1 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:08,919 What is krack alakin our we Knox listeners. I am dan Fa Valley coming 2 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:14,000 at you without my fantabulous co host Adam Bramwell. Today going to dive into 3 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,480 a solo mailbag since you could not join me for this week. Thank you 4 00:00:18,519 --> 00:00:22,239 everyone who sent in questions. As always, you can get at me and 5 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,760 the dms with questions at dan Fa Valley fav alle. You can also respond 6 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,239 to the solicitation tweech we're putting out there. If I don't get to your 7 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,280 question today, this might be a two part mailbag. You guys were amazing 8 00:00:33,439 --> 00:00:38,679 with the queues and whether you're traveling perhaps at this time since we're releasing this 9 00:00:38,759 --> 00:00:42,719 on Thursday, December twenty three in the evening, hopefully it could just give 10 00:00:42,759 --> 00:00:46,439 you something to listen to. We will also try and continue to come up 11 00:00:46,439 --> 00:00:51,159 with just better, more evergreen concepts as the league goes through it. It's 12 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,479 COVID surge. We don't technically cover a bunch of the day to day stuff 13 00:00:55,479 --> 00:00:57,840 anyway. We've always tried to steer away from that because you can get that 14 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:02,439 from a ton of other podcasts, including specific ones. But rest assured we 15 00:01:02,479 --> 00:01:07,760 will try some different shit as the NBA goes through the motions during the global 16 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,120 pandemic really quickly before we get started one. Thank you everyone who was in 17 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:18,000 my DMS was in our mentions about the two trade target podcast we did. 18 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,159 The timing on the Western Conference one was terrible. We didn't like publishing that 19 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,799 necessarily at the peak of the NBA's COVID surge, but we kept getting delayed 20 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:29,079 after we put out the Eastern Conference one, and we at least did acknowledge 21 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:33,599 it even if it wasn't ideally timed. I love having discussions with people in 22 00:01:33,599 --> 00:01:36,239 the mentions about this who disagree. Trades are divisive. I get it, 23 00:01:36,359 --> 00:01:38,319 some of them are controversial. Lots of fun talking we had. I went 24 00:01:38,359 --> 00:01:42,359 back and forth with a bunch of people in my DMS and the mentions. 25 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:45,799 I can't remember his name. I think his name is Corey was unhappy about 26 00:01:45,799 --> 00:01:49,359 our Pelicans takes. We had some hornets people in my DMS. Just good 27 00:01:49,359 --> 00:01:53,400 conversations. I will say, I get so tired of the people who slip 28 00:01:53,439 --> 00:01:56,439 in and are just like you. Clearly don't watch Team X or player X. 29 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:00,120 There's a chance that we misspoke about Jared Vanderbilt. Listening back, I 30 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:05,159 don't think that Adam was stress and Jared Vanderbilt at all, but there was 31 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,000 someone who accused us of not watching the Warriors at one point. It just 32 00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:12,879 gets ridiculous. That is the lowest common denominator of insults. So please, 33 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:15,840 I'm happy to have a discussion even if we disagree, and I love having 34 00:02:15,879 --> 00:02:19,719 those discussions, but don't be a dumbass about it. That's all I ask. 35 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,759 How's keeping notes? Remember to follow Hardwood Knox on Twitter at Hardwoodknox. 36 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:29,400 We're on Instagram at Hardwood Underscore Knox. Find us on YouTube YouTube dot Com 37 00:02:29,439 --> 00:02:32,000 search hardware Knox will come up. This might be the first episode that we 38 00:02:32,039 --> 00:02:35,560 have video live. It was supposed to be, but then Adam is not 39 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,479 with me. So if you see our template up there and then it's just 40 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,439 me maybe next to a still shot of Frank Nilikina. I think that's what 41 00:02:42,479 --> 00:02:45,919 I'll do if I do put this up on YouTube with video. That is 42 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,680 why. Also, please, please, most importantly, remember to rate, 43 00:02:49,719 --> 00:02:53,360 review and subscribe to Hardwinknox. Wherever you get your podcasts. Spotify now has 44 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,879 a rating system. Go in there, rate us very highly. We ask 45 00:02:55,919 --> 00:03:00,439 whether you use iTunes or not to go in there, throw us five star 46 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:02,120 rating and also write a review that helps a ton. If this is your 47 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:07,319 first time checking out this podcast, consider throwing us the permanent subscription. We 48 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,439 are only modestly insufferable when it comes to our national NBA takes in my humble 49 00:03:10,439 --> 00:03:15,479 opinion, so that's a pretty good bar. It's clear. Like I said, 50 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:17,560 YouTube, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast, stitch or 51 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,680 a Google play. However you're listening, we ask, if this is your 52 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:23,719 first time, consider giving us that permanent subscription. And finally, you can 53 00:03:23,759 --> 00:03:27,879 also help us out by telling people about us, friends, family members, 54 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,120 people you know like hoops, random people on social media, or that you 55 00:03:31,159 --> 00:03:35,000 work with, maybe in a slack room or if you're in an office at 56 00:03:35,039 --> 00:03:38,360 this point, you can also retweet our promos. That helps a bunch. 57 00:03:38,719 --> 00:03:40,520 Finally, before we get into the mailbag, I will say if, for 58 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:45,400 some reason, because I was incredibly inundated while doing research for this, you 59 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:47,280 DMed me and I did not get to your question, do not hesitate to 60 00:03:47,439 --> 00:03:51,479 DM me again with the question. I'm gonna try and get through as many 61 00:03:51,919 --> 00:03:57,000 queries as we have today, but yeah, let's just see how far we 62 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,719 get and I feel like now is the time to dive in. Oh if 63 00:03:59,719 --> 00:04:03,080 you on a quick update what the NBA is doing with the uptick in COVID 64 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:08,319 nineteen cases, Aside from throwing just extra bodies on teams, it does seem 65 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,479 that the players association in the league are nearing an agreement to where people who 66 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:15,839 test positive can return within six days rather than ten. I don't know when 67 00:04:15,879 --> 00:04:18,839 that's going to be implemented, and we're so close to Christmas, and anyone 68 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,240 who sent me questions about the Christmas Day games, I didn't answer them because 69 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:26,600 I don't want to date this too heavily. There will be some level of 70 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,600 poetic ridiculousness if the NBA doesn't ramp up testing until after Christmas, but it's 71 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:35,040 going to allow people out of quarantine or health and safety protocols earlier before Christmas, 72 00:04:35,079 --> 00:04:39,120 in the name probably of those Christmas Day games. Again, we went 73 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,639 a little bit more in depth on the COVID situation in the NBA, how 74 00:04:42,639 --> 00:04:46,519 people can't speak in definitives, how shutting down the league isn't necessarily a solution, 75 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,439 how soldiering on like this isn't necessarious necessarily a solution. But I just 76 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:55,040 I hope it doesn't. I hope the timeline doesn't align like this, whereas 77 00:04:55,079 --> 00:04:59,240 we're gonna have players exit health and safety protocols immediately earlier than expected, but 78 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:00,839 we're actually not going to ramp up our testing until the day after Christmas, 79 00:05:00,879 --> 00:05:03,720 I believe is when it's scheduled four. That's the only thing we'll mention on 80 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:10,639 that. Let's dive right into this mailbag. We'll start with Miroslav Shook, 81 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,120 longtime listener, friend of the podcast. He has who will be the best 82 00:05:14,199 --> 00:05:17,439 player in both conferences? Who will not make this season's All NBA squads. 83 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:21,639 Please, pretty please do not take health and safety protocols into account. I 84 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:25,839 will not dang players for missing time and health and safety protocols. That is 85 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:30,600 absolutely not going to happen. I'm also going to exclude people who are impacted 86 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:32,759 by injuries from this list, where you can easily go with the Bam out 87 00:05:32,759 --> 00:05:35,680 of Bio because he's probably gonna miss six eight weeks, but whatever. It 88 00:05:35,759 --> 00:05:40,000 is, the same thing with Anthony Davis probably gonna miss between four and eight 89 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:44,920 weeks as well, just because their cases are actually going to be impacted by 90 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,399 availability that extends beyond the health and safety protocols, and so that sort of 91 00:05:47,399 --> 00:05:50,199 feels like low hanging fruit. So the names I came up with the East 92 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:56,000 is really tough because after sort of Yannis and Kevin Durant and then I guess 93 00:05:56,040 --> 00:06:00,360 Trey Young and Zach Lavine, there's just like a haze of all these really 94 00:06:00,639 --> 00:06:03,639 great players, but like not as many locks as I feel like in the 95 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,600 West, which is weird to say, Maybe you disagree with me. I 96 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:12,920 think someone from the Jimmy Butler, Jason Tatum, Bred Van Fleet trio is 97 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,480 who I'm picking with. I know that's like a very wide scope of names. 98 00:06:15,519 --> 00:06:17,759 I think most people would say Fred Van Fleet is most likely to not 99 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,240 make an All NBA team. I just think he's gonna have a deserving case. 100 00:06:20,639 --> 00:06:23,959 And so if we look back on this and Butler ends up playing in 101 00:06:24,079 --> 00:06:27,759 enough games because he was more impacted by an injury than health and safety protocols, 102 00:06:27,959 --> 00:06:30,639 I do think people have been lower on Jason Tatum than they should be 103 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:32,720 this season. He's actually done a better job in recent weeks of just like 104 00:06:32,759 --> 00:06:35,279 having these physical finishes at the rim, which is, you know a lot 105 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:38,879 of the times it feels like his game bails out before he gets to the 106 00:06:38,879 --> 00:06:42,720 basket, so that's been good for him, but someone from those teams, 107 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:46,720 and I feel like just Jimmy Butler could be sort of outshined by not outshined 108 00:06:46,759 --> 00:06:48,759 by Tyler Hero or Kyle Lowry because of the time he's missed. I think 109 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,639 he's gonna end up playing enough minutes. But if people really look at availability 110 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,959 as you do, when you probably get to the case of a Joel Embiid 111 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:59,720 who doesn't face as much competition necessarily, although the NBA does flots and fiddle 112 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:01,480 with the man positions at this point anyway, still he to me would be 113 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:05,199 more of a lock than Jimmy Butler on the availability spectrum. So Butler, 114 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:09,519 again, I'm not throwing him in the auto bio tier just because he has 115 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,439 not missed as much time. It feels like he could be overlooked for that 116 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:15,040 reason though, and wouldn't necessarily deserve it because he has by and large been 117 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:20,240 spectacular in the West. I wanted to go with Devin Booker or Donovan Mitchell, 118 00:07:20,279 --> 00:07:24,040 but I've decided that Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell are both gonna make an 119 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,519 All NBA team this year, and I went with John Moran, he did 120 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,199 miss time with that. Was it a nice brain that he had that could 121 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,120 impact him? I also think that people are gonna look at the Grizzly success 122 00:07:33,439 --> 00:07:39,040 without him this season as sort of this barometer for his value, and I 123 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:43,160 think they'll probably just see him as one of those two early guys on a 124 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:46,519 Memphis team that's fourth in the West right now, But how really good are 125 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:48,920 they? You could probably also go with a shake gild just Alexander in this 126 00:07:49,279 --> 00:07:53,879 he did have this just like slump in his efficiency, but he's tasked with 127 00:07:53,959 --> 00:07:57,319 creating so many of his own looks. You can throw him into that equation 128 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,920 if you'd like to, though, those are the two names that immediately so 129 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,560 because the guard pool in the league is still altra DP, maybe Dontrich is 130 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:07,079 available or eligible with Foward again, but if he's not, or if people 131 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,680 vote him in as a guard, you have done. You have Stephen Curry, 132 00:08:09,879 --> 00:08:11,720 like I said, you have Donovan Mitchell, you have Chris Paul, 133 00:08:11,759 --> 00:08:16,079 You've Devin Booker. That's a really just tough tier to crack. And I'm 134 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:22,160 also sure that I'm I'm leaving out somebody, So I'm going to be interested 135 00:08:22,199 --> 00:08:24,120 to see how the guard situation plays out in the West, and maybe the 136 00:08:24,319 --> 00:08:30,839 sort of weird positional designations will end up helping get the right players in there. 137 00:08:30,839 --> 00:08:33,759 But John Morant and if you want to throw sche Gildes Alexander's part of 138 00:08:33,759 --> 00:08:35,000 that, I think those will probably be the best players in the West to 139 00:08:35,159 --> 00:08:39,279 end up not making an All MBA team. Damian Lillard could probably be in 140 00:08:39,279 --> 00:08:43,399 there theoretically because he has such a slow start that misses some time. Now 141 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,080 he's sort of on the come up. I just wouldn't put him in there 142 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,559 because that's slow start. If that's why he doesn't get in, I don't 143 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,840 necessarily think that's invalid, and I do think honestly that there's probably a better 144 00:08:52,879 --> 00:08:54,320 chance people end up voting him and just based off how the close to the 145 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:58,039 season than a John Morand or sche gild justs Alexander there is. It feels 146 00:08:58,039 --> 00:09:03,159 like there's this tendency, even it's even if it's a like not intentional, 147 00:09:03,399 --> 00:09:09,200 to just gravitate towards the players who are more established within this discussion in years 148 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,279 prior, so if they're having years that rival others, they might be more 149 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:16,679 likely to curry favor over them than less established players who haven't you know, 150 00:09:16,759 --> 00:09:20,440 John Morant or Shikila as Alexander who haven't made an All NBA team. I 151 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:24,879 think the ease the player I didn't mention was LaMelo Ball. I just I 152 00:09:24,879 --> 00:09:26,519 wouldn't have him on the same level as a Butler or Tatum at this point 153 00:09:26,519 --> 00:09:30,320 if they didn't get him. But that's just another one who He's been really 154 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,960 good on offense for the Hornets this year. He remains a transcendent playmaker. 155 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:35,799 So those just a few names to keep on. You can let me know 156 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:41,360 what you think if you disagree. This one was interesting from Jake g asked 157 00:09:41,399 --> 00:09:45,759 which players deserve more recognition for the improvements they've made from last season to this 158 00:09:45,759 --> 00:09:48,480 season. For example, as a repenting Cody Martin hater, he's improved by 159 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:52,360 leaps and bounds this year, but would never be considered for most improved player. 160 00:09:52,639 --> 00:09:56,159 Those guys deserve some love as well. So I tackled this in the 161 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:00,519 sense that, like I want to use Desmond Bain as just the a lineation 162 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:03,919 line where he is a sophomore, I'm not sure enough people are talking about 163 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,240 him. I know Bristly fans are clamoring that doesn't get enough attention I've put 164 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:11,000 him. He is like the line, he's in the most improved player conversation 165 00:10:11,159 --> 00:10:15,600 for me, and so it's fair to leave him out of this discussion. 166 00:10:15,639 --> 00:10:20,240 I also I hate to frame it as most improved, because I do think 167 00:10:20,399 --> 00:10:22,039 with a lot of players, it's a matter of opportunity. So I was 168 00:10:22,039 --> 00:10:26,279 basically going through every team and just looking at players that have stood out this 169 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:30,639 year, maybe one from each squad that have not received enough love this season. 170 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:33,320 Maybe we're underappreciated, or they are the most improved player on the team 171 00:10:33,399 --> 00:10:37,440 that feels like it could be its own podcast. So maybe we'll delve deeper 172 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:41,559 into that. But if I were to blow through some of those names right 173 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:43,679 now, and maybe I won't stop at every team or read through the list 174 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:48,879 that I have from every team, I do think that if we maybe let's 175 00:10:48,879 --> 00:10:52,440 try and go through all of them right here, I'm gonna say Galan right 176 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:54,639 for Atlanta, that was a tough one, not an improvement, just someone 177 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,279 was underappreciated. I think Romeo Langford's given Boston some really good minutes this season. 178 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,799 When you look over in Brooklyn DeAndre Benbury, I don't know if he's 179 00:11:01,799 --> 00:11:07,279 improved but he's played some highly important minutes for the Nets this season in Charlotte. 180 00:11:07,399 --> 00:11:09,759 Like Cody, Martin's probably the clear answer, but I would listen to 181 00:11:09,159 --> 00:11:15,279 Jalen McDaniels responses there as well. On the Bowls, Javante Green without question. 182 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:16,879 On the Calves. There's probably a number of candidates, but I ultimately 183 00:11:16,879 --> 00:11:20,039 do think when you look at their top three players in Garland, Allen, 184 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,759 and Mowbley, those guys all get enough attention. I even think that there's 185 00:11:22,759 --> 00:11:26,960 been enough homage pay to Oh Kevin Love is playing a little better this season 186 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:28,879 and seems happy. And Ricky Rubio might be one of the best backup point 187 00:11:28,879 --> 00:11:33,759 guards in the NBA. I'm inclined to go with Isaaca Coro because I don't 188 00:11:33,759 --> 00:11:35,480 think people realize how much he's improved or was playing well on offense right now. 189 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:41,679 I'm actually gonna settle on Jetty Osman, who plays with the brazen euphoria 190 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,000 of someone who is peaking on just the right of Madam Molly. That's how 191 00:11:45,159 --> 00:11:48,840 I could best describe the Jetty Osman offensive experience in Dallas. Come on, 192 00:11:48,879 --> 00:11:52,840 we know it's our guy. Frank nil Keena, Jalen Brunson's two mainstream for 193 00:11:52,399 --> 00:11:56,120 this case, he is so far been their best free agent. Addition, 194 00:11:56,240 --> 00:12:01,120 I know the bar isn't super low there Denver. Is it Bones Highland that 195 00:12:01,159 --> 00:12:03,639 was someone? I think it could also be Aaron Gordon. It's really probably 196 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:07,039 just Jeff Green their backup. Bign situations not on him. He's also not 197 00:12:07,039 --> 00:12:11,159 a backup at this point, but he's been so important just the way he's 198 00:12:11,159 --> 00:12:13,559 defending, and then also he's been shooting threes fairly well. I don't want 199 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:16,840 to sound like an asshole for this. I don't really have one. For 200 00:12:16,879 --> 00:12:20,600 the Pistons, it's probably Sabing Lee or I still just believe in Killian Hayes 201 00:12:20,919 --> 00:12:24,679 long term. I just watch someone who, even when he's making the wrong 202 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:26,159 decisions, even when he's not hitting shots, it just feels like there's a 203 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:30,799 cadence there that is going to turn into something maybe if his feel and proven 204 00:12:30,799 --> 00:12:33,440 there even times which just looks like his feel is through the roof the Warriors. 205 00:12:33,519 --> 00:12:37,159 Everyone there probably just gets enough attention to think of Gary Payton, the 206 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,120 second want Toscano Anderson even I'm actually gonna go with. I mean, Jta 207 00:12:41,279 --> 00:12:45,840 is just you know, a siren song of mine. But I'm not sure 208 00:12:45,879 --> 00:12:48,440 that we appreciate like the season out of Porter Jr. Has Had for the 209 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,960 Doubs, especially defensively. They've they've effectively been using him as a big and 210 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,240 he pitched in in their second game against the Suns. I believe, I 211 00:12:54,279 --> 00:12:58,840 hope I'm not misremembering where he had some good plays when it came to limiting 212 00:13:00,159 --> 00:13:03,679 DeAndre Ayton. There in Houston. You can throw Eric Gordon here and I'll 213 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:07,679 listen, because I've seen trades for Eric Gordon where they just think people think 214 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:09,919 that Houston just wants to get off his salary. I think it takes a 215 00:13:09,919 --> 00:13:13,879 first round pick to get Eric Gordon at this point. That's how good he's 216 00:13:13,879 --> 00:13:16,519 actually been. Aside from him, Garrison Matthews without question not shooting as well 217 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:20,080 over the past few games, I believe, But he never should have been 218 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:22,320 on a two way contract. Probably needs a new agent at this point, 219 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:26,919 looking at the contract he did sign the Pacers. This is easy. It's 220 00:13:26,919 --> 00:13:30,240 O shape Er set. I love him. If you're going to watch a 221 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,320 Pacers game, just zero in on O Shaper set and watch what he does 222 00:13:33,399 --> 00:13:35,240 off the ball defensively, how much he works even when he's on the ball, 223 00:13:35,279 --> 00:13:37,720 and then just watch him on offense. He can be there's some stuff 224 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:39,679 he can do on the ball, and he's hit some threes this year, 225 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:43,360 but like he's a player that makes you want to watch what's happening away from 226 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,840 the action. I think is the best way that I can describe him. 227 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:50,120 For the Los Angeles Clippers, I still think people don't realize how important Nick 228 00:13:50,159 --> 00:13:54,720 patumas to them. But Luca Nard is quietly having an exceptional shooting season. 229 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,120 We have a question about him in a short minute. I'm blowing through these. 230 00:13:58,159 --> 00:14:00,840 I hope I'm not going too fast for anyone, god less anyone who's 231 00:14:00,879 --> 00:14:03,879 listening to me on one point five, where like I do two times speed 232 00:14:03,399 --> 00:14:07,879 the Lakers, the trolling answer would just be out, I don't know that 233 00:14:07,919 --> 00:14:11,759 there's anyone really here, and I think it's probably accurate. I believe that 234 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:16,480 every Star season, when you look at Russ and Lebron and Davis, the 235 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:22,039 big degree to which they've just been invalidated or criticized, it is probably over 236 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:26,279 the top because they've quietly played like Russ has played better of late. Lebron's 237 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,399 decline is yeah, he's not getting another rim as much, he's not the 238 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:33,000 same player. He's also about to turn thirty seven. I mean, come 239 00:14:33,039 --> 00:14:35,759 on, and then Anthony Davis has been there some concerns there. They've just 240 00:14:35,799 --> 00:14:39,519 been some weird moments on defense where he gets pushed around his offensive shot profile. 241 00:14:39,559 --> 00:14:41,279 To me, you would still not be ideal. Is getting too the 242 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,639 rim enough but still too reliant on that mid range not hitting it at a 243 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:48,279 high enough clip To me to necessarily justify that. If I was really looking 244 00:14:48,279 --> 00:14:52,039 for an underrated or the most improved player on this team, I don't. 245 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,799 I don't know, like you probably have to go with Austin Reeves because he's 246 00:14:54,799 --> 00:14:58,759 had some big moments. There was Carmel Anthi's hot shooting to start the year. 247 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,080 You could even argue a week month. But I'm seriously not trying to 248 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:05,840 crap all over the Lakers here. It's just they're so they have so many 249 00:15:05,919 --> 00:15:09,720 veterans, so many known commodities that are I think playing up to snuff, 250 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,840 if not worse talent. Horton Tucker would be the one that's played worst just 251 00:15:11,879 --> 00:15:16,480 looking at him, and on offense, Memphis, it cannot be Desmond Baane. 252 00:15:16,519 --> 00:15:18,840 Please, I just want to reiterate that, and so in the absence 253 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,799 of Desmond Baane, I think we really need to go with probably Taias Jones 254 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,480 has played a fairly big role for not improved for sure, but definitely looking 255 00:15:26,519 --> 00:15:30,840 at underrated. You want to rock solid, steady backup point guard, he's 256 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,879 gonna bust his ass on defense, that would be Tias Jones. He was 257 00:15:33,039 --> 00:15:39,000 very important to Memphis surviving that stretch without jaw As was also danthy Melton if 258 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,559 you want to throw him in there. If you do want to go higher 259 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:46,120 profile, though, I will definitely listen to the Desmond Baane case. The 260 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,360 heat Oh my god, they have too many candidates, which is not something 261 00:15:48,399 --> 00:15:52,039 that I would have predicted. I think I'm going to settle in with Caleb 262 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:56,000 Martin. The Martin Twins are having a moment on Zebra teams this season. 263 00:15:56,480 --> 00:16:00,519 I think a lot with him. He's not really doing stuff that he didn't 264 00:16:00,559 --> 00:16:03,519 do in Charlotte previously, where like he can do all different kinds of things 265 00:16:03,519 --> 00:16:07,240 on defense, and he has skills that translate all over the offensive. Ends 266 00:16:07,399 --> 00:16:12,720 that his role was sort of augmented or you know, expanded during the heats 267 00:16:12,799 --> 00:16:17,120 rash of not having guys available. If it's not him, I think it's 268 00:16:17,159 --> 00:16:19,879 between Max Druce or Gabe Vincent. I might mean Struce, but I'm actually 269 00:16:19,879 --> 00:16:25,440 not sure they're in Milwaukee. Grayson Allen not sure enough. People are necessarily 270 00:16:25,519 --> 00:16:29,039 talking about him and the job that he has done this season. He's been 271 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:30,799 a lights out shooter for them. I'm going to be interested once they have 272 00:16:30,799 --> 00:16:34,360 done Devincenzo available to see if his minutes are impacted at all. I would 273 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:37,360 probably think that we're just seeing less of a Jordan Ullan than Rodney Hood is 274 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:41,960 just a complete affterthought at that point, maybe Wesley Matthews is even the one 275 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,519 h you know, he's on the ten day contract as of right now. 276 00:16:44,519 --> 00:16:47,080 Even George hilcause he's been a drop. So I don't think Grayson Allen's role, 277 00:16:47,159 --> 00:16:48,919 is what I'm getting at, is going to be diminished by the return 278 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:52,679 of Dante de Vincenzo in Minnesota. I think there are people that would pick 279 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:56,919 the ends Litt Russell because he's been a very good connective tissue on offense for 280 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:00,759 the timber Wolves this year, and I'll totally us into that it's got to 281 00:17:00,799 --> 00:17:04,119 be Jared Vanderbilt, though, there and lay. That'll please anyone who said 282 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:07,640 that we didn't watch Jared Vanderbilt from the last podcast. His defense is just 283 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:11,359 absurd. We have a question about the switchiest biggs in the league, and 284 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,599 he is there. His energy is through the roof. He can crash the 285 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,119 glass super hard. I do worry about how he would hold up against just 286 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:22,880 larger, stronger biggs when you're looking at raw defense or needing to necessarily box 287 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:26,119 them out on the defensive glass, where the Wolves have struggled at times this 288 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,920 season. But he's just been an absolute joy to watch in New Orleans. 289 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,319 I think it's probably Josh Hart this year. I know it's Herbert Jones that 290 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,279 was. I don't know why I didn't. I just don't even have I'm 291 00:17:36,279 --> 00:17:40,279 looking at if anyone's watching me on camera, I'm looking at my second screen, 292 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:41,279 and I didn't even have Herbert Jones on there. It's him. He 293 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:45,880 is just like a defensive monster, and if he hits his threes and a 294 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,640 league average clip moving forward, this becomes just like not just a scalpel player, 295 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,279 but an incredibly valuable one who can play all sorts of different positions on 296 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:57,640 both offense and defense. For the Knicks, I struggled with this one. 297 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:00,640 It's actually currently left blank with question marks because I was going to need to 298 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,319 decide in real time. It's got to be. Out Burks just had some 299 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:07,160 really big moments for them. I think it speaks to they promoted him to 300 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:11,240 the starting lineup in the first place when they were looking to make a change. 301 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,680 I do think some people might want to go with a Quentin Grimes or 302 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,240 Miles McBride just because they've shown flashes, but neither of them have played enough 303 00:18:18,559 --> 00:18:22,000 this season. So I think by Farts, out burks what he can do 304 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:23,680 on aside from stretch to floor and offense, like, there are things that 305 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:27,079 he can do on the ball where it does feel like he operates as a 306 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,960 Kaitlin Cooper called this a separatist when she was talking about Carosel Vernon. I 307 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:33,599 think that's a perfect way to describe out Burks at points. But he can 308 00:18:33,599 --> 00:18:37,960 really get you a bucket, including in tight situations. He's been huge for 309 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:40,799 them, not as much this year and fourth quarters, but it was it 310 00:18:40,839 --> 00:18:42,680 was a big deal for them last year and fourth quarters, and looking at 311 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:48,319 his overall performance that clearly just wasn't a fluke. Okay, see this one 312 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:52,000 is Kendrick Williams. I was wondering if he was too high profile. He's 313 00:18:52,039 --> 00:18:56,680 not. He's just he can give you some buckets within the flow of the 314 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,519 offense. He is going to space the floor and he can defend positions. 315 00:19:00,519 --> 00:19:03,079 At this point, is he like a big he a wing? He just 316 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:07,400 blurs that line in the most amazing way possible. For the magic I will 317 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:11,400 says it has to be Franz Waugner. So I don't think we're talking about 318 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:12,799 him enough relative to the rest of the rookies. When you look at Evan 319 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:18,640 Mobley, Scotty Barnes, even Chris Dawarte or Al Prensching good at this point, 320 00:19:18,599 --> 00:19:21,799 he feels like he gets more attention. You could go with Wendel Carter 321 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:25,200 Junior here too, not shooting as well from three point range as he was 322 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:26,880 at the beginning of the year, but he just looks more confident. Still 323 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:32,559 is the same sort of portability on defense, but he's making better decisions and 324 00:19:32,599 --> 00:19:37,599 more more decisive decisions in real time whether he's passing or attacking. Obama's had 325 00:19:37,599 --> 00:19:41,279 some moments this year, but I ultimately think it's Wagner because his game is 326 00:19:41,319 --> 00:19:45,440 just more expansive than at least I realize coming into the league, he hasn't 327 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:48,000 been as big of a liability on defense, even when he's been on sort 328 00:19:48,039 --> 00:19:52,119 of wings, and there's just it's not just this outside in game for him. 329 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,480 He has a real fu to when he's putting the ball on the floor 330 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:57,480 and actually getting inside. So he's been a joy to watch. Something to 331 00:19:57,559 --> 00:20:03,559 also monitor. Gary Harris be playing better on offense lately, So I don't 332 00:20:03,599 --> 00:20:06,519 know if he's a trade candidate on his contract if he for some reason hits 333 00:20:06,519 --> 00:20:08,880 the buyout market. There's a team that could potentially sort of hit the lottery 334 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:15,359 there, the Philadelphia seventy sixers. It's probably George Niang has missed, hasn't 335 00:20:15,519 --> 00:20:18,799 had like the most pristine availability, but he hasn't tapered off the way that 336 00:20:18,799 --> 00:20:23,200 Firkon cork Moss has this season. And so he's been really big as sort 337 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:29,759 of this fringe big for Philadelphia in second unit minutes, and that's just been 338 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:33,319 a key to how Philly was treading water when they were dealing with all those 339 00:20:33,319 --> 00:20:36,960 injuries and absences and now they've sort of like fallen off the cliff a bit. 340 00:20:37,079 --> 00:20:40,359 But I think it's nyang for me. Seth Curry has just had He's 341 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:45,039 in the most improved player conversation at this point, Phoenix, it is Jal, 342 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,839 is it Devale McGee, it's not. I mean, look, he's 343 00:20:48,839 --> 00:20:52,519 been great for them. I really Cam Johnson. I don't know if we 344 00:20:52,559 --> 00:20:56,920 fully appreciate him enough. Maker miss His release is porn. That's probably the 345 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,039 best way that I could encapsulate it. There are so many things that he 346 00:21:00,079 --> 00:21:03,759 can even do on offense. And I think it's someone made this point. 347 00:21:03,799 --> 00:21:07,799 I don't know if it was the folks over the Timeline podcast or just someone 348 00:21:07,839 --> 00:21:11,559 I was reading. While mchaal Bridges might have more of an opportunity to attack 349 00:21:11,599 --> 00:21:14,680 close outs if you need someone to do more directional stuff on offense and the 350 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,640 half court with the ball in his hands as my slack goes off there making 351 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:23,559 an appearance, Pleach reports slack, Cam Johnson's probably a little bit better suited 352 00:21:23,599 --> 00:21:29,240 to do that. I still trust mchaal Bridges as more of that passer out 353 00:21:29,319 --> 00:21:32,640 of those those situations, and I'm just gonna like mcaal Bridges overall. I 354 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:36,839 also think that he has graduated Michael Bridges. That is from this discussion, 355 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:41,759 so is that is a testament to him. It's also a testament probably to 356 00:21:41,839 --> 00:21:45,880 DeAndre Atan at this point because he could have qualified for a conversation like this 357 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:51,400 in the past. Moving on to Portland this season, Afrey Simes has had 358 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:53,079 a good year. I don't know we're talking enough about Norman Powell, but 359 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:56,759 the answer is in the year a little. We talked about him at length 360 00:21:56,759 --> 00:22:00,240 with Terra bone Bigs on the Portland Trail Blazers pod. He's just in slack, 361 00:22:00,279 --> 00:22:04,200 going off again. Need to get rid of it somehow. He He's 362 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,599 been great, Just a high energy player. Can do things on defense, 363 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,960 will hit the glass hard, We'll run the floor, can be really physical 364 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:15,480 when he's when he's around the basket. I like watching nsire Little probably one 365 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:18,200 of my favorite players just watch from an entertainment value this year. Larry Nance 366 00:22:18,279 --> 00:22:22,880 Junior still deserves an honorable mention in in these discussions though that's for that's for 367 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:29,359 absolute damn damn sure that would bring us to the Sacramento Kings. This is 368 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:33,759 a tough one. I still feel like we're too low on Darren Fox's long 369 00:22:33,839 --> 00:22:37,599 term nationally, but it can't be him. Is It's still Rashaun Holmes just 370 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:41,599 he's a little push shot. I think he's better on defense if you need 371 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:45,680 sort of a I don't want to say basic, but a a good rim 372 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:48,759 protector who is not going to be completely looking like band beyond Ice. If 373 00:22:48,759 --> 00:22:52,079 he's pulled outside of the paint, it's just still him. You look at 374 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,279 what he could do is running the floor, what he can even do on 375 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,720 on the glass. Even though he's not necessarily the burliest big it's for Shaun 376 00:22:57,759 --> 00:23:03,200 Holmes. How do we not appreciate him enough? I think he just deserves 377 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:06,599 more attention. And I want the Kings to be good because I love Rashaun 378 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:08,680 Holmes. That is, that's the sole reason I want the Kings to be 379 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:14,640 good. In San Antonio's it's still Devin Vassell, is it not. I 380 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:18,519 don't he's He's hit pull up jumpers this year. You look at his hustle 381 00:23:18,559 --> 00:23:21,799 on defense. He can move really well away from the ball too. On 382 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:26,279 offense, I'm curious to see sort of where his ceiling or where his peak 383 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:30,559 ends up as an offensive player. More so, I don't think he's gonna 384 00:23:30,559 --> 00:23:33,319 be running these pick and rolls as sort of, you know, a glorified 385 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:37,200 Derek White off of Deshannte Murray in those cases. But I don't necessarily think 386 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:40,559 this is someone who just needs to be solely offen. Maybe there's even some 387 00:23:40,599 --> 00:23:45,279 Desmond Baine like potential there. When it comes to operating with the ball in 388 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:48,839 your hands, you will need to improve his playmaking note to make that type 389 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:53,839 of a jump Toronto. Oh it's Gary Trent Junior. For me, I 390 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,839 had circled Scottie Barnes, Utah Wanda Nabe. That's a really deep cut. 391 00:23:59,079 --> 00:24:02,079 That's just someone he He's one of the most positionless players in the NBA and 392 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:06,680 he is going to be sound and nearly everything he does. So I'm curious 393 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:07,640 to see if there might be a team that wants to trade for him. 394 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:11,160 This is the final year of his deal and he's super cheap. Maybe Toronto 395 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,079 doesn't want to give him up. But it's been Gary Trench Junior. He's 396 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:17,319 quietly I feel like outside of Toronto, when you're looking at the Raptors, 397 00:24:17,319 --> 00:24:19,519 are we talking about Gary Trent Junior's defense? Enough and a lot's made of 398 00:24:19,599 --> 00:24:22,640 Yeah, he can space the floor. There are things that he can do 399 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:25,039 with the ball in his hands too, that put pressure on defense is not 400 00:24:25,519 --> 00:24:30,799 super high volume at the rim, but even if he's pulling up, there's 401 00:24:30,799 --> 00:24:36,160 just more of a threat level there than there was then there needed to be. 402 00:24:36,279 --> 00:24:40,000 In Portland, let's flame it that way. In Utah it is still 403 00:24:40,079 --> 00:24:42,559 Royce O'Neill. If you want to go with the Hassan Whiteside resurgence, or 404 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:48,440 just Rudy Gay giving them some solid minutes. Even Boyambardanovitch because you know, 405 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:51,400 I guess because of the contract, is us this detriment, but he's one 406 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:53,319 of the leaders in points per touch at this point. But looking at the 407 00:24:53,319 --> 00:25:00,319 defensive workload, Royce O'Neill shoulders is that's it's critical to what the Jazz do. 408 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:07,640 And then he's just really this eminently universal, universal fit on the offensive 409 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:08,799 end, and he can you know, if he wants to drive and kick 410 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:11,759 or you just need him to hit threes like he's going to do it. 411 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:15,039 They've even used him as a spot ball handlern instances. That doesn't always work 412 00:25:15,079 --> 00:25:18,160 out as well, but it's something that he can do. In Washington, 413 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,119 that is another team I left blank. I've enjoyed Denny Afia, but I 414 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,960 was flirting with putting a Kuzmar Contabious called a pope here because we talk about 415 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:26,960 the wizard struggles this season, and I think a lot of people sort of 416 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:32,799 focus on, you know, did they make the Maybe they're not focusing on 417 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:34,640 it, but it's the guard play that worries me in Washington specifically, did 418 00:25:34,799 --> 00:25:38,160 what he's been bad? Bio's not been up to his level of you know, 419 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,839 all NBA type play, and I think that KCP and Kuzuma just both 420 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:45,799 been rather solid. But it's Denny Ava for me. He's a long way 421 00:25:45,799 --> 00:25:49,039 to go on offense. But I never and this is the caveat being someone 422 00:25:49,039 --> 00:25:53,839 who doesn't dive too deep into college basketball until we get to around the draft. 423 00:25:55,559 --> 00:25:59,000 I was surprised that he's able to hold his own defensively like this and 424 00:25:59,039 --> 00:26:03,559 it's so active there, and I'm curious if he's just can be even heavier 425 00:26:03,759 --> 00:26:07,240 of a secondary playmaker as we fast forward into the future. But I wouldn't 426 00:26:07,319 --> 00:26:10,880 quib if someone wants to just you know, shout out at KCP or Kyle 427 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:12,359 Kuzma, because it's like, no, they're not part of the issue. 428 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,880 They've they've been KCYP shooting the ball well, Kuzma has been okay defensively. 429 00:26:17,039 --> 00:26:18,559 If you want to go with Montres Harold, I just think he was an 430 00:26:18,599 --> 00:26:22,519 absolute, you know, terror on the offensive end to begin the season. 431 00:26:22,519 --> 00:26:26,079 That's pretty much more well known. That was a long ask question. Hopefully 432 00:26:26,079 --> 00:26:29,440 you stuck with me while blowing through that. All of these next ones are 433 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:32,000 going to be a lot quicker, I promise, but it's gonna be covered 434 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,000 every single team there. We have two questions on the Calves here. The 435 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:37,720 NBA Chickens are the Calves for real? We're almost halfway through the season and 436 00:26:37,759 --> 00:26:41,359 my doubts of them as a team are vanishing. Slash is Evan Mobile the 437 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:45,839 rookie of the Year, Zach and vouch As Do the Calves make the playoffs? 438 00:26:45,839 --> 00:26:49,039 Which metrics signed support them making it? Which don't? So let's just 439 00:26:49,079 --> 00:26:52,359 tackle their playoff stock. Are they for real? Which metrics like them? 440 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:56,319 Will loop that together. This is the one that I keep coming back to 441 00:26:56,400 --> 00:27:00,000 because you look at they faced I believe one of the five toughest schedules in 442 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:04,599 the league right now. When you look at adjusted net rating on dumps and 443 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:11,960 threes, which is basically ranking teams and adjusting for their points scored per one 444 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:15,400 hundred possessions against their strength of schedule. The Calves are fourth in adjusted net 445 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:19,079 rating, behind Phoenix, Golden State and Utah. And I think you can 446 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:22,720 argue that, you know, if you want to put Milwaukee, but like 447 00:27:22,759 --> 00:27:26,480 those are three those are two of the top three contenders in the league right 448 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:30,519 now there with Golden State and Phoenix, and three of the top five contenders 449 00:27:30,559 --> 00:27:32,960 just in front of the Calves. I don't think the Calves are going to 450 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:36,599 be at that level, which gets you too if you're looking at the concerns 451 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:41,200 or what metrics don't like them. They're eight teams still in offensive efficiency. 452 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:45,400 They can turn the ball over a lot, and they're they're shooting. They 453 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:48,960 missed contexts in there, and he wasn't having the greatest year, but they 454 00:27:48,039 --> 00:27:52,079 missed the idea of his floor spacing. You're too reliant on these rickey, 455 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:55,799 Rubio. Is he going to have a hot night, a good shooting night. 456 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:59,480 It's good that they still have Jetty Osman, but you know, they're 457 00:27:59,519 --> 00:28:03,240 they're six i think corner three point attempt rate, which is a great shop 458 00:28:03,279 --> 00:28:07,279 profile to have, but they're also twenty ninth in corner three point percentage, 459 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:11,079 and so that is something that they really need to improve upon. They also 460 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,480 just need a playmaking wing or just someone else to go at it from the 461 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:17,039 point of attack. A lot of people have named carossel Vert is a trade 462 00:28:17,039 --> 00:28:19,079 target for them. He'd be interesting in Cleveland. I just don't know what 463 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:22,599 they're willing to give up to get him, because you get into these salary 464 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:26,279 matching situations. You know, you're not moving in a Jared Owner, You're 465 00:28:26,279 --> 00:28:27,839 not moving in Heaven Mobile, You're not moving Garland. I don't I don't 466 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,319 think you give him Colin Sexton in that deal. Do you even want to 467 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:36,160 give up Jetty Osman at this point because of how valuable he's been as a 468 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:38,920 shooter and Carosselverd is not known as like this shooter, and so I think 469 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:44,640 carossel Verd is better than Jetty Osman. But you are giving up or risking 470 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,880 fit there, and so it just gets really tough to match salaries. You're 471 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:51,000 not gonna even a Bisaccoro in that deal. I don't think. Maybe you're 472 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,279 considering moving Larry market in, but I don't know why Indiana would want him 473 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:57,400 if it still has Nomas and Miles Turner there. They need to do something 474 00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:00,440 to sort of juice up their offense, and it should come from the wings. 475 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:03,960 If Easca Coil is going to shoot around lege average from three on three 476 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:06,960 attempts per game, then great, grand wonderful. That helps you. He's 477 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:10,720 still not necessarily that that playmaker. I would trust. They did a lot 478 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:14,559 of stuff with him like that last year. But I think they need a 479 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:18,599 higher end solution there, and that would displace them from being in the You 480 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:21,559 know, when we name the top five to seven contenders, I don't know, 481 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,240 and I would say no, I don't think they belong in that tier. 482 00:29:25,599 --> 00:29:27,480 Will they make the playoffs? If we're just gonna say play in, 483 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,920 this isn't stemming on on a limb, I'm gonna say they will. If 484 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,119 they don't finish the top ten the East at this point, I would be 485 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:37,440 shocked. Will they be a top six team in the East, that's a 486 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:41,200 great question. I think you have Milwaukee, you have Brooklyn. Those are 487 00:29:41,279 --> 00:29:45,599 givens. I'm gonna say they finished in the top six. I don't trust 488 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,039 the Knicks this season. I don't trust the Celtics. I don't know how 489 00:29:48,039 --> 00:29:51,279 you could trust the Pacers. The Raptors, to me are the hardest team 490 00:29:51,279 --> 00:29:52,400 to read. I think they're better than they've shown, and they were missing 491 00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:55,720 Siakam to start the year. Then they were missing outa Noby. They've had 492 00:29:55,759 --> 00:29:57,599 some other absences. They're dealing with the COVID outbreak. But they're a team 493 00:29:57,599 --> 00:30:02,079 that I could see making a cell move at the deadline. Their team Macazine 494 00:30:02,119 --> 00:30:03,440 making a boy move. Their team I can see shutting down people towards the 495 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:06,880 middle of the year if they're just not close enough to the top of the 496 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:08,880 East. So that's another team. I don't trust them just because I can't 497 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,200 read them, but them, the Knicks, the Pacers, like those are 498 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,839 all teams that you probably expect well. I guess a lot of people didn't 499 00:30:15,839 --> 00:30:18,240 expect the Raptors, maybe even the Pacers to be in the top six, 500 00:30:18,279 --> 00:30:21,920 but that there's a level of opportunity there where I would be confident that the 501 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:26,160 Cavs can maintain and continue to punch their weight above them. I think Chicago 502 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:29,559 will be fine. You have the Pennsylvana into the top six. We're three 503 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:33,480 with Milwaukee, Brooklyn and Chicago. I mean, do you trust Philly and 504 00:30:33,519 --> 00:30:37,640 Boston enough? Unless Philly makes a Ben Simmonstrator gets Ben Simmons back, I 505 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:41,160 don't know why you would. Boston I probably trust a little more than Philly 506 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,319 at this point, but they just haven't shown it on offense. They need 507 00:30:44,359 --> 00:30:45,799 to make a little bit of an addition there. Charlotte's the same way. 508 00:30:45,839 --> 00:30:52,279 Atlanta I want to trust more. Let's say one from let's say two from 509 00:30:52,279 --> 00:30:55,759 Philly, Boston, Charlotte and Atlanta leap into the top six. Let's just 510 00:30:55,799 --> 00:30:59,000 make that leap, so that's still five of the top six. I'm pencil 511 00:30:59,079 --> 00:31:00,240 in the Caves into the top six. It's happening here. Maybe I'm just 512 00:31:00,279 --> 00:31:03,680 placing Miami there. Don't trust the Wizards. Let's just say the cast finished 513 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,240 in the top six. These might not be bold and go that route. 514 00:31:07,519 --> 00:31:11,119 Evan Mobley for Rookie of the Year, that's a tough one. We have 515 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:17,720 to discount, like time missed, I think a little bit in these in 516 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:22,160 this discussion. He the stuff he can do on defense is just mind blowing. 517 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:26,440 But Scotty Barnes has been fine, been better than fine defensively for a 518 00:31:26,519 --> 00:31:29,359 rookie, and then he's really come along offensively, and he's shot the ball 519 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:32,519 really well from three over the past month or so. I think he hasn't 520 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:37,519 an actual chance to win it. I I'm gonna lean Evan Mobley at this 521 00:31:37,559 --> 00:31:40,119 point, but I don't think it's a given. I do think they're going 522 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:44,240 to be just the top two options. Is the Christaarte case has kind of 523 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:47,920 faded. Same with Alpern Shanghun. I do believe friends Wagner deserves an honorable 524 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:53,119 mention, but this does sort of feel like a a Barnes versus excuse me, 525 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:59,559 a Barnes versus Barnes versus Mobley situation. Kate Cunningham has had his moments 526 00:31:59,559 --> 00:32:01,640 too, so he strings together enough performances and has rerecord this. He's in 527 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:05,720 health and safety protocols too. Again, you could probably remove that from the 528 00:32:05,759 --> 00:32:07,599 equation. By the time he missed to start the year probably hurts him. 529 00:32:07,599 --> 00:32:10,400 I do think he could work his way into the debate, but as of 530 00:32:10,519 --> 00:32:15,799 right now, I'll say yes for Evan Mobley, but my confidence level on 531 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:22,119 that actually coming to fruition is not particularly high. Wily Ray, excuse me, 532 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:27,000 ask what is one move the Hornets can make to improve their putrid defense 533 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:29,920 without selling away their future. Something's got the change that they want to make 534 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:32,000 top six in the East. I'm gonna look this into a question that we 535 00:32:32,119 --> 00:32:37,160 got from Raoul Clement. He also asked, does Charlotte have a workable Miles 536 00:32:37,279 --> 00:32:40,039 Turner's trade? On the heels of that report that Indiana might be looking to 537 00:32:40,599 --> 00:32:46,920 get younger, those questions are valid, I will say to Willis, I 538 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:50,160 don't think the Hornets need to be top six this year. I just want 539 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,039 to make it clear. This is year two. Alamelo, you haven't even 540 00:32:52,039 --> 00:32:55,640 paid Miles Bridges yet. pH Washington still on his rookie scale. I know 541 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:59,440 you extended Terry Rose a year, but that doesn't kick in till next season. 542 00:33:00,079 --> 00:33:01,400 Gordon Hayward like, this isn't a team that needs to rush it. 543 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:06,400 I'm not. And I think he understands this too, because he asked, 544 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:08,759 what's the move the horns can get to improve their defense without selling away their 545 00:33:08,799 --> 00:33:12,000 future. I just don't think they should be doing that in a Miles Turner 546 00:33:12,079 --> 00:33:15,440 trade. Although I went on the Setting the Pace podcast with Alex Golden you 547 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:20,160 should check that out and he was bouncing trade ideas off me one of the 548 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:23,359 ones he proposed, So this is addressing the Turner aspect of this. Would 549 00:33:23,359 --> 00:33:29,079 you do Harris Lavert and Miles Turner for Gordon Hayward and PJ Washington. I 550 00:33:29,119 --> 00:33:31,599 said I would if I was Charlotte, you would have to be really fearful 551 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:35,759 of missing out on PJ. Washington's upside. I think to not make that 552 00:33:35,799 --> 00:33:40,000 deal, I know you're losing scalability in Gordon Hayward just because Lavert is not 553 00:33:40,079 --> 00:33:44,279 the same level of shooter. I don't think he's the same level of passer 554 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:47,880 either. He's probably best in lineups where he's the unquestioned ball handler, which 555 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:51,720 could be if he against Lamello. But to have that option of you know, 556 00:33:51,759 --> 00:33:54,240 you're staggering those two and then also getting Miles Turner back, who has 557 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:59,759 been in Indiana's best shooter this season, probably I do think that helps your 558 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:05,480 defense. Probably you're definitely downgrading from Heyward to Lavert there if something else needs 559 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:07,760 to go either way at this point, I don't it would be small, 560 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:12,800 but I would consider a both teams. I would consider that deal because I 561 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:15,800 also don't think, to answer rail Clemens question, I don't think the Pacers 562 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:17,239 are actually looking to get younger. I think they're looking for a change, 563 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:21,840 and to me that means, yeah, you'll investigate the market for Jeremy lands 564 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:24,159 expiring contract, does anyone want I don't know what they're gonna do with TJ. 565 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:27,280 More. You probably keep him just because his values low, since you 566 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,679 haven't played in so long and you risk him entering free agency. Hopefully you 567 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:32,039 just get him back towards the end of this year and see what he still 568 00:34:32,199 --> 00:34:36,400 has left. You look at justin Holiday Trades story, Craig trades those moves 569 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:38,559 on the margins that clearly aren't going to make or break you. But if 570 00:34:38,559 --> 00:34:40,840 you want to make more of a wholesale change, I don't think it's with 571 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:45,519 the idea of selling and tanking in mind. Perhaps for a year. But 572 00:34:45,559 --> 00:34:49,480 you hired Rick Carlisle, who went on the air and said, forgive me. 573 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:51,559 I don't remember who was interviewing it during it, but he basically said 574 00:34:51,559 --> 00:34:53,519 he didn't want to rebuild. Herbsimon came out and refuted the idea that he 575 00:34:53,559 --> 00:34:57,360 was open to a rebuild, which makes sense because he's never been open to 576 00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:00,559 it before, at least a full tilt one that he's eighties seven. Now, 577 00:35:00,639 --> 00:35:02,840 that was I think in the Athletic article there was something like herb Simon 578 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:06,679 at eighty seven is more open to will rebuild. Does he want to see 579 00:35:06,679 --> 00:35:08,239 the end of that rebuild? That that was shocking to me. And you 580 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:13,159 also you drafted the right rookie in christ warn't Day, but you drafted an 581 00:35:13,159 --> 00:35:15,519 older rookie, and so that doesn't scream a team that wants to make this 582 00:35:15,559 --> 00:35:17,320 a gradual process. And so I do think Charlotte, if it wanted to, 583 00:35:17,679 --> 00:35:21,559 can sort of blur those lines. If you're if you're using Hayward and 584 00:35:21,599 --> 00:35:23,079 then is it a is it a pick? Is it PJ? Washington? 585 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:29,320 If they want to go after Miles Turner, I if I were them, 586 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:34,159 I'd probably be looking lower end or lower cost. Can you do something to 587 00:35:34,199 --> 00:35:37,159 where you're not even giving up? PJ? Washington? And the idea I 588 00:35:37,199 --> 00:35:40,400 came up with and wrote about, and I bounced this off of one of 589 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:44,840 our friends of the podcast who covers the Hornets, Knada Edwards, and he 590 00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:50,039 ultimately he said no to it. He doesn't think that Charlotte would move Hayward, 591 00:35:50,079 --> 00:35:52,199 which is which is fine. I had to get Hayward for Chris Stops 592 00:35:52,199 --> 00:35:55,679 in a twenty twenty two second round pick. That's you know, I think 593 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:59,880 Charlotte probably wants more of an above the rim threat at center, but KP 594 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:01,400 he is a better shooter than he's shown this season. He's been a lot 595 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:05,760 better on defense this year, has held up really as a ring protector. 596 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:08,800 The Hornets won't care about playing him at the five. You know, we're 597 00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:12,519 Dallas tries to sort of use him sometimes a day Factor four. They've used 598 00:36:12,519 --> 00:36:15,440 PJ. Washington a bunch of the five. Miles Bridges has seen spot minutes 599 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:19,880 there. They're not going to concern themselves with that. And I think, 600 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:22,400 you know, having someone who can stretch the floor like that alongside the move 601 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:25,239 that's going to be good too. It's he's not Miles Turner because he's not 602 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:30,639 as switchable defensively, but you can use him offensively in the same vein. 603 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:31,639 And if he's going to be a good rim pretender, it doesn't cost you 604 00:36:31,639 --> 00:36:36,400 a pick or PJ Washington. That might be a route to explore if you're 605 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:39,519 not going to go even that route, which I again I would understand. 606 00:36:39,559 --> 00:36:43,880 We mentioned this. Check out our trade podcast. What does it cost to 607 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:45,480 get Newland's Noel out of New York? Where is it called to get Mitchell 608 00:36:45,519 --> 00:36:49,960 Robinson at this point because of all his uh, you know, He's had 609 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:52,000 some highs, but he's had a hell of a lot of lows this year. 610 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:54,880 Is it even worth testing out a use of Nurkics? Depending on what 611 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:59,440 Portland is trying to trade him for, I would say no. I don't 612 00:36:59,440 --> 00:37:02,199 necessarily like kids fit with the way that Charlotte plays. Rashaun Holmes would be 613 00:37:02,239 --> 00:37:06,440 ideal for this team. I don't know what the cost is there something I 614 00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:08,559 would consider if it costs to PJ Washington. But if you don't want to 615 00:37:08,559 --> 00:37:12,119 mortgage at any part of your future, you gotta start looking at like these. 616 00:37:12,199 --> 00:37:15,400 You know Orlando want to give you Robin Lopez or do you even just 617 00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:17,760 look at him Mo Bamba because they just don't trust his offense and they extended 618 00:37:19,119 --> 00:37:22,480 Wendell Carter Junior. You know what does do you just try and take a 619 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:25,039 flyer on Jackson Hayes? Was New Orleans want for him. Now he's playing 620 00:37:25,039 --> 00:37:30,000 behind Willy Herning Gomez this season, So that would be the level of move 621 00:37:30,079 --> 00:37:34,119 you could look at if if you're Charlotte and you don't want to give up 622 00:37:34,519 --> 00:37:39,039 anything even remotely semi valuable, you're gonna have to come up with a necessarily 623 00:37:39,039 --> 00:37:44,760 salary matching tools. And I think that's one thing that makes moves difficult for 624 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:47,159 Charlotte is that they do have all right, I shouldn't say that they Mason 625 00:37:47,159 --> 00:37:51,000 Plumber's Midden salary at nine point two million, and then you have Kelly Uber 626 00:37:51,119 --> 00:37:53,599 Junior at at twelve million, so you have the men even Ish Smith if 627 00:37:53,599 --> 00:37:55,400 you want to move him at four point five. So you have the Midden 628 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:59,840 salaries to get something done. But do you want to trade a wing for 629 00:38:00,079 --> 00:38:02,639 big in Kelly Ribridge junior if that's what are you giving Kelly rid Junior for 630 00:38:02,719 --> 00:38:06,840 Nerylan's Noel? I think Kelly Brujini has played far. You know, if 631 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:08,119 this was last season, yes, I would do it, but this season 632 00:38:08,159 --> 00:38:10,920 is specifically, no, I would not. And so you want something higher 633 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:14,079 ended than that. And if you want to use Kelly Brugini to get a 634 00:38:14,119 --> 00:38:16,519 Rashaun Holmes, you're gonna need to attach PJ. Washington maybe a pick to 635 00:38:16,599 --> 00:38:21,159 that. So there there will be cheaper options maybe if you even address it 636 00:38:21,199 --> 00:38:23,159 on the buy out market. And I again, I don't love the way 637 00:38:23,159 --> 00:38:25,440 that Robert Lopes would fit with this you. I want to make that clear. 638 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:29,880 That was just a trying to think of a lower cost big but he 639 00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:30,920 is a name I could proba up on the buy out market. We don't 640 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:36,599 know how that's going to develop. So I would kind of like to see 641 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:38,360 if they could get Grant Willingwars from Boston, But that's someone else who would 642 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:43,199 be He doesn't play a five all the time, but he can make a 643 00:38:43,199 --> 00:38:45,280 lot of really good decisions on offense, and he's portable on defense. I 644 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:47,760 don't know if that really fixes their interior defense. So that's the other thing 645 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:52,159 if you're trying to remedy how bad they've been defensively this year, and look, 646 00:38:52,199 --> 00:38:55,039 they've been bad for more than a month. They've been last in points 647 00:38:55,079 --> 00:39:00,920 loud per possession. They teams are still throwing parade when it comes to getting 648 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:05,519 to the basket for them, and they are I was looking at this before 649 00:39:05,599 --> 00:39:07,599 for something I was writing a few days ago. They're just one of the 650 00:39:07,599 --> 00:39:13,159 worst teams when it comes to preventing second chance opportunities, and that comes back 651 00:39:13,199 --> 00:39:17,719 to their defensive rebounding. But you look at just the number of plays that 652 00:39:19,119 --> 00:39:24,480 rival offenses generate after a miss against Charlotte is the third highest in the league. 653 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:30,280 That is bad so there the Charlotte is twenty eighth in preventing second chance 654 00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:34,440 possessions. Essentially, that's per cleaning the glass. That is, you know 655 00:39:34,519 --> 00:39:37,800 that that's no bueno. And they're not especially good when it comes to there's 656 00:39:37,199 --> 00:39:40,880 their twentieth when it comes to looking at points allowed per possession in those situations, 657 00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:44,880 and they're twenty eighth in total value that they've allowed because it happens. 658 00:39:45,119 --> 00:39:47,440 So for you going me, that's not necessarily a per play measurement. Something 659 00:39:47,519 --> 00:39:51,719 needs to be done. I don't know that there's a Turner would be the 660 00:39:51,719 --> 00:39:53,559 perfect cancer. I just don't know what it costs to get him, and 661 00:39:53,599 --> 00:39:57,159 I'm not willing to mortgage too much in the future if I'm Charlotte. I 662 00:39:57,159 --> 00:40:00,599 think Kris Stops would be a nice middle ground. But I understand where people 663 00:40:00,639 --> 00:40:04,480 might not want to gamble on his health or they just want above the rim 664 00:40:04,519 --> 00:40:06,840 threat on offense. I mean, Miles Turner is not going to be like 665 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:08,280 super above the rim either there. Can you take it? Can you get 666 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:12,719 Chris Bouchet from Toronto this year? Sort of a stop gap. He's a 667 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:15,760 little undersized and he's not like above the rim all the time, But you 668 00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:17,119 can throw it down. He can throw it down lobs, he will be 669 00:40:17,719 --> 00:40:22,119 he frenetically close out on jump shooters of the defensive end. He can be 670 00:40:22,199 --> 00:40:24,320 a fairly good rim protector. He also stretches the floor even though it's three 671 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:28,519 balls not falling this year, he has shot better in the past. So 672 00:40:28,519 --> 00:40:31,360 those are all names that Charlotte could keep in mind. We have more like 673 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:36,360 Hornets adjacent questions, which is, we have a great Hornets following. I 674 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:40,320 guess shout out Knada Edwards, former co host of the lock Oh my God, 675 00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:44,679 former co host of Lockdown Hornets, Yes, that was the podcast and 676 00:40:44,719 --> 00:40:46,960 now a podcast producer at CBS. Maybe you all followed him here. We 677 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:50,760 appreciate you. But we always get a ton of Hornets questions. People are 678 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:52,280 always in my dms about the Hornets. One of the most frequent teams with 679 00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:58,480 Utah and Denver that I seem to be asked about with this podcast. So 680 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:02,679 Miles Bridges for All Star Game asked who's the real winner on the graff Night 681 00:41:02,719 --> 00:41:08,039 trade between Shachils, Auxander and Miles Bridges. That is a fascinating question because 682 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:15,079 Jaquil and Suxanders no longer with the Clippers. They used him to get Paul 683 00:41:15,119 --> 00:41:17,920 George from They really traded for Paul George and Kwhi Leonards. I don't think 684 00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:22,559 they lost that trade, but they've definitely shrunk. They're window and SGA spectacular. 685 00:41:22,639 --> 00:41:25,440 Miles Bridges, though, was turned into a hell of a player. 686 00:41:25,519 --> 00:41:30,119 Even when his efficiency is down, he's doing really complicated, valuable things on 687 00:41:30,159 --> 00:41:34,480 the offensive end. I think the real winner of the SGA for Miles Bridges 688 00:41:34,559 --> 00:41:37,960 trade is okay See, because Paul George was going to leave anyway, and 689 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:40,480 they found a way to trade Kawhi Leonard without ever having him on the rosters. 690 00:41:40,559 --> 00:41:47,719 They extracted SGA and all this other value out of Los Angeles and for 691 00:41:47,760 --> 00:41:51,280 a player that they were going to use anyway, and two players tycinally one 692 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:53,599 they never had because Kawai wasn't going to the Clippers without Paul George, and 693 00:41:53,599 --> 00:41:59,800 then a PG who Yeah he stayed, he resigned, but he wasn't gonna 694 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:00,599 be there long term. He had asked for out and it was politely. 695 00:42:00,639 --> 00:42:04,239 They handled it well. I think okay See is probably the real winner of 696 00:42:04,239 --> 00:42:07,000 that deal. You probably still have the lean Clippers. I would say it 697 00:42:07,079 --> 00:42:09,360 might just be TBD. If you're gonna say the Clippers never win a title 698 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:13,280 because you don't think Kwai is gonna play this year, and that they just 699 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:15,079 never hit that ceiling. It's fair to wonder if they gave up, you 700 00:42:15,119 --> 00:42:19,079 know, too much value in that they had SGA and then and then they 701 00:42:19,079 --> 00:42:23,400 didn't. But I do think Shake Gildra's Alexander is the noticeably better player compared 702 00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:28,559 to Miles Bridges when you just look at what he is, the load he 703 00:42:28,599 --> 00:42:30,800 is carrying on offense, that self creation load. He's not been good as 704 00:42:30,800 --> 00:42:34,719 good on defense as he was during his rookie year, But I wonder if 705 00:42:34,719 --> 00:42:37,320 that's if a TI issue when you look at at offense. It is close, 706 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:38,880 though, I will say when looking at this, I mean you're measuring 707 00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:42,960 up between Okay, see the Clippers and Charlotte. Really at this point, 708 00:42:43,519 --> 00:42:45,840 Charles Swan asked who's most like going to win an MVP in their career, 709 00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:52,519 Donovan Mitchell, Shay Gilder's Alexander or LaMelo Ball. This is a fascinating question. 710 00:42:52,719 --> 00:42:58,519 I think Donnov Mitchell is gonna be last for me, just because he's 711 00:42:58,559 --> 00:43:06,239 twenty five now and he's still kind of battling against the peak of Janice and 712 00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:10,000 then the tal end of the primes of Kevin Durant, Lebron James, Stephen 713 00:43:10,079 --> 00:43:15,159 Curry dominating that discourse where you look at LaMelo Ball, who I think is 714 00:43:15,239 --> 00:43:19,920 my pick just because he plays a flash year style that's going to resonate compared 715 00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:22,440 to Shae Guler's Alexander. I'm throwing market out of the equation right now. 716 00:43:22,480 --> 00:43:25,400 If you want to get into the idea of do you trust Charlotte to build 717 00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:29,880 a winner more than okay, see, because that matters. He's twenty years 718 00:43:29,880 --> 00:43:31,920 old and so he's just a little bit more of the future of the league. 719 00:43:31,960 --> 00:43:37,480 Shae guld Alexander's right there too because Sga is twenty two. I believe. 720 00:43:38,760 --> 00:43:42,239 I just think when you look at LaMelo, this is someone who could, 721 00:43:42,519 --> 00:43:46,199 to me lead the league and assists be among you know, a twenty 722 00:43:46,199 --> 00:43:51,599 plus points per game score at some point. And I'm starting to wonder if 723 00:43:51,719 --> 00:43:53,639 should he continue to get stronger or if he gets strong I don't know if 724 00:43:53,639 --> 00:43:57,960 he actually got a lot stronger compared to last year. There's the yeah, 725 00:43:58,000 --> 00:44:00,480 well he finished better around the rim, but I'm starting to or if he's 726 00:44:00,519 --> 00:44:05,280 going to have the higher defensive ceiling than Shay. I would rank it LaMelo, 727 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:08,559 Shay, Donna Mitchell. This is just purely a youthful upside play because 728 00:44:08,559 --> 00:44:12,239 I think Donna and Mitchell is just in the league at a time where you 729 00:44:12,280 --> 00:44:15,360 know, all the names I listed are just that's not it. I mean, 730 00:44:15,360 --> 00:44:17,440 there's Damian Lillard still has so much juice left in him. Let's not 731 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:21,280 forget that. He's also like right in line with Devin Booker. You could 732 00:44:21,280 --> 00:44:22,800 also argue, hey, people don't watch Utah and then playing with as of 733 00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:27,320 right now, and maybe this is what I'm overweiting. He's playing with someone 734 00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:30,599 else who might be more valuable, and he's certainly more valuable in certain situations 735 00:44:30,639 --> 00:44:34,840 than Donna and Mitchell himself when you look at Ruy Gobert, whereas right now 736 00:44:34,920 --> 00:44:37,039 LaMelo and Shay don't have that co star. Their teams probably don't get good 737 00:44:37,119 --> 00:44:42,280 enough for them to be considered for MVPs without that co star. Though purely 738 00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:45,079 an age thing for me at this point basically, but that was a great 739 00:44:45,159 --> 00:44:47,840 question that I'm gonna be thinking about for a while, so thank you. 740 00:44:49,320 --> 00:44:54,480 Charles. James Chiputo asked which NBA player do you think is the biggest psychological 741 00:44:54,519 --> 00:45:00,000 impact on the opposing team. I think it's the keek answer is gonna be 742 00:45:00,039 --> 00:45:04,400 Joe Ankles because he's just one of them, you know, if you talk 743 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:08,320 to people close to the NBA, like he is a great trash talker, 744 00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:13,280 and he is. I don't want to say he's understatedly savage, but I 745 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:16,960 don't think he gets mentioned enough as someone who gets under opponent's stand I think 746 00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:22,159 it's Draymond Green because he can change so much of what you're doing on offense 747 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:24,039 just by being on the floor and knowing how high is high Q is. 748 00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:28,960 And Rudy Gobert would be there too. I think he warps teams of shot 749 00:45:28,960 --> 00:45:31,079 profile, perhaps more than any other player in the league. Or Joel Embiid, 750 00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:35,159 but Draymond Green, we also know what he's just. He seems like 751 00:45:35,199 --> 00:45:38,800 more of a talker than Rudy Gobert, But Draymond Green, Joel Ebid because 752 00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:42,559 he's also a talker, or Joe Angles is gonna be mine, Like, 753 00:45:42,679 --> 00:45:45,119 let's I still pick someone from the Jazz. So anyone who's upset that I 754 00:45:45,159 --> 00:45:47,719 didn't pick Rudy Gobert, I'm curious if anyone wants to throw you could respond 755 00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:52,360 to our promo sweet or just at me at Damn Valley. Who who you 756 00:45:52,360 --> 00:45:54,360 would pick? There are a lot of underrated trash talkers throughout the NBA. 757 00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:59,679 I wouldn't look Kyle Lowry would. I just feel like his presence is a 758 00:46:00,039 --> 00:46:02,679 psychological war game, so I would give him an honorable mention as well. 759 00:46:02,960 --> 00:46:07,800 Dutch Courage asked how have the Kings fared with Fox playing versus Fox not playing? 760 00:46:07,800 --> 00:46:12,760 And especially how is Halliburton? How has he fared with Haliburton and how 761 00:46:12,840 --> 00:46:16,920 is Haliburton fared on his own? So went through the data here, and 762 00:46:16,920 --> 00:46:22,320 the Kings with the Aaron Fox on the court this season are as seven points 763 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:25,599 per one hundred possessions. When he's off the court, they're a plus two 764 00:46:25,639 --> 00:46:30,519 points per one hundred possessions. You do have to factor level of competition into 765 00:46:30,559 --> 00:46:32,760 that, though, I think this speaks more to yes the Aaron Fox has 766 00:46:32,760 --> 00:46:37,159 struggled. They seem to try to be simplifying his role were was not being 767 00:46:37,159 --> 00:46:40,519 tasked with as much passing career, low assist rate and pass rate on drives 768 00:46:40,559 --> 00:46:45,880 at the moment all concerning. I don't think he's responsible himself. Maybe his 769 00:46:45,079 --> 00:46:50,440 really slow start to the year. I don't know that he's not solely dragging 770 00:46:50,480 --> 00:46:52,280 down the Kings. That's what I'm getting at. When Fox and Tyrese Haliburton 771 00:46:52,320 --> 00:46:55,320 played together, there are minus five point one points pern hundred possessions. That's 772 00:46:55,360 --> 00:46:59,679 the Kings. That does not surprise me, just because they spend so many 773 00:46:59,719 --> 00:47:04,719 minute in the starting lineup together. When you have Halliburton without Fox, the 774 00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:07,159 Kings are basically the same. Here. There are plus point two points perne 775 00:47:07,199 --> 00:47:10,960 hundred possessions, so plus four point four points excuse me, perne hundred possessions. 776 00:47:12,199 --> 00:47:16,079 So they're not like incredibly better, they're terrible on offense when Haliburton plays 777 00:47:16,119 --> 00:47:20,639 by himself. And when you dig into Halliburton's own numbers during these playing time, 778 00:47:20,719 --> 00:47:23,960 you see that his true shooting percentage plunges without Daron Fox in the court, 779 00:47:23,960 --> 00:47:28,559 because I don't think he's You see his assist ray climb without his turnover 780 00:47:28,639 --> 00:47:32,119 eight exploding in those minutes. That's great, but I do think he still 781 00:47:32,119 --> 00:47:36,119 needs more of a primary ball handle around him to take the pressure off. 782 00:47:36,119 --> 00:47:37,320 I've never viewed him as a guy that's going to be running a team on 783 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:43,639 his own, which is why I ultimately think that combined with his own ability 784 00:47:43,719 --> 00:47:47,440 to adapt to the lineup context that the Kings were fielding. I think Fox 785 00:47:47,440 --> 00:47:52,159 and Haliburton can absolutely operate together. It's Fox's defense continues to regress by the 786 00:47:52,239 --> 00:47:55,679 year, at least over the past two or three seasons that I think it's 787 00:47:55,760 --> 00:47:59,880 hurt more than anything. And you see that in the minutes where the Haliburton 788 00:48:00,079 --> 00:48:02,079 on his own without Fox minutes the Kings are really good defensively. That could 789 00:48:02,119 --> 00:48:07,079 be they're not facing a great level of competition, but I think it's also 790 00:48:07,159 --> 00:48:09,760 just that the yard Fox is, you know, like I said, a 791 00:48:09,800 --> 00:48:13,960 stanchion sometimes when it comes to the defense, that that's his stance, like 792 00:48:13,960 --> 00:48:17,760 that's how upright he can be on certain possessions. So I don't I'm this 793 00:48:17,920 --> 00:48:22,280 question wasn't asking that. I think you can absolutely have Fox and Haliburton together 794 00:48:22,440 --> 00:48:25,960 over the long term. And I believe that Fox is much better than he's 795 00:48:25,960 --> 00:48:30,679 shown this season, and that's including with him sort of upticking his offense more 796 00:48:30,760 --> 00:48:36,519 recently. Branch Floridian as should the Pelicans fold the franchise and move it to 797 00:48:36,559 --> 00:48:40,239 Vegas or Seattle? No, their attendants we know is when you look at 798 00:48:40,280 --> 00:48:44,119 the percentage of the seats that are filled is not great relative to the rest 799 00:48:44,119 --> 00:48:46,760 of the league. But I want expansion more than I want a city to 800 00:48:46,800 --> 00:48:51,000 lose a franchise. I felt bad for Seattle when they lost their franchise. 801 00:48:51,199 --> 00:48:54,079 So let's put a team in Seattle in Vegas, realign the East a little 802 00:48:54,079 --> 00:48:58,840 bit, and keep the team in New Orleans. It does need to probably 803 00:48:58,880 --> 00:49:01,840 be run were efficiently, and you want to keep on unhappy, but just 804 00:49:01,960 --> 00:49:06,679 other aspects when you're looking at what happened this past offseason, having a better 805 00:49:06,679 --> 00:49:08,079 read on where you are as a team, a better read on the free 806 00:49:08,079 --> 00:49:14,480 agency situation, a better read on Lonzo Ball's value. They've made some missteps, 807 00:49:14,519 --> 00:49:19,480 but I don't think I don't ever want to pull an NBA team out 808 00:49:19,480 --> 00:49:22,039 of a market, and I don't I guess New Orleans would be the candidate 809 00:49:22,079 --> 00:49:24,000 if a team was going to be yanked out of the market. But I'm 810 00:49:24,039 --> 00:49:28,519 not in favor of relocation. I want expansion. So the answer to that 811 00:49:28,599 --> 00:49:35,960 question, Branch is no Kaga or Kaga asked players with the most points per 812 00:49:36,039 --> 00:49:42,079 touch, so I filtered this by saying that players how to playing at least 813 00:49:42,079 --> 00:49:45,239 ten games just that felt like a good marker given how many you know, 814 00:49:45,719 --> 00:49:51,440 appearances certain other players have missed. The leaders and points per touch are overwhelmingly 815 00:49:51,519 --> 00:49:55,280 bigs. Hassan Whiteside leads of the league, Boban is second, Norman Powell 816 00:49:55,360 --> 00:49:59,119 is third, and so if you're looking for just a higher volume person, 817 00:49:59,559 --> 00:50:02,840 he has been and he leads high volume players and points per touch for the 818 00:50:02,840 --> 00:50:08,480 season. Moses Brown is fourth, Boyon Magdanovich is fifth, and Rudy Gobert 819 00:50:08,599 --> 00:50:13,280 is six. The mart Rosen is seventh, Kelly ghobridg Juniors eighth, Devin 820 00:50:13,320 --> 00:50:15,960 Booker, always among the leaders in this is ninth. Camraddish is tenth. 821 00:50:16,000 --> 00:50:20,199 So among the top ten, I mean we can even shrink it to the 822 00:50:20,239 --> 00:50:23,159 top seven. Of the top seven players who've played, there have been seventy. 823 00:50:23,280 --> 00:50:25,719 There've been four hundred nine players who appeared in at least ten games so 824 00:50:25,760 --> 00:50:30,639 far this season. The Jazz have of that group three of the top six, 825 00:50:31,000 --> 00:50:36,119 and points per touch to me, that reinforces just how ridiculous their offense 826 00:50:36,239 --> 00:50:38,960 is and how you know, I guess well at Hassan, Whiteside, and 827 00:50:39,039 --> 00:50:44,280 Gobert are finishing around the rim this season. Si asked, where does Luke 828 00:50:44,360 --> 00:50:47,599 Kannar rank among shooters. I'm not I'm not that I'm not a fan, 829 00:50:47,679 --> 00:50:52,039 but I think we can go beyond raw three point percentage here. So I 830 00:50:52,079 --> 00:50:55,920 looked at his spot up efficiency, and there are seventy three players who have 831 00:50:57,199 --> 00:51:04,320 used roughly one hundred spot up possessions a season, and Luconard's one point two 832 00:51:04,320 --> 00:51:08,199 one points per possession rank in the top ten. Grayson Allen's first, Norman 833 00:51:08,239 --> 00:51:14,719 Powell is second, Kelly Bridge junior third, Boy Bowyan Bogdanovich is fourth, 834 00:51:15,039 --> 00:51:17,760 Cam Johnson is fifth, Jalen Brown is sixth, Patty Mills is seventh, 835 00:51:17,880 --> 00:51:22,239 Kelvin Johnson somehow is eighth. That's just not something I realized. Luconard is 836 00:51:22,320 --> 00:51:27,559 ninth, and then Desmond baine Is is tenth. You can also though Luconard 837 00:51:27,760 --> 00:51:32,000 not making like a ton of or taking rather a ton of pull up threees, 838 00:51:32,400 --> 00:51:37,400 but among every player who's attempted at least twenty five pull up threes this 839 00:51:37,480 --> 00:51:39,719 year, he's also in the top ten. Ish, oh, he's actually 840 00:51:39,719 --> 00:51:43,880 top twelve, excuse me. In three point percentage on those, Kat is 841 00:51:43,920 --> 00:51:46,960 first, Jerty Osman second, Jalen Brown is third, lu Dort is fourth, 842 00:51:47,239 --> 00:51:52,400 Grayson Allen is fifth, Boyon is sixth, Mike Conley is seventh. 843 00:51:52,559 --> 00:51:55,400 Jazz just so ridiculous on offense this year. Tyres Howiburton's eighth and Beat his 844 00:51:55,519 --> 00:52:00,119 ninth. That's a low volume thing. Lonzo Ball is tenth, Rosier eleventh, 845 00:52:00,119 --> 00:52:04,599 Gordon Hayward is twelfth, and Luke Nard is tied for twelfth with Gordon 846 00:52:04,599 --> 00:52:09,440 Hayward. So he's been he's been good as a shooter for He's been valuable 847 00:52:09,480 --> 00:52:14,039 as a floor spacer for the Clippers this year, and he has hit other 848 00:52:14,079 --> 00:52:16,559 pull up jumpers aside from Justice threes. Is an effective field goal percentage of 849 00:52:16,599 --> 00:52:22,119 forty four point two on pull up jumpers. That's not astronomically high. It's 850 00:52:22,159 --> 00:52:24,559 on I mean, you know a lot of these affective field goal percentages are 851 00:52:24,559 --> 00:52:28,199 going to be inflated by guys who are taking more threes, and those are 852 00:52:28,199 --> 00:52:31,920 more difficult shots to take. But forty four point two is just it's probably 853 00:52:32,000 --> 00:52:36,280 semi valuable for a player who you expect Luke Ard to be, Like, 854 00:52:36,480 --> 00:52:39,519 you're not supposed to take those those shots. So again it's not super high, 855 00:52:39,519 --> 00:52:42,800 but it's not you know, baseboard low it's right, mon. Joel 856 00:52:42,800 --> 00:52:45,760 Embi's at forty five point one for context, and that's not a good mark 857 00:52:45,800 --> 00:52:50,760 for Joel Embi, but just to provide you with a snapshot of context there, 858 00:52:51,159 --> 00:52:54,159 rich Nielsen asked, most people think the Jazz are fatally flawed on defense 859 00:52:54,159 --> 00:52:58,199 and that they aren't series championship contenders. Do the analytics justify or refute that 860 00:52:58,239 --> 00:53:01,280 assertion. If most people think the Jazz aren't legitimate championship contenders, then most 861 00:53:01,280 --> 00:53:06,519 people are wrong. I get the inclination to want to watch them in the 862 00:53:06,519 --> 00:53:08,159 playoffs, and I do think that zeroing in on their defense is actually the 863 00:53:08,199 --> 00:53:12,079 right call, because anyone who says that they're worried about their offense is just 864 00:53:12,079 --> 00:53:15,239 not watching them the past few postseason campaigns. They have enough shot creation and 865 00:53:15,360 --> 00:53:21,280 making on this team between Boyon Macdonovitch, Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Joe 866 00:53:21,360 --> 00:53:24,920 Angelis, Jordan Clarkson, like they are deep there. What concerns people on 867 00:53:25,000 --> 00:53:30,079 defense is they ahomactically think Gobert could be played off the floor, and when 868 00:53:30,079 --> 00:53:34,960 teams downsized, that's not actually what's happening. The bigger issue is that the 869 00:53:35,000 --> 00:53:38,519 Jazz just don't have a ton of speed and athleticism or even above average defenders 870 00:53:38,559 --> 00:53:42,480 in front of him, aside from Royce O'Neil. At this point, if 871 00:53:42,480 --> 00:53:45,639 you consider Mike Conley better than that for his age, or if Donovan Mitchell 872 00:53:45,639 --> 00:53:50,440 improved enough for you, it's just they need more of a combo wing who's 873 00:53:50,599 --> 00:53:54,480 better to help what's happening in front of Gobert when teams are downsizing and they're 874 00:53:54,480 --> 00:53:58,760 able to attack off the dribble much more and he has to rotate too much 875 00:53:58,760 --> 00:54:02,400 and cover up too many things. I think that I don't know that the 876 00:54:02,440 --> 00:54:06,880 Jazz are better suited to beat that. This year. You have Rudy Gay, 877 00:54:06,960 --> 00:54:08,960 but he's not just like some quick twitch defender. If you do need 878 00:54:08,960 --> 00:54:13,960 to downsize your center minutes when Gobert is resting for in the playoffs, ten 879 00:54:13,960 --> 00:54:16,239 to fifteen minutes a game, whatever it is, maybe that's valuable. I 880 00:54:16,280 --> 00:54:20,880 still think they need just like that additional wing. But there's still fifth in 881 00:54:20,960 --> 00:54:24,000 points aloud per possession during the regular season. They are also you know where 882 00:54:24,039 --> 00:54:29,400 you would think that they might struggle is in isolation. Their fourth in points 883 00:54:29,400 --> 00:54:32,880 allowed in isolation on the season. So Cleveland, Memphis and Toronto are the 884 00:54:32,920 --> 00:54:36,800 only teams that have been better. That data is imperfect, but just something 885 00:54:36,840 --> 00:54:39,239 to look at. You look at their opponent shooting. They have like the 886 00:54:39,280 --> 00:54:42,960 best defensive shot profile teams. Just they're not getting to the rim aton, 887 00:54:42,960 --> 00:54:45,280 they don't take a ton of threes. They're being goaded into a ton of 888 00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:47,800 mid range jumpers, and they're not really getting burned from any spot. If 889 00:54:47,800 --> 00:54:51,840 anything, they've had a little bit of luck with opponent three point shooting this 890 00:54:51,920 --> 00:54:54,480 year. Teams are shooting forty five percent from float range against the Jazz, 891 00:54:54,480 --> 00:54:58,639 which is a lot when you consider that Gobert is there, I would argue 892 00:54:58,840 --> 00:55:02,679 unsustainably high, and they're also shooting just that's inflated by the short mid range 893 00:55:02,679 --> 00:55:07,000 well for mid range, so a day of like a great shot profile they're 894 00:55:07,000 --> 00:55:08,760 doing, they're hitting all the right notes there. If there's like a concern 895 00:55:09,400 --> 00:55:15,719 that with this current roster, I don't necessarily understand. Their transition defense is 896 00:55:15,800 --> 00:55:20,679 really spotty. They've tightened up a little bit lately after what felt like a 897 00:55:20,719 --> 00:55:24,599 super sloggy start to the season, but the Jazz are currently twenty fifth or 898 00:55:24,599 --> 00:55:28,960 excuse me, twenty second in the frequency with which teams get out on the 899 00:55:29,000 --> 00:55:32,199 break after the Jazz miss is shot that's too high, and then they're twenty 900 00:55:32,239 --> 00:55:38,079 fifth in points allout per possession in those situations. That's something to me that 901 00:55:38,159 --> 00:55:40,760 reads like gods need to just do a better job of getting back because it's 902 00:55:40,760 --> 00:55:45,000 not a matter of just stopping opponents. And yeah, there could be some 903 00:55:45,039 --> 00:55:47,480 bad missus. I don't necessarily I don't know what the data says on this, 904 00:55:47,519 --> 00:55:52,320 but I think things have been written that I hope not misremembering that. 905 00:55:52,320 --> 00:55:53,960 I read something about this where shooting jumpers, and the Jazz shoot a lot 906 00:55:54,000 --> 00:55:58,280 of jumpers. They're the best pull up jump shooting team in the league long 907 00:55:58,320 --> 00:56:00,440 rebounds, Does that help get on the break? Really buy into that it's 908 00:56:00,480 --> 00:56:05,159 just a matter of getting back and that's going to fall more so on their 909 00:56:05,159 --> 00:56:08,480 perimeter players probably, So that's something to actually monitor just with this personnel, 910 00:56:08,480 --> 00:56:13,239 because if you're concerned about how they're gonna match up with teams that have an 911 00:56:13,280 --> 00:56:15,719 Anthony Davis, Enna Lebron or Paul George na Kwhi Leonard, assuming a quite 912 00:56:15,760 --> 00:56:21,199 Letard comes back, or just two really good perimeter scores, that's a fair 913 00:56:21,199 --> 00:56:23,760 concern, but it can't really be addressed with this roster, that transition stuff 914 00:56:23,800 --> 00:56:28,440 is there was hints of that last year too with Utah. You haven't gone 915 00:56:28,440 --> 00:56:30,639 further back to see if that has been something that's played to them even longer 916 00:56:30,760 --> 00:56:36,159 term. But but yeah, next question comes from Danny Moss. Are Jalen 917 00:56:36,199 --> 00:56:38,000 Brown and Jason Tatum actually a good pair and when they are both playing? 918 00:56:38,119 --> 00:56:40,679 The answer to me is yes. If you don't want either one of them 919 00:56:40,719 --> 00:56:44,519 to be your primary playmaker, that's a different story. But the rumor that 920 00:56:44,559 --> 00:56:46,639 maybe the Celtics will consider moving on from Jalon Brown, it didn't feel like 921 00:56:46,679 --> 00:56:51,519 that was an imminent thing, and I don't think that's They are their archetype 922 00:56:51,519 --> 00:56:54,199 of player, are the most coveted essentially around the league right now. You're 923 00:56:54,239 --> 00:56:57,440 not just going to trade one of them. And look, the Celtics have 924 00:56:57,559 --> 00:57:00,960 not been bad. They haven't played too much time together this season, just 925 00:57:00,639 --> 00:57:05,280 relative to Jalen Brown has miss some time, but they have locked nine hundred 926 00:57:05,280 --> 00:57:08,119 possessions together. The Celtics have a net rating of plus six point seven during 927 00:57:08,119 --> 00:57:12,639 those minutes, with a defensive rating below one hundred, and so you look 928 00:57:12,639 --> 00:57:15,800 at what both these guys can do defensively. I think Jason Tatum's kind of 929 00:57:15,800 --> 00:57:17,400 an underrated defender at this point, especially when you look at the plays that 930 00:57:17,440 --> 00:57:22,920 he can make away from the ball. It's the offense that struggled for them, 931 00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:25,679 and so lineups with them this season have actually been finishing well around the 932 00:57:25,760 --> 00:57:30,519 rim. What you would probably argue is that they're not getting to the room 933 00:57:30,599 --> 00:57:31,719 enough. But even those lineups with both of them in the game, and 934 00:57:31,760 --> 00:57:35,079 I think a lot of this has to do with Jalen Brown's pressure, they're 935 00:57:35,079 --> 00:57:37,719 getting to the rim fine. They're really what's hurt the Celtics this season is 936 00:57:37,920 --> 00:57:42,320 they're only They're shooting sub thirty five percent from three when Brown and Tatum play. 937 00:57:42,760 --> 00:57:45,039 Tatum has been part of that with his tough threes. They're shooting terribly 938 00:57:45,079 --> 00:57:47,760 from mid range. Tatum has been a part of that for stretches. This 939 00:57:47,840 --> 00:57:52,800 team might need an actual type of point card. I think of the better 940 00:57:52,920 --> 00:57:57,079 version of Dennis Shrewder, a friend of the podcast outscomegu who covers and follows 941 00:57:57,079 --> 00:58:00,440 the Celtics. I think put out a fake Darn Fox trade to Austin at 942 00:58:00,480 --> 00:58:02,000 one point that cost him Jalen Brown just as an exercise. I don't think 943 00:58:02,039 --> 00:58:05,960 he endorsed it, but that might be the type of player that you need 944 00:58:06,000 --> 00:58:08,679 to go after. Or I came up with a CJ. McCollum trade that 945 00:58:08,800 --> 00:58:13,360 I don't know how well it's going to be received. This assumes that TJ. 946 00:58:13,480 --> 00:58:17,840 Mccollumb is fine after he comes back from his collapsed along and I also 947 00:58:17,840 --> 00:58:22,400 recognize that if you want someone who's gonna put pressure on the rim, this 948 00:58:22,440 --> 00:58:24,199 would not be the guy that you go after. However, the trade I 949 00:58:24,199 --> 00:58:28,599 came up with CJ. Mccllum and Ben Mackramore for Juan Hernan Gomez, Romeo 950 00:58:28,679 --> 00:58:31,360 Lang for Josh Richardson and Robert Williams the third. This does work even though 951 00:58:31,519 --> 00:58:36,599 Robert Williams the third is on the poison pill. Maybe you're concerned about the 952 00:58:36,599 --> 00:58:38,480 center position after that, just because you still have out Horford, But are 953 00:58:38,480 --> 00:58:42,519 you gonna have him next season with that hat like he's like fifty percent of 954 00:58:42,559 --> 00:58:45,400 his money a little bit less than fifty percent guaranteed. You still do have 955 00:58:45,519 --> 00:58:49,599 Grant Williams, but do you do you trust him? I think they can 956 00:58:49,599 --> 00:58:52,559 withstand the loss of Jason Richardson up Jason Wow, Josh Richardson on the wings. 957 00:58:52,559 --> 00:58:57,360 You have Marcus Smart, you have Jalen Brown, you have Jason Tatum. 958 00:58:57,400 --> 00:59:00,400 That's a lot of defensive talent right there. It'd probably be the you 959 00:59:00,440 --> 00:59:02,440 know, looking at their long like you don't want en his freedom as like 960 00:59:04,079 --> 00:59:07,280 to have to like I have to have to have to bring this guy back 961 00:59:07,400 --> 00:59:09,519 right now. It's something I would consider if CJ McCollum is CJ McCollum upon 962 00:59:09,519 --> 00:59:14,760 return and playing better than he did upon exit, because that's he's not someone 963 00:59:14,760 --> 00:59:16,800 who needs to eat into their touches a ton. But he also gives you 964 00:59:16,840 --> 00:59:21,280 the ability to I think enhanced lineups with the both of them, or even 965 00:59:21,280 --> 00:59:23,440 just the one of them, or even maybe you want to like tightly tether 966 00:59:23,599 --> 00:59:27,239 the jail and round and Jason taita minutes together. Even more, we've see 967 00:59:27,280 --> 00:59:30,760 mccllum be able to run some units in Portland without Dame in the past because 968 00:59:30,760 --> 00:59:32,599 they've never really invested in that backup point guard. Not all those units have 969 00:59:32,639 --> 00:59:36,199 been good, but that has a lot to do with talent. He's also 970 00:59:36,239 --> 00:59:38,960 really improved was off the dribble three and he remains a good three point shooter. 971 00:59:39,039 --> 00:59:43,039 And the Celtics don't have that knockdown shooter makes a ton of money, 972 00:59:43,039 --> 00:59:45,639 but it's only two years and seventies million after this season. If you're willing 973 00:59:45,679 --> 00:59:51,760 to eat it. I don't think that this is an unreasonable cost, and 974 00:59:51,800 --> 00:59:53,760 I also think that it's a trade that the Blazers should accept. I like 975 00:59:54,039 --> 00:59:58,360 Timelord in Portland, and then you're also Herning Gomez is expiring. That's why 976 00:59:58,400 --> 01:00:00,599 he's in this. Josh Frsus in Quie, they had a good year and 977 01:00:00,639 --> 01:00:02,800 he's the exact type of wing they want. He's a better individual defender who 978 01:00:02,840 --> 01:00:08,400 can defend a greater bandwidth of the positional spectrum than Robert Collington and Larry as 979 01:00:08,480 --> 01:00:13,119 junior at this point, and he's been he's been okay on offense for Boston 980 01:00:13,280 --> 01:00:15,960 this season. Then Romeo Langford, I think is maybe that's why you worry 981 01:00:15,000 --> 01:00:17,800 about your ring rotation a little bit. Do you trust Aaron new Smith to 982 01:00:19,599 --> 01:00:22,760 Lankford has given them. He's shown flashes a better shooting this year, and 983 01:00:22,800 --> 01:00:24,679 this is someone who could be active on defense. That was the package I 984 01:00:24,679 --> 01:00:28,760 threw out though, was c J. McCollum and Ben maclamore to Boston for 985 01:00:28,920 --> 01:00:32,920 Juan Hernan Gomez, Romeo Lankford Josh Richardson and Robert Williams the third. We 986 01:00:32,960 --> 01:00:36,639 are in the home stretch here. I'm going to get through all the questions 987 01:00:36,679 --> 01:00:40,360 and this is gonna be a long ass mailbag. Apparently three planets asked, 988 01:00:40,639 --> 01:00:45,679 who's the best defensive center after a switch? I do not have access to 989 01:00:45,880 --> 01:00:51,880 the stats that will measure this specifically. I will say that watching one, 990 01:00:51,920 --> 01:00:54,239 who do you like consider a big? It has to be Draymond Greene. 991 01:00:54,679 --> 01:01:00,199 Is there is a name that's a certainly pop up thinking Jared Vanderbilt belongs in 992 01:01:00,239 --> 01:01:04,719 this discussion, Maxi Kleiba. Still, just when you look at the volumement 993 01:01:04,719 --> 01:01:07,239 which he's had to do it, or just the scope of his assignments. 994 01:01:07,239 --> 01:01:09,920 Perhaps it's not too much switching, but he's had to be basically classified as 995 01:01:09,920 --> 01:01:14,079 a perimeter big, and he's not as good defensively as he was. And 996 01:01:14,079 --> 01:01:16,679 then I think, just if you want the pure center where it's not Draymond 997 01:01:16,719 --> 01:01:22,599 green it's not Jared Vanderbilt, who's on the smaller size, it's not Maxi 998 01:01:22,719 --> 01:01:27,159 Kleiba or any if you want to delve outside of just the big man umbrella 999 01:01:27,199 --> 01:01:30,119 and look at his specific center, I think it might be Nicholas Claxton. 1000 01:01:30,800 --> 01:01:34,199 People can correct me if I'm wrong there, But a lot of that has 1001 01:01:34,239 --> 01:01:37,000 to do with the frequency with which the Nets will switch him. He was 1002 01:01:37,039 --> 01:01:43,639 like the most switched big last year in basically a decade per B ball Index. 1003 01:01:43,679 --> 01:01:46,199 When you were looking at the frequency with which that is, I frame 1004 01:01:46,239 --> 01:01:49,800 that poorly. It's when you looked at the frequency that he had to defend 1005 01:01:49,800 --> 01:01:52,519 point guards last year. It was the highest for someone's six ten or Pauler. 1006 01:01:52,559 --> 01:01:55,920 It was one of the highest of the decade of all the information that 1007 01:01:55,960 --> 01:02:00,320 was in Bball Index, which is a great resource of if you have chance 1008 01:02:00,360 --> 01:02:04,039 to go check that out. So I think I'm gonna go with Nicholas Coston 1009 01:02:04,039 --> 01:02:07,119 because he's actually effective when he does it. Like he can be overpowered by 1010 01:02:07,159 --> 01:02:10,000 people, but if you need him to switch out and on a dame in 1011 01:02:10,079 --> 01:02:14,000 crunch time, the Nets almost have to do it. When you look at 1012 01:02:14,000 --> 01:02:15,119 some of their personnel, maybe they have to do it less this season they 1013 01:02:15,159 --> 01:02:19,400 did lesson But he can actually do it and you feel good about it. 1014 01:02:19,440 --> 01:02:22,000 And again that's a Draymond Green. We're not if we don't want to consider 1015 01:02:22,039 --> 01:02:24,800 him a center. He's not starting games at center. And he's you call 1016 01:02:24,880 --> 01:02:29,320 him a big sat with Jared Vanderbilt, I think is probably an underrated selection 1017 01:02:29,360 --> 01:02:32,519 along with Mexic Kiba in this anyone who has just is Kenrick Williams belong in 1018 01:02:32,599 --> 01:02:36,159 here? Like I think he's probably more of a way But anyway, that 1019 01:02:36,199 --> 01:02:43,400 would be my answer to that question. Let's make this the final three questions 1020 01:02:43,400 --> 01:02:46,639 here we have two. We have one about the Lakers from Haram What player 1021 01:02:46,679 --> 01:02:51,679 could the Lakers trade for to improve their championship odds most improve their championship? 1022 01:02:51,679 --> 01:02:54,679 Oops? I don't know the the Godfather package. I do have names, 1023 01:02:54,719 --> 01:03:00,239 but the Godfather package for them is talent Horton Tucker attached to Kendrick Nunn plus 1024 01:03:00,280 --> 01:03:01,920 if they want to give up their twenty twenty seven first or twenty twenty eight 1025 01:03:01,920 --> 01:03:06,800 first, depending on how their obligations to New Orleans shake out the names I 1026 01:03:06,840 --> 01:03:08,639 have listed, I'm not giving up that first for Buddy Healed, But are 1027 01:03:08,639 --> 01:03:12,320 the King's out enough on Buddy Heels and in trees enough by talent Horton Tucker, 1028 01:03:12,360 --> 01:03:15,440 who's been terrible a lot on offense this year to give up Buddy Healed 1029 01:03:15,480 --> 01:03:19,159 for him? I don't know. Would you give up the first round pick 1030 01:03:19,480 --> 01:03:22,320 if it's talent Horton Tucker and none for Carris Lavert and isn't even interested in 1031 01:03:22,320 --> 01:03:25,760 that? Are they thinking that long term down the line? Eric Gordon is 1032 01:03:25,800 --> 01:03:30,000 the one that I think he would just be the ideal acquisition for the Lakers 1033 01:03:30,000 --> 01:03:34,199 when you look at a wing type player who puts real pressure on the basket 1034 01:03:34,519 --> 01:03:37,760 like he does in addition to spacing the floor, and then I don't he's 1035 01:03:37,760 --> 01:03:43,840 not going to cripple your defense. He's had like fairly stout moments on the 1036 01:03:43,880 --> 01:03:47,320 wings in playoffs years past. Even if you think that he's not as good 1037 01:03:47,320 --> 01:03:51,159 as he was two or three years ago there, which is fair. This 1038 01:03:51,199 --> 01:03:53,960 isn't a Wayne Ellington situation. And so can you get Eric Gordon for that 1039 01:03:54,000 --> 01:03:57,239 package? Would you give up the first round pick for it? I think 1040 01:03:57,239 --> 01:04:00,000 a lot of people who are gonna say no, looking at just this season, 1041 01:04:00,039 --> 01:04:03,079 and if you're the Lakers and you've decided fuck tomorrow, that would be 1042 01:04:03,119 --> 01:04:05,599 the deal. And if you're in Houston, it's like, do we really 1043 01:04:05,639 --> 01:04:09,880 need the imminent first round picks? And if we hedge against the Lakers future 1044 01:04:10,000 --> 01:04:13,599 that far in advance, Lebron's probably retired in twenty twenty seven, or on 1045 01:04:13,639 --> 01:04:17,400 a different team, or just at least not Lebron. There's also the caveat 1046 01:04:17,400 --> 01:04:21,800 there of the Lakers always do seem to get somebody like the Laker exceptionalism is 1047 01:04:21,840 --> 01:04:27,400 not, you know, some made up thing from Lakers fans like they have 1048 01:04:27,519 --> 01:04:30,280 a reason to be optimistic despite having a lack of assets or maybe not even 1049 01:04:30,320 --> 01:04:34,400 having the best trade packages at certain points because players want to go there. 1050 01:04:34,760 --> 01:04:38,039 But that would be the Eric Gordon. If I'm Houston, I would think 1051 01:04:38,039 --> 01:04:40,400 about it. And if I'm I'm gonna be I'm gonna be honest. If 1052 01:04:40,440 --> 01:04:44,239 I am the Lakers, I'm thinking about it too. Gordon Heyward, Eric 1053 01:04:44,280 --> 01:04:46,920 Gordon is still someone that you could move after the fact too. Of course, 1054 01:04:46,920 --> 01:04:50,440 then you do sacrifice your picks in that situation if you're going into town 1055 01:04:50,480 --> 01:04:54,079 Horton Tucker plus a pick round or even talent Horton Tucker, who's as bad 1056 01:04:54,119 --> 01:04:58,320 as he's been, it's still twenty one and even turned twenty one yet, 1057 01:04:58,320 --> 01:05:01,239 so he's that young. That's the LA asked, you know, that's the 1058 01:05:01,320 --> 01:05:05,719 last card in your equip like for you to play, because what are your 1059 01:05:05,760 --> 01:05:10,880 packages look like after that if you're not trading a Lebron or an Anthony Davis, 1060 01:05:10,880 --> 01:05:13,960 you would have to hope that whoever you're acquiring then turns into this massive 1061 01:05:14,000 --> 01:05:17,840 trade asset. Eighth Hood asked, are the Grizzlies better without Jah Moran? 1062 01:05:18,159 --> 01:05:25,840 So the answer to this is an overwhelming no. I think they played spectacular 1063 01:05:25,960 --> 01:05:30,159 without him while he was dealing with that knees brain. I think it was. 1064 01:05:30,239 --> 01:05:31,039 And if if I'm wrong on the knees brain, I think it was 1065 01:05:31,039 --> 01:05:34,320 someone else's that's my bad. But so Memphis played thirteen games without him, 1066 01:05:34,320 --> 01:05:38,280 they went ten and three. They had at least best net rating where eighthan 1067 01:05:38,400 --> 01:05:42,960 offense and first in defense. I think the defensive shift is real. John 1068 01:05:42,960 --> 01:05:46,119 Moran is he. I do think he has more moments of effort than some 1069 01:05:46,199 --> 01:05:49,880 other guards who are bad at defense. But he's not going to help your 1070 01:05:49,880 --> 01:05:54,719 defense. And when you're going from him to Dylan Brooks is still on the 1071 01:05:54,719 --> 01:05:58,559 court, but you have danthy Melton and Tias Jones maybe playing slightly larger roles. 1072 01:05:59,000 --> 01:06:01,159 That's just going to a cly help your your defense. I mean, 1073 01:06:01,199 --> 01:06:04,320 even having Kyle Anderson's role wasn't really peeped up though, during that stress. 1074 01:06:04,360 --> 01:06:08,239 I remember, so that's going to help your defense. Their offense, that 1075 01:06:08,280 --> 01:06:11,559 they were an eighthan offense without him, it shocked me. I don't know 1076 01:06:11,599 --> 01:06:15,000 that. I buy and been shooting forty five point six percent from three on 1077 01:06:15,159 --> 01:06:18,280 even some off the dribble looks on super high volume, but they weren't getting 1078 01:06:18,320 --> 01:06:24,280 like incredible three point shooting from anyone aside from him. Jaren Jackson Junior during 1079 01:06:24,280 --> 01:06:27,880 this stretch was thirty two point eight percent from three. Desmond Baine, I 1080 01:06:27,920 --> 01:06:30,559 said forty five point six percent, the Anthy Melton was thirty five point one, 1081 01:06:30,800 --> 01:06:34,119 Dylan Brooks was thirty three point three, same for Brandon Clark. On 1082 01:06:34,199 --> 01:06:38,639 minimal attempts, Tyas Jones was at thirty two point five percent. Kyle Anderson 1083 01:06:38,800 --> 01:06:41,400 quietly turned into like this league average. If I have to shoot a wide 1084 01:06:41,440 --> 01:06:44,119 open three from the corner, I'll hit it thirty six point four percent. 1085 01:06:44,280 --> 01:06:47,199 So they weren't getting like a ton of luck there. And so you look 1086 01:06:47,199 --> 01:06:53,639 at their shooting during this time where they had the most success without John Morant 1087 01:06:53,719 --> 01:06:56,639 during this stretch is they were shooting sixty hundred one percent at the rim. 1088 01:06:56,679 --> 01:06:59,400 I don't that he doesn't affect that to me at all. He's probably taking 1089 01:06:59,440 --> 01:07:01,920 more difficult looks at the rim then most players, and so your percentage isn't 1090 01:07:01,920 --> 01:07:06,039 gonna hover around seventy percent as much. But he's not the reason that you're 1091 01:07:06,159 --> 01:07:11,920 just lights out at the basket not having him. Anyway, they were also, 1092 01:07:13,599 --> 01:07:16,239 excuse me, they also they were ten to three point I keep forgetting 1093 01:07:16,239 --> 01:07:18,440 that three point shooting went down this year. They were ten to three point 1094 01:07:18,440 --> 01:07:23,719 shooting without him. They didn't have any mid range efficiency with which to speak 1095 01:07:23,760 --> 01:07:26,800 though, So the offense is that they were eight during that stretch and they 1096 01:07:26,800 --> 01:07:29,760 had some like there are teams that they played were shorthanded or not great, 1097 01:07:29,800 --> 01:07:32,480 but they had some good wins over that thirteen games. Ban they're not better 1098 01:07:32,599 --> 01:07:35,639 without John Moran. He just gives you a level, especially you look at 1099 01:07:35,679 --> 01:07:39,400 the he did not play in the game or they lose to Portland. I 1100 01:07:39,440 --> 01:07:42,440 think it wasn't crunched time, like not having that type of an option when 1101 01:07:42,480 --> 01:07:45,440 things bogged down in the half court. That's inevitably going going to hurt you. 1102 01:07:45,480 --> 01:07:47,760 So no, the Grizzlies are not better without John rand I'm sure this 1103 01:07:47,800 --> 01:07:50,400 was sarcastic, but if we just want to put the now on the coffin 1104 01:07:50,440 --> 01:07:56,440 once after all final question are asked if you did a twenty twenty one region 1105 01:07:56,639 --> 01:08:00,760 draft, who jumps out the most too early to do this, I think, 1106 01:08:00,920 --> 01:08:03,280 but just based off this, and I'm steering clear second round picks because 1107 01:08:03,320 --> 01:08:08,639 it's just easier to jump, like twenty spots or something from the second round. 1108 01:08:09,199 --> 01:08:13,079 I think it's Bones Highland at twenty six, or Alpa and Shane gun 1109 01:08:13,159 --> 01:08:17,079 at sixteen, and then Christa wart Day it's seventeen. I think it's Bones 1110 01:08:17,159 --> 01:08:20,039 Highland. Actually there's room, there's more room for him to jump. But 1111 01:08:20,520 --> 01:08:26,960 this is someone who I think should go We'll end up should have gone the 1112 01:08:27,000 --> 01:08:30,439 top ten. I don't even know because Kay, Jalen Green, Mobley barn 1113 01:08:30,560 --> 01:08:34,960 Sugs, Kaminga Wagner, those are all guys that should be in the top 1114 01:08:34,960 --> 01:08:38,640 ten if you're looking long term, even if you haven't been impressed by Jalen 1115 01:08:38,680 --> 01:08:41,399 Green or Jalen Suggs like that's you would still take a chance on those guys 1116 01:08:41,399 --> 01:08:45,279 today, is my point. But I think where you're saying Christa wart Day 1117 01:08:45,319 --> 01:08:46,359 or Alper and Shane Gun Becauld, they have gotten into the top ten. 1118 01:08:46,640 --> 01:08:53,279 Sure, I think bones Highland Ken and should have I So that's just a 1119 01:08:53,359 --> 01:08:55,479 huge jump for him. So he would be the one that jumps out the 1120 01:08:55,520 --> 01:08:57,800 most me. His shooting is real, but he can do away from the 1121 01:08:57,800 --> 01:08:59,960 ball, the distance on it. He's okay pulling up off the drib. 1122 01:09:00,439 --> 01:09:01,319 There's some stuff you can do with the ball in his hands. I think 1123 01:09:01,359 --> 01:09:04,640 we're going to see a really good and crafty finisher around the basket or from 1124 01:09:04,680 --> 01:09:10,239 float range eventually. And he's a better passer than I expected coming into the 1125 01:09:10,319 --> 01:09:14,239 league. This was fun. Thank you everyone who got this far with me. 1126 01:09:14,319 --> 01:09:16,000 I hope you enjoyed it. If you're listening to this while you're traveling 1127 01:09:16,000 --> 01:09:19,800 for Christmas or whatever, I hope you're staying safe. Hope this has given 1128 01:09:19,840 --> 01:09:23,199 you something to kill time with. If you have any thoughts on it, 1129 01:09:23,199 --> 01:09:25,920 you know where to find me at dan pha Valley on Twitter. We could 1130 01:09:25,920 --> 01:09:30,039 be found at Hardwood Knox on Twitter. We're Hardwood NX on YouTube at Hardwood 1131 01:09:30,119 --> 01:09:33,119 Underscore Knox on Instagram. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe for 1132 01:09:33,199 --> 01:09:35,560 us wherever you get your podcast. An I said in the top this is 1133 01:09:35,560 --> 01:09:40,840 your first time stumbling upon us at random or because someone recommended it consider throwing 1134 01:09:40,920 --> 01:09:45,039 us that permanent subscription and then paying that recommendation forward by recommending us to someone 1135 01:09:45,159 --> 01:09:48,479 else. Until next time, I'll leave with a shout out to the one, 1136 01:09:49,000 --> 01:09:59,520 the Only, Frank Nilkina