1 00:00:14,759 --> 00:00:20,160 What is crack a lac in Fellows Thermonuclear a Efforts. I am Dana Valley 2 00:00:20,199 --> 00:00:24,079 coming at you with my certified fantabular's co host, mister Grant Hughes. We 3 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:28,160 are excited, ecstatic to record the podcast. We thought we were going to 4 00:00:28,199 --> 00:00:31,480 record last week when we just bounce around talk about some of the teams and 5 00:00:31,519 --> 00:00:35,719 players we're thinking about most these days. James Harden got traded last week, 6 00:00:35,719 --> 00:00:39,280 though, and so we had to audible that won't be happening this week before 7 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,560 we get started. The user reminder, though, please if you haven't already 8 00:00:42,759 --> 00:00:46,679 sub hit that sub button on YouTube, Subscribe on Apple Spotify, ratings and 9 00:00:46,719 --> 00:00:50,079 reviews on Apple and Spotify. They help us out a ton. They can 10 00:00:50,119 --> 00:00:53,200 move us up the charts. If you've done all those things. The two 11 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,200 things that you can also do to support the show buy our merch. Check 12 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,240 out our merch the link to that's in the podcast and YouTube description. And 13 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,840 the biggest thing, recommend us promote our stuff on Twitter. If you you 14 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,359 know quote, tweet it, retweet it when you see it. You can 15 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,760 share it with friends, family members, acquaintances, random people on the street 16 00:01:10,799 --> 00:01:14,200 or on the internet, or co workers. All that stuff goes a long 17 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:15,640 way. Join our discord. The link to that is in the podcast and 18 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,480 YouTube description as well, and follow us on all the socials. The links 19 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:23,079 to those are in the podcast and YouTube description. We have Twitter, Instagram, 20 00:01:23,159 --> 00:01:27,000 TikTok YouTube. Of course if you're watching this, share our shorts as 21 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,200 well. Really help us juice up those numbers. Comment on the videos. 22 00:01:30,239 --> 00:01:34,280 I won't respond to everyone, but that's that's for the Algo, So do 23 00:01:34,359 --> 00:01:40,200 it for the Algo grant. How the heck are you? I am reclined 24 00:01:40,719 --> 00:01:44,319 a little bit, as you can see, because this is an unusual recording 25 00:01:44,359 --> 00:01:49,079 time for us. It's it's almost nine pm my time, so you got 26 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:53,920 like eight minutes before I literally fall asleep. So any long pauses, like 27 00:01:53,079 --> 00:01:57,719 just if you have like a like a whistle you can blow or something to 28 00:01:57,799 --> 00:02:00,959 make sure I'm not all the way unconscious, that'd be great. Uh So 29 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:07,159 I played adding intro. Every time I see you dozing, I'm ready to 30 00:02:07,239 --> 00:02:09,599 forget words. I've already done that a little bit in our pre tape, 31 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:15,000 uh pre taping conversation. So yeah, this will be good. But I 32 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:17,879 am excited because I I I was hoping we would get to do this last 33 00:02:17,879 --> 00:02:21,560 week, Uh, just to have sort of a general like what are you 34 00:02:21,599 --> 00:02:27,240 paying attention to conversation and we could not. But nobody got traded today, 35 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,879 so or late last night. I guess there's still a couple of minutes left 36 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:32,520 in the day for me. Don't say that just yeah, that's true. 37 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:38,560 Yeah, well, it's will pivot hard. It means you are Chicago bull. 38 00:02:38,879 --> 00:02:43,439 You almost like got me right into one of my bounce around thoughts. 39 00:02:43,479 --> 00:02:46,319 But we won't do that quite yet. I would Uh you want to go 40 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:47,400 first? Do you want to? I don't know if this needs an intro. 41 00:02:47,479 --> 00:02:51,000 We're just gonna jump. Oh you wanted the injury thing first. Yeah, 42 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,879 so we're gonna try. It won't be every podcast, but we're gonna 43 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,879 try and just kind of bounce around and update the you know, all the 44 00:02:57,879 --> 00:03:01,800 injuries and happenings and returns and whatever that are noteworthy to us around the league. 45 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:06,919 So we'll alternate here. I'll start the nets. Cam Johnson is dealing 46 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,039 with a left calf bruise since the first game of the season. He's finally 47 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:15,520 moved from doubtful that's upgraded from out on the injury report. Nick Claxton remains 48 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:19,120 out with a high left ankle sprain, and it'll be surprising if he is 49 00:03:19,199 --> 00:03:23,960 back before December. I feel like we should add a quip that might be 50 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:25,719 too much, but it was gonna say something like, doesn't matter because Cam 51 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:30,759 Thomas will score enough for all the cams that there are. Okay, so 52 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:35,960 I have the next one. Isaacacorro Cleveland Cavaliers wing set to miss a second 53 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,479 game with left knees hornis that's another one. Glad we're doing this because I 54 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,680 did not know that he had missed a game with knee horness. This is 55 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,520 a big one. Jamal Murray right hamstring strain is going to miss extended time. 56 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:50,879 The Nuggets have been very clear about that, and so we saw the 57 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,280 Nuggets pull out the victory over the Pelicans without him. But that's something to 58 00:03:53,319 --> 00:03:58,120 monitor for sure. Also something monitor. Nicole Joki has started cropping up on 59 00:03:58,159 --> 00:04:01,520 the injury report with a right wrist inflammation. He did play against the Pelicans 60 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:05,680 to that thirty five point triple double, but again with Murray injured, that's 61 00:04:05,719 --> 00:04:11,280 definitely something to keep an eye on. A litany of Detroit Pistons injuries which 62 00:04:11,439 --> 00:04:15,360 really struck me as I was watching one of the recent games and saw just 63 00:04:15,599 --> 00:04:18,560 like two rows deep of street clothes players on the bench. It was not 64 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:24,560 exaggering. So Joe Harris is going to be reevaluated in ten to fourteen days 65 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,079 after being diagnosed with a sprain day sea joint in his right shoulder. Jade 66 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,720 Nivey is going to miss a third straight game Wednesday with illness. Jalen Duran 67 00:04:30,759 --> 00:04:34,360 remains day to day with a right ankle injury injury. Montey Morris is two 68 00:04:34,399 --> 00:04:39,800 weeks into a three week reevaluation timeline for a right quad strain. Boy On 69 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:44,040 Bogdanovich is two weeks into a four week reevaluation timeline for a right calf strain. 70 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,759 Isaiah Livers is five weeks into a six to eight week absence with a 71 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,160 Grade three left ankle sprain. Alec Burks It's going to miss his fifth straight 72 00:04:50,199 --> 00:04:55,759 game with left farm with a left forearm contusion on Wednesday. The Pistons have 73 00:04:55,879 --> 00:05:00,319 a really good roster that is not playing right now, and yet Jay and 74 00:05:00,399 --> 00:05:03,319 Ivey, even when he's not sick, still not play enough. The Rockets 75 00:05:03,399 --> 00:05:08,639 Amen Thompson left the fourth game of the season with a right ankle Sprain is 76 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:11,759 out of his walking boot, but there's still no timeline for his return. 77 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:15,000 It was initially reported as a week's long absence. Tarry Easton returned to the 78 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,959 practice court for the first time this season after suffering a stress reaction in his 79 00:05:19,079 --> 00:05:24,199 left leg. The timeline for his return is also unclear, but head coach 80 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:28,920 Emyodoka says it will be soon. For the Clippers. Mason Plumley had has 81 00:05:29,319 --> 00:05:31,519 a left MCL strain. He's gonna miss at least the next two games. 82 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,519 Terrence Man, he got injury, but I didn't see it. People said 83 00:05:34,519 --> 00:05:40,079 it was pretty gruesome. Look I saw the words like carted off or like 84 00:05:40,639 --> 00:05:44,600 carried off by two of his team off. Yeah, not great. So 85 00:05:44,879 --> 00:05:47,839 at least is the operative term here next two games. It seems like it 86 00:05:47,879 --> 00:05:51,680 may be quite a bit more than that. Terrence Man, the untradable left 87 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:58,800 ankle sprain has yet to play. He's questionable for Wednesday. Should he start' 88 00:05:58,879 --> 00:06:03,519 just peppering questions a speaker speaking of a smattering of injuries the Lakers. After 89 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:09,279 missing four games with concussion symptoms, Ruby Hachamora will return on Wednesday. Gabe 90 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,560 Vincent will be out at least another week with his left knee injury. He's 91 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,720 already missed about a week or so. Anthony Davis says his hip injury will 92 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,759 be fine, but he's still listed on the Lakers' injury report as questionable. 93 00:06:20,079 --> 00:06:25,720 Jared Vanderbilt is about one week away from being re evaluated with his left heel 94 00:06:25,759 --> 00:06:29,600 injury that has signlined him for the entirety of the season so far. Jackson 95 00:06:29,639 --> 00:06:32,720 Hayes is still day to day with his left ankle's brain jallenhood Chafino has yet 96 00:06:32,759 --> 00:06:36,959 to play this season with right potella with a right potello contusion and remains a 97 00:06:36,959 --> 00:06:41,720 few weeks away, according to head coach Darvin Haam. Bunch of injuries for 98 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,959 the Grizzlies two Derrick Rose he's week to week with a left knee injury. 99 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,240 John Contrad doubtful first second straight game with a hip injury on Wednesday. Xavier 100 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:53,319 Tillman is going to miss his second straight game with right knee soreness. Obviously, 101 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:58,360 Steven Adams done for the year, Brandon Clark may play later this year, 102 00:06:58,399 --> 00:07:01,240 don't know left achilles injury from last season, and John Morant suspended, 103 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:05,759 not injured, but also not playing for Memphis for the Heat. Caleb Martin 104 00:07:05,959 --> 00:07:09,720 his left knee injury. He's only appeared in one game so far, still 105 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,759 does not have a timetable for return. And Jimmy Butler is still battling right 106 00:07:13,839 --> 00:07:17,040 knee tendonitis which is definitely impacting him. That or he just really doesn't care 107 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,000 about the regular season anymore. He is, however, listed as probable for 108 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:25,319 Miami's Wednesday game. Yes, speaking of troublesome knee issues, Chris Middleton is 109 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:29,279 still on a pitch count, essentially a maintenance program for a surgically repaired right 110 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:31,839 knee. This might be one we need to talk about more in depth later 111 00:07:31,879 --> 00:07:35,000 on the podcast. But for the Pelicans, CJ. McCollum is out indefinitely 112 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:40,519 with a right collapsed lung. Trey Murphy is now eightish weeks into his initial 113 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:44,319 ten to twelve week timeline on his torn left meniscus. If we know anything 114 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:46,439 about the Pelicans, though, they probably undershot that timeline by a good four 115 00:07:46,439 --> 00:07:50,120 to six weeks. Naji Marshall is about one week away from being re evaluated 116 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:54,160 for a bone bruise and his right knee that sidelined him for all season. 117 00:07:54,519 --> 00:07:58,480 Jose Alvarado is still listed as out with the right ankle sprain that sidelined him 118 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,639 all year. Herb Jones is now dealing with right fibulous soreness and on the 119 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,879 injury report as questionable. Redd and Ingram, though has returned from his own 120 00:08:05,959 --> 00:08:11,040 a bout of knie horness for the Knick. Sr J Barrett came back from 121 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,279 a left knee injury but says an issue that's going to linger for quote a 122 00:08:13,319 --> 00:08:18,920 little bit that seems problematic, not great for the Thunder. Jalen Williams Big 123 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,959 Jalen Williams Jay will He is back. Kendrick Williams, however, remains sidelined 124 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,800 with back spasms. Still no timeline for his return. Usman Jang is now 125 00:08:26,879 --> 00:08:31,080 dealing with pain in his right wrist. That is the right risk that he 126 00:08:31,159 --> 00:08:35,720 fractured last year, so something to monitor there as well. Lou Dort is 127 00:08:35,759 --> 00:08:39,960 also now on the injury report with hip issues. For the Magic, this 128 00:08:39,039 --> 00:08:43,279 is a big one. Wendell Carter Junior is going to be reevaluated at least 129 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,600 three weeks after having surgery to repair a fractured third metacarpal in his left hand. 130 00:08:48,039 --> 00:08:50,159 Jonathan Isaac is day to day with a star left hamstring. Jonathan Isaac 131 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:56,000 is day to day unless these months to month or year to year. Gary 132 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,720 Harris has missed a couple of games with a groin injury. He's also day 133 00:08:58,759 --> 00:09:01,399 to day. Markel Foltz's off the injury report after missing time with left knee 134 00:09:01,399 --> 00:09:05,360 issues for the Suns. Bradley Beal, who has yet to play this season 135 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:11,039 because of back issues, may make his debut for the Suns on Wednesday. 136 00:09:11,759 --> 00:09:15,720 Is there a more? Is there an injury story that you're more bummed? 137 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:20,360 It was just like correct that the Suns would not get all these guys together 138 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,840 on the floor. We're gonna we're gonna hit like December before this happened. 139 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:26,080 At least it's not Kevin Durant, which is probably the one that you would 140 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,639 have bet on having the issues first. Right, Yeah, for sure, 141 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,559 But man, how deep we're gonna get before we see these guys? All 142 00:09:33,639 --> 00:09:37,279 right? For the Blazers, another fairly significant one here. Robert Williams the 143 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:41,039 third need surgery to repair bone and ligament damage in his right kneecap. Uh. 144 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:45,360 There's a clean up procedure with a two to three month recovery timeline that 145 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,639 is on the table. I mean this is this is not the same knee, 146 00:09:48,639 --> 00:09:50,399 by the way, I don't think, correct me if I'm wrong. 147 00:09:50,399 --> 00:09:54,279 That has bothered him. He had left left knee surgery yes, last year, 148 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:58,159 so not great. Anthony Simons has another four to five weeks left on 149 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:03,639 his timetable coming back from right thumb surgery. Scoot Henderson still day to day 150 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,679 with a sprained right ankle. For the Kings, Daron Fox, who they 151 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:11,840 desperately need back his sprained right ankle, continues to have an unclear timetable. 152 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:16,039 That was a gnarly ankle sprain. Did you see that one? No? 153 00:10:16,159 --> 00:10:18,480 I thank god, I've missed like all these, like all these, you 154 00:10:18,519 --> 00:10:22,320 know, snapshots of the gruesome looking agrity. He came back and played after 155 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,320 in that game, But it was one of those ones where like the bottom 156 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:28,679 of the shoe had he been looking down, was visible, like it had 157 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:33,559 turned over that to that degree. For the Spurs, Devin Vessel still dealing 158 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:37,120 with a grown injury that's cost him a couple of games, but no, 159 00:10:37,759 --> 00:10:39,519 has not cost him any space in our hearts or minds, because we love 160 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:46,320 Devan Missel to Noteworthy jazz injuries that have not cost them games yet anyway to 161 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,440 wrap this up? Walker Kessler's day to day with a left elbow sprain and 162 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:52,799 listed as questionable heading into Wednesday. Kiante George is dealing with left foot soreness, 163 00:10:52,799 --> 00:10:56,279 but not expected to miss time as of now. I do feel like 164 00:10:56,320 --> 00:11:00,559 though, it's worth noting that he had right ankle injury issues at Baylor and 165 00:11:00,639 --> 00:11:05,480 also during summer League. Where do you want to oh? I was going 166 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:07,279 to ask you this question first before we could bounce around. He's in our 167 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:13,240 mailbag from Rome eighty one to eighty uh and I found it fascinating and it's 168 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,080 one I didn't want you to have time to think about. Will younger teams 169 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:20,679 start winning titles under the new CBA restrictions. Given how hard it's going to 170 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:22,799 be to keep teams together with payrolls like the Celtics, it seems like the 171 00:11:22,799 --> 00:11:26,759 best path the titles might be having one to two older players and a bunch 172 00:11:26,799 --> 00:11:30,919 of players on their first contracts. Who is who are unexpectedly good? Or 173 00:11:30,919 --> 00:11:35,039 is that just too unlikely a roster construction to end up with, considering how 174 00:11:35,039 --> 00:11:37,279 hard it is to draft well and how teams with good older players typically don't 175 00:11:37,279 --> 00:11:43,480 get lottery picks. Yeah, that is interesting. It kind of a couple 176 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:48,200 thoughts come to mind first, Like what Rome is sort of putting forth here 177 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,960 as a potential you know, the next how how champions will be built. 178 00:11:52,879 --> 00:11:56,559 I've always kind of thought you need a bunch of guys, whether they're on 179 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:01,279 their first contracts or their minimum signing because they had previous injury histories or something. 180 00:12:01,519 --> 00:12:07,679 You need like several players to be dramatically outperforming what they're being paid, 181 00:12:07,759 --> 00:12:11,440 in addition to guys that're maxed or near maxed or whatever. Like it always 182 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:16,399 takes both. So I do think whether that means the one to two players 183 00:12:16,399 --> 00:12:20,480 that are maxed or making a ton of money are older and the cheaper guys 184 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:24,320 or the guys outperforming their deals are younger, Like, that's definitely a viable 185 00:12:24,399 --> 00:12:26,440 way to do it. It could also just be instead of oh, these 186 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:31,159 guys are young and therefore you know they're on rookie scale deals or whatever, 187 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:35,000 it could just be like, you go get your because I view everything through 188 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:39,639 a Warriors prism, you go get your auto porter and Gary Payton for minimums 189 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:43,919 and then not Jordan Poole, Well you get rid of him when you pay 190 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,440 him too much, is what happens. So there's a couple of ways to 191 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,519 do it. I do think though a lot's been written and there's a lot 192 00:12:50,519 --> 00:12:54,399 of really interesting stuff about, you know, the second Apron specifically, but 193 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:58,559 all these new changes in the CBA was supposed to just curtail basically exactly what 194 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:03,879 we're seeing teams like the Sun's Bucks Celtics go out and do. And it's 195 00:13:03,919 --> 00:13:07,440 really those teams just taking advantage of a window before the pain really hits. 196 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:09,360 And I think, so, I guess my short answer is like, I 197 00:13:09,399 --> 00:13:13,080 don't know what it's going to look like when all of the restrictions are kind 198 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:16,840 of in place. But what I do what seems clear now is a couple 199 00:13:16,879 --> 00:13:22,679 of handful of teams are being really opportunistic and spending, like doing exactly the 200 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,000 opposite of what all the rule changes were designed to do before they sort of 201 00:13:26,039 --> 00:13:28,879 can't get away with that anymore. So I don't know what's what's going to 202 00:13:28,919 --> 00:13:33,480 happen when you know all of the you know, restrictions on salary aggregation and 203 00:13:33,519 --> 00:13:37,080 how much you can send out and take back and all the draft pick stuff, 204 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,799 when those when those teeth are really kind of out which they're not yet 205 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:46,799 in total. Then maybe like there's a third option that's not being positive here 206 00:13:46,799 --> 00:13:48,600 as a way to build a roster that we can't even conceive of yet. 207 00:13:48,399 --> 00:13:52,440 I don't know what things will look like then, but yeah, that's an 208 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:54,919 interesting question. I think it's just like, you need guys that are playing 209 00:13:54,919 --> 00:13:58,720 way better than their salaries, and you need like five or six of them 210 00:13:58,879 --> 00:14:01,519 at a minimum, I think, to to really build a great roster. 211 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,879 Yeah, to just add on to what you were saying, I think what 212 00:14:05,039 --> 00:14:07,639 the new rules we're gonna do. Probably I don't know that we start to 213 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:11,600 feel the or see the real effects until like two three, four years kind 214 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,440 of down the line, where not only is it okay now all the aggregation 215 00:14:15,519 --> 00:14:18,399 rules are in effect, but now teams our need to get like avoid the 216 00:14:18,399 --> 00:14:22,600 supertext. They're trying to make sure that their picks aren't locked. I think 217 00:14:22,639 --> 00:14:26,559 it increases the importance of everything you said of finding your Caleb Martin's and so 218 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,919 that you're still gonna need those top end guys. I think what it will 219 00:14:28,919 --> 00:14:31,200 also do is we are not I know we've said this time and again, 220 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,960 and I open to the idea that I might be wrong. I don't think 221 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:41,200 we're gonna see Clippers type Suns type formations, and if we do, they're 222 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:45,240 going to be even shorter lived than normal. Just I think it's gonna be 223 00:14:45,279 --> 00:14:48,279 a lot of Oh, we have these top two guys and we're trying to 224 00:14:48,279 --> 00:14:50,919 flesh out the roster around them, rather than let's try and assemble three four 225 00:14:52,879 --> 00:14:56,080 stars like the Clippers have three, the Celtics have basically four at this point. 226 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:00,960 And the other thing that I think it will increase the importance of I 227 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:05,360 think since this prohibits teams a little bit from dealing distant first round picks, 228 00:15:05,399 --> 00:15:07,279 I would guess just because the future is so uncertain, or maybe it increases 229 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:11,360 the urgency with which they do that. It steps on the toes of finding 230 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:15,559 the Caleb Martins, the Otto Porter juniors, the Gary Payton's. It's can 231 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:20,879 you get later cost controlled draft picks to hit for you, And I think 232 00:15:20,879 --> 00:15:22,759 we're kind of seeing this isn't a team that's up against it. But like, 233 00:15:22,799 --> 00:15:26,679 think about what the Mavericks are doing right now with Derek Lively, where 234 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,039 he's already starting and being useful. That might not be perfect, but the 235 00:15:30,039 --> 00:15:33,879 fact that you're getting serviceable minutes from a rookie in the middle on a team 236 00:15:33,879 --> 00:15:39,720 that has playoff or larger aspirations. Maybe that's something that becomes more common where 237 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:45,159 we're seeing these teams that have these two really good players and a top heavier 238 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:48,120 payroll or a lop sided payroll, they're going to be more open to starting 239 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,720 or drafting guys that they believe can play right away. Yeah, it might 240 00:15:52,799 --> 00:15:56,960 really kind of yeah, I mean that kind of goes to what Roale's talking 241 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:00,840 about is you might have just more Derek Lively type guys. It like, 242 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,960 hey, we need you, You're gonna you're gonna play because we you know, 243 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:07,879 the Mavericks are a unique situation because they're you know, fairly pick poor 244 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:11,159 and you just got to figure some things out. But yeah, I just 245 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:15,399 I kind of wonder and I don't have an answer for this. But whenever 246 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:19,519 the CBA changes, there's always some kind of market inefficiency that arises and some 247 00:16:19,759 --> 00:16:22,919 you know, eventually everybody figures out how to exploit it, but there's always 248 00:16:22,919 --> 00:16:26,080 a few teams that do it first. And I don't know what that's gonna 249 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:30,399 gonna be, And I don't know who's gonna figure crack the case first, 250 00:16:30,399 --> 00:16:33,200 you know, you know what it might be is getting players for cheaper on 251 00:16:33,279 --> 00:16:38,360 their second contracts, because I do think more than ever team seem reticent to 252 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,000 tie up their cap space and restriction to free agents, but I which I 253 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:45,960 think is objectively stupid personally, but it does seem they're more hesitant than ever 254 00:16:45,039 --> 00:16:48,039 to do that. And now we're seeing players kind of recognize that and say, 255 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:52,320 well, I can't be guaranteed that I'm gonna have an outside market once 256 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,360 I get there. And so well Cole Anthony as an example, three years 257 00:16:55,399 --> 00:16:57,120 and what was it thirty nine million. Yeah, he's gotta be making mid 258 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:02,080 level money when that thing kicks in base. So are we going to see 259 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:04,599 players, Yeah, you're still gonna have to max out the guys who are 260 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,680 you know, Jason Tatum or Anthony Edwards, Like you have to max out 261 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:11,880 those guys, but everybody else were the upper middle class, like the players 262 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,160 who are question marks if they don't want to roll the dice, because Cole 263 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:19,000 Anthony is not a guy that was ever gonna enter the max contract discussion. 264 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,839 And so if you're not there or close to it, are they going to 265 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:26,400 sign what I would deem more reasonable or team friendly extensions than maybe you would 266 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:32,000 have assumed that they got because of how restrictive free agency has almost become. 267 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:37,599 It has become more repressive just because teams don't seem to want to engage aggressively. 268 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,240 I mean, look what happened to PJ. Washington this year. I 269 00:17:41,559 --> 00:17:45,279 wonder if that is a signal, and like what that may end up doing 270 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,960 is kind of creating I hesitate to call like the I don't know you mentioned 271 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,599 Cole Anthony, but like Danny Avdia, you know, signed another deal that 272 00:17:52,799 --> 00:17:55,279 was like, that's not the kind of deal that would have gotten signed, 273 00:17:55,559 --> 00:17:59,839 you know a few years ago, just because it is around it's mid level 274 00:18:00,079 --> 00:18:04,279 territory and you know, someone like him and PJ. Washington is what made 275 00:18:04,319 --> 00:18:08,519 me think about this. You know, those guys probably get advised or have 276 00:18:08,599 --> 00:18:11,519 been advised in the past and just like just get to free agency, get 277 00:18:11,599 --> 00:18:15,440 to restricted free agency, and like it's only gonna take one idiot. You 278 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,079 know someone is gonna someone's gonna overpay you because you got thirty chances in theory. 279 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:22,519 You know, not everybody has cap space, but like someone just let's 280 00:18:22,519 --> 00:18:26,839 get out there and see and worst case will just come back, and now 281 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,440 maybe it's like it's a little bit more of almost like a baseball setup where 282 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,680 a lot of teams it's totally different rules. But like you know, the 283 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:37,359 Atlanta Braves, for example, we may just I may have just alienated all 284 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:41,480 of our audience because nobody cares. But there are teams that just pay long 285 00:18:41,599 --> 00:18:47,559 term deals at like a football team, at like way less annual value to 286 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:49,640 lock up young prospects. It's like, you get a nine year deal that's 287 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,880 going to pay you one hundred and twenty million, whereas if like this guy 288 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,279 hit free agency when he's twenty seven, he might sign a four hundred million 289 00:18:56,319 --> 00:19:00,480 dollar deal. But you just don't know. And guys are taking these for 290 00:19:00,519 --> 00:19:03,119 the security. And so maybe the Avidiyas and the Cole Anthony's are just like, 291 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:07,039 I'm going to take this, you know, this life changing money now 292 00:19:07,079 --> 00:19:10,680 because I'm not sure there's going to be an idiot out there that's going to 293 00:19:10,759 --> 00:19:14,240 overpay me in free agency if I wait that long, right, And even 294 00:19:14,319 --> 00:19:17,920 I'm also wondering, and this is from the team end, where the denni 295 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:19,599 Avia extension I think would be a good one just because that number is sort 296 00:19:19,599 --> 00:19:23,559 of oh I get like Denny Avia wanting long term security. But this also 297 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:26,599 is the Wizards. Oh the cap is going up and we're going to get 298 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,039 this deal that should be still movable. Is a nice matching piece? Is 299 00:19:30,039 --> 00:19:33,799 this also? Look at what the Spurs just paid Zach Collins. Do we 300 00:19:33,839 --> 00:19:37,799 see any pullback from the teams here on extensions where yeah, like you'll always 301 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,519 offer the Nie Smiths whatever he just got, but like, would you see 302 00:19:41,519 --> 00:19:45,599 the Avia extension of the Zach Collins extension once we know how much the cap 303 00:19:45,599 --> 00:19:48,119 has actually gone up? Once the TV deal is signed and you're not dealing 304 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:52,440 with infury, Oh, there could be all this growth. Yes, it's 305 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:55,400 projected to be this, but it might just go up more or it's going 306 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:57,839 to go up x amount year over year because they're going to smooth it out. 307 00:19:59,079 --> 00:20:02,880 Once you have that numbers smoothed out and you know what you're working with, 308 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:04,720 Do maybe see teams pull back because it's not as much as a mystery 309 00:20:04,759 --> 00:20:07,920 that could be something else to model it. Yeah? Yeah, no, 310 00:20:07,079 --> 00:20:14,160 I mean again, we're gonna need another couple of years at least to really 311 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:18,160 sort of see what the new CBA is gonna change about how we got some 312 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:22,720 signs already, but I'm really interested because you just never know, you know, 313 00:20:22,799 --> 00:20:25,319 like when, for example, you know, a couple of cbas ago, 314 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:26,680 when it's like, we got to keep these small market teams from losing 315 00:20:26,759 --> 00:20:30,400 their superstars, so let's give them the option to you know, extend early 316 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,960 and go out longer. And then Anthony Davis is like, no, no, 317 00:20:33,079 --> 00:20:37,640 no, this is gonna go the other way. There'll be more player 318 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:41,079 movement because I'm gonna sign this deal and then get out. Like there's just 319 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,920 you never know, let's see good good question. That's spurt some discussions. 320 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:48,559 That's when it around. It came up when I was doing it, and 321 00:20:48,599 --> 00:20:52,160 I was like, I'm gonna save this because I'd like to actually have someone 322 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,599 to talk to about it other than myself, believe it or not. Glat. 323 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:59,559 You want to take us to our first bouncing around topic. You want 324 00:20:59,599 --> 00:21:03,599 to talk thought under I have I'm intered in the Thunder. Look, we 325 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,759 talked about Wemby on a podcast, so we're not allowed to talk about the 326 00:21:06,799 --> 00:21:11,079 Thunder because we were accused of not liking Chet Home Grind yeah somehow, because 327 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,319 we like Wemby. But so I am gonna I am gonna talk about Chet 328 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:18,359 a little bit. Please use please use this thunder segment as a launching pad 329 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:23,119 to talk about Wemby. Well, first of all, I feel like all 330 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:29,079 my Jalen Williams propaganda checks our thunderbox pretty pretty. That's I'm what. I 331 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:32,640 actually called that one out on Twitter because I found it so egregious that the 332 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:34,960 logic like, first of all, how insecure are you as a fan that 333 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:40,039 that bothered you? And two, if you listen to us even once before, 334 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:42,640 there's probably a good chance that a jail and Williams are Chet Holme Grid 335 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:49,680 reference came up. There's a chance, I'm there's a great chance if if 336 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:53,799 you just like pop into any of the last like twenty five podcasts we've done, 337 00:21:55,599 --> 00:21:57,960 it's like fifty to fifty that you will pick a random time anywhere. 338 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:03,759 There's a really good chance that I will be comparing Jalen Williams to like a 339 00:22:03,799 --> 00:22:08,480 mythological figure of some kind, just like throw a dart at the time stamps 340 00:22:08,519 --> 00:22:11,799 and Gesson. Chance, that's what's gonna happen. But you basically said that 341 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:17,720 Jalen Williams is who God praised to Yeah, all the time, like verbatim, 342 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:21,519 I'm sure that's in there somewhere, and Jalen Willims like, I'm busy 343 00:22:21,559 --> 00:22:25,119 sometimes I can't, you know, I can't take everybody's call. So the 344 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:29,000 Thunder thereforen't just some some like to set a little baseline here. Four and 345 00:22:29,079 --> 00:22:32,000 three through their first seven games, plus one point eight net rating, ninth 346 00:22:32,039 --> 00:22:34,440 in offense, twenty thin defense, only played two road games. This is 347 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:38,880 not It's interesting that, like those are kind of middling numbers, and I 348 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:42,480 feel like the narrative coming into the year was, Oh, this is the 349 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,480 team that's going to take a leap, and then there was some pushback to 350 00:22:45,559 --> 00:22:49,039 that. I think we both kind of leaned more towards like let's chill out, 351 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:53,079 and Sam Presty fueled some of that because he's I think he said, 352 00:22:53,079 --> 00:22:56,880 you know, we might have borrowed some wins or something like that. And 353 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:02,559 then the other one more recently, I forget who, sorry, who wrote 354 00:23:02,559 --> 00:23:04,319 the piece, but it was like, we have to finish our breakfast is 355 00:23:04,319 --> 00:23:07,960 his latest quote as a way of saying like we you know, let's not 356 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:14,240 skip steps. So the Thunder are just like a fascinating team because objectively, 357 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:17,480 when you watch them, it's you see chet Holmgren. It's there to time 358 00:23:17,559 --> 00:23:19,799 stamp it, Dan, where are we We're gonna talk Chet homeward? You 359 00:23:19,839 --> 00:23:26,039 see him looking like, I don't know, this is an interesting Maybe we 360 00:23:26,039 --> 00:23:27,720 should just spend an hour on this. Like what is the comp for Chet 361 00:23:27,759 --> 00:23:32,160 Holmgren. I saw someone say Kevin Garnett recently, and I can't get there 362 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:37,559 because he was just defensively on another level. But Holmgren's ball handling, especially 363 00:23:37,599 --> 00:23:41,519 in the open court, like he's so comfortable behind the back, like pulled 364 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:47,640 pullbacks, like you know, overhand crossovers, like real like only stuff. 365 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:52,440 Guards who have gone to like personal trainers since twenty twenty, like have the 366 00:23:52,599 --> 00:23:57,160 triple package that Chet has right now. And he's seven feet tall or whatever. 367 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:03,079 He is seven too, so he looks amazing. SGA is a known 368 00:24:03,079 --> 00:24:07,440 commodity at this point. Jalen Williams have just already said he refuses God's phone 369 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:12,000 calls because he's busy. And then like their numbers are kind of just okay, 370 00:24:14,519 --> 00:24:18,920 And I wonder if part of that is they're playing Chet at center and 371 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:22,240 they're getting so just a couple more stats. They allow tons of rim attempts 372 00:24:22,279 --> 00:24:26,039 in corner threes. They're twenty fourth and twenty ninth in terms of like they're 373 00:24:26,079 --> 00:24:30,640 ranking in opponent frequency on those shots. That's bad, don't You don't want 374 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,640 that? And they're second to last in defensive rebounding. They're marginally worse on 375 00:24:34,759 --> 00:24:40,519 both the offensive and defensive glass with Chet in the game. And so I'm 376 00:24:40,599 --> 00:24:44,960 just thinking, like, this is what Presty is talking about, because we're 377 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,359 gonna play home grind because look at the guy. You can't not play this 378 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,640 guy. But I think his frame still does limit him. And if you're 379 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:56,000 gonna be a center, you sort of he's just gonna be overmatched, and 380 00:24:56,039 --> 00:24:59,440 he's gonna be in space a fair amount too. So I don't know if 381 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:02,400 the Thunder to be able to overcome some of the rebounding issues they have. 382 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,160 So they have, like even with all this talent, like some systemic flaws 383 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,319 that may or may not get fixed. And these are all like big picture 384 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:12,359 things you have to think about if you're projecting the Thunder as like a you 385 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,759 know, a team that's gonna be in the top four in the West for 386 00:25:15,799 --> 00:25:19,559 like the next five or eight years. So I just think, like what 387 00:25:19,599 --> 00:25:26,000 it's crystallizing for me is that the people that we're pushing back a little bit 388 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:30,920 on the here comes the leap and we're probably I think closer to right than 389 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:33,519 wrong. And I think Presty, even though it's like so self serving to 390 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:37,519 tamp down expectations on a team you're the general manager of, is kind of 391 00:25:37,599 --> 00:25:41,440 right because they are going to play these young guys. They are now built 392 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:47,720 around, you know, a center who's essentially a rookie, and you're just 393 00:25:47,799 --> 00:25:52,119 gonna have like growing pains and you're gonna have real issues, especially on the 394 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:56,279 boards and on other stuff. So I just I've I guess my my bounce 395 00:25:56,319 --> 00:26:00,559 around thunder talk idea is that I think think we kind of had it pegged 396 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,160 like pretty pretty close to right, and now they'll probably win fourteen games in 397 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:08,279 a row and make this look incorrect. But I just wanted to get some 398 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:12,319 thunder thoughts on the record now that we're like less than ten percent of the 399 00:26:12,319 --> 00:26:15,759 way through the season. Do you have thunder thoughts or just any of that 400 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:21,920 spark some tangents you'd like to go on. Despite me thinking that Victor Wembernam 401 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:23,680 will be a good NBA player, I had a lot of thunder thoughts and 402 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:27,079 they were they're on my list. Chet was among them. I don't really 403 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,480 have much to add to what you said other than I actually have been impressed 404 00:26:30,519 --> 00:26:34,319 with how he how strong he has been with the frame when you look at 405 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:37,319 some of the guys he's had to battle, and I know a lot of 406 00:26:37,319 --> 00:26:41,240 people they've latched on to the And I didn't interpret yo. First of all, 407 00:26:41,279 --> 00:26:42,640 what Yoga said was funny, saying I think it needs to get fatter. 408 00:26:42,799 --> 00:26:45,440 Chet did not like it. Like did you see Chet's reaction to that? 409 00:26:47,319 --> 00:26:48,759 Oh yeah, he didn't like it. It wasn't he didn't think it 410 00:26:48,759 --> 00:26:52,759 was funny. See, first of all, this Thunder team is the antithesis 411 00:26:52,839 --> 00:26:56,759 of how that organization is run on social media because like they're just ultra buttoned 412 00:26:56,839 --> 00:27:03,599 up and their public were department is notoriously difficult and going to quarter off. 413 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:07,480 This is why I love that we're not predicated on access with this podcast, 414 00:27:07,519 --> 00:27:10,960 I say something like that where it just seems like they suck when it comes 415 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:15,400 to providing access to media, and this team just feels like they're all over. 416 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,039 So I love it, and so I love that energy. But I 417 00:27:18,079 --> 00:27:21,920 had said, you know, people were talking about how Chet. Oh look, 418 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:23,440 Check's getting bounced around again. It was during that Pelicans game. And 419 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:27,359 so my take is this Chet does need to get stronger. But there's also 420 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:32,960 just a level of my other this is spicy take, So I'm glad you're 421 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:37,519 sitting down. Maybe just brace yourself a little. Additionally, some teams have 422 00:27:37,599 --> 00:27:41,759 a front line with Nicole Jokic and Aaron Gordon or Yonis Valentiunas and Zion and 423 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:48,240 other teams do not. Most do not. Yeah, so that's where I'm 424 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,079 at with but I do He's eventually gonna need to get stronger. I'm wondering 425 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,559 if Jay will coming back and help their defensive rebounding issues at all. I 426 00:27:53,599 --> 00:27:57,799 have been a little bit surprised because I've been by the way this To finish 427 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:00,960 up on chet defense, are still shocked when he puts the ball on the 428 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,160 floor, like they don't understand what's happening when he spins or when he's going 429 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:08,359 behind the back. It's kind of evident. In his drives, he's averaging 430 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:14,240 a point eight eight points per drive, which is one of the ten highest 431 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,519 marks in the league among one hundred and thirty nine players who finished at least 432 00:28:17,559 --> 00:28:22,000 twenty five drives. So when he's shooting twelve of oh no, that's free 433 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,400 throw. He' shooting twelve nineteen on drive, so sixty three point two percent. 434 00:28:25,519 --> 00:28:30,240 And he's at point eight eight one points per point eight eight one points 435 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:33,000 per drive. That's that's great. Another rookie on this team that's impressed. 436 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:37,559 Though. Cason Wallace looks he's ready. Defensively, he competes. He's been 437 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:41,559 very plug and play on the offensive end. And because they have chet and 438 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:45,480 like we've seen some of the highlight defensive players from him, what they've gotten 439 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:48,640 from Caseon Wallace, having lou Dort, the fact that they're so low when 440 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:53,400 it comes to forcing opponent turnovers this year. They were second last year and 441 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:57,039 now they're twenty third right now, and so it's still early and that can 442 00:28:57,039 --> 00:29:02,759 correct itself. I watch it. I don't know what it is that's different 443 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:06,200 about how they're running their defense. Maybe it's just a lot of the you 444 00:29:06,279 --> 00:29:08,359 know, you've had Ushman Jang in there more since he hasn't been although he's 445 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:12,000 injured again. Now you have chet Holmgrin who's a rookie, and you have 446 00:29:12,119 --> 00:29:15,640 Casen Wallace, and you are they're still fouling a bunch as well, and 447 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:22,160 I wouldn't say they've been like passive on defense. That's just that's something that 448 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:25,839 helped fuel their defense last year was the ability to you know, Okay, 449 00:29:26,039 --> 00:29:27,680 you can't trust them on the defensive glass, but they're going to force turnovers. 450 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:32,119 They're gonna get out and run that way. And so while they're fouling 451 00:29:32,119 --> 00:29:36,759 a little bit less, it's not it's disproportionate to how how little they are 452 00:29:36,799 --> 00:29:40,240 forcing opponent turnovers. And so a lot of that might just be well, 453 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,319 look, opponent shots are going into a higher clip round. You already mentioned 454 00:29:42,319 --> 00:29:45,559 some of the issues that they had with the shot profile. That's something that 455 00:29:45,599 --> 00:29:49,519 I think if you're not going to be a good defensive rebounding team and you 456 00:29:49,559 --> 00:29:52,759 want to play as small as they do for certain instance, that's something that 457 00:29:52,799 --> 00:29:56,160 I do think they kind of need to to recapture. Yeah, I think 458 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:59,599 just to put a put a button on the on the chat thing. Like 459 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:04,880 he he does play really hard and with like a lot of physicality, Like 460 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:11,319 he definitely is not avoiding contact. This isn't someone that's getting like pushed He 461 00:30:11,319 --> 00:30:14,799 he's trying to push around just as much as he's being pushed around. So 462 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,240 like I think in terms of his approach, he's doing all you can ask 463 00:30:18,279 --> 00:30:22,200 of him. It's just like they also just really play, you know, 464 00:30:22,279 --> 00:30:26,200 a bunch of wings next to him. There's not like anybody, you know, 465 00:30:26,279 --> 00:30:29,720 Jalen Williams I think plays a lot of four for them and that's like 466 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:33,799 so it's not all on him. But but he I think also he's just 467 00:30:33,839 --> 00:30:37,519 doing what he can do with this, Like he's he like attacks off the 468 00:30:37,599 --> 00:30:41,720 dribble like you say, it's not just like he's not you know, he 469 00:30:41,799 --> 00:30:44,680 can sidestep, he has that, he can spin, but he does like 470 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:48,640 lower the shoulder sometimes. So I think if he gets any stronger at all, 471 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:51,799 like maybe then he's just I don't know, maybe he is Kevin Garnett. 472 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:55,559 We'll see. We are very close to needing to have a conversation about 473 00:30:55,599 --> 00:30:57,119 Josh Giddy. I don't think we're there yet. And maybe some of it 474 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:00,720 has to do with they are unions a little bit differently this year, where 475 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:04,759 we've seen a lot more Jay dubb as kind of being an orchestrator for bench 476 00:31:04,799 --> 00:31:11,920 heavier mobs rather than Giddy. But the ineficially doesn't look great. You know 477 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:15,200 how last year I would always say, I only ever see the good Gave 478 00:31:15,279 --> 00:31:18,920 Vincent games, So I'm convinced that Gabe Vincent is really great. I only 479 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:22,839 ever see the good Josh Gitty stretches. I think that's clear because I look 480 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,559 up under this year I do. I just only ever see him, like 481 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:30,079 I forget. It's probably against Golden State. Yeah, it was against the 482 00:31:30,079 --> 00:31:33,720 Warriors. So he had like four or five just head down drives in a 483 00:31:33,799 --> 00:31:38,119 row where he scored was just like and getting all the way to the basket. 484 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:41,799 Wow, he was making difficult shot. That's the thing, and that's 485 00:31:41,839 --> 00:31:44,359 why he has like forty four percent true shooting. And that's you know, 486 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:48,480 it's not gonna work. But I only ever see good Josh Giddy plays, 487 00:31:48,519 --> 00:31:52,799 and so I don't. I just refuse to. I don't believe that the 488 00:31:52,839 --> 00:31:56,079 math is real. That's what I'm saying. It's fake. The numbers are 489 00:31:56,079 --> 00:32:00,799 fake. He's not one of the worst, at least a shooters in the 490 00:32:00,839 --> 00:32:05,240 league. Let's take another victory lap. I'm gonna take us to the Minnesota 491 00:32:05,279 --> 00:32:07,960 Timberwolves, who we were both. We both hit the over on them this 492 00:32:07,119 --> 00:32:09,839 year, right we did? And do we both You had them on your 493 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:14,519 list too, well, but I was gonna probably I was gonna skew negative, 494 00:32:14,599 --> 00:32:16,279 so I was gonna contradict myself. But I would love to go on 495 00:32:16,279 --> 00:32:21,559 this victory lap with you first. Okay, so they are good. They've 496 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:24,440 they beat the Celtics, they beat the Nuggets, and uh, I did 497 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:28,440 not watch the Nuggets game. But it's become pretty clear people in discord, 498 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:31,119 we're talking about it. They are giving Denver just defensive problems by saying, 499 00:32:31,119 --> 00:32:34,880 hey, we're gonna park like Karl Anthony Towns will be on Yo Kich and 500 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:37,400 then we'll have Rudy Gobert on the back line and that's how we'll come things 501 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:42,720 up. This team, though, is now first in points allowed per possession 502 00:32:42,759 --> 00:32:45,119 on the defensive end, not something that I would have necessarily predicted looking at 503 00:32:45,119 --> 00:32:51,559 their roster. Their transition defense thanks to an apathetic Karl Anthony Towns can still 504 00:32:51,599 --> 00:32:54,880 be shaky, but it's improved since Shane McDaniels has come back. They lead. 505 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:59,880 They have the league's best half court defensive rating by a mile. It 506 00:32:59,920 --> 00:33:02,119 is not even it's not even close. Right now, they're allowing like point 507 00:33:02,119 --> 00:33:06,920 eight one points in the half court and the next closest one I believe is 508 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,279 the Clippers, and they're allowning like point eight five or something, and so 509 00:33:09,319 --> 00:33:15,440 it's just they've absolutely killed it there. A big part of that is because 510 00:33:15,519 --> 00:33:19,079 Rudy Gobert. I don't I haven't thought about awards, but he's in the 511 00:33:19,079 --> 00:33:22,319 defensive Player of the Year race right now. Like opponents are scared again when 512 00:33:22,359 --> 00:33:24,680 they're getting into the lane and he's all over the place too, if you're 513 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:28,359 kind of watching him off the ball with the way that yes some of the 514 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:30,240 teams like, look, he was on christops for a lot of the Boston 515 00:33:30,279 --> 00:33:34,720 game when they were playing out Horford as well, and he's pulled out from 516 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:37,480 the paint and he's like at the speed. It's just a different player that 517 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:39,720 we see in this year. Even on offense. I think that he's been 518 00:33:40,039 --> 00:33:43,079 he's been better, So I don't know if it's an issue of him being 519 00:33:43,119 --> 00:33:47,400 healthier, more comfortable both. It's a big deal for the Timberwolves. They 520 00:33:47,119 --> 00:33:52,720 are they're no longer fouling like wild and that's been a big deal. They 521 00:33:52,759 --> 00:33:55,240 are getting a little lucky on opponent threes. Opponents are shooting like thirty two 522 00:33:55,319 --> 00:34:00,240 point three percent or whatever on threes per cleaning the glass. That's you know 523 00:34:00,319 --> 00:34:02,960 that's going to go up. But I think that the bigger development is Rudy 524 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:07,079 Gobert. It's also nas Reed, by the way, incredible at both ends. 525 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:10,880 He has just been The floor game is still there. He can give 526 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:15,000 you the occasional post up. He's hitting his above the break threes. He's 527 00:34:15,039 --> 00:34:19,400 looked really good in basically every single defensive situation that I've seen him in. 528 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:22,440 The rim protection started improving last year. It's held served for the most part 529 00:34:22,519 --> 00:34:28,880 this year. There's and then Anthy Edwards. We have to talk about this 530 00:34:29,119 --> 00:34:31,079 is I don't know how to frame it, and everyone we go back to 531 00:34:31,119 --> 00:34:36,440 that fourth quarter with the Celtics. The stuff he's doing on defense, and 532 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:38,719 it's for pockets of time, probably because he shoulders so much of a burden 533 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:44,320 on offense. It's special stuff like this is someone who could make an All 534 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,039 Defense team in any given season. I don't know if he'll ever like hold 535 00:34:47,079 --> 00:34:51,000 it for a long enough stretch to be mentioned in that, but if the 536 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:52,639 if the Wolves are gonna have the best defense in the league this year or 537 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:58,639 top three, he'll be It'll be Rudy Gobert and then Jane McDaniels depending on 538 00:34:58,679 --> 00:35:01,719 it's just because he hasn't played as Anthony Edwards will get residual mentioned there, 539 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:06,519 but he is. Some of the rotations he has made around the baskets, 540 00:35:06,679 --> 00:35:09,360 some of the gaps he has shot on closeouts, and then just we've always 541 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:13,599 known that he can kind of lock down in certain one on one situations. 542 00:35:13,639 --> 00:35:16,480 We saw him really going after Jalen Brown Jason Tatum in that Boston game. 543 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:21,880 I think what is and this will lead into some concerns with them. The 544 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:25,760 offense has not looked great. This is Anthony Edwards has been really good, 545 00:35:27,119 --> 00:35:30,920 but I do think the dual big setup it does not allow him to get 546 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:35,199 to the basket as much and he's kind of needed to offset that. By 547 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:37,440 one, he's just hitting a ton of his off the dribble threes. Donovan 548 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,599 Mitchell, Jason Tatum, and Luka Doncic are the only players who have hit 549 00:35:40,639 --> 00:35:45,280 more off the dribble threes to start the season. Edwards is still shooting fifty 550 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:49,239 four plus percent on his drives. I'd probably like to see him take fewer 551 00:35:49,599 --> 00:35:52,199 ultra long twos, but he's hit some really tough runners in lieu of the 552 00:35:52,639 --> 00:35:57,320 rim rim stuff, and that's kind of how he's adapted. And he's thrown 553 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:00,559 some really just great nifty kickouts. The lie dribble playmaking I think is still 554 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:05,320 on the come up. Aside from him though, and they are like nos 555 00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:07,559 Reed's been a bright spot, even Rudy Gobaert a lot of the times. 556 00:36:07,599 --> 00:36:09,880 Offensively, the offense is twenty fifth in three point at ten to right. 557 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:13,840 They're not getting to the rim nearly enough. This is a team. I 558 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:16,079 know they're not necessarily built for it, but when you have Anthony Edwards and 559 00:36:16,159 --> 00:36:20,960 Jane McDaniels and even like even Riego Bear and Carlett, like you can run 560 00:36:21,199 --> 00:36:23,199 after getting a defensive rebound. It's not illegal, like you can you can 561 00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:27,440 get out and run, So try doing something like that. And maybe this 562 00:36:27,519 --> 00:36:30,039 still has a lot to do with the the newness. And I do think 563 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:34,280 if they did push the ball a little bit more off the defensive boards, 564 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:38,519 that would address some of the absence of rim pressure here. And then two 565 00:36:38,519 --> 00:36:43,159 things is the final notes the I've gotten. I very much enjoyed seeing nas 566 00:36:43,159 --> 00:36:46,360 Reeds, slow Moo and Anthy Edwards play together. They are just like they 567 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:50,320 are, and I would like to see the three of them play with Jade 568 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:52,679 McDaniels. More's he's into, you know, as he's been back longer. 569 00:36:53,079 --> 00:36:57,199 They're forcing turnovers like crazy when those three on the court. The Timberwolves are 570 00:36:57,239 --> 00:37:00,719 forcing turnovers on twenty percent of opponent possessions, which is just ludicrously high. 571 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:05,199 And the final note here, and maybe the most important note, despite all 572 00:37:05,199 --> 00:37:08,880 the good things we're saying, Karl Anthony Towns has been dog shit to start 573 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:13,360 the season. I'm not making a personal attack at him. I want to 574 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:15,440 see him play really well. I think he can be a fantastic player, 575 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:19,440 but his three point volume needs to come up. They need him to be 576 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:22,719 more aggressive, not just launching threes, but going after smaller players. The 577 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:25,119 defensive issues are always going to be there, but he's just like so often 578 00:37:25,159 --> 00:37:29,800 caught off balance at like even more than usual. I don't know if something 579 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,519 else is wrong there. We're getting to the point where he makes thirty six 580 00:37:32,559 --> 00:37:37,079 million this year. Who wants to pay him the four year, two hundred 581 00:37:37,079 --> 00:37:40,119 and twenty three million dollar extension that kicks in next season. And if you're 582 00:37:40,119 --> 00:37:45,039 the Wolves, the fact that moving Karl Anthony Towns might be necessary to help 583 00:37:45,079 --> 00:37:51,559 your offense is just mind melting because of he's supposed to be that outlet, 584 00:37:51,679 --> 00:37:55,519 and so that's just I know it's early, but that's what I'm watching because 585 00:37:55,519 --> 00:38:00,440 the path to them becoming appreciably better on offense based off how everyone's playing right 586 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:06,639 now is Karl Anthony Towns just finds that gear and maintains it, or they're 587 00:38:06,679 --> 00:38:09,519 able to find someone who values Karl Anthony Towns enough to send them players that 588 00:38:09,599 --> 00:38:14,679 might help them get there. Yeah, so I want to talk about that. 589 00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:17,199 I think I just talked for like eighty minutes. No, no, 590 00:38:17,199 --> 00:38:20,440 no, and like as as you talked, I was like, well, 591 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:24,079 there goes my point, there goes my point. But I was so I 592 00:38:24,159 --> 00:38:29,880 was gonna be a little more bearish on Minnesota because that number one defense is 593 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:35,400 it's like you you mentioned the stat they are get they are lucky in three 594 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:37,679 point opponent three point percentage. That's the third lowest market in the league. 595 00:38:37,719 --> 00:38:40,920 Last year, they were twenty third in that stat upon a shot something like 596 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:45,400 thirty seven point three percent last year on threes, which are appairly what it 597 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:50,760 means they're due. They're doing right exactly. It's fairly well established that that's 598 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:55,039 mostly luck. Some teams tend to do it year over year. But that's 599 00:38:55,119 --> 00:39:00,440 pretty it's pretty iffy, And just to underscore it's like you led with it. 600 00:39:00,559 --> 00:39:04,760 They've beaten Denver and Boston. You know who else has beaten Denver or 601 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:09,280 Boston? Nobody? Minnesota has both of them. But in those games. 602 00:39:09,599 --> 00:39:13,719 I have the numbers here because I just I couldn't believe it. Denver shot 603 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:19,039 eighteen point two percent from three in that loss. Not good. Boston shot 604 00:39:19,039 --> 00:39:23,119 twenty eight point two percent from three. So like, that's just illustrative of 605 00:39:23,199 --> 00:39:28,840 the fact that they've mastered the Wolves have mastered phantom three point defense, or 606 00:39:29,079 --> 00:39:31,239 they've been getting a little lucky. You hit that. I'm not going to 607 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:35,559 delabor it. I think Minnesota is good. We've said it for a while. 608 00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:38,719 I think that defense is not going to hot take. The Wolves will 609 00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:43,239 not finish with the best defense in the league. The top five. R 610 00:39:43,480 --> 00:39:45,960 Ruby Gobert is playing, and that's the thing, right, they have Rudy 611 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:49,440 Goberrett, they have Jane McDaniels. We all agree. If you watch Anthony 612 00:39:49,519 --> 00:39:52,920 Edwards like move around for five seconds, you say that guy has the tools 613 00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:58,559 to be an incredible defender. So they're sixty percent of your first unit. 614 00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:02,119 You know, Conley knows where be he can't He's in his twenty millionth year, 615 00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:07,440 so whatever, and Towns is just bad, but there is so yeah, 616 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:12,639 top five should seem plausible. I just wonder if Edwards can stay locked 617 00:40:12,639 --> 00:40:15,519 in like he was, like he can be for stretches. I wonder if 618 00:40:15,639 --> 00:40:21,079 Gobert still really has it or will sustain it. And I wonder if Towns 619 00:40:21,119 --> 00:40:24,360 is like hide able enough. But so the Town's thing is the most interesting 620 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:29,280 issue here because as I was watched, I rewatched the fourth quarter against Boston, 621 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:32,079 and all I could think about was, in addition to my god, 622 00:40:32,119 --> 00:40:36,920 Anthony Edwards is gonna is trying to just like take everyone's head off on both 623 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:40,039 ends. He basically assaulted Jason Tatum and got to jump all out of it 624 00:40:40,159 --> 00:40:45,440 late in that game. It was unbelievable. Is that Towns like is just 625 00:40:46,079 --> 00:40:52,280 And it may be it's mostly situational because you can't put him near the basket 626 00:40:52,599 --> 00:40:55,679 because Rudy Gobert is there, and if you put a smaller guy on him, 627 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:00,519 you there, so he can't go post up and exploit his that way. 628 00:41:00,599 --> 00:41:04,559 Rudy Gobert is there so now you have a really really highly paid pick 629 00:41:04,599 --> 00:41:08,960 and pop power forward that can't guard anybody, and like what do you do 630 00:41:09,039 --> 00:41:14,440 with this guy? So it made me realize it just there's this idea I've 631 00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:20,039 always had of like Towns objectively is ridiculously talented, Like he has his early 632 00:41:20,119 --> 00:41:23,039 career numbers, you know, stack up against almost anybody in terms of like 633 00:41:23,119 --> 00:41:27,079 the twenty ten stuff and the three point shooting and all this other stuff. 634 00:41:27,440 --> 00:41:31,400 But then it's like if he can't fit, So is it on Minnesota for 635 00:41:31,679 --> 00:41:36,639 putting in him in a position where like so many of his skills are marginalized, 636 00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:40,079 or is it that he actually just is not someone that you any team, 637 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:46,079 any team should ever pay what he's making because he just you know, 638 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:51,559 before Gobert was there, there was plenty of Towns criticism, and that had 639 00:41:51,599 --> 00:41:55,360 more to do with like can he defend and what happens to him in like 640 00:41:55,440 --> 00:42:00,280 high stakes games? Why does he like lose his like grip on reality. 641 00:42:02,039 --> 00:42:06,800 So I just it's it's tough because he's stuck. Like if you go trade 642 00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:09,440 for Karl Anthony Towns, now that salary's coming with him, like there's nothing 643 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:14,800 to do about it. So now everyone's talking about, well, the Wolves 644 00:42:14,840 --> 00:42:16,960 can't pay all these guys, and you've got to break up your centers, 645 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:20,519 and towns is the most likely got to be traded. I just wonder if 646 00:42:20,599 --> 00:42:23,719 it's gonna have to be Gobert because you can't trade towns because teams are going 647 00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:28,079 to see what he's doing and realize, like, well, he's not getting 648 00:42:28,079 --> 00:42:30,719 better. He's deep enough into his career where he sort of is what he 649 00:42:30,800 --> 00:42:32,639 is. We can change his situation. But then if he's our best player, 650 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:36,519 which he should be, if he's making the money he's making, we 651 00:42:36,559 --> 00:42:40,000 turn into the Timberwolves of like the late twenty teens, and we you know, 652 00:42:40,079 --> 00:42:43,920 make a play in game once in a while. Like I just I 653 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:49,679 think almost by default, the way the Timberwolves get out from the financial quagmire 654 00:42:49,719 --> 00:42:52,840 that they're gonna be in soon enough is almost maybe not going to be to 655 00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:57,840 trade towns because you sort of like can't do it for positive value. Well, 656 00:42:58,480 --> 00:43:01,239 so my pushback there would I think the fact that he's twenty seven and 657 00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:04,760 some of the Harbingers are just, oh, he's shooting twenty six and a 658 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:07,679 half percent on wide open threes, and you know, even Chris Finch said 659 00:43:07,920 --> 00:43:10,639 those shots are eventually gonna go in, and having someone with his ball skills 660 00:43:10,639 --> 00:43:15,440 and shooting like that is that didn't just go away, and we've seen moments 661 00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:16,599 of it where he gets ultra aggressive, puts the ball on the deck. 662 00:43:17,079 --> 00:43:21,119 I don't know. You pose an intersering question whether is there like a John 663 00:43:21,199 --> 00:43:27,519 collinsification of Karl Anthony Towns here because they've marginalized him with the WACHA. However, 664 00:43:28,199 --> 00:43:31,199 he's still post in twenty seven plus usage this year and the opportunities there 665 00:43:31,199 --> 00:43:34,719 for him to get volume, he needs to be more aggressive with it. 666 00:43:34,960 --> 00:43:38,039 So I think this is more they can probably share the blame certainly more I 667 00:43:38,039 --> 00:43:40,880 blame Atlanta for what happened to John Collins Hunter. I mean, we're seeing 668 00:43:42,119 --> 00:43:45,320 some kind of issues in Utah too, but they also were playing him with 669 00:43:45,239 --> 00:43:51,320 you to basically two other bigs in Iron Marketing and Walker Kessler. I do 670 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:54,559 wonder, though, I think more likely than them just deciding to trade Gobert 671 00:43:54,599 --> 00:43:59,400 at this point would be do they pull the John Collins with Kling Anthony Towns, 672 00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:01,800 Like we can get back expirings and we just pivot from there and like 673 00:44:01,880 --> 00:44:05,559 that's the way. I don't I don't think we're there. I want to 674 00:44:05,559 --> 00:44:09,440 make clear Clientthony Town's really talented. I was trying to figure out how we 675 00:44:09,480 --> 00:44:13,880 could get Zach Levine back to Minnesota and a Karl Anthony Towns trade though, 676 00:44:14,119 --> 00:44:16,000 I mean Towns for Zach Lavine would be an interesting challenge trade. But then 677 00:44:16,079 --> 00:44:20,039 Chicago still has vooch. It's like you kind of need a third team that 678 00:44:20,079 --> 00:44:22,199 would are you either sending boochs there? Are you sending town somewhere that's going 679 00:44:22,239 --> 00:44:25,280 to send you enough stuff to get Zach? Could you imagine Zach Lavine on 680 00:44:25,360 --> 00:44:29,239 this team? But that would really test their number one defense by the way, 681 00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:31,679 yes it would. And then and then what like, so Edwards and 682 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:37,480 Levine are your backcourt now because Edward well, Tommy Edwards, Levine, McDaniels, 683 00:44:37,480 --> 00:44:38,639 go bear, sign me up. You have Kylin Anderson coming off the 684 00:44:38,679 --> 00:44:45,800 bench, coming off the bench. Me if Karl Anthony Towns is your best 685 00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:49,519 player, which he sort of has to be because he's paid, like it, 686 00:44:49,639 --> 00:44:52,760 or second best? Like how good are you? And you know what 687 00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:55,519 I mean? Like that that that's probably Zach Lavine is your best player territory, 688 00:44:55,599 --> 00:44:59,599 right, maybe even worse. I just I don't know. I think 689 00:44:59,639 --> 00:45:02,239 I want again. I'm coming off watching that fourth quarter where Towns just I 690 00:45:02,360 --> 00:45:07,360 fouled out and had like seven points, and I just about his You're catching 691 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,719 me at a low point on town His swings are so wild. Yeah, 692 00:45:09,840 --> 00:45:13,880 So I'm still hopeful, but I do wonder if it's gonna happen for him 693 00:45:13,920 --> 00:45:16,239 on this team. It's just because of the makeup with it. And if 694 00:45:16,239 --> 00:45:19,519 it's gonna happen for him on this team, is it because they got rid 695 00:45:19,559 --> 00:45:23,159 of Gobert, in which case I don't know how that optimizes them for the 696 00:45:23,199 --> 00:45:27,800 short or long term. To be honest with you, that trade, the 697 00:45:28,079 --> 00:45:34,039 go Beart trade, it's just like we're gonna be There's so many fascinating, 698 00:45:34,079 --> 00:45:38,960 like back and forth angles to it, and probably what are they Six games 699 00:45:38,960 --> 00:45:42,960 into the season is not the best time to litigate all of it, because 700 00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:45,199 the whole argument was they didn't get We don't have enough of a sample based 701 00:45:45,239 --> 00:45:49,920 on last year to make any judgments, and certainly six more games isn't gonna 702 00:45:50,519 --> 00:45:54,480 change that. But I yeah, I am. I guess maybe my takeaway 703 00:45:54,559 --> 00:46:00,679 is I'm more fascinated to watch Minnesota this year now than I was before the 704 00:46:00,719 --> 00:46:04,039 season started, because I just like, all I have are more questions even 705 00:46:04,039 --> 00:46:07,519 though they've because like who had them as the best defense in the league through 706 00:46:07,079 --> 00:46:09,840 the you know those first like no chance. I thought I would have thought 707 00:46:09,880 --> 00:46:15,559 their offense. If you said they'll be number one on one end or the 708 00:46:15,599 --> 00:46:19,079 other, I would have said offense, just because I would assume Anthony Edwards 709 00:46:19,119 --> 00:46:22,119 and Karl Anthony Towns were just gonna be amazing. McDaniels is going to hit 710 00:46:22,280 --> 00:46:24,599 half his threes and that that's how it would go. But it just not. 711 00:46:24,760 --> 00:46:30,159 It's not outside the realm because you have Gobert, McDaniels, and Edwards 712 00:46:30,239 --> 00:46:34,840 and so that's three above average defenders in your most important lineup immediately. Then 713 00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:38,400 you can throw SloMo in there, Nikail Alexander Walker for extra disruption, Mike 714 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:42,760 Conley stills not some SIEV even though he's getting up there in age. Yeah, 715 00:46:42,880 --> 00:46:45,920 so it's really I get what you're saying. I probably would have said 716 00:46:45,920 --> 00:46:49,400 they'll be better on offense just because oh, you have Conley, the Anthony 717 00:46:49,480 --> 00:46:52,519 Edwards leap, and Towns will be healthy. But like it basically would have 718 00:46:52,519 --> 00:46:53,320 come down to Towns, where like, oh, if Town's going to be 719 00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:57,480 healthy in a prominent part of this reportation. Your offense is going to be 720 00:46:57,480 --> 00:47:00,039 better. Yeah, I guess I have like a quick here, And you 721 00:47:00,079 --> 00:47:04,079 mentioned you had talked about him, so I might even just defer to you 722 00:47:04,239 --> 00:47:09,199 a little bit. Jalen Johnson and the Hawks sort of in conjunction here. 723 00:47:10,960 --> 00:47:15,239 I I don't know how you felt about it, but I kind of viewed 724 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:19,840 Atlanta as having sort of a handful of guys I've I thought of as like 725 00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:24,920 similarly valuable, or guys who had roughly similar positions DeAndre Hunter, AJ Griffin, 726 00:47:25,239 --> 00:47:28,480 Jalen Johnson. Now John Collins is out of the way, and so 727 00:47:28,559 --> 00:47:32,079 all those guys theoretically get more room to explore the space. And I think 728 00:47:32,159 --> 00:47:37,599 I've just been more impressed by Johnson than anybody. Hunters had his moments and 729 00:47:37,719 --> 00:47:39,440 out himitting jumpers, by the way, and you're impressed with them. I 730 00:47:39,519 --> 00:47:44,599 just think, like, first of all, here's here's some analysis. Every 731 00:47:44,599 --> 00:47:47,280 time I see Johnson on the floor, it's like that, like how tall, 732 00:47:47,320 --> 00:47:51,679 how big is that guy? Like he's he looks like a classic power 733 00:47:51,719 --> 00:47:55,480 forward from like twenty years ago, except he moves he does like small forward 734 00:47:55,519 --> 00:47:59,639 things with the ball, so he's fourteen point three points, eight point nine 735 00:47:59,639 --> 00:48:04,079 boards, six and a half percent true shooting, pretty darn good. His 736 00:48:04,119 --> 00:48:08,000 athleticism in the open floor is just like something that John Collins used to provide, 737 00:48:08,039 --> 00:48:13,360 although I think Johnson plays with even more force. Like some of his 738 00:48:13,519 --> 00:48:16,400 drives and some of his his transition attacks are just like, you have to 739 00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:20,320 get out of the way of this guy. He's like that kind of athlete, 740 00:48:20,360 --> 00:48:23,280 which is a really cool wrinkle to have in Atlanta, where like Trey 741 00:48:23,360 --> 00:48:27,800 Young kind of defines how they play, which is more of a finesse style, 742 00:48:27,800 --> 00:48:29,760 a lot of floaters, a lot of lobs, a lot of like 743 00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:34,280 manipulating space. Johnson is just like the shortest distance between two points guy, 744 00:48:35,039 --> 00:48:40,400 So that that's fun. The other thing that's interesting with like the way that 745 00:48:40,480 --> 00:48:45,280 Atlanta is playing, and this affects. This is part of the reason Johnson's 746 00:48:45,280 --> 00:48:49,599 effective more effective is because he's such a good athlete. And Atlanta is cutting 747 00:48:49,760 --> 00:48:53,039 a lot more than they have certainly you know in the Tray Young era. 748 00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:58,039 So they are fourth in the percentage of their offense that comes on cuts this 749 00:48:58,119 --> 00:49:01,239 year and number one inefficiency in terms of points per play. They were seventeenth 750 00:49:01,360 --> 00:49:06,440 last year in cut frequency, and they were worse obviously in points per play. 751 00:49:07,239 --> 00:49:12,679 I think that's the Quinn Snyder effect. I think that's the that's Trey 752 00:49:12,760 --> 00:49:16,719 Young maturation. That's probably Trey Young and de Jontay Murray sort of working more 753 00:49:16,760 --> 00:49:22,800 comfortably together in tandem. I just like, if you're spinning this forward, 754 00:49:22,960 --> 00:49:25,199 I guess maybe this is just a question. I'll throw to you and you 755 00:49:25,239 --> 00:49:30,000 can give me your Jalen Johnson thoughts or Hawk's thoughts. I wonder if maybe 756 00:49:30,039 --> 00:49:32,400 Atlanta should just be the team we view as the fourth best in the East, 757 00:49:32,519 --> 00:49:36,800 and they would have something to say about that, the Sixers. But 758 00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:40,480 you got Boston, Milwaukee. You've I know you've talked about Milwaukee. Uh, 759 00:49:42,079 --> 00:49:44,159 we may need to hit on them at some point, just because the 760 00:49:44,159 --> 00:49:49,239 defense is crazy. Back to plane drop though, right, so now it's 761 00:49:49,239 --> 00:49:51,800 probably all fix now that Brook Lopez is back in a deep drop. Also, 762 00:49:51,880 --> 00:49:55,119 by the way, Adrian Griffin, we've talked about AJ Griffin just now, 763 00:49:55,119 --> 00:50:00,800 so now we can talk about his dad basically getting talked out of his 764 00:50:00,840 --> 00:50:06,079 defensive scheme by certain players. What what on earth made you think it was 765 00:50:06,079 --> 00:50:08,519 smart to do anything different with Brook Lopez on defense. So talk about the 766 00:50:08,519 --> 00:50:12,159 Hawks before we come back to the We don't we even need to, Ok, 767 00:50:12,239 --> 00:50:14,039 Yeah, go ahead, continue with the talks. Well, that's all 768 00:50:14,039 --> 00:50:16,320 on the Hawks. So it's a hot take because the Sixers exist and they 769 00:50:16,360 --> 00:50:19,679 look really good, and they're probably the fourth best team in the East, 770 00:50:19,880 --> 00:50:22,079 but like maybe maybe fifth, let's say fifth. Are they better than the 771 00:50:22,119 --> 00:50:27,880 Knicks? Just because the Hawks with Trey Young offense under himself like he's great 772 00:50:28,320 --> 00:50:30,559 and now they're just sort of playing in a more sensible way that maximizes all 773 00:50:30,559 --> 00:50:35,400 these other talented guys that just wasn't happening before. So I think the Hawks, 774 00:50:36,159 --> 00:50:37,079 I don't want to say fourth. I think the Hawks are the fifth 775 00:50:37,079 --> 00:50:39,199 best team in the East, and they have a chance to get to four 776 00:50:39,320 --> 00:50:43,559 if you know, the Sixers have injuries or the Bucks continue to not know 777 00:50:43,599 --> 00:50:46,800 how to guard anybody. Yeah, I went into my detailed Jalen Johnson thought, 778 00:50:46,840 --> 00:50:50,079 So, I don't want to par it on the Well, tell me 779 00:50:50,159 --> 00:50:52,000 what I got wrong or what what? What else? He gets anything wrong? 780 00:50:52,000 --> 00:50:55,639 I just think I'm wondering if there's like an extra element to his game 781 00:50:55,639 --> 00:51:00,639 where they've had him take some trailer jumpers can you hit? And that opens 782 00:51:00,719 --> 00:51:02,960 up everything else because you're right about the drives. I think defensively, you 783 00:51:04,000 --> 00:51:06,039 mentioned that he plays a lot of like forward stuff, but he also does 784 00:51:06,079 --> 00:51:07,599 a lot of big man stuff where he's like kind of rotating around the basket. 785 00:51:07,760 --> 00:51:10,199 I think when I last I checked, the punt shrte fifty percent against 786 00:51:10,239 --> 00:51:14,679 him at the rim this year. That's good. That's pretty good, and 787 00:51:14,760 --> 00:51:15,400 that would lead itself. I would say it was like, wow, for 788 00:51:15,480 --> 00:51:19,480 someone who's listed was he listened at six' nine six' eight and you're 789 00:51:19,480 --> 00:51:22,039 telling me he looks like he's seven foot Yeah, there you go, So, 790 00:51:22,559 --> 00:51:23,880 uh, we should look at what is Jaleen Johnson listed at. I 791 00:51:23,880 --> 00:51:27,159 didn't even think. I just assumed I knew his height. So he is 792 00:51:27,199 --> 00:51:34,880 listed at six six' eight. Soans Shenanigans you're calling they're doing the KD 793 00:51:35,000 --> 00:51:37,239 here, he's really seven to one. Yeah, he's seven to one, 794 00:51:37,400 --> 00:51:39,159 three forty. That's what he plays like. That's the silver lining of the 795 00:51:39,199 --> 00:51:45,039 John Collins trade is they ruined John Collins's value, but it opened up a 796 00:51:45,039 --> 00:51:51,719 pathway to him getting playing time with Atlanta. I'm just I think I could 797 00:51:51,719 --> 00:51:53,800 buy what you're saying about them in part because I don't know what the pathways 798 00:51:53,920 --> 00:51:58,960 them getting much better on the defensive end right now, but they're sixth in 799 00:51:59,079 --> 00:52:02,519 offense when Trey Young is shooting twenty seven percent on threes. That's the other 800 00:52:02,559 --> 00:52:06,960 thing. And their shot profile is a little bit better. They're getting to 801 00:52:07,000 --> 00:52:07,920 the rim, which I think has a lot to do with you. You 802 00:52:07,960 --> 00:52:12,960 mentioned the ball and body movement goes a long way here, because they were 803 00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:16,320 like bottom seven in rim frequency last year. What is happening with Trey Young? 804 00:52:16,480 --> 00:52:21,000 And I wonder if this is part of the adjustment thirty I think it's 805 00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:22,679 thirty four point one. This is because I wasn't prepared to talk about the 806 00:52:22,679 --> 00:52:25,360 Hawks. I think it's thirty four and a half percent of his baskets are 807 00:52:25,400 --> 00:52:30,400 coming off assists. He has never had more than like twenty seven percent. 808 00:52:30,639 --> 00:52:32,760 Yeah, of his baskets come off asist. So there is a material change 809 00:52:32,760 --> 00:52:37,559 in the way that he's playing. And so now it becomes speaking of the 810 00:52:37,599 --> 00:52:42,440 debate of well, who's least malleable between Luca Harden and Trey it feels like 811 00:52:42,440 --> 00:52:47,079 it's probably Harden. Well, I mean, we'll see. I will say 812 00:52:49,280 --> 00:52:54,400 Harden looked I was trying to get from malleable to like overweight because that White 813 00:52:54,440 --> 00:52:59,559 Clippers jersey was not doing him any favors. He's not in shape. So 814 00:52:59,800 --> 00:53:02,639 he said that too. He was like, damn, I forgot how fast 815 00:53:02,719 --> 00:53:07,760 the game was or something was his quote. I didn't come prepared. We're 816 00:53:07,840 --> 00:53:10,639 jumping all over the place now, I did not come prepared with Clippers thoughts. 817 00:53:13,159 --> 00:53:15,519 Is that gonna be one of your topics you're gonna get to well, 818 00:53:15,599 --> 00:53:16,559 So to wrap up on the Hawks, then we can get to the I 819 00:53:16,599 --> 00:53:20,400 didn't we get we probably should talk about I kind of did already talk about 820 00:53:20,400 --> 00:53:22,639 the Clippers though when we did the hard trade. Yeah, I mean, 821 00:53:22,840 --> 00:53:25,559 yeah, I don't have anything to add. It's been the I don't think 822 00:53:25,559 --> 00:53:30,079 they should start all four of their stars. Is basically where I'm at. 823 00:53:30,280 --> 00:53:32,679 So you get to wrap up. I could buy what you're selling on the 824 00:53:32,719 --> 00:53:37,920 Hawks there. Jalen Johnson though, Yeah, that's the if people aren't watching 825 00:53:37,960 --> 00:53:40,360 the Hawks yet. He's a joy to watch. Can we talk about one 826 00:53:40,400 --> 00:53:45,719 of my favorite small market teams, the New York Knicks and R. J. 827 00:53:45,960 --> 00:53:51,679 Parrott, Please do so. I have so many thoughts on the Knicks 828 00:53:51,679 --> 00:53:55,480 It's just I am. I feel like I should be encouraged, probably by 829 00:53:55,519 --> 00:53:59,320 the start of their season. Relative to their schedule and the play that they've 830 00:53:59,320 --> 00:54:01,880 gotten from Julie Randall and Jalen Brunson, it has not been pretty. I 831 00:54:01,960 --> 00:54:07,599 blame Julius Randall for Jalen brunton struggles, which is probably irrational, but just 832 00:54:07,599 --> 00:54:10,679 like he's seeing Brunton is seeing so much more attention when he gets into the 833 00:54:10,719 --> 00:54:14,760 paint, like he has to rely more on the pull up three, which 834 00:54:14,800 --> 00:54:16,400 is fine, that's actually been going into a fairly good clip for him, 835 00:54:16,880 --> 00:54:21,480 but just like he has to work so much harder inside the arc because Julius 836 00:54:21,519 --> 00:54:24,679 Randall's either taking the wrong shots, not taking enough shots, not taking enough 837 00:54:24,679 --> 00:54:29,079 threes. So I just I blame Julius. It's it's also Josh Hart, 838 00:54:29,119 --> 00:54:31,239 but it's it's on Julius Randal. I'm just prepared to blame him for everything. 839 00:54:32,280 --> 00:54:37,800 R J. Barrett looks really good this year, and that's without being 840 00:54:37,239 --> 00:54:42,079 hyper efficient. Some of the advanced metrics are coming around on him, but 841 00:54:42,159 --> 00:54:45,599 he's still He's shooting a career high sixty five percent at the basket. He's 842 00:54:45,599 --> 00:54:49,719 getting there less sixty five percent of the baskets not especially high, but it's 843 00:54:49,760 --> 00:54:53,480 closer to league average this time. That's a great development for him. His 844 00:54:53,639 --> 00:54:57,559 drives, he's not shooting too well on them, but he's been getting in 845 00:54:57,599 --> 00:55:00,519 some of those those runners, some of those flow He's at fifty four and 846 00:55:00,519 --> 00:55:04,480 a half percent on floaters. I think six of eleven was the number I 847 00:55:04,519 --> 00:55:07,880 had written down. I think what I've been most impressed by. There's the 848 00:55:07,920 --> 00:55:13,079 three point shooting, for sure, something that he's getting to the corners more. 849 00:55:13,480 --> 00:55:16,199 He's at fifty two point four percent on spot up threes overall, sixty 850 00:55:16,239 --> 00:55:20,760 two percent from the corners, and then twenty five percent above the break, 851 00:55:20,880 --> 00:55:24,320 and so that is something to monitor. He has gotten a lot better, 852 00:55:24,519 --> 00:55:30,239 I feel like with his decision making as a live dribble ball handler. The 853 00:55:30,360 --> 00:55:32,639 passes there are a lot better when you look at some of the ones that 854 00:55:34,000 --> 00:55:37,960 he has thrown this season. He's getting better at making quicker decisions from a 855 00:55:38,000 --> 00:55:43,480 standstill to keep the ball moving, and he's he's also getting better at just 856 00:55:43,519 --> 00:55:47,360 putting defenders on his hip and maintaining his dribble overall, and it feels like 857 00:55:47,760 --> 00:55:51,800 real growth. And then the knicks when they're when they play him. We 858 00:55:51,880 --> 00:55:54,039 all know about the RJ plus bench mobs, like when you just play him 859 00:55:54,039 --> 00:55:57,639 without Brunson and Randall. Right, now filter it for that, the Knicks 860 00:55:57,679 --> 00:56:01,320 are a plus nine point seven points pro and possessions. Uh, and there's 861 00:56:01,360 --> 00:56:05,800 some I think there's some room to kind of I don't know what the word 862 00:56:05,840 --> 00:56:07,639 would be here, but like, let's get more of RJ, Barrett and 863 00:56:07,679 --> 00:56:14,000 brunts in without without Randall units is something that could really be super effective for 864 00:56:14,039 --> 00:56:17,320 this team. I'm wondering if we're starting to see like is this the turn 865 00:56:17,920 --> 00:56:22,079 for RJ? And if it is, I think that increases the urgency with 866 00:56:22,119 --> 00:56:25,199 which you need to move on from Julius Randall. I don't want to frame 867 00:56:25,280 --> 00:56:28,679 everything, well, no, I'll frame it this way because I don't want 868 00:56:28,679 --> 00:56:31,119 to make everything about dumping on Julius Randall. It increases the urgency with which 869 00:56:31,159 --> 00:56:35,719 you need to make the decision to choose between them. Where it's let's capitalize 870 00:56:35,719 --> 00:56:40,039 on RJ's trade value once the right Starbucks or find a way to get Randall. 871 00:56:40,440 --> 00:56:45,079 It's it's weird because the Knicks are still so reliant on the all NBA 872 00:56:45,199 --> 00:56:50,000 version of Julis if he's not that guy. This is a substantially worse team. 873 00:56:50,239 --> 00:56:52,840 I'm wondering if RJ is now approaching the point where can he bridge some 874 00:56:52,920 --> 00:56:58,039 of that gap. I don't think he's there from a shot creation standpoint, 875 00:56:58,159 --> 00:57:00,000 when you're looking at the levels from where he scored and how he scores. 876 00:57:00,360 --> 00:57:06,079 But he's a more I don't know, it's not complete. His his offensive 877 00:57:06,159 --> 00:57:10,280 bag is deeper and more polished than it's ever been. I think he's twenty 878 00:57:10,320 --> 00:57:15,079 three, Like I know this only twenty three. I know we do this 879 00:57:15,159 --> 00:57:17,559 with Jason Tatum as like a joke. I was like, God, he's 880 00:57:17,599 --> 00:57:22,760 so good and he's only seventeen or whatever. But like, I think the 881 00:57:22,159 --> 00:57:25,679 so Barrett just to you're right, Like he's never had a higher assist percentage 882 00:57:25,719 --> 00:57:29,079 and he's never averaged more points per shot attempt. A lot of that, 883 00:57:29,239 --> 00:57:31,280 I think you hit it. He's never taken a larger share of his shots 884 00:57:31,280 --> 00:57:35,239 from corner as corner threes than he is this year. So some of it 885 00:57:35,320 --> 00:57:38,800 is just like whether it's he's being told this is where you need to shoot, 886 00:57:38,880 --> 00:57:42,639 or he's just getting there on his own. The shot diet, even 887 00:57:42,639 --> 00:57:45,800 though the rim attempts being down is not great, just is better and he's 888 00:57:45,960 --> 00:57:51,079 just more comfortable with the ball. This is such a This is so illustrative 889 00:57:51,199 --> 00:57:54,719 of how like he's five, this is his fifth year, and I think 890 00:57:54,760 --> 00:58:00,360 we've not just you and I, but like the NBA discourse has like raised 891 00:58:00,400 --> 00:58:07,639 Barrett to heights and like buried him six different times in the four years before 892 00:58:07,679 --> 00:58:10,079 this one. And he's twenty three, and so it's just a reminder of, 893 00:58:10,159 --> 00:58:15,519 like, yeah, sometimes it takes way longer than anybody wants it to 894 00:58:15,599 --> 00:58:17,119 for us to get a handle on what kind of player this guy's gonna be, 895 00:58:17,159 --> 00:58:22,400 you know it just like and so from the Knicks perspective, maybe this 896 00:58:22,639 --> 00:58:24,880 maybe his new deal or not new, but maybe the Deally sign like looks 897 00:58:24,920 --> 00:58:29,880 really great because we're having the conversation now of how do we get Julius Randall 898 00:58:29,880 --> 00:58:32,400 out of his way? And he's gonna and he's not maxed, so like, 899 00:58:34,039 --> 00:58:37,079 I I don't know. I think that's my takeaway from it is like 900 00:58:37,480 --> 00:58:43,920 it's really hard to have a high draft pick who comes in as a teenager 901 00:58:44,480 --> 00:58:49,360 and is expected by his third year to just give us a really clear picture 902 00:58:49,360 --> 00:58:52,440 of what he's gonna be and what he'll be good at and what he won't 903 00:58:52,480 --> 00:58:54,400 be good at, and it's just like it never happens. It almost, 904 00:58:54,440 --> 00:58:58,960 I mean, like it just doesn't happen. You have to It takes five 905 00:58:59,039 --> 00:59:01,519 years, six years times, and the guy's still in his early twenties, 906 00:59:01,920 --> 00:59:06,320 and so like, you know, that cuts a couple of ways. Like 907 00:59:06,719 --> 00:59:08,760 for Barrett, it's like, oh no, he's not gonna be like just 908 00:59:08,840 --> 00:59:12,400 okay, potentially he might be a lot better than that. And for someone 909 00:59:12,440 --> 00:59:15,639 like Anthony Edwards, who we just talked about, it might be let's not 910 00:59:15,840 --> 00:59:19,639 evaluate what he is now, let's wait till he's twenty five and then really 911 00:59:20,000 --> 00:59:23,039 see what's possible. You know, the impatience thing is so hard to avoid 912 00:59:23,119 --> 00:59:27,239 because you know, if you're gonna evaluate R. J. Barrett at any 913 00:59:27,320 --> 00:59:30,079 point, like last year, the year before whatever, you just have to 914 00:59:30,079 --> 00:59:36,239 go with what he'd done to that point and praise him or or bury him 915 00:59:36,320 --> 00:59:39,920 or whatever. But now it's it's clear that you know, even this isn't 916 00:59:40,000 --> 00:59:43,639 his close to his like final form, right, he's just like kind of 917 00:59:43,639 --> 00:59:46,119 smoothing the edges off a little bit, and he's still nowhere near what he's 918 00:59:46,119 --> 00:59:49,760 gonna be. It's just it's hard to think that way when we have to, 919 00:59:50,519 --> 00:59:52,719 you know, rank everybody and do winners and losers of this, and 920 00:59:52,800 --> 00:59:58,320 like who's disappointing and all that stuff. You're also you gravitate more towards the 921 00:59:58,360 --> 01:00:01,599 players who have been all over the place, whereas if you're consistently bad or 922 01:00:01,639 --> 01:00:07,599 like incrementally improving. His role and place within this team has changed so often, 923 01:00:07,719 --> 01:00:09,440 and I will as much as you could say if they could have put 924 01:00:09,440 --> 01:00:12,840 a better ecosystem around him, maybe he would be better. By now, 925 01:00:13,079 --> 01:00:15,960 He's never once been good enough for long enough to say the Knicks need to 926 01:00:15,960 --> 01:00:19,559 tailor their team around him. And he's a weird player. He's like specifically 927 01:00:19,559 --> 01:00:22,519 a hard player to build if like if he's the guy that's a weird that's 928 01:00:22,559 --> 01:00:25,000 a weird skill set to try to build around. But at the same time, 929 01:00:25,079 --> 01:00:29,639 to his defense, it's okay, the Julius Randall emergence was not something 930 01:00:29,760 --> 01:00:32,199 you were banking on. And then it's Jalen Brunson is in town. But 931 01:00:32,239 --> 01:00:36,119 there was the year where theyre didn't have Jalen Brunson and they sucked. And 932 01:00:36,199 --> 01:00:40,679 so he's just been like it's he's bounced around the pecking order and I think 933 01:00:40,800 --> 01:00:46,119 maybe now he's kind of finding his his wheelhouse, and I think his wheelhouse 934 01:00:46,119 --> 01:00:51,400 could be larger if the roster looks different. Now, if I feel bad 935 01:00:51,440 --> 01:00:52,800 that I just said you need to get rid of Julius Randall, even though 936 01:00:52,800 --> 01:00:57,320 I meant I've been on this since his first All NBA team, I thought 937 01:00:57,320 --> 01:01:00,320 that they needed to move him. That's not for the for the sake of 938 01:01:00,400 --> 01:01:06,920 Brunson, Barrett and Julius Randall, they need better shooting at this I am. 939 01:01:07,400 --> 01:01:08,199 You know what, I'm gonna take another victory lap here for all the 940 01:01:08,239 --> 01:01:12,480 Knicks fans that were shitting all over me for saying Dante DiVincenzo didn't solve their 941 01:01:12,480 --> 01:01:15,079 florest basing issues. Their volume for threes overall is fine. They're twelfth to 942 01:01:15,119 --> 01:01:19,639 three point attemp th eight. They're twentieth in above the break attempt rate, 943 01:01:19,679 --> 01:01:22,679 and then dead last in above the break three point percentage. You need threats 944 01:01:23,079 --> 01:01:25,800 from there, you need and you need guys who are willing to get those 945 01:01:25,840 --> 01:01:30,119 attempts up from there. You don't have that, and the players that you 946 01:01:30,199 --> 01:01:34,360 have that from you're not always gonna like Emanuel quickly. Okay, are you 947 01:01:34,400 --> 01:01:36,960 gonna put him in the starting lineup and then just nuke your bench of all 948 01:01:37,360 --> 01:01:39,239 the creation that it has. At the moment, you can say, well, 949 01:01:39,320 --> 01:01:42,760 Quentin Grimes, his volume has probably been fine. Can you nudge him 950 01:01:42,800 --> 01:01:44,880 up a little bit? A lot of it might have to do with the 951 01:01:44,880 --> 01:01:46,079 way they want to run their centers. I think a lot of it comes 952 01:01:46,159 --> 01:01:52,119 back to though they're running the floor is shrinking because of their four and five 953 01:01:52,360 --> 01:01:55,320 spots right now, they really trading obi top and was kind of a vote 954 01:01:55,320 --> 01:01:59,800 of confidence and Julius Randall being really good again this year. I don't know 955 01:01:59,840 --> 01:02:02,280 if the ankle stuff is still bothering him. But even when it's Hartenstein, 956 01:02:02,559 --> 01:02:06,679 when it's but when it's Hartenstein, Randall Mitchell Robinson, like you're dealing with 957 01:02:06,800 --> 01:02:10,480 until you downsize, you're dealing with like two non shooters on the court of 958 01:02:10,519 --> 01:02:14,000 all times. And then even when you are downsizing, like Josh hart Is 959 01:02:14,039 --> 01:02:16,400 still doesn't want to take a three, Like he just doesn't want to do 960 01:02:16,440 --> 01:02:20,960 it the break he doesn't want to do it. Have you got an explanation 961 01:02:21,039 --> 01:02:24,719 for this? Like what is like what Fred Katz? Can Fred Katz please 962 01:02:24,800 --> 01:02:30,440 just get Josh hart He doesn't have like lifetime language in his contract. That 963 01:02:30,519 --> 01:02:35,239 was the Moharkless deal where it was it's like reverse, you have to take 964 01:02:35,320 --> 01:02:38,280 like this many attempts or so I have I have no idea, but that's 965 01:02:38,960 --> 01:02:43,559 it's it's again, it's not just a Julius Randall problem, and it's Mitchell 966 01:02:43,639 --> 01:02:45,400 Robinson has probably been their best player this season. So I'm not even saying 967 01:02:45,440 --> 01:02:50,119 they need to get rid of Mitch. He's probably I think if we're going 968 01:02:50,159 --> 01:02:54,039 through players where if you were acquiring a star the Knicks, Mitchell Robinson is 969 01:02:54,039 --> 01:03:00,800 probably the guy that most teams would want in that deal. Maybe Quentin is 970 01:03:00,880 --> 01:03:02,599 right there. I'm not talking about picks. We all know everyone wants picks. 971 01:03:02,960 --> 01:03:06,519 I would say even more than RJ. Barrett, even more than IQ, 972 01:03:06,559 --> 01:03:09,039 who's about to get paid again. I crapped all over the Mitchell Robinson 973 01:03:09,039 --> 01:03:13,400 contract and it looks like a steal at this point. We got a shirt 974 01:03:13,519 --> 01:03:16,880 apologizing to him. That's a real thing. Yeah, hey, check out 975 01:03:16,920 --> 01:03:22,159 our merch. The merch. Do you want to you have someone? Do 976 01:03:22,199 --> 01:03:23,679 I have a couple more, but do you have any others? We've hit 977 01:03:23,719 --> 01:03:28,320 the hour mark, but I do want to ask you, what does Marjon 978 01:03:28,400 --> 01:03:31,360 Beauchamp need to do, Dan, what's the guy gotta do to play more 979 01:03:31,440 --> 01:03:35,239 for the Milwaukee Bucks, because we need to do exactly what he's doing. 980 01:03:35,239 --> 01:03:37,559 When you're at what does he need to do? Well? Then he needs 981 01:03:37,559 --> 01:03:42,760 to play more than fifteen minutes per game. Uh So opponents are three of 982 01:03:42,840 --> 01:03:45,920 nineteen against him when he is the primary defender. He is shooting fifty seven 983 01:03:45,960 --> 01:03:50,519 point one percent from three. That's good not high volume obviously, and we're 984 01:03:50,519 --> 01:03:53,440 talking fifteen minutes a game, so you know, limited impact of that high 985 01:03:53,440 --> 01:04:00,360 efficiency. Uh So as the Bucks, the Bucks defense is confounding and weird 986 01:04:00,400 --> 01:04:03,159 and and but also like not totally uh the Bucks defense being bad. I 987 01:04:03,159 --> 01:04:06,880 should say for anyone that's that needs that spelled out. Look At no one 988 01:04:06,920 --> 01:04:11,280 on this podcast predicted they'd finish in the top three of points loot per possession. 989 01:04:11,920 --> 01:04:16,159 We were smart enough not to do that. We make so many predictions 990 01:04:16,159 --> 01:04:18,400 it's hard for me to keep them straight. It's possible. I was, 991 01:04:18,599 --> 01:04:20,480 as you said that, I had to think, like, did I predict 992 01:04:20,480 --> 01:04:24,000 that? No, it was it was I predicted that they would finish in 993 01:04:24,119 --> 01:04:27,480 top three off No, I know I realized that now because I I did 994 01:04:27,519 --> 01:04:30,960 a little mental inventory, and I said, I've predicted a lot of ridiculous 995 01:04:30,119 --> 01:04:32,400 things, but that that I don't think was one of them. But if 996 01:04:32,440 --> 01:04:38,480 you know you predicted that would have said. Yeah. So with Dame, 997 01:04:39,159 --> 01:04:43,519 like Dame Damian Little comes with like some defensive propaly you gotta solve, You 998 01:04:43,559 --> 01:04:45,559 got to figure some stuff out if he's your point of attack defender and you 999 01:04:45,559 --> 01:04:49,920 can hide him, but whatever, Like if you play uh Malik Beasley, 1000 01:04:50,159 --> 01:04:54,159 it's a lot harder to hide Dame. And so this is where bau Shamp 1001 01:04:54,159 --> 01:04:58,119 comes in. So Beasley quick trigger shooter, I get it that that super 1002 01:04:58,199 --> 01:05:00,320 valuable. If you have a pick and roll head the attack that is gonna 1003 01:05:00,320 --> 01:05:03,920 cause you know, suck multiple defenders into the lane. Having Beasley who's just 1004 01:05:03,960 --> 01:05:06,800 like never met a shot that he wouldn't take, which is a good Like 1005 01:05:06,840 --> 01:05:11,320 that's a valuable thing. He's not a defender. So when Beasley and Dame 1006 01:05:11,360 --> 01:05:15,760 play together without Beauchamp on the floor, the Bucks have a minus eighteen point 1007 01:05:15,760 --> 01:05:18,800 four net rating. So like these are obviously small sample caveats, like sprinkle 1008 01:05:18,840 --> 01:05:24,280 them everywhere. All this stuff is noisy, And those are including lineups that 1009 01:05:24,360 --> 01:05:30,000 have Giannis Brooke Middleton on the floor, marj On with Lillard and no Beasley 1010 01:05:30,039 --> 01:05:33,519 are plus thirty eight point five. All I'm saying is every stat you have 1011 01:05:33,840 --> 01:05:39,119 small samples and all say Beauchamp should play more. And the eye test who 1012 01:05:39,159 --> 01:05:45,559 shows him, which shows him looking super athletic, defending his ass off running 1013 01:05:45,559 --> 01:05:49,920 the floor, giving this team another transition threat, just making total sense as 1014 01:05:49,960 --> 01:05:53,679 someone who should play more, who can give you stuff on either end of 1015 01:05:53,679 --> 01:05:56,760 the court, which virtually no one else as long as Chris Middleton is on 1016 01:05:56,800 --> 01:05:59,920 a pitch count can do reliably from the wing. Sorry, pack Con, 1017 01:06:00,280 --> 01:06:03,679 I think Beauchamp should get some of your minutes. What else does mar John 1018 01:06:03,760 --> 01:06:06,639 Beauchamp need to do. I think he needs to play more. I'll be 1019 01:06:06,639 --> 01:06:11,280 disappointed if he does not. That's not like a discussion point, that's just 1020 01:06:11,400 --> 01:06:15,719 the I seed the floor to you. Well, I think it's fair even 1021 01:06:15,800 --> 01:06:19,679 because like you can put him and they have on Tyre's MAXI on Jalen Brunson 1022 01:06:19,960 --> 01:06:24,320 and Tree Young and it's not always. Actually I would say most of the 1023 01:06:24,320 --> 01:06:27,159 time it might not work out that well for you. It gives you more 1024 01:06:27,159 --> 01:06:30,000 of a fighting chance than having Damian Lillard have to be in those or Molieue 1025 01:06:30,039 --> 01:06:34,360 Beasley, and I'm probably with you. I've I actually wrote something where I've 1026 01:06:34,360 --> 01:06:39,400 wondered if they should move away from their starting five and if if Chris Middleton's 1027 01:06:39,440 --> 01:06:43,039 locked in there when he's healthy, is it I think Mollie Beasley shot the 1028 01:06:43,079 --> 01:06:45,960 ball well enough overall to stay there, but for what they need, it 1029 01:06:46,000 --> 01:06:50,639 feels like even Crowder might be better than be I mean, defensively, he's 1030 01:06:50,679 --> 01:06:54,480 definitely better, but you don't want him defending smaller players. He might just 1031 01:06:54,519 --> 01:06:57,440 be better than Beasley in that role, or say as someone who can help 1032 01:06:57,519 --> 01:07:01,199 cover up for like Chris Middleton looks coold on the defensive end, Like there 1033 01:07:01,239 --> 01:07:05,360 I can see I can see flickers and flashes and extended pockets of him. 1034 01:07:05,559 --> 01:07:09,119 Okay, Chris Middleton on offense, Fine, No, I don't see it 1035 01:07:09,119 --> 01:07:12,840 on defense anymore. And so mar John Bochamp them not having to get rid 1036 01:07:12,880 --> 01:07:15,960 of him. The Damian lillardial suddenly becomes massive. Yeah, he, I 1037 01:07:15,960 --> 01:07:20,039 mean he's I will be surprised if he doesn't have. I know, like 1038 01:07:20,079 --> 01:07:23,320 a lot of Bucks fans have been clamoring for it for a long time, 1039 01:07:23,360 --> 01:07:26,440 but like you know, I would be really surprised if he doesn't have a 1040 01:07:26,440 --> 01:07:30,039 pretty significantly increased role, you know, two months from now, if he 1041 01:07:30,119 --> 01:07:33,719 and if he doesn't, I I hope it's because Beasley is shooting like fifty 1042 01:07:33,719 --> 01:07:38,599 percent from three and Connitton is, you know, looking like he did four 1043 01:07:38,679 --> 01:07:43,360 years ago. And did you took issue with Adrian Griffin changing the because so 1044 01:07:43,440 --> 01:07:45,880 I clipped his interview with ESPN and threw it on Twitter, and I actually 1045 01:07:45,920 --> 01:07:50,800 posted as more of a I appreciate that he realized he was so wrong so 1046 01:07:50,960 --> 01:07:55,880 early and then made the pivot. But people reacted, I'm not I'm not 1047 01:07:55,920 --> 01:07:59,119 saying you. People were dunking on him, like what an idiot need to 1048 01:07:59,159 --> 01:08:01,199 be told to do by by his players, And I more so took it 1049 01:08:01,199 --> 01:08:04,440 as someone who didn't think he was the right higher and push comes to shove, 1050 01:08:04,480 --> 01:08:09,119 I probably still don't believe it. I was like, oh, okay, 1051 01:08:09,119 --> 01:08:13,559 this is good. He's listening to his players and the defense has looked 1052 01:08:13,639 --> 01:08:16,119 better with and look part of one of the games came against the Knicks that 1053 01:08:16,119 --> 01:08:19,720 we've seen with them, and going against the Knicks offense right now, you 1054 01:08:19,760 --> 01:08:24,359 know it's it's it's not much. I mean, like they take a victory 1055 01:08:24,439 --> 01:08:26,760 lap on the Knicks offense getting a lot worse. But we don't need to 1056 01:08:26,760 --> 01:08:29,439 do that. They don't have the space saying to like, you don't even 1057 01:08:29,439 --> 01:08:31,199 need brook Lopez on the foard to defend them well at this point. So 1058 01:08:32,720 --> 01:08:36,119 but I took it as a Okay, this is good that he's doing. 1059 01:08:36,159 --> 01:08:39,279 But I'm assuming you took it the same way, but you thought it was 1060 01:08:39,359 --> 01:08:43,960 ridiculous that it was ever in doubt. That was a classic case of like 1061 01:08:44,039 --> 01:08:47,439 fixing what wasn't broken. We understand what brook Lopez does defensively, like that's 1062 01:08:47,560 --> 01:08:51,520 and and and like to be a great at the thing that he's great at. 1063 01:08:51,840 --> 01:08:55,840 He's like, why are you messing with it? I get it, 1064 01:08:55,880 --> 01:08:58,600 like you're trying to compensate, probably because Lillard is there. You're trying to 1065 01:08:58,600 --> 01:09:02,159 force more turnovers. I think a lot of the explanation and the Bucks just 1066 01:09:02,199 --> 01:09:05,840 really I think the Bucks might have been thirtieth in opponent turnover percentage last year. 1067 01:09:05,880 --> 01:09:09,119 They're at the bottom, and so I get it, like trying to 1068 01:09:09,119 --> 01:09:13,239 fix that, but also brook Lopez is just a phenomenal drop defender, Like 1069 01:09:13,279 --> 01:09:17,399 how many how many different Zach Lowe articles like chronicling Lopez's mastery of like the 1070 01:09:17,479 --> 01:09:20,399 pick and roll dance where he's guarding both guys at the same time and he 1071 01:09:20,399 --> 01:09:26,319 can close like come on, like I love, I love the quick willingness 1072 01:09:26,359 --> 01:09:29,039 to scrap a plan that's not working, but like that plan didn't need to 1073 01:09:29,039 --> 01:09:30,079 be drawn up in the first place. I don't think, do you think, 1074 01:09:30,079 --> 01:09:33,039 in the name of experimentation, let's bring him higher up, try and 1075 01:09:33,039 --> 01:09:36,319 force turnovers or cover up for Dame a little bit more? I know, 1076 01:09:36,560 --> 01:09:41,640 because I know part of it is like we don't have Drew anymore, and 1077 01:09:41,760 --> 01:09:44,680 Drew is like the king of the rear view contests. So you can have 1078 01:09:44,760 --> 01:09:47,279 Lopez in a deep drop and Drew is just gonna bother the guy chase over 1079 01:09:47,359 --> 01:09:50,479 the screen, bothering from behind, and so the drop doesn't really hurt you 1080 01:09:50,720 --> 01:09:56,119 because everyone's afraid of the of the all world guard defender. That's like breathing 1081 01:09:56,159 --> 01:09:59,239 down your net from behind. And then Lopez can just guard pick and rolls 1082 01:09:59,239 --> 01:10:02,079 on his own too, and Drew's not there. Damian Lillard is not Drew 1083 01:10:02,079 --> 01:10:06,560 Holiday defensively obviously, so I can understand like having some concerns about it, 1084 01:10:06,600 --> 01:10:11,640 but my default would just be Let's try the same thing that has worked really 1085 01:10:11,680 --> 01:10:15,000 well and won us a chance, like contributed to us winning a championship, 1086 01:10:15,039 --> 01:10:17,159 and then if that doesn't work, we'll mess with it. But let's at 1087 01:10:17,279 --> 01:10:23,840 least start from the Let's start with the thing that uh has been supremely effective 1088 01:10:23,920 --> 01:10:27,880 and plays to the strengths of this kind of unusual defensive center. That's now, 1089 01:10:28,039 --> 01:10:31,279 because you're you think that Marjon Bouchamp is going to be an MVP. 1090 01:10:31,840 --> 01:10:38,239 Yes, here's here's an actual question for you. The bulls call and say, 1091 01:10:38,239 --> 01:10:43,680 we will take Marjon Bouchamp and Pat Connaton for Alex Caruso. Oh, 1092 01:10:44,319 --> 01:10:46,640 sorry, marj On, you're out. You probably have to make that because 1093 01:10:46,640 --> 01:10:49,960 of what you're giving up, some spacing on offense, because Alex Caruso is 1094 01:10:50,000 --> 01:10:53,960 like the Josh Hart of guards when it comes to not wanting to take Well, 1095 01:10:54,039 --> 01:10:56,880 I get so, but I think you have to do that. But 1096 01:10:56,920 --> 01:11:01,279 he's also the Alex Caruso of defensive guards. Afford to consolidate your rotation again, 1097 01:11:02,439 --> 01:11:05,479 Well, I yeah, if you're only playing bullshamp fifteen minutes, you're 1098 01:11:05,520 --> 01:11:10,279 already you're not really consolidating anything. Just give yeah, no, I take 1099 01:11:10,319 --> 01:11:13,600 your point, like the Bucks can't keep trading like four guys for one. 1100 01:11:13,720 --> 01:11:18,560 But uh if I would hope lucky when you're looking at the like the buyout 1101 01:11:18,600 --> 01:11:23,119 market, because they coul still sign guys who make less than the mid level. 1102 01:11:23,239 --> 01:11:26,000 So if you want to look at maybe Reggie Bullock decides to I don't 1103 01:11:26,039 --> 01:11:29,239 know why he's on the Rockets right now, so well, yeah, I 1104 01:11:29,239 --> 01:11:30,800 wouldn't say. The fact that even in the I guess they didn't need him 1105 01:11:30,840 --> 01:11:33,199 in the next game, but like him only playing thirteen minutes in the next 1106 01:11:33,199 --> 01:11:36,600 game was sort of mind blowing to me. But I'm with you. I 1107 01:11:36,600 --> 01:11:41,319 expect this role to get bigger. Can we talk about the Pacers? I'd 1108 01:11:41,359 --> 01:11:44,279 love to. All right, well, then let's move on. You want 1109 01:11:44,279 --> 01:11:48,800 to talk about the Mavericks. The Pacers might have the best NBA offense of 1110 01:11:48,840 --> 01:11:57,880 all time, and I just watched and there I don't even think they're They're 1111 01:11:57,920 --> 01:12:00,439 not first inefficiency A. No, this Sixers have the best offense in the 1112 01:12:00,520 --> 01:12:03,560 league right now? How about that? Do you have a Sixers thing? 1113 01:12:03,600 --> 01:12:06,520 I don't have a say. I'm almost out of topics, but every team 1114 01:12:06,520 --> 01:12:10,439 we talk about I want to talk about. Let's leave the Pacers. The 1115 01:12:10,439 --> 01:12:15,359 Sixers look freaking awesome. I'm a massive addition by subtraction team. But let's 1116 01:12:15,399 --> 01:12:18,960 talk auditioned by subtraction. He wasn't even playing well. They subtracted him before 1117 01:12:19,000 --> 01:12:24,920 the season started. Fair enough. Uh So the Pacers just they are all 1118 01:12:24,920 --> 01:12:29,399 over the place on offense. It's frenetic. Their third and average possession time, 1119 01:12:29,760 --> 01:12:32,560 second points per possession. They're eighth and half court offensive rating, which 1120 01:12:32,600 --> 01:12:38,000 is a big deal because they were pretty bad there last year. Jalen Smith 1121 01:12:38,119 --> 01:12:41,840 has been like a delight from three, and he's grabbing every offensive rebound that's 1122 01:12:41,840 --> 01:12:45,319 out there. Aaron Ne Smith might be on one of the league's best contracts. 1123 01:12:45,359 --> 01:12:46,560 All of a sudden, he has some ball skills. He's shooting well. 1124 01:12:46,760 --> 01:12:50,359 We know he can defend up. Buddy Healed has looked good. This 1125 01:12:50,399 --> 01:12:55,079 is all happening where Bennanick Mathern has not had the greatest start to the season. 1126 01:12:55,159 --> 01:12:58,720 But in quotations in my notes I have doesn't even fucking matter because of 1127 01:12:58,760 --> 01:13:00,119 how good this team is on the offensive. And the answer is you answered 1128 01:13:00,119 --> 01:13:02,880 it, grant, No, it does not. I mean, long term, 1129 01:13:02,960 --> 01:13:08,119 it certainly matters. Miles Turner career year from three right now career year. 1130 01:13:08,159 --> 01:13:11,920 On the defensive glass, the team is still getting slaughtered when Haliburton doesn't 1131 01:13:11,920 --> 01:13:15,600 play, but the offense during those stretches is above average. I don't. 1132 01:13:15,640 --> 01:13:18,560 I think even now, as I speak at one am exactly my time, 1133 01:13:18,640 --> 01:13:21,920 Obi Toppen is still running around somewhere on the court. There's not a game 1134 01:13:21,920 --> 01:13:26,760 happening, but I think he's still running around somewhere. The thing I wanted 1135 01:13:26,760 --> 01:13:30,399 to highlight, aside from the fact that Tyre's Haliburton is still that guy, 1136 01:13:30,479 --> 01:13:34,359 I know he's been being cooked and targeted on defense. Tyres Haliburton is currently 1137 01:13:34,399 --> 01:13:40,439 averaging one point five to eight points per ISO possession. He's not using a 1138 01:13:40,479 --> 01:13:44,399 ton per game, but he's shooting sixty seven percent in isolation effective field goal 1139 01:13:44,439 --> 01:13:47,079 rating of eighty three point three. Dearon Fox is the only player averaging more 1140 01:13:47,119 --> 01:13:51,680 points per isolation possession than Tyre's Haliburton right now, and Fox, by the 1141 01:13:51,720 --> 01:13:56,119 way, he's he's on track to have a year. I hope, I 1142 01:13:56,119 --> 01:13:58,760 hope that ankle injury doesn't mess with him. Those guys should play together. 1143 01:13:58,840 --> 01:14:02,680 They could get a lot done together. I totally I didn't even that didn't 1144 01:14:02,680 --> 01:14:06,760 compute when I was even looking at the U, I wanted to focus a 1145 01:14:06,800 --> 01:14:11,039 little bit though, and of course get any thoughts that you'll have on the 1146 01:14:11,079 --> 01:14:15,159 Pacers. On the Bruce Brown fit, I've enjoyed it for the most part. 1147 01:14:15,319 --> 01:14:19,279 He's shooting forty seven percent on threes, thirty one percent from above the 1148 01:14:19,279 --> 01:14:24,399 break, sixty four percent from the corners. There's I can't remember which game 1149 01:14:24,880 --> 01:14:28,399 I was watching, but the Pacers had basically it was him and Turner plus 1150 01:14:28,439 --> 01:14:32,680 the bench. Aaron E. Smith was out there with them hard and Brown, 1151 01:14:32,760 --> 01:14:38,359 Turner and Healed, and that lineup just looked like it was gonna annihilate 1152 01:14:38,399 --> 01:14:41,359 opponents until the end of time. And so I'd like to see more of 1153 01:14:41,399 --> 01:14:45,159 that. The Pacers offensive rebounding rate right now is improving by nine point three 1154 01:14:45,199 --> 01:14:48,600 points with him on the court. He is not grabbing them, but when 1155 01:14:48,640 --> 01:14:53,920 you kind of look, he's lifting from the corner and it's making it easier 1156 01:14:53,920 --> 01:14:58,079 on the Pacers. Laikah Jalen Smith spot minutes with Isaiah Jackson or whoever, 1157 01:14:58,399 --> 01:15:01,079 making it easier for them to crash the the offensive glass. He's hitting over 1158 01:15:01,159 --> 01:15:04,640 sixty percent of his running jumpers. The Pacer spacing looks great on him. 1159 01:15:04,680 --> 01:15:08,640 Surprise, surprise. I think he has even more space to work with generally 1160 01:15:08,720 --> 01:15:11,439 in the lane than he did when he was on the Nuggets. He's not 1161 01:15:11,560 --> 01:15:15,640 doing as much as a passer, but the center for the center floor playmaking 1162 01:15:15,680 --> 01:15:18,479 is still very much there and remains special. And the thing that I feel 1163 01:15:18,520 --> 01:15:21,600 like I've noticed, and maybe this is just has a case of you know, 1164 01:15:23,279 --> 01:15:27,439 they played Charlotte, They're overreacting to him on the three point line. 1165 01:15:27,439 --> 01:15:30,520 They are treating him like an actual threat, and that has helped open the 1166 01:15:30,880 --> 01:15:33,159 driving lane. He's shooting fifty six point three percent on drives, which is 1167 01:15:33,199 --> 01:15:36,720 how he's gonna make a lot of his passes. And so I'll wrap up 1168 01:15:36,800 --> 01:15:42,439 on the Bruce Brown fit with this, seventy one players have finished as many 1169 01:15:42,520 --> 01:15:47,399 drives as Bruce Brown. Only three others are shooting fifty five plus percent with 1170 01:15:47,439 --> 01:15:53,439 an assistrate north of ten and a turnover rate south of five. Tyrese Haliburton, 1171 01:15:54,079 --> 01:15:58,239 Kyrie Irving, and Terry Rosier. I love the Bruce Brown for it. 1172 01:15:58,319 --> 01:16:02,159 He's not had this great impact on their defense. He's been overmatched in 1173 01:16:02,199 --> 01:16:05,119 a lot of the matchups he has, and the defense has been worse with 1174 01:16:05,199 --> 01:16:08,880 him on the court. But I think that just says the quality of the 1175 01:16:09,319 --> 01:16:12,920 players that he's going up against in that starting lineup hass to face or their 1176 01:16:12,920 --> 01:16:16,079 most important players have to face a lot of the time. The Pacers, 1177 01:16:16,119 --> 01:16:19,680 true to what everyone I think at all geeks thought heading into the season, 1178 01:16:19,680 --> 01:16:24,159 they have been one of the most entertaining watches of the season. Yeah, 1179 01:16:24,239 --> 01:16:28,000 that was a given. I want to ask you because in the lead up 1180 01:16:28,039 --> 01:16:31,399 to this season, and I think probably when we talked to Kaitlyn Cooper about 1181 01:16:31,399 --> 01:16:38,560 this, there was this same odd that Kaitlyn Cooper had something written one either 1182 01:16:38,800 --> 01:16:41,960 counter proving anything I just said, where it's like, actually, Bruce Brown's 1183 01:16:42,000 --> 01:16:45,479 not lifting from the corner and he doesn't help their offensive rebounderis at all. 1184 01:16:45,479 --> 01:16:48,359 There's probably good chance that she's either said everything I did, which fine, 1185 01:16:48,640 --> 01:16:51,319 or you're wrong, and she'll tell you why. I've read so much of 1186 01:16:51,359 --> 01:16:54,560 her. She's been publishing a lot lately, so I haven't read it all, 1187 01:16:54,600 --> 01:16:57,079 but I've read a lot of her stuff, and I'm trying not to 1188 01:16:57,239 --> 01:17:01,399 like latch onto anything she says because it's just you don't want to co opt. 1189 01:17:01,520 --> 01:17:03,920 But she's so smart and great at what she does. It's hard not 1190 01:17:04,000 --> 01:17:08,640 to well. One of the things she said that I really bumped on, 1191 01:17:08,680 --> 01:17:13,239 and this isn't like an opinion of hers, it's basically a correct assessment of 1192 01:17:13,279 --> 01:17:17,760 what the pacers think is that Matherin is gonna start. Healed is not, 1193 01:17:18,159 --> 01:17:20,720 and that's because they need to figure out what they had. Like, you 1194 01:17:20,720 --> 01:17:24,159 know, it made a lot of sense, and I bumped on it because 1195 01:17:24,600 --> 01:17:29,000 Matherin seemed to me like his ceiling is as a really good six man like 1196 01:17:29,039 --> 01:17:30,800 peer score that's not good at a lot of the other stuff you need to 1197 01:17:30,880 --> 01:17:34,399 round out, like a really good starting lineup on the wing or as a 1198 01:17:34,439 --> 01:17:40,520 second guard. And to your point and how Brown has fit well, the 1199 01:17:40,560 --> 01:17:45,000 lineups that have Brown and Healed as the wings, whether you have Kneesmith as 1200 01:17:45,000 --> 01:17:48,039 the four or Topping at the four, some of these are hilariously effective lineups. 1201 01:17:48,720 --> 01:17:53,399 But if you have Healed and Brown on the floor together, the pacers 1202 01:17:53,399 --> 01:17:56,399 are plus seventeen point eight and the offense is scoring like one hundred and forty 1203 01:17:56,439 --> 01:17:59,960 points per hundred possessions, which actually might be below the pacers. We'll see 1204 01:18:00,199 --> 01:18:03,840 figure but it's not. But which is absurd. My favorite it's only fifteen 1205 01:18:03,880 --> 01:18:09,359 possessions, but I'm gonna cite it because it's just illustrates a huge sample size 1206 01:18:09,399 --> 01:18:14,159 that's more than possessions, that's like an entire quarter, almost at like half 1207 01:18:14,199 --> 01:18:16,720 of a quarter. I was like, what team is using sixteen possessions? 1208 01:18:16,920 --> 01:18:24,720 Forty the Rick Carlisle, Dallas Mavericks from three years ago, Haliburton, Healed, 1209 01:18:24,760 --> 01:18:28,079 Brown, Topping, Turner right, which I think should be the starting 1210 01:18:28,119 --> 01:18:32,079 five uh plus plus eighty net rating. That's fun, that's fun in fifteen 1211 01:18:32,119 --> 01:18:36,680 possessions. But it's just like, so I get the question buried in all 1212 01:18:36,680 --> 01:18:43,760 this is, have you like, is it too obvious that Matherin should just 1213 01:18:44,079 --> 01:18:47,079 never start and that should we should just be playing Healed and Brown and on 1214 01:18:47,119 --> 01:18:50,600 the wings and probably Topping at the four I like Topping more than Nies myth 1215 01:18:51,279 --> 01:18:56,159 and then obviously Turner and Haliburton as your booke NDS, like, has anything 1216 01:18:56,239 --> 01:19:00,000 changed about because I thought from the jump like Matherin's should not start, not 1217 01:19:00,079 --> 01:19:03,600 over Brown, not Overhealed. I mean, give me nem Hard or whatever 1218 01:19:03,720 --> 01:19:08,199 over over Matheren at this point, just turn Matherin, loose off the bench 1219 01:19:08,239 --> 01:19:12,920 and say shoot all the time. Against backups. I don't know where you 1220 01:19:13,000 --> 01:19:15,399 were on any of that, or if you remember Caitlin saying that that Matherin 1221 01:19:15,479 --> 01:19:20,399 was probably gonna be the PACER's pick to start and play a ton have you? 1222 01:19:20,439 --> 01:19:25,199 What are your thoughts generally on that? I guess like you're loving Bruce 1223 01:19:25,239 --> 01:19:28,800 Brown, so that's easy, But what about the healed piece, doesn't it? 1224 01:19:28,800 --> 01:19:31,720 It comes down to what are your aims? Do you care? If 1225 01:19:31,720 --> 01:19:36,279 you care more about the bigger picture, it's valuable gleaning as much information good 1226 01:19:36,319 --> 01:19:40,199 or bad for Matherne as possible. And I don't think you're putting him. 1227 01:19:40,840 --> 01:19:44,880 Are you putting him in a better situation to succeed himself or for you long 1228 01:19:45,000 --> 01:19:48,079 term by bringing him off the bench. I don't know the quality of the 1229 01:19:48,119 --> 01:19:53,119 defensive competition should go down. But then you're also you know, he's insulated 1230 01:19:53,199 --> 01:19:57,279 right now a lot of the time because you're gonna play more minutes than alongside 1231 01:19:57,279 --> 01:20:01,279 Tyre's Haliburton along with the I mean, sure Jalen Smith is hitting his threes 1232 01:20:01,319 --> 01:20:04,279 now, but like you're guaranteed to play alongside the spacing of a of a 1233 01:20:04,319 --> 01:20:09,800 Miles Turner. So I if you're trying to win games. The answer is 1234 01:20:09,960 --> 01:20:15,239 Mathern should not be starting right. So I think of all by the way 1235 01:20:15,359 --> 01:20:17,279 I was, was it am I was a year or two years too early 1236 01:20:17,319 --> 01:20:19,840 on Jalen Smith. I know I was saying Jalen Smith was gonna be really 1237 01:20:19,840 --> 01:20:23,920 good. Uh for the Pacers. That must have been during that like seven 1238 01:20:23,960 --> 01:20:27,039 game stretch after they traded him he hit his threes, Everyone's like, wow, 1239 01:20:27,479 --> 01:20:30,880 yeah, I knew he had it in them. Normal, I guess. 1240 01:20:30,960 --> 01:20:34,920 And this will this will it won't sound totally hypocritical and contradictory. It 1241 01:20:35,079 --> 01:20:38,680 just will be because I just said, oh r J. Barrett's in his 1242 01:20:38,720 --> 01:20:42,000 fifth year. We've jumped to conclusions, and look, look what happens if 1243 01:20:42,000 --> 01:20:45,800 you wait. I just never thought Matherin projected to me, based on one 1244 01:20:45,880 --> 01:20:48,760 rookie season, as someone that's going to be more than a really like a 1245 01:20:48,920 --> 01:20:55,119 of like a spark plug backup. And that's just because like the decision making 1246 01:20:55,199 --> 01:20:57,840 is, he's not great at it. He's awesome at getting fouled, he's 1247 01:20:57,880 --> 01:21:00,439 awesome at generating his own shots. He's sucks as a catch and shoot three 1248 01:21:00,439 --> 01:21:02,960 point shooter. He likes to dribble it first, which is just weird. 1249 01:21:03,039 --> 01:21:06,079 To me, So I guess I always just wrote him off as like, 1250 01:21:06,119 --> 01:21:09,840 what do the pacers think they're gonna find here? I already know this guy 1251 01:21:09,920 --> 01:21:13,279 is going to be a six man, Like what's the point. But you 1252 01:21:13,319 --> 01:21:15,640 know, maybe that that is just hypocritical, but that that's where I was 1253 01:21:15,680 --> 01:21:19,399 on Matherin. That is going to do it for this podcast. Everybody didn't 1254 01:21:19,439 --> 01:21:21,960 mean to cut a short, but I ran into internet issues. We had 1255 01:21:23,000 --> 01:21:25,960 about another forty five minutes to go. Grant and I may try and wrap 1256 01:21:26,039 --> 01:21:29,359 up later this week. You should have a third episode up at some point 1257 01:21:29,479 --> 01:21:31,479 regardless. I'll figure out how to get one up if me and Grant can't 1258 01:21:32,000 --> 01:21:36,319 sync up before then. Until next time, though, please remember to rate, 1259 01:21:36,359 --> 01:21:40,520 review, subscribe, Apple, Spotify. If you're on YouTube, hit 1260 01:21:40,560 --> 01:21:43,279 that sub button, comment health the algorithm of us back, join our discord 1261 01:21:43,279 --> 01:21:45,880 the link to that's in the podcast and YouTube description. You could support the 1262 01:21:45,880 --> 01:21:49,880 show by buying our merch that's in the YouTube and podcast description as well. 1263 01:21:50,199 --> 01:21:54,319 And until next time, and as always, to shout out to one, 1264 01:21:54,560 --> 01:21:58,960 the only, the indelible, the man who would never let my Internet collapse. 1265 01:21:59,000 --> 01:22:00,119 At one o'clock in the warning, while we're in the Middle of a 1266 01:22:00,239 --> 01:22:08,199 Banger podcast Frank Pila Pina