1 00:00:14,679 --> 00:00:20,679 What is krakolacin Fellows Thermonuclear a evers. I am Dana Valley, joined by 2 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,199 my fabulous, certified, fantabulous co host, mister grand Hues, and we're 3 00:00:25,199 --> 00:00:30,600 both super pleased and excited to be joined by Brian Taporrek, co host of 4 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:36,600 the NBA Podcast. He is also a multi platform editor extraordinaire for Bleacher Report. 5 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:41,560 He also writes for Liberty Ballers and for Forbes, covers the entire NBA 6 00:00:41,719 --> 00:00:46,039 at large, with a special emphasis on the Philadelphia seventy six Ers and guess 7 00:00:46,039 --> 00:00:49,520 what, it's the Philadelphia seventy six Ers twenty twenty three, twenty twenty four 8 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:53,520 NBA look Ahead. So of course he's back. I think this is year 9 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:56,799 four or five of Brian doing it, so kudos to you for continuing to 10 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:00,320 come back. There's obviously nothing to talk about with regards to the team, 11 00:01:00,359 --> 00:01:03,159 so we should be out of here in like fifteen or twenty minutes before we 12 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:07,760 get started. Brian, how are you doing? I'm doing well. Thank 13 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:11,439 you guys for having me back. I'm excited to talk about the Oklahoma City 14 00:01:11,439 --> 00:01:17,239 Thunder tonight and only Oklahoma City Thunder. You did mention to Grant and I 15 00:01:17,359 --> 00:01:21,319 just kind of casually before we started that you watched all two hours of Sam 16 00:01:21,359 --> 00:01:25,359 Presty's press conference, and I want to know, for anyone who wasn't on 17 00:01:25,519 --> 00:01:30,120 site, I want to know how many people actually watched that picko shit. 18 00:01:30,599 --> 00:01:36,239 So you're you're pivot into thunder bloggerdom. It's like it's it's legitimate, huh. 19 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:38,879 I'm doing at least one a month, that's my goal. This just 20 00:01:38,879 --> 00:01:44,079 feels like a cry for help. It's a cry for process help. I 21 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,920 just want to see the process fulfilled and the Thunder the closest we're ever going 22 00:01:47,959 --> 00:01:51,799 to get to it, Grant, because we all care. How are you 23 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:53,640 doing? I'm doing very well. I'm glad to be here. I'm glad 24 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,079 to have Brian on for a number of reasons. I mean, you know, 25 00:01:57,239 --> 00:02:00,920 we are coworkers that don't see each other's faces almost ever, you and 26 00:02:00,959 --> 00:02:06,599 I do Dan, But also like I know we're going to make jokes about 27 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,280 how the Sixers are like a tough conversation or a tough topic of conversation. 28 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,840 But I'm super interested and I really am excited to get Brian's perspective because I 29 00:02:15,879 --> 00:02:20,360 feel like he knows a thousand times more about the Sixers than you or I 30 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,639 do, and also like unfair Brian to say has a greater emotional investment, 31 00:02:24,759 --> 00:02:29,159 as like, do you admit to your fandom like I do with the Warriors 32 00:02:29,159 --> 00:02:31,759 and don't pretend to it or to ignore it, or are we're going to 33 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:38,080 get the real perspective is what I'm saying. Yes, but grudgingly I still 34 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:44,080 regrettably care about this team perfect. Can they still hurt you though, like 35 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,439 you did at a point where you're just you're made of teflon? I think 36 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:52,280 so, because now people are like trying to taunt me with like, oh, 37 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,560 Joel Embiid's gonna request to trade, and I'm like, I've written about 38 00:02:54,560 --> 00:03:00,680 it for five months now, I'm all away, you can't. You can't 39 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:02,439 fain. I think the Ben Simmons thing that was it, Like they just 40 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,319 broke me by that point, and then all of this is just funny. 41 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,800 We will get to matters of actual basketball stuff happening on the court, the 42 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:14,319 Nick Nurse high or all that, but we have to start with like every 43 00:03:14,719 --> 00:03:21,199 phase layer potential implication of this James Harden stuff. And so to begin here, 44 00:03:21,759 --> 00:03:24,120 we know how James Harden got here, we know why he's here, 45 00:03:24,199 --> 00:03:28,960 we know what he himself has done wrong in his approach or with what he 46 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,639 said, or maybe how he should have gone about things differently. My question 47 00:03:31,719 --> 00:03:38,240 to you is how much do you blame Darryl Morey and or the organization at 48 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:43,680 large for how the Sixers and we all just collectively ended up here. Yeah. 49 00:03:43,759 --> 00:03:46,000 I mean, you know, the Sixers party line all summer has been 50 00:03:46,759 --> 00:03:51,759 we did not want to reach out to him before free agency started because we 51 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:58,800 got dinged for tampering last and we didn't want to test the NBA again. 52 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:00,439 And I don't know whether it's true or not, that's what they're saying. 53 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:05,719 You know, I struggle to believe that there is not a third party that 54 00:04:05,719 --> 00:04:10,120 they could have communicated. Hey, James, here's the ballpark of what we're 55 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:14,319 willing to offer you. I think, you know, the reality is Houston 56 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,839 hires ime A Doka, and Houston pivots away from interest in James Harden, 57 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,879 and all of a sudden, you know, the Sixers are looking around the 58 00:04:20,959 --> 00:04:24,720 league and they're like, well, you don't really have a ton of good 59 00:04:24,759 --> 00:04:27,759 options left, Like maybe we can squeeze this guy a little bit. So 60 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:30,959 you know, whether they tried to just completely ghost him, or they you 61 00:04:30,959 --> 00:04:33,800 know, kind of signaled that they were planning to squeeze him. Like, 62 00:04:33,879 --> 00:04:39,079 I don't blame them. If he wanted a four year max contract and he 63 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:43,600 would be unhappy with anything less than a four year max contract, I think 64 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:47,000 that's just unrealistic on his end and not the Sixers, And I don't blame 65 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:50,639 the Sixers for doing it, but you know, it does seem like the 66 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:56,439 days leading up to free agency there was a gap in communication. And you 67 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:00,759 know, I understand if the Sixers are telling the truth why they did so. 68 00:05:00,319 --> 00:05:04,160 But you know, there is this expectation around the league that you're, 69 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:08,920 like, by July first or June thirtieth at six pm, you should have 70 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,240 a pretty good idea of what's going on, and it does not seem like 71 00:05:12,319 --> 00:05:16,360 that was the case with Harden. You know, we've kind of alluded to 72 00:05:16,399 --> 00:05:20,600 it already, and you mentioned the name the Ben Simmons situation gets you know, 73 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,079 oh, here we go again. You know, it's it's it's the 74 00:05:24,079 --> 00:05:28,759 same old story, which really there are some pretty substantial differences between what went 75 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,120 on with Simmons and the Sixers compared to what's happening with Harden and the Sixers 76 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:35,240 of one of the many being you know, there may have been some significant 77 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:39,759 offers out there for Ben Simmons that that the Sixers could have taken advantage of. 78 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,199 I mean they did, you know, it looks it's funny to say 79 00:05:42,199 --> 00:05:45,759 it now, but they got James Harden, like and there were other options 80 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,439 before that, potentially Tyre's Haliburton being one, you know, who knows how 81 00:05:49,519 --> 00:05:56,839 real that ever was. But it's different now for Harden because it's really difficult 82 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,519 for me. And I've talked to Dan about this, like what is what's 83 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:01,920 out there? And there's been recent reporting about a Clippers package that may or 84 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,079 may not be, you know, somewhere around the ten yard line. I 85 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:11,519 don't know how to you know, frame it. But what do you see 86 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,199 as a likely conclusion to this, specifically with respect to like what are they 87 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,720 what can they get for him? What do you and how close or how 88 00:06:18,759 --> 00:06:23,199 far probably is it from what they actually want to get for James Harden. 89 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,279 Yeah, it's a good question. I mean, you know, Darryl Moria 90 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,240 said, we're either trading him for a star or something that can help us 91 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,319 get a star. I don't think they're trading him for a star. At 92 00:06:31,319 --> 00:06:34,759 this point, I just don't see who's on you know, Drew move, 93 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:40,519 Damian Lillard moved like that. There isn't another lingering star trade request on the 94 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:45,680 market unless you feel that strongly about Malcolm Brogden. So you know, you 95 00:06:45,959 --> 00:06:50,079 alluded to it. Sam Amock and Sham Schroni of The Athletic reported earlier today 96 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:56,920 that the Clippers have kind of re engaged the Sixers and have offered a first 97 00:06:56,959 --> 00:07:00,720 round pick, a pick swap and you know, expiring contract salary filler, 98 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:05,800 probably some combination of Marcus Morris, Nick Patoomb, Robert Covington. You know, 99 00:07:05,879 --> 00:07:12,839 the Sixers have telegraphed that they are hoping to keep cap space open for 100 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,279 next summer when they could have more than fifty million in cap space. So 101 00:07:15,959 --> 00:07:19,720 you know, Norman Powell was the name that was kicked around when this first 102 00:07:19,879 --> 00:07:24,879 popped up earlier this year. And you know, based on what the Sixers 103 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:30,319 have said, I would imagine they lean more toward the expirings in draft compensation. 104 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,240 Seems like, you know, the number of picks that the Clippers send 105 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:39,439 and whether they include Terrence Mann are the sticking points. And you know, 106 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:43,959 I think the Clippers realized they might be bidding against themselves so much like Miami 107 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,560 throughout the Dean Lillard thing, They're probably like, well, we don't, 108 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:48,360 you know, why are we giving up everything if we're the only suitor, 109 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:54,000 And the Sixers are probably saying, well, look how that worked out for 110 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,160 Miami, Like, all right, Clippers, you could play that game, 111 00:07:57,279 --> 00:08:00,560 but you know, if another team starts slow, we'll see what happens in 112 00:08:00,639 --> 00:08:03,600 Chicago and Toronto in particular, Like, there are a couple teams out there 113 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,000 that have stars with very uncertain futures, and all it takes is one other 114 00:08:07,079 --> 00:08:13,480 team to jump into the mix. So I think things are somewhat at a 115 00:08:13,519 --> 00:08:16,680 stand still, but it wouldn't shock me if they heat up relatively soon. 116 00:08:18,519 --> 00:08:22,920 So my question is twofold, and I'll start with this one. What is 117 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:26,560 like, I don't even know, I don't even know somebody how to phrase 118 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:30,560 it is? Just let me go back to my outline here to see how 119 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:37,159 I phrased it there. Do you agree with their prioritization of cat flexibility in 120 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:41,720 next summer, knowing what we know about both who will be available and just 121 00:08:41,799 --> 00:08:46,679 how free agency has come to operate over the past few years. Yeah, 122 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,519 I mean it's risky, right because if they basically treat this year as a 123 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:54,639 punt year, which Joelle Embiid on Media Day are at Media Day on Monday, 124 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:58,519 said, you know, I want to be competing for a championship every 125 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,799 year, like I do not want to have a gap year. So if 126 00:09:03,159 --> 00:09:07,279 you know Harden, let's say they don't trade him, he acts out, 127 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,840 they suspend him. You know, how they fare without him might determine how 128 00:09:11,879 --> 00:09:16,840 happy Joel Embiid is for the rest of this season. Like it wouldn't shock 129 00:09:16,919 --> 00:09:22,159 me if we get to next year's draft and where you know, the six 130 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,799 are at the same place that the Blazers were with Damian Lillard in April, 131 00:09:24,799 --> 00:09:28,960 where he gives his end of season press conferences like all right, guys, 132 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,919 time to you got to move the pick, like it's time to win. 133 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:35,480 It's time to get this thing going now. I think Embiid's probably gonna give 134 00:09:35,519 --> 00:09:41,639 them this season and the start a free agency next year and then reevaluate from 135 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:46,720 there. So you know that the list of free agents is interesting in that 136 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:52,600 you know Pascal siakam Ogann Andobi both of whom played under Nick Nurse, Kawhi 137 00:09:52,639 --> 00:09:56,519 Leonard has a player option. He obviously won a title with Nick Nurse as 138 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:01,159 well in Toronto. Paul George has a player option. Like you know, 139 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:05,720 I think they just have to evaluate how serious of a threat they are to 140 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:09,120 pry. You know, Kawhi and Paul George don't really seem inclined to leave 141 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:13,240 LA. I think that might just be if LA tries to low ball them, 142 00:10:13,279 --> 00:10:18,440 maybe they're open to moving elsewhere. Did not seem like there was a 143 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:24,919 lot of love loss between Siakam and Nick Nurse by the end of Nurse's tenure 144 00:10:24,919 --> 00:10:28,000 in Toronto. So I think, you know, oj Ananobi strikes me as 145 00:10:28,039 --> 00:10:33,919 the most realistic big name free agent target, but it also wouldn't shock me 146 00:10:35,279 --> 00:10:39,000 if you know, Darryl Moorey is one of these smarter cap minds out there 147 00:10:39,039 --> 00:10:43,960 in front offices, and we're in year one of this new CBA, where 148 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,120 you know, Boston and Phoenix in particular have kind of turned up their nose 149 00:10:48,159 --> 00:10:50,639 that oh, the second Apron, you're not going to be able to have 150 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:54,039 super teams. You can only have two maxes on your books, And they're 151 00:10:54,039 --> 00:10:58,120 like, no, that's not true, we can have three or four. 152 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:01,440 Really expensive players. You know, I think he might want to see how 153 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:05,519 that plays out and what it means for the expensive teams next summer, because 154 00:11:05,919 --> 00:11:11,000 you know, maybe instead of going after a Siakam or an Ananobe or you 155 00:11:11,039 --> 00:11:16,200 know, a big name free agent, maybe he just breaks it up into 156 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:22,039 a couple smaller contracts, then resigns Maxie, and it's a Maxi embid on 157 00:11:22,159 --> 00:11:26,240 the Maxes and you've just got a bunch of like starting quality players around them. 158 00:11:26,399 --> 00:11:31,679 So you know, they have One of his favorite terms is optionality, 159 00:11:31,879 --> 00:11:37,519 Like they have more optionality than most contenders do, at least in terms of 160 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:41,279 free agency. But that's, you know, the only optionality they have because 161 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:45,360 they've already traded two first round picks away like that. You know, they 162 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:50,000 couldn't get in on Damian Lillard or even Drew Holliday without giving up Tyrese, 163 00:11:50,039 --> 00:11:54,080 Maxie and Frankly, you know, I don't know that Maxie and one pick 164 00:11:54,200 --> 00:12:00,240 tops Broggden and time Lord and two picks from Boston like that. You know, 165 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:05,960 they just do not have the ammunition to get into a superstar trade war, 166 00:12:05,399 --> 00:12:09,399 which I think is also why they're trying to use this Harden trade to 167 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:13,000 kind of replenish their war chest of it. I was gonna sorry, Graham 168 00:12:13,039 --> 00:12:16,799 put the second part of that for me was so everything you outlay can all 169 00:12:16,879 --> 00:12:20,039 kind of make sense. And so it's not just about what the cap space 170 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:24,080 can turn into a free agency, it's you mentioned the trade market, and 171 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,120 then if you do trade Harden, you could have this ammunition to maybe you 172 00:12:26,159 --> 00:12:30,519 do get in not a superstar trade this year, but over the summer. 173 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,320 And you mentioned some of these expensive teams, what are those expensive? Like 174 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:35,480 what if just Boston kind of flames out in Round one where it gets bounced 175 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:37,639 to the semi finals this year, or is like, yeah, like Jalen 176 00:12:37,639 --> 00:12:39,840 Brown's gonna be on the blockers. I'm not saying this actually be interested, 177 00:12:39,919 --> 00:12:45,559 but one of those expensive stars become available is the most Like, what is 178 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,200 then the path to this season? And you mentioned the term gap year? 179 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:52,519 What is the path to this season not being a gap year? Then if 180 00:12:52,519 --> 00:12:58,559 you're waiting or prioritizing any one of those scenarios, is it actually like James 181 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:01,240 Harden sticks with the team all year and is actually playing well. But then 182 00:13:01,279 --> 00:13:05,600 if that happens, you're not getting assets for him, so you're still not 183 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,000 gonna have that superstar ammunition. Yeah. I mean, if I'm being brutally 184 00:13:09,039 --> 00:13:15,120 honest, I don't see either path James Harden staying or they trade James Harden 185 00:13:15,159 --> 00:13:18,320 to the Clippers for whatever the Clippers have to offer that isn't Kawhi Leonard or 186 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,919 Paul George. I don't think either one of them puts them on the level 187 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,919 of Boston or Milwaukee. So, you know, I think, no matter 188 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:28,840 what, it is kind of kind of be a gap year in terms of 189 00:13:28,519 --> 00:13:35,000 legitimate title contention. That isn't to say that they can't turn this year into 190 00:13:35,039 --> 00:13:37,360 a valuable experience though, and I'm sure we're gonna get into it with the 191 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:43,240 Nick Nurse stuff, but they have a lot of other big picture questions to 192 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,600 answer about this team, and I think, you know, it almost harkens 193 00:13:46,639 --> 00:13:50,559 back to the process days, where you're less concerned with wins and losses and 194 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:56,799 you're more concerned with like individual player development. I think this is just going 195 00:13:56,879 --> 00:14:01,559 to be a rich Man's version of that. I mean, if we're gonna 196 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:05,480 talk player to I do want to before we get to have so many more 197 00:14:05,519 --> 00:14:09,120 questions about this offseason and what Hard has done. Maybe we should do that 198 00:14:09,159 --> 00:14:13,320 first. Because I have some we have Tyre's MAXI questions because we're talking about 199 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:18,399 player development and there's hardly anybody more important from that standpoint than him. Do 200 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:22,080 you think this one? Is there a scenario or is there an explanation for 201 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,799 this current situation that you know could could Darryl Mory say, well, this 202 00:14:26,919 --> 00:14:31,159 was unforeseen like I was, I'm surprised that I'm in this position with James 203 00:14:31,159 --> 00:14:35,320 Harden? And two has this had an effect on like were there other moves 204 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:39,559 that maybe the Sixers would have made had this been done more cleanly? And 205 00:14:39,759 --> 00:14:43,679 I don't know if I'm even talking about Harden's just back and we're all good, 206 00:14:43,879 --> 00:14:46,679 or had signed him to a new deal, or if he had been 207 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:50,559 traded quickly, Like if there weren't this cloud, do you think the team 208 00:14:50,799 --> 00:14:54,000 the roster would look different. Are there opportunities they didn't pursue? Are their 209 00:14:54,039 --> 00:14:58,279 guys like Niang and McDaniels that might be back or not? Like has it 210 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:03,600 had ripple a or was this always going to be a situation where like you 211 00:15:03,639 --> 00:15:07,200 said, it kind of as a gap year by default almost just I mean 212 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:11,879 not a real one because you know that has such a negative connotation. But 213 00:15:11,039 --> 00:15:13,759 you see, I'm asking like, would this be different if not for the 214 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:18,759 hardened debacle? Yeah, I think to some extent it would. I mean, 215 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,600 I don't know that they would have paid Nyang what he got from Cleveland, 216 00:15:22,159 --> 00:15:28,279 even Jalen McDaniels what he got from Toronto, or even Shake Milton. 217 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,840 I mean, I think, honestly, remove the hardened stuff from the equation, 218 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,440 and you think of like net loss net gain from the offseason. They 219 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:41,360 lose, you know, Nyang, McDaniels, Shake Milton, they gain Pat 220 00:15:41,399 --> 00:15:45,360 Bev, Kelly Ubrage, you and your Mobamba, Danny Green all on min 221 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:50,919 deals. You could make a case that they maybe broke even maybe even got 222 00:15:50,919 --> 00:15:54,440 a little better, But obviously this harden stuff is all overshadowing that, so 223 00:15:54,519 --> 00:15:58,799 no one's really focused on that part of it. I mean, I do 224 00:15:58,879 --> 00:16:03,399 think the one big change is that they haven't used their tax payermid level exception 225 00:16:03,639 --> 00:16:07,759 at all. They are far enough under the second apron that they have access 226 00:16:07,799 --> 00:16:11,080 to it, but that would hardcap them at the second apron, which I 227 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:15,799 think they are not particularly interested in doing before they resolve the hard and stuff, 228 00:16:15,799 --> 00:16:18,919 because that's you know, they're far enough under to use it, but 229 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:22,559 not far enough that once they use it, they'd be kind of close. 230 00:16:22,639 --> 00:16:29,000 So they want to preserve as much financial flexibility as possible to avoid any hardcap 231 00:16:29,039 --> 00:16:33,000 stuff because that's only going to complicate what they're able to take back from Harden. 232 00:16:33,039 --> 00:16:36,120 And I think that's the biggest priority to resolve. You just made me 233 00:16:36,159 --> 00:16:38,559 think of something else and going off outline, which Dan knows I'm prone to 234 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:47,000 doing. If there, if hypothetically, had it been immediately clear that we're 235 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,679 no longer we being the sixers in the James Harden business, is there any 236 00:16:49,919 --> 00:16:52,559 maybe there's reporting that could just tell me this that I've forgotten? Is there 237 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,240 a chance Doc Rivers's back Was it an either or thing? Do you think? 238 00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:00,279 Or was it more just like as Doc Rivers tends to do, like 239 00:17:00,399 --> 00:17:03,480 we're kind of that we've run with this relationship has run its course, Thank 240 00:17:03,519 --> 00:17:07,440 you, sir, next type of situation. Based on the quotes that have 241 00:17:07,559 --> 00:17:12,759 come out since his dismissal starting your Summer League and really like this week in 242 00:17:12,799 --> 00:17:18,400 particular, it's becoming increasingly clear that James Harden was not the only one who 243 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,759 was done with talks, so I think he probably were out. I mean 244 00:17:21,799 --> 00:17:26,160 I just don't know how you come back from that meltdown in Game seven when 245 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:32,599 Daniel House is thrown at you. Yeah, exactly what was the what was 246 00:17:32,599 --> 00:17:36,240 the Joelle embiid response? They asked, what's the biggest difference playing for Nick 247 00:17:36,319 --> 00:17:40,319 Nurse on offense? And he was like, I like it. It's fun. 248 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:45,720 I know honestly, Like I thought of this analogy earlier today once I 249 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,519 saw that and be quote, you know, when you've got a friend who's 250 00:17:48,559 --> 00:17:52,680 just in like a really toxic relationship and then they finally get out of it 251 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:56,680 and they start dating someone else and they're like, oh, this person's so 252 00:17:56,839 --> 00:17:59,839 nice to me. They like compliment me, and they call me to check 253 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:03,599 on how I'm doing, and they like ask about my feelings, and you're 254 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:10,160 like, that's just normal. Why are you talking about this? Is like 255 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,759 it's novel. That's how the Sixers sound discussing Nick Nurse. So like, 256 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,640 the ball is moving, it's not just Joelle and James all the time. 257 00:18:17,799 --> 00:18:19,880 Like the ball is moving, players are moving, and it's like, yeah, 258 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:26,000 that's just basketball. You're just describing basketball. So yeah, I think 259 00:18:26,039 --> 00:18:30,400 it was probably time for Doc. Either way, it's really early into training 260 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,759 camp. As we record this. What and all the reporting, at least 261 00:18:33,799 --> 00:18:37,759 coming out of that AMIC piece is that one the players, and this has 262 00:18:37,799 --> 00:18:40,440 been true before he showed up. They don't really seem to resent James Harden 263 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:42,599 for this at all, which is probably a good thing. James Harden seems 264 00:18:42,599 --> 00:18:47,920 to be in good spirits and not participating, but participating like he's not doing 265 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:52,759 live action stuff, but he's still not like he's not in poor shape. 266 00:18:52,759 --> 00:18:55,079 I don't know anyone said he was in great shape, but they talked about 267 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:59,920 him taking his bodies. Seriously, if he's still on this roster when at 268 00:19:00,039 --> 00:19:04,319 vitual regular season games tip off, would you expect him to continue following the 269 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,480 course of while the best way for me to get out of here is to 270 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:11,319 play my ass off, be great, increase my market value, whether it's 271 00:19:11,319 --> 00:19:14,319 for the Clippers or someone else, or do you think at some point he 272 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:18,960 would go fill malcontent as sort of the Darryl Mory is a liar quote the 273 00:19:18,039 --> 00:19:22,559 signs he had people holding up at whatever party he always like, what do 274 00:19:22,559 --> 00:19:26,079 you think is more likely if he's still on this team during the regular season. 275 00:19:26,279 --> 00:19:30,240 I think if he's smart, he would do the former. But he 276 00:19:30,319 --> 00:19:34,039 has shown that he doesn't always follow the best advice, so it wouldn't shock 277 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:37,880 me if he does the latter. I think you're exactly right. I wrote 278 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,359 about this like Wednesday morning, right before he showed up to training camp at 279 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:48,319 Liberty Bollers exactly like. This guy has now requested three trades in three and 280 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:51,799 a half years. He's thirty four. Well, it's a big money, 281 00:19:51,799 --> 00:19:55,519 long term deal. Has you know the hamstring injury from a couple of years 282 00:19:55,559 --> 00:19:59,160 ago that affected him for quite some time. We get the Stephen A. 283 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:03,279 Smith report this week where you know Houston was in on him until he goes 284 00:20:03,319 --> 00:20:06,240 to im Adoka and says I want to be scoring champ again. Whether that's 285 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:10,319 true or not, I don't know, but it's clear that Houston pivoted away 286 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:15,039 from interest in him. So no, I think he's at the point of 287 00:20:15,039 --> 00:20:19,920 his career where he needs to realize that he's not the in his prime James 288 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:25,559 Harden anymore. I'm not totally sure he's there yet, which is already gonna 289 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,119 narrow the market. I think he makes a ton of sense for the Clippers 290 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,759 and a like I do think this deal hopefully gets done at some point. 291 00:20:32,799 --> 00:20:37,559 It's mutually beneficial to all parties. But I think really the best case for 292 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:41,000 him is go out and try hard and boost your market value, because otherwise 293 00:20:41,039 --> 00:20:45,279 if you go and like loaf, I don't see why the Sixers wouldn't just 294 00:20:45,559 --> 00:20:48,839 send him home and suspend him, Like I don't think they have to put 295 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,759 up with, you know, like when when he did it for Houston, 296 00:20:52,799 --> 00:20:57,440 it's still because he was like MVP caliber James Harden. He's not that anymore. 297 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:02,880 And I think the Sixers realize, you know, we're gonna be worse 298 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:06,480 without him, but we can survive without him. We don't need him to 299 00:21:07,319 --> 00:21:15,160 submarine our season when we've got the reigning MVP. So I have to jump 300 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,960 one question ahead here, or Dan, we can circle back to to sort 301 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:23,000 of more hard and specific stuff if you want. But to me, and 302 00:21:23,319 --> 00:21:27,559 this is it's not like some revelation to say this, the most important element 303 00:21:27,599 --> 00:21:33,119 in all this is Joel Embiid. And I know he said he's made assurances, 304 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:37,160 you know, really pretty consistently that you know, he's happy, he 305 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:41,000 wants to be in Philadelphia and so on and so on. I just like, 306 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:42,319 I think the way I phrased it to you, Dan, the other 307 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:48,680 day was if in December, Joel Embiid demanded a trade, no one on 308 00:21:48,759 --> 00:21:53,480 planet Earth would would be oh, are you really? Are you kidding me? 309 00:21:53,519 --> 00:22:00,039 I can't Joel Embiid him really, Like, there's no scenario where that 310 00:22:00,039 --> 00:22:04,920 that's a surprise. What do you think the best outcome maybe in the short 311 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:07,200 term, you know, in the next couple of weeks, and then as 312 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:12,480 the season goes on, is with specific focus on what's the thing that makes 313 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:17,759 it less likely that Joel Embiid does change his mind or does you know, 314 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:19,880 angle to get out and doesn't want to wait through this gap year, Like 315 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:26,880 what what hypothetical do you see as the best way to make sure Embiid continues 316 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,039 to be consistent in saying I do want to be here because like this, 317 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:33,599 these things end somewhat predictably. It's to me, it just seems like it's 318 00:22:33,599 --> 00:22:37,599 a question of when how do we push the when back? Yeah, I 319 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:44,359 completely agree. I mean short of the clippers, you know, offering like 320 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:48,319 Paul George or something for James Harden, which I don't see, like remove 321 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:52,640 the hardened stuff from the equation, as difficult as that may be. I 322 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:56,240 think the other big thing and big question looming over them this season is the 323 00:22:56,240 --> 00:23:03,039 ceiling of Tyrese Maxey. So you know they're already prepping whether Harden returns or 324 00:23:03,079 --> 00:23:07,720 not, to have Maxie operating more of an on ball roll, whether he 325 00:23:07,839 --> 00:23:14,680 takes a leap as a playmaker in particular, because that's been one of his 326 00:23:15,559 --> 00:23:18,039 when say, weaknesses, necessarily, but not one of his strengths. So 327 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:25,440 if he turns into a seven eight assist kind of asis per game kind of 328 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:29,559 guy, you know, that raises the ceiling I think of the team as 329 00:23:29,559 --> 00:23:33,920 a whole, and it also provides more clarity about the long term type of 330 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:41,039 backcourt partner they need next to him, which again with the possibility of fifty 331 00:23:41,079 --> 00:23:45,599 million dollars in cap space or trade Jane Harden and where all of a sudden 332 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:48,160 have these access to go star hunting again. No, I think that's one 333 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:52,359 of the biggest questions than he'd answered. If if Tyrese Maxie is a long 334 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:56,359 term piece of the team, which it sounds like they want him to be, 335 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:00,440 how do we best compliment him, whether it's you know, like, 336 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,720 if he could be this full time playmaker, then we can go a little 337 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:10,359 bit of a bigger guard who's better at defense, you can be more of 338 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,839 a secondary ball handler. If he, you know, struggles in this role 339 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:18,559 or we don't think he can adequately fill this role, then we need a 340 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:22,799 bigger playmaker, still good on defense, and we could have him operate off 341 00:24:22,839 --> 00:24:27,880 the ball. So I think how Maxie adjusts to this new role, you 342 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:32,400 know, might either give him be confidence that Okay, yeah, i can 343 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:33,759 roll with this guy and this guy can be my co star for the next 344 00:24:33,839 --> 00:24:37,240 five years and I'm happy to be in Philly, or no, oh, 345 00:24:37,279 --> 00:24:41,279 this guy face planted to this role and there is no hope here anymore. 346 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:48,680 Is there any chance, like, what is the timeline for Joel Embiid reaching 347 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:55,119 def con Get me the fuck out of Is there any version of this season 348 00:24:55,519 --> 00:24:59,519 or like of this saga where that gets accelerated and you're all of a sudden 349 00:24:59,559 --> 00:25:03,279 concerned this season or is it very much? Uh, that's at the absolute 350 00:25:03,279 --> 00:25:07,680 earliest. Something could happen next summer. I would be surprised if it happened 351 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:11,720 before next summer. Maybe not surprised because Grant, as you said, at 352 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:12,559 this point, any day it could happen, and it's like, okay, 353 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:15,400 yeah, that you've put up with so much crap over the years, like 354 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:21,400 you've you've served your time, sir, you are free to go elsewhere. 355 00:25:22,519 --> 00:25:25,720 But I think, you know, he wants to see how they resolve the 356 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:29,119 hardened thing first and foremost. And you know, I'm sure Darryl Morey has 357 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:33,319 sold him on. Look like we're not giving Tyrese Maxi this extension this year 358 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:37,000 because we are keeping his cheap cap hold on the books, because we have 359 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:41,039 this flexibility that no contender has. So you know, how do we whether 360 00:25:41,079 --> 00:25:45,000 it's the trade, whether it's free agency, what do we do with that 361 00:25:45,079 --> 00:25:49,119 flexibility next summer? And then if we get to July first, second third, 362 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,960 Much like the Blazers with Dame this year, you know, he kind 363 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:55,359 of put them on the clock. They didn't do anything at the draft, 364 00:25:55,759 --> 00:25:59,599 free agency opened, they resigned Jeremy Grant and that was it, and Dave 365 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,240 was like, I'm out of here. You know. I think if we 366 00:26:02,279 --> 00:26:06,359 get to July third next year and the Sixers, you know, like Kawhi 367 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:11,559 resigns, Paul George resigns, Og Pascal either resign or go elsewhere, and 368 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:15,960 they are looking at okay, maybe you know, I don't I don't know 369 00:26:15,079 --> 00:26:21,039 who the Gordon Hayward. If that's the best case scenario and free agency, 370 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,759 then yeah, I would imagine at that point we're at that coom win. 371 00:26:26,559 --> 00:26:29,960 We're gonna leave this topic really shortly, and before we do, I just 372 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:33,119 want to give you a chance. Is there anything that you know, any 373 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:37,880 big picture aspect of this, any slant on it or you can't say, 374 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:44,519 you can't say fine new slants with that was accidental, Any angle here or 375 00:26:44,519 --> 00:26:51,039 any facet of this whole hardened Sixers off season situation that is under discussed, 376 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:55,440 or that you have an opinion on that maybe is not getting enough the coverage 377 00:26:55,480 --> 00:27:00,200 you think maybe that it should. I just think there is a funny sense 378 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:04,759 of irony and that if this whole thing was a miscommunication, or maybe not 379 00:27:04,799 --> 00:27:10,039 even a miscommunication, a lack of communication leading up to free agency, it's 380 00:27:10,079 --> 00:27:12,519 funny that had this happened a year later, this wouldn't apply because the new 381 00:27:12,599 --> 00:27:15,720 CBA, you could start negotiating with your own free agents one day after the 382 00:27:15,799 --> 00:27:22,000 finals. So the Sixers just got kind of screwed by timing here, which 383 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:25,960 you know, I like, I guess the good thing is if they don't 384 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,119 trade hard and if he buys back in and they get to this point next 385 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:32,559 summer, when he's still on the roster, at least they'll have clarity leading 386 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:37,119 up to June thirty at this time, is that I guess this will be 387 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:38,839 the real final question? Is that even a possibility? Is there a scenario 388 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:42,640 where these two were just stuck with each other for the entire year? Or 389 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:45,799 if you had to predict right now, and I'm forcing you to, like, 390 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:51,160 how do you see this thing ultimately ending? I mean, based on 391 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:53,400 the Avid report today that was like the first time it's actually sounded like the 392 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:56,440 Clippers are seriously trying to acquire him. Before it was just like, oh 393 00:27:56,519 --> 00:28:00,400 he's available, Okay, well just low ball and see if they'll take it. 394 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,880 I think they've realized that More is just not the person to mess with 395 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:07,759 in that regard. So I imagine he ends up on the Clippers at some 396 00:28:07,839 --> 00:28:11,640 point. I just think it makes so much sense for them being in this 397 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:15,079 kind of all in window right now, with Kawhi and Paul George, and 398 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:18,200 with their futures also uncertain. I think he would be such a good fit 399 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:22,880 with those guys, So I would imagine it he goes there. I don't 400 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:29,279 know when I don't know what ultimately the trade package is gonna be. I 401 00:28:29,319 --> 00:28:33,359 would be pretty surprised if he makes it past the trade deadline in Philly. 402 00:28:33,839 --> 00:28:37,599 I think he knows, you know he I have written about this at Liberty 403 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:40,319 Waller as well, But you know, his bird rights are the only way 404 00:28:40,359 --> 00:28:42,680 he's getting the nine figure deal next summer. Like the Sixers don't have to 405 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:45,119 work with him on a sign and trade, especially if they're trying to preserve 406 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:49,640 cap space for something else. No other contender is projected to have cap space 407 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:53,319 next summer other than the Sixers, So he knows. If I'm still on 408 00:28:53,359 --> 00:28:57,039 the Sixers on February eighth, my options are a lot more limited in free 409 00:28:57,079 --> 00:29:02,240 agency next year and age. And even if he is, you know, 410 00:29:02,519 --> 00:29:04,839 comes into the season, plays the good soldier for a little while. If 411 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,359 he's still on the roster in January or even February, that's when we start 412 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:15,759 to see the you know, the end of Houston Day's pardon yeah, okay, 413 00:29:15,039 --> 00:29:23,279 mercifully yes, thirty pretty good, pretty good. Nick Nurse is a 414 00:29:23,319 --> 00:29:29,559 new head coach. Broadly, what what do you think about the higher compared 415 00:29:29,599 --> 00:29:32,440 to what some of the alternatives might have been. What are you excited about 416 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:34,680 what do you think will be the most noticeable differences on either end of the 417 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:38,759 floor, or just culturally give me, give me your your nick nurse kind 418 00:29:38,759 --> 00:29:44,839 of hopes and dreams or concerns. Yeah, well, I mean Raptors fans 419 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:48,799 certainly have me concerned after the higher because they were, you know, laughing. 420 00:29:49,039 --> 00:29:52,680 It was like, oh, oh, I thought we were happy that 421 00:29:52,799 --> 00:29:55,119 Doc Rivers has gone. But I guess, I guess we have to think 422 00:29:55,160 --> 00:30:00,519 twice about this. You know, I think obvious concern is he ran especially 423 00:30:00,759 --> 00:30:03,519 van Fleet and Siakam into the ground by the end of his tenure there, 424 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,960 and Joel Embiid, with his injury history, is not the type of player 425 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,480 you want to do that with. So you know, he has talked about 426 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,160 and more has talked about this too. Actually, like their sports science people 427 00:30:14,759 --> 00:30:18,480 are not as big into load management. They actually think it's better for him 428 00:30:18,559 --> 00:30:22,480 to play more. And Embiid has even said this too. He says, 429 00:30:22,559 --> 00:30:25,960 like, I, you know, I get out of shape in like four 430 00:30:26,039 --> 00:30:27,680 to five days if I don't play, So I want to play every game, 431 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:33,160 so you know, yeah, right, you know, like I don't 432 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:37,480 want him to play thirty eight minutes a game for all of you. Two 433 00:30:37,519 --> 00:30:42,079 games, So how Nurse manages minutes I think is something I'll be keeping a 434 00:30:42,119 --> 00:30:47,640 pretty close eye on. But again, like they have been pretty glowing reviews 435 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:52,599 so far about Nurse's system, especially from Daniel House Junior Tobias Harris has been 436 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:57,480 pretty vocal about it as well, So I think we will see more ball 437 00:30:57,599 --> 00:31:03,079 movement, more player movement. You know, Danny Green was talking and Media 438 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:07,200 Day about when you know, he was on the Raptors for the twenty eighteen 439 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:12,240 nineteen season where they won the championship, and he was discussing when they went 440 00:31:12,359 --> 00:31:17,240 to be the box and one and the triangle in two in the finals against 441 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:19,759 the Warriors, and he was like, you should have seen our faces when 442 00:31:19,839 --> 00:31:23,000 this man said this, Like we thought he was crazy, but then it 443 00:31:23,119 --> 00:31:29,400 actually worked and it like he's earned this lifetime of loyalty from me. So 444 00:31:29,559 --> 00:31:33,519 I think having someone like Danny, assuming he makes the team, which is 445 00:31:33,599 --> 00:31:37,759 not guaranteed at this point, but I think they probably brought him in for 446 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:42,319 that reason to be the veteran leader, locker room guy that he was for 447 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:45,880 them a couple of years ago as well. But now with his experience with 448 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,799 Nick Nurse to be like, hey, guys, this guy is going to 449 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:52,720 try out some wild stuff at times, and it's going to be very different 450 00:31:52,799 --> 00:31:56,240 from Doc Rivers, who was very static and we didn't experiment all that much. 451 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:04,640 I think that culture is something that really all contenders should have during the 452 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:07,839 regular season, Like if you are if you know you're gonna make the playoffs, 453 00:32:07,839 --> 00:32:09,359 so if you know you're gonna be a fifty win team, the entire 454 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:14,240 point of the regular season is figure out what's gonna work in the playoffs. 455 00:32:14,599 --> 00:32:19,279 And I think last year with the Sixers, you Doc ran the NB pick 456 00:32:19,319 --> 00:32:22,400 and roll into the ground, just spammed it and it was really effective. 457 00:32:22,519 --> 00:32:25,559 It makes sense, you know, if you've got a play that that's that 458 00:32:25,759 --> 00:32:30,599 lethal, of course you want to spam it. But then the Boston Celtics 459 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:35,400 in the second round figured it out save for Game five, and the Sixers 460 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:38,240 didn't really have a CounterPunch. So I think under Nurse, they're gonna be 461 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:44,039 a lot less predictable and they are gonna be definitely some times where he tries 462 00:32:44,079 --> 00:32:47,319 out weird lineups that don't work at all, but you know his willingness to 463 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:52,279 experiment, like I'm not worried that he's gonna, you know, try to 464 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:58,920 convince Darryl Mourray to sign the washed corpse of DeAndre Jordan or Paul Millsap or 465 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:00,839 Dwayne Deadman or any like that. Like, I think he wants to play. 466 00:33:01,599 --> 00:33:05,559 He's gonna give guys opportunities that they didn't have last year. And I 467 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,160 think, you know, House in particular, sounds very excited about that because 468 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:12,720 he was on the fringes of Doc's rotation for most of the year, which 469 00:33:12,759 --> 00:33:15,759 seemed like a total waste of a biannual exception, especially when they lost a 470 00:33:15,759 --> 00:33:20,400 second round pick for tampering with him. Are there any like you know you 471 00:33:20,519 --> 00:33:23,039 mentioned the experimentation. I think, as you mentioned, we will see a 472 00:33:23,079 --> 00:33:28,319 ton of that on offense. Do you see the potential for that to happen 473 00:33:28,599 --> 00:33:32,920 on defense at all? Where maybe they're playing more aggressively on defense? Is 474 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:37,680 that happening maybe in lineups where embiad isn't there because you have Paul Reid and 475 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,839 Ubra and Maxi, none of whom I would say, or like maybe Red 476 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:45,359 but like aren't super net plus defenders, but they have the ability to play 477 00:33:45,759 --> 00:33:49,559 aggressively. Or do you not do you expect the Sixers base defense to sort 478 00:33:49,559 --> 00:33:52,759 of remain the same. Yeah, He's actually talked about he wants MBA to 479 00:33:52,839 --> 00:33:57,000 be challenging more shots this year, which I think is interesting. So I 480 00:33:57,079 --> 00:34:00,200 think he wants them to be more aggressive, even if it leads to some 481 00:34:00,359 --> 00:34:05,119 breakdowns at times. It makes me nervous because they feel like most of em 482 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:07,599 Beads playoff injuries have been when he's going for these blocks, especially in the 483 00:34:07,679 --> 00:34:13,280 past two years. So I hope he can do that while staying healthy. 484 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:16,920 But yeah, I mean, I think you know, we barely at all 485 00:34:17,079 --> 00:34:22,639 if ever saw Paul Reid play next to Embiid last season. Nurse has already 486 00:34:22,679 --> 00:34:24,519 said we're going to see more of that this year. I mean, but 487 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:30,000 between Melton, PJ. Tucker, Patrick Beverly, James Springer, if he 488 00:34:30,039 --> 00:34:36,239 can crack the rotation like, they have some intriguing defensive personnel, and I 489 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:39,800 think Nurse is going to look to tap into that wherever you can. You 490 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:43,639 hit on this a little bit earlier, but and it made me really reconsider 491 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:47,159 what I thought about, you know, the talent give and take that the 492 00:34:47,199 --> 00:34:53,199 Sixers have undergone this offseason. What do you think about the new additions? 493 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:55,559 I'm granted, you know, they didn't have, you know, a ton 494 00:34:55,639 --> 00:34:59,320 of tools to go out and you know, get a bunch of you know, 495 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:02,719 big needle new but it does seem like they did fairly well with the 496 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:07,039 resources that they had. So I guess maybe the question is which of the 497 00:35:07,119 --> 00:35:09,880 new additions are you most intrigued by, Which do you think will play the 498 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:15,239 biggest roles and what might that look like. Yeah, I think Oubrey is 499 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:20,000 the default answer, just based on what he did last year in Charlotte. 500 00:35:20,039 --> 00:35:22,360 Obviously he's not going to have that kind of a role in Philly. But 501 00:35:23,079 --> 00:35:30,880 they haven't really had this like microwave scorer off the bench since Alec Burks a 502 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:34,159 couple of years ago, and before that even like Lou Williams, you know, 503 00:35:34,280 --> 00:35:37,880 like pre process. So it's been a while since they've had someone like 504 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,920 that. And really their wing depth. At the start of the off season, 505 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:45,119 you're like, oh my god, they have Tobias and PJ. Tucker 506 00:35:45,159 --> 00:35:47,639 and other than that, it's like house And for con cork mods they got 507 00:35:47,719 --> 00:35:52,679 nothing. You know, we'll see what Danny Green still has left in the 508 00:35:52,719 --> 00:35:55,320 tank, hopefully now that he's more than a year removed from the injury. 509 00:35:57,159 --> 00:36:00,199 He can help him out in that regard, and he was really good for 510 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:05,880 them during his two seasons in Philly before the injury. But I think Uber 511 00:36:06,039 --> 00:36:10,599 is the obvious answer. No, Beverly. I think is probably going to 512 00:36:10,639 --> 00:36:15,079 be more influential off the court than on, but I think he will still 513 00:36:15,119 --> 00:36:19,559 have a role on the court as well. And you know did make a 514 00:36:19,639 --> 00:36:24,000 difference, especially for Chicago after ending up with them last year. So you 515 00:36:24,079 --> 00:36:29,360 know, uh, back up, assuming hard in his back and he's in 516 00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:34,960 the starting lineup like a second unit backcourt of Pat Bev and Deanthony Melton does 517 00:36:35,039 --> 00:36:39,360 not sound like very fun to go against, especially with Nick Nurse leading them. 518 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:45,800 The You mentioned Tyres Maxie before, And I'm curious about this about the 519 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:50,079 new role he's going to be in. What is the what are you monitoring 520 00:36:50,159 --> 00:36:53,039 most closely when it comes to if he's going to swing into the or to 521 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:58,119 you know, develop into this star, this player that mayb Joelle and Bie 522 00:36:58,159 --> 00:37:00,280 looks at and says, oh, I could stay here even if the Harden 523 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:05,519 packages more of a poo poop ladder, Like, what is the skill or 524 00:37:05,559 --> 00:37:07,440 the swing aspect of his game that you'll be watching most close? He's at 525 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:10,920 the playmaking in the half court? Is it Kenny up Is off the dribble 526 00:37:12,199 --> 00:37:15,000 shooting Like he hit like thirty nine percent of his pull up threes last year, 527 00:37:15,039 --> 00:37:16,880 but they weren't a huge part of his game. What's the most important 528 00:37:17,039 --> 00:37:22,519 aspect of his development moving forward? Yeah, I think definitely the playmaking and 529 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:27,519 kind of you know, how you handle the push and pull of leaning into 530 00:37:27,639 --> 00:37:31,639 your scoring, because that's still you know, his strength. He is a 531 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:37,239 dynamic three level scorer. He's got the speed that few guys in the league 532 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:39,800 can keep up with, especially in transition. And you know, he's really 533 00:37:40,599 --> 00:37:45,440 increased his off the dribble shooting I think a lot in part thanks to James 534 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:49,480 Harden. As soon as James Harden came, he started working the step back 535 00:37:49,559 --> 00:37:52,840 three more into his game. And you know, the Sixers tweeted a clip 536 00:37:53,039 --> 00:37:58,960 of training camp yesterday, I think, and you know he already showed off 537 00:37:59,079 --> 00:38:02,920 like behind the back pass with Embid in the pick and roll that he did 538 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:07,559 not have last year. So you know, I think he went into this 539 00:38:07,679 --> 00:38:12,519 offseason, especially after June thirty, if knowing Okay, I'm going to have 540 00:38:12,599 --> 00:38:15,639 to take on more of an ony ball roll this year, and you know, 541 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:20,719 again, seeing how how he handles that is going to have both short 542 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:24,880 and long term implications for the Sixers future. Maybe an unfair question, but 543 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:32,400 I'm so interested in your perspective on MAXI what are you most optimistic about him 544 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:37,039 as we're looking at him as like a from a growth perspective? What are 545 00:38:37,079 --> 00:38:40,360 you most optimistic that he will successfully add to his game? And what are 546 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:45,880 you what are you kind of more skeptical that he you know where? Might 547 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:49,800 we be asking too much of him as he takes on this new role, 548 00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:52,079 Like what do you think he Maybe I don't know if he's going to quite 549 00:38:52,079 --> 00:38:54,639 be able to do this in a bigger Yeah, that's a good question. 550 00:38:54,800 --> 00:39:00,719 I think based on his work ethic and the way he's improved since coming in 551 00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:05,920 the NBA, I don't want to rule anything out. I mean everyone around 552 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:12,119 the team just absolutely adores the kid. So I think he's he's going to 553 00:39:12,199 --> 00:39:16,400 do whatever his body like allows him to do. So I think he will 554 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:21,800 take a step forward as a playmaker this year. He would get mad if 555 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:24,159 he hears this, But I think defense is the other big question. He 556 00:39:24,239 --> 00:39:29,000 hates people asking him about it, but no, he does have a smaller 557 00:39:29,119 --> 00:39:35,000 frame, So you know, I don't think he ever turns into a lockdown 558 00:39:35,079 --> 00:39:38,199 defender necessarily. I think he'll continue to improve in that regard. I don't 559 00:39:38,239 --> 00:39:42,800 think he's like a Trey Young, you know, absolute disaster on that end 560 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:45,559 of the floor. But that's probably the one area that I think he's just 561 00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:52,239 limited by his frame more than anything else. I'm actually more optimistic I think 562 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,679 on him defensively than a lot of other people. I think that he's shown 563 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:59,199 like really long moments of like being able to fight, being able to put 564 00:39:59,239 --> 00:40:00,800 real pressure on it. He's given some guys, like last year there was 565 00:40:00,840 --> 00:40:02,800 a can't remember what it was, a couple of games I feel like where 566 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:06,760 he gave Fred van Fleet, like really big issues you can count on him 567 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:08,639 to. I don't want to use the word derail or shut down, but 568 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:13,519 make life difficult on guys of that caliber. That's like, I know some 569 00:40:13,559 --> 00:40:15,599 people think point of attack defense is overrated, especially if you are the point 570 00:40:15,599 --> 00:40:20,280 guard. Like being able to do something like that is I would say pretty 571 00:40:20,400 --> 00:40:23,199 valuable. And that leads me into my final Tyre's MAXI question, which is 572 00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:27,880 like is the expectation here, like, Oh, he's just gonna get the 573 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:30,360 max in restrated free agency next year, and that's kind of why they're one 574 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:37,440 waiting into why why they're not worried about maybe souring the relationship with him by 575 00:40:37,519 --> 00:40:43,159 sort of delaying that that payday. Yeah, I would imagine that's the expectation. 576 00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:50,440 I you know, I think the cap growth is gonna outstrip any potential 577 00:40:50,519 --> 00:40:54,960 of that deal aging poorly. You No, maybe it's slightly less than the 578 00:40:55,039 --> 00:40:59,320 MAX, because I think that's kind of the next frontier for a lot of 579 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:01,599 teams, especially as we get deeper into this new CBA, they're going to 580 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:07,679 try to reason with their guys and say, hey, there's this second apron 581 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:10,280 that we really really really don't want to go over, and here's how you 582 00:41:10,519 --> 00:41:15,960 Taking ten fifteen to twenty million less than the max could help us long term 583 00:41:16,119 --> 00:41:21,000 avoid that. But I mean, I think I assuming he continues on the 584 00:41:21,039 --> 00:41:24,639 trajectory that he's been on in his first three years and shows improvement as a 585 00:41:24,679 --> 00:41:30,159 playmaker, as a scorer defensively this year, you know, I would have 586 00:41:30,280 --> 00:41:36,079 no hesitation giving a five year BAX next summer. That'll finally settle the how 587 00:41:36,119 --> 00:41:42,679 do we rank Tyler hero Tyres MAXI yeah, we won't have to argue about 588 00:41:42,679 --> 00:41:45,239 it anymore, although probably Maxie deserves to be at the top of that class 589 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:47,599 now anyway, Oh, for sure, I am curious of his because because 590 00:41:49,119 --> 00:41:52,159 those are still empty simons, I feel like his deal is actually kind of 591 00:41:52,159 --> 00:41:54,360 a bargain and people don't talk about it. But with Hero RJ. Barrett, 592 00:41:54,480 --> 00:42:00,679 even Jordan Poole, the conversation surrounding those guys change so starkly after they 593 00:42:00,760 --> 00:42:05,440 signed to their extension that I'm just curious to see if the same happens with 594 00:42:05,599 --> 00:42:09,960 MAXI when he's like actually off his rookie scale and signs that deal. I 595 00:42:10,079 --> 00:42:13,840 really don't think it will, because I actually think by far, of all 596 00:42:13,880 --> 00:42:16,920 the players we just named, he's clearly the best already and probably has the 597 00:42:17,559 --> 00:42:21,880 highest ceiling I would believe. But I am just curious because the way that 598 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:24,880 I think fandom and analysis can even work sometimes is once these players are no 599 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:29,519 longer underpaid coming off their rookie scales, or maybe they signed a below market 600 00:42:29,599 --> 00:42:34,880 deal in the first place, just the conversation surrounding them changes. Yeah, 601 00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:37,800 well you say that now, Dan, But once Jordan Pool is averaging thirty 602 00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:43,079 three a game, true shooting, We're really going to get our answer. 603 00:42:44,840 --> 00:42:49,000 Paul Reid, Brian, He's in another interesting piece, not just because of 604 00:42:49,039 --> 00:42:53,480 the weird Utah Jazz restricted free agency contract. We can get into that too, 605 00:42:53,599 --> 00:43:00,039 but I enjoyed that. Can you just pretend that Dan and I I 606 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:04,679 don't know, this is a pretty niche basketball Siico podcast, and people probably 607 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:07,440 know Paul Reid and like what his game is, but pretend we don't. 608 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:10,360 What kind of player is Paul Reid? What does he need to do better 609 00:43:10,719 --> 00:43:15,840 or more consistently to really just be someone that He's our second, He's the 610 00:43:15,920 --> 00:43:19,400 backup big. We love it. He's gonna be great. He's gonna be 611 00:43:19,440 --> 00:43:22,440 a value add Like, what what has he been to this point? And 612 00:43:22,599 --> 00:43:27,159 what do you think he needs to do to really become more than like a 613 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:31,239 weird, like niche basketball point of interest? What do you also think he 614 00:43:31,320 --> 00:43:36,280 needs to do to prevent the Sixers from reacquiring DeAndre Jordan at the trade dead 615 00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:42,920 time? Have them not hire Doc Rivers again. I think that's step one. 616 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:47,559 Yeah, Paul reads, I mean, everyone just loves him in Philly. 617 00:43:50,039 --> 00:43:52,039 I think in part because he was the only big under the age of 618 00:43:52,159 --> 00:43:57,000 thirty five. That they played over the last couple of years backup, Yeah, 619 00:43:57,159 --> 00:44:00,239 right, exactly. He's not fossilized, you know. I think he's 620 00:44:01,039 --> 00:44:07,559 pretty clearly the best backup big they've had in the embiid era, which is 621 00:44:07,960 --> 00:44:10,719 kind of sad to some extent because you know, he still has a lot 622 00:44:10,760 --> 00:44:15,599 of room to grow. But again, like all of the other guys they've 623 00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:17,880 put behind it be they've just gotten absolutely killed whenever they're on the court. 624 00:44:19,039 --> 00:44:24,599 And Reid, especially last year after the trade deadline when he finally supplanted Dwayne 625 00:44:24,679 --> 00:44:31,480 Deadman in the rotation, was very, very good. He's just long, 626 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:37,960 springy, athletic, switchable defensively, which again is something with you know, 627 00:44:37,119 --> 00:44:42,079 the Bobons and Greg mond Rose of the world, something they just haven't had 628 00:44:42,159 --> 00:44:46,119 before. I think the one major area of growth for him beyond just you 629 00:44:46,199 --> 00:44:50,719 know, getting acclimated to Nick Nurse's new system and knowing where to be at 630 00:44:50,760 --> 00:44:52,519 all times. You know, he improved a lot in the pick and roll 631 00:44:52,599 --> 00:44:55,559 last year with James Harden, which was nice to see. So hopefully he 632 00:44:57,480 --> 00:44:59,960 with her Hardens on the team, maybe he does it with Maxie instead. 633 00:45:00,159 --> 00:45:04,199 The one area of growth you want to see him shoot three is more he 634 00:45:04,360 --> 00:45:06,840 did in the G League, and he was actually a pretty good three point 635 00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:10,239 shooter, And he said, you know, he's prioritized that this offseason, 636 00:45:10,559 --> 00:45:15,639 but you know that's obviously going to be the key to playing him next to 637 00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:19,920 Joelle Embiid in particular, you can't have two guys who can't space the floor 638 00:45:19,960 --> 00:45:25,800 at all unless you're the even Cavaliers. So I think if he is a 639 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:31,480 willing and able shooter and can knock down thirty five percent of his threes, 640 00:45:31,599 --> 00:45:37,840 especially in the corners, then yeah, the Embiard Read pairing could be viable 641 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:43,000 on both ends of the floor, and frankly could be really interesting defensively in 642 00:45:43,079 --> 00:45:45,719 particular. Yeah, I was gonna ask you think you think, assuming he 643 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:50,440 is, you know, viable as as something of a floor space er offensively 644 00:45:50,920 --> 00:45:55,000 to keep the lane kind of uncluttered, do you think he is like a 645 00:45:55,079 --> 00:45:59,320 realistic guy that he maybe he's gonna switch one through four you don't at least 646 00:45:59,320 --> 00:46:02,000 survive out there, Like that's a real thing that he's potentially going to be 647 00:46:02,039 --> 00:46:07,199 able to do defensively, I think. So, I mean, we'll see 648 00:46:07,760 --> 00:46:12,599 in bigger minutes, because he really just didn't get a ton of opportunity really 649 00:46:12,679 --> 00:46:16,320 throughout his career, but up until the trade leadline last year. Like you 650 00:46:16,400 --> 00:46:21,519 know, we saw it at the very end of the twenty one to twenty 651 00:46:21,559 --> 00:46:23,679 two season and then you know, for a couple months at the end of 652 00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:28,679 last season. So I think this is going to be his best opportunity by 653 00:46:28,760 --> 00:46:32,800 far. Nick Nurse has already talked about him as trying to mold him like 654 00:46:32,920 --> 00:46:37,559 Siakam, which I think is pretty interesting because you can, you know, 655 00:46:37,719 --> 00:46:40,880 you could see some similarities in how they play. I think obviously Siakam is 656 00:46:40,920 --> 00:46:44,920 a much better player than Paul Reid at this point, but you know, 657 00:46:45,199 --> 00:46:50,079 him seeing that type of potential and Paul Reid is interesting. And I know 658 00:46:51,320 --> 00:46:53,679 at Media Day, Mobamba was saying, you know, one of the reasons 659 00:46:53,719 --> 00:46:58,199 he signed with the Sixers because he took a one year mind deal, so 660 00:46:58,280 --> 00:47:04,079 he could have taken the same contract anywhere, was Nurse's history of playing two 661 00:47:04,119 --> 00:47:08,880 bigs together in Toronto. So I think Nurse has shown that he's hasn't shied 662 00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:13,719 away from that despite the way the NBA is trending, and he'll have the 663 00:47:13,760 --> 00:47:17,559 personnel to at least experiment with it in Philly too. Are you ready to 664 00:47:17,719 --> 00:47:24,320 enter the cookie cutter portion of the pcast? Yes? Are there any under 665 00:47:24,400 --> 00:47:30,800 talked about underrated strengths and or weaknesses about this team that we have yet to 666 00:47:30,880 --> 00:47:38,079 really touch upon? I think wing depth is a concern, especially when you 667 00:47:38,159 --> 00:47:44,840 know you're gonna go into the playoffs and likely face some combination of Jason Tatum, 668 00:47:44,960 --> 00:47:47,800 Jalen Brown, Jimmy Butler, Chris Middleton, Janna Santa to Kumbo at 669 00:47:47,840 --> 00:47:53,000 some point, like, I just again don't really see how they match up 670 00:47:53,119 --> 00:47:59,920 well against either of those teams. Frankly, no, I think Embiid too. 671 00:48:00,599 --> 00:48:05,639 It's funny that he's coming off of this MVP season and you know, 672 00:48:05,840 --> 00:48:10,239 both inside of Philly and outside everyone's just kind of down on him, which 673 00:48:10,400 --> 00:48:14,599 you know, I get it because they flamed out in the playoffs again, 674 00:48:14,840 --> 00:48:17,360 But you know, Embiid today was saying like, hey man, you know 675 00:48:17,480 --> 00:48:21,039 this system's gonna be different, Like I'm not just gonna be a scorer. 676 00:48:21,239 --> 00:48:24,480 I'm gonna be more of a facilitator, which is also what we saw in 677 00:48:24,599 --> 00:48:28,840 the beginning of the twenty one to twenty two season when Ben Simmons was sitting 678 00:48:28,880 --> 00:48:35,039 out like they played a lot more through Embiid and you know Embid last year 679 00:48:35,639 --> 00:48:37,639 at times said like, you know, if I, if I had the 680 00:48:37,679 --> 00:48:40,880 opportunity, I could play like Jokic, I could average eight nine in ten 681 00:48:40,960 --> 00:48:45,239 assists a game, and everyone just rolled their eyes, and for good reason. 682 00:48:45,320 --> 00:48:49,360 He is not the pastor that Nicola Jokich is, but he has improved 683 00:48:49,440 --> 00:48:52,760 as a playmaker in recent years. He's gotten much better at reading double teams 684 00:48:52,800 --> 00:48:59,559 in particular, So just seeing how he and Nurse cole Lece I think is 685 00:48:59,639 --> 00:49:04,039 obvious going to be one of the biggest stories of the season. And it's 686 00:49:04,239 --> 00:49:07,760 because of the Harden stuff and the Maxie questions. Everything hasn't gotten a ton 687 00:49:07,800 --> 00:49:10,960 of attention, and then the anthe and Melton too. I mean, if 688 00:49:12,199 --> 00:49:16,480 Harden does either hold out or get traded and Melton moves into the starting lineup, 689 00:49:16,880 --> 00:49:21,239 He's in the contract year, so this is gonna be a big opportunity 690 00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:25,679 for him to prove am I the long term backcourt partner to Tyrese MAXI Can 691 00:49:25,719 --> 00:49:32,599 I be a viable starter on a championship Calgary team. I was gonna ask, 692 00:49:32,719 --> 00:49:37,719 is there any like concern about I don't want to say Joellenbiid burnout, 693 00:49:37,800 --> 00:49:42,480 but he's now in consecutive seasons set a career high for total minutes played. 694 00:49:43,000 --> 00:49:46,320 And look, the Sixers, it was one of my They're not built to 695 00:49:46,400 --> 00:49:52,679 necessarily play differently when you're structuring everything around Joel Embiid and James Harden. But 696 00:49:52,719 --> 00:49:54,599 if Nick Nurse is looking to play, let's even say just you know, 697 00:49:54,840 --> 00:49:59,280 one star lineups with Embiid and maybe it's Maxi and Hard's on the court and 698 00:49:59,360 --> 00:50:01,360 they want to play faster, and the Sixers, I think we're twenty seven 699 00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:05,519 to average offensive possession time. Just the combination of, Yeah, we talked 700 00:50:05,559 --> 00:50:07,280 about he wants to play more, he gets out of shape if he does 701 00:50:07,280 --> 00:50:10,280 it in four or five days, but knowing the minutes load he just shouldered 702 00:50:10,320 --> 00:50:14,599 the past two seasons, and then if the Sixers maybe do decide to experiment 703 00:50:14,639 --> 00:50:16,920 and play a little faster with him or ask him to do even more on 704 00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:21,599 the offensive end, is there any just concern about Joelle and bid burnout. 705 00:50:22,639 --> 00:50:25,400 Yeah, I think there's a huge concern about that. I mean that is 706 00:50:25,840 --> 00:50:30,800 you know, the question with Nick Nurse is is he going to overplay him? 707 00:50:30,800 --> 00:50:36,039 Because they do now have at least two other viable options in Paul Reid 708 00:50:36,199 --> 00:50:40,360 and Bomba also have Philip Petrosav assuming he makes the team. I'm not saying 709 00:50:40,440 --> 00:50:44,159 he's gonna make play a ton of minutes or even be in the rotation, 710 00:50:44,360 --> 00:50:47,199 but you know, they have other guys to try in the front court. 711 00:50:47,360 --> 00:50:51,000 And like, no, as long as PJ. Tucker's on the team, 712 00:50:51,079 --> 00:50:53,239 you can get really weird and we could go back to the Tuck wagon at 713 00:50:53,239 --> 00:50:58,880 the five lineups. You know, like I expect Nurse to try a bunch 714 00:50:58,960 --> 00:51:04,400 of different comedy of guys, So I think by virtue of that that should 715 00:51:04,400 --> 00:51:07,320 help keep Embiid's minutes in check. But again, I do not want to 716 00:51:07,320 --> 00:51:12,480 see Joel Embiid playing thirty eight minutes a game like Siakam or Vampleet was last 717 00:51:12,480 --> 00:51:15,360 season. That's just a recipe for he gets he's either you know, on 718 00:51:15,599 --> 00:51:21,840 fumes by April when we get to the playoffs, or he's out nursing sub 719 00:51:21,880 --> 00:51:27,159 sort of injury. Do you think you just keep making me think of other 720 00:51:27,239 --> 00:51:32,039 questions that aren't do it it? Does Tucker have anything left? And or 721 00:51:32,159 --> 00:51:36,920 maybe the better way to frame it is, is he someone that is a 722 00:51:37,039 --> 00:51:40,840 viable postseason player just because of the low volume shooting and I mean the age 723 00:51:40,880 --> 00:51:44,920 thing at some point it's got I mean, he's defied the agent curve, 724 00:51:45,079 --> 00:51:47,320 you know, for like the better part of a decade now. But do 725 00:51:47,440 --> 00:51:51,199 you still view him as someone that is like, I mean, I don't 726 00:51:51,199 --> 00:51:53,760 even know is he integral to the best version of the Sixers like? Or 727 00:51:53,880 --> 00:51:58,599 is is he someone that maybe we talked about Paul Reid. It might be 728 00:51:58,840 --> 00:52:00,119 it might not be the worst thing if Paul Lady does sort of eat into 729 00:52:00,159 --> 00:52:05,119 those minutes and and Tucker kind of gets a little bit marginalized. Where what 730 00:52:05,239 --> 00:52:08,199 does he have left? In your opinion, Yeah, I mean, I 731 00:52:08,320 --> 00:52:15,320 think he's so dependent on an elite playmaker like James Harden that it wouldn't shock 732 00:52:15,480 --> 00:52:20,599 me if in a hard and trade he also gets moved. Oh interesting. 733 00:52:22,039 --> 00:52:23,679 I mean, I'm you know, I'm just speculating on that. I don't 734 00:52:23,760 --> 00:52:28,039 know for sure, but I think it would make sense. And I think 735 00:52:28,079 --> 00:52:30,880 he could also make sense on the Clippers, because they're gonna, you know, 736 00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:32,880 if they do send some combination of Covington Morris but to him, like 737 00:52:34,519 --> 00:52:38,719 they are gonna potentially need a little more depth behind Kawhi and PG. And 738 00:52:38,880 --> 00:52:43,119 you know, if again, if MAXI takes this major leap as a playmaker, 739 00:52:43,159 --> 00:52:45,480 then maybe Maxie can fill that role and still feed him those corner threes, 740 00:52:45,480 --> 00:52:50,760 and maybe he's less reluctant to take them this year. Also again, 741 00:52:50,840 --> 00:52:54,519 like maybe they actually figure out ways to use him offensively beyond just parking in 742 00:52:54,599 --> 00:52:58,639 the quarner, which is basically all he did under Doc Rivers. I mean 743 00:52:58,719 --> 00:53:01,599 we saw it in myami he was actually you know, had kind of a 744 00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:07,280 late career renaissance, yeah with them. So I think that is a good 745 00:53:08,119 --> 00:53:13,000 under the radar storyline for the Sixers is what does PJ. Tucker have left? 746 00:53:13,360 --> 00:53:17,199 Was last year because he's just you know, thirty eight or whatever he 747 00:53:17,360 --> 00:53:22,639 is, or was it just Doc Rivers was so focused on harden An MB 748 00:53:22,760 --> 00:53:27,719 that he didn't really devise any sort of special schemes or anything to utilize the 749 00:53:27,760 --> 00:53:31,880 rest of the team correctly. I do think leadership wise, he's important. 750 00:53:31,960 --> 00:53:36,800 I mean, you know, I go back to the game four against Boston 751 00:53:37,119 --> 00:53:39,960 where you know, it's late in the game and Tucker just like gets in 752 00:53:40,079 --> 00:53:45,639 Joel and Meide's face and yells at him and you know, ultimately like snaps 753 00:53:45,719 --> 00:53:47,199 him out whatever funk he's in. They end up winning that game. I 754 00:53:47,920 --> 00:53:52,480 genuinely don't think they would had Tucker not have that conversation with the minute left 755 00:53:52,519 --> 00:53:57,119 of the game or whatever it was. So I think from that perspective, 756 00:53:57,199 --> 00:54:00,599 like he and Danny Green and Pat Bev could be very, very or valuable 757 00:54:00,639 --> 00:54:04,480 to the team even if they are not, you know, putting up fifteen 758 00:54:04,519 --> 00:54:07,440 points a game, which I wouldn't expect from any of them at this stage 759 00:54:07,480 --> 00:54:10,400 of their career. Is we really haven't mentioned him? And I'm surprised, 760 00:54:10,639 --> 00:54:16,679 is Tobias Harris knowing the state of both the hardened situation, the Sixers prioritizing 761 00:54:16,760 --> 00:54:21,800 flexibility and then also Nick Nurse coming in and maybe want to diversify the offense. 762 00:54:21,960 --> 00:54:27,280 Is he more important right now to the Sixers as an actual player and 763 00:54:27,400 --> 00:54:30,880 do you see him being someone who could benefit from Nurse coming in and two? 764 00:54:30,239 --> 00:54:36,159 Or is he still kind of just viewed as just this massive, massive, 765 00:54:36,800 --> 00:54:43,440 gargantuan human trade exception both. Can I just say yes one? Is 766 00:54:43,480 --> 00:54:47,119 it? Like? Okay, I think he's probably still more of a human 767 00:54:47,199 --> 00:54:51,960 trade exception, because again, I think we get to the trade deadline and 768 00:54:52,119 --> 00:54:54,880 we'll see how teams are handling this new second Apron stuff. But you know, 769 00:54:55,000 --> 00:55:00,559 a lot more or the full array of restrictions go into effect next summer. 770 00:55:00,719 --> 00:55:05,360 You know, the draft pick freezing. You can't trade the draft pick 771 00:55:05,400 --> 00:55:08,360 seven years in the future, can't aggregate contracts, can't take back any more 772 00:55:08,400 --> 00:55:13,000 salary than you send out. So we'll see which teams are in line to 773 00:55:13,440 --> 00:55:19,039 be over that limit next offseason. But I think this trade deadline is going 774 00:55:19,119 --> 00:55:22,639 to be one of the last opportunities to make those sorts of salary dumps and 775 00:55:22,960 --> 00:55:27,199 the sixers, you know, unless the Warriors move off with Klay Thompson, 776 00:55:27,960 --> 00:55:31,360 Tobias Harris is the biggest contract who is going to be expiring, So they 777 00:55:31,440 --> 00:55:36,280 do have that lifeline for any team that needs it. But shout out to 778 00:55:36,360 --> 00:55:42,440 my guys Kyle Newbeck and Derek Bodner at Philly Sports. Phly Sports the new 779 00:55:42,480 --> 00:55:46,440 network over there. He's sat down with or they sat down with Tobias at 780 00:55:46,559 --> 00:55:52,199 Media Day and he talked about what's kind of going to be his role in 781 00:55:52,320 --> 00:55:54,719 this Nick Nurse offense, and he also said, you know, there's going 782 00:55:54,760 --> 00:55:58,639 to be a lot more opportunities for me. I'm going to run pick and 783 00:55:58,760 --> 00:56:00,400 roll more, which I think it's going to be interesting. He talked about 784 00:56:00,400 --> 00:56:04,559 post ups, which you know, he actually does have a pretty good post 785 00:56:04,679 --> 00:56:07,719 up game. It's not new, He's been doing that for a while. 786 00:56:08,280 --> 00:56:12,000 I also just said he's gonna launch as many threes as he possibly can. 787 00:56:12,280 --> 00:56:17,840 But I think his agent slash father went viral over the summer when they said, 788 00:56:19,199 --> 00:56:22,800 you know, Terrell Harris said they weren't using Tobias right, they could 789 00:56:22,840 --> 00:56:25,960 be an assassin score. So I hope that we get to see the assassin 790 00:56:27,039 --> 00:56:30,880 score version of Tobias Harris this year. I think he's still going to be 791 00:56:30,960 --> 00:56:35,880 third or fourth in the offensive pecking order, depending on whether Harden comes back. 792 00:56:36,039 --> 00:56:45,079 But you know, if this more everyone gets touches and everyone gets a 793 00:56:45,239 --> 00:56:49,559 piece of the bye offensive nick nurse comes true, then you know, hopefully 794 00:56:49,599 --> 00:56:54,320 he won't be have as minimal of a role as he did last year when 795 00:56:54,360 --> 00:56:58,239 we he you know, I think he had his fewest points since, like 796 00:56:58,360 --> 00:57:02,679 his Orlando days. I will say he still it feels like people still read 797 00:57:02,840 --> 00:57:07,719 too much into his pay grade because he's still when you look at the defensive 798 00:57:07,719 --> 00:57:09,559 assignments that he has to take on, regardless of how good and valua I 799 00:57:09,599 --> 00:57:14,159 think he is defensively, coupled with his ability to kind of fit into all 800 00:57:14,239 --> 00:57:17,920 these weird or different archetypal offensive roles, even if it's not the volume at 801 00:57:17,960 --> 00:57:22,599 which you would prefer to see. I actually think he's more valuable to them 802 00:57:22,639 --> 00:57:25,360 as a player right now, because when you don't have picks like to really 803 00:57:25,440 --> 00:57:28,519 include in trades, and you don't want to take on long term money to 804 00:57:28,559 --> 00:57:31,239 begin with, what is the real value of having this like forty million dollar 805 00:57:31,400 --> 00:57:36,840 expiring contract then in a trade if you can't necessarily attach anything to him and 806 00:57:36,840 --> 00:57:38,519 you don't want to take back a massive amount, Like yeah, I guess 807 00:57:38,519 --> 00:57:42,519 if there's a star that's making a ton of money and you're able to get 808 00:57:42,599 --> 00:57:45,199 them for a pittance, then yeah. Sure. But it feels like just 809 00:57:45,239 --> 00:57:50,320 the way this is tracking, that he's more critical to them as a contributor 810 00:57:50,519 --> 00:57:54,320 than this trade piece. Yeah. Yeah, I mean I think it, 811 00:57:54,719 --> 00:57:58,599 like, it wouldn't shock me if they don't move him at all he becomes 812 00:57:58,639 --> 00:58:05,000 his own restricted free agent next or back, it wouldn't totally shock Yeah, 813 00:58:05,280 --> 00:58:08,719 I mean, hopefully at a slightly lower aav that what he had on this 814 00:58:08,880 --> 00:58:13,000 previous deal. But I mean, I think you're totally right, Dan, 815 00:58:13,119 --> 00:58:16,880 Like, if you remove the contract from the player, he's still a helpful 816 00:58:16,880 --> 00:58:21,199 player. He's still a very good player. It's just that we got paid 817 00:58:21,199 --> 00:58:24,960 probably twice as much or you know, fifty more than you should have. 818 00:58:25,079 --> 00:58:30,960 And that's, you know, I think it's fair to be frustrated by that 819 00:58:30,039 --> 00:58:36,719 because that does have some real team building implications as well. Uh So Harris 820 00:58:36,840 --> 00:58:40,199 is starting, uh Maxie is starting, Joel Embiid is starting, Tucker is 821 00:58:40,280 --> 00:58:45,039 probably starting, James Harden, or if it's not James Harden, it sounds 822 00:58:45,079 --> 00:58:49,400 like maybe a year of the mind that it might be d Anthony Melton in 823 00:58:49,480 --> 00:58:52,199 the back court with Maxie. Can you shake out the you know, or 824 00:58:52,239 --> 00:58:57,320 if you disagree with any of that, shake it out. Sorry, he's 825 00:58:57,360 --> 00:59:02,000 gone. And then what's the next five guys look like? If you know, 826 00:59:02,199 --> 00:59:06,239 just guessing from today, what does the rest of that ten man rotation 827 00:59:06,320 --> 00:59:07,880 look like? Or maybe it goes deeper or maybe it's shallower than that in 828 00:59:07,960 --> 00:59:13,119 your opinion, Yeah, so I think if Harden is back, it's the 829 00:59:13,159 --> 00:59:20,800 same starting lineup as last year, and then probably Pat Bev Melton, maybe 830 00:59:20,920 --> 00:59:27,920 Danny Green Oubray and Paul Reid, and then Bomba competing for minutes, Corkmond's 831 00:59:27,960 --> 00:59:30,599 competing for minutes, Danuel House competing for a minutes. Like you know, 832 00:59:30,719 --> 00:59:35,440 again, you go down this roster and they have ten, eleven, twelve 833 00:59:35,679 --> 00:59:38,840 like legitimate rotation players. So you know, Nick Nurse said on media day, 834 00:59:38,880 --> 00:59:42,599 like we actually have a competition at the wing, and I'm excited to 835 00:59:42,719 --> 00:59:46,519 kind of see who wins it. Like I hope that House actually cracks the 836 00:59:46,639 --> 00:59:51,119 rotation this year, and you know, if they do make this hard and 837 00:59:51,199 --> 00:59:54,599 trade for the Clippers guys, Like I think one of the underrated subplots of 838 00:59:54,679 --> 00:59:59,280 this is like did they miss the window for this to be a lot easier 839 00:59:59,320 --> 01:00:02,400 when the Sixers not fill out their roster, Like right now they're one over 840 01:00:02,880 --> 01:00:07,159 the regular season roster limit, and they you know, they can very easily 841 01:00:07,199 --> 01:00:10,519 get under Wave petrosev or Wave Montre Terrell, who you know, unfortunately got 842 01:00:10,599 --> 01:00:15,119 injured during the offseason, iss going to miss the whole season. But you 843 01:00:15,159 --> 01:00:17,599 know, if they do like a three for one or four for one all 844 01:00:17,599 --> 01:00:21,880 of a sudden, like you might have to take back another player, like 845 01:00:22,000 --> 01:00:24,159 maybe they have to send out cork Mos as well, just because they don't 846 01:00:24,360 --> 01:00:28,519 like clearly I don't think they're gonna want to part ways with Kelly Oubre on 847 01:00:28,599 --> 01:00:32,559 a mid deal. So yeah, I mean, I think a lot is 848 01:00:32,639 --> 01:00:37,440 still up in the air for them, especially in regard to, you know, 849 01:00:37,559 --> 01:00:43,519 spots six through ten. I think Melton, assuming hardenback Melton, Paul 850 01:00:43,559 --> 01:00:47,639 Reid guaranteed to have roles in the rotation, and then you know, probably 851 01:00:47,679 --> 01:00:52,280 a competition between Pat Beev and Jaden Springer. I'm guessing Pat Beev is ahead 852 01:00:52,360 --> 01:00:58,639 in that conversation, uh, and then the wings between Danny green House cork 853 01:00:58,719 --> 01:01:02,920 Bos if he's still around u Ubra of course, So there's still a lot 854 01:01:02,960 --> 01:01:08,480 to shake out of these next couple of weeks. Do you expect again, 855 01:01:08,599 --> 01:01:13,400 it's everything's just written in pensive is the hard and stuff. But is their 856 01:01:13,440 --> 01:01:16,480 starting unit going to be there preferred closing five or do you see the potential 857 01:01:16,519 --> 01:01:21,639 maybe for Melton to get in there, maybe summing out PJ. Tucker or 858 01:01:21,719 --> 01:01:24,280 any different And we also know that Nick Nurse is one of those head coaches 859 01:01:24,360 --> 01:01:29,679 that does play to the matchups and change things more than some others. So 860 01:01:29,880 --> 01:01:34,079 is there any curveball there? Would you expect if this roster stayed the same 861 01:01:34,119 --> 01:01:36,840 Oh, it's the starting five, it's just the closing five. Yeah. 862 01:01:36,880 --> 01:01:39,880 I would think it'd probably be that with Melton as the swing piece, or 863 01:01:39,960 --> 01:01:43,719 maybe even Paul Read as the swing piece. If we find out that this 864 01:01:43,880 --> 01:01:49,440 empeed Read pairing works out better than expected, I would not hate seeing Tobias 865 01:01:49,559 --> 01:01:52,840 slide up more to the four this year. I mean, we'll see what 866 01:01:53,199 --> 01:01:57,320 Ubra brings to the table and how he fits into the system. I think 867 01:01:57,360 --> 01:02:01,239 he's probably the big no other like Ryce Maxy is the X factor of the 868 01:02:01,320 --> 01:02:06,119 team, but Kelly Oubray is probably the other one because you know, it's 869 01:02:06,239 --> 01:02:08,880 rare to get someone with that type of scoring upside, even though he's not 870 01:02:09,039 --> 01:02:15,400 the most efficient at scoring. You know, can he fit into more of 871 01:02:15,480 --> 01:02:19,280 a three and d roll? Can he be a better three point shooter? 872 01:02:19,480 --> 01:02:22,519 Can he be more judicious with his shot selection? If so, no, 873 01:02:22,719 --> 01:02:28,360 maybe he does end up closing some games for them or factoring more into the 874 01:02:28,480 --> 01:02:35,719 rotation than just like fringe ninth or tenth man, got any weird quirky lineups 875 01:02:35,760 --> 01:02:37,159 that you're hoping to see. This is really a Dan question. So I 876 01:02:37,239 --> 01:02:42,800 feel terrible He's the one that always has the weirdo suggestions for these things. 877 01:02:42,960 --> 01:02:45,239 The only thing you should feel terrible about is not saying that. It's a 878 01:02:45,360 --> 01:02:50,440 universally beloved and cherished question by everybody. Why do people come between it? 879 01:02:51,760 --> 01:02:54,719 Yeah? I mean I think we can get really weird with this team, 880 01:02:54,760 --> 01:02:58,320 and that's what I want Nick Nurse to do. Like, I do not 881 01:02:58,559 --> 01:03:01,440 want to see this same starting lineup for eighty two games, the same closing 882 01:03:01,519 --> 01:03:06,079 lineup for eighty two games. Like, let's find out if Reid and and 883 01:03:06,199 --> 01:03:09,400 B can play together. Let's find out if the tuck Wagon lineups are still 884 01:03:09,480 --> 01:03:14,119 valuable even though he's you know, closer to forty than he is thirty at 885 01:03:14,159 --> 01:03:19,039 this point. Let's see how Melton fares as a point guard. I mean, 886 01:03:19,559 --> 01:03:22,039 you know, we found out the answer last year and it was not 887 01:03:22,320 --> 01:03:25,119 especially great. But he's had his off season to work on that now. 888 01:03:25,239 --> 01:03:30,239 And you know, he he was joking about his finishing on media Day or 889 01:03:30,320 --> 01:03:34,519 his lack thereof of being able to finish layups, So it sounds like that 890 01:03:34,719 --> 01:03:38,119 was a clear focus for him this offseason. But you know, I'd say, 891 01:03:38,239 --> 01:03:43,280 you know, you could come up with like just a dog lineup of 892 01:03:43,480 --> 01:03:50,480 like Pat bev Melton, Tucker Paul Reid like just I guess Daniel Hausen there 893 01:03:50,519 --> 01:03:53,760 too. It just sounds like the most annoying lineup to play against might not 894 01:03:53,880 --> 01:03:59,559 be able to score a single point, but man or I guess no half 895 01:03:59,639 --> 01:04:01,920 court point. They will only score in transition and that's it. So that 896 01:04:02,039 --> 01:04:06,079 might be my answer. Are you excited for when Nick Nurse puts the Sixers 897 01:04:06,119 --> 01:04:12,719 in a three two zone and calls it a pentagon and zero here's only like 898 01:04:12,960 --> 01:04:15,960 guys that are six seven to six' nine. That's what. I don't 899 01:04:15,960 --> 01:04:18,039 know if that's a lineup thing, but I'm ready for that level of innovation. 900 01:04:18,599 --> 01:04:21,400 Yeah, he's going to be really disturbed and he realizes that's the one 901 01:04:21,519 --> 01:04:29,199 archetype the Sixers don't have. I really hope, and you kind of alluded 902 01:04:29,239 --> 01:04:31,679 to this, like let's and I'm not they can't lean on this because you 903 01:04:31,719 --> 01:04:33,880 want embid and even if you have hard on the floor, but take those 904 01:04:33,920 --> 01:04:40,079 two off the floor, like let's get the Melton MAXI, Paul Reid and 905 01:04:40,440 --> 01:04:44,239 Ubra on the floor and then like the fifth I think I'd probably lean Tobias 906 01:04:44,239 --> 01:04:45,639 Harris, but it could be PJ. Talker, Like let's just see how 907 01:04:45,760 --> 01:04:50,880 fast those guys could play and that I think would be a different element to 908 01:04:51,440 --> 01:04:55,440 this team, like during to Go, if you're able to buy some Starless 909 01:04:55,559 --> 01:04:58,840 units or maybe can you play faster with embiid? Is the five in that 910 01:04:58,920 --> 01:05:00,840 lineup where you can just kind of try everything is the fifth with next to 911 01:05:00,880 --> 01:05:03,920 Paul Reed, Ubray Melton and Max. They don't know how I feel about 912 01:05:04,079 --> 01:05:08,320 this spacing necessarily, but if you know, Harris are embiid like they they 913 01:05:08,400 --> 01:05:11,639 stretched the floor for their positions, and so I just want to see something 914 01:05:11,679 --> 01:05:14,599 like that, like that's the lineup that I'm hoping to see. Yeah, 915 01:05:14,960 --> 01:05:18,559 I'm fully on board with getting weird. So as we record this, which 916 01:05:18,599 --> 01:05:21,280 is James Arden is still on the team and it is did you want to 917 01:05:21,280 --> 01:05:25,800 say something Grant, No, no, no no. I was just looking 918 01:05:25,840 --> 01:05:29,000 at this the over under and trying to think what I was going to say 919 01:05:29,000 --> 01:05:34,599 if it was so October fifth, they're over under. James Horn still here 920 01:05:34,639 --> 01:05:39,800 again forty eight and a half, knowing all the uncertainty that is caked in 921 01:05:40,239 --> 01:05:43,639 to this team, Briant to poor Ek are you taking the over of the 922 01:05:43,760 --> 01:05:46,079 under? And my follow up to that so you can go right into it 923 01:05:46,199 --> 01:05:51,079 is how many teams right now in the East are you prepared to guarantee are 924 01:05:51,159 --> 01:05:57,920 better going to be better than the Sixers. Yeah, so they've got over 925 01:05:58,039 --> 01:06:00,639 that number each of the last three or even though one of those was a 926 01:06:00,679 --> 01:06:06,000 seventy two game season, that includes the twenty one to twenty two season they 927 01:06:06,000 --> 01:06:09,840 went fifty one and thirty one. That was when Ben Simmons sat out for 928 01:06:09,880 --> 01:06:15,880 half the season. So even if Harden sits out, which I don't get 929 01:06:15,920 --> 01:06:19,679 the impression he's gonna do because he values his money more than Ben Simmons did. 930 01:06:21,760 --> 01:06:27,000 I mean, it's tempting to take the over here, Like I think 931 01:06:27,800 --> 01:06:31,199 we might have all over corrected a bit because of the herd and drama and 932 01:06:31,199 --> 01:06:34,679 because we've seen how it played out in Houston and Brooklyn in particular. I'm 933 01:06:34,760 --> 01:06:39,639 just like, oh god, this again. But you know, if they 934 01:06:39,679 --> 01:06:44,880 went fifty one and thirty one that year with only you know, MAXI and 935 01:06:45,039 --> 01:06:48,079 Mbid basically leading the team for half the season, with Doc Rivers as the 936 01:06:48,119 --> 01:06:53,400 head coach, you know, they had Zuck Curry back then, they had 937 01:06:53,800 --> 01:06:57,000 Eyeball, they had George and Yang, they had Shake Milton. But you 938 01:06:57,039 --> 01:07:00,639 know, again, if you depending on how you feel about their offseason moves, 939 01:07:00,719 --> 01:07:03,599 Like Paul Reid barely played like Max. He's gonna be two years older 940 01:07:04,519 --> 01:07:09,159 and much more experienced. Paul Reid's gonna be in the actual rotation this year, 941 01:07:10,239 --> 01:07:13,880 so, you know, barring a long term Joel Embiid injury, I'm 942 01:07:14,199 --> 01:07:17,760 tempted to lean slightly over. As for the teams that are gonna be better 943 01:07:17,800 --> 01:07:23,199 than them in the East, I think Boston Milwaukee clearly. You know, 944 01:07:23,280 --> 01:07:26,679 Embid kind of bristled at that at Media Day because a lot of people were 945 01:07:26,679 --> 01:07:29,920 alluding to, you know, these teams made these huge moves and are clearly 946 01:07:29,960 --> 01:07:31,519 better than you guys, and he was like, who says they're better than 947 01:07:31,599 --> 01:07:34,679 us? We got to actually play it out on the court, which you 948 01:07:34,760 --> 01:07:39,360 know, I think the results on the court are gonna say that those two 949 01:07:39,400 --> 01:07:42,599 teams are still better than the Sixers, but I think you could make a 950 01:07:42,679 --> 01:07:47,400 case that they're in that next tier. I think Cleveland given the upgrades they 951 01:07:47,519 --> 01:07:53,559 made this offseason, given the possibility of improvement from Evan Mowbley in particular, 952 01:07:53,639 --> 01:07:57,920 and also even you know Darius Garland and you know, seeing how he and 953 01:07:58,000 --> 01:08:01,760 Donovan Mitchell work together in their second year, but with the additions of Niang 954 01:08:01,800 --> 01:08:06,079 and Max Struce, I would imagine, you know, put them in a 955 01:08:06,320 --> 01:08:12,840 playoff series, and I think it'd be pretty interesting. But I think Cleveland's 956 01:08:12,840 --> 01:08:16,720 probably better equipped to win more regular season games than the Sixers, but no 957 01:08:16,840 --> 01:08:20,399 other than that, Like, I think the Heat have a higher ceiling in 958 01:08:20,439 --> 01:08:24,479 the playoffs, which we've seen over the last couple of years. But I 959 01:08:24,560 --> 01:08:29,039 think the Heat also don't really take the regular season seriously. So wouldn't shock 960 01:08:29,119 --> 01:08:31,359 me if the Sixers had more wins than them, you know, I think 961 01:08:31,399 --> 01:08:38,279 i'd put them in the same neighborhood of the Knicks of the Brooklyn Nets. 962 01:08:38,279 --> 01:08:43,960 I think i'd have them over Atlanta. I think i'd have them over at 963 01:08:44,000 --> 01:08:46,720 this point. So, like, I think you could still make a case 964 01:08:46,800 --> 01:08:54,479 that even with all of this everything surrounding them, but they're the possibly the 965 01:08:54,640 --> 01:08:57,560 third or fourth best team in the East still, which is remarkable. Frankly, 966 01:08:58,159 --> 01:09:00,760 And before I defer a grant here, you mentioned just that people have 967 01:09:00,880 --> 01:09:04,880 kind of like I've been underrating what the Sixers can be without James Harden and 968 01:09:05,000 --> 01:09:08,840 in that context, like you're right, if you sub in Anti Mountain, 969 01:09:09,000 --> 01:09:12,600 the empty Mountain for James Harden, Like that lineup had a fifteen plus net 970 01:09:12,720 --> 01:09:15,479 rating last year, and if you just look at the minutes they played with 971 01:09:15,680 --> 01:09:18,960 Harris Embiid and Maxi and no Harden, they had like almost a twenty net 972 01:09:19,079 --> 01:09:21,600 rating. And again, the sample sizes are small. We're talking about five 973 01:09:21,680 --> 01:09:26,319 hundred plus possessions, but like when you move Harden, you're not going to 974 01:09:26,439 --> 01:09:29,039 get nothing, and so there will be something there. So Grant and I 975 01:09:29,079 --> 01:09:32,000 obviously haven't done our over under pod yet, but like you're I think there's 976 01:09:32,039 --> 01:09:38,840 something to you saying sentiment might be too low on just the sixers generally speaking, 977 01:09:38,880 --> 01:09:41,560 Like no, maybe they're not this elite team if the Harden situation goes 978 01:09:41,600 --> 01:09:44,279 awry, but you know, using the Ben Simmons geer as an analog and 979 01:09:44,319 --> 01:09:46,439 then plus just with that data, it's, yeah, there's still stuff here. 980 01:09:47,039 --> 01:09:50,760 Yeah, I mean, like they have an MVP in his prime, 981 01:09:50,880 --> 01:09:55,000 Like the floor is real high, right, like unless I mean, injuries 982 01:09:55,039 --> 01:09:58,119 are concern for everybody, and maybe more so for Embeid than a lot, 983 01:09:58,199 --> 01:10:01,560 but like it's just this, when's the last time on a healthy MVP and 984 01:10:01,640 --> 01:10:05,079 his prime was on a team that didn't at least like Threaten forty nine wins. 985 01:10:05,159 --> 01:10:08,239 You know that's I mean, that's why the line is where it is. 986 01:10:08,319 --> 01:10:10,880 But I like your logic, Brian. I think I think we have 987 01:10:11,039 --> 01:10:15,680 kind of maybe like started overlooking the Sixers prematurely as at least the playoff for 988 01:10:15,760 --> 01:10:19,560 sure, but regular season I think they might still be really good. Do 989 01:10:19,640 --> 01:10:25,359 we not touch on anything that you think warrant's a little bit of coverage or 990 01:10:25,479 --> 01:10:30,600 discussion about this team, you know, whether that's a deep roster guy that 991 01:10:30,760 --> 01:10:33,560 you're kind of interested in, or just a broader angle that we haven't hit 992 01:10:33,600 --> 01:10:38,560 on. Yeah, I mean I think we've We've hit all the big ones 993 01:10:38,600 --> 01:10:44,640 for sure. Jaden Springer, I'm intrigued to see if he cracks the rotation 994 01:10:44,800 --> 01:10:48,439 this year and if he does what he brings to the table. I mean, 995 01:10:49,039 --> 01:10:53,319 coming into camp last year, PJ Talker was like, this guy's really 996 01:10:53,399 --> 01:10:58,359 good defensively already and he doesn't even know what he's doing yet. So you 997 01:10:58,439 --> 01:11:00,720 know, how he's developed over this or especially offense is going to be the 998 01:11:00,800 --> 01:11:03,279 key. If he can space the floor, if he can you know, 999 01:11:03,640 --> 01:11:09,800 dribble. How really, frankly, how all these guys adapted. Nick Nurse 1000 01:11:09,840 --> 01:11:13,920 his new system I think is gonna determine playing time early in the year, 1001 01:11:14,039 --> 01:11:18,119 and I think based on the off season editions, especially of Patrick Beverley, 1002 01:11:18,640 --> 01:11:23,079 you know, I'm guessing he ends up being the third point guard in the 1003 01:11:23,199 --> 01:11:28,399 rotation, so you know, plays fourth quarter blowout and it's not much else 1004 01:11:28,439 --> 01:11:31,319 than that. But if anyone goes down, you know, does he actually 1005 01:11:31,359 --> 01:11:36,319 get an opportunity in the rotation Because frankly, that's been an area that the 1006 01:11:36,399 --> 01:11:42,479 Sixers have been lacking in in recent years, is giving their young guys enough 1007 01:11:42,600 --> 01:11:46,840 time to develop and get regular season reps. It cost them Isaiah Joe last 1008 01:11:46,920 --> 01:11:53,000 year, which the Thunder, my beloved Oklahoma City Thunder reaping the rewards. 1009 01:11:53,119 --> 01:11:59,520 Finally, that's right, we had a good das somewhere. You know. 1010 01:11:59,760 --> 01:12:03,920 Charleis Bassie was another one who showed some flashes last year with San Antonio after 1011 01:12:05,079 --> 01:12:12,000 he got waved from the Sixers. So you know, they just don't have 1012 01:12:12,199 --> 01:12:15,199 a ton of other than Maxie and Read, they really don't have a ton 1013 01:12:15,239 --> 01:12:19,079 of young, high upside guys. I mean, I know Sixers fans are 1014 01:12:19,159 --> 01:12:24,159 excited about Turk Smith, who's on a two way deal. So we'll see 1015 01:12:24,880 --> 01:12:27,960 how much he plays if at all this year. I mean, I imagine 1016 01:12:28,000 --> 01:12:31,479 he's gonna be mostly in the G League. But I think they really do 1017 01:12:31,680 --> 01:12:38,039 need to replenish that youth pipeline, especially if they're thinking like, oh crap, 1018 01:12:38,119 --> 01:12:41,199 and made my request to trade within a year, It's like, okay, 1019 01:12:41,319 --> 01:12:44,640 Well, if that happens, then you've got Tyrese, Maxie, Paul 1020 01:12:44,680 --> 01:12:48,239 Reid and what and you know, filling the the blanks there is going to 1021 01:12:48,319 --> 01:12:54,000 be really important for them. So Springer is in the third year of his 1022 01:12:54,159 --> 01:12:57,359 rookie scale deal, they're gonna have to you know. I don't think he's 1023 01:12:57,359 --> 01:13:00,399 gonna get like a massive extension or anything next time, but at some point 1024 01:13:00,399 --> 01:13:02,640 they got to figure out what they have in the kid, because they really 1025 01:13:02,920 --> 01:13:12,079 haven't played him almost at all the first two seasons. Grant, do you 1026 01:13:12,279 --> 01:13:15,239 still you have to jump or do you still have a minute for a mini? 1027 01:13:15,560 --> 01:13:18,079 I have two questions. I did not prepare either of you for I'm 1028 01:13:18,119 --> 01:13:21,880 always ready for that. Let's do it. So we do this segment Brian 1029 01:13:23,039 --> 01:13:27,640 called garbage Time. Name is pending since Katie Nolan had a show called garbage 1030 01:13:27,720 --> 01:13:36,239 Time. But I need to play this. So my first question here it 1031 01:13:36,359 --> 01:13:41,760 can't be the Clippers or the Miami Heat. Brian, where would be your 1032 01:13:41,840 --> 01:13:56,760 favorite random James Harden trade destination? M oh boy. I mean favorite in 1033 01:13:56,880 --> 01:14:00,359 the sense of like I want to see him just cause chaos there, or 1034 01:14:00,439 --> 01:14:03,000 if he would actually be a good fit there, because there are two very 1035 01:14:03,039 --> 01:14:08,640 different answers. It could be any just just pick a team. It could 1036 01:14:08,640 --> 01:14:19,920 be any reasoning you want, like Toronto would just be funny. If Massi's 1037 01:14:19,920 --> 01:14:30,039 already talking about playing selfish, then grant well, since I already alienated this 1038 01:14:30,199 --> 01:14:35,319 fan base like fifteen different times, I'm still sending him to Orlando. I 1039 01:14:35,359 --> 01:14:39,760 don't know. I don't believe in any of their guards. I need a 1040 01:14:39,840 --> 01:14:42,880 guard. It's gonna create some shots. So Paolo and Franz don't have to 1041 01:14:42,960 --> 01:14:45,039 do it all. Just have them for a year. See what it's like 1042 01:14:45,119 --> 01:14:50,079 to have a guard that can pastor will and shoot consistently. Give me the 1043 01:14:50,119 --> 01:14:55,840 Minnesota Timberwolves him playing with Anthony Edwards. Then who's ever left over from that 1044 01:14:56,000 --> 01:14:59,119 trade? I know that the six Ers probably aren't doing that without Jade McDaniel's 1045 01:14:59,119 --> 01:15:01,960 involved, but that would just be It could kind of be a good fit, 1046 01:15:02,039 --> 01:15:05,399 but it would be a very compelling, potentially implosive fit too, So 1047 01:15:05,520 --> 01:15:09,399 I love it. That's fun. My second one, I'll start with you 1048 01:15:09,520 --> 01:15:14,840 here, Grant Championship is on the line. What are you more inclined to 1049 01:15:14,880 --> 01:15:19,640 bet on Ben Simmons making a shot between three and ten feet or James Harden's 1050 01:15:19,680 --> 01:15:26,880 team winning an elimination game. I mean, it's we have to be really 1051 01:15:27,039 --> 01:15:31,399 mean either way. I'm gonna bet on Harden because Ben Simmons is not gonna 1052 01:15:31,439 --> 01:15:35,279 take the shot, so I don't even have anything, so I at least 1053 01:15:35,319 --> 01:15:39,720 want a fighting chance. He's not gonna shoot it, so I have to 1054 01:15:39,800 --> 01:15:43,680 go with the other one. What about you, Brian? Yeah, I 1055 01:15:43,760 --> 01:15:46,760 mean elimination games could also be elimination for the other team, right like he 1056 01:15:47,600 --> 01:15:53,199 they swept they swept the Nuts last year, so that he did technically win 1057 01:15:53,399 --> 01:15:59,640 one elimination game. True, So I'll cheat and say that for that reason, 1058 01:16:00,479 --> 01:16:02,880 I will say. I won't answer because I know, but Ben Simmons 1059 01:16:02,960 --> 01:16:08,840 for his career, is shooting forty one point six percent on shots between three 1060 01:16:08,920 --> 01:16:11,760 and ten feet, and so if that's a forty one point six percent proposition, 1061 01:16:12,279 --> 01:16:15,680 do you guys know James Harden's team's records and elimination games. Probably not 1062 01:16:15,800 --> 01:16:23,119 that high. Thirty nine point four percent fillip situation. Just three Ben Simmons 1063 01:16:23,199 --> 01:16:26,399 is the answer, but I thought that might bend your brains a little bit. 1064 01:16:26,840 --> 01:16:29,199 That hurt. Hey, do you want to play the Do you want 1065 01:16:29,199 --> 01:16:31,680 to play the You'll Never Guess game? I have a queue up. I 1066 01:16:31,720 --> 01:16:34,119 would love to play it if you have time, and Brian or you want 1067 01:16:34,159 --> 01:16:36,960 to partake, Grant can explain it. And it's the whole point is to 1068 01:16:38,000 --> 01:16:41,800 make you and I look like idiots. And I've looked like an idiot a 1069 01:16:41,840 --> 01:16:44,960 couple times already with it. Now you guys can even collaborate on this. 1070 01:16:45,800 --> 01:16:48,600 So Brian, all this is is there's three levels to it. There's easy, 1071 01:16:48,720 --> 01:16:54,319 medium, and hard. The answer is just an NBA player. They 1072 01:16:54,399 --> 01:16:57,479 don't need to be active, but there'll be someone that, like you, 1073 01:16:57,640 --> 01:17:00,199 one hundred percent know who they are. It's not an I'm not going to 1074 01:17:00,239 --> 01:17:02,479 pull a name from like the fifties or anything, or even all these guys 1075 01:17:02,520 --> 01:17:09,159 have played like within the last ten years, and I just give clues and 1076 01:17:09,239 --> 01:17:12,640 they hopefully I won't need to use all of them, and you guys will 1077 01:17:12,640 --> 01:17:15,359 be able to guess who it is, So that's it pretty simple, half 1078 01:17:15,359 --> 01:17:18,760 baked idea. And we can just yell when either of us knows the name, 1079 01:17:19,319 --> 01:17:23,159 Like should we pause after each clue to see if Brian and I need 1080 01:17:23,239 --> 01:17:25,720 another clue and then go for like we want to collaborate on this, what's 1081 01:17:25,720 --> 01:17:27,800 the best way to do? Yeah, yeah, well you can just wait 1082 01:17:27,880 --> 01:17:30,960 till the clue is red and then you can answer. Although now, and 1083 01:17:30,000 --> 01:17:32,920 I'm looking at the first clue on easy, it might only take one clue 1084 01:17:33,000 --> 01:17:39,479 for this. Let's see, I'm gonna make it. I'm going to reverse 1085 01:17:39,520 --> 01:17:41,640 the order of the clues for easy, because that might be too easy, 1086 01:17:42,199 --> 01:17:45,000 all right. I was the twenty eighth pick in the two thousand and one 1087 01:17:45,079 --> 01:17:48,119 draft. My career spanned from the one to oh two season to twenty eighteen 1088 01:17:48,239 --> 01:17:51,680 nineteen. Not going to get it there, probably unless you got nothing, 1089 01:17:51,880 --> 01:17:57,319 unless you really know the one draft. I've got four rings, six All 1090 01:17:57,399 --> 01:18:01,760 Star Game appearances, and four All NBA nine odds. I was the six 1091 01:18:01,920 --> 01:18:11,760 O seven Finals MVP. I've averaged at least five assists. You got it? 1092 01:18:13,199 --> 01:18:15,520 It was that you were going to get it on. I was born 1093 01:18:15,560 --> 01:18:19,079 in Belgium. I feel like I wouldn't have gotten that one. That wouldn't 1094 01:18:19,079 --> 01:18:21,159 have done it for me. The next clue was going to be, I've 1095 01:18:21,159 --> 01:18:26,600 averaged at least five assists thirteen times. Let's see some of these, just 1096 01:18:26,720 --> 01:18:30,039 like blew my mind. Top ten in MVP voting four times. He was 1097 01:18:30,199 --> 01:18:33,800 fifth in m v P in eleven twelve. Forgot about that? Got out, 1098 01:18:33,840 --> 01:18:36,239 lockout? All right, that was easy? Yes, oh that's right. 1099 01:18:36,800 --> 01:18:41,680 Okay, we move on to medium. Dan. I'm looking at you 1100 01:18:41,840 --> 01:18:50,439 on this one, okay, Olobrien mary Well. I have played for these 1101 01:18:50,520 --> 01:18:56,279 teams in this order, the Knicks, the Warriors, the Celtics, the 1102 01:18:56,399 --> 01:19:03,159 MAVs. God damn it. Wow, good job, Wow, good job. 1103 01:19:04,239 --> 01:19:08,680 You would have gotten it by I lost my starting job in fourteen fifteen 1104 01:19:08,720 --> 01:19:11,960 and never got it back. All right, So now we move on to 1105 01:19:12,000 --> 01:19:14,479 hard, although now I don't know what to think about my ordering since you 1106 01:19:14,560 --> 01:19:18,720 got medium in one. All right, redemption, Dan, good job, 1107 01:19:19,119 --> 01:19:24,800 all right. I am a combo guard that went to Washington and I'm from 1108 01:19:24,880 --> 01:19:28,800 the state of Washington. For college, I was the rookie of the Year 1109 01:19:29,239 --> 01:19:33,239 and obviously made All Rookie in six o seven. I made the All Star 1110 01:19:33,359 --> 01:19:38,439 team in my second third and fourth years in the league, but never again. 1111 01:19:39,319 --> 01:19:43,760 I was All NBA in my third and fourth years. It is Brandon 1112 01:19:43,880 --> 01:19:45,760 Roy. I didn't even have to get to the fourth quarter against the MAVs 1113 01:19:45,840 --> 01:19:49,560 in Game four of that one year. Good job, this is See two 1114 01:19:49,600 --> 01:19:53,960 heads are way better than one. Yeah. Yeah, like I might be 1115 01:19:54,039 --> 01:19:57,960 able to clip that eventually. It's evergreen into like a single short yeah. 1116 01:19:58,000 --> 01:20:03,000 Because I took easy as the long. I mean, it's it's the work 1117 01:20:03,039 --> 01:20:05,600 in progress. I don't know how hard to make the clues. Uh, 1118 01:20:05,840 --> 01:20:09,520 well, good, so I realized I went with three retired guys. By 1119 01:20:09,560 --> 01:20:13,479 the way, I didn't intentionally do that, but we there are people clamoring 1120 01:20:13,600 --> 01:20:15,359 for nominations. I haven't checked the messages, but people have now sent me 1121 01:20:15,479 --> 01:20:18,039 clues for us to use. So we'll have to try and get to that 1122 01:20:18,159 --> 01:20:21,760 in the next episode. You and I do. But I love this game. 1123 01:20:21,800 --> 01:20:25,520 It makes me feel terrible about myself because I had no idea about two 1124 01:20:25,560 --> 01:20:27,520 of three of these players. I never I don't know that I would have 1125 01:20:27,560 --> 01:20:30,600 get them. But uh, it's fun. Could I just start saying, 1126 01:20:30,720 --> 01:20:35,119 you guys like process sixer names Thompson. I'm telling you right now I'm not 1127 01:20:35,159 --> 01:20:40,920 getting all Thompson, you know, would have to be you know who I'll 1128 01:20:41,000 --> 01:20:45,079 get if you send me kJ McDaniel's clues on the w Yeah, that line 1129 01:20:45,159 --> 01:20:49,439 is unlocked. Wasn't like one of the first Hinky Special contracts. Yeah, 1130 01:20:49,560 --> 01:20:55,000 but grudgingly he refused to sign it for a while and that's why he got 1131 01:20:55,119 --> 01:21:00,399 traded me. So now you sign the Hinky Special. That's that's right. 1132 01:21:00,479 --> 01:21:02,920 Yeah, Well he worked out for TJ McConnell and River coming to song sayd's 1133 01:21:02,960 --> 01:21:06,239 true? Yeah? Uh, Brian, are you just able? Thank you 1134 01:21:06,319 --> 01:21:09,319 so much for doing this with us? It's fun to have a third person 1135 01:21:09,600 --> 01:21:12,560 for it. Are you able to just tell our listeners where they can find 1136 01:21:12,640 --> 01:21:15,600 you and all the great work that you do before Grant takes us out of 1137 01:21:15,600 --> 01:21:17,199 here? For sure? Well, thank you guys for having me. As 1138 01:21:17,279 --> 01:21:20,520 much as I hate talking about this god forsaken team, it's always good seeing 1139 01:21:20,600 --> 01:21:26,880 you too. Y'all can find me on X or Twitter, whatever you want 1140 01:21:26,920 --> 01:21:30,760 to call it, or any social media platform at b too poorik A is 1141 01:21:30,880 --> 01:21:34,760 b T O p O R e K. You can find my written work 1142 01:21:34,840 --> 01:21:41,479 for sixer stuff, especially at Liberty, Bollers and Forbes sports cover all sorts 1143 01:21:41,520 --> 01:21:45,479 of NBA including people call them the City Thunder for all the thunder fans out 1144 01:21:45,479 --> 01:21:49,680 there, and you can find the NBA podcast wherever podcasts are found. Honestly, 1145 01:21:49,680 --> 01:21:53,359 if the uncontested podcast folks are listening to this, I know that was 1146 01:21:53,399 --> 01:21:56,399 From time to time, you guys need to invite to pork on your podcast. 1147 01:21:57,119 --> 01:22:00,880 It's time for him, It's it's time. I'm ready to be baptized 1148 01:22:00,920 --> 01:22:05,640 in the samm pressing bath water. Well, Brian again, thank you very 1149 01:22:05,760 --> 01:22:11,279 much for your perspective and joining us here. I will tell everyone as always 1150 01:22:11,319 --> 01:22:14,079 to rate, review, subscribe, follow us on all the socials. Do 1151 01:22:14,199 --> 01:22:17,079 the same. For the NBA podcast, Brian and more do awesome work. 1152 01:22:17,680 --> 01:22:21,960 I listened to it regularly. Uh and uh yeah. If you want to 1153 01:22:23,000 --> 01:22:26,319 find ways to follow support, check out the links in the YouTube and podcast 1154 01:22:26,399 --> 01:22:30,520 description here. Tell your friends, tell your enemies, buy some merch that's 1155 01:22:30,520 --> 01:22:32,920 also something you can do to support and uh yeah, you know, uh, 1156 01:22:33,279 --> 01:22:36,439 I guess we should probably close the sixers pot with with a go Thunder