1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:07,360 What is krack oakin ordw Knox listeners, I am Damp Valley coming at you 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,919 once again without my fan tabulous co host Adam FROMO. We are going to 3 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:16,160 keep our team look Ahead train rolling again. These aren't previous these are look 4 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,719 Aheads, which are just that's fancy. That's fancy, that's what they are. 5 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,480 We're gonna be doing the Warriors today. I've brought back on sam as 6 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:28,079 Findiari from the Famous basically at this point, definitely mainstreaming. If you're not 7 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:32,039 a Warrior's fan light Years podcast, follow him on Twitter at sam as Findiari. 8 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,439 That's at sam ees f A N d I A r I. Before 9 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:40,600 we get into our discussion, which covers everything Warriors, including the Ben Simmons 10 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,719 talk that everyone seems to be interested in, just want to remind you to 11 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,280 please continue rating, reviewing, and subscribing to us wherever you get your podcast, 12 00:00:48,399 --> 00:00:51,000 whether you use iTunes or not, though we do ask that you head 13 00:00:51,039 --> 00:00:53,240 over there search hardwar Knox, throw us that five, start ratting, and 14 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,840 write a review because those help us out of ton, but also make sure 15 00:00:55,840 --> 00:01:00,359 you're downloading our episodes and subscribing to us if you use another medium Likesdify, 16 00:01:00,439 --> 00:01:03,400 Stitcher, Google Player, We're Google podcast whatever it's called at this point because 17 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,560 we are everywhere. If you're only listening to this podcast because it's the Warriors 18 00:01:07,599 --> 00:01:10,319 and it's your first time checking us out, please consider subscribing. Everyway. 19 00:01:10,359 --> 00:01:15,040 We cover the entire league and we do a sub mediocre job of it if 20 00:01:15,079 --> 00:01:17,879 I don't want to brag, but it's definitely sub of mediocre, maybe even 21 00:01:17,879 --> 00:01:23,439 mediocre at points, So please consider giving us a permanent follow and subscription there. 22 00:01:23,719 --> 00:01:26,319 Follow us on Twitter at Hardwood Knox. Like I said, we are 23 00:01:26,359 --> 00:01:30,840 on YouTube search YouTube dot com Hardwood not go to YouTube dot com search hardwoodknoxs 24 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,400 will pop up. Subscribe to our channel there. We're on Instagram at Hardwood 25 00:01:34,439 --> 00:01:37,519 Underscore Knox, and we're on TikTok not really active at the moment, still 26 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:42,319 figuring out the content plan there at Hardwood Knox. Without further delay, though, 27 00:01:42,359 --> 00:01:46,280 let's get to talking all things Golden State Warriors ahead of this season with 28 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,879 the Light Years podcast. Sam as Findiari, Sam, thank you so much 29 00:01:49,879 --> 00:01:53,120 for coming back on the Hardwoo Knox podcast to talk about the Warriors with me. 30 00:01:53,319 --> 00:01:57,680 First and foremost, though, how the hell are you. I'm good, 31 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:05,040 dude. Somehow everything in the NBA sphere ends up in like a Warrior 32 00:02:05,159 --> 00:02:07,840 civil war online. That's all I'm going to tell you. This is obviously 33 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,719 in regards to Ben Simmons. Has the Zion stuff trickled into Warriors Twitter? 34 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,800 Yet? Does that cause the civil war amongst you guys? Yeah? I 35 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:22,719 mean obviously planning cap space to get Zion? No, I guess no one 36 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:24,639 has it. Maybe the Ingram stuff. Every now and then when you hear 37 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,639 Ingram murmurings, it's like, what if they trade for him? But that's 38 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,280 about it. That might be a good place to start too. And I'm 39 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:36,800 probably taking a chance by recording this too early relative to when the season starts 40 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:38,479 with you, because they are one of the teams that are like tangentially linked 41 00:02:38,479 --> 00:02:42,599 to Ben Simmons, even if you don't consider them the most likely destination. 42 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,919 You and Andy on Lightyears have seemed pretty I wouldn't say pro if you can 43 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:50,520 get Ben Simmons again. You really seem open to the idea of Ben Simmons 44 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,560 on the Warriors. Where do you sort of land on that stuff with his 45 00:02:53,599 --> 00:02:57,919 fit to Golden State and whether they should go after him insofar as they even 46 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:02,919 can. So for me, it's a question of cost. I think everyone's 47 00:03:04,039 --> 00:03:07,800 overthinking who he is as a player because of the high profile playoff meltdown. 48 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:16,599 This team won titles with lineups that involved Draymond Green and Andrea Godala together giving 49 00:03:16,599 --> 00:03:23,599 you a combined twelve points. You know, they like I think people on 50 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:30,360 some level overrate the shooting and underrate the ball movement with the Warriors, Like, 51 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:36,400 the Warriors are at their absolute best when they're playing with a breakneck pace 52 00:03:36,599 --> 00:03:40,159 and the ball is popping around and you have no cluere it's going and the 53 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,680 next thing you know, Steph Curry's wide open, next thing you know, 54 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:49,080 Klay Thompson's wide open. So yes, Ben Simmons does not shoot outside shots. 55 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:53,319 But Ben Simmons absolutely is meant to play in the Warriors system. He's 56 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:58,560 a phenomenal passer, and I just don't see it being nearly as big of 57 00:03:58,599 --> 00:04:01,759 a fit issue as people think, Like, yes, if they get stuck 58 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:08,120 in a grinded out half court game, it's gonna it's gonna fall on Steph 59 00:04:08,159 --> 00:04:13,439 creating some sort of one on one heroics that already happens. That's basically always 60 00:04:13,439 --> 00:04:15,319 been the case for this team except for when they had Kevin Durant, and 61 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,920 obviously you know that was like, well, yes, if you compare Steph 62 00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:23,879 with the other best like one on one score in the league, they are 63 00:04:23,959 --> 00:04:27,480 unguardable, like no, no, no doubt right, So for me, 64 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,959 it's like his value is at a low. You know, he fits what 65 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,120 you want to do. Yes, you kind of have to then put a 66 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:40,360 premium on everyone else on the roster being a shooter. But like I would 67 00:04:40,399 --> 00:04:44,800 say, it's a lot easier to find another Damian Lee or like maybe develop 68 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,360 Moses Moody or get Auto Porter off the scrap heap than it is to find 69 00:04:48,399 --> 00:04:51,759 someone who can do all the things Ben Simmons does. And it just seems 70 00:04:51,759 --> 00:04:57,480 to be like it seems like people are overthinking this one. Yes, and 71 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,519 I'm not in love with the fit, but I also I like the way 72 00:05:00,519 --> 00:05:04,399 you framed about cost because if the war even if the Warriors give up their 73 00:05:04,399 --> 00:05:08,720 best offer, they just to me. And I received a lot of pushback 74 00:05:08,759 --> 00:05:11,360 for this, I think because you actually quote tweeted the excerpts from when I 75 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:15,279 did like a purposely trollable article on wire. Team is not gonna win the 76 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,240 title. I don't view the Warriors as having really any secondary shot creation right 77 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:23,240 now. There is Jordan Pool and he was excellent to close the season. 78 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:27,240 The offense was still bad when Jordan Pool played without Steph on the floor. 79 00:05:27,439 --> 00:05:30,680 And so it doesn't necessarily getting Ben Simmons. No, it doesn't necessarily solve 80 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,800 that. But it also is not exacerbating anything because it's that's an issue now 81 00:05:35,199 --> 00:05:40,519 and so I do understand why you think it should come down to cost there. 82 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,000 It's also it gives it just lets you lean into your strength. The 83 00:05:44,079 --> 00:05:46,959 Warriors were good defensively last year, top five, they were not a great 84 00:05:46,959 --> 00:05:55,000 defense at every crunch time metrics showed when good teams wanted to get a bucket, 85 00:05:55,040 --> 00:06:00,519 they could. Draymond was phenomenal at kind of getting this team to have 86 00:06:00,519 --> 00:06:03,959 a defensive identity, but he can't make Kelly Ubre, James Wiseman, those 87 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:09,439 guys like get a quote unquote stop when you need one, right and adding 88 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,040 someone like Ben Simmons, like that's a guy you don't have to worry about 89 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,680 making the wrong rotation in the final two minutes of a game. In theory, 90 00:06:15,759 --> 00:06:19,920 like anyone can do it, but like he's less likely to than Wiggins 91 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:26,160 or Ubre or those type of guys. He would also address the fact that 92 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:30,199 like literally only two guys on this team can dribble, So it's just kind 93 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,360 of yeah, he doesn't. He doesn't address the fact that you'd really like 94 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,480 someone else who you could count on to kind of get their own shot when 95 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:41,560 things bogged down. But he makes you better at basically every other aspect of 96 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:47,639 basketball. Why not do you think that the Warriors had anyone? And I 97 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,920 think that Jordan is probably the best candidate who can consistently create their own shot 98 00:06:51,959 --> 00:06:56,800 when Steph is off the floor to the point where those lineups are act actually 99 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:02,319 solvent offensively. I do think Jordan Pool has a legitimate shot at like a 100 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:06,439 six Man of the Year or kind of you know, he might not qualify 101 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,319 for because I wouldn't be surprised if he started a ton of games in Clay's 102 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,519 absence, but I would not be surprised if he ended up like the second 103 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:16,879 leading scorer on this team this season. Take that for what you want, 104 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,680 but I think he can definitely get his own shot. The real question I 105 00:07:20,759 --> 00:07:26,079 have is, like, how are we talking? Can he get his own 106 00:07:26,079 --> 00:07:29,800 shot at like the same level that Lou Williams does, that CJ. McCollum 107 00:07:29,839 --> 00:07:32,519 do, because that's a pretty big leap from what we saw last year. 108 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,279 What we saw last year is like, this is a good player. There's 109 00:07:35,319 --> 00:07:39,480 definitely an NBA guy. There's a role for him in this league. Now, 110 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:43,639 the question is is there a role for him being that secondary shot creator 111 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,879 on a team with like aspirations beyond the first round of the playoffs. And 112 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,680 that's a question you need a full season to see. I will say this 113 00:07:50,759 --> 00:07:56,360 about Jordan Pool. He's younger than people think. I mean, I think 114 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:58,680 he's barely twenty, right, He was like a young sophomore and he came 115 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:05,920 out and he is in the Warriors facility more than anyone like he's basically he's 116 00:08:05,959 --> 00:08:07,839 one of those guys who tends to live in the gym. So if you're 117 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:13,319 betting on improvement that naturally comes from players, he's a player I would bet 118 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,839 on getting better by virtue of just getting older. In the amount of work 119 00:08:16,879 --> 00:08:20,360 he puts in. I was actually surprised at how well he did sort of 120 00:08:20,399 --> 00:08:24,399 finishing around the rim as the season went on, and I was I'm more 121 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:28,680 concerned moving forward about are those unassisted jumpers that he needs to take at some 122 00:08:28,759 --> 00:08:31,439 point, Are those going to fall at a higher clip because those still sort 123 00:08:31,439 --> 00:08:35,919 of hovered around a lower efficiency than you would want from someone who might be 124 00:08:35,919 --> 00:08:39,840 playing a lot without Steph Curry and be the first or second option within those 125 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:45,120 lineups. Yeah. I mean he can make those shots, he just hasn't 126 00:08:45,159 --> 00:08:48,159 made those shots at the clip you want. Yeah, right, And so 127 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:52,320 that's kind of Is it a young player who the more the game slows down, 128 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,559 the more it goes in you know, five percent higher and that sort 129 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:58,840 of thing. Or is he just kind of this guy who, you know, 130 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:01,639 kind of a heat check guy, Like on a random night he'll go 131 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,240 ten for fifteen and win you a game, and the next game it'll be, 132 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,799 you know, two for twelve. So I don't know, it's to 133 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:11,440 be seen. I do think he's the most interesting of their young players in 134 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:16,440 terms in terms of the guy thinks most likely to quote unquote take a step 135 00:09:16,519 --> 00:09:20,559 this year Klay Thompson. I heard it framed this way that by the time 136 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:24,320 he returns, it could be a thousand days since he's played in an NBA 137 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,679 game, depending on when he returns. Is there do you have any sense 138 00:09:28,919 --> 00:09:31,720 for when you think he'll actually come back this season, because we know it's 139 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:33,320 not going to be Opening night. Is Christmas a realistic hard date, a 140 00:09:33,399 --> 00:09:37,759 tard date? And what just as the season goes on when he first comes 141 00:09:37,799 --> 00:09:43,480 back, what are realistic expectations for him this year? So on the plus 142 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:50,679 side, Clay is not an explosive athlete, so that bears bears out positively 143 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:56,000 in terms of like you always worry about a guy whose game is like based 144 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,559 on clticism, like if they lose a little bit, are they're still good? 145 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:03,559 Clay is not that guy. In terms of turn date, excuse me, 146 00:10:05,279 --> 00:10:09,559 we've heard Christmas floated. I think it'll be before Christmas. I think 147 00:10:09,759 --> 00:10:15,799 sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas as my guests, And that's with the caveat of 148 00:10:16,039 --> 00:10:20,519 heavy minutes limit. I would not be surprised if he was at a twenty 149 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:26,240 minute limit in December and a gradual increase I would expect. I would not 150 00:10:26,279 --> 00:10:31,120 expect to see him play a single back to back this season. I think 151 00:10:31,799 --> 00:10:35,919 if you're the Warriors, if you can get fifty games out of him in 152 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,720 an average of twenty five minutes, which means maybe in the beginning of the 153 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:41,399 season, it's eighteen to twenty. Middle of the season it's you know, 154 00:10:41,799 --> 00:10:46,039 twenty three to twenty six, and come playoff time, it's like thirty. 155 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:50,480 I would consider that a big time win for them, honestly, like, 156 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:56,960 because he's gonna miss probably the first fifteen to twenty games just period, and 157 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:03,399 then you got to assume another ten games and they're just back to back maintenance. 158 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:07,480 You know, we're playing four games this week and probably don't want to 159 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,360 put that on Clay, So let's let have him sit, you know, 160 00:11:09,399 --> 00:11:11,399 Wednesday's game against the Thunder or whatever it may be, right, that type 161 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:16,200 of thing. So I think we will see him. Like I said, 162 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:20,080 I think it's going to be a gradual thing, and I think they are 163 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:24,720 on the cautious side just due to the nature of the two injuries he suffered. 164 00:11:24,639 --> 00:11:28,639 In terms of his game, I think once he shakes the rust off, 165 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:31,879 I don't think we're going to see a huge difference. Offensively. He's 166 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:35,600 gonna run off of screens, he's going to shoot the ball. He's gonna 167 00:11:35,639 --> 00:11:39,799 have moments where you're like, how did he just score twenty points in three 168 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,399 minutes? You know, like that type of thing. And he's also going 169 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,679 to have the games where you know, shots aren't falling and just kind of 170 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:50,440 be the same old Clay on that end. Defensively, it'll be a little 171 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:56,080 more interesting. He is strong, he is big, so that always helps. 172 00:11:56,159 --> 00:12:00,600 But I would I would be shocked if he's a chasing around the Russell 173 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,159 Westbrooks the world anymore. You know, I feel like that's gonna be Andrew 174 00:12:03,159 --> 00:12:09,200 Wiggins assignment on this team. Or you see that they're bringing guys like Avery 175 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:13,559 Bradley seeing if they have anything left in the tank. I could see, 176 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,360 like, you know, the utility of someone who's like a seasoned point of 177 00:12:16,399 --> 00:12:20,960 attack defender or let Clay kind of guard one of the weaker wings that doesn't 178 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:24,639 involve him chasing around a guy with hyper athleticism. That would be another argument 179 00:12:24,639 --> 00:12:28,600 for drading for Ben Simmons, I guess is get that point of attack to 180 00:12:28,639 --> 00:12:33,360 bed. Yeah. I mean the thing is Wiggins actually was a damn good 181 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:37,960 point of attack defender for him, I think or Ben Simmons is significantly better. 182 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:41,879 Is he can guard more positions. He's significantly better off ball and then 183 00:12:41,919 --> 00:12:46,039 just rip and go on the break like Wiggins isn't taking the ball off the 184 00:12:46,039 --> 00:12:48,320 glass and he's a really rebounding period, but he's taking the ball off the 185 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:52,000 glass. I'm like pushing it in transition and doing all the things that someone 186 00:12:52,039 --> 00:12:56,840 who's like as freakish as Ben Simmons does. I know a lot of what 187 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,879 happened with James Wiseman, I think is on the Warrior's code staff for not 188 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:05,120 viewing him as just like a play finisher right out of the bat. But 189 00:13:05,639 --> 00:13:09,320 given the injury doesn't have summer league, we don't I don't even know that 190 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:13,039 he has a target return date for this season. And given how well like 191 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:18,200 the Draymond and staff minutes without James Wiseman last year, they obliterated everybody during 192 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:22,559 those stretches, Like, what are the expectations for James Wiseman that heading into 193 00:13:22,759 --> 00:13:31,159 year two? So for me, it's I think one of the underrated disappointing 194 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:39,039 aspects of last year was the right as the Warriors were changing their offense and 195 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:43,200 kind of just you know, kind of admitting that, like, you know, 196 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,799 we can't play that same read and react style in totality the way we 197 00:13:46,879 --> 00:13:50,960 used to because James Wiseman's not Andrew Boguet, Kelly Brad's not you know, 198 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:54,519 Kevin Duranna andredall that sort of stuff, right, Like, maybe we need 199 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:56,320 to put the ball and kind of our best players' hands more and just like 200 00:13:56,399 --> 00:14:00,840 guys who finished place finished place, right, I mean the early part of 201 00:14:00,879 --> 00:14:03,679 the season, you would see dribble handoffs for Wiseman and just be like, 202 00:14:05,759 --> 00:14:09,600 why, Like, what is he displayed to you that he's ready to make 203 00:14:09,639 --> 00:14:11,799 The game's already moving way too fast for him. You want to like make 204 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:16,440 this more complicated and have him make three reads at once, like playboards at 205 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:20,080 three games in college too. Yeah, exactly, exactly. I mean I 206 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:24,360 don't think any rookie big man set up for that much less one who's quote, 207 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:28,200 you know, a little behind the curve in terms of experience. Right. 208 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,799 So one of the disappointing things was right as they were changing it up, 209 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:35,759 he was starting to, I don't want to say break out, but 210 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:39,399 just kind of showing some of that potential on a more consistent basis as a 211 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:43,320 rim runner, as a catch and shoot guy, some of the stuff he 212 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:45,759 can do, and then boom, you know, he kind of tears his 213 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:50,440 meniscus. So what I would consider successful for him is he's gonna come back. 214 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:54,440 He's going to play with the second unit. Maybe run more pick and 215 00:14:54,519 --> 00:14:58,639 roll with Jordan Poole. Maybe that could be a nice kind of staple to 216 00:14:58,679 --> 00:15:03,519 run second unit. Jordan Poole obviously can score the ball and his pretty good 217 00:15:03,559 --> 00:15:07,799 ball handler, and James Wiseman is just it's just a freak physically, there's 218 00:15:07,799 --> 00:15:13,039 no way around that. Like he can he for all the negative things we 219 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:16,799 say about him and all the things he can't do. I mean, he 220 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:22,039 averaged eleven points in like twenty minutes a game, Like he just walks into 221 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:26,039 ten points just by virtue of being bigger, faster than everyone on the court, 222 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:28,960 right, like he is. I think there's only one player I saw 223 00:15:30,039 --> 00:15:33,960 who's like I felt like was bigger than him all season, as Rudy Gobert. 224 00:15:33,159 --> 00:15:39,039 Like he's he's bigger than DeAndre eight. He's bigger than and he moves 225 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:43,559 like a guard. So just by virtue of that, he doesn't even need 226 00:15:43,679 --> 00:15:48,039 to be you know that good to be good, right that type of thing. 227 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:50,799 The thing I really want to see with him is I want to see 228 00:15:50,799 --> 00:15:54,919 if that three point chat gets a little more consistent, because he showed he 229 00:15:54,919 --> 00:15:58,799 could make it. He also showed that. You know, he's a young 230 00:15:58,879 --> 00:16:02,840 big man, so it's anything but consistent. I think if that three point 231 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:07,799 shop becomes consistent, then you really have something with him, because he's going 232 00:16:07,919 --> 00:16:12,279 to be able to get his points rim running the way guys like Capella and 233 00:16:15,159 --> 00:16:17,759 who am I thinking of, you know, like DeAndre Jordan, Like those 234 00:16:17,759 --> 00:16:19,000 guys are rim roers, Like he's gonna get those. But if you can 235 00:16:19,039 --> 00:16:22,519 get that with the ability to kind of pick and pop and do some other 236 00:16:22,519 --> 00:16:26,919 stuff, now you've got something interesting. Do you have hope for him to 237 00:16:26,919 --> 00:16:34,679 have better than Nerland's Noel level hands, Yes, but that's only because he's 238 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:40,120 played like a half a season in the NBA. I'm not ready to call 239 00:16:40,279 --> 00:16:44,240 it what it is at this point. You know, if this is new 240 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:47,080 Land's Noel's what you're six, you're seven, something like that. Yeah, 241 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:51,639 he's definitely closer to a decade than not. At that point, It's like, 242 00:16:51,679 --> 00:16:52,879 it is what it is. Right at this point, I'm gonna be 243 00:16:52,919 --> 00:16:56,279 like, let the games slow down for him. End up. Let's see 244 00:16:56,279 --> 00:17:00,480 what happens if the game slows down for Wise and he becomes like a defensive 245 00:17:00,519 --> 00:17:06,000 force and doing other things really well. And he's still bobbling every pass. 246 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,720 Then I'm ready to be like, all right, those are just his hands. 247 00:17:08,839 --> 00:17:11,160 You know, that's just the way it is. But at this point, 248 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:15,559 like every criticism or every negative thing I see on him on the court 249 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:19,759 is it looks like the guy who is playing with guys who are just way 250 00:17:19,759 --> 00:17:25,240 more experienced than when everything's moving too fast? Is there a path toward And 251 00:17:25,279 --> 00:17:26,400 if he's gonna come off the bench when he tells he it does seem like 252 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:30,440 there will be some organic staggering of him and Draymond, Then what's the path 253 00:17:30,599 --> 00:17:33,279 Should we one expect that to be the staple as they're going to try and 254 00:17:33,279 --> 00:17:37,599 stagger them, and two what's the path to those two functioning at a high 255 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:45,160 level together on the court. The easy answer is Wiseman or Draymond, But 256 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:52,680 realistically Wiseman becoming an outside threat right. But the more but the more honest 257 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:57,319 answer is on the defensive event. Wiseman look like a rookie on defense last 258 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:03,920 year. I mean, there's when you compare him to Looney, there's no 259 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:10,759 reason Looney should be a better defender than him. Slower, smaller has had 260 00:18:10,799 --> 00:18:14,599 as many hip surgeries as all of our grandparents combined. You know, there's 261 00:18:14,599 --> 00:18:17,559 no reason for like Looney to be a guy. But Looney knows what to 262 00:18:17,599 --> 00:18:19,240 do. He's smart, he makes the right rotation. He just doesn't make 263 00:18:19,279 --> 00:18:25,440 mistakes. I think if Wiseman just if the game slows down for him defensively, 264 00:18:26,519 --> 00:18:30,640 and the Warriors would be willing to live with the fact that you're going 265 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,359 to get at least one of those awkward Draymond trying to throw a lob when 266 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:37,079 everyone knows he's trying to throw a lob and it ends up in a turnover 267 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:41,039 play, you know, like those are those are incredibly frustrating because it's like 268 00:18:41,839 --> 00:18:45,559 Draymond's driving. Everyone knows he has zero interests in a layup. You see 269 00:18:45,599 --> 00:18:49,039 Wiseman standing, it becomes the easiest decision for a defense. Right. So, 270 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:55,759 but anyway, back to your point, I really do think if Wiseman 271 00:18:55,880 --> 00:19:00,559 gets up to speed defensively, they'll have him on the court because he is 272 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:03,839 huge. You know, having a shop walker would be nice. Do you 273 00:19:03,839 --> 00:19:08,519 have any looking at the other youngsters, any early impressions of the way Jonathan 274 00:19:08,559 --> 00:19:12,079 k Comeinga and Moses Moody will fit. And I think I fall on Kominga's 275 00:19:12,079 --> 00:19:15,400 clearly more important long term, but Moody seems like he's the best chance of 276 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:19,160 helping what this team wants to do. Now, do you think either both 277 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,039 one of them will get a real crack at playing time with the with the 278 00:19:22,039 --> 00:19:27,000 big league club? Agree with that? So I was down at Summer League 279 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:33,799 and like, Kuminga's potential is just it's like eye popping, like at least 280 00:19:33,039 --> 00:19:37,000 once a game, if not like three times a game, you're like, 281 00:19:37,559 --> 00:19:42,519 he does something that's in like the Kauwai you know, Lebron like whatever type 282 00:19:42,559 --> 00:19:47,079 of like wow. But you watch him in total, you're like, yeah, 283 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,759 it's gonna be quite a few years before we're talking about him in that 284 00:19:49,839 --> 00:19:55,160 sphere of player, right. So if ever, but so, I would 285 00:19:55,200 --> 00:20:00,039 be surprised if Kuminga got consistent run with the big club, Like I I 286 00:20:00,079 --> 00:20:03,400 think he's going to be up and down with Santa Cruz. If there's a 287 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:08,319 blowout, he might get fifteen twenty minutes. Maybe, you know, maybe 288 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:14,039 if they're they're playing the Houston Rockets in Houston is in a tailspin, they'll 289 00:20:14,039 --> 00:20:17,319 make a point to get Kuminga twenty minutes in that game. We'll see him 290 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,759 get kind of like those type of minutes. But like when they're playing the 291 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:25,519 Dallas Mavericks, a team who's probably on the same level as them, and 292 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,079 a game they have to have, Kumingo will probably be like, you know, 293 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:30,960 staple to the bench, right, because he's a long term project, 294 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:37,240 very talented, but long term project Moody. It just feels like, by 295 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:41,200 virtue of knowing who he is, there's a pathway to him getting on the 296 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,880 on the court, especially before Clay gets back, right, Yeah, exactly. 297 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:49,759 I mean there's not a team in the NBA who can't use an extra 298 00:20:49,839 --> 00:20:56,319 three and D guy, right, and who knows, you know, if 299 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:00,880 NBA game speed will you know, mess up Moody shot and it takes him, 300 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:02,680 like, you know, a year for him to get used to it 301 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:07,160 and everything. But if he can hint shots, he's displayed in my opinion, 302 00:21:07,319 --> 00:21:11,920 enough IQ to at least be a team defender. And if you can 303 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,519 count on him to shoot thirty eight to forty percent from three and at least 304 00:21:15,559 --> 00:21:18,559 make the right rotation, he's gonna five minutes, Like there's always gonna be 305 00:21:18,599 --> 00:21:22,720 minutes to throw a guy like that, you know, in the rotation. 306 00:21:22,839 --> 00:21:25,440 Even if it's only for eight to ten minutes, or it's twenty minutes on 307 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,920 a given night, because it's like you said, without Clay, I think 308 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,319 Jordan Pool is going to get the most minutes at shooting guard. There's obviously 309 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,279 Damian Lee, who knows how to play in the Warrior system and everything, 310 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:41,279 and there's not There's not a lot else after that, so someone's got to 311 00:21:41,319 --> 00:21:45,319 play as minutes. I initially thought the Warriors got really good mileage out of 312 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,359 their their vetminimums night. I still think they do, but then it sort 313 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,480 of felt like there was at least a section of people that were just ignoring 314 00:21:51,519 --> 00:21:53,119 how bad the Elita was last year. Maybe that's because he was out of 315 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:56,119 shape, didn't get jazz playing Sacramento. How lot of Porter has been banged 316 00:21:56,160 --> 00:22:00,920 up, hasn't played the same and basically two years I was like sixty three 317 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,279 years old or whatever he is right now. Do you think either of those 318 00:22:04,319 --> 00:22:07,960 guys ends up being really impactful? And who do you bill is sort of 319 00:22:07,079 --> 00:22:14,039 the most important offseason signing among those three. Auto needs to be the most 320 00:22:14,079 --> 00:22:19,680 important because he has the highest relative upside. Andre Goodala, you know, 321 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:25,359 can do no wrong to Warrior fans but like he's going to turn thirty eight 322 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:30,240 in January. So while I'm sure he'll have a random like throwback performance here 323 00:22:30,279 --> 00:22:33,000 or there, like, I'm not counting on it. Auto porters only twenty 324 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:37,680 eight years old. Obviously the health stuff is super scary, But he wouldn't 325 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:41,799 be the first guy who you know, went through a little bit of a 326 00:22:41,839 --> 00:22:48,000 rough patch with health and then found himself as like a useful player in a 327 00:22:48,039 --> 00:22:52,440 smaller role on another team. I don't want to compare him to Batum and 328 00:22:52,519 --> 00:22:56,799 like previously Boris Dia because their situations were different, but in some ways it 329 00:22:56,839 --> 00:23:00,519 does feel like that where you're like, they go to Charlotte, you know, 330 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:06,000 they take the big contract. They're clearly not guys who are meant to 331 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,599 be like the first player, the best player on a team. They get 332 00:23:08,599 --> 00:23:14,039 out of shape, weird things happened, they end up largely disliked, they 333 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:17,319 end up on a vat minimum on a team who just wants them to play 334 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:19,400 the role that they're suited for, and all of a sudden they're back to 335 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:25,200 being like everyone's favorite, you know, hipster role player. Right. So 336 00:23:25,519 --> 00:23:29,039 I think there's a pathway for Otto to be that guy. But it's a 337 00:23:29,079 --> 00:23:33,799 little scary with the health, like with the back stuff, and is it 338 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:37,000 degenerate hip or something something he's had a whole ever since, Like he was 339 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:41,000 right before he got traded from Washington and then Chicago just feel like he had 340 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,440 a bunch of different issues that were just and I do wonder how much of 341 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:48,400 it's like big contract at that point, Chicago wanted him to be one of 342 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:53,839 their two best players. Just something he's never displayed at any level like that. 343 00:23:53,839 --> 00:23:57,319 That's not who he is. He's he's the guy who like is a 344 00:23:57,319 --> 00:24:02,279 perfect fit around. You're a good player. He's not the guy you build 345 00:24:02,279 --> 00:24:06,960 around. Right, maybe going to the Warriors playing twenty minutes a game off 346 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:11,400 the bench where his job is more in the line of what he did in 347 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,400 Washington which got him the big contract, you know, just kind of spot 348 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:18,519 up, defend, rebound, that sort of stuff. If they can get 349 00:24:18,519 --> 00:24:21,759 that, I think it would be huge. I do think one big towel 350 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:27,720 in getting both be Elitza and Otto is they recognize the fact that they desperately 351 00:24:27,799 --> 00:24:32,079 need front court shooting. Like I don't think Auto Porter is going to play 352 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:34,319 the small forward for them. I think you're gonna see Auto Porter either as 353 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:40,319 Draymond's backup or next to Draymond and small ball lineups. And then be Elitz 354 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:44,000 is obviously just going to play the five for the Warriors, two of the 355 00:24:44,039 --> 00:24:48,480 better shooters in the NBA over six eight, six, nine period. So 356 00:24:48,279 --> 00:24:52,839 I think just by virtue of that, they're going to provide some value because 357 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:59,359 the Warriors just want to open up the court more like until they add more 358 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:03,440 talent off, like just space the sucker out, and you know you space 359 00:25:03,519 --> 00:25:08,160 it out around Steph, you tend to get supernova Steff and supernova steff Is 360 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:14,160 generally it gives you a puncher's chance against anyone in the league. I can't 361 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,960 tell if this question is just clouded by my actual love of Lantis, Ghano, 362 00:25:18,079 --> 00:25:21,759 Anderson, but looking at the Wiseman injury, then bring in Otto Porter 363 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:23,680 Jr. It does seem like this team, at least right now to start 364 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:26,839 the year, is more set up and maybe more willing than in year's past 365 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:32,039 to lean on Draymond at the five. Do you think that's more of a 366 00:25:32,079 --> 00:25:36,599 staple during the regular season than we've seen in years past. It's hard not 367 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:41,680 to take that as the takeaway because they don't have centers on the roster. 368 00:25:41,799 --> 00:25:47,920 Like we know Steve Kurrl loves Looney and he is a very productive role player 369 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:51,680 for what he does, but like his minutes cap at twenty, you know, 370 00:25:51,839 --> 00:25:56,640 he just doesn't one. I just don't think it's possible to like generate 371 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:00,279 a good enough offense with Looney playing thirty five minutes. But like too, 372 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:03,480 I don't think his body would allow him to play that much anyway. The 373 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:07,400 Elitza is really the only other big man that's opening in the season. So 374 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:11,960 yeah, they're gonna go small. They know small works. I've had the 375 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:15,759 same questions. It's like I would love them to play small all the time, 376 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:19,839 but I also like, at some level have to recognize Draymond Green's a 377 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:25,759 human who is not immune to like physical you know, abause that he's gonna 378 00:26:25,759 --> 00:26:27,400 have to take. Like it's one thing to go small in the playoffs, 379 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:33,799 it's another to like Tuesday, you're playing Gobert, Wednesday, you're playing Yokich. 380 00:26:34,079 --> 00:26:37,559 Friday, you fly down to la and you get a bang with like 381 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:41,319 Ad and DeAndre Jordan like that that starts, you know, wearing wearing you 382 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:45,079 down. Yeah, I mean, look the minutes that drey was at the 383 00:26:45,079 --> 00:26:48,200 five with Jta at the four. Last year, the Warriors were plus thirteen 384 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:51,359 point four points per one hundred possessions. And maybe I'm oversimplifying it there, 385 00:26:51,519 --> 00:26:53,559 but I've also kind of thought, not that they viewed this as the last 386 00:26:53,559 --> 00:26:56,519 to rob, but you're sort of getting to the point where it's like, 387 00:26:56,599 --> 00:27:00,160 Okay, it's pointless to conserve Draymond because the only way you're gonna reopen your 388 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:03,279 title windows if you get Pete Draymond and probably lean on him as much as 389 00:27:03,279 --> 00:27:07,359 possible. I think that sort of added to why I think like maybe you 390 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,039 should just maybe not go all in. You still have Wiseman, and you 391 00:27:10,039 --> 00:27:11,880 still have Looney, and like you said, they have Beliza, but it 392 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:15,960 just feels like that should be there their go to. I do think that 393 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:23,079 the biggs they signed are at minimum the roster constructed is to play fast. 394 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:27,119 Like Wiseman, for all his rookieness, has no issue going up and down 395 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:32,440 the court, right be Elitza, with his shooting, definitely wants to be 396 00:27:32,559 --> 00:27:37,359 kind of a transition player. Right Looney, I mean, he knows how 397 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:40,119 to play the worst style, not fast, but he knows how to play. 398 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:44,880 And then everyone else they signed fits into this system. So I do 399 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:48,079 agree with you. I like, I'm excited to see I could see them 400 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:53,319 using a wand Tisconell Anderson, Otto, Porter Draymond front court. Who's the 401 00:27:53,319 --> 00:27:56,160 three, who's the four, who's the five, doesn't matter? I don't 402 00:27:56,160 --> 00:28:00,079 know, but I know those are guys who are going to force it in 403 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:02,799 transition, and when they get in transition, it's kind of scary for the 404 00:28:02,839 --> 00:28:06,880 other team, right, Like, this isn't gonna be a great half court 405 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:11,079 team. It's just not like they don't have they don't have Yokis to play 406 00:28:11,079 --> 00:28:12,319 through in the post. You know, they don't have Kevin Durant to throw 407 00:28:12,559 --> 00:28:15,400 to on the elbow, right, But if they can turn you around in 408 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:18,000 transition, I don't think anyone wants to be in an up and down game 409 00:28:18,039 --> 00:28:22,759 with a Steph Curry team, Like in general, it's just never a good 410 00:28:22,799 --> 00:28:27,359 thing, right, So I do agree with you they're leaning on it more 411 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:33,920 and I do think actually, to fully answer your question, I think they 412 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:37,359 think Wiseman will probably miss a couple of weeks, not a couple of months. 413 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:41,400 If they really thought Wiseman was going to be out until February they probably 414 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:45,000 would have signed another big man. But if they're talking about, all right, 415 00:28:45,039 --> 00:28:48,880 Wiseman's gonna miss the first five to seven games, so we have to 416 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:53,240 play small for the first two weeks this season, They're like, so be 417 00:28:53,319 --> 00:28:59,119 it, because when Wiseman comes back, they have enough big men to not 418 00:28:59,279 --> 00:29:03,559 have to play small by necessity, Like they then have enough guys where it's 419 00:29:03,119 --> 00:29:07,920 there goes small for a purpose as opposed to no. Literally, Draymond's the 420 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,680 only center I have, and it might be a way to just help stay 421 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:14,480 afloat in the beginning of the year because you kind of get into this a 422 00:29:14,519 --> 00:29:18,279 little bit the wind total, but between when Clay comes back and whatever learning 423 00:29:18,319 --> 00:29:22,599 curve or grace period he needs, and ditto with Wiseman, this could be 424 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:26,039 a team that really starts off the season more slowly, and so it might 425 00:29:26,039 --> 00:29:27,799 make sense to just if that's the most effective lineup and it's just going to 426 00:29:27,799 --> 00:29:32,000 attack Draymond a little bit more, if you want to keep pace in the 427 00:29:32,039 --> 00:29:36,559 West, it probably makes sense to go to that again early on so that 428 00:29:36,599 --> 00:29:41,680 you're not trying to come back from too much of a hole. Yeah, 429 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:45,599 I agree with you. I mean that part of my issues with last year, 430 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:49,279 Like, Okay, so Andy and I on Light Years developed a little 431 00:29:49,279 --> 00:29:52,519 bit of reputation for being a little overly negative in the early part of last 432 00:29:52,599 --> 00:29:56,880 year, and I stand by everything we said. I was like, do 433 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:59,839 you want us to like just get on there and just wax poetic about and 434 00:30:00,079 --> 00:30:03,640 Wiggins and like while they lose games, like I'm not gonna lie. Part 435 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:07,759 of the reason they were frustrating being in the last years, I felt like 436 00:30:07,799 --> 00:30:11,839 they left games on the table because they were coaching the team as if it 437 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:18,559 was the twenty sixteen Warriors or twenty eighteen Warriors, where you're really just more 438 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:22,359 concerned about the process because you know you got the guys to compete when you 439 00:30:22,359 --> 00:30:26,400 get to the playoffs, whereas last year's team really was just kind of a 440 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:30,039 five hundred team. In my opinion, it's kind of like those are the 441 00:30:30,079 --> 00:30:34,559 type of teams a coach like Rick Carlisle get you an extra five wins on, 442 00:30:34,839 --> 00:30:40,079 right, Like where you're in these like close games and like those little 443 00:30:40,119 --> 00:30:44,240 moves might make the difference, right, And it felt like, you know, 444 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:47,759 the way the Warriors coached the last year was like a lot of like 445 00:30:48,079 --> 00:30:49,720 let's see what we have It's like, I know what you have. What 446 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:53,640 you have is a team that needs you to be a more active coach and 447 00:30:53,759 --> 00:30:59,039 less like of the hands off like zen stuff. So I do agree with 448 00:30:59,079 --> 00:31:03,240 your This is a really roundabout way of saying Draymond at the five early kind 449 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:08,200 of having more purpose with what they want to do could really help them generate 450 00:31:08,279 --> 00:31:14,599 some early wins so that they don't enter springtime next year needing to go fifteen 451 00:31:14,599 --> 00:31:18,599 of twenty just to like get the eight seed. Right, I've sort of 452 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:23,759 blocked STEP's age out of my mind. I think he's gonna go down by 453 00:31:23,799 --> 00:31:26,559 the way. I think he's gonna go down as one of the ten best 454 00:31:26,559 --> 00:31:29,720 basketball players of all time. And it's part of why I think I've been 455 00:31:29,759 --> 00:31:33,000 more critical about what the Warriors have done over the past couple of years than 456 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:36,640 maybe I normally would have in their situation, because that type of player, 457 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:41,599 it has to me you optimize everything around him his prime. Is it fair 458 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:45,920 though his age thirty three season turns thirty four in March, to expect him 459 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:49,559 to be just as ridiculous as he was last season, because there's a case 460 00:31:49,599 --> 00:31:52,799 for me that that was the single best year of his career, even though 461 00:31:52,839 --> 00:31:56,759 that wasn't the single best Warriors team that he was on. One, I 462 00:31:56,799 --> 00:32:00,799 think he was better last year than he wasn't too. I was sixteen, 463 00:32:00,359 --> 00:32:08,039 and numbers, well, the numbers are ridiculous for both. So I just 464 00:32:08,079 --> 00:32:13,559 think he had a firmer grasp of what he wanted to do back when the 465 00:32:13,599 --> 00:32:19,400 Warriors kind of rose up in fifteen sixteen, Like he was just like something 466 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:22,400 no one had ever seen with explosiveness, but you could still kind of frustrate 467 00:32:22,519 --> 00:32:28,400 him with like little nuanced things, some trapping, some pressure. He wasn't 468 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:30,319 as strong then either, like if you noticed this year, like he's just 469 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:35,799 he's he's stronger. Guys can't be as physical with him and affect him as 470 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:38,920 much. He's seen every defense known to man, and then like ten ones 471 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:43,720 that were created just for him. So there's just like this level of like 472 00:32:44,839 --> 00:32:46,799 mental mastery that he has, like he knows how he wants to attack every 473 00:32:46,799 --> 00:32:52,680 defense. At this point, I see no reason why he can't do this 474 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,839 for like three more years. Honestly, Like the way the guy works out 475 00:32:57,559 --> 00:33:02,119 and the type of athleticism he has is more like endurance based. Aren't necessarily 476 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:08,359 things that decline as fastly as like fast tush explosion. The real concern is 477 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:14,319 obviously the wear and tear factor, and that's what kind of scares me. 478 00:33:14,359 --> 00:33:17,119 It's like, as much as you know, we love STEP's game, but 479 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:20,240 we can like, you know, wax poetic about him being one of the 480 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:23,960 greatest of all times. The biggest knock you have on him is he hasn't 481 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:29,359 been the iron man that other grades are, you know, like Lebron James, 482 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:32,119 I don't think had an injury for like eighteen years. Michael Jordan never 483 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:35,200 missed games, you know, like we can keep going down the line like 484 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:38,039 those guys are, like you pencil them in for whatever. They're going to 485 00:33:38,079 --> 00:33:43,440 be healthy. Step kind of good to miss fifteen games a year, you 486 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:46,240 know, and it's never that serious, but it's always like an ankle, 487 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:51,359 a knee, a little like tweak here or there. And that's where the 488 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:58,519 Warriors not being a little more active and kind of more all in scares me 489 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:04,319 because Steph can average thirty five of a game, but will his body allow 490 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:08,039 him do it for eighty two games? That's where that's where I always get 491 00:34:08,039 --> 00:34:12,239 a little worried, like or is it going to be one of those things 492 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:15,519 where like by virtue of needing to take twenty five shots and the opposing team 493 00:34:15,559 --> 00:34:20,239 knowing he needs to take twenty five shots, he's just constantly in and out 494 00:34:20,239 --> 00:34:25,760 of the lineup with little nagging stuff because he has defensive attention that a player 495 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:30,119 at you know, age thirty three thirty four shouldn't have on them. Let's 496 00:34:30,159 --> 00:34:34,760 say this team is fully healthy, what needs to be or do you expect 497 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:39,360 to be there? Go to crunch time lineup. Assuming the roster stays the 498 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:45,639 way it is, their best lineup would be Steph Curry, Clay Thompson, 499 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:55,760 Wiggins, Otto, Porter, and Draymond. So it's that small ball lineup, 500 00:34:55,840 --> 00:35:00,119 but with your biggest wing who can both space the floor and will actually 501 00:35:00,119 --> 00:35:07,880 rebound his position. The two biggest weaknesses the Warriors had last year were rebounding 502 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:13,079 and shots at the rim. They were bottom five and rebounding and bottom ten 503 00:35:13,119 --> 00:35:16,480 and shots at the rim. I don't see anyone on this roster who's gonna 504 00:35:16,519 --> 00:35:22,360 like dominate the paint the way like janis or anyone does. So, spacing 505 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:27,800 the floor outs one way to generate just easier looks at the rim. And 506 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:30,679 then secondarily, you know, playing small is their best option. But as 507 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:35,559 much as we love, like want Scott Anderson, those guys like they were 508 00:35:35,599 --> 00:35:38,960 just giving up rebounds. Someone like Otto Porter has been above average for a 509 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:44,559 wing rebounding and he just has the highest upside of all those guys. I 510 00:35:44,599 --> 00:35:49,960 think that's probably their best lineup. I would also throw in sprinkle Jordan Pool 511 00:35:50,039 --> 00:35:54,559 in to closing lineups in place of Wiggins, maybe in place of Auto. 512 00:35:54,639 --> 00:36:00,760 Maybe that's hyper small, but good luck guarding Steph Pool Clay. Yeah, 513 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:04,760 so yeah, I think the Pool stuff makes sense. I might be more 514 00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:07,480 inclined to put I think it depends on what Autoporter is giving you offensively. 515 00:36:07,519 --> 00:36:10,159 And I know wants Scoto Anderson only made or shot like it was very low 516 00:36:10,239 --> 00:36:13,519 volume on three. But if he's shooting better on threes and you can trust 517 00:36:13,599 --> 00:36:15,719 him to move the ball more than auto Porter, I'll probably be okay with 518 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:22,440 him over Otto in those situations. I mean, JT is gonna play a 519 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:25,599 lot just because of like you said, he I mean, he's he's like 520 00:36:25,599 --> 00:36:30,480 a mini Draymond Igodala type of player for them, Like you know, he's 521 00:36:30,119 --> 00:36:35,320 he's not running a picket roll, but he's always finding the open shooter he'll 522 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:38,800 stick an open shot. The defense is obviously there. He's just very, 523 00:36:39,239 --> 00:36:44,800 very high i Q player. Like literally, Kelly Ubre is much more talented 524 00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:50,039 than him. But by subbing in Jta for Ubre, Steph went from thirty 525 00:36:50,079 --> 00:36:53,000 points a game to forty points a game purely because wants gonna Anderson takes a 526 00:36:53,079 --> 00:36:58,079 split second to say, instead of shooting this, where's Steph Curry and then 527 00:36:58,079 --> 00:37:01,519 passes him the ball. Like that's literally the difference that happened when Ubre got 528 00:37:01,559 --> 00:37:06,000 injured? Is there? And I love asking people this question because I like 529 00:37:06,199 --> 00:37:09,119 just thinking about these. Is there a quirky, offbeat, out of left 530 00:37:09,119 --> 00:37:14,800 field lineup you would like to see the Warriors try this season? Maybe even 531 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:16,079 one that they probably wouldn't try, but you would just love to see them 532 00:37:16,199 --> 00:37:21,400 roll out? I like that question, All right, give me, give 533 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:27,719 me Steph Pool, Jta, auto Porter, and Draymond God. I guess 534 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:30,599 I really like auto Porter. I want to. I like the idea of 535 00:37:30,639 --> 00:37:37,880 like the three multi positional four words, two of whom are pretty good passers, 536 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:42,599 one of whom's a really good shooter, and then just Steph Pool lineups. 537 00:37:42,639 --> 00:37:45,840 Not only are they fun, they were effective. They were plus seventeen 538 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:49,960 point nine per hundred possessions when those two guys were on the floor. Part 539 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:52,760 of that's just like literally just put someone who can create a shot next to 540 00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:58,719 Steph and profit because no one's committing extra bodies to him, because they're putting 541 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:02,480 their extra buyas on staff. I know Steph loved playing with Jordan Pool for 542 00:38:02,519 --> 00:38:07,119 that reason, because he gets tired of the fact that, like it's Steph 543 00:38:07,159 --> 00:38:10,039 Curry and four offensive linemen, you know, kind of type of setup sometimes 544 00:38:10,039 --> 00:38:14,760 out there that's kind of the one I would like. I don't know if 545 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:17,880 you consider a Steph lineup offbeat because he's a staple of everything, but like 546 00:38:19,199 --> 00:38:22,840 those type of weird Steph Pool combos are kind of where I'm at. I 547 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:23,840 really thought about it, and I don't think they would try this, at 548 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:30,440 least not on purpose unless they're forced to. But Steph Clay Draymond with JTA 549 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:34,599 and then cominga as well, and so it's Steph surrounded by all these bigger 550 00:38:34,679 --> 00:38:37,079 dudes. I don't really know what it looks like, what the rebounding is 551 00:38:37,079 --> 00:38:39,679 specifically ends up looking like in that lineup. Definitely, the maybe the pressure 552 00:38:39,679 --> 00:38:44,360 on the rims are concerned there too, but I'm I want weirdness, especially 553 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:45,840 when you're a team. I know they're trying to win, but you know 554 00:38:46,079 --> 00:38:50,920 they like have some younger guys like put Comina out there with all these different 555 00:38:51,039 --> 00:38:53,199 veterans and guys you trust with Clay Drey and Steph and kind of see what 556 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:59,840 happens. Yeah, I definitely I like it. I guess I just have 557 00:39:00,119 --> 00:39:02,280 Minga on the afterburner this year. And like I say this as someone who 558 00:39:04,199 --> 00:39:08,400 I'm very intrigued by him. He's a wing who can absolutely handle the ball 559 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:15,000 and make some passes and who wants to dunk on everyone. So he's fun 560 00:39:15,039 --> 00:39:20,199 to watch, like he just is. I've just kind of I've mentally put 561 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:22,440 him in Santa Cruz for half the year, so I'm not even counting him 562 00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:25,599 as a guy who's going to play that much. As we record this, 563 00:39:25,639 --> 00:39:30,320 Golden State's current win total over unders forty seven point five. Are you taking 564 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:32,800 the over the under on that? And where do you expect to see them 565 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:37,559 sort of just fall within that Western Conference? Fray, I think it's a 566 00:39:37,559 --> 00:39:44,639 good line. I think if Steph plays seventy two, if Steph misses ten 567 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:47,840 or less games and we get that fifty number out of Clay that I brought 568 00:39:47,920 --> 00:39:54,639 up earlier, I think they get the over. But I think if Steph 569 00:39:54,719 --> 00:40:00,199 misses more than eight to ten games and they have to be more conservative with 570 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:05,239 Clay for whatever reason, we know how reaggregation works, I think they're under 571 00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:09,360 I think it's honestly that simple for them all the other people they added pieces 572 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:14,599 which fit in the context of like the traditional Warriors core three that we know, 573 00:40:15,559 --> 00:40:17,519 and I think they'll be able to generate wins because they have an idea 574 00:40:17,519 --> 00:40:22,800 of how they want to play again. But everything comes back to kind of 575 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:27,639 what you're getting out of the two Splash bros. Right Like it's it's it's 576 00:40:27,679 --> 00:40:30,920 that simple. This isn't This is a team who can Okay, Steph is 577 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:36,239 going to miss this week with like a bruise, Let's go one and two, 578 00:40:36,639 --> 00:40:37,719 so we don't like, you know, they can do that, but 579 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:44,039 like Steph's gonna miss a month, might go one and ten, you know, 580 00:40:44,119 --> 00:40:47,000 like they need they can get away with Steph sitting games here and there 581 00:40:47,039 --> 00:40:51,880 and getting like the cumulative strength and numbers catch a team off guard because they're 582 00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:54,400 not taking you serious. Because Steph Curry is not playing effect, but like 583 00:40:54,880 --> 00:41:00,440 they'll go into some serious free fall if he misses extended minutes extent. And 584 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:02,079 I guess the final thing that would go into that is just is there a 585 00:41:02,159 --> 00:41:06,320 chance that they make that consolidation move? And I don't really know what to 586 00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:07,519 expect. I'm more inclined to go with the under with them because I don't 587 00:41:07,519 --> 00:41:10,079 expect that type of move. I know a lot of it's depending on the 588 00:41:10,079 --> 00:41:14,519 star trade market, but even if it's sort of manifest like there is a 589 00:41:14,559 --> 00:41:16,079 star trade market, I don't know that the Warriors will be that gung ho 590 00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:22,159 about going about it. We really should open on this one. So I 591 00:41:22,239 --> 00:41:27,280 have a lot of thoughts on this one. I do think the shorter Wiggins 592 00:41:27,320 --> 00:41:32,039 contract gets and it expires next year, the easier it becomes for them to 593 00:41:32,079 --> 00:41:37,400 make a trade. They in some ways remind me of the Boston Celtics. 594 00:41:37,599 --> 00:41:43,199 Remember when you know Ames gets Tatum and Brown and has like the war chest 595 00:41:43,280 --> 00:41:47,679 of picks and everyone's just assuming they're gonna build this juggernaut and they just never 596 00:41:47,719 --> 00:41:52,960 pull off the trade because they always overvalue their own stuff, like they think 597 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:57,880 they think offering a pick and something is fair. The opposing teams like not 598 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:00,760 give us everything. You know, that's I don't know. That's kind of 599 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:04,119 where the Warriors are at, where I think they'd be more open to moving 600 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:08,480 one of Wiseman or Kuminga, but they're not putting them all together unless it's 601 00:42:08,519 --> 00:42:14,760 for like Jannis and guys like Jannis, or even if I want to take 602 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:17,800 it down a tier, you know, to like it embed like clear superstar 603 00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:22,400 caliber players like they're not available. So what we end up talking about is 604 00:42:22,440 --> 00:42:27,960 the Ben Simmons Pascal Siakams of the world, who are objectively good players who 605 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:32,719 will improve you. Where the Warriors feel like it's fair for them to offer 606 00:42:32,960 --> 00:42:37,039 only one of those guys and maybe a future pick. But Darryl Moorey is 607 00:42:37,119 --> 00:42:44,000 being like, uh no, I want everything right. So if something changes 608 00:42:44,039 --> 00:42:46,559 on that front, I could see them making a move. But based off 609 00:42:46,599 --> 00:42:51,639 of everything Joe Lacob says and he apparently lost off the record or on the 610 00:42:51,679 --> 00:42:58,880 record, all all the records. Based on that, I'm getting the impression 611 00:42:59,079 --> 00:43:01,960 that it's less likely to Sam. Thank you so much for coming on. 612 00:43:02,039 --> 00:43:06,159 This was great as usually were able just to very quickly tell our listeners where 613 00:43:06,199 --> 00:43:09,480 they can find you and the light Years Podcast one of the best team podcasts 614 00:43:09,519 --> 00:43:14,719 out there, if not the best. Appreciate you Dan anytime have me on 615 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,800 during the season. You can check me out on the light Years Podcast to 616 00:43:17,960 --> 00:43:22,320 find an Apple, Spotify, anywhere to get your pots. I'll talk to 617 00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:23,320 you Larma, all right, take care man. Thanks again