1 00:00:15,359 --> 00:00:18,839 This one I have for you, Miroslav Shook, friend of the podcast, 2 00:00:18,879 --> 00:00:22,199 who gets more wins in the next three seasons? The Knicks for the Nets? 3 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,120 I mean, I'm just gonna say this is also a great question because 4 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:31,480 three year time horizons are basically impossible to predict. Okay, so here's how 5 00:00:31,519 --> 00:00:35,799 I'm looking at it. The Knicks next year basically bringing everybody back if you 6 00:00:35,799 --> 00:00:40,759 assume Heart will return, mostly mostly everybody who matters. I also think they're 7 00:00:40,799 --> 00:00:45,560 pretty likely would you agree to be a team that adds another star at something 8 00:00:45,799 --> 00:00:49,280 at some point within the next three years, probably next probably really within the 9 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,520 next one to one and a half. So if they got that going in 10 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,840 their favor, they're a better team than Brooklyn. Now, their guys are 11 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,920 all at ages. The guys that matter are all at ages that you could 12 00:01:00,039 --> 00:01:06,599 project consistency or improvement. So the only things I'm looking at for the Knicks 13 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,280 that I'm concerned about, or like TIBs burnout. You've got to figure out 14 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,599 if you're going to have a bad Julius Randall season next year after a good 15 00:01:12,599 --> 00:01:19,079 one. He's been alternating. It's things like that. The Nets, though, 16 00:01:19,159 --> 00:01:23,920 like I love the Bridges and Claxton Foundation. I just think you could 17 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,000 get a lot done with that. They're also mostly going to be intact. 18 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,920 The concerns for me are like, are we sure Jack Vaughan is a good 19 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,840 coach? We don't know yet. What are we doing with Ben Simmons because 20 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,439 you may have to give up assets to get rid of him. He's clearly 21 00:01:38,439 --> 00:01:42,680 the worst contract on either team, because like Evan Fournier has got one more 22 00:01:42,719 --> 00:01:48,000 guarant he's basically expiring next year. Fournier is even RJ Barrett might be like 23 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,200 a thought of his bad money, but he's so freaking young and like has 24 00:01:51,239 --> 00:01:55,840 been productive before. I'm not worried about that. I do think. I 25 00:01:55,879 --> 00:01:59,319 think I'm gonna go Brooklyn, and I feel bad about it. But we've 26 00:01:59,319 --> 00:02:04,599 seen the Nets build from the middle before, and they're they're really starting with 27 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,039 like quite ahead start, and they're not incentivized to tank. That's another factor 28 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:13,159 because they owe their draft to the Rockets. So I think I just trust 29 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:20,400 and like the Claxton Bridges Foundation a lot. And I think I think because 30 00:02:20,439 --> 00:02:23,919 if you if you look at just the broader track record of this team, 31 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:28,599 the Nets have kind of you know, they've built a culture with Kenny Atkinson, 32 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,199 and they really, you know, turned themselves into a winner deliberately. 33 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:35,719 They've drafted pretty well, They've developed players, and then they fucked it all 34 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,199 up by adding superstars that just it didn't work. I don't know. I 35 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:44,520 think it's the Nets because I also think they're maybe more likely to get free 36 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,120 agents. I don't know why I think that. I just recent history suggests 37 00:02:47,159 --> 00:02:51,599 the Knicks are, you know, haven't been great at that, even though 38 00:02:51,599 --> 00:02:53,240 the Brunsons I don't know. I'm talking in circles. Are you going to 39 00:02:53,319 --> 00:02:57,240 take the Knicks? Because I would like to be convinced I am going to 40 00:02:57,319 --> 00:03:02,520 take the Knicks. I think if only be because the Nets do have the 41 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,240 potential to blow it up more than the Knicks do. I guess if they 42 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,080 have a bad season, they could decide to pull the rip chord. But 43 00:03:08,159 --> 00:03:12,960 like the Nets just traded all their star power. They I know, they 44 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,800 don't control their own draft moving forward, but they have enough draft picks and 45 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,360 then assets to acquire more draft picks, and also the track record under shore 46 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,639 marks of not giving a fuck about how much of their own draft that they 47 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:25,599 control where you can sort of see them, you know, if they it's 48 00:03:25,759 --> 00:03:29,719 great with mcaal Bridges is doing. Would you put it past them to trade 49 00:03:29,759 --> 00:03:31,479 their best player over the summer though, I mean, if I could get 50 00:03:31,479 --> 00:03:35,199 four first round picks for him, I probably wouldn't depending on the first they 51 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,439 might be some of those Knicks first round picks which don't have great value. 52 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,560 And so that combined with the Knicks being more likely to go all in on 53 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:45,639 a star, I think because Brooklyn still kind of has the Basically, if 54 00:03:45,639 --> 00:03:49,240 you could bolt mcal Bridges down and then trade anyone else plus the draft equity 55 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,520 to bring in a star, you could do that. You could go that 56 00:03:51,599 --> 00:03:53,800 route. I just think the Knicks are more likely to go that route. 57 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:58,199 And I think if you we're picking the nets here, you have to a 58 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,840 either have confidence that they are going to go the wind Now route and trying 59 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:05,879 to acquire more window talent, or you just have to believe with every fiber 60 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,360 of your being that Julius Randol is gonna have it that the Knicks are going 61 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,919 to drop off after this. Julius Randalls is another flash in the pan. 62 00:04:13,159 --> 00:04:15,520 They're still not gonna be able to figure out with RJ. Barrett Mitchell, 63 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,120 Robinson's going to be continuously unhappy with his offensive role and agitate to get out. 64 00:04:18,319 --> 00:04:21,360 If they do trade for a star, they're gonna overpay or it's gonna 65 00:04:21,399 --> 00:04:25,120 be the wrong star. You have to have that belief, and I don't 66 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,480 have that belief that the Knicks are going to even if they fall back off 67 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,879 this year, I don't think they're gonna fall back by that much. And 68 00:04:30,879 --> 00:04:34,639 then just factoring in that they are the team more likely to make a win 69 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:39,279 now train than the Nets would be at this point, I think I have 70 00:04:39,439 --> 00:04:42,639 to go them. If you went with the longer window, like five to 71 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:46,639 seven years, I actually think it's a harder discussion to have. I think 72 00:04:46,639 --> 00:04:49,399 it's really hard either way, because if you're it, really neither of them 73 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:51,800 is gonna tank. I don't think, I mean, I'd be shocked. 74 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:56,680 I just there's no I mean, obviously the Knicks aren't. But I just 75 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,920 wonder, like, a, we are we under selling the Knicks, And 76 00:05:00,959 --> 00:05:05,279 I'm just arguing against myself now the Knicks' ability to like organically grow, because 77 00:05:05,319 --> 00:05:10,199 the Knicks have a like quickly and grimes and you know, even if they 78 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,439 hang on to top end and like, they have all these guys that are 79 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,279 at ages where you would expect improvement. Throw Barrett in there too. I 80 00:05:16,319 --> 00:05:20,079 don't know if the Nets, like Pinney Smith is what he is, Royce 81 00:05:20,079 --> 00:05:24,759 O'Neill is what he is, Din Witty is what he is. I think 82 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,759 Claxton, I don't know what claxton ceiling is based on how much better he's 83 00:05:28,759 --> 00:05:31,000 gotten this year. And Bridges is just like a different player in Brooklyn now, 84 00:05:31,399 --> 00:05:34,959 So I think, I don't know. I think maybe the Knicks. 85 00:05:35,759 --> 00:05:39,480 If I'm if I'm not being fair to the Knicks, it's probably because I'm 86 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:44,319 undervaluing their capacity to just get better without doing anything, which is very much 87 00:05:44,319 --> 00:05:46,279 on the table, because you know, some of their young guys have really 88 00:05:46,319 --> 00:05:49,680 excelled in larger roles this year, and I don't feel like any of that's 89 00:05:49,879 --> 00:05:54,079 fake. So yeah, I don't know. I think I'll just stick with 90 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,079 the Nets so that we can revisit this in either you or I can be 91 00:05:57,199 --> 00:05:59,879 right in twenty twenty six. Yeah, we need to start. I should 92 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,600 do this right now, like a document of like debates that we can revisit 93 00:06:03,079 --> 00:06:06,199 over like this question. Maybe I'll try and remember to bookmark that that we 94 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:11,600 could revisit and have conversations about make sure you mark down that I'm making this 95 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:17,079 assertion with minimal confidence. I actually just have that plugged in automatically. It's 96 00:06:17,439 --> 00:06:21,680 the excels Grant, minimally confident in this on this day, ready to flip 97 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:26,079 flop on a dime. Okay, So let me get you one here, 98 00:06:26,959 --> 00:06:30,240 real simple, this from splash. Why has Jason Tatum fallen out of the 99 00:06:30,319 --> 00:06:33,959 MVP conversation? Simple? Uh, well, it's a short question. I 100 00:06:33,959 --> 00:06:40,079 don't know if it's simple. I think it's because one, the players in 101 00:06:40,079 --> 00:06:46,439 front of him are just so undeniably better in Luca in or more valuable to 102 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:50,360 their team in Yannis and Embed and then of course Yokich. I do think 103 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:57,279 when you look at just the body of responsibility that all of them carry, 104 00:06:57,439 --> 00:07:00,920 Yokich is way more important to his team's offense over Donchi, and then Janice 105 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:05,079 is way more important. I would say he's either just as important or more 106 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:10,519 important to his team's offense, he's more important to their defense. And then 107 00:07:10,519 --> 00:07:15,720 Ebide is both equally important on offense and then more important on defense to what 108 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,360 his team is doing. And I think people gravitate to those extremes. I 109 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:24,040 don't think obviously I don't think of late like the slide with the Celtics on 110 00:07:24,079 --> 00:07:27,519 offense. I don't think that's helped. It feels like Jason Tatum has higher 111 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,399 variability in his offensive performances too, because of how much work he does from 112 00:07:30,439 --> 00:07:33,519 the perimeter. I think you can say the same about Luca don Chis. 113 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,439 But the usage is always going to be the total usage is always going to 114 00:07:36,519 --> 00:07:40,680 be there because of how centrally is the mass offense. That's not going to 115 00:07:40,759 --> 00:07:44,040 impact that as much. I don't know if that's right or wrong, But 116 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,920 like a lot of these, I would say Inbide, Yokich and Janni's all 117 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,680 rank ahead of Tatum as players to me, and i'd probably throw Donts ahead 118 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,600 of him as well. That's going to be part of it too, And 119 00:07:55,639 --> 00:07:59,759 I think his case would probably be stronger if the Celtics didn't when they were 120 00:08:00,279 --> 00:08:01,839 away with the East at one point or the best record in the league. 121 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:05,959 His case probably I don't necessarily fact that in as much, but I think 122 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:09,839 that would have garnered more MVP. He won the first espn Strom v People, 123 00:08:09,879 --> 00:08:11,680 I think in part because of that reason. Now the Bucks have usurped 124 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:16,120 them. The Nuggets are running away with the West. So just like there's 125 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,240 more of a runaway factor there where the Bucks just look they're going through that. 126 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:22,040 They're twenty two and three over their last twenty five games. Yeah, 127 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:26,680 and so I think that's just a bigger part of it than it doesn't say. 128 00:08:26,079 --> 00:08:30,839 I don't know what Tatum could do more as a player other than he 129 00:08:30,879 --> 00:08:35,840 needs to check the toughest defensive assignment every night, and or he needs to 130 00:08:35,919 --> 00:08:39,759 lead his team as like the playmaker, not just the score. Like you 131 00:08:39,799 --> 00:08:43,360 need to go him to run more of your deliberate, methodical, slowed down 132 00:08:43,399 --> 00:08:46,240 offense, and like right now you're going to be more inclined to do that 133 00:08:46,279 --> 00:08:48,679 with Brogden or White or Marcus Smart. And like Tatum's passing, it's it's 134 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:52,559 still really good. He needs to like level up, level up, and 135 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:54,919 I like he could continue to level up as a score. I just don't 136 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,039 know if that's gonna be enough to bridge the gap so long as these players 137 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,639 are one available and then two just as good as they are. Yeah, 138 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:05,559 I think I agree with all that. I think too like he's got to 139 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:07,360 be wondering what he's got to do, because as I was looking at all 140 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:13,600 NBA stuff, you know, just like he's he's improved his point, rebound 141 00:09:13,639 --> 00:09:16,240 and assist averages in every single season of his career, including this year. 142 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,480 So he just keeps getting better. He's getting to the free throw line more 143 00:09:20,519 --> 00:09:22,879 than ever this year, is true, shooting percentages above sixty percent for the 144 00:09:22,879 --> 00:09:26,840 first time ever. Like, he just continues to improve, and yet he's 145 00:09:26,919 --> 00:09:30,879 not quite on that level. I think a couple of things hurt him one 146 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:35,600 and you alluded to this, like he's like a fiftieth percentile isolation score in 147 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:39,440 terms of efficiency, so he really still is much more like is the three 148 00:09:39,519 --> 00:09:45,039 falling? Is the catch and shoot three falling tonight? And that determines if 149 00:09:45,039 --> 00:09:46,960 he's the best player on the floor or you know, just a very good 150 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:50,000 one, which isn't really the case for those other guys. They have other 151 00:09:50,039 --> 00:09:54,879 ways to you know, dominate the game. I just think I would bet 152 00:09:54,879 --> 00:10:01,000 on him to continue getting better and to continue to like hang He's only nineteen, 153 00:10:01,399 --> 00:10:05,840 literally, somebody said the other day. I would just bank on him 154 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:09,559 hanging in the conversation longer, like over the next couple of years, just 155 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:13,879 because he's shown the capacity to address weaknesses, and I think the next thing 156 00:10:13,919 --> 00:10:16,399 might just be, you know, scoring from a dead stop against a good 157 00:10:16,399 --> 00:10:22,320 defender. I think his growth now that he's not just shoving everybody off with 158 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:26,080 his off arm on every layup attempt and getting offensive fouls, and he's actually 159 00:10:26,159 --> 00:10:31,320 drawing fouls like he'd clearly addressed that weakness and he's better for it. He's 160 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,360 great, He's going to be all NBA First Team as far as I'm concerned. 161 00:10:33,399 --> 00:10:37,279 But those other guys are just it's not his fault. Those other guys 162 00:10:37,279 --> 00:10:41,240 are just you know, generational dominant, whatever superlative you want to throw. 163 00:10:41,519 --> 00:10:46,399 Do you want as your next question to be tied to the NBA franchise one 164 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:48,080 or the clutch one? Which one would you prefer to lead us through? 165 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:52,480 Uh, let's do the franchise one. I think that's that's kind of a 166 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:58,279 we'll get into some more interesting conversation there. So Peto asked, this is 167 00:10:58,279 --> 00:11:01,480 such a fascinating question. Would be a franchise would you choose to represent the 168 00:11:01,519 --> 00:11:05,480 model of how to build a team, culture, managed finances, etc. 169 00:11:07,159 --> 00:11:11,320 Well, just a few come to mind, because there's like a lot kind 170 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:16,639 of too packed into this question. I think the through lines though that connect 171 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:22,720 a lot of these teams are like you have to have just this a general 172 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:26,559 like I sorry, this isn't this kind of podcast, but like a team 173 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:33,279 first approach, like all these like totally non quantifiable like things ego lists, 174 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:35,559 and so I thought of like the twenty ten Spurs as kind of like the 175 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:41,159 model for this, where you keep most of the team together, you just 176 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,840 don't have a lot of bullshit you Also, this is really key to me. 177 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,600 You you have to be malleable. Like I think the best teams are 178 00:11:48,639 --> 00:11:52,159 not the ones that say we play this way, we run the operation this 179 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:54,759 way. I think they're the ones that like and the Spurs are a good 180 00:11:54,759 --> 00:12:01,159 example of, well, we have the personnel to be the lowest, most 181 00:12:01,279 --> 00:12:05,080 boring, uh, shut you down on defense team. And then we're also 182 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:09,440 like a couple of years later, gonna start shooting a bunch of corner threes 183 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,879 because we have guys that can make them. And then we're gonna play the 184 00:12:11,919 --> 00:12:18,879 beautiful game in the like mid twenty teens. And basically that is what accounts 185 00:12:18,879 --> 00:12:20,919 for the length of the Spurs. You know, dynasty's not the right word, 186 00:12:20,919 --> 00:12:26,879 but they're ridiculous two decade run. So something like that, I mean, 187 00:12:26,039 --> 00:12:28,679 the other teams that I think of are you have to say, the 188 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:35,360 Warriors of the last ten years or so, because one because they're spending, 189 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:39,679 and we always talk about how like it's not cool that you've managed the cap 190 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,960 well and you ducked the tax here and you did this great you know you 191 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:46,200 you you like gamed your ten day contracts and you did all this other shit, 192 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:50,200 like just spend a bunch of money like that's that might be the most 193 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,120 important thing is to be willing to just spend more than other teams, because 194 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:56,440 that's how you get talent. I throw Boston in there because of their patients. 195 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:00,960 They didn't break up Tatum and Brown when it was a real thing, 196 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:05,279 like within what would you say, like the last I think among dumb masses, 197 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,240 it was a real thing. I don't know if it was ever act. 198 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:11,519 You consider that Kevin Durant trade so that yeah, well I just remember 199 00:13:11,519 --> 00:13:16,080 it being a real like we have to talk everyone down that is saying, 200 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,360 oh, this court doesn't work, you have to trade one or the other. 201 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,919 And this is like twenty twenty one, I feel like was that was 202 00:13:20,039 --> 00:13:24,840 being discussed. So and then I throw the heat and the thunder our TVD 203 00:13:24,039 --> 00:13:28,840 because they quietly like out process the process sixers. We just don't know how 204 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,919 that's going to shake out. I think the outlooks really rosy right now, 205 00:13:33,879 --> 00:13:37,720 but I think a willingness to stick to your guns of we are going to 206 00:13:37,799 --> 00:13:41,039 accumulate young talent and it's going to be terrible for like three years or more. 207 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,960 I think that shows like real I don't know, commitment. So there's 208 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:48,759 lots of ways to do it. I don't know if you have others to 209 00:13:48,799 --> 00:13:52,720 throw in there, but I think generally you've got to you've got to spend 210 00:13:52,759 --> 00:13:54,120 a bunch of money, and you've got to tailor your team to talent, 211 00:13:54,159 --> 00:13:58,399 and you've got to just not have guys that are not there to win. 212 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,279 I don't I don't know, Like that's that kind of the three tenants for 213 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,639 me. So your top franchises for that are Warriors, Celtics, Heat, 214 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:11,559 and Thunder TVD. And then the model for me really is the Spurs prior 215 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,679 to like the last five years. Yeah, especially with the whole Josh Primo 216 00:14:15,759 --> 00:14:18,519 stuff this season, I don't like organizational. Yeah, that's a tough look. 217 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,679 So you had all my teams, I'm Maddy. You included the Thunder 218 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:24,000 because they were gonna be my top pick. I think for all that was 219 00:14:24,039 --> 00:14:28,799 made about their tanking, like they're just in the playing race right now, 220 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:33,519 they have a very clear roadmap to the future. And I think the biggest 221 00:14:33,559 --> 00:14:35,559 thing there we see them do some creative stuff with the cap with trades, 222 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,120 I mean, just getting a look at I know, Mike Muscola was good 223 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,320 for them, Like now they're getting look at Dario Shart, who's gonna be 224 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,240 freised, Like that's someone who could theoretically play with them beyond this year. 225 00:14:43,639 --> 00:14:48,159 What they've done with the development of Jail and Williams, even picking up Isaiah 226 00:14:48,279 --> 00:14:54,279 Joe So and then of course we know like the the bigger stories where Shay 227 00:14:54,399 --> 00:14:58,559 or like look at Josh Getty's shooting. And also what I really liked that 228 00:14:58,559 --> 00:15:01,120 they did last season is some people criticize them like, oh, they didn't 229 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:05,200 reach the salary cap flour. You build goodwill by paying out that money to 230 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:09,279 your own players, in my opinion, and it's like the culture thing there 231 00:15:09,559 --> 00:15:11,639 just seems like if you looked at Josh Giddey and Jay and Williams interact on 232 00:15:11,679 --> 00:15:16,440 Twitter this year or just Shay wasn't it. Why am I getting this backwards? 233 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:18,759 But if you've seen the picture of I think Shay was afraid of getting 234 00:15:18,759 --> 00:15:22,159 the of needles and he's getting the COVID nine team backsteam. I think lou 235 00:15:22,279 --> 00:15:24,799 Dort is like holding his hand or something or is it flip? Did I 236 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:28,600 get the players wrong there? I can't remember under fantasy in the crypt like 237 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:33,039 that's fucking cool, and so I don't think that team. I'm not trying 238 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:37,639 to celebrate like Sam Presty just I'm not just I mean, we can celebrate 239 00:15:37,679 --> 00:15:41,679 Sam Presty for acquiring all these draft picks, but there hasn't been I think 240 00:15:41,679 --> 00:15:46,960 it's tough when you're in such staunch asset collection mode to it's so easy to 241 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:54,320 not treat players or build camaraderie or build any zemblance of synergy that feels like 242 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:58,759 it could last. And the thunder of done that and so like that to 243 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,600 me, like they might be the most impressive team. I think everyone you 244 00:16:02,639 --> 00:16:04,480 mentioned deserves to be there. I had the Heat as my second best team, 245 00:16:04,879 --> 00:16:07,480 and I don't know if there are any other alternatives that's bring to mind, 246 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:11,080 because when you are when like when you were going through it, you're 247 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:14,679 trying to think of every single facet. I did think about Phoenix for a 248 00:16:14,679 --> 00:16:21,120 while, like just during the James Jones Monty Williams error era. I just 249 00:16:21,159 --> 00:16:22,960 don't know, how do you factor in Roberts Sarber for that? And then 250 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:29,000 the whole deandreat and stuff was weird, like especially over last off seasons. 251 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:33,720 I'm not sure they belong on that. I'll tell you the Houston Rockets certainly 252 00:16:33,799 --> 00:16:38,000 do not belong on that list. But do the Bucks deserve some credit here 253 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,960 that they've been development, they've been IFFI on, Yeah, I will I 254 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:45,279 will credit them for. I mean, it's how do you account for And 255 00:16:45,279 --> 00:16:48,720 that's really the case for a lot of these teams. How do you account 256 00:16:48,759 --> 00:16:51,519 for just like well, they drafted honest and he's just like a one of 257 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,480 one and he sets your whole culture because he's just not about anything but winning 258 00:16:55,960 --> 00:17:00,440 and works harder than everyone in the organization like that, It's had a hard 259 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,960 to fail. If that's your if that's like sort of your baseline. But 260 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,640 but I do think I will credit them for when the time came, they 261 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:12,119 traded their whole draft for Drew Holiday and and you know they they found Brook 262 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,519 Lopez and turned him into something totally different than what he was before. He 263 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:19,960 you know, was this version of Brook Lopez. And I mean even credit 264 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,480 them for like I don't know, like Middleton is just better there than he 265 00:17:23,519 --> 00:17:27,519 wasn't anywhere else. Like guys do get better, they find pieces and they've 266 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:32,599 and for a like to contrast so and they're not a big market, so 267 00:17:32,839 --> 00:17:37,160 to contrast them though with Okay, see, like do you I think the 268 00:17:37,599 --> 00:17:41,759 size of the Oklahoma City market makes it such that they could get away with 269 00:17:41,839 --> 00:17:45,359 this, you know, because if you try, if you try, if 270 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:48,799 Sam Presty took the same plan and tried to do it in la or Boston 271 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:52,400 or New York or whatever, it just it would be it just wouldn't happen. 272 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,319 I mean like Sam Hankey basically got run out of the Sixers because he 273 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,480 tried to do this in a big market and it worked. But I would 274 00:18:00,519 --> 00:18:03,119 say even they didn't go as far as the thunder of gone. So I 275 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,359 think the market size, because you really say the process Sixers haven't gone as 276 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:08,400 far as the thunder of Gone. I think the thunder are at this for 277 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:14,359 long. I think if that would be an interesting deep dive is like how 278 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:19,359 egregious. Have both teams been in their u or efforts to lose. I 279 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:23,519 don't know. I think they're a lot closer than you tanked for they traded 280 00:18:23,559 --> 00:18:26,079 Paul George. Oh wow, Paul George traded the Clippers a while ago. 281 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:30,920 But they were good in that first season. They only tanked for two years 282 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,759 twenty one and twenty two. I think they did it better because they basically 283 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:41,680 took Julio Okra for you know, we gotta do we should look back at 284 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:45,839 the process because I mean, we're getting off the rails here. But this 285 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,759 is interesting to me. The Sixers hit rate on all those high picks was 286 00:18:48,799 --> 00:18:53,200 not great relative, like you know, compared to like how many they had 287 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,920 and how sort of badly a lot of it went. Whether it's the false 288 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:00,920 Tatum thing, whether it's Oka for honestly, whether it's Simmons like that that's 289 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:03,400 not a hill. At least Simmons and Faults were just like those were consensus 290 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,559 decisions, right, I mean, I don't know if you need Faults. 291 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:10,000 Wasn't consensus in the sense that you need to trade up to do it, 292 00:19:10,079 --> 00:19:14,480 But like, yeah, that's interesting, Okay, yeah, we should Lewis 293 00:19:14,519 --> 00:19:18,279 six Ers thunder side by side at some point the other team I was gonna 294 00:19:18,279 --> 00:19:22,400 mention, I would think if Zion didn't get injured so much, the Pelicans 295 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,519 would be up here, because I feel like that's created a lot of reporting 296 00:19:25,559 --> 00:19:29,200 around, not just like the medical staff, but also just they were there's 297 00:19:29,279 --> 00:19:32,319 the weird rumors about Zion, not so much this season, but like behind 298 00:19:32,319 --> 00:19:34,200 the scenes of last year. So that was another team I had thought of, 299 00:19:34,599 --> 00:19:38,720 and then I had one other team I'm blanking on. Oh it wasn't 300 00:19:40,039 --> 00:19:42,680 I don't have them here anymore. But based off what we had known publicly, 301 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,799 if we rewound the clock like two and a half weeks, the Grizzlies 302 00:19:47,799 --> 00:19:51,400 would have absolutely been on. They would have. Yeah, they totally would 303 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:53,400 have. That's why which one of these is going to look the stupidest two 304 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,160 weeks from now that we think? That's that's the real lesson here. What 305 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:00,480 about the Calves? What do you think? I mean? I think because 306 00:20:00,519 --> 00:20:04,039 they took a big swing on Mitchell and they sort of had they had the 307 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:08,400 luxury of doing that because they rebuilt a relationship with Kevin Love until the very 308 00:20:08,519 --> 00:20:11,279 end too. Yeah, I think Kevin Love might just be a little prickly, 309 00:20:11,319 --> 00:20:15,759 don't you I think, But like Garland wasn't hit, the Jared Allen 310 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:19,400 just yeah, we'll take Jared Allen sure, and then Evan Mobley was a 311 00:20:19,519 --> 00:20:22,640 hit. I think it's a good poet. Calls are pretty solid, and 312 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,279 they haven't like not spent. They're like there's I mean, I guess they 313 00:20:26,319 --> 00:20:29,799 get more and more expensive. We'll see like how committed they are to that. 314 00:20:29,839 --> 00:20:33,599 But they haven't not spent, so that's a I guess, Yeah, 315 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:34,880 that's a good team. I didn't really consider them, you know who else 316 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:38,400 we also would have said that we wouldn't say now as Toronto. I think 317 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:41,519 Toronto might have like headed this list if we'd done this a year ago or 318 00:20:41,599 --> 00:20:45,559 you know, eighteen months ago. Because they you know, they they've developed 319 00:20:45,599 --> 00:20:49,240 talent. They went all in for a title and it worked like they you 320 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,359 know, they've checked a lot of the boxes for what you want your franchise 321 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:56,480 to do. I just think now it's like where are they, you know, 322 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:00,319 and now it's a lot bleaker than it looked. Just not Denver. 323 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:06,039 They're the they're the tax avoider though they don't spend. That's that's the m 324 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:10,279 on right now. Yeah, but they also what's the culture, like if 325 00:21:10,279 --> 00:21:14,680 Bollen Thailand was going to submarine it. Yeah, I mean that's another case 326 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:19,359 where I think Yokich being so great and so like low maintenance just I mean 327 00:21:19,599 --> 00:21:23,079 no, no, NBA job is easy, like but as a Mike Malone 328 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,359 just you know, this is only ever going to go so bad as long 329 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:30,279 as you have Yokich there as an organizing force. But yeah, I think 330 00:21:30,279 --> 00:21:33,960 the spending bothers me. Maybe Utah is going to be another be one of 331 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:37,160 those teams now too, because just for their transactional you know activity, it's 332 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:41,000 like, Okay, well they pulled the plug a year early, then you 333 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:42,359 know, a year too early, then a year too late, like they 334 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:48,240 got all this. What about Washington in terms in terms of paying are they 335 00:21:48,279 --> 00:21:52,440 the worst? Like for the things we think are smart to do as an 336 00:21:52,519 --> 00:21:56,839 NBA franchise, Charlotte Washington, last Charlotte Houston, I think has to be. 337 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:59,759 Yeah, maybe he's just been somewhat creative with certain things. I think 338 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:04,720 Charlotte Houston Washington I'll spring to mind. Yeah, what was reporting that Lonzo 339 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,519 Ball may miss next season as we record this? By the way, do 340 00:22:07,519 --> 00:22:12,240 you have any sub twenty five second thoughts on that it sucks. He's good. 341 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,279 I like, I like watching him play, and he mattered for the 342 00:22:15,279 --> 00:22:18,920 Bulls pretty clearly. That's a what Jesus like, So two full years we're 343 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,559 talking, well two and a half, two and a half years, that's 344 00:22:22,599 --> 00:22:25,119 like, that's rough. That's too bad. At that point, if they 345 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:26,640 start asking are they gonna get his money wiped off the books, I would 346 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,759 think there's fear apparently well, which says there are concerns about Ball the ability 347 00:22:30,799 --> 00:22:34,119 to resume his career, and hopes that this surgery, which could cost Ball 348 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:40,880 another full season away, will give him a pathway to playing again. So 349 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,759 it sounds like there this is like, that's sad career ending. He was 350 00:22:45,839 --> 00:22:48,519 really good. I'm with you, Yeah, I love that's the kind of 351 00:22:48,519 --> 00:22:52,240 guy I would want. The best version of him fits literally anywhere and makes 352 00:22:52,279 --> 00:22:55,839 every team better. I just like that's that that that's a shame to lose 353 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:56,920 guys like that. There aren't a lot of players like that that, you 354 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:00,319 know, the non non superstars that you would say like, I will absolutely 355 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:04,519 have him in my closing five just no matter what. That's that's tough. 356 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:07,680 Let me try and blow through this. One, just because it's an easy 357 00:23:07,759 --> 00:23:14,279 question from Joe Shook as, uh, what goes into calculating true shooting percentage? 358 00:23:14,559 --> 00:23:18,640 And so it's the formula for true shooting percentage is total points divided by 359 00:23:19,039 --> 00:23:25,200 double your true shooting attempts, and then true shooting attempts are I say simply, 360 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:29,240 but it's not Matthew could do in your head field goal attempts plus point 361 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:33,440 plus point four four times your free throw attempts. So if you're trying to 362 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:37,200 do it by hand, it's super complicated. But that's the formula that goes 363 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:41,359 into true shooting. And like I would add too, because I pretty much 364 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,359 only use true shooting anymore when I talk about sky, I haven't. I 365 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,920 don't know when I sometimes separate like threes and twos. Yeah, as well, 366 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:49,720 we're all use effective go over something like I don't sight field goal percentage 367 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,400 anymore. That's not like a flex. I just don't. I don't do 368 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:56,759 it. No, you shouldn't. It's just like to me, it's it's 369 00:23:56,799 --> 00:24:00,240 really just sort of like how efficiently is this guy scoring the basket ball? 370 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:03,680 Because it does factor in how many free throw attempts you get, how often 371 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:07,720 you make them, and like what you're expected return on a field goal attempt 372 00:24:07,759 --> 00:24:10,960 is because it prices in the extra value of a three. It's just like 373 00:24:11,519 --> 00:24:15,359 it is just a superior measure of efficiency. I think, like that's that's 374 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:18,519 just what it is, because why are we you know, though DeAndre Jordan 375 00:24:18,599 --> 00:24:21,279 led the league, you know, for years and years shooting like seventy eight 376 00:24:21,279 --> 00:24:23,559 percent from the field because he just caught lobs and dunked it. That's just 377 00:24:23,599 --> 00:24:26,759 not the same as a guy that is making a bunch of threes and getting 378 00:24:26,759 --> 00:24:30,200 to the foul in a lot. You know, it makes it, It 379 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,240 makes it gives you better like apples to apples kind of comparison across the player 380 00:24:33,279 --> 00:24:37,240 types. I think, do you want to do the question? What's that? 381 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:41,319 Do you want to do the clutch question? Yeah? You want men 382 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:42,720 to ask it to you? Or do you want to ask a don't all 383 00:24:42,839 --> 00:24:45,480 right? Ask it to me? So this is from phony soprano, who 384 00:24:45,519 --> 00:24:49,160 are the best clutch time NBA players based on stats excluding points scored. I 385 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,519 have this information, but I wanted to just talk about clutch in general after 386 00:24:52,559 --> 00:24:57,119 you hit this. So if we actually just went by like statistical categories, 387 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:00,880 like if you were just looking at who's the clutch leader an assist this year 388 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,759 it's Tyres Halibert. And who's a clutch leader in steals? Bam Adebayo, 389 00:25:03,799 --> 00:25:08,079 who's a clutch leader in blocks, Miles Turner who's a clutch leader in free 390 00:25:08,079 --> 00:25:11,720 throw attempts. I bet you you could guess. I bet you you could 391 00:25:11,799 --> 00:25:14,440 name the top three if you didn't look at it already. I bet you 392 00:25:14,559 --> 00:25:17,359 could guess the top three. Well, I have makes, I don't have 393 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,279 attempts, but like de Rosen's up there, Butler and bid Sga, those 394 00:25:21,319 --> 00:25:25,799 are the top three. So but I did this like before I went and 395 00:25:25,799 --> 00:25:29,400 just looked at those and if you wanted to go by, but I'll that 396 00:25:29,599 --> 00:25:33,359 spoil something. So I tried to name comep with three players that I thought 397 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:40,640 fit the mold, and I came up with Evan Mobley, Cantabia's called ball 398 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:45,319 Pope, and Derek White as just like, who are these non scores in 399 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:48,119 crunch time for me that I think you're super valuable? And then I tried 400 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:52,759 to check it against plus minus and clutch win probability add it to see if 401 00:25:52,799 --> 00:25:56,839 any of them sort of showed up near the top. Contabias called Pope was 402 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:00,839 eighth in clutch time plus minus. But then I was like, that probably 403 00:26:00,839 --> 00:26:03,880 has more to do with Denver just being a beast a bear in yo betweening 404 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,920 on the floor when he is at the end of game right, And then 405 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:10,440 I looked the cav has been outscored and crunch time with Evan Mobley on the 406 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:15,920 court. But this I found interesting. Evan Mobley's eleven in in predictables clutch 407 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:19,640 win probability added, and so just as someone what you can do defensively and 408 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:22,720 just some of like the offensive moments that he's had the decision making there where 409 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:26,759 he's not going to stop the ball, he's going to keep it moving. 410 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:30,480 I feel confident in saying that at least one of the three, and then 411 00:26:30,519 --> 00:26:33,279 we know what Derek White does. I would say at least one point five 412 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:37,440 of the three names I mentioned were worthy of being nominated for this award. 413 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:41,759 I like that. I like that you try to assign value to clutch because 414 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:45,200 what I was just gonna say is, like, you know, just thinking 415 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,000 about it this year, you know, Darren Fox is just the best clutch 416 00:26:48,039 --> 00:26:52,079 player in the league in terms of his scoring and has been phenomenal and that's 417 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:56,039 great, and everybody's saying like, well, once they get to the playoffs, 418 00:26:56,079 --> 00:26:59,279 there's gonna be close games, and that's gonna be really a valuable asset 419 00:26:59,319 --> 00:27:02,160 because they've got the guy that has just kicked ass in the clutch all year. 420 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:03,920 And I just want to scream. I want to like climb onto the 421 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:08,240 highest roof I can find and scream that, like somebody that's been good in 422 00:27:08,279 --> 00:27:15,160 the clutch up until today might be useless tomorrow. Like the clutch carryover is 423 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:18,720 just like it's just I can't trust you can't trust it. The best clutch 424 00:27:18,799 --> 00:27:22,519 teams one year are just like there's no correlation to the next year. It's 425 00:27:22,559 --> 00:27:26,039 all just and it's all sample size stuff. And like I do think like 426 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:30,160 someone like DeRozan, for example, does tend to reappear and clutch you know, 427 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,720 individual stuff, because that's the guy you throw the ball too when the 428 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:37,960 defense is set and he's getting a lot of chances to score and he's good 429 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:40,200 at it. And Fox I think has a little bit of that too. 430 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,119 I don't want to say that he's going to suddenly like forget how to beat 431 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,880 this guy and hang in the air and get fouled and finished, Like that's 432 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:49,000 real. But just like the idea that good clutch teams during the year are 433 00:27:49,039 --> 00:27:53,039 somehow more dangerous in the playoffs because the games are close, is like that 434 00:27:53,039 --> 00:28:00,079 that's just not there is that's not true. It's not true. I'm we 435 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,559 got a clutch question that I could shoot on and just say, like I 436 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,240 think, so what it does do? And Russell Westbrook sort of won an 437 00:28:07,319 --> 00:28:10,519 MVP because he was so awesome in the clutch, But like so you it 438 00:28:10,599 --> 00:28:15,359 does. It is factual that this guy was was great in the clutch and 439 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:18,319 it mattered and he won his team games like in the past. That's all. 440 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:21,920 You can't take that away. But there's no carry forward for me in 441 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:26,000 any in almost any clutch stuff that you know that I would actually trust you. 442 00:28:26,279 --> 00:28:27,559 Are you of the same mind or do you think there's more there? 443 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:33,440 Sometimes I'm probably like less bullish on clutch play, not mattering than than you 444 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:37,519 are. I think to me, so I actually if you would has at 445 00:28:37,559 --> 00:28:41,480 a team level, I find it less valuable than at the individual player level, 446 00:28:41,519 --> 00:28:45,279 where it's like we know de Rosen Lillard at this point, like you 447 00:28:45,319 --> 00:28:49,960 can go to those guys in clutch situations to create something out of nothing or 448 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:52,799 just in Those are guys who well, I guess the Rosen success is not 449 00:28:52,799 --> 00:28:56,200 necessarily translated to the playoffs. But like a Damian Lillard, like I would 450 00:28:56,279 --> 00:28:59,640 use what Fox has done in the clutch this year, I'd be like that 451 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:03,119 Mays confident that he can succeed in playoff basketball. Does it make me confident 452 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:06,400 that the Kings or what the Nuggets have done in the fourth quarter with their 453 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,680 defense this year or the clutch with their defense this year? Is it made 454 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:15,279 me confident they can be the championship favorite in the playoffs now? So I'm 455 00:29:15,279 --> 00:29:18,640 more inclined to read into it on the granular level or the player level, 456 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:21,839 and I am at the team level. If that makes sense. Yeah, 457 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:25,119 I think I do agree with that. It's just the team stuff never ever 458 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:27,920 carries over. Basically, do you have time for two quick hitters? Yes? 459 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,960 Uh? This first The first one comes from These were on planned mail 460 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:37,079 bad questions because it came as were recording Chris is at Dan for Valley's preseason 461 00:29:37,119 --> 00:29:41,759 Nuggets pick a no brainer for NBA champion? I mean, how is it 462 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:45,119 no? How is it possibly no brainer? That's that's a very bold question 463 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:48,039 to ask while they're in the middle of a four game losing. This is 464 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:52,480 I hope that came in like a week ago, goes now, and this 465 00:29:52,519 --> 00:29:56,599 is going to publish after their game against the Pistons. I did say this 466 00:29:56,119 --> 00:30:00,440 in the solo mail bag I did for our Discord members. If they lose 467 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:04,279 against the Pistons on Thursday, then it's are like, then it's time to 468 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:08,200 just I'll start smashing some panic buttons. But I will say I have not 469 00:30:08,359 --> 00:30:12,960 changed my title pick. I've not changed my finals matchup pick either. I'm 470 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:17,039 actually feeling pretty good about the Bucks making it to the finals at this point. 471 00:30:17,079 --> 00:30:19,319 And I think if we're being honest, based off everything we know and 472 00:30:19,359 --> 00:30:25,160 even assuming everyone's healthy, everyone's healthy, Pelicans, Zion's back, everyone's healthy, 473 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,039 the Bucks are the safest championship pick, and they always should have been 474 00:30:27,319 --> 00:30:30,599 the safest championship pick. Yeah, I think that's right. I would say 475 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:34,960 too, like, aren't aren't the Nuggets by virtue of they're gonna have home 476 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:40,319 court unless they really fall apart. They're pretty they're healthy, Like, aren't 477 00:30:40,319 --> 00:30:42,880 they kind of the safest West representative right now? Too? Even if everybody's 478 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:47,440 looking for reasons to pick the Suns or the Warriors or whoever he nix makes 479 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:51,400 me uncomfortable. Just having Kevin Durant not gonna lie. But you don't know 480 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:52,680 if he's gonna be healthy. You don't, We don't. That's fair with 481 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:56,359 the Nuggets, though, Do you view home court advantage for them as as 482 00:30:56,440 --> 00:31:00,480 much of an advantage when teams are going to be able to have that, 483 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,079 it's it's the altitude. We know, you taught Denver of two the highest 484 00:31:03,119 --> 00:31:04,880 home court advantages, but when you're gonna have like two days a rest in 485 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:08,279 between every single game, yeah, I don't know. I would imagine someone 486 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:11,400 that has been through a playoff series there would say you do acclimate if you're 487 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:14,880 staying in town for a couple of days, and so it's not quite the 488 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:18,599 same. But you know, again, one game, if it if it 489 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:22,000 gives you a big edge in one game in a series that only is gonna 490 00:31:22,079 --> 00:31:25,880 last seven at the most, that's still an advantage. I think it's gonna 491 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:27,599 matter a little bit. And the margins are awfully small in the playoffs, 492 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:32,599 So yeah, I don't know. It's so I think the Nuggets probably are 493 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:36,920 the safest pick to come out of the West, but They're definitely not a 494 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:40,279 no brainer to win the West, let alone win a title. I mean, 495 00:31:40,319 --> 00:31:42,519 someone, I think, what is a percentage chance that a Western Conference 496 00:31:42,519 --> 00:31:48,400 team wins the title this year? Like thirty is? I don't know, 497 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:49,960 you know, just because I think we both agreed the two best teams in 498 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,920 the league are in the East. Yeah, oh man, that's that's wild. 499 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:57,799 And it's just like, so you wouldn't pick Would you pick any West 500 00:31:57,839 --> 00:32:01,160 team to beat a bux to the Celtics? The answers, no, no, 501 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:05,039 not right now. I mean if you told me Kevin Durant was definitely 502 00:32:05,119 --> 00:32:08,079 healthy, or the Warriors won every game down the stretch and suddenly we're good. 503 00:32:09,039 --> 00:32:13,160 But yeah, I can't get there. Would you take any team in 504 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:16,079 the West to beat the Sixers? Which teams would you say would beat the 505 00:32:16,079 --> 00:32:21,720 Sixers? I don't know. I might take the Nuggets over the Sixers. 506 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:27,799 I mean that's close at least, right I don't like Phoenix Golden State. 507 00:32:28,039 --> 00:32:30,960 Again, do I get to like set a bunch of caveats for either, 508 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:34,319 Yeah, that's what's tough, all right. So there's a case to be 509 00:32:34,359 --> 00:32:38,000 made. So now we're getting into the Calves territory. Are you picking most 510 00:32:38,119 --> 00:32:40,359 of the Western the teams that you envision coming out of the West, would 511 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:43,920 you pick most of them to beat the Calves? That's the cutoff, I'd 512 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:49,079 say probably. So there's a chance that the three most likely title favorites or 513 00:32:49,279 --> 00:32:52,960 championship candidates are coming from the East. There's a legitimate case and looks. 514 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:57,319 I'm big on reading into single games where everyone's playing and there's the head to 515 00:32:57,319 --> 00:33:00,880 head matchups. What indeed did to the Nuggets last time they payed and they're 516 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:02,799 gonna play again. I think on March twenty eight, like those games matter, 517 00:33:04,079 --> 00:33:06,279 Yeah, those and the Nuggets are gonna play the box. I think 518 00:33:06,319 --> 00:33:08,640 in that same stretch too, those games matter to me. I will say 519 00:33:08,799 --> 00:33:12,359 the team that I can see just like, fucking all this shit up, 520 00:33:12,759 --> 00:33:15,720 it's just the Clippers. I don't really know what to make of them, 521 00:33:15,759 --> 00:33:19,160 but like they seem like they have the tools and Kawai as Kauai, and 522 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:22,279 they have so much depth, almost to a detriment because sometimes I feel like 523 00:33:22,279 --> 00:33:24,160 Tyler doesn't know what to do with it. But it seems like it's coming 524 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:28,680 together now. I wouldn't pick them to beat any of the top three teams 525 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:30,200 in the East, but I could also you could tell me that they did, 526 00:33:30,279 --> 00:33:32,359 I'd be like yeah, I'm like, yeah, I get it. 527 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:37,079 I gotta say so, I watched Clippers Warriors last night, and like Andrew 528 00:33:37,079 --> 00:33:40,119 Wiggins wasn't there, so it was a lot of Dante de Vincenzo trying to 529 00:33:40,119 --> 00:33:44,519 guard Kawhi Leonard. But like, I mean, Kawhi had, like for 530 00:33:44,599 --> 00:33:46,799 him, a pretty pedestrian night. But that guy was just I mean, 531 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:52,680 he looked very very much like Kauhi. And if you're telling me like so, 532 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:55,920 so all that's to say that if the Clippers get in the series and 533 00:33:55,960 --> 00:34:00,480 there's no more back to backs in the playoff series and you have why, 534 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:05,400 like that's real puncher's chance territory against anybody, just because he I mean, 535 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:09,159 there were several instances last night where like he just the Warriors would make a 536 00:34:09,199 --> 00:34:13,920 run to try to get close, and the Warriors wanted that game, and 537 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:16,360 Kauhi was just at the second he got open for a three or got to 538 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:19,480 his pull up, it was like I didn't need to look at the rest 539 00:34:19,519 --> 00:34:22,840 of the play because that's going in. Like he just he's so automatic. 540 00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:25,440 I think that you're so you're dead, right, the Clippers. I wouldn't 541 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:30,159 trust him, but if you told me Kauhi was healthy, I would never 542 00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:37,199 feel comfortable picking against him specifically. This last question comes from John. It 543 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:40,079 was I feel like it was tailor made for you, but comes from John. 544 00:34:40,519 --> 00:34:44,400 I know it's a ways away, but where do you see the ensuing 545 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:50,519 seasons going for the Warriors after Steph's retirement. I mean, it's probably not 546 00:34:50,559 --> 00:34:59,559 going to be great like it. I think I'll ruts reframe it this way 547 00:34:59,559 --> 00:35:02,760 though. They haven't done anything to mortgage their future yet, and so I 548 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:07,320 think the real question here is they don't have their twenty twenty four pick whatever 549 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:10,440 they trade you wise and whatever Stolf kaminga still moody Stilpool. Do you see 550 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:16,480 them at some point before Steph retires making an all in trade that would then 551 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:22,360 substantially liquidate their future assets to where if they're going to stay good after him, 552 00:35:22,639 --> 00:35:27,960 you're gonna have to hit immediately or like have someone already in place, 553 00:35:28,039 --> 00:35:30,519 because you're not going to do a gap year or two. It could be 554 00:35:30,559 --> 00:35:35,639 like a three four year rebuild. Two thoughts. One is I would say 555 00:35:35,679 --> 00:35:38,480 that if they were inclined to make an all in, let's maximize Steph at 556 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:44,800 the end trade they would have done it by now because he's thirty five certain 557 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:50,079 thirty five earlier this week. But the competing thought with that is, I 558 00:35:50,119 --> 00:35:53,920 think it's now clear that I was wrong about this, that they were correct 559 00:35:54,079 --> 00:35:58,679 to not make the all in trade because I was all on board the finally 560 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:01,360 we're gonna we're going to try to win now and later because we're that like 561 00:36:01,599 --> 00:36:07,800 egotistical and ambitious and we think we're exceptional, and that has not worked out. 562 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:13,000 So maybe they'll learn from that. But I also think finally that like 563 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:16,719 I just don't they're not gonna ever trade Steph. I don't think they'll ever 564 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:21,360 trade Klay Thompson Green, I think is probably the most likely of the three 565 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:24,719 to just sign elsewhere when he opts out, So they're not gonna tear it 566 00:36:24,719 --> 00:36:28,960 down that way. So I don't know what you're giving up to, Like, 567 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:30,920 yeah, I don't know. I think it's gonna be it'll be bleak, 568 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:34,039 Like I don't know if it's gonna rise to the level of like the 569 00:36:34,039 --> 00:36:38,599 post title spurs these this last several years where it's like we're gonna just have 570 00:36:38,679 --> 00:36:43,639 DeMar Derozen and LaMarcus Aldridge and pretend like this is anything close to what it 571 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:45,719 used to be. Like that's I don't I don't know if it's gonna look 572 00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:50,920 like that, but it's never pretty when when you end like a run of 573 00:36:51,199 --> 00:36:53,239 however long it's gonna end up being. That's the other question. When it's 574 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:59,119 Steph gonna retire because he's I'll play right, I think I don't see why 575 00:36:59,119 --> 00:37:02,480 he can't, Like we talked about this offline, I think, or maybe 576 00:37:02,559 --> 00:37:07,920 last pod and we went a different way with Damian Lillard. But I'm gonna 577 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:10,199 put step on all NBA first team, like I just I think he's I 578 00:37:10,199 --> 00:37:15,039 think I'm gonna do it, and I think he's gonna deserve it. So 579 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:17,119 I mean, he's got a long way to fall, if you know, 580 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:21,840 if if if you're seeing a decline coming. So I don't know. That's 581 00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:25,119 I don't know when this hypothetical we're post Steph Arrow we're talking about we'll start. 582 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:29,559 But I would bet heavily against the Warriors still being good when he retires. 583 00:37:29,599 --> 00:37:32,000 I think that much just would have been fat and they again they would 584 00:37:32,039 --> 00:37:36,679 have to make the trade where it's the fort of the Donovant Mitchell type trade 585 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:39,480 where it's someone who is going to be incredible with Steff would be good long 586 00:37:39,559 --> 00:37:44,880 after Yeah, And like like Pool, I think is pretty likely to be 587 00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:47,840 traded well before that and cominga is has not proved himself to be a starter. 588 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:52,079 Moody if you're just looking for young guys to like build around, Moody 589 00:37:52,199 --> 00:37:55,360 is like not in the rotation except just in rare occasions, So they don't. 590 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:58,800 I mean, and Wiseman's gone. It was because it was clear he 591 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,440 was never going to be that guy in Golden State, So like what who 592 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:05,559 who? Who are you building around? Like that's on the roster right now? 593 00:38:05,599 --> 00:38:07,480 There just isn't that guy Patrick Baldwin Jr. Or I mean, like 594 00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:13,639 is that is that where we are? I have no idea. Uh that 595 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:16,800 was the finals of Mission comes from. Uh this is not a question, 596 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:20,039 but I found it funny. I three seventh, Kevin, I don't have 597 00:38:20,079 --> 00:38:22,239 a question so much as I just wanted to point out that Chris Paul and 598 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:25,280 Devin Booker are keeping the entry pass alive and Kevin Durant is going to benefit 599 00:38:25,679 --> 00:38:30,599 from that. You don't need to throw a good pass to Kevin Durant, 600 00:38:30,719 --> 00:38:32,800 just get it there. I mean like an entry past to Kevin Durant. 601 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:36,480 It's just like he's so much bigger than everyone else. What is it doesn't 602 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:39,000 really need to look like you're If you're growing a bounce pass to Kevin Durant, 603 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:42,960 uh in the approach, you're doing something wrong. But I will say, 604 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:46,719 Kevin Durant one point five points per possession in post ups this year, 605 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:52,800 guy's just unreal. Sixty three good good if you want to take us out 606 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:54,360 of here. Yeah, thanks for the questions. As always, everybody, 607 00:38:54,639 --> 00:38:59,400 Uh, if you have not done so already, please subscribe. Follow us 608 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:01,400 on our social which are if you're watching this, they're they're on the screen 609 00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:06,719 for you at Hardwood Knocks on Twitter, TikTok had Hardwood Knox, Hardwood Underscore 610 00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:10,280 Knox on Instagram. Make sure you subscribe on YouTube, make sure you rate 611 00:39:10,360 --> 00:39:13,920 and review us, give us five stars on iTunes or wherever you listen to 612 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:17,000 your podcast. Tell your friends and enemies most importantly, and we close as 613 00:39:17,039 --> 00:39:20,800 always with a shout out to the one and only Frank Mila Keena and an 614 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:23,079 apology to Jared Allen, who we mentioned as time for a positive terms. 615 00:39:23,119 --> 00:39:24,320 So that's good. Thanks, guys,