1 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:21,679 What is krack lacking? Fellow thermonuclear appers, I am damn a valley coming 2 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:25,920 at you with a mail bag podcast. Before we get started, my usual 3 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,760 reminder subscribe if you haven't done so already. If you're on YouTube watching me 4 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:33,399 right now, hit that sub button, like comment on every vivideo to help 5 00:00:33,399 --> 00:00:37,240 the algorithm. Love us back. If you are subscribed, subscribe to us 6 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:41,799 too on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your pods. Leave us 7 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,759 ratings and reviews on Apple. I can't stress enough how much that helps. 8 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,479 We've seen some ratings, but reviews also go a long way too, so 9 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,280 please head over there. It takes a few seconds out of your day if 10 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:53,840 you've done all those things. 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Let's dive in to this mailbag though a lot 26 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,120 of really good questions, some of which, yeah, one of them, 27 00:01:52,239 --> 00:01:55,000 man, I had to think long and hard about. But let's begin with 28 00:01:55,439 --> 00:01:59,480 Mike h Who, in your opinion, is the most overrated coach in the 29 00:01:59,599 --> 00:02:01,640 NBA Prior to this season, I'd say Doc, but he's out of the 30 00:02:01,719 --> 00:02:06,159 league now. I think it's Jason Kidd. Was bad in Brooklyn, stunted 31 00:02:06,159 --> 00:02:09,680 player growth in Milwaukee, and his time in Dallas has been fine. Jason 32 00:02:09,719 --> 00:02:15,240 Kids probably a good one, but he almost feels properly rated at this point 33 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:17,639 to me, because people generally just don't like him and he's become a meme 34 00:02:19,719 --> 00:02:22,840 the name that I think we probably need to start discussing. And I know 35 00:02:22,879 --> 00:02:25,360 that they've been a fantastic regular season team, and I know that they've been 36 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,840 able to overcome absences to key players, but the offense has just been so 37 00:02:30,039 --> 00:02:35,520 vanilla, too reliant on offensive rebounds and getting out in transition. Is that 38 00:02:35,599 --> 00:02:38,599 a personnel issue? It might be Taylor Jenkins might be time to have a 39 00:02:38,599 --> 00:02:43,919 conversation about him potentially. I know he's like considered coach of the Year candidate 40 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:47,120 type deal. I just don't get inspired when I watch Memphis's offense. Maybe 41 00:02:47,159 --> 00:02:51,800 giving him a full year of Luconard that'll be fair. Beyond that, I 42 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:53,199 don't know when I was going through this, I don't know if there are 43 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:58,360 any coaches that feel overrated and we can go with Billy Donovan, but like, 44 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:00,840 why he's not overrated. He's like a perfect Bulls coach for this roster 45 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:06,199 because he just fits the essence of the Bulls at large. I really don't 46 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,240 know who it is among the employed coaches, because you can talk about coaches 47 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,800 that maybe you necessarily don't like her on the hot seat, like west End 48 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,680 Sell Junior in Washington. He's not overrated because you're just saying, oh, 49 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:21,000 he's overrated by being employed, which is kind of fucked up to go that 50 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,960 way. Another name, just how does Minnesota's offense fair with all these weapons? 51 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,919 With Chris Finch, He's supposed to be like this offensive mastermind and they 52 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,479 were pretty a l last year. Was that more to do with injuries than 53 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,080 anything else? Just names I'm watching actually looking at this, I'm pretty impressed 54 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,719 that you don't go into this thinking, oh, like, coach so and 55 00:03:36,759 --> 00:03:39,639 so is just overrated. Could you know doing the conversation with Frank Vogel, 56 00:03:39,719 --> 00:03:44,800 like how does how does he instill defense into this Phoenix Suns roster? That 57 00:03:44,879 --> 00:03:47,360 might be something to a monitor. And so when I even say overrated or 58 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:52,680 when Mike h as overrated, it's almost like not an insult right now, 59 00:03:53,439 --> 00:03:55,000 like we would I think we need some more samples from other guys where it's 60 00:03:55,000 --> 00:04:00,360 if you think email Udoka's right there, we obviously can't go with the first 61 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:02,639 time ors. That doesn't make sense. And even just like someone like a 62 00:04:02,719 --> 00:04:06,719 Willie Green has been I would think buying large phenomena in New Orleans. I 63 00:04:06,719 --> 00:04:11,800 think some are not necessarily happy with some of the rotation decisions that he has 64 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,319 made, but like he's really given them some serious or real and genuine and 65 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:21,040 effective defensive principles just like I even like you know, Steve Clifford and Charlotte, 66 00:04:21,079 --> 00:04:25,920 Like I really like him. There's just there's not a name that springs 67 00:04:25,959 --> 00:04:29,120 to mind for me at the moment, Like maybe maybe is it Nick Nurse, 68 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:30,199 Like let's see what he does in feel he was known as this sort 69 00:04:30,199 --> 00:04:34,160 of this offensive mastermind and Toronto was really inspiring. So you know, Taylor 70 00:04:34,199 --> 00:04:38,360 Jenkins, Chris Finch, Nick Nurse. When we're looking at coaches that are 71 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,279 viewed highly that maybe you're just overvalued here. I think that's what we need 72 00:04:42,319 --> 00:04:46,120 to start getting into a little bit fun question to think about, especially from 73 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:51,040 Mike Gage, who I know fucking loves the coaching just grind. I guess 74 00:04:51,079 --> 00:04:56,240 in the NBA, like ask him who's the eighth assistant on the Phoenix Suns 75 00:04:56,439 --> 00:05:00,199 or the eighth assistant on the Charlotte Hornets, and he'll probably know Petos. 76 00:05:00,399 --> 00:05:04,680 How bad is it actually going to be during next year's offseason, considering all 77 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:10,199 the pending but very likely contract extensions of Jalon Brown, Pascal Siakam, Anthony 78 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:14,319 Davis, et cetera that are going to decrease the value of free agency and 79 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,920 the low amount of talent in the draft class. Quick note just on the 80 00:05:16,959 --> 00:05:19,399 draft class. I don't know nearly enough about it, but we've gone into 81 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:24,000 shitty draft classes before, and you can look back and like the class of 82 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,639 twenty and thirteen be wildly disappointed. Overall, I feel like you can always 83 00:05:27,639 --> 00:05:31,759 still get excited about any draft class, that there's always at least one franchise 84 00:05:31,879 --> 00:05:36,720 altering talent there, and like you can pepper in a handful of impact players 85 00:05:36,759 --> 00:05:40,439 that maybe are drafted later in the first or the second round. So I 86 00:05:40,439 --> 00:05:43,600 don't think we need to just wait and see, like maybe the impressions of 87 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,360 this incoming draft class change. I will say, when you're looking at free 88 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,319 agency, I would expect one of Paul George or Kawhi Leonard to reach the 89 00:05:51,319 --> 00:05:56,560 open market. If not both, they each have player options. I think 90 00:05:57,399 --> 00:06:00,759 Jalon Brown will sign extension. I don't know what to think about Anthony Davis. 91 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:02,680 I think even if he doesn't sign an extension, it'll just be okay, 92 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,720 Like, let's tack on because the way the early termination option is set 93 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:11,519 up and the way you extend off of player options versus early termination options. 94 00:06:11,759 --> 00:06:14,600 Could he decide to go to free agency and just resign with the Lakers. 95 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,120 Yeah, maybe that'll be uninteresting. I don't know about Siakam. I'm just 96 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:23,920 I talked to s Barrahini about this on our last podcast, or of rank 97 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,639 the most likely outcomes for what's gonna happen if he gets traded, I don't 98 00:06:27,639 --> 00:06:30,199 know that he signs an extension. It might be worth it to him. 99 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,319 I mean, it would be worth it to him once a team can actually 100 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:36,519 offer it, but he might decide to explore the open market at that point. 101 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,800 So I think I think there's a chance he could reach if he stays 102 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,360 in Toronto. If he doesn't get traded, it's probably because he signs an 103 00:06:42,399 --> 00:06:45,639 extension though, but he also might want to wait and see if he qualifies 104 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:46,759 for the supermacs. I don't think Toronto would give it to him, but 105 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:51,959 that's something you could do. There are I think good non superstar names out 106 00:06:51,959 --> 00:06:55,879 there. O Gianna Nobi is probably gonna hit free agency. I'll be shocked 107 00:06:55,879 --> 00:06:59,199 if he signed an extension even with the new rules. Clay Thompson maybe an 108 00:06:59,199 --> 00:07:01,800 extension candidate. Nick Clackson is going to be a fascinating free agency buy and 109 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,759 large though. And they're like, you could throw some restricted free agents in. 110 00:07:04,759 --> 00:07:08,800 They're like Tyree's Maxie okay, great, Like he's he's not leaving. 111 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:13,439 It's just the restricted free agencies a fucking sham. I'm still aggravated that no 112 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,560 team through the poison pill at Austin reeves just to maybe fuck with the Lakers 113 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:19,639 books or try to try to call their bluff and need stap too many curses 114 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:26,600 words on this podcast already so far. I just free agency has changed that 115 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,839 at COVID has changed The best players for the most part, no longer reaching 116 00:07:30,879 --> 00:07:32,959 free agency because it's worth it for them to sign extensions and then asked for 117 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,680 out later. We've seen it with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. We've seen it 118 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:40,839 with Damian Lillard now in Portland. Let's kind of get the money, figure 119 00:07:40,879 --> 00:07:44,079 out the rest later. And yeah, there might be players who are stars 120 00:07:44,079 --> 00:07:46,360 that are extension eligible. Let U Janas attent the Kompo this summer, he 121 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,399 can only tack on two additional years, so it doesn't necessarily make sense for 122 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:53,560 him to sign extension yet, but it will when he can tack on additional 123 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,839 years and then if they want to get out, you work something out. 124 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,680 After the time is passing, you become eligible free agencies. Just like totally, 125 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,360 it's almost scuttled at this point, they're still you get a Fred van 126 00:08:03,439 --> 00:08:07,480 Fleet leaving like he did this past year, but like I would say, 127 00:08:07,519 --> 00:08:11,240 a player on Ogna Nobi's level or like a Fred van Fleet level, like 128 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:15,480 those feel like the biggest names we're going to see leave via free agency unless 129 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,000 any of these rules change, or unless the infusion of TV money, Like 130 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:22,199 does the you know, the salary cap going up and only by a max 131 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,560 of ten percent? Does that get some guys thinking about hitting the open market 132 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,519 sooner? Or is the money the one thing that I could maybe see happening 133 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:33,720 here? Does the money get just so astronomical players are not necessarily concerned with 134 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:39,600 maximizing every dollar because they're just the bigger names. The stars know that they're 135 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:43,399 just gonna get paid regardless, and that it's going to be like wild money. 136 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,919 Because we're getting that point where yes, percentage of the salary cap, 137 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:52,240 these fifty sixty eventually seventy million dollars salaries because they're headed that way, They're 138 00:08:52,399 --> 00:08:54,879 they're going to be the same person, you know, set a thirty five 139 00:08:54,919 --> 00:08:58,960 percent of a salary cap or whatever. But like just the sheer sticker shock 140 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,360 of that much money in one season, does it get to a point where 141 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:05,840 players will just value the ability to choose or try to get to a different 142 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,200 location or see what's out there, knowing that they could either resign with their 143 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:13,360 incumbent team or that even if they're taking less, it just doesn't matter because 144 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,440 they're still getting in the two hundred plus million dollar range over the life of 145 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:20,559 their deal. That's something I could see happening. But yeah, just the 146 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:26,480 way everything is set up right now, I don't know if free agency is 147 00:09:26,519 --> 00:09:30,600 ever going to have a renaissance. And I look, I think when you're 148 00:09:30,639 --> 00:09:35,240 looking at next offseason, specifically to actually answer Pete those questions, I knew 149 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:39,039 more of the tax apron rules are going to kick in, so it's gonna 150 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,480 get even harder for teams in the second apron to operate. Right now, 151 00:09:41,519 --> 00:09:45,000 they can take back one hundred and ten percent of salary in trades, that's 152 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,279 going to go down to one hundred percent. The aggregation rules will get tougher, 153 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,799 But when you're looking at just the penalties, there will be teams that 154 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,120 might be looking at Duck that even the first apron more as they get to 155 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,159 understand this, and so we could see a bunch more trades, and so 156 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:00,200 I would expect the trade markets to pick up in the coming year. It's 157 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:05,919 just his teams try to grapple with the ramifications of the new basically, like 158 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,919 I guess, soft, hardcap, whatever, whatever you want to call it, 159 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,879 just these new CBA rules. And so I don't think next offseason is 160 00:10:11,879 --> 00:10:15,519 going to be a sham. There will be, like always will being held 161 00:10:15,519 --> 00:10:18,759 hostage by like one or two or three guys, whether it's a trade request 162 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,240 or a team like in Toronto's case that's really just looking to move this guy. 163 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:24,519 So yeah, but look, free agency, I get it. I 164 00:10:24,519 --> 00:10:30,480 mean it would be pretty like if for some reason Siakam and Anthony Davis and 165 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,320 Paul George An Kawai and OG and Clay all at the open market, that 166 00:10:33,399 --> 00:10:37,080 might be in theory, one of the more interesting free agency classes that we've 167 00:10:37,159 --> 00:10:43,159 seen in quite some time. Usher asked, one of the biggest talking points 168 00:10:43,159 --> 00:10:46,559 I hear about the Suns besides the defense, is who is going to orchestrate 169 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:48,919 the orchestrate the offense. Why does it seem like there isn't a ton of 170 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:52,720 faith in point Book being a success? Is its small sample size? And 171 00:10:52,759 --> 00:10:56,480 because he had a true point guard next to him, is there any evidence 172 00:10:56,519 --> 00:11:01,519 stats that can help us make inference weather point Book will or will not succeed. 173 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:03,320 Love the show as always, which kind of a second part to this 174 00:11:03,399 --> 00:11:09,639 question too, but let's just you know, actually we probably into the second 175 00:11:09,639 --> 00:11:11,799 part first, and so Usher also asked, do you need to have a 176 00:11:11,799 --> 00:11:16,000 true point guard to have an a lead offense? And the answer is no, 177 00:11:16,519 --> 00:11:20,960 just because the definition of point guard has changed, just as we're kind 178 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:26,759 of moving away from positions like as long as you have a quarterback. These 179 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,120 initiators who even if they're not the most talented passers, if they can at 180 00:11:30,159 --> 00:11:33,720 least react to the attention that they're getting or just generate and hit really difficult 181 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:37,840 looks for themselves, like if you took, like take Luca Donchez as an 182 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,200 example, and remove the passing elements of his game, like take it from 183 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,519 a you know, he's like a fifteen out of ten on a scale of 184 00:11:43,519 --> 00:11:46,519 one to ten, move it down to like a five. But just because 185 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:50,480 he's so he can scored every level and efficiently and hit these tough looks, 186 00:11:50,919 --> 00:11:52,919 he could be the driver and off of an offense. And now we kind 187 00:11:52,919 --> 00:11:56,159 of saw it with the Clippers last year where the yeah, they're offen spent 188 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:58,679 a lot of time in the gutter, but when they played with Kawhen Leonard 189 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:03,159 and Paul George, who are good secondary initiators, but they're not They're not 190 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:07,360 Luca, they're not James Harden like the bigger point guards who maybe you know 191 00:12:07,399 --> 00:12:09,000 and James horns case didn't even start out as a point guard in his career. 192 00:12:09,159 --> 00:12:13,639 They're not like these A plus plus passers. So you put Paul George 193 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,440 and Kwai Leonard on the floor, you take off any minutes that could have 194 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:20,639 been with Russ Waller Reggie Jackson. And I know that the ten years there 195 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:24,120 didn't necessarily overlap, but you want to remove any of the minutes that had 196 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:28,080 either one of those three on the court. With PG and Kawai, the 197 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,840 Clippers still ranked in the ninety nine percentile of offense during that span. The 198 00:12:31,919 --> 00:12:35,480 sample size was not like massive, again because Paul George and Kwai Leonard didn't 199 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:39,639 play in a ship ton of games, but like you can get by just 200 00:12:39,799 --> 00:12:45,039 having elite offensive players who aren't necessarily elite point guards. And by that I 201 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:48,519 mean not necessarily coming down to the size or the position. But when looking 202 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,840 at the passing, the table setting ability is that you can get by having 203 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:58,279 to B B plus passers if those guys are also, of course a A 204 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:03,360 minus defense, but if they're A A plus scores, that goes a long 205 00:13:03,399 --> 00:13:07,000 way as well. And I'm not talking ball stoppers, like you don't you 206 00:13:07,039 --> 00:13:11,000 want someone who is going to be I would say better than a Julius Randall 207 00:13:11,279 --> 00:13:13,639 type passer, and I would throw Kawai and Paul George. I would probably 208 00:13:13,639 --> 00:13:16,320 at least trust them more, and they can. It feels like they can 209 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,799 score at different levels. So you can build an offense that way, which 210 00:13:20,799 --> 00:13:26,679 is why I don't necessarily get the concern with the suns to Let's focus on 211 00:13:26,799 --> 00:13:28,679 the Booker element of this for a minute, because part of it probably has 212 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:31,759 to do with Booker, where I don't think maybe you know the sample size 213 00:13:31,759 --> 00:13:35,039 has not been huge. He logged as the official point guard last year only 214 00:13:35,039 --> 00:13:39,519 one hundred and six possessions. The Sun's offense was in the ninety nine percentile. 215 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,360 That's like, it's just such a small sample size, so you're not 216 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,200 really seeing it. But they were also like you dig deeper and you see 217 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,919 minutes and like, so he did play without CP three or paying on the 218 00:13:48,919 --> 00:13:52,919 floor about five hundred and thirty possessions. The Sun's offense was also in the 219 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,320 ninety nine percentile during that stretch. So he's been on the court where he 220 00:13:56,440 --> 00:14:01,519 is the primary playmaker or is closed to it. But I just think because 221 00:14:01,879 --> 00:14:05,480 he played next to CP three specifically, he's never been viewed in that vein. 222 00:14:07,039 --> 00:14:09,799 And it's really weird because we're talking about I don't know where I rank 223 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:15,480 him when it comes to passers in the league. But like, he is 224 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:20,240 one of the most complete offensive players in the game right now, bar none. 225 00:14:20,279 --> 00:14:22,360 He is a more complete offensive player than Bradley Beal, just because you 226 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:26,159 can look at his off ball movement and like, while Kevin Durant might even 227 00:14:26,159 --> 00:14:30,120 have the higher ceiling when you look at what Booker is able to do as 228 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,720 he moves around off the ball, and I'm talking like if he needs to 229 00:14:33,759 --> 00:14:37,559 hit you know those quick fire jumpers, or if he's you're putting pressure on 230 00:14:37,639 --> 00:14:39,440 the rim because of his off ball movement, but you're looking at also the 231 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,120 way he runs an offense as a pastor, Like, yeah, Kevin Durant 232 00:14:43,919 --> 00:14:46,519 is again one of the greatest players of all time, better than Devin Booker 233 00:14:46,679 --> 00:14:50,799 in fury, although we did just see a postseason where Devin Bookers, but 234 00:14:50,879 --> 00:14:52,360 most of the times the Sun's best player, even though Kevin Durant was on 235 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:58,039 the floor. His passing it is improved probably each and every season, some 236 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:03,120 by larger margins than than others. But he's gotten so good that just like 237 00:15:03,799 --> 00:15:07,120 you're going to see more incremental improvements here. And he can throw really difficult 238 00:15:07,159 --> 00:15:11,960 lobs, really difficult pocket passes, really difficult skip passes. He'll take chances 239 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,679 in the full court. We've seen. I can't remember. There's like two 240 00:15:16,679 --> 00:15:18,480 passes that he threw the mcal bridges in transition. I don't think it was 241 00:15:18,559 --> 00:15:22,440 this season, might have been like last playoffs. I don't even remember. 242 00:15:22,519 --> 00:15:26,200 But they're just like these like whipp it bounce passes across the entire court, 243 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:31,240 like from one end of the other through the defense like threading the needle. 244 00:15:31,159 --> 00:15:35,759 There are maybe like there are fewer than ten guys who can throw that type 245 00:15:35,759 --> 00:15:37,279 of a pass, and Devin Booker is one of them right now. I 246 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:41,440 do think he can telegraph some of his reads, especially when he's looking for 247 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,039 big men. He can become really like zeroed in on it. But he 248 00:15:43,159 --> 00:15:48,879 just throws the ball through traffic so well, or uses the right height and 249 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:54,360 different angles because it's not just a chess pass or a lob or a bounce 250 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:56,840 pass or just a basic pocket pass. Like he can do all, like 251 00:15:56,879 --> 00:16:00,240 make all these different types of passes, so he's a more versatile passer and 252 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,480 also does it while he's under control and so looking at the past six years, 253 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:10,000 which is when twenty seventeen eighteen, that's when he really started to ratchet 254 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:14,840 up his playmaking is on ball skills. He has had an assist rate over 255 00:16:14,919 --> 00:16:19,279 twenty six and under thirteen of everyone who has logged at least ten thousand minutes 256 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,320 during this span, and that's still less than two thousand minutes of season. 257 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,679 It wasn't just some arbitrary number. I thought ten thousand. Most of kat 258 00:16:25,679 --> 00:16:29,360 these guys have played a bunch, but who has also hit those benchmarks and 259 00:16:29,399 --> 00:16:33,600 assist rate over twenty six and turnover rate under thirteen. The only other players 260 00:16:33,639 --> 00:16:37,639 to join Booker or Damian Lillard, Fred VanVleet, Spencer Dinwoodie Dejantay, Murray, 261 00:16:37,799 --> 00:16:41,879 Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving. I should have doubled checked. This is 262 00:16:41,919 --> 00:16:45,279 weird that Lebron is not on here, right he is not. Just want 263 00:16:45,279 --> 00:16:48,440 to make sure that he's not in there. That's like legit company and we're 264 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:52,000 talking about I don't Murray kind of moved to more of an off guard role, 265 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:56,240 and Fred VanVleet has always played off the ball a ton. Say what 266 00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:00,799 you want about Steph Kurby, Like those are what people would consider more It's 267 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,839 definitely more more sort of conventional point guards. No, there's nothing conventional about 268 00:17:03,839 --> 00:17:07,079 Steph and Dame and Kyrie YadA, YadA, YadA, but relative to what 269 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:11,799 Devin Booker is, yeah, they would definitely be considered more conventional points. 270 00:17:11,839 --> 00:17:14,359 And Devin Booker's part of that company. Now. Am I going to be 271 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,599 interested to see what happens if? I don't think they'll spam it the way 272 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:19,920 they did with CP three, But Devin Booker. You know, by and 273 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,599 large through the seasons, we've seen pick and roll initiation account for like twenty 274 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:26,920 five percent to thirty percent of his possessions. Either might have been a season 275 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,559 or two where he was over if you really like juice that up jacket up 276 00:17:30,599 --> 00:17:34,519 to thirty five percent, forty percent, forty five percent or real again, 277 00:17:34,559 --> 00:17:38,640 really spam him as a pick and roll initiator. Does that change? And 278 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,319 I do think part of the benefit of what makes him such a good passer 279 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:49,079 is because he's able to focus on scoring more if at worst equally there does 280 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,400 that dynamic change at all? I know the son's name, Bradley Beal, 281 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,039 their point guard. That's more of a just a size thing there to me, 282 00:17:55,079 --> 00:17:56,920 because Devin Booker is the best passer on this team, better than the 283 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:00,079 Brant, better than Bial, So I'm sure to see how he holds up 284 00:18:00,079 --> 00:18:03,799 in a role it's gonna really call for him to do it more. I 285 00:18:03,799 --> 00:18:07,359 think he's gonna thrive, honestly, Like maybe the scoring comes down, but 286 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,759 we might see him average, like I don't know if he's a tennessist guy. 287 00:18:10,799 --> 00:18:12,720 And like the way they might run their offense just because you have beyond 288 00:18:12,799 --> 00:18:18,559 Durant, there's gonna be so much equity like divested among all three of them. 289 00:18:18,599 --> 00:18:21,960 And then also just like, is this gonna be even an assist heavy 290 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:23,519 team? So I don't want to throw it there, but like, I'm 291 00:18:23,519 --> 00:18:26,039 not saying he's gonna be the next Luker James Harden when you're racking up these 292 00:18:26,039 --> 00:18:29,839 systems like this is gonna be a year. I think he probably has a 293 00:18:29,839 --> 00:18:32,720 bunch of double digit assist games or that we could see him average like eight 294 00:18:32,839 --> 00:18:36,319 or nine per game, because I think I trust his passing that much and 295 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:40,400 I would fully expect the Sun's offense to still be elite. And I don't 296 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:41,960 think they need to be a great passing team because they have these three top 297 00:18:42,039 --> 00:18:45,880 end scores. When it comes to the Suns, as us You're mentioned, 298 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:48,559 it is more about, Okay, what does it look like with their defense. 299 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,559 Eton's gonna be a huge part of that. How does their death pen 300 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:56,880 out in the sense, Yeah, they really won the minimum contract game, 301 00:18:56,319 --> 00:19:00,160 but we always say that about certain teams, and how many of those do 302 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:04,200 they actually hit on? More to the point, do there does their big 303 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:07,880 three stay healthy enough to where like you don't have to rely too heavily on 304 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:12,039 that depth and on that minimum contract depth, and so those are all big 305 00:19:12,039 --> 00:19:15,759 and fair questions. The offense itself is just not a question. This team 306 00:19:15,799 --> 00:19:18,160 is regardless of how they get their buckets. Even if I've just overestimated Devin 307 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:22,799 Booker's passing to the up TEAMHS degree, this team is going to be if 308 00:19:22,839 --> 00:19:27,200 they're not a top five offense. I something seriously I would imagine has gone 309 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,000 wrong. Someone is having the worst season of their career. There's been a 310 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:33,599 bunch of injuries, some combination of all three. You just look at these 311 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:37,160 guys. I think that they're built. You know, you could see the 312 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:40,079 Sun's getting a little bit too mid range happy last year. I think that 313 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:41,880 Devin Bookers won gonna be able to adapt his game. He's just one of 314 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:48,039 the most scalable players in the league. Two Bradley Beal changes the scoring distribution 315 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:51,799 for this team, where I think he can put more pressure on the actual 316 00:19:51,839 --> 00:19:53,680 basket. And even if he's living too much from the mid range of points, 317 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,920 he's still gonna be able to get to the to the foul line. 318 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:02,720 I think he's someone who will be comfortable like kind of not like titrating up 319 00:20:02,759 --> 00:20:06,359 his three point volume as well. Durant has always been sort of iffy there. 320 00:20:06,519 --> 00:20:08,960 So this team is going to be great. And Devin Booker again one 321 00:20:10,039 --> 00:20:12,240 of the most complete offensive players in the game, and so calling him the 322 00:20:12,279 --> 00:20:15,400 day fact though, let's call it a floor general. Let's not even call 323 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,279 it a point guard. If that, if that's what he has to be, 324 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:22,799 if there is going to be more responsibility than even we think right now, 325 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,559 is going to be put on his shoulders. The Sons are going to 326 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,599 be more than fun. And I can't I cannot bring myself to worry about 327 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:33,359 offense at all with this team. Regular season, playoffs, whatever next question 328 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:37,039 comes from the farcas this was a good one. Which team is more likely 329 00:20:37,079 --> 00:20:41,519 to be a higher seed within their conference? The MAVs are the Pacers going 330 00:20:41,599 --> 00:20:45,000 trying to go through the teams that will be definitely better than both them in 331 00:20:45,039 --> 00:20:48,200 their conference. So for the MAVs in the West, the teams that will 332 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:51,519 be definitely better than them, I have the Nuggets, the Suns. I'd 333 00:20:51,519 --> 00:20:55,119 probably throw the Pelicans, Kings, Clippers, and Warriors in there. The 334 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:59,240 Lakers, Timberwolves, and Grizzlies and Thunder are maybe's for me teams that are 335 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:03,160 definitely better than the Pacers in the East, Heat, Bucks, Celtics, 336 00:21:03,279 --> 00:21:07,880 Calves. I think you should throw the Knicks in there, and then maybe 337 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:11,200 the Hawks, maybe the Nets, maybe the Bulls, maybe the Sixers. 338 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:15,720 What's going to happen in there? Could the Pistons are magic sort of sneak 339 00:21:15,759 --> 00:21:21,559 in here. I think I'd be inclined to when you're looking at the landscape, 340 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,480 you should probably side with the Pacers. But I'm just wondering with them 341 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:30,759 relying on young guys more where assuming jars Walker is healthy, he's going to 342 00:21:30,799 --> 00:21:33,599 play a bunch, and then I would assume that they're going to also increase 343 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:37,319 benn Nick Mathrein's role and trying experiment with him. I do feel like we 344 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:38,880 could get to a point where we're not going to see like a flat out 345 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:44,240 late season tank. But it's this just sort of another rebuilding year for them. 346 00:21:44,279 --> 00:21:45,400 I'm not saying they need to tear down. They have Bruce Brown like 347 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:49,519 they should be. I think this team has the potential to be really good, 348 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:53,240 But if you were asking, it's just it's really tough. I'm gonna 349 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,799 go with the MAVs just because the two stars, Kyrie Irving Lucadanche. It's 350 00:21:56,799 --> 00:22:00,400 like they're really entrenched. I might like the bat Elens of the Pacers roster 351 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,440 a little bit more, but again, them investing so much, I would 352 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:11,079 assume developmental equity in Jaris Walker in, ben Nick Mathurin, even giving Andrew 353 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:14,079 Nemhard a bunch of minutes, that's someone who could look at someone who might 354 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:18,480 actually start for their team. Does that, you know, eat into their 355 00:22:18,519 --> 00:22:22,559 immediacy at all? The ceiling in that regard even like how much are they 356 00:22:22,559 --> 00:22:26,519 gonna play it will be topping And just like if you're gonna give Isaiah Jackson 357 00:22:26,559 --> 00:22:30,759 and Jalen Smith run this season as well, how is that going with Let's 358 00:22:30,759 --> 00:22:33,119 not forget they drafted Ben Shephard at number twenty six. This could still really 359 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:37,599 be another developmental year for them. And so I'm going to go with Dallas. 360 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:40,720 I think they'll be more invested in the here and now, and I 361 00:22:40,759 --> 00:22:44,960 think even in what could be considered maybe a tougher conference when you're looking at 362 00:22:45,039 --> 00:22:48,640 higher end competition. Just the way the off season has unfolded, there's the 363 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,640 Bucks and Celtics kind of at the tippy top of the East right now, 364 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:53,599 maybe the Calves can crack that tier. Do the Heat get there if they 365 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:56,519 have Dame? But as right now, it feels like it's the Bucks and 366 00:22:56,599 --> 00:23:00,880 the Heat. Again, maybe maybe the Calves could be there where in the 367 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,839 West, like I could see a lot of teams just being like top top 368 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:07,680 tier, the Sons and the Nuggets for sure. If the Clippers are Warriors 369 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:10,440 and their health breaks right, I mean, there's just like a bunch of 370 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:14,720 maybes where the Grizzlies and the Lakers and what do the Timberwolves look like? 371 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,759 The Kings were right there last season? What if the Pelicans stay healthy? 372 00:23:17,799 --> 00:23:22,880 So that I get that is stiffer competition in fury, I'm still gonna go 373 00:23:23,079 --> 00:23:26,720 with the MAVs. I don't. I wouldn't trust that because I have very 374 00:23:26,759 --> 00:23:30,400 little faith in the MAVs. Nuggs asked, why aren't the Nuggets? And 375 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:33,920 by the way, my lack of faith in the MAVs has more to do 376 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:37,960 with I just who we trust him to defend wings on this team? Right 377 00:23:37,039 --> 00:23:41,000 now? Is it like it does Dante Exum need to play and what does 378 00:23:41,079 --> 00:23:45,240 Josh Green really look like that in that role with nobody else to excuse me, 379 00:23:45,839 --> 00:23:51,559 really help him out? So it's that's a really good question though the 380 00:23:51,599 --> 00:23:55,519 far because I'm gonna I'm gonna go with the MAVs finishing Yeah, I'm gonna 381 00:23:55,519 --> 00:23:56,799 go with the mass finishing higher in their conference. I'm still not sure. 382 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:02,720 The Nuggs ask why aren't the Nugget's going to be better next year than last? 383 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:06,640 Yo? Kitchen Gordon at least as good, Murray better another year removed 384 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:11,599 from injury porter potential to be a lot better with continued health of Latko Chanchar 385 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:15,200 and Zeke Naji getting better and still on the upswing Peyton Watson a long plus 386 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,839 defender. All three rookies look like players, especially Hunter Tyson and last prenom 387 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:23,480 least Reggie Jackson comeback player of the Year. What could go wrong? Look, 388 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:26,680 I think is right now they're a worst playoff team without Bruce Brown the 389 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:32,000 regular season, they should be fine. As Nuggs also mentioned the Christian Brown 390 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:36,160 kind of stepping into the Bruce Brown role. Here's where I land is just 391 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:40,680 one. I haven't seen the ball skills from Christian Brown or on ball decision 392 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:44,480 making of Christian Brown suggest that he can supplant that element of Bruce Brown's game, 393 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:45,880 and I don't think there's anyone else on the roster right now that can 394 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:49,319 do that, and you are dealing with unknowns in the sense that, Okay, 395 00:24:49,319 --> 00:24:52,759 the Nuggets have done a good job of giving guys shots of you know, 396 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:56,440 their developmental guys. But Christian Brown played last year because they thought he 397 00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:00,599 was ready. All I kept hearing was Peyton Watson was, but like that 398 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,680 wasn't someone really saw the floor. So Watson and Strouther, those are all 399 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:07,720 those are all mysteries to us and hunter Tyson how much how many minutes do 400 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:11,519 they actually play? And look, Zeke Naji, they've been trumpeting they like 401 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:15,880 they've been calling for the Nuggets actively in the organization's been calling for the Zeke 402 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:19,359 Naji breakout, predicting there for like three years running, and they just go 403 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:22,960 out, go go on, not to use them. So I need to 404 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:26,839 see this team in action and see the development of these other guys, including 405 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,240 Brown, to believe that they will be better than they are last year. 406 00:25:30,279 --> 00:25:33,680 Because as of right now, by virtue of just losing Bruce Brown, I'm 407 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:37,559 not worried about the Jeff Green absence. I'd rather him than DeAndre Jordan on 408 00:25:37,559 --> 00:25:41,519 the roster. But whatever they are a worst team. I do not think 409 00:25:41,519 --> 00:25:44,480 they will feel it in the regular season as much, but they could really 410 00:25:44,519 --> 00:25:48,599 feel it in the playoffs. I will say, yeah, the Murray being 411 00:25:48,599 --> 00:25:51,839 another year removed from health. Michael Porter Junior, though, is just sort 412 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:53,599 of a swing piece. Really really interests me. Just some of the moments 413 00:25:53,599 --> 00:25:56,119 he had in the playoffs. And I know he struggled a lot with a 414 00:25:56,160 --> 00:26:00,720 shot in the later rounds, but as some one just looking at his defense, 415 00:26:00,759 --> 00:26:03,799 the way he played, the aggression with which he crashed the glass, 416 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,759 even if it's not evident game to game in the regular season, that is 417 00:26:07,759 --> 00:26:11,960 someone who could really kick it another like gear or five, and that changes 418 00:26:12,079 --> 00:26:17,480 the entire well not the entire but that changes or I should say, Bowie's 419 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:21,480 the trajectory of what I would still argue as the best team in the league. 420 00:26:21,839 --> 00:26:26,680 Even further unbiased Pistons fan, why didn't the mid season tournament use divisions 421 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:29,960 for their groups? I see no other purpose for divisions, and I think 422 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:33,200 they missed a big opportunity to build rivalries. Back up, I really liked 423 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:34,920 this latter point, not something I had thought about, where you know, 424 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:37,599 we could make they have divisions, so like, let's bring back some of 425 00:26:37,599 --> 00:26:41,039 these these rivalries my guests would be. And they did make sort of a 426 00:26:41,079 --> 00:26:45,440 big to do about the way they determined these buckets of teams. They wanted 427 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:49,279 to make sure that there wasn't some wild imbalance, and year to year, 428 00:26:49,519 --> 00:26:52,359 I think, yeah, some of the fields might look a little bit more 429 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:56,079 imbalance, but I actually when Grant and I were going through them, I 430 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:59,559 was actually impressed with how intriguing all of them were. And so this year's 431 00:26:59,559 --> 00:27:03,599 specific though, if you had stuck with divisions, Miami kind of just could 432 00:27:03,599 --> 00:27:07,599 have rolled through the Southeast division. Could Denver have rolled through the Northwest. 433 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,960 I don't mean to just dismiss all those teams in there, but what is 434 00:27:11,079 --> 00:27:14,039 we don't know what's going on in Portland. Utah is kind of going through 435 00:27:14,079 --> 00:27:17,400 a rebuild, Like there's talent on those teams. Could Minnesota are they going 436 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:19,720 to be that good? Is what's Oklahoma City going to look like if they're 437 00:27:19,759 --> 00:27:22,480 going to continue to disperse minutes between what looks like a you know, a 438 00:27:22,519 --> 00:27:26,400 twenty one man rotation. Yes, I know they can't have that many players 439 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:30,359 under contract during the regular season. So I just think the way that they 440 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,839 set it up was to avoid situations, and I think the best one to 441 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,480 use would be the Southeast unless you're just super high on the Atlanta Hawks like 442 00:27:37,559 --> 00:27:42,880 Miami going up against this year's Magic Charlotte Magic, Hornets, Wizards and Hawks 443 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:48,000 teams just feels unfair, especially if they wind up getting a Damian Loward that 444 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,240 would be. My guess is that they wanted to preserve the parody, and 445 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:56,440 I don't know that divisions actually do that. However, the idea of sort 446 00:27:56,440 --> 00:28:03,119 of division rivalries kind of being reborn super interesting to me. But maybe they 447 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:04,960 also didn't want to give themselves a reason to keep divisions any more than they 448 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:11,680 have, where eventually those have to be obsolete. I'm convinced the Trey real 449 00:28:11,839 --> 00:28:15,920 Stroker Murphy. My question is do heavy teams just not work? Is that 450 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,359 a thing of the past. Do we have to watch the Kadie Nets two 451 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:21,920 point o fail to prove that you need at least non good players to have 452 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:23,960 a chance. Look, I still think a lot of this just comes down 453 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,880 to health and a team's willingness to pay that many stars and then continue to 454 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,440 make moves to build around them. Where yes, we can give Matt it 455 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:34,680 should be a kudos for signing for an ECBA nerds out there. Like the 456 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:38,519 way these minimum contracts worked is that if you sign a one year minimum contract, 457 00:28:38,839 --> 00:28:44,519 teams will get reimbursed. The difference between that and like this scale. 458 00:28:44,559 --> 00:28:48,000 So like an Eric Gordon who came in at what was he at, they 459 00:28:48,039 --> 00:28:52,240 get reimbursed for part of his salary if it's just a straight one year contract. 460 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:55,640 Now, if you add any sort of like player option to that, 461 00:28:55,680 --> 00:29:00,400 you're not going to get reimbursed. And so katibates Diop Drew you banks, 462 00:29:00,519 --> 00:29:03,839 Eric Gordon, Utah wants an abby All getting player option is the Suns have 463 00:29:03,839 --> 00:29:07,240 to pay out of a pocket for that's going to add to their tax bill 464 00:29:07,319 --> 00:29:10,640 basically, So where they could have, you know, in theory saved like 465 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:15,000 a million bucks per player or whatever, they're not going to do that anymore. 466 00:29:15,079 --> 00:29:15,559 So that adds a lot to their tax bill. But then they turn 467 00:29:15,599 --> 00:29:18,759 around they dump Cameron Payne, and we kind of saw the same thing. 468 00:29:18,759 --> 00:29:22,240 They turn around and dump Dario Scharz after making Kevin Durant trade. They're still 469 00:29:22,279 --> 00:29:26,079 willing to put these three stars together and they're keeping DeAndre eight and so they're 470 00:29:26,559 --> 00:29:30,640 super top heavy for now with four guys, it's just what does the health 471 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:33,799 look like. You have to survive the regular season. You have to be 472 00:29:33,799 --> 00:29:37,559 good enough to at least be in a position to where you're not fighting from 473 00:29:37,559 --> 00:29:38,799 a deficit in the postseason, and then you need all those guys to be 474 00:29:38,839 --> 00:29:44,000 healthy in the playoffs. You're banking on two dudes here who are over the 475 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:45,799 age of thirty. There's there's risks there, but there's also two guys who 476 00:29:45,799 --> 00:29:49,240 are on the right side of thirty in Devin Booker and DeAndre Eten, And 477 00:29:49,279 --> 00:29:52,880 so if they're if Aten has a bounce back year, this team looks a 478 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:56,599 lot different as of right now, I think they're I don't I don't want 479 00:29:56,599 --> 00:29:59,039 to say clearly because we haven't gone through this and there's still a lot of 480 00:29:59,079 --> 00:30:02,640 off season left to go. But they feel like the second best team in 481 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:04,400 the West to me, and look the nets again, if it wasn't for 482 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:10,400 health or Kyrie's being Kyrie, the best way to put it, that team 483 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:11,880 probably has a title. Like I just you know, they could have had 484 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:15,160 a title depending on what happened if Kevin Duran's shoes eyes was you know, 485 00:30:15,279 --> 00:30:19,240 one er or two smaller. So there are a lot of ifs, and 486 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:22,720 if it was a fifth, we'd all be drunk all that. I just 487 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,839 I think that the model to get to three teams owners definitely don't want it 488 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:30,000 because of the way that this new CBA just worked out, And it's ultimately 489 00:30:30,079 --> 00:30:33,720 cheaper to not have these three guys, because it's not just about paying all 490 00:30:33,759 --> 00:30:37,680 three stars, that's certainly part of it. It's that there's an expectation you 491 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:40,839 need to figure out a way to put talent around them and exhaust all your 492 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:44,759 assets necessary, even the suns right now, like not just ballooning Tory craig 493 00:30:44,799 --> 00:30:48,200 salary when they had his early bird rights, he ends up in Chicago because 494 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:49,799 mac Biambo still floating around out there. Are they going to drum up his 495 00:30:49,839 --> 00:30:55,960 salary with early with early bird rights? Like, it's just so expensive that 496 00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:02,000 I think, And that's two Trey real Stroker Murphy's point that you need at 497 00:31:02,039 --> 00:31:06,000 least nine guys. I just still feel like if you pick the right three 498 00:31:06,079 --> 00:31:08,359 guys where they're all at the right points in their career, or if you 499 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:12,400 just get a season of relatively good health, I think the issue is when 500 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:18,880 you're forming these three star, get these three, these three, these three 501 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:22,279 star just factions, whatever you want to call them. They're so shallow already. 502 00:31:22,319 --> 00:31:26,519 And then you're also getting probably at least two of these stars really when 503 00:31:26,519 --> 00:31:30,559 they're on their third, fourth, whatever contracts, and so they're just inherently 504 00:31:30,599 --> 00:31:36,160 older. You're not seeing these formations happen as early in player careers where it's 505 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:38,240 like when the Thunder having James harn and Russell Westbrook, Kevin Right, even 506 00:31:38,279 --> 00:31:42,759 Sergebak on the same team way back when, and even those could get when 507 00:31:42,759 --> 00:31:45,720 you look at Cleveland, like does that get untenable a little bit when you 508 00:31:45,799 --> 00:31:51,119 start thinking about next deals for literally everyone else on the roster. I still 509 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,759 think that there's a place for heavy teams and that they are uniquely built to 510 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:59,400 shine in the playoffs. But you have to be you have to either one 511 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:04,599 hit at an exceptional rate on the margin signings or to be willing to get 512 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:07,519 creative and spend. And we've kind of seen that with the Warriors, like, 513 00:32:07,599 --> 00:32:09,279 yeah, they have all this top heavy star power, but they're always 514 00:32:09,319 --> 00:32:13,519 kind of willing to spend, and we've seen them kind of walk back a 515 00:32:13,519 --> 00:32:15,960 little bit from that, but they've been able to even when we think they're 516 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:20,559 shallow like they have like six or seven guys. It feels like at all 517 00:32:20,599 --> 00:32:24,039 times, and so that's you know, to some extent, Joe lacap and 518 00:32:24,119 --> 00:32:30,079 co. Are responsible for that. But it also it's just so expensive. 519 00:32:30,319 --> 00:32:34,720 I think that teams or owners of these teams don't actually want it to be 520 00:32:34,799 --> 00:32:37,640 on the table. The fact that they have these additional aprons in place makes 521 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:39,799 it easier for them to opt out of those scenarios or to be well, 522 00:32:39,839 --> 00:32:44,000 hey, if we even have three stars, like we physically can't do all 523 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:47,759 this stuff. To place even more expensive talent around them, it's just untenable. 524 00:32:47,799 --> 00:32:52,240 I don't think they might become fewer and further between. I think even 525 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:57,119 now they kind of have, they'll certainly be harder if the NBA ever expands 526 00:32:57,160 --> 00:33:00,799 to thirty two teams. I just think it ends on the three stars you're 527 00:33:00,799 --> 00:33:04,279 putting together. They're never gonna go away. Like the mystique of it all, 528 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,440 they might always happen in the same sort of slap dash fashion where two 529 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:12,920 of these guys are joining another guy, and those two are kind of later 530 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:15,960 in their careers, or at least one of them is entering or exiting their 531 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:20,680 heyday. Rather I should say so. I don't think they're ever gonna go 532 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:23,279 away, but to say that they just is there a risk there? Yes, 533 00:33:23,359 --> 00:33:25,960 but there's a risk in in everything. And when you look at how 534 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:30,000 hard it is to win a championship in the NBA, is so difficult that 535 00:33:30,079 --> 00:33:37,200 your risk profile is going to exist at a uncomfortable level no matter what. 536 00:33:37,319 --> 00:33:38,759 Just because the Nuggets were so deep leash year, they weren't guaranteeither win the 537 00:33:38,799 --> 00:33:42,640 title. There were so many people trying to pull holes in that roster, 538 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:45,759 and their bench was wasn't even deemed a strength of there. It's like Boston's 539 00:33:45,799 --> 00:33:47,559 depth has been touted to no end. They've still yet to win a title. 540 00:33:49,039 --> 00:33:52,839 The depth in New Orleans that was still derailed by poor health. And 541 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:58,400 so there's just so many wild card elements to this that having three stars in 542 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:00,480 their prime still or at least close to it, whatever you want to say 543 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:06,599 about KD, that still might be the most efficient path to title contention. 544 00:34:06,799 --> 00:34:08,920 Is it the most efficient path they're winning a title? I'd probably argue yes, 545 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:14,400 because the chance is just so small. That's who have these three top 546 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:16,599 fifteen, top twenty guys in a place at once or in any given season, 547 00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:20,000 they could be three of the top twenty guys. Because I don't know 548 00:34:20,039 --> 00:34:22,960 where people feel Bradley Bolans. I don't even know where I think Bradley Blans 549 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:24,559 At this point, I'm given it enough thought. That's why I think the 550 00:34:24,599 --> 00:34:29,800 intrigue is still there. If it does get untenable, it's I think it 551 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:35,199 has more to do with the financial logistics than anything. And I don't you 552 00:34:35,199 --> 00:34:39,880 know, you might need at least nine ten good players to or operable playable 553 00:34:40,039 --> 00:34:45,000 players to get through the regular season if you don't want to tax your stars 554 00:34:45,039 --> 00:34:47,239 too much. It all just comes back to that for me, is if 555 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:52,760 those three stars are available in the postseason, you've given yourself more of a 556 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:54,440 chance to win a title than most of the other teams in the league. 557 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:58,440 And if you can put yourself in that position, and maybe look, if 558 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:00,559 you've viewed the Sun's a sort of focus tenders entering the playoffs this year, 559 00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:05,280 that's fine. But like CP three was passed, is well passed to say 560 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:07,519 day, And like when it's happening mid season like that you didn't get to 561 00:35:07,519 --> 00:35:12,239 go through a training camp or anything, it's a lot harder to come together. 562 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:16,079 No matter how scalable, someone like Kevin Durant is Mike h what's the 563 00:35:16,159 --> 00:35:21,639 best absolutely not happening outcome for the star trade requests and why is it? 564 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:23,599 We find out that Day Millard wants to retire and take up bowling, and 565 00:35:23,639 --> 00:35:27,920 that James Harden was a figment of our imagination. So let's run through the 566 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:30,719 list here. Kyrie Irving talks to James Harden about teaming up in Dallas. 567 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:37,000 Would be one. James Harden retires to finance and star in a silent burlesque 568 00:35:37,079 --> 00:35:43,119 Broadway play. Damian Lillard doesn't get traded and doesn't report to the Blazers because 569 00:35:43,119 --> 00:35:47,119 he's recording a single in which Harden and Embiid feature that reaches number one ninety 570 00:35:47,199 --> 00:35:52,559 nine on the Billboard Top two hundred. Damian Lillard ends up with Paul George 571 00:35:52,559 --> 00:35:55,039 in La. It would just be really funny if we weren't. If I'm 572 00:35:55,039 --> 00:36:00,199 not trying to be too sarcastic, some dark horse outcomes to these trade requests. 573 00:36:00,199 --> 00:36:04,199 What I would deem apending trade requests from Embiid James aren't of Boston would 574 00:36:04,199 --> 00:36:08,119 just be like Boston's really just turned over some stuff with their roster this year 575 00:36:08,159 --> 00:36:10,440 if they went we're talking about, oh, should they go after Dame. 576 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:14,000 If they just decide no, you know we're gonna go after We're gonna go 577 00:36:14,039 --> 00:36:16,239 after Harden because the cost will be slightly cheaper. It's more about making the 578 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:19,519 money work, and then we have to give up fewer picks than we would 579 00:36:19,559 --> 00:36:22,159 for Dame. Just that would be I don't know, Tatum and Brown and 580 00:36:22,199 --> 00:36:24,639 Harden. I kind of love that pairing. I kind of hated it a 581 00:36:24,639 --> 00:36:29,000 trio, but I hated it at the same time. Damian Lord to Oklahoma 582 00:36:29,039 --> 00:36:32,400 City just he's the guy that sent them into this rebuild basically and then to 583 00:36:32,519 --> 00:36:36,360 join it. And I think that they would become title contenders with him if 584 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:39,719 they keep Homegrin, Jaylen Williams, n SGA in place. And yes, 585 00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:43,480 they have the goods to make that trade while keeping all three in place. 586 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:45,239 I would argue they really wanted to, you could probably trade for Dame while 587 00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:52,000 keeping Giddy, Jay, dub SGA, and Jet home Grin. I think 588 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:54,800 you probably have to trade Giddy or Dort in that deal. I think. 589 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:59,400 But they have so many picks, guys, they have so many picks. 590 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:04,079 And then Joel embiid to either Houston or New Orleans, and I don't think 591 00:37:04,079 --> 00:37:06,199 New Orleans would look at him, Bead. You don't want to add another 592 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:10,079 big man with a risky injury profile. But and you could talk about does 593 00:37:10,119 --> 00:37:15,000 he shoot well enough? But like he shoots well, Jonas Valancota just doesn't 594 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:16,119 have a ton of volume from the outside, So it would be could play 595 00:37:16,159 --> 00:37:22,039 with Zion and that would just be like these two massive physical anomalies, these 596 00:37:22,079 --> 00:37:27,960 singularities as as human beings and physical specimens. I would just pay so much 597 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:30,000 money to see that together. It just sort of came to me. But 598 00:37:30,079 --> 00:37:34,480 Joel Embid and Houston would just be going back to James Harden stopping around. 599 00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:36,760 That was the team that's supposed to coach James Harden from Philly, and it's 600 00:37:36,760 --> 00:37:38,440 the team that sort of fell out of love with him. And then it's 601 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:43,079 just there's just like a randomness to it where they have the goods depending on 602 00:37:43,119 --> 00:37:45,480 what the Sixers wan I'm thinking there might be. But yeah, I mean, 603 00:37:45,519 --> 00:37:46,719 if you're training him, Bead, you're probably opening more of a rebuild, 604 00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:50,480 so their picks and some of their young guys would matter. But all 605 00:37:50,519 --> 00:37:52,239 of a sudden, you're in Houston and It's like, Okay, you have 606 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:55,119 Fred van Vleet, and then I'm assuming you have at least one of Jalen 607 00:37:55,159 --> 00:38:00,840 Green or Amen Thompson left after this with him, bead O Brooks is there 608 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:02,960 like this Terre East and still is part of that deal with Jabar Smith Junior 609 00:38:04,079 --> 00:38:07,159 still there. There's so many moving parts. But Houston within Bead would just 610 00:38:07,199 --> 00:38:10,119 be like, okay, what do we have here? It feels like it's 611 00:38:10,159 --> 00:38:14,559 something, but what is it? Actually? I was still about the Spurs 612 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:17,719 firm. Bead and Bead and Wemby would be just so much fun, but 613 00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:25,239 we could go down that rabbit hole for approximately ever. Next question comes from 614 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:28,880 Muckle. Who's had the best offseason so far? And why is at the 615 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:34,159 Summer lead Champion Cleveland Cavaliers shout out to Amobile for winning the Summer League Championship, 616 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:37,519 MVP Final, MVP whatever it's called. I find a pick. Let's 617 00:38:37,519 --> 00:38:40,159 go through some of the tiers that I separate these into. Got a lot 618 00:38:40,199 --> 00:38:45,599 better the Calves, the Pistons, the Rockets, the Lakers, the Bucks, 619 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:50,039 the Suns and the Spurs. Kudos for starting over Bucket, the Washington 620 00:38:50,079 --> 00:38:54,280 Wizards off seasons. I kind of like Utah and Minnesota, and then this 621 00:38:54,320 --> 00:39:00,440 could end amazingly or super portly Boston and Golden State. If I had to 622 00:39:00,519 --> 00:39:05,079 pick the best off season, am I gonna pick the Bucks? Just the 623 00:39:05,119 --> 00:39:09,079 Crowder and Beasley minimum signings, then getting Middleton and Lopez. Lopez's deal was 624 00:39:09,119 --> 00:39:14,119 inflated. But it's just so short term. I don't know. I mean, 625 00:39:14,159 --> 00:39:15,840 the Suns you have Bradley Beals, like that's either on there. The 626 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:17,920 Spurs with Wemby, I don't want to. I like some of their other 627 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:23,800 moves, the Julian Champenny retention, and I like getting Reggie Bullock and usually 628 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:30,159 cap space to have campaign and even Jetty Osman like real basketball players. Man, 629 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:34,159 is it the Pistons. I think it might be the Pistons I love 630 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:37,840 or Sara Thompson, and I like the fact that they decided to roll their 631 00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:42,480 cap space forward basically by getting a Joe Harris getting a Monte Morris. So 632 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:45,119 the fury of this roster, it's still sort of jumbled a little bit. 633 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:49,800 There's a lot of overlapping ball dominant talent Killian Hayes, Kay Junningham, Jay 634 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:53,159 and Ivy or Starr Thompson that they have to finish figure out. But the 635 00:39:53,239 --> 00:39:55,880 roster also makes more sense because you can get to yes, I hate the 636 00:39:55,920 --> 00:40:00,199 dual big setup and they're still sing like they're semi married to it. But 637 00:40:00,199 --> 00:40:02,599 it's just the way that they have their perimeter rotation set up now, or 638 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,360 that stash of bodies cachet of bodies on the perimeter. You're you're gonna see 639 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:10,239 more of boyon Bogdanovitch at the four than no of a sudden. That just 640 00:40:10,239 --> 00:40:14,079 makes so much sense. With his shooting. You have Joe Harris to throw 641 00:40:14,079 --> 00:40:15,960 in as a shooter, Alec Burks, Monte Morris can still snake his way 642 00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:22,039 to pull up middies and also stretch the floor himself. I think I think 643 00:40:22,079 --> 00:40:24,159 I'm in love with the Pistons offseason. This is what I like. The 644 00:40:24,199 --> 00:40:28,159 Monding Williams hiring as well, that's weird. The Calves definitely belong to the 645 00:40:28,199 --> 00:40:31,119 conversation muckle. I could see it just being like we look back and go 646 00:40:31,199 --> 00:40:37,159 wow, like Boston or Golden State took those risks and really killed it Utah. 647 00:40:37,239 --> 00:40:38,840 I just I like a lot of the business they did in Minnesota, 648 00:40:38,960 --> 00:40:42,079 kind of making the moves on the margins. They didn't do anything, just 649 00:40:42,159 --> 00:40:45,920 like two nuclear Utah getting John Collins, Like, is that something we could 650 00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:49,400 look back on and be like, oh okay, look at what they did 651 00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:52,679 and they got creative with their Paul Reid offers sheeet kind of kind of screwed 652 00:40:52,719 --> 00:40:57,880 over the Sixers a little bit. I like the Jordan Clarkson renegotiate and extend, 653 00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:01,039 just like I think it kind of like, I mean, I love 654 00:41:01,079 --> 00:41:07,039 I will say I love the additions of Bryce Sensiba and Taylor Hendrix and even 655 00:41:07,079 --> 00:41:09,280 a lot of people really like Kyante George. So there's maybe it'd be Utah, 656 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:15,639 But I really think I'm looking at Detroit, Cleveland do I throw And 657 00:41:15,679 --> 00:41:17,400 I'm just I'm not looking at Boston and Goldens. They just wouldn't surprise me 658 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:22,159 if they ended up one of them ended up being the being the answer here 659 00:41:22,599 --> 00:41:25,239 HP Bergie, what's the best Team USA starting lineup in your opinion? Also, 660 00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:29,719 what are some funky lineups they should run? So I haven't really given 661 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:31,400 much thoughts a Team USA, and I had to look up and like double 662 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:35,159 checked the roster to make sure I wasn't off. My starting line of would 663 00:41:35,199 --> 00:41:39,079 be Tyres Haliburton Anthony Edwards, MacHale, Bridges, Jared Jackson Junior, and 664 00:41:39,119 --> 00:41:43,119 Walker Kessler. I think might surprise some people who listen to this podcast, 665 00:41:43,199 --> 00:41:47,280 but just give me the dual room protection and it's everyone at that position is 666 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:51,559 a really good defender there, and then you can do things with Okay, 667 00:41:51,559 --> 00:41:54,639 Bobby Portis is coming off the bench, so was Cam Johnson and Palabank Caro, 668 00:41:54,719 --> 00:41:59,519 So you have sort of these fringe bigs that gives you the flexibility, 669 00:41:59,599 --> 00:42:01,880 especially with everyone else being able to shoot three. Just throw Walker Kessler out 670 00:42:01,920 --> 00:42:07,159 there. A funky lineup though, we're going no point guard, no center, 671 00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:12,760 So and Edwards, Brandon Ingram, McHale, Bridges, Cam Johnson and 672 00:42:12,760 --> 00:42:15,000 Palo Bank Arrow. I kind of love that that lineup. It's like, 673 00:42:15,079 --> 00:42:17,920 get a little bit iffy. Do you think you have enough playmaking? I 674 00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:23,480 think just the leap that McHale has made Brandon Ingram's good enough, and Edward 675 00:42:23,480 --> 00:42:27,320 really and Edwards really made a leap on that end this year, and I 676 00:42:27,360 --> 00:42:29,960 think that you get Pala Bank Carrol's playing a hunder rated pass for me or 677 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:35,239 at least someone who's a burgeoning passer. So the no point guard, no 678 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:39,360 center lineup sign me up for that, Austin, who are you most interested 679 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:44,480 in watching play on a new team next year? Not including rookies? And 680 00:42:44,960 --> 00:42:51,119 why so three? I'm fascinated by Chris Stops in Boston almost morbidly. So 681 00:42:51,519 --> 00:42:54,320 what does that due to their switchability going from Marcus Smart to him on defense? 682 00:42:54,519 --> 00:42:57,960 What was it due to their playmaking on offense when they were already kind 683 00:42:57,960 --> 00:43:00,840 of had a deficit. How does it impact the roles for RW three Horford, 684 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:05,519 I'd assume we'd see a lot of dual big lineups, but Joe Mazzoula 685 00:43:05,599 --> 00:43:08,880 wasn't necessarily in love with those either. Are they throwing Christops? Porzingis the 686 00:43:08,880 --> 00:43:13,639 ball on the post? He was better there this year, but their rosters 687 00:43:13,639 --> 00:43:16,480 just like unless you think that he's gonna become a really good passer and he's 688 00:43:16,519 --> 00:43:20,760 like, he's okay, now he's made some incremental strides himself. I'm just 689 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:23,119 fascinated to see what kind of impact he has on their team, good or 690 00:43:23,119 --> 00:43:29,320 bad and different all three whatever. Bruce Brown and Indie really intrigues me. 691 00:43:29,719 --> 00:43:34,760 They still an Indie just don't have like a surplus of true sized wings, 692 00:43:35,159 --> 00:43:37,400 but they give Bruce Brown a bunch of spaits to work with and most of 693 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:40,960 their lineups, and then just by adding him and then Jariss Walker gives you 694 00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:45,079 a lot more ball pressure than you had last year. Throw them in line 695 00:43:45,119 --> 00:43:47,079 ups with Miles Turner and I just feel like and even you know, like 696 00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:50,679 Aaroni Smith round it out and maybe nem hard like, do we see that 697 00:43:50,679 --> 00:43:53,719 five man lineup? Is that their best possible defensive lineup? I just I'm 698 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:58,360 fascinated by the Pacers. And then Chris Paul and Golden State. He is 699 00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:01,079 the antithesis of the Warrior's basket ball in so many ways, but he has 700 00:44:01,119 --> 00:44:06,960 the IQ to adapt. And also just the minutes without Steph or just coming 701 00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:08,440 off the bench, whatever should be fine. You could spam picking rolls if 702 00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:12,920 that's how you want to go, see if he can run it with cominga 703 00:44:13,239 --> 00:44:16,119 even at Dari or Starch could technically help there. Draymond Green could play that 704 00:44:16,239 --> 00:44:20,119 role of course too, and they have Cavon Looney, so if you want 705 00:44:20,119 --> 00:44:22,440 to go that route, it's just the fascination is going to be how many 706 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:25,519 minutes is he playing? How many minutes is he playing with Steph? Is 707 00:44:25,519 --> 00:44:30,199 he closing? Do we see the Draymond steph CP three, Clay Andrew Wiggins 708 00:44:30,199 --> 00:44:32,679 line up a bunch not at all. How does it all come together defensively, 709 00:44:32,719 --> 00:44:37,440 offensively. I'm not gonna be able to take my eyes away from it. 710 00:44:37,679 --> 00:44:42,840 A couple more questions here, Darkwing Duck. Yeah, this one was 711 00:44:42,880 --> 00:44:45,480 a I did think about this one, but not in the way that you 712 00:44:45,519 --> 00:44:50,280 wanted to. Can any teams last seven players and two way dudes beat Utah's 713 00:44:50,360 --> 00:44:52,920 last seven players in two way dudes? I love this questions. Is the 714 00:44:52,920 --> 00:44:54,199 proper way to look at it is to look at all four hundred and fifty 715 00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:59,079 NBA players and every two way. That won't take any time at all for 716 00:44:59,159 --> 00:45:02,519 context. If you they could pursue presumed a jazz top eight marketing Kessler, 717 00:45:02,719 --> 00:45:07,559 Clarkson, Collins, sex an olnic thhtam At Baji. You have three first 718 00:45:07,599 --> 00:45:10,960 round picks, Chris Dunn and Urts with a few others. Look, I 719 00:45:12,239 --> 00:45:14,679 what about it this way? And there was a little bit more to this. 720 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:17,360 You just wanted me to acknowledge the jazz is depth. They do have 721 00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:21,880 some intriguing depth here. They have three rookies that I think I don't know 722 00:45:21,960 --> 00:45:24,719 how to feel about. Kyante George love the idea of Bryce Entiba, and 723 00:45:25,039 --> 00:45:29,199 I'm a huge Talent Hendricks fan, as anyone who listened to this podcast knows. 724 00:45:29,679 --> 00:45:30,920 Looking at just the last seven players, I'm not looking at all these 725 00:45:30,920 --> 00:45:34,760 two ways, some of them aren't even filled. But looking at the last 726 00:45:34,760 --> 00:45:37,719 seven players of each roster and kind of like going I would put in the 727 00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:42,599 first tier of teams where it's okay, let's look at this bottom seven of 728 00:45:42,599 --> 00:45:49,519 the teams. Oklahoma City, New Orleans and maybe Utah. New Orleans and 729 00:45:49,480 --> 00:45:51,880 Oklahoma City anything belong on a tier of their own. Utah just has so 730 00:45:51,960 --> 00:45:53,960 many rookies involved here, I'm not sure where to rank them. And then 731 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:59,920 the team's after that, Utah, Detroit could sneak in there, Memphis could 732 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:01,360 be in there, maybe they even should be in there. It certainly during 733 00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:05,840 the regular season. Maybe the Clippers, like when you really start to go 734 00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:09,360 through their roster as it is right now, it's possible Orlando is right there. 735 00:46:09,400 --> 00:46:13,760 And that's even if you throw away Jonathan Isaac, which you should in 736 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:16,880 more ways than one. And then the Spurs, like the Spurs are just 737 00:46:16,920 --> 00:46:21,079 sort of sneaky deep when you're looking gonna get past their bottom seven guys, 738 00:46:21,119 --> 00:46:24,079 but I think the two I would definitely have here at the top Oklahoma City 739 00:46:24,119 --> 00:46:30,639 and New Orleans. I think Memphis, Utah, the Clippers. Those are 740 00:46:30,679 --> 00:46:34,960 all teams that would probably in Detroit would probably be fighting for a position after 741 00:46:35,000 --> 00:46:37,400 that. I'm just not as confident in the Spurs, Clippers magic pick. 742 00:46:37,480 --> 00:46:40,719 I'd be the most confident maybe in the Clippers. There. I don't know. 743 00:46:42,159 --> 00:46:44,880 Last question, am I going to finish this in under an hour? 744 00:46:45,000 --> 00:46:47,519 Let me go back and check this time and the answer is yes. Look 745 00:46:47,559 --> 00:46:52,199 at us out here is this is off season pacing Austin. Following up on 746 00:46:52,239 --> 00:46:55,400 the minipod that you did on Joel Embiid, what type of Hall wouldn't be 747 00:46:55,480 --> 00:46:59,679 yet considering he just won MVP, but also as a lengthy injury history and 748 00:46:59,679 --> 00:47:02,559 will want to go to a top team to win. Who would be interested 749 00:47:02,599 --> 00:47:07,480 and not just anyone besides the Nuggets. Look, this is complicated. I 750 00:47:07,519 --> 00:47:13,760 will say there's value in the team making this decision before the player, and 751 00:47:13,800 --> 00:47:16,800 we saw it with Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell where it didn't get to a 752 00:47:16,840 --> 00:47:21,400 point where either of those guys requested a trade. I'm not sure Rudy Gobert, 753 00:47:21,400 --> 00:47:23,239 ever, would have had the prestige to do so. Could you see 754 00:47:23,239 --> 00:47:29,519 a scenario where the team that trades for Joel Embiide gets less than the Jazz 755 00:47:29,519 --> 00:47:35,039 got for Rudy Gobert. Absolutely if inbiad requests out and he gives them a 756 00:47:35,159 --> 00:47:39,960 very distinct wish list and teams take that seriously. It's a little different here 757 00:47:40,159 --> 00:47:45,960 because he's not on the same yet anyway, Like he's not on the same 758 00:47:46,039 --> 00:47:49,880 aging curve as Damian Lillard. We're talking about someone. Yeah, he has 759 00:47:49,920 --> 00:47:52,199 his injury history, but he is younger. I think he is. He 760 00:47:52,280 --> 00:47:54,400 even thirty. Ye, I don't have to change my seat. I'm getting 761 00:47:54,519 --> 00:47:59,800 used to this new mic positioning at the moment, which I'm probably gonna change 762 00:48:00,159 --> 00:48:01,519 that. I love seeing the stand in the way of everything. Yeah, 763 00:48:01,559 --> 00:48:05,000 he's twenty nine. He turns thirty s next year. Is only his age 764 00:48:05,039 --> 00:48:07,960 twenty nine season. He's already won an MVP, he's playing. He plays 765 00:48:08,039 --> 00:48:14,800 both ends of the floor here. That's like it's going to be an easier 766 00:48:14,840 --> 00:48:16,880 sell even if he doesn't want to be on your team, especially because or 767 00:48:17,000 --> 00:48:20,519 in theory doesn't want to be on your team, because if you move him 768 00:48:20,559 --> 00:48:22,840 now. And that's what I'm kind of operating on the desumpthing. You have 769 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:27,079 three guaranteed seasons with him left, and then there's that fourth year player option 770 00:48:27,119 --> 00:48:31,960 in twenty six twenty seven. So I think if if I'm just trying to 771 00:48:32,000 --> 00:48:36,840 like kind of consolidate the idea of assets, so let's say first round picks 772 00:48:37,679 --> 00:48:40,920 or prospects, like the equivalent of first round picks, I think you're probably 773 00:48:42,039 --> 00:48:45,679 looking at if I set the over under at four point five, I would 774 00:48:45,679 --> 00:48:51,280 take maybe it should we said at three point five, it's three point five, 775 00:48:51,320 --> 00:48:52,840 I'm taking me over. If it's four point five, I'm probably still 776 00:48:52,920 --> 00:48:55,880 taking me over. Where it feels like the team that gets him has to 777 00:48:55,920 --> 00:49:00,639 give up three first two players, that would be the equivalent at least we're 778 00:49:00,679 --> 00:49:04,840 four first and one player that would be the equivalent plus swaps, and so 779 00:49:04,880 --> 00:49:07,559 I would say something along the lines of that would be around the five. 780 00:49:07,199 --> 00:49:12,679 If you look back at it, and we did this with the Jazz trade 781 00:49:12,719 --> 00:49:16,039 for specifically Rudy Gobert, how many first round picks does that amount to, 782 00:49:16,119 --> 00:49:20,440 like Walker Kesler counting as a first round pick there, I would say five 783 00:49:20,599 --> 00:49:24,079 for Joel Embid and that's not including swaps salary matching. Maybe some more immediate 784 00:49:24,119 --> 00:49:29,199 like who was viewed as the lowry marketing in that type of a trade. 785 00:49:30,039 --> 00:49:34,559 When you're looking at teams that could be interested, it might change depending on 786 00:49:34,599 --> 00:49:37,519 the time of the year, like does Boston come and take a look if 787 00:49:37,519 --> 00:49:39,159 they're getting closer to the trade deadline they have like Kris stops sports and gets 788 00:49:39,239 --> 00:49:45,880 matching salary out there. Brooklyn I could see being interested. I could see 789 00:49:45,960 --> 00:49:50,400 Charlotte trying to get involved. I don't think Chicago has the assets. Dallas 790 00:49:50,400 --> 00:49:53,239 doesn't have the assets. Denver no. Detroit has the assets, but I 791 00:49:53,280 --> 00:50:00,599 don't know what I mean. Imbid in Detroit and keep Kade. I would 792 00:50:00,599 --> 00:50:02,920 actually like it. I just don't know that they would be interested that really 793 00:50:04,000 --> 00:50:07,159 does accelerate their timeline. Golden State would be a no, and they probably 794 00:50:07,159 --> 00:50:10,360 don't have enough at this point just with the coaminga Moody and Picks. I 795 00:50:10,360 --> 00:50:16,480 could see Houston being interested. Indie probably not, although him and Haliburton could 796 00:50:16,480 --> 00:50:21,159 have happened in Philly if they would have traded Ben Simmons form. The Clippers 797 00:50:21,199 --> 00:50:23,079 don't have the assets, The Lakers don't have the assets. The Grizzlies. 798 00:50:23,239 --> 00:50:27,440 No Miami with him and bam Adeba I will be interesting, but I'm gonna 799 00:50:27,440 --> 00:50:31,079 say they probably punt on that. Milwaukee, No, Minnesota No. I 800 00:50:31,159 --> 00:50:34,719 want the Pelicans to be interested, and they definitely have the assets. The 801 00:50:34,760 --> 00:50:38,480 Knicks will be interested, but go check out my conversation with s Barraheney from 802 00:50:38,519 --> 00:50:43,519 SDPN Sports about why we kind of think that their assets are losing some of 803 00:50:43,559 --> 00:50:45,159 their luster. They'n't say they don't have assets, but if you believe that 804 00:50:45,199 --> 00:50:47,920 the Knicks are going to be good, their own first round picks have declined 805 00:50:47,960 --> 00:50:53,239 in value moving forward. Okay, see should be interested. Phoenix doesn't have 806 00:50:53,280 --> 00:51:00,719 the assets. Portland like that would have been if a bid was available before 807 00:51:00,719 --> 00:51:02,679 this whole Damian Lillard stuff. Would you have traded Scoot and Shandon Sharp and 808 00:51:02,719 --> 00:51:07,719 picks for Joel Embiid. I don't think they'd be interested in now. Sacramento 809 00:51:07,719 --> 00:51:09,320 wouldn't be interested. I would love for the Spurs to be interested, but 810 00:51:09,360 --> 00:51:15,280 that would just not be theremo, which is wouldn't be Toronto to build something 811 00:51:15,280 --> 00:51:17,639 around O g and Siatt Like, would you give a barn You wouldn't give 812 00:51:17,679 --> 00:51:22,360 a barns for k D. I don't think you would for EMBIID. That 813 00:51:22,400 --> 00:51:25,519 might be a sleeper team there. Utahza going to be interested, probably just 814 00:51:25,599 --> 00:51:29,880 with the way ains uses timeline and they have Kessler in there, and so 815 00:51:29,880 --> 00:51:32,000 I don't know if going all in on Abiad makes the most sense when you 816 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:36,280 have question marks aside from Larry Market and basically everywhere else in the roster. 817 00:51:36,320 --> 00:51:38,199 And then Washington. No. So I would say if I didn't arrow down 818 00:51:38,239 --> 00:51:44,400 to the five most aggressive teams in the EMBID sweepstakes, I would say I 819 00:51:44,440 --> 00:51:47,760 think Brooklyn would be one of them. The Knicks would be one of them. 820 00:51:49,719 --> 00:51:53,239 That's two. I think Houston. I know they have I know they 821 00:51:53,239 --> 00:51:55,760 have some bigs in there right now, but I think Houston would really try 822 00:51:55,760 --> 00:52:00,639 to get itself involved. I want to say that the next two aggressive teams 823 00:52:00,639 --> 00:52:05,800 would be New Orleans and Okay se but I just think so differently from those 824 00:52:06,000 --> 00:52:08,599 front offices. So I'll throw those if I had to pick my five favorite 825 00:52:08,639 --> 00:52:12,519 EMBIID. But but yeah, so three teams, we need two more that 826 00:52:12,559 --> 00:52:20,800 would really be involved in the EMBID sweepstakes. Brooklyn, New York, Houston. 827 00:52:21,920 --> 00:52:23,679 I don't, man, this is I'm I'm just trying to I don't 828 00:52:23,679 --> 00:52:28,599 want to pick. There are teams that just the five most It's not it's 829 00:52:28,639 --> 00:52:30,960 not gonna be Boston. Would it be Charlotte, Like, is that something 830 00:52:31,079 --> 00:52:37,199 Charlotte would do new ownership trying to make a splash. I don't know, 831 00:52:37,000 --> 00:52:42,159 I don't know. I don't know about that. Yeah, I'm like, 832 00:52:42,199 --> 00:52:45,159 fai, I don't even know if, like, would you guarantee Toronto would 833 00:52:45,159 --> 00:52:49,960 be one of the five most aggressive teams? I think I named the three. 834 00:52:50,840 --> 00:52:53,280 I'll go with we gotta go one of New Orleans or Okay, so 835 00:52:53,400 --> 00:52:57,400 like, okay, see he's gotta just I'm gonna throw with Casey and they 836 00:52:57,440 --> 00:53:00,599 have the assets to where you could try and pair him with at Home Grind 837 00:53:00,639 --> 00:53:02,280 and SGA. So I'm just gonna say, okay, see him there at 838 00:53:02,320 --> 00:53:07,159 a pick between them or New Orleans and the other one. I don't think 839 00:53:07,159 --> 00:53:10,360 it's the Spurs. Would it be Toronto, like just trying to wedge open 840 00:53:10,360 --> 00:53:14,960 their window in a different way? Probably not. They have Yaka Purdle there 841 00:53:14,960 --> 00:53:16,239 so they can't even make that deal, right. No, I'm just gonna 842 00:53:16,239 --> 00:53:19,639 say Charlotte, that just seems like a team that's gonna be like we would 843 00:53:19,679 --> 00:53:22,440 never get this player in free agency. And even if we see this through 844 00:53:22,480 --> 00:53:25,360 the bitter end and just have three years of him, Charlotte, Houston, 845 00:53:27,039 --> 00:53:30,320 New York, I'm throwing Okay, see in there, I don't give a 846 00:53:30,360 --> 00:53:35,159 fuck. And Brooklyn would be the five teams I think would be most aggressive. 847 00:53:35,199 --> 00:53:37,559 Now, the five teams that I would want to be most aggressive, 848 00:53:37,880 --> 00:53:39,199 the Knicks, for sure, we can keep them on there. Okay, 849 00:53:39,199 --> 00:53:45,280 see New Orleans. I just it just feels like such an eclectic and eccentric 850 00:53:45,320 --> 00:53:49,840 group that would we would end up seeing Detroit. I want to see Detroit 851 00:53:49,920 --> 00:53:52,440 do it. I just jail Duran's nice and they have other biggs, but 852 00:53:52,480 --> 00:53:54,840 now like I want to see Detroit do it, and then another team I 853 00:53:54,840 --> 00:54:00,199 want to see go after him Bead that might be I don't want to is 854 00:54:00,199 --> 00:54:04,400 it my gond of default? The Brooklyn Chicago just doesn't have the asset juice. 855 00:54:05,880 --> 00:54:07,480 This does kind of talk about it now. Golden State's offer I don't 856 00:54:07,480 --> 00:54:10,719 think would be good enough. I might just stop at those fourteens. We're 857 00:54:10,719 --> 00:54:14,199 really funny. If Memphis was just like fucking we're gonna try and pair him 858 00:54:14,239 --> 00:54:20,199 with Triple J. That seems too tough though, Orlando, no, m 859 00:54:20,719 --> 00:54:23,159 this is a tough fight to pick a fifty dispersed Yeah, let's go with 860 00:54:23,159 --> 00:54:27,960 the Spurs. I want to see the Spurs, New the Thunder, the 861 00:54:28,000 --> 00:54:31,480 Pelicans, the Knicks, and the Pistons really go all out for Joel Embiid 862 00:54:31,519 --> 00:54:35,519 not if he becomes available, when he becomes available, because this tracking in 863 00:54:35,559 --> 00:54:37,880 that direction. Hope you all enjoyed this mailback episode. If you've made it 864 00:54:37,880 --> 00:54:42,199 this far, please subscribe and also help us build the community. I'm asking 865 00:54:42,239 --> 00:54:46,679 everyone who's a regular subscriber recommend us to people or shout us out ratings, 866 00:54:46,719 --> 00:54:52,480 reviews, Apple, Spotify, YouTube commenting, liking every video. I try 867 00:54:52,480 --> 00:54:53,800 to respond to as many comments as possible, but if I don't, just 868 00:54:53,920 --> 00:54:58,960 again, you're you're trying to help the algo there. Join our discord, 869 00:54:59,119 --> 00:55:02,119 buy a bunch of merch from us. There's also super thanks on YouTube if 870 00:55:02,119 --> 00:55:06,119 you want to support the podcast that way. We will never I don't think 871 00:55:06,159 --> 00:55:08,639 we'll ever, especially because Grant and I are very fortunate to be where we 872 00:55:08,639 --> 00:55:10,559 are a career wise. I don't think we'll ever do a Patreon, and 873 00:55:10,639 --> 00:55:15,599 some people have asked to us to start. I want all the content, 874 00:55:15,679 --> 00:55:16,480 and I don't want some people to pay for it while there's aren't. So 875 00:55:16,480 --> 00:55:20,960 if you want to throw merch by bunched a bunch of shit ton of merchan 876 00:55:21,000 --> 00:55:22,679 We make very little money off of that, so the YouTube super thanks might 877 00:55:22,719 --> 00:55:27,920 be a better way to support the show. But yes, thank everyone who 878 00:55:28,000 --> 00:55:30,360 subscribes, tell people others to subscribe, and until next time, and is 879 00:55:30,400 --> 00:55:34,039 always I read you all, with the shout out to the one, the 880 00:55:34,119 --> 00:55:40,360 only, the indelible, the one who's still floating around in free agency explicably Frank Knealer