1 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:20,600 What is krak alac Nfelow thermonuclear a efforts. I am Dana Valley, coming 2 00:00:20,679 --> 00:00:25,879 at you with hopefully a very brief introduction. I went on Serbian Corner, 3 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,359 which is housed by d n v R d n V d n v R 4 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:34,439 Nuggets, specifically to talk with Miroslav Shook, an og listener of the podcast, 5 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:37,560 good friend of the pod. Follow him on Twitter at Miroslav Shook. 6 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:43,039 That's at m I r O s l a v c u K. He 7 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,359 hosts Serbian Corner over at d n v R Nuggets. You can follow them 8 00:00:46,359 --> 00:00:50,560 on Twitter at Serbian Corner spelled exactly as a sound, just in case you 9 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,399 can't spell serbian s e r b i A n corner c O r n 10 00:00:55,439 --> 00:01:00,280 e R And Yeah, so we got into Western Conference tiers. He came 11 00:01:00,359 --> 00:01:03,359 up with Western Conference teers. I reacted to them, so he basically bounced 12 00:01:03,359 --> 00:01:07,280 around the entire Western Conference. Figured to be an episode everyone would enjoy. 13 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,560 So I'm gonna put it up before we get started. There's the user reminders. 14 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:15,120 Subscribe if you're on YouTube, tell people about us, rate review Apple 15 00:01:15,159 --> 00:01:17,920 Spotify, help us juice up the ratings. Like let's get the five hundred 16 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,000 ratings on Apple. So if you haven't done so, go to Apple rate 17 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,799 review us. Even if you don't use Apple Apple podcasts to help juice those 18 00:01:25,079 --> 00:01:26,359 numbers, tell people about us. That's a great way to help out the 19 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:32,640 show as well. And before we actually get into the podcast, just wanted 20 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:40,000 to mention the Josh Giddy allegations which cropped up like basically around Thanksgiving. He's 21 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:45,599 being accused of having an inappropriate relationship with an underage person. The NBA is 22 00:01:46,079 --> 00:01:49,359 investigating it. He no commented. When he was asked about it before Oklahoma 23 00:01:49,359 --> 00:01:53,840 City played Philadelphia, Mark Dagnolt essentially said the head coach of the Thunder essentially 24 00:01:53,879 --> 00:01:57,920 said that they were comfortable with what they knew having him play and that it 25 00:01:57,959 --> 00:02:02,439 wasn't kind of even in a a question. I believe the organization clarified that 26 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:07,519 it was per the league's guidelines, where the commissioner can come step in during 27 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:12,120 in depending investigation and suspend a player or have them away from the team. 28 00:02:12,319 --> 00:02:15,360 I don't think the team actually has that power and if they could theoretically do 29 00:02:15,439 --> 00:02:19,960 it, but it would open them up to litigation and do process with the 30 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,400 players union. These are very serious allegations. I hope the team knows something 31 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:25,879 we don't, which is why Diagno used the language he did, and that 32 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:30,400 it wasn't strictly about oh, you know, we're going letter of the law 33 00:02:30,439 --> 00:02:34,879 here per the CBA, the collected Bargaining Agreement. It's just serious and the 34 00:02:34,879 --> 00:02:38,199 whole thing just sucks because you're talking about the severity of the allegations and then 35 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:45,840 you have people sleuthing and essentially docsing what could be an underage minor and finding 36 00:02:45,879 --> 00:02:47,759 out where they go to high school, where they live, knowing that they're 37 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,879 not in Oklahoma, and I'm not gonna I don't want to talk about names. 38 00:02:51,879 --> 00:02:53,159 I don't want to talk about where they live because I just feel weird 39 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:58,400 putting it out there. I'm this adult talking about a potential minor or someone 40 00:02:58,439 --> 00:03:01,800 in high school, and it's just the situation just blows and you hope it's 41 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:08,240 not true. The allegations didn't come from the person herself, but having a 42 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:13,560 video, having people on social media talk about it, I hope the lead 43 00:03:13,599 --> 00:03:15,000 that you have to take it seriously. I'm not saying don't take it seriously. 44 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,479 You don't want to believe something like this, but at the same time, 45 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,919 if it did happen, you want to know so that the appropriate action 46 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:24,319 can be taken. At the very least, you have to wonder, like 47 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:29,319 what type of situation did he put himself in that would open up his team 48 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,520 and himself to this scrutiny. So you can't be happy about that. And 49 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:36,800 even people are gonna get into what actually is the age of consent in certain 50 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:43,719 states? What it is in Oklahoma. Look, I I My whole reaction 51 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,759 would be that I don't care if they were sixteen, If you're a twenty 52 00:03:46,759 --> 00:03:50,280 one year old hanging out a sixteen year old, like that's not okay, 53 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,319 Like that still just wouldn't be okay. I don't care if it's like technically 54 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,400 technically legal. So we need to let it play out to see what happens. 55 00:03:57,879 --> 00:04:01,560 But these are there again their serious allegation and the lack of information here, 56 00:04:01,599 --> 00:04:04,080 and then just given the uncertainty of the source where it's just sort of 57 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:09,479 these it's you know, we don't have a concrete accuser at the moment. 58 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,919 I'm not saying that it needs the league needs to take it any less seriously. 59 00:04:12,919 --> 00:04:15,800 I would argue that need to take it incredibly seriously, like all these 60 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,079 things. Just don't be surprised when the outcome maybe is not what you want 61 00:04:19,079 --> 00:04:21,360 it to be. Because the NBA is a business, and they've kind of 62 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:26,720 sent messages multiple times where Carmelan was invited back to the All Star Game of 63 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,439 Utah last year, and then we've seen how they've handled the Miles Bridges situation, 64 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:36,120 specifically what went on with with Josh Primo. You brace for the worst 65 00:04:36,319 --> 00:04:41,079 here. I again, that's the extent of what I feel comfortable commenting on, 66 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:42,839 and they want to make sure that we glossed over it. But these 67 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:47,079 are incredibly serious allegations and I don't know where to go beyond that. It's 68 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,279 just like they're it's harrowing to find that out. And then even again, 69 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:54,800 if we're talking about someone who is sixteen, that's still just no, like 70 00:04:54,879 --> 00:04:58,680 no, And could the video gone back years and they were six I don't 71 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:00,600 like this the information and that's out there making see if this person is very 72 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:05,839 clearly still in high school, and so red flag Foreshore. Hopefully the league 73 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:10,720 does its proper due diligence and reacts accordingly. I will say, we don't 74 00:05:10,759 --> 00:05:14,680 need to add fuel to the fire by yo, I know there are a 75 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:15,920 lot of people that want to go There's there's two ways to go about this 76 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,920 poem, like well, you know, innocent until proven guilty and like oh 77 00:05:18,959 --> 00:05:24,079 these are just people for like, these are just people trying to start shit. 78 00:05:24,759 --> 00:05:27,519 That's not an okay way to react. We also don't need to unnecessarily 79 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,319 throw fuel on the fire. I saw a video going around of Okay se 80 00:05:30,319 --> 00:05:34,199 fans giving him an ovation when he was introduced with the starters. I watched 81 00:05:34,199 --> 00:05:38,240 it. It did not I mean, okay, see fans stand on their 82 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,240 feet to begin with, like that just happens. But the other thing is 83 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:46,879 I didn't notice any extra like pizazz in the greetings of him. And as 84 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:48,439 some other people point out, there's probably a vast majority a lot of people 85 00:05:48,519 --> 00:05:53,680 in the this the arena might not have actually known it would it even happened, 86 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,560 just given the nature of these allegations where it was the NBA eventually and 87 00:05:56,639 --> 00:06:00,879 outs something. But it's kind of you know, beginning originating on Twitter, 88 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,839 and how many of those people are on Twitter right now following that. But 89 00:06:03,959 --> 00:06:10,879 even just the greeting didn't seem like it was any more. It just didn't 90 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,759 seem different from any of the other intros that I've seen from Okay, see 91 00:06:13,759 --> 00:06:15,920 maybe it was if you were there. Maybe it's not an extending cut, 92 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:17,160 and I'm just wrong. I don't want to see Hm get a standing ovation 93 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,680 either. To paint this is some you know, just adversity that he's the 94 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,240 only one suffering from. Even it could it could turn out to be that 95 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:26,399 way for all I know, which is why I even hate according to this 96 00:06:26,439 --> 00:06:29,560 intro, because the lack of information. Let's monitor it, let's see what 97 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:32,120 happens. And the only thing I say is hopefully the league, the thunder 98 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:36,000 that everyone just involved, takes this incredibly seriously because these allegations are just quite 99 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:41,199 frankly harrowing. Now, no natural segue as always, so I'm just gonna 100 00:06:41,199 --> 00:06:45,199 be straight honest about it. Let's talk some basketball with Miroslov Shook from d 101 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,879 NVR Nuggetes Serbian Court. Let me introduce my guests for today. I thought 102 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:51,639 it would be a good idea to check up on the co host of my 103 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:58,000 favorite national NBA podcast that doesn't take themselves too seriously, called The Card with 104 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:02,240 Knucks. He's also my favorite source of Twitter NBA jokes, but most importantly 105 00:07:02,319 --> 00:07:06,600 as well, guy who is the very competent and hard working NBA analyst and 106 00:07:06,639 --> 00:07:11,519 the writer at Bleacher Report, It's Daniel Dan Favalle. Welcome back to the 107 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:14,600 show. Then, Oh, thank you so much for having me, Mirosov, 108 00:07:14,959 --> 00:07:16,480 and thank you so much as well for the super kind, way too 109 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,920 kind intro. So how are you doing these days? I'm good. You 110 00:07:20,959 --> 00:07:24,279 know, I was sick for a minute. I had a respiratory thing going 111 00:07:24,319 --> 00:07:26,639 on. I feel a lot better, as you can tell my voice. 112 00:07:26,639 --> 00:07:32,120 So I'm ready to get into Western Conference tiers and these these suddenly suddenly frustrating 113 00:07:32,319 --> 00:07:39,000 Denver Nuggets. Yeah, so before we begin with actual tears, I'm known 114 00:07:39,079 --> 00:07:43,639 for being overprotective of Nikola Jokich when he battles the refs, and we really 115 00:07:43,639 --> 00:07:47,079 haven't seen that for a while before those Cleveland and Detroit games. So please 116 00:07:47,399 --> 00:07:53,480 give me your outsider perspective on the situation. Is it as serious as Luca's 117 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:58,560 tantrums, or maybe Luca being a bit calmer this season is actually being evened 118 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,199 out by Nicola. Meltdown here him there. Yeah, it might be that 119 00:08:01,319 --> 00:08:05,920 because Luca has been a lot quieter with the referees, and so maybe in 120 00:08:05,959 --> 00:08:11,360 the absence of Luca, anyone who's like involved in those little kerfuffles and disagreements 121 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:16,279 and impassioned moments of complaints, it just stands out more and more frequently because 122 00:08:16,279 --> 00:08:18,560 we don't have the Luca highlight or you know, Luca and Lebron used to 123 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:22,279 get us through with that. I even feel like Lebron hasn't been falling behind 124 00:08:22,279 --> 00:08:26,720 plays as much doing that. So I will say Jokich is, I don't 125 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,199 want to say, a tough player to referee, but I think when you 126 00:08:28,199 --> 00:08:31,559 look at a lot of the stuff he does inside and how physical he can 127 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:37,440 play, I could understand why fans would get frustrated just because you watch Zion 128 00:08:37,519 --> 00:08:39,080 as a Pelicans fan, I think even as an impartial observer, and I'm 129 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:43,519 just like their dude's just like running into him and he's just built so big 130 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,759 that you're not gonna get a call. And it's just a little bit different 131 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:50,919 with Jokic because he's not built like the tank that Zion is, but he's 132 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,879 so huge and he does stuff on the inside that sometimes it looks like it 133 00:08:54,919 --> 00:09:00,480 doesn't rattle him because a lot of his he's like a lot of his can 134 00:09:00,519 --> 00:09:03,799 look discombobulated by design is the way I would call it, because he's always 135 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:07,519 under control, but those like flip shots and the second chance looks he gets 136 00:09:07,519 --> 00:09:11,799 around the basket like those don't always look pretty or conventional, and I'm just 137 00:09:11,799 --> 00:09:16,399 wondering if it makes those tougher to referee. But he is one of the 138 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:20,440 players where if you are a fan of a team, you could certainly call 139 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:24,360 out his complaining. But when you watch him and it does feel like, 140 00:09:24,399 --> 00:09:26,519 okay, you know, over the most recent stretch, he's actually like seven 141 00:09:26,519 --> 00:09:28,559 three throws a game, and it's like, oh, it feels like you 142 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:31,200 should beat eleven or twelve. I could totally understand that sentiment. Yeah, 143 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:35,559 And actually I think he needs to work on his acting, because it's not 144 00:09:35,639 --> 00:09:41,559 like he never flops while while shooting the ball. He does, and it 145 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:46,440 looks pretty bad, and he never gets the whistle on that, and when 146 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:50,200 he is actually trying to hit it, he just hit it and then he 147 00:09:50,279 --> 00:09:54,039 doesn't get an end one because you know, it went too easily to be 148 00:09:54,159 --> 00:10:00,720 awarded. Furthermore, I guess gotta start shooting a bunch of leaner and runners 149 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,799 where he's like throwing his shoulder or his back body or leaning into the player 150 00:10:03,799 --> 00:10:07,919 and then firing up Africa. He needs to play like a He should just 151 00:10:07,919 --> 00:10:11,080 start playing like Jalen Brunson, like he's just one of the guys who's able 152 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,559 to do that from because Nicole Jochiz likes to operate from the end between two 153 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:18,879 and Bronson's one of the whizzes at just like once the venders leave their feet, 154 00:10:18,919 --> 00:10:20,840 he's not even trying to score. He's trying to like barrel into them 155 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,919 and get a shot up that ways, maybe start doing that, We'll see, 156 00:10:26,039 --> 00:10:28,399 We'll see. I know he works a lot on his craft, so 157 00:10:28,799 --> 00:10:33,240 that might be actually the next step for him. I mean, we need 158 00:10:33,279 --> 00:10:37,039 to find a wait for him to get better than what he's showing now. 159 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:41,399 Right. So, as I said, it's a fifth of the season in 160 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,440 the books, and I believe it is time to react to some trends, 161 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:48,759 and hopefully some of our reactions might not be a total and complete, you 162 00:10:48,759 --> 00:10:54,039 know, early overreactions. I wanted to scan the Western Conference and put the 163 00:10:54,080 --> 00:11:01,159 teams into certain tiers, so these will be my tears. I wanted to 164 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:05,919 make that clear from the jump, so please don't aggregate them as dance late 165 00:11:05,399 --> 00:11:11,879 November. How you want, that would be the best aggregation ever, So 166 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:16,639 let me pull out my presentation here. So the first tier I have here 167 00:11:18,279 --> 00:11:24,799 is called should be in the Eastern Conference considering how bad they are Deer. 168 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:31,519 So this tier consists of three teams and it's the Spurs, the Blazers, 169 00:11:31,639 --> 00:11:35,600 and the Jazz. Feel free to call me out if you feel I'm too 170 00:11:35,639 --> 00:11:39,960 harsh on any of the mentioned teams or if I should have added somebody else 171 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,879 to this group. The one thing I'll say that I feel like you were 172 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:48,799 too unkind to the Eastern Conference because they might just be deeper and better when 173 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:50,720 you look at them, when you look at the bottom of the West this 174 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:56,600 year, I would agree that these three teams belong in this tier. None 175 00:11:56,639 --> 00:11:58,000 of them are trying to win, and I think Jazz fans kind of got 176 00:11:58,039 --> 00:12:01,600 a little bit of a wake up call with that because of how last season 177 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:03,879 unfolded. The Spurs should be better than they are. Man, They're just 178 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:07,919 they're not good and it's growing pains. But I think it might be time 179 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,960 to they need like a floor general in there, kind of like how the 180 00:12:11,039 --> 00:12:16,240 Jazz had Mike Conley to stabilize things and the Blazers. They belong here. 181 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:20,600 I'm assuming that Grizzlies will be in your next tier up. I know they're 182 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,720 gonna get jaw back at some point, even smart, but they're dealing with 183 00:12:22,759 --> 00:12:28,039 so many injuries that if you told me that the Blazers or the Jazz finished 184 00:12:28,039 --> 00:12:31,000 with a better record than least this season, I might not be shocked. 185 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:37,039 Yeah, and you actually guessed it, because my next tear is called well, 186 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,480 I don't know what to think of them until they get at least some 187 00:12:39,519 --> 00:12:45,559 of their guys back there. And of course it's the by themselves. Yeah, 188 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:52,120 that's God's fucking great. I love that there's no other team like that 189 00:12:52,519 --> 00:12:58,240 in the league right now. Is the hole they're in right now just too 190 00:12:58,279 --> 00:13:03,000 deep for them to even contend for the for the playing place, I guess 191 00:13:03,039 --> 00:13:05,120 not the play in, because I mean, you just went through the three 192 00:13:05,159 --> 00:13:09,360 teams that you just went through, the Spurs, the Blazers, and the 193 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:11,039 Jazz. They're not none of those teams are going to make the play in 194 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:16,360 And so now it's okay, so there's one, like, there's only two 195 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:18,200 other teams that they kind of need to fall off, and I think you 196 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,519 can look at some of these starts, and we'll obviously get into them as 197 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:24,200 you go to your tiers. And it's all right. The Pelicans are a 198 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,320 house of cars because their health, but they're getting a lot better. The 199 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:30,559 Rockets. You know, they've had a really nice start to the season, 200 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,679 but they have yet to win on the road. So is there's something going 201 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:35,799 on there? Could Alpern shangun fade because he's never had this high usage for 202 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:39,960 an entire year. And to answer to actually answer your question, when you 203 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,480 start going through it and you're looking for teams that could pull back, you 204 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:48,039 might be able to identify one. But the Grizzlies need to leap frog at 205 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,639 least two. And so I do believe that it is too late for them 206 00:13:50,759 --> 00:13:54,919 this season because Joh, I mean John Rant's we're only halfway through John Moran's 207 00:13:54,919 --> 00:13:58,159 suspension. Essentially, they're dealing with other injuries, and even when Joh comes 208 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:01,600 back, that's I'm not going to clear up their problems in the front court, 209 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,399 where it's their wing rotation is still relying on. Okay, Marcus Smart 210 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:09,440 is gonna play and guard up his offense when he's healthy. Should get better 211 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:13,600 with John just because they'll be shoulder in a smaller load. But they're like, 212 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,360 all right, we have santi Al Damon, we have David Roddy, 213 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:18,679 and we have Zia Williams. There's just not a lot of like the three 214 00:14:18,799 --> 00:14:22,080 four spot is a real issue for them, next to Jaron Jackson junior. 215 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,679 And they have some answers where it's when Xavier Kilhiment is healthy, he could 216 00:14:24,679 --> 00:14:28,559 be fine. They have Biambo on the roster now, but you can't. 217 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,879 I know, people said the West isn't as good as they thought, and 218 00:14:31,919 --> 00:14:35,960 I honestly think it's because there are probably eleven teams in the West right now 219 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:39,879 that could be super competitive and dangerous in the right context. And if you're 220 00:14:39,919 --> 00:14:43,679 the Grizzlies and you're you know, you're three and twelve through the first fifteen, 221 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:46,759 like if you get to I mean at this rate, if they're seven 222 00:14:46,799 --> 00:14:50,120 and eighteen by the time Joh comes back, they'd probably that's super lucky to 223 00:14:50,159 --> 00:14:54,000 get there, given how they've played. How are you supposed to come back 224 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,279 from that? So maybe they could get in the play in but they're their 225 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:01,679 season to me is certainly over from a larger perspective where it's no, they're 226 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:07,080 they're not gonna They're not gonna do anything real. It's just it's not in 227 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,440 the cards for them this season. And part of that is, look, 228 00:15:09,639 --> 00:15:13,720 they waited too long to play their best trade chips. I know Keith Parish 229 00:15:13,799 --> 00:15:16,159 from Fast Break Breakfast has gone through this, but when you look at what 230 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:22,000 they gave up to like just basically end up with Marcus Smart and like some 231 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,159 of these youngsters that haven't panned out, it's not it's not a great look. 232 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:30,360 And it would be helpful for them if they would have a bunch of 233 00:15:30,399 --> 00:15:35,080 games against you know, Washington and Detroit. You know, but I guess 234 00:15:35,159 --> 00:15:39,440 they can play some games against San Antonio in the future to boost up their 235 00:15:39,519 --> 00:15:43,399 wins. I just wanted to come back to the to the first tier about 236 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:48,759 one team, and that's the San Antonio Spurs who are coming to Denver tomorrow. 237 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:54,080 They're on a I believe eleven losing eleven games losing streak right now, 238 00:15:54,960 --> 00:16:00,000 and everybody in Denver is nervous because we don't want to be a team that 239 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,639 will snap that losing streak. How does it how does it look to you 240 00:16:04,759 --> 00:16:10,960 that the experiment is Jeremy Socan at the point guard and his game next to 241 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:15,679 Victor w So. I love Jeremy Sohan, but the experiment is not going 242 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:19,279 well. And it's if you're gonna play him in the role that you want 243 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,600 to play him, then you need someone else on the floor who can play 244 00:16:22,639 --> 00:16:29,000 off him but also organize the offense too. And that's why him and Trey 245 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,039 Jones really haven't played together a bunch of the season because San Antonio doesn't have 246 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:34,720 a lot of floor generals, And so could you get them more minutes together? 247 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:38,000 Do you need to kind of dust off Devonte Graham more often than you 248 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,519 have been invariably though? When you do that, now you're looking at the 249 00:16:41,559 --> 00:16:45,639 five guys you're you want to play the most, and it's okay, Wemby 250 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:51,039 not going anywhere from the lineup, Devin Missel, They're pretty invested in Jeremy 251 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,120 Sohan, and it's, well, are these minutes coming if you're throwing another 252 00:16:53,159 --> 00:16:57,080 guard on there? Are you pulling Calden Johnson, Are you pulling Zach Collins? 253 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:02,080 Those are two guys who are really important And so I don't know. 254 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:04,680 I don't subscribe to the idea that the Spurs are doing more damage to Wemby 255 00:17:04,759 --> 00:17:08,279 or even Jeremy Sohan long term, there might be something too. If this 256 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:12,799 isn't the role that Jeremy Sohan is gonna play eventually, then maybe you should 257 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:15,440 just get him out of it, because what's the point, Like, you've 258 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:19,079 gotten all the information you need. But if you're the Nuggets, you're playing 259 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,079 at home after playing pretty poorly on the road for a while, this is 260 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:26,160 a game that you should win pretty handedly because the offensive the Spurs is just 261 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:30,079 not It can have its moments, but it does not look cohesive or dangerous 262 00:17:30,319 --> 00:17:33,599 a lot of the time. And part of that is, in addition to 263 00:17:33,799 --> 00:17:37,079 exploring what Jeremy Sohan can do, is sort of this point guard. You're 264 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:41,599 just letting Wemby go out there. They're not necessarily using him in these specific 265 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:45,039 spots. There are trends to what he's doing, but it's kind of he's 266 00:17:45,039 --> 00:17:48,200 floating all over the place getting the ball in all these different locations. They 267 00:17:48,279 --> 00:17:51,440 giving him the freedom to take a lot of fadeaways or step backs, and 268 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:52,920 it's like, you know, we go through this with Michael Porter Junior a 269 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:56,079 little bit, where it's you have the signs just to get your shot off 270 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,880 over anyone, like you don't need to create the separation on fades or step 271 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,519 Actually, just throw that bad boy up there. But he's a rookie Wemby 272 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,279 is, so there's going to be growing pains there. I don't think. 273 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:10,160 I ultimately don't think, and I counted myself as someone who thought it would 274 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:14,519 pan out. Jeremy Sohanna point guard, I'm I know, we're only x 275 00:18:14,559 --> 00:18:17,960 sub twenty games of the season. I'm out on it. It's you need 276 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:21,319 to surround him with again, at least, he said, one other playmaker 277 00:18:21,319 --> 00:18:25,920 who can work off the ball and probably more spacing, high volume spacing than 278 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:30,440 you have around him right now. Yeah, it's just right now, Wemby 279 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:34,640 looks like an inefficient version of Kevin Durant with like five inches to spare. 280 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:41,039 But we'll see, we'll see what's gonna happen to him in the next couple 281 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:44,680 of years. Okay, let's take one short break and then we'll turn. 282 00:18:44,839 --> 00:18:55,599 We'll return with some better teams, hopefully. Okay, we are back back 283 00:18:55,640 --> 00:19:02,119 to our presentation. The next year is called WTF question mark. Now, 284 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:10,000 there's only one team in this tier and it's the Houston Rockets, So they 285 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:15,119 actually might be, you know, next to the Grizzlies, but they might 286 00:19:15,319 --> 00:19:21,319 actually be above like the four teams I have in the next tier. I 287 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:26,839 just have no idea what to think about them. When they signed the two 288 00:19:26,559 --> 00:19:33,079 guys with the worst true shooting percentage on volume in the league two huge contracts, 289 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:37,359 I was like, WTF, what is what is going on? But 290 00:19:37,559 --> 00:19:42,799 now they're like, they're five hundred team now right now? So which WTF 291 00:19:44,279 --> 00:19:49,599 is a stronger one? The one that at least I thought that they're just 292 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:56,279 losing the compass or this one where we're actually seeing some really really good good 293 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:02,799 play from from Udoka's team. That's a tough one. I think they're probably 294 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,720 what we've seen from them. They've gotten a little lucky or a lot lucky 295 00:20:06,759 --> 00:20:10,599 on opponent three point shooting, so it'd expect the pullback there to come. 296 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:17,279 I don't know what this team they feel like the quintessential like maybe thirty eight 297 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:19,559 and forty four, forty and forty two, forty one and forty one, 298 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:22,680 forty two and forty team that's where it feels like they should end up. 299 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:26,240 I don't think they're gonna end up in the Western Conference playoff picture. That 300 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:30,440 would really surprise me. At the same time, they have the ability to 301 00:20:30,519 --> 00:20:33,759 get better. Jalen Green has been up and down a lot of the year. 302 00:20:33,839 --> 00:20:37,640 Fred van Fleet has not been shooting well inside the arc, even by 303 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:41,240 his standards. I don't know how Amen Thompson's return. I don't know if 304 00:20:41,279 --> 00:20:44,680 he I don't think he's been back yet. I haven't caught the past two 305 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,039 Rockets games, but I don't think he's Like when he comes back, does 306 00:20:48,079 --> 00:20:52,039 that help or hurt you? Just because it's a rookie that is gonna be 307 00:20:52,039 --> 00:20:55,160 subjected to a learning curve. But I do think when you watch them, 308 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:57,880 there is a real consistency to Yeah, it be nice if they ran more 309 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:02,599 on offense, but Albert's is really good, Like he can drive that entire 310 00:21:02,599 --> 00:21:06,400 offense in the minutes. They've decided, Hey, we're tethering Fred van Fleet 311 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:10,319 and Alprin Chenggun together. They're minutes and the stuff Fred van Fleet does off 312 00:21:10,319 --> 00:21:12,599 the dribble, even when he's not hitting the shots, defenses react and so 313 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:17,279 creates these opportunities for everyone else to move or to get open shots off of 314 00:21:17,279 --> 00:21:19,839 his kicks. Al Prin Chang Gun has fantastic vision. He has a lot 315 00:21:19,839 --> 00:21:23,519 of sort of the you know the physical fu game once he does get to 316 00:21:23,519 --> 00:21:26,720 the interior, and he's been more aggressive with that. Jabari Smith Junior, 317 00:21:26,759 --> 00:21:30,880 He's not scoring a ton, but like his efficiency. I think he's shooting 318 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,880 like thirty eight percent or whatever on threes. He's been good defensively, Tarry 319 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:37,920 Easton, Jay Sean Tait. Those are all solid defenders. Dylan Brooks solid 320 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,720 defender, Fred Van Fleet solid defender, and so I can see the defense 321 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:45,680 actually maybe out playing the offense as we move forward. I think the big 322 00:21:45,759 --> 00:21:52,039 questions for them are does Dylan Brooks' shot selection kind of sustain because he's been 323 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:56,359 very kept in check? And then what sort of happens when rubber meets the 324 00:21:56,440 --> 00:22:00,640 road of well, if it involves we need to play more veterans the younger 325 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,799 guys, and I'm looking at Aman Thompson specifically. Here Kem Witmore's already not 326 00:22:03,839 --> 00:22:07,440 playing. It's are we going to prioritize A'man Thompson's development? Are we going 327 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:10,359 to prioritize winning games? Because that could throw off a lot of your bench 328 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:14,039 rotation, maybe not even your your starting lineup, And so that is what 329 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:18,000 I'm watching. But I do think look, I smashed the under for this 330 00:22:18,079 --> 00:22:19,519 team. I think they were over under a like thirty one or thirty two, 331 00:22:19,559 --> 00:22:22,720 and I hit the under without hesitation. That is something I would expect 332 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:26,920 them to clear now. And I think that's a positive development because it felt 333 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,200 for so long in large part because the personnel they had they were treating Kevin 334 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,400 Porter Junior like a building block apparently behind the scenes, which is just outrageously 335 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:37,680 stupid. So the fact that they kind of have like a direction, not 336 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,680 just with their head coach, but the players that are on the floor, 337 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:45,039 and you have guys who have a track record of being good defenders. When 338 00:22:45,039 --> 00:22:47,480 you look at Fred Vanfleet, when you look at Dylan Brooks, when you 339 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:49,920 look at Tarry Easton, there's a base here and I think that's exciting if 340 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:56,240 you're a Rockets fan. Yeah, two things about them. Dylan Brooks looks 341 00:22:56,279 --> 00:23:00,200 like he's still the FEBA World Cup version of himself, shooting really really high 342 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:07,079 percentage clips. And alpron shan Gun. I think they said that he grew 343 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:11,319 like two inches since last season, and if that's true, that's huge. 344 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:18,200 That's that's that's a really really big thing because if you want to be good 345 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,960 in the West, you need to be able to play against Nicolae Okis. 346 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:25,880 And you know, if you're a six to ten guy comparing to a seven 347 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:30,160 feet guy, that's a big difference. For instance, you have bem Adebayo, 348 00:23:30,559 --> 00:23:33,599 who is a guy that has nothing on your kid because he's six' 349 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:38,319 nine and it's it's it's really hard for a guy that's not tall enough to 350 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:44,640 guard Nicholas. So yeah, I'm actually quite optimistic and I'm quite jealous of 351 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:49,440 some of the young guys Houston has comparing to to the to the guys Denver 352 00:23:49,559 --> 00:23:56,880 has on its bench. So yeah, it's gonna be interesting at least this 353 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:00,039 eason for them. Yeah. There, they're gonna be like just one of 354 00:24:00,039 --> 00:24:03,599 those teams that even if there don't end up very good, like, they're 355 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:07,799 gonna be just frisky and they're always gonna be looking to win because they owe 356 00:24:07,839 --> 00:24:11,720 that top four protected pick to Okay, see this year, man, I 357 00:24:11,079 --> 00:24:18,839 listen to your shows way too often, because my next tier is called Everybody 358 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:23,880 Actually, now that put a pinpoint on that Frisky is actually in the next 359 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:29,519 tier. So this year is called everybody thinks They're good but they kind of 360 00:24:29,799 --> 00:24:36,839 suck tier, And it's the fourth the Rockets below this tier. Yeah, 361 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,920 I think, whoa, this is a spicy tier. Oh my god. 362 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:47,240 Yeah. So we have the LA Clippers, we have the Golden State Warriors, 363 00:24:47,279 --> 00:24:52,200 we have the New Orleans New New Orleans Pelicans, and we have the 364 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:57,039 Phoenix Suns. Now, I know this is this is a mishmash of different 365 00:24:57,079 --> 00:25:02,440 teams. They all look pretty bad right now, and I don't expect them 366 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:07,559 to stay at the same tier until the end of this season. But first, 367 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:12,440 let's let's see who would you put the Rockets above from this group? 368 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,400 Well, yeah, the title of the tier just threw me. I think 369 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:18,960 the Rockets are probably in the right place. But to say that these teams 370 00:25:19,519 --> 00:25:25,519 might suck just feels, you know, and honestly with ironic, I mean, 371 00:25:25,519 --> 00:25:26,599 I guess the Clippers have a case to be in that thing. It's 372 00:25:26,599 --> 00:25:30,160 the Warriors. I look at the team as of this four that I'd be 373 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:34,240 most concerned about because the starting lineup, when it was at full strength before 374 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:40,759 the Draymonds suspension, before the Steph injury, that quintet was getting annihilated, 375 00:25:41,559 --> 00:25:44,480 and that was one of the best five man units in basketball last year. 376 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,920 Andrew Wiggins has not looked the same Clay even on his good offensive nights, 377 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:52,680 and he's not getting good offensive nights every single game. He's just not there 378 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:56,079 on defense anymore. And I don't think when you look at kind of the 379 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,000 reserves, even though they've they've done well in the minutes without Steph Curry, 380 00:25:59,039 --> 00:26:02,720 wincb three's one running the show. You look at Moses Moody, you look 381 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:04,519 at Jonathan Kaminga, and it's like, have they done enough to say, 382 00:26:04,559 --> 00:26:08,680 well, these guys need to close games over a Clay or Andrew Wiggins. 383 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:11,599 If those two don't have it going, it's questionable, but it's also a 384 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:15,880 legitimate conversation. The Warriors seem to be searching right now part of its availability, 385 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,720 but like, no one really expected Brandon Pajemski to have this role in 386 00:26:19,799 --> 00:26:23,519 year one, and he's had a fairly steady role lately. So they might 387 00:26:23,519 --> 00:26:27,079 be the team I'm most concerned about, in part because my expectations for the 388 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,279 Clippers are just so low at this point, and they have picked up a 389 00:26:30,279 --> 00:26:33,839 few wins in their past four games, one of which came against the Rockets, 390 00:26:33,839 --> 00:26:37,000 but the other two came against the Spurs. And then you go up 391 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:41,279 and you get slaughtered by the Pelicans. So I'm just with the Suns. 392 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:45,359 Look, let's Bradley be old. Devin Booker, Kevin Ren have not played 393 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:47,640 a single second of action together. They're gonna be fine. I think. 394 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:49,759 Look, we've even seen it. They're on a long winning streak right now, 395 00:26:49,759 --> 00:26:53,720 and ever since Devin Booker has come back a lot of the problems that 396 00:26:55,319 --> 00:26:57,279 were haunting them, where it's okay, well, who's gonna be your second 397 00:26:57,279 --> 00:27:02,480 best player every night or your best ball handler, that's no longer an issue 398 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:04,599 because Devin Booker is there. The attention that Kevin Duran is seeing in fourth 399 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,240 quarters, in half court sets, it's yeah, he's still prime time, 400 00:27:08,319 --> 00:27:12,680 but it's not as much as many bodies because Devin Booker is there. He 401 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:18,119 is. I still don't think people appreciate how good he is is like a 402 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:21,359 point guard or floor general, whatever you want to title it. This is 403 00:27:21,519 --> 00:27:25,920 just one of the like, forget shooting guard, point guard. This is 404 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,519 just one of the five best guards in the league right now. Like there's 405 00:27:29,599 --> 00:27:33,319 Luca, there's Steph, There's Shay, and I think Tho's the only three 406 00:27:33,359 --> 00:27:37,759 players that you can unless I'm just forgetting someone like really ludicrous to say, 407 00:27:37,799 --> 00:27:44,759 those guys are definitely better as guards than that. Excuse me, oh my 408 00:27:44,759 --> 00:27:47,559 god, Devin Booker and so like, that's huge for them. They're gonna 409 00:27:47,559 --> 00:27:49,960 be fine. I have questions about the defense, which is started to slip. 410 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,480 But even when Bradley Beal comes back, you might offense just might be 411 00:27:53,519 --> 00:27:57,839 so good and you'll be so much not less reliant. But you don't need 412 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:00,640 to live and die by his many. Okay, well, what is NOAs 413 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:06,039 little or Kaita Bates the up or Josha Kogi doing on offense? You can 414 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:08,960 have those guys in and not need as much of a lift offensively from them. 415 00:28:10,519 --> 00:28:12,279 I think they're gonna be really good if they stay healthy, and the 416 00:28:12,279 --> 00:28:15,039 team I might be highest on in this tier right now as the Pelicans because 417 00:28:15,039 --> 00:28:18,880 they're playing like gangbusters Zion. I know a lot of people have said this. 418 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:22,000 There might just be something to If he's gonna miss all that time like 419 00:28:22,039 --> 00:28:26,759 he did last season, his ramp up just might be a little bit, 420 00:28:27,079 --> 00:28:30,720 a little bit longer than most. He's such a unique physical specimen. He's 421 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:33,599 starting to look more like himself. The minutes with him and Ingram they were 422 00:28:33,599 --> 00:28:37,559 getting killed at one point, they're starting to win those they started to unlock 423 00:28:37,559 --> 00:28:41,480 different units and combinations with the way they could play. We know what was 424 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:45,279 happening with the CG. McCollum, HERB Jones, plus like you know some 425 00:28:45,359 --> 00:28:51,079 bench players Jordan Hawkins and maybe a Dyson Daniels with Jonas Fallon chun Is playing, 426 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:53,200 or maybe you have a different body in there when they're fully healthy, 427 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:57,799 when Trey Murphy comes back, when CJ's back, they're gonna be really dangerous 428 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:02,400 at both ends of the floor. Or and you know, with all of 429 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:04,759 these teams, I think health is probably the biggest question mark for them. 430 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:07,799 Where it's like you look at contr I think the Warriors have the most the 431 00:29:07,839 --> 00:29:11,359 Warriors and the Clippers have the most. Like top end, Oh, is 432 00:29:11,359 --> 00:29:15,920 there a question mark of how they're playing looking at Wiggins and Thompson or Russell 433 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:18,680 Westbrook has been so bad and then the fit in LA they need to figure 434 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:22,519 out. You know, they're getting killed when Russell Harden played together, and 435 00:29:22,519 --> 00:29:26,000 they've gotten rid of a lot of those a lot of those minutes, and 436 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:30,240 but is that sustainable over the long term. They're playing PJ. Tucker at 437 00:29:30,279 --> 00:29:33,519 the four for stretches, can you get enough spacing and offensive usage so that 438 00:29:33,559 --> 00:29:37,519 what he does on offense, which is nothing a lot of the times at 439 00:29:37,519 --> 00:29:41,160 this point, doesn't hurt you as much. So there's a lot of you 440 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:42,039 know, even with the Suns, you're looking at the back end of their 441 00:29:42,119 --> 00:29:45,160 rotation where it's okay, well, who's the let's say they're fully healthy, 442 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:48,440 who are their fourth, fifth, sixth best players on any given night. 443 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,279 The Pelicans just have more going for them if they're healthy. I think then 444 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,440 all of these teams, except for like the Suns, probably have their strongest 445 00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:02,039 case after them. So I actually don't think any of these teams actually suck. 446 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:11,119 If you're looking at potentially they're quintessential high ceiling incredibly low floor teams because 447 00:30:11,119 --> 00:30:14,119 of the health question marks that they're dealing with, and I think that's what 448 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:17,279 all of them are sort of facing. Although the Warriors they look pretty bad 449 00:30:17,279 --> 00:30:21,039 even when they have anybody at points, so that's maybe it's time to throw 450 00:30:21,079 --> 00:30:23,200 the I think it's right that they're all kind of in a tier because we 451 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:26,039 have questions about what we haven't even seen their full groups together for a lot 452 00:30:26,079 --> 00:30:30,240 of the time. Yet, when you're looking at Phoenix and La and New 453 00:30:30,319 --> 00:30:34,480 Orleans specifically, So these are teams that are definitely tough to wrap heads around. 454 00:30:34,759 --> 00:30:38,880 I will say I'm very optimistic on the outlooks of New Orleans and Phoenix, 455 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,599 though those are teams that I would be Like Phoenix, I'm still just 456 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:45,039 ready to say eve if they don't have a top four seed, like, 457 00:30:45,799 --> 00:30:48,200 I still think they and the Nuggets are the two best teams in the West, 458 00:30:48,599 --> 00:30:52,759 and New Orleans and Minnesota have Minnesota might belong in that like that tier 459 00:30:52,839 --> 00:30:56,359 now, but like New Orleans has the potential to enter that top four tier 460 00:30:56,480 --> 00:31:02,440 because that is their ceiling for sure. Okay, one thing about the Pelicans 461 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:07,160 is that they're missing CJ McCollum, and thanks to that, they're huge. 462 00:31:07,039 --> 00:31:11,000 They're really big because CJ is a is a kind of a small guy and 463 00:31:11,079 --> 00:31:15,839 a guy you can attack, you know, with your half court offense. 464 00:31:17,319 --> 00:31:22,599 And I actually think that they might be better without him at this moment, 465 00:31:22,799 --> 00:31:29,440 because you know, they're just they're just a menace to play against, even 466 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:33,359 though you know CJ is probably their third best player. You you are sort 467 00:31:33,359 --> 00:31:37,039 of touching on what has become a discussion nationally, and I think even in 468 00:31:37,119 --> 00:31:41,079 New Orleans circles is should CJ. McCom come off the bench when he comes 469 00:31:41,079 --> 00:31:45,680 back because of how well the starting five has been faring right now, and 470 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:48,039 it would be something that's interesting to look at. They have a lot of 471 00:31:48,039 --> 00:31:52,319 different things they could do when everyone's availed, just because like Trey Murphine cg 472 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,920 are out, but the Jose Alvarado Lion and Junior came back, Bi came 473 00:31:55,960 --> 00:31:59,279 back, So they just have a lot of different bodies and I still question 474 00:31:59,319 --> 00:32:02,480 whether they have an shooting even with Jordan Hawkins and once Matt Ryan gets healthy. 475 00:32:02,839 --> 00:32:07,759 At the same time, when Zion is Zion, he's just shown that 476 00:32:07,839 --> 00:32:12,039 spacing doesn't matter. It's not just go through four or three dudes and get 477 00:32:12,039 --> 00:32:15,720 to the rim anyway. And we've seen that over the past couple of games, 478 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:19,759 I think, And so there are ceilings a lot higher than I think 479 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:22,519 their initial and the look they had me, you know, I'm a Pelicans 480 00:32:22,559 --> 00:32:25,200 guy, but they had me like ready to deboard the bandwagon at one point 481 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:29,559 this year and I was clinging to it. So if it looks like that 482 00:32:29,599 --> 00:32:34,000 will pay off, they're they're probably the most fascinating teams in me of these 483 00:32:34,039 --> 00:32:37,839 four. That's that's for sure. Okay, it is time for us to 484 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:43,039 take another short break and then we'll get into some teams. I'm even more 485 00:32:43,119 --> 00:32:55,519 impressed. Don't go anywhere. Okay, we are back, and as I 486 00:32:55,599 --> 00:33:02,200 promised to you, now we get the frisky in So the surprisingly frisky tier, 487 00:33:04,279 --> 00:33:09,480 and it is three teams. It's the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas 488 00:33:09,519 --> 00:33:22,000 Mavericks, and the Sacramento Kings. So I'm a hater and I thought the 489 00:33:22,079 --> 00:33:27,640 Lakers and the MAVs would be much worse than what they are. I'm also 490 00:33:27,839 --> 00:33:34,240 famous. They are on Fox doubter, and I thought the Thunder should still 491 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:39,119 be at least a year away at this stage. Oh, I forgot to 492 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:45,039 put the Thunder on this graphic as well. So that's the fourth team actually 493 00:33:45,079 --> 00:33:50,599 here. So tell me, are you surprised that the Lakers have been pretty 494 00:33:50,599 --> 00:33:55,160 good so far and the MAVs as well. The MAVs definitely were better than 495 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:59,720 I expected. They have the same issues that we all expected, but the 496 00:34:00,079 --> 00:34:04,160 urgence of Derek Lively basically from day one has been a big deal for them. 497 00:34:04,319 --> 00:34:07,880 Luca is right front and center in the MVP conversation. They're winning both, 498 00:34:07,119 --> 00:34:09,920 which I think has been critical. Both their solo star minutes when it's 499 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:14,800 Luca without Kyrie or Kyrie without Luca, so that is I thought there'd be 500 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:16,920 more issues with their defense there, but they have enough offense where you can 501 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:22,639 steal stretches. With Derek Jones Junior playing the Lakers, you know, they 502 00:34:22,679 --> 00:34:25,960 haven't been great, but they've dealt with so many injuries, and like Austin 503 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,320 Reeves was so bad to start the year, he's been a lot better since 504 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:34,239 they they came off the he's been coming off the bench. So I don't 505 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:38,559 think that they're surprising me too much. And I would probably like I would 506 00:34:38,559 --> 00:34:44,639 have the Pelicans and the Suns above both of these teams right now, because 507 00:34:44,639 --> 00:34:46,639 I think that they have more weaknesses where it's the Lakers half court offense can 508 00:34:46,679 --> 00:34:51,519 still be iffy when you're looking at late game situations too. They're so reliant 509 00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:55,440 on age thirty nine season Lebron James that it's just it's uncomfortable. He's incredible, 510 00:34:55,480 --> 00:35:00,360 but it's just uncomfortable that that dependence. But I have more I think, 511 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:04,719 because I trust Lebron. I just have inherently more trust in the Lakers 512 00:35:05,199 --> 00:35:08,760 being a threat this year than the Mavericks and I think the Lakers might be 513 00:35:09,199 --> 00:35:12,719 both of those. Both of these are teams where you could say, all 514 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:15,519 right, they might try and make a trade. They can only each trade 515 00:35:15,559 --> 00:35:17,920 one first round pick up to one first round pick this year, and they 516 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:22,440 might be emboldened to do it just because the timelines they're operating on. So 517 00:35:22,599 --> 00:35:25,639 of the two, I'm definitely more surprised by the MAVs. I also think 518 00:35:25,679 --> 00:35:30,519 what they're doing or their place in the West feels way more fragile than Los 519 00:35:30,559 --> 00:35:35,480 Angeles is, if we're assuming health for both. The Kings have not surprised 520 00:35:35,519 --> 00:35:39,000 me. I guess they didn't get off to the to the best start. 521 00:35:39,639 --> 00:35:44,119 I'm not a de Aaron Fox doubt or I've I've actually historically been way too 522 00:35:44,199 --> 00:35:45,400 high on him. But he's starting to make me look a little bit smarter 523 00:35:45,559 --> 00:35:51,719 these past couple of years. They are they've been grittier on defense, I 524 00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:54,840 think than a lot of the numbers are going to indicate they are. Oh 525 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,960 they're actually their twelfth in points a lot per possession. Oh that's over their 526 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:02,840 last seven games. But like they have a defensive switch and they're a team 527 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:07,199 they've got trade assets like if an og Annobi becomes available, or if McHale 528 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:10,880 Bridges becomes available, or it's just another you need defensive help on the wing 529 00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:15,079 to plug into those three four spots to maybe replace some of the Harrison Barnes 530 00:36:15,119 --> 00:36:19,559 minutes. They're like, they're closer to the tippy top of the West than 531 00:36:19,639 --> 00:36:22,599 not for me, and so they just haven't surprised me. If anything, 532 00:36:22,679 --> 00:36:27,599 they've they've underachieved a little bit, and a lot of that I think is 533 00:36:27,679 --> 00:36:30,960 just maybe people didn't realize how important Dearn Fox was because when he was out 534 00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:34,519 for a little bit with that, I think it was this brained ankle. 535 00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:39,559 They did not look great and then the thunder. They're surprising in the sense 536 00:36:39,559 --> 00:36:45,199 that Sam Presty comes into the season preaching we borrowed wins from the future, 537 00:36:45,599 --> 00:36:47,039 this is not the year to go in on the star trade, like we're 538 00:36:47,159 --> 00:36:51,599 fully prepared to experiment and this is still kind of rebuild. That's the messaging 539 00:36:51,679 --> 00:36:54,159 coming out. And then they're just hovering around the top of the West. 540 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:59,760 They have a top ten offense and defense. At the moment, they're basically 541 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:05,079 top seven offense and defense. Everyone is basically improved, with the exception of 542 00:37:05,079 --> 00:37:07,679 a couple guys case and Wallace has been great, Isaiah Joe's been great. 543 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:10,960 Chet Holmgren is the rookie of the year right now, so and Shay remains 544 00:37:12,199 --> 00:37:15,280 Shane might be the MVP. I mean when you look at the early season 545 00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:20,920 MVP candidates, there is Shay, there's Yokich, there is Luca probably belongs 546 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:23,840 there, and there's Tatum and then you know Steph was at that level, 547 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:28,480 but then he missed time. Did it actually help his case because the Warriors 548 00:37:28,519 --> 00:37:32,079 still aren't, you know, built to operate too long without him, even 549 00:37:32,079 --> 00:37:36,320 though they're losing a lot of the minutes with him now, so there's noisy 550 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:38,280 there. But those feel like the top four right now. Maybe in Bed 551 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:44,880 belongs in there, but but Yo, Kich, Luca, Shay and who 552 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:46,480 did I mention that are right for Tatum? Yeah, those are like the 553 00:37:46,519 --> 00:37:50,800 four guys uh Okay season is like ready, I don't even know if they 554 00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:53,239 need to make a trade. We know the whole the Josh Giddy allegations for 555 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:59,639 the inappropriate relationship with a with an underage girl, that's certainly harrowing. They've 556 00:37:59,679 --> 00:38:01,480 no I did that. Basically he is playing as of now, off to 557 00:38:01,519 --> 00:38:05,760 see what that Bears. He's not even been that good this season for them. 558 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:08,719 He's perked up a little bit lately, so and that whatever happens with 559 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:15,760 that, that investigation is way more important than the honest to god basketball that's 560 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:19,159 happening on the court. But like even you just look at the makeup on 561 00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:23,880 this team, looking at the floor. They they're doing things, and it's 562 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:28,039 I think people are gonna want them to make a trade this year if everyone's 563 00:38:28,079 --> 00:38:30,440 available. And the thing is is that as of right now, they're still 564 00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:34,440 experimenting with their rotation. If they just wanted to tighten it, they might 565 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:36,519 not need to make a move. It might just be no, we're gonna 566 00:38:36,559 --> 00:38:40,400 tighten up, tighten up these these minutes, this rotation a little bit when 567 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:45,039 it matters. So honestly, of the tier that you just laid out, 568 00:38:45,079 --> 00:38:47,559 there is a chance I would still put the Kings as the top team of 569 00:38:47,599 --> 00:38:52,159 those four. There's chances to Oklahoma City. It feels like the Kings might 570 00:38:52,199 --> 00:38:54,440 have a slightly higher ceiling at this point of only because you could see the 571 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:58,679 thunder kind of all of a sudden pivoting to well, no, like we're 572 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:02,320 playing Cason Walla in Usman jang a bunch of minute minutes here, and we're 573 00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:06,000 gonna see Mesitch get even more time too as the season goes on, because 574 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:07,639 that's what they want. Maybe they don't do that again. They're so good 575 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:13,079 that at some point you can't justify experimenting unless you're still winning at this clip. 576 00:39:13,559 --> 00:39:15,320 But those are the two teams I think okay See and Sacramento work are 577 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:20,360 to me clearly the best two teams from this year. And what's interesting to 578 00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:27,079 me is that that pressed is uh talk about them borrowing the wins from the 579 00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:30,880 from the future. Is it fair to Shay? I mean, Shae is 580 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:37,159 so good, Like why why wouldn't you want to to to put uh, 581 00:39:37,079 --> 00:39:43,519 you know, amplification on this season and just try to be awesome this year? 582 00:39:45,079 --> 00:39:47,800 I mean because right now they're awesome while experimenting, and so it's all 583 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:52,519 good vibes. It it comes to let's fast forward a month. They're gonna 584 00:39:52,519 --> 00:39:54,639 they're gonna hit a rough patch. Every team hits a rough patch. How 585 00:39:54,639 --> 00:39:59,360 do they react to that? And my guess is they'll do nothing. Like 586 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:01,159 maybe they make a trade where they're folding Davas Barton's a salary and to a 587 00:40:01,199 --> 00:40:05,360 different salary, they can move over the summer. It also matters who comes 588 00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:07,840 on the trade market. They're gonna want someone who's under contract, fits with 589 00:40:07,880 --> 00:40:10,639 the timeline, and that's like a lot of people like, well, Pascal 590 00:40:10,679 --> 00:40:14,480 Siakam would be great here, Zach Lvine would be great here, and it's 591 00:40:14,519 --> 00:40:17,280 like that doesn't really fit. Well. This Siakam idea is semi interesting, 592 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:20,440 but he's gonna be a free agent and okay, so he's not. I 593 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:23,239 just don't think they're gonna mess around with that. And if you're winning at 594 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:27,400 this clip, you almost can't. It's not that you can't justify making a 595 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:30,440 bigger trade, but who are you getting rid of? Then, Like you 596 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:32,960 can get rid of all the future picks and I guess Davas Berton's a salary 597 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:36,840 and so if you're just tacking onto this core, But then it gets an 598 00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:39,800 issue of oh, well, where are those minutes? Like who are we 599 00:40:39,880 --> 00:40:43,519 pulling minutes away from? And I think a lot of people, and this 600 00:40:43,639 --> 00:40:45,639 is independent of the allegations against him, they're gonna say, Josh Giddy, 601 00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:50,800 they're not wrong, because like he's just his fit is weird, and he's 602 00:40:50,840 --> 00:40:52,960 like he's needed to be on the court with Shay this year. Otherwise the 603 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:57,679 thunder has been really bad, and so that's the spot to kind of monitor. 604 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:00,480 But I think, and again, this is all further money because of 605 00:41:00,519 --> 00:41:04,519 the allegations against him. I do see people in the chat saying sixteen is 606 00:41:04,559 --> 00:41:07,039 fine in Oklahoma. It doesn't look like this person lived in Oklahoma. They 607 00:41:07,079 --> 00:41:10,440 were in California, and so like that's and just the fact that he's in 608 00:41:12,159 --> 00:41:15,639 the NBA, he's an adult, and like this is someone who's in high 609 00:41:15,679 --> 00:41:19,880 school. Like that's just it's skeevy. And again, we need to let 610 00:41:19,880 --> 00:41:23,119 the actual investigation play out because these are not even allegations coming from the person 611 00:41:23,199 --> 00:41:28,559 themselves. They're coming from social media salutes. And so I hate the whole 612 00:41:28,599 --> 00:41:30,400 situation. I hate just because they're doc saying the girl that's involved. It 613 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:35,920 just makes me wildly sad and uncomfortable. But he's the guy. There's no 614 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:38,440 natural sequae back to basketball. What a terrible conversation. I'm happy with myself, 615 00:41:39,719 --> 00:41:43,199 Like he's the guy to just watch. And I just don't think that's 616 00:41:43,199 --> 00:41:46,280 a decision they would make until this off season. I would And again, 617 00:41:46,320 --> 00:41:52,519 if he is suspended or something, you know, Dad opens up a whole 618 00:41:52,519 --> 00:41:54,199 other can of worms. But this team is they said they were gonna be 619 00:41:54,239 --> 00:41:58,920 patient and we're almost prepping fans for a rough season. Now they've come out 620 00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:02,039 and they've been patient, and they're just winning a crap ton and so I 621 00:42:02,039 --> 00:42:07,239 wouldn't expect them to make any real changes. And it's not a nice thing 622 00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:13,519 to ask, but considering all of what you just said, and the fact 623 00:42:13,559 --> 00:42:17,880 that Giddy and Shae are not really you know, a perfect fit next to 624 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:23,159 each other as you're leading guards, do you think maybe it's the time to 625 00:42:23,719 --> 00:42:29,320 try to pray them up to trade Giddy? Is that what you're saying, 626 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:32,719 Yeah, I guess and not Shaye. Yeah, yeah, I mean it's 627 00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:36,599 probably too early because look, the minutes with them on the floor together this 628 00:42:36,639 --> 00:42:39,119 season have been really good, but there's a lot of like, well, 629 00:42:39,119 --> 00:42:42,519 the thunder is still work. Chad has opened up the floor for both of 630 00:42:42,559 --> 00:42:45,400 them, but there's a lot of Shay's able to work in tight spaces. 631 00:42:45,679 --> 00:42:51,519 And the bigger question to me is actually ken Giddy operate independent of Shae because 632 00:42:51,519 --> 00:42:54,719 of the attention Shade draws and defenses just don't treat him like a threat. 633 00:42:54,960 --> 00:42:58,800 It's like even when he's on the court alone, they're going to go so 634 00:42:58,920 --> 00:43:01,880 far under him and test the jumper, test the floater, and it's not 635 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:07,000 always like working out for him. And so that's the thing to monitor, 636 00:43:07,079 --> 00:43:09,519 and the thunder of not shown unless it's changed. Over the past few games 637 00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:14,840 a ton of confidence in the Giddy without Shay minutes, they've been more inclined 638 00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:19,840 to go Okay Jalen Williams J Dub. He will play without Shay and Giddy 639 00:43:20,039 --> 00:43:23,480 more than Giddy will play without Shay and Jay Dubb. And that's just you 640 00:43:23,519 --> 00:43:27,679 know, Giddy's gonna be in line for a pretty big payday assuming he finishes 641 00:43:27,719 --> 00:43:31,599 the season. YadA, YadA, YadA. So would I consider it depending 642 00:43:31,639 --> 00:43:35,599 on who becomes avail out to absolutely consider it, But it has to be 643 00:43:35,599 --> 00:43:38,880 the right player. And I ultimately don't think that player because the thunder I 644 00:43:38,880 --> 00:43:44,000 think are gonna want someone who skews younger. I don't think that player will 645 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:49,400 be available before the summer. Yeah, I agree with that. And now 646 00:43:49,440 --> 00:43:53,039 I'm gonna show you my last year for today. And again, this is 647 00:43:53,119 --> 00:43:57,800 not this has nothing to do with then. This is just the way I'm 648 00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:01,840 looking at the West right now. The tier is called not perfect but pretty 649 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:07,239 damn good when they want to be tier. And it's two teams. It's 650 00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:14,360 the NBA champions Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Now we'll talk about the 651 00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:17,599 Nuggets more in the final segment, but before that, just tell me some 652 00:44:19,079 --> 00:44:23,320 what do you see about the team that has actually impressed me the most out 653 00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:27,800 West this season? Yeah, they have to be the single biggest surprise. 654 00:44:27,960 --> 00:44:30,599 And even as someone who is a Timberwolves optimist, I did not anticipate this 655 00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:36,480 man things I'm seeing and think Edwards has just made the leap to this two 656 00:44:36,559 --> 00:44:42,320 way star more consistently. Rudy Gobert looked so so different. There was a 657 00:44:42,360 --> 00:44:45,920 play I can't remember what podcast I was listening to that was outlining it. 658 00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:49,000 His defensive Player of the Year case, though, can be boiled down to 659 00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:52,599 a possession he's covering on the perimeter somehow has the mobility to get back to 660 00:44:52,639 --> 00:44:57,960 contest a close out or close out in the corner. He wasn't moving like 661 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:01,800 that last year and that's been huge for them. Nos Reid might be the 662 00:45:01,840 --> 00:45:05,239 sixth Man of the Year. There's a lot of good candidates this year. 663 00:45:05,239 --> 00:45:08,000 I think Lonnie Walker and Tarris Laverda kind of are more traditional ones. But 664 00:45:08,440 --> 00:45:14,000 you have nos Reed there. He's been really good. Who else has been 665 00:45:14,039 --> 00:45:15,679 really good this year off the bench? I mean, it's it's just we're 666 00:45:15,679 --> 00:45:19,920 so really it doesn't matter. Like Alex Caruso might get some love there for 667 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:22,800 sure, and would certainly deserve to be. But like, so you have 668 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:25,880 that the NOAs read and then Karl the Town has been a lot better defensively, 669 00:45:27,199 --> 00:45:30,039 He's been inconsistent offensively. I'd still like to see him take more threes. 670 00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:32,360 But like when you look at the top eight of this roster, because 671 00:45:32,360 --> 00:45:37,480 you can trust Kyle Anderson playing Nikil, Alexander Walker playing nos Reed playing, 672 00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:40,559 they might have the best top eight rotation in basketball. You look at the 673 00:45:40,639 --> 00:45:44,960 Nuggets at full strength and the Celtics at full strength, and you say, 674 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:46,880 okay, they clearly have the best top six. But like once you start 675 00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:51,880 to get beyond that, the Pelicans, if they're fully healthy, we just 676 00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:55,039 don't see it enough. Okay, see a team we just talked about when 677 00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:59,079 top to bottom, Like, yes, I think the Pelicans the thunder deeper. 678 00:45:59,679 --> 00:46:01,719 Other teams are deeper. When you're looking at one to fifteen. But 679 00:46:02,079 --> 00:46:07,760 if you're looking at just strictly playoff rotations, Minnesota right now might have the 680 00:46:07,800 --> 00:46:12,000 deepest, again just top one through eight, when you're shortened to seven or 681 00:46:12,039 --> 00:46:15,039 eight guys, they might have the most bankable playoff rotation in the league, 682 00:46:15,039 --> 00:46:20,760 which is no one was predicting that coming into the season. And so just 683 00:46:20,840 --> 00:46:24,199 combined with the better play from Rudy, having Towns being healthy to at lease 684 00:46:24,239 --> 00:46:29,760 open up the flor on offense, Anthony Edwards making the leap, nos Reed 685 00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:31,960 making another leap. I think we've seen so much from him defensively. His 686 00:46:32,039 --> 00:46:36,639 rim protection has improved and he remains switchable. Look, there were times where 687 00:46:36,679 --> 00:46:38,679 he was compared to Zeke naj at one point, and Zeke Nagy has never 688 00:46:38,719 --> 00:46:44,320 developed into someone who can actually be a true blue rim protector. Nos Reed 689 00:46:44,360 --> 00:46:47,480 can be that in addition to his mobility on the perimeter. And this team 690 00:46:47,519 --> 00:46:52,880 is just it's a frenetic watch even when they're not playing super fast, and 691 00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:55,079 so much about what they've done is impressed me. But I think if we 692 00:46:55,199 --> 00:46:59,480 boiled it down to the three biggest factors, I honestly think it's depth. 693 00:47:00,079 --> 00:47:02,440 Just the one through eight guys they're all available, Edward's making another leap, 694 00:47:02,719 --> 00:47:06,440 and I think, look, Rudy Gobert has been their second best player. 695 00:47:06,639 --> 00:47:09,280 It's and it's probably not even close. Like and look, there's a chance 696 00:47:09,320 --> 00:47:12,760 that nas Reed has been their third best player, which is kind of wild 697 00:47:13,039 --> 00:47:16,440 to say. And then Mike Comley's just there and solid. It's just incredible. 698 00:47:16,480 --> 00:47:21,639 So as long as they're healthy, my like, I would still be 699 00:47:21,639 --> 00:47:23,320 inclined to put the Nuggets in a tier of their own right now because we 700 00:47:23,440 --> 00:47:27,840 know this team. We know there, we know their faults and flaws, 701 00:47:27,840 --> 00:47:30,079 but we know what their top end outcome looks as of right now. Though 702 00:47:30,079 --> 00:47:35,199 you are absolutely correct, no other team has justified being in the Nuggets' is 703 00:47:35,239 --> 00:47:39,840 tier more than the Timberwolves. And what's interesting to me is that Kat and 704 00:47:39,840 --> 00:47:45,840 and Rudy Gobert actually looked pretty good together, unlike last season. Of course, 705 00:47:45,920 --> 00:47:50,239 the sample was was not very big last season because of Kat's injuries. 706 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:55,719 But what I what I found interesting is that their defense we'd only go bear 707 00:47:55,800 --> 00:48:00,599 on the court is just amazing. It's it's like unpenetrable, if that's a 708 00:48:00,639 --> 00:48:05,840 word. And then they're also pretty good on defense when they only have Cat 709 00:48:06,079 --> 00:48:10,000 and not go bear. They're strangely bad on defense. Maybe not strangely, 710 00:48:10,239 --> 00:48:15,199 but there were some defense when they have both of those guys. But their 711 00:48:15,239 --> 00:48:21,079 offense for some reason is off the charts, I mean comparing to what other 712 00:48:21,199 --> 00:48:24,719 things they have in their fold. Yeah, I think, without knowing like 713 00:48:24,760 --> 00:48:29,280 the actual lineups have been run, my guest would be like those two are 714 00:48:29,280 --> 00:48:35,440 playing so many minutes next to Mike Conley Anthony Edwards that the offense is guaranteed 715 00:48:35,440 --> 00:48:37,280 to be better in that, and then Towns just being a better offensive player. 716 00:48:37,679 --> 00:48:42,639 I think when you look at them defensively, though, they have the 717 00:48:42,719 --> 00:48:45,880 luxury of covering up for Cat better than any Timberwolves team in recent memory. 718 00:48:45,880 --> 00:48:50,440 Because now Rudy Gobert, we've just add Nauseaum talked about his mobility this year, 719 00:48:50,760 --> 00:48:52,519 nos Reed has been able to cover up for a lot in the Towns 720 00:48:52,559 --> 00:48:57,119 in minutes that he and him play together, and then Towns is shold have 721 00:48:57,119 --> 00:48:59,920 been better defensively in terms of being in the right spots. I still think 722 00:49:00,079 --> 00:49:04,760 he's he can be just sloth paced and get caught off guard and be at 723 00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:07,320 these weird angles when he's in space, and teams will still continue to attack 724 00:49:07,400 --> 00:49:10,400 him, but because you also it's not just no, it's like when Jade 725 00:49:10,480 --> 00:49:14,880 McDaniels is healthy and you have Kyle Anderson the pair with him and Anthony Edwards, 726 00:49:14,920 --> 00:49:17,000 and then just knowing that you can count on Mike Conley and Nikhil Alexander 727 00:49:17,039 --> 00:49:22,199 Walker has been great defensively for them as well. There's so much defensive talent 728 00:49:22,280 --> 00:49:25,639 surrounding him that I think they've been able to insulate Karl Anthony Town's better than 729 00:49:25,679 --> 00:49:30,280 they ever really could have hoped for. When they first made the Rudy Gobert 730 00:49:30,440 --> 00:49:35,880 acquisition, they always looked like a Nuggets skillers, and now when you see 731 00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:38,920 that they're actually very good against other teams as well, they might be really 732 00:49:38,960 --> 00:49:44,000 scary. Yeah. I didn't catch the game that the Nuggets and Timber was 733 00:49:44,000 --> 00:49:47,320 played earlier this year, but people were telling me that the stuff that works, 734 00:49:47,360 --> 00:49:51,800 and it makes some sense. But if you have Rudy Gobert playing down 735 00:49:51,840 --> 00:49:54,519 low and Karl Anthony town is gonna be the guy that's like guarding Jokic, 736 00:49:55,039 --> 00:50:00,519 and it just works. I don't know if it's a size and strength or 737 00:50:00,519 --> 00:50:02,719 if it's just the idea of like Rudy Gobert not having to be tethered and 738 00:50:02,760 --> 00:50:07,039 taken away from the basket because that's what Jokic could do. I'm interested to 739 00:50:07,039 --> 00:50:10,039 see if it would hold up over the course of a series. If these 740 00:50:10,039 --> 00:50:14,760 two but one game in the regular season, sure, but like I'd be, 741 00:50:14,920 --> 00:50:17,519 I think that the Nuggets could do some interesting tactical things to make those 742 00:50:17,559 --> 00:50:22,880 moves difficult on Minnesota. And my gut still says that if these two teams 743 00:50:22,880 --> 00:50:28,239 got in a series, Cat would be exposed by the end of it. 744 00:50:28,519 --> 00:50:32,440 And again that's probably on Denver being healthy. But the off ball movement that 745 00:50:32,480 --> 00:50:38,400 Denver can generate, specifically inside the arc, that can hurt Cat, and 746 00:50:38,519 --> 00:50:43,719 I know Rudy Gobert being off Jokic kind of can deral some of that movement. 747 00:50:43,719 --> 00:50:45,760 But I think I do think over the course of a series that it 748 00:50:45,800 --> 00:50:50,079 would be It's kind of quaint to see over a game or two, but 749 00:50:50,159 --> 00:50:53,079 of the course of a playoff series, I think Denver would really bust through 750 00:50:53,599 --> 00:50:59,480 that model and force Minnesota into some compromising decisions. I actually agree, and 751 00:50:59,559 --> 00:51:04,400 I think it's a big luxury to have naz Reid in that kind of situation, 752 00:51:04,480 --> 00:51:10,199 and you also have Jaden McDaniels and nah as the guys to guard Jamal 753 00:51:10,239 --> 00:51:15,360 Murray. So I think that would be an extremely interesting matchup for sure. 754 00:51:15,400 --> 00:51:20,280 Okay, let's take one last short break and then we'll move on to the 755 00:51:20,360 --> 00:51:30,519 NBA Champions then the Nuggets. Okay, we are back. So the Nuggets 756 00:51:30,639 --> 00:51:36,239 lost Jamal Murray to hamstring injury, and at first it looked like they would 757 00:51:36,280 --> 00:51:40,679 be fine with Dredge Jackson feeling in the starting lineup really well, but then 758 00:51:42,159 --> 00:51:45,159 that opened some problems with the back end of the rotation. So their record 759 00:51:45,199 --> 00:51:52,039 without Jamal is now four and five. They actually won that game when Jamal 760 00:51:52,400 --> 00:51:59,119 mid game got injured. So I'm I already said I'm envious of some other 761 00:51:59,280 --> 00:52:05,119 teams the guys they have on the bench against the Nuggets. What's your over 762 00:52:05,559 --> 00:52:09,880 arching take on the Nuggets season so far? And am I right to still 763 00:52:09,920 --> 00:52:16,119 have them in this top tier of the conference even with those losses that have 764 00:52:16,199 --> 00:52:20,519 been planning up. Yeah, Look, I'm not gonna panic about this team. 765 00:52:20,599 --> 00:52:24,639 I just they are a machine the end. Look, the overarching issues, 766 00:52:24,719 --> 00:52:29,440 as you call them, they're exactly not just what we expected, but 767 00:52:29,480 --> 00:52:32,559 they're exactly what they're supposed to be. They made this conscious decision to say, 768 00:52:34,280 --> 00:52:37,119 like, we have our top six guys, and like the bench is 769 00:52:37,159 --> 00:52:39,360 still gonna be a bunch of question marks because one they didn't have the resources 770 00:52:39,360 --> 00:52:43,840 to really do anything else financially, and then two they try to take some 771 00:52:43,920 --> 00:52:46,760 swings developmental swings, and so they are gonna be growing pains there. There 772 00:52:46,840 --> 00:52:51,760 is value in getting this information and these reps in the regular season to maybe 773 00:52:51,760 --> 00:52:55,559 identify because you have your six and you decided, look, if it's it's 774 00:52:55,639 --> 00:53:00,599 different if like I'm honestly, and I don't mean to you know how I 775 00:53:00,639 --> 00:53:02,800 feel about Michael Porter junior, but like Michael Porter Junior is missing time, 776 00:53:04,239 --> 00:53:07,440 or if Christian Brown is missing time, you can overcome that. If Yo 777 00:53:07,559 --> 00:53:12,400 Kich, if Murray, if Gordon even KCP when you look at his defensive 778 00:53:12,400 --> 00:53:15,280 assignments, Like you've kind of just decided that if one of those four players 779 00:53:15,639 --> 00:53:20,440 aren't healthy, you're not winning the championship. And so that's the decision that 780 00:53:20,480 --> 00:53:23,400 you have made, Let's say, and I think that's a semi comfortable decision 781 00:53:23,480 --> 00:53:29,400 to make. I think what makes this really uneasy is, Okay, well, 782 00:53:29,480 --> 00:53:31,840 can we even get to like a six or seven man playoff rotation that 783 00:53:31,880 --> 00:53:37,360 we feel super confident in the front court rotation after Yo Kich and Gordon and 784 00:53:37,400 --> 00:53:40,000 Porter Junior is just all over the place right now. I've been a little 785 00:53:40,039 --> 00:53:45,079 bit concerned with how Christian Brown has played. He needs, like he needs 786 00:53:45,159 --> 00:53:50,599 Nicole Yokich to get anything going inside the arc for him, and so it's 787 00:53:50,599 --> 00:53:52,280 fair to be concerned about that. But this is all happening in the backdrop 788 00:53:52,320 --> 00:53:57,079 of they don't have Jamal Murray, and Matt Moore was talking about this recently 789 00:53:57,079 --> 00:54:00,039 on the Lockdown Nuggets podcast, like Reggie actually been good for a lot of 790 00:54:00,079 --> 00:54:02,599 the year, but now all of a sudden, he's going up against not 791 00:54:02,679 --> 00:54:07,519 just league guards, but league guards who are then defending him because they're not 792 00:54:07,559 --> 00:54:10,559 gonna defend This is what Matt Moore pointed out anyone else, because Aaron Gordon, 793 00:54:10,679 --> 00:54:14,320 Michael Porter Junior, Yo Kicch, you are too to f and big, 794 00:54:14,800 --> 00:54:16,400 and you're not gonna throw them on KCP because that feels like a little 795 00:54:16,440 --> 00:54:20,360 bit of a waste just he's not doing as much on the ball. So 796 00:54:21,119 --> 00:54:28,000 I do think they need at least another veteran in this rotation because it's Christian 797 00:54:28,000 --> 00:54:30,320 Brown has earned the benefit of the doubt. But if you're waiting for a 798 00:54:30,400 --> 00:54:34,199 Julian Strauther or you know, the Zeke Naji ship seems like it's sailed. 799 00:54:34,239 --> 00:54:36,599 Every year is the Zeke Naja year, and then every year it's not the 800 00:54:36,679 --> 00:54:39,119 zeke Naja year. But if you're counting on Peyton Watson, like those are 801 00:54:39,159 --> 00:54:43,519 where you're getting into risky areas of well, are these guys gonna be good 802 00:54:43,599 --> 00:54:47,519 enough when it matters most? And that's the question they have. I don't 803 00:54:47,559 --> 00:54:51,960 know what they're gonna be able to do at the trade deadline, in part 804 00:54:52,000 --> 00:54:53,599 because yeah, they have some I think there'd be a lot of teams and 805 00:54:53,679 --> 00:54:57,679 be like, oh, if you're willing to trade Peyton Watson, we will. 806 00:54:57,719 --> 00:54:59,960 We will definitely take a look at him. But they need to get 807 00:55:00,360 --> 00:55:04,400 to matching salary to do anything of consequence. And it's like, Okay, 808 00:55:04,800 --> 00:55:09,239 Jokic, Murray, Porter, Gordon KCP are your five highest paid players. 809 00:55:09,679 --> 00:55:15,079 Your sixth highest paid player is Reggie Jackson making five million, And it's just 810 00:55:15,119 --> 00:55:19,960 like when in terms of salary matching, like it gets really difficult to figure 811 00:55:20,000 --> 00:55:21,800 out moves that they can make. I know a lot of fans have been 812 00:55:21,920 --> 00:55:25,880 enamored with Alex Caruso, but like one you could get to the money for 813 00:55:25,960 --> 00:55:29,119 him, you could step out of your way there. The bulls aren't taking 814 00:55:29,119 --> 00:55:30,760 your best offer because you can't trade them like they're gonna get a first for 815 00:55:30,800 --> 00:55:35,079 Alex Caruso. And so you're looking at someone who's Maybe you could get a 816 00:55:35,119 --> 00:55:37,760 Javon Carter from Chicago if they decided, or an Io disson move, just 817 00:55:37,760 --> 00:55:42,000 someone who could come in and play sort of a similar defensive role in Javon 818 00:55:42,079 --> 00:55:45,639 Carterval Hill had three's man, I would love him in Dever actually, to 819 00:55:45,679 --> 00:55:49,679 be honest with you, So does that type of move stabilize them at all? 820 00:55:49,719 --> 00:55:53,719 But the reason I can't be concerned is because they knew the risks and 821 00:55:53,840 --> 00:55:57,599 what was gonna happen coming in. Look, we can get bent out of 822 00:55:57,639 --> 00:56:00,599 shape about It'd be nice if Michael porter Ji were just fire up more streamline 823 00:56:00,639 --> 00:56:04,679 jump shots at times, or it'd be nice if Aaron Gordon could find the 824 00:56:04,679 --> 00:56:08,039 basket at all. Right now, those things are gonna be fine. It's 825 00:56:08,400 --> 00:56:13,320 if you believe that Jamal Murray and Koloki are gonna be healthy. And I 826 00:56:13,360 --> 00:56:15,320 would say I think Aaron Gordon's probably their third most important player when you look 827 00:56:15,320 --> 00:56:19,280 at the playoffs specifically, So if you believe those three guys are gonna be 828 00:56:19,320 --> 00:56:22,559 healthy, you will have a chance. And it's can we carve out another 829 00:56:22,559 --> 00:56:27,599 spot or two in the rotation that isn't so unpredictable. I think for them 830 00:56:27,639 --> 00:56:29,920 to get to a point where they have seven guys who they can trust in 831 00:56:29,960 --> 00:56:32,480 the playoffs, they're gonna need to get lucky on the trade end or buy 832 00:56:32,519 --> 00:56:36,079 out market, though, And that's just where I'm at with this team. 833 00:56:36,119 --> 00:56:37,320 I think what we saw at the beginning of the season when they were healthy, 834 00:56:37,599 --> 00:56:42,199 their defensive ceiling might be even higher than last year. And a large 835 00:56:42,239 --> 00:56:46,039 part of that is one Casey p has been incredible this year. Nikoliokic. 836 00:56:46,400 --> 00:56:50,880 When they were at full strength, he was doing some pretty incredible things defensively. 837 00:56:50,920 --> 00:56:53,960 And then you know, I've hammered this home the Michael Porter junior defensive 838 00:56:53,960 --> 00:56:58,559 experience. It can still be touch and go, but the highs are so 839 00:56:58,719 --> 00:57:02,599 incredibly high, and they are more sustainable than they've been. I can't bring 840 00:57:02,639 --> 00:57:07,719 myself to panic. We can nitpick, we can be concerned. There's just 841 00:57:07,800 --> 00:57:09,800 no for me, There's no reason to Pat. Yeah, And I think 842 00:57:10,039 --> 00:57:15,119 the biggest reason why Michael Porter is so important to this team, you know, 843 00:57:15,239 --> 00:57:21,079 next to his length, which which helps the whole team grow crazy, 844 00:57:21,239 --> 00:57:25,920 crazy long, is the fact that he is such a perfect fairing next to 845 00:57:27,079 --> 00:57:32,880 Aaron Gordon, because Aaron Gordon is just the most important guy on that defense, 846 00:57:34,679 --> 00:57:37,679 and he is, you know, he's not a confident shooter. He 847 00:57:37,719 --> 00:57:43,280 can he can hit some shots, but then he can go zero four twelve, 848 00:57:44,400 --> 00:57:47,119 he will miss some shots as well. So you really need Michael Porter 849 00:57:47,239 --> 00:57:52,320 to stretch that court out so so that Aaron Gordon would have the space to 850 00:57:52,400 --> 00:57:58,239 operate in the dunker spot and stuff like that. And Casey p is a 851 00:57:58,400 --> 00:58:02,960 is a as close to a knockdown shooter and a good defender as you'll you'll 852 00:58:04,000 --> 00:58:07,960 find in the league. Jamal Murray, is there one thing that concerns me 853 00:58:08,079 --> 00:58:13,079 a bit is the fact that we are talking about some veteran help that might 854 00:58:13,199 --> 00:58:16,679 come, or maybe not even veteran help, but just some other guys to 855 00:58:16,800 --> 00:58:22,559 be able to join the bench of the Denver Nuggets. And the thing is, 856 00:58:22,280 --> 00:58:28,000 in the last six seven years, we've seen a pletora of players that 857 00:58:28,039 --> 00:58:32,519 are trying to play good minutes without Nikolo Kich in the court, and none 858 00:58:32,519 --> 00:58:38,480 of them made it, none of them. So it's it might not be 859 00:58:38,719 --> 00:58:44,760 just the players that have been involved. It might be something that has to 860 00:58:44,800 --> 00:58:49,599 do a bit with the coaching as well, because we know Nikolaokicch minutes are 861 00:58:49,679 --> 00:58:55,719 always always overwhelmingly good, but you need that balance with his of minutes. 862 00:58:55,800 --> 00:59:01,079 He played forffing forty two minutes last like in Houston and they still lost the 863 00:59:01,119 --> 00:59:04,800 game, And it's like, I know he's an iron man, but you 864 00:59:04,840 --> 00:59:07,280 don't want to overwork him too much in the regular season either. At this 865 00:59:07,320 --> 00:59:09,920 point, it's just like it'd be nice if he could get the break rather 866 00:59:09,960 --> 00:59:14,760 than Jamal Murray, but they just can't. Look even with Jamal Murray, 867 00:59:14,559 --> 00:59:17,679 they're just not built to operate without Jokic still, and there are I know, 868 00:59:17,719 --> 00:59:22,559 people talk a lot about like can't they run some different substitution patterns, 869 00:59:22,559 --> 00:59:25,079 and it's sure, but when you start to go through like the data of 870 00:59:25,119 --> 00:59:30,519 how just even the players you might want to see without Jokic more, and 871 00:59:30,559 --> 00:59:35,639 it's okay, Like you know they're they're just so not efficient with with with 872 00:59:35,719 --> 00:59:38,000 Jokic, Like off the court, where it's Reggie Jackson, even when he 873 00:59:38,039 --> 00:59:40,159 was playing a bunch of Yolkic off the court, in an effective field goal 874 00:59:40,199 --> 00:59:44,719 percentage of forty eight when Yokiic isn't on the floor this year, Aaron Gordon's 875 00:59:44,719 --> 00:59:49,280 effective field goal percentage without Jokic thirty seven. That is incredibly low. Jamal 876 00:59:49,360 --> 00:59:52,159 Murray's effective field goal percentage without Jokics this year thirty seven and a half. 877 00:59:52,719 --> 00:59:57,960 Uh, Like, I think the one thing you could try, and I 878 00:59:58,079 --> 01:00:01,239 just don't know, Like Michael Porter Junior might be built to play some more 879 01:00:01,280 --> 01:00:05,320 solo minutes. He's just not as a scorer, sure, as a facilitator, 880 01:00:05,360 --> 01:00:07,639 it's okay, no, but he is a fifty nine effective field goal 881 01:00:07,679 --> 01:00:10,719 percentag without Yokich on the court, which is which is really good. And 882 01:00:10,760 --> 01:00:15,280 so could you just try and build more punchier units where okay, Jokic is 883 01:00:15,320 --> 01:00:20,760 off the court and you're gonna like have Michael Porter Junior scoring to lean on 884 01:00:20,800 --> 01:00:25,320 you just you need guys who can provide not even net positive minutes for your 885 01:00:25,320 --> 01:00:30,639 team, but net positive play as an individual without Jokich, and there are 886 01:00:30,719 --> 01:00:35,079 so few guys on this team who can do that, even within the starting 887 01:00:35,119 --> 01:00:39,000 lineup. I would argue that there are two guys on this team that could 888 01:00:39,000 --> 01:00:42,840 feasibly be as individuals. I don't even know what it would look like for 889 01:00:42,880 --> 01:00:45,159 the larger impact on the team. And we actually we do, Like we've 890 01:00:45,159 --> 01:00:50,639 seen the Murray without Jokic minutes and they're not spectacular, but he's one of 891 01:00:50,679 --> 01:00:54,440 the guys. And then it's MPJ and so it's like to not have, 892 01:00:55,159 --> 01:01:00,159 you know, to not have another option with that. And I think the 893 01:01:00,239 --> 01:01:04,960 biggest need you could you could say, is they need someone to be like 894 01:01:05,039 --> 01:01:10,079 the idea of Christian Brown and Bruce Brown together is what they need and you're 895 01:01:10,119 --> 01:01:14,039 just not gonna find that with the tools that they have. And even look, 896 01:01:14,320 --> 01:01:16,960 even if Peyton Watson pops all of a sudden stays that way, what 897 01:01:17,119 --> 01:01:20,559 is that actually doing for you in the now? He's not a creator? 898 01:01:20,920 --> 01:01:22,199 And so it's like, do we need Jaen Pickett, Like, is that 899 01:01:22,239 --> 01:01:24,960 the one you're you're looking at? Because his minutes are you know, they're 900 01:01:25,000 --> 01:01:30,280 gonna dissipate when you have Jamal Murray and Reggie Jackson. So like it feels 901 01:01:30,320 --> 01:01:35,239 like they're not one player short of winning a title, but it feels like 902 01:01:35,280 --> 01:01:38,559 they're one player short of like we can breathe during the non yokicch minutes at 903 01:01:38,639 --> 01:01:40,800 least, And I know at the beginning of the season it was like, 904 01:01:40,840 --> 01:01:44,639 oh, the non Yokch minutes look better. That kind of faded quickly. 905 01:01:44,679 --> 01:01:47,440 Even before the Jamal Murray minutes, they were outscored by fifteen total points without 906 01:01:47,519 --> 01:01:52,960 Jokic on the court. That's a doable margin. Now that things ballooned over 907 01:01:52,000 --> 01:01:55,119 their most recent stretch to like I don't even know, I think they've been 908 01:01:55,159 --> 01:01:59,760 on scored by like seventy points without Jokic on the court during this like recent 909 01:02:00,079 --> 01:02:05,039 road you know, disaster, whatever you want to call it, so like 910 01:02:05,400 --> 01:02:08,800 it's just it's I don't want to say it's unsolvable, but with the resources 911 01:02:08,840 --> 01:02:13,599 they have at their disposal, it's kind of this active decision that they've made. 912 01:02:13,599 --> 01:02:15,039 And they've been out scored by twenty nine points without Yo Kitch on the 913 01:02:15,039 --> 01:02:17,639 court in one hundred and four minutes, So that's not that's not great. 914 01:02:17,639 --> 01:02:22,960 And during this this seven game stretch to the starting lineup has been outscored by 915 01:02:22,960 --> 01:02:25,360 thirty points, like the starting lineup with Reggie Jackson, So you're not gonna 916 01:02:25,400 --> 01:02:29,280 decide the win, Yeah, you'll win the minutes with Yo kitch overall, 917 01:02:29,320 --> 01:02:32,280 but if you can't win the minutes in the lineup that he is going to 918 01:02:32,320 --> 01:02:37,079 spend the most time in, you're I don't know if you cuss on this 919 01:02:37,119 --> 01:02:39,000 podcast, so you're screwed. So I won't drop the f bomb. It's 920 01:02:39,039 --> 01:02:44,480 just like, again, this is a problem that you understand it because of 921 01:02:44,480 --> 01:02:47,519 how they allocated resources to their top guys. They just won a title by 922 01:02:47,519 --> 01:02:52,119 doing that, so it's hard to refute. But there is there's a trade 923 01:02:52,159 --> 01:02:54,320 off there, and we're witnessing it and it's It's part of the reason I'm 924 01:02:54,320 --> 01:02:58,280 concerned. But I also can't get up in arms about it because it was 925 01:02:58,320 --> 01:03:00,679 an active decision and for some reason that makes me feel a little better about 926 01:03:00,719 --> 01:03:06,719 it, even though that might be a logical Yeah, I think that most 927 01:03:06,760 --> 01:03:13,480 of the well informed Nuggets fans will tell you that they're prepared for some frustrating 928 01:03:13,559 --> 01:03:20,239 regular season, but we know what is the price in sight, and they 929 01:03:20,280 --> 01:03:24,360 probably need eight guys for the playoffs. You can survive with seven? Yeah, 930 01:03:24,400 --> 01:03:27,519 they did seven last year, I would say, right, unless you 931 01:03:27,559 --> 01:03:31,639 count you know, Jeff Green. Christian Brown was the eighth guy. Actually, 932 01:03:31,840 --> 01:03:36,079 last year, and he played some really, really good minutes in the 933 01:03:36,079 --> 01:03:39,159 finals. But what I want to say is you can do with seven, 934 01:03:39,679 --> 01:03:45,320 but one of the guys off the bench has to be a big. You 935 01:03:45,360 --> 01:03:50,719 cannot play just guards take a bench, and if Zeke Naji is your best 936 01:03:50,760 --> 01:03:55,119 big, that doesn't sound promising. So this is the thing I'm looking most 937 01:03:55,719 --> 01:04:02,320 most towards in the next months for the Nuggets basketball. And I think that 938 01:04:02,320 --> 01:04:08,039 that extension he got is quite strange right now, because you know, he's 939 01:04:08,079 --> 01:04:12,039 not that easy to trade because of it. I think, well, yeah, 940 01:04:12,079 --> 01:04:14,880 but it's he's actually it's not too hard because it's so cheap. So 941 01:04:14,920 --> 01:04:16,679 like the poison pill provisions doesn't mean as much. It's felt more like a 942 01:04:16,719 --> 01:04:20,800 future move where it's, oh, we want this. Whatever he's locked into 943 01:04:21,079 --> 01:04:25,679 next year is gonna be eight point eight million, Like that's a nice salary 944 01:04:26,360 --> 01:04:30,679 matching tool on a very low stakes contract that's declining on a player who's still 945 01:04:30,840 --> 01:04:34,320 he's not even twenty three as we're recording this, So that's what the logic 946 01:04:34,360 --> 01:04:38,360 there felt like. I actually had a question for you though, because you 947 01:04:38,440 --> 01:04:41,639 mentioned one of the players on the bench has to be a big. Now, 948 01:04:41,639 --> 01:04:44,480 I just mentioned how important it is for Aaron Gordon offensively to play with 949 01:04:44,559 --> 01:04:47,639 Nicole Jokish. What do you sort of make of the idea? And they've 950 01:04:47,760 --> 01:04:51,199 killed during these minutes. It hasn't been a ton like Aaron Gordon at center. 951 01:04:51,239 --> 01:04:55,400 It kind of works like would you like in the playoffs specifically? I 952 01:04:55,400 --> 01:04:58,159 think you have to be open to it now, But is that something you 953 01:04:58,199 --> 01:05:00,239 could see them trying out a little bit more frequently or they don't want to 954 01:05:00,239 --> 01:05:04,760 put that wear and tear on ag because of how important he is defensively to 955 01:05:04,920 --> 01:05:10,400 the Jokic lineups. Oh, they have been trying it already several times, 956 01:05:10,599 --> 01:05:14,599 and they haven't when they do it too. They haven't tried it last season 957 01:05:14,639 --> 01:05:17,760 almost at all during the regular season, and then they were killing people in 958 01:05:17,800 --> 01:05:23,559 the playoffs with that. But the thing here is that Michael Malan was actually 959 01:05:23,840 --> 01:05:27,920 panicking a bit, and this is why he's Okay, no more Zeke Magic 960 01:05:27,960 --> 01:05:31,800 tonight, We'll just play Aaron at the five and and well hopefully survived that 961 01:05:32,039 --> 01:05:36,360 we still had, you know, Jeff Green, who is a beefy guy. 962 01:05:36,960 --> 01:05:41,880 I mean, he was a pretty much negative most of the playoffs even 963 01:05:42,280 --> 01:05:45,519 and not to mention the regular season, but Michael Malone still felt that he 964 01:05:45,599 --> 01:05:51,320 needed some more some more beef in the in the in the paint when when 965 01:05:51,559 --> 01:05:57,119 Ki would go out of the your Jeff Green had like Jeff Green is like 966 01:05:57,159 --> 01:05:59,719 the king of having moments that make you think he's still really good, and 967 01:05:59,760 --> 01:06:01,199 then you go back and you watch other moments or you'll see the data and 968 01:06:01,199 --> 01:06:05,360 it's like, oh, like no uh. And what's also tough is because 969 01:06:05,440 --> 01:06:09,920 Nikol Jokic is your best player and he's gonna play. You know, I 970 01:06:09,960 --> 01:06:13,119 don't want him playing forty two minutes in November. I will take him playing 971 01:06:13,119 --> 01:06:17,119 forty two minutes in May. What are you supposed to allocate to someone who, 972 01:06:17,119 --> 01:06:19,639 when it matters most in theory, is gonna play six or eight minutes 973 01:06:19,639 --> 01:06:24,079 a game. And that's where it gets challenging. And so it's you know, 974 01:06:24,679 --> 01:06:28,239 maybe they could have done a better job, like signing a minimum like 975 01:06:28,840 --> 01:06:32,119 I'll go this route. Pismack Biambo would have done infinitely more for this team 976 01:06:32,159 --> 01:06:35,719 on the court than DeAndre Jordan is ever gonna do for them, And so 977 01:06:36,199 --> 01:06:40,599 you could have saying, but you talk to all these people around the NBA, 978 01:06:40,800 --> 01:06:44,519 and I think the emotional component of having DJ there, like that's gonna 979 01:06:44,519 --> 01:06:47,239 matter to them. So can you, like, can you find a really 980 01:06:47,320 --> 01:06:53,159 cheap big on the trade market, because when they're making minimums or close to 981 01:06:53,239 --> 01:06:56,000 it, now, that becomes more workable, and that, in theory, 982 01:06:56,039 --> 01:06:59,480 is something you could address because hey, that shouldn't cost too much and we 983 01:06:59,519 --> 01:07:02,519 don't need this guy could be a star. We need him to play eight 984 01:07:02,559 --> 01:07:05,840 to ten minutes a game during the playoffs at most. And so it's like, 985 01:07:05,880 --> 01:07:09,519 I know some people floated Andre Drummond. I have no desire to see 986 01:07:09,519 --> 01:07:11,679 Andre Drummond on this team. I'm not gonna lie. I don't think. 987 01:07:12,199 --> 01:07:15,000 I just don't love. I don't think it's gonna be good. I don't 988 01:07:15,000 --> 01:07:16,880 think it would be good. But like see somebody in the chat get boogie 989 01:07:16,880 --> 01:07:21,519 back. I don't really know if and I know I'm I'm I'm good without 990 01:07:21,559 --> 01:07:26,039 that. But like a this this isn't the because the way they run their 991 01:07:26,039 --> 01:07:29,840 offense, but like a Jericho Simms from New York, like we's not getting 992 01:07:29,880 --> 01:07:31,719 minutes. You know you're not gonna trade for hart and Stein like they're using 993 01:07:31,760 --> 01:07:36,519 him too much? Like could they like could they be a team I didn't 994 01:07:36,519 --> 01:07:40,320 think of trade tars store I got here, But you can get a super 995 01:07:40,400 --> 01:07:45,480 cheap big for the most part, and that's at least okay that it feels 996 01:07:45,519 --> 01:07:47,880 feasibly addressable. But where like a lot of this, if you want like 997 01:07:47,920 --> 01:07:53,159 a better creator off the bench or a better wing off the bench, those 998 01:07:53,760 --> 01:07:58,039 those players traditionally cost a lot more. And so that's just where you get 999 01:07:58,039 --> 01:08:02,480 into some like really interesting and tough discussions. But if I'm them, I 1000 01:08:02,519 --> 01:08:06,360 would be with you if you're to minimize how long you need to play Aaron 1001 01:08:06,360 --> 01:08:09,719 Gordont's So I mean, look, you might not need another big man in 1002 01:08:09,760 --> 01:08:13,159 the playoffs because Aaron Gordon at center for six to eight minutes a game could 1003 01:08:13,159 --> 01:08:16,039 make a lot of sense and like, you know, minimal issues. But 1004 01:08:16,239 --> 01:08:19,039 otherwise, you know, maybe they get like I said, the buyout market, 1005 01:08:19,079 --> 01:08:23,439 or can you trade for just someone who is who is so cheap right 1006 01:08:23,439 --> 01:08:26,079 now that it doesn't it costs seconds or something. And then just like you 1007 01:08:26,119 --> 01:08:29,960 have to send out the requisite salary match just to get a body in there. 1008 01:08:30,199 --> 01:08:31,840 And that's it. Again, that's at least something that they might be 1009 01:08:31,920 --> 01:08:36,840 able to address. Okay, then thank you so much for letting me force 1010 01:08:36,880 --> 01:08:42,560 you to speak about the Nuggets longer than you usually as do you want to 1011 01:08:42,600 --> 01:08:45,359 promote something before we go out? Uh, just check out the Hardwin Knox 1012 01:08:45,399 --> 01:08:48,840 podcast. I'm sure it's all Nuggets fans that are here, but we cover 1013 01:08:48,920 --> 01:08:51,159 the NBA at large and we do look, we have a lot of fun 1014 01:08:51,279 --> 01:08:55,359 and we do a really good job with it. So Hardwood Ox YouTube, 1015 01:08:55,359 --> 01:08:59,039 Spotify, Apple where you get your podcasts, just search the name Hardwod Knox 1016 01:08:59,039 --> 01:09:04,239 built exactly. Yeah, thank you very much. And before we meet again 1017 01:09:04,399 --> 01:09:06,279 next week, my dear listener,