to the 1212 01:22:58,600 --> 01:23:00,840 point where it was kind of it should have been Hartenstein's series. But you 1213 01:23:00,920 --> 01:23:04,640 know, I digress. Yeah, it's a it's a note, and we'll 1214 01:23:04,640 --> 01:23:10,359 see how they they navigative teams recognize what the heat did and maybe you know, 1215 01:23:10,520 --> 01:23:14,000 resort to putting Mitch, making Mitch beat you at the line rather than 1216 01:23:15,199 --> 01:23:17,199 just accepting off He got the rebound and here comes the dunk. You know, 1217 01:23:18,399 --> 01:23:21,840 I am hopeful that again he wasn't like this amazing passer, but I 1218 01:23:21,880 --> 01:23:26,039 thought there was just a little bit more decision making layers to his offense last 1219 01:23:26,119 --> 01:23:28,640 year, and so maybe hopeful that hey, could he hit fifty percent of 1220 01:23:28,680 --> 01:23:31,039 his free throws rather than like what was the at last year. He's gone 1221 01:23:31,039 --> 01:23:35,800 down every fifty forty percent or whatever it was. So I'm less deful than 1222 01:23:35,840 --> 01:23:40,479 you are. Thirty nine point four. I gave him too much credit with 1223 01:23:40,560 --> 01:23:43,880 the forty percent mark. Yeah, yeah, I just I think I know 1224 01:23:44,159 --> 01:23:45,840 it's similar to Julius. It is what it is, but like on on 1225 01:23:45,920 --> 01:23:50,439 a less less elite scale of like, I don't think Mitch is ever going 1226 01:23:50,479 --> 01:23:55,199 to be all NBA, but I think I think he's like a top twelve 1227 01:23:55,319 --> 01:23:58,920 center in the league, and especially when he's what he's a lead at is 1228 01:23:58,960 --> 01:24:01,199 one of the best in the league. You know, with offensive rebounding quick 1229 01:24:01,239 --> 01:24:03,479 point of clarification, I was talking about the playoffs. I think he was 1230 01:24:03,520 --> 01:24:05,880 closer to fifty percent in the regular season. So go, Mitch, you're 1231 01:24:05,880 --> 01:24:11,000 really efficient at the fun real quick that game five against the Heat where they 1232 01:24:11,079 --> 01:24:14,399 went to Hack and Mitch and he made like five of six of his free 1233 01:24:14,439 --> 01:24:16,640 throws. It was one of the funniest experiences. Like our seasons on the 1234 01:24:16,720 --> 01:24:20,239 line and Mitchell Robinson is at the line to save it. Ye, wonder 1235 01:24:20,279 --> 01:24:25,000 what's gonna happen. Look, we're reading into an immanual, quickly small postseason 1236 01:24:25,000 --> 01:24:28,560 sample. We're reading into an RJ. Barrett postseason stating into Julius Randis. 1237 01:24:28,560 --> 01:24:32,239 But let's read into the Mitchell Robinson free throw experience exactly exactly, Yeah, 1238 01:24:32,840 --> 01:24:38,680 fifty ninety from him last year next year confirmed. So when you look at 1239 01:24:38,720 --> 01:24:41,920 the ten man rotation building, the top ten guys that are gonna play the 1240 01:24:41,960 --> 01:24:45,000 most for this team. It feels like there are nine locks, and you 1241 01:24:45,039 --> 01:24:46,880 can correct me if I'm wrong on any of these. Jalen Brunson, Quentin 1242 01:24:46,960 --> 01:24:51,039 Grimes, RJ. Barrett, Julius Randall, Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart, 1243 01:24:51,199 --> 01:24:57,199 Dante DiVincenzo, Immanuel Quickly and Isaiah Hartenstein all feel like they're just locks to 1244 01:24:57,279 --> 01:25:00,520 be in the regular rotation. I think not only are those the locks, 1245 01:25:00,560 --> 01:25:03,239 I think that's the rotation. If you're extending it to the next is it 1246 01:25:03,359 --> 01:25:06,239 like Deuce McBride, Is it Evan Fournier, Like who is getting like the 1247 01:25:06,600 --> 01:25:15,000 tenth spot? Like when you think like breaking case or emergency type pent or 1248 01:25:15,039 --> 01:25:17,640 like we might see some real Duce McBride breaking case of emergency. They're going 1249 01:25:17,760 --> 01:25:21,000 I think they're gonna stick with the nine men rotation that worked so well last 1250 01:25:21,079 --> 01:25:26,720 year. It gives more minutes to Quickly, it gives more minutes to Josh 1251 01:25:26,800 --> 01:25:30,279 Hart, more minutes too, like they have some super subs. And with 1252 01:25:30,439 --> 01:25:33,039 Devincenzo, I don't think Devincenzo came here to just be like a backup. 1253 01:25:33,079 --> 01:25:41,920 I think he recognizes that they're allocating one rotation spot to uh someone's minutes in 1254 01:25:41,960 --> 01:25:46,239 the nine man. So that's that's I think part of the calculation. This 1255 01:25:46,399 --> 01:25:50,119 will be matchup dependent, I think, or rhythm dependent on the game. 1256 01:25:51,079 --> 01:25:56,279 But you can build one preferred crunch time unit, the closest thing, the 1257 01:25:56,319 --> 01:25:59,079 best one that comes close to one size fits all. Let's phrase it. 1258 01:25:59,520 --> 01:26:02,720 What what is that for this team? Jalen Brunson, manual quickly, Josh 1259 01:26:02,800 --> 01:26:08,840 hart Julius Randall, and then I'll say Mitch, but I mean a center. 1260 01:26:13,399 --> 01:26:15,600 Yeah, Jericho Sims if he's avout, No, like it's him or 1261 01:26:15,640 --> 01:26:18,159 Hartenstein, Like I actually do think they're interchangeable, but I like I would 1262 01:26:18,239 --> 01:26:24,239 say Mitch with the caveat that, Like I was very okay when Isaiah Hartenstein 1263 01:26:24,359 --> 01:26:30,079 was closing last year. Is there a weirdo on conventional quirky lineup that you 1264 01:26:30,119 --> 01:26:33,319 would like to see them try? So I have two and then I have 1265 01:26:33,520 --> 01:26:38,760 one that is like the worst lineup ever that I could see Tims trying once. 1266 01:26:40,880 --> 01:26:43,720 It's I mean, these are these are the never gonna happen lineups that 1267 01:26:43,800 --> 01:26:46,920 we go to. Everybody meant to be. So it's Randall at center for 1268 01:26:46,960 --> 01:26:49,760 both of these lineups, and one lineup I've got Randa. It's not going 1269 01:26:49,800 --> 01:26:54,359 to happen, right, So Randall at center, Josh Hart and then you're 1270 01:26:54,399 --> 01:27:00,079 two. You're two corner boys, Grimes and Evincenzo, and then I you 1271 01:27:00,439 --> 01:27:02,800 as the point guard. So this could be like a second unit where you 1272 01:27:03,119 --> 01:27:09,520 go small and you know you have Randall be your center, You've got five 1273 01:27:09,640 --> 01:27:14,039 got like Heart then becomes kind of your your de facto Draymond that he's not 1274 01:27:14,119 --> 01:27:16,800 looking to shoot at all, and he can kind of distribute and push on 1275 01:27:16,920 --> 01:27:23,079 the brake, maybe like get eight assists that night, and then you just 1276 01:27:23,199 --> 01:27:27,279 got these shooters around him, and you know, just subout Heart for r 1277 01:27:27,359 --> 01:27:31,399 J and then quickly for JB. And it's the exact same lineup where it's 1278 01:27:31,520 --> 01:27:34,800 Randall at the center, and then you've got all these these wings and guards 1279 01:27:35,279 --> 01:27:40,920 going at it in the lineup that's never gonna happen. The lineup I'm afraid 1280 01:27:40,960 --> 01:27:45,560 of is if we get some injuries and then potentially get Mitchell Robinson, Jericho 1281 01:27:45,640 --> 01:27:48,520 Sims, RJ, Barrett, Josh harton Duce McBride, and it's just like 1282 01:27:48,760 --> 01:27:54,520 tips, They're they're gonna play a zone and they're all gonna sit like an 1283 01:27:54,600 --> 01:27:57,079 umbrella around the paint, and he's gonna be like, yeah, but look 1284 01:27:57,119 --> 01:28:00,399 at my room protection, look at my rebounding. You know, it's more 1285 01:28:00,479 --> 01:28:02,880 likely that they would just go out and trade for Taj Gibson from Hington. 1286 01:28:02,960 --> 01:28:06,439 If if if that came to that scenario, Hey, TODs Gibson free agent 1287 01:28:06,600 --> 01:28:09,960 right now. No, he's with the Wizards. He say, did he 1288 01:28:10,039 --> 01:28:15,279 Resign's right? Resign? They scooped TIBs Manis was baking on that for mid 1289 01:28:15,319 --> 01:28:16,960 season. I'm sure he's an influence in the locker room, in the front 1290 01:28:17,000 --> 01:28:20,920 office. Yes, so mine would be the four. I want to see 1291 01:28:20,960 --> 01:28:24,279 four guards and then I don't really care who the big is. If if 1292 01:28:24,359 --> 01:28:26,199 if I could pick whoever, I would say, you don't want just throw 1293 01:28:26,279 --> 01:28:28,960 heart at the five and let's go with five guards. But don't think even 1294 01:28:29,039 --> 01:28:33,199 Shenzo Mattuel quickly, Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes pick you're big. If it's 1295 01:28:33,239 --> 01:28:36,319 isaiahrten Steps, Mitchell Robinson, Joyus Randam would be kind of interesting. Maybe 1296 01:28:36,439 --> 01:28:39,960 can we just throw Nathan Knight in there, like, let's really go off 1297 01:28:40,039 --> 01:28:42,920 the let's go off the rails. But I would love I want to see 1298 01:28:42,960 --> 01:28:45,239 the four actual guard lineup, Like, don't try to sell me and Josh 1299 01:28:45,279 --> 01:28:48,319 Harder, r J. Barrett is one of these guards, those four guards. 1300 01:28:48,600 --> 01:28:50,520 I don't even I'll let you pick the big. It could be whatever 1301 01:28:50,560 --> 01:28:56,880 big you want. I like the shooting, I like the spacing. I'm 1302 01:28:56,960 --> 01:29:00,439 just so reserved to the fact that's never gonna happen. But that's what this 1303 01:29:00,560 --> 01:29:02,800 question is meant to be. We need to be able to conceive on our 1304 01:29:02,840 --> 01:29:08,159 own accord. There was one clothe the last time they played the Heat during 1305 01:29:08,199 --> 01:29:12,239 the regular season, the game Julius Randall got hurt. The closing lineup that 1306 01:29:12,399 --> 01:29:15,239 game didn't have Jalen Brunson and didn't have Julius Randall, and I couldn't believe 1307 01:29:15,399 --> 01:29:20,279 what my eyes were seeing like quickly closed with Grimes and r J and Josh 1308 01:29:20,359 --> 01:29:24,399 Hart and Hartenstein. I was like, wait, wait a minute, this 1309 01:29:24,520 --> 01:29:27,880 is Tim's doing this. He's not putting Jalen Brunson back in the game. 1310 01:29:28,520 --> 01:29:31,319 And it gave me high hopes for the playoffs. And then, like you 1311 01:29:31,399 --> 01:29:34,319 know, having I had the outer body experience. I think it was against 1312 01:29:34,359 --> 01:29:39,359 Philly when he just decided to play Obi Toppin and Julius Randall together. I 1313 01:29:39,479 --> 01:29:43,960 was like Game five of the season Camp Braddish only played the last eight minutes 1314 01:29:44,000 --> 01:29:45,439 of each half, and it was like, wait, what is happening. 1315 01:29:45,479 --> 01:29:48,199 He's literally throwing shit at the wall because he knows he's about to get fired. 1316 01:29:49,159 --> 01:29:53,600 Yeah, some and hacks were advocating for that. I just I was 1317 01:29:53,640 --> 01:29:59,039 always on the tips. It's my only question here Dan at the end of 1318 01:29:59,119 --> 01:30:01,279 this as far like any last questions I have, is are you ready to 1319 01:30:01,359 --> 01:30:06,720 apologize Tom Thibodeau? No, because I don't really know if what strings do 1320 01:30:06,800 --> 01:30:12,920 you think he was pulling? Other than like Jalen bruns In was otherworldly, 1321 01:30:13,039 --> 01:30:15,880 Julius Randall was really good, and the roster was kind of built to like 1322 01:30:16,920 --> 01:30:19,600 play the way that they did on it, Like what is what did he 1323 01:30:19,720 --> 01:30:23,399 do? He was a little bit I will say it seemed like he was 1324 01:30:23,399 --> 01:30:27,800 a little bit more experimental this year as opposed to previous years. But like, 1325 01:30:27,880 --> 01:30:30,880 do you think Tibbs was like a driving force of their offensive success? 1326 01:30:31,159 --> 01:30:36,159 Absolutely? They play a style that like he personally wants. It's why the 1327 01:30:36,239 --> 01:30:41,600 most frustrating part about the conversation with the Knicks right now is you cannot argue 1328 01:30:41,600 --> 01:30:45,079 against their offensive rating. But you can't argue about how they got there. 1329 01:30:45,159 --> 01:30:48,600 That's a guy. It's a team that maximized the possession game and like the 1330 01:30:49,079 --> 01:30:53,159 really not great in efficiency, although when they Josh Hark got there, the 1331 01:30:53,239 --> 01:30:58,199 efficiency got better. But this is a team that was made in Tibbs identity 1332 01:30:58,319 --> 01:31:01,880 and played in Tibbs identity, low risk, low turnovers, high offensive rebounds, 1333 01:31:01,920 --> 01:31:05,760 get to the line like they didn't like he didn't find religion, and 1334 01:31:05,920 --> 01:31:11,239 like suddenly the Warriors showed up. It wasn't like the splits and bomb movement. 1335 01:31:11,359 --> 01:31:14,920 No, it was like exactly what you saw from there Crows in their 1336 01:31:14,920 --> 01:31:17,560 early twenty tents. You know, I would almost I mean, all right, 1337 01:31:17,640 --> 01:31:20,359 that got you the same thing it's always got you, was like a 1338 01:31:20,479 --> 01:31:24,760 bunch of regular season success. Yeah, we talk a lot about will there 1339 01:31:24,840 --> 01:31:28,920 be more movement on this team now that Donda Devincenzo's here, And I kind 1340 01:31:28,920 --> 01:31:31,239 of feel like, yeah, him letting the second units kind of play really 1341 01:31:31,319 --> 01:31:33,880 fast, like that's I guess he deserves them. But no, I'm not 1342 01:31:33,960 --> 01:31:38,079 apologizing. If he wants an apology, the Knicks need to do better than 1343 01:31:38,079 --> 01:31:40,800 average eighty eight points per one hundred possessions. In the half court in the 1344 01:31:40,840 --> 01:31:44,880 playoffs, and then then I will apologize. So it's the playoffs sample size 1345 01:31:45,079 --> 01:31:47,960 is what we're you mentioned. I don't think you can inherit. It was 1346 01:31:48,039 --> 01:31:51,800 very Grizzlies esque the way that they had their offensive success during the regular season, 1347 01:31:51,800 --> 01:31:55,760 where you don't inherently trust it. And I guess it's fair to say 1348 01:31:55,760 --> 01:31:58,880 the roster was built in the image of TIBs rather than like he was coaching 1349 01:31:58,920 --> 01:32:01,279 around it. So that's fair, But then like that kind of makes me 1350 01:32:01,439 --> 01:32:04,359 less inclined to apologize to him. Look, I'm mostly fucking with you. 1351 01:32:04,479 --> 01:32:08,960 You don't need to apologize to Tom Thibodeau. Ever, he doesn't. There 1352 01:32:09,000 --> 01:32:12,880 are people heavily I will say, there were people who seem like they're heavily 1353 01:32:12,920 --> 01:32:15,359 invested in Tom Thibodeau's success were in my DMS after I wrote that article last 1354 01:32:15,439 --> 01:32:21,520 year. We're very unhappy and luckily I actually haven't heard from them since. 1355 01:32:23,520 --> 01:32:28,439 So what's what's cia clients are in your DMS? Goodness, Tom Thibodeau a 1356 01:32:28,640 --> 01:32:30,399 client, by the way, one of them could have been Tom Thibodeau for 1357 01:32:30,520 --> 01:32:33,600 all. Yeah, I don't think he knows how to navigate Twitter. I 1358 01:32:33,680 --> 01:32:38,520 think he just he's looking for the Synergy app on his phone. He doesn't 1359 01:32:38,600 --> 01:32:43,159 understand the social part of social media. That's true. Yes, okay, 1360 01:32:43,199 --> 01:32:46,600 so they're over under like so many other teams. By the way, this 1361 01:32:46,720 --> 01:32:49,279 is the year of forty four and a half. That's what the Knicks over 1362 01:32:49,439 --> 01:32:53,359 under is set on. So the first part of this is are you taking 1363 01:32:53,399 --> 01:32:57,960 me over the under ups? Yes, over you have like you were very 1364 01:32:58,039 --> 01:33:00,239 quick on that. I think the quickest answer we've had all we're fifteen, 1365 01:33:00,279 --> 01:33:02,800 look aheads in. That's the quickest answer I've gotten. I think they're gonna 1366 01:33:02,840 --> 01:33:08,560 win fifty games this year. Okay, now do that? And how many 1367 01:33:08,640 --> 01:33:12,720 teams in the East are you prepared to set guarantee will be better than the 1368 01:33:12,800 --> 01:33:20,439 Knicks guarantee guarantee? I think Milwaukee will be better. I think Boston would 1369 01:33:20,439 --> 01:33:26,239 be better. I answered this with with Justin from the from the Chase down 1370 01:33:26,479 --> 01:33:31,399 Justin Rowan our music. Yeah, yeah, I was gonna say like he 1371 01:33:31,520 --> 01:33:34,920 asked me this a couple of weeks ago, and I've I've like changed my 1372 01:33:35,000 --> 01:33:39,760 answer so many times. I think the Calves will be better than the Knicks 1373 01:33:39,920 --> 01:33:43,680 this year. I love what they did with their offseason, just studying them 1374 01:33:43,720 --> 01:33:45,960 and then watching them over those five games, and it's like, oh, 1375 01:33:45,000 --> 01:33:48,039 you're a you have four guys really and you really need to add like a 1376 01:33:48,119 --> 01:33:53,119 fifth guy or a rotation of fifth guys that you can throw at teams. 1377 01:33:53,319 --> 01:33:56,920 And they went and got Trus, They went and guy George Nyang. I 1378 01:33:56,960 --> 01:34:00,560 think they've they've put shooting in places that they need to put shooting, and 1379 01:34:01,520 --> 01:34:04,640 I just really like what they've done. I think they're built for regular season 1380 01:34:04,720 --> 01:34:13,439 success and playoff success for that matter. Philly's the interesting one. It's done, 1381 01:34:13,760 --> 01:34:17,319 so it's okay, but is it regular season over? Yeah? Look, 1382 01:34:17,560 --> 01:34:23,079 so James Harden's either gonna be upset that he's still there or you're gonna 1383 01:34:23,119 --> 01:34:27,960 move him for who and what like if you end up parlaying him into Dame 1384 01:34:28,159 --> 01:34:31,319 or another star, maybe, but like there's just Nick Nurse is talking about 1385 01:34:31,359 --> 01:34:34,560 Joel Ebid playing more games and more minutes than any normally. This is just 1386 01:34:35,000 --> 01:34:41,359 this team is built to fail right now, unless there's some miraculous resolution to 1387 01:34:41,399 --> 01:34:45,840 the James Harden soap opera. So is there a version of this team that's 1388 01:34:46,000 --> 01:34:51,399 like two years ago where when the Sixers made the Ben Simmons for James Harden 1389 01:34:51,520 --> 01:34:56,239 trade. They were the two seed. Is there a version of this team 1390 01:34:56,319 --> 01:35:00,159 that with Joel Embiid being an MVP candidate again, they're a four seed? 1391 01:35:01,359 --> 01:35:05,960 No, you need maybe that might I love Tyrese Maxie. You would need 1392 01:35:05,960 --> 01:35:11,560 a mega leap from him, and I just don't know. I just don't. 1393 01:35:12,399 --> 01:35:14,880 I wouldn't be Look, could they be better than the Knicks? Yes? 1394 01:35:15,439 --> 01:35:17,279 Are you guaranteeing it? Though? It's my point here? No, 1395 01:35:17,520 --> 01:35:20,520 I would. I respect Joel Embiad a ton. I'm not just saying that 1396 01:35:20,560 --> 01:35:25,039 because I want to come play for my basketball team. I would be married 1397 01:35:25,079 --> 01:35:27,159 in the Hamptons. He's already in a New York state of mind. So 1398 01:35:27,279 --> 01:35:30,399 you see listen as someone who else who got married on Long Island in this 1399 01:35:30,479 --> 01:35:36,119 summer. I respect you, Joel Embiid for having good taste. I I'm 1400 01:35:36,199 --> 01:35:40,000 not closing the door. Oh you said, I'm not gonna guarantee the Sixers 1401 01:35:40,039 --> 01:35:43,560 will be better than the Knicks. I think that's the four five this year. 1402 01:35:43,760 --> 01:35:46,720 And I'm not sure who has home court? What about so the teams 1403 01:35:46,760 --> 01:35:50,000 you named? Just to get my answer, I have the Calves might actually 1404 01:35:50,000 --> 01:35:54,399 be my most confident pick looking at just the regular season, I'm gonna throw 1405 01:35:54,439 --> 01:35:57,159 Milwaukee in there because the top end talent is still good, there's age, 1406 01:35:57,199 --> 01:36:00,560 injury concerns. This is I'm gonna pick Boston. But my spicy take is 1407 01:36:00,600 --> 01:36:04,560 just like there is more implosion potential there than I think people realize. Functional 1408 01:36:04,680 --> 01:36:10,479 interesting, those are the three and then there's the whole. I'm not paying. 1409 01:36:10,479 --> 01:36:14,720 I wouldn't guarantee Philly. I'm not guaranteeing in Atlanta. The one that's 1410 01:36:14,720 --> 01:36:17,319 tough for me is just like, do we just assume Miami gets Dame because 1411 01:36:17,359 --> 01:36:20,720 if it's Dame Bam and Jimmy Butler, they're going to be better than the 1412 01:36:20,800 --> 01:36:26,000 Knicks. Like that. That's the caveat I wrote down is this is as 1413 01:36:26,119 --> 01:36:29,640 is like if they heat or there, then yeah, that's they're probably in 1414 01:36:29,720 --> 01:36:31,439 the four or five. And then maybe the Knicks of the sixers of the 1415 01:36:31,520 --> 01:36:35,479 five. I will say, and I mean this is a comment, the 1416 01:36:35,600 --> 01:36:41,399 Knicks floor in this Eastern Conference should be six. Yea, that should be 1417 01:36:41,439 --> 01:36:45,720 their floor just because it's the three teams we named. And then you can 1418 01:36:45,760 --> 01:36:47,760 say, all right, maybe both Philly and Miami are better, or maybe 1419 01:36:47,800 --> 01:36:51,039 Atlanta really just for some reason. I don't know why. Perhaps Quinstider makes 1420 01:36:51,039 --> 01:36:55,239 a big difference. I'm still not super high on their roster. A team 1421 01:36:55,279 --> 01:36:58,880 like that comes up, like maybe Indiana just pops or just something along those 1422 01:36:58,960 --> 01:37:03,359 lines should be their floor. If we my only pushback against that, and 1423 01:37:03,399 --> 01:37:06,760 we mentioned this already is like a worst case scenario for the Knicks is like, 1424 01:37:06,840 --> 01:37:11,279 is Julius Randall still on this every other season track? It is just 1425 01:37:11,720 --> 01:37:14,279 I'm not banking on it. And I think because you have Jalen Brunson, 1426 01:37:14,319 --> 01:37:18,920 it's so much different than following his MP campaign. Like that's among the like 1427 01:37:19,439 --> 01:37:25,239 things looming over the specter of this. You literally took my answer to my 1428 01:37:25,359 --> 01:37:29,640 response to what like, I Julius may not be all in, Well, 1429 01:37:29,680 --> 01:37:33,600 I don't think he's gonna be all NBA this year typically later, but we'll 1430 01:37:33,960 --> 01:37:36,800 leave c AA. You're all like it, Julius R take it. Listen. 1431 01:37:36,960 --> 01:37:41,359 I'd be singing a different tune if you hadn't left the family. But 1432 01:37:41,760 --> 01:37:45,479 as as mister Corleone once said, you never take sides against the family. 1433 01:37:45,840 --> 01:37:54,720 Just the Randall look, I Julius may regress a ton this year. The 1434 01:37:55,680 --> 01:38:00,079 stability and comic force that I believe Jalen Brunson is allows me to believe in 1435 01:38:00,119 --> 01:38:03,199 the floor that you're you're projecting, and it's why I probably have the knicks 1436 01:38:03,279 --> 01:38:05,720 of the four seed right now. I could see them getting up to a 1437 01:38:05,760 --> 01:38:12,319 three seed given the schedule, or some injuries happen to Boston, Milwaukee or 1438 01:38:12,359 --> 01:38:15,039 Cleveland, who knows. But look, I'm also I'm riding high off this 1439 01:38:15,159 --> 01:38:18,520 job. This post Josh Hart team. After they traded for Josh Hart, 1440 01:38:18,600 --> 01:38:23,399 they were number one in offense, there were two in net rating, and 1441 01:38:23,520 --> 01:38:26,479 everybody's issues with the team were like, oh, you know, the true 1442 01:38:26,520 --> 01:38:30,079 shooting is not great. They're effective field goal percentage is not great. There 1443 01:38:30,199 --> 01:38:33,520 there that's a fake offense that just takes advantage of rebounds. Well after the 1444 01:38:33,640 --> 01:38:36,439 Josh Hart shade. It's a twenty five game sample size, which it's me 1445 01:38:36,960 --> 01:38:40,760 is long enough of a sample size to make this some kind of conclusion. 1446 01:38:41,239 --> 01:38:44,640 They were seventh and effective field goal percentage and seventh and true shooting. That's 1447 01:38:44,720 --> 01:38:46,319 long enough for me to say this, And it's not like they were just 1448 01:38:46,359 --> 01:38:49,560 playing a bunch of tanking teams. There's three wins against the Heat in that 1449 01:38:49,680 --> 01:38:55,039 stretch. There's two wins against Boston, one in Boston during that stretch, 1450 01:38:55,399 --> 01:38:58,520 like they were going up against teams that they were going to be contending with 1451 01:38:58,840 --> 01:39:01,880 in the Eastern Conference. One win in Cleveland, by the way, and 1452 01:39:02,439 --> 01:39:06,199 it's enough of a sample size for me to say that's a team that's gonna 1453 01:39:06,439 --> 01:39:12,640 compete next year. Granted no injuries happened, and granted you know, the 1454 01:39:12,880 --> 01:39:15,680 Heat don't get Dame, which I don't think they will. Oh, that's 1455 01:39:15,760 --> 01:39:19,800 that's fairly spicy if you don't think they're gonna get Dame. I think Joe 1456 01:39:19,920 --> 01:39:27,840 Cronin is dug in enough that we're to the point where he'll either out of 1457 01:39:27,880 --> 01:39:30,119 Spike, keep Dame and be like fine, ruined your legacy him in Portland, 1458 01:39:30,880 --> 01:39:34,880 or maybe there's a Massi trade out there. I don't think Philly at 1459 01:39:34,960 --> 01:39:38,840 this point has the assets. I just don't know how, like, like, 1460 01:39:38,920 --> 01:39:40,840 what do you do, like trade him for Harden and either's a three 1461 01:39:40,880 --> 01:39:45,720 teen deal or a team that wants Harden gets them. But I think he's 1462 01:39:45,760 --> 01:39:48,640 at the point if, first of all, we both know if Scotty Barnes 1463 01:39:48,760 --> 01:39:53,760 is on the table, that's the trade. But I think we're at the 1464 01:39:53,840 --> 01:39:58,239 point where him to Miami. They've gone all in on like you're gonna trade 1465 01:39:58,319 --> 01:40:00,720 him here, and as someone who waited did for Donovan, Mitchell will becomeing 1466 01:40:00,800 --> 01:40:05,119 Nick all last offseason. Then it not to happen. The situation feels very 1467 01:40:05,199 --> 01:40:10,159 similar. I root for randomness in chaos. So I hope that I hope 1468 01:40:10,199 --> 01:40:13,960 that you're actually correct. Yes, Claudio, are you able to tell our 1469 01:40:14,039 --> 01:40:16,880 listeners where they can find you in all the magnificent work that you do? 1470 01:40:17,239 --> 01:40:21,800 Of course you could find Nick's Film School on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, 1471 01:40:21,920 --> 01:40:27,119 Facebook, you name it threads if you're looking for a Twitter alternative, even 1472 01:40:27,119 --> 01:40:33,520 though we don't use it at Nick at Nick Film School, so the word 1473 01:40:33,680 --> 01:40:38,800 Nick spelt like the New York Knicks film and then sko l because we're cool 1474 01:40:38,920 --> 01:40:44,880 like that. We're We got a ton of pods leading up to this offseason. 1475 01:40:45,560 --> 01:40:46,960 It's a lot of positive taking us through the off season, and then 1476 01:40:48,199 --> 01:40:54,119 some pods that are leading up to training camp and then the regular the preseason, 1477 01:40:54,239 --> 01:40:58,720 regular season start. We go live after every game. We have off 1478 01:40:58,840 --> 01:41:01,479 day podcasts when they're not up playing. We have pregame podcasts the days they 1479 01:41:01,520 --> 01:41:08,119 are playing. We have Twitter spaces shows. We have mailbags q and as 1480 01:41:08,159 --> 01:41:11,600 we have a Patreon if you want to check it out. We have the 1481 01:41:11,640 --> 01:41:15,880 Knicks covered wall to wall. And uh, it's always great when when a 1482 01:41:15,960 --> 01:41:19,399 good friend like Dampa Valley lets you on to come and talk about the work 1483 01:41:19,479 --> 01:41:23,680 that you do, because I respect the work that this man does at all 1484 01:41:23,720 --> 01:41:27,399 times. Oh stop it, but yes, Nick's Film School. You guys 1485 01:41:27,479 --> 01:41:30,039 are behemoth great works. Well go follow them. The links to where you 1486 01:41:30,079 --> 01:41:31,680 can Patreon and just where you can subscribe to the plot will be in the 1487 01:41:31,720 --> 01:41:38,239 YouTube and podcast description. Congratulations Claudio, you now officially have the longest look 1488 01:41:38,239 --> 01:41:41,159 ahead so far, and I will hazard I don't think I'm gonna have another 1489 01:41:41,279 --> 01:41:44,920 hundred minute look ahead this summer, so thank you so much. As you 1490 01:41:45,000 --> 01:41:47,960 go by now I will be spamming you will get into future for another looks. 1491 01:41:47,960 --> 01:41:49,119 Thanks so much of course,