What is krack Alak and part theos listeners, I am Dan Valley coming out
can help my vantabulous co host Adam Cromwell. I am now ever, super
excited to be joined by first time guest Jason Maples. He's an assistant coach
for the Contra Costa College men's basketball team. He's a head coach of the
Red and Black AAU program, and he's also the host of the Temple of
Hoop podcast, which is also a Blue ire podcast, So go check him
out Temple of Hoop. It's fund. Him and his co host Kings have
a have great chemistry. He comes on, we talk about our most interesting
players and teams to watch for the rest of the year. We did We
did talk about the Lakers for a little bit, even though neither of us
have them on our list, just because Jason has an extensive history rooting for
the Lakers covering the Lakers, so we just we talked about them for a
little bit. But we also got into some Pelicans, some Spurs, some
Mavericks, some Nicks. We ran the gamut here. It was a fun
conversation, so I hope you enjoy it. Just our usual housekeeping notes,
Please remember to rate, review and subscribe to us wherever you're getting your podcast.
If this is your first time checking Hardwoo Knox out, maybe because you
are a devout follower of all things Jason Maples, I urge you to throw
us that permanent subscription. We are a pleasantly thorough and seriously un serious operation,
and we think that you'll enjoy us permanently. Thank you to all our
recurring listeners, You guys are awesome. If you have not rated, reviewed
us yet wherever you get your podcast, though, please remember to do that.
Also, remember to follow us on social media everywhere. All the links
are in the podcast description. We're on Instagram, Twitter at Hardwood Knox,
TikTok as well YouTube, and we have a discord channel, so come.
There are a lot of good conversations that happen in there. We'll hopefully be
doing more stuff with Discord moving forward as well. The link is in the
podcast description as well. Without further delay, though, let's get to lots
and lots and lots of interesting NBA talk with Jason Maples. Jason, thank
you so much for agreeing to come on the Harvard Knox podcast. The first
time I pestored you and you said yes. So I am one and one
on request for you. How are you doing today? I'm good man.
Like I said before, Man, I always love, you know, talking
basketball with people who I interact with on a timeline and I respect me or
something. I'm looking forward to this. I have two quick tangents about you
or three, I guess. One congrats on a good season. I was
listening to Temple Hoop the other last week. I know you guys lost.
He said, you made to the sweet sixteen. That's pretty impressive, so
congrats on that. The other thing, I consider myself NBA Twitter adjacent,
but you seem very embedded in like Pelicans and Lakers Twitter. And explained to
me the because I don't know the origin of okay. So so I'm a
Laker fan first and foremost. I was always going to be the home team.
Brandon Eager was my favorite player. I've been riding him, you know,
through the dark times. So when he got traded, you know,
I just I do root for the Pelicans when I'm not playing the Lakers,
so I do roo hard for them. This season feels like it might be
a little bit of an intersection coming with that playing game potentially, but we'll
see what happens. But that's all it is. My favorite player plays for
the Pelicans, so I support them and you know, try to want them
to do well, but it's always Lakers first, no matter what. I
did bring you on under the guys of discussing the players and teams that were
most interested in seeing for the rest of the year, but I forced Pelicans
Lakers into that umbrella, and the Pelicans are actually one of the teams for
me. So I'm just curious as if you have any overarching thoughts on their
season. I'd love to hear those. But I was first and foremost curious
about what you thought about the the CJ McCullum fit in New Orleans since the
trade deadline. It's been great. I've been begging for a while now for
him just get another guard who can create, and they got a high,
high level one. My concern was actually the defense, but they've actually defended
very well with Ingram and CJC court together, which has been a pleasant surprise.
But I've just has been an over you know, pleasant surprise with CJ.
But what I didn't know was how good of a playmate he was.
He's a very good playmaker passer. I think a lot of that was Verry
playing alongside Dames games always going to be the number one there, so he
tried to took a back seat, and I regard, you know, for
the betterment of the team. But he's definitely got some better playmaking chops than
I thought. So that's been pleasant to watch, but overall, just very
pleased. If that team can never get some good luck health wise, man,
they could be really good. They gets zied up right, and then
you got Ingram who's playing probably best ball of his career, catches a fantom
not a fan of, but he got his hamstring at you can't even see
it on during the game when he tweaked it right. And then though CJ
catches COVID at the end of an end of the pandemic. Just bad bad
luck all around. But you know they're hitting top in that tamp spot,
so you know, we'll see what happens. Did you think people were overthinking
that trade in the first place. We just trolled the Pelicans for trying to
use cap space and missing on Kyle Lowry, right, and the sweeping response
was, why would you waste all this flexibility on Cegie? McCullum. It
was like sort of a we can't have this both ways. I just don't
use flexibility is like a huge asset in the New Orleans market. I was
just gonna say that. I think I think a lot of times on the
NBA Twitter, I think people would just like to breathe the contrarian right because
it just brings engagement, and you know, all controversy, you know,
it brings attention. But I think you know, they made they swung for
Lowry and Chris Paul and the off season whipped badly, had the Salvage losing
Linzo, with the DeVante Graham signing which you hadn't worked out great. They
really need a guard and I think the best way for a small market team
is not a free agent. You know, to bring guys in and convince
them to stays through through trades. You know, you trade for CJ.
You sell him in the area, try to give him to win and you
know commit you know, a long term there and then his contract is zeph
you know when Zion and Ingram's extension kicks in. So if it's not working
out by then, you know, it's easy decision to make. But you
know, you can't. You can't fault them for this trade at all.
And and I've been a very critical of Griff over the last few years,
but you can't follow him at all for that deal. In my opinion,
only only the ass that you gave up was you know, young Asse to
kill Alexander Walker, Josh Charges having a career year. But you got to
give up something when you're getting a player of CJ. Mcconoll's caliber. So
I think it's a trade that's gonna work out for both teams, honestly.
Yeah. And it was, like you say at the top, he filled
such a clear need for them to see they had they were shooting backcourt in
the league. They needed CJ McColl who's come in and is shooting sixty plus
percent on twos outside the paint, right, Like that's like absurd, even
for CJ McCall. It's just it's just it's just, I mean a lot
of it is, you know, the leap that Ingram took as far as
playmaking and the attention he was getting, it just freezes up another guard who's
going to you know, make plays. I remember that there's a play against
Phoenix when they you know, b I started getting to going. They started
throwing the kitchen seeing this is the Phoenix thing, and they won a couple
of weeks ago out the one they got bowed out, and yesterday without Ingram,
of course, they tried to load up on Ingram on the front side
and he just kicked into the backside of CJ. And it's just one on
one, and you know he's gonna win that ninety percent at a time with
the skill set. So I'm just looking forward to stuff like that. And
then you sprinkle Zion and on top of that, this team could really be
something. They just can get these guys healthy on the floor at the same
time. And I also want to add a kudos a really green man because
you know that team started off one and twelve with no Zion. They definitely
could have let go of the rope. He just did not allow what to
happen. And you know they are they are playing, you know, good
basketball overall. A little bit of the tough stretch when Ingram went down,
but overall, since that one and twelve start, I think they've been,
you know, around a five hundred team if I'm in conqueran, which is
pretty tough given you know, not having zion, So that's that's good for
me. That's a perfect segue. It's my next two questions. You would
mentioned brandon Ingram playing career ball and the playmaking leap. What specifically have you
noticed that's different about like the passing numbers of course back it up, but
like what is he seeing or doing differently as a playmaker this year that he
hasn't in years past. I think he started last year. But the thing
I've noticed is he doesn't drive anymore with the preconceived action in his mind.
Like I think in his younger part of his career he would like, I'm
driving the score and then the shop and is going over with Groulston, I'm
driving a pass in the past of going over ground, I think he's reading
the game as it comes to him, and I think that's a huge step
to becoming a great playmaker, and you know a lot of guys don't reach
it. So I think it's a key milestone for him, as in,
I'm gonna drive and then whatever it defense gives me, I'm gonna take.
But it's hard because that you know, decision comes like this on NBA basketball,
right, so everybody doesn't get it. So I think him getting that
into his game is just gonna make him that much more deadly, especially like
I said, when Zion and CJ get together and they get some chemistry.
I think just having that in his game is gonna make him so much more
of a deadly player. I don't know how you're gonna defend an offense that
has Zion Williamson and see brand ingram like in it, But I just don't
I'm hoping. I don't know if we'll get to see this season. I
know you alluded to something in your live episode last week that maybe we'd hear
some good Zion Williamson news for a change or something. Yeah, I talk
to somebody who's kind of, you know, somewhat you know, tapped in
on the al skirts out there, and they said that possibly, maybe towards
the end of the month, you might hear some some good news about him
possibly trying to give it a go. It's just tough because they only have
six games in April. Then it's the playing if they make it, So
that's the only decision they got to make. Is it work? You know,
pushing them out there, We're just giving them the whole top the whole
offseason to rehab and wrest So we're at that at that kind of tipping point.
At this point, you got to make that decision. But I think
he's trending upward though. You know, he did come back as everybody saw
it. He's back with the team, which is good. So you know,
we'll see at the end of the month what they say, even looking
beyond this season, like what does a healthy Zion Williamson due to this Pelicans
team sealing? Like what would it be unrealistic if we're looking ahead the next
year. Let's just say he's fully healthy. Don't they feel like they could
maybe be a top four team in the West just based off what they've done.
Yeah, see, it's just you know what I think in theory,
but if you just you know, look realistically, So the Warriors are gonna
be there. You gotta understand, the Clippers are getting fifty five points of
getting back the next season. Denver's getting Porter and Murray back next season.
So I think, you know those are your top three. Phoenix is not
going to words. I think that's top four, and then you just you
can never count out Lebron and a d depending on what they do. In
obviously, so think those are your top five teams. Probably so I think,
like you know, a goal for them is to just try to avoid
the play in. I think a realistic goal it's trying to avoid the But
I just think the West it's gonna be too hectic next year to shoot for
top four is just you know, not realisticing with a couple of other teams
or are having to come back into the fold. Do you place any stock
in just the Zion Williamson shadow over the past year a year and a half
about his whether it's his conditioning, his commitment or lack thereof, to the
franchise, Like, do you read anything into that or do you think it's
been overblown? There's probably a little bit of both, right, whether there's
a little bit of smoke, you know, there's some fire, and then
also you know, people like to overdo things, So probably a little bit
of both from my opinion. But there's definitely been some you know, questions
about commitment and how you know, he and Griff don't see how to eye
on everything as far as you know, managing his minutes or him wanting to
play or non player things of that nature. But I think the accurate thing,
you know, being a Laker fan who was used to drama, you
know, winning silences all of that. You just have a successful team,
all that noise goes away. I think that's the bottom line. They just
gotta win, man, and all of that stuff, you know, kind
of takes care of itself, you know, the player, gen relationships,
whether or not even wants to be here. You know, if you win,
you know, all that solved, right, So that's that's got to
be the goal going forward. The only noise about Zion that I've actually really
enjoyed, and I think he kind of poo pooed it, was that report
that Griff tried to play the piano for him or something in the room.
I couldn't believe that that was a real thing, but I'm kind of upset
that maybe it wasn't, or at least Zion claims it wasn't. I wanted
that to be true, just because it's so ridiculous. I'll say this,
the guy who wrote that, Christian Clark, the stuff he's always told me
about Pelicans stuff, It's always coming to fruition or come to be true after
the fact. So I'm not gonna say that Christian not about anything. So
I'm gonna say at least he was told by the guys that he talks to
that that happened. So I'll say that, you know, even if Zion
and Griff said it didn't happen. But Christians have the type of guy to
put fake stuff out there. No, he's killed the Pelicans, be exactly
exactly. So I'm still going to hold out hope that was true, or
at least just because that's so ridiculous, right, just giving Zion's injury history,
if you're the Pelicans this offseason, are you offering the max extension?
And if you're Zion giving your injury history, are you are you taking it?
Yeah? I think with these stars, they seen between the hard and
saga, the Anthony Davis saga, the Ben Simmons saga. You know,
it's pretty easy to navigate your way out of a place if you wanted.
So where's coming to the worst? Hook? Secure his bag? If he's
not happy in a year or two, he'll probably just ask out. You
know that that's not a hurdle anymore for these guys. You know, I'm
not saying any you know, mental health issuess are made up, But these
guys will find a way to not play or you know, halfway be into
it and then you know, find a way to get out. That's kind
of what happens. Like you know, saw hard basically quit any game that's
Sacramento Kings game. Hard play before the trade something was that was one of
the worst things I've ever seen from from a corner unquote actually from he is
a Hall of Famer, from a Hall of Fame player who was supposed to
be, you know, have a standard of piety, plays and act like
that. That was one of the worst things I've ever seen, you know,
as far as wanting to get yourself out of a place that that was.
That was low key embarrassing to the sport. But you know, these
guys find a way to get out of place they don't want to be.
So I don't think it's a concern for Zion. I'll probably sign it and
then, like I said years, who's not happy trade me. I think
they're never going to be people who troll the Pelicans if and when they offer
it. And we have this tendency on Twitter whatever specifically where we just forget
how good players are if they've missed any extensive time Zion was basically an All
NBA player last year, Like you absolutely he was right, especially specially in
New Orleans too, right, You just don't you know, and that you
feel for that fan base to an extent because you know, you lose Chris
Paul and his prime, Anthony Davis and his prime, and he gets Zion
and you losing him before. That's just a lot over like a course of
ten twelve years. Man. I just I don't think I've ever seen you
know, talent walk out of a place, you know, at its peak
like that in a ten fifteen years pan. It's kind of crazy to think
about the Pelicans defense specifically you already mentioned they've been like league average since they're
terrible start. It's dipped since the trade deadline, but there's a lot of
stuff there, Like I'm not crazy about the Jackson Hayes and playing with another
big front course that we've seen, but they've done just like a really good
job of for the most part, gobbling up the low hanging fruit. If
it's like getting back in transition. The rebounding has been off lately, but
they've done that fairly well. Like what do you attribute to them? I
would say overachieving on the defensive end. If you're if you're calling them maybe
a league average defense for the year or close to it. How much credits
is Willie Green deserved to that? Is that like a mindset? Is there
anything specific that you've noticed? Is Herb Jones just that ridiculously good? Like
I think, I think it's a few things. I think when Willie first
got there, I think he got even he got you know, Brandon to
try on defense, which has you know, been a knock on Brandon.
Just the effort on that end has been not existing at times through his career
career. I think he definitely up the effort on that end. And secondly,
it's just Herb Jones is just he'll be all NBA defender before his career
is up. I'm gonna say in the next three years, Like that's how
good he is offensively. And then they have another guard, Jose Alvarado,
who is just pesky, you know, he makes stuff happen exact a lot
of guys that that just try hard. And I always thought that c j
was a little bit underrated defensively in Portland. He would just ask to guard
a lot bigger guys in his position, and I think you know, that's
kind of been rectified since he's come over, so you know he's he's not
a turnstyle defensively, you'll just just average. I think Ingrad has been average.
I think Herb has been really good. And you know JV struggles and
pick and roll, but you know he does finish possessions with rebounds and that
stuff doesn't matter, you know, cleaning up possessions at the end. So
I think it's all hands on deck board. I think that team understands that
if they can just get to league average of phimpally with the weapons they have,
you know, they'll be in every game. You mentioned. Jose Alvarado
is like a joy to watch. He is just there was it was garbage
time, granted against the Suns, but he was like derailed the Bizmoc Beambo's
roll to the basket. It's just six foot guy like fronting Bisco. It's
just he's so much fun to watch. Yeah, he's just unique and unique.
Guys like that. You know, when you build a culture, you
know what I mean, you need guys like that. We're gonna, you
know, establish a work ethic for everybody who comes in. And I think
you know, that's what he does, Herb Jones does, and Willie Green
is you know done as the head coach. But having guys in the roster
who are gonna claw and scrap every day, you know, sets a tone
for everybody else. And I think that stuff, that intangible stuff matters when
you're trying to, you know, build something from scratch, which which is
what New Orleans is trying to do, trying to just reset a basketball culture
there. So all that stuff matters. My final question on the Pelicans,
we know they're missing Zion. Aside from Zion, is there just like a
specific need, whether it's a specific player or player archetype that you think they
need to try and add over the off season or at least to like reach
that next level in the West. Yeah, I think, and I said
this, I think then underrated part of that deal was getting Larry Nash.
He's gonna start scrimmaging next week according to some reports I've read. And I
think it's adding a versatile front line guy who can give him a different look
when you know, uh, Jonas starts getting killed and pick and roll.
They don't have that right now because is just Hayes and yonis and Herning go
mess and those guys are you know, pretty much the same defensive. You're
gonna sit and drop, not gonna get out and switch, so you know,
you know, same attack metment for the opposition. I think Larry Naz
gives you a little more switchability and versatility on defense once he gets out there.
So I think that's going to really help them, you know, take
another half step, you know, defensively at some point other than that man
probably just you know, they can always choose more shooting man and another guard
who can shoot. You know, the shooting is the that's the name of
the game and the name man. Can you stretch his floor and make him
when it matters? So you know, be nice with Vante. Grant could
become a fishing But it's just this is not him me and year four now,
he's just that's just who he is. He's a streaky guy, is
there. And I know he's been shooting better since the trade deadline, but
he just still doesn't play that much, like is there, like Trey Murphy
the third like still part of this team's like long term plan. I was
really excited about him, I think, so. I think part of it
is I think when I talk to people, when I asked him, I
think Willy's kind of making him earn his keep a little bit. And I
think that's just part of a rookie, you know, making his way in
the league. I think Willie himself was you know, a lay pick,
a scrapper. So I think you know, guys like you know, Naji
Marshall and Tony Snell maybe may appeal to him a little more than the than
the first round rookie, you know what I mean. But I think eventually,
you know, trade, his talent's gonna show. He's gonna sit those
guys down. I think this is a good learning experience from I thinking he's
an Ingram has actually talked to the needy about you know, keeping him locked
in every day and having him to understand the bigger picture about what's coming for
him and not be too down on what's happening right now. So I think
he's definitely a part of the long term picture. I normally don't like to
torture my guests, but I do have a few questions on the Lakers man.
I mean, you know, I tell people that I just you know,
my company line right now as they stink but I'll definitely go further into
detail if you wish. Is I think the general question is can this season
be salvaged like any extentopop. I think the absolute ceiling is they you know,
went to play in. Its still gonna have to beat the Clippers.
I think whoever loses that Clippers, that Clippers Timberwolves game, it's gonna be
a tough matcher for the Lakers regardless. I think you almost want to play
against the Timberwolves more so than the Clippers because tylu kind of has the Lakers
number since he's been in the Clippers. It's the absolute seiling is win the
play in and then you know, walk the plank against Phoenix. Man,
That's that's the absolute seiling for this season. And just try to get an
offseason. Man. You know, you got a D and you got Lebron.
You know there there could be worse being a box to build around.
Those are two solid, you know, foundational pieces and you got to go
from there. And Number one, pray to Anthony Davis is able to stay
healthy for you know, for watch of his career without a four month break.
Yeah, that would be awesome. I still there's like the part of
me that says, if Anthony Davis is healthy, I don't want to see
him in Lebron in round one. But like that feels like such a last
year. Take this year. If I'm Phoenix, That's what I'm saying.
I just it's like whatever, I mean, the rest of that team is
so ill fitting and bad it just doesn't matter. Even the guys like so
Maleague Monk's been a great story, you know, Reeves has been a great
story. But in the playoff series against the team that just went to the
finals and it's pissed off because they didn't win and wants to get back is
obviously I mean, do you really trust those guys to, you know,
give Lebron and a d what they need over the course of seven games,
you know what I mean. It's just you gotta be realistic at some point
with the expectations here. So I mean, it's salvage for me is win
the play in and you know, get some national TV games in the playoffs.
That's it. How just should blame be doled out for this for this
entire situation? See here's my thing about that. I really don't care.
I mean, and I tweet you at this morning I was like, all
this stuff about whose part is, it doesn't really matter. Just get it
fixed in the offseason. Man. You just obviously the Westbrook trade was awful.
Letting Caruso go was awful. You gotta move, you gotta come up.
You gotta get off Westbrook somehow, some way to the lot high to
the lowest better, even if it's just for cap space or you know,
or spare park pieces. You know, anything is better than that, you
know what I mean. You might have to let go of Thht. It's
it's a bad fit. He needs to be on ball a little bit more
than what the Lakers will allow from him. You got to get another big
to play with, play with and spell Anthony Davis. They got one center
running team right now, and Lebron is playing the backup center and he's clearly
tired and gassed and feeling a wear and tear of it. So you just
you gotta address a few things in the off season. Man. They should
be planning for that stuff now. You know, it's not about this year
anymore. It's just a rap. I would argue that these two people aren't
responsible for why they're here, but it does feel most responsible. Excuse me,
but it does feel like Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel will be the two
heads to roll after this season where it's thirty US and then here's here's the
thing. So I tell people all this every time they ask me. It's
like I think the mistake people makes they try to put all the Lakers stuff
on one thing, right, it's not you know, it's it's it's a
cheap runt office. You know, Frank's are very stubborn coach Lebron and a
d did not come into the season, no all the way locked in,
and then Westbrood has not played well at all and just you know, all
that's I then on top of that they can't get healthy to get any continuity,
you know what I mean. So just like it's a cluster of a
whole bunch of things leading to this, you know, the disaster of a
season that you know we've seen a bold So there's a lot of things.
Anybody who blame it on just one thing, I think you're just being disingenuous
and don't want to acknowledge the other factors and just looking for a scapegoat.
In reality, they are probably like four or five skate goats to why the
Lakers are this way at this point. Yeah, it's like that's just not
I don't I don't care though, just fix you got an off season coming
up. Yeah, it definitely feels like just a bunch of wrongs compounded upon
each other. So if I put you in charge of the Lakers, and
I have no doubt that you would do a better job than the people that
are currently in charge of the Lakers, you're if you have the option of
it's either just move Westbrook and you're not really giving up too many sweeteners.
You're either doing it for just cheaper players on expiring contracts or maybe something like
there's not even enough cash based going around. But there's that route, or
there's the we're gonna attach every feasible pick and swap through Westbrook and actually trying
to get value out of this trade. Which route are you going? Knowing
that you are obligated to make the most of Lebron's window, but we're also
getting age thirty eight Lebron next year? All right? I think you try
to do it the first way, And again, I think Westbrook's a little
easier to move this offseason because it's an expiring deal, you know what I
mean, even if he opts in, it's an expiring deal. If he
opts out, he let you off the hook and you're good, right.
But I don't think he's opted in because I don't think he even gets a
ten million, ten million year offer if you ops out. So there's I'm
just you know, operating on the mind frame that he's opting in. It's
easier to deal in expiring deal. Forty seven. I think the just so
much money. I think a couple of teams have a lot of contracts they
know they want to unload. I think the NIXT have some contracts they want
to unload. Westbrook best sell tickets and nothing else. Uh okay, see
is always gonna take it might be a homecoming they can sell. You know,
they're always looking or picks. The Laders gott touched that, you know,
another first round pick to that. The Hawks have a lot of contracts.
Uh, you know, God's getting paid. They might want to unload
some stuff. So I think this is much more feasible for us to get
moved than people think, in my opinion, because it's an expiring deal.
People are always looking for campaspace and flexibility down the road. Yeah, and
then there's also if, depending on the team, if he's willing to negotiate
a buyout, that opens up other teams in the fold who don't necessarily want
him and are just doing it for if the Lakers are attaching a pick right
right, right, like the okay Ce route, which would be that would
be a terrible look if it was okay Se specifically. But are there any
silver linings that you can glean from this season for the Lakers moving forward?
I think Malague Monk showed that he is, you know, the keeper own
thing is the already saw Other teams can afford to pay him a lot more
than the Lakers can, So I think he's probably gone. We've showed you
he's at least a rotation player going forward. Lebron shows you he's still got
plenty left in the tank, even if only for another year or two.
It's enought to, you know, trying to put something around him and give
it one last shot. So I think those are are are good things.
You know, Mellow's been up and down. I think most of it's not
as far he's just playing too much. He's supposed to be a spot guy,
ended up playing around twenty minutes to night twenty five, which is way
too much for him at this age. But yeah, you know, Reeves
Monk Lebron showing you he still got some stuff left in the tank rather than
that man. You know what, in the second half of the season,
I think t h finally you know, turned the corner a little bit.
It was really rough the first half. I think the last you know,
a few weeks to a month, he's really turned the corner with his development
and just getting more aggressive and comfortable, you know, scoring the ball,
which is what you wanted to see from him, you know from the jump,
so you know, those things other than that man put the season the
rice man teach tea does not make sense as a human to me when you
watch him around, like the angles or the way his body around the basket
like it, I can't fathom it, but it's entertaining to watch. I
know you've talked about this team a bunch. Is there anything else that you
just man, he takes other takes the Lakers that you feel the need to
just get off right now. And Genie just can't be cheap man. You
got Lebron James, you could say money when he leaves, you know,
cut corners there. But right now you got to push the chips in.
Man. That that Caruso thing was was was a you know, that was
a symptom of a bigger problem to come. Man, everything can't be money
first. When you're making decisions to win, you know, you got to
spend to win. That's it is what it is, and that's all I
gotta say. He can't be cheap this soft season. They need a federal
government loan program to help them out with luxury taxes. That's what they need.
Man. So I asked you if we could go back and forth,
if you have some time on just some other teams and players that you're most
interested to watch me get through the stretch runt of the season. So who
who do you have? Who's on your actually have one in each conference with
the question. So in the West, for me, it's Dallas. I
think they're under the radar that that team is going to be extremely tough to
beat in the second game soon. So I know everybody's looking forward to the
second round matchup between you know, Phoenix and I mean between Memphis and Golden
State, Like I think everybody's looking forward to that two three matchup. But
I think, you know, I think Luca and Dallas will beat Utah in
the first round. I would, you know, go, So that's will
be my pick if they match up. But I think Phoenix Dallas in round
two is going to be a little more entertained than people think is going to
be one because Dallas defends so well, especially after that a rough start of
the season, and then two Dallas will have the best player on the floor,
you know, lad and close games, and I think that's always you
know, tricky to deal with, even as a favorite, the other team
as the best player and it's a close game, which you know, playoff
games tend to be more often than not. You know, things get tricky
down a stretch. So I'm definitely, you know, I think Dallas is
definitely going under the radar. You know, Jason Kid has done a tremendous
job. This dim witty trade has been a god sin. He looks like
a completely different player than he was in Washington. Another case of veterans and
location, me and everything, and I just I think that's going to be
a very entertaining second round series potentially, And then in the East for me,
it's it's uh, I hate him, man, But the Celtics,
Bro, it's just when you have a team again I'm leading on defense from
team of defense like that, and they have a superstar that's you know,
able and willing to close basketball games. It's just it's a it's a bear
to beat the team like that. Four teams out of fourth, times out
of seven, you know what I mean? The East for me is all
it's not about seeding for me. With me, it's all about matchups.
It's gonna be all about matchups with these because I think from round one on
you in for a battle, even as the one right, even as the
one or two seed, you could be playing you know, the nets,
and let's say the mayor messed around pools the mandate, all of a sudden
you got the full strength nets and a refreshed Kyrie. You can see the
fresh legs showing lately. For Kyrie does not dealt with any of the wear
and tear of the season. He's got completely fresh legs and he's just tearing
the league up right now. So imagine dealing with that and Katie and you're
the one seed and the two seed. You know what I mean? That
that's your that's your prize. Even imagine going through an eighty two game schedule
getting the first or the second seed, and you're what I'm saying, Kevin
Durant an Kyrie. It's not even just Kevin Durant. It's Kevin Durant and
Kyrie, That's what I'm saying. And then you know he didn't. You
never know about Ben. We'll see what happens with him if he plays.
I'm getting a little worried about that. But I think even for that next
year and then that's gonna really summon with him in the lineup. So I
think it's he's only twenty four, so it's it's a long term thing with
him at his age. But yeah, man, the Celtics for me,
because right now, let's say, you know, Philly has a really tough
stretch coming up, our posted schedule in the next two weeks. Let's say
Philly falls before and they got to get this, you know, scortching hot
Boston team in the first round in the four or five series. You know,
indeed, and hard could be going home and around one playing playing the
World team. And that's just how good the East is this year. Really
quickly on Dallas I skewered them for the Christos Porzingis trade, not because I
thought Porzingis was good, but because I thought Dinwoody was played so poorly this
season. Yeah, Davis Burton's was cooked. Bretons hasn't been necessarily great for
them, but you could just see the dynamic of their offense change when you
go from stationary Porzingis to Davison. Han's flying all around, right, and
then like you said, din what, he's shooting a trillion percent from the
floor. And so if you go into a playoff series where we've seen Luca
perform against the Clippers now twice, you have two other guys who can create
and Jalen Brunson's a little small. He struggled last year, but now you
had Dinwoody to that too. They absolutely might just be a tough out and
they're another team, as you also already mentioned, you don't look at them
on paper and like, oh, they're top seven defense and then oh shit,
they're a top seven defense, right, exactly right. And I think
that stuff like that when you wonder, like where the pieces are now you
got it. Tribute to the coach. I know Jason Kig caught a lot
of flat for his you know, past couple of coaching stops. But just
like players develop, you know, coaches do too. You know, they
learn things, they pick up things, you know, learn from their mistakes.
And he looks like he's got a pretty good hand on what he's doing
this season. So I have one form conference as well, and I promise
I'm not trying to be like too much of a nerd with this. I'm
fascinated by what the Spurs are doing because they're so like actually building now that
their guard rotation following the Derek White trade interests me, where they have Lonnie
Walker doing more, there's more ball screens for Devin Vassell, and I'm kind
of infatuated with Trey Jones, like he just has like this in between game
and can throw these nifty bounce passes. I don't know that they have an
actual tent pole star on that team, Jean Thy Murray included, but they
just have so many intriguing guys on the perimeter all of a sudden, including
Kelvin Johnson who's done more with the ball in his hands. They're a team
that I just like can't help but watch, even though if they make the
play in it's almost on Accis at this point, right, I think there
are two two games out right, So yeah, I just I've always been
in the GENA Mury. I believe I thought he was a steel you know,
late in that draft he did to have the A C. L injury,
so I think that's, you know, we'll force him to drop.
But yeah, man, actually the Spurs were actually, you know, in
solid playoff position. I think the genab all and B. I think he's
like the one guy in the team is probably going to be a star.
And I love Lonnie Walker. Man, I've been big on him. I'm
glad he's starting to turn the corner. I think that's probably why they traded
big right, just to open up some of the long gym there and get
the guys other opportunities. So you know, I'll be rooting against him as
a Pelican supporter and the Laker supporter fight for those last two spots, man,
But you know, I think I do think you do race deal points
about those guys. Those are those are all gonna be pretty good young players.
I think the Spurs just need Spurs are really good pieces. They just
don't have a guy. And maybe Murray turns into that. But they just
need a guy right now. That's why it'd be funny, is that they
just would have kept Kawhi. You know, they probably be a contended right
now with all there, or maybe if they didn't trade Kawai for de Rosen
and went the rout at that point, right, And I don't want them
to make the play. And I'm with you. I'd like to see what
this team does with like a really high lottery pick, because we've seen the
mind talent later in the draft lottery. It's like, let me see the
Spurs with like a top four pick. I just think Kawhi was their highest
picking like fifteen years. Rights, it's always late first round, late second
round, right, have they have? They had a lottery pick in the
last fifteen years. I think Facell was a lottery pick. No, my
misfy think. But nothing top ten though, right? Nothing top ten?
No? Yeah, no, they didn't one so much? Uh and then
the other team. And this is just because I'm a perennial self sabotager.
I am a Knicks fan. And it's sort of like the car crash theory
where you can't look away and I know they're playing the younger guys more to
the point that I don't know if you saw Tibbs the other day said no
one plays youngsters more than we do, which is just like next level ignorance
to look at New York shortation this season and say that. But I am
very intrigued by, Like I like what RJ. Barrett has done. I
love that Emmanuel Quickly is getting like not as quick as a hook now,
and a Quentin Grimes is very interesting. Jericho Sims has come on and makes
me sort of wonder what's gonna happen with Mitchell Robinson as he goes into free
agency. I'm also just curious to see, like what Thibodeau does, does
he like what if they sort of get closer to the play in is he
going to start coaching this team to wear Todd Gibson's playing in crunch time?
And then what are the after effects of all this because there was the report
today that his job is safe and not necessarily think he's the issue there,
but if he's not going to commit to developing a lot of guys that are
more important to this team than Julius Randall or I'm really tired of hearing about
Derrick Rose's injury, because if you're tethering your livelihood to a thirty three year
old Derek Rose twenty two, that's on you. That's like, that's on
you on the flawed vision. So I'm just I am a fan, but
I'm also just like, I don't necessarily also understand what's happening here as they
are playing some of these youngsters a little bit more. Yeah, So I
pay attention to the Knicks because you know, Julius Rando was a former Laker.
I Q check all the you know, baby Lakers who were youngsters.
It's weird he was playing so terrible. It shouldn't. Like the last few
weeks it's like he's gotten back to form a little bit from last year.
So that's weird to see. Yeah, man, I think the Knicks has
got to go young. And I don't think necessarily you know, Tim is
doing a bad job, which I don't think. He's a developer. He's
a win now guy, I'm gonna if you get events, I'm gonna play
them. I'm gonna put us in a position to win every game, to
the best of my bill. That's just who Tims is. He's always been
that way, and I don't think that's gonna change it the NIXT side,
they want to go to youth route. He may not be the guy,
but I still think Tims is a pretty good coach. It's just a matter
of does the rosters suit, you know, his style, And I think
that's a decision that the Knicks have to make up top since you're a coach,
is it am I oversimplifying it by just wondering, like, can we
see Julius Randall like work as a screen and dive guy a little bit more?
I don't need to see into it. Yeah, that was the thing.
I think. You know, Tim reminded me of Buggle a little bit
in the sense that the lack of creativity offensively, it gets maddening sometimes.
So for me, even though Julie's Julius was second team while NBA last year
and I was still with screen, I was still with tweeting an offseason please
go trade for a guy that makes him, you know, your second day
guy on offense. He's not an offensive engine. He's just not. He
had a career year, but he's just not an offensive engine. And they
didn't and I think he, you know, crashed back down to earth hard.
This season. I think he works as your second or third best,
you know, preferbably your third best option, but you know, second best
as possible. You can do them be good, but he should not be
your offensive engine is just uh, you know, the right hand is still
lacking, the jumper comes and goes. You just need somebody a little more
consistent, you know, and one or both of those categories to be an
offensive engine. Jason, this was great. Thank you for giving me so
much of your time. Are you able to just tell our listeners where they
can follow you on Twitter? Oh? Yeah, for sure, follow me
on Twitter, Jjmabeles fifty five Underscore MST. You can follow a little subscribe
to the Temple of Hoop podcast. The link is in my bio again.
Just you know, do stuff like this every week, bring people along.
We let him talk basketball with Uh. Definitely gotta send down and invite to
us. Now you know she's got to return to favor. I'd be honored.
Yeah, and you and Kings have great chemistry on that podcast, by
the way. Yeah, it was funny. I invited Kings because you know,
he's a big lebron guy, and I was like, who can I
argue with? Every week? And not having to get out of out of
line, like that's the line I was towing there. So that's why we
started it. But yeah, you can follow subscribe to the temple of who
you know similar you know vibes. She's like to talk basketball, you know,
keep it fun, you know, keep it knowledgeable, and you know
Bill from there. I also think you did, I know you did the
live show last week. I think that's awesome that you interact with so many
people on Twitter and through stuff like that. I think that's really cool because
you have a ton of followers. I know you're mentioned must be a mess,
and I'm pretty sure like every tweet I see from you goes viral or
semi viral. So I think it's really like you still put an effort in
to just interact with everyone who follows follows you. Yeah, just trying to
reciprocate the love man, you know, like you know, I'm not trying
to sound like an academy of war Twitter, but you only go so far
doing this stuff that you know people are gonna, you know, interact and
listen to what you put out there, right, So I do want to
show a little bit of love. You know, we have started, you
know, do a live show every Wednesday night on Green Room. So that's
you know, the second ones tonight actually, so you know, we'll see
how that's. Just want to keep showing what other people that you know keep
picking that download weapon for us, and we definitely appreciate it. Uh,
And I second everything he said. So guys check out Temple I who follow
Jason on Twitter, And again, thank you so much for doing this and
I rest assured I will be pestering you again in the field. Oh good
man, Thank you. Path