1
00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:20,399
What is krack Alakin fellow Thermo nuclear
a everts. I am Dan Favali coming

2
00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:26,519
at you with yet another twenty twenty
three two twenty four NBA team look Ahead.

3
00:00:26,719 --> 00:00:31,160
We're onto the Los Angeles Lakers.
Longtime listeners of the podcast know what

4
00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,640
that means. We get to sit
down and pick the brain of the one,

5
00:00:35,039 --> 00:00:39,039
the only, the legendary, Jabari
Ali Davis. Follow him on the

6
00:00:39,079 --> 00:00:43,880
Twitter machine at Jabari Davis NBA.
That's at j A b A r I

7
00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:49,000
d A v I S NBA.
You can find the handle and the link

8
00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:54,200
to a podcast that he produces writes
content for mad Boosts. It's hosted by

9
00:00:54,679 --> 00:00:58,039
iHeart and it's also under the NBA
umbrella. I will include the link to

10
00:00:58,039 --> 00:01:00,159
go subscribe to that in the podcast
on YouTube. Just cryption as well.

11
00:01:00,719 --> 00:01:04,000
Always love talking to you, Jabari, And the first question, the most

12
00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:08,000
important question, how the heck are
you doing? I'm doing well. First

13
00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,200
of all, thank you for that
incredible intro. I straight out, I've

14
00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,920
never had an intro quite like that, so I appreciate it. I will

15
00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,680
send you. I will zell you
that twenty dollar bill after you. I'm

16
00:01:19,719 --> 00:01:23,719
great. The NBA season's coming up. We got camps, you know,

17
00:01:23,799 --> 00:01:26,799
starting next week. You know,
we got you know, preseason about a

18
00:01:26,879 --> 00:01:30,840
week or so. I can't out
wait. Yeah, and I feel like

19
00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:34,400
this is going to be a very
different look Ahead about the Lakers than it

20
00:01:34,519 --> 00:01:34,840
was. And by the way,
this is I don't know if you know

21
00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,879
this. This is year four for
you. There was four. I thought

22
00:01:38,879 --> 00:01:42,159
it was three. Okay, okay, year four on the Lakers, and

23
00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:45,000
I think that's how long I've been
doing the look Ahead series is four or

24
00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,920
five years? I can't remember.
So I am I am honored, truly,

25
00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,359
I'm grateful you keep coming back.
At this point, it's your fault

26
00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:53,959
too, Like once or twice it's
okay, that might be on I might

27
00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,280
have tricked him. It's officially your
fault. So I think I think your

28
00:01:57,319 --> 00:02:00,519
listeners will probably like, okay,
yeah, maybe not maybe make fun.

29
00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,719
We'll see how this one goes.
No, it needs look. I think

30
00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,000
it's important. I like getting different
perspectives. But we bring on enough,

31
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:12,240
like different guests. I value the
chemistry I have with returning guests, and

32
00:02:12,319 --> 00:02:14,680
so it's like I have one.
You know, we've had a few first

33
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:16,240
time guests and those are fun,
but I love being able to sit down

34
00:02:16,319 --> 00:02:20,280
with people like if it's once a
year, like with you, and we've

35
00:02:20,319 --> 00:02:23,039
now done it four times and we
just have like a good rapport. I

36
00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,039
think that adds value to the show. It could be a little bit more

37
00:02:25,879 --> 00:02:31,120
like an informal interview sometimes when it's
just like first time people on the show,

38
00:02:31,199 --> 00:02:35,400
which again, you need to start
somewhere, so I recognize that.

39
00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,879
But I love chatting about hoops with
you. So I'm sure the listeners love

40
00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:42,759
it too well. Well, I
appreciate it, and I hope I hope

41
00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,439
they do. Let's I mean,
look, let's talk. Let's talk some

42
00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:51,120
Lakers here, And I kind of
wanted to start with last season, where

43
00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,639
it was just such a it felt
like there was eight or nine Laker seasons

44
00:02:53,719 --> 00:02:59,400
rolled into one and they were twenty
fourth. But it starts with the Russell

45
00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,800
Westbrook situation, which might be the
first and last time you mentioned it throughout

46
00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:07,319
this podcast. They're twenty fourth in
net rating before they trade him, then

47
00:03:07,319 --> 00:03:10,159
they jumped to sixth with the league
best defense after the trade. What was

48
00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:15,879
different after that trade or was it
more like, okay, well, the

49
00:03:15,039 --> 00:03:20,439
overall returns were being dragged down by
their really poor start, and we'd already

50
00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,479
kind of seen a little bit of
a shift before then like what just went

51
00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:28,159
into like starting so poorly and then
there's the rush trade and it felt like

52
00:03:28,199 --> 00:03:30,680
they really took off. Yeah,
and you know, and I want to

53
00:03:30,719 --> 00:03:32,919
preface this, of course by you
know, stating the deal. This is

54
00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,280
not going to be like a knock
Russ or like, you know, make

55
00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:38,680
this all about Russ deal. It's
when I when I speak about this,

56
00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:43,360
I'm speaking about the general fit.
Is he a part of that or was

57
00:03:43,439 --> 00:03:46,639
he a part of that? Yes, but I think there was clearly enough

58
00:03:46,759 --> 00:03:50,280
talent to at least make it interesting, you know, prior to the deadline.

59
00:03:50,319 --> 00:03:52,800
But I also think that we had
seen enough of that combination to know

60
00:03:52,879 --> 00:03:55,639
that it simply wasn't It wasn't the
right one. And you know, I

61
00:03:55,719 --> 00:04:00,800
think everyone involved, you could have
raised your hand step fault in that,

62
00:04:00,919 --> 00:04:03,080
whether it be the front office or
the players that fought, you know,

63
00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,479
thought it would be a good idea, or you know, drawn individually a

64
00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:11,599
d whoever rust himself. Everyone can
raise their hand and say like, yeah,

65
00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,879
you know, we didn't get that
right. Ultimately, what I really

66
00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,920
felt was, yes, there were
signs that there were you know that they

67
00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:23,240
were a better team than the two
and ten start. And yes they had

68
00:04:23,439 --> 00:04:26,639
you know, like at least worked
their way back into the conversation, but

69
00:04:26,759 --> 00:04:29,720
it probably was never going to come
to fruition. And what I don't even

70
00:04:29,759 --> 00:04:31,199
have to like sugarcoat it. He
was never going to come to fruition with

71
00:04:31,319 --> 00:04:34,319
for us. Now, ultimately they
didn't win, you know what I'm saying,

72
00:04:34,319 --> 00:04:38,240
they getting They got to the conference
finals and and and and that always

73
00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:40,759
sounds good, you know, but
if you're a Lakers fan, you know,

74
00:04:40,879 --> 00:04:44,720
like that that's like a wasted season. But it at least set him

75
00:04:44,959 --> 00:04:49,519
on the right trajector. And I
feel like they followed up this summer the

76
00:04:50,079 --> 00:04:54,759
look they had just and they're still
like they're still having a busy summer.

77
00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:58,000
Like the Christian Wood signing comes in
the Jared Vanderbilt extension, there was the

78
00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,319
ad extension going through. I'd normally
like to go through each of the notable

79
00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,480
individual moves. We would be here
until the All Star Break if we did

80
00:05:05,519 --> 00:05:09,240
that with the Lakers. So I
want to try and break this down with

81
00:05:09,399 --> 00:05:13,279
some more overarching thoughts and quick hitters. But let's start with this. What

82
00:05:13,399 --> 00:05:16,279
were your overall impressions about how they
fared and what they did in some this

83
00:05:16,439 --> 00:05:21,160
offseason, new editions, re signings, extensions, the whole nine. Honestly,

84
00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,600
I thought it was fantastic work.
And you know me, and look,

85
00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:26,600
I'm not going to be a homer
if they if they didn't do well,

86
00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,399
I would acknowledge it and say like, yeah, this is this isn't

87
00:05:29,439 --> 00:05:32,600
it. But on paper as well
as I think will be the case in

88
00:05:32,639 --> 00:05:38,160
practice, I think they did a
solid job of not just solidifying the roster

89
00:05:38,319 --> 00:05:41,680
around the guys that they already had, but bringing in guys that actually fit

90
00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:45,720
and made sense, you know what
I mean. Like and allow me to

91
00:05:45,759 --> 00:05:48,920
give credit because the moves right ahead
of last you know, look right ahead

92
00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:53,800
of last year's deadline, we're pretty
much just you know, precursors to the

93
00:05:53,879 --> 00:05:56,639
summer. It was basically just getting
the jump start, like on the summer

94
00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:00,720
so you know, outside of you
getting your finding a bigger and bruising center,

95
00:06:00,879 --> 00:06:04,160
you know, like to eat up
some minutes ago, especially during the

96
00:06:04,199 --> 00:06:09,399
regular season and in uh in terms
of particular matchup like in a postseason.

97
00:06:09,639 --> 00:06:12,600
I think they did everything that they
needed to do. I was impressed.

98
00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,360
I was with you too. I
thought they just they didn't have like all

99
00:06:16,399 --> 00:06:20,360
these They could have had cap space
and stuff, but I thought with the

100
00:06:20,439 --> 00:06:23,639
tools that they're disposed about, we
always kind of knew they were going to

101
00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,279
operate as an over the cap team. That the Kyrie scenario was just it

102
00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,959
always felt like a super duper long
shot. I was impressed, and I've

103
00:06:30,959 --> 00:06:35,399
actually been basically since everything Rob Holinka
has done almost I would argue, since

104
00:06:35,519 --> 00:06:40,759
the Rush trade has been like,
yes, good. So I was a

105
00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,759
big fan of the mid season trade
too. I was higher on D'Angelo Russell

106
00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,839
and Molik Beasley than it turned out
I should have been coming in, and

107
00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,199
even Vando was just like he becomes
unplayable at some points in the playoffs.

108
00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:53,959
But the extension was good. What
new addition, though, looking at only

109
00:06:54,040 --> 00:07:00,639
new additions, what new addition intrigues
you the most two part answers is obviously

110
00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,000
you know Gabe Vincent, you know
Torre and Princes are solid and somewhat proven

111
00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:06,480
and established players. I think they
will contribute. I think they will both

112
00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,959
find you know, you know ample
time, you know, ample playing time,

113
00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,720
you know, throughout the rotation or
you're in the rotation, you know

114
00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,879
throughout the year, but I'm gonna
tell you, and this is one that

115
00:07:15,959 --> 00:07:19,079
may surprise you, especially you know, with with how some of your you

116
00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:24,439
know, how your questions are formulated. Cam Reddish is the one that intrigues

117
00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,839
me. I'm answering specific that intrigues
me the most, and part of it,

118
00:07:27,959 --> 00:07:30,639
admittedly is because he's still a mystery
box. I recognize he's had a

119
00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:34,000
bunch of stops along the way,
but he's only twenty four years old,

120
00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:39,399
he's six foot eight, he's an
athletic guy. It's am I expecting him

121
00:07:39,439 --> 00:07:42,120
to just put on purple and gold
and just figure, you know, figure

122
00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:45,720
it all completely out. No,
that's not realistic, But I am intrigued

123
00:07:45,759 --> 00:07:47,759
to see what it looks like,
you know, when he's been working within

124
00:07:47,879 --> 00:07:51,800
this system, when he's working alongside
guys you don't like Lebron James and Anthony

125
00:07:51,879 --> 00:07:54,800
Davis and all the other you know, all of the other guys that are

126
00:07:54,879 --> 00:07:59,040
on there, and quite frankly,
not that it's now or never, but

127
00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:03,600
it's almost like a you don't get
all that many opportunities, so at the

128
00:08:03,759 --> 00:08:05,639
very least I'm intrigued to see what, you know, what they might have

129
00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,680
is he gonna play a role though
I like this team still needs wings and

130
00:08:13,279 --> 00:08:16,600
kem Riddish I think showed a lot
of offensive promise in Portland last year,

131
00:08:16,839 --> 00:08:20,319
the tunnel vision and like the not
really being good at passing or wanting to

132
00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,720
pass is bad. And I just
don't his physical tools. He should be

133
00:08:24,759 --> 00:08:26,800
a lot more disruptive on defense.
But like, are they gonna give him?

134
00:08:26,879 --> 00:08:28,800
This is a minimum at the end
of the day, it's a minimum

135
00:08:28,839 --> 00:08:31,759
signing. So are they going to
give him a real shot at regular minutes?

136
00:08:31,759 --> 00:08:35,600
Do you think? I think they're
gonna have to, at least initially,

137
00:08:35,639 --> 00:08:37,039
at least give him the opportunity I
get him that, like nothing is

138
00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:41,399
guaranteed, and if he doesn't perform, or if he displays something like a

139
00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:45,480
lot of the weaknesses that he has
shown at different times, or the lasses

140
00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,120
and judgment they or whatever like on
the court that he's shown at times,

141
00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,799
well then you know, you just
pull him out of the rotation specifically,

142
00:08:50,799 --> 00:08:52,919
because like you said, it isn't
like they paid him a great deal or

143
00:08:54,039 --> 00:08:56,559
you know, gave him Maybe you
get like a four year guaranteed you know,

144
00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,679
situation. But because of what you
alluded to at the start of the

145
00:09:00,799 --> 00:09:03,720
question. Because they don't have a
ton of wings outside of like, you

146
00:09:03,759 --> 00:09:07,159
know, like their main guys,
they're gonna have to give it. They're

147
00:09:07,159 --> 00:09:09,639
gonna have to see what's there,
much like they're gonna, you know,

148
00:09:09,799 --> 00:09:11,799
and I know that these you know, these guys are coming up, much

149
00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:13,840
like they're gonna have to see what
Max Christie can bring you in year two.

150
00:09:15,039 --> 00:09:18,559
They're gonna have to give these guys
opportunities unless unless you're telling me that

151
00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:22,000
they're still going to make some moves. You know, the wing situation is

152
00:09:22,039 --> 00:09:24,559
going to dictate that those guys are
going to get out early at least early

153
00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:26,919
season opportunities. And he's definitely going
to be one of them. Look,

154
00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,960
you mentioned him, let's talk about
him. I've heard from people who I

155
00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:37,720
think are very smart that Max Christie
looks like he's due for making an impact.

156
00:09:37,919 --> 00:09:41,879
What is the intrigue here with Max
Christy? I didn't watch I didn't

157
00:09:41,879 --> 00:09:46,600
see a ton of him in Summer
League. What is what is so polarizing

158
00:09:46,639 --> 00:09:52,080
about Max Christie. He's long rangey, he's got he's interchangeable defensive league,

159
00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,480
and you know he can guard some
ones, he can guard twos and he

160
00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,000
can guard some threes. Uh,
the rumors that he grew he came in

161
00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,080
at six five, is that he's
more like six six six seven. Now

162
00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:05,000
obviously you know, you know that
would you know, like if he continues

163
00:10:05,039 --> 00:10:07,600
to you know, to trend in
that direction, that would help. But

164
00:10:07,759 --> 00:10:11,399
he he did show signs. You
know, I recognize a lot of people

165
00:10:11,399 --> 00:10:13,600
weren't watching the Lakers games, especially
when you know, when they when in

166
00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:16,960
the moments when he was playing,
uh, you know, throughout the course

167
00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,519
of the season last year. But
he did show some signs. He did

168
00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:22,799
show some signs. He showed it
was it was one of those rooms like,

169
00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:24,200
Okay, this is a basketball player. This is that you know,

170
00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,879
we'll see if he can develop into
you know, like a rotational guy.

171
00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,519
But then he was very clearly a
basketball player already. So I think there's

172
00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:33,559
always going to be that optimism.
There's all, you know, like,

173
00:10:33,799 --> 00:10:37,679
you know, fans of the team
are always of any team are always gonna

174
00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:41,159
like be hopeful or you know,
or wishful for their young prospects. But

175
00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:46,399
at the very least there's something there, you know what I mean. And

176
00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:50,000
and and again, he you know, he's buried in the depth chart,

177
00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,080
Like say, for instance, there
they want to play him at the two.

178
00:10:52,279 --> 00:10:54,879
He's pretty buried. He's pretty much
buried in the depth chart there.

179
00:10:54,879 --> 00:10:56,960
And I don't necessarily see him breaking
through there, you know, barring you

180
00:10:58,039 --> 00:11:00,679
know, barring anything, you know, crazy. But if he's going to

181
00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,360
begin on the court, it's going
to be simply because he's able to work

182
00:11:03,399 --> 00:11:05,840
his way in finding you you're playing
a little bit bigger, playing some three,

183
00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,279
maybe playing some backup to it you
at points. But yeah, like

184
00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,440
it. I guess I don't even
know if I answered the question, but

185
00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:16,840
I guess that's why I'm intrigued by
him, because there's some interchangeability there.

186
00:11:16,159 --> 00:11:20,639
Because he look, he did look
good in some spots over the course over

187
00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:24,080
this rookie season, and because he
showed some growth in the Summer league,

188
00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:28,840
especially in those early games. There's
there's there's reason to be intrigued. I

189
00:11:28,919 --> 00:11:30,960
think. I mean, look,
if he's gonna come in and he can

190
00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:33,960
actually play minutes at the three,
that's what's really valuable for them because I

191
00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,879
say they don't have wings, and
like they do have flyers now, like

192
00:11:35,919 --> 00:11:39,679
there's Cam Reddish, Jelenmtrafino. They
just drafted Lebron is still kind of a

193
00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,759
wing, but he's basically like a
fringe big slash point guard. So but

194
00:11:43,799 --> 00:11:46,360
if he comes in and he can
play the three and he's gonna give you

195
00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:48,720
shooting he was at he shot like
forty two percent from three last year on

196
00:11:48,879 --> 00:11:52,480
very low volume, so he can
give you, well it relative who wasn't

197
00:11:52,519 --> 00:11:56,159
playing a ton of minutes. But
so if he's gonna hit threes and can

198
00:11:56,279 --> 00:12:01,159
play like called up defensively at the
three, that I don't want to say

199
00:12:01,159 --> 00:12:03,320
it's a game changers to overstate his
importance, but like that's someone who would

200
00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,240
argue just needs to be in the
rotation then. And to be clear,

201
00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:09,720
like I'm not I'm not saying that, you know, I know that you

202
00:12:09,799 --> 00:12:13,120
reconnize this. I'm just saying this
for the benefit of the listeners. I'm

203
00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,399
not saying that, oh, it's
a guarantee that he's going to do these

204
00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,559
things. That's what the hopies.
That's you know, when we're looking at

205
00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:20,440
this roster, it's very clear to
me it's like, Okay, so either

206
00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:26,440
they're expecting MaTx Christie to take a
significant leap of even with all of the

207
00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,519
nice things they just said about him
or and or they're expecting Cam Reddish to

208
00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:31,879
be in the rotation. One of
those two. That has to be the

209
00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:37,120
expectation. So I'm hopeful this is
how we go. Virals bringing up Max

210
00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:39,960
Christy within the first ten minutes of
the Lakers look at it. Was there

211
00:12:41,039 --> 00:12:43,039
a move and it could be a
new addition, it could be a contract

212
00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:48,120
they gave out to a returning player
that surprised you the most this offseason.

213
00:12:48,919 --> 00:12:50,279
Well, you know, given how
folks were talking about, you know,

214
00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:54,120
Awston Reeves. And to be clear, I love Alston Reeves. I'm I'm

215
00:12:54,159 --> 00:12:56,840
actually a big fan of his and
I'm not one of those folks that's gonna

216
00:12:58,039 --> 00:13:01,120
you know, poo poo it because
other people are tired of him being praised.

217
00:13:01,279 --> 00:13:05,799
But I will stay when the season
was over again you have folks talking

218
00:13:05,799 --> 00:13:07,519
about, oh, he's gonna get
some team is gonna offer him seventeen to

219
00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,440
eighteen and you know, price the
Lakers out of it or make things,

220
00:13:11,519 --> 00:13:13,480
you know, uncomfortable for him.
And then when they wound up getting them

221
00:13:13,519 --> 00:13:16,120
for a bit about the equipment of
like twelve five, you know, like

222
00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:20,600
you know, over the course of
four years, your average over the course

223
00:13:20,639 --> 00:13:22,360
of four years. I said,
okay, well, you know what,

224
00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,159
that's a solid player at a at
a decent rate. So I guess that

225
00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:30,279
was a surprise to me just because
of the talk. But the real surprise

226
00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:35,399
really was gay visit. Because look, I'm not an insight. I don't

227
00:13:35,519 --> 00:13:39,039
have all the you know, I
don't have you know, agents calling me

228
00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,320
every five seconds. I don't have
coaches calling the custoy out or text me

229
00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:45,120
or anything like that. So I
didn't know that that was even in the

230
00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,240
cards. And then suddenly, like
like right wing free agency started. It

231
00:13:48,279 --> 00:13:50,120
was I got the Lakers got Gay
Vincent, and I was like, wait

232
00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:52,960
what, oh, okay, now
again, not a superstar, not you

233
00:13:54,519 --> 00:13:58,600
no expectations of being a superstar whatsoever. But in terms of filling a very

234
00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:03,559
specific role, giving good, good
minutes at the guard position, you know,

235
00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:07,720
I felt like that was a whole
breath. He brings like a really

236
00:14:09,039 --> 00:14:13,320
important element if his threes are gonna
fall, and like his shooting splits were

237
00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:15,279
kind of all over the place a
lot of the times last year. But

238
00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:20,200
he can essentially be a three in
D guard, which is very important with

239
00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:24,000
better size than let's say peque Patrick
Beverley who That's what he was was like

240
00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,519
or Javon Carter another three someone who's
actually a three D guard right now,

241
00:14:28,679 --> 00:14:31,919
and that's huge on this team when
you have Lebron and even DeAngelo Russell as

242
00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,559
well, and he's like there's some
like live dribble playmaking there if you give

243
00:14:35,639 --> 00:14:39,279
him enough spacing. We saw it
in Miami. I was that was my

244
00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,000
most surprising, Like, you know, oh, okay, I didn't think

245
00:14:43,039 --> 00:14:48,279
Miami was just gonna let him and
Struss leave. They maybe they know something

246
00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:52,279
about Dame the Dame trade that eventually
end. Hoping that doesn't date this podcast,

247
00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,399
maybe he'd already be done by the
time this goes out. But I

248
00:14:54,799 --> 00:14:58,639
think that's super intriguing, and he's
someone who I guess I would imagine that,

249
00:14:58,759 --> 00:15:03,559
like he's coming off the bench to
start the year. But it wouldn't

250
00:15:03,559 --> 00:15:07,519
surprise me if their best lineup is
just gonna include like Gabe Vincent is like

251
00:15:07,679 --> 00:15:11,000
in their best lineup with Lebron,
A D. Austin Reeves and then you

252
00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:15,919
kind of futs around with that fifth
spot. Yeah. I know we're going

253
00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,159
to get the lineups later, so
I won't go there yet. But the

254
00:15:18,279 --> 00:15:22,200
next point, you know, like
the next line item, it will will

255
00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:26,279
pretty much bring some of it out. I'm right there with you. I'm

256
00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,360
right there with you. Whether it's
because they've moved on from d Loo and

257
00:15:28,399 --> 00:15:31,559
I'm not I'm not advocating for it. I'm just saying that there's certainly a

258
00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,279
possibility, or simply because he outplayed
him and worked his way into the lineup.

259
00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:39,039
I would not be shocked if Gabe
Vincent is starting in the back board,

260
00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:43,399
and so I'm gonna jump to Austin
Reeves just because you already mentioned him,

261
00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:46,799
Let's start here, so you would
You had talked about, however,

262
00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:50,039
once that he was going to get
the poison pill, which could have been

263
00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:54,080
up to about one hundred million dollars, and we won't get in the complexities

264
00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,480
of it. We talked about it
on offseason pods. Were you surprised that

265
00:15:56,639 --> 00:16:00,720
no one tried to even like even
partial poise and pill where it was like,

266
00:16:00,759 --> 00:16:03,759
okay, it's worth seventy five million
over four years rather than a hundred

267
00:16:04,399 --> 00:16:08,840
You know, I never know what
to truly believe when it comes to NBA

268
00:16:10,039 --> 00:16:12,960
rumors. And you know what I
mean by that, Like, like I'll

269
00:16:14,039 --> 00:16:17,440
be speak friend. I think a
lot of the rumors are conjectured. I

270
00:16:17,519 --> 00:16:18,879
think a lot of the rumors and
I'm talking about by you know, like

271
00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:23,120
you well known folks as well as
just regular render mill you know, jerks

272
00:16:23,159 --> 00:16:26,639
like me. I think a lot
of it is like, oh, I

273
00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,120
could see that happen, because quite
frankly, there's so many crazy ones that

274
00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,279
you know that that come out that
it makes it so late. Like like

275
00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:37,799
I said, I don't know what
to trust. I thought we would at

276
00:16:37,879 --> 00:16:41,200
least get someone that offered him,
you know, in the sixteen seventeen million

277
00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:44,480
range, And I was actually worried
about that, but then I thought,

278
00:16:44,519 --> 00:16:47,559
you know what, I would be
comfortable at that rate. But had it

279
00:16:47,639 --> 00:16:52,399
been you know, twenty five,
Hey go with God Austin, Hey look

280
00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,720
again, and there will be Lakers
fans to get upset with that, like,

281
00:16:56,759 --> 00:16:59,120
oh no, you gotta keep it
at that rate, it would have

282
00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:02,480
been a different conversation. Well where
you know where he fits in. I'm

283
00:17:02,559 --> 00:17:07,519
very yet I will say I wish
there was more gamesmanship in the NBA where

284
00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:11,799
someone I was I criticized mostly the
Spurs because I just feel like, and

285
00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:15,279
even I didn't like him on the
thunder necessarily but like those were the teams,

286
00:17:15,319 --> 00:17:18,200
were the moves they made with their
cap space. Those could have waited

287
00:17:18,319 --> 00:17:22,599
tie up your cap space for a
couple of days and make either mess with

288
00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:26,599
the Lakers payroll or get someone who
could maybe grow with your team. And

289
00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:32,000
we saw it a little bit where
Utah so creative with the Paul Reid offer

290
00:17:32,039 --> 00:17:34,519
sheet to Philly. I want more
of that. This is it me being

291
00:17:34,559 --> 00:17:38,079
a cap doork. This is me
wanting teams to fuck over other teams.

292
00:17:38,799 --> 00:17:41,799
I'm not a cap door, but
I will. I'm here for that exact

293
00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:45,480
type of chaos, except for the
Lakers, like, hey, don't don't

294
00:17:45,519 --> 00:17:48,000
do that with us, but with
everyone else, with everyone else, No,

295
00:17:48,799 --> 00:17:52,400
you know, jokes aside, I'm
here for that type of gamesmanship.

296
00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:56,720
I'm here for those that exact type
of strategy. To be honest with you,

297
00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:00,720
I was surprised when Philly matched that. You know you'll match it.

298
00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:03,799
I thought, you know, well, not not that there's anything against Paul

299
00:18:03,799 --> 00:18:07,240
Reid. Is just because like I
keep on wondering, what the hell do

300
00:18:07,319 --> 00:18:10,839
they doing it? Really? But
that's that's another conversation. That's another preview

301
00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:15,279
pod that I'm sure you've already done. Or will eventually do we gotta get

302
00:18:15,319 --> 00:18:21,000
my gotta get my guys back on
for that one. Uh oh but no,

303
00:18:21,079 --> 00:18:23,759
no, no, I'm here for
it. I would love to see

304
00:18:23,799 --> 00:18:26,680
it, even if even if it
was at the expensive of my team.

305
00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:30,799
I think it's I think that type
of stuff is an entertainment. So I'm

306
00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,480
right there with you. So I'm
sure people, just because it's the Lakers

307
00:18:33,599 --> 00:18:37,400
were very exposed to Austin Reaves last
year. But I also think that a

308
00:18:37,519 --> 00:18:41,400
lot of the talk with him can
be dismissed because it's, oh, he

309
00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:44,279
plays with the Lakers. If he
was on the Hornets, would we be

310
00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:47,720
talking about him in this vein?
Probably a fair question. What impressed you

311
00:18:47,839 --> 00:18:52,799
the most though about his development last
season? I felt a lot better with

312
00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:56,200
the ball in his hands, uh
than I like, obviously at the ricky

313
00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:00,640
and that that's not really like groundbreaking
analysis at a second year player. I

314
00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,519
felt better about him with the ballas
anazon, but you know, as a

315
00:19:03,599 --> 00:19:07,000
rookie it was like, okay,
that you know he can be a rotation

316
00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:10,640
guy. And then last year I
said, oh no, no, he

317
00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:12,480
can be you know, he can
be a lead initiator and like and noo,

318
00:19:12,559 --> 00:19:17,279
he's never I don't I'm not anticipating
in Austin converting and just being a

319
00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:19,279
straight you know, playmaking point guard
or anything like that. But he at

320
00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:23,119
least showed the ability to create,
not just for himself, but you know,

321
00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:26,839
for others. He's a he's you
know, he's a he's a willing

322
00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,160
guy. You know, whether that's
willing to make you know, find the

323
00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,599
open guy, willing to get back
and you get into the pass away,

324
00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:36,039
willing to take you get back and
take a charge of him case maybe.

325
00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:41,920
So I was impressed by just the
confidence that he very clearly has and I

326
00:19:41,039 --> 00:19:44,880
know that that you know, some
you know, some listeners might and viewers

327
00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:48,119
may say like, well, of
course he's confident. There's a difference.

328
00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,599
There is a difference between the confidence
to you know, make the league and

329
00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:53,440
the confidence to you know, like
to you know, hit game winners and

330
00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:59,880
then look Lebron James directly in his
face and say bitch on him here for

331
00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,079
level of confidence. And I like, I like a little bit of that,

332
00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:11,240
yeah, you know more, And
I think I think we'll see him

333
00:20:11,319 --> 00:20:15,880
challenge a great deal this year.
But I'm gonna go ahead and go out

334
00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,400
on the limit say, I think
Auston Reeves is going to be in the

335
00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:22,680
running for most of true players.
I think I think that is coming.

336
00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:26,559
I haven't dug enough until like they
thought about the award it. I'm just

337
00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,720
so in team looking at mode I
do have. This is stat I pulled

338
00:20:30,799 --> 00:20:36,640
up just for you before this podcast. Austin Reeves, there were let's frame

339
00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:40,000
of in this way, one hundred
and ninety players last year finished at least

340
00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:45,000
two hundred drives. One hundred and
ninety players. Here is the list of

341
00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:49,599
every single one of those players who
shot sixty percent on those drives while also

342
00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:53,279
having an assist rate of at least
ten. So like, that's not this

343
00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,759
isn't really cherry pick two hundreds high
volume. We're talking sixty percent shooting a

344
00:20:57,839 --> 00:21:03,519
ten assist rate. There's Austin Reeves, there's nicolea. Yokich, there's Domas

345
00:21:03,559 --> 00:21:07,240
a Bonus, there's Luca don Chich. That is literally it pretty damn good

346
00:21:07,279 --> 00:21:11,000
company. And he's none of those
players. Don't want to make that clear,

347
00:21:11,319 --> 00:21:15,160
but he wasn't working like they didn't. The Lakers did not have pristine

348
00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:21,839
spacing. Last this is someone who's
shooting sixty percent on drives causing chaos enough

349
00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:25,799
to set other people up where they're
half court spacing or even in transition that

350
00:21:25,839 --> 00:21:30,839
it was kind of funky. Yes, it look it doesn't look like your

351
00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,200
traditional like you know, you know, you start when you'll start, you'll

352
00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:37,200
start from one place and blitz to
the blitz to the basket. He's a

353
00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:41,000
little bit hurky jerky, but he's
also he's also got some quickness. Alson

354
00:21:41,039 --> 00:21:45,519
Reeves is a ball player. Again, if if Austin Reeve, if you're

355
00:21:45,559 --> 00:21:48,000
asking Austin Reeves to be your second
or third best player, You're probably not

356
00:21:48,079 --> 00:21:52,240
going to be a great team.
You're gonna because you may be competitive depending

357
00:21:52,319 --> 00:21:53,559
on the mix. I'm not gonna
be a great team. But if you're

358
00:21:53,599 --> 00:21:59,480
asking Auson Reeves to be your fourth
or fifth best player and simply contribute where

359
00:21:59,559 --> 00:22:02,359
you can get fit in, where
he can fit in, then you honestly

360
00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,160
you're cooking with hide Reef. And
I think that's where the Lakers are right

361
00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:08,279
And look I have it was the
ball handling and decision making for me was

362
00:22:08,319 --> 00:22:11,480
what I was most impressed with.
I'd probably like to well, this steps

363
00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,680
too much on the toes of the
next question. I kind of have to

364
00:22:14,759 --> 00:22:18,240
monitor, Like he shot like fifty
plus percent from mid range the past two

365
00:22:18,319 --> 00:22:21,119
years. He shot eighty percent at
the rim last year, and I'm like,

366
00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:22,720
there's no way that sustainable. But
you know what he shot and you're

367
00:22:22,759 --> 00:22:26,599
one he shot seventy one percent at
the rim, which is still just a

368
00:22:26,759 --> 00:22:30,400
ridiculous clip. I just I am. So he's probably one of the most

369
00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:37,319
fascinating players to me because I don't
actually think people outside of Lakers fandom or

370
00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:41,400
media really understand how much of a
swing piece that this guy is. And

371
00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,440
So with that in mind, what
are you watching most closely for as he

372
00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:52,079
enters year three? How he you
know, how his body looks specifically to

373
00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:56,160
like now, when he's been in
multiple training camps, multiple you you've been

374
00:22:56,279 --> 00:23:00,519
with an NBA franchise for multiple years, I mean off of the FIBA experience.

375
00:23:00,839 --> 00:23:03,640
So how is Boel like, how
his body goes, how he you

376
00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:07,240
know, how he reacts on the
defensive end. Now here's the thing.

377
00:23:07,599 --> 00:23:11,720
The funniest thing about, especially with
NBA fans is sometimes and I'm guilty of

378
00:23:11,799 --> 00:23:14,880
this as well, but like I
will cherry pick stuff or like say,

379
00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:17,559
for instance, like in the in
the Olympics, like where they were like

380
00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,200
five possessions where like he got hunted
or whatever the case may be, were

381
00:23:21,279 --> 00:23:22,839
It's like, if you look at
it, every other possession, someone else

382
00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:26,920
was getting hunted. So like everyone
is getting hunted at some point or another.

383
00:23:26,279 --> 00:23:30,519
But he's a willing defender. He
is. He's not like I don't

384
00:23:30,599 --> 00:23:33,559
necessarily love him defending you know,
threes and fours, which at times,

385
00:23:33,839 --> 00:23:37,039
you know, he was asked to
do that in the Olympics as well as

386
00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:40,240
all this Lakers team last year.
But if you put him on ones and

387
00:23:40,319 --> 00:23:41,960
twos, I feel pretty damn good
about it. I actually want to see

388
00:23:42,319 --> 00:23:45,359
you like, you know, what
his defense is like this here, you

389
00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,359
know, you know, if his
conditioning is just that a tick better,

390
00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,680
is Atlantic Silam just a just a
tick better? And honestly, how he

391
00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:57,680
how he reacts to you being pressured
with the ball, because again first year

392
00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:02,480
it was shaking, so you know, and and and understandably shaky, you

393
00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:04,279
know, as a rookie last year, there were some spots where I was

394
00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:10,480
like, but they honestly, as
one of the things I like most about

395
00:24:10,559 --> 00:24:11,759
him is he's not going to be
one of those guests and he hangs his

396
00:24:11,839 --> 00:24:14,839
head, He's like, all right, bring it, let's go. You

397
00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:18,240
got me a couple of times,
let's go. And it's that it's for

398
00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:22,279
that reason that I'm expecting him to, you know, to be slightly even

399
00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:27,440
slightly better at handling that type of
actual ball pressure. So really it's just

400
00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:30,599
a matter of, like he doesn't
have to like come out and change anything

401
00:24:30,759 --> 00:24:34,559
tremendously. It's just you know,
making slight, you know, slight improvements

402
00:24:34,599 --> 00:24:37,440
across the board. And I think
that's what he's going to do. That's

403
00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:42,079
what I anticipated had I think what
could also help him defensively is I like

404
00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:47,119
sort of the assignment archetype they threw
him on, which was mostly there were

405
00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:49,799
some stationary players, but it was
like kind of the movement shooters where he

406
00:24:49,839 --> 00:24:52,799
didn't have to necessarily defend at the
point of attack all the time. Now

407
00:24:52,839 --> 00:24:56,119
that you have Gabe Vincent, if
he's hitting enough of his threes and if

408
00:24:56,240 --> 00:25:00,000
as long as you can steal minutes
however long you need, with Jared Vanderbilt

409
00:25:00,039 --> 00:25:03,680
on the court, there are guys
that I don't know how insulated he needs

410
00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,920
to be, but you can insulate
him against having to defend either too far

411
00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:11,039
up or just like in terms of
size, or too far up the let's

412
00:25:11,039 --> 00:25:15,480
say, the talent the pecking order
to where I don't want him defending necessarily

413
00:25:15,519 --> 00:25:18,440
Damian Lillard or well, bad example, who might not be in the Western

414
00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:22,160
Conference anymore. I don't want him
defending Steph Curry that and like those weren't

415
00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:25,839
the assignments he was typically tackling.
So but I would be with you that

416
00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,160
I'm very interested to see the step
forward defensively. And I think the other

417
00:25:29,279 --> 00:25:32,400
thing for me, and this is
you know, I'm only going here because

418
00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:34,400
you already outlaid the defensive part of
it. I want to see if the

419
00:25:34,519 --> 00:25:37,880
three point volume can be nudged up
a bit, because I think that would

420
00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:42,160
be huge for the Lakers. He's
clearly comfortable getting off those in between shots.

421
00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:45,720
But you look at him the role. He's gonna play a lot of

422
00:25:45,759 --> 00:25:49,359
two and three four attempts per thirty
six minutes. It's just it's too low,

423
00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,000
like I think it needs to come
up to. And look, especially

424
00:25:52,039 --> 00:25:55,559
if he's gonna shot thirty nine percent
on them, you'd like to see that

425
00:25:55,640 --> 00:26:00,359
come up to like probably double like
per minute to seven or eight. And

426
00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:02,720
I don't know how much of a
difference that makes, but I think it

427
00:26:02,759 --> 00:26:06,599
could make not just looking at oh
how much is he gonna average? How

428
00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:10,200
good is he? But if he's
taking more threes and defenses are guarding him

429
00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:14,839
because he's taking more threes, that
opens stuff for everybody else. So here's

430
00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:18,119
one for you. I need that
to happen because I don't need the bigs

431
00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:22,000
out there shooting them. Okay,
I recognize you don't like the Jared Vanderbilt

432
00:26:22,079 --> 00:26:25,000
corner threes. What's wrong with those? All right? So here's the deal.

433
00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:29,279
If he can, if he can
just knock down league average from wide

434
00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:32,559
open corner threes, I'm fine with
it. But if you can't, then

435
00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:34,759
no, I don't want you jacking
them up. And and the funniest thing

436
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:37,559
is like people, you know,
when I when I let out with I

437
00:26:37,559 --> 00:26:41,920
don't want the big shooting threes,
people will automatically think I'm throwing shade at

438
00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:45,160
a d I'm not, even though
I don't need you shooting those either that

439
00:26:45,039 --> 00:26:49,000
But it's really it's it's really just
a matter of I would still prefer and

440
00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:52,400
I recognize it's an outside end game, you know, in a lot of

441
00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:56,119
cases these days, but I would
still prefer a little bit of variants.

442
00:26:56,359 --> 00:27:00,440
So if you get if you can
knock them down, take him Alston Reeves,

443
00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:03,519
get that up to at least six
or seven. Take him Dave Vincent

444
00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:07,799
if you know, if this is
a good year, take him all you

445
00:27:07,839 --> 00:27:11,519
know, and guy's Nick and Torrian
Prince. Take him. But if if

446
00:27:11,559 --> 00:27:14,440
you're giving me thirty percent, I
don't need that. I don't. I

447
00:27:14,759 --> 00:27:18,319
do not need a d shooting.
You know, four three's a game at

448
00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:22,119
thirty percent, I do not need. You know, if if if Vanderbilt

449
00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:26,039
can't get that over at least thirty
four or thirty five percent, I don't

450
00:27:26,079 --> 00:27:27,240
need you take in five or six
of those a game because it's just a

451
00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:32,359
it's a wasted possession of him.
Yeah, there's value in the volume,

452
00:27:32,599 --> 00:27:36,680
but only if and I'll compare it
to he's not a big I've always used

453
00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:38,920
Marcus Smart as the example. He's
improved as a shooter. He is,

454
00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:41,799
and he's cut out a lot of
the junkie off the dribble attempts. He's

455
00:27:41,839 --> 00:27:45,519
not a great shooter, but defense
is. If you look at the juxta

456
00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:51,079
like the difference between how they defend. Let's say Dylan Brooks versus Marcus Smart.

457
00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:53,400
So like that volume from Marcus Smart, even if he's only hitting thirty

458
00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:57,079
two, thirty three percent matters.
It's a different story with Jarrek Vanderbilt because

459
00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:02,279
he's taking him no one cares,
no one here and his man, his

460
00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:04,400
man literally says like, all right, go for it, and it looks

461
00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:07,359
for someone in the box out again. This is like, this isn't hey,

462
00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:11,079
no him. I'm hopeful that he's
been in the lab this summer and

463
00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:15,279
has improved upon that design. But
I'm not going to hold my breath just

464
00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,480
yet. What was the move or
contract or whatever that you have the most

465
00:28:19,599 --> 00:28:23,799
questions about from the offseason? All
right, So I want to choose my

466
00:28:23,839 --> 00:28:30,480
words carefully because d Low fans are
truly one of the more sensitive bunches that

467
00:28:30,519 --> 00:28:33,039
I've seen in a minute, and
they're gonna be bad about me just saying

468
00:28:33,079 --> 00:28:36,240
that, and I don't care y'all
are and y'all know it. That's the

469
00:28:36,319 --> 00:28:40,519
one that intrigues me simply because I, again I look at the I look

470
00:28:40,559 --> 00:28:44,079
at the potential of each some of
the younger guys. I look at the

471
00:28:44,119 --> 00:28:47,720
fact that they brought in Gaviscent,
and I say that is a good number

472
00:28:47,759 --> 00:28:52,160
for d low. That's also a
good number in case in case, or

473
00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:56,839
in the event that a he's underperforming, or be it the you know,

474
00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:00,720
the fit simply is no longer good
or whatever the case may be. But

475
00:29:00,799 --> 00:29:03,920
he can I look at that as
a as a as a contract that could

476
00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:07,720
be most Again, I'm not anticipating
it. I'm not even hoping for it.

477
00:29:07,079 --> 00:29:11,640
I like DeAngelo Russell. But if
he again, if the fit ultimately

478
00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:15,839
doesn't work, or if he's not
giving the minutes that he you know,

479
00:29:15,039 --> 00:29:18,039
he's ultimately going to the field that
he's entitled to because someone else has taken

480
00:29:18,079 --> 00:29:22,200
it, then that's one that's That's
the one that when I look at the

481
00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:25,640
page, I go, that's the
one that stands out. Yeah, that

482
00:29:25,839 --> 00:29:30,640
deal is made to trade because he
waved his implicit no trade clause as part

483
00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:33,160
of it, so there's the player
option on it. But it's so short

484
00:29:33,279 --> 00:29:37,000
term. I almost wonder like,
not only was it negotiated to trade,

485
00:29:37,039 --> 00:29:41,960
but I'm like, was this negotiated
to trade by the February deadline? I'm

486
00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:45,480
not talking about next offseason? Like
that's what this contract feels like. And

487
00:29:45,519 --> 00:29:48,000
if he's shooting you know, when
he was in Minnesota and I think Timberwolves

488
00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:51,240
fans were kind of out on him, but like, if he was hitting

489
00:29:51,359 --> 00:29:55,200
enough of his pull up jumpers,
he's giving you some pick and roll orchestration.

490
00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:57,440
And he's providing that with the Lakers, even if it doesn't look the

491
00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:02,279
cleanest or maybe the advanced atolyt Nick
won't won't love him. Like there will

492
00:30:02,279 --> 00:30:03,559
be teams that will just be like, hey, we need like we need

493
00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:07,000
the scoring. And look, he
shot his credit he shot what do you

494
00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:11,480
shoot in LA last year on seven
attempts from three p thirty six that teams

495
00:30:11,519 --> 00:30:15,720
will teams will look at that.
Look like people on Twitter can talk all

496
00:30:15,759 --> 00:30:18,599
the talk you know they want,
We can joke, we can key about

497
00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:22,640
it. But yes, teams will
absolutely look at that. And again I'm

498
00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:25,799
not saying that that's gonna happen,
but of the deals, that's the when

499
00:30:25,799 --> 00:30:29,000
I look at and say like,
yeah, yeah, I nixed this question

500
00:30:29,039 --> 00:30:30,839
because it's fun at disorreally just to
focus on the basketball. But he is

501
00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:34,000
clearly the player most likely to be
traded on the roster this season. Like

502
00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,519
I don't know who you would put
in front, like unless you're just like

503
00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,599
oh no, they're gonna trade like
like, oh they're gonna get rid of

504
00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:45,359
Jackson Hayes or offload him or something
like fine, but like he's just you

505
00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:48,519
look at the salary the deal,
I think my most and not a concern

506
00:30:48,559 --> 00:30:52,559
to where I think it will end
up imploding. But I just have questions.

507
00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:57,759
I don't I still don't understand the
theory of Ruby Hachimura and it's just

508
00:30:59,519 --> 00:31:02,680
you look at the money relative to
the cap going up, like it's fine,

509
00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:04,559
Like I mean, I was.
I was a little bit shocked that

510
00:31:04,599 --> 00:31:08,480
he got three year and fifty one
on like fully guaranteed, like there was

511
00:31:08,559 --> 00:31:14,160
no kind of team outs there.
What am I missing something? What is

512
00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,519
the fit for him on this team? It feels like unless Cam Reddish and

513
00:31:17,599 --> 00:31:19,160
Max Christie kind of pop, Like
are they gonna need him to play some

514
00:31:19,279 --> 00:31:22,839
three? Like what is just the
theory? What is the best case scenario?

515
00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:29,079
What's the vision for Ruey Hatchmore on
this team? Honestly obviously, but

516
00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,799
yeah, yeah, no, no
beyond those pipe dreams and you know what,

517
00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:36,519
shout out to him for doing a
solid job for like a quarter and

518
00:31:36,519 --> 00:31:37,880
a half. I was, I
was, I was right there, like

519
00:31:38,039 --> 00:31:42,279
yo, no truth be told.
I think Ruey's a solid player. He's

520
00:31:42,279 --> 00:31:48,079
a guy who gives him that intermediate, the you know, mid rate,

521
00:31:48,279 --> 00:31:52,200
a ton of mid range offense.
He's an outlet guy. He's also a

522
00:31:52,279 --> 00:31:56,960
guy that can play four or five
and if you depended upon the matchup,

523
00:31:56,240 --> 00:32:00,759
you know, he can play some
three. But it's it's never a bad

524
00:32:00,839 --> 00:32:04,759
thing in my estimation, to have
forwards that are interchangeable, that can defend

525
00:32:04,839 --> 00:32:07,960
multiple sims. I'm not saying he's
a lockdown guy. I'm not saying that

526
00:32:07,039 --> 00:32:10,319
he's gonna lock down the goolda yo
kids in the in the conference finals or

527
00:32:10,319 --> 00:32:13,839
anything like that. But he's at
least a big, solid, a big

528
00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:16,119
strong body that you can throw it. You can throw it at the bigger

529
00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:20,720
scores and and some of the and
some of the smaller you know, smaller

530
00:32:20,799 --> 00:32:22,920
scoring you know, power forwards.
You can actually you can actually put him,

531
00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:27,519
put him out there, and you
know what he what he showed,

532
00:32:27,839 --> 00:32:30,200
especially during that that second half with
the Lakers, is if he gets it

533
00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:32,759
going offensively, he can you know, he can really keep it rolling.

534
00:32:32,839 --> 00:32:37,039
So again, you probably don't want
him as like your second, your first

535
00:32:37,119 --> 00:32:39,359
or second option. You don't want
him even as your third option. But

536
00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:42,440
if he's a guy that's coming off
your bench and he's like a fifth,

537
00:32:42,519 --> 00:32:46,160
sixth guy in your rotation or seventh
guy, Honestly, I don't see the

538
00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:50,279
problem with it. You know,
maybe I'm in love with Maybe I'm in

539
00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:52,920
love a little bit more with him
specifically because you know, like I watched

540
00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:57,519
him up close and personal and he
was doing your quality things from my squad,

541
00:32:57,839 --> 00:33:01,599
you know, the most recently.
I just I'm just some of the

542
00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:05,759
sustainability of what we saw on offense
from him. It's just like he shot

543
00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:09,279
an astronomical clip on twos that were
fourteen plus feet away once he got to

544
00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:13,839
LA. Is that efficiency gonna hold
up? He wasn't hitting his threes at

545
00:33:13,839 --> 00:33:16,000
an ultra clip, and part of
me wonders, he feels like he's better

546
00:33:16,039 --> 00:33:19,400
suited and more of a play finishing
role and it's not like he was holding

547
00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:21,839
on to the ball a ton of
LA. I want to make that clear,

548
00:33:22,279 --> 00:33:24,720
like do they have the space?
Yeah, do they have the spacing

549
00:33:24,799 --> 00:33:30,160
to you know, continuously capitalize off
of that is still a question for me

550
00:33:30,279 --> 00:33:32,000
because if if he can give you, I don't even want to say,

551
00:33:32,079 --> 00:33:36,759
like the peak postseason version of Ruey
on offense. But if that's like seventy

552
00:33:36,799 --> 00:33:39,759
five percent of that like that okay, like not with the defensive nouability.

553
00:33:39,839 --> 00:33:43,799
Now now we're kind of cooking.
I just still have questions about it.

554
00:33:44,359 --> 00:33:45,920
Oh yeah, No, nothing is
guaranteed, Like I mean, there there

555
00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:49,880
are a question marks up and down
the roster, But I honestly think the

556
00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:52,680
same to be said for you know, for a lot of ross at this

557
00:33:52,759 --> 00:33:58,599
stage, the sustainability of the offense
is definitely an intriguing win. Might so

558
00:33:58,759 --> 00:34:00,880
say, for instance, his shot
just goes into the you know, goes

559
00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:04,960
into the year. That would make
that deal, you know, not as

560
00:34:05,039 --> 00:34:07,719
comfortable. Yeah, you know it
Laker's late, But I don't know.

561
00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:14,320
I he he too, you know, you know for you know former you

562
00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:17,480
know, high pick a guy that
you know, there was some promise there.

563
00:34:19,119 --> 00:34:22,639
Uh you know who knows you know
what what is it a he's a

564
00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:25,480
wasson in thing or you know he
was a wasson with I don't know what

565
00:34:25,559 --> 00:34:28,559
the game, you know, what
the case was there. But what I

566
00:34:28,639 --> 00:34:31,840
do know is when I saw him
most recently playing alongside Lebron James and Anthony

567
00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:37,360
Davis, he looked like, So
the hope again is that taking care of

568
00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,199
some of them. He's probably the
second most compelling player for me on this

569
00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:44,679
roster, behind Austin Reeves because you
might have sold me on Max Christie though,

570
00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:46,880
So he's in the top three of
that list of compelling players just because

571
00:34:46,880 --> 00:34:52,320
I'm still so curious about him.
The Christian Wood signing only for minimum money,

572
00:34:52,559 --> 00:34:58,840
so it's not it's zero risk,
but I guess it's twofold here one

573
00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:00,920
is he just like, is the
vision we know what he brings offensively?

574
00:35:01,199 --> 00:35:06,280
Is the vision just he is going
to be? You're like second, like,

575
00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:08,480
first big off the bench? Is
it how are you gonna are you

576
00:35:08,559 --> 00:35:12,400
playing him at the four or are
you playing him next to a D predominantly?

577
00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:15,519
Are you playing him at the five
without a D predominantly? And then

578
00:35:15,519 --> 00:35:20,239
the second part of this is every
single year there's the anthy Davis doesn't want

579
00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:22,400
to be a center. The Lakers
have planned their rotation around that apparently,

580
00:35:22,599 --> 00:35:27,360
and then Anthony Davis just spends the
vast majority of his minutes at center.

581
00:35:27,559 --> 00:35:30,639
So maybe answered the second one for
it? Can we like do we really

582
00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:32,440
even have to talk about this any
Like we're just like Anthony Davis is at

583
00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:37,280
center and the most important unit's anthy
Davis is going to be your center exactly

584
00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:42,840
and that it's funny. My first
reaction was going to be like, can

585
00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:44,960
we move past this? Not to
you, but I'm saying, like the

586
00:35:45,079 --> 00:35:47,760
general conversation with with Andy Davis is
like, oh God, he doesn't want

587
00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:50,719
to play center. It's like,
yeah, he doesn't want to, but

588
00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:52,639
he does, and he doesn't at
a very high level on a lot of

589
00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:57,599
nights. And when he's healthy,
I'll take him. I'll take him against

590
00:35:57,639 --> 00:36:00,159
a lot of centers out there,
a matter of fact, just about out

591
00:36:00,199 --> 00:36:04,079
all of them. I'll have no
problem with acknowledging that. But the reality

592
00:36:04,199 --> 00:36:08,400
is this, we don't have to
bullshit. Christian wood Is is not only

593
00:36:08,679 --> 00:36:14,519
a potential contributor, but he's an
insurance policy as well. Because as much

594
00:36:14,559 --> 00:36:15,960
as I think, as much as
I would love to say, look,

595
00:36:16,119 --> 00:36:19,760
I would love to tell you that
Lebron's names and Anthony Davis are going to

596
00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:23,000
play sixty five to seventy games each
this year. I'd love to I'm not

597
00:36:23,079 --> 00:36:28,280
going to tell you that because there's
absolutely no guarantees of that. And if

598
00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:32,280
you have two guys that you are
going to be so heavily reliant upon when

599
00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:37,679
when it really matters, it doesn't
hurt to bring in a guy like Christian

600
00:36:37,679 --> 00:36:39,679
Wood, especially on a flyer like
this end of the summer, you know,

601
00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:44,800
you know, essentially a minute of
the l VET minimum deal, because

602
00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:49,440
ultimately it's one of two ways with
him. Either he buys in and recognizes,

603
00:36:49,519 --> 00:36:52,280
hey, I might my ass might
be out the league, you know,

604
00:36:52,159 --> 00:36:55,360
you know next year if I don't, or if he doesn't and he

605
00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:59,199
doesn't play well, then you can
go ahead and ship, or you can

606
00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:01,480
just straight out and you don't love
and you don't you really don't lose all

607
00:37:01,519 --> 00:37:07,360
that much. So for me,
it's like gambling without, you know,

608
00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:09,679
gambling with money that you already want. You're like with with winnings. You

609
00:37:09,719 --> 00:37:13,760
know what I'm saying, I'm not
going into my pocket. These are all

610
00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:16,719
you know, I'm just gonna gamble
with my winnings. Am I anticipating just

611
00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:20,800
saying Stellar you're out of Christian?
Would No, I'm not. Would I

612
00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:23,079
love to be surprised, Yes,
I would. Would I love for him

613
00:37:23,159 --> 00:37:25,760
to say, hey, Jabari,
shut the fuck up. You don't know

614
00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:29,239
what you're talking about excuse my language, you said fuck earlier, so I

615
00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:32,840
know, yeah, there's yeah,
okay, but I would love for him

616
00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:37,719
to say Jabari and everyone in Jabari
at all, y'all shut the fuck up.

617
00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:40,239
I'm coming to play. I'm gonna
earn my way back into the great,

618
00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:44,159
you know, into being considered you
know, one of the you know,

619
00:37:44,239 --> 00:37:46,320
the fun young your fun bigs,
you know like that that are that

620
00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:50,079
can do something, you'll do different
things on the board. I would love

621
00:37:50,159 --> 00:37:52,639
for that. I'm not gonna hold
my breath, but I think that's what

622
00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:54,320
the thought theory is. In the
event that, you know, a d

623
00:37:54,519 --> 00:37:59,039
goes down or Lebron goes down,
in the event that he could put it

624
00:37:59,119 --> 00:38:01,639
together, you get you've got a
great situation, and worst case scenario,

625
00:38:02,079 --> 00:38:05,920
you open up a roster spot,
you know, at some point during the

626
00:38:06,039 --> 00:38:08,960
year. I think there's also a
chance offensively, I don't know. I

627
00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:12,280
mean, I can see the theory
of how it will work defensively, just

628
00:38:12,320 --> 00:38:14,960
because of what Anthony Davis and Jared
Vanderbilt are able to do, so you

629
00:38:15,039 --> 00:38:17,559
can play. Christian Wood is sort
of like a stationary low man, while

630
00:38:17,599 --> 00:38:23,039
those guys are gonna just play up
higher up, but like offensively if you're

631
00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:27,880
if, and I mean this is
a question too. Has Anthony Davis's like

632
00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:30,760
efficient jump shot because the ship sailed
on that, and if it has.

633
00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:36,320
Between him and Vando being such shaky
perimeter shooters, Christian Wood can do that.

634
00:38:36,440 --> 00:38:37,559
Like he has ball skills and you're
gonna want to explore them. But

635
00:38:37,639 --> 00:38:44,480
like defensives will respect him when he's
standing beyond the arc. Oh I okay,

636
00:38:44,519 --> 00:38:46,079
So I don't know if you've like, no, we've never watched a

637
00:38:46,079 --> 00:38:50,960
game together. One of my one
of my favorite aspects of the game is

638
00:38:51,039 --> 00:38:53,719
big the big passing, Like straight
up I love this, Like you get

639
00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:58,559
you get bigs working together. I'm
like whoo whoo, like the former coaches

640
00:38:58,679 --> 00:39:00,000
becomes out and I'm just like,
oh man, this this is fantastic.

641
00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:02,719
I expect to see some two man, you know, some two man game

642
00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:07,079
between Anthony Davis and Christian Wood when
they played again. I expect to see

643
00:39:07,119 --> 00:39:08,760
some high low action between the two
of them, and I can't wait to

644
00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:14,360
see what it looks like. To
answer your question, you know directly,

645
00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:17,400
yeah, I'm not. I'm not
anticipating Anthony Davis. She's like shooting fifty

646
00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:22,000
percent or higher from the mid range. I'm not expecting that. I as

647
00:39:22,039 --> 00:39:24,800
long as he's respectable, I'm okay
with him taking it. I don't see

648
00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:28,760
this thing. I don't have a
problem with him relying on the mid range

649
00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:30,360
game because that's kind of what you
know, that that's where he's comfortable.

650
00:39:30,639 --> 00:39:32,960
I just don't want to see the
you know, like trailing back out to

651
00:39:34,360 --> 00:39:37,360
the three point line. But truth
be told, last year, if you

652
00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:39,679
look at the bulk of what Anthony
Davis was doing, he was going to

653
00:39:39,719 --> 00:39:43,400
work in the pain. Yes,
you know, towards the end of the

654
00:39:43,480 --> 00:39:45,920
year he did start to push it
out a little bit. Obviously, you

655
00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:49,119
know, he's probably dealing with dealing
with things that it would cause that.

656
00:39:49,519 --> 00:39:52,079
But for the most part, he
did a lot of his damage in the

657
00:39:52,119 --> 00:39:53,880
paint. And in fact, you
know, before that, you know that

658
00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:57,760
one injury where he was out for
like fifteen to twenty games or whatever,

659
00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:01,519
he was leading the league in point
paint like the point paint points and point

660
00:40:01,599 --> 00:40:06,119
and paint touches and all like.
So, for my money, I'm okay

661
00:40:06,199 --> 00:40:09,480
with what they know, with what
ad has gone on. And look,

662
00:40:09,519 --> 00:40:13,719
to his credit, he did shoot
forty four percent from mid range. To

663
00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:16,320
your point about him working in the
paint a lot, he like, I

664
00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:19,840
don't think it was a career high, but it was pretty pretty close to

665
00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:22,800
a career high. Share of his
looks were coming in that four to fourteen

666
00:40:23,119 --> 00:40:27,320
foot range, like outside the restricted
area, but still in the paint.

667
00:40:27,519 --> 00:40:30,239
He shot an above average clip from
there. It was around forty six,

668
00:40:30,519 --> 00:40:32,920
forty five percent, whatever it was. I do still feel like he becomes

669
00:40:34,079 --> 00:40:37,599
and maybe it's later in the season
fatigue thing, post injury thing. There

670
00:40:37,639 --> 00:40:39,239
are just times when people becomes way
too reliant on the jumper, and I

671
00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:43,880
would just love like we've seen it
in the bubble, We've seen flickers and

672
00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:46,559
flashes of it in previous years before
that. If he was just like this,

673
00:40:46,719 --> 00:40:50,880
like I don't know, reliable pick
and pop option from three, like

674
00:40:50,960 --> 00:40:54,760
he could just change the entire like
fabric of the Lakers offense and night.

675
00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:58,239
Look, we're in year what is
this year? Eleven? Year ten?

676
00:40:58,360 --> 00:41:00,280
For hint, whatever it is,
you can't if only this player had a

677
00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:05,280
consistent three point like that's a pretty
big if, yes, and not only

678
00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:07,800
that, you know what it's like. It's like when we go back and

679
00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:12,199
we say, like man and and
and and allow me to finish before people

680
00:41:12,239 --> 00:41:15,519
tear my head up about this because
I'm not putting a D in the same

681
00:41:15,559 --> 00:41:19,159
conversation with Shack can give me way. I'm just see, It's like when

682
00:41:19,199 --> 00:41:21,960
we go back and we said,
if Shaq could have just made his three

683
00:41:22,039 --> 00:41:24,320
those so you know what, he
was pretty damn good even with that.

684
00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:30,239
He's pretty damn good even with that. And right now, all things considered,

685
00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:34,400
when Anthony Davis is healthy and he's
out there busting his ass defensively and

686
00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:39,559
he's literally changing games and series,
you know, defensively, I'll take it.

687
00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:43,280
Man. I'm sorry, Like,
I'm not going to knit big.

688
00:41:43,480 --> 00:41:45,920
I'm not I'm not going to throw
the baby out in the bath. Form

689
00:41:45,159 --> 00:41:51,199
becomes to somebody that's that is that
down. Yeah, he's a fantastic like

690
00:41:51,239 --> 00:41:53,280
that. He can get the level
of defense he played. And I'm specifically

691
00:41:53,320 --> 00:41:58,639
talking about that Golden State series.
I saw him do things that even after

692
00:41:58,719 --> 00:42:00,280
watching him after all these years and
I'm not sure I've seen him do but

693
00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:05,679
that I was still in awe of
where it looks like he is teleporting around

694
00:42:05,719 --> 00:42:09,599
the court and so defensively, like
alone with him is what he is on

695
00:42:09,679 --> 00:42:13,440
offense right now, I don't know
if you can call him a stable top

696
00:42:13,519 --> 00:42:17,199
ten player because of the injuries and
the there's some swings on his efficiency offensively,

697
00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:22,679
like from the perimeter, but he
is has top ten capacity the player

698
00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:24,000
that he is right now. That's
a big deals. I don't mean to

699
00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:29,119
take away from that. It's just
you look at the jumper and it's like

700
00:42:29,199 --> 00:42:32,400
the form it's like kind of pretty, like why isn't it going? There's

701
00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:37,000
sometimes there's too much, like you
know, daring do with it, like

702
00:42:37,239 --> 00:42:39,360
using it too much in his hands, but like the actual jumper is just

703
00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,519
I'm not talking about the just the
actual jumper. I look at it and

704
00:42:42,559 --> 00:42:45,920
I'm like, I feel like that
should be going in. Yeah. No,

705
00:42:45,039 --> 00:42:47,679
I mean he clearly works at it
like this is He's not like one

706
00:42:47,679 --> 00:42:50,800
of those players. It's just like, yeah, I'm just gonna figure it

707
00:42:50,840 --> 00:42:53,119
out, Like these are things that
he's clearly working at but for whatever reason.

708
00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:58,480
Yeah, like it again, I
didn't think he was terrible last year.

709
00:42:58,599 --> 00:43:00,199
He was better last year. It
honestly, without even look at the

710
00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:04,400
numbers, I would I would bet
I would guess that he was better last

711
00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:07,639
year than the year before. I
don't again. I just don't anticipate him

712
00:43:07,639 --> 00:43:13,400
getting you into above fifty, you
know, like it would be lovely get

713
00:43:13,559 --> 00:43:15,920
okay, much like it? Much
like that, you know, much like

714
00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:17,760
the last player. I would love, much like Christian Wood. I would

715
00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:21,360
love for a d to say,
you know what, Jabari, shut the

716
00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:24,840
fuck up, I got this.
I would love to, But but I'm

717
00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:29,280
also okay if he just does what
he's been doing. Yeah, I mean,

718
00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:31,239
look, he shot technically better from
three than he did this season before

719
00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:35,880
outside garbage time twenty six percent versus
what was he nineteen percent in twenty and

720
00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:38,199
twenty one? Am I reading that
correctly? Right now? Correctly? Yes?

721
00:43:38,639 --> 00:43:42,559
So? And look his mid range
efficiency was up forty four percent,

722
00:43:42,639 --> 00:43:45,400
so I had that percentage wrong,
but I was close at the rim.

723
00:43:45,480 --> 00:43:50,119
He's just consistently up in the above
seventies ever since arriving in LA and dating

724
00:43:50,159 --> 00:43:52,000
back to New Orleans. So pretty
damn good player already. I will say,

725
00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:54,199
I'm kind of fascinated. I don't
want to spend more time on the

726
00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:59,360
Christian Wood Affy Davis thing, but
like, if you can even just they

727
00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:02,119
can be interest changeable. Where oh, Christian Wood is taking the Jared Vanderbilt

728
00:44:02,159 --> 00:44:06,320
shots from the corner while like a
D is serving as the big and Lebron's

729
00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:08,519
the ball handler. Like if you
could also have it where a D give

730
00:44:08,599 --> 00:44:13,119
him some rest where he doesn't have
to screen, he doesn't have them usage

731
00:44:13,159 --> 00:44:16,119
if he can hit those Jared Vanderbilt
type looks because you have Christian Wood to

732
00:44:16,239 --> 00:44:20,119
screen and roll, and he could
even make passes off and he could put

733
00:44:20,159 --> 00:44:22,360
the ball on the floor, make
extra decisions off the dribble. There's like,

734
00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:27,559
I don't I try not to inflate
the importance of minimum signings, but

735
00:44:27,639 --> 00:44:30,599
like, there's a to me,
there's a dimension in which Christian would,

736
00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:36,880
at least on offense, is like
super valuable to this team. I'll take

737
00:44:36,920 --> 00:44:39,719
the rig with you and say it's
boom or bust. Like, I don't

738
00:44:39,760 --> 00:44:42,920
think it's going to be in between. I don't think. I look,

739
00:44:43,079 --> 00:44:46,400
I think it's either going to be
Wow, fuck they they they got one,

740
00:44:46,719 --> 00:44:50,679
you know, for whatever whatever the
reason, nobody else will given them

741
00:44:50,719 --> 00:44:54,440
a chance and they got him,
or yeah that's the Christian work. I'm

742
00:44:54,480 --> 00:45:00,599
hopeful again, but I'm you know, I'm also I'm also not any I

743
00:45:00,760 --> 00:45:06,320
see the tracks to now finally move
into some bigger picture stuff. Do you

744
00:45:06,480 --> 00:45:08,719
expect the starting lineup to kind of
remain the same as it was where it

745
00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:13,239
ended, where when Jared Vanderbilt and
Dangel Russell will start with Reeves Lebron and

746
00:45:13,400 --> 00:45:16,719
a day or do you see the
potential whether it's immediately or mid season without

747
00:45:16,760 --> 00:45:20,960
a trade, let's say, for
some shakeups there. I think there's a

748
00:45:21,039 --> 00:45:23,440
champion of shakeups. And we can
be straight up about this. I alluded

749
00:45:23,440 --> 00:45:25,880
to it, you know, we
both alluded to it earlier. I can

750
00:45:25,920 --> 00:45:28,920
see, you know, like,
depending upon you know, it could be

751
00:45:29,039 --> 00:45:31,719
circumstantial, could be matchup related.
I can see gave Vincent working his way

752
00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:36,000
into that into that starting lineup.
I could also, honestly, I could

753
00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:38,360
also see, depending upon the matchup
secret them saying like, oh, let's

754
00:45:38,360 --> 00:45:42,800
throw two bigs out there and throw
Christian Wood into the starting lineup, especially

755
00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:45,159
if they are able to have that
type of connection that you know that we

756
00:45:45,239 --> 00:45:51,320
were just talking about. So at
the very least, I wouldn't be stunned

757
00:45:51,760 --> 00:45:54,440
if ultimately, you know, like
they do some playing around and you know,

758
00:45:54,559 --> 00:45:59,159
like say Vandal Shot, who's never
you know, never comes to it

759
00:45:59,199 --> 00:46:02,639
comes to fruition and it simply is
what it is. He's a good player

760
00:46:02,679 --> 00:46:06,159
to have in your rotation, but
you might not necessarily want to start the

761
00:46:06,199 --> 00:46:09,000
game off feel like playing four on
five offensively, and then all of a

762
00:46:09,039 --> 00:46:13,119
sudden, you know that that opens
the door for somebody else. I wouldn't

763
00:46:13,119 --> 00:46:15,199
be shocked, but I do think
it starts off, at least initially as

764
00:46:15,280 --> 00:46:20,880
we left off. How do you
see that? I'm kind of fascinated by

765
00:46:20,920 --> 00:46:23,320
the secondary front court rotation. We've
already talked about Christian Wood, we talked

766
00:46:23,320 --> 00:46:27,559
a little bit about Ruey, But
so you have Davis and Vando as your

767
00:46:27,559 --> 00:46:30,440
bed and let's let's look at the
four or five specifically, you have Davis

768
00:46:30,480 --> 00:46:32,559
and Vandos like that base four or
five in the in the starting unit.

769
00:46:32,880 --> 00:46:37,119
How are we fleshing it out after
that? Is it like are we seeing?

770
00:46:37,679 --> 00:46:40,400
Is it Ruey and christian Wood are
the primaries? There? Are we

771
00:46:40,519 --> 00:46:45,119
seeing? Does Jackson Hayes sneak into
that at all? And then there's also

772
00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:46,679
we haven't talked about him a ton, but I think like Tory Prince was

773
00:46:46,719 --> 00:46:50,360
an excellent pickup for this team.
You play him at the four, that

774
00:46:50,480 --> 00:46:52,639
really opens things up as well.
That's exactly where I was gonna go with

775
00:46:52,760 --> 00:46:55,920
it. They have flexibility, and
you know what this is. This is

776
00:46:57,480 --> 00:47:00,719
a parcel answer to you know,
something else that's coming up. But the

777
00:47:00,840 --> 00:47:06,519
flexibility that's dear. The interchangeibility that's
dear. Again, that's off the rub.

778
00:47:06,960 --> 00:47:09,880
I cannot praise him enough. He
deserved the you know, he deserved

779
00:47:09,960 --> 00:47:14,960
all of the criticisms that he was
receiving two years ago and much him and

780
00:47:15,039 --> 00:47:16,679
in return, he deserves all of
the phrase because he's done, you know,

781
00:47:16,719 --> 00:47:21,360
he's done a fantastic job of solidifying
that roster. They've got the options,

782
00:47:21,480 --> 00:47:22,519
like you know, like you know, whether it's you know, whether

783
00:47:22,599 --> 00:47:25,119
it's going a little bit smaller,
but until he and Prince at the four,

784
00:47:25,639 --> 00:47:29,199
or you know, going a little
bit bigger putting Christian Wood at the

785
00:47:29,239 --> 00:47:31,840
four, they I'll be honest with
you, I don't think that that question

786
00:47:31,880 --> 00:47:35,159
should be answered until we see,
you know, how the parts fit.

787
00:47:36,119 --> 00:47:37,760
And I'm not trying to dodge it, but I really don't have an answer

788
00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:40,719
for it until until I kind of
see how all these guys fit together.

789
00:47:42,039 --> 00:47:45,519
But the great luxury is they've got
a lot of different directions they can go.

790
00:47:46,079 --> 00:47:50,199
Should we I can't believe it's taken
this long to get to him.

791
00:47:50,559 --> 00:47:53,880
But Lebron James, he's pretty good
and important. He's all right. Should

792
00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:57,559
we just assume he had all season
foot surgery? And I apologize when this

793
00:47:57,639 --> 00:48:00,159
is coming out if we've already found
out about it, it should be out

794
00:48:00,199 --> 00:48:02,119
before Lakers Media Day. But should
we assume he just had off season foot

795
00:48:02,159 --> 00:48:06,760
surgery. I'm under that assumption.
I looked at what his foot looked like.

796
00:48:06,880 --> 00:48:08,800
I looked at the fact that he
had to like prior to even coming

797
00:48:08,840 --> 00:48:13,360
back in the postseason, what it
looked like, and it was very obvious

798
00:48:13,400 --> 00:48:15,559
that there were some problems structurally there. It was very obviously that he was

799
00:48:15,599 --> 00:48:20,360
favorite. Anytime he would go down, it was the collective like, you

800
00:48:20,440 --> 00:48:23,440
know, like clutching up my own
pearls and gasping because like, yeah,

801
00:48:23,559 --> 00:48:28,559
like that that foot, that foot
looked rough. I'm hopeful that he did.

802
00:48:28,639 --> 00:48:30,960
I hope he got all the rest
that he needed and he's able and

803
00:48:30,000 --> 00:48:34,119
he was able to rehab, you
know fully. But I'll say this,

804
00:48:34,840 --> 00:48:36,840
if he's not, like say,
for instance, his body, we're not

805
00:48:36,920 --> 00:48:39,159
ready to go, I would say, hey, let him wait. I

806
00:48:39,320 --> 00:48:43,719
don't look they are improved. They
made me said the Conference finals after two

807
00:48:43,760 --> 00:48:46,199
and ten start last year, I
wouldn't anticipate that even without him in the

808
00:48:46,280 --> 00:48:51,840
lineup. But I'm saying I would
much prefer a healthy Lebron over the course

809
00:48:51,920 --> 00:48:54,079
of the season and down the stretch
of the season. Then trying to you

810
00:48:54,119 --> 00:48:57,760
know, you know, worrying about
you know, rushing him back in there,

811
00:48:57,960 --> 00:49:00,000
like if for instance, his body
were not really but I say this,

812
00:49:00,199 --> 00:49:02,880
and we'll be I'm sure by the
time this comes out, we'll have

813
00:49:04,000 --> 00:49:06,480
camp footage of him, you know, you know, cocking it back from

814
00:49:06,480 --> 00:49:08,639
the free throw line or you know, step in front of the free tow

815
00:49:08,679 --> 00:49:12,719
line and looking like he's you know, the like he's you'll never missed a

816
00:49:12,800 --> 00:49:17,119
beat for all and like I don't
really know age thirty nine season, the

817
00:49:17,199 --> 00:49:20,559
foot injury and like and that's a
fickle like the foot. I know he

818
00:49:20,639 --> 00:49:22,159
went to the Lebron James the feet
at one point, but I don't even

819
00:49:22,159 --> 00:49:27,880
know what the fuck that means.
Have you seen Lebronz feet? No,

820
00:49:28,719 --> 00:49:32,239
it's anting comment looking to speak any
of your listeners and viewers take a look

821
00:49:32,280 --> 00:49:37,440
at Lebron's feet, and that's a
funny it's a funny statement. Is this

822
00:49:37,559 --> 00:49:43,199
like an only fan situation like the
Lebron Lebron's It's not that. I mean,

823
00:49:43,400 --> 00:49:45,920
it might be somebody's king, but
his toes are like deformed and like,

824
00:49:45,960 --> 00:49:50,679
you know, like from just constant
pressure and playing and whatever the case.

825
00:49:50,800 --> 00:49:52,639
Maybe yeah, he's got Jack He's
got Jack de feet. But anyway,

826
00:49:52,679 --> 00:49:54,360
sorry, I didn't mean. I
didn't mean to real. You know,

827
00:49:54,559 --> 00:49:58,639
first of all, that's absolutely Jermaine. I need to I need to

828
00:49:58,719 --> 00:50:01,039
know that, so thank you for
it. I just there it felt like

829
00:50:01,119 --> 00:50:05,000
there was regression last year, and
I don't know how much of it was

830
00:50:05,039 --> 00:50:07,639
the foot stuff. He became a
little bit more reliant on the mid range,

831
00:50:07,679 --> 00:50:09,079
which I didn't love. But then
also it's like he got to the

832
00:50:09,199 --> 00:50:13,960
rim overall at the same rate as
the year before he shot. I should

833
00:50:13,960 --> 00:50:15,760
bring this up so I'm not getting
it wrong. Yeah, I mean there

834
00:50:15,960 --> 00:50:20,840
is the past three years he has
shot at least seventy six percent at the

835
00:50:20,920 --> 00:50:23,960
rim outside of garbage time, seventy
five percent last year. Like, I

836
00:50:24,079 --> 00:50:28,000
just do we brace for any regression
at this point? Is there even a

837
00:50:28,079 --> 00:50:30,159
chance where it's like the spacing is
a little better. You got there's a

838
00:50:30,199 --> 00:50:35,599
healthier ad. There's Austin Reeves making
a jump. Our lineups are a little

839
00:50:35,599 --> 00:50:38,039
bit more flexible. Lebron shoots better
from three. Is it just maybe there's

840
00:50:38,079 --> 00:50:43,039
no regression, Like we shouldn't even
take in the five percent or whatever regression

841
00:50:43,079 --> 00:50:46,519
that we're bracing for. I think
I think you know what Lebron is is

842
00:50:46,559 --> 00:50:51,519
what you know, It's pretty clear
at this point, like he still he's

843
00:50:51,559 --> 00:50:57,440
still a top line offensive you know, like genius that is still capable of

844
00:50:57,519 --> 00:51:00,239
doing all a lot of the same
things offensively. Is he every bit as

845
00:51:00,320 --> 00:51:04,400
fast? No? Does he jump
as high? No? But does he

846
00:51:04,480 --> 00:51:08,280
still look like an absolute physical freak
out there, even in you coming up

847
00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:13,000
on thirty nine years old? Yes, it does. Do I anticipate him

848
00:51:13,440 --> 00:51:15,599
and I am hope though this is
wishful thinking. Do I anticipating him playing

849
00:51:15,760 --> 00:51:20,599
less and having less uh to you
know, you know, less of a

850
00:51:20,760 --> 00:51:23,119
work share throughout the course of the
long rigular season. Yes? I do.

851
00:51:23,960 --> 00:51:28,599
But that's why I will not equate
that to an actual regress. You

852
00:51:28,639 --> 00:51:31,440
know what I'm saying, Like,
I think he'll pick his spots and I

853
00:51:31,519 --> 00:51:34,880
think he'll ramp it up when you
you know, whin. It's time to

854
00:51:35,000 --> 00:51:37,880
ramp it up, whether that's big
moments, big games, big stretches,

855
00:51:38,199 --> 00:51:42,519
or down the stretch. I know
I didn't include this in the outline.

856
00:51:42,519 --> 00:51:44,599
I don't mean to put you on
this spot. Is there like an aspect

857
00:51:44,760 --> 00:51:50,159
on the court that you view it
from him that's critical to optimizing his aging

858
00:51:50,280 --> 00:51:52,719
curve? Now moving forwards, is
it really you know now Austin Reaves can

859
00:51:52,719 --> 00:51:55,480
shoulder more of the ball handling and
you have gave Vincent. Isn't that type?

860
00:51:55,519 --> 00:51:58,800
Is that really what it is?
So it's like maybe we're using him

861
00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:01,760
more as a shooter play finish our
type deal exactly that use him as a

862
00:52:01,840 --> 00:52:06,920
finisher, like you know, like
there's it's never You're never gonna have a

863
00:52:06,960 --> 00:52:08,920
situation where the balls down Lebron's hand
at some point, you know what I'm

864
00:52:08,920 --> 00:52:13,079
saying. Lebrun like and and quite
frankly, it shouldn't be. We were

865
00:52:13,199 --> 00:52:19,159
called we were told differently during the
Magic Johnson era. I believe let's we

866
00:52:19,320 --> 00:52:22,079
were and we recognized very quickly,
Oh no, that's not a good idea.

867
00:52:22,320 --> 00:52:27,360
And Lebron's system is still Lebron.
It just is. It doesn't matter

868
00:52:27,400 --> 00:52:30,440
what anyone wants to want it to
be or what we want to call it.

869
00:52:30,800 --> 00:52:32,920
That's still the Lebron system. It
just it simply is going to be.

870
00:52:34,159 --> 00:52:37,719
But what I would love to see
is him not being forced to carry

871
00:52:37,800 --> 00:52:39,400
the load again over the course of
the regular season where it comes. Look

872
00:52:39,400 --> 00:52:44,599
when we get to sixteen versus themmunity
instead of the eighty two. Hey hey,

873
00:52:44,760 --> 00:52:47,360
Lebron, this that's what the money
is for. This is what this

874
00:52:47,559 --> 00:52:51,119
is what we need you for.
But over the course of the regular season,

875
00:52:51,199 --> 00:52:53,119
Yes, I absolutely think that they
brought in guys like Gabe Vincent and

876
00:52:53,440 --> 00:52:57,280
you know, like the improvement from
Austin Reeves, and you know at the

877
00:52:57,360 --> 00:53:00,039
additional requests of Austin Reeves. I
think that it's absolutely the you know,

878
00:53:00,079 --> 00:53:05,280
the direction that they're pointing, and
they should the And is this like an

879
00:53:05,320 --> 00:53:09,039
oversimplification. Does the idea of Lebron
as the screener is one? Is that

880
00:53:09,280 --> 00:53:13,679
does that help at all sort of
limit his usage? Or is then they're

881
00:53:13,679 --> 00:53:15,679
wearing tears the screener? And two
does it just intrigue you at all?

882
00:53:15,719 --> 00:53:20,880
Because very quickly the numbers the past
two seasons the Lakers have explored it more.

883
00:53:21,000 --> 00:53:24,559
He's finished about one hundred and forty. I think possessions as the pick

884
00:53:24,639 --> 00:53:30,039
and roll man, and he's averaging
like one point three five points per possession

885
00:53:30,360 --> 00:53:35,760
on those touches. That's that's really
good. I think I think that train

886
00:53:35,920 --> 00:53:37,880
will continue. I think it will. I think we'll see even more of

887
00:53:37,960 --> 00:53:40,639
it this year. Honestly, I
think I love that. I love I

888
00:53:40,760 --> 00:53:45,320
think we'll see again. They're never
taking the ball out of his hands,

889
00:53:45,400 --> 00:53:49,199
but I think we'll see the ball
in his hands less simply be simply like

890
00:53:49,480 --> 00:53:52,559
to protect him from him like sometimes
you know what I'm saying, you got

891
00:53:52,119 --> 00:53:59,039
him from himself, protect like this
is they look Darvin hand. I was

892
00:53:59,559 --> 00:54:02,719
farless critical of him than other people, because sometimes people are just unrealistic when

893
00:54:02,719 --> 00:54:06,639
it comes to First of all,
a rooky head coach, regardless of whether

894
00:54:06,639 --> 00:54:08,280
he's been in the league forever,
but a rookie coaches. But a rookie

895
00:54:08,320 --> 00:54:15,119
head coach is taking over that specific
situation and managing all of those egos and

896
00:54:15,199 --> 00:54:20,360
all of those personalities and doing doing
and being able to like reset on the

897
00:54:20,480 --> 00:54:23,199
fly. I think you need a
tremendous job. But here's the deal.

898
00:54:23,679 --> 00:54:27,679
That was last year and this is
this year. So the expectations are higher.

899
00:54:27,760 --> 00:54:30,000
Now, I'm gonna need you to
manage Lebron better. I'm gonna need

900
00:54:30,039 --> 00:54:34,960
you to not ask everything of him
and not allow him to be on the

901
00:54:35,039 --> 00:54:37,760
court for thirty nine and forty minutes
a night, for back to back nights

902
00:54:37,880 --> 00:54:40,719
and you know win it's February.
I'm going to need you to be able

903
00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:45,360
to I'm gonna need somebody to help
Darven from himself in that regard well,

904
00:54:45,360 --> 00:54:47,920
And it's also, as you mentioned, saving Lebron from himself too. I

905
00:54:49,000 --> 00:54:52,199
know he's good at picking his spots, but like he's also something and he'll

906
00:54:52,280 --> 00:54:54,039
let you know that he's gonna want
to win these games. He's gonna want

907
00:54:54,079 --> 00:54:59,000
to play these minutes type deal.
So he's he's probably better. He's more

908
00:54:59,079 --> 00:55:00,519
balanced, I think than other stars
where there's like the Chris Paul end of

909
00:55:00,559 --> 00:55:04,840
the spectrum where it's who, I'm
not playing a fewer minutes tonight or I'm

910
00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:07,400
not taking a rest night. I
think he's better than that. But there's

911
00:55:07,440 --> 00:55:09,840
also just like he wants to log
those minutes or to do that because if

912
00:55:09,880 --> 00:55:15,360
everything's not perfect, he's gonna want
the agency to send out the sub tweets

913
00:55:15,559 --> 00:55:20,960
the sub quotes about we need this
in that and that yeah, yeah,

914
00:55:21,440 --> 00:55:24,840
yeah, oh my god. How
many years ago is that? Kevin so

915
00:55:25,119 --> 00:55:29,480
and you you kind of mentioned like
this dovetails with what we were just talking

916
00:55:29,480 --> 00:55:32,639
about with Lebron. The Lakers had
a very good off season. Is it

917
00:55:32,800 --> 00:55:36,639
overblown a little bit in the sense
though, where like if they're going to

918
00:55:36,760 --> 00:55:40,639
actually improve or replicate the success in
the sense of they were a Western Conference

919
00:55:40,679 --> 00:55:45,639
finals team last year? Is it
more about when we get a healthier Lebron,

920
00:55:45,840 --> 00:55:50,159
a healthier a d and elite from
Austin Reeves. And now there is

921
00:55:50,480 --> 00:55:52,800
something that they have not prioritized,
even when kind of looking at their championship

922
00:55:53,000 --> 00:55:57,920
season, like that off season they
went and traded Danny Green for Dennis Shrewd.

923
00:55:58,159 --> 00:56:02,519
They've not really prioritized continuity and augmenting
what's already in place as much as

924
00:56:02,559 --> 00:56:07,880
they have this off season. What's
bigger the like the additions they made and

925
00:56:07,960 --> 00:56:12,519
the retention or like the additions they
made, or the prospect of continuity and

926
00:56:12,639 --> 00:56:15,039
hey, at least one of Lebron
and they probably has to play more minutes

927
00:56:15,079 --> 00:56:20,039
than they did last season, plus
the Austin Reeves development. I think I

928
00:56:20,119 --> 00:56:22,119
feel like the additions were brady on
top of a good meal, you know

929
00:56:22,159 --> 00:56:25,480
what I'm saying. Like again,
I think what they did, uh,

930
00:56:25,639 --> 00:56:28,639
you know, prior to the you
know, prior to the deadline, bringing

931
00:56:28,679 --> 00:56:30,719
in Ruby, bringing in you know, vand bringing in you know de Low,

932
00:56:31,280 --> 00:56:35,440
uh you know obviously you know,
finding a new location you know,

933
00:56:35,639 --> 00:56:38,679
you know for Russ and the other
day he's hopefully happy in I think I

934
00:56:38,760 --> 00:56:43,519
think that was the you know,
that was the big bike and then all

935
00:56:43,559 --> 00:56:46,199
of these were okay, how can
we get you know, how do we

936
00:56:46,360 --> 00:56:51,199
support and you know, and and
and and prop up what we already have

937
00:56:51,760 --> 00:56:53,840
and and and and and kind of
what you were just saying, they did

938
00:56:53,920 --> 00:56:59,679
a good job of them. So
I think while yes, the off season

939
00:56:59,719 --> 00:57:01,239
signing are important, and I can
see them playing you know, like you

940
00:57:01,280 --> 00:57:04,519
know, you know, like tremendous
roles were up you know, drew up

941
00:57:04,559 --> 00:57:07,119
sports in season and hopefully you know, deep into the postseason. I think

942
00:57:07,559 --> 00:57:10,800
it is the continuity. It is
the fact that you know, you're hoping

943
00:57:10,880 --> 00:57:14,639
that you get a healthy a d
You're hoping that you get a you know,

944
00:57:14,760 --> 00:57:17,960
a now healthy Lebron or that you're
able to maintain their health over the

945
00:57:19,000 --> 00:57:22,159
course of the season. I think
all of it is important, but like

946
00:57:22,599 --> 00:57:25,000
we don't have the mince words.
The Lakers go as far as Lebron James

947
00:57:25,039 --> 00:57:31,400
and Anthony Davis take and quite frankly, Anthony and Anthony Davis, well,

948
00:57:31,440 --> 00:57:35,119
here's the hot day. Anthony Davis
was their best player last year, and

949
00:57:35,199 --> 00:57:37,800
he's going to have to be a
significant and he's going to have to be

950
00:57:38,039 --> 00:57:42,639
head and shoulders their best player this
year if they want to reach their ultimate

951
00:57:42,719 --> 00:57:45,280
goals. And I think, I
look, he was their best player last

952
00:57:45,360 --> 00:57:49,000
year. A d was too,
Like I think I don't know if he

953
00:57:49,079 --> 00:57:55,039
was clearly their best player was he
was their most impactful player, the most

954
00:57:55,159 --> 00:57:59,920
you know, consistent, you're consistently
dominant player, and they're gonna absolutely need

955
00:58:00,039 --> 00:58:01,159
death from him. They're just gonna
need it, you know, for seventy

956
00:58:01,199 --> 00:58:06,920
games. And that's the that's the
key. Two more questions before we reached

957
00:58:06,920 --> 00:58:09,599
the cookie cutter portion, what do
you think of jail and Hood Shaffino.

958
00:58:10,199 --> 00:58:14,559
Just like as in the short term, long term, I understand the theory

959
00:58:14,639 --> 00:58:19,239
of him on defense, I don't
right now don't love the fit for him

960
00:58:19,280 --> 00:58:22,800
on the offensive end. If you
actually want this person to contribute to your

961
00:58:22,840 --> 00:58:28,719
team, either as an encourt asset
or develop into a trade asset. And

962
00:58:29,079 --> 00:58:32,199
this is gonna sound terrible because and
and you know, I ate even going

963
00:58:32,320 --> 00:58:37,480
here, but it does feel like
a developed trade and I and look again,

964
00:58:37,559 --> 00:58:40,119
I hope to be wrong. I
hope he will shock us and you

965
00:58:40,159 --> 00:58:44,360
know, force his way into the
rotation somehow, like I would love for

966
00:58:44,400 --> 00:58:47,320
that to be the case. But
the windows, you know what I'm saying,

967
00:58:47,360 --> 00:58:52,280
Like his development window compared to Lebrons
and eight and they're actually Gonnades championship

968
00:58:52,360 --> 00:58:55,480
window, they don't match up.
And again and that's not to say like,

969
00:58:55,559 --> 00:58:59,280
oh, just get rid of them, But what I mean is I

970
00:58:59,480 --> 00:59:04,800
don't know that he'll get the opportunity
to like show this year. I hope

971
00:59:04,840 --> 00:59:09,280
so, but I don't. I
don't necessarily into I'd probably agree with you.

972
00:59:09,519 --> 00:59:14,039
And the final thing here is,
do you think even when this team

973
00:59:14,199 --> 00:59:16,480
was at its peak, like what
they do and can do in transition or

974
00:59:16,480 --> 00:59:22,159
at least just getting into their early
offense when it's not necessarily transition, they

975
00:59:22,239 --> 00:59:27,679
were that's where they're going to do
most of their most lethal work. They

976
00:59:27,719 --> 00:59:30,639
were still at their best last year
hovering around the bottom ten of half court

977
00:59:30,719 --> 00:59:35,960
offense. Do you think that they
have the talent, the developmental prospects,

978
00:59:36,000 --> 00:59:42,639
the requisite shooting to being demonstratively better
when their offense is forced to slow down.

979
00:59:43,639 --> 00:59:45,360
I think they can be, but
it obviously gets contingent upon you.

980
00:59:45,679 --> 00:59:49,840
It's continued like Vistorian Prince going to
be, you know, somewhere around thirty

981
00:59:49,880 --> 00:59:52,880
eight forty percent from the in game
Vincent going to get I think last year

982
00:59:52,880 --> 00:59:55,280
he gets around thirty three. The
year before, Daddy's around thirty seven.

983
00:59:55,280 --> 00:59:59,559
If he could be thirty seven thirty
eight. Hey, we're having a different

984
00:59:59,559 --> 01:00:05,159
conversation. It's Austin Reeves improved yield, increasing his you know, his you

985
01:00:05,199 --> 01:00:07,800
know, three point output, is
he you know, don like maybe if

986
01:00:07,840 --> 01:00:09,239
he doesn't double it, maybe he
just had he know, he shoots six

987
01:00:09,360 --> 01:00:13,320
or seven a game, you know
what I'm saying. And with you with

988
01:00:13,440 --> 01:00:16,679
the same type of efficiency, I
think then you will see that. Honestly,

989
01:00:17,000 --> 01:00:22,119
the Lakers' offense wasn't terrible. It
was really bad to start the year,

990
01:00:22,280 --> 01:00:25,119
like it atrociously bad, and they
kind of just worked their way up,

991
01:00:25,440 --> 01:00:28,000
you know what I mean. But
you're like, yeah, at the

992
01:00:28,079 --> 01:00:30,000
end of the year. You know, I didn't feel like it was you

993
01:00:30,079 --> 01:00:32,599
know, like we were watching like
just an absolutely atrocious offense. I think

994
01:00:32,639 --> 01:00:37,400
you simply build upon what you had
and with those extra pieces. I do

995
01:00:37,639 --> 01:00:40,119
think it could get I think it
should get better. I don't necessarily know

996
01:00:40,159 --> 01:00:44,000
if it would be demonstratibly better,
but I think it should be better.

997
01:00:45,639 --> 01:00:49,599
I wish I had more insight.
I honestly have no idea. I think

998
01:00:49,639 --> 01:00:52,480
it probably comes down to just what
is Austin Reeves shooting on volume? Does

999
01:00:52,599 --> 01:00:57,639
Lebron's three point shooting improve? Are
they're getting enough like sort of shooting and

1000
01:00:57,719 --> 01:01:00,920
three point volume or just and not
I should even say shooting at people and

1001
01:01:00,960 --> 01:01:05,320
volume? But are there threats enough
on those other like on just every spot

1002
01:01:05,400 --> 01:01:08,239
that's not the Anthony Davis Lebron spot? Is there enough of outside threats to

1003
01:01:08,280 --> 01:01:12,280
open up the floor for everything they
want to do? If they like Gay

1004
01:01:12,360 --> 01:01:15,719
Vincent, what's he shooting from three? Howard defense is guarding him? How

1005
01:01:15,800 --> 01:01:17,880
much is Tory and Prince playing and
what's he shooting from three? And Howard

1006
01:01:17,880 --> 01:01:22,159
defensive guarding him? Has Christian Wood
been able to stay on the floor?

1007
01:01:22,239 --> 01:01:25,480
Have have you gotten? Is Jared
Vanderbilt and or Ruby Hatchamura hitting more of

1008
01:01:25,559 --> 01:01:30,119
their perimeter attempts. That's just I
feel like that's very boiler plate, but

1009
01:01:30,239 --> 01:01:32,440
that's the stuff that I think would
go along way. No, you're exactly

1010
01:01:32,559 --> 01:01:37,480
right, like like it might like
these might not be sexy answers, but

1011
01:01:37,559 --> 01:01:39,880
those are the answers like that,
that's what it will for deal like that,

1012
01:01:39,960 --> 01:01:44,880
that's what will decide. So Jabari, are you ready for the cookie

1013
01:01:44,880 --> 01:01:52,119
cutter portion of the podcast? Are
there any underrated under the radar strengths and

1014
01:01:52,400 --> 01:01:57,920
or weaknesses concerns about this team we
haven't touched upon yet. The depth I've

1015
01:01:57,960 --> 01:02:00,440
already mentioned too. I've already mentioned
it. The depth that they have at

1016
01:02:00,719 --> 01:02:04,679
various positions is going to be a
strength, I believe, you know,

1017
01:02:04,920 --> 01:02:07,480
unless everything just just falls off the
cliff. I think they're I think they're

1018
01:02:07,519 --> 01:02:12,079
going to have a very solid honestly
all the way to ten man, you

1019
01:02:12,119 --> 01:02:15,440
know, you know, rotation like
yeah, yeah at times. The one

1020
01:02:15,599 --> 01:02:19,559
thing, and I actually mentioned it
earlier, the one thing that's still concerned

1021
01:02:19,599 --> 01:02:22,320
to me is I would have preferred
that they find a way to bring it

1022
01:02:22,400 --> 01:02:25,719
up Big Biden Center, just some
just someone to eight minutes. At certain

1023
01:02:25,800 --> 01:02:30,280
times, whether it's guys are out
or guys are dinged up, or you're

1024
01:02:30,320 --> 01:02:32,880
playing against Yo Kitchen, you need
to have that. And maybe they say,

1025
01:02:32,920 --> 01:02:37,880
hey, we got Rudy. Maybe
they are thinking that they you're like,

1026
01:02:37,039 --> 01:02:40,519
you'll in spot situations he can be
utilized for, you know, for

1027
01:02:40,719 --> 01:02:44,000
you know, stuff like that.
But I would have felt better had they

1028
01:02:44,039 --> 01:02:46,039
been there, you know, just
bring in one more people. But I'm

1029
01:02:46,039 --> 01:02:50,920
always not like that. I know
he's not a big body relative to centers,

1030
01:02:50,960 --> 01:02:52,480
but like I would have preferred,
he's still floating around out there as

1031
01:02:52,519 --> 01:02:58,039
we're recording this, we're recording September
twenty first, Like it's not beyond bo

1032
01:02:58,079 --> 01:03:00,639
it's just unsolid and he had like
really good moment. It's for Phoenix the

1033
01:03:00,679 --> 01:03:04,440
past two years straight up. That
is exactly okay. So when they signed

1034
01:03:04,519 --> 01:03:07,559
Christian would, I will tell I
was quiet about him on the timeline because

1035
01:03:07,559 --> 01:03:10,199
I honestly don't like going back and
forth with fans because they get sensitive and

1036
01:03:10,239 --> 01:03:13,400
they get like like you know,
like they get all like, oh,

1037
01:03:13,519 --> 01:03:16,199
if you don't agree with every single
thing that I say in every aspect of

1038
01:03:16,280 --> 01:03:19,800
it, that you're just an asshole. It's like, calmed down, buddy.

1039
01:03:19,960 --> 01:03:22,840
It's called an opinion. I was. I was more in favor of

1040
01:03:22,920 --> 01:03:25,400
signing Biz Macmugo. I still have
in favor of signing him heeling you know,

1041
01:03:25,480 --> 01:03:29,519
to this point and and and having
him, you know, like and

1042
01:03:29,880 --> 01:03:35,039
quite frankly as a luxury like absolutely
would have but that but that would make

1043
01:03:35,079 --> 01:03:38,119
things more difficult, and make things
and and make it so that maybe something,

1044
01:03:38,119 --> 01:03:40,440
you know, one of those other
younger guys wouldn't necessarily be able to

1045
01:03:40,480 --> 01:03:45,199
be there. So I recognized like
it, it wouldn't surprise me if over

1046
01:03:45,280 --> 01:03:47,960
the course of the season they do
find a way to bring that that guy

1047
01:03:49,079 --> 01:03:52,599
or that type of guy. Looking
at the ten man rotation, or if

1048
01:03:52,599 --> 01:03:54,800
people are gonna well, actually,
oh no, they're gonna go deeper,

1049
01:03:54,840 --> 01:03:59,599
they're gonna shorten it. The top
ten most played guys on a regular basis

1050
01:03:59,679 --> 01:04:02,760
here I have it as I think
when you look at it, there are

1051
01:04:03,679 --> 01:04:09,719
I'm gonna say eight locks for me, and that's Lebron, Delo, Austin,

1052
01:04:09,800 --> 01:04:14,800
Reeves, vand Davis the starting five, then Vincent Prince and I don't

1053
01:04:14,800 --> 01:04:16,880
maybe you don't consider him lock and
then Ruey would you agree with like those

1054
01:04:17,320 --> 01:04:21,519
eight guys, or do you think
there's some like his Prince not guaranteed minutes

1055
01:04:21,559 --> 01:04:26,480
here like before going to the final
two spots. No, I would agree

1056
01:04:26,480 --> 01:04:30,960
with those. I would anticipate Prince, you know, not just you know

1057
01:04:30,079 --> 01:04:33,000
that, I would anticipate him earning
a spot, but I would anticipate him

1058
01:04:33,079 --> 01:04:36,039
be because he's interchangeable, because you
can play him at the three or the

1059
01:04:36,079 --> 01:04:40,159
four, Like, yeah, I
think he's gonna get minuted. Beyond that.

1060
01:04:40,400 --> 01:04:44,800
That's where it does get interesting because
basically you've got like five guys for

1061
01:04:44,920 --> 01:04:47,880
two spots, and I'm gonna be
sure, I'll be straight. I think

1062
01:04:47,920 --> 01:04:51,159
it really will just depend on who's
playing the best, who's playing like who

1063
01:04:51,360 --> 01:04:55,280
like, who is contributing, who
is bought in, who is locking in,

1064
01:04:55,639 --> 01:04:58,000
who is you know, you know, making his teammates better, all

1065
01:04:58,039 --> 01:05:02,840
of those basketball the old energies,
but basically between Christian Wood, Jackson,

1066
01:05:02,920 --> 01:05:09,159
Hayes, Cam Reddish, Max Christy, and possibly you know hood, you

1067
01:05:09,239 --> 01:05:12,960
know, dependent upon how things go. It really is going to be a

1068
01:05:13,039 --> 01:05:16,320
matter of you know who, like
who was playing well at that time or

1069
01:05:16,679 --> 01:05:20,519
maybe even Grafsk in a giving game. I think one of those at least

1070
01:05:20,559 --> 01:05:25,320
one of those two spots will definitely
be wood or Jackson Hayes, depending on

1071
01:05:25,400 --> 01:05:28,679
how invested they are and playing two
bigs at once like two true bigs.

1072
01:05:29,039 --> 01:05:31,559
Maybe it's both of them. I
think if it were me, I would

1073
01:05:31,599 --> 01:05:34,719
probably go. Christian would to start
just to see what that's not? Start

1074
01:05:34,800 --> 01:05:39,840
lineup like he's defecated one of those
spots, and then I don't know I

1075
01:05:39,880 --> 01:05:42,840
would. I was gonna say,
Max Christie, you might have sold me

1076
01:05:42,920 --> 01:05:45,199
on just the Cam Reddish experiment again, like I'm falling. It hasn't worked

1077
01:05:45,239 --> 01:05:48,039
out that meme. It hasn't worked
out for everybody else, but maybe it'll

1078
01:05:48,079 --> 01:05:51,559
work out for us. He might
be the but I would think it's one

1079
01:05:51,599 --> 01:05:57,039
of Christian Wooden, Jackson Hayes's Howard
go and then one of Cam Reddish or

1080
01:05:57,079 --> 01:06:00,320
Max Christy as like around out the
final two spots. I think he hit

1081
01:06:00,360 --> 01:06:03,960
it on the that that is in
all likelihood given the rest of the Russian

1082
01:06:04,000 --> 01:06:09,440
That's that's how this is always matchup
depending But if if you're picking a one

1083
01:06:09,519 --> 01:06:15,119
size fits all crunch time unit for
this team, what is it? It's

1084
01:06:15,239 --> 01:06:19,400
Lebron, Austin Reeves and Anthony Davis
for sure, and then I think so.

1085
01:06:19,559 --> 01:06:24,920
So my hesitation wasn't with those three. It wasn't with them. I'm

1086
01:06:24,960 --> 01:06:31,559
thinking of the other two honestly,
at least early on, because I do

1087
01:06:31,679 --> 01:06:38,440
think they're gonna give him like an
early opportunity. Christian would wow, Okay,

1088
01:06:38,599 --> 01:06:43,079
I do. I could see that, and then it really depends,

1089
01:06:43,159 --> 01:06:47,199
man, it really is going for
me. It's a matter of who's playing

1090
01:06:47,400 --> 01:06:54,320
like like matchup and who's playing well
how to given time. Like as crazy

1091
01:06:54,360 --> 01:06:58,119
as it sounds, I saw them
do this in twenty twenty and then you

1092
01:06:58,199 --> 01:07:00,920
know, like and want a title
that way, and I and I saw

1093
01:07:00,000 --> 01:07:02,199
them do that. You know,
the next year obviously they you know,

1094
01:07:02,199 --> 01:07:05,280
they'd even win a title. But
it's matchup, in a match up,

1095
01:07:05,320 --> 01:07:09,159
a situation, you know, you
dependent. I don't think that you have

1096
01:07:09,320 --> 01:07:13,960
just a set roster or a set
lineup or even a set rotation. So

1097
01:07:14,519 --> 01:07:16,719
if you know, if it at
a given time, if Cam is playing

1098
01:07:16,760 --> 01:07:20,440
well and has had a good game
or its had a hot hand or whatever,

1099
01:07:20,519 --> 01:07:24,519
the matchup you'll benefits him. I
can see him being in You're like

1100
01:07:24,559 --> 01:07:28,480
you're being in a closing lineup.
If Torrian Prince you'll like I can absolutely

1101
01:07:28,519 --> 01:07:30,519
see Torrian Prince being in a closing
line. It really does just depend.

1102
01:07:31,880 --> 01:07:34,679
I think I would go as like
sort of the all right, we're gonna

1103
01:07:34,679 --> 01:07:41,719
pencil this in Torrian Prince and Gabe
Vincent or depending on it, like you

1104
01:07:41,880 --> 01:07:45,639
probably could even just like can you
fit Vando in if Torrian Prince is shooting

1105
01:07:45,880 --> 01:07:47,239
well enough? Like that's super big. If you have Prince, Lebron,

1106
01:07:47,480 --> 01:07:53,519
vand Davis and then Reeves would be
like a fascinating closing five. And we

1107
01:07:53,639 --> 01:07:56,280
can also be real about it.
De Loo will do. De Loo will

1108
01:07:56,320 --> 01:07:59,639
close some games matter Like, yo, there's gonna be certain times where you

1109
01:07:59,800 --> 01:08:01,280
have you can't have him on the
court, but Delo will be closed with

1110
01:08:01,360 --> 01:08:05,760
some games too. I mean,
look, who's the broodest world right?

1111
01:08:05,840 --> 01:08:09,599
Yeah well yeah, I didn't even
think about him, but like conceptually,

1112
01:08:10,159 --> 01:08:12,880
like like forget about the numbers that
you saw last year, but even I

1113
01:08:12,920 --> 01:08:15,720
mean by the number, is who's
the best pull up three point threat on

1114
01:08:15,880 --> 01:08:21,000
this team? Maybe you think it's
Lebron, it's pubably Delo, No it

1115
01:08:21,199 --> 01:08:26,439
is it is now. He's as
streaky as hell at times, but over

1116
01:08:26,520 --> 01:08:29,840
the court, like like you average
it out. It's probably is dual.

1117
01:08:30,359 --> 01:08:33,880
So is there a weirdo, wonky, unconventional. They're never gonna try it,

1118
01:08:33,960 --> 01:08:36,720
but should try it? Lineup that
you want to see. Yes,

1119
01:08:38,479 --> 01:08:41,800
I want a D at the five, I want Vando at the four,

1120
01:08:42,159 --> 01:08:45,880
I want Braun at the three,
I want Cam at the two, and

1121
01:08:45,960 --> 01:08:50,920
I want Reeves at the one.
I want just funky long as all ship

1122
01:08:51,119 --> 01:08:58,000
lineup. That can pretty much change
across the board. I so mine was

1123
01:08:58,039 --> 01:09:00,520
similar. It's weirder and I don't
know what it would look like. I

1124
01:09:00,640 --> 01:09:08,119
want a D, I want Vando, I want Lebron. I also want

1125
01:09:08,239 --> 01:09:11,680
like, let's roll if Vando is
going to defend the point of attack anyway,

1126
01:09:12,119 --> 01:09:15,279
what is it kind of like Prince
was the other guy, or it

1127
01:09:15,439 --> 01:09:18,279
wasn't Prince Christian would was the other
guy. Okay, so let's go three

1128
01:09:18,359 --> 01:09:24,479
bigs with Lebron and then we'll throw
offten Reeves out there. But if if,

1129
01:09:24,680 --> 01:09:29,000
if that's too like out there,
give me like throw Torrian Prince in

1130
01:09:29,399 --> 01:09:32,199
like the Christian Wood spot or maybe
even the Vando spot. I'd be defensively

1131
01:09:32,760 --> 01:09:36,479
like Lebron, Vando, Torrian Prince, a D and Reeves. I might

1132
01:09:36,560 --> 01:09:39,520
have just said that could be a
closing lineup for me. So that's not

1133
01:09:39,600 --> 01:09:42,720
really that spicy, but I would
love to see that. Give me that,

1134
01:09:43,279 --> 01:09:45,800
especially against like a team like Minnesota. Give me that against Like,

1135
01:09:47,159 --> 01:09:54,359
honestly, I'm here for that line. Yes, yes, which you're gonna

1136
01:09:54,399 --> 01:09:58,359
play two big yeah yeah, so
like you beend upon the matchup, I'm

1137
01:09:58,399 --> 01:10:03,159
here for it. Is so right
now, their win total as of September

1138
01:10:03,199 --> 01:10:08,239
twenty feet is forty seven and a
half. Are you taking me over or

1139
01:10:08,319 --> 01:10:12,079
the under on that? Give me
the over. I'm not saying they blow

1140
01:10:12,119 --> 01:10:14,560
it out the water, but I
think there's going to be somewhere between forty

1141
01:10:14,600 --> 01:10:16,479
eight and fifty two. I think
they're gonna be a top you know,

1142
01:10:16,680 --> 01:10:21,319
three seed in the West. I
think they're gonna be super competitive like this.

1143
01:10:21,800 --> 01:10:26,359
I think this is I'll see it. I think this is a title

1144
01:10:26,399 --> 01:10:29,920
team. You know if now,
a lot of teams could say that,

1145
01:10:30,439 --> 01:10:34,079
but we know that we have seen
title teams. I have one hundred six

1146
01:10:34,119 --> 01:10:36,760
seeing title that wasn't a knock.
I was like, I'll see if he's

1147
01:10:36,760 --> 01:10:42,319
a Nick's guy. But you know
what I mean, you know what I

1148
01:10:42,399 --> 01:10:45,680
mean? This feel this feels like
one but there are a lot of it's

1149
01:10:45,720 --> 01:10:50,520
given the overall like questions about him, so too that end. How many

1150
01:10:50,600 --> 01:10:56,119
teams would you be prepared to guarantee
will be better than the Lakers this season

1151
01:10:56,159 --> 01:10:58,800
in the West and the right?
You mean, like you know, record

1152
01:10:58,880 --> 01:11:04,079
wise in a regular season. Yeah, I think Denver is going to continue

1153
01:11:04,079 --> 01:11:09,960
to You'll continue to steam roll.
I mean, I'm not as high on

1154
01:11:10,039 --> 01:11:13,000
the Suns as others, but I
could see them winning a lot of regular

1155
01:11:13,039 --> 01:11:19,479
season games. But after that,
there's no reason know, could I see

1156
01:11:20,000 --> 01:11:24,439
could I see other teams? Sure? Yeah, but I think I think

1157
01:11:24,560 --> 01:11:27,680
I think the Lakers are right there. I think that's the both the East

1158
01:11:27,720 --> 01:11:30,199
and the West, and the East
is more wide open than the West because

1159
01:11:30,239 --> 01:11:32,840
Denver exists to me, and I
think Phoenix is just but I have Denver

1160
01:11:32,920 --> 01:11:36,600
and Phoenix would be the teams I'm
prepared to guarantee. And that's like it.

1161
01:11:38,560 --> 01:11:40,960
I will say the Lakers are one
of the teams that are in like

1162
01:11:41,079 --> 01:11:44,199
the So, if you told me, oh, the Pelicans were better than

1163
01:11:44,239 --> 01:11:47,079
the Suns or the Nuggets, I
would probably be shocked. If you told

1164
01:11:47,079 --> 01:11:50,319
me the Lakers ended up being better, I would not be as shocked.

1165
01:11:50,359 --> 01:11:54,000
So they're like the Golden State Warriors. Lakers kinks here where it's like,

1166
01:11:54,039 --> 01:11:56,840
could I see them finishing first or
second in the West, Sure, but

1167
01:11:56,840 --> 01:12:00,960
I would be prepared to guarantee that
Phoenix and Denver are are better than them

1168
01:12:00,399 --> 01:12:03,760
mostly and you can get into what
about the health with Phoenix. The Lakers

1169
01:12:03,800 --> 01:12:09,039
have their same questions with a d
and Lebron, So that's what that's where

1170
01:12:09,039 --> 01:12:11,840
it gets difficult. I'm with you, I don't know if I'm gonna hit

1171
01:12:11,840 --> 01:12:14,479
the over the under because availabilities a
lot. We haven't done that podcast.

1172
01:12:14,560 --> 01:12:17,479
Grant and I just yet. This
team based off how they kind of closed

1173
01:12:17,600 --> 01:12:20,119
last year, and I think some
of the pieces they've added, the development

1174
01:12:20,159 --> 01:12:24,960
of Austin Reeves. If you can
just get like relatively good, like if

1175
01:12:25,079 --> 01:12:28,880
Lebron is finishing the season relatively healthy, if Anthony Davis is the same,

1176
01:12:29,239 --> 01:12:30,720
this is a title contender like they
are in the I don't know if they're

1177
01:12:31,119 --> 01:12:34,640
are they when you're looking at the
entire league? I probably have again Denver,

1178
01:12:34,840 --> 01:12:41,319
Phoenix definitely, I think definitely Milwaukee, Like, those are probably the

1179
01:12:41,399 --> 01:12:45,399
only three teams if I'm looking at
title stock, those are the three teams

1180
01:12:45,439 --> 01:12:47,600
I'm prepared to just put in front
of the Lakers right now. I don't

1181
01:12:47,640 --> 01:12:50,319
trust Boston after the kid, I'm
not gonna lie Boston will still be good.

1182
01:12:50,680 --> 01:12:56,520
I don't love what they're kind of
pivoting into. I love Cleveland.

1183
01:12:56,640 --> 01:12:59,840
That's the team that I get stuck
on. I'm so high on Cleveland.

1184
01:13:00,119 --> 01:13:01,159
Like, but like, we don't
know what the fuck is going on in

1185
01:13:01,199 --> 01:13:04,159
Philly as of right now. Will
Miami have Dame, will they not have

1186
01:13:04,359 --> 01:13:08,840
Dame like the Lakers might be.
I mean, we don't know what's gonna

1187
01:13:08,920 --> 01:13:11,520
There are other teams that to be
on Golden State. The Kings need to

1188
01:13:11,560 --> 01:13:14,680
be considered here, like there are
other teams that can have big seasons,

1189
01:13:14,720 --> 01:13:18,000
but right now, like to say
the Lakers have a top five title stock,

1190
01:13:18,640 --> 01:13:21,000
I think it's fair. And then
you can bring in the health caveats,

1191
01:13:21,039 --> 01:13:26,319
but that's that's the same with almost
every team health exactly like like and

1192
01:13:26,560 --> 01:13:29,840
and and that's really where I am
with it. They put themselves in the

1193
01:13:29,920 --> 01:13:33,680
conversation and like so, and it's
a they're solidly in the conversation. But

1194
01:13:33,760 --> 01:13:35,319
now they gotta go out, and
you know, they gotta go out and

1195
01:13:35,359 --> 01:13:41,720
either prove us right or prove us
wrong. But yeah, I actually did

1196
01:13:41,800 --> 01:13:44,960
put money on them. Oh you
did you bet on them to win the

1197
01:13:45,039 --> 01:13:45,760
title? No? No, no
on the over? No no no no

1198
01:13:46,199 --> 01:13:51,119
oh over yeah yeah, yeah,
Well I don't. I traditionally have never

1199
01:13:51,319 --> 01:13:57,920
been like you know, title uh
prior to the season. But I'll have

1200
01:13:58,039 --> 01:14:01,039
fun with awards and over under,
so I will do that at times.

1201
01:14:02,119 --> 01:14:05,359
Is there anything at all that I
haven't asked you about that you think we

1202
01:14:05,439 --> 01:14:12,399
need to discuss before I let you
go? Where the parade is going to

1203
01:14:12,439 --> 01:14:15,359
be this year because we didn't get
one in twenty probably probably Denver, probably

1204
01:14:15,399 --> 01:14:18,640
somewhere in Colorado, I think again, Actually, oh oh they haven't had

1205
01:14:18,680 --> 01:14:25,680
they Okay, you know if they
want to add, that's cool. I'm

1206
01:14:25,720 --> 01:14:28,680
pretty sure you covered it all because
you are a master at which you at

1207
01:14:28,680 --> 01:14:30,880
your crap. I'm actually and this
is maybe a comment to both of us,

1208
01:14:30,960 --> 01:14:34,359
but I didn't want to go through
like every individual move or question necessarily

1209
01:14:34,800 --> 01:14:38,680
we didn't talk a ton about Jackson
Hayes or like like, I think we

1210
01:14:38,760 --> 01:14:42,800
did a good job covering this and
under eight seventy five minutes for us is

1211
01:14:42,800 --> 01:14:45,960
pretty good. You and I know
what, pretty long? So we do

1212
01:14:45,079 --> 01:14:48,119
when we can. And well we
kind of cheated because we talked for like

1213
01:14:48,199 --> 01:14:53,319
forty five minutes prior to mccorthy,
so that that took some of it.

1214
01:14:53,560 --> 01:14:56,560
It wasn't about the Lakers, though, to be true. That's true,

1215
01:14:56,800 --> 01:15:00,399
that's true, Jackson Hayes, no
disrespect. I'm sure you're going to be

1216
01:15:00,439 --> 01:15:03,800
fantastic this year. Oh you're sure, all right, that's mark it down,

1217
01:15:04,039 --> 01:15:09,640
uh Jabari. I always appreciate one
year insight to just here. It's

1218
01:15:09,640 --> 01:15:12,359
so much fun talking with you in
three just the time you give me each

1219
01:15:12,399 --> 01:15:15,800
and every year. So are you
able to tell our listeners where they can

1220
01:15:15,920 --> 01:15:19,359
find you on social media and anything
that you're that you're working on, Dan,

1221
01:15:19,439 --> 01:15:23,279
It is truly my pleasure. I
say it each year, and I'm

1222
01:15:23,319 --> 01:15:26,520
gonna say I will say it again. This is the most fun preview I

1223
01:15:26,600 --> 01:15:30,199
do. I didn't even realized that
I had done it four times because because

1224
01:15:30,199 --> 01:15:31,840
it's not like it's not just like, it's not like work. It's just

1225
01:15:31,880 --> 01:15:34,039
like, oh man, this is
a fun conversation with a great guy.

1226
01:15:34,880 --> 01:15:39,199
Find me on Twitter, very easiest
place to call, you know, to

1227
01:15:39,279 --> 01:15:42,319
find me. I'm never gonna call
it X because Mamma called Twitter, and

1228
01:15:42,359 --> 01:15:45,680
I'm going to continue to call it
Twitter. It also sounds like a porn

1229
01:15:45,760 --> 01:15:48,239
site. By the way, I
don't know which. I'm not judging,

1230
01:15:48,439 --> 01:15:51,439
but like, that's come on,
that's corny and silly and you know whatever

1231
01:15:51,640 --> 01:15:58,840
Twitter Jamari names NBA as as Dan
mentioned earlier, Mad Boosties, you can

1232
01:15:58,880 --> 01:16:01,119
find it, meaning where you find
me. I guess I write and produced

1233
01:16:01,159 --> 01:16:04,600
for that show. Those guys are
great. They have they have a fun

1234
01:16:04,680 --> 01:16:08,079
time with a great you know,
with a great guest. And I'm not

1235
01:16:08,439 --> 01:16:10,680
patting myself by saying that, but
they you know, they end up with

1236
01:16:10,760 --> 01:16:15,279
great guests each week. It's a
fun conversation for the more casual to lighthearted

1237
01:16:15,359 --> 01:16:18,800
basketball. They you guys do slum
it every once in a while, because

1238
01:16:18,800 --> 01:16:26,279
I've been on twice, so like
I sometimes guess every uh and the links

1239
01:16:26,319 --> 01:16:30,359
to Jabari's Twitter and the Matt boost
these podcast to subscribe, those will be

1240
01:16:30,439 --> 01:16:32,680
in the podcast and YouTube description for
everyone listening watching whatever I mean, if

1241
01:16:32,680 --> 01:16:35,680
you're watching, I don't know who
watches podcasts on YouTube. I know people

1242
01:16:35,800 --> 01:16:39,359
comment, but I always think,
like you're listening to them in the background,

1243
01:16:39,359 --> 01:16:42,920
you're not, hopefully not sitting there
watching me, becoming raptured by Jabar,

1244
01:16:43,039 --> 01:16:45,239
like I'm just sitting here like this
sometimes just staring at Jabari. I

1245
01:16:45,439 --> 01:16:48,520
hope they weren't looking at it.
You're we're actively watching me, but if

1246
01:16:48,520 --> 01:16:54,000
you were a year By the way, Matt, Matt Leeb, and Roy

1247
01:16:54,039 --> 01:16:58,119
Wood Junior coming up in the next
couple of weeks on MATA again. Link

1248
01:16:58,239 --> 01:17:00,800
is in the pod and YouTube description. Go goscribe to check it out.

1249
01:17:00,840 --> 01:17:02,920
Jabari, thank you so much.
You know, by now, as long

1250
01:17:02,960 --> 01:17:06,640
as this podcast exists, I'll be
spamming your dms again. In the future,

1251
01:17:08,119 --> 01:17:13,000
I will be gleefully receiving those insane
arrogance so things