1 00:00:15,039 --> 00:00:20,679 What is krak Alac and fellow thermonuclear a efforts. I am damn Valley coming 2 00:00:20,719 --> 00:00:26,120 at you with my certified fantabulous co host Grant Hughes. We are delivering you 3 00:00:26,559 --> 00:00:30,120 our Western Conference mailback as promise where we will get to one or two questions 4 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:34,039 for every single team. Thank you all for submitting your questions before we get 5 00:00:34,079 --> 00:00:37,520 started. Please remember subscribe to the podcast wherever you're consuming us. If you're 6 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,000 on YouTube right now, hit that sub button like comment, help the algorithm 7 00:00:41,039 --> 00:00:44,520 love us back. Subscribe on your podcast player of choice, Apple, Spotify, 8 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,079 Stitcher, Google, wherever you're consuming us. If you've done all those 9 00:00:48,079 --> 00:00:51,679 things, please shout us out. Tell people about us, friends, family 10 00:00:51,679 --> 00:00:55,200 members, enemies, co workers, random people on the street about this shitty 11 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,640 basketball podcast you listen to that you would like to help expand their audience for 12 00:00:59,159 --> 00:01:03,079 and follow us on the socials at Hardwood Knox on Twitter, YouTube, and 13 00:01:03,119 --> 00:01:07,760 TikTok at Hardwood Underscore Knox on Instagram. With all that out of the way 14 00:01:07,799 --> 00:01:10,879 and under a minute, I might add Grant, how the heck are you 15 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:12,599 doing? I'm doing great. I'm excited to do this great questions again, 16 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:19,359 Everybody, this is a super helpful exercise as always. So I think that's 17 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:23,640 enough ADO. So without further ado, Minnesota Timberwolves are next up. This 18 00:01:23,799 --> 00:01:26,560 is from Alistair Albert. Are the Wolves just worse without Cat? Or are 19 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,959 they the team they are right now with him? The Gobert trade seems to 20 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,040 have been a bust and could be a result of coaching. But I've never 21 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,159 rated Cat as a leader anyway, So his absence just as bad as his 22 00:01:36,239 --> 00:01:40,200 presence or are they the same? I have to first say, like I've 23 00:01:40,239 --> 00:01:42,840 been thinking about this a lot because I think I defended the Gobert trade. 24 00:01:42,879 --> 00:01:48,120 I thought it made sense, and I've kind of slowly backed off of it. 25 00:01:48,159 --> 00:01:51,680 But it's pretty clear now, like it's just Gobert is not good enough. 26 00:01:51,799 --> 00:01:55,319 He's not the same guy he was last year, And then even if 27 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:59,079 he were, I just don't know if that's a big enough difference maker to 28 00:01:59,159 --> 00:02:01,879 justify the lay. And this would be I'd feel this way even if the 29 00:02:01,959 --> 00:02:06,719 Jazz weren't like getting really good use out of basically everybody they got in that 30 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:12,960 trade. This is just about Gobert just not being a positive on offense, 31 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,240 not being quite as good defensively. He's under two blocks of game, which 32 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:20,560 is like just wild to me. So, yeah, that's a bad look. 33 00:02:20,599 --> 00:02:23,879 But getting back to Cat, just here are the numbers before we start 34 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:29,319 talking about like opinions. Minnesota's minus point nine with him on. This is 35 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,560 before they lost last night, so we'll see I see your point. By 36 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:37,080 the way, Rudy Gobert, which subbed out on offense against a Heat team 37 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:42,000 that had Orlando Robinson. Yeah, we'll remember it as the Orlando Robinson game. 38 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,759 Yeah, minus point nine with Cat on, plus point three with him 39 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,439 off. Cleaning the glasses, non garbage on off a little different, but 40 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,599 he's just a slight positive when you filter that out and by cleaning the glass. 41 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:55,479 But this is still talking about seven hundred minutes of playing time, so 42 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:02,719 small sample of caveats and make them blink around somehow, I guess. I 43 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:08,400 agree that you know the evidence suggests Cat isn't like a transformative leader. He's 44 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:13,479 had some real rough playoff games. I agree you need a defensive presence next 45 00:03:13,479 --> 00:03:19,120 to him. I agree that you know it's just not working out so far. 46 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,879 And the fact that you can even ask, like, are the Wolves 47 00:03:22,879 --> 00:03:25,479 as good with him as they are without him? Is like kind of pretty 48 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,840 serious issue for a guy that is supposed to be like a max level, 49 00:03:30,039 --> 00:03:36,080 you know, superstar. I still think that there's just no way you're going 50 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:40,400 to get me to the point of somehow you're better without a center that is 51 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:46,599 as offensively talented as anybody not named Yokich, that can space the floor, 52 00:03:46,639 --> 00:03:49,719 that's arguably the best shooting big guy of all time if you count for volume, 53 00:03:49,759 --> 00:03:52,439 and you don't care about the era and the fact that like Dirk didn't 54 00:03:52,439 --> 00:03:57,360 shoot a lot of threes, he's still like a He's still in that class 55 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:01,960 of players that can just totally change your offense and be game a transformative force 56 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,599 that makes other guys better around him. Offensively, he's not perfect, but 57 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:10,479 like I just I can't get there that that he's someone they just like don't 58 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:14,800 need, or that he's like a net neutral guy. The mix doesn't work 59 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,399 this year, and he's he can't be your best player. I guess which 60 00:04:17,439 --> 00:04:21,639 is about it. It's not a great situation. But I don't think it's 61 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:26,600 like he doesn't make an impact. I don't. I just can't get all 62 00:04:26,639 --> 00:04:29,079 the way there. Yeah, I would agree with everything you said, And 63 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,120 look, the Timberwolves offense is twenty first since town has been out, they're 64 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:36,560 not shooting as many threes and that's right around like their twentieth overall on offense 65 00:04:36,639 --> 00:04:40,279 for the season. And so I don't see that there's evidence that Sugg they're 66 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:46,399 better off without him. You would need either this just godly divine leap from 67 00:04:46,439 --> 00:04:48,319 Anthony Edwards, which he's seen in spurts where he's just really dominating ball for 68 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,079 celtating the offense. But then he's gonna have games like get against Miami where 69 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:56,160 is a trillion turnovers and there's a lot of up and downs there. And 70 00:04:56,199 --> 00:05:00,160 so I think Karnthy Towns is not the problem with the roster. The roster 71 00:05:00,319 --> 00:05:03,040 construction is the problem. He's just more so he's a symptom of why the 72 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,240 roster construction is what it is that the Timberwolves felt they needed to go out 73 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:11,199 and get someone like Gobert to cover up for Towns on defense. And I 74 00:05:11,319 --> 00:05:15,120 just I appreciate big swings. I know there's new ownership there. They wanted 75 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,199 to make a splash, like why did you not scale this down to like, 76 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:20,240 well, instead of going all in on Rudy, do we test it 77 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:24,680 out with Miles Turner just like someone else who's faces the floor too. But 78 00:05:24,759 --> 00:05:28,920 we know he protects the rim and that's just not you know, cannon balling 79 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:30,879 into it without trying it first. I know he played with Jarred Vanderbilt last 80 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,560 year. I get it. This is a lot different though you're playing two 81 00:05:33,639 --> 00:05:39,680 real centers there, neither of whom Jared Vanderbilt can defend force and smaller Rudy 82 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:42,839 Gobert and caught like, that's not what they do. And so I might 83 00:05:42,879 --> 00:05:45,800 still be a little bit more patient with the Timberwolves because I was just such 84 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:47,560 to believe they were going to kill it in the regular season. But the 85 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:53,879 evidence is growing that this team is problematic. Yeah, there's one other one. 86 00:05:53,879 --> 00:05:56,920 I wanted to get to. That kind of loops in a couple of 87 00:05:56,959 --> 00:06:00,360 other teams, but it's Wolf specific. This is from Bradley Eury. All 88 00:06:00,399 --> 00:06:04,600 factors considered, who would you take Zion, Jaw or Edwards? For me, 89 00:06:04,639 --> 00:06:09,720 it's Jaw and and it's it's super close with him and Zion, and 90 00:06:09,759 --> 00:06:13,040 I think unfortunately, since this is a Timberwolves question, Edwards is a little 91 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,720 bit you know, he's a notch below I think either of those guys. 92 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:19,680 For Jaw, it's just we've seen the deep playoff run. I like that 93 00:06:19,759 --> 00:06:24,720 it's a little easier to build around him than Zion, even those zions improved 94 00:06:24,759 --> 00:06:28,560 defense and the fact that you now know he's an on ball playmaker just sort 95 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,920 of simplifies things. I like that Jaws suspect defense just doesn't really matter as 96 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,360 much because of the position he plays, whereas Zion, though improved, I 97 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:41,199 could we still don't know what that's gonna look like a playoff series when you're 98 00:06:41,199 --> 00:06:45,600 gonna he's gonna have to guard like a wing or a you know, combo 99 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,120 forward that theoretically will be like a high usage type guy. I like the 100 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:53,879 Jaw. This is maybe you don't come to this pod first stuff like this, 101 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,959 but I like that Jaw has been like a real leader and this is 102 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,680 you know, not quantifiable, but it's just sort of full commitment, been 103 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,480 a tone setter in all the right ways where a Zion, at least in 104 00:07:05,519 --> 00:07:10,360 the past, has had. How committed is he like, is he not 105 00:07:10,399 --> 00:07:13,839 calling CJ. Mccollumback over the offseason, Why is he in Portland? Just 106 00:07:14,399 --> 00:07:17,079 little things like that, And that's a lot of media created stuff with linking 107 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,399 him to the Knicks and opting out and or declining the qualifying offer and all 108 00:07:20,399 --> 00:07:25,279 that stuff, But like joh just doesn't have any of those issues for me. 109 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,199 And also the injury thing, I think both our injury risk, Like 110 00:07:29,279 --> 00:07:34,160 Marant, his style subjects him to like catastrophic you know, injury potential zion. 111 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:39,560 We know about his injury history, we know about like the sort of 112 00:07:40,279 --> 00:07:43,639 I don't know, built in concerns just with his frame and the conditioning stuff. 113 00:07:44,199 --> 00:07:46,120 It's really close between those two. But I just give Job the narrow 114 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:50,680 edge and Edwards just didn't quite make it because like I think his best skill 115 00:07:50,759 --> 00:07:56,680 is still taking the ability to get and make really hard shots is valuable. 116 00:07:57,399 --> 00:08:01,800 But I think I value I know, I've you morans ability to consistently create 117 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,439 easier shots for other people and for himself, and just it's a higher percentage 118 00:08:07,439 --> 00:08:11,120 play for him, like he gets to the line he can. You know, 119 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:15,759 he's not as good a shooter I guess as Edwards, but like Edwards 120 00:08:15,759 --> 00:08:20,959 still though he's made like marginal improvements every year as a shooter and scorer and 121 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:24,800 as an efficiency guy. Just's I need to see it look a little easier 122 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:28,439 for Edwards more often, or you know, be able to consistently. There 123 00:08:28,439 --> 00:08:33,440 aren't games where it's like, wow, jaw really isn't affecting play. There 124 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:35,360 are games like that for Edwards still, I think, and that's maybe part 125 00:08:35,399 --> 00:08:39,080 of the issue. I would if I would go a Zie on over Job. 126 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:43,279 I'm just too tantalized by what Zion could do at both ends if he's 127 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,039 going to be what if he, like ever, sustains his peak. I 128 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,440 do, But they also you mentioned they're both injury risks. I also wonder 129 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:52,080 if they both have shorter span prime windows. Not a lot of guys in 130 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,799 their situations shake off their like their physical tools. I would still take Zie. 131 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,080 I think I'm just smitten by what he could be, And then I 132 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:03,240 would have Job over Edwards. And that wasn't That's not particularly difficulty. Let's 133 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:07,639 move on to the New Orleans Pelicans, and our first one comes from Nick 134 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:11,960 Malan. Do the Pells have the best trade asset for the trade deadline? 135 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:13,200 And do you see them using it to bring in a person of need? 136 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,080 What area do you think they need to focus on the most to keep them 137 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:20,639 at the top of the West. Do they have the best trade asset? 138 00:09:20,639 --> 00:09:24,360 And so I guess we're talking about the they could trade like they have, 139 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:28,200 they can swap with the Lakers this year, they own the Lakers pick out 140 00:09:28,279 --> 00:09:31,480 right next year, or can refer to twenty five, and so I assume 141 00:09:31,519 --> 00:09:35,519 that's the asset Nick is referring to one of those. I would say they 142 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:41,519 probably come pretty close to it, but there might be teams that value I 143 00:09:41,759 --> 00:09:46,440 don't the Lakers pick there. I think there's a belief still around the league 144 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:50,639 the Lakers will stumble into something that not this season necessarily, and so if 145 00:09:50,639 --> 00:09:54,080 you're New Orleans and you can trade this year's pick, but like even shorter 146 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:58,159 term, whereas they're going to stumble into something because that's what happens. Maybe 147 00:09:58,159 --> 00:10:00,840 they're not great, but they won't suck, which is why those twenty seven 148 00:10:00,879 --> 00:10:05,919 and twenty nine picks aren't that valuable for from them specifically, Are is this 149 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:11,240 pick like the single most valuable maybe available one near the deadline? Maybe I 150 00:10:11,279 --> 00:10:13,440 would say there are a lot of teams that I think would want to get, 151 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:16,120 Like if you're just offering the ability to have a Lakers pick in one 152 00:10:16,159 --> 00:10:20,480 of the next two drafts, like unless someone's gonna put I'm trying to think 153 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,039 of who else would be on the table. If the Sixers, would you 154 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:26,600 rather that or would you prefer Tyres Maxie? If the Sixers have I'd probably 155 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:30,679 prefer Maxie. I love the idea to be able to defer it, though, 156 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,799 because you start to get two cracks at it, and just for you 157 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:35,840 know, the twenty four and twenty five, right, because that's what they 158 00:10:35,919 --> 00:10:37,120 That's what you can essentially do is say like, oh, we're going to 159 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:41,000 punt that one. I just like the odds of at some point in the 160 00:10:41,039 --> 00:10:48,720 next couple of years three years, the Lakers might just really fall apart, 161 00:10:48,799 --> 00:10:50,720 and I want as many cracks at that as I can get. But yeah, 162 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:54,440 MAXI Maxie is like it's a conversation for sure. But because in theory, 163 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:58,559 if you if if it really goes sideways for the Lakers, you're drafting 164 00:10:58,879 --> 00:11:03,559 like god knows how high, and you know there's a potential like franchise cornerstone 165 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:07,159 there. Maxie isn't quite that guy. But like, probably if you're risk 166 00:11:07,159 --> 00:11:11,120 averse, then for ship, Maxie would be more valuable, is it. 167 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,799 Do I think they would move it? Yes? Do I think the player? 168 00:11:13,159 --> 00:11:16,519 Do I see the Pelicans moving this asset? And look, so the 169 00:11:16,879 --> 00:11:20,879 answer to the first question, is they might have the single most valuable trade 170 00:11:20,919 --> 00:11:26,919 asset that's actually up for grabs at the trade deadline that's possible. Is the 171 00:11:26,039 --> 00:11:31,240 player out there who's worth giving up that asset going to become available? I 172 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:33,600 don't know, and it's a right now he's not. They don't even if 173 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:37,320 it was Bradley Beel or Zach Lavine. This team doesn't need that, Like 174 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:39,799 I wouldn't say, and I think they need. People are gonna get mad 175 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:41,919 this is all we talk about. But like I still think it's just the 176 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,639 changing up sort of the front corse Bot next design on, like when Nance 177 00:11:46,759 --> 00:11:48,320 is healthy. Yes, that's fine. I know Jannis Palatunas is good. 178 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:52,480 I don't trust it in the playoffs. I just I don't, And that's 179 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:56,279 maybe I'll be wrong. That's fine even if you want to address that, 180 00:11:56,919 --> 00:12:01,919 who's the player that's worth this pick specifically? And I don't or one of 181 00:12:01,919 --> 00:12:03,639 the picks specifically, I don't know. I mean, I've thought about if 182 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:09,399 Pascal Siakam became available, there's kind of like maybe I just his shooting fit 183 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,080 on this team could be weird. Would you give it up for o Gianna 184 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:15,240 Noby does he make sense when you have Trey Murphy the third, Dison Daniels, 185 00:12:15,279 --> 00:12:18,519 we've seen herb Jones slip off this year. I don't like I guess 186 00:12:18,519 --> 00:12:22,120 you. I probably would just give it up because he is someone who could 187 00:12:22,159 --> 00:12:24,679 absolutely put it and we've seen him defend a bunch of fives in Toronto. 188 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,159 Anyway, I just don't. I don't think they move that pick just because 189 00:12:28,159 --> 00:12:31,000 I don't think the market is going to dictate it. And I also think 190 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,320 that's where parody comes. There's a lot of teams just aren't going to sell 191 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:37,759 because they fancy themselves buyers. But my biggest need for them would still be, 192 00:12:37,759 --> 00:12:41,639 like, let's diversify that front court spot next design on. But beyond 193 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:45,679 having Larry Nance or Jonas valanctutis there. Everyone knows I love Miles Turner. 194 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:50,120 Maybe it's a matter of aiming smaller scale, and I like, is Mobamba 195 00:12:50,159 --> 00:12:52,639 available? I don't think you give up. I wouldn't give up Yonas valanctutis 196 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:54,200 for him, want to make that clear. And I wouldn't give up Nance 197 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:56,480 for him either. But if it's just in terms of matching money to bring 198 00:12:56,559 --> 00:13:01,120 him over and then a lower end asset yeah, I would. That's something 199 00:13:01,159 --> 00:13:03,960 that you could look at just to have that diversification. But that's also it's 200 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,480 a very tough spot to film when you're looking at the archetype of player that 201 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:13,000 you would want for them in that spot, and it's just I don't you'll 202 00:13:13,039 --> 00:13:16,159 beyond those names, and this is someone who is I honestly, I haven't 203 00:13:16,159 --> 00:13:18,799 thought about the trade deadline as much this year because I'm almost expecting it to 204 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:24,000 be a relative disappointment two years past based on just how many teams sort of 205 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:28,480 fancy themselves buyers right now. But the thing that I the player I think 206 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,480 they need the most. I just don't know if he's readily available there. 207 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,679 And you can go different routes with the center rotation, but if you're looking 208 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:37,000 for someone who could also space the floor and then maybe he's going to give 209 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:41,200 you rim protection, the list gets just inherently short of there. Or you 210 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:46,200 need to go the bigger wing route, who can maybe give you helprin protection, 211 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,120 who can defend some fives if you want him to, And like that 212 00:13:48,159 --> 00:13:52,120 list is even like the Oganna nobis are not just floating around out there. 213 00:13:52,519 --> 00:13:58,399 Yeah, I think you know, parody is just kind of ruining you know, 214 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:03,039 our transactional slam on the league right now, just because it's still you 215 00:14:03,039 --> 00:14:05,120 know, every every report you read is you know, you know, everybody's 216 00:14:05,159 --> 00:14:09,919 gonna wait and and you know we nobody knows if they're they just aren't really 217 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,720 any sellers. So like, well, on one hand, maybe that should 218 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,519 make a team like Chicago just get on the market immediately because you're gonna be 219 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:20,799 the only team that's looking to punt. And like Toronto, I think that 220 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:24,240 applies to to a lesser extent because I think Toronto's future is just brighter with 221 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:26,759 a truster than Chicago. But I agree, like Turner is just the first 222 00:14:26,759 --> 00:14:30,759 guy that comes to mind, and it's group think and we'd say it a 223 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,639 million times, you know, every week, but just something like that, 224 00:14:33,639 --> 00:14:37,279 that's the move. But I don't know that that move is there, so 225 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,720 I would it's not the worst thing if the Pelicans just stay intact like and 226 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:43,159 think it's it. I'm not saying I think that they if they made a 227 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:48,200 Turner trade, that their championshop would championship stop will go through the roof. 228 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,240 But I'm not as of right now, I'm not. If they're healthy, 229 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:54,840 like Brandon Ingram's available available, Herb Jones isn't you know is playing more consistently? 230 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,600 Zion is you know, he's been out freaking, he's been out in 231 00:14:56,639 --> 00:15:00,639 health and tapty protocols to miss the game for conditioning. If they're just full 232 00:15:00,639 --> 00:15:03,240 strength, I think they could theoretically win the West. Now, I will 233 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:05,440 say if they went a little bit lower end, and I don't know that 234 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:09,080 these players would be available, especially because they're they're in the Western Conference, 235 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,480 and if they fancy themselves. That's the other that's the politics of all this. 236 00:15:11,559 --> 00:15:15,679 Why are you helping out another team you might be compete with, like 237 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:20,320 anas Read Zeke Naji, those are guys that could help you too and deepen 238 00:15:20,399 --> 00:15:24,679 your just wealth of options at the front course spot does nas Read become his 239 00:15:24,799 --> 00:15:26,639 extension uncle? Does he become gettable? The Timberwolves sort of fade out, 240 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:31,240 knowing that they have Gobaron Kat on the books already. I don't know that's 241 00:15:31,279 --> 00:15:33,039 the route they could go, and I would predict those are not the players. 242 00:15:33,159 --> 00:15:37,080 Those are just two that came to mind. If they make a move, 243 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:41,080 it's probably going to be more on that scale than just like what their 244 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:45,159 assets might suggest, because one they're already so good. And two, as 245 00:15:45,159 --> 00:15:50,240 we've just driven home now way too many times, the market for this is 246 00:15:50,279 --> 00:15:52,679 just not like, it just doesn't exist. And so unless you think, 247 00:15:52,679 --> 00:15:54,240 like, oh, would it make sense, you know, if the Clippers 248 00:15:54,279 --> 00:15:58,080 are looking to divest some of their like combo forward wing types, like if 249 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:02,919 Marcus Morris or Robert Covington becomes available, but it's oh, if Roco can't 250 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:04,399 get consistent playing time with the Clippers, is he really going to help us 251 00:16:04,399 --> 00:16:07,559 a ton? So there's there's a lot of thinking that goes into it, 252 00:16:07,559 --> 00:16:11,080 but I would guess if they make a move, it'll be on a smaller 253 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,320 scale. It might even be just a matter of, hey, we're gonna 254 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:18,320 dump Jackson Hayes to open up an additional roster spot. Use that at the 255 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,759 buyout market, and also gives us more wiggle room if we want to under 256 00:16:21,799 --> 00:16:23,039 the tax if we want to make moves of the trade deadline. But I 257 00:16:23,039 --> 00:16:29,720 don't expect them to do anything just particularly nuclear very quickly, Brad Bradley, 258 00:16:29,759 --> 00:16:33,840 you're asked, who is the brighter future Memphis or New Orleans? This is 259 00:16:33,879 --> 00:16:40,679 tough I would go with, as I pause here, this is not that 260 00:16:40,759 --> 00:16:44,279 my cutting out I was, I was so committed to saying New Orleans because 261 00:16:44,279 --> 00:16:48,519 I'm higher on Zion than i am Job. But they're Grizzlies are just built 262 00:16:48,759 --> 00:16:52,240 like they're so deep and they seem to figure out things every year even when 263 00:16:52,279 --> 00:16:56,440 we don't like what they're doing, and there's is there more There might be 264 00:16:56,519 --> 00:17:00,279 more sustainability behind there is because they can row into their ceiling a little bit 265 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,960 more. Where C McCollum's on the older side, you wantas Valancunis isn't young, 266 00:17:04,039 --> 00:17:07,359 Larry Nance Junior isn't young, Brett Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson of course 267 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:11,240 young, and yet you have Diyceon Daniels and Trey Murphy the third. This 268 00:17:11,279 --> 00:17:17,319 is a fascinating question. I'm going to tilt towards the Pelicans just because I 269 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:21,519 think their top end talent, Like if it, let's go Zion, Ingram 270 00:17:21,559 --> 00:17:26,039 and McCallum beats out Jah Baine, who is there Jaren Jackson Junior. I 271 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:30,440 mean, so the top end talent helps them, and then they also have 272 00:17:30,079 --> 00:17:33,680 the Grizzlies have a ton of assets too, but they have like not dispensable 273 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:37,519 assets, but assets that aren't tangible, whereas we don't necessarily have to send 274 00:17:37,519 --> 00:17:41,039 out all these players to make it work. They have those Lakers picks kind 275 00:17:41,039 --> 00:17:44,200 of sitting in the cupboard, and I feel like they are a franchise based 276 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:47,160 off what we saw them do with CJ. McCollum, they would be more 277 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:52,759 likely to make the seismic trade and upgrade if it becomes available then Memphis. 278 00:17:52,799 --> 00:17:56,079 If you're looking at just the players on this roster, I still might favor 279 00:17:56,160 --> 00:18:02,119 New Orleans. I am smoking hot high on Dyson Daniels and Trey Murphy. 280 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:04,480 Those are just two guys that I think New Orleans are gonna if they stay 281 00:18:04,519 --> 00:18:07,400 there, they're gonna they're gonna kill it. I lean Pelicans. I don't 282 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:11,799 know about you, though. That's it's a It's really hard. I think 283 00:18:11,599 --> 00:18:15,279 the way I'm gonna lean, I'm gonna lean Memphis, and it's a Lean. 284 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:18,319 It's not like I'm not diving in on this at all. So my 285 00:18:18,519 --> 00:18:22,440 thinking is, I think Moran is the best player on either team. We've 286 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:26,880 just discussed that and it's close. I think the optimized version of Jaren Jackson 287 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:32,319 Jr. Is just so valuable with if you're talking about bright features, you're 288 00:18:32,319 --> 00:18:36,480 talking about like that jack the best version of Jaren Jackson Junior is exactly who 289 00:18:36,559 --> 00:18:41,079 the Pelicans should have, right It's it's yeah, but he's going nowhere because 290 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:45,720 he's a potential defensive player of the Year that we've seen at least that point. 291 00:18:45,759 --> 00:18:48,359 It's probably my pick. By the way, if he had played more, 292 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:49,720 we'll see where he's at there he might be my DPO y right now, 293 00:18:49,759 --> 00:18:52,559 though he could get there. And and he's still I think this is 294 00:18:52,599 --> 00:18:56,079 aged twenty three season, so like, and he's missed a ton of times, 295 00:18:56,079 --> 00:19:00,920 so there's still developmental root room I think there so, and then Bain 296 00:19:02,079 --> 00:19:04,920 is just like if Bain is healthy, I just think he is exactly the 297 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:08,519 type of second option score you want on a team that's run by a really 298 00:19:08,599 --> 00:19:11,799 dynamic, superstar point guard. I do agree, so in one sense, 299 00:19:11,799 --> 00:19:17,240 I think Memphis has like the higher ceiling at everything with those three key guys 300 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:19,920 just works and then you can figure out the rest of it around them. 301 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,920 But New Orleans just has so many shots at it because of all the draft 302 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:26,240 equity, because of guys like Daniels and Murphy who are already kind of hinting 303 00:19:26,279 --> 00:19:30,880 at and Daniels especially, it could be like a difference maker. There's just 304 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:36,920 there's just more well if they or but what if you know that kind of 305 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:38,799 stuff. For New Orleans, I think Memphis. Memphis has just been better 306 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:42,640 over the last couple of years, and I just think, I guess, 307 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:45,640 I'm I guess it's another risk aversion thing. I think Memphis is like more 308 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,640 likely to get things to go right. But the Pelicans have just so many 309 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:55,720 cracks at this thing. It's this might be my propensity for just underestimating the 310 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:57,720 Grizzlies too. So the fact that I picked the Pelicans boats very well for 311 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:03,799 Grizzlies fans. SU you want to go to the thunder, I have thunder? 312 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:07,079 Yes. So this is from Glad. If you were to take the 313 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:10,920 bottom three teams okay, see Houston and San Antonio in the West, and 314 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,400 combine all their players and coaches to form a new team, what players would 315 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:15,839 make the team and where would they rank in the West. And I'm smiling 316 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:19,079 as I read it because this is really fun. I made a roster too, 317 00:20:19,079 --> 00:20:22,319 because I thought they were my team, so I'll have one. Okay, 318 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:26,160 So I didn't go all the way. I think I have a dozen 319 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,759 guys, and I just stopped there. That's what I did do perfect. 320 00:20:29,759 --> 00:20:32,799 I wonder if we overlap. So let's start with the coach. I just 321 00:20:32,839 --> 00:20:37,680 took pop just because I'm a I'm into the classics, and I think, 322 00:20:37,759 --> 00:20:40,599 you know, Steven Silas has had a rough go, and I think Mark 323 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:42,799 Dagnall has done a lot of good stuff. But I'm just gonna take Popovich. 324 00:20:42,839 --> 00:20:45,279 I don't know if you made a pick on the coach before we go 325 00:20:45,319 --> 00:20:48,240 to the roster, I thought, so, I have Pop too, but 326 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,440 I really thought about dang Note for just a little. He's real that team 327 00:20:51,519 --> 00:20:55,839 is by and large overachieved. I would say defensively, yeah, okay, 328 00:20:55,880 --> 00:21:00,720 So I'm gonna go through my roster first, just with like loose physical breakdown. 329 00:21:00,799 --> 00:21:04,000 So, and I already hate my backup point guard. So as Shakila 330 00:21:04,079 --> 00:21:08,680 Alexander is the starting point guard, Jalen Green at the two, Devin Vassel 331 00:21:08,799 --> 00:21:15,359 three, Keldon Johnson four, Yaka Pearl five, and my backups are Giddy 332 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:19,880 who. I'm already thinking about taking out Lue Dort, Jalen Williams, Pokashevski, 333 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,920 Albern Sangun. So that's my one through five as my backups. I 334 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:26,359 also put Chet Homegren on there because why not? And I put Tarry Easton 335 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:30,880 on there as well. So do you diverge at all from that? Or 336 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:33,519 do we need to debate somebody? So I'll give you my twelve that I 337 00:21:33,559 --> 00:21:37,119 had. I didn't have Chet Homegren because he's injured and I was looking at 338 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:41,039 just this season, so I would have him on the long term roster. 339 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,279 I had Sga, Jalen Green, Lue Dort, Devin Vsel, Keldon Johnson, 340 00:21:44,319 --> 00:21:48,279 Alpern, Schangu and Taris and Josh Giddy, Kendrick Williams, Yaka Pearle, 341 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,839 Eric Gordon, and Jabari Smith Junior. If Chet Homegren's on the table, 342 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:56,200 bye bye Jabari, so I'll throw Chet in there? Where does that? 343 00:21:56,279 --> 00:21:57,680 So? How many? How many did we miss on? I didn't 344 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,119 have Gordon, so that means I'm have someone that you don't. Do you 345 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,240 not have Jaylen Williams, I don't have Jaalen Williams. Or I thought about 346 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,799 who's mon jaging Tube. I'm in love with him, but yeah, I 347 00:22:06,839 --> 00:22:08,920 think for this year probably Gordon is the right pick. But I just I'm 348 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,359 in the bag for Jaylen Williams and had I stuck to the question of like 349 00:22:12,599 --> 00:22:17,680 how good would this team be? Gordon probably matters more, although yeah, 350 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:21,160 I don't know. So the second part of this question is is kind of 351 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:26,720 where we can't be wrong because it's totally speculative and hypotheticals be wrong, we're 352 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,319 gonna be wrong. Well, we can't be wrong because it'll never happened. 353 00:22:29,319 --> 00:22:33,160 Where would they rank? Where would they rank in the West. So I'll 354 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:37,839 tell you mine. I think here's here's just I made it simple. The 355 00:22:37,839 --> 00:22:41,079 thunder as I was putting this together are fourteen and nineteen, and we just 356 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:48,079 gave Gili Alexander four upgrades at the other starting spots. So I'm saying I 357 00:22:48,079 --> 00:22:51,000 think this team is somewhere in like the four to eight range in the West 358 00:22:51,039 --> 00:22:55,079 and could absolutely win fifty games. Like there's just there. I mean, 359 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:57,920 like I don't know if there's enough defense, but kind of you know with 360 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:03,359 Dort and with Peral you get there a little bit, uh and Easton if 361 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:06,079 you really need it to. So yeah, I think it's a fifty win 362 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:08,519 team and you can't prove me wrong because we'll never see this this team take 363 00:23:08,559 --> 00:23:15,759 the floor. Fifty wins seems incredibly ambitious. Well, if if with SGA 364 00:23:15,799 --> 00:23:22,359 and he has four improved starters next to him, like significantly just Johnson and 365 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:26,559 Vassell are Yeah, that's true, big, Yeah, Yeah, that's the 366 00:23:26,759 --> 00:23:30,759 Is it? So the team's a playoff team? I think so? Yeah, 367 00:23:30,799 --> 00:23:32,759 I think so. I mean with you, I guess there's just the 368 00:23:32,799 --> 00:23:34,440 banking on that. Like you have Jalen Williams on yours, if we both 369 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:40,200 have jet homegrenn you are banking on some inexperience there yet and likes Jalen Green 370 00:23:40,279 --> 00:23:42,599 looking off sga on how many how many possessions of game we need to we 371 00:23:42,599 --> 00:23:45,240 need to factor that in a little bit. That's true. That's a fun 372 00:23:45,319 --> 00:23:49,119 question. That was fun. Thank you for that, Glade. Moving on 373 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,559 to the Phoenix Suns. Who are Who are my team? As it turns 374 00:23:52,559 --> 00:23:57,440 out, this question comes from brisk Paul, Why are the Suns? And 375 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:02,240 then Yokich for shokis which struggling team is more likely to write the ship and 376 00:24:02,279 --> 00:24:06,880 be a serious Western Conference contender, the Suns or the Pelicans. So and 377 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:08,559 I think even if you just want to say who is the better championship equity 378 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:12,119 right now, that's a fair question. Why are the Suns? I assume 379 00:24:12,279 --> 00:24:18,039 that price Paul is referring to just their ghastly December stretch where they are twenty 380 00:24:18,039 --> 00:24:22,759 seventh in defense and they are four to nine in the month of December as 381 00:24:22,759 --> 00:24:25,720 we record this. They've dealt with some injuries, including to Devin Booker. 382 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:30,400 He's now dealing with that that growing thing that limited him to basically barely even 383 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:34,799 playing on on Christmas. That certainly doesn't help. It would be nice if 384 00:24:34,799 --> 00:24:38,200 the Sun's like didn't. They just feel like they've completely collapsed on the defensive 385 00:24:38,279 --> 00:24:40,880 end if you go back and watch them, like, hey, could you 386 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:44,400 grab a defensive rebound or maybe just not foul so much, or it just 387 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,559 feels like guys are getting by them quicker. That there's more, there's more 388 00:24:47,559 --> 00:24:52,440 breakdowns, and there's more mcaial Bridges looking exasperated after every possession because of the 389 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,599 breakdowns. Not every possession, but on possession is because of the breakdowns. 390 00:24:56,519 --> 00:25:00,599 I have faith in the Suns to figure it out if Devin's is going to 391 00:25:00,599 --> 00:25:04,319 be healthy. But the second part of this question is mega interesting. Who 392 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:08,119 if I had to guess who's more likely to write the ship at this point, 393 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:12,319 I'm gonna go with New Orleans just because they've had I know that the 394 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:17,359 Sons have missed Chris Paul. He's back now, and there wasn't missing Devin 395 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:21,119 Booker at the moment. They haven't had Cam Johnson. They've also gotten like 396 00:25:21,559 --> 00:25:26,559 really good moments from a Damien Lee or josh Akogi. They've they've been able 397 00:25:26,559 --> 00:25:30,480 to figure out the center minutes between Bismack Bimbo and Jock Landelle throughout throughout the 398 00:25:30,519 --> 00:25:33,440 course the entire season. But call Bridges, Yeah, he's pulled back a 399 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:37,240 little bit inside the arc, lady. He's been really good this season. 400 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:41,160 DeAndre Ayton has been mostly fine. Started off the season was basically a disaster 401 00:25:41,319 --> 00:25:48,960 I thought relative to expectations, but offensively he's been able to meet or exceed 402 00:25:48,039 --> 00:25:52,720 expectations. There. I just the Pelicans, like Brandon Ingram's missed like more 403 00:25:52,759 --> 00:25:56,440 and half the season at this point or whatever it is, and Zion's been 404 00:25:56,559 --> 00:26:00,759 down the lineup and cj wasn't playing well to start the year. They're not 405 00:26:00,839 --> 00:26:03,039 getting herb Jones has been intermittently available and not played all that well, and 406 00:26:03,039 --> 00:26:07,839 they're just getting you know, they've been at the tippy top of the West 407 00:26:07,799 --> 00:26:11,799 this year, and so and again so of the Suns. I guess though, 408 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,759 if I'm trusting, like you know, the Pelicans defense has slipped. 409 00:26:14,799 --> 00:26:15,880 After all, the Pelicans hands were mad at us because we said, we're 410 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:18,559 not sure if they're the best defense in the league, and they've slipped like 411 00:26:18,599 --> 00:26:22,119 they've slipped. Well, when opponents don't miss every three they take, that's 412 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:26,279 just what happens. And so I almost trust a full strength Phoenix to figure 413 00:26:26,279 --> 00:26:29,920 it out defensively more they I guess. I look at the Suns and I 414 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:33,839 say for them to reach their pinnacle this season, they need a trade more 415 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:37,079 than the Pelicans do, because I think if they get so many of their 416 00:26:37,079 --> 00:26:41,319 top guys have been out and you're also caking in something like and also it's 417 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:44,559 just we know Jay Crowderson playing for the Suns at this point, like you 418 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,400 just sit at home. That roster spot is gone, that money is gone, 419 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:49,799 and so it feels like they need to make that move. And I 420 00:26:49,799 --> 00:26:56,680 would frame it this way, who to you has more championship equity right now? 421 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,359 Who's championships contending stock is higher right now? The Pelicans or the Suns. 422 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:04,920 I might lean the Pelicans, but I think I might also just be 423 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:12,400 sort of wallowing in depression after the Devin Booker growing injury, so I think 424 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:17,880 I gotta go Pelicans. And that goes against like how I make all these 425 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:19,599 decisions, because I would just normally pick the Suns because, like I've seen 426 00:27:19,599 --> 00:27:22,119 it before. I know what it looks like. They've they've been to the 427 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:26,880 finals. The roster's not that different. They've fill in that Crowder spot via 428 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:30,839 trade Cam Johnson's back, and then bang, you've got a great starting five. 429 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,720 Like the depth doesn't really matter that much to me in the playoffs. 430 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:37,160 You can get a couple of good campaign games and you're fine. I just 431 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:44,039 think we've gone far enough into the season that we're not we're not kind of 432 00:27:44,039 --> 00:27:47,440 holding onto our priors. Or maybe I'm just telling on myself of I had 433 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:49,839 a bad feeling about the Suns because of all the Monty Williams and eight and 434 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:53,079 stuff, and the whole way the eight and thing went, and then Crowder 435 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:57,839 being out and Chris Paul slipping and we just kind of keep and now Booker 436 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,359 having like a and groin injury, which is like, God knows how long 437 00:28:02,759 --> 00:28:08,000 he's gonna need to get right with that. So just based on the kind 438 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:14,799 of my gut feeling that like maybe the Sun's window had sort of shut for 439 00:28:15,039 --> 00:28:19,319 you know, interpersonal reasons for relationships between players and coaches, players and the 440 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:23,400 organization, the Starver stuff. You can throw that in there if you want 441 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:26,000 to. That's sort of over now, I guess since the team hasn't sold, 442 00:28:26,039 --> 00:28:30,720 But the Pelicans, I have just fewer concerns about all of that type 443 00:28:30,759 --> 00:28:34,319 of stuff. And then I think the Pelicans have proved that they're just less 444 00:28:34,319 --> 00:28:40,680 susceptible to injury problems because they've been injured as shit and they're they're ahead of 445 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,240 the Suns and the standings and even with defensive slippage, their differentials better. 446 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:48,400 So shows the value of kind of having the more top end creators because it's 447 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:51,559 like, after Devin Booker and Chris Paul, Yes, eighton is good, 448 00:28:51,599 --> 00:28:53,759 mcal Bridges a good campaign has been good this year, they're not these top 449 00:28:53,839 --> 00:28:57,640 end creators and I think that New Orleans has three of them, and that's 450 00:28:59,079 --> 00:29:02,400 turns out that's important and just more ways to win, like because you could 451 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:07,240 lose Zion and then you're because I'm just kind of spinning with well, but 452 00:29:07,319 --> 00:29:10,960 I mean, you lose Booker for the Suns and it's Curtains like, there's 453 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:15,119 just it's not gonna work if you lose. I mean, the Pelicans don't 454 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:19,480 have the guy that it's Curtains, right, They've basically been without ingram AND's 455 00:29:19,519 --> 00:29:22,240 eye on at different points of the season, and they've still figured it out. 456 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:26,640 If Zion isn't healthy, the Pelicans like can't make the finals. I'll 457 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:27,839 just say that, And but that's true of every team. You're just not 458 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,319 if your best guy's not there, you're not gonna get there. But there's 459 00:29:30,359 --> 00:29:33,799 just more there are. There are more ways for the Pelicans to succeed, 460 00:29:33,839 --> 00:29:37,200 whereas the Suns kind of have to get all five guys on the same page 461 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:41,880 and healthy. And then that's just that's kind of hard to see from from 462 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:45,519 where we sit right now. I have the Blazers coming up here. This 463 00:29:45,599 --> 00:29:49,319 is another question from Glad. Where does Dame rank on all time shooters? 464 00:29:49,359 --> 00:29:52,200 He said, he said multiple times, I think he should be second behind 465 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,759 Steph and I kind of think he will be by the time he's done. 466 00:29:56,000 --> 00:30:00,319 I'm gonna give you the lawyerally answer, Well, it depends. Let's move 467 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:03,720 on. Yeah, right, we could ask we could really blow through these 468 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:07,759 podcasts if we just answered, it depends all the time for Dame, like 469 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:11,720 in an empty gym, if you just have like we're going to see who 470 00:30:11,759 --> 00:30:15,119 can make the most shots, then he's not really in the conversation. So 471 00:30:15,279 --> 00:30:19,079 volume has to matter a ton, and I gotta just let's look at the 472 00:30:19,119 --> 00:30:22,599 stats this way. So he's at thirty seven point three percent for his career 473 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:27,079 among guys with a thousand attempts. That's one hundred and sixtieth two thousand attempts 474 00:30:27,119 --> 00:30:30,720 ninety fifth three thousand attempts, forty eight out of one fifteen. So he's 475 00:30:30,759 --> 00:30:36,000 like middle of the pack. Ish even at three thousand attempts four thousand attempts, 476 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,400 he seventeen five thousand attempts, he's eighth out of eighteen guys with that 477 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:44,319 many attempts and conversion rate. But then it's like we just have to acknowledge 478 00:30:44,319 --> 00:30:48,640 that the way that he generates his threes is different from basically everybody other than 479 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:53,960 Steph. So like the impact he has being one of the first guys to 480 00:30:55,039 --> 00:30:59,319 just routinely shoot it from really deep like so that stretch that ruins a defense 481 00:30:59,359 --> 00:31:02,759 because you have to over like fifteen percent more of the court than you did 482 00:31:02,839 --> 00:31:07,880 before and that just has trickled down effects everywhere deep range off the dribble shooting 483 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:11,279 ability. It's not like this is Ray Allen catching shooting at the end of 484 00:31:11,279 --> 00:31:15,559 his career. Reggie Miller a movement shooter mostly, so that just distinguishes him, 485 00:31:15,799 --> 00:31:18,799 you know, even throwing and guys like Korver or you know, Jason 486 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:23,119 Terry, all these guys have more attempts and have hit a higher percentage. 487 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:29,000 So I think he's top five for sure, just because of the volume and 488 00:31:29,039 --> 00:31:32,960 because of how he generates threes. So like, yeah, second is not 489 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:36,000 ridiculous. I don't know what to do with Clay on something like this because 490 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,839 at an empty gym, I think Clay just destroys basically everyone but Steph. 491 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:44,319 I was going to ask how you ascribe value to the types of threes that 492 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:48,440 Klay Thompson predominantly trafficked in versus the types of threes that Damian Lillard did the 493 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:56,200 dribble versus incredibly quick fire off movement, which which, by the way, 494 00:31:56,240 --> 00:32:00,400 like we talk about how Steph changes everything all the time and Dame change things, 495 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:04,799 but like what kind of shots is Clay getting if Steph isn't sucking defenders 496 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:08,000 like halfway across the floor without the ball. Like, it's just it's totally 497 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:13,119 different. So like empty gym shooting is different than like on the court value 498 00:32:13,119 --> 00:32:15,079 shooting. And you could definitely make the case that Dame is as high as 499 00:32:15,119 --> 00:32:21,319 second just because of the way he impacts a defense, specifically with his shooting. 500 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,640 It's just it's different than everybody, but Steph, you know in his 501 00:32:23,759 --> 00:32:30,759 career that is sorry, I got another one here. This will be quick 502 00:32:30,759 --> 00:32:34,599 though. This is uh, this is from Kyle Williams. It's a Blazers 503 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:38,079 adjacent The West has a ton of incredible guards. We talked about this, 504 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:40,920 you and I did last week with All Star picks. Do you think Anthony 505 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:45,440 Simons would be an All Star if he's in the East. And I'll get 506 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:49,400 to the second part in a minute. I don't think so, just because 507 00:32:50,039 --> 00:32:52,839 you're just the list of the names, like you're gonna put him over. 508 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:58,000 You're not putting him over Donovan Mitchell or Tyrese Halibert or Jaylen Brown. I'm 509 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,559 not putting him over Drew Holiday. So now into wildcard territory, and you 510 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:05,359 got Tree, you got Garland, got James Harden, de Rozen, Dejan 511 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:07,640 say, Murray Kyrie, who we didn't consider last time we talked about this, 512 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:10,359 but now I'm kind of coming around to it. Just I mean, 513 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:15,359 Simons is a really good player offensively, but he's like that's what did I 514 00:33:15,359 --> 00:33:17,160 list like eight or ten guys that in the East. So it's not just 515 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:20,759 in East West thing. It's that there's a ship ton of really good guards 516 00:33:20,839 --> 00:33:23,039 everywhere. It does seem like there might be maybe I'm wrong here, but 517 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:27,559 they're more opening long term for him in the East at this moment, just 518 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:31,599 with Hardened to Rosen sort of aging out. Maybe not. I mean the 519 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:35,920 West is like Steph isn't exactly you know, no, and then the other 520 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:40,200 guys like Luca Morant Booker. Yeah, like those guys aren't going anywhere, 521 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:44,400 So it's tough. Act might be easier long term in the East for him 522 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:46,880 if he were in the East. Yeah. The last, the last thing 523 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:50,400 on the Blazers. Do you see a trade possible this season or in the 524 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:55,640 offseason to fix their current trajectory of being incredibly mid We've talked about the challenges 525 00:33:55,680 --> 00:34:00,519 of trades, like I don't want to go back over that. It like 526 00:34:00,599 --> 00:34:02,680 they just have to get better defensively their tenth on offense when I look this 527 00:34:02,759 --> 00:34:07,519 up, twenty third on defense, and that's with Jeremy Grant like being kind 528 00:34:07,559 --> 00:34:12,400 of exactly the type of guy that they needed. Maybe Sharp is the guy 529 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:15,239 you package if you're trying to go big and win now. But we've listed 530 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:17,239 all the names, turner In and Obi. I just I don't know how 531 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:21,920 you get there, but they just do need another defender, preferably a big 532 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:24,039 wing that's you know, not news. It's been a matter like maybe to 533 00:34:24,039 --> 00:34:27,440 add some floorce basing at the five might help them a little bit. But 534 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:30,360 I would say that kind of the playmaking wing type would be their target. 535 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:34,000 And I don't, by the way, because the way their pick is protected 536 00:34:34,039 --> 00:34:37,440 this year, you like, you can get into too the conditional language and 537 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,239 whatever, but I don't know that they have the ability to the You're gonna 538 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:44,800 have to put Jeremy Grant and or Josh Hart or Shaden Sharp on the table 539 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:47,519 if you're trying to make a big, meaningful way. I think their best 540 00:34:47,559 --> 00:34:51,920 move is if Gary Payton the second comes back and is who he was last 541 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:53,960 year, because then your defense probably gets you know, a middle of the 542 00:34:54,000 --> 00:35:00,880 pack instead of bottom ten. Let's move on to the Sacramento Kings. I 543 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:02,119 have two, and let me get to this one first because it's more more 544 00:35:02,159 --> 00:35:08,159 topical comes from Brady Y're if Sabonus misses twenty games, can the King stay 545 00:35:08,199 --> 00:35:10,480 relevant without him? As of right now, he's not going to miss twenty 546 00:35:10,519 --> 00:35:14,440 games. He's going to try and play through that fracture and his right thumb. 547 00:35:15,559 --> 00:35:19,800 That is I mean, domas Bonus as tough as hell. I wouldn't 548 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:22,719 try and play through fractured fractured thumb. I will say Kevin Love has tried 549 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:27,159 to play through one in Cleveland and it's definitely impacted his numbers. And you 550 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:30,280 kind of look at what sa Bonus has done this season, thirty eight point 551 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:32,239 nine percent from three on, you know, relatively the volume threees, but 552 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:37,519 sixty three point nine percent on twos, and so you wonder if that compromises 553 00:35:37,519 --> 00:35:40,159 does the commerce his touch around the basket where he's shooting about seventy five percent, 554 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:45,440 he's at fifty three percent between three and ten feet, forty four point 555 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:49,400 four percent between ten and sixteen feet, and then fifty percent from sixteen feet 556 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:51,519 out to the three point line. So this is someone who has just scored 557 00:35:51,559 --> 00:35:54,360 efficiently at every single level this season, even though he relies on them to 558 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:59,719 two varying degrees. The offense is cratered when he's off the floor, even 559 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:01,599 with the Aaron Fox in the game. And I think a lot of that 560 00:36:01,679 --> 00:36:05,880 is he is so instrumental as a screener to the White players move off him 561 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:09,119 and with his vision. But then also you're replacing him with met To You're 562 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:12,880 they haven't really like I guess you in theory, you can replace him with 563 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:15,480 Rashaun Holmes, but that's not something that they've generally like to do. You're 564 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:21,199 replacing with Trey Lyles, and you're getting rid of a lot of your creation 565 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:23,599 just by losing Sabonus. There's Fox and Sabonus on this team, and then 566 00:36:23,639 --> 00:36:25,840 like, okay, Monk and if you want to rely on davy On, 567 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:30,039 Mitchell's a second day. But it's just it's different with the way that Sabonis 568 00:36:30,119 --> 00:36:35,800 specifically is able to direct things from his stand stills or when he's putting the 569 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:37,719 ball on the floor. It's just he's more of an anomaly at his position 570 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:43,239 than anyone else on the King's roster. And I'm very interesting how they navigate 571 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,239 this stretch. Maybe he won't be impacted a ton, but he's also been 572 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:51,360 in terms of high volume rim protectors like they've been worse ones, and so 573 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:54,760 like, did this hurt him there at all? I'm I honestly my answers, 574 00:36:54,760 --> 00:37:00,400 I don't know. But if he is not let's say eighty percent seventy 575 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:05,199 five percent, seventy percent is effective, the Kings are probably screwed. Yeah, 576 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:07,079 I think it's his non shooting hand. I don't know if you mentioned 577 00:37:07,079 --> 00:37:09,840 that. I think not, thank you for doing so. And he's like 578 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:14,679 one of the most left handed left handed players in the league where he's like 579 00:37:14,719 --> 00:37:20,119 he's so and he's not dependent on being a spacer like so in terms like 580 00:37:20,159 --> 00:37:22,519 it, I agree that the same injury really affected Kevin Love. Kevin Love 581 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:28,159 just gets his value from such it's so dependent on his shooting offensively, So 582 00:37:28,199 --> 00:37:30,760 I think SA bonus can still be pretty close. So if that's that seventy 583 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:35,039 five or eighty percent figure, like, I think he can be that good. 584 00:37:36,079 --> 00:37:39,199 The problem is he is he hasn't been by far the King's most important 585 00:37:39,199 --> 00:37:44,000 and best player. And so with all the parody in the West and with 586 00:37:44,119 --> 00:37:46,519 you know, the King's defensively, I think likely to just stay bad or 587 00:37:46,559 --> 00:37:52,280 get worse. Maybe that is enough of a difference to where it really does 588 00:37:52,559 --> 00:37:55,280 like knock them down. Like we're not talking about them as a playoff team, 589 00:37:55,280 --> 00:37:58,960 it's a play in thing, and they're just down in that lower level 590 00:37:59,039 --> 00:38:04,400 mix. I just think he is one of the guys that could sort of 591 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:07,880 get through this because of how he plays and because of like what the Kings 592 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:12,480 need from him. But it is a pretty fine line, for sure. 593 00:38:12,519 --> 00:38:15,960 You have to concede that. I do think in some ways, I guess 594 00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:16,880 maybe it does. But like is he going to be able to log the 595 00:38:16,920 --> 00:38:20,880 same minute just because it's non shooting hand, because when you get into the 596 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:23,920 backup center rotation here, like there are visible issues, And does that hurt 597 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:28,679 them at all? He's just been He's probably I've been. I was driving 598 00:38:28,679 --> 00:38:30,800 the Deanarron Fox bandwagon for well, not driving, but I was aboard it 599 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:34,119 for and I'm still on it for most of the team. But like Sabonus 600 00:38:34,119 --> 00:38:39,000 has been their most valuable player this year overall, and so that makes it 601 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:43,280 tough if he's going to be reduced version of himself. This next question comes 602 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:46,960 from Jake Gee, how should we be viewing this Sabonus Haliburton trade this far 603 00:38:47,039 --> 00:38:51,360 in Haliburton is probably an all star, but clearly the King's value making a 604 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:53,920 playoff run more than anything, and so I thought, I think this has 605 00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:57,599 been talked about, and they've probably been like the low Brown discussions on and 606 00:38:57,639 --> 00:39:00,199 I don't want to have We've talked about it too. I'm sure I still 607 00:39:00,239 --> 00:39:04,280 would not have made that deal if I'm the Kings, because I know making 608 00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:07,239 the playoffs means something. But like you had someone in the second year of 609 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:12,599 his rookie scale contract with this in him, and I know that the belief 610 00:39:12,679 --> 00:39:15,800 is this couldn't have come out as long as Daron Fox was there, and 611 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:19,599 that's probably correct to some extent, But I do think the King's kind of 612 00:39:19,639 --> 00:39:23,559 aided in this becoming an either or scenario. How'd you put this much shooting 613 00:39:23,599 --> 00:39:31,000 around them last year? Are the returns different for Fox and Haliburton. Maybe 614 00:39:31,079 --> 00:39:36,079 you still would have needed to have figured out the center spot in theory beyond 615 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:39,920 having Rashawn Holmes there, Sure, but that seems more manageable than finding someone 616 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:45,599 as good as Tyrese Haliburn on that contract who afford you such flexibility, and 617 00:39:45,719 --> 00:39:51,039 I do think in the long run it was a miss allocation of an incredibly 618 00:39:51,079 --> 00:39:53,960 talented player and asset. However, right now, if we're looking at just 619 00:39:54,079 --> 00:39:57,599 this season, both teams are accomplishing what they wanted to do. I mean, 620 00:39:57,599 --> 00:40:00,519 Indiana's just flat out better than expected. Sorry, as Burton's an All 621 00:40:00,559 --> 00:40:04,119 Star, He's given them a pull star around which to build for the future. 622 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:07,280 So Bonus has given the Kings an offensive fulcrum who compliments Darren Fox, 623 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:10,440 is able to uplift Darren Fox, and puts them helps put them in the 624 00:40:10,480 --> 00:40:16,679 playoff conversation right now. Indiana's path to being more than just this mid playoff 625 00:40:16,719 --> 00:40:22,360 team, though, is more open to me than Sacramentos long term. And 626 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:23,760 I don't want to poop poo over the season the Kings are having this. 627 00:40:24,239 --> 00:40:28,880 This has been great for them. But I mean, even the Kevin Hurt 628 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:32,199 trade, like they hit on that with Atlanta, I just it's still not 629 00:40:32,239 --> 00:40:35,239 a trade I would have made. It just comes down to I'm going to 630 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:37,760 value the long term trajectory more than the short term, and even though the 631 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:40,239 Kings are about to make the playoffs, that's their aim, all right. 632 00:40:40,239 --> 00:40:45,239 How are you getting better from here? I'm not ruling out development from God's 633 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:47,519 I mean, Kegan Murray is just a rookie, but like, where is 634 00:40:47,559 --> 00:40:51,480 the rest of the upside coming from? Like Fox, it's a bonus, 635 00:40:51,519 --> 00:40:54,480 are there? This team could be better at some point next season than they 636 00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:58,000 are this season. I'm not ruling that out. But how do you make 637 00:40:58,280 --> 00:41:06,719 that more gargantuan league from playing playoff contender to championship contender? Yeah? I 638 00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:08,920 think, I mean, I agree, I think sort of in our in 639 00:41:09,559 --> 00:41:14,280 the industry, which is a stupid thing to say, but there really is. 640 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:19,320 Just there's less fandom and there's more how do you maximize the chances of 641 00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:22,239 building a championship roster? And it's having really good young players on controllable contracts. 642 00:41:22,280 --> 00:41:28,880 Like so from that perspective, like Haliburton is just by an enormous margin, 643 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:32,239 the better asset, the better piece in like that type of roster building 644 00:41:34,039 --> 00:41:38,920 approach. I would also say though that like if you were to do this 645 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:43,840 again, like let's just say right now, with Haliburton being perceived as he 646 00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:47,199 is and Sabonis being perceived as he is, like there's no chance in a 647 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:52,920 vacuum a team would trade a player like this version of Haliburton for a player 648 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:58,199 like this version of Sabonis just because Haliburton has proved Oh he's what is he 649 00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:00,639 like the fifth or sixth best you know, young prospect in the league, 650 00:42:00,679 --> 00:42:06,639 potentially top ten for sure, and he's on a rookie scale deal and he's 651 00:42:06,639 --> 00:42:09,480 like it's just so different than so many of these other young talents like this, 652 00:42:09,639 --> 00:42:14,199 he's super scalable, Like he doesn't have to be your lead ball handler. 653 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:16,039 He leads the league and assists, so he obviously can be. But 654 00:42:16,079 --> 00:42:22,599 his shooting is good enough. His just general intelligence and ability to figure out 655 00:42:22,639 --> 00:42:25,039 what to do offensively means he can do you can be your third option, 656 00:42:25,280 --> 00:42:29,199 like if you need him to be your spot up shooter, cool, Like 657 00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:31,800 that's doable. So but at the same time, like I think the Kings 658 00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:39,159 would would probably do it again. And like maybe the issue was Fox because 659 00:42:39,159 --> 00:42:44,159 it did seem like Fox bristled at being paired with Alibert and last year he 660 00:42:44,199 --> 00:42:47,079 didn't play very well. You know, he's there are different reasons for that 661 00:42:47,079 --> 00:42:51,159 that have been put out there. That he got too much, he added 662 00:42:51,159 --> 00:42:53,880 too much weight in terms of muscle, like and he just wasn't as quick. 663 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:58,599 I think if you can't figure out how to play with Albert and that's 664 00:42:58,679 --> 00:43:01,559 kind of more on you. But just just was what it was, and 665 00:43:01,599 --> 00:43:05,559 it the Kings decided. I guess that that pairing wasn't going to work. 666 00:43:06,119 --> 00:43:09,440 I just think like the way that Haliburton has ascended means that if you compare 667 00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:14,599 these two players with the contracts, it's just like it's not close. It's 668 00:43:14,639 --> 00:43:19,559 not close. There's no way the Pacers would ever take this back, whereas 669 00:43:19,599 --> 00:43:22,559 the Kings, I guess, you know, they've evaluate things from in a 670 00:43:22,559 --> 00:43:30,000 different way. I have the Spurs coming up next. This is from JPG 671 00:43:30,159 --> 00:43:32,840 one two three. Why does a team like the Spurs not just go after 672 00:43:32,960 --> 00:43:37,679 reclamation projects like Wiseman, Reddish book Night, et cetera. Is that even 673 00:43:37,679 --> 00:43:39,119 a good idea? Yeah, it's a good idea. That's that's what a 674 00:43:39,119 --> 00:43:44,719 team with cap space and no intention of winning games should absolutely be doing. 675 00:43:45,440 --> 00:43:49,679 I think part of the issue is like how you're getting these guys, because 676 00:43:49,679 --> 00:43:52,559 if you're the Spurs, you've got you know, we've toyed with you know, 677 00:43:52,719 --> 00:43:55,199 Spurs Warriors trades before, Like you've got Josh Richardson. I guess you've 678 00:43:55,199 --> 00:44:00,079 got McDermott, you've got Purtle. You don't want to give up picks to 679 00:44:00,239 --> 00:44:05,440 entice anyone to take these guys purdle someone that theoretically they could resign and just 680 00:44:05,519 --> 00:44:08,679 keep around. As you know, if I don't see, I don't see 681 00:44:08,679 --> 00:44:13,000 why you have to move him. I mean his impending free agency as a 682 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:15,400 factor, But I don't think he's going to cost the Norman a leg. 683 00:44:15,679 --> 00:44:19,920 So yeah, like the Spurs and any other team with cap space, we've 684 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:24,159 mentioned a handful of them because there aren't that many, or flexibility at least 685 00:44:24,159 --> 00:44:27,960 should be all over the Warriors, like can we get Wiseman, can we 686 00:44:27,960 --> 00:44:30,320 get Moody? Can we get Coming And they should be calling the Knicks to 687 00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:32,599 see this would have been a better move earlier when the younger guys weren't playing. 688 00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:36,239 But like, what's it going to take to get Grimes or Quickly or 689 00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:40,079 McBride or just whatever? Call the Magic see if Jonathan Isaac could be had, 690 00:44:40,119 --> 00:44:44,079 Just take a total flyer, Like there's there's a lot of ways to 691 00:44:44,079 --> 00:44:46,920 go. I think we always kind of espoused this for if you're a bad 692 00:44:46,920 --> 00:44:51,920 team and you've got you know, no one that you're super married to you 693 00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:54,599 should just absolutely be looking for second draft guys, guys that have been huge 694 00:44:54,599 --> 00:44:59,199 disappointments, whose values low that if they come and flop a second time for 695 00:44:59,239 --> 00:45:01,599 you, it doesn't really adder because it's not like affecting a bottom line you 696 00:45:01,639 --> 00:45:06,199 care about. You want to add to that before we get to the pertile 697 00:45:06,239 --> 00:45:08,199 part of this question, No, I guess the only thing you could add 698 00:45:08,199 --> 00:45:10,559 it's like, it's also just you need teams to be ready to give up 699 00:45:10,559 --> 00:45:14,719 on those players, and like making the money work or the roster spots work 700 00:45:14,760 --> 00:45:16,960 could be tough. Word. You can't just trade Josh Richardson for James book 701 00:45:17,079 --> 00:45:20,519 Night if you're the Spurs, Like, yeah, you could, but you 702 00:45:20,559 --> 00:45:22,880 can't do that if you're Charlotte. And so those situations are probably difficult. 703 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:27,199 And then I think you just run into the issue of your own roster dynamics 704 00:45:27,199 --> 00:45:30,000 where it's like, Okay, if you have open roster spots, it's one 705 00:45:30,079 --> 00:45:32,440 thing, but you then again, are those teams ready to sell on those 706 00:45:32,440 --> 00:45:36,159 players for nothing, or maybe you don't have an open roster spot, and 707 00:45:36,159 --> 00:45:38,880 then you're gonna still have to give up someone to get someone. Yeah, 708 00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:43,400 the stars really have to align I think it's a good idea. It is 709 00:45:43,440 --> 00:45:46,639 something that every bad team should be pursuing. This is from heroes in a 710 00:45:46,679 --> 00:45:51,280 half court with it seeming like Alcaperto will be a popular name around the trade 711 00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:53,280 deadline. If you're the Spurs, is there a scenario where you keep him? 712 00:45:53,280 --> 00:45:55,440 And if not, what would be you're asking price? I guess I 713 00:45:55,480 --> 00:45:59,559 tip my hand on this. I would move him if I could get a 714 00:45:59,639 --> 00:46:02,679 first that was like actually like a real first that wasn't going to be you 715 00:46:02,679 --> 00:46:07,079 know, two seconds if because it's top whatever protected and the odds are, 716 00:46:07,079 --> 00:46:13,079 it's just not going to convey as a first, just because I think even 717 00:46:13,119 --> 00:46:15,880 as as useful as he is, and he's you know, in his prime 718 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:21,079 years, early prime, I guess I just I'm not going to pay for 719 00:46:21,119 --> 00:46:24,440 centers that are not like elite defensive pieces that I could see succeeding in a 720 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:29,199 playoffs and have some offensive value. I like Purtile a lot. I think 721 00:46:29,239 --> 00:46:32,480 he's like a mid tier starting center. But the difference between a mid tier 722 00:46:32,519 --> 00:46:36,559 starting center and a guy you can pay like four million bucks a year is 723 00:46:36,599 --> 00:46:38,960 like not big enough for me to want to, you know, keep him 724 00:46:38,960 --> 00:46:44,320 around for anything more than like I don't know the mid level or something in 725 00:46:44,320 --> 00:46:46,719 that range. So if I could get a first, I would move him. 726 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:50,239 I'd be with you on that, like like you said, a real 727 00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:55,400 first, Yeah, that would lead me to the Utah Jazz. And the 728 00:46:55,440 --> 00:46:59,599 first question we have for them is from dark Queen, Doc town Hornon Tucker 729 00:46:59,679 --> 00:47:04,480 or Nick Keel Alexander Walker are going to kill Alexander Walker? Here? He 730 00:47:04,599 --> 00:47:08,719 is shooting really well and above the break threes this year he has like he 731 00:47:08,760 --> 00:47:12,440 could still be sort of a wild card when you're looking at his finishing, 732 00:47:12,719 --> 00:47:16,679 but like he's at sixty six point seven percent in the restricted area. And 733 00:47:16,719 --> 00:47:21,880 I think that there's more shiftingness to him off the dribble, well not more 734 00:47:21,880 --> 00:47:23,480 shifting than the town Horton Tucker. Is that shifting this? I think that 735 00:47:23,559 --> 00:47:28,280 he's easier to plug and play when he doesn't work off the dribble, and 736 00:47:28,320 --> 00:47:30,880 he's gotten better at doing that in Utah. I think he's had a lot 737 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:36,760 more like I guess, gutsy defensive moments this year when the Jazz have actually 738 00:47:36,760 --> 00:47:39,480 played him. And so I'm still I've always been fairly bullish on naw. 739 00:47:39,559 --> 00:47:43,079 But if he's going to shoot, you know, above forty percent and above 740 00:47:43,119 --> 00:47:45,199 the break threes, and he's going to shoot above sixty percent of the restricted 741 00:47:45,199 --> 00:47:50,199 the area, and he's not going to dribble into as many wild shots or 742 00:47:50,320 --> 00:47:52,840 you know, tick valuable seconds off the clock trying to make a decision, 743 00:47:52,840 --> 00:47:55,519 and he is making getting rid of the ball quicker this year. And I 744 00:47:55,559 --> 00:47:59,840 think when you look at what he does, the space that Utah creates with 745 00:47:59,840 --> 00:48:01,440 they're all like miming, like people are actually gonna watch this, but the 746 00:48:01,480 --> 00:48:06,519 space that they create in their offense, his skill sets probably just more valuable 747 00:48:06,559 --> 00:48:12,280 because there's more unpredictability and levels to his his actual scoring. Yeah, i'd 748 00:48:12,360 --> 00:48:15,400 lean Alexander Walker too, even though like this is age twenty fourth season, 749 00:48:15,400 --> 00:48:19,280 the shot selection stuff should be fixed by now, and he still is just 750 00:48:19,320 --> 00:48:23,079 prone to some wild like just you know, black hole, just the balls, 751 00:48:23,079 --> 00:48:28,239 just really bizarre decisions. Horton Tucker's two years younger in terms of his 752 00:48:28,239 --> 00:48:30,920 best ball reference age, But I just don't I just don't know what the 753 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:35,079 theory of Horton Tucker has Like a really great you know there is like a 754 00:48:35,199 --> 00:48:39,880 high end rotation or starting level guy is because she doesn't make enough shots he's 755 00:48:39,920 --> 00:48:43,679 like they're Utah. I think it says as long's that Utah is not even 756 00:48:43,679 --> 00:48:46,119 giving him a consistent role at this point. That's a factor for sure. 757 00:48:46,199 --> 00:48:50,960 Yeah, I don't know, it's I guess the best version of Alexander Walker 758 00:48:51,000 --> 00:48:52,920 to me is like a high like a good six man, like not Jordan 759 00:48:52,960 --> 00:48:55,719 Clarkson level, who's on his own team, but a guy that can just 760 00:48:58,159 --> 00:49:01,239 you know, and can score and isn't going to defend. I don't know, 761 00:49:01,440 --> 00:49:06,239 I think it's Alexander Walker, but it's I could see how someone would 762 00:49:06,239 --> 00:49:12,199 say Horton Tucker, just because the idea of him as like a defensive difference 763 00:49:12,239 --> 00:49:15,400 maker who if he could get the ball to go in enough, could actually 764 00:49:15,400 --> 00:49:17,960 like you could see him on a winning team, maybe more easily than Alexander 765 00:49:19,000 --> 00:49:22,840 Walker. But yeah, I'm I'm not sure you could see him on a 766 00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:27,320 winning team more easily, but because he was the idea that only because yeah, 767 00:49:27,400 --> 00:49:30,000 I could, I could theoretically see him guarding, you know, a 768 00:49:30,000 --> 00:49:34,800 couple of positions and just making spot up threes if the three ever came around, 769 00:49:34,800 --> 00:49:39,000 which for a guy in the twenties, person is iffy JABRONI asked, 770 00:49:39,119 --> 00:49:43,000 is Lowry Market in the next Kevin Durant, Brady, You're asked, will 771 00:49:43,079 --> 00:49:45,199 Larry market and be an All Star? I put him on my All Star? 772 00:49:45,400 --> 00:49:49,760 Is he the next Kevin Durant? Yes, obviously that's that. There's 773 00:49:49,760 --> 00:49:52,079 no question about that. I put him on my All Star team. Last 774 00:49:52,079 --> 00:49:54,440 time? Did you have him on your All Star team? He was my 775 00:49:54,480 --> 00:49:59,920 most painful snub would and he came down to Paul George or Lorry Mark. 776 00:50:00,039 --> 00:50:05,480 And I just want to make my case that Marketing this season is averaging twenty 777 00:50:05,559 --> 00:50:07,920 three point one points, eight point two boards, two point one assists, 778 00:50:07,920 --> 00:50:13,679 shooting sixty one point two percent on twos and forty three point two percent on 779 00:50:13,719 --> 00:50:16,039 threes, which he's taking at a clip of nearly seven per game. There 780 00:50:16,079 --> 00:50:21,199 are two players, or there's all Actually one of them is Lowry Marketing. 781 00:50:21,239 --> 00:50:25,679 There's one other player for an entire season who is averaged twenty three points while 782 00:50:25,719 --> 00:50:29,719 hitting sixty percent of his twos and forty percent of his threes. Would you 783 00:50:29,760 --> 00:50:35,440 even care to venture a guess as to me? It's mother fucking twenty twelve, 784 00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:40,960 twenty thirteen, Lebron freaking James. Sure that Lebron James, he's both. 785 00:50:43,280 --> 00:50:45,039 Yeah, that's my point. So that has no bearing on this season 786 00:50:45,039 --> 00:50:50,320 obviously because the game has changed. This is still remarkable what he's doing. 787 00:50:50,400 --> 00:50:52,800 And I think just because when you start to look at the minute's disparities now 788 00:50:52,840 --> 00:50:58,039 and the last time I checked, he had a few hundred minutes on Paul 789 00:50:58,039 --> 00:51:00,280 George. If I'm not mistaken it, maybe that has shade plus right, 790 00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:04,000 if that's what it's coming down, Like, I know that we're not supposed 791 00:51:04,039 --> 00:51:07,000 to We're supposed to reward ability over availability, but when you have this ability 792 00:51:07,440 --> 00:51:10,440 with that playing time, what he's done on offense. Oh, by the 793 00:51:10,480 --> 00:51:16,119 way, like he's sometimes or oftentimes being uses a hashtag wing, this is 794 00:51:16,119 --> 00:51:20,760 not someone who's just like a pure four anymore. Like he's operated like a 795 00:51:20,760 --> 00:51:22,960 wing on offense, he's had to defend at times like a wing on defense. 796 00:51:23,480 --> 00:51:25,320 I think he will be an All Star, and I think he's a 797 00:51:25,360 --> 00:51:29,079 deserving All Star. Now will he get the bump because the games and Utah 798 00:51:29,119 --> 00:51:32,079 and people will deliberate that. As of right now, December twenty seven, 799 00:51:32,599 --> 00:51:37,559 at two forty two pm Eastern time, Larry Marketing is an All Star. 800 00:51:37,599 --> 00:51:40,519 And I'm saying that not as the empty handed tweets that I myself have sent 801 00:51:40,559 --> 00:51:44,599 out where I think I called darreon Fox an All NBA player earlier this year, 802 00:51:44,760 --> 00:51:46,960 and you just don't name who they're gonna beat out, I will point 803 00:51:46,960 --> 00:51:50,440 out, because I already did, so go back and listen to that podcast. 804 00:51:50,639 --> 00:51:54,119 Who Larry Marketing belongs on the All Star team over for the West All 805 00:51:54,119 --> 00:51:57,920 Stars, even though the way the teams are draft now changes where he could 806 00:51:57,920 --> 00:52:00,719 be So yes, resounding yes ten times over, Yes, Lorry Marketing is 807 00:52:00,719 --> 00:52:07,159 currently an All Star, you swayed me. I think that it's it's that 808 00:52:07,639 --> 00:52:12,880 it's that the difference between market In and George and some of the catch alls 809 00:52:12,920 --> 00:52:15,960 have flipped, and Marketing is ahead of him in EPM, for example, 810 00:52:15,000 --> 00:52:22,280 and he's closer in Raptor. I based most of my argument for George over 811 00:52:22,360 --> 00:52:27,280 him on the idea that George's role is just harder and like more meaningful as 812 00:52:27,320 --> 00:52:30,440 a playmaker, you know, high end defender just has to do a bunch 813 00:52:30,440 --> 00:52:31,960 of different stuff for the Clippers. But I think, in addition to the 814 00:52:32,039 --> 00:52:37,000 numbers you laid out, which are like that's compelling, I think I heard 815 00:52:38,400 --> 00:52:43,480 I heard another good argument that like when you're picking All Stars. You're also 816 00:52:43,559 --> 00:52:46,800 kind of trying to make your selections on the basis of if you're telling the 817 00:52:46,840 --> 00:52:52,880 story of this season, like who sort of features in it and market in 818 00:52:52,960 --> 00:52:58,239 being like a breakout star for a Jazz team for whom he's the best player 819 00:52:58,559 --> 00:53:02,159 by a lot and is the biggest reason that the Jazz are not like leading 820 00:53:02,199 --> 00:53:06,960 the tankathon, like that's the big story for this season. We talked a 821 00:53:06,960 --> 00:53:10,119 ton about the Jazz, especially earlier, so that's a factor. The numbers 822 00:53:10,119 --> 00:53:14,119 are a factor. I gotta I gotta go marketing, and now over Paul 823 00:53:14,119 --> 00:53:17,159 George, you've done it. Also to your point about Paul George though, 824 00:53:17,239 --> 00:53:21,599 and there is a Paul, so just this is just one number that illustrates 825 00:53:21,599 --> 00:53:23,119 it. Paul George, fifty six point eight percent of its three pointers have 826 00:53:23,199 --> 00:53:27,480 been assisted marketing. That numbers like ninety one percent of us three people. 827 00:53:28,199 --> 00:53:31,679 There's there's definitely a case to be made there, But I'm just gonna ride 828 00:53:31,679 --> 00:53:35,440 the coattails of what you were talking about with the story of the season, 829 00:53:35,480 --> 00:53:38,159 and that's well. Larn marking is done for the Jazz who were supposed to 830 00:53:38,519 --> 00:53:42,239 They didn't make sense on paper, but they never were going to be god 831 00:53:42,280 --> 00:53:45,000 awful. The assumption was and I said on this podcast, I reassured Jazz 832 00:53:45,000 --> 00:53:47,679 fans who were worried this wouldn't happen, and I was clearly wrong. The 833 00:53:47,760 --> 00:53:52,719 Jazz would not let themselves get even remotely close to a point like this they 834 00:53:52,760 --> 00:53:55,480 have. I'm enjoying it. I think fans should enjoy it. They have 835 00:53:55,599 --> 00:54:00,599 enough picks in the asset clip and the Timberwolves look like their dogshit. Anyway, 836 00:54:00,960 --> 00:54:02,639 feel pretty good about this season and enjoy the lowry market. And you 837 00:54:02,719 --> 00:54:06,559 traded away to All Stars and still end it up with an All Star at 838 00:54:06,559 --> 00:54:08,000 the twenty twenty three All Star Game. I say we end it there. 839 00:54:08,039 --> 00:54:10,559 There's another question. We have other questions. I might try to get to 840 00:54:10,599 --> 00:54:14,840 them later this week, but we've gone for almost two hours on this. 841 00:54:15,199 --> 00:54:17,239 Did you want to take us out of what I thought was a good I 842 00:54:17,360 --> 00:54:20,840 like this set up, and so if we can get enough questions, this 843 00:54:20,920 --> 00:54:22,800 is definitely a we'll bring it back for the East, clearly, but this 844 00:54:22,880 --> 00:54:27,079 is definitely something we can cyclically go through. Yeah, where are you at, 845 00:54:27,119 --> 00:54:29,280 Clippers fans? We got just one. Yeah, I'll take us out. 846 00:54:29,639 --> 00:54:31,719 Thanks again, everybody for all your questions. Keep them coming. We'll 847 00:54:31,760 --> 00:54:36,440 do the East at some point here. As Dan mentioned at the top, 848 00:54:36,519 --> 00:54:39,679 please remember to rate, review, subscribe, get us on wherever you listen 849 00:54:39,679 --> 00:54:44,000 to your podcast. We've got our socials here. If you're watching on YouTube, 850 00:54:44,639 --> 00:54:46,440 check us out, follow us on Twitter, follow us on Instagram, 851 00:54:46,440 --> 00:54:51,440 and everyplace else. Tell your friends. Wordermouth still really helps give us five 852 00:54:51,480 --> 00:54:54,880 stars all over the place. And lastly, I guess I want to apologize. 853 00:54:54,880 --> 00:54:59,559 I'm gonna I'll have to apologize to Jared Allen for not apologizing, but 854 00:54:59,599 --> 00:55:01,880 I will apologize to Laurie market in this week. And we leave, as 855 00:55:01,920 --> 00:55:05,880 we always do, with a shout out to the one and only Frank Lakimo.