1 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:20,399 What is a fellow thermonuclear a efforts. I am Dan Favalue, Dan Favalley. 2 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:22,920 Wow, I can't pronounce my own name. Coming at you with another 3 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:27,480 twenty twenty three, twenty twenty four NBA look Ahead, We're on to the 4 00:00:27,519 --> 00:00:31,879 Brooklyn Nets. I am joined by Lucas Kaplan. First time guest, doesn't 5 00:00:31,879 --> 00:00:35,759 know what he's getting into just yet. Follow him on Twitter at Lucas Kaplan. 6 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:40,520 That's at l uc A s kap La and underscore that's important. It's 7 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,759 on the screen if you're watching, it will be in the YouTube and podcast 8 00:00:43,759 --> 00:00:49,079 description as well. He covers the Nets for Nets daily, writes great stuff 9 00:00:49,119 --> 00:00:53,200 about them. Also, I would recommend his like film stuff that just pops 10 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,960 up in my Twitter feed all the time. And then he's also covering the 11 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,240 Liberty. Lucas, thank you so much for coming on. How are you 12 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,359 doing doing well? It's speaking of the nuts and Lardy. It's a busy 13 00:01:03,439 --> 00:01:07,760 time. You know. My worlds are colliding. Some might say so the 14 00:01:07,799 --> 00:01:12,280 falls basketball season, and I'd say it's all going pretty well. Uh well, 15 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,760 one, thank you so much for agreeing to join us too. This 16 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:19,319 team is like I've done. This is number twenty I don't know. I 17 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,840 think it's like twenty six or whatever, twenty three, whatever it is with 18 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,000 these look aheads, this team, may I just have no feel for. 19 00:01:26,159 --> 00:01:27,760 I'm not gonna lie like, I have very little feel for like what if 20 00:01:27,799 --> 00:01:34,159 they're left as currently constructed, what what they're gonna be? So I wanted 21 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,439 to start though by asking you, now that we're out of like the KD 22 00:01:37,599 --> 00:01:42,439 Kevin Durant a KD Kyrie era, and not just the era, but like 23 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,640 the whole trade demand stuff that they went through, how big of a deal 24 00:01:46,719 --> 00:01:48,879 is that, like for the organization to finally be like, Okay, we 25 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:52,680 don't necessarily it doesn't seem like they've charted a perma direction at the moment, 26 00:01:52,719 --> 00:01:56,040 but it's that pal is no longer being cast over the organization. We can 27 00:01:56,079 --> 00:01:59,040 move on and now figure out what we're doing. Yeah, I think, 28 00:01:59,079 --> 00:02:01,319 for one, if you want to be an optimist, there are less decision 29 00:02:01,359 --> 00:02:05,799 makers in the room. We're kind of back to the nets of almost a 30 00:02:05,879 --> 00:02:10,039 decade ago, but after the og Brooklyn super team with the old Celtic Stars, 31 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:15,879 so we're back to Sean Marks really is the lead voice decision maker some 32 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,479 input from ownership, So I think that is, you know, a bit 33 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:22,800 of clarity that maybe eases the franchise a little bit. But other than that, 34 00:02:23,319 --> 00:02:25,960 I like what you said. They haven't picked a perma direction. They 35 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,240 are still in a little bit of limba. They are in a waiting game. 36 00:02:30,439 --> 00:02:35,080 And you'll hear the best interview on the team, Spencer Dinwiddie. He 37 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,960 talked about it as an exit interview, and he talked about it at Media 38 00:02:38,039 --> 00:02:40,520 Day this year. He's like, listen, we're not a championship team. 39 00:02:40,759 --> 00:02:45,319 We can win a few games, and there's a lot of directions that this 40 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:49,479 franchise can go. And he pretty much summed it up, and so, 41 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,520 what do you kind of think about looking at the off season and they have 42 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,520 very little flexibility to begin with, you bring back Cam Johnson and take all 43 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:59,840 these flyers. How did you feel about that direction? They went in kind 44 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:02,560 of well, we're gonna keep this optionality, We're not going to do anything 45 00:03:02,599 --> 00:03:07,759 major. Do you think that was the right call? Yeah? I honestly 46 00:03:07,759 --> 00:03:10,719 did. I Mean, at first I thought maybe if Scoot for McHale was 47 00:03:10,759 --> 00:03:14,840 somehow on the table, they should have pursued that a little bit strongly. 48 00:03:14,879 --> 00:03:19,039 And I was vocal about that, But it's not like they handcuffed themselves to 49 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,120 mediocrity for a long time. Like if we're expecting them to be mediocre this 50 00:03:23,199 --> 00:03:28,240 year, that is just this year. Ben Simmons becomes an expiring contract. 51 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:30,840 After this year, he's a free agent in the summer of twenty five. 52 00:03:31,479 --> 00:03:37,639 McHale very team friendly deal. I would argue Cam Johnson's deal is not that 53 00:03:38,479 --> 00:03:42,919 much of an albatross at all, really, So yeah, they're settling into 54 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,639 sort of I guess where everyone says you don't want to be in the NBA 55 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,199 in purgatory, But I don't view them as handcuffed to that. And to 56 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,840 be honest, I understand it. They don't have their own draft pick this 57 00:03:52,919 --> 00:03:55,280 year that's going out to Houston the draft. All they got for the two 58 00:03:55,319 --> 00:04:00,360 stars is really really in twenty twenty seven they have picks from the Suns and 59 00:04:00,479 --> 00:04:04,400 the Sixers and twenty twenty nine where they have picks from the Suns and the 60 00:04:04,439 --> 00:04:10,400 Mavericks. So it's a little bit too early I think to think of tangible, 61 00:04:10,439 --> 00:04:14,599 specific maybe destinations for those picks. If they were trying to get players 62 00:04:14,639 --> 00:04:18,480 back, I will say I found it. It's not funny. I just 63 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,560 found it interesting that I think Damian Lillar is so in love with mckel Bridges 64 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:26,120 that the Nets made his final list of three. Because even if you were 65 00:04:26,199 --> 00:04:28,360 just to put him on this team and you didn't give up Nick Claxton or 66 00:04:28,399 --> 00:04:30,639 mckel bridge, like, they're not a championship contender with Damian Lillard and he 67 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:35,040 were believed that he wants to win, mckel Bridges just must be like one 68 00:04:35,079 --> 00:04:38,759 of the best teammates of all time. He must, he must. I 69 00:04:38,759 --> 00:04:41,639 mean, hey, and people and the organization and his teammates, people really 70 00:04:41,639 --> 00:04:45,040 seem to like him. So I guess you can't just dismiss that. Clearly 71 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:49,079 Dame didn't. So uh so last year's team, I mean, let's just 72 00:04:49,079 --> 00:04:53,639 start with mckel bridges. There's he had shown I think, not that people 73 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,360 overblew it, but like he had shown that the turn was kind of coming 74 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:00,360 in Phoenix because of injuries and pecking order issues there. He he goes to 75 00:05:00,399 --> 00:05:01,920 the Nets and he played like an All NBA player once he was on, 76 00:05:02,199 --> 00:05:04,439 Like that was the difference. It went from oh could this be an all 77 00:05:04,439 --> 00:05:09,680 sort of oh is this an All NBA player? Starting with this what most 78 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,279 impressed you or maybe even surprised you about his stint in Brooklyn so far. 79 00:05:13,879 --> 00:05:17,120 I think what most impressed me is that they, just by way of roster 80 00:05:17,199 --> 00:05:21,319 construction, needed to ask so much of him in the way of primary ball 81 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:27,680 handling, and it wasn't always perfect. The playmaking could improve. You know, 82 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,399 his shot diet is very tough when he's creating for himself, and there 83 00:05:30,439 --> 00:05:32,399 are a lot of equips you could have with him. But I mean, 84 00:05:32,759 --> 00:05:35,480 he get traded to a team in the middle of the season, no training 85 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:39,560 camp, and all of a sudden, you're, if not the primary ball 86 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:44,240 handler, at least a strong number two next to Dinwiddie. And yeah, 87 00:05:44,399 --> 00:05:47,720 offensive rating aside, assist, turnover whatever, he's averaging twenty seven on close 88 00:05:47,759 --> 00:05:55,319 to fifty forty ninety. I think I underestimated just how easily he can pull 89 00:05:55,399 --> 00:05:59,879 up from the mid range and that high release point and just get looks off. 90 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,439 And sometimes you know, it can lead to rough shooting nights, but 91 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,839 a lot of the times, like he scored a few a lot of thirty 92 00:06:05,879 --> 00:06:11,279 burgers. So I was just impressed by the consistency really in how he can 93 00:06:11,319 --> 00:06:14,720 get to his spots and get shots off. I think you did mention the 94 00:06:14,759 --> 00:06:17,399 part of his game that everyone nationally at least will be monitoring, which is 95 00:06:17,399 --> 00:06:21,160 his passing. Is that the area of development you're most interested in, or 96 00:06:21,199 --> 00:06:26,279 is there something else that you're you're focused on watching this team very up close. 97 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,360 Honestly, I'm going to go the other way and say that I don't 98 00:06:30,639 --> 00:06:34,399 as good of a mid range shooter as he is. NETS fans were accustomed 99 00:06:34,439 --> 00:06:38,680 to Katie Kyrie as maybe two of the best. Katie in particular is like, 100 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:42,439 ye, I don't even know, fifty seven percent for mid range last 101 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:46,680 year, just like unfathomable. McHale's going to need to either get to the 102 00:06:46,759 --> 00:06:49,680 rim on some of these drives, but more likely than that given the NETS 103 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:54,480 spacing and you know, given that he's been a primary ballhand for like twenty 104 00:06:54,519 --> 00:06:58,199 games, I'm really looking to see if he jacks up the pull up three 105 00:06:58,399 --> 00:07:01,279 percentage this year. He has that high release point, he can get to 106 00:07:01,319 --> 00:07:05,720 it pretty easily. I think that as a you know, small, super 107 00:07:05,759 --> 00:07:11,120 nerdy thing is gonna be what I'm looking for as maybe the first step in 108 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:15,279 the evolution, because I could see him getting a like seven eight pull up 109 00:07:15,319 --> 00:07:17,279 three is a game. I mean, that shot is really hard to contest. 110 00:07:18,399 --> 00:07:20,800 That is not one I thought of, but it's a great point, 111 00:07:20,879 --> 00:07:23,720 like to come up with that volume, and if you're going to be a 112 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,279 number one option on offense, that's like the its skill right now. But 113 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,920 I also I agree that like the on we know he can get to the 114 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:31,800 Romani's off ball and transition, but like the on ball pressure in the half 115 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,439 court would be big. I did. I was impressed though, because, 116 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:39,839 like you mentioned, how tough his looks are sometimes when he's creating for himself 117 00:07:39,839 --> 00:07:43,240 and maybe he's fading or bailing out on drives, Like he still got to 118 00:07:43,279 --> 00:07:46,480 the line a ton during his time in Brooklyn relative to what he was doing 119 00:07:46,519 --> 00:07:48,079 in Phoenix, And so if he's able to get to the basket more in 120 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:53,480 theory, like even there might be room for that free throw volume to grow, 121 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,399 which would also be big for this offense. I would think, Oh, 122 00:07:56,519 --> 00:07:59,439 definitely, they're not they don't get to the line a ton. I 123 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:01,360 mean, we'll see. I'm sure we'll talk about Simmons and Claxton and all 124 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:05,399 that stuff. The worry I have there with McHale is like everyone's gonna have 125 00:08:05,439 --> 00:08:11,240 to navigate now they're gonna play Ben. You know they're gonna play him next 126 00:08:11,279 --> 00:08:15,240 to Claxton. That's gonna be a spacing challenge for everyone to figure out. 127 00:08:15,439 --> 00:08:18,720 So if Mkale's free throw rate dips a little bit, I wouldn't be too 128 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:24,120 alarmed, just because he's figuring out playing with two guys that are truly nonspacers. 129 00:08:26,079 --> 00:08:28,279 The other thing that I think is big for him is I think that 130 00:08:28,319 --> 00:08:31,840 they have enough to like go to different people on defense to where he doesn't 131 00:08:31,879 --> 00:08:35,120 have to shoulder necessarily the same burden that he did in Phoenix. But if 132 00:08:35,159 --> 00:08:39,399 you have to be your team's best defensive player and their best offensive player, 133 00:08:39,799 --> 00:08:43,720 that's just exhausting and so like I would just be word of kay, like 134 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,159 what does this guy's an iron man? Like he's the most McHale Bridget stat 135 00:08:46,159 --> 00:08:48,320 of all time will be when he plays an eighty three out of eighty two 136 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:52,840 games, because then that's when like the in season tournament or something. So 137 00:08:52,879 --> 00:08:54,759 I'd be worried about like that wearing down. But if Simmons stays healthy, 138 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,320 the fact that Nick Claxton is so versatile and you do have Dori Infiny Smith 139 00:08:58,399 --> 00:09:01,679 there right now, even and even Royce O'Neill at the moment is like low 140 00:09:01,759 --> 00:09:05,480 key kind of huge. I think to have that optionality so that you can 141 00:09:05,519 --> 00:09:07,240 move him around a little bit. On defense, I think so, and 142 00:09:07,279 --> 00:09:13,159 one of the I think underreported not to pile on him everything, but the 143 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,720 defense certainly slipped after he got to Brooklyn. I mean, he wasn't quite 144 00:09:16,159 --> 00:09:20,399 the same level of defense, and I think you saw that reflected in a 145 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:24,200 lack of all defense voting for him, And just to put a button on 146 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:28,600 that, he did play eighty three games last year because he got traded to 147 00:09:28,639 --> 00:09:33,759 the Nets that they were one behind schedule. So it's already happened. I 148 00:09:33,159 --> 00:09:37,039 had a viral tweet off that I can't believe I've already forgot about. That's 149 00:09:37,039 --> 00:09:41,039 how much viral going viral matters, folks. Yeah, I've already forgotten exactly. 150 00:09:41,039 --> 00:09:46,399 What I also found interesting about this team was they did not play particularly 151 00:09:46,519 --> 00:09:52,080 fast relative to what I thought their personnel was after the trade. Are we 152 00:09:52,279 --> 00:09:56,600 going to see that change this season? Absolutely? And when you said that, 153 00:09:56,799 --> 00:10:01,000 just to put a bow on it, Michael said at media Day this 154 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,759 year, I definitely wasn't playing how I wanted to play on the other end 155 00:10:03,799 --> 00:10:09,000 defensively, when I got here. Yeah, the offensive load, but there's 156 00:10:09,039 --> 00:10:13,360 always the concentration piece, so he's aware of it, which I thought was 157 00:10:13,399 --> 00:10:16,320 an interesting kind of shows you why everybody likes Mikhale. You know, he's 158 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,320 one of my favorite players in the end. He's just so likable. And 159 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:24,240 I'm happy he's still with Cam Johnson because kind of busting up like the Young 160 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,679 Sons was. I don't really have any allegiances, but like it kind of 161 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:30,559 just hurt. But the fact that he's still with Cam makes me feel a 162 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,840 little bit better, right, And I think that's very understandable, and they've 163 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,600 talked about how happy they are to be together. But in terms of the 164 00:10:37,639 --> 00:10:41,879 transition thing, I think they just they switched a lot last year and Jacques 165 00:10:41,919 --> 00:10:46,879 Van talked about in training camp this year we were all new, you know, 166 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,399 that was a bailout in a lot of ways, Like I didn't have 167 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,320 time to put in all these concepts. We resorted to switching, and that 168 00:10:52,399 --> 00:10:56,240 killed him on the defensive glass more than anything. And I think because they 169 00:10:56,240 --> 00:11:03,240 couldn't rebound, they couldn't really get out in transition. That's where it started. 170 00:11:03,519 --> 00:11:05,879 And then I think this year, look who they signed and got rid 171 00:11:05,919 --> 00:11:09,840 of no more Joe Harris, Patty Mill, Seth Curry in the rotation, 172 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,159 it's Lonnie Walker, Dennis Smith Junior. Maybe we see a trend in Watford 173 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:18,279 stuff like that. I mean not the shooting has fallen off a little bit, 174 00:11:18,399 --> 00:11:20,480 but these guys are athletic and they're fast, and they want to get 175 00:11:20,519 --> 00:11:26,759 out and run, and you're adding healthier Ben Simmons and they're playing more drop 176 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,879 coverage, as Vaughan has talked about trying to fix the defensive rebounding issues. 177 00:11:31,159 --> 00:11:35,000 So yes, I can almost guarantee, and there's not many things you can 178 00:11:35,039 --> 00:11:39,559 guarantee. The pace will be up this year provided they can rebound at at 179 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,559 least like unacceptable level. So and do you think that they're going to and 180 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:48,960 be able to install these like different guiding principles then on defense when you look, 181 00:11:48,039 --> 00:11:50,440 because they're still kind of small, and so even if you're not switching 182 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:54,279 as much, are they going to be able to rebound it effect I think 183 00:11:54,279 --> 00:11:58,080 they were twenty eighth. I think defensive rebounding rate after the mchal bridges rates 184 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,679 like are they even built to Ben Simmons. I mean, we haven't talked 185 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:05,120 about him yet, and we will just feel super critical to that as well, 186 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:07,399 like if you want to up your rebounding and get out and transition. 187 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:13,279 Yeah, again, I don't think they'll go away fully from switching. I 188 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:20,080 mean, they really haven't played consistent drop coverage since DeAndre Jordan was getting consistent 189 00:12:20,159 --> 00:12:22,200 minutes in Brooklyn. So that's how long it's been. I feels like eight 190 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:28,240 seasons ago. Too many iterations of this team at least. So yeah, 191 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:30,000 they got to put it in. They got to work on it. And 192 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:31,919 if you've seen any of the preseason stuff so far, it's been rough. 193 00:12:33,039 --> 00:12:37,240 Obvious. Yeah, it's been weird. The guys. I'm going to be 194 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:43,320 an optimist and say guys are given preseason effort in terms of navigating screens, 195 00:12:43,799 --> 00:12:46,879 but you know it's gonna be a work in progress all year. So I 196 00:12:46,919 --> 00:12:50,799 think they'll mix it up. I don't think they'll go fully away from switching. 197 00:12:50,159 --> 00:12:56,200 I think the guiding principle of this team will still be length and versatility. 198 00:12:56,159 --> 00:13:00,639 The roster simply isn't built any other way. I mean, it'd be 199 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:05,559 silly to compile all of these long athletes that are skinny, you know, 200 00:13:05,639 --> 00:13:07,440 as you said, they're small, it'd be silly not to try to, 201 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:13,759 you know, make that a strength in some way. The Ben Simmons hype 202 00:13:13,799 --> 00:13:18,919 train is at full bore at the moment. What are your just impressions of 203 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:22,679 him so far during the preseason, both physically, physically and functionally, And 204 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:24,840 if you need to take anything away from those empty gym videos that he's posting, 205 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:28,879 Yeah, I mean I watched every minute last year. I like and 206 00:13:28,919 --> 00:13:33,600 probably rewatch most of them as well. Like I get the skepticism. I 207 00:13:33,639 --> 00:13:37,159 get that it's year twenty seven of Ben Simmons offseason hype, but like there 208 00:13:37,279 --> 00:13:43,039 is an objective. He wasn't moving like this last year, Like he just 209 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:48,159 he's moving differently. Even on like some defensive rebounds last night against Maccabi, 210 00:13:48,399 --> 00:13:52,480 his head is near the rim when he's going up. He just looks springier. 211 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:56,559 He's willing to like lean into guys when he's trying to go finish. 212 00:13:56,639 --> 00:14:01,159 And I don't want to, you know, start the parade on Flappish Avenue 213 00:14:01,159 --> 00:14:03,600 because of it. But I didn't see it last year. Nobody saw it 214 00:14:03,639 --> 00:14:07,759 last year, and it matches up with what we've been hearing. And I 215 00:14:07,879 --> 00:14:11,399 understand that, you know, they're not going to come out and say Ben 216 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:16,759 Simmons doesn't look good. But when you take all the evidence that we've been 217 00:14:16,799 --> 00:14:20,159 given and now there's evidence on film, he's gonna be a little bit better 218 00:14:20,279 --> 00:14:24,080 this season. He's gonna be not the worst athlete in the league. Like 219 00:14:24,879 --> 00:14:28,720 it's going to get back to at least an acceptable level for him, and 220 00:14:28,759 --> 00:14:33,080 that could be I'm pretty convinced if that's the standard for getting on the hype 221 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:37,159 train, I already have my ticket. So what do you think he needs 222 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:41,559 to do most or that you'll be watching most closely to optimize or elevate this 223 00:14:41,639 --> 00:14:46,399 team On offense? I saw you had tweeted the other day that he's been 224 00:14:46,399 --> 00:14:48,960 more aggressive from the forty five cut area. Is it that? Is it 225 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:52,639 like just the off ball movement so that you can move him off the ball 226 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:56,279 the type thing, or is it is it something else? There's the way 227 00:14:56,279 --> 00:15:00,919 I've described in the preseason is like he could make so a difference for this 228 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:05,240 team just because the things that he's even okay at are really what they need. 229 00:15:05,639 --> 00:15:09,519 They need a defender who is a little bit bigger. They need someone 230 00:15:09,519 --> 00:15:13,559 to rebound and push, They need a little bit of connective ball handling energy 231 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:18,200 because Dinwoody's the only real point guard on the roster right now, I guess 232 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:22,799 Dennis Smith Junior. But the biggest thing is just going to be not being 233 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,159 afraid to take the ball at the rim one on one, because if he 234 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:30,080 can collapse the defense a little bit and provide some sort of pain pressure, 235 00:15:30,519 --> 00:15:33,600 he might be the only net doing that this year. So they really do 236 00:15:35,159 --> 00:15:37,399 they really do need that. But as you said, there's a ton of 237 00:15:37,879 --> 00:15:41,080 different facets to his game, like the off ball moving and you know, 238 00:15:41,159 --> 00:15:45,440 attacking from the forty five. If there's a high pick and roll that will 239 00:15:45,519 --> 00:15:50,360 have you know, cascading positive effects. I'm also wondering if if you can 240 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:54,919 get him moving off the ball that he gives him more confidence with his on 241 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,799 ball drives because when you just go over a year by year, and just 242 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:02,559 like the percentage of drives of his on the drives were just plummeting like permitted, 243 00:16:02,679 --> 00:16:03,240 I know, his plenty time was down, and then just like the 244 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:07,799 percentage of drives that were ending in a shot opportunity or free throw, they've 245 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:12,080 also just plunged. And that just like you can't have like someone be that 246 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:17,279 level of a non threat when he in theory is so integral to how you 247 00:16:17,279 --> 00:16:21,159 want to run your offense or I should say, maximizing your offense. Yeah. 248 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:25,279 Absolutely, And I just like, because I didn't obviously watch as much 249 00:16:25,279 --> 00:16:27,320 film on him in Philly as I do now, Like, I'm curious, 250 00:16:27,399 --> 00:16:33,240 why do you think that decline started. I guess because it definitely started before 251 00:16:33,799 --> 00:16:37,759 that Hawk series, that infamous Hawk series, and then that was seen as 252 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:42,759 like, you know, the culmination of this of this kind of decline, 253 00:16:42,759 --> 00:16:45,360 as I said, so, I guess, do you have any I just 254 00:16:45,399 --> 00:16:48,879 I don't know. It's been one of the more confusing stories for a while 255 00:16:48,919 --> 00:16:52,080 now, I think, like, and I don't. I don't know if 256 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,000 it's accurate, but I think the idea was like there was must have been 257 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,840 shit going on with his back beforehand, maybe, but I also don't one 258 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:02,799 of the big things and you would know this is just like the jokes, 259 00:17:02,879 --> 00:17:06,160 the pressure, the memes about what he was on offense, like they already 260 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,279 existed, not to the degree that they do now. And I'm wondering if 261 00:17:08,279 --> 00:17:12,640 that took a toll on him mentally, where every year was the questions about 262 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:15,559 like, well, you're gonna throw up these these floaters or Are you gonna 263 00:17:15,559 --> 00:17:18,799 take a mid range jumper? Are you gonna or it's just the year you 264 00:17:18,799 --> 00:17:21,839 start shooting threes. And I'm wondering if that got to him. But then 265 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:23,799 it was also and I don't know if it was the year same season of 266 00:17:23,799 --> 00:17:27,240 that Hawk series, but he started out the season where he was like taking 267 00:17:27,279 --> 00:17:32,880 me sweeping hook shots and posting up and looked like he just felt so comfortable, 268 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,839 wasn't necessarily super aggressive, but had i'll say, more levels to his 269 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:41,920 scoring than when he's like he was a zero level score by the time that 270 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,519 he was in like by the end of his time in Philly. And so 271 00:17:44,599 --> 00:17:48,599 I honestly don't I feel like it was a combination of something mentally but also 272 00:17:48,799 --> 00:17:51,720 just there had to be some physical issues that I mean, we know he 273 00:17:51,759 --> 00:17:55,279 was injured coming into the league, but the physical issues had to I think 274 00:17:55,480 --> 00:18:00,160 I do believe were not the word die or they were more extensive before they 275 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,480 started becoming public, would be my guess. Yeah, that makes sense to 276 00:18:03,519 --> 00:18:07,799 me. And I mean that's the big thing from last year to this year 277 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,960 his back is it's just clearly the way he moves around in the court so 278 00:18:11,039 --> 00:18:12,960 much spring here, and I think there may be a point this year where 279 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:18,920 people bring up the shot percentages is in the volume from different area of the 280 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,920 court, because if you look at them just on you know, Basketball Reference 281 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,200 or whatever, he was taking shots at the rim. He was taking shots 282 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:30,799 from the three to ten foot range last year. But all of these drives 283 00:18:30,799 --> 00:18:33,480 were Okay, let me like, let me back in a little bit and 284 00:18:33,599 --> 00:18:37,279 let me not go full speed and let me kind of like awkwardly swivel into 285 00:18:37,319 --> 00:18:42,880 this hook shot. I mean yesterday against mccabee, like he's taking it to 286 00:18:44,079 --> 00:18:48,799 the rim at somebody and getting his hand on the backboard. It's not like 287 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:52,559 this weird hook shot that may get categorized as as a rim attempt. And 288 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:56,960 even you know that preseason game is against Lakers where he's taking it at Lebron, 289 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:02,039 he's going full throttle. That's what really encouraging to me. That's what 290 00:19:02,079 --> 00:19:04,079 gives me hope. I just I didn't see it last year at all, 291 00:19:04,319 --> 00:19:11,960 and I don't you know, hype train year twenty seven. Nonwithstanding, it's 292 00:19:11,039 --> 00:19:15,960 nice to see some sort of tangible progress. I just always get worried there's 293 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,240 no sign, maybe there is scientific dated behind it, like just big dudes 294 00:19:19,279 --> 00:19:23,279 and back problems. I'm just like, yeah, parennially scared and to that 295 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:26,680 end is there and I know I didn't includes in the outline. Is there 296 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:29,519 any plan to like how many minutes can he play right off the bat? 297 00:19:29,599 --> 00:19:33,319 Or are you gonna be any limitations or monitoring there? There's gonna be As 298 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,759 Jacques Vaughan talked about it last night after the game, he talked about, 299 00:19:36,759 --> 00:19:41,640 it's just gonna be constant communication because there was a stretch last year in November, 300 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,880 there was a six game stretch where he averaged sixteen, six and six, 301 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,839 and then he played the second night of a back to back against Orlando 302 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:52,039 and he hurt his knee, which later came out was we think it's related 303 00:19:52,079 --> 00:19:56,079 to the back soreness, these knee problems that he's been having, and he 304 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:59,039 missed two weeks and then he came back in December and it was just like 305 00:19:59,079 --> 00:20:03,400 he was never the same old year and that's where the decline was really obvious. 306 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:07,200 And he and Vaughn have talked about this kind of schism that they had 307 00:20:07,279 --> 00:20:10,680 last year, like Vaughn was asking a lot of him and Ben didn't feel 308 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,279 he could do it, but he wasn't being specific as to why, and 309 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:18,799 in training camp this year, Ben has said our relationship is much better. 310 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:22,279 I proved to him that I really was hurt and I'm really working hard now, 311 00:20:22,599 --> 00:20:26,960 And Vaughn has pretty much said the same exact thing. So there's definitely 312 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:32,359 some sort of plan. There's definitely some, as Vaughn said, constant communication 313 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:34,960 in the works, but I don't I think we'll have to see the specifics 314 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,440 when they, you know, play out. This is more topical than big 315 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:45,039 picture. But what is the state of the Cam Johnson hamstring injury? He 316 00:20:45,599 --> 00:20:48,079 we haven't gotten any update, any updates on it. He pretty much said 317 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:52,839 he was trying to play at some point in the preseason, So I'm going 318 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:59,359 to assume that means Wednesday, their fourth and final preseason game in Miami. 319 00:21:00,319 --> 00:21:03,559 If he doesn't, then I would raise my eyebrows. But if he does, 320 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:08,079 then we appear to be all on schedule. You'd already said too that 321 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,599 the number on his contract is fine, four years guaranteed at ninety I think 322 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,440 everyone and myself included, just needs to do a better job of like, 323 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,400 yeah, there's sticker shock, but the percentage of the salary cap for him 324 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,920 is just and is declining and so like by the end of his deal. 325 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,400 Right now, he's projected to be making thirteen point eight percent of the salary 326 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,440 cap. But it's like for a rotation player, that's fine. Were you 327 00:21:27,559 --> 00:21:33,519 surprised though, that no other teams got involved and even follow up? I 328 00:21:33,599 --> 00:21:34,880 just found this funny. I don't think they did anything wrong personally. I 329 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:37,680 know people troll them, the fact that the Detroit Pistons were the team most 330 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:42,000 heavily linked to them, and then they actively helped the next like salary dump 331 00:21:42,039 --> 00:21:45,240 Joe Harris that used up their caps. Basically they could not make a Cam 332 00:21:45,319 --> 00:21:51,880 Johnson pursuit. Yeah, I'm not gonna pretend that I have any inside information, 333 00:21:52,079 --> 00:21:55,960 but it's definitely a little bit of an eyebrow raiser. Maybe a little 334 00:21:56,000 --> 00:22:00,480 bit of washing each other's hands, one hand washing the other there. And 335 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,200 hey, I mean I've heard that they like Joe Harris so far in Detroit, 336 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,480 so you know, maybe to work out for both sides man healthy, 337 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:11,079 they can use his shooting for what it's worth, but that is true, 338 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:15,680 I mean, he does. Everyone could use a guy that shoots like I 339 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:18,920 think he's like the fourth or fifth most accurate three points shooter in NBA history. 340 00:22:21,759 --> 00:22:27,319 I wasn't too surprised about Cam, just based on the salary cap hasn't 341 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:34,880 increased yet. So you are committing some amount of money to a guy that, 342 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:40,000 realistically, let's say title contenders are going after him, he's not going 343 00:22:40,079 --> 00:22:42,960 to be anything more than your fourth or fifth best player, and you're probably 344 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,960 paying him like your second or third perhaps, And if you do have two 345 00:22:48,079 --> 00:22:52,119 or three max contracts, then you can't afford to give him twenty three million 346 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:53,799 dollars a year, as the Nets did, So that part didn't surprise me 347 00:22:53,839 --> 00:22:57,079 too much. And we also heard all Spring like yeah, I want to 348 00:22:57,079 --> 00:23:00,519 be in Brooklyn, and Brooklyn was like, yeah, we want Cam, 349 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:07,240 so that didn't surprise me. I think if the one the one thing that 350 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:14,640 I would be I guess a little bit worried about Cam is he is an 351 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:18,000 older player. I think he's twenty seven to twenty eight, and I just 352 00:23:18,279 --> 00:23:22,519 if he's not going to add a lot of offensive juice to this team, 353 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:26,880 he's going to be a really expensive, uh, stand in the corner and 354 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,200 shoot guy And is that something? I guess we didn't see a ton of 355 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:33,359 it in Brooklyn, but like he did bust out like some good off the 356 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:37,119 dribble moments in Phoenix. So is that something just based off what you've seen 357 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:41,759 of him one do you believe that that's like an area in which you can 358 00:23:41,759 --> 00:23:44,319 develop them too? Well? The opportunity to even be there when you're looking 359 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:48,519 at kind of the hierarchy of the nets offense with with Dinwoodie mckel bridges and 360 00:23:48,519 --> 00:23:51,960 then Ben Simmons needing the ball specifically, I think it'll be there. I 361 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:53,519 think with Ben it's like he's going to have the ball, but he's also 362 00:23:53,599 --> 00:23:57,200 going to get a lot of guys going downhill with handoffs and stuff like that. 363 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:00,440 And I really see Ben and Cam kind of being linked to each other 364 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:04,200 in a lot of their minutes this year because Cam just needs that extra push 365 00:24:04,279 --> 00:24:08,319 downhill and once you get him going downhill. He was the only Net that 366 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,640 wasn't deathly afraid of attacking em beat in that sixer series last year, and 367 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:18,279 he actually had some nice finishes and that really impressed me. But I could 368 00:24:18,279 --> 00:24:22,640 see Cam running a lot of you know, Chicago actions coming off a handoff 369 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:26,759 and a screen. I don't think he's gonna initiate from a standstill, but 370 00:24:27,559 --> 00:24:33,480 there is room for him, and there's definitely opportunities for him on the ball 371 00:24:33,599 --> 00:24:37,319 this year. How well those go, I'm not gonna say I'm pessimistic or 372 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:41,039 optimistic. I honestly, I don't know if I have a great feel for 373 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:45,880 it, to be honest, Yeah, I mean they could just in theory, 374 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:49,799 because he is relative to his team specifically, if he could give them 375 00:24:49,839 --> 00:24:53,680 like more if you're gonna have him played let's say the four, if he's 376 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:59,400 someone who can give them like better positional rebounding, that would also go a 377 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:00,319 long way for them. And in theory he should have the size, but 378 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:04,319 he's just never been that guy. And yet the way that they could probably 379 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:07,880 move him around defensively because they have so many of these you know, long 380 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:11,759 rangey defenders, maybe he will be in better position this season to like juice 381 00:25:11,839 --> 00:25:15,440 up the rebounding rate, which I think again we've talked about rebounding for the 382 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,960 team a few times already. That would go a long way. Yeah, 383 00:25:18,279 --> 00:25:22,039 I really would. I don't think he's ever averaged five rebounds in a season. 384 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:26,240 I think his career high is actually closer to like the low fours. 385 00:25:26,759 --> 00:25:30,119 But as long as he's you know, accountable boxing out stuff like that. 386 00:25:30,319 --> 00:25:33,680 You know, he's six' eight, he's a big dude. He could 387 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:38,839 definitely help with the rebounding. He also only shot thirty six and a half 388 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:44,079 thirty seven percent from three after the deadline, and he had a lot of 389 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:47,799 like one of eight, two of seven games on a lot of good looks 390 00:25:48,079 --> 00:25:51,200 for Brooklyn last year. So I think just right off the bat, if 391 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:56,519 he's closer to his normal self from three, just that will make a big 392 00:25:56,519 --> 00:26:00,559 difference for the nets too. Yeah, that's huge as well. You're new 393 00:26:00,599 --> 00:26:03,000 to the podcast, so you might not know, but I'm obsessed with Nick 394 00:26:03,039 --> 00:26:07,079 Clason. Just one of my one of my faves the defense. Like we 395 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:11,680 know about the defense, he's like maybe the most versatile center and he's one 396 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:15,720 of the three most versatile defensive centers in the game. Offensively, there was 397 00:26:15,799 --> 00:26:19,440 like a real leap there, and I know the percentages kind of like dipped 398 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:22,319 a little bit later in the year, but just the open space drives are 399 00:26:22,319 --> 00:26:26,240 faking the dri like faking the handoffs into into drives. That was a huge 400 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:30,640 evelpment. Is there, like does he have other well one what impressed your 401 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,960 most about the development last year? And two are there other levels that he 402 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:37,759 can still add to what he's done. So first of all, he led 403 00:26:37,799 --> 00:26:41,480 the league in h in in field goal percentage or yes, in field goal 404 00:26:41,519 --> 00:26:45,279 percentage last year. This isn't like beyondred like he was taking hook shots again, 405 00:26:45,319 --> 00:26:48,559 which is that he's going after drives. It's so nice to talk to 406 00:26:48,799 --> 00:26:55,079 a fellow Nick Klaxon appreciator because you see it like it wasn't just like Clint 407 00:26:55,079 --> 00:26:57,640 Capella Houston leading the league in field goal percentage, like I'm catching a dunk 408 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:02,720 every single time, Like there was a lot of wonderable two dribble drives, 409 00:27:02,839 --> 00:27:06,720 like righty finishes high off the glass, hook shots. Believe me, if 410 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:10,200 you ever wanted to look through all the clips that I've downloaded, you you 411 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:15,720 know I could I have ten minutes of otherwise maybe uninspiring, you know, 412 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,680 hook shots and spin moves against Brook Lopez. But to me and you the 413 00:27:18,759 --> 00:27:22,839 guys like us, it's like a pot of gold. So thank you for 414 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,720 letting me go on that little rant and fun, fun fun aside. My 415 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:30,319 rant to your rant would be when I clipped something in the middle of last 416 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,839 year, because it was just like I'd watched successive games and like what he 417 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,839 was doing. I was like, what the hell is going on? So 418 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:41,240 I posted videos of what I had noticed, and there were people that response 419 00:27:41,279 --> 00:27:45,759 I thought this was Kevin Durant on the wall what I was watching, And 420 00:27:45,799 --> 00:27:48,279 I'm like, man, I mean he's not quite that, but it was 421 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:52,279 just like it was so just the growth on offense, like even just the 422 00:27:52,319 --> 00:27:56,160 expansion functions. Forget the efficiency, but the expansion was just so stark. 423 00:27:56,440 --> 00:28:02,599 Well, if you recall his draft kind of his status as a draft prospect, 424 00:28:02,839 --> 00:28:06,319 he pretty much ran point guard for like I did not know that. 425 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:11,279 He pretty much was a big guard for an awful Georgia team that went like 426 00:28:11,599 --> 00:28:17,200 that won like three games in SEC play, and he was really like a 427 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:18,920 big wing and a switch guy, and he pushed the ball in transition and 428 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:22,400 he didn't average a ton of blocks, and he fell to the second round 429 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:26,240 because I think a lot of teams were like what what is like what do 430 00:28:26,319 --> 00:28:30,240 we do with this? Really? And he took a good amount of threes 431 00:28:30,279 --> 00:28:33,960 too, And I think if you would ever want to get into the draft, 432 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:38,960 weeds. It was like teams too worried about role and fit versus like, 433 00:28:40,559 --> 00:28:45,119 holy shit, look at this six eleven uber talented, crazy athlete, 434 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:49,000 super coordinated, like plug and play guy, which he became. So the 435 00:28:49,079 --> 00:28:55,119 offense, it's a contract year, a fact not lost on anybody with the 436 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:59,079 nets. And I really hope, because the offense may struggle in the half 437 00:28:59,119 --> 00:29:02,640 court, I hope they just turn him loose on some more hub actions like 438 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:06,400 hey, fake dribble handoff. You can get from the three point line to 439 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:10,039 the rim in one dribble and finish with either hand. There was there was 440 00:29:10,079 --> 00:29:12,680 a game against the Kings last year where he was switched on Terrence Davis two 441 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:15,960 possessions in a row. This is the stuff I'll never forget, like you 442 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:21,799 know, and they post him up on Terrence Davis and one post up like 443 00:29:21,839 --> 00:29:26,480 spin move left the hook, next possession, I think he gets fouled again 444 00:29:26,559 --> 00:29:29,160 but has to shoot two free throws. And then they didn't do it for 445 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:32,480 like three weeks after that. So trust me, I want to see it 446 00:29:32,599 --> 00:29:34,880 just as badly as you do. But it was. It was wildly impressive 447 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:38,720 last year. Are there do you have any cud because we haven't seen a 448 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:44,400 ton of it, Like can he play with Ben Simmons, I don't know. 449 00:29:44,599 --> 00:29:48,079 I we have seen a little of it. But but if if he's 450 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:52,119 playing with the Ben Simmons that he played with last year, that's just a 451 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:56,720 Ben Simmons problem, you know what I mean. It's like Ben Simmons needs 452 00:29:56,759 --> 00:30:03,319 to be Ben Simmons for that to work. And honestly, we'll see. 453 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,200 I mean, it's going to be a season long work in progress, like 454 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:10,839 they're talking about it in preseason and we're three weeks in and I already feel 455 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,799 bad asking Jacque vond more questions because it's like, what else is there to 456 00:30:14,839 --> 00:30:18,079 say it's tough to space with two absolute non three point threats, like it's 457 00:30:18,119 --> 00:30:22,119 going to be. They're gonna be working on it in December, so we'll 458 00:30:22,119 --> 00:30:29,359 see. I mean, ideally the defense and transition outweighs any potential half court 459 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,680 spacing issues. That's the hope, I think. And if you're going to 460 00:30:32,759 --> 00:30:36,119 put three shooters around them at all times in those lineups, which I assume 461 00:30:36,119 --> 00:30:38,240 you, I don't know why you wouldn't, right, it should make it 462 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:42,480 a little bit easier. Yeah, my non serious questions are you buying the 463 00:30:42,599 --> 00:30:47,319 Cam Thomas as a two way force hype? And my serious question is what 464 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:49,119 kind of opportunity you expect him to have and what does he actually need to 465 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:53,599 do to ensure that he has at least a somewhat regular role in this rotation. 466 00:30:53,960 --> 00:31:00,400 I'll answer both of those in one fell swoop. No and no. 467 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:02,920 He's not gonna be a two way for us. But he needs to not 468 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:06,839 be a destructive defender. And I don't want to pile on. I don't 469 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:11,720 want to sound like I'm anti camp Thomas because next Twitter will make me walk 470 00:31:11,759 --> 00:31:17,000 the plank. But he just needs to not lose his man off the ball. 471 00:31:17,039 --> 00:31:18,240 I don't really have any concerns on the ball, but there are too 472 00:31:18,279 --> 00:31:22,039 many times where he kind of spaces out. And on a team last year 473 00:31:22,039 --> 00:31:27,039 that was built on switching and communication because they couldn't do anything else, that 474 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,880 I think, more than anything, kept him off the court. So he 475 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:36,720 needs he at least needs to be passable on that end and then elsewhere. 476 00:31:37,319 --> 00:31:42,920 He's such a talented offensive score but it feels like he only gets in the 477 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:48,599 flow state when he's attacking the basket. Like there are times where he'll catch 478 00:31:48,640 --> 00:31:53,079 a ball like a swing pass, and there's an advantage to exploit, and 479 00:31:53,119 --> 00:31:57,279 he holds it and the advantage dies and the decision making is a little slow, 480 00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:00,720 and it's like, shoot it would be better just shooting a cats and 481 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:06,279 shoot three would be better. So we need the nets, need what Cam 482 00:32:06,359 --> 00:32:08,960 can do, and I think that's where the frustration from the fans comes from. 483 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:16,839 But Cam sort of just can't lose advantages on offense and he can't provide 484 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:22,480 advantages on defense. He just needs to be neutral when he's not putting the 485 00:32:22,519 --> 00:32:27,200 ball in the hold. And that that's not a diss I mean that's hard. 486 00:32:27,279 --> 00:32:30,839 It's hard for a third, second year player who's at six foot three 487 00:32:30,079 --> 00:32:34,000 to do that, Like that's not an easy thing they're asking of him, 488 00:32:34,039 --> 00:32:37,160 but you know, it is what he needs to do. And it's also 489 00:32:37,319 --> 00:32:39,680 just it gets just crowded because you're not I mean, you could try it 490 00:32:39,839 --> 00:32:43,680 like he's not a wing and so and it gets all of a sudden crowded. 491 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:46,000 Where you have bencer Dinwiddie, I mean, Ben Simmons can do whatever, 492 00:32:46,039 --> 00:32:50,960 but you have Dennis Smith junior. You sign Lonnie Walker the fourth and 493 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:53,400 that would be I mean, that's actually an accidental segue in his next question, 494 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:59,400 which of the non rookie additions to this team or you most intrigued by 495 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,359 or do you see playing the biggest rollers being most important, and if they're 496 00:33:02,359 --> 00:33:06,200 separate, you're intrigued by X, but you think they're gonna lean on why 497 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:10,039 that's that's obviously good too. I'm intrigued by Dennis just if they're gonna run 498 00:33:10,119 --> 00:33:15,359 more, drop the screen navigation, pushing, But that feels like me thinking 499 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:19,960 with my heart instead of my brain. And I just see Lonnie. I 500 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:25,759 see Lonnie being this athletic wing type that can maybe do some more on ball 501 00:33:25,799 --> 00:33:30,559 stuff, such a better shooter than Dennis Smith to a point where I don't 502 00:33:30,599 --> 00:33:34,119 think the Nets can, Like I think they just have to accept that reality. 503 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:36,920 And Lonnie gets more minutes, you know what I mean? Right? 504 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:39,079 And if Lonnie's getting more minutes, it's like, well, like, where's 505 00:33:39,079 --> 00:33:43,240 Cam Toms fitting in this rotation? If if Lonnie's playing a real role, 506 00:33:43,519 --> 00:33:47,000 Yeah, I will say Cam has come back to camp with a jump shot 507 00:33:47,039 --> 00:33:51,200 that is a little bit more centered, his elbows a little bit more straight, 508 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:53,680 and I to me, that screams like we need you to take catch 509 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:58,000 and shoot three point attempts. And he's done that a little bit in preseason. 510 00:34:00,079 --> 00:34:02,319 But yeah, you know there are the injuries Cam will get his moments, 511 00:34:02,359 --> 00:34:07,800 I think Lannie's pretty much guaranteed to get his. I'm worried about Dennis, 512 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:14,320 like if the spacene just becomes untenable where you know you already can't play 513 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:19,559 him next to Claxton and Ben, so he needs to come in in probably 514 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:23,000 bench lineups where Ben is on the bench. So it's because he can throw 515 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:28,440 those pocket passes to rulers. So it's Dennis Claxton three shooters. But even 516 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:30,920 then, like the offense is are going to be great, and if they 517 00:34:31,039 --> 00:34:36,719 become hampered by his non shooting and the drop defense isn't great, I'm intrigued 518 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:42,599 by Dennis. I could see this kind of going poorly. Have you have 519 00:34:42,599 --> 00:34:45,920 any general impressions of the Harry Giles, Like is there a chance he would 520 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:47,360 make the roster? Do you think they'll end up two weighing him. I 521 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:52,320 think he's gonna make the roster. I think that they've kind of been open 522 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:58,320 about Harry Giles, Trendon Watford, Darius Beasley are all competing for one spot, 523 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:04,360 maybe two because they can slap a two way on Giles. The Harry 524 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:09,199 Giles the third provision in the new CBA this offseason. But he's the biggest 525 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:13,440 he's the best rebounder of those three, and that's something the front office has 526 00:35:13,519 --> 00:35:16,719 really nailed home. He has some nice touch around the rim, and honestly, 527 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:21,079 he's looked good. He's looked spry. And as much as I love 528 00:35:21,199 --> 00:35:24,320 trendon Watford and a lot of nerd Twitter loves trendon Watford too, I think 529 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:29,679 it's easy to see a role for Giles. You know, should Dayron Sharp 530 00:35:29,719 --> 00:35:31,679 get in a foul trouble, get hurt as the backup center, should they 531 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:36,199 need a guy who can catch a pocket pass and maybe like make a floater 532 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:40,440 from eight feet. So I think Giles is not a lock to make the 533 00:35:40,519 --> 00:35:45,000 roster, but I would honestly be really surprised if he doesn't at least get 534 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,320 a two way. Everybody's also been, you know, raving about him in 535 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:52,280 the in the locker room stuff like that too. What did you make of 536 00:35:52,679 --> 00:35:57,280 Dayron Sharp's development this year and how big of a role do you expect him 537 00:35:57,320 --> 00:36:01,400 to play this season? Well, well, let me you know, I 538 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:06,079 think this one is honestly kind of an easy answer, just because you know, 539 00:36:06,119 --> 00:36:09,079 what do you think of their of their backup center rotation? It's like, 540 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:14,199 yeah, it's it's like it has to be him. I'm just wondering, 541 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:19,199 Like, I don't know. I'm always left wanting more from him on 542 00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:22,760 the defensive ends, specifically, he showed some nice touch at points offensively last 543 00:36:22,840 --> 00:36:23,719 year. I mean, you watch him way more than I did, obviously, 544 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:28,079 I just don't know what It's not that I don't understand the series of 545 00:36:28,119 --> 00:36:30,039 him just yet. I don't know what to make of him just yet. 546 00:36:30,119 --> 00:36:32,239 Is more like it. He had this one play against the Sixers where he 547 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:36,400 was ended up on a switch and he was guarding the the wing on the 548 00:36:36,519 --> 00:36:38,760 left side, on the right side of the court, and then I think 549 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:43,239 Joel Embiid kind of had a drive from the top of the key but going 550 00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:46,840 to his left hand, and Dayron Sharp like came across the court and blocked 551 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:50,360 it off the glass, and I was like, oh my god, like 552 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:55,039 I've never seen him act like this before. But that is I think the 553 00:36:55,159 --> 00:37:00,679 day Ron Sharp. It's so intriguing at times, but he's a big dude 554 00:37:00,679 --> 00:37:02,880 and they really want him to rebound and then it's like, okay, he 555 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:07,760 can do that. But also his technique in drop has not been great in 556 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:09,639 his career. And he's working on it and it's improved a little, but 557 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:15,559 it's not great, And like, can he are you really going to deploy 558 00:37:15,639 --> 00:37:20,400 him like as a switch big because then you're not addressing really the rebounding stuff 559 00:37:20,679 --> 00:37:22,960 at all, which is another big part of the day Ron sharp theory. 560 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:28,519 So it feels like he has all he has skills, but it's like, 561 00:37:28,679 --> 00:37:31,440 I wish you could, like on two K, transfer some of the attribute 562 00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:36,400 points to other areas where it would just give him, like, you know, 563 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:39,519 a really solid, sensible role because it's not that he can't play, 564 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:45,760 it's just that sometimes the Nets need a skill set that he doesn't have. 565 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:50,239 Like even when Vaughn talks about adding to the rebounding, he doesn't even mention 566 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:53,199 Dayron's defensive rebound. He said, we want to at least get it back 567 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:59,159 to neutral by utilizing Dayron's offensive rebound game. And it's like that's great, 568 00:37:59,519 --> 00:38:00,800 but they need to get a stop sometimes, you know what I mean? 569 00:38:01,119 --> 00:38:06,960 Right? Uh, is there any chance that they decide, hey, maybe 570 00:38:07,039 --> 00:38:13,760 Noah Clowney can help out in this big man rotation or no, come on, 571 00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:19,360 you're putting me on the spot. So I'll just say I love speaking 572 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:22,480 of the theory of players. I love the theory of Noah Clowney, where 573 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:25,559 it's like he took over four threes a game last year. That's someone who's 574 00:38:25,559 --> 00:38:30,199 gonna cover just a shit ton of defensive ground. And I'm more of the 575 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:32,960 and it's easy for me to say I'm just not around the team, like 576 00:38:34,119 --> 00:38:36,519 I'm of the fuck it try it mindset. Yeah, and then that's sort 577 00:38:36,559 --> 00:38:39,679 a point where because you haven't doubled down, and I know you're not rebuilding 578 00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:43,800 either, but like, fuck it, try it would just be where I'm 579 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:46,800 at with it. Yeah, I like, I get it and I but 580 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:52,400 also I just I get it. They're gonna send him to the G League 581 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:54,679 and he's gonna play thirty minutes a night, And ultimately that's not an indictment 582 00:38:54,719 --> 00:38:59,079 on him. He's the second He was the second youngest player in the draft. 583 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:02,639 You know him, and I think at least they were both three. 584 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:07,199 They were in the three youngest players, maybe the two youngest of the first 585 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:13,920 round. But in any case, he's just not ready yet. NBA size 586 00:39:14,079 --> 00:39:19,519 kind of NBA schemes ironing out the three point ball. Honestly, I think 587 00:39:19,519 --> 00:39:22,559 their fucking try it might just be playing him heavy minutes in the G League. 588 00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:27,559 You know, like they had a really good G League team last year, 589 00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:30,360 and they've been to the conference finals a lot down to Long Island, 590 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:37,000 and that is their version of trying it, just getting him minutes there. 591 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:40,440 And while I am intrigued by him, I don't see him contributing to the 592 00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:45,280 big league squad a lot this season, although it would be fun. Yeah, 593 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:49,559 because it's like it is a positional need. I understand why you wouldn't 594 00:39:49,559 --> 00:39:51,920 if you're trying to be a really good team. But it's not like Thereek 595 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:53,360 Whitehead. You don't need. They say, what did you make of that 596 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:57,320 fire? By the way, like that was a very big bet on Okay, 597 00:39:57,360 --> 00:39:59,559 like this is what he did in high school and like we're gonna swing, 598 00:39:59,559 --> 00:40:01,639 and as you meant, what was he eighteen? He's still eighteen, 599 00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:07,079 I believe. So okay, So did you like, what did you think 600 00:40:07,159 --> 00:40:12,320 of them taking that swing? Uh? Oh no, I was, yeah, 601 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:14,519 I was. I think I was in the building for his nineteen birthday. 602 00:40:14,559 --> 00:40:17,159 He's nineteen. I liked it. I liked it, man, like 603 00:40:17,199 --> 00:40:21,280 they needed. I'm glad that they took a swing. And you could say 604 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:23,000 Clowney is a swing with how raw he is. But no, he's a 605 00:40:23,039 --> 00:40:30,559 future MVP. That's just a certainty. That's Yeah. There are some people 606 00:40:30,559 --> 00:40:34,280 that think Dreek Wiehad is like guaranteed all start too. People very high on 607 00:40:34,360 --> 00:40:37,480 him. I like it. It's like if he let's say it doesn't work 608 00:40:37,480 --> 00:40:40,639 out and let's say the foot injuries, whatever, and you'd ever quite you 609 00:40:40,679 --> 00:40:45,400 know, get him off the ground. It's not fun to miss on a 610 00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:47,400 pick, but it also wouldn't be devastating for where the Nets are at right 611 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:52,920 now, given that they did draft Clowney in the spot next to him in 612 00:40:52,000 --> 00:41:00,079 the draft. But I also think they because there's not this organizational focus on 613 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:05,079 being a championship team right now and there's not a tanking focus. It's sort 614 00:41:05,119 --> 00:41:08,320 of the perfect situation for Whitehead because the fans aren't gonna be like we have 615 00:41:08,440 --> 00:41:12,159 nothing to root for it, like I need to see Dreek right now. 616 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:15,280 But they're also not going to be like, oh boy, the salary cast 617 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:17,119 space, like what's gonna happen, Like we're the Nuggets, Like we really 618 00:41:17,159 --> 00:41:22,079 need Christian Brown right now to play well, so they can slow play Dreek's 619 00:41:22,119 --> 00:41:27,239 development. And I'm kind of really happy he went to a spot where they 620 00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:30,519 can do that because I was I was pretty high on Durek coming into the 621 00:41:30,599 --> 00:41:34,960 draft. Yeah, I wanted to do podcast. I think it's called the 622 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:37,719 Devil's Den during the middle of the season, and they were trying to like 623 00:41:37,760 --> 00:41:39,840 convey to me, like how good Derek Whitehead is supposed to be, don't 624 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:45,559 I just don't pay enough attention to college basketball. So I'm all for swings, 625 00:41:45,599 --> 00:41:47,639 especially when you're just drafting. Like I mean, I would take swings 626 00:41:47,679 --> 00:41:51,159 everywhere if I was running an NBA team, Like I love what the Wizards 627 00:41:51,159 --> 00:41:52,599 did with black Pool of BALI, I'm like, good like you. There 628 00:41:52,679 --> 00:41:57,400 wasn't the consensus after Ford just do it. But if you're in the twenties, 629 00:41:57,559 --> 00:42:00,599 take the swings. You did say something though, I know we've talked 630 00:42:00,599 --> 00:42:05,079 about the prevailing theme. If they haven't chosen a direction, there's optionality. 631 00:42:06,119 --> 00:42:09,519 Are they prepared to react this season to what's happened or do you think they 632 00:42:09,519 --> 00:42:14,760 should be prepared to react to what's happening this season in season or is this 633 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:16,480 more of a team that would play like maybe they're better than expected. Do 634 00:42:16,559 --> 00:42:20,199 they put some of those picks on the table to get someone to help them 635 00:42:20,360 --> 00:42:22,239 if they're not that good, do they then look at okay, do we 636 00:42:22,320 --> 00:42:24,719 mean a little bit? Do we see what we can get from some of 637 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:29,559 these guys? And like like are they good or is it more you use 638 00:42:29,599 --> 00:42:32,320 the phrase slow play like they're just gonna play this season out. They'll recalibrate 639 00:42:32,519 --> 00:42:37,039 over next summer. They're not Tradi McHale, who was rumored to be offered 640 00:42:37,039 --> 00:42:43,800 for four picks from an unnamed team, I mean last year, yeah, 641 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:45,320 and I mean like how fit? It was, like how fake are those 642 00:42:45,320 --> 00:42:49,000 for? Like I need to know what the I need, Like you know, 643 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:52,039 when they said the Knicks offered threeobi or whatever is like I bet you 644 00:42:52,039 --> 00:42:54,880 it was two of the first round picks from Detroit and Washington that might never 645 00:42:54,920 --> 00:43:00,840 actually convey and so like that's always listen. The one that I really thought 646 00:43:00,920 --> 00:43:04,360 was fake was when you heard the two for Dorian Finney Smith And I love 647 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:07,519 DFS, but I'm like, come on, man, like one of those 648 00:43:07,559 --> 00:43:12,159 had to be protected one through twenty nine or something. But I think they 649 00:43:12,159 --> 00:43:15,320 didn't. There was a lot of noise about them trading Dorian and Royce this 650 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:17,360 offseason, and they didn't. I think that says more to me, like 651 00:43:17,599 --> 00:43:22,360 they're confident that they can deal one of those two at the deadline if need 652 00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:28,239 be for a first round pick or that their value hasn't appreciated. I would 653 00:43:28,239 --> 00:43:30,599 say that's the one. I would say the reaction that they need to make 654 00:43:30,639 --> 00:43:36,000 this season the one that they really can't afford to mess up. They cannot 655 00:43:36,039 --> 00:43:43,360 lose Nick Claxon for nothing this offseason. Sali Jery disagrees losing players for nothing 656 00:43:43,440 --> 00:43:47,079 is good business. It is good business if you really if you really love 657 00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:52,760 winning thirty six games, appo, shade to the Raptors. No, they're 658 00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:55,199 all up. Sorry, then I'll take all the shade to the Raptors. 659 00:43:55,199 --> 00:43:59,679 You had one of the worst offseason's recent memory. I am fascinated. This 660 00:43:59,760 --> 00:44:02,639 is aside what Nick Claxton ends up getting in free agency, because I think 661 00:44:02,639 --> 00:44:06,119 a lot of people right off is like, Oh, it's just this skinny, 662 00:44:06,199 --> 00:44:07,599 rim running big who's first time, Like he'll make like maybe he'll get 663 00:44:07,639 --> 00:44:10,519 fifty. I'm like, just after watching him offensively, I'm like, and 664 00:44:10,559 --> 00:44:14,519 even as a rim protector, like whether it's helping or it's just like it's 665 00:44:14,519 --> 00:44:17,519 the stand still guy going up against some physical opponents like that you might get 666 00:44:17,559 --> 00:44:20,920 paid. I mean I don't. I don't look at the cap space land 667 00:44:20,960 --> 00:44:23,280 Cape and say landscape and say, oh, this team is gonna give him 668 00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:27,480 a crap ton of money. But he's just good enough to where it could 669 00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:30,239 actually happen. I just and this is not a slight to Cam Johnson, 670 00:44:30,320 --> 00:44:34,079 but Cam Johnson's making twenty two and a half million a year. I think 671 00:44:34,079 --> 00:44:39,679 that's the aav Nick Clackson twenty five then, right, I mean this is 672 00:44:39,679 --> 00:44:44,480 one of the at least at worst, I mean, the ten best defenders 673 00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:47,840 in the NBA who has like this legit offensive skill where even if he never 674 00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:51,800 develops any of this stuff we're talking about, and he can just screen and 675 00:44:51,840 --> 00:44:55,039 throw down dunks. He shot seventy percent from two last season, and yeah, 676 00:44:55,039 --> 00:44:59,000 the free throws are worry Didnwidy had a quote this year that one of 677 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:04,559 his main goals this year season is to get Nick Claxton paid one hundred million 678 00:45:04,559 --> 00:45:07,320 dollars in free agency, and then he said Nick Claxton is in a great 679 00:45:07,320 --> 00:45:12,400 spot. And I quote because even if he shits the bed this year, 680 00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:20,000 he can still get seventy five to eighty million dollars and Sean Marsden wave Spencer 681 00:45:20,039 --> 00:45:23,079 did what he on the spot for, like on Nick Claxton like that, 682 00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:29,559 Yeah, no, that's uh, that's Spencer right there. But it's true. 683 00:45:29,599 --> 00:45:34,400 I mean, like like if you're really if you're gonna get really analytical 684 00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:37,639 and this ESPN list came out and whatever, and if you can see that 685 00:45:37,760 --> 00:45:42,440 Nick Claxton is one of the five best rim protectors in the NBA. Maybe 686 00:45:42,519 --> 00:45:45,199 if not as a drop guy then like a week side helped guy in a 687 00:45:45,199 --> 00:45:47,119 one on the sure definitely is like the help guy. Yeah, definitely is 688 00:45:47,119 --> 00:45:50,960 the help guy. And he can switch out on the perimeter and he's a 689 00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:54,840 really good interior offensive big even though he struggles with free through shooting. That 690 00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:59,679 kind of sounds like a top I mean, if you don't want to say 691 00:45:59,679 --> 00:46:02,360 thirty, the most valuable player forty fifty, I mean would you. I 692 00:46:02,360 --> 00:46:07,719 wouldn't feel comfortable putting him past fifty. It's so it gets tough just because 693 00:46:07,760 --> 00:46:09,599 when you're not like the offensive hub type, at least they haven't used you 694 00:46:09,679 --> 00:46:14,320 that way. But I would say, like you if we sat here and 695 00:46:14,320 --> 00:46:16,280 said, I think Nick Klass is gonna be a top fifty player by the 696 00:46:16,360 --> 00:46:20,679 end of this season, Like that is not I don't I don't think that's 697 00:46:20,679 --> 00:46:23,400 a reach. Like that is absolutely something that could happen. I would feel 698 00:46:23,400 --> 00:46:27,199 pretty comfortable in that. I would feel pretty comfortable saying that he was that 699 00:46:27,320 --> 00:46:32,199 last season. Yeah, I mean defense conversation. It's just and I just 700 00:46:32,239 --> 00:46:37,239 don't think people realized And I'm not I didn't even I didn't really think about 701 00:46:37,239 --> 00:46:38,679 his player ranking before he came out here or so I'm not saying I'm ahead 702 00:46:38,719 --> 00:46:43,840 of the curve, but like, I don't think people understood just how much 703 00:46:43,880 --> 00:46:46,960 he improved offense. I think he's still sort of shoehorned into this. He 704 00:46:47,039 --> 00:46:51,440 looks like this, like physically, this is what he and he doesn't shoot 705 00:46:51,440 --> 00:46:52,800 threes, so this is what he is on offense, and it's just like 706 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:55,559 no, it's like it's it's not it's not that he's not taking the Christops 707 00:46:55,599 --> 00:47:00,360 porzingis contested turn around jumpers yet anyway, Like there's just so much more there. 708 00:47:00,400 --> 00:47:04,920 So I'm I'm gonna be fascinated to see his price point and whether there's 709 00:47:05,000 --> 00:47:07,840 like I get it. In the instance of Cam Johnson, I'm I called 710 00:47:07,840 --> 00:47:12,280 front offices cowards because I think people should throw around their cap space and restricted 711 00:47:12,280 --> 00:47:15,760 free agency more. I think it's I think it's criminal. No one made 712 00:47:15,760 --> 00:47:17,440 the Lakers pay more for Austin Reeves. That's how the Nets, That's how 713 00:47:17,480 --> 00:47:22,400 the Nets built the Last Iteration of Life. That's exactly what they did Alan 714 00:47:22,519 --> 00:47:28,000 Crab and I'm forgetting the rest, but it was did Tyler Johnson Auto Porter? 715 00:47:28,039 --> 00:47:30,400 Didn't They end up with all those guys eventually except for Otto Porter not 716 00:47:30,440 --> 00:47:34,039 Otto Porter, but they ended up with Crab like immediately, and then they 717 00:47:34,079 --> 00:47:37,880 ended up with Tyler Johnson after like Katie and Kyrie got here and they needed 718 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:40,360 like a bench guard. But it worked like did They ended up handicapping some 719 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:44,400 of these teams and then they were able to trade and make it like I 720 00:47:44,440 --> 00:47:46,400 agree with you. Everyone's worried about, oh well, our cap space is 721 00:47:46,440 --> 00:47:49,760 tied up for thirty six hours or whatever it is now. I haven't really 722 00:47:49,800 --> 00:47:52,480 dug enough into the new CBA, but it's like, what did you miss 723 00:47:52,480 --> 00:47:54,360 out on If you're the Spurs trading for Reggie Bullocks, that you could wait 724 00:47:54,480 --> 00:47:58,280 him like that would move, that would have been there like whatever. So 725 00:47:59,360 --> 00:48:02,679 with and it's different because he's not a restricted free agency like teams might be 726 00:48:02,679 --> 00:48:07,360 more inclined to just go hard effort, so just gonna be fascinated by his 727 00:48:07,400 --> 00:48:08,679 price. Yeah, if that is the one thing I would say, But 728 00:48:09,039 --> 00:48:12,840 ball the way back to original question. If they feel like they're gonna lose 729 00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:15,320 him, And it pains me to say this as somebody who's covering the team 730 00:48:15,320 --> 00:48:19,880 and go any games. You gotta trade him if you're going to lose him, 731 00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:22,280 like and we saw with the Raptors. I mean, I'm not saying 732 00:48:22,320 --> 00:48:28,159 anything like groundbreaking here, but they cannot afford to do that. And because 733 00:48:28,320 --> 00:48:31,400 I think he will command some substantial money, I wonder what I'm kind of 734 00:48:31,440 --> 00:48:34,199 think of, like what the team would be there, Like, yo, 735 00:48:34,320 --> 00:48:37,280 we'll give you real stuff for contract year, Nicholas Clason right now. But 736 00:48:37,320 --> 00:48:40,599 I'm sure I haven't thought about it enough. But I'm sure sure it's out 737 00:48:40,599 --> 00:48:44,719 there. Hey, Brook Lopez gets hurt all of a sudden, it's the 738 00:48:44,760 --> 00:48:47,760 bucks, you know, like that nothing to trade, like they could trade 739 00:48:47,760 --> 00:48:53,079 a double swap. Yeah, no, And I don't envision the nets eager 740 00:48:53,119 --> 00:48:58,320 to help them out, but anything could happen. My point, we are 741 00:48:58,440 --> 00:49:00,480 entering the cookie cutter portion of the pot cast. Are you ready, I'm 742 00:49:00,519 --> 00:49:06,599 ready. Are there any strengths weaknesses about this team that we haven't discussed or 743 00:49:06,599 --> 00:49:12,440 maybe that are flying under the radar that you think deserve more attention. It's 744 00:49:12,440 --> 00:49:15,800 gonna be a really funny team. It's gonna be a really hilarious team to 745 00:49:15,800 --> 00:49:20,719 watch in press conference. I think that's been underrated. Dennis Smith Junior and 746 00:49:20,760 --> 00:49:24,320 Dorian Finney Smith of this hilarious chemistry from their time in Dallas, Spencer Dinwood, 747 00:49:24,360 --> 00:49:27,960 He's funny. Nick Klaxon just went on this whole rant about how he's 748 00:49:28,039 --> 00:49:32,119 underappreciated on defense. So just because Kyrie and Kittie are gone doesn't mean that 749 00:49:32,159 --> 00:49:37,519 this is not a team of personalities. But on the basketball court, I 750 00:49:37,559 --> 00:49:47,679 think that he that opponents may be surprised at how physical and hardest team plays. 751 00:49:47,719 --> 00:49:52,480 I could honestly see them being the effort merchants that the Knicks have been 752 00:49:52,519 --> 00:49:57,719 in the past. What a great turn of phrase, effort merchants. I 753 00:49:57,719 --> 00:50:00,519 could see it. I just they're gonna play hard, We're gonna pay the 754 00:50:00,519 --> 00:50:05,400 starters a lot of minutes. And because this team is not going to cry 755 00:50:05,440 --> 00:50:08,039 about a play and birth, this team is not going to cry through the 756 00:50:08,079 --> 00:50:12,679 seventh seed and they get and they lose in the first round, Like this 757 00:50:12,800 --> 00:50:15,960 is going to be a tough team to play against every night, and because 758 00:50:15,480 --> 00:50:19,599 I know every team says that in the preseason, but it feels like if 759 00:50:19,599 --> 00:50:22,960 they don't do that, then there's really no point to this team existing. 760 00:50:23,119 --> 00:50:27,239 And also, you know, to bring it back to like the brief trade 761 00:50:27,239 --> 00:50:30,199 discussion we had, like Sean Marks has been there, done this before. 762 00:50:30,840 --> 00:50:34,000 I do think people say, well, why would they ever sell off talent 763 00:50:34,079 --> 00:50:36,239 when they don't have their pick? And it's like Sean Marks has been here, 764 00:50:36,280 --> 00:50:37,639 done that, Like he's not going to be like they know, and 765 00:50:37,719 --> 00:50:40,000 as you're saying, he's not gonna be worried about or the team's not gonna 766 00:50:40,000 --> 00:50:43,800 be worried about if we lose in the play in, they kind of understand 767 00:50:43,840 --> 00:50:46,119 like the situation that they're in. And so I say that that's aroundabout way 768 00:50:46,119 --> 00:50:50,719 of me saying I'm prepared for literally any scenario from this team. I think 769 00:50:50,719 --> 00:50:54,000 the only thing that would actually shock me good or bad scenarios would be a 770 00:50:54,119 --> 00:50:58,159 mchal Bridge's trade. And that's the one thing that I would not and you 771 00:50:58,199 --> 00:51:00,079 could tell me anything else. They finish fourth or fifth in the East. 772 00:51:00,119 --> 00:51:04,440 They finished like, I don't know, someone gets injured their thirteenth, they 773 00:51:04,440 --> 00:51:07,559 trade Nick Claxton, they go out. I actually think I think the best 774 00:51:07,559 --> 00:51:09,440 way to frame it would be, like with the mcl bridge stuff, is 775 00:51:09,480 --> 00:51:14,199 are they more likely to make a win now trade or to wind up dealing 776 00:51:14,280 --> 00:51:19,079 mckel bridges. I actually think it's the former. I think there's I want 777 00:51:19,119 --> 00:51:22,320 to be clear, there's combustible potential here for me. But I think that 778 00:51:22,400 --> 00:51:25,480 mchl bridges is so good and might be on the best contract in the league 779 00:51:27,440 --> 00:51:30,639 that it would shock me more if they wound up moving him than if they 780 00:51:30,679 --> 00:51:32,559 decided, hey, no they didn't go and get Dame. But like, 781 00:51:32,599 --> 00:51:36,039 and I'm not saying he needs to be a superstar, but they decide to 782 00:51:36,079 --> 00:51:38,920 parlay some of the pick equity that they do have into someone who helps them. 783 00:51:38,920 --> 00:51:43,840 Now, yeah, it'd be hard for me to pick. I I 784 00:51:43,880 --> 00:51:46,599 don't see anything too drastic. I could see either win now. I can 785 00:51:46,639 --> 00:51:52,719 see either, you know, maybe tanking or semi tanking. But I don't 786 00:51:52,760 --> 00:51:55,440 think either are going to be too drastic, especially a McHale trade. I 787 00:51:55,440 --> 00:52:02,199 think he's here to stay. So what does the top ten rotation look like 788 00:52:02,280 --> 00:52:05,639 for this team, I think there are locks, but are there also still 789 00:52:05,760 --> 00:52:07,559 questions with that? Do we know who's starting? Like I haven't seen anything 790 00:52:07,559 --> 00:52:12,000 definitive on on who their starting line up. So you were very kind in 791 00:52:12,079 --> 00:52:14,880 this outline, outlined it from you so I don't have to run through it 792 00:52:14,920 --> 00:52:19,079 in my head. But the starting five I think is pretty locked to be 793 00:52:19,079 --> 00:52:24,960 Ben Dinwitty, Mikhale cam claxton. Last year that it was that was the 794 00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:31,079 starting five with Jorrian Finney Smith in Ben's place. That to me feels pretty 795 00:52:31,320 --> 00:52:36,079 rock solid, like they believe in Ben, They're gonna start him. I 796 00:52:36,119 --> 00:52:39,159 was more curious about would they have pause about playing him next to Spencer Dinwitdy 797 00:52:39,199 --> 00:52:42,800 and Nick Claxton, Like would you prefer to be? But I was looking 798 00:52:42,800 --> 00:52:45,159 at the other option. It's like it probably be DFS and he's not like 799 00:52:45,199 --> 00:52:51,079 a capslock shooter, and so yeah, he also I'm kind of I don't 800 00:52:51,360 --> 00:52:55,719 love his fit on this team. I just think like Royce is a comparable 801 00:52:55,760 --> 00:53:00,559 player, and while he's not as good on defense, he gives more three 802 00:53:00,559 --> 00:53:04,400 point shooting and more offensive like I'll put the ball on the floor and make 803 00:53:04,440 --> 00:53:07,800 the next pass. Surprisingly good at that. I didn't really. I know 804 00:53:07,920 --> 00:53:09,119 Zach Lowe wrote about it a couple of years ago, but I was still 805 00:53:09,199 --> 00:53:14,559 kind of surprised to see it when he to Brooklyn Utah tried like before they 806 00:53:14,599 --> 00:53:19,360 were like their peak version, like Royce O'Neil run picking rolls like that was 807 00:53:19,400 --> 00:53:22,440 the thing that they were trying to make happen for a while. Whenever I 808 00:53:22,480 --> 00:53:27,199 get in arguments with like my dad or like old head basketball fans or whoever, 809 00:53:27,360 --> 00:53:30,960 and they talk about offensive skill, I'm like, just go watch a 810 00:53:30,000 --> 00:53:34,599 Nets game. It's like Royce O'Neil's like the best offensive player on the nets, 811 00:53:34,639 --> 00:53:37,960 and he's like in and out cross skip pass. And then I think 812 00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:39,440 about it and I'm like, nah, like I shouldn't. I shouldn't do 813 00:53:39,559 --> 00:53:45,199 Royce like that, Like that's a little disrespectful. So the starting five is 814 00:53:45,199 --> 00:53:51,480 that, and then and then Royce Dorian are going to play Cam, Thomas 815 00:53:51,559 --> 00:53:55,679 is gonna play Okay, day Ron is gonna play Cam. And Dayron I 816 00:53:55,719 --> 00:54:00,159 think, are more like they will get chances. They're not gonna go out 817 00:54:00,159 --> 00:54:04,519 there in stink for eighty two games because someone will intervene, but they will 818 00:54:04,559 --> 00:54:08,480 get chances. So that's nine. And then Dennis Smith Junior said he had 819 00:54:08,519 --> 00:54:12,880 other options to sign and he chose to come to Brooklyn. I think he 820 00:54:12,960 --> 00:54:15,880 thinks he's gonna get minutes. And then I know I'm saying eleven. But 821 00:54:15,960 --> 00:54:21,360 like Dennis Lannie, like, I don't see them sitting both of those guys, 822 00:54:21,760 --> 00:54:25,639 But I also don't see them sitting Cam. Really, there might be 823 00:54:25,760 --> 00:54:29,960 Knights, I think. I think that's the eleven. I think there might 824 00:54:30,000 --> 00:54:32,079 be Knights where Royce hits a few threes and gets a steal and then Dorian 825 00:54:32,119 --> 00:54:37,119 doesn't really play, or Dennis Smith comes in missus a three, turns the 826 00:54:37,159 --> 00:54:38,840 ball over and then it's like, okay, we're just playing Cam or Lannie. 827 00:54:39,079 --> 00:54:45,079 But that's the eleven. To me, this is one of the teams 828 00:54:45,079 --> 00:54:47,119 where I think it's a loaded question because they will, in my opinion, 829 00:54:47,119 --> 00:54:51,159 play to matchups. But at the end of the season, what do you 830 00:54:51,199 --> 00:54:54,719 think will have been their most leaned upon crunch time lineup. That's a good 831 00:54:54,800 --> 00:55:02,400 question. Okay, the clax McHale Cam Johnson is like locked. I think 832 00:55:06,760 --> 00:55:13,800 Royce. I'm gonna say Royce. They he is that they really trust him. 833 00:55:14,639 --> 00:55:16,760 He's in the perfect spot too. When you look at like when he 834 00:55:16,800 --> 00:55:19,760 was in Utah, he was about how he was cooked, and I was 835 00:55:19,800 --> 00:55:22,800 like, he's not cooked because he's their only perimeter defender. Like that doesn't 836 00:55:22,840 --> 00:55:27,639 mean he's cooked. That means that he's saddled with too much responsibility. He's 837 00:55:27,679 --> 00:55:30,000 not a great perimeter defender. He's also not bad, and he's also more 838 00:55:30,000 --> 00:55:34,079 than an ISO guy, which I think he was pegged as in Utah, 839 00:55:34,159 --> 00:55:37,960 like because they have to throw him on like Lebron Gage it was just gonna 840 00:55:38,000 --> 00:55:44,039 be Boon or Rudy or no Mitchell doing it. But like he's a really 841 00:55:44,079 --> 00:55:46,199 good team defender more so than like a one on one guy. And I 842 00:55:46,239 --> 00:55:51,480 think with this team that's really valuable at the switching to communication. That might 843 00:55:51,519 --> 00:55:54,599 be a hot take, but I think it's gonna be Spencer Royce Mikhail cam 844 00:55:54,679 --> 00:55:59,920 Klax, just because Royce had his career best shooting year last year and he 845 00:56:00,199 --> 00:56:02,599 launching them in preseason, Like like I think if you just look at pre 846 00:56:02,719 --> 00:56:07,440 season, I think it's like ten attempts per thirty six minutes, which I 847 00:56:07,440 --> 00:56:12,000 know is a ridiculous small size sample stat that I'm already going on a permanent 848 00:56:12,000 --> 00:56:15,119 basis by but he'll shoot, he'll pass, he'll be in the right spots 849 00:56:15,119 --> 00:56:17,320 defensively, and you can count on him. You know what you're getting. 850 00:56:17,800 --> 00:56:21,840 Cause and the reason I leave Ben simmons on and put racing is because I 851 00:56:21,840 --> 00:56:25,079 think the spacing and the up tempo stuff, it's just gonna be hard in 852 00:56:25,119 --> 00:56:28,559 crunch time. It's just gonna be hard in the last five minutes of a 853 00:56:28,559 --> 00:56:30,559 close game, Like you're not gonna get out and run. You just can't 854 00:56:30,639 --> 00:56:37,360 that often, and the spacing will just be harder. So I hate to 855 00:56:37,440 --> 00:56:40,039 do that to Ben, and I do believe he's going to be better, 856 00:56:40,239 --> 00:56:45,079 But I think that's just a mind up that it makes sense what's going on. 857 00:56:45,199 --> 00:56:49,199 You don't really have to worry about, like how do we make this 858 00:56:49,280 --> 00:56:52,320 work? Like they can just go out and play. Is there a weirdo? 859 00:56:52,760 --> 00:56:55,039 They probably won't try it, but I want to see them try it. 860 00:56:55,119 --> 00:56:59,159 Lineup, you'd like to see them roll out well. Trenton Watford is 861 00:56:59,199 --> 00:57:10,199 already automatic five like he was born to play in this five Trendon Claxton McHale. 862 00:57:12,920 --> 00:57:15,320 I have two answers. This one is Dennis Smith, and then I 863 00:57:15,360 --> 00:57:20,320 hope Armani Brooks makes the team, which is a super sick answer, like, 864 00:57:20,800 --> 00:57:23,320 Okay, you may remember him from Rockintson Blazers, but I like Dennis. 865 00:57:23,360 --> 00:57:27,559 He needs to be next to shooting ARMANI can really shoot. And then 866 00:57:27,639 --> 00:57:30,360 Mikale Camp Claxton. I don't think we'll ever see it, but that's it. 867 00:57:30,519 --> 00:57:36,880 Dennis Armani Brooks, Mikhale Cam Claxton, and then the SIKO lineup number 868 00:57:36,880 --> 00:57:43,039 two would be Ben Watford, McHale Cam and Claxton. And I know I'm 869 00:57:43,119 --> 00:57:47,039 using Mikale Cam Claxton like in both of those and that's not really sick or 870 00:57:47,239 --> 00:57:51,239 you know, fun or whatever, but I want it to be a little 871 00:57:51,239 --> 00:57:53,719 good. So there you go. I got two answers that is so much 872 00:57:53,760 --> 00:57:58,400 better than my answer, which is it's not weird because I think four of 873 00:57:58,400 --> 00:58:00,800 these players will spend time to like Nick, like it's their starting lineup is 874 00:58:00,840 --> 00:58:05,519 Cam, Nick, Bridges and Simmons. And then I would just like to 875 00:58:05,519 --> 00:58:07,599 see them go ultra huge. I don't care about the offense, but this 876 00:58:07,599 --> 00:58:12,480 guy does shoot threes. Let's just throw Noel Clowney out there. Clown you 877 00:58:12,519 --> 00:58:15,800 want to worry about the rebounding of Clowny, Ben Nick Claxton out there, 878 00:58:16,280 --> 00:58:20,360 and then you don't need Cam Johnson mckail bridges's rebound it. It's fine. 879 00:58:20,360 --> 00:58:22,960 I don't think it would be good offensively, but that lineup would be massive, 880 00:58:22,960 --> 00:58:25,199 wouldn't mckal bridges at I guess six, what is he sixty seven six 881 00:58:25,280 --> 00:58:29,199 six be the smallest player on the court at that point. Yeah, no, 882 00:58:29,280 --> 00:58:30,960 that would be. They could put Clowney in the corner, you know, 883 00:58:31,039 --> 00:58:36,119 and he could just shoot threes. That would be fun. There's this 884 00:58:36,199 --> 00:58:39,800 roster is built for a lot of insane kind of concoctions, and I always 885 00:58:39,880 --> 00:58:43,360 lean towards smaller lineups for the most part, but it's like, that's what 886 00:58:43,440 --> 00:58:45,239 this team is just gonna play. Like. I even just put four starters 887 00:58:45,320 --> 00:58:49,039 in my in my weird old lineup that I don't even know. Yeah, 888 00:58:49,280 --> 00:58:52,440 I didn't even put Ben at the five, which would at least be cool 889 00:58:52,480 --> 00:58:55,039 offensively, So I should I should cook up with Ben at the five line 890 00:58:55,079 --> 00:58:58,480 up just in case. Do you know what the problem is with that is 891 00:58:58,480 --> 00:59:00,719 it means that Nick Clachton isn't on the which is just an absolute deal breaker 892 00:59:00,840 --> 00:59:06,519 for me. Sure, and that's a good point. So as we record 893 00:59:06,559 --> 00:59:09,199 this on what is it October thirteenth, and I mean it's going live on 894 00:59:09,239 --> 00:59:12,679 the fourteenth. I don't even do that. So as of October thirteenth, 895 00:59:12,679 --> 00:59:15,880 though, they're over Runders in thirty six and a half. I believe that's 896 00:59:15,880 --> 00:59:17,760 a pullback when I did the over runners with my co host, I think 897 00:59:17,800 --> 00:59:22,639 they're at thirty seven. Yeah, and yeah, would you take the over 898 00:59:22,760 --> 00:59:27,039 the under on that? I wouldn't bet it because, well, I said 899 00:59:27,079 --> 00:59:29,920 this when I was thirty seven half. I wouldn't do it, just because 900 00:59:30,440 --> 00:59:36,039 that is very tricky, like they're one injury away from me really having us 901 00:59:36,039 --> 00:59:39,960 spread that out. I think I would take the over and not feel great 902 00:59:40,000 --> 00:59:46,400 about it. I just I don't know. I do think that they'll switch 903 00:59:46,480 --> 00:59:51,159 more and they'll figure out to drop and Colacson is really good where they're going 904 00:59:51,199 --> 00:59:55,079 to have an above average defense. I think that there will be nights where 905 00:59:55,119 --> 01:00:00,599 they just get hot from three and the winds will be fairly easy. I 906 01:00:00,639 --> 01:00:04,320 think there will be nights where the threes don't go in and then they're not 907 01:00:04,360 --> 01:00:07,079 getting ball penetration and it's like, are they even going to crack ninety points? 908 01:00:07,719 --> 01:00:13,880 But yeah, I'll take the over, and I won't like rejoice in 909 01:00:14,000 --> 01:00:19,880 how I'm bank robbing the folks at Vegas though, And where do you see 910 01:00:19,880 --> 01:00:22,480 them stacking up in the East. And I think the best way to kind 911 01:00:22,519 --> 01:00:24,280 of frame this is, right now, what would be the teams that you 912 01:00:24,320 --> 01:00:30,239 would guarantee end up being better than them during the regular season. So I'll 913 01:00:30,280 --> 01:00:34,559 I mean, you know, Buck, Celtic Sixers. Yeah, I guess 914 01:00:34,599 --> 01:00:37,039 I'm with you on the Sixers even if they trade hard and that's I'm probably 915 01:00:37,079 --> 01:00:39,159 that's a little too far field for me to be like if they trade hardened, 916 01:00:39,199 --> 01:00:44,000 they get something back and like I and beat so good Man in the 917 01:00:44,039 --> 01:00:46,920 regular season, like he's so good. So those three, I know, 918 01:00:46,960 --> 01:00:52,119 I'm gonna forget somebody too. I'll say Miami. I'll say they're closer to 919 01:00:52,440 --> 01:00:55,599 twenty twenty one regular season than last year or twenty twenty two regular season last 920 01:00:55,679 --> 01:00:59,519 year, So I guess you think they're gonna care about the regular season. 921 01:01:00,000 --> 01:01:05,280 That means an interesting one. I'll say that. Let's like I'd say I'd 922 01:01:05,280 --> 01:01:08,559 feel comfortable in getting them to forty three wins and like that even not being 923 01:01:08,639 --> 01:01:14,800 super great. So I'll say Miami. And then you know, oh, 924 01:01:14,880 --> 01:01:19,199 Knicks, the Knicks are going to be better. Speaking of the original effort 925 01:01:19,199 --> 01:01:22,480 merchants, I mean, we are on the I would agree with you, 926 01:01:22,719 --> 01:01:25,519 but we are on if Julius Randall continues this every other year track of being 927 01:01:25,519 --> 01:01:30,679 good. It's just something that something to consider true true, And maybe Jalen 928 01:01:30,679 --> 01:01:34,320 Brunson will pick up the slack and I don't. I just like, yeah, 929 01:01:34,480 --> 01:01:37,360 I'll go to the Knicks. So we're at five. I think you 930 01:01:37,480 --> 01:01:39,400 have to include Cleveland. Oh, Cleveland, of course, so s yeah, 931 01:01:39,400 --> 01:01:42,960 I told you I was gonna forget teams. Cleveland's definitely, and Cleveland's 932 01:01:42,960 --> 01:01:45,480 above some of those other teams. So then we're already in play in territory 933 01:01:46,559 --> 01:01:52,400 and then their competition really becomes Raptors, Bulls, Pacers, magic Nets, 934 01:01:52,800 --> 01:01:58,880 so those are lost. I would yeahmn. So that's seven through twelve. 935 01:01:59,719 --> 01:02:05,119 Those six teams. I don't think I can. I'll say Hawks. I 936 01:02:05,199 --> 01:02:07,559 just think Trey Young. I like Trey Young. I'm on more Quinn Snyder 937 01:02:07,599 --> 01:02:10,280 bump too, Yes, the Snyder bump. I just think Trey is like, 938 01:02:10,400 --> 01:02:15,320 you're guaranteed to get really productive offense in the regular season, and Capellen 939 01:02:15,360 --> 01:02:20,480 and Okongo will provide enough defense and Gionte will carry the second unit to respectability. 940 01:02:20,880 --> 01:02:23,599 So I think that's seven right there. And then I don't think there's 941 01:02:23,599 --> 01:02:27,920 any more guarantees. You know, everyone loves the Magic, I don't think 942 01:02:27,920 --> 01:02:30,159 that's a guarantee. I like the Pacers too, I don't think that's a 943 01:02:30,159 --> 01:02:36,639 guarantee. Bulls could this could be the year it really grows up in Flames 944 01:02:37,039 --> 01:02:45,079 and the Raptors. Same thing. So I think eight there they're I guess 945 01:02:45,079 --> 01:02:47,119 that's kind of that sounds a little bit sad to say best case scenario is 946 01:02:47,119 --> 01:02:52,159 at the eighth seed, But so I think I might be a little higher 947 01:02:52,159 --> 01:02:54,599 on their best case because I very much look at I don't trust Boston in 948 01:02:54,639 --> 01:02:57,800 the playoffs right now, but like they'll be great in the regular season. 949 01:02:57,880 --> 01:03:01,239 Cleveland, Milwaukee, those three. I think you're right on Philly, and 950 01:03:01,239 --> 01:03:05,639 then I'm like, okay, Miami and the Knicks. It's just like I 951 01:03:05,679 --> 01:03:08,119 have some powts, So it feels like their ceiling will be sixth. So 952 01:03:08,159 --> 01:03:12,079 I might have a little higher ceiling. But I think you hit their floor 953 01:03:12,079 --> 01:03:15,119 spot on because I really do believe the only teams that you can guarantee are 954 01:03:15,119 --> 01:03:17,960 going to be worse than them this year. It's gonna be the Hornets. 955 01:03:19,480 --> 01:03:22,519 I know, if Amel stays healthy, they could be exciting. Detroit is 956 01:03:22,599 --> 01:03:24,800 just not there yet, and you mentioned Orlando. I'm very high on their 957 01:03:24,840 --> 01:03:29,239 future. And I mentioned this on another podcast, but they were faced. 958 01:03:29,440 --> 01:03:32,079 They had all this cap space, they had two lottery picks, and just 959 01:03:32,119 --> 01:03:37,000 this deficit of players who can shoot, dribble, and pass all three of 960 01:03:37,000 --> 01:03:40,920 those things, and they decided to draft a guard slash wing who can't shoot. 961 01:03:42,239 --> 01:03:45,760 They decided to draft a wing who doesn't really pass, and then they 962 01:03:45,800 --> 01:03:49,119 signed Joe Ingles, who is like super old. So I think that the 963 01:03:49,159 --> 01:03:52,280 Nets are guaranteed to be better than them. After that, It's like, 964 01:03:52,280 --> 01:03:54,119 that's why I think you hit a spot off better than Washington. Yea, 965 01:03:54,599 --> 01:03:59,840 like eleven twelve feels like their floor, which is sounds like an insult. 966 01:04:00,079 --> 01:04:02,880 It's pretty low. But the East is so like after Cleveland, Boston, 967 01:04:02,920 --> 01:04:06,440 Milwaukee honestly because of the James Harden stuff, because of Miami not trading for 968 01:04:06,519 --> 01:04:10,760 Dame and losing two guys in their playoff, Like everything in the East in 969 01:04:10,800 --> 01:04:13,679 the middle is so wide open. Yeah, I agree. I guess I 970 01:04:13,679 --> 01:04:16,559 shouldn't say that it's like one hundred percent that the Hawks will be better. 971 01:04:16,639 --> 01:04:19,159 I just happen to think they'll have a good regular season. But I think 972 01:04:19,159 --> 01:04:21,559 it's a fair bet to make for sure. I think it's a good bet. 973 01:04:21,599 --> 01:04:27,039 I wouldn't say it's guaranteed. So I was the missing piece and so 974 01:04:27,280 --> 01:04:30,119 without him, they're just they're cooked. But to taste it could have. 975 01:04:30,840 --> 01:04:34,000 Is there anything else I haven't asked you that you think we need to touch 976 01:04:34,039 --> 01:04:38,639 upon before I let you go? Uh? Not particularly. I think if 977 01:04:38,679 --> 01:04:43,239 you're a broader, more general NBA fan watching this, if they start to 978 01:04:43,599 --> 01:04:48,280 struggle by the trade deadline, like I'd be interested in the Claxton stuff that 979 01:04:48,519 --> 01:04:51,880 I think might be the most important piece for the rest of the league just 980 01:04:51,960 --> 01:04:57,440 because they might trade Dorian Royce. Those guys aren't needle movers like Clacks. 981 01:04:57,760 --> 01:05:00,159 I don't think they're making the big swing this year. Bridges has stained, 982 01:05:00,199 --> 01:05:04,639 Cam Johnson has stayed those guys will be fun to develop in general. The 983 01:05:04,639 --> 01:05:10,039 one thing that's kind of like that hurts me. But one thing I do 984 01:05:10,119 --> 01:05:14,159 want to say before I leave is like the narrative is that this is a 985 01:05:14,199 --> 01:05:18,559 young team like group for improvement internal stuff. It's not like, it's not 986 01:05:18,880 --> 01:05:23,440 like Clowney Dereek are dragging the average age down. Yes, like even a 987 01:05:23,480 --> 01:05:27,639 guy like Claxton, but like, and it's because the oldest guy on the 988 01:05:27,800 --> 01:05:30,480 on the team is Spencer Dinwiddy. He's only thirty. The whole teams like 989 01:05:30,599 --> 01:05:35,480 twenty seven to thirty, aside from clas So and I guess Simmons at twenty 990 01:05:35,480 --> 01:05:39,519 five. But I just I'm a little bit lonely. Twenty five. My 991 01:05:39,559 --> 01:05:43,519 god, I forgot you, I know. So that's what I want to 992 01:05:43,559 --> 01:05:46,119 say. I'd say I reject a lot of the you know, kind of 993 01:05:46,800 --> 01:05:50,679 discourse that you'll hear about how this is a young team primed for internal improvement, 994 01:05:50,800 --> 01:05:55,199 which I understand that they have to sell to the fan base. That's 995 01:05:55,239 --> 01:05:58,440 not really where I'm at. I think people just to fall to that when 996 01:05:58,480 --> 01:06:01,079 there are teams that have actively decided we're not going to decide on where we're 997 01:06:01,119 --> 01:06:03,840 going this season, true, be like, oh, they're young and they're 998 01:06:03,840 --> 01:06:08,280 trying to figure it out. Yeah yeah, but hey, let's not end 999 01:06:08,280 --> 01:06:11,119 on such a negative note. The defense should be fun and they'll get out 1000 01:06:11,159 --> 01:06:15,280 and run. I think that's the cell for watching this team, and maybe 1001 01:06:15,320 --> 01:06:19,320 a rejuvenated Ben, So there are reasons to watch. I think good, 1002 01:06:19,519 --> 01:06:24,519 bad, great, horrible, neutral, this team should still be a pretty 1003 01:06:24,559 --> 01:06:27,199 fun watch, like, just based off the personnel they have and if they 1004 01:06:27,239 --> 01:06:30,559 are going to ratchet up the pace as you mentioned, I would say, 1005 01:06:30,840 --> 01:06:31,639 I don't know, I can't remember why I put them in my league past 1006 01:06:31,719 --> 01:06:35,239 rankings, Like this should be a pretty watchable team. The one worry is 1007 01:06:35,320 --> 01:06:40,400 like what if the half court offense is so unbearable? But I do agree 1008 01:06:40,400 --> 01:06:44,639 in general that this is a watchable team. Lucas, this was great. 1009 01:06:44,719 --> 01:06:45,840 Thank you for giving me so much of your time. You're able just to 1010 01:06:45,880 --> 01:06:49,119 tell our listeners and watchers where they can find you and all the work that 1011 01:06:49,119 --> 01:06:54,000 you're putting out. Yeah, of course Nets Daily is where both of the 1012 01:06:54,039 --> 01:06:58,039 Nets and Liberty stuff is at. The Liberty Stuff I've been really proud of 1013 01:06:58,039 --> 01:07:00,519 this summer, and if you want to catch up for the I would recommend 1014 01:07:00,519 --> 01:07:04,039 going to NETS alien doing that. Obviously, the Nets were busy as hell 1015 01:07:04,079 --> 01:07:10,079 over there with the preseason, So that's the site. My twitter's right here, 1016 01:07:10,159 --> 01:07:14,360 and then at Swish Theory, I do a bunch of I guess random 1017 01:07:14,360 --> 01:07:17,079 stuff you could call it if there's a trend or a player in the wider 1018 01:07:17,199 --> 01:07:21,920 NBA that's intriguing. I have some good stuff there. And if you want 1019 01:07:21,920 --> 01:07:24,639 to hit me up and say, hey, you should write about this player 1020 01:07:24,639 --> 01:07:30,239 of this team, that's where I do it on Swish Theory. So oh, 1021 01:07:30,280 --> 01:07:34,599 I know pretty soon I'm going to be writing about Poku again. So 1022 01:07:35,079 --> 01:07:40,599 another favorite of mine. He's a real NBA player. I think I knew 1023 01:07:40,599 --> 01:07:43,679 that about you, and I remember that about you. That's why I mentioned 1024 01:07:43,679 --> 01:07:46,119 it. So yeah, well it'll be a Noah clowney DM. Maybe I'll 1025 01:07:46,119 --> 01:07:49,719 be like that would be on nets Dailey. But in any case, thanks 1026 01:07:49,760 --> 01:07:53,559 for having me on and the rest of you. I'd love to see read 1027 01:07:53,599 --> 01:07:57,920 my work. Thanks again, Lucas, and rest a short. I will 1028 01:07:57,960 --> 01:08:05,679 be standing with DM atop the step. Smell a Goo