1 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:07,040 Hello, everyone, Welcome to the latest episode of Hardwood Knocks. This is 2 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:11,519 out. I'm from with here with my fantastic and perpetually sleep deprived co host 3 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:16,559 Dan the Valley. Dan, We're gonna hop into a mailbag today. I 4 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,760 know we have a bunch of exciting questions. You've You've even been DMed a 5 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:26,320 few questions, which is always a gratifying feeling that people care enough to ask 6 00:00:26,399 --> 00:00:30,719 in that method, even when we haven't sent out those shameless solicitations. So 7 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:35,679 how's your ego doing today? Oh? My ego is enlarged and gorged, 8 00:00:35,799 --> 00:00:39,079 absolutely enormous. As always, I am, as you mentioned, sleep deprived. 9 00:00:39,119 --> 00:00:41,479 I still. I mean, you were just sick for a long time. 10 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,359 But I'll say I feel fantastic post COVID, except you know how much. 11 00:00:45,399 --> 00:00:48,320 This is not a humble brag. I need my workouts like I need 12 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:51,799 them. They are my therapy. I feel like I've never worked out a 13 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,799 day in my life now since I've started doing it again. It's I think 14 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:58,600 my first I think I texted you the first time I worked out after COVID 15 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,119 because I was so excited. I'm pretty sure I was operating on full excitement 16 00:01:02,159 --> 00:01:04,319 and adrenaline at that point because I felt fine, and I've wanted to die 17 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,359 like five minutes in every time since, so that has me sad. But 18 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,000 I love getting DM to mail bad questions. We actually have so many bank 19 00:01:11,159 --> 00:01:14,319 that one of them is now outdated, but we're going to give him a 20 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,560 shout out and reraise the question because it had to do with the cam Reddish 21 00:01:17,599 --> 00:01:21,799 trade, y'allpaaring, I feel like we should also say that one of the 22 00:01:21,879 --> 00:01:26,480 questions that was DM to you is so good that we are not going to 23 00:01:26,519 --> 00:01:30,680 answer it because we're going to turn it into an entire episode, right. 24 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,040 We're not even going to tease the question because we don't want to spoil the 25 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:34,920 episode. I'll let the person know why we didn't answer it. But as 26 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:40,400 I always, we appreciate if we're getting DM questions. It's been great, 27 00:01:40,719 --> 00:01:42,400 Howard, I love that's what I said. I think I said this or 28 00:01:42,439 --> 00:01:47,040 even tweeted it. There's like those are the things that warm my heart. 29 00:01:47,079 --> 00:01:51,239 We're unsolicited and unprompted people with DM me with questions or just with something to 30 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:53,319 say about the podcast. So you should probably rate, review and subscribe to 31 00:01:53,359 --> 00:01:57,000 this podcast. We're getting podcasts strongly support that. How do you feel, 32 00:01:57,079 --> 00:02:00,040 how are you doing? I'm good. I was telling you before we started 33 00:02:00,079 --> 00:02:04,319 recording that my wife and I have some stee Lift tickets over the weekend. 34 00:02:05,159 --> 00:02:07,960 You know, obviously going to be massed up even on the slopes and trying 35 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:13,199 to take every precaution, but it's exciting to get out of a house with 36 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,120 a toddler running rampant through it in a Colorado winter when you don't really go 37 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,400 outside much. So I have something on the calendar to look forward to, 38 00:02:20,479 --> 00:02:23,599 which is great, and you need it because you were not happy about the 39 00:02:23,599 --> 00:02:28,960 Camragish trade. Should I have been? Well, all right, let's do 40 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,719 it this way. We have a couple of questions on it, so I 41 00:02:30,759 --> 00:02:31,879 want to give the people their due who ask it. I'll run through those 42 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:36,039 questions. We should first just go through the details of the trade. The 43 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:40,439 Knick sent Kevin Knox and a Charlotte Hornet's first round pick, which is basically 44 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:45,080 it's never going to convey. With the protection protections, it will never be 45 00:02:45,199 --> 00:02:49,560 higher than number fifteen if it conveys at all. I expect that Charlotte will 46 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,080 be good enough for it to convey, not this year, but in the 47 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:54,840 next one or two years. I think it's protected through twenty twenty four. 48 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,840 I'm not mistaken. I looked it up really quick, so the Knick sent 49 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:04,919 those two for Cam Reddish, Solomon Hill and Brooklyn's twenty twenty five second round 50 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,879 pick. The questions we have on it, I want your general thoughts, 51 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:13,719 but I think these Michael asked. Michael Jay asked will cam Reddish flourished with 52 00:03:13,759 --> 00:03:16,840 the Knicks? Another Michael asked, will cam Reddish make the Knicks a better 53 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:22,039 team? Analytically speaking? I am excited as a fan. So those were 54 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,159 Those were the two questions I highlighted out of it, and before we really 55 00:03:24,199 --> 00:03:28,599 get into them a little bit, I do want your general thoughts on that 56 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:34,120 trade because they were Yeah, so far as your takes get spicy, they 57 00:03:34,159 --> 00:03:39,039 felt fairly spicy. The general take is like, what is Atlanta doing here? 58 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:46,000 I think that if you evaluate this purely in terms of production, then 59 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:52,039 they might have recoud somewhat reasonable value for Cam Reddish, But that's not really 60 00:03:52,039 --> 00:03:55,159 the lens through which we want to evaluate this. Because Reddish isn't going to 61 00:03:55,199 --> 00:04:00,879 turn twenty three until September first, and if you watch him for any amount 62 00:04:00,919 --> 00:04:06,520 of time, you can see the potential just oozing forth. Is it consistent? 63 00:04:06,919 --> 00:04:12,840 No? Is it pretty No? But it's there, and you know, 64 00:04:12,879 --> 00:04:16,360 we have players coming into the league at this age. So he's been 65 00:04:16,399 --> 00:04:20,560 held back by injuries. He's been held back by the depth of the Atlanta 66 00:04:20,759 --> 00:04:26,240 rotation, which has prevented him from carving out a more significant role in learning 67 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,000 through some of these mistakes. I mean, to this point in his career, 68 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,480 he has yet to top twenty eight point eight minutes per game, which 69 00:04:31,519 --> 00:04:35,600 came last season. In his thirty four games for Atlanta this season, twenty 70 00:04:35,639 --> 00:04:41,199 three point four minutes per game. So it's been difficult for him to fully 71 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:47,759 realize that tantalizing potential because of circumstances beyond his control. But for this player 72 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:53,959 who was drafted number ten overall in twenty nineteen to get traded for what essentially 73 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,360 amounts to nothing, you know, we're talking about what is eventually going to 74 00:04:57,399 --> 00:05:00,160 convey as a couple of second round picks, and you're sent picks back in 75 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:04,079 the other direction to New York as well. And Kevin Knox, who is 76 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:11,560 not nearly as intriguing and most likely will not crack the Hawks's rotation It's just 77 00:05:11,639 --> 00:05:16,639 baffling that they're willing to sell this low unless it's done in conjunction with subsequent 78 00:05:16,639 --> 00:05:20,680 moves, which we can't rule out to this point, because Atlanta remains a 79 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:26,600 organization set up well to make some sort of consolidation trade. It has a 80 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:30,319 number of pieces. We've heard the rumors about Ben Simmons interest, and you 81 00:05:30,319 --> 00:05:34,480 can throw out any number of other players who could make sense here. But 82 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:40,920 it mostly to me, just continues a trend of Atlanta treating its young players 83 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:45,279 kind of weirdly. Now, we also heard this report come out today and 84 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:46,839 I can't, for life of me remember who it came from. Was it 85 00:05:46,959 --> 00:05:51,439 Jake Fisher? I think from Bleacher Report who said that Clint Capella and Trey 86 00:05:51,519 --> 00:05:57,759 Young were the only players that the Hawks are not shopping. So is Anyuka 87 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,279 Kongwu included in that? And if he is, why hasn't he even been 88 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:05,360 playing when Clint Capella hasn't been available. If you're not going to play him 89 00:06:05,399 --> 00:06:09,160 and you're going to trade him, then why didn't you go a different direction? 90 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:13,439 Cough Tyrese Haliburton cough back when he was selected. Like it just to 91 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:18,199 me, it continues just a strange trend of internal evaluation of Atlanta's own players. 92 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:24,279 I do agree with you. I think what's interesting here when looking at 93 00:06:24,319 --> 00:06:27,720 it from the Hawks perspective, it doesn't seem like his value is all that 94 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,680 high around the league because there were the reports that the Lakers offered two seconds 95 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,480 for him, which that's not even something you would offer as a joke unless 96 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:40,199 you thought that his thought you could fall that low. And you're looking at 97 00:06:40,199 --> 00:06:43,600 this pick from Charlotte, which is top eighteen protected this year, top sixteen 98 00:06:43,639 --> 00:06:46,319 protected next year, and then lottery protected for two seasons, taking us through 99 00:06:46,399 --> 00:06:53,160 twenty twenty five, and then it turns into two seconds. So it's I've 100 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:57,680 thought about this now, I don't understand this is not I think people talked 101 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,480 about they're a little bit afraid of what it's going to cost to retain this 102 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:02,879 roster. I'm sure they are. The free agency piece is big here, 103 00:07:02,959 --> 00:07:06,079 and I did not mention that in my rank, but that does have to 104 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:09,839 inform the decision a little bit. It's also a little bit, but it 105 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,079 also not a ton because he has another year left on his rookie scales, 106 00:07:13,199 --> 00:07:16,199 like they have a season to figure this out, and what was he going 107 00:07:16,279 --> 00:07:20,399 to command that you were so fearful you'd make this move. In my opinion 108 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:26,519 is, see if you think that a distant let's just estimate this. Let's 109 00:07:26,519 --> 00:07:30,800 say Charlotte's pick conveys in twenty twenty four. What you're now saying is because 110 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,279 that's not a pick you intend on keeping and using it. If it is, 111 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:38,120 we need to talk about the Hawks franchise. You're saying that asset will 112 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:42,800 be more valuable in a trade than Cam Reddish, which I actually don't, 113 00:07:42,879 --> 00:07:46,680 which is why I've tried to. I still can't even put together coherent thoughts 114 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:51,279 on this trade anymore from New Yorkhi perspective, because I actually see the line 115 00:07:51,279 --> 00:07:57,040 of thinking where this pick might be more valuable than Cam Reddish, just because 116 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:01,639 you're looking at he was unhappy in his role, wanted to do more with 117 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,800 the ball in his hands. I yes, we know about the game against 118 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:07,800 Milwaukee in the playoffs last year, we know about the Flashes, but like 119 00:08:07,839 --> 00:08:13,519 this is someone who has one hundred and seventy four turnovers for his career against 120 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,319 one hundred and sixty assists. It's not like he's shown a ton of offball 121 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:22,279 creation. His mid range shot selection is bad, and the percentages on his 122 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:26,800 mid range shooting are not pretty. He is the offense in general for the 123 00:08:26,839 --> 00:08:30,600 most part. I mean, he's shooting thirty seven plus percent from three this 124 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,559 year, which is a big deal, But twenty seven percent for mid range 125 00:08:33,799 --> 00:08:37,759 this year, and his you know, thirty percent of his shots are coming 126 00:08:37,799 --> 00:08:41,840 from there, that's not an insignificant amount. So if you're the Knicks, 127 00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:43,799 I don't even want to get into the Nicks. I'm doing this from the 128 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:48,159 Hawks perspective. First, I think you could talk to yourself into being next 129 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,000 year or even this summer, if that's when you were going to move Cam 130 00:08:50,039 --> 00:08:54,840 Reddish. What is has more value that Let's just say twenty twenty four first, 131 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,039 that will convey let's even call it, let's say conveys in the bottom 132 00:08:58,039 --> 00:09:03,799 ten. Does that have more value than Cam Reddish, who's about to make 133 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:07,080 maybe between twelve and eighteen million dollars a year. I think that might appeal 134 00:09:07,159 --> 00:09:11,240 in trade packages to more teams. I get the youth aspect, I get 135 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:15,720 what he can do defensively, but I haven't seen that from him this year, 136 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,120 at least he hasn't. I wouldn't disagree with that. I think that 137 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,919 the defense has still been there, but it's been tougher for him to look 138 00:09:22,919 --> 00:09:26,720 like he's excelling on the defensive end because the rest of the defense is such 139 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:31,200 garbage around him. But just the difficulty of the matchups he's asked to go 140 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:37,120 up against, the roles that he's asked to face off against, those to 141 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:41,720 me are telling that he's the one entrusted with those responsibilities. The numbers don't 142 00:09:41,759 --> 00:09:46,720 necessarily bear it out, where he's graating worst defensively in terms of virtually every 143 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,639 defensive metric than he has in either of his first two seasons with the Hawks. 144 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:56,120 But I think that's in large part because the personality, inconsistency of availability 145 00:09:56,159 --> 00:10:01,799 this season, the lack of cohesion with the lineup that should have featured so 146 00:10:01,879 --> 00:10:07,080 much continuity because so many pieces were brought back. All of those factors are 147 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:11,279 working against him. But I think you can still see the pieces, the 148 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:16,200 skill set is there. I suppose that you've probably watched him more than I 149 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:18,639 half this season. I just haven't really seen it to your point about the 150 00:10:18,639 --> 00:10:22,840 difficulty, though DeAndre Hunter is the only rotation player on the Hawks that has 151 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,200 spent more a larger share of his possessions guarding the number one option, and 152 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:30,279 he has not been available for most of this season. That being said, 153 00:10:31,039 --> 00:10:33,320 you mentioned how the Hawks are treating their young guys in like this weird fashion. 154 00:10:33,399 --> 00:10:37,240 I think it's very clearly they decided. Maybe they were completely out on 155 00:10:37,279 --> 00:10:41,679 Reddish, but they definitely decided that Hurder and Hunter supersed Reddish long term. 156 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:43,120 They made that. I think they made that decision because it was it's obvious 157 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,159 that Hunter, if he stays healthy, he's better for you than Reddish. 158 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,159 I think they made that decision when they extended Kevin Hurder, and I think 159 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,759 it's the right decision, but it was made prematurely. It didn't have to 160 00:10:54,759 --> 00:10:58,840 be made at this stage. I think I might be more TBD, like 161 00:10:58,879 --> 00:11:01,840 wait and see past a trade deadline before really slamming them for this, because 162 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:05,759 my assumption is you mentioned all this stuff about on Kungu and then even the 163 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:11,360 Hunter Herder things. They need a consolidation trade at this point, Like you 164 00:11:11,399 --> 00:11:15,960 have guys John Collins Cam Reddish who are unhappy with their roles. You have 165 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,360 something like on Yeko Kungu, but there's Clint Capella in front of him, 166 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,360 and you do need to play John Collins at the five, there's Jalen Johnson 167 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:22,679 is going to there's a case for him to being groomed in the front court 168 00:11:24,039 --> 00:11:28,240 moving forward. I this leads me to believe no insight here whatsoever, because 169 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:31,080 this is a team that has to go for it this season. I know 170 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,919 Travis Slank kind of shop all over them on the radio a few week a 171 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,559 week or whatever. It was a goo like you are still try trying to 172 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,600 compete this year. You have to do something at the trade deadline. My 173 00:11:41,639 --> 00:11:45,960 assumption here is now that in talking with teams in going after what I assume 174 00:11:46,039 --> 00:11:50,559 is like a three four combo guy, they were higher on this first round 175 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:54,720 pick or a first round pick over Reddish in a trade going back for that 176 00:11:54,759 --> 00:11:58,919 player, I'm sure they probably would have prefer DeAndre Hunter. You can't really 177 00:11:58,919 --> 00:12:01,600 get Kevin Hurder because the poison pill. It just becomes too difficult to maneuver 178 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:07,919 the outgoing inbound salary values. And that is my guest. My guess is 179 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,519 we see this pick rerouted in a trade, whether it's for Harrison Barnes, 180 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:16,200 whether it's for Jeremy Grant or The issue I have with that though, is 181 00:12:16,279 --> 00:12:18,879 that if you're going to go that route, make it a three team deal 182 00:12:20,279 --> 00:12:24,000 instead of doing this as a separate piece without a guarantee of anything else happening, 183 00:12:24,159 --> 00:12:30,039 because ultimately, if everything else falls through the cracks, if they're pursuing 184 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:31,360 Ben Simmons, we have no idea what the fuck is going to happen there. 185 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,480 If they're pursuing Harrison Barnes, guess what, so are a bunch of 186 00:12:35,519 --> 00:12:39,120 other teams, And if you can't make any of that happen, then all 187 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:43,639 of a sudden, you've turned a promising young player into a draft pick down 188 00:12:43,639 --> 00:12:46,120 the line that may or may not have more value to other teams. But 189 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:52,120 you do know with one percent certainty that you are a struggling defensive team that 190 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:56,879 desperately needs to improve on that side of the ball, and you've downgraded on 191 00:12:56,919 --> 00:13:01,120 defense somehow. My issue, my question or then would be they if something 192 00:13:01,159 --> 00:13:05,200 gets made, if if some other move gets made, then yes, I 193 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:09,440 think the evaluation of this trade changes dramatically assuming that pick that was just acquired 194 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:15,000 is used in that subsequent move. But until that happens, it's tough for 195 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:20,279 me to accept this timeline. So my devil's advocate play here would be there's 196 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:24,039 no guarantee that the Knicks would still have this pick had you waited, because 197 00:13:24,039 --> 00:13:26,440 they need If they wanted this to me, and we'll get into them in 198 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:28,600 a second, felt more like win now than a flyer. Once we get 199 00:13:28,639 --> 00:13:31,200 into it. Maybe they were going to turn around, and you know, 200 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:35,600 they could have traded for Robert Covington and helped get the Blazers under the tax 201 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,000 or something, and I don't know that would have cost them a first round 202 00:13:37,039 --> 00:13:41,120 pick, but they might not have wanted Cam Reddish. They probably also wanted 203 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:43,879 to maximize the time he was with them because he is extension eligible this summer, 204 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:48,480 and I think every game at this stage would count for them. There 205 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:52,080 what other team then was giving you a first round pick for Cam Reddish? 206 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:54,559 And it's not I'm not asking you to tell me that team, but like 207 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,639 can't even thinking about him off the top of your head. That should have 208 00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:01,440 given a first round pick for Cam Reddish, not necessarily, But I think 209 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:05,080 that the timing still matters here because this trade happened on January thirteenth, the 210 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:09,679 trade deadline is still about a month away, and players values ramp up when 211 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:15,840 we're in closer proximity to the trade deadline because there's a greater sense of desperation. 212 00:14:15,879 --> 00:14:18,559 So if the Nicks are treating Reddish as a win now move, which 213 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:24,720 it certainly seems like they are, it feels like a reasonably confident assumption that 214 00:14:24,799 --> 00:14:28,279 there's going to be another team out there that would be willing to play the 215 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:33,879 facilitation role by including again not just a first round pick, but a heavily 216 00:14:33,879 --> 00:14:37,639 protected first round pick that might turn into two seconds down the line to get 217 00:14:37,639 --> 00:14:43,320 Reddish while facilitating a bigger move for Atlanta at the time, the timing just 218 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:45,879 feels so off to me. I think he got to a point where they 219 00:14:45,879 --> 00:14:50,840 were just concerned that he wasn't that he might have not tanked his value if 220 00:14:50,879 --> 00:14:54,080 he was going to tank his value by being a malcontent, by seeing the 221 00:14:54,120 --> 00:15:01,320 performance drop even more than there's your reasoning in and of itself why I think 222 00:15:01,679 --> 00:15:05,879 the other thing here is that basically since Thanksgiving he's been at sub forty percent 223 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:09,000 from two and if they can, I would say that's been the case since 224 00:15:09,039 --> 00:15:13,279 like twenty sixteen. But and you look at there, so you look at 225 00:15:13,279 --> 00:15:16,759 his on off splits for his career, he's not he's shooting over forty percent 226 00:15:16,799 --> 00:15:22,399 from two for his career. Just FYI, but I think when you look 227 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:26,279 at his on off splits as well, I'm not sure teams are even putting 228 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,360 stock in this. The Hawks have essentially just never been better when he's on 229 00:15:28,399 --> 00:15:31,960 the floor for the most part, and I do think a lot of that 230 00:15:31,039 --> 00:15:33,720 has to do in lineup context. And again, you go throughout his career, 231 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:37,240 look at the defensive matchup data, Look at the time he spent guarding 232 00:15:37,279 --> 00:15:41,399 the number one spots that he'll be classified as going against wings. But we 233 00:15:41,399 --> 00:15:46,399 also know he's defending a lot from the point of attack. That is still 234 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:50,559 concerning that the past two years the Hawks have been demonstratively worse with him on 235 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,759 the court, and his net rating swing this year or their net rating swing. 236 00:15:52,799 --> 00:15:56,159 Sorry, I hate doing attaching it to one player. There's seventeen point 237 00:15:56,200 --> 00:16:00,399 four points better pro one hundred possessions when he's off the court, and they're 238 00:16:00,399 --> 00:16:03,879 twelve point nine points for not possessions worse. The only issue I have there 239 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:07,840 is the confounding variable of Trey Young, because Reddish hasn't played as much with 240 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:15,279 Young, and we know that he causes a gigantic swing for offense the defense. 241 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:18,440 The fact that you're worse defensively when your minutes are untethered from Young. 242 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:21,360 I agree with you offensively. I was actually gonna make that point before you 243 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:25,559 were just so rude, but actually astute about it. It was the fact 244 00:16:25,559 --> 00:16:27,480 that you've been worse defensively the past two seasons. And I didn't look at 245 00:16:27,519 --> 00:16:30,440 how much he was untethered from Young last year, but this season there has 246 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:34,639 been minutes where he's been just not playing alongside Young like a line share of 247 00:16:34,639 --> 00:16:40,159 the time, and your defense is worse, Like there's everyone is calledable, 248 00:16:40,159 --> 00:16:41,639 it's not just him. I just think they were at the point where his 249 00:16:41,679 --> 00:16:45,279 value wasn't going to get any higher. And this just does lead me to 250 00:16:45,279 --> 00:16:48,840 believe that you were never getting a first round pick, or you couldn't guarantee 251 00:16:48,879 --> 00:16:52,519 you were going to get a first round pick from a team at the deadline 252 00:16:52,519 --> 00:16:55,840 for him, and then you're in this situation where you either have to move 253 00:16:55,879 --> 00:16:57,679 him as part of a deal where he doesn't have as much value to other 254 00:16:57,759 --> 00:17:03,759 teams as this pick, or you go into the summer with you don't have 255 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:06,720 to extend like you can use restricted to free agency your advantage. Fine, 256 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,480 but that's also sort of just a knock against his value. Is any team 257 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:15,119 that acquires him now has to immediately turn around and pay him. So I 258 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:18,359 don't know that this was the right move. I do think it was far 259 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:22,440 more justifiable relative to the trade market than people are giving them credit for right 260 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:27,799 now. I do stand to change that stance if they do nothing at the 261 00:17:27,839 --> 00:17:33,400 trade deadline, and at that changes the complexion of everything for what it's worth. 262 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:38,599 I've shifted from like a straight big red F to like a C minus 263 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:45,279 or something. I still don't think it's a good move, but it isn't 264 00:17:45,279 --> 00:17:49,400 this like glaring awful mistake that it initially seemed to be. Yeah, I 265 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,119 would still like you, I said, my greatest TVD, I might go 266 00:17:52,279 --> 00:17:56,759 C even as high as a sea here, which is fair value to me. 267 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,359 You could point out why wouldn't you have moved him over the summer, 268 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,960 because you've got more than he was widely available across the league over the off 269 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:07,559 season, and so this is not a lack of due diligence on Atlanta's part. 270 00:18:07,599 --> 00:18:11,319 I don't think this is just they didn't search enough. They either held 271 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:15,039 on to him too long, or the market was really just not as frothy 272 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:19,519 as people expected, and the Hawks season has gone nothing like it was expected 273 00:18:19,559 --> 00:18:23,279 to. They are the most disappointed team in the league because you could see 274 00:18:23,279 --> 00:18:27,400 the Lakers issues coming for the most part. Even Boston has big like Sad 275 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,920 Sack. But you also you know there were clear I know people touted their 276 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:36,920 depth kind of, but like there were clear issues with their offensive structure even 277 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:38,119 before coming into the year. So I think the Hawks, by thought the 278 00:18:38,759 --> 00:18:41,880 most disappointed team from the Knicks perspective though, And that's where we get into 279 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:47,440 these questions from the dual Michaels. I'm going to answer them first. I 280 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:52,680 do not think it's guaranteed that Cam Reddish flourishes in New York. And to 281 00:18:52,759 --> 00:18:53,799 me, I've viewed this as more of a window. It's a I think 282 00:18:53,839 --> 00:18:57,319 it's a decent flyer to make. But again, the fact that the Hawks 283 00:18:57,319 --> 00:19:02,480 made it leave me leads me to be that the Hornets pick had more value 284 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:04,640 around the league, not to the Knicks, but around the league than Camp 285 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:10,519 Reddish. And so you are resting a little bit of his value on rebooting 286 00:19:10,559 --> 00:19:12,839 it if you want to reroute him later or if you want to keep him. 287 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:17,359 And the and this issue of his role where he wanted to be on 288 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:19,240 the ball more. The Knicks are not built for that to happen to him 289 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:22,359 right now. They have RJ Barrett who's cooking at the moment, and I 290 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:26,920 was a big fan of speaking of untethering minutes from your star. We need 291 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,759 to see more of RJ without Julius Randall at point, as though he's playing 292 00:19:29,799 --> 00:19:33,079 fantastic now, to see what he looks like on the ball. But you 293 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:34,960 look, there an implication with that statement that Julius Randall is a star. 294 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:38,279 Yeah, I didn't mean to call him and Julie Randel's not a star. 295 00:19:38,319 --> 00:19:42,119 I apologize for that. That was just I've seen enough angry texts from you 296 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:45,880 over the last month or so, but I feel like I had to call 297 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:48,440 that one out. There's my attraction, JULIEH. Randel's not a star. 298 00:19:48,559 --> 00:19:52,480 But between Randall, when Rose is healthy, when Kenba is healthy, which 299 00:19:52,519 --> 00:19:56,960 I recognize neither of them are right now, you have how burks like you're 300 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,359 not built to just give more on ball touches away if anything, you've only 301 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,920 just started using. I don't want to say RJ Barrett properly, but giving 302 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,960 him a real crack at working on the ball more, and that's because you 303 00:20:08,039 --> 00:20:12,559 don't have Derek Rose or kemra Walker and Can Reddish has not. Let's be 304 00:20:12,599 --> 00:20:17,799 clear, Ken Reddish has not done enough to just warrant more on ball volume. 305 00:20:18,039 --> 00:20:22,079 That's just that's without question. And even his off ball shooting has been 306 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:26,200 good. He's shooting forty one point nine percent on ketchup threes, ketchup catch 307 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:27,720 and shoot threes this year. Would you care to guess what he's shooting on 308 00:20:27,799 --> 00:20:33,799 off the dribble threes like thirty two twenty eight point three percent? That was 309 00:20:33,799 --> 00:20:37,519 pretty close. This is just not someone who has shown enough playmaking, chops 310 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:41,559 enough off the dribble shooting. They certainly need to cut out the mid range 311 00:20:41,559 --> 00:20:45,039 stuff. I do think you can have faith in him being better defensively with 312 00:20:45,039 --> 00:20:48,039 the Knicks, given how much RJ. Barrett has grown on that end. 313 00:20:48,079 --> 00:20:52,000 And I think that's the key here, is that his presence also alleviates a 314 00:20:52,039 --> 00:20:56,319 little bit of that wing responsibility from Barrett, which allows him to plumb even 315 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,519 more of his offensive game. And that's why I've viewed his win now by 316 00:20:59,519 --> 00:21:02,799 the way, what he does for you defensively, it allows you to just 317 00:21:02,839 --> 00:21:06,160 shape shift a lot more on that end of the floor than you could before, 318 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:08,960 because it's just like a there's weird data with who's defending the number one 319 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:11,920 option just by nature of playing point guard in New York. But like you 320 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,480 have without Reggie Bullock, there was RJ. Barrett and then Quentin Grimes has 321 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,440 become part of the rotation in recent weeks. And by the way, the 322 00:21:18,519 --> 00:21:22,160 Knicks wouldn't give up Quentin Grins, who was a number twenty five pick this 323 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:26,279 past year for Cam Reddish. I do think that's something to consider as well 324 00:21:26,319 --> 00:21:30,039 amid all this, because it's not like Quentin Grimes has been fun and the 325 00:21:30,079 --> 00:21:32,920 shot of a journal and defensively when he's played, But the fact that they 326 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:34,920 were saying that he's not worth the Reddish upside, I do think that could 327 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:40,039 be a red flag there for Reddish. But I do believe in him defensively 328 00:21:40,079 --> 00:21:41,880 on the Knicks. I get why it's not working in Atlanta, even though 329 00:21:42,279 --> 00:21:47,000 was an effort based, personnel based lineup base. Is there just something there 330 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:51,680 that I'm missing? He really should help their defense, which has been pretty 331 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:56,880 poor this season. I just wonder if he's going to hurt you offensively in 332 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:00,279 similar ways that he did for the Hawks, or are you already so blah 333 00:22:00,319 --> 00:22:04,519 offensively that it doesn't matter. But if you were going to get someone, 334 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:08,920 if you were looking at him as an offensive asset like to you either need 335 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,079 someone who's gonna pre pressure on the rim as the primary ball handler, which 336 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:17,240 cam Reddish does not do, or just someone who is so clearly plug in 337 00:22:17,279 --> 00:22:21,400 play, which cam Reddish does not want to be. And that's why I'm 338 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:23,519 just wondering in future trade negotiations, which is why I thought this was more 339 00:22:23,519 --> 00:22:29,119 about Now. I do think to the rest of the league, I'm not 340 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:32,160 talking about the Knicks, if they wanted to make a trade, that Hornet's 341 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:36,440 pick is going to be more valuable for them than cam Reddish at this moment. 342 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:38,079 And the only way that changes is if you fully believe that he's going 343 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:41,240 to reboot his stock at both ends of the floor. I want to be 344 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:45,279 clear, even if he's great defensively, if he's still rough on the offensive 345 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:51,119 end. Now you're in this situation where he becomes an oddball fit offensively and 346 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:55,960 you have to RJ Barrett's extension knowledgeable this summer Mitchell Robinson is a free agent. 347 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:00,599 You're getting to the point where you need to invest in this younger Ish 348 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,319 core, and Cam Reddish is all of a sudden among it. I'm very 349 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:07,559 curious to see how they incorporate him offensively, how happy he is. And 350 00:23:07,599 --> 00:23:11,319 look, if there's more on ball volume or skill there to plumb with Cam 351 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:15,880 Reddish and they bring it out of him, power to them, I don't. 352 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,640 I'm not prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt in doing that. 353 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:22,440 Though I fully agree with basically everything you just said, I think the 354 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:26,079 only thing I would add is what happens when Julius Randall teases even more mid 355 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:30,559 range out of his game, teases more mid range out of Cam Reddish's game, 356 00:23:30,559 --> 00:23:34,079 like more efficiency or just volume, just more volume, I will cry, 357 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,079 and look, it's not even gonna be mid range. It's just gonna 358 00:23:37,079 --> 00:23:41,440 be like long mid range. At least now with Reddish, he is probably 359 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:45,920 taking like a few more from the short I should really look that up before 360 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:48,119 I say anything, but probably taking more like of the I'll call them true 361 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:52,759 mid range attempts or short mid range attempts. Yeah, most of his mid 362 00:23:52,839 --> 00:23:56,920 rangers come from between four and fourteen feet, Like Randall's gonna have him shooting 363 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:00,039 like between fourteen feet and the three points. So it's a step closer to 364 00:24:00,079 --> 00:24:03,039 taking threes. That's obviously a good thing. So there you go. That's 365 00:24:03,039 --> 00:24:08,960 how the improvement comes. But I'm I'm fascinated to see I really am fascinated 366 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:11,000 to see his offensive it. I just don't think this was a no brainer 367 00:24:11,039 --> 00:24:14,799 good move. I don't even know do you think it from their perspective? 368 00:24:14,839 --> 00:24:15,960 Like, how would you grade it if you're if you're the Knicks, what 369 00:24:17,039 --> 00:24:21,119 are you giving them? Probably like a see Also just because I agree with 370 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:25,759 you about the value of that that Charlotte Pick, I think the one variable 371 00:24:25,839 --> 00:24:30,799 that it's been tossed around facetiously to some extent I think on Twitter, but 372 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:36,359 also seems to have like some validity, is what if this does enable the 373 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:40,720 Knicks to make more of a Zion Williamson play, because RJ. Barrett and 374 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:45,359 Camradish did both play with him at Duke, if there is any appeal whatsoever, 375 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:48,640 because we already know that Zion seems to be a flight risk from New 376 00:24:48,759 --> 00:24:53,000 Orleans, might have his eyes on New York because he said positive things about 377 00:24:53,039 --> 00:24:57,480 the organization and Madison's called in the past. He also said that it was 378 00:24:57,519 --> 00:25:00,119 going to be r J Seam and lo and behold it became arts team. 379 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:04,880 Yeah. So, like, I know that it is mostly a joke, 380 00:25:06,079 --> 00:25:10,920 I think, but there might be like a kernel of truth there where this 381 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:15,759 could be, at least in small part, a recruiting pitch. I will 382 00:25:15,839 --> 00:25:22,519 say the Knicks historically are not above thinking that way, and that includes this 383 00:25:22,599 --> 00:25:26,160 front office. They were the front office that was in charge when the Kevin 384 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,559 Duran Kyrie of stuff happened. They're not above thinking that way. It would 385 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,640 be the most fucking name thing if that's how they were viewing this. Because 386 00:25:34,519 --> 00:25:40,839 at the most, let's assume becomes available, I'm what is the pathway to 387 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:47,720 getting York without giving up one of I can't right right now. No, 388 00:25:47,839 --> 00:25:51,720 I mean, obviously I don't really think that there's too much validity to it, 389 00:25:51,759 --> 00:25:55,680 but I do think that there is enough of that kernel of truth that 390 00:25:55,759 --> 00:26:00,720 it's worth at least mentioning. And again I do think he helps defensively. 391 00:26:00,759 --> 00:26:02,680 Oh, Mark Bremer the New York Post, by the way, I reported 392 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:04,000 this, I don't know if you saw that, but his sources told them 393 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:10,000 that RJ and Cam didn't get along at Duke and I don't know how much 394 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,799 stock to place in that. I'm not gonna place a ton of it, 395 00:26:12,839 --> 00:26:15,880 but food for thought. If we're gonna if we're gonna say, oh, 396 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:18,240 is this a recruiting pitch for Zion, then we have to at least place 397 00:26:18,319 --> 00:26:22,720 some value in that report too. And the final thing I'll say on this, 398 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:26,960 which is what really concerns me about this move, is ken Rettis wasn't 399 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:30,480 great offensively at Duke because he had to be shoehorned into the type of role 400 00:26:30,559 --> 00:26:34,319 the Hawks were asking to play him now, and the Knicks probably need him 401 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:40,880 to play now. So I just I what is good about this is it's 402 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:44,480 not a huge swing, and there is a chance. I don't think it's 403 00:26:44,519 --> 00:26:48,039 likely, but there is a chance that Hornet's pick turns into two seconds by 404 00:26:48,079 --> 00:26:52,240 twenty twenty five. Let's just like this. I think there's a serious chance. 405 00:26:52,279 --> 00:26:56,119 With that, you're effectively saying that they'll be a lottery team by them, 406 00:26:56,160 --> 00:27:00,720 which feels absurd because of Lamello. But like Gordon, heywe's gonna get 407 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,599 older. He's been good. I was wrong about the contract. I always 408 00:27:03,599 --> 00:27:06,200 thought the fit was good, but I thought the contract would look heinous after 409 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:08,519 year two we're in year two, it does not, so I was wrong 410 00:27:08,559 --> 00:27:12,119 about that, but it's to me it's less about the personnel and more about 411 00:27:12,319 --> 00:27:18,880 the temporal distance, where like a lot can change really quickly in the NBA, 412 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:22,160 and that would be another protecting To pick that far out as always a 413 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:25,680 dangerous proposition, and that would be another reason to make that move. Is 414 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:29,440 if you don't let's say you don't think it's going to convey by twenty twenty 415 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:32,880 four, you've just internally decided as an organization, so you don't know what's 416 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:36,200 going to happen in twenty twenty five. Would you rather have this year and 417 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,680 a half of cam Reddish getting a flyer on someone who was shown in the 418 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,599 past that he could be good defensively in his head? Do we call them 419 00:27:41,599 --> 00:27:48,200 like offensive, like fleeting examp like instances of just flashes in the pan would 420 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:49,799 be the best way to call it? Or would you rather have two seconds? 421 00:27:49,839 --> 00:27:52,960 And so if they've made that evaluation, maybe I don't agree, but 422 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,559 that's a fair way to look at it. So I don't think this is 423 00:27:55,559 --> 00:27:57,039 a bad trade by the Knicks. I was surprised at how many people just 424 00:27:57,079 --> 00:28:00,680 thought it was a flat out home run. Maybe there really high on that 425 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:04,680 Brooklyn twenty fifteen second round pick, so but I think it was I think 426 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:10,000 it was justifiable, bordering on good, but I don't think it was absent 427 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:15,079 like complexity or potential pitfalls is just what I'm getting at. I think I'm 428 00:28:15,079 --> 00:28:18,200 at like a C minus for Atlanta and a C plus for New York. 429 00:28:18,519 --> 00:28:22,680 I don't think it's a great trade for either team, but I do think 430 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:29,000 that that C plus for New York carries significant more upside where Atlanta's hinges on 431 00:28:29,039 --> 00:28:33,119 a subsequent trade that we don't know will happen, and we don't know if 432 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:37,119 it will be a good move if it does. Whereas for New York to 433 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:40,640 hit on this trade, it just needs a top ten pick who is still 434 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:45,079 twenty two years old to show more of the potential that we've already seen in 435 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:49,440 fleeting bursts. If when we do trade deadline grades, or at least when 436 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:52,200 I do it, whether it's you or a guest, it'll be I'm anxious 437 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:56,400 to revisit this from Atlanta as perspective, then the Knicks. The Knicks is 438 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:00,160 just don't you didn't acquire him with the intention of rerouting him because of he 439 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:03,000 can really only be traded singularly at this point, not as part of this 440 00:29:03,039 --> 00:29:07,200 other package. So but I'm I tried to lay out Atlanta's thinking. We'll 441 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:11,559 have to see, we'll know by three pm February tenth whether that's where they 442 00:29:11,599 --> 00:29:15,400 were headed. And look, if they don't do anything after this, I 443 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,240 will absolutely brutalize they're thinking here. I guess you could still view that pick 444 00:29:18,279 --> 00:29:23,559 as valuable in the offseason, but like that pick cannot be in Atlanta or 445 00:29:23,839 --> 00:29:29,359 used in a trade that's just as seemingly marginal as this one. It needs 446 00:29:29,359 --> 00:29:33,079 to be as part of like a bigger consolidations. Way, totally agree. 447 00:29:33,559 --> 00:29:36,759 Let's move on to some other questions. See how many we can blow through 448 00:29:36,799 --> 00:29:41,079 here in the next twenty or so minutes. Michael J also asked can the 449 00:29:41,119 --> 00:29:45,640 Grizzlies get the number one seed in the entire MBA now, I want to 450 00:29:45,799 --> 00:29:48,799 I want to let you know how how many games they are away from that 451 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:55,039 number one seed. They're only they're five losses back of the best record Phoenix 452 00:29:55,079 --> 00:29:57,640 Suns. At this moment, they're only three games back overall of the best 453 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:00,720 record in the NBA. They have. By the way, this means that 454 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,400 they have moved ahead of the Jazz in the standings at this moment, just 455 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:07,759 in case anyone was like a Rudy Gobert absence might have had something to do 456 00:30:07,799 --> 00:30:11,720 with that. I mean, my answer is no, Like about COVID brain 457 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:15,920 me listing Donovan Mitchell ahead of Rudy Gobert on my MVP ballot. I'm just 458 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:18,599 I don't even know what I was thinking there. It was immaterial because it 459 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:22,599 was so low. But I'd just like to clarify Rudy Gobert as the MVP 460 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:26,240 of the Jazz. Please go ahead, though, I feel like we're getting 461 00:30:26,279 --> 00:30:29,359 a little ahead of ourselves with the Grizzlies, if we're thinking that they're going 462 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:33,559 to be the number one overall seed. This is clearly a very good team. 463 00:30:33,599 --> 00:30:37,480 It has a lot of chemistry, it has a lot of good pieces. 464 00:30:37,799 --> 00:30:41,119 You know, we've said before that if you're interested in the most improved 465 00:30:41,119 --> 00:30:44,319 player rate race, you can basically or like a breakout player, you can 466 00:30:44,319 --> 00:30:45,920 basically throw a dart at the Memphis roster and you're going to hit one. 467 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:52,319 John Morant is amazing deservedly working his way onto the periphery of the MVP conversation. 468 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,640 But that is not an absurd thing to say. It is not an 469 00:30:56,680 --> 00:31:00,519 ab certain thing to say, and it is reductively well imply otherwise. I 470 00:31:00,559 --> 00:31:04,240 agree. It's still it feels a little bit early. You know, we 471 00:31:04,319 --> 00:31:08,759 don't really see teams take that big a year over year leap, like you 472 00:31:08,799 --> 00:31:12,240 do have to go through the steps to work your way up to being a 473 00:31:12,279 --> 00:31:15,440 true contender. And if you just look at the teams surrounding them, we 474 00:31:15,519 --> 00:31:21,319 have the Warriors who still have a two and a half game advantage over Memphis 475 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:25,000 and are reintegrating Klay Thompson. You know, that was always going to come 476 00:31:25,359 --> 00:31:30,079 with a little bit of a struggle in the immediate return, because you have 477 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:34,599 to re establish the chemistry, you have to re establish the offensive hierarchy. 478 00:31:36,079 --> 00:31:37,680 It was going to take time. And they have that cushion and so much 479 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:41,279 talent the Phoenix Suns, Like, what reason do we have to believe that 480 00:31:41,359 --> 00:31:45,559 they're going to you know, fall three and a half games back when they're 481 00:31:45,599 --> 00:31:48,799 flat out rolling the Jazz, only a half game back of Memphis right now 482 00:31:48,079 --> 00:31:53,559 again, after that gobet absence, I just I don't really see. I 483 00:31:53,599 --> 00:32:00,720 don't really see enough to believe that this ascension is going to continue in it's 484 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:06,200 in the rapid state that we've seen to this point. This is clearly a 485 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:09,480 team that is going to be able to beat any given organization on any given 486 00:32:09,559 --> 00:32:14,440 night. Stringing those together for the entirety of the second half of the season 487 00:32:14,839 --> 00:32:19,200 is another thing in and of itself. I don't think the metrics back this 488 00:32:19,279 --> 00:32:21,799 up either. If you look at net rating, if you look at simple 489 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:24,079 rating system, which incorporates strength of schedule, if you look at the four 490 00:32:24,119 --> 00:32:30,799 factors, there are indicators that Memphis is playing a little bit above its head 491 00:32:30,119 --> 00:32:35,640 and still not quite reaching the level of these other Western Conference druggernauts. So 492 00:32:36,519 --> 00:32:37,960 in the mix for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, 493 00:32:38,119 --> 00:32:42,599 apps the fucking Lutley, in the mix for the number one seed, I 494 00:32:42,599 --> 00:32:45,240 think that we're getting ahead of ourselves. Yeah, and I do think that 495 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:47,839 they're a team that should look at buying at the deadline is the only thing 496 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:51,880 I'll add Memphis. Twitter has become kind of funny where it's like, we're 497 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:55,880 not giving up Zeyer Williams and a first round pick for Miles Turner or somebody 498 00:32:55,920 --> 00:33:00,200 else, like we gotta I understand why Esmond Baine would be untouchable. I 499 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:02,680 understand you want to move to General Jackson Jr. John Rant, but if 500 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:05,599 you want to get better, you need to give up stuff. And I 501 00:33:05,599 --> 00:33:08,279 think they are good enough, especially over their past twenty plus games, to 502 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:12,279 be like, hey, look where we are, let's try and make it. 503 00:33:12,319 --> 00:33:14,440 Doesn't have to be Whilesterner. I actually like his fit in Memphis. 504 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:17,559 Other people do not. I understand they should be buyers. And I don't 505 00:33:17,559 --> 00:33:22,240 mean just can we get Cam Reddish for a fake first round pick buyers. 506 00:33:22,279 --> 00:33:27,279 I mean real, let's cannonball into this buyers if the opportunity presents itself so, 507 00:33:28,079 --> 00:33:29,920 And I don't think that would make them the number one seed. I'm 508 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:31,680 still going to pick the Warriors and the Suns to both finish in front of 509 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:34,880 them. I'm even gonna pick the Jazz to finish in front of them. 510 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:37,400 I think there's just something about Memphis's offense. They live in transition. John 511 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:42,279 Moran is great, they need more every level threats is the best way for 512 00:33:42,319 --> 00:33:45,839 me to put it. And I don't outside of John Morant like and I 513 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:51,359 would say John Morant and Desmond Bayne are their two best multi level scoring threats 514 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,960 and just there aren't good I was speaking of Morant like. That's the other 515 00:33:55,039 --> 00:34:00,319 reason here is if they do end up as the number one seed, that 516 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:05,200 is terrible news for the postseason because the amount of energy that John Moran would 517 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:09,079 have to expend to get this team into that position, that is not the 518 00:34:09,159 --> 00:34:14,480 proper use of that exertion. Counterpoint, and I know that they are over 519 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:16,480 They're twenty and four of their last twenty four games as we record this, 520 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:21,519 they are eleven and two during that time without John Moran. If they've finished 521 00:34:21,519 --> 00:34:23,559 with the number one seed in the Western Conference and John Moran is playing in 522 00:34:23,599 --> 00:34:28,960 basically every game from now until then, my counterpoint would be John Moran might 523 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:31,480 win MVP. So maybe it's good for John Moran, because I wouldn't pick 524 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:35,480 them to win the title. There's not a move. I just I don't 525 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:37,920 think it would be good for John morand it wouldn't necessarily be good for the 526 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:42,440 subsequent playoff race. That's my only point. Who knows what the league looks 527 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:45,320 like at that point. Now, like Warriors, they're injured and can't score 528 00:34:45,519 --> 00:34:47,360 at the moment, So maybe it's a good thing. And I can't emphasize 529 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:52,000 enough that these answers are not knocks against Memphis, which is very clearly a 530 00:34:52,079 --> 00:34:54,960 high level of basketball club. I'm sorry this is if anything, it's a 531 00:34:55,119 --> 00:34:59,360 huge fucking compliment, and I've been wrong. This is a third year running 532 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:02,159 where I picked them not make the playoffs, and I'm just gonna completely be 533 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:05,920 wrong about Memphis all the time. The fact that they were in the discussion, 534 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:08,000 and I do think it was warranted because they did do the Steven Adams 535 00:35:08,039 --> 00:35:10,880 has worked out well for them. He's been a much better fit than I 536 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:16,079 thought. Tipping savant with them, by the way, but the thought process 537 00:35:16,119 --> 00:35:20,920 behind the valent Trunis adamstrate made me think like they're kind of rebuilding. They 538 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,239 have obliterated expectations. We're asking if they could finish number one in the league, 539 00:35:24,679 --> 00:35:29,400 not can they make the playoffs. It's not a bad question. It's 540 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:31,880 a legitimate question right now, given the momentum they have. I just I 541 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:35,679 don't think that I think it's a clear answer. I don't think it's a 542 00:35:35,719 --> 00:35:37,280 bad question. I don't think it's a bad question. But I'm saying the 543 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:40,280 clear answer is not an insult because the fact that we're even asking the question 544 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:45,159 says a ton we have. Another Knicks question comes from Wayne Lefski asked, 545 00:35:45,599 --> 00:35:51,239 I feel like analytic wise, RJ. Barrett has always been fs he is 546 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:54,159 correct by the way these passing reats. He's been playing his best basketball, 547 00:35:54,159 --> 00:35:58,039 and I was wondering if the analytics reflect that as well. I think what 548 00:35:58,159 --> 00:36:01,519 a lot of people look at is when they're talking about analytics, are more 549 00:36:01,559 --> 00:36:06,920 of the team stats, like if it's the net rating swing whatever. RJ. 550 00:36:07,039 --> 00:36:09,840 Barrett over's last eight games is averaging twenty three point four points, three 551 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:13,920 assists, five point six rebounds if you care about that, shooting forty one 552 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:16,920 point three percent from three, under seventy percent at the foulon he's getting there. 553 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:21,920 But this dude's foul shooting is not great, and he's better than fifty 554 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:24,000 percent of his twos. The Knicks have still been outscored by an average of 555 00:36:24,039 --> 00:36:27,480 four points per game with him on the court. A lot of that has 556 00:36:27,519 --> 00:36:30,320 to do with the one Boston game. The Boston game, but he was 557 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:36,559 also consecutive minus fifteens in the loss to Oklahoma City and Detroit. Now they 558 00:36:36,559 --> 00:36:39,840 didn't have Julius Rando for Oklahoma City, and then previously. Overall in the 559 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:43,800 season, the Knicks are getting outscored by an average of two point four points 560 00:36:43,800 --> 00:36:46,280 per game with him on the court. These are not like brain bending numbers. 561 00:36:47,159 --> 00:36:51,639 I just the Knicks are so confusing, and I think they're starters. 562 00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:54,119 Even with RJ. Barrett plant like this, they are to nightly disadvantage almost 563 00:36:54,159 --> 00:36:59,239 every game, and so that's going to skew a lot of the kitchen sink 564 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:02,440 metrics. I will say this has proven to me I'm probably somewhere in the 565 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:06,000 middle on RJ. Barrett. When you look at Knicks fans and then people 566 00:37:06,039 --> 00:37:09,679 that aren't Knicks fans, there's more to dig into with him on the board, 567 00:37:09,719 --> 00:37:13,679 and I think that that's become absolutely clear. And I do think that's 568 00:37:13,679 --> 00:37:16,079 along if they ever get the full strength or even a facsimile of it, 569 00:37:16,519 --> 00:37:21,360 and primarily with Julius Randall, I just I think that his growth is going 570 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:23,639 to be capped, if not just outright stunted, and that is that's where 571 00:37:23,639 --> 00:37:29,239 I'm Barrett to me feels like one of those classic players where he is always 572 00:37:29,239 --> 00:37:31,440 going to be a little bit short changed because of the difficulty of the role 573 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:35,960 he's asked to fill on both ends of the floor really where he is tasked 574 00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:40,159 with guarding number one options with a wide variety of defensive assignments, and then 575 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:46,559 he does have a difficult shot selection basically out of necessity because teams need players 576 00:37:46,599 --> 00:37:50,440 like that, and I think it's why we see so many veterans and so 577 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:55,119 many retired players caping for these guys like Jamal Crawford, like Kyrie Irving who 578 00:37:55,840 --> 00:38:04,800 they're so ridiculously talented hitting those difficult shots that not many players can actually reasonably 579 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:09,840 attempt to much less make that the difficulty drags down the analytics, but also 580 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:14,880 increases their perception among their peers. And I think Barrett to me kind of 581 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:19,280 falls into that same category. I'm not comparing him to Kyrie irvinger Jamal Crawford 582 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:22,119 so much as saying that, like what he is asked to do, he's 583 00:38:22,199 --> 00:38:25,679 asked to do it because of his skill set that not a lot of players 584 00:38:25,719 --> 00:38:29,960 are able to muster up. So yeah, like, he's going to have 585 00:38:30,039 --> 00:38:34,000 some struggles, some negative plays within that role, but the fact that he's 586 00:38:34,039 --> 00:38:37,199 filling that role in and of it self is a big deal, and we're 587 00:38:37,199 --> 00:38:39,800 seeing that more and more. So I don't know that it's necessarily reflected in 588 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:44,559 the analytics. We're seeing the basic counting stats improve, we're seeing some of 589 00:38:44,599 --> 00:38:47,639 the percentages improve, We're seeing some of the advanced metrics improved. But to 590 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:52,519 me, the difficulty of that role and the importance that he has to the 591 00:38:52,599 --> 00:38:58,719 Knicks supersedes all of that growth. Yeah. Look, I would argue his 592 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:01,360 problem at least on offense role obscurity actually for most of the year, but 593 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:06,199 he it's also had fault to him because he was so not these past eight 594 00:39:06,239 --> 00:39:08,719 games. But he's generally just been so inconsistent when it comes to attacking the 595 00:39:08,719 --> 00:39:12,840 basket, not letting his games stall out before the rim. Could still stand 596 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:15,960 to improve as a finisher overall, getting to the foul line a lot more 597 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:17,760 often of the past eight game. So those are all good signs. I 598 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:22,519 think what I think some consistency in the role archetype that he's assuming would go 599 00:39:22,559 --> 00:39:24,800 a long way. And even then I don't know how it pans out, 600 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:28,039 but I think he's now showing enough to be like, hey, we actually 601 00:39:28,079 --> 00:39:30,400 need to he's extension OL's role this summer. It's time to really get into 602 00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:36,840 the depths of his offensive skill set. Next question comes from this is the 603 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:40,039 outdated ones, so I wanted to shout it out from Thible's wingspan. Thank 604 00:39:40,079 --> 00:39:44,199 you for d mming it to me. I meant to answer it on the 605 00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:47,000 last solo mail bag, but I skipped all the DM questions I had Covid 606 00:39:47,039 --> 00:39:50,880 feel bad for me. That's my excuse for everything. Now he has who's 607 00:39:50,880 --> 00:39:54,320 a better duo long term as second and third options when looking at Collins and 608 00:39:55,239 --> 00:40:00,639 Collins and Reddish or Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Junior. We can change this 609 00:40:00,679 --> 00:40:04,320 and he even mentioned it too, Who's better John Collins and DeAndre Hunter or 610 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:07,360 Jaren Jackson Junior and Desmond Baine long term? We have to change it out 611 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,559 in necessity now. But I thought it was a fascinating question. It's a 612 00:40:10,639 --> 00:40:14,800 really good one. I'm gonna go with the Memphis duo just because of the 613 00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:19,039 growth that we've seen from Desmond Baine, where it feels like we can be 614 00:40:19,079 --> 00:40:22,639 more and more confident that pigeonholing him as a three and D prospect was short 615 00:40:22,760 --> 00:40:27,719 changing him. He is so much more than that. There is a malleability 616 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:30,440 to his game on both ends of the floor that enables him to fill a 617 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:35,000 lot of different roles, and we're also at the same time seeing what a 618 00:40:35,079 --> 00:40:39,320 healthy Charon Jackson Junior can do. You know that it's always been a tantalizing 619 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:44,760 package as that true floor spacing big man, the shot blocking big man who 620 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:47,639 can just do everything. Now that he's healthy, now that Memphis is thriving, 621 00:40:49,039 --> 00:40:52,199 we're seeing that package, you know. The day we're recording this, 622 00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:57,360 the Grizzlies twitter account tweeted out some of his stats over the last four games 623 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:00,679 and how they were unmatched and how he deserves some All Star recognition, which 624 00:41:00,679 --> 00:41:05,000 I think is overselling him a little bit because it's not just a recognition of 625 00:41:05,039 --> 00:41:08,760 four games, but it still speaks to the level at which he's playing right 626 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:15,679 now. So John Collins is so exciting. Also a huge beneficiary of playing 627 00:41:15,679 --> 00:41:20,519 with Trey Young, who really makes his game go because of the pickle that 628 00:41:20,599 --> 00:41:23,559 Trey Young always puts a posting defenders in covering the pick and roll. With 629 00:41:23,639 --> 00:41:29,119 him and Collins, I don't know that Desmond Bane and Jared Jackson Junior are 630 00:41:29,159 --> 00:41:32,920 as dependent on key teammates to elevate their level of performance. I'd argue just 631 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:37,800 Jaren Jackson Junior's fours basing he is so important opening the floor for everyone else 632 00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:38,960 on the Grizzlies, and I would agree with everything you said there, and 633 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:43,960 really the tipping point you could look at DeAndre Honor's health, but then there's 634 00:41:44,039 --> 00:41:46,679 Jaren Jackson Junior missed a ton of time the previous two seasons. The tipping 635 00:41:46,719 --> 00:41:51,159 point for me clearly whether you looked at it as reddish or hunter. And 636 00:41:51,199 --> 00:41:52,760 I think people would probably prefer a hunter and a vacum the reddish anyway, 637 00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:57,599 So this might this might be the right question to begin with Desmond Baane's on 638 00:41:57,679 --> 00:42:01,159 ball development that they really it's tough to glean real insight from Summer League, 639 00:42:01,159 --> 00:42:04,920 but they started this in Vegas with him, and a lot of it is 640 00:42:04,920 --> 00:42:07,639 translated to this season. His growth offensively there, I think, really just 641 00:42:07,719 --> 00:42:12,079 makes this. I don't know if it's a no brainer, because I do 642 00:42:12,119 --> 00:42:15,920 appreciate John Collins' scalability across basically both ends of the floor. At this point, 643 00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:16,840 he can't anchor your defense, but he's also not going to be the 644 00:42:16,880 --> 00:42:20,960 one that torpedoes it. And then I like all the holes he can fill 645 00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:23,239 on offense, even though he seems to not maybe appreciate that he wants to 646 00:42:23,559 --> 00:42:28,880 have a larger responsibility there. I don't know how. I don't know that 647 00:42:28,920 --> 00:42:31,840 there's a clear case for Atlanta's duo compared to Memphis is due after the season 648 00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:36,079 we've seen and Jared Jackson juniors. There's still stuff I want to see from 649 00:42:36,119 --> 00:42:38,280 him on both sides of the floor, including on offense. But he's improved. 650 00:42:38,559 --> 00:42:42,119 He's under more control of defensively this year, and I think you can 651 00:42:42,159 --> 00:42:45,440 trust him to play the five. Additionally, he works as the four and 652 00:42:45,519 --> 00:42:50,559 seems just more comfortable and higher IQ on that end. In general, I 653 00:42:50,719 --> 00:42:53,119 follow up questions of those four players, who's your number one? In a 654 00:42:53,159 --> 00:42:59,239 vacuum? Who seem weird that John Collins might be the best player of that 655 00:42:59,280 --> 00:43:02,440 bunch? For me? No, I don't think so. Is it weird 656 00:43:02,480 --> 00:43:06,599 that I might take Desmond Dan long term over all of them long term? 657 00:43:06,679 --> 00:43:10,360 Okay, it's fair to right now though it's probably between Collins. I think 658 00:43:10,400 --> 00:43:15,719 it's Collins right now. Long term. I see the case for Maading. 659 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:17,679 I need to see this happen again next season, the same type of on 660 00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:22,360 ball stop and even the little defensive improvements. Looking at his like positional spectrum 661 00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:27,920 that he's able to go up against. But yeah, it's who are you 662 00:43:28,000 --> 00:43:30,960 lowest on of this group long term? Probably Hunter? Yeah, I'm with 663 00:43:31,039 --> 00:43:36,440 you there, And a lot of it's the health. I think it's it's 664 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:40,079 partially the health and partially just the inconsistency. Even when he is healthy, 665 00:43:40,199 --> 00:43:45,679 Like we've seen that he can be this defensive stalwart. We've seen that he 666 00:43:45,840 --> 00:43:50,440 can put the ball on his floor and put the ball on the floor and 667 00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:53,960 create his own shots, but then the next day he looks awful doing either 668 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:59,480 of those things. And I just I don't know that I trust the across 669 00:43:59,519 --> 00:44:04,679 the board to development enough to be confident that he's going to be more than 670 00:44:04,679 --> 00:44:08,519 a specialist down the road. Let's get to this question from Milky Ernie, 671 00:44:09,199 --> 00:44:14,480 ask what's potential trade charge gives Phoenix the best shot at making a return finals 672 00:44:14,519 --> 00:44:20,599 appearance? Eric Gordon, Fad Young, Jeremy Grant or Ben Simmons. It's 673 00:44:20,599 --> 00:44:22,639 a wide variety of players. I think, Look, I don't I don't 674 00:44:22,679 --> 00:44:25,840 love to Ben Simmons fit. I'm going to rule that out right that because 675 00:44:25,840 --> 00:44:30,519 I just I don't want to see him with Chris Paul and Devin Booker, 676 00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:36,000 Like I just I don't think that makes sense, and pushed back there because 677 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,079 the role that Devin Booker has played and thrived in this season. But I 678 00:44:39,119 --> 00:44:42,880 do see your point. Also the equity. This is not a team that 679 00:44:42,920 --> 00:44:45,280 you've been giving up the equity in a three or fourteen deal to get Ben 680 00:44:45,280 --> 00:44:50,199 Simmons. You're you're talking Cam Johnson gone, every future pick you have gone, 681 00:44:50,239 --> 00:44:52,719 DeAndre at and probably gone because you're not going to give up Michael Bridges 682 00:44:52,760 --> 00:44:57,000 is so tough to trade after his extension, So it would be between Eric 683 00:44:57,039 --> 00:45:00,559 Gordon, fadd Young and Jeremy Grant. I like the Eric Gordon shit a 684 00:45:00,559 --> 00:45:07,599 lot here, just the that he brings the ability to put some pressure on 685 00:45:07,639 --> 00:45:09,920 the rim. You know, we talked about it on a previous episode, 686 00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:14,760 that he could set up well beyond the arc, can add even more spacing, 687 00:45:15,000 --> 00:45:19,719 which I think is important for this team, and it probably I think 688 00:45:19,800 --> 00:45:22,039 Jeremy Grant is my number two here, but I feel like it's going to 689 00:45:22,119 --> 00:45:24,519 take more to get Grant than it does to get Gordon, which I think 690 00:45:24,559 --> 00:45:30,079 has to factor into the answer here. The other thing is it's Gordon for 691 00:45:30,079 --> 00:45:31,679 me and it's not even close. I think Jeremy Grant is officially a terrible 692 00:45:31,679 --> 00:45:37,119 fit for this team, just because they need their primary move, which would 693 00:45:37,159 --> 00:45:40,039 cost whatever assets needs to bring back someone with more ball skills. And I 694 00:45:40,079 --> 00:45:45,239 know he's shown it in Detroit at points, I don't know that we could 695 00:45:45,239 --> 00:45:49,719 trust it enough to say this is someone you bestow ball handling responsibility to in 696 00:45:49,760 --> 00:45:52,079 the playoffs. And its three point shot is still just like choppy enough looking 697 00:45:52,079 --> 00:45:57,039 at the efficiency where it's not knocked down, and with Eric Gordon specifically, 698 00:45:57,400 --> 00:46:00,320 I don't think this is a deal. Brit Look the Suns from my title 699 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:02,440 pick. So if any Suns vangel listening to this, I'm not dumping all 700 00:46:02,440 --> 00:46:07,519 over them. They're now dead last in the frequency with which they get to 701 00:46:07,559 --> 00:46:09,679 the rim on offense, the smallst share of their shots fewer than twenty five 702 00:46:09,679 --> 00:46:13,320 percent, and everyone else in the league, by the way, is getting 703 00:46:13,320 --> 00:46:15,039 at least twenty six point six percent of their attempt at the rim this year. 704 00:46:15,039 --> 00:46:19,639 Phoenix is at twenty four point nine. That is, you're built around 705 00:46:19,920 --> 00:46:22,320 Devin Booker and Chris Paul. It's fine, I get it. It really 706 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:27,239 kind of hurt you once you got to the finals against Milwaukee and Eric Gordon's 707 00:46:27,320 --> 00:46:30,840 rim pressure that with the spacing that Phoenix can provide him with. Looking at 708 00:46:30,880 --> 00:46:35,280 their personnel in certain lineups, I understand the need. Maybe you'd want to 709 00:46:35,320 --> 00:46:38,159 go more small ball five just for certain I mean, but even DeAndre ayton 710 00:46:38,239 --> 00:46:40,079 Is, I don't know if he's match up proof, but like, are 711 00:46:40,079 --> 00:46:45,079 you scared of playing DeAndre proof? At this point, I was gonna say, 712 00:46:45,079 --> 00:46:46,360 you're not worried about playing DeAndre and at the five? If the Bucks 713 00:46:46,360 --> 00:46:49,480 are using Janis at the five, that's just not something that's good on. 714 00:46:50,199 --> 00:46:52,760 So I think it's Eric Gordon, and I don't know if they have the 715 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:57,719 juice to get him, because if he commands a first round pick, it's 716 00:46:57,760 --> 00:47:00,519 just tough. They can't trade one until twenty four. I did come up 717 00:47:00,519 --> 00:47:01,760 with a fake trade, I'll throw it out really quick where they ended up 718 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:07,880 giving up Jalen Smith, Dario starch Ab, Dolnator, Alfred Peyton. They're 719 00:47:07,880 --> 00:47:12,039 twenty twenty four first and two seconds. It got them back ken Rick Williams 720 00:47:12,079 --> 00:47:15,039 and Eric Gordon. I would do that deal on a heartbeat, even though 721 00:47:15,039 --> 00:47:19,199 people are obviouslyting just higher on Jalen Smith. Let's move on to the final 722 00:47:19,239 --> 00:47:21,679 couple questions. I want to focus on the d M ones that we got 723 00:47:21,679 --> 00:47:24,880 since again I skipped over them last time. Chris asked at the current moment, 724 00:47:24,920 --> 00:47:28,679 which players are making the best case to become an All Star for the 725 00:47:28,679 --> 00:47:30,480 first time in their career. I'm gonna rattle them off, and I want 726 00:47:30,480 --> 00:47:32,719 you to pick one. And if I forget anybody, but I know you're 727 00:47:32,719 --> 00:47:37,920 doing this off the cuff. You have Fred van Fleet, you have Jared 728 00:47:37,320 --> 00:47:45,639 right there. He would be my pick. That's the obvious answer, right, 729 00:47:45,039 --> 00:47:51,880 It's not because John Moran exists. John Morant plays in the Western Conference, 730 00:47:51,880 --> 00:47:57,280 which has such a ridiculous backcourt selection. Well, who does it this 731 00:47:57,360 --> 00:47:59,719 year? It's between him and Donovan Mitchell. I don't know if he'll get 732 00:47:59,719 --> 00:48:01,760 it for starters. I mean, John Moran is going to make the All 733 00:48:01,760 --> 00:48:07,559 Star team, certain, but Fred Van Fleet is even more than one hundred 734 00:48:07,599 --> 00:48:12,960 percent certain. Okay, so relative to his conference, for sure. But 735 00:48:13,000 --> 00:48:15,960 would you say John Morand's Van Fleets defense is just so damn good? But 736 00:48:16,039 --> 00:48:21,119 would you say that John Rand van Fleets everything is so damn good. Yes, 737 00:48:21,239 --> 00:48:24,440 John Moran has been better. Fred van Fleet John Morant would be the 738 00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:29,679 names that's bring them mind. There's also Jared Allen Darius Garland to consider. 739 00:48:30,559 --> 00:48:35,960 I think both of them should make the team, but they are less likely 740 00:48:36,079 --> 00:48:40,440 to because name recognition factors into this, and coaches are more likely to give 741 00:48:40,480 --> 00:48:45,239 the nods to the players who aren't just breaking out for the first time this 742 00:48:45,280 --> 00:48:50,440 season. They Van Fleet is a fairly established product. We knew that he 743 00:48:50,480 --> 00:48:53,199 was really good last year. He wasn't at this level, but Jared Allen 744 00:48:53,239 --> 00:48:57,239 was a question mark. Darius Garland was a question mark. Do they deserve 745 00:48:57,280 --> 00:49:00,800 inclusion, Absolutely, but they're not going to be vote it into starters, 746 00:49:00,800 --> 00:49:05,360 which means it hinges on the coach's selections, and we know how that goes 747 00:49:05,440 --> 00:49:08,719 historically. And also they're not no aside from John Moran, like these other 748 00:49:08,719 --> 00:49:12,199 players are no brainers. So let's do this. We'll say I actually think 749 00:49:12,239 --> 00:49:16,360 Jared Allen is a no brainer inclusion just from an analytics and value standpoint, 750 00:49:16,679 --> 00:49:22,800 but when we actually factor in what goes into the formation of the teams, 751 00:49:22,800 --> 00:49:25,039 he's no longer a no brainer. So let's do this. We'll go through 752 00:49:25,039 --> 00:49:28,559 the first All Star candidates. Are they going to be a first All Star 753 00:49:28,679 --> 00:49:30,679 or not? I'm going to run through them with you. Friend. Vanfleet 754 00:49:30,480 --> 00:49:35,920 absolutely I'm with you on yes. John Moran, absolutely, Jared Allen, 755 00:49:37,760 --> 00:49:39,360 you have to miss it. Yes, I think I think yes, I 756 00:49:39,400 --> 00:49:43,159 think he will get in. I'm gonna say yes with him too. Garius 757 00:49:43,159 --> 00:49:47,000 Garland, I'm gonna say no, unfortunately, unless unless he's an injury replacement. 758 00:49:47,079 --> 00:49:52,639 You know, I think we have to say expand the rosters. Speaking 759 00:49:52,679 --> 00:49:59,000 of Dejanta Murray, no too much depth in the Western Conference. He deserves, 760 00:49:59,360 --> 00:50:01,880 he deserves mentioned one hundred percent, deserves to be in this conversation. 761 00:50:02,440 --> 00:50:07,800 But because we're still stupidly not expanding the All Star rosters, he will not 762 00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:13,320 get in. You want to pick the should we do the injury replacement team? 763 00:50:13,840 --> 00:50:17,760 John Collins, No, not a chance. Yeah. I do think 764 00:50:17,760 --> 00:50:21,199 even better than people give him credit for. So not a chance is rude, 765 00:50:21,199 --> 00:50:23,480 but it's not. There's betray Young is a lock in there and Atlanta 766 00:50:23,559 --> 00:50:28,199 is not going to get a second All Star wallblow. I don't. I 767 00:50:28,280 --> 00:50:30,119 hate that logic. By the way, I do too. I don't think 768 00:50:30,119 --> 00:50:32,360 he's a no brain. I'm not. I'm not saying who should be? 769 00:50:32,719 --> 00:50:37,239 You asked me who is going to This is my final Yes, this is 770 00:50:37,280 --> 00:50:38,679 the final one that I have and maybe you have more, but LaMelo Ball 771 00:50:38,719 --> 00:50:40,599 would be the other one. I've said, Jean Day Murray, right, 772 00:50:40,639 --> 00:50:43,880 he's a male for me? He did, Yeah, I mean I think 773 00:50:43,960 --> 00:50:47,760 LaMelo Ball fits into the same category as de Jeante Murray where he deserves to 774 00:50:47,760 --> 00:50:51,559 be in the conversation. I don't know that he's going to make it in. 775 00:50:52,360 --> 00:50:53,639 I'm sure people are gonna be mad that we didn't mention Michael Bridges. 776 00:50:53,679 --> 00:50:57,719 But he's a no insofar as you think that he even like deserves the brain. 777 00:50:57,760 --> 00:51:00,639 I'm trying to I'm trying to look through here, and DeAndre Ayton would 778 00:51:00,639 --> 00:51:04,559 be a no for me to. Jalen Bronson is a no, though he's 779 00:51:04,559 --> 00:51:07,199 made a very compelling case over the past like month or so. I think 780 00:51:07,239 --> 00:51:12,679 I think Aiden has a chance. Phoenix is good enough that it could very 781 00:51:12,760 --> 00:51:20,679 much justify getting three in anyone else who stands out Terris Haliburton, it's not 782 00:51:20,719 --> 00:51:27,199 avident. Not happening deserves deserves mentioned. Not happening deserves mention when you start 783 00:51:27,280 --> 00:51:32,480 talking about the if they here's one more. Andrew Wiggins, No, oh 784 00:51:32,519 --> 00:51:37,039 my god, why because it keeps getting floated as a possibility and he might 785 00:51:37,079 --> 00:51:39,400 get he might get in on the back of the fan book. I do. 786 00:51:39,599 --> 00:51:43,559 Look, I've been very impressed with his defense overall, and just I 787 00:51:43,599 --> 00:51:45,960 don't think I don't think he belongs in that conversation, but I think that 788 00:51:46,519 --> 00:51:53,039 it would be incomplete to not mention him. There is I just he's been 789 00:51:53,079 --> 00:51:55,280 good, but like we need to. I think we might even be guilty 790 00:51:55,280 --> 00:51:59,280 of it at this point where we're naming Tyrese Haliburton. We got to stop 791 00:51:59,320 --> 00:52:01,280 doing this thing where it's like this player is good, so does he deserve 792 00:52:01,360 --> 00:52:05,199 to be like one of them, one of the top twelve players in the 793 00:52:05,239 --> 00:52:10,960 West, even though positions matter a little bit. Yes, Kennon should get 794 00:52:12,000 --> 00:52:17,880 in and will get in. Robert Williams, hoop informatist, asked, I've 795 00:52:17,880 --> 00:52:21,000 reached the point of set. This is a big question. I thought it 796 00:52:21,039 --> 00:52:22,800 was fascinating. I've reached the point of set Partner's book where he talked about 797 00:52:22,800 --> 00:52:27,880 what's next to analytics, and he discusses audio analytics as being the future data 798 00:52:27,920 --> 00:52:30,639 on who is talking more and how clearly. Mike Dyala Rosa also recently released 799 00:52:30,639 --> 00:52:36,000 a video on Thinking Basketball's YouTube page illustrating Minnesota's defense and the impact the Angel 800 00:52:36,119 --> 00:52:38,840 Russell's having on team defense by being a rover and communicator, which all leads 801 00:52:38,880 --> 00:52:42,559 me to the actual question at hand. Who do you believe are the best 802 00:52:42,599 --> 00:52:46,119 defensive communicators in the NBA? And how much value should communication be given on 803 00:52:46,199 --> 00:52:51,079 this impact of team defense? Now this was a thinker, so I went 804 00:52:51,079 --> 00:52:54,280 out a great question. I have an immediate answer. Oh, I was 805 00:52:54,400 --> 00:52:58,360 I was gonna. I actually asked the coach about this, not an NBA 806 00:52:58,480 --> 00:53:01,519 coach, but I asked, Yes Spinella, his friend of the pod coach 807 00:53:01,559 --> 00:53:09,519 Spins, who coaches? Could you let Spins have his moment at fourteen? 808 00:53:09,800 --> 00:53:13,760 Here's what he said, though I felt what I thought was the interesting answer 809 00:53:13,800 --> 00:53:17,760 about how important is defense communication in general? Spins said, vital to everything 810 00:53:17,760 --> 00:53:21,960 that happens in the final two minutes of a close game. People forget that 811 00:53:22,039 --> 00:53:25,800 communication also equals listeners, guys who can be told to do something and react 812 00:53:25,880 --> 00:53:30,199 adapt to what their teammates need or their in game changes. Are you named 813 00:53:30,239 --> 00:53:34,519 Draymond Green, which was the first name he listed, I want to see 814 00:53:34,679 --> 00:53:37,960 if you can name He named four other people. I want to He named 815 00:53:38,079 --> 00:53:40,400 five other people. I want to see how many of them you can get. 816 00:53:40,719 --> 00:53:45,199 I definitely can't. Okay, there's four and he can't. One of 817 00:53:45,199 --> 00:53:50,960 them is going to put Kyle Lowry. Okay, one, So you're two 818 00:53:51,000 --> 00:53:54,119 for two on what spins listed Draymond and Kyle Lowry, Fred Van Fleet No, 819 00:53:54,840 --> 00:54:04,719 m wow. So Beat is embat up there? No it. Beat 820 00:54:04,800 --> 00:54:07,679 is trash talking the entire time. He's trash talking, but he's also very 821 00:54:07,719 --> 00:54:10,199 demonstrative. Like it might not be as much verbal communication, but I feel 822 00:54:10,239 --> 00:54:15,679 like he's still gesticulating and gesturing and all sorts of things to get people in 823 00:54:15,719 --> 00:54:22,079 the right spots. I think I feel like there's one semi obvious one you're 824 00:54:22,079 --> 00:54:23,920 still missing because the first two names that came to mind, the first three 825 00:54:24,320 --> 00:54:27,199 are on this list, and you name two of them. All right. 826 00:54:27,239 --> 00:54:30,599 I know Janis has been a big communicator lately. SI him. I'm just 827 00:54:30,639 --> 00:54:32,800 thinking out. I'm not saying he's bad. These are just the names that 828 00:54:32,840 --> 00:54:40,559 spins. Jimmy Butler comes to mind looking at a list now, all right, 829 00:54:42,000 --> 00:54:45,519 Anzo Ball is really communicative, but probably less impactful from the point guard 830 00:54:45,519 --> 00:54:52,679 position. So I do think you're missing one. Obviously. I blame COVID 831 00:54:52,719 --> 00:54:57,079 for that. Cough. Chris Paul was the other one he was that's fair 832 00:54:58,000 --> 00:55:01,920 what I found interesting. I didn't show him ull question. Spins came up 833 00:55:01,920 --> 00:55:07,800 with de Angelo Russell. So hoop informatics Wow was talking about D'Angelo Russell and 834 00:55:07,800 --> 00:55:10,559 then spinned de Angelo Russell. He also the two other names he had. 835 00:55:10,599 --> 00:55:14,000 One of them is no longer in the NBA, Marc Gasol, so he 836 00:55:14,119 --> 00:55:17,360 I think you would have gotten him and he yes, absolutely one I agree 837 00:55:17,400 --> 00:55:22,239 with after thinking about it, like realizing what we've watched the past, let's 838 00:55:22,239 --> 00:55:28,639 just say the past, like two seasons whatever. DeAndre Ayton I don't see 839 00:55:28,639 --> 00:55:31,519 it as much because I think it's harder to fill that role when you're on 840 00:55:31,719 --> 00:55:37,719 the same team as Chris Paul. He I think if you watch him though, 841 00:55:37,559 --> 00:55:42,800 and his hands, just watch his hands and much his schmans, watch 842 00:55:42,880 --> 00:55:45,719 his hands in a half court for possessions when Chris Paul is on or off 843 00:55:45,760 --> 00:55:50,719 the court, just watch them. It's a really cool question. That was 844 00:55:50,719 --> 00:55:52,400 a great questions. Look, we're probably not even qualified to answer it, 845 00:55:52,440 --> 00:55:58,159 so thank you to Adam Spinello for pitching in there. Last very couple ones 846 00:55:58,400 --> 00:56:00,719 here. I think that did us. I think we're good on the d 847 00:56:00,880 --> 00:56:05,400 M one or no oh no, yeah, I asked that one. Da 848 00:56:05,639 --> 00:56:09,679 da okay, so man, this is oh let me do this one very 849 00:56:09,719 --> 00:56:14,360 quickly because I looked it up. Chris asked, what does Tyrese Haliburton's affect 850 00:56:14,400 --> 00:56:16,039 the field goal percentage in the last three minutes of the third and fourth quarters. 851 00:56:16,480 --> 00:56:20,880 I could not narrow it down to the I don't know that off the 852 00:56:20,920 --> 00:56:23,400 top of my head. I don't know what I thought my head either. 853 00:56:23,679 --> 00:56:27,679 He is shooting. His affective field goal percentage is fifty six point two in 854 00:56:27,679 --> 00:56:30,320 the entirety of third quarters, fifty three in the entirety of the fourth quarter. 855 00:56:30,679 --> 00:56:35,280 It is fifty two point eight in the final three minutes of clutch time. 856 00:56:35,679 --> 00:56:38,800 It is fifty five point six in one possession crunch time during the final 857 00:56:38,880 --> 00:56:43,559 three minutes, so still pretty efficient. That was a very one of the 858 00:56:43,559 --> 00:56:46,519 more specific these questions that we have gotten. I will say, I'm all 859 00:56:46,559 --> 00:56:50,960 for anything that props up Tyrese Haliburton, who should be in the All Star 860 00:56:51,000 --> 00:56:53,840 conversation in the West, because the rosters should expand to at least fifteen players 861 00:56:53,880 --> 00:56:59,039 per conference. Sorry, I couldn't help myself there. And these will be 862 00:56:59,079 --> 00:57:02,679 our final two bookmark. The other ones for next time. This one is 863 00:57:02,719 --> 00:57:07,400 actually fairly topical. I think zach As should the Wizard's Trader build around bradleyview 864 00:57:10,000 --> 00:57:13,760 if you think that we have you would think that we have a firm answer 865 00:57:14,239 --> 00:57:20,599 at this point because he's been floated in these conversations for so much time. 866 00:57:20,679 --> 00:57:24,840 But I still just I'm on the fence because I feel like there's there is 867 00:57:25,480 --> 00:57:30,599 more potential in Washington right now than it feels like there has been in a 868 00:57:30,639 --> 00:57:35,000 while, just with this current core. But I still don't think that if 869 00:57:35,039 --> 00:57:37,840 the end goal is competing for a title, that you're not going to get 870 00:57:37,880 --> 00:57:43,159 there with this core, which means to me in a championship or bust evaluation, 871 00:57:43,199 --> 00:57:46,280 which I think is a little bit of a corrosive mentality. But that's 872 00:57:46,320 --> 00:57:51,119 a topic for another time. But if we do operate with that mentality, 873 00:57:51,159 --> 00:57:55,800 then yeah, you should probably still move him. What's interesting, I don't 874 00:57:57,079 --> 00:58:00,199 think I don't think they should build around him. I also don't think they 875 00:58:00,199 --> 00:58:02,599 should trade him anymore. And my logic here would be would be this, 876 00:58:05,320 --> 00:58:07,679 what is his value heading into free agency this summer? Now, if you 877 00:58:07,679 --> 00:58:09,599 were going to move him, it should happened over the off season. Or 878 00:58:09,639 --> 00:58:13,800 better yet, before last year's trade online, when it became clear that your 879 00:58:13,800 --> 00:58:16,800 team was in like this weird direction even you know, if you could could 880 00:58:16,800 --> 00:58:21,880 have forecasted like their their mid year uptick. At this point, I think 881 00:58:21,920 --> 00:58:25,199 just because he's still on the right side of thirty, signing that extension probably 882 00:58:25,239 --> 00:58:30,800 gives him more value once once he's allowed to be moved again. And so 883 00:58:30,920 --> 00:58:34,760 that's where I'm at with them, is you almost have to resign him now 884 00:58:35,440 --> 00:58:37,800 and then go into next season or whatever. Maybe you don't even go in 885 00:58:37,800 --> 00:58:40,400 and go into next season, see how you're faring, and then make the 886 00:58:40,440 --> 00:58:45,039 call. Then I think you ultimately, if it's champ if it's a championship 887 00:58:45,079 --> 00:58:49,360 thing, I don't think giving Bradley Beal a max deal as your top guy 888 00:58:49,599 --> 00:58:52,639 is going to win you a championship or give you a clear path to one, 889 00:58:52,760 --> 00:59:00,079 unless did Denny Afia and ruyhatch Moore both just explode because and look the 890 00:58:59,800 --> 00:59:01,639 way it could be a solid team with bradleybal better than this. They started 891 00:59:01,639 --> 00:59:05,119 off hotter this season, maybe they can make moves on the margins. I 892 00:59:05,199 --> 00:59:07,440 don't think the answer is to rebuild, and if you're gonna if you're gonna 893 00:59:07,480 --> 00:59:12,519 rebuild around Bradley Beal. It to rebuild around Bradley Beal, tear it down 894 00:59:12,559 --> 00:59:15,119 to the studs of him and Denny Abba, basically, and if Daniel Gafford 895 00:59:15,159 --> 00:59:19,159 find whatever, Adam, I see you looking at me weird. I'd like 896 00:59:19,199 --> 00:59:22,079 to change my answer to all of what you've said. Fair enough, but 897 00:59:22,119 --> 00:59:23,800 I think you get more value by resigning him and looking to move him later. 898 00:59:23,800 --> 00:59:27,679 I also think with him, maybe he wanted to stay in Washington. 899 00:59:27,800 --> 00:59:30,679 I think we're at the point where players have decided I want to get these 900 00:59:30,679 --> 00:59:34,320 extensions and then I'll figure out a way to leave later if need be. 901 00:59:36,000 --> 00:59:40,119 I couldn't agree more. The final question from Kade, are the Raptors a 902 00:59:40,239 --> 00:59:49,800 threat? What are the chances they win their division the Eastern Conference? And 903 00:59:49,840 --> 00:59:52,000 also they're not going to win their division because the Nets exist, is the 904 00:59:52,000 --> 00:59:57,760 only thing I'll say. Yeah, I mean, I think that Toronto is 905 00:59:57,840 --> 01:00:02,199 a reasonable threat to make the playoffs and potentially pull off a first round upset. 906 01:00:02,760 --> 01:00:07,440 I don't know how much further I would go than that, but with 907 01:00:07,599 --> 01:00:10,679 the infrastructure in Toronto is so strong, you can count on Messia Jury making 908 01:00:10,719 --> 01:00:15,920 a smart deadline move that is going to improve his team's chances both in the 909 01:00:15,960 --> 01:00:20,719 short and long term. Fred Van Fleet offers them an all star who can 910 01:00:20,880 --> 01:00:24,320 carry the team on a semi nightly basis. Scottie Barnes is only going to 911 01:00:24,360 --> 01:00:30,440 continue improving. There are pieces in place for this team to be really dangerous. 912 01:00:30,000 --> 01:00:36,280 I don't know that there is the reliable night in, night out carry 913 01:00:36,280 --> 01:00:40,760 an organization talent necessary to make it through the Eastern Conference playoffs. That includes 914 01:00:40,800 --> 01:00:45,719 a resurgent Chicago Bulls franchise, that includes a Big three that's going to be 915 01:00:45,760 --> 01:00:51,320 available for half of the playoff games, that includes a motivated Miami Heat team 916 01:00:51,320 --> 01:00:54,559 that includes Jannisanta Dakumbo. I just I don't see them getting through that gauntlet. 917 01:00:55,119 --> 01:00:59,960 But I could very much see the Raptors putting a scare into some team 918 01:01:00,079 --> 01:01:02,519 in the playoffs. I'd be with everything you said there. I think they're 919 01:01:02,639 --> 01:01:07,199 one point of attack weapon short of being a real problem. And if you 920 01:01:07,239 --> 01:01:09,559 look at their record or how they performed at the beginning of the season, 921 01:01:10,719 --> 01:01:13,960 there's just so much of a difference to the way they've been playing lately. 922 01:01:14,000 --> 01:01:16,039 I know they've beat up on some teams that didn't have guys that's the story 923 01:01:16,039 --> 01:01:21,719 of this entire fucking shit show of a season. With having at og Ana, 924 01:01:21,760 --> 01:01:25,000 Nobi, Fred Van Fleet and Pascal Siakam all available, it changes the 925 01:01:25,000 --> 01:01:28,920 way your offense allowed to operate where you don't need Og to do as much 926 01:01:28,960 --> 01:01:30,519 on the ball, and that's just better suited for him, and Og has 927 01:01:30,559 --> 01:01:35,000 been shooting so well from three. It's another outlet in terms of spacing for 928 01:01:35,119 --> 01:01:37,719 Siakam and Fred Van Fleet. I think Gary Trent Junior is a more dynamic 929 01:01:37,760 --> 01:01:43,000 offensive player than people give them credit for. There is the Scotty Barnes has 930 01:01:43,039 --> 01:01:45,440 shined for not just moments, but like long stretches on that end. But 931 01:01:45,440 --> 01:01:50,559 they do need just like an additional ball handling attacker. But the fact that 932 01:01:50,559 --> 01:01:53,239 they're short of already got close given where they were, not where they were 933 01:01:53,320 --> 01:01:55,880 because they had the talent and just weren't healthy or able to play at home 934 01:01:55,960 --> 01:01:59,800 last year, which is given what happened last season and a lot of a 935 01:01:59,840 --> 01:02:01,840 lot of people thought they were candidates to blow it up. Now I would 936 01:02:01,880 --> 01:02:07,920 actually say I wouldn't trust their offense, but like they aren't defensively, like 937 01:02:07,000 --> 01:02:12,320 they could really give a Brooklyn or a Milwaukee and definitely a Chicago or Miami 938 01:02:12,840 --> 01:02:15,679 problems in a first round series. If if the playoff bracket was set right 939 01:02:15,719 --> 01:02:20,239 now, it'd be Bulls and Raptors in the first round. I'm sure you 940 01:02:20,239 --> 01:02:23,440 would pick Chicago, as would I. I'm okay, good. I'm not 941 01:02:23,480 --> 01:02:27,360 sure that I would pick Chicago in that and if I did, it would 942 01:02:27,360 --> 01:02:30,320 probably be like a Bulls in the seven situation. Maybe I'm underestimating how much 943 01:02:30,519 --> 01:02:36,199 the offensive hierarchy in Toronto would be impacted in a postseason setting, because they 944 01:02:36,199 --> 01:02:38,440 will ugly up half court sets like they need second chance points, they need 945 01:02:38,480 --> 01:02:43,440 to catch airballs or whatever. But like their offense is not as bad as 946 01:02:43,440 --> 01:02:45,920 people expect, in part because they make a lot of those second chance opportunities 947 01:02:45,920 --> 01:02:51,559 and they do have real talent. But to say that they're that type of 948 01:02:51,639 --> 01:02:52,760 you know, point of attack weapons show, and I don't even think it 949 01:02:52,760 --> 01:02:55,440 needs to be like a co star. It'd be nice it was, but 950 01:02:55,519 --> 01:02:59,440 someone to come off like if a Caras Lavert was coming off their bench. 951 01:03:00,440 --> 01:03:02,559 I might think that this team is just ready not to make it out of 952 01:03:02,559 --> 01:03:07,920 the East, but be super real problems. And I will finish with this. 953 01:03:08,360 --> 01:03:10,960 I think they probably need to be buyers at the trade deadline. Now 954 01:03:10,960 --> 01:03:14,760 you're your whole day or you're buying. I'm not Toronto is not a seller's 955 01:03:14,760 --> 01:03:19,519 candidate. I know. I don't know who you would sell well because people 956 01:03:19,519 --> 01:03:21,960 look at it and say, oh, you want to rebuild around Adenobe and 957 01:03:22,079 --> 01:03:24,280 Barnes. They're the future. Trent still young, Siakam van Fleet I think 958 01:03:24,280 --> 01:03:28,800 are twenty eight, and they're at there the peaks that they're going to operate 959 01:03:28,840 --> 01:03:31,519 at right now, or they're in the firm part of their prime and you 960 01:03:31,559 --> 01:03:35,519 know their best days are gonna behind them. When Barnes has his best days 961 01:03:35,519 --> 01:03:37,719 and O. G. Eight maybe has his best days. That's the motive 962 01:03:37,800 --> 01:03:43,679 thinking for a team that isn't good and can't do anything now, the Raptors 963 01:03:43,719 --> 01:03:46,559 just don't fit that criteria there. I think they're ready to make I think 964 01:03:46,559 --> 01:03:50,079 they will be a top six team in the East. I predicted at the 965 01:03:50,079 --> 01:03:52,480 beginning of the year in the preseason they would be better than the Knicks, 966 01:03:52,880 --> 01:03:55,639 which tells you how uneasy I was about the Knicks leading into the season. 967 01:03:55,840 --> 01:03:58,880 I think they will be a top six team in the East, though I 968 01:03:58,920 --> 01:04:01,320 have them. I have them in at that conversation and Beyond that, I 969 01:04:01,320 --> 01:04:04,039 think that you know, every year there's that one team that no one really 970 01:04:04,079 --> 01:04:08,079 wants to play in the playoffs. This is that team in the East. 971 01:04:09,639 --> 01:04:12,760 Atlanta could have that potential, like you don't want to have to face them, 972 01:04:12,840 --> 01:04:15,519 for sure. I think the Raptors have shown more this season than Atlanta, 973 01:04:15,639 --> 01:04:19,880 for sure. I also think that typically the team that qualifies most for 974 01:04:19,920 --> 01:04:26,199 that is a defensive juggernaut rather than an offensive juggernaut. That's a that's a 975 01:04:26,199 --> 01:04:28,599 good point. That's a great point. Actually, that will do it for 976 01:04:28,679 --> 01:04:30,000 us. We have other questions. I'll save them for the next mail bag 977 01:04:30,039 --> 01:04:32,480 whenever. That is. Thank you for everyone who made it this far. 978 01:04:32,639 --> 01:04:35,320 If this is your first time listening, or if you just have not done 979 01:04:35,320 --> 01:04:39,840 so, consider throwing us that permanent subscription. Wherever you get your podcasts. 980 01:04:40,159 --> 01:04:44,760 We can be found on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Google, YouTube, 981 01:04:44,800 --> 01:04:46,480 YouTube, dot com s or Charter Knox. We come up. Throw us 982 01:04:46,559 --> 01:04:49,639 ratings and reviews on Spotify and iTunes. They help us a todd when you 983 01:04:49,679 --> 01:04:51,719 do that. Even if you have feedback, throw it in there, but 984 01:04:51,760 --> 01:04:55,159 throw us to five stars. Anyway we are reading them. We do take 985 01:04:55,199 --> 01:04:59,000 them into account. Follow us on Twitter, Adam is at from zero nine. 986 01:04:59,079 --> 01:05:00,639 I am at Dan Alley FA V A l E. And the show 987 01:05:00,679 --> 01:05:05,159 is at Hardwood Knox, which is also sometimes on Instagram when I remember to 988 01:05:05,280 --> 01:05:09,639 use it at Hardwood Underscore Knox. Until next time, well you get the 989 01:05:09,639 --> 01:05:14,719 shout out to the one, the only, the legend, the myth, Frankielkina