1 00:00:16,039 --> 00:00:21,920 What is crack lackin fellow thermonuclear a Eppers. I am Dampavalley coming at you 2 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,039 with a solo mail bag. It's a Twitter mail bag. I was supposed 3 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:27,760 to do it last week, but I just ran out of time. So 4 00:00:27,879 --> 00:00:30,800 thank you everyone for your questions. I will be getting to them as soon 5 00:00:30,839 --> 00:00:34,679 as we tackle the breaking news first and foremost, though the usual reminder, 6 00:00:34,719 --> 00:00:38,880 please remember to rate, review, subscribe to us on Apple and Spotify those 7 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,359 help us out a ton. Also hit that sub button on YouTube even if 8 00:00:42,359 --> 00:00:45,799 you're listening via podcast player. Like and comment on all of our videos that 9 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,640 can help the algorithm love us back. Some of you are really awesome with 10 00:00:48,679 --> 00:00:51,159 doing that, and we appreciate it. 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Maybe I should throw on on my You can buy Hardwoodknox mers. 20 00:01:23,799 --> 00:01:26,280 That helps us support. You know what I'm gonna I'm gonna stick to 21 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,519 this. So I almost rift a sticker and I'm gonna put a sticker on 22 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,000 my shirt and then I have to find a permanent spot to put it. 23 00:01:32,079 --> 00:01:34,719 Let's make sure it's in camera view so everyone could see just how how nice 24 00:01:34,879 --> 00:01:38,040 and fun these are. Yeah, yeah, at Hardwood Nocks. Sticker right 25 00:01:38,079 --> 00:01:42,159 there, so you can support the show that way. We really appreciate it. 26 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:46,040 The link to the merch stores in the podcast and YouTube description as well. 27 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:48,959 I think that's all I have for you after ninety seconds of that. 28 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,760 And as always when we're doing these soble mailbacks, please the intermittent pauses. 29 00:01:52,799 --> 00:01:55,480 I am, honest to God, just time stamping this to make it easier 30 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,680 for everyone who's listening back as I just speak. Right now, we begin, 31 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,879 though not with a mail bad question, but Monty Williams he's joining the 32 00:02:01,879 --> 00:02:06,840 Detroit Pistons after Grant and I said that we both believed he'd be sitting out 33 00:02:06,879 --> 00:02:09,520 a year because he had three years and twenty plus million left on his deal 34 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,199 with Phoenix, and there was also the reporting from Stein that the Pistons tried 35 00:02:14,199 --> 00:02:15,439 to get him and he didn't want to be there. He ends up signing 36 00:02:15,479 --> 00:02:21,960 a six year deal that's guaranteed. It seems like for seventy eight point five 37 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,960 million dollars it has the potential to go to eight years and get and make 38 00:02:25,039 --> 00:02:30,479 him over one hundred million or something like that. That is good for Monty 39 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:34,039 well for like great for Monty. Glad he's able to do that. Like 40 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:37,080 that's a lot of money, I would assume, or we don't assume. 41 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,159 I think woj Or Sham's tweeted that he is now the highest paid coach in 42 00:02:40,159 --> 00:02:44,840 the NBA. This is probably the largest contract ever given to an NBA head 43 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:47,039 coach, even though their salaries aren't really made public. I don't you know, 44 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:51,120 even stuff that I've heard through the grape find or that's actually been reported 45 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:54,680 after the fact, Like I don't think Greg Popovitch or Spoelstra is making anywhere 46 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:58,879 near that. There's a lot of money over a shallout for Monty, and 47 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,919 I respect the Pistons for coaching hires do not count against your salary cap. 48 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:06,280 Owners can spend whatever they want on it. They identified Monty Williams as their 49 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:07,400 guy, they went out and got him. I'm excited to see what he 50 00:03:07,439 --> 00:03:13,319 can do. It's just sort of someone to develop the kiddies on this roster, 51 00:03:13,759 --> 00:03:15,319 to be a voice in the locker room and on the sidelines for them. 52 00:03:15,599 --> 00:03:19,800 We also, I know he's not necessarily celebrated for his you know, 53 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,560 tactical genius, but the stuff that he ran there are a lot of complex 54 00:03:23,599 --> 00:03:27,000 pick and roll stuff that Phoenix used to run. He knows how to get 55 00:03:27,039 --> 00:03:30,039 the most out of his guards specifically, and so I think that should be 56 00:03:30,039 --> 00:03:32,039 great for Jade and Ivy Kay Cunningham, and I think it'll just be great 57 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:36,719 in general. You know. Maybe you know, he has a lot of 58 00:03:36,719 --> 00:03:38,080 bigs there, so hopefully they don't go in the way of his relationship with 59 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:42,759 DeAndre Ayton, but not none of these bigs, even James Wiseman at this 60 00:03:42,759 --> 00:03:45,919 point or dealing with sort of the star ego or the ego that comes with 61 00:03:45,919 --> 00:03:50,159 a max contract, not putting the Eton Monty stuff solely on eighton, really 62 00:03:50,199 --> 00:03:52,319 interested to see what he could do with this team, and I have you 63 00:03:52,319 --> 00:03:54,039 know, you have to like that, like you can't do just doesn't count 64 00:03:54,039 --> 00:03:57,800 against the cap. I don't know why you would dislike this move unless you 65 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:02,360 really liked Kevin Ollie or wanted him in there. So from the perspective of 66 00:04:02,439 --> 00:04:05,599 the coaching market, though, I think this is really interesting to see if 67 00:04:05,599 --> 00:04:12,400 it inflates salaries elsewhere. I do think this was a confluence of circumstances where 68 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,439 you're dealing with someone who was incredibly sought after in the first place, and 69 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,800 we don't know if he was heavily linked to you know, how much was 70 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:23,120 Toronto actually interested in him? Did Philly give him a long hard look? 71 00:04:23,199 --> 00:04:26,040 Did Milwaukee give him a long hard look at all? But this is someone 72 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,000 who had better options if you were looking to win now, and he was 73 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,120 a candidate, and I have to imagine that had he wanted to be involved. 74 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:36,680 The reporting came out later via the Athletic James Edwards and Shams that Monty 75 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:41,000 Williams had kind of rebuffed overtures, including from the Pistons and other teams, 76 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,680 and he wasn't sure he wanted to coach next year, that the Pistons were 77 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:45,800 on his list of teams that he would be willing to come back for. 78 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,639 So do you have to imagine there's competition there. There's also just in general, 79 00:04:49,759 --> 00:04:54,920 like this coaching market when you're looking at established names felt pretty frothy. 80 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:58,519 You have Nick Nurse there, and now Monty Williams goes off the board. 81 00:04:58,759 --> 00:05:01,879 And then also just knowing how sought after email Udoka was, we don't know 82 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:06,680 if teams were uncomfortable hiring him because of you know, the inappropriate relationship and 83 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:12,160 text messages he exchanged with the female staffer in Boston. That certainly factored into 84 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,759 the equation those hires. I mean, we're already made the UDOCA one specifically, 85 00:05:15,759 --> 00:05:18,800 but like looking at Nurse, that just happened, and the Milwaukee gig 86 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:24,160 was just filled. And so I do think that the level of competition coupled 87 00:05:24,199 --> 00:05:29,319 with Monty Williams was not doesn't seem like actively looking to head coach head coach 88 00:05:29,399 --> 00:05:32,040 this year, that it was an offer that he really couldn't refuse, and 89 00:05:32,079 --> 00:05:34,600 that the Pistons went over the top, you know, came from the top 90 00:05:34,639 --> 00:05:39,240 of the rope. Drew all this money at him, and so I don't 91 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,079 think this is going to have like a permanent I don't think Kevin Young or 92 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,480 Doc Rivers or Frank Vogel, who are the reported finalists and Phoenix, are 93 00:05:45,519 --> 00:05:48,120 going to the Suns and saying price of the coaching just went up. Not 94 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:53,160 I don't see that happening. Diddo for the Toronto job. This could explain 95 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:57,759 though, why maybe he wasn't involved in more heavily in the Milwaukee or Toronto 96 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:01,279 sweepstakes. Not sure those are organizations would have been willing to spend a boatload. 97 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,279 It's just I'm blown away by the number, but it's it's just super 98 00:06:06,319 --> 00:06:10,079 cool for Monty. We'll see if this has any impact on the coaching market. 99 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,879 I think for names that might be as well respected as him, where 100 00:06:12,879 --> 00:06:15,480 you're looking at someone who has basically I think he had a highest winning percentage 101 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,360 in the NBA since he took over the Suns or whatever it was Coach of 102 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:23,279 the Year winner. This is someone with that track record, and so should 103 00:06:23,319 --> 00:06:26,120 Steve Kerr. You know, I think he's entering the final year of his 104 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:28,920 deal or whatever. Eric Balelstra ends in the final year of his deal, 105 00:06:28,959 --> 00:06:33,360 like those are coaches that you could see getting similar fanfare and then money by 106 00:06:33,399 --> 00:06:36,920 extension. I don't know that this tilts the coaching market one way or the 107 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:41,199 other unless it's a sign that, hey, if you're going to lack yourself 108 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:45,639 on to any organization, but particularly one who's in I don't want to say 109 00:06:45,639 --> 00:06:46,800 the early stages of a rebuil, but even the early stage of the rebuil, 110 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,480 but you're at a point of rebuild where it's kind of unsteady and you're 111 00:06:49,519 --> 00:06:55,439 looking now for the results to translate in the standings. That can create some 112 00:06:55,600 --> 00:07:00,279 inherent turbulence instability that you're going to be able to get more guarantee years and 113 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:01,879 maybe more guaranteed money. I don't think it's going to be six years and 114 00:07:01,959 --> 00:07:04,600 you know thirteen million bucks a pop. I mean, right now, Boyon 115 00:07:04,639 --> 00:07:09,480 Bagdanovitch, if this salary is flat, if the salary, if the money 116 00:07:09,519 --> 00:07:13,480 and the thing is guaranteed, the only Pistons player making more than money million 117 00:07:13,519 --> 00:07:15,439 six years, Boyon Badonovitch, which is just kind of hysterical, and you 118 00:07:15,439 --> 00:07:17,920 should be totally okay with it. There's no there's no harm here. So 119 00:07:17,959 --> 00:07:23,439 I'm excited to see what his body of work with the Pistons when he gets 120 00:07:23,439 --> 00:07:27,399 started, and we'll see if, if, we'll see how and if this 121 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,759 inspects the coaching market at large. We can now dig into the questions we'll 122 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,279 be tackling. The finals. Ones first have a lot of nuggets and yokig 123 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:40,319 content and I mean, look rightfully, so so we'll begin with I mean, 124 00:07:40,399 --> 00:07:44,839 let's just get this out of the way. Adam want Adam or Adam 125 00:07:44,879 --> 00:07:46,800 one r? Who's winning the finals? And we'll loop. Marque has two 126 00:07:46,879 --> 00:07:50,040 questions, but the first one says, what chance do the Heat have against 127 00:07:50,079 --> 00:07:55,480 Denver in the finals. I will say Grant and I did like a forty 128 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,600 minute segment on Heat versus Nuggets, So go check that out. It's on 129 00:07:58,639 --> 00:08:01,800 YouTube, it's in our podcast feed if you have not done so already. 130 00:08:03,519 --> 00:08:05,240 So who's winning the finals? We both picked the Nuggets. I had Nuggets 131 00:08:05,279 --> 00:08:07,480 in five. He went Nuggets in six. I came very close to going 132 00:08:07,519 --> 00:08:11,800 Nuggets in six because I have a lot of respect for what Jimmy Butler does, 133 00:08:11,439 --> 00:08:13,879 Eric spole Elstra, what the Heat are able to do defensively. And 134 00:08:13,879 --> 00:08:18,079 then it's just Kayla Martin heater that he's on at the moment when you look 135 00:08:18,079 --> 00:08:22,240 at what chance do you give the Heat in the finals. From Mark's question, 136 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,920 if I had to Peggett, I think most statistical models have him at 137 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,279 like fifteen to twenty five percent. I think Grant phrased it the best. 138 00:08:28,639 --> 00:08:31,240 We were we were doing the segment. It was towards the end we did 139 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:35,639 our predictions, and he said, I really believe there's going to be a 140 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:39,039 game, even with Nicole Yokich on the floor, where Jimmy Butler is the 141 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,080 best player. It said game, and so you can count on the Heat 142 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:45,440 winning one. But if you get two of those games, because let's just 143 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,200 say Yoki isn't scoring as much, or he goes like eleven of twenty, 144 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,919 which is inefficient for him, that's nine of twenty or something, which is 145 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:56,559 inefficient for him. And and Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Have you 146 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,480 know, their ups and downs, but their downs and their peaks and valleys, 147 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,080 those values are hitting on the same night. If you get two of 148 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:05,840 those games where Jimmy Butler is the best player on the floor, this series 149 00:09:05,919 --> 00:09:09,039 gets a lot more interesting. If I was looking for a chance to peg 150 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,879 it, I would probably land and like the you have to respect what the 151 00:09:11,879 --> 00:09:16,919 Heat have done, the adjustments Boloster is going to make. I don't. 152 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:18,440 I just feel like they've run out of as deep as they've been, and 153 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:22,759 like they've probably gotten bigger time performances from more people, and they're supporting casts 154 00:09:22,759 --> 00:09:26,600 than the Nuggets, who are just very much like we're going seven eight guys 155 00:09:26,639 --> 00:09:28,639 deep on an even night right now. But you kind of know you're not 156 00:09:28,759 --> 00:09:33,320 searching, I guess, or you're not wondering who's going to be your number 157 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,759 two and three is often an e given, like you know it's going to 158 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,960 come from this set of guys, And it feels like there's more variability involved 159 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,159 with Miami. Even looking at BAM's offensive performances. Kayla Martin has been great. 160 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:48,000 Will you continue to average twenty points per game on lights out shooting from 161 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,799 everywhere? What are you getting from? Just said no, Kyle Lowry, 162 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:52,919 He's been all over the place. Where you're gonna get from Gabe Vincent? 163 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,559 Or you're gonna have a night where Matt Duncan Robinson makes more sense than Max 164 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,799 Strews, Or because Max Drews a little bit better defensively, they're gonna trust 165 00:10:00,879 --> 00:10:03,039 him. It feels like they have more questions and they have fewer ways to 166 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,799 kind of dictate the style of play here. I think they ultimately will just 167 00:10:05,879 --> 00:10:09,600 run out of options defensively for how to stop the Nuggets, and we have 168 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:15,279 a question about that specifically, which we will we will get to. So 169 00:10:15,519 --> 00:10:16,960 I'm gonna give them. I feel like this is going to come off as 170 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,960 an insult. I've I've picked against them every single series and the playoffs so 171 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:22,440 far. It's some over three. Heat fans can take solace in that. 172 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:26,480 I think twenty five percent, twenty five thirty percent is fair and I don't 173 00:10:26,519 --> 00:10:28,960 think, you know, there might be some Nuggets fans that think that's too 174 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:33,840 high. Seventy percent has of winning the finals like pretty damn high. And 175 00:10:33,879 --> 00:10:35,240 so even if you're saying it to a one in three chance that the Heat 176 00:10:35,279 --> 00:10:39,039 have, it's because Jimmy Butler just has one of those classic series and maybe 177 00:10:39,039 --> 00:10:43,759 bam at a Bio puts together as best offensive performance. It could just certainly 178 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:46,600 happen. And so I do think it's eminently. I do think it's possible. 179 00:10:46,799 --> 00:10:50,840 I don't think it's likely or even close to likely. I think the 180 00:10:50,919 --> 00:10:56,879 Nuggets and they are by the betting odds, they should be overwhelming favorites Irva 181 00:10:58,279 --> 00:11:01,039 Ass. This is a great question because I'm not sure it's getting enough, 182 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:05,759 at least on a macro view, that it's getting enough loved for Irva Ass. 183 00:11:05,799 --> 00:11:11,320 And this is segueing into Nicole Yoki, who have the best postseason TPAs 184 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:16,440 of all time. For anyone not familiar with total points added TPA, it's 185 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,840 from NBA Math. Adam founded the site. I was the deputator there when 186 00:11:20,879 --> 00:11:24,159 we when we get content other than written content other than Hardwood Knox. Hardwar 187 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:26,919 Knox is still under on the site, so you can go find it there 188 00:11:26,919 --> 00:11:28,480 as well. But you go check out TPA on NBA math and it's a 189 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,480 catch all metric and you can go into the explainer of what it encompasses. 190 00:11:31,879 --> 00:11:37,039 That just really tries to convey who have been the best players for entire seasons. 191 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:41,360 There's also career TPAs, and there's of course it's broken down by postseason. 192 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,960 So I excluded this one so far, and I went through the top 193 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,440 ten TPAs of all time, and this is going in order, So we'll 194 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:52,240 start first, going all the way to ten Lebron in two thousand and eighteen, 195 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,919 Tim Duncan in two thousand and three, and if you want that this 196 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:58,200 is just so it's weird to read it off, but I will Lebron in 197 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:03,919 two thousand and eighteen had a two forty six point three TPA. Tim Duncan 198 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:07,799 in two thousand and three had a two twenty six point five TPA. Lebron 199 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:11,000 comes in at number three in two thousand and sixteen with a two oh three 200 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:16,879 point four TPA. Larry Bird comes in at number four at a two hundred 201 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:22,919 point one TPA. Lebron checks in at five one ninety six point four TPA 202 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:28,840 Lebron again in two thousand and nine, one eighty nine point three TPA Jordan 203 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:33,840 in ninety one eighty six point two, Lebron in two thousand and thirteen again 204 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:37,919 one seventy eight point one, Kareem in ninth one seventy six point three. 205 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,600 That was nineteen seventy four, and then Mja again rounds out the top ten 206 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:46,480 nineteen eighty nine, one seventy five point six. I could we just take 207 00:12:46,519 --> 00:12:50,799 a moment and say Lebron appearing on this list, like what is it sis 208 00:12:50,919 --> 00:12:54,679 six times they would go one, two, three, four, He's five 209 00:12:54,720 --> 00:13:00,200 of the top ten TPA seasons. That is, I don't like, don't 210 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,000 even know what you're supposed to make of that. But for NICOLEA. Yokich 211 00:13:03,039 --> 00:13:09,639 specifically, I wanted to frame this. He's routinely breaking these statistical records when 212 00:13:09,639 --> 00:13:11,759 you're looking at a game, and we've seen ESPN Stats and Info tweet out 213 00:13:11,759 --> 00:13:16,600 all this different stuff about him. His TPA right now is covering closer to 214 00:13:16,639 --> 00:13:20,840 one and sixty. That's in fifteen games. So let's assume he keeps that 215 00:13:20,919 --> 00:13:24,159 same pace, and if the Nuggets play four against the Heat, he'll be 216 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:30,159 over the two hundred mark. And so then automatically he's just in the top 217 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,440 five with Lowry Bird, Lebron or the top Does that be the top five? 218 00:13:33,519 --> 00:13:35,679 Yeah, Lebron, Tim Duncan, and Larry Bird. So those are 219 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:41,240 the three players that populate the top five because Lebron appears there three times. 220 00:13:41,279 --> 00:13:43,679 Yeah, he's three of the top five seasons, four of the top six. 221 00:13:43,799 --> 00:13:46,440 Just absolutely monstrous. Let's say that series goes Let's say the series goes 222 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:50,559 six games, he'll be in the top three, and he'll be in the 223 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:52,440 top two if it goes the full seven. And that's just assuming he continues 224 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:58,600 his current TPA rate total points at it rate. So Jokich is putting together 225 00:13:58,159 --> 00:14:05,679 one of the best individual playoff performances wire wire of all time. And I 226 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,200 think this isn't the only metric that's gonna be able to quantify it or try 227 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,240 to quantify it. You can look at the numbers and what he's done on 228 00:14:11,279 --> 00:14:13,799 his efficiency and you can lean it from that too, But I don't know 229 00:14:13,799 --> 00:14:16,320 that we're talking about that though. Mostly everyone's kind of focusing on, Oh, 230 00:14:16,399 --> 00:14:22,360 the never nuggets have arrived, look at what they're doing, and here's 231 00:14:22,399 --> 00:14:24,919 Yokich. Like, when it's all said and done, we actually look back, 232 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:28,320 how many individual performances have been more effective or been better throughout these playoffs, 233 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:33,480 And there's a likely he's broken the TPA model, which a lot of 234 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:37,080 it because a box plus minus being factored into it, and his defensive rebounding 235 00:14:37,279 --> 00:14:41,039 that is certainly going to inflate it. Still when you look at the names 236 00:14:41,039 --> 00:14:46,440 that are populating in the top ten Kareem MJ. Lebron over and over again, 237 00:14:46,559 --> 00:14:48,519 Larry Bird, Tim Duncan. But it'll kind of makes sense when you 238 00:14:48,519 --> 00:14:52,600 think about it, and Nicole Yokich, he's going to be in there. 239 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:54,159 He's not there quite yet, but he's gonna be in there no matter what. 240 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,279 At this point, he's going to crack the top ten. There's a 241 00:14:56,279 --> 00:15:00,720 real chance. I would even probably predict that he gets into the top three 242 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:03,639 or top four at least, and there's a real chance that he gets to 243 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:07,240 the top two. I would probably bet against him having the best postseason performance 244 00:15:07,279 --> 00:15:09,279 of all time. But if the series goes seven games and he's just putting 245 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:15,919 up these bonkers numbers every single night, don't underestimate the job that Nicole Yoke 246 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:18,919 is doing right now, because I'm pretty sure that by the numbers, it's 247 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:24,639 going to be one of the three or four greatest postseason individual performances of all 248 00:15:24,679 --> 00:15:28,879 time, and it's probably going to it should be capped in a title. 249 00:15:30,159 --> 00:15:33,240 I mean, like, like, what else you're supposed we know Lebron was 250 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,240 the leading TPA from two and eighteen. Yeah, we know that he was 251 00:15:37,279 --> 00:15:39,879 with the Calves that year. Was that his final season including camera. We 252 00:15:39,879 --> 00:15:43,440 know he didn't win the title that year, So this could end in a 253 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:48,039 title as well, and that just would be like the ultimate capper. So 254 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,440 I think we just need to remember that I'm not saying Yokis doesn't get his 255 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:54,519 flowers anymore. I think people buy and large understand how good he is, 256 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,519 but I don't know that I've seen, you know, they're asking him about 257 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,559 being a two time MVP, or being the best player on a title team, 258 00:16:00,639 --> 00:16:03,240 or what would mean to win a title, or how shocked some people 259 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,519 are that the Nuggets are here and that their favorites and that they were able 260 00:16:06,559 --> 00:16:08,960 to dethrow Phoenix despite being underdogs in that series. YadA, YadA, YadA, 261 00:16:10,039 --> 00:16:14,440 And then the discussion kind of veers into I guess I didn't really so 262 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:18,000 it veers into the we've reached the point where it's, oh, because the 263 00:16:18,039 --> 00:16:22,440 Denver Nuggets title deserve an asterisk because they're going to beat all these play in 264 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:29,519 teams. So when you look at beating beating beating the Lakers in the last 265 00:16:29,639 --> 00:16:32,399 round, you beat an injured version of the Suns, then you're gonna beat 266 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:34,720 the Miami Heat, and you beat the Timberwolves in the first round. I 267 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:40,320 want to make it clear, I don't think, I don't know. I 268 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,720 don't think people who are trying to be genuine in their coverage are actually talking 269 00:16:42,759 --> 00:16:48,799 about that. Who you know Damon I can't remember his last name on Twitter 270 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,440 and posted something like the NBA, it's sort of the only league where it 271 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,600 turns to like measuring the validity of titles when you go back to the bubble 272 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:59,559 title and I'm just not deep enough into other sports discourse to understand whether that's 273 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,159 true. And I, you know, I want to make it clear that 274 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:08,039 I don't think that for the most part, that the reputable people, the 275 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:12,119 people who want to have authentic discussions about the game, give authentic coverage about 276 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,000 the game. This podcast, We're not going to get into the habit of 277 00:17:15,039 --> 00:17:17,960 measuring titles unless I feel the need to defend it. And to some extent, 278 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:21,880 I'm taking the rage bait here and I did it on Twitter. Let 279 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:23,880 me see if I can actually let me see if I can actually bring it 280 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:27,079 up. So from Chris Palmer, if anyone just sort of remembers him, 281 00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:30,039 he used to kind of write, don't even know what the fuck he does 282 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:33,920 now to be to be honest with you, but he was the one that 283 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,119 kind of spurred the discussion about it, and you're gonna throw it up on 284 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:40,000 the screen ver I was watching on YouTube tweets if the Nuggets win the twenty 285 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:41,839 twenty three NBA Championship, they will have beaten three play in teams, the 286 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:45,200 Lakers, the Timberwolves, the Heat, and a loss cost of the number 287 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,839 four Suns, the weakest ring in professional sports history. That is clearly, 288 00:17:49,319 --> 00:17:52,759 just like I said, rage bait, I took it. I posted a 289 00:17:52,799 --> 00:17:57,480 mini thread on Twitter about it. But but I will say, I'm gonna 290 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:03,160 throw this other one up on the screen for pool who who might be watching 291 00:18:03,519 --> 00:18:08,680 watching along. There was also a tweet from ESPN Stats and Information that kind 292 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,480 of that's not what it was saying. I want to make that clear, 293 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:15,200 but I threw it up on the screen, the nuggets of the fourth team 294 00:18:15,279 --> 00:18:18,680 to reach the finals and never face a team with a win percentage of fifty 295 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:22,480 five or above in that postseason, joining the fifty six Warriors, the fifty 296 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:26,559 seven Celtics, and the fifty nine Celtics. And so you're looking at it 297 00:18:26,559 --> 00:18:29,720 and you're like, oh, okay, like this is you know what are 298 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:34,519 we trying to? Why else post that other than to kind of incite this 299 00:18:34,559 --> 00:18:38,440 discussion, it would be my thought there and again I went on a whole 300 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:41,599 rent. I know how the sausage is made, like I said, I 301 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:47,440 do think there's things such things as disingenuous and toxic coverage. I don't know 302 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,279 what bucket I throw this under. Whatever the hell Chris Palmer's trying to do. 303 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:53,440 Yet, like that is that is certainly there one percent. But the 304 00:18:53,559 --> 00:18:57,720 Nuggets are not going to get an asters for this title. The audacity of 305 00:18:57,759 --> 00:19:03,160 them to what get the one seed, win enough in the regular season to 306 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:07,279 get the one seed and play who's in front of them during the playoffs is 307 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:11,920 on Like the audacity of them, that's cowardice. Are you kidding? And 308 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,119 let's also like step back for a minute. The Timberwolves were injured beyond reason 309 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:18,920 all season. I still don't know if they would have coalaced into something truly 310 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:22,319 dangerous. Let's just throw them out. Okay, you earned the right to 311 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,400 beat that team by being the one seed in the Western Conference. Now, 312 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,079 if you have a problem in the later rounds, let's remember a few things 313 00:19:27,079 --> 00:19:32,359 here. So you get to Phoenix, who was not only favored in that 314 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,599 series, but they were twelve and one through their first thirteen games playoffs in 315 00:19:36,599 --> 00:19:41,480 regular season with Kevin fucking Durant. And then you go against the Lakers team 316 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:45,000 and Lebron. Okay, yeah, they were the seventh seed and they didn't 317 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:47,200 have the best season. They were twelfth in the West at one point. 318 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:51,640 Blah blah blah blah. Could poorly they started. They won basically sixty seven 319 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:53,480 percent of their games about after the trade deadline that have more to do with 320 00:19:53,519 --> 00:19:56,079 the actual trades are just getting rid of Russ. I don't care. They 321 00:19:56,160 --> 00:20:03,359 won sixty seven percent of those games. These are not stepping stones that they're 322 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:04,880 facing. And okay, the heat or a different beasts all together, but 323 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,480 you can't fault the Nuggets have no bearing on Look at the teams that they 324 00:20:08,519 --> 00:20:11,640 beat to get here though, I mean Milwaukee, yes, okay, the 325 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,480 Janni's injury. Then you beat a solid Knicks team, but it's like, 326 00:20:14,759 --> 00:20:17,160 you know, I think Zach Lofras is beating equals. That's a great way 327 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:18,640 to say it. Then you go and you beat the Celtics, who, 328 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:22,519 yeah, you got a three zero on them, almost blew it. But 329 00:20:22,519 --> 00:20:23,759 then you don't in the end, and you could say whatever you want about 330 00:20:23,759 --> 00:20:26,160 the Celtics. They still got the Game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals. 331 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:30,599 One year after getting to the NBA Finals and coming within two victories of an 332 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,559 NBA championship. This Heat team, they were not good. They were like 333 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:37,200 they had a negative point of Ferenti on the regular season. And I think 334 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,359 if you polled people in the organization, they're going to tell you that they 335 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,720 weren't even as expecting this. But the thing is is that it's you can 336 00:20:42,759 --> 00:20:45,720 say that this is lucky shooting or they're on a run. This run is 337 00:20:45,759 --> 00:20:51,839 now lasted twelve wins, three rounds of playoff basketball. They are not here 338 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:55,160 by accident because they don't deserve to be. And so if you want to 339 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:59,599 twist yourself into a pretzel just to continue to climb into your butthole by saying 340 00:20:59,599 --> 00:21:03,359 that the Nuggets deserve an asterisk or that there's this is a week championship field, 341 00:21:03,759 --> 00:21:06,519 I beg you to just reconsider. And I want to stop short of 342 00:21:06,519 --> 00:21:07,640 saying, shut the fuck up. But that's how I feel people are actually 343 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,279 having this discussion. Again, I want to make it clear. I do 344 00:21:11,319 --> 00:21:15,240 feel like I'm yelling at the wall at this point because I don't think the 345 00:21:15,559 --> 00:21:18,839 sensible discourse is skewing this way. But to see that's that from ESPN Stats 346 00:21:18,839 --> 00:21:23,039 and Information, and then Chris Palmer going on his just dumb ass rant was 347 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:26,160 it was just like, what are we doing here? And it's not just 348 00:21:26,279 --> 00:21:29,759 I'm not even claiming, well, look at what the media is doing to 349 00:21:29,759 --> 00:21:32,079 the Nuggets again, Okay, yeah, this is I don't Again, I 350 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:34,519 don't think it's the media. I don't think people are actually having this discussion. 351 00:21:34,559 --> 00:21:40,319 Maybe First Take does it at some point or undisputed or whatever, but 352 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:42,880 like we did this with this we I don't know, we did not do 353 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,000 this. But this happened with the Suns for instance, when they reached It 354 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,680 happened with the Lakers specifically in the bubble their title, and then it happened 355 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:52,279 with the Suns where I was like, whoa, look at everyone who was 356 00:21:52,319 --> 00:21:55,480 injured, Like, yeah, we don't care that Chris Paul was banged up 357 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:57,480 beyond reason or that Devin Booker broke his fucking nose during that series. With 358 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:02,880 that, the relative lack of you know, playoff experience at that point among 359 00:22:03,039 --> 00:22:06,680 their core players not named Chris Paul, yeah that doesn't matter at all. 360 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:11,240 It was McKell, bridges and Devin Booker's you know, and DeAndre Atan's first 361 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:12,920 trip to the playoffs. Along the NBA Finals, Chris Paul's first trips to 362 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:17,279 the NBA Finals as well. I just I'm not here for the Astros. 363 00:22:17,319 --> 00:22:21,240 Like, winning the championship is hard. You can only play who's in front 364 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:26,279 of you, and certainly if you get a more favorite favorable bracket, because 365 00:22:26,319 --> 00:22:29,319 the Lakers, they were swept, But we want to you know, there 366 00:22:29,319 --> 00:22:32,000 are people want to build it as a competitive sweep, which by the point 367 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,880 differential it was. But like these teams were there for a reason, they 368 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:40,880 were not just these also rands. And I think this everything that we watched 369 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,960 to this point has so much more to do with the Nuggets than it does 370 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:49,200 the level of competition. And you don't get to have it both ways. 371 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,839 Are all three ways? Whereas didn't we just finish a stretch where the Nuggets 372 00:22:53,079 --> 00:23:00,960 were vilified because and Yokis himself as MVP credentials were impugned because he couldn't win 373 00:23:02,279 --> 00:23:04,519 in the playoffs. He played well, he couldn't win, and that was 374 00:23:04,559 --> 00:23:08,400 because they had all these bodies missing and that their team wasn't complete. We're 375 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:11,160 gonna sit here and say, oh, the Sun's with Kevin Durant were a 376 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:15,920 lost cause before the Chris Paul injury, before the DeAndre A and injury at 377 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,880 the end of it. Please, come on, we're gonna say that the 378 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:22,759 Lakers were you know, we're gonna give the Lakers a pass because what they 379 00:23:22,759 --> 00:23:23,799 were new to each other. We just don't think that they were a good 380 00:23:23,799 --> 00:23:26,559 team this year, even though they had Lebron James and Naffy Davis when it 381 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:30,160 mattered most. You don't get to have it both ways. If the Nuggets 382 00:23:30,599 --> 00:23:34,279 deserve to be, If Yokich if part of the problem for his MVP two 383 00:23:34,319 --> 00:23:37,839 time MVPA so that he wasn't winning despite missing all these players, you don't 384 00:23:37,839 --> 00:23:42,920 get the poke holes in the championship path that they took after finishing with the 385 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:48,559 Western Conference's best record for the entire fucking regular season. That stuff matters. 386 00:23:48,599 --> 00:23:52,000 They earned whatever path they got, and I don't think it's been super easy. 387 00:23:52,279 --> 00:23:55,079 That is my rant against nothing, though, and I fully recognized that 388 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,039 I might be yelling at clouds here, but I'm either getting ahead of what 389 00:23:57,319 --> 00:24:02,640 disingenuous discourse there will be or just kind of the that ESPN stats and Infro 390 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:04,319 tweet, even though I understand that slashal made that rubbed me the wrong way. 391 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:07,880 And then the Chris pommer one, which is I mean, you talk 392 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:11,319 about ill thought. I've had some pretty ill thought incoherent arguments. Maybe even 393 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:14,440 what the one that you just listened to. Let's get too I think this 394 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:19,079 is the last question we have on Nicolai Yokich and the Nuggets. Sad face 395 00:24:19,599 --> 00:24:23,279 if you're a Nuggets fan, but hopefully you're sticking with us regardless. Kadamn 396 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:30,119 asked how to stop? How do you stop Nikola Yokich? You pray and 397 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:33,559 cross your fingers. I that's I'm only I'm kidding, but I'm like kind 398 00:24:33,559 --> 00:24:37,720 of serious there. I do think, and this is with the caveat that 399 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,319 I don't believe there's such a thing as actually stopping nicol Yokich. He might 400 00:24:41,319 --> 00:24:45,759 have his bad games, but one he doesn't really even as inefficient nights just 401 00:24:45,839 --> 00:24:52,359 feel like they're wild offensive performances. I think what the Lakers did for a 402 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:56,359 second in Game one that everyone read into and Michael Malon absolutely trolled, where 403 00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:00,359 you have a body and it's not Ruy Hachimura. But even so later in 404 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:03,480 the series, you have a lebron or a ruby that you throw on a 405 00:25:03,519 --> 00:25:08,039 Kola Yokich, and then you have an elite romer, paint protector, shop 406 00:25:08,039 --> 00:25:12,759 blocker, like all everywhere, all at once, type of guy playing off 407 00:25:12,799 --> 00:25:17,319 to come bring help or protect the basket against you know, the off ball 408 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:19,519 cuts or the other shop makers that are going to be on the floor to 409 00:25:19,559 --> 00:25:22,319 do all those things and fill the gaps. Or again pitching with the Nikola 410 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:27,359 Yokich coverage. I think that's the best bet you have of defending Yokich is 411 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:33,079 those two archetype of players. Now the caveat would be the catch twenty two, 412 00:25:33,079 --> 00:25:34,839 whatever you want to call it would be. I don't know that a 413 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:40,000 team exists that has those two players. Lebron's not in his prime, so 414 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:41,200 I don't think he could count him. I thought about the Bucks for a 415 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:45,920 second with Janis and brook Lopez. I'm just not sure that I could get 416 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,240 there with it. I think they would probably come closest. But what you 417 00:25:48,279 --> 00:25:52,599 effectively need is kind of a Bam at a bio and to coop on the 418 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,480 same team, because then you have Bam just on Yo Kitch and I think 419 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,759 he's better in one on one situations where yeah, he can be super switchable 420 00:25:57,759 --> 00:26:02,799 and he'll bust up plays on the peri as sort of the lowman. That's 421 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:06,200 just not you know, that's never been his thing. I think even was 422 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:10,119 it the dunker spot Nicaias Duncan and Steve Jones, or was it the low 423 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:11,720 post. One of them pointed out that PAMs is not even much of a 424 00:26:11,759 --> 00:26:15,240 rim protector. There's never been his strengths. And we've actually talked about that 425 00:26:15,279 --> 00:26:18,599 for the middle of the season on this podcast as well. And so I 426 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:25,640 think that's the if you're that personnel permitting which again maybe the Bucks, I 427 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:29,880 guess you, I guess the Celtics. Just if you had Robert Williams not 428 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:33,400 puking, let's just say, and then you were using Al Horford on Yo 429 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:37,839 Kitch. I don't think you want to use Jason Tatum on him or jail, 430 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:41,759 But like I guess that would be one of the better So Milwaukee or 431 00:26:41,759 --> 00:26:47,480 Boston would be one of the better situations there in theory Kavan Looney and Draymond 432 00:26:47,519 --> 00:26:49,839 Green or Wiggins that maybe, But now I just feel like we're stretching it 433 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:55,079 too thin. And again I'm not saying to stop actually stop Yo Kitch, 434 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:59,359 but to have the best set up possible to make his life difficult. The 435 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,599 Clippers, I think they need a different big man other than than Zubots because 436 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:03,640 you kind of run. He's not going to be the roamer. You don't 437 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,920 want him going one on one against Yokich. You can go smaller, and 438 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,119 yeah, I guess between Kawai and Paul George and Kwai strong enough to go 439 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,720 up against Yokich, but George roaming is not really his thing. We're just 440 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:18,920 digging into the well here. I think that's your best bet at I don't 441 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,880 even want to say stopping Nicola Yokich, but you're going to be able to 442 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:27,599 slow him down or make his life difficult. It's like, I don't is 443 00:27:27,599 --> 00:27:32,039 the best way to phrase it. Good question. I think that ex Erics, 444 00:27:32,079 --> 00:27:34,000 Balelstra and the Heat are asking the same question. I think that the 445 00:27:34,079 --> 00:27:37,279 Lakers, and I think that the Suns, and I think that the Timberwolves 446 00:27:37,279 --> 00:27:41,039 we're asking themselves those same questions. I think that twenty nine other teams in 447 00:27:41,039 --> 00:27:45,200 the NBA in general asked themselves that same question at some point. And I 448 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:51,039 think that he is arguably that is even our I would say, undeniably the 449 00:27:51,079 --> 00:27:55,319 worst person in the league to double team. I just maybe like a step 450 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:59,680 Yokich is the better passer. But because of like where you might be doubling 451 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:02,480 Steff, that just opens up all sorts of stuff and the you know, 452 00:28:02,559 --> 00:28:04,240 the pick and roll and the short rolls with Draymond becomes so easy because of 453 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:08,160 the points at where they're giving you those doubles. But Nicole Yokuch's offensive game 454 00:28:08,279 --> 00:28:12,759 is close to it's as close to perfection as you can absolutely get, and 455 00:28:12,799 --> 00:28:18,680 it's as close to unsolvable as you could absolutely get. That'll wrap up the 456 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:19,839 I think that's less ques Way have with the Nuggets, but let's go deeper 457 00:28:19,839 --> 00:28:23,359 and see if there anymore. This is the second question from Mark, asking 458 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:29,160 who she enters the title favorite this year. Mark, this feels really unfair 459 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,160 because we haven't gone through free agency or the draft or craz yet. I 460 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:36,640 would say, as of right now, I think you need to I think 461 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:40,920 you would have to put Nuggets or the Celtics, because as down as people 462 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:42,480 are on them right now, they could make some moves on the margins and 463 00:28:42,519 --> 00:28:47,200 just be right back where they were. You could probably talk me into the 464 00:28:47,279 --> 00:28:49,559 Bucks, depending on if they're able to do anything and assuming they keep Middleton 465 00:28:49,599 --> 00:28:53,119 and Lopez, and I think the Suns i'd like to see what offseason moves 466 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,559 they make. I'm trying to think of teams that are just uber close. 467 00:28:56,559 --> 00:28:59,960 There are tons that could come into the conversation later on, depending on trade 468 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:03,519 is free agency, what happens on draft night. I will say, if 469 00:29:03,559 --> 00:29:06,000 we're just looking at the rosters as they are now, even with the threat 470 00:29:06,039 --> 00:29:10,680 of Bruce Brown leaving looming, I think I would it would have to be 471 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:12,880 the Nuggets for me, and I'm everyone who listens to this podcast knows I've 472 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:15,880 probably been higher on them and the consensus. I don't think so anymore. 473 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:18,359 They're in the finals and so we should all just be that should be the 474 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:22,160 consensus. And speaking of look, we have another Nuggets question for Nuggets fans 475 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:23,519 who have not tapped out yet. Thanks for sticking with us, but we 476 00:29:23,559 --> 00:29:27,440 have another Nuggets question coming up right after this, well Nuggets related. But 477 00:29:27,519 --> 00:29:30,599 yeah, so I think it needs to be the Nuggets. So in the 478 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:33,440 West, the Nuggets, and I would say the runner up is just you 479 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:36,000 know, we don't know what's gonna happen with eighton and Paul, Paul's older 480 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:38,119 Kevin Drank gets injured all the time, but having Booker and Ran on the 481 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:41,440 same team. We don't know who the coach is. There's so many questions 482 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:45,720 there, but that offense is going to be thermonuclear as fuck, and I 483 00:29:45,759 --> 00:29:49,519 think that they probably the runner up for me. I don't even know if 484 00:29:49,519 --> 00:29:52,799 you could taught me the Warriors at this point, I just I can't get 485 00:29:52,839 --> 00:29:56,680 there. I'm just like, I can't get there. So I'm gonna say 486 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:02,039 in the West the Nuggets, in the East, the Celtics, and I 487 00:30:02,079 --> 00:30:03,319 would just go with the Nuggets over all. That's not really sexy because the 488 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,519 Nuggets are in the finals, but I, like, you know, it 489 00:30:06,559 --> 00:30:11,640 feels like they're correct answer right now. Duson asked, this is a it's 490 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:15,000 a fascinating question, but it's morbidly so an ill timed. I guess if 491 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:18,480 you're a Nuggets fan, Bruce Brown plays has played great in the playoffs as 492 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:23,079 six man for the Nuggets, so he's definitely outplayed any contract the Nuggets can 493 00:30:23,119 --> 00:30:29,000 give him for next season. What are some teams? What do you think 494 00:30:29,039 --> 00:30:33,279 are the best fitting teams that should offer him a contract? Who do you 495 00:30:33,319 --> 00:30:34,480 think should offer him a contract? Who are the best fits for him? 496 00:30:34,559 --> 00:30:37,640 Essentially is the question I will say to go into this a little bit on 497 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:41,240 the nuggets, behalf, they can offer him a little over what the tax 498 00:30:41,279 --> 00:30:45,519 pyramid level exception is going to be based off one hundred and twenty percent raise 499 00:30:45,599 --> 00:30:48,799 they could give him. I don't think that's gonna be enough to keep him. 500 00:30:48,799 --> 00:30:51,440 This is someone who has earned I would think at least mid level money, 501 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:53,759 so between someone and eleven and twelve million. And it wouldn't surprise me 502 00:30:53,799 --> 00:30:56,599 if some of the teams with cap space, we're just like, well, 503 00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:00,720 hey, that he might give you four years and forty four or whatever it 504 00:31:00,799 --> 00:31:04,319 might wind up being, but we'll give you two years and thirty six just 505 00:31:04,359 --> 00:31:07,440 to give you the overpay, and like you can reach free agency. Again, 506 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:11,599 you're not super duper old anyway, and you're making all that money. 507 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:14,920 It wouldn't shock me. And so when I'm looking at your fits that I 508 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,160 could see and these are big caveats where it be if they cut salary via 509 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:22,000 trade or if a big free agent leaves. And so we'll start with we'll 510 00:31:22,039 --> 00:31:23,960 just start with these beak some intrigued Philly if hardened leaves, I think it 511 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:26,880 makes a lot of sense. And all of a sudden they open up the 512 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:30,319 non tax payersmid level. Does that get you, Bruce Brown? The Suns 513 00:31:30,319 --> 00:31:33,960 and MAVs two teams are probably working with a minimid level, not enough for 514 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:37,759 Bruce Brown. But if the Suns end up cutting salary via DeAndre eight in 515 00:31:37,839 --> 00:31:41,039 trade Chris Paul trade as well, if they have an if they get to 516 00:31:41,039 --> 00:31:45,680 the non tax payramid level, he's a perfect fit there did over Dallas. 517 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:47,880 If Kyrie Irving leaves, or if they find some way to open up the 518 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:51,079 nontax pyramid level, which they again will only do I Kyrie Irving Leaves, 519 00:31:51,079 --> 00:31:52,400 and they could have cap space in that scenario. For what it's worth, 520 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:56,880 there could also be signed in trade macnations that still leave them operating over the 521 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,000 cap in the non tax payramid level territory. More really the stick or teams 522 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:04,039 that can actually offer him, you know, you know, let's call it 523 00:32:04,039 --> 00:32:08,640 two syllable pay days put a days. That would be three syllable pay he 524 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:13,400 can get two syllable paid put aid. That's what I meant. These are 525 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:15,200 the teams that I like, I kind of like, and I'll do it 526 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:20,000 in reverse order of what I like these and they're three of them, I've 527 00:32:20,079 --> 00:32:22,480 INDI at three, they feel like they need a bigger wing than him, 528 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:27,119 but just the spacing that they have with Turner and Halibert in there, and 529 00:32:27,119 --> 00:32:30,119 then who they like to play if it's Dale Smith at the four, and 530 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:31,960 they've also just been like, hey, we've run smaller lineups anyway, and 531 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:35,279 Bruce Brown could be a part of that. Can he'd be your day facto 532 00:32:35,359 --> 00:32:37,799 three in a lot of situations, run some backup point guard. I don't 533 00:32:37,839 --> 00:32:40,839 know if you always want him defending bigger wings, but I think he could 534 00:32:40,839 --> 00:32:45,319 work there. Number two for me would be Utah. They just have if 535 00:32:45,319 --> 00:32:49,559 you're worried about his outside shot and he shot it okay in the regular season, 536 00:32:49,559 --> 00:32:52,759 it's dipped into playoffs. They have the spacing necessary even with Walker Kessler 537 00:32:52,799 --> 00:32:55,599 on the floor to let him put his his rim pressure on the basket. 538 00:32:55,680 --> 00:33:00,039 There could be some size overlap if you want to bring Jordan clarkson that I 539 00:33:00,119 --> 00:33:02,839 can Collin Sexton, and you have a Baji there as well, who's going 540 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:06,240 to be due for more minutes. You could easily fit him in, Like 541 00:33:06,279 --> 00:33:07,720 you can just roll that guy out of the two or the three and let 542 00:33:07,799 --> 00:33:12,160 him take some point card reps from you, and just if you're gonna surround 543 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:14,400 him with the level of shooting that you had on the floor this year. 544 00:33:14,519 --> 00:33:16,920 I think he makes a huge difference there. And then finally, I think 545 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:22,920 my favorite destination mostly because they're feel like they're more ready to compete Sacramento Kings. 546 00:33:22,039 --> 00:33:24,839 Now things get a little dice eat because if you play him with Sabonus 547 00:33:24,839 --> 00:33:28,240 and Fox, it does feel like the floor would drink a little bit. 548 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:31,720 But they just need strong perimeter defenders and with the spacing they can roll out 549 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:36,000 in some of their lineups where if you want to stagger him from Arron Fox, 550 00:33:36,319 --> 00:33:40,039 you're looking at having Sabonis Brown and a bunch of shooting in those staggered 551 00:33:40,119 --> 00:33:44,640 units. Or if there are just minutes where the same difference, like if 552 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:46,160 you have another option at the five, maybe if you bring Trey Lyles back 553 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:49,960 playing him at the five ones of bonuses on the bench, you run Brown 554 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:52,759 and four shooters out there, there's a lot of space in there for them, 555 00:33:52,799 --> 00:33:54,319 and I think, yeah, they might need more of an Ogna Nobi 556 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:58,599 type on defense than Bruce Brown, who's who's very connective. But I think 557 00:33:58,599 --> 00:34:00,279 it's like you look at something as a sign and sturting the playoff specifically, 558 00:34:00,279 --> 00:34:02,359 like he's defended his butt off. I think he's been better than he was 559 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:06,920 during the regular season. That would be a team I would love to see 560 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:08,960 him on. They will have the non tax paramid level exception. They can 561 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:14,800 also have cap space, and so you're looking at you Indie easily should have 562 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:17,159 twenty plus million in cap space, twenty five plus. Maybe they can get 563 00:34:17,159 --> 00:34:22,280 the thirty if they want Utah. Their number really fluctuates. It's like anywhere 564 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:24,480 between twenty and fifty plus million cap space depending on what they do with Clarkson 565 00:34:24,519 --> 00:34:28,000 and a link, So they'll have cap space, and then the Kings can 566 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:30,679 get if they renounce Harrison Barnes and Trey Lyles and all their own free agents. 567 00:34:30,679 --> 00:34:34,159 In general, they're looking at twenty plus million in space. They can 568 00:34:34,159 --> 00:34:36,639 get to more if they find a taker for Rashaun Holmes. You shouldn't need 569 00:34:36,639 --> 00:34:38,639 more to get Bruce Brown, but they might be in Bruce Brown's territory even 570 00:34:38,679 --> 00:34:43,360 if you keep Barns, just if it's non tax payramid level territory that it 571 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:46,920 could be where he where he ends up. But yeah, he's definitely the 572 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:52,559 Nuggets if they keep him, it's going to be one of those situations. 573 00:34:52,599 --> 00:34:54,840 We saw it with Nick Bertoum, Reggie Jackson, all in LA. We've 574 00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:59,760 seen it with other players in the past, where you sign him again and 575 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:02,159 then he's gonna become free agent twenty four and you resign him using early bird 576 00:35:02,199 --> 00:35:05,760 rights and he gets his paid day. Then they'll be investigated for that. 577 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:07,639 But you know what, take my second round pick if it means Bruce Brown 578 00:35:07,679 --> 00:35:10,480 is sticking with me after helping me get to the get to the finals. 579 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:17,199 This next question comes from Jake g. If you're the Hornets, what's the 580 00:35:17,199 --> 00:35:24,000 more enticing lineup? Oh, this is this is interesting. LaMelo Scoot Miles, 581 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:30,000 PJ and Mark Williams or LaMelo Terry Rosier, Brandon Miller, PJ. 582 00:35:30,119 --> 00:35:34,599 Washington or Miles Bridges and Mark Williams. Jake Eds feels like a foregone conclusion. 583 00:35:34,599 --> 00:35:37,440 We are bringing Miles back, but personally I'd prefer the former. I 584 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:43,079 do prefer PJ. Washington in all these setups, especially if you're looking at 585 00:35:43,079 --> 00:35:46,480 the last one. This is a great question. And when I was thinking 586 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:49,960 about a few days ago, again, I did my prep work very long 587 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:53,719 time ago for this, about a week ago. For this, I want 588 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:58,960 to go with the LaMelo, Scoot, PJ. Washington, Mark Williams, 589 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:01,239 and I guess you had my bridges and they are regardless. I think it's 590 00:36:01,239 --> 00:36:05,119 the latter lineup, though for me it would be more intriguing. I just 591 00:36:05,159 --> 00:36:07,880 I like the idea of LaMelo and Scoot, just all the things that they 592 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:10,079 could do in transition. I worry about what happens when you need to kind 593 00:36:10,079 --> 00:36:15,320 of slow things down and you will need I have confidence that LaMelo would like 594 00:36:15,519 --> 00:36:17,000 will just be a good off ball shooter. I need to see more of 595 00:36:17,039 --> 00:36:21,639 it from Scoot, But what happens that offense when they do slow things down. 596 00:36:21,679 --> 00:36:24,480 I guess Scoot really gives you that downhill dynamic where he doesn't need a 597 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:29,280 huge start, like he doesn't need to be in transition to put defenses in 598 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:31,320 rotation the way that LaMelo ball can. I think he's gotten a little bit 599 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:34,880 better on that, but he needs to get stronger going to the basket and 600 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:38,360 just physically. There's just some weird overlap there. I don't love, actually 601 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:43,239 don't love the Miles PJ. Mark Williams front court Like I get it, 602 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:45,960 but I think I would much rather see Brandon Miller with PJ. Washington and 603 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:49,719 Mark Williams, and then you could have Terry Rosier at the two, or 604 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:52,320 even just go with Gordon Hayward and go super big. That's more intriguing to 605 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:58,639 me, and I guess you can question do you have enough creation outside of 606 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:00,960 LaMelo to pitch in. We know that's not Rosier's game, and then it 607 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:04,360 of course comes down to yeah, Mark Williams might have a mid range jumper, 608 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:07,280 he's not creating for himself or others. At this point, it comes 609 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,039 down to Brandon Miller and PJ. Washington. I don't think that's PJ. 610 00:37:09,159 --> 00:37:12,360 Washington's game. We saw him do a lot of stuff kind of at the 611 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,400 nail the elbows this year, or more stuff than normal, I should say, 612 00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:21,280 because of injuries, because of Miles Bridges Bridges's absence so and the other 613 00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:22,239 thing with Miles Bridges, by the way, he still to serve the balance 614 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,440 of that thirty game suspension. I think he has ten games less after pleading 615 00:37:28,719 --> 00:37:32,639 was it no contest to felony domestic violence charges? So that's something the factor 616 00:37:32,679 --> 00:37:36,320 in here as well. I think Brandon Miller will gives you a chance at 617 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:39,840 getting the extra layer of shot creation, maybe not table setting that you would 618 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:44,400 want, but the extra layer of shot creation to make the lamello Terry Rosier 619 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:46,639 or Gordon Hayward. I might prefer the Hayward. I'm not gonna lie because 620 00:37:46,679 --> 00:37:51,440 there's your secondary creation there, but the lamello Terry Rosier, Brandon Miller, 621 00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:53,719 PJ Washington, Mark Williams lineup, I will say, if you think Scoot 622 00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:58,079 is the better player, the better prospect overall, and I think Eileen Scoot 623 00:37:58,119 --> 00:38:00,920 Henderson, I'm just drafting Scoot Anderson if I'm the Hornet's the lineups we get 624 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:05,440 into that, I'm more enticed by what Brandon Miller can do. You need 625 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:07,360 to be sure that he's the guy is a fit on the team. I 626 00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:10,159 understand why you would take this swing on Scoot, though, and that's where 627 00:38:10,199 --> 00:38:16,880 I end up on that matter. I will say I'm gonna apologize in advance 628 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:23,800 for butchering the name on this one. Ayo Ullella asked if everyone is healthy, 629 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:29,760 taking into accountability progression and excluding narratives, who wins next season's MVP. 630 00:38:30,360 --> 00:38:32,440 This is what I have written down on this from last week. Good question. 631 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:37,559 I would have NICOLEA. Yokatri janis I could be talked into Luca don 632 00:38:37,599 --> 00:38:40,440 Chich and I added tonight hashtag workout video since we saw him running up the 633 00:38:40,440 --> 00:38:45,880 steps and I think it was Slovania or whatever. I don't know who else 634 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:49,119 you would throw into that equation at this point in bed does he ever plays 635 00:38:49,199 --> 00:38:52,239 back to back seasons of twenty two hundred plus minutes? Do you do we 636 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:54,599 throw him in? There? Are the thunder good enough to put shay Yo 637 00:38:54,639 --> 00:38:59,400 just Alexander kind of on that map? I had him for them fourth or 638 00:38:59,679 --> 00:39:02,280 again fourth and my MVP bout, I can't remember. I had Yannis yokich 639 00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:06,199 embiid and take him an sgear in my top five, and so I think 640 00:39:06,199 --> 00:39:08,199 I must have had SGA fourth like that would be a nice dark horse, 641 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:10,719 but I think sort of what we could see with Yoki. Yeah, he 642 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:14,000 won two, but now people understand, oh, he can be the best 643 00:39:14,039 --> 00:39:16,079 player on a title team because one of the Nuggets raither gonna win the title 644 00:39:16,159 --> 00:39:20,960 or two they just fucking made it to the NBA finals. And then Jana 645 00:39:21,039 --> 00:39:23,280 is kind of scary too. All right, Let's give him a super short, 646 00:39:24,159 --> 00:39:29,320 a super elongated offseason relative to what he might be willing to have coming 647 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:31,679 off of injury. He has a new coach that he helped pick. There's 648 00:39:31,719 --> 00:39:34,840 been just a lot of chatter about the Bucks all of a sudden, how 649 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,639 old they're getting. In his limitations, this might be narrative base, which 650 00:39:37,639 --> 00:39:39,280 I know you weren't looking for in the answer to your question. Just the 651 00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:44,159 idea of him coming back next year. I could see him being an absolute 652 00:39:44,639 --> 00:39:46,480 terror, even more so than normal. Look, he's always just going to 653 00:39:46,519 --> 00:39:50,119 be in the MVP discussion, Luca. I think it comes down to, 654 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:52,440 if you bring back Kyrie Irving, does he cannibalize consideration at all? But 655 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:57,039 if the Magic show a great deal of improvement where they go from outside the 656 00:39:57,079 --> 00:40:00,039 play in even if it was a designed decline to just top three in the 657 00:40:00,079 --> 00:40:04,679 West or something that's certainly gonna earn him a ton of credentials, and a 658 00:40:04,719 --> 00:40:07,679 lot of people just feel like he's next up. And so what am I 659 00:40:07,719 --> 00:40:12,719 at? Three candidates Yoki Yokai, honest, Luke Dantrich, I'll throw Shay 660 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:14,920 in there. I just think that he's so central what okay Se does. 661 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:17,719 If they make another sort of galactic leap that's gonna put him on the map. 662 00:40:17,760 --> 00:40:20,760 Those would be the four names that I keep an eye out. I 663 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:24,159 mean, there's just so many usual suspects here just dayson. Just does Jason 664 00:40:24,199 --> 00:40:28,360 Tatum get dinged? It all because of how Boston season ends. Joel Embiad 665 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:30,840 will be there if he plays enough, but just as Steph Curry will be 666 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:34,880 there if he plays enough. Are they gonna play enough for Kawhi Leonard. 667 00:40:35,119 --> 00:40:37,559 I don't think Kawhi Leonard is gonna play enough. That'll be by design. 668 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:39,639 Steph Curry at this point, I think that'll be by design as well, 669 00:40:39,679 --> 00:40:43,760 although maybe the Warriors decide to go for it and let him play as many 670 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:46,599 games as possible. So I'll throw Steph as my fifth there. I would 671 00:40:46,599 --> 00:40:51,480 trust him to play more minutes than Joel Embiid next season is that's stupid. 672 00:40:51,599 --> 00:40:54,199 That might be stupid when you look at the age discrepancy, but I'm just 673 00:40:53,559 --> 00:40:57,440 I'm gonna frame it that way. Do you have, of course, go 674 00:40:57,480 --> 00:41:00,519 with a Devin Booker or Kevin Durand and Phoenix? I just feel like those 675 00:41:00,519 --> 00:41:04,599 two guys would cannibalize consideration from each other. I don't think I'm really missing 676 00:41:04,599 --> 00:41:07,000 anymore. We can get into dark horses where it's like, oh, imagine 677 00:41:07,119 --> 00:41:10,360 Zion plays in seventy games or something next year, like that's we're getting into 678 00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:15,920 matagic. If Kwai Leonard plays in seventy games territory, that's a fascinating question. 679 00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:17,920 I would like to, of course answer it after we go through the 680 00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:22,079 off season, but right now, if we're assuming good health, and that's 681 00:41:22,119 --> 00:41:25,639 what I'm assuming is good health, but we also have to recognize, Okay, 682 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:29,800 if we're going all these players are playing in eighty two games, then 683 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:31,840 I'm just gonna say Yoki as the answer to that question. So I'm trying 684 00:41:31,840 --> 00:41:35,679 to be a little bit more realistic of who's going to play the most. 685 00:41:35,719 --> 00:41:37,559 I guess some people could be worried about what Yokich looks like off a championship 686 00:41:37,559 --> 00:41:42,800 hangover. I'm not really worried about that. We have a Knicks question, 687 00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:45,719 and it's not from me, in case anyone was wondering whether I threw a 688 00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:49,840 Knicks question into here. Okay, as should I, as a Knicks fan, 689 00:41:50,159 --> 00:41:52,400 have hope in my heart next season or just gonna stop caring? So 690 00:41:53,199 --> 00:41:58,119 I don't know, you shouldn't stop caring. There's hope here. There's a 691 00:41:58,159 --> 00:42:01,239 base for something sustainable. I think what they need, and it's a bunch 692 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:04,400 of things. I think, well, it's a handful of things. I 693 00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:08,079 think the biggest thing they need is shooting that can crack their closing lineup. 694 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:15,000 And so this is to say you can't just go and get a Seth Curry, 695 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:17,079 or you can't just go and even get let's broke her as sign and 696 00:42:17,119 --> 00:42:22,679 trade for Gary Trench Jr. I mean maybe he might be like the the 697 00:42:22,719 --> 00:42:25,719 lowest kind of like the lowest good free agent tigning you could get. That 698 00:42:25,760 --> 00:42:31,280 says oh Am, I making material difference. I think you need someone who's 699 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:35,480 gonna crack your closing lineup. And that's so you have Julius Randall, Jalen 700 00:42:35,519 --> 00:42:38,599 Brunson are in that. I guess Mitchell Robinson, do you consider a lock 701 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:43,280 there? And then it's okay who right now, there's at least one other 702 00:42:43,320 --> 00:42:45,519 lock. Is it RJ. Barrett or is it Josh Harden? Is it 703 00:42:45,599 --> 00:42:46,679 kind of both? Right now? So those are the five players you're trying 704 00:42:46,679 --> 00:42:50,800 to beat out, maybe even throw manual quickly, Quentin Grige. Some of 705 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:53,719 you have to have someone who's better than a few of those players. Maybe 706 00:42:53,719 --> 00:42:58,400 it costs you. It's gonna cost you some of those players to probably get 707 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:00,480 that player, and I think that's what you really need to be on the 708 00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:01,880 lookout for it. And I think, look, when we're talking with those 709 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:06,199 players, the only one that should be even relatively close to off limits is 710 00:43:06,239 --> 00:43:08,639 Jalen Brunson. And I'm not saying the Knicks have to trade Julius Randall. 711 00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:13,559 I would I think I would argue. And Scott Perry's no longer the GM 712 00:43:13,599 --> 00:43:15,159 don't know how much this impacts this, but in case anyone didn't catch that, 713 00:43:15,159 --> 00:43:19,800 the Knicks didn't move on from him, his contract was up, and 714 00:43:19,840 --> 00:43:23,079 now they only have like eighty seven primary voices in the in the front office, 715 00:43:23,079 --> 00:43:27,320 so let's hope there's not too many crickets. I don't think the Knicks 716 00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:29,679 need to trade Julius Randol. I think they need to be more open to 717 00:43:29,719 --> 00:43:30,920 it than they inevitably will be. I don't think they're gonna view them is 718 00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:35,239 someone that they just move, but I think that's what they need. And 719 00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:37,840 so if you're gonna just run back the same core, you might still be 720 00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:40,039 really solid in the east. Can you take in more development for Emmanuel quickly, 721 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:45,119 Quinton Grimes, even RJ Barrett with the way that he closed the season. 722 00:43:45,199 --> 00:43:49,639 For the most part, it's like getting into the playoff turn. Yeah, 723 00:43:49,639 --> 00:43:52,480 you could be better. I don't know that you have the I'll say 724 00:43:52,719 --> 00:43:57,039 the phrase again, galactic leap in you as currently constructed. I think that 725 00:43:57,079 --> 00:44:00,360 galactic leap was Okay, we got Jalen Brunson, we got this really good 726 00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:04,880 Julius Randall year. Can we count on another all NBA esque version of Julius 727 00:44:04,960 --> 00:44:07,840 Randall next year? We haven't seen consecutive Julius Randall campaigns at that level ever, 728 00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:12,199 So that's something you have to factor in. I don't think you need 729 00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:15,760 to stop caring, though, I just the bar needs to be higher than 730 00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:19,800 competence, and I think it's the Knicks have raised that bar. I missed 731 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:22,960 on again. It was never the money, but I thought the process behind 732 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:28,599 the Jalen Brunson signing was misplaced, shortsighted whatever I was wrong there. So 733 00:44:28,639 --> 00:44:32,679 this front office has or front offices. These front offices within front offices within 734 00:44:32,760 --> 00:44:38,360 front offices have proved capable, but now you need to go out and get 735 00:44:38,599 --> 00:44:42,079 and I think you still I'm gonna be honest, I think you still need 736 00:44:42,079 --> 00:44:45,119 the best player type of guy where Jalen Brunson should be your number two. 737 00:44:45,400 --> 00:44:49,199 So I think that's going to top year to do list. But you are 738 00:44:49,239 --> 00:44:52,280 at the mercy of the trade market and you shouldn't just go after anybody. 739 00:44:52,639 --> 00:44:54,960 If Towns becomes available, for instance, Karl Anthony Towns, yeah, he's 740 00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:59,239 tempting, same with Jillen Brown. Are those the guys that you go all 741 00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:01,400 in for. I don't know. I probably wouldn't. They're not for me. 742 00:45:02,159 --> 00:45:05,639 I would have preferred Donovan Mitchell. Like if you weren't going to back 743 00:45:05,719 --> 00:45:07,880 up the asset truck for Donna Mitchell, I don't know why you necessarily do 744 00:45:07,920 --> 00:45:10,760 it for those guys a little. The thought of a floor spacing five the 745 00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:15,880 tips has to play in Towns would be super intriguing, but he would have 746 00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:20,360 a coronary with the lack of room protection there. I mean, So if 747 00:45:20,360 --> 00:45:22,960 it's not that, if you're looking at Okay, our best player is still 748 00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:27,440 going to be Jalen Brunson next season. You have to find shooting, functional 749 00:45:27,480 --> 00:45:31,280 shooting that is going to, you know, preferably can create stuff for himself 750 00:45:31,280 --> 00:45:34,840 and the half court when things bogged down. As we've seen what the way 751 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:38,360 that Miami went after Jalen Brunson and how Julius Randall can just inherently bog down. 752 00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:43,639 But I think you need just more outlets that teams can't pack the paint 753 00:45:43,679 --> 00:45:45,800 against you, and it needs to be shooting that can take the form in 754 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:49,119 your closing lineup, which means that they need to defend. They need to 755 00:45:49,119 --> 00:45:51,679 be able to work with the ball in their hands. I think Trent Junior 756 00:45:51,719 --> 00:45:52,840 comes close. I know a lot of people are down on his passing. 757 00:45:53,119 --> 00:45:55,639 He's a really big gambler on defense, and he's a little bit on the 758 00:45:55,639 --> 00:45:59,840 smaller side, but he can be disruptive away from the ball for sure, 759 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:02,199 and he's gonna get up three pointers. I don't have like a bunch of 760 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:05,599 names to say like this is who the nick should go after. We just 761 00:46:05,639 --> 00:46:07,280 haven't seen. It's not gonna happen in free agency. They're have their non 762 00:46:07,280 --> 00:46:10,920 tax players mid level. I just don't know who the best player is that 763 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:15,119 gets you. It's not you know, Dante DiVincenzo would be like sort of 764 00:46:15,119 --> 00:46:17,199 interesting for this team, but he doesn't shoot enough or get him in enough. 765 00:46:17,639 --> 00:46:21,119 I mentioned Seth Curry before. That's someone who works but not going to 766 00:46:21,159 --> 00:46:24,239 give you much defensively, and you need him to stay healthy. And so 767 00:46:24,360 --> 00:46:28,320 it's the two things that I'm looking at is is there a star that's worth 768 00:46:28,360 --> 00:46:30,960 going all in for that becomes available, And maybe he doesn't check the box 769 00:46:31,079 --> 00:46:35,800 of the floor spacing that you want and the functional shooting, but like if 770 00:46:35,800 --> 00:46:37,360 Pascal Siakam became available, yeah, I think you need to look at it. 771 00:46:37,639 --> 00:46:39,039 I think a lot of people will see, oh, well, this 772 00:46:39,039 --> 00:46:43,760 team could really use ogn and Obi and it's you know, maybe just because 773 00:46:43,840 --> 00:46:45,760 they didn't necessarily hang their hats on the defensive end, and to have someone 774 00:46:45,840 --> 00:46:49,519 like him would be yeah, be involved in it. That's not who you're 775 00:46:49,519 --> 00:46:52,480 pushing your chips all in for. I would say the worst. No, 776 00:46:52,599 --> 00:46:57,800 I shouldn't say the worst. But like, ideally, if you're going star 777 00:46:57,920 --> 00:47:01,480 hunting, your floor should like a mcaal Bridges type player where someone who might 778 00:47:01,519 --> 00:47:06,639 give you more creation than even a Jalen Brown, like you're going to trust 779 00:47:06,639 --> 00:47:09,280 his handle more at that point, better secondary playmaker. I don't know who 780 00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:13,119 i'd rather have long term. I think like Jalen Brown is there, he's 781 00:47:13,159 --> 00:47:15,960 younger, I think he's better there about the same age, and that helps, 782 00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:17,840 and he's been has more of a proven Trackwick or just sort of a 783 00:47:17,920 --> 00:47:22,880 higher volume, accurate three point shooter. But like if those are like, 784 00:47:22,000 --> 00:47:25,880 those guys can make some semblance of sense. I just I don't even know 785 00:47:25,920 --> 00:47:30,239 if either of them are, Like it's certainly they're not. They're like, 786 00:47:30,280 --> 00:47:32,639 they're not the guys that are coming to be the best player and nudge Jalen 787 00:47:32,679 --> 00:47:36,119 Brunson down to number two. But like if you if the nets decided a 788 00:47:36,159 --> 00:47:38,159 shot mcal Bridges, yeah, I would think you should be in on that 789 00:47:38,199 --> 00:47:42,079 guy. Otherwise, just looking at shooting, would it just behoove you to 790 00:47:42,119 --> 00:47:45,440 go out and look at a buddy healed? I mean maybe, but who's 791 00:47:45,480 --> 00:47:47,400 he playing over in the closing lineup? And that's where just things start to 792 00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:54,000 get really really dicey, And it's almost why the needs that I'm talking about, 793 00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:55,840 where it's, oh, you need a best player or you can go 794 00:47:55,880 --> 00:47:59,880 after shooting mccracks are closing lineup, there's a chance that it just needs to 795 00:47:59,880 --> 00:48:01,920 be sort of one and the same where it's like, okay, how Donovan 796 00:48:01,920 --> 00:48:05,559 Mitchell became available? Like who's the next guy that's going to be there? 797 00:48:05,559 --> 00:48:08,239 We know it's not going to be Luca this summer, and you know I 798 00:48:08,239 --> 00:48:10,719 don't if it is Trey Young. I don't even know if he's necessarily the 799 00:48:10,719 --> 00:48:15,039 answer. And you already have Jalen Brunson. So there's Brunson and Mitchell's one 800 00:48:15,039 --> 00:48:17,639 thing. Brunson and Trey Young is another. I think you could even argue 801 00:48:17,639 --> 00:48:22,360 that the Hawks would probably be acting for Brunson back in that deal. And 802 00:48:22,360 --> 00:48:25,920 it's certainly not if Harden leaves. It's not is Joel Embiid that player like 803 00:48:25,920 --> 00:48:30,800 he feels the best player on a title contender box like he checks that? 804 00:48:31,320 --> 00:48:35,559 But and yeah, for a big, especially a Knicks big, like he's 805 00:48:35,559 --> 00:48:38,639 someone who can step out and pop and hit jumpers, like is he even 806 00:48:38,760 --> 00:48:44,000 the answer? So there's a lot of That's what makes their situations so difficult, 807 00:48:44,519 --> 00:48:46,840 and it's not a reason to lose hope. I think what they did 808 00:48:46,840 --> 00:48:50,840 this season though, is and I think this is the best way to frame 809 00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:54,000 it, is more sustainable, is more of an accurate harbinger of what they 810 00:48:54,000 --> 00:48:59,079 can accomplish next season and something they can actually build off of, rather than 811 00:49:00,159 --> 00:49:04,159 that twenty twenty one campaign where there it was almost set up for them to 812 00:49:04,199 --> 00:49:07,920 have this precipitous fall. I don't think that's going to happen. But I 813 00:49:07,920 --> 00:49:10,199 also thought that they were for real then, so we'll see. I would 814 00:49:10,199 --> 00:49:14,639 say, kay, why don't you have cautious optimism in your heart rather than 815 00:49:14,719 --> 00:49:17,880 outright hope. Don't give up. But let's not. It's not all sunshine 816 00:49:17,920 --> 00:49:22,639 and daisies, because there is still the element of it being a slippery slope 817 00:49:22,719 --> 00:49:28,400 here. This question I've been thinking about for like seven nights or whatever it 818 00:49:28,480 --> 00:49:34,239 is, comes from comes from Kade and who says no to this trade. 819 00:49:34,320 --> 00:49:37,079 And it's a four teamer Let me see if I'll try to throw it up 820 00:49:37,079 --> 00:49:43,920 on screen, actually for for anyone who is watching. So let's let's find 821 00:49:43,920 --> 00:49:47,440 this on the screen. And where is it? I guess I can't find 822 00:49:47,480 --> 00:49:50,920 it, so we might have to we might just have to journey on. 823 00:49:51,239 --> 00:49:52,199 I'll read it off. It's a four team trade, so I don't want 824 00:49:52,199 --> 00:49:55,960 to leave you guys sort of hanging here. It just feels a little bit 825 00:49:57,840 --> 00:50:00,360 unfair. But alas I can't. I do have it pulled up, so 826 00:50:00,360 --> 00:50:02,039 I don't know. I don't know where it is. I guess I just 827 00:50:02,079 --> 00:50:07,000 have too many windows open. If I find it, I will throw it 828 00:50:07,079 --> 00:50:10,400 up on the screen. But it is a four team mega trade and it 829 00:50:10,599 --> 00:50:15,320 is it's a doozy. And if you can't tell, I'm still trying to 830 00:50:15,280 --> 00:50:17,960 still trying to stall to find. Yeah, I can't get it up there. 831 00:50:17,960 --> 00:50:22,119 So the four team trade from Kade Is Heat received Christian Wood in assign 832 00:50:22,159 --> 00:50:25,400 and trade for three years and sixty eight point two million. The MAVs received 833 00:50:25,440 --> 00:50:30,159 DeAndre Ayton and Duncan Robinson. The Suns receive Ogna, Nobi, Tim Hardaway 834 00:50:30,239 --> 00:50:35,800 Junior, and Chris Bouche. The Raptors received Davis Burton's Landry Shammitt, the 835 00:50:35,880 --> 00:50:39,440 number ten pick from Phoenix, the number eighteen pick from Miami, Miami's twenty 836 00:50:39,760 --> 00:50:43,800 twenty or a second rounder in two tho twenty six from Miami, and a 837 00:50:43,880 --> 00:50:50,440 twenty and twenty eight second round pick in Phoenix. I think I think the 838 00:50:50,519 --> 00:50:57,000 Heat say no to this trade to start, and I think I think part 839 00:50:57,000 --> 00:51:00,800 of that is Duncan Robinson has become valuable all over again that I don't know 840 00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:05,599 you would use a first round pick to grease the wheels of Okay, you 841 00:51:05,639 --> 00:51:08,519 get him off and then you're you know, you're hardcapping yourself in the form 842 00:51:08,559 --> 00:51:13,280 of Christian Wood, and I have found the trade, so I will throw 843 00:51:13,320 --> 00:51:15,960 it up on the screen for anyone who is watching and wants to see it, 844 00:51:16,039 --> 00:51:20,159 and let's hope that it you know, the screen actually shows it all. 845 00:51:20,800 --> 00:51:22,880 So it's up there and he wants to go take a look at it. 846 00:51:23,119 --> 00:51:25,480 So I think they say no, Like Christian Wood brings a lot of 847 00:51:25,480 --> 00:51:29,360 what they need offensively in the half court. He can play independent of Bam, 848 00:51:29,400 --> 00:51:31,960 he can play with Bam. And maybe you still do view Duncan Robinson's 849 00:51:31,960 --> 00:51:35,840 contract with the three years and it's like fifty eight million or whatever it is 850 00:51:35,840 --> 00:51:38,840 remaining as a net negative. So I get it, But I don't think 851 00:51:38,880 --> 00:51:43,519 that heater are gonna give up a first round pick and car hardcap themselves for 852 00:51:43,559 --> 00:51:46,440 a player they know works, especially when there's no guarantee they get Max Strus 853 00:51:46,480 --> 00:51:52,079 back, and it could become theoretically a lot harder to fit Max Strewson under 854 00:51:52,079 --> 00:51:55,599 a hardcap, and Gabe Vinson as well. By the way, after you're 855 00:51:55,639 --> 00:51:59,199 bringing Christian Wood, at least right now, you're not subject. If you're 856 00:51:59,199 --> 00:52:01,239 not going to spend the middle a little exception non taxpayers with litt exception, 857 00:52:01,280 --> 00:52:04,760 you're not going to hardcap yourself, and so you can pay that what it 858 00:52:04,800 --> 00:52:10,119 takes. The other team that I think says no. The Raptors getting two 859 00:52:10,199 --> 00:52:14,519 late first round picks for o Gianna Noby. I don't. They're getting off 860 00:52:14,599 --> 00:52:16,239 Chris Bruschet's money, but that's not a big deal. They need a spicier 861 00:52:16,280 --> 00:52:20,679 pick. The number ten pick is sort of your the carrot, and when 862 00:52:21,119 --> 00:52:23,559 Landry Shammon's steals obviously whatever, but Paton's having two years left, I think 863 00:52:23,599 --> 00:52:28,119 that's a biggie. I would rather have Chris Bruschet's money on my books. 864 00:52:28,599 --> 00:52:32,280 I think they say no. And the MAVs are interesting here. Duncan Robinson 865 00:52:32,320 --> 00:52:36,280 could help them out a lot, and his contracts better than Davis Parton's. 866 00:52:36,320 --> 00:52:38,599 You're getting off of Tim Hardaway Junior, and you could say, well, 867 00:52:38,760 --> 00:52:42,599 do you prefer his deal to Duncan Robinson's. You might. I get that 868 00:52:43,519 --> 00:52:47,800 you're getting off Tim Hardaway Junior and Davis Parton's and then you're getting DeAndre eight 869 00:52:47,880 --> 00:52:52,239 and it cost you the number ten pick. I thought about something similar as 870 00:52:52,239 --> 00:52:58,880 to whether the Matericks viewed DeAndre Eton as worth the number one the number ten 871 00:52:58,920 --> 00:53:04,000 pick, but I'd be curious. Three years a little over one hundred million 872 00:53:04,079 --> 00:53:06,159 left on his deal, brings a lot of what they could use, but 873 00:53:06,199 --> 00:53:10,159 you really need to bet on him coming back to his defensive peak, which 874 00:53:10,320 --> 00:53:14,440 you know he definitely slipped on that side of the floor for most of this 875 00:53:14,480 --> 00:53:16,840 season. And that's a big gamble to make, and so you're doing it 876 00:53:16,880 --> 00:53:22,519 while giving up the number ten pick. I don't i'd I'd like Duncan Robinson's 877 00:53:22,559 --> 00:53:27,199 fit and so he's more playable than dabins Porton's. I think some people might 878 00:53:27,280 --> 00:53:30,599 argue with Tim Hardaway Junior is more playable than then Duncan Robinson, and so 879 00:53:30,639 --> 00:53:34,960 you are taking some risk there and then you're also going out. I should 880 00:53:35,000 --> 00:53:38,039 confirm that though, that you're going out one year longer on the salaries here, 881 00:53:38,760 --> 00:53:43,239 because Duncan Robinson is on the books four yes, another three years at 882 00:53:43,280 --> 00:53:45,800 about the it's at a bigger number per year than Tim Hardaway Junior. Is 883 00:53:45,840 --> 00:53:50,719 it the same? It's around nineteen million a year on average. Tim Hardaway 884 00:53:50,800 --> 00:53:54,360 Junior has two years left at declining scale, so seventeen point nine and then 885 00:53:54,360 --> 00:54:00,480 it dips to sixteen point two. I think the MAVs probably say no to 886 00:54:00,599 --> 00:54:05,559 this, Wow do the mass the massive it? If they weren't if they 887 00:54:05,559 --> 00:54:07,840 didn't have to take back Dunsan Robinson, I don't think they'd say no. 888 00:54:07,119 --> 00:54:09,400 So I actually think that there are three of these four teams saying no. 889 00:54:09,440 --> 00:54:12,480 And Kid, I want to make clear, actually think this is a sort 890 00:54:12,519 --> 00:54:17,440 of intriguing proposal. And I am I like what you're trying to do here, 891 00:54:17,480 --> 00:54:21,280 and I love Ogana Nobi on the Suns, but I don't think if 892 00:54:21,280 --> 00:54:24,519 you're and I'll finish with this the Suns while Ogianna Nobi would be a great 893 00:54:24,559 --> 00:54:28,519 fit, and I think Tomartway, Junior Chris Bouche would be fantastic fits. 894 00:54:29,280 --> 00:54:34,880 You're giving up no first round picks. Excuse me, you're giving up DeAndre. 895 00:54:34,960 --> 00:54:37,599 You're giving up no first round picks. You're not gonna get Ogianna Nobi 896 00:54:37,519 --> 00:54:39,639 for DeAndre. And at this point, if that was going to happen, 897 00:54:40,199 --> 00:54:45,760 it feels like it would have been a possibility last off season in assign and 898 00:54:45,800 --> 00:54:49,800 trade, or if he accepted the trade since he had a veto rights during 899 00:54:49,840 --> 00:54:54,480 the trade deadline before the Toronto Raptors got Yaka Purdle and they were still in 900 00:54:54,559 --> 00:54:59,079 need of a center. Obviously, you don't have DeAndre and going to Toronto. 901 00:54:59,159 --> 00:55:02,480 Here would it be simpler to kind of configure a three team structure without 902 00:55:04,440 --> 00:55:07,199 and I don't know how desperately you wanted the heat involved there, but where 903 00:55:07,239 --> 00:55:13,920 it's okay, let's say the Suns are taking back Duncan Robinson and the MAVs 904 00:55:13,960 --> 00:55:16,159 are keeping Tim Hardaway junior, and so it's basically DeAndre Ayton and they're sending 905 00:55:16,159 --> 00:55:20,400 the ten pick to the Raptors. If you can reconfigure it that way, 906 00:55:20,440 --> 00:55:22,880 I would say, I just don't think that ten and eighteen plus two seconds 907 00:55:23,360 --> 00:55:27,599 and then salary filler let's call. Even though Berton's is a net negative, 908 00:55:27,639 --> 00:55:30,000 I don't think that gets you O. Giana Noby. You need something else. 909 00:55:30,039 --> 00:55:34,000 And so it's like, can you get the MAVs to include a Josh 910 00:55:34,000 --> 00:55:36,840 Green or Jade Harvey at that point, why aren't the MAVs going after O 911 00:55:36,960 --> 00:55:39,760 Giannaoby. They can trade this year's first and then another first after that that 912 00:55:39,920 --> 00:55:43,920 pick, So number ten plus that mav second pick, I think that ends 913 00:55:43,960 --> 00:55:46,480 up being more enticing for O. Giannaoby if you could actually get O. 914 00:55:46,639 --> 00:55:51,039 Giannaoby to the Suns, though, that is my favorite part about this trade, 915 00:55:51,039 --> 00:55:52,159 by the way, I think it makes sense for the MAVs. I 916 00:55:52,159 --> 00:55:54,280 can see what you're doing with the Raptors here, and I think Wood can 917 00:55:54,320 --> 00:55:59,119 make some sense for the Heat. But o Ganaoby to Phoenix is my favorite 918 00:55:59,320 --> 00:56:01,079 element of this trade. I would also say that it is the least likely 919 00:56:01,119 --> 00:56:05,480 of it. Second part of this question, who else would give up a 920 00:56:05,519 --> 00:56:10,920 first or similar value in a Christian would sign and trade this summer. Nobody 921 00:56:12,320 --> 00:56:15,960 like Milwaukee if they wanted to go with like give up mar John bow Champ 922 00:56:16,039 --> 00:56:17,719 and you count that as a first. They're not going to give you a 923 00:56:17,760 --> 00:56:22,159 twenty nine or twenty thirty first for Christian Wood. They also can't sign and 924 00:56:22,239 --> 00:56:28,519 trade though like they're just so, they can't. They're above the second assuming 925 00:56:28,519 --> 00:56:30,760 that low pest and middle team come back, they're gonna be above the second 926 00:56:30,800 --> 00:56:35,000 second Apron, They're not gonna be able to work within the hardcap. I 927 00:56:35,079 --> 00:56:37,360 don't think there's a team like they would have to be getting off some like 928 00:56:37,639 --> 00:56:40,960 truly bad money. And I'm trying to think of like some of the worst 929 00:56:40,960 --> 00:56:44,880 contracts out there. And even if you thought, oh, the Warriors do 930 00:56:44,920 --> 00:56:47,039 it to get off of Jordan Pool again, they're not going to be able 931 00:56:47,039 --> 00:56:52,440 to work within the hard cap here. Chicago is not going to do it, 932 00:56:52,440 --> 00:56:53,519 even if they want to use like different things at the five. Do 933 00:56:53,519 --> 00:56:57,280 you think, like Brooklyn be that desperate for some offense? Where would they 934 00:56:57,280 --> 00:57:00,039 give you just a lower level first that they own there? I don't like, 935 00:57:00,079 --> 00:57:02,079 they don't own many of their own anyway, and they're not going to 936 00:57:02,159 --> 00:57:07,000 give you, you know, any of the picks that they own from like 937 00:57:07,039 --> 00:57:08,239 the Suns. I mean, maybe an iminent one, but they're not gonna 938 00:57:08,239 --> 00:57:12,079 give you Dallas this pick. For sure. That's not a team. I 939 00:57:12,079 --> 00:57:15,599 don't think there's a team that would give up first round equity. And it 940 00:57:15,960 --> 00:57:19,079 comes down to, okay, you're giving up a first round pick because there's 941 00:57:19,119 --> 00:57:23,320 this deal that's just so bad you know that you want to get Like maybe 942 00:57:23,400 --> 00:57:25,440 no, Minnesota's not doesn't even have a first to trade. But I was 943 00:57:25,440 --> 00:57:28,239 gonna say, if you want to get off Rudy, go Bear's money. 944 00:57:28,280 --> 00:57:32,280 That's more tongue in cheek. I don't think that team exists personally. I 945 00:57:32,320 --> 00:57:37,239 guess, like New Orleans if they're really down on the CD McCombe contract, 946 00:57:37,239 --> 00:57:39,480 but I don't know why they why they would be to that point. So 947 00:57:39,599 --> 00:57:43,880 I unfortunately have nothing for either. I don't think there would be a team. 948 00:57:43,920 --> 00:57:46,079 Maybe I'm just missing a contract, like the Hornets don't even have one 949 00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:51,000 on their books, and they certainly shouldn't be willing to trade a future first 950 00:57:51,440 --> 00:57:54,559 Philly doesn't have enough first round equity. Portland, no Sacramento, no San 951 00:57:54,559 --> 00:58:01,800 Antonio, no Toronto, no Utah, no Washington. Definitely no. Yeah, 952 00:58:01,840 --> 00:58:05,199 I don't think there's a team that would give up. I think you've 953 00:58:05,280 --> 00:58:07,199 come closest with the heat is where hey, we're looking to get off dougtor 954 00:58:07,280 --> 00:58:10,079 Robinson's money, but then your heart capture. You're assigning trade and I think 955 00:58:10,079 --> 00:58:15,760 that that makes things a lot more difficult than a lot of teams want it 956 00:58:15,800 --> 00:58:21,559 too, especially when you are giving up first round equity as part of the 957 00:58:21,599 --> 00:58:29,360 process. This next question comes from Jeremy Jazz Twitter is in heat for Anthony 958 00:58:29,400 --> 00:58:36,599 Black? That sounds sensual. That's cool Anthony Black, Kayson Wallace, and 959 00:58:36,679 --> 00:58:39,519 Taylor Hendrix. Also, I see a lot of hate for Grady Dick going 960 00:58:39,559 --> 00:58:43,280 to the Jazz. Can you give a prose cons for him lining up next 961 00:58:43,280 --> 00:58:46,239 to Lowry and Kessler also hypothetically do the suxercise with Luca there via trade. 962 00:58:46,760 --> 00:58:50,559 What I'm sorry, what are you giving up for Luca that you get to 963 00:58:50,679 --> 00:58:54,400 keep Lowry Marketing and Walker Kessler? So Agbaji, you don't even need to 964 00:58:54,400 --> 00:58:59,960 worry about salary matching, but other contracts and then like eight first round pick 965 00:59:00,199 --> 00:59:01,599 at that point, because you're gonna have Luca, your own first round picks 966 00:59:01,840 --> 00:59:05,920 are going to be too good. At that point, you need to dip 967 00:59:05,960 --> 00:59:10,719 in and like Dallas has to value Cleveland's draft, it has to value Minnesota's 968 00:59:10,760 --> 00:59:15,519 draft. I guess that's not a terrible way to go. So imagining the 969 00:59:15,519 --> 00:59:16,719 fit, yeah, it would be super fun. I mean, Larry Markin's 970 00:59:16,760 --> 00:59:20,920 a pure play finisher. Walker Kessler works well off Luca don Chich. I 971 00:59:20,960 --> 00:59:23,079 shouldn't say Lowry's a pure play finisher, but he's comfortable in that role. 972 00:59:23,199 --> 00:59:27,599 But then you can also do secondary stuff, and he'd be super secondary. 973 00:59:28,039 --> 00:59:30,440 If Lucas there, would you be able to generate more off ball movement than 974 00:59:30,480 --> 00:59:35,280 we've seen in Dallas with your personnel. I think Larry Marking would be a 975 00:59:35,280 --> 00:59:37,719 good start there. I just eight first round picks? Is that the nun 976 00:59:37,840 --> 00:59:39,840 is it's seven? I don't know how many first round picks you need to 977 00:59:39,840 --> 00:59:44,400 give up to get Luca Dotchich without giving up Lowry Marketing or Walker Kessler. 978 00:59:45,039 --> 00:59:49,000 Just that's so hard to do the first part of this. I don't know 979 00:59:49,440 --> 00:59:52,880 what you're necessarily asking for me from the first three. If I had to, 980 00:59:52,480 --> 00:59:55,199 I guess, let's look at my preferences among these four. So we'll 981 00:59:55,239 --> 00:59:59,719 start with Grady Dick. I don't think, and I have begun my draft 982 00:59:59,719 --> 01:00:04,199 prep work for anyone who cares. I don't like Grady will start there. 983 01:00:04,199 --> 01:00:07,920 Grady Dick size and shooting is still rare, so I don't get the hate 984 01:00:07,079 --> 01:00:10,480 like you put. Like the Jazz of Fielded really spacing lineups all year, 985 01:00:12,159 --> 01:00:14,679 you get Grady Dick, who can also do the you know, catch and 986 01:00:14,800 --> 01:00:17,440 drive stuff as well. I think the bigger ish. I'm sure I don't 987 01:00:17,440 --> 01:00:21,599 know what Jazz fans are saying, but is it because of his defensive limitations. 988 01:00:22,000 --> 01:00:24,599 I understand that, and from watching him, like I could see how 989 01:00:24,639 --> 01:00:29,719 he would really get torched in certain nomball matchups. But all the experts that 990 01:00:29,800 --> 01:00:32,079 I read seem to think that he'll be a good team defender. And then 991 01:00:32,119 --> 01:00:37,360 from what I've seen, he's fine like guarding the corners not losing track of 992 01:00:37,360 --> 01:00:39,760 those shooters even if they're you know, sliding up or down, and that 993 01:00:39,840 --> 01:00:44,639 he's pretty good at making rotations where he's you know, the high man more 994 01:00:44,679 --> 01:00:47,599 than one pass away and needs to rotate lower. Those things look fine for 995 01:00:47,639 --> 01:00:50,800 me from him, So I think he would be a quality fit now of 996 01:00:50,880 --> 01:00:54,039 the four, so I think he's the best fit. No, I think 997 01:00:54,039 --> 01:00:59,159 he might be my least favorite fit, like of the four in the Jazz, 998 01:00:59,199 --> 01:01:01,920 maybe Cason Wallace, who I can't say his name without thinking about case 999 01:01:02,000 --> 01:01:07,800 and protein. Is that is that weird? But I love Pallas's defensive energy, 1000 01:01:08,000 --> 01:01:12,400 and he's the more reliable spacer. There's just like two. I want 1001 01:01:12,440 --> 01:01:15,400 someone bigger, like a real wing type player, not someone who's six four 1002 01:01:15,519 --> 01:01:17,519 six three six five on the Jazz. The fact that he brings so much 1003 01:01:17,559 --> 01:01:21,159 defensive heat that maybe helps you, so it's not oh, we look at 1004 01:01:21,199 --> 01:01:24,079 him over overlapping with Jordan Clarkson and and Colin Sexton if both of them are 1005 01:01:24,079 --> 01:01:29,400 still there next season, I really I want. Anthony Black is one of 1006 01:01:29,440 --> 01:01:31,519 my favorite prospects because he's so smart. He's just huge and you put the 1007 01:01:31,519 --> 01:01:36,000 ball in his hands and the decision making that he's displayed, and then what 1008 01:01:36,000 --> 01:01:37,360 he's gonna be able to do defensively, like this, is this someone who 1009 01:01:37,440 --> 01:01:42,840 can guard four five maybe positions. I just worry about his shooting, but 1010 01:01:42,840 --> 01:01:45,119 it's not as much of a concern on the jazz. So he's at like 1011 01:01:45,159 --> 01:01:49,159 thirty percent from three last year. Is the seventy plus percent clip at the 1012 01:01:49,239 --> 01:01:52,119 Charity stripe enough to get you on board with this idea that he can be 1013 01:01:52,159 --> 01:01:57,639 a better stand still shooter. I honestly don't know. I think Hendrix might 1014 01:01:57,719 --> 01:02:00,679 be my favorite one. And Adam Spanella Caitlyn Cooper did a great podcast for 1015 01:02:00,719 --> 01:02:05,960 The Box and One where they went into jaris Walker and telling Hendricks a great 1016 01:02:05,960 --> 01:02:07,320 deal, So everyone should go check that out The Box and One. And 1017 01:02:07,360 --> 01:02:10,599 I think Spins will be coming on the podcast next week. Maybe I'll solicit 1018 01:02:10,920 --> 01:02:16,920 draft questions from our discord join our discord to include in there. But is 1019 01:02:16,960 --> 01:02:22,000 Hendricks my favorite one? Just like would any team ever score at the rim 1020 01:02:22,000 --> 01:02:25,400 with him and Walker Kessler in the game? I think a big factor would 1021 01:02:25,400 --> 01:02:29,599 be do you trust his outside shooting? He was at thirty nine plus percent 1022 01:02:29,639 --> 01:02:32,880 on over four point five attempts per game, Like I trust it, and 1023 01:02:32,920 --> 01:02:37,079 his free throw percentage was high enough to where you trust it, But do 1024 01:02:37,119 --> 01:02:38,679 you trust him to make extra decisions with the ball, Like, this is 1025 01:02:38,679 --> 01:02:42,360 not someone that you want to see taking multiple dribbles. He's not going to 1026 01:02:42,400 --> 01:02:45,000 continue to move the ball. He just in general, like when you look 1027 01:02:45,000 --> 01:02:49,400 at his handle, it's not something that he's gonna bust out extensively and it's 1028 01:02:49,400 --> 01:02:52,440 not going to look pretty. And there are times where he either won't go 1029 01:02:52,480 --> 01:02:55,800 anywhere or you just don't want to see it. So I think he might 1030 01:02:55,880 --> 01:03:01,280 be my favorite because do you need another I guess you're losing Jordan Clarkson. 1031 01:03:01,360 --> 01:03:05,360 You could make the case that you want another sort of shot creator type. 1032 01:03:05,559 --> 01:03:07,800 So if I had to rank these, I'm gonna go about to hate myself. 1033 01:03:08,079 --> 01:03:14,119 I'm gonna go Anthony Black, Taylor, Hendrix, Grady, dick Case, 1034 01:03:14,199 --> 01:03:17,119 and Wallace. And I'm not sure where to land on the Dick Wile 1035 01:03:17,239 --> 01:03:21,840 I could be talked into either of those guys. We'll see who The Jazz 1036 01:03:21,840 --> 01:03:23,800 have. Their first pick is at number that's number nine for them. I 1037 01:03:23,840 --> 01:03:28,039 think they have the juice if they wanted to let me bring up the let 1038 01:03:28,079 --> 01:03:30,719 me bring up the draft order here should I let's should we should we throw 1039 01:03:30,719 --> 01:03:34,239 this up on screen as well? Would we bring up the draft order? 1040 01:03:34,280 --> 01:03:39,079 I feel like the Jazz have the ability to add another lottery pick if they 1041 01:03:39,079 --> 01:03:42,639 wanted to, Like what could they grease the wheels if they're also drafting its 1042 01:03:42,719 --> 01:03:50,239 sixteen and then twenty eight. So does sixteen and twenty eight get you Toronto's 1043 01:03:50,280 --> 01:03:54,199 thirteen and or even Oklahoma City's twelve. I don't know that Orlando would want 1044 01:03:54,679 --> 01:03:59,480 like a third first round pick. They have six and eleven, so that 1045 01:03:59,559 --> 01:04:01,920 might be the off. Does Dallas want to drop down from ten? But 1046 01:04:02,039 --> 01:04:05,840 so like ten twelve? Like it feels like they if you include another type 1047 01:04:05,840 --> 01:04:09,320 of first round pick or something small, maybe even forget number twenty eight, 1048 01:04:09,360 --> 01:04:12,920 But if it's sixteen and something, to jump up like four or five spots, 1049 01:04:12,960 --> 01:04:15,760 and do you land in the territory to draft two of these guys? 1050 01:04:15,840 --> 01:04:20,000 I think I've seen of all of these guys, Kays and Wallace feels like 1051 01:04:20,079 --> 01:04:24,239 he might fall the furthest. Although I should really look I don't look at 1052 01:04:24,239 --> 01:04:27,400 I try not to look at too many mock drafts while I'm doing my drafts 1053 01:04:27,440 --> 01:04:30,199 because those will very easily influence me but let's bring one up. Let's bring 1054 01:04:30,199 --> 01:04:34,159 one up here. Yeah, Taylor Hendrix is what I think the most popular 1055 01:04:34,159 --> 01:04:36,320 pick for the Jazz Black might go to the Wizards at eight. That would 1056 01:04:36,320 --> 01:04:39,880 make a ton of sense. Yeah, Kayson Wallace and Grady Dick would be 1057 01:04:39,880 --> 01:04:42,760 like, hey, can we get the pick that they can acquire two of 1058 01:04:42,800 --> 01:04:46,000 them? That would be That would be something because I love the fits of 1059 01:04:46,039 --> 01:04:48,360 these But yeah, so my ranking would it woud still be Anthony Black probably 1060 01:04:48,400 --> 01:04:50,920 be some higher on him as being the best player of all these guys, 1061 01:04:50,960 --> 01:04:56,880 followed by Taylor Hendrix. I'm gonna say, Grady Dick, thank Kayson Wallace. 1062 01:04:56,880 --> 01:04:59,400 I don't feel great about that though, So I apologize if anyone's a 1063 01:05:00,000 --> 01:05:04,800 offended by those picks. Grenade ass who are the top clutch field goal percentage 1064 01:05:04,840 --> 01:05:10,760 shooters in the playoffs this year, So I will give you the field goal 1065 01:05:10,760 --> 01:05:14,320 percentage one. That's not my favorite metric to use, but Jimmy Butler has 1066 01:05:14,480 --> 01:05:16,400 made more clutch shots than anyone in the playoffs, if you care. And 1067 01:05:16,440 --> 01:05:21,280 then I filtered it from I wanted at least a fifty player sample, and 1068 01:05:21,280 --> 01:05:24,840 so we have a little bit more than fifty players. By using this a 1069 01:05:24,840 --> 01:05:29,320 minimum of four field goal attempts in the clutch, and bam Atibayo and Aaron 1070 01:05:29,400 --> 01:05:31,599 Gordon lead and clutch field goal percentage. They're both shooting six or seven from 1071 01:05:31,639 --> 01:05:35,320 the floor, so eighty five point seven percent just raw field goal percentage. 1072 01:05:35,440 --> 01:05:40,880 If you go into the top clutch like true shooting percentage, which is just 1073 01:05:40,920 --> 01:05:44,320 going to incorporate free throw shooting, two point shooting, three point shooting, 1074 01:05:44,880 --> 01:05:48,760 the top five are and it's the filter I used at least five appearances, 1075 01:05:48,880 --> 01:05:53,559 so at least five games that went into traditional crunch time. Mitchell Robinson leads 1076 01:05:53,599 --> 01:05:56,840 the league with one hundred and thirteen point six true shooting. Dark White is 1077 01:05:56,880 --> 01:06:00,639 two at one oh six point four true shooting, bamatibi Io was three at 1078 01:06:00,719 --> 01:06:04,159 ninety one point three true shooting, KCP is four at eighty seven point five 1079 01:06:04,199 --> 01:06:08,840 true shooting, and then Caleb Martin the Goat, is fifth at eighty five 1080 01:06:09,039 --> 01:06:12,920 true shooting. It's funny that so many of I mean in a lot of 1081 01:06:12,920 --> 01:06:15,320 this is just your sample size is going to build up, so longer you 1082 01:06:15,360 --> 01:06:19,119 play, it's better. But four of the top true shooting percentage guys made 1083 01:06:19,119 --> 01:06:23,880 it to the conference finals. And three of the top five true shooting percentage 1084 01:06:23,880 --> 01:06:26,519 guys that metric are in the finals. Again, I think you lower the 1085 01:06:26,559 --> 01:06:30,920 filters on five crunch time appearances, but Mitchell Robins had even cracking list while 1086 01:06:30,920 --> 01:06:34,719 only appearing in two rounds of basketball. So but yeah, there's that list. 1087 01:06:34,760 --> 01:06:41,199 And then finally from Casey Rodgers is Mayonnai's an instrument. My only response 1088 01:06:41,239 --> 01:06:45,360 to that is this was a rock solid SpongeBob square Pants reference, and I 1089 01:06:45,400 --> 01:06:47,199 totally respected Casey. If you scrolled all the way, you're listening all the 1090 01:06:47,199 --> 01:06:50,519 way to the end to hear that we shout out that question that reference. 1091 01:06:51,000 --> 01:06:56,320 Kudos to you and thank you all for listening. Please remember to rate, 1092 01:06:56,400 --> 01:07:00,239 review, subscribe tost on Apple and Spotify, head over, subscribe to YouTube. 1093 01:07:00,239 --> 01:07:01,960 I do. Look, I publish their clips from the episode, but 1094 01:07:02,119 --> 01:07:05,480 some of them are organic short form content. We have shorts going up on 1095 01:07:05,519 --> 01:07:09,760 YouTube and Instagram and TikTok. Follow us all there, and they're look, 1096 01:07:09,800 --> 01:07:14,239 they're highly edited. I have really leveled up my Adobe Premiere Pro games, 1097 01:07:14,239 --> 01:07:15,880 So please don't make me waste all this time for nothing. Go give us 1098 01:07:15,920 --> 01:07:19,639 views and likes and shares there and join our discord. The link in the 1099 01:07:19,639 --> 01:07:24,199 podcast and YouTube description. As if anyone can still see it on the screen, 1100 01:07:24,320 --> 01:07:27,119 check out our merch shop. There are stickers that you can get, 1101 01:07:27,159 --> 01:07:29,920 but like, can I bring this closer to the camera from the thing? 1102 01:07:30,000 --> 01:07:31,920 Or Hardwood not bring that color? Scoring that drippy smiley face? Isn't that? 1103 01:07:32,199 --> 01:07:34,840 It isn't that Hardwood, Knox as health, just that vibe I think 1104 01:07:34,840 --> 01:07:38,840 it is. Until next time and as always a gibe with the shout out 1105 01:07:38,880 --> 01:07:49,159 to the one, the only, the indelible friend anyway, Kem