1 00:00:15,599 --> 00:00:21,480 What is krack Alac and fellow thermonuclear a efforts. I am Albino Dennis Rodman 2 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:26,879 coming at you with my fan fabulous, certified, fantabulus co host mister Grant 3 00:00:27,079 --> 00:00:30,719 Hughes. Before we get started, we're gonna dig into our biggest questions that 4 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,479 we each have for the rest of the NBA season coming out of the All 5 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,079 Star Break. The quick reminder, the usual reminder. Subscribe to us wherever 6 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,960 you consume us. If you're checking us out on YouTube for the first time, 7 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,399 hit that sub button like comment, help the algorithm, love us back. 8 00:00:42,719 --> 00:00:45,439 Subscribe to us on Apple and Spotify if you haven't done so already. 9 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,200 If you've done all those things, help us promote this podcast. Tell people 10 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,799 about us. Retweet. Our promo is just word of mouth passings. Tell 11 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,960 friends, family members, enemies, co workers, anyone who you know likes 12 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:59,200 basketball about us. You can follow us on all the socials that helps as 13 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:03,920 well, at Hardware on Twitter and TikTok at Harvard Underscore Knox on Instagram. 14 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,439 And finally, join our discord. Always looking to have new members who want 15 00:01:07,439 --> 00:01:11,359 to be part of productive discourse and chat with everybody. The link of that 16 00:01:11,439 --> 00:01:14,439 is in the podcast and YouTube description. You could also dm us if for 17 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,439 some reason the link isn't working. But it is working, so check out 18 00:01:17,439 --> 00:01:21,280 that link. Grant, how the heck are you doing? I'm doing very 19 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:23,760 well. Dan. How are you today? They didn't ask you last time 20 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,840 we recorded. I'm doing fantastic. I'm excited because we get to record this 21 00:01:26,879 --> 00:01:29,959 and I'm not going to publish it for like a day or two, and 22 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:34,519 I know that there's no chance of being outdated. Hashtag NBA All Star Break 23 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:40,640 is kind of dope. It doesn't really matter what we talk about. There's 24 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:42,920 a great chance that some percentage of it's going to be outdated, because that's 25 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,439 just how the league works. Basically. That's fair. This will be posting 26 00:01:46,439 --> 00:01:49,200 on Friday, so there will have been games by that point, so maybe 27 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,560 I spoke too soon. We'll pretend that those games are not going to happen 28 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,400 as we discuss these questions, which for mine, I don't know about you. 29 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,799 We have not given these to each other ahead of time, so there'll 30 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,799 be some surprise. They'll be all surprises. I'm not asking about any games, 31 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,799 so you're welcome for that. Yeah, this is big picture shade anyway. 32 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:07,360 So one game if you see it isn't gonna change it. Do you 33 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,120 want to do you want to start us off? I'm like, I'm at 34 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:15,039 the edge of my seat. Oh God, and you're already you're overselling. 35 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:16,400 You have to undersell, Okay, So I'll give you the first one. 36 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:22,520 So which team outside the bottom four, which I'm calling Houston, the Spurs, 37 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,879 Detroit and Charlotte pretty non controversial bottom four. These are our tankers. 38 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,199 Which team from outside that group is most likely to shut down veteran stars and 39 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:36,879 kind of lean all the way into We're gonna get into the mix here for 40 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:40,960 one of these top four lottery odds spots. So I mean I could give 41 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,840 you some of the possible candidates you've got, like Chicago, Indiana, Orlando 42 00:02:46,039 --> 00:02:50,960 in the East. The West is a little trickier because basically everybody that's not 43 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,919 San Antonio or Houston is gonna try to win games. But if you had 44 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:59,840 to pick one who's gonna mail it in, I think it is it wrong. 45 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,120 I'm gonna say Indiana that I just feel like we could see them because 46 00:03:04,199 --> 00:03:06,960 Tyris Haliburton is gonna fall out of the NBA discussion, maybe because at the 47 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,280 time he already missed, and you can just kind of you know you're gonna 48 00:03:09,319 --> 00:03:12,879 be awful without him. You shut down, and sure, yeah you're not 49 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,319 gonna have top four lottery odds, but you get the top five, like 50 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,680 you could very easily usurp the magic there, like you're already too far away 51 00:03:19,719 --> 00:03:23,159 from the Hornets. You're nine losses better than them right now. So I 52 00:03:23,199 --> 00:03:27,680 think that might be my pick. Is that off? Is that off the 53 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,479 wall? I know that that's not really there like Jam, but it's almost 54 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,639 kind of just like, well, we're sort of here organically, and now 55 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,879 we go into next summer or this summer with another high draft pick, Tyres 56 00:03:38,919 --> 00:03:44,639 Haliber and Benedick Math and Miles Turner locked down, and we still have those 57 00:03:44,639 --> 00:03:46,960 two picks from Boston and Cleveland as well, and a whole bunch of caps 58 00:03:47,039 --> 00:03:52,479 based Still, yeah, I think certainly that would be the team of the 59 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:57,479 options available that we sort of or most. I think they're over under for 60 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,240 wins was twenty three and a half. They're twenty six right now. Like 61 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,599 to mail it in now would just be getting back to like what everybody sort 62 00:04:02,599 --> 00:04:05,599 of thought they were going to do. And I'd say if any of these 63 00:04:05,639 --> 00:04:12,080 teams excluding the Magic has a reason to shut down, like a really important 64 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,959 young player to avoid risking injury. It's for sure Indiana and Terris Haliburton right, 65 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,800 like they were what one and nine in that ten game Stretchy missed after 66 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,160 that ugly fall, so they just like, we know we're nothing without him, 67 00:04:24,199 --> 00:04:27,040 so if we're not playing for anything else, like he's the guy to 68 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,240 rest for me. The pick, the pick I would like it to be 69 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:32,879 is Chicago just because of how fun it would be to imagine, like the 70 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:39,000 tension of all right, we don't want to make this pick too good because 71 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,879 if Orlando gets it and they pick fifth, like that's terrible. I don't 72 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,279 know if you should care about this, but the Bulls might. But if 73 00:04:45,319 --> 00:04:46,639 we could get into that top four, Like how bad do we have to 74 00:04:46,639 --> 00:04:49,360 go? Oh and whatever to get into the top four, because the Bulls 75 00:04:49,439 --> 00:04:55,399 right now have twenty six wins, so yeah, like that's nine clear of 76 00:04:55,800 --> 00:05:00,639 Charlotte, so tough to do. But I think the Bulls would be a 77 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,160 really interesting like, oh, Zach Lavine's not gonna play anymore. Uh, 78 00:05:03,439 --> 00:05:06,480 Lonzo Ball's already out for the season, And that news came out a couple 79 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:11,120 of days ago. Uh, let's just let's just chill out and see how 80 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:15,199 bad we can get and hope we look into keeping our picks something out with 81 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,839 that top four protection that would be a fascinating like you like, man, 82 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:21,480 they won't do it. They won't do it. To be clear, it's 83 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,160 too if they were gonna do it, it's too late because like you, 84 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,279 you just don't if you were gonna be able to get in the like bottom 85 00:05:28,319 --> 00:05:30,959 four of records to where you're at least there's a coin toss, you're keeping 86 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,519 your pick, but now you'd almost have to settle for the fifth worst record 87 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,959 at best, but maybe even like the sixth worth right, Yeah, low 88 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:44,959 pay out there. So my question is which, which team that was supposed 89 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,959 to just be what? What's gonna go down is the biggest disappointment of this 90 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,639 season. And I'm specifically looking at a team that's not going to make the 91 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:57,560 play in or not make the playoffs that was just supposed to be there. 92 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:01,360 And so the names that I'm immediately thinking of, the Warriors, the Timberwolves. 93 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,959 I don't include the Lakers because I don't know who's really disappointed by them, 94 00:06:06,079 --> 00:06:12,240 but also the who did I say the Warriors, the timber the Blazers 95 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,439 like have to go down as a pretty massive disappointment. I don't think there's 96 00:06:15,439 --> 00:06:18,680 anybody in the East that maybe the Pelicans, I think, if you want 97 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,319 to loop them into there, but that's also a West like because they are 98 00:06:21,319 --> 00:06:26,560 still look, the Pelicans really do losses in front of the eleventh page place 99 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,120 Jazz. So those are basically I just named the entire Western Conference player infield 100 00:06:30,199 --> 00:06:32,000 right now. But the Blazers, the Warriors, the Timberwolves, the Pelicans, 101 00:06:32,199 --> 00:06:34,519 those are kind of who I'm looking at as the biggest disappointment in the 102 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:38,480 East. It's just like if the Balls don't make the play in that was 103 00:06:38,519 --> 00:06:42,439 just never like you know, yeah, yeah, I think I was actually 104 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:46,199 looking back at some of the over under wind totals and like our projections for 105 00:06:46,199 --> 00:06:49,279 the standings we did several months ago, and so based on that, for 106 00:06:49,319 --> 00:06:55,160 me, Minnesota would clearly It's like I think I had Minnesota being like third 107 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:59,279 in the West with like fifty two or fifty three wins or something like that, 108 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,120 and that you know, I don't think they're gonna miss the play in 109 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:06,920 round, but like they're just nowhere near the regular season team I thought they'd 110 00:07:06,959 --> 00:07:11,879 be. I think we both agreed that, like the Gobert acquisition came with 111 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:15,279 some playoff questions, but at least for you know, the eighty two games 112 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,160 during the season, he was just going to be a defense onto himself. 113 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,879 This was gonna be a top five defense, top ten for sure, easily, 114 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,959 and the offense would just work. And Town's being hurt, I guess 115 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,199 like gives you some cover there, for gives me cover for missing that prediction 116 00:07:31,279 --> 00:07:35,480 so badly, right, But it's still like you don't trade your whole draft 117 00:07:35,879 --> 00:07:41,959 for the next half decade plus and get worse, which is like very much 118 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,879 a possibility right now. And at the very least, it's a disappointment that 119 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:48,439 they're not, you know, for sure a top four team in the West, 120 00:07:48,519 --> 00:07:50,920 top three, let alone top three, which is where I thought they 121 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:56,240 might be going into the playoffs. We were both up thirdly high on them, 122 00:07:56,279 --> 00:08:01,199 leading we had questions about their playoff viability. Their defense been good when 123 00:08:01,279 --> 00:08:03,079 Rudy Goberts on the floor, their offense, you know, we can say 124 00:08:03,079 --> 00:08:07,600 that Town's missing him has been part of the disappointment, and they were a 125 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,439 little bit better before the trade deadline. Only. They then traded one of 126 00:08:11,439 --> 00:08:13,600 their most efficient players at the trade deadline and DiAngelo Russell, who was having 127 00:08:13,839 --> 00:08:16,639 lack of a stretch in Like the first three games with Mike Conley haven't looked 128 00:08:16,959 --> 00:08:22,399 particularly great. How long does that take them to integrate him? But like 129 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:26,680 the offense with Towns, Edwards and Gobert on the court this season is ranked 130 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:31,200 in the eighth percentile of efficiency for cleaning the glass. It's hard to even 131 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:37,039 understand how that's possible. And Mike Conley's after is gonna come in and shake 132 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,840 use that right? Well, just normal regression is going to change that to 133 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:43,399 some extent. But like, I mean, when's Town's coming back? Do 134 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:48,159 we even know yet? I feel like the hope is like with ten to 135 00:08:48,159 --> 00:08:50,639 fifteen games remaining in the season, Yeah, there's not even a lot of 136 00:08:50,639 --> 00:08:54,440 time to I think. So my pick, I think the Timbers are a 137 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:58,120 good pick. I just feel like they're still going to probably make the play 138 00:08:58,159 --> 00:09:00,480 in I am a little bit more nervous about the Pello Kims. I came 139 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,000 closer to choosing them than I thought I was. I'm going with the Blazers 140 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:07,960 because you don't get to say that you're on Damian Lillard's timeline and then fucking 141 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,759 sell basically at the deadline. I think when you look at just the net 142 00:09:11,799 --> 00:09:18,039 aggregate value that they got all of their assets, it's fine, but it's 143 00:09:18,039 --> 00:09:22,519 still sort of like a Damian Lillard's timeline my ass situation, like there's so 144 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,960 little about what they're doing is inspiring. They're trying to rebuild around two undersized 145 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:28,799 guards again, like we haven't seen that movie before, only you have a 146 00:09:28,799 --> 00:09:31,679 worse version of use of Nurkics who I don't know if it's because he was 147 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:37,240 trying to play through an injury like leading into the to the All Star break, 148 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:39,840 but like we saw his minutes start to decline while he was again he 149 00:09:39,879 --> 00:09:43,519 eventually got sidelined with that calf injury. He was trying to play through it. 150 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,879 Like, what, you're gonna go pay Jeremy Grant twenty five almost thirty 151 00:09:46,879 --> 00:09:50,279 million dollars a year, Is it a guarantee he comes back? I would 152 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,039 say probably yes, if they're willing to pay him. But if you don't, 153 00:09:52,159 --> 00:09:56,200 that's even a bigger disaster. But to not even be like right now, 154 00:09:56,519 --> 00:10:01,600 they have to like leap frog two teams to get inside the play in, 155 00:10:01,759 --> 00:10:05,519 and so are they going to be better than the Jazz, Thunder Warriors, 156 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:07,480 Timberwolves, and Pelicans. Which of those two teams are you gonna jump? 157 00:10:07,799 --> 00:10:11,600 Maybe the Jazz because they're clearly not interested in now, But oh hey, 158 00:10:11,639 --> 00:10:15,519 the Lakers are right behind you, and they look a little bit better 159 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,960 on paper, so it's almost like fending off three teams. It's just I 160 00:10:20,039 --> 00:10:22,600 liked their team on paper this year, and I'm not saying they were supposed 161 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:24,639 to be a title contender, But you looked at this roster saw you were 162 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:28,720 so far below not sorry, you were below five hundred outside playing territory, 163 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,919 and did jack shit at the trade deadline to bump up your immediate ceiling. 164 00:10:33,279 --> 00:10:37,360 And yeah, I get that you were assets strapped in part because neiloshe traded 165 00:10:37,399 --> 00:10:41,840 that one pick protected until the end of time to Chicago, But there had 166 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,600 to be other moves on the tables. Is this franchise It doesn't whether it's 167 00:10:45,639 --> 00:10:48,840 Neil o'shay or Cronin, Like I'm tired of watching them aim for these singles 168 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,440 and doubles or fucking walks at this point, like you have to go for 169 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,240 the triple or the home run and that's just a massive disappointment. And yeah, 170 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:58,799 okay, maybe Tieble or Reddish kind of pans out as a keeper. 171 00:11:00,399 --> 00:11:03,879 They're not going to change the tide or the tenor of your season here, 172 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:09,000 and so I recognize that, like maybe they weren't good enough to significantly level 173 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,840 up, but then you should have picked a more wholesale direction where it's like, 174 00:11:11,879 --> 00:11:15,080 if you actually believe in this corps shade and Sharp's name should have been 175 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:18,360 linked to someone over the dead one. The fact that he seemed untouchable and 176 00:11:18,399 --> 00:11:22,399 Ogana Nobi talks was wild, or we should have heard more about, oh 177 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,000 you wanted to shop use of Narks Okay, fucking cool. Nobody wants that 178 00:11:26,039 --> 00:11:28,600 contract at this point. Why didn't we hear more about trying to pivot with 179 00:11:28,639 --> 00:11:33,240 Anthony Simons. That's a player that I think would be fairly coveted. So 180 00:11:33,639 --> 00:11:39,519 they're just so uninspiring to me. Yeah, I think they're distinct from We've 181 00:11:39,519 --> 00:11:45,000 talked about Minnesota and you mentioned New Orleans because I think those two teams can 182 00:11:45,039 --> 00:11:48,840 look at this year however it ends, and say, well, like we 183 00:11:48,919 --> 00:11:52,200 had you know, Gobert was harder to integrate than we thought, and Town's 184 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,639 got hurt, and you know, there's all this other stuff, and the 185 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:58,440 Pelicans can say, like everybody was hurt and we're really young, and if 186 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:03,159 we do not thing, we can come back next year and like either Minnesota 187 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,600 or New Orleans could be have home court advantage in the first round series, 188 00:12:05,639 --> 00:12:09,840 you know, in twenty twenty four. Totally plausible. If the Blazers don't 189 00:12:09,919 --> 00:12:13,799 change anything, what are you hoping for? Like Shaden Sharp levels up, 190 00:12:15,039 --> 00:12:18,039 like that's you know, if Simons learns to play tries to play defense, 191 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,960 like once, like what are your what are your sort of what is going 192 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,759 to soothe the ache of like being eleventh in the West, you know, 193 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,320 like where's your upside, where's your where's your path out? I don't know 194 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,279 where that is for Portland. That's that's the difference I think, and and 195 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,360 why they're a good pick. I have a question for you, unrelated to 196 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:41,840 the Trailblazers, probably unless you go in a weird direction, what is the 197 00:12:41,879 --> 00:12:48,639 most impactful injury for any player that's hurt right now for the rest of this 198 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:54,519 season? So like not oh, who's screwed because this player's hurt, Like 199 00:12:54,320 --> 00:13:00,279 the way the injury shakes out like how long this person's out, the difference 200 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,440 the team, the difference in the team with and without this person, I'll 201 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:07,039 just give in mind. To me, it's Steph Curry. That's like the 202 00:13:07,039 --> 00:13:09,120 most boring answer of all time. But like that's to me, is the 203 00:13:09,159 --> 00:13:13,440 one that I think is going to change or have the most potential to impact. 204 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,559 Like, I don't know the playoff race. You know who makes the 205 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:20,000 conference finals if you really want to get crazy with it, But there's so 206 00:13:20,039 --> 00:13:24,519 many others. I'm curious what you think is gonna be, Like this injury 207 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:28,679 is going to have these these massive ripple effects. I actually think it's Zion 208 00:13:28,759 --> 00:13:31,159 Williamson's injury and just sort of the open ended timeline. The Pelicans have been 209 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:35,960 so bad since he went down. I think the last time he played was 210 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:41,039 January second, and in that time they've had basically the league's worst offense. 211 00:13:41,399 --> 00:13:45,879 We haven't seen their three point a tenth rate uptick. And so this idea 212 00:13:46,039 --> 00:13:48,919 that, oh, well, like Zion just put so much pressure on the 213 00:13:48,919 --> 00:13:52,360 basket, that's why you're not shooting threes. No, that's actually not the 214 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,200 issue here. So they're twenty fifth in offense during his apps in seven and 215 00:13:56,279 --> 00:14:00,279 sixteen, they've been about league average defensively during that time. If you don't 216 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,799 know when he's coming back, and you're in playing territory right now with no 217 00:14:03,879 --> 00:14:05,240 guarantee of still being there. By the way, like I said before, 218 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:09,039 there are two losses in front of the eleventh place Utah Jazz, there are 219 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:15,279 three losses ahead of the thirteenth place Los Angeles Lakers, And so to not 220 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:18,559 have him right now when Bi's been playing well and that yet you're still losing 221 00:14:18,639 --> 00:14:22,879 games, it's wildly unsettling because let's just say he comes back, there's only 222 00:14:22,879 --> 00:14:26,840 like ten or fifteen games left of the season. Yeah, the margins in 223 00:14:26,879 --> 00:14:30,519 the West are so thin that there's time to get some separation or secure But 224 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,919 what does he look like come back from another lower body injury? And so 225 00:14:35,039 --> 00:14:37,399 I guess I'm just of the mind like Steph Curry's gonna come back and be 226 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,279 Steph Curry and the Warriors are gonna get into the playoff. But like, 227 00:14:39,279 --> 00:14:43,519 if you tell me that, like Steph isn't coming back within a week or 228 00:14:43,559 --> 00:14:48,919 two after the All Star break, then maybe it becomes the Warriors sneakily, 229 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:50,960 It could be honest with the rist injury. That was like very like he'll 230 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,240 play again when the pain subsides. And the Honest is the guy who's like, 231 00:14:54,279 --> 00:14:56,840 well, it's like he dunked with the wrist injury already in the All 232 00:14:56,879 --> 00:15:01,000 Star Game. So but I think it's on, Williams said, because we're 233 00:15:01,039 --> 00:15:05,200 already seeing just like the Warriors have kind of treadwater without Steph, the Pelicans 234 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:09,639 have drowned yea without an ion. I throw into we're an Anthony Davis or 235 00:15:09,759 --> 00:15:15,200 Lebron you know, two week absence away from the Lakers. Just well, 236 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:16,519 it was all cool that you tried, but you're not making the plant. 237 00:15:16,559 --> 00:15:20,279 You know, you're totally out of the plan. Mixed too that those are 238 00:15:20,639 --> 00:15:24,279 those are hypotheticals. But are they hypothetical like based on the age and history 239 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:28,480 of those two guys respectively. Oh yeah, I mean, I honestly don't 240 00:15:28,519 --> 00:15:39,480 know. My My question to you is who is the title favorite? My 241 00:15:39,559 --> 00:15:46,080 title favorite is the Celtics. But I've been increasingly before the Honest injury, 242 00:15:46,159 --> 00:15:50,320 thinking about going back to Milwaukee because, as we've said, for most of 243 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,799 the year, we have no notes for the Bucks. There have been notes 244 00:15:52,879 --> 00:15:58,320 intermittently, but those are my two the West. I don't like, you 245 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:03,279 know, any of Denver or Phoenix more than either of those two East teams. 246 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,799 So I think I'll go Boston. They need to get healthy. They 247 00:16:06,879 --> 00:16:10,000 are the only team coming out of the All Star Break that's in the top 248 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:12,480 seven of both offensive defense. Yeah. I mean, it's not like a 249 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:17,320 wild out there pick. I just think I feel like, and this is 250 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:21,120 another there's no staff for this, but it just sort of feels like it's 251 00:16:21,159 --> 00:16:23,799 time for the Celtics. Like they've been, you know, to conference finals 252 00:16:23,799 --> 00:16:27,039 what in like four of the last six years, a couple wins away. 253 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:30,919 Last year ran into a Dynastic Warriors team like could have been a lot of 254 00:16:30,919 --> 00:16:37,080 the other teams they might have faced in that finals. They just they're at 255 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,679 the right age range. It's just like it just feels like if the Celtics 256 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:42,759 are going to bust through, like this is kind of this feels about right 257 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:48,080 for it to be this year. To me, I'm with you, except 258 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,879 I think that Milwaukee is there has to be the title favorite. The Yaun's 259 00:16:51,919 --> 00:16:53,960 injury changes that a little bit, and the Nuggets were my title pick. 260 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:57,320 I just don't have questions about the Bucks, and we've seen it they're coming 261 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,320 off that twelve game, they're on the twelve game winning streak, seeing what 262 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,440 they can do in their big threes on the court, you're at Jay crowd 263 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:06,680 or who can really only help you? Meyers Leonard. What a Bantner addition 264 00:17:06,759 --> 00:17:08,480 by them, He's really going to have this huge impact on that ten day. 265 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:14,599 I think that their half court offense worries me, but like there's a 266 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:18,319 lot of variability in Boston's offense as well, and so like the fact that 267 00:17:18,319 --> 00:17:22,400 there's variability in Milwaukee's offense isn't a huge deal to me. I would say, 268 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:23,680 like, yeah, you can trust Boston in the half court more. 269 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:30,200 But like Milwaukee's defense I think has like this just smothering gear right now, 270 00:17:30,279 --> 00:17:33,279 and maybe Boston's does as well too, So it's between them. I think 271 00:17:33,279 --> 00:17:37,319 I just trust I'm defaulting too. Oh, this this team has gianness will 272 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:40,400 be the best player in any given playoff series. But it is a weird 273 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,359 thing to say, because I do think and maybe it's not because we've seen 274 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:47,680 Boston just commit turnovers when they're under pressure or not go through their their entire 275 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:51,359 offense, But it feels like Boston's offense is more playoff proof. Maybe I'm 276 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:55,319 just have the finals tattooed to memory where we saw them just kind of so 277 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,599 discombobulated on that end of the floor. Yeah, I was just gonna say 278 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:02,160 that for all, it's nice that we're back to no notes for the Bucks. 279 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:06,200 I'm glad we made it full circle. I think that that is the 280 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:11,559 real difference between the offensive struggles that both Boston and Milwaukee can kind of find 281 00:18:11,599 --> 00:18:14,960 themselves in, where you know, Boston turned it over fifteen percent of the 282 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,640 time against the Warriors in the finals, which is just like that's worse than 283 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:21,960 the Rockets this year. That's just like an obscenely high turnover rate. So 284 00:18:22,039 --> 00:18:26,640 the Celtics can just like totally come unglued and Marcus Smart will throw passes into 285 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:30,960 the stands and like nothing works and it's just like a disaster. The Bucks 286 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,319 are like the Bucks struggle offensively, but it's different. It's like the Gears 287 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:37,319 grind and nothing's no there's no space. But then it's just like, well, 288 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:41,880 Jannie runs into four people and he gets free throws, like they're they're 289 00:18:41,039 --> 00:18:45,160 they're solved for their offensive issues. Is like just cleaner, because it sometimes 290 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,480 seems like the Celtics just don't know which way is up, whereas the Bucks 291 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:51,279 can just kind of be like, give it to that dude. He'll go 292 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:55,400 run into people and we'll get you know, two cracks at like a sixty 293 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:59,880 four percent free throw. And it feels like the Bucks's offense is a bell 294 00:19:00,079 --> 00:19:02,640 weather good or bad for how the rest of the game is played, where 295 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:06,039 if their offense becomes a slog, the entire game is this rock fight. 296 00:19:06,319 --> 00:19:08,519 It doesn't always feel that way with Boston, right well, because the way 297 00:19:08,559 --> 00:19:11,839 that they look bad create transition chances for the other team and then it just 298 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:17,720 snowballs. That's like that, that's a big distinction for them, all right, 299 00:19:17,759 --> 00:19:21,680 I gotta I gotta more of a niche one for you. Can you 300 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:26,119 give me a reason that Russell Westbrook's tenure with the Clippers will be meaningfully different 301 00:19:26,279 --> 00:19:32,359 and therefore like somehow positively impactful than it was with the Lakers. Look, 302 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:37,279 the theory of if it make Russell Westbrook work is to surround him in an 303 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:44,759 environment with four shooters in which he's also insulated defensively. The Clippers can absolutely 304 00:19:44,799 --> 00:19:48,000 do that, okay, And it just so happens that two of the people 305 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,759 that helped do that. Are these A plus wings. It's like you could 306 00:19:51,759 --> 00:19:55,039 technically run pick and roll with them, or you could have Russet screens for 307 00:19:55,079 --> 00:19:56,839 them, but we get to a point where he brush just never set screens. 308 00:19:57,279 --> 00:20:02,119 And so this theory of him doing that, him upping the pace of 309 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,799 your offense. Their offense hasn't been the issue for them over the past month 310 00:20:04,839 --> 00:20:07,079 or whatever it's been. They've actually had more problems with like rim protect them 311 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:11,960 their defense and there's been some unlucky opponent three point shooting there as well. 312 00:20:11,559 --> 00:20:15,839 But like, I think it's just the setup around him. But I'm also 313 00:20:17,079 --> 00:20:21,880 the pathway here is Rush chose this place. While his options may have been 314 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:26,759 limited, he hasn't chosen where he's been since he resigned that extension in Okay, 315 00:20:26,759 --> 00:20:30,079 see Washington, Houston. I guess he that kind of chows, but 316 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:33,160 not really. And then the Lakers, I guess, like, yeah, 317 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:34,839 he wanted to be there, So you could say that he han't picked at 318 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,000 least two of those situations, but like now he's choosing to be here, 319 00:20:38,279 --> 00:20:41,880 and so there has to be no allusions as to what his role is going 320 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:45,359 to be. However, I will say I'm concerned in the sense that we 321 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:51,200 had the Athletics Law Murray reporting that Russ is expected to start, which is 322 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:55,799 just like, if you're replacing Terrence Man that lineup, that's that's fucking wild. 323 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:57,880 And maybe we'll know the answer to that by the time this publishes. 324 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:06,720 But I it's this roster more than Houston's because they had Quinckapela at the time. 325 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,119 They had to go remember trade Quinckapela basically because Russ was there more than 326 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:14,279 Washington, more than Lakers, more than the Thunder at the time. Is 327 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:18,880 does set up for Russell Westbrook to be and what should be his ideal capacity 328 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,599 right now? Do I believe that that's that it's going to work out? 329 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,880 No, I wouldn't have made the signing. I ouldenly believe that good or 330 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,000 bad, he's not going to move the needle enough for this to matter. 331 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,960 I was surprised at how many people acted like he was going to be guaranteed, 332 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:36,640 like twenty seven plus minutes a game, Terrence Mann was ever going to 333 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:40,519 see the floor again. Neither Aaron Eric Gordon. We'll have to see how 334 00:21:40,559 --> 00:21:44,000 it pans out. I wouldn't say I'm hopeful, but I do think that 335 00:21:44,039 --> 00:21:47,880 they're that again, that's the path I don't like. It's just the four 336 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:52,599 shooters, two of them are these A plus Superstar wings, and he's insulated 337 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,880 defensively, So this just shouldn't look terrible. Yeah. No, that's a 338 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:00,000 really good answer for an impossible question. It's almost rhetorical because like it's implied 339 00:22:00,039 --> 00:22:04,400 that this will not be meaningfully different, and obviously that's where I would default 340 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,960 to. That's why I asked it. But I do think even if this 341 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,559 is where it's sorry to be so negative about it, but like even if 342 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:15,680 you're right, and I think there's a chance you are, because this is 343 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:19,839 the right this is a way better roster than he's been on given his limitations. 344 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:26,000 Now, the problem is, certainly if you're going to start him, 345 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:30,119 you still just can't play him in the playoffs like forget you know, the 346 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:33,720 finals or the crunch time or whatever. It's just any halfway decent playoff defense. 347 00:22:33,839 --> 00:22:37,039 We'll just not guard him, We'll just sag off. We'll just and 348 00:22:37,079 --> 00:22:41,960 like, congrat great if Russ if you want to attack and cook and try 349 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:45,599 to beat us, that just means Kauai is not isolating in the midpost. 350 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:48,240 That just means Paul George isn't running picking rolls or coming off pindict like it's 351 00:22:49,039 --> 00:22:52,640 it's just a win for a defense in the playoffs, at Russell Westbrook is 352 00:22:52,759 --> 00:22:57,000 involved in the game. And so it's the same argument that made the Lakers 353 00:22:57,039 --> 00:23:00,519 thing ultimately so stupid, which was that if your goal is to win a 354 00:23:00,599 --> 00:23:06,119 championship, you've added a player that cannot help you in the games that matter 355 00:23:06,759 --> 00:23:08,680 in that effort, Like he just he shouldn't be out there. He will 356 00:23:08,759 --> 00:23:12,480 hurt the team if he's doing normal Russell Westbrook stuff, even in a better 357 00:23:12,519 --> 00:23:17,279 situation. So like, I just think there's a chance regular season it could 358 00:23:17,279 --> 00:23:19,680 look better, But in the games that the Clippers actually care about or should 359 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:25,079 care about, he's just like he's a non factor at best probably, and 360 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:29,079 then at worst he's actually doing damage. Would you give them and the oddsmakers 361 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:30,680 have already given them a worst chance of winning the title since they added him, 362 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:37,240 would you actually lower their title odds based off the addition of Russell Westbrook? 363 00:23:37,319 --> 00:23:40,680 Can we talk about how wild that is? Like that that because that's 364 00:23:40,839 --> 00:23:44,920 yes, it's just saying you believe that if it doesn't go well, Tyler 365 00:23:45,039 --> 00:23:48,640 was still just gonna play him right right, which, like I don't know, 366 00:23:48,759 --> 00:23:52,680 maybe I think. I don't think I would lower them because I would 367 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,640 just hope that what happens is he is a non factor. And it's not 368 00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:00,759 like it's not like, well he took men that we're going to go to 369 00:24:00,799 --> 00:24:03,039 Reggie Jackson and John Wall who would have been helpful. It's like, that's 370 00:24:03,079 --> 00:24:06,319 not it. It's just a little Terrence Man will just play and then that'll 371 00:24:06,319 --> 00:24:08,319 be They'll be fine. That's that's that's how I would look at it. 372 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:17,559 My question to you, which deadline acquisition non Kevin Durant division is going to 373 00:24:17,599 --> 00:24:21,640 have the biggest, most material impact on their team for the rest of the 374 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:26,559 year. The trade deadline was so long ago, I can't even remember what 375 00:24:26,599 --> 00:24:30,480 the big trades were. That's like half half of a joke. So we 376 00:24:30,519 --> 00:24:36,839 can't use Kevin Durant. Who else did something of consequence? Denver didn't do 377 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:38,599 anything, Memphis didn't do anything. You want to hear my answer me, 378 00:24:38,759 --> 00:24:42,359 give me a couple at least, Well, so what's the phrasing of your 379 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:45,880 question? Because I want to go to have the biggest impact. I didn't 380 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:48,160 specify whether it be positive or negative. But okay, I have mine. 381 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:52,359 Then it's it's the Kyrie Irving trade because of the fallout. We've talked about 382 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:59,599 it before, Like I think we both agree that the defensive give back in 383 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:03,839 lou using Phinney Smith and the pick doesn't matter except for the part I'm about 384 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:07,039 to get to. The matters might not be better on balance this year for 385 00:25:07,039 --> 00:25:11,000 the rest of the year, and then you have Kyrie Irvan could leave or 386 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,079 worse, Kyrie Irvan could resign, and now you're tethered to this guy who's 387 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:18,319 gonna come up with reasons to not be available or be difficult or otherwise sabotage 388 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:26,119 year team chemistry, so that in starting to impact the the taken to its 389 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:30,839 full like extent. The impact of that trade is Luca don Chich wants out 390 00:25:30,839 --> 00:25:33,759 of Dallas at some point, like sooner than maybe he otherwise did. So 391 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:41,680 that's what I'll go with. I think Diangel Russell in LA just because he's 392 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,839 played really well this year for most of it, like hitting his pull up 393 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,079 threes, hit his catch and shoot threes. I think that if you just 394 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:52,839 let him run pick and roll with Anthony Davis like, he's going to be 395 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:56,160 a fine maestro for that you can. I don't want to say he can 396 00:25:56,160 --> 00:26:00,079 insulate him defensively, but just like you have Anthony Davis there and so and 397 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:03,519 maybe Jared Vanderbilt as well, and so I think he's gonna end up being 398 00:26:03,519 --> 00:26:06,880 big for the non Lebron minutes, especially when he's playing with AD. I 399 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:08,599 think he's gonna be big to open up the floor for the Lakers in general 400 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:15,079 during their top end minutes. And I just I think I never thought i'd 401 00:26:15,079 --> 00:26:18,359 beat a point where I'm higher on D'Angelo Russell than consensus, but I think 402 00:26:18,359 --> 00:26:21,359 we've reached it because people just kind of rid it off. It's like, 403 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:23,880 oh, it's fine that the Wolves traded him for Mike Conley, and I'm 404 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,960 sort of just like, you know, it might not be like Mike Conley's 405 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:32,480 olds, and it's okay, that's chemistry with Gobert and his body language might 406 00:26:32,519 --> 00:26:37,799 be better, but like D'Angelo Russell is higher ceiling at this point, and 407 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,839 that gives the Lakers just more of this debtonative nature where, yeah, I 408 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:45,160 guess things could technically go poorly because there's variability in his performance as well, 409 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:49,559 But if you're looking to actually make the play in and you have to finish 410 00:26:49,559 --> 00:26:52,799 ahead of three teams that are in front of you. Right now, it 411 00:26:52,799 --> 00:26:57,039 actually feels like this was a pickup that leaves you equipped enough to do that, 412 00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:00,839 because I think he helps you in so many different ways on offense that 413 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,480 I don't think that people are giving enough credit to. Yeah, I think 414 00:27:04,519 --> 00:27:11,079 that's that's fair. Russell is kind of a I don't know, divisive figure. 415 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:14,440 I guess because he does. He does a handful of things really well 416 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,440 like he is. I do like how he runs picking rolls and how he 417 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:19,839 can you know, pin defenders on his back and just slow down and play 418 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:23,200 at the pace that he wants to. That's like a real that's a real 419 00:27:23,279 --> 00:27:29,440 skill that you know. Maybe his you know, effort and certainly his defense 420 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:33,480 for long stretches like just isn't there. But I would like to think that 421 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:38,559 he's kind of in the perfect spot, like both in terms of his age, 422 00:27:38,559 --> 00:27:42,240 where he's at in his career, like his skill level, and his 423 00:27:42,279 --> 00:27:45,960 position with the Lakers where it's like you're the point guard, You're the third 424 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:49,000 best player though, so like you can go get yours when we need it, 425 00:27:49,039 --> 00:27:52,440 but really you just kind of need to make this offense run functionally, 426 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:56,880 and we have length and you know, enough good defenders behind you on the 427 00:27:56,920 --> 00:28:00,759 back line to sort of survive. Like it's sort of it takes a lot 428 00:28:00,799 --> 00:28:03,559 of like Okay, this makes sense, that makes sense, this will work 429 00:28:03,599 --> 00:28:07,200 like that that actually does that. That is going to have a have a 430 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:11,880 significant impact because I think like he kind of his positioned to be like the 431 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,839 best version of himself because of the surrounding talent and just like what he'll be 432 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:18,920 asked to do. And like now it's well, the Lakers clearly have like 433 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:22,039 a third guy. You know, he's maybe a low end third guy or 434 00:28:22,079 --> 00:28:26,119 not a perfect third guy, but if you're going from Westbrook to him, 435 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:29,440 it's not a one to one trade. But like Westbrook was not the third 436 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:34,079 guy, but Russell I think definitely can be. Let's see, oh I 437 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:38,960 got this is gonna be in your wheelhouse here. How do you Dan or 438 00:28:40,079 --> 00:28:42,880 a Pelicans fan, how do you feel right now relative to what you thought 439 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:48,160 about New Orleans in the preseason or even what you thought. I mean, 440 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:51,359 this makes it harder when they were like, oh my god, they're first 441 00:28:51,359 --> 00:28:55,359 in the West and then their second in the West, Like just where are 442 00:28:55,359 --> 00:29:02,160 you at? In your sort of enthusiasm or belief, like like bar graph 443 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:04,599 or like a rolling rolling average chart. You know, because it was pretty 444 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:10,200 high and there's still a lot of positives that you would take from this season, 445 00:29:10,599 --> 00:29:14,799 but it's not going to end. I don't think quite as as happily 446 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:18,119 as it maybe seemed like it was. But like, long term, your 447 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:22,319 outlook on the Pelicans is different in what way from what it was preseason or 448 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:26,400 during the year earlier. Okay, so long term outlook, how do you 449 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:30,720 feel if you're a Pelicans fan right now? I guess is this the shrunk 450 00:29:30,759 --> 00:29:33,400 down version of that question? I think you should probably feel unsettled because it's 451 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,720 just long term. I think you just look at it's like, oh, 452 00:29:36,839 --> 00:29:40,240 they still have all these tools to make trades. Trey Murphy has shown so 453 00:29:40,359 --> 00:29:42,640 much this season, you have diced and Daniels just has not played a ton. 454 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:47,319 But you notice the defensive ceiling could be you still have brandon Ingram. 455 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:48,839 There's so many options for them on the table, but you aren't getting to 456 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:52,079 a point where you're expecting the organization I guess to go into the luxury tax 457 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:56,599 because you have all this talent. But if that talent doesn't get part laid 458 00:29:56,640 --> 00:30:00,880 into like an actual payoff Berth because Zion is injured again and it makes you 459 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:03,440 wonder, like, how do you flesh out the rest of this team? 460 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:07,799 Like to scale ahead that if you just can't count on Zion playing in more 461 00:30:07,839 --> 00:30:12,039 than like how many games during any given regular season he's gonna be at right 462 00:30:12,079 --> 00:30:15,960 now, he's at twenty nine games. You might get he's getting forty. 463 00:30:17,079 --> 00:30:18,880 I don't think you know. Yeah, so if you can't, if you 464 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:21,480 can only count on him to play in half of your games every season, 465 00:30:21,759 --> 00:30:23,440 but can you even that's fine? If well, can we also count on 466 00:30:23,519 --> 00:30:26,640 him to be available in the playoffs? You don't know? I am so 467 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:30,839 if I scaled this on a one to ten, I was probably like a 468 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:37,920 nine point five on the Pelicans future. I'm more like a soft eight point 469 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:42,599 two at the moment because the Zion bugaboo is just it's there now, and 470 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,440 it's like we had the question of would you rather have Zion or John Moran? 471 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:48,319 You're not even allowed to ask that anymore in my mind, and this 472 00:30:48,359 --> 00:30:52,079 has come from someone who picks Zion. Yes, you can't ask that because 473 00:30:52,119 --> 00:30:56,319 John Moran is on the court more and Zion is not, and it sucks 474 00:30:56,519 --> 00:30:59,079 because we've seen what this team can be with him. But I also feel 475 00:30:59,119 --> 00:31:02,480 like they've kind of have hedged and have not really doubled down on what they 476 00:31:02,559 --> 00:31:04,640 might need most around him, where it's like, hey, you need more 477 00:31:06,039 --> 00:31:08,279 higher volume, functional shooting, and it's like the CG. Mccollins trade was 478 00:31:08,359 --> 00:31:11,599 nice, that helped your shooting, but like, he's not this high volume 479 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:15,359 off ball three point shooter. You didn't go out and get that guy at 480 00:31:15,359 --> 00:31:21,400 the trade deadline, and you still I just feel like you haven't leaned into 481 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:25,400 the perfect front court model with him either. It's still been Jonas found Junas 482 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:27,480 is there, we have Larry Nance Junior, Willie Herning Gomez, and Jackson 483 00:31:27,519 --> 00:31:30,880 Hayes is there. They still should have been a team that should have been 484 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:32,480 in on Miles Turner. I know there people that think that you want to 485 00:31:32,519 --> 00:31:34,000 found Stunas is flat out better. He's not not for this team. He's 486 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:37,119 just he's not. And the other thing I don't want to hear anymore. 487 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:41,559 I'm the Pelicans have all this depth, I would say, given how much 488 00:31:41,599 --> 00:31:45,799 time Zion has missed, even relative to how herb is redressed on offense and 489 00:31:45,839 --> 00:31:48,519 the time he's missed, how much time Bred and Ingram has missed. The 490 00:31:48,559 --> 00:31:53,720 Pelicans are kind of a disappointment because teams would kill to have this supporting cast 491 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:59,119 without Zion if they're or without their best player, and the Pelicans are just 492 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,960 like they've been terrible on offense without Zion. The defense has been met, 493 00:32:02,279 --> 00:32:05,839 and then now you have Bi playing well, you're still not winning games. 494 00:32:05,839 --> 00:32:09,279 There. It feels like there's something fundamentally broken with the process here, where 495 00:32:09,279 --> 00:32:14,960 it's they haven't committed to a concrete direction in terms of building their team. 496 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:16,559 It's they have a great team on paper, but it's sort of like you 497 00:32:16,599 --> 00:32:20,759 look at it and say, well, there's still these glaring needs and they've 498 00:32:20,799 --> 00:32:23,400 just elected not to address them yet. Is that out of fear because they 499 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:25,960 don't know what to expect from Zion or they really think, well, we 500 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,920 were in first place in the West for like two days this year or whatever 501 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:32,279 it was, which I kind of get that. I'm, like I said, 502 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:36,960 still incredibly bullish on their future, but not as much as I was 503 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:40,319 a couple of months back. Yeah, I think I'm in the same place. 504 00:32:40,519 --> 00:32:45,599 I think it sort of comes down to like just how heavily you weigh 505 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:51,960 everything like other than Zion's injury, because almost everything else is positive, Like 506 00:32:52,039 --> 00:32:54,200 even the other injuries to the players, you know, Ingram or whoever else, 507 00:32:54,319 --> 00:32:57,720 is like, well, we were still really good and we missed a 508 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:00,359 bunch of guys. We still have all this s depth, we have all 509 00:33:00,359 --> 00:33:02,559 this these picks piled up. We still have you know, guys like Daniels 510 00:33:02,599 --> 00:33:06,920 that I think, and Trey Murphy and Herb Jones and all these like rookie 511 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:10,799 scale contracts that are just like Jose Alvarado that these are real NBA players that 512 00:33:10,839 --> 00:33:15,440 are young and that are going to develop, and like everything is is angling 513 00:33:15,519 --> 00:33:20,079 up and there's all this potential and that's all awesome. That's like, you 514 00:33:20,119 --> 00:33:25,880 know, just almost everything has has like shown promise and then it's but then 515 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:30,839 you weigh it against Zion's hurt again, like this is now it's been every 516 00:33:30,839 --> 00:33:35,359 single year. It's all in the lower right side of his body. So 517 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:38,119 it's like if you're it's not even a conspiracy theory if you're suspicious, but 518 00:33:38,119 --> 00:33:42,480 it's like, well, this all is close enough to being related to where 519 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:46,240 it's like this could just be continually degenerative and nothing ever works right again, 520 00:33:46,599 --> 00:33:51,279 and it's like, I don't know, I'm so bad at like analogies of 521 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:55,240 like like this, but it's like you have an awesome car that sits in 522 00:33:55,279 --> 00:33:59,240 the driveway that has all the bells and whistles you want, and like it's 523 00:33:59,279 --> 00:34:01,880 paid off everything and it's great, and it's like except like half the time 524 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:07,119 you get in it, it doesn't start. And that's like that's how fundamental 525 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:09,880 Zion is to the team to where everything else can be great. But if 526 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:14,480 this one thing that has been like your biggest fear from the moment you drafted 527 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:17,920 the guy is going the bad way, which like it seems like it is, 528 00:34:19,519 --> 00:34:22,159 then I don't know how much the rest of that matters. So I 529 00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:25,199 guess it's just if you think that this is a blip and Zion can be 530 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:29,239 counted on for fifty sixty games a year, then you should be over the 531 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:32,000 moon because that might be all it takes. But if if that's not how 532 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:36,480 it's going to go, then the rest of the ship doesn't really matter because 533 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:40,079 you know your ceiling is set and it's not high. If you're just if 534 00:34:40,079 --> 00:34:44,960 you have a max salary superstar that just isn't going to play, So I 535 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:46,360 don't know. I wanted to test that on you because you've been higher on 536 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:51,599 them all along than I have. And that's just because I'm a relentless pessimist 537 00:34:51,679 --> 00:34:54,599 that always thought Zion would get hurt. So, you know, this is 538 00:34:54,639 --> 00:34:58,719 a low hanging fruit question. I covered it in detail on a previous podcast 539 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:04,280 with the Timeline Pod. But is the Kevin Durant fit in Phoenix going to 540 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:07,599 be seamless? What do we expect from them moving forward? Are they one 541 00:35:07,639 --> 00:35:12,880 of the two or three most or foremost title favorites right now as a result 542 00:35:13,039 --> 00:35:15,000 of this trade. It's also theoretical. Even as we were recording this, 543 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:19,639 there was the news that he's not going to make his debut on Friday. 544 00:35:19,679 --> 00:35:22,800 It's gonna be Sunday or Wednesday. It's like you're even winnowing down the sample 545 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:25,800 you have further. And so is there any concerns, as someone who's removed 546 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:30,480 from the Sun's bubble about how well they're gonna fare right off the bat? 547 00:35:30,199 --> 00:35:36,760 I just don't have any. I think he's fit into situations that were harder 548 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:38,519 to fit into, like with the Warriors, like that, you gotta learn 549 00:35:38,559 --> 00:35:42,800 how to play in that system. It's not quite there's nothing quite so complex 550 00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:47,599 with the Suns, even in Brooklyn, like trying to play with briefly Harden 551 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:52,119 Irving, like that's those are challenges that like, that's harder, I think, 552 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:57,440 really, And Durant probably is like the most fittable scalable we overuse. 553 00:35:57,559 --> 00:36:00,000 It's not quite applicable here, but he's like he fits everywhere because there's just 554 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:05,480 there's nothing he does that gets in the way of anybody, like because if 555 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:07,760 he can take a shot, it's probably a good shot, so it's not 556 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:10,280 like he's jacking up. You know. Low percentage looks, so no, 557 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:15,039 I don't have any concerns about that. And I do think I think a 558 00:36:15,159 --> 00:36:19,719 low percentage Kevin Durant, look, is it a path Yeah, basically yeah, 559 00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:22,519 if he just takes a shot clock violation and that's a low percentage, 560 00:36:22,719 --> 00:36:27,360 So yeah, I think I think Phoenix if I had to pick a West 561 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:30,480 team to make the finals right now, it's which is stupid because he still 562 00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:32,559 hasn't played, but I would pick Phoenix to represent the West in the finals. 563 00:36:32,599 --> 00:36:37,599 I think him and Booker are just about as good as it gets and 564 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,000 they'll figure the rest out. That's so yeah, I have my concern level 565 00:36:40,119 --> 00:36:45,119 is real, real low. For how many offenses would you take over Phoenix's? 566 00:36:45,199 --> 00:36:51,199 I mean maybe Denver, I'm not sure where else. I yeah, 567 00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:57,880 that might be maybe maybe maybe they just don't have I mean just like in 568 00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:01,480 a playoff series though, where it's like I'm so much more worried about I 569 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:05,760 got to devote all these resources to Devin Booker, and so we're gonna leave 570 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,199 Kevin Durant single covered or not shade everything to him. Where if it's like 571 00:37:08,599 --> 00:37:13,960 Fox and Sabonis, you can you can cram. You can try to just 572 00:37:14,079 --> 00:37:16,599 throw three bodies at the pick and roll and then hope that Kevin Herder and 573 00:37:16,639 --> 00:37:21,119 the Leak Monk don't hit everything. Like that's there's a there's a pathway there 574 00:37:21,159 --> 00:37:23,320 for me. I will say. My concern is DeAndre Ayton, who's been 575 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:28,880 playing a lot better lately, carbon made to be in this role with these 576 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:31,280 other three guys in the court. Is he going to enjoy that? And 577 00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:36,440 I think it's easy that I mentioned this on the podcast with the Timeline guys. 578 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:38,800 He's been paid and so it's like, do you really need to like 579 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:44,679 test this higher usage stuff? No, but I'm with you. That should 580 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:47,639 sort of eradicate this. However, there's just been reports that he was not 581 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:52,239 pleased with management and how all the contracts stuff played out, which I get. 582 00:37:52,559 --> 00:37:55,320 So you've now botched the extension talk, but I'll use botch. But 583 00:37:55,360 --> 00:38:00,280 he's now he wasn't thrilled with how the extension talk played out, obviously not 584 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:02,639 there with how free agency played out. He had to go get his own 585 00:38:02,679 --> 00:38:07,719 offer sheet. Then okay, yes he's been paid, but you just all 586 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:12,719 the reporting is they tried like hell to include him over Michael Bridges and the 587 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:15,960 Kevin Durant trade. There's the element of well, it's just it's Kevin Durant. 588 00:38:15,039 --> 00:38:20,599 Let's like you. But they so clearly wanted to move you instead of 589 00:38:20,679 --> 00:38:23,599 Michael Bridges. Just how does that sit? And so he becomes his wild 590 00:38:23,599 --> 00:38:25,920 card for me. He's all of a sudden, I've said this to you, 591 00:38:27,039 --> 00:38:29,800 I said this on that pod. He might be the most important defender 592 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:31,519 in the NBA right now, just based off what you gave up. I 593 00:38:31,519 --> 00:38:35,719 know, Kevin Rantz had a great defensive year. Josh Akogi has been shooting 594 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:37,199 a trillion percent from three, So now you can keep him on the four 595 00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:40,159 teams, but they need him. We've seen him in the playoffs for two 596 00:38:40,199 --> 00:38:44,599 years basically play really well on the defensive end, Like you need him to 597 00:38:44,639 --> 00:38:49,199 be dominant on the defensive end now, and you need him to be engaged, 598 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:53,719 effective and consistent basically on offense, and that's something he's like that just 599 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:59,679 might be the I don't think I've ever swung high low for a player as 600 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:04,559 much I have for DeAndre Aten and that might just be his stasis is turbulence. 601 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:07,559 I think, like, yeah, it's terrifying, especially for a team 602 00:39:07,599 --> 00:39:13,480 that we think has the potential Phoenix does to absolutely need buy in from a 603 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:17,840 guy that has not seemed bought in for like very important. So, yeah, 604 00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:22,840 that's a great point. He is like a point, but we know 605 00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:25,239 it's in there. We know he can be a big minute center on a 606 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:29,800 team that freaking makes the finals and it's like looks like they're gonna win it, 607 00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:32,519 Like that's it's there. I also wonder like it does even like him 608 00:39:32,519 --> 00:39:36,400 and Michael Bridges we're pretty tight. It's even Michael Bridges was pretty tight with 609 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:38,599 everybody I know. He was like probably most tight with Cam Johnson. Does 610 00:39:38,639 --> 00:39:43,280 that impact him at all? We're sort of like there's things him and Devin 611 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:49,079 Booker a similar age, but there's almost like this generational gap still between CP 612 00:39:49,239 --> 00:39:53,480 three, k D and then eight and and then there's this classist gap between 613 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:57,559 Booker, CP three and Kevin rad who are like part of the Superstars club 614 00:39:57,599 --> 00:40:01,239 and Deandret and isn't, And so that that sort of does worry mate too. 615 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:06,679 Yeah, And also, just like you traded two very good vibes guys 616 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:09,480 in the locker room for Kevin Durant for as much as he loves hoop and 617 00:40:09,599 --> 00:40:15,039 needs to be like immortalized for that apparently and just wants to play basketball, 618 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:19,360 the past two locker rooms he have left have not been on like s been 619 00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:22,360 in Great States. Yeah, that's fair, And certainly I don't know if 620 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:25,440 I blame him for the Brooklyn one, but like he was the problem with 621 00:40:25,480 --> 00:40:29,960 the Warriors that last year, like he also did. I don't care whether 622 00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:31,360 how he meant it or if he apologist, but he basically had that interview 623 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:36,000 with Chris Hans's like I'm playing with fucking Edmund Sumner. That's how am I 624 00:40:36,079 --> 00:40:39,280 supposed to look bad? Look, Okay, this is my last one to 625 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:45,199 you what's the buyout acquisition that's gonna matter the most and framed against the historical 626 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:50,880 precedent of like buyouts almost never matter, Like there there's like Kevin Pelton's written 627 00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:52,320 about it. A lot of people have discussed it where it's just like we 628 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:57,280 get all amped up in the post trade deadline glow, wondering like oh, 629 00:40:57,320 --> 00:41:00,880 who's gonna Oh but what if this guy hits them market or what you know, 630 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:06,119 Westbrook's gonna start for the Clippers, Like we get a little over zealous. 631 00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:07,920 But there have been a lot of buyouts this year, like an unusual 632 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:10,760 number. I think it's nine or ten guys, and most of them are 633 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:16,159 names people actually know. This is a little bit different than it's been in 634 00:41:16,199 --> 00:41:20,840 the past. I know my answer. I'm afraid it's gonna be yours. 635 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:23,480 But but who's gonna who have the buy guys that have been bought out that 636 00:41:23,519 --> 00:41:28,480 we know where they're going. Who do you think is actually gonna like do 637 00:41:28,559 --> 00:41:31,840 something that matters? If anybody by matters, do you mean detrimental too? 638 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:37,719 Like its positive? Positive? This is a tough question. Can I'll give 639 00:41:37,719 --> 00:41:40,360 you mine if you want, Yeah, go ahead. I think is it 640 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:44,320 gonna be Danny Green. No, he's my number two. I think it's 641 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:47,800 Kevin Love. And it's just assuming he gets to Miami. I still am 642 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:51,960 so hung up on he was second. He not get to Miami. But 643 00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:59,159 yeah he's there, Okay, well maybe his plane will get lost situation. 644 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:02,440 Yeah, it's fair. No one will ever know he Uh, it's just 645 00:42:02,519 --> 00:42:06,800 like he was second and six man voting. I mentioned that all the time 646 00:42:07,039 --> 00:42:09,320 last year. And it's just like he's not that much worse. He's just 647 00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:13,079 you know, like he's aging. He's a little slower, he's a little 648 00:42:13,119 --> 00:42:15,320 worse on defense, but he's not like a meaningfully different player from that guy. 649 00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:19,880 The calves have just sort of changed around him more so, I think, 650 00:42:21,320 --> 00:42:23,519 but specifically, like he's still going to be a threat to shoot the 651 00:42:23,519 --> 00:42:28,559 ball from the perimeter, and I it is tricky to figure out what you 652 00:42:28,599 --> 00:42:31,280 do defensively with him. Even if Bam Autobio can like solve a lot of 653 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:35,119 problems, it's just the defense is always gonna be a question. But the 654 00:42:35,119 --> 00:42:37,320 heat or ninth and three point in tenths per game, which is fine, 655 00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:39,880 but they're twenty eighth in percentage, So they just need somebody that's gonna get 656 00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:44,519 up four or five a game and make one or two or three, Like, 657 00:42:44,719 --> 00:42:46,840 just just that little bit is going to be a huge difference for them, 658 00:42:46,960 --> 00:42:52,000 especially since like otherwise, you know, Jimmy Butler operates inside the arc 659 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:54,679 Bam, Autobio doesn't shoot threes. So just to open things up for the 660 00:42:54,760 --> 00:42:58,960 other guys, if you can have love out there, maybe he's even you 661 00:42:58,960 --> 00:43:01,599 know, facilitating a little too, which would be crazy with Autobio out there 662 00:43:01,599 --> 00:43:05,360 at the same time, just to make a few threes. Like, I 663 00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:08,360 think it's not I think a little bit could go a long way from him 664 00:43:08,360 --> 00:43:13,119 in that specific regard and the heat or a team that they're seventh in the 665 00:43:13,119 --> 00:43:15,800 East right now, just that little bump might be the difference between having to 666 00:43:15,840 --> 00:43:19,960 go through the play in and getting to like probably not fourth, but like 667 00:43:20,239 --> 00:43:24,000 could get to fifth pretty easily. So that he's my pick there. I 668 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:27,800 don't really have an answer. I want to say Danny Green with Cleveland just 669 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:30,000 because of the experience that he's going to bring to the playoffs. But is 670 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:32,400 there with the way that a Coral has been playing and Lavert's been playing, 671 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:36,760 Like, what is the guarantee I'm just playing time. I could also see 672 00:43:36,800 --> 00:43:38,800 it being Reggie Jackson in Denver a little bit? Does he improve? There 673 00:43:38,840 --> 00:43:42,199 was a minute where it looked like the bench minutes, we're gonna be okay, 674 00:43:42,360 --> 00:43:45,280 and they suck again for Denver and just does he bring some steady He 675 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:50,519 brings steadier shooting the Bones Highland, not the same like sort of multi level 676 00:43:50,639 --> 00:43:52,800 shooting, but maybe some steadier shooting. So could it be him? I 677 00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:55,559 also think there might be a case for Justin Holiday, sort of like a 678 00:43:55,599 --> 00:44:00,920 rehabilitation project in Dallas, if someone's just shown that he can defend like kind 679 00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:05,880 of one before they needed him to be like just some version of Justin Holiday 680 00:44:06,039 --> 00:44:08,320 badly. So like those would be my picks. But I think you're probably 681 00:44:08,440 --> 00:44:13,159 right on Love. I guess it could tactually be Russ. I just wouldn't. 682 00:44:13,159 --> 00:44:15,960 Don't think it's gonna Beverly. And there's no names that I'm sort of 683 00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:17,519 waiting on, like a thot. Gore on Dragic was going to be the 684 00:44:17,559 --> 00:44:21,880 guy that got bought out in Chicago after they added Beverly, but I guess 685 00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:24,360 with Lonzo being injured, they decided Tony Bradley was the way to go. 686 00:44:24,519 --> 00:44:28,039 I like, I don't see any other candidates. I thought, like, 687 00:44:28,119 --> 00:44:30,920 is there a chance Kelly Olenick would have gotten onto the open market because he 688 00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:34,199 only has a partial guarantee for next year and the Jazz aren't interested in winning. 689 00:44:34,480 --> 00:44:36,360 That would be a name to keep an eye on. But I imagine 690 00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:38,599 he's not going to be anywhere near the buyout market otherwise. I don't know 691 00:44:38,639 --> 00:44:43,760 that Miami would have gone after both Zeller and Love. Yeah, but like 692 00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:45,559 if he ended up Milwaukee or something like, that would be a game I 693 00:44:45,599 --> 00:44:49,760 don't like, that would be an absolute game changer. Oh my god. 694 00:44:49,840 --> 00:44:53,639 Yeah, no, good for Kevin Love. He matters again in the eyes 695 00:44:53,679 --> 00:44:59,360 of this podcast, apparently, So I have a but let mean there aren't 696 00:44:59,360 --> 00:45:02,599 at my last one. So my last question is going to be which team 697 00:45:04,639 --> 00:45:12,360 is more likely to make a significant change after this season if it does not 698 00:45:12,679 --> 00:45:22,840 end in a title, Denver or Memphis or even a frame this Which team, 699 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:25,159 to you is better equipped to win the title this year? I think 700 00:45:25,199 --> 00:45:29,440 we would both agree. Maybe we both wouldn't agree that it's Denver, but 701 00:45:29,480 --> 00:45:32,519 I think the level of pressure is different. And look, someone's this question 702 00:45:32,719 --> 00:45:37,599 to justify it was born from the fact that so many teams are gonna go 703 00:45:37,599 --> 00:45:40,039 home disappointed earlier because you're looking at all these teams in the West that have 704 00:45:40,119 --> 00:45:44,599 these aspirations, like some of them might lose in the first round. But 705 00:45:44,639 --> 00:45:47,000 if you're looking at Memphis losing, let's say they lose in the first round, 706 00:45:47,119 --> 00:45:51,719 eminently possible or even the second round, do they go and turn around? 707 00:45:51,760 --> 00:45:53,000 It's no, we're not blowing up our core, but we're trying to 708 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:57,760 get a hot We're gonna trade actual stuff for a high profile guy. If 709 00:45:57,760 --> 00:46:00,239 it's Denver that doesn't win the title, it's like, okay, we have 710 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:04,679 Yokis is a three time MVP. Like we've paid the luxury attack. Now 711 00:46:04,679 --> 00:46:08,320 we've paid our entire core. Like what is the move? Do we pull 712 00:46:08,400 --> 00:46:13,239 back? Is there a consolidation trade? So which team do you think their 713 00:46:13,280 --> 00:46:17,559 postseason, let's say their postseason and sooner than expected, which basically is the 714 00:46:17,559 --> 00:46:22,119 finals for both they have the despirations. Which one is more likely to make 715 00:46:22,159 --> 00:46:24,920 a major change? I think this is I think it has to be Memphis, 716 00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:30,239 and it's really more than anything because they can or it's easier for them 717 00:46:30,360 --> 00:46:35,440 then because Denver it's like, what do you do? You're like, you're 718 00:46:35,440 --> 00:46:38,119 not doing obviously you're not trading Yokis Like, that's like, don't even to 719 00:46:38,119 --> 00:46:43,639 say that your other options are, we're gonna try to turn Michael Porter Junior 720 00:46:43,679 --> 00:46:45,880 into something else, Like what's his trade value. I don't know that it's 721 00:46:45,920 --> 00:46:52,000 positive you're gonna swap out Jamal Murray. I don't think. I imagine if 722 00:46:52,079 --> 00:46:54,840 Yokich was consulted, he'd say, we're not going to do that, and 723 00:46:54,920 --> 00:46:58,360 I don't know what you'd get anyway, and then you're just tinkering on the 724 00:46:58,360 --> 00:47:01,079 margins. Memphis just like and I think it's much more likely by the way, 725 00:47:01,079 --> 00:47:06,280 that Memphis is the team that is, you know, more profoundly disappointed 726 00:47:06,280 --> 00:47:08,920 by how it does in the playoffs this year than Denver. But it's not 727 00:47:08,960 --> 00:47:14,400 just that you know, Memphis is going to finish here, this season will 728 00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:19,480 end sooner. It's that they have more tradeable contracts, they have picks. 729 00:47:19,559 --> 00:47:23,480 They it's just like it's just easier to change. But on the flip side, 730 00:47:24,159 --> 00:47:28,239 like they are the younger team, they are the team that, if 731 00:47:28,280 --> 00:47:32,079 they're being totally rational about it, should say, well, let's have a 732 00:47:32,079 --> 00:47:36,280 little bit of progress here and then next year we're gonna all be better, 733 00:47:36,400 --> 00:47:38,760 right, And so maybe we shouldn't do anything. But they just have the 734 00:47:38,800 --> 00:47:43,000 means to do it, and I think they're more likely to be disappointed than 735 00:47:43,039 --> 00:47:45,920 Denver. So it's a tricky question. It's an interesting question. I think 736 00:47:45,960 --> 00:47:50,480 it's probably them, though I have the same question between the Sixers and the 737 00:47:50,559 --> 00:47:55,119 Heat their postseasons and earlier than expected, which team is more likely to make 738 00:47:55,199 --> 00:48:00,280 major changes? Well, we talked about it a little bit before. I 739 00:48:00,320 --> 00:48:02,719 think the Sixers might be more likely to look different, but it's like, 740 00:48:02,760 --> 00:48:06,760 are they making a change if Harden just opts out and leaves. I don't 741 00:48:06,760 --> 00:48:09,519 know. But the Heat, though, the Heat hate this, right, 742 00:48:09,639 --> 00:48:16,159 they hate they They're they just they don't like hanging around the you know, 743 00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:22,239 six five, six seven range of the playoffs with Kyle Lowry's salary just like 744 00:48:22,840 --> 00:48:29,280 just a massive albatross. Now, I think the Heat are typically the better 745 00:48:29,360 --> 00:48:34,559 bet to like, Okay, here's here's the massive sign and trade for the 746 00:48:34,599 --> 00:48:37,920 off season or something like that. They seem more likely, just based on 747 00:48:37,960 --> 00:48:43,119 their history, to just make some some wild swing. I think I'm with 748 00:48:43,159 --> 00:48:45,719 you because I don't buy into the hardened to Houston stuff as much as everybody 749 00:48:45,719 --> 00:48:50,000 else. I think that I think maybe he'll sign a shorter term deal than 750 00:48:50,000 --> 00:48:52,239 people are expecting. With Philly, I think that's how it ends up. 751 00:48:52,519 --> 00:48:54,159 But like, if they lose in the first round, then maybe anything's on 752 00:48:54,159 --> 00:48:59,159 the table. I think it's probably more likely that Joel and bad To requests 753 00:48:59,159 --> 00:49:02,239 a trade than James and leaves Philly on his own accord. That's a hot 754 00:49:02,280 --> 00:49:05,920 one. I don't know. Yeah, I mean we do need to start 755 00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:09,119 thinking about what superstars are going to ask for the next be the next player 756 00:49:09,119 --> 00:49:14,920 to ask for a trade. But yeah, I guess like because the thing 757 00:49:15,000 --> 00:49:19,599 is, the Heat don't really have realistic, you know, conference finals aspirations, 758 00:49:19,599 --> 00:49:22,400 but the Sixers for sure do, and so the potential to be more 759 00:49:22,480 --> 00:49:28,840 disappointed and therefore more like we got to change something is probably greater for the 760 00:49:28,880 --> 00:49:31,800 Sixers. This was fun and I feel like pretty quick moving for us. 761 00:49:31,800 --> 00:49:34,880 I don't know if any questions we got to, but I think we did 762 00:49:34,880 --> 00:49:37,400 like eight. So do you want to take us out of here? Yeah? 763 00:49:37,639 --> 00:49:40,119 As always, everybody, thanks for listening. If you have not already, 764 00:49:40,199 --> 00:49:45,599 please follow us, rate, subscribe, just get in get in with 765 00:49:45,679 --> 00:49:47,920 us everywhere you can on YouTube. If you haven't already, follow us on 766 00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:52,079 our socials on Twitter and TikTok Instagram. Check us out on our discord. 767 00:49:52,159 --> 00:49:55,360 Join our discord so you can be part of the conversation. It's always a 768 00:49:55,360 --> 00:50:00,639 good conversation. We get a lot of good questions from there. And also, 769 00:50:00,840 --> 00:50:02,519 you know, we always say tell your friends. I would like you 770 00:50:02,599 --> 00:50:07,159 to tell a stranger, just like, find a person that you don't know 771 00:50:07,280 --> 00:50:10,519 and say, listen to the Hardwood Knox podcast Greg Review, subscribe and just 772 00:50:10,559 --> 00:50:14,519 see what they say, and you know, maybe they'll tell free friends and 773 00:50:14,519 --> 00:50:19,000 then we'll be the most popular podcast in the world if that continues. But 774 00:50:19,079 --> 00:50:22,800 as always, we close in addition to telling you to talk to strangers with 775 00:50:22,840 --> 00:50:25,440 a shout out to Frank Millikina and an apology. It's a Jaray