1 00:00:15,359 --> 00:00:18,879 Greg, Welcome back to the Hardware Knots podcast, which you came out on 2 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,039 short notice because possibly it didn't look at the King's schedule and they had like 3 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,440 a jam pack schedule coming up, so it was tough to find an off 4 00:00:24,559 --> 00:00:27,960 night that they had. So one, I appreciate you coming on two, 5 00:00:28,199 --> 00:00:31,640 And most importantly, how the heck are you doing? I'm doing great. 6 00:00:31,679 --> 00:00:36,399 I mean, the best King season in forever, nothing to complain about. 7 00:00:37,679 --> 00:00:41,640 Yeah, they've been we both and you were higher on them than I was, 8 00:00:41,719 --> 00:00:43,759 but we both hit the over. I don't know that there was there 9 00:00:43,759 --> 00:00:47,200 anyone that just predicted that they were going to be like this fifty win team 10 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,560 contending for a top two spot in the West. And I think the twofold 11 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,159 question here is one how surprised are you looking back to where you were leading 12 00:00:55,159 --> 00:00:58,359 into the preseason, versus like, how long did it take you to just 13 00:00:58,399 --> 00:01:00,359 accept like, Okay, this is happening and this is for real and it's 14 00:01:00,399 --> 00:01:04,319 not going to be ripped away from me or us. I still haven't fully 15 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:08,640 accepted that. I'm still scared like all the time right now. Just I 16 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,400 mean, like a sixteen year playoff drought will make you believe that any sort 17 00:01:12,439 --> 00:01:18,760 of collapse is still possible. But no, I mean, this season has 18 00:01:18,799 --> 00:01:23,920 succeeded my every expectation, right. I actually went back and listened to the 19 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,599 preview that you and I did but before the season started, and like, 20 00:01:29,519 --> 00:01:32,239 yeah, I was talking about like, yeah, I don't think they're gonna 21 00:01:32,239 --> 00:01:34,000 be like a top top six team or anything, but they're definitely like good 22 00:01:34,079 --> 00:01:41,480 enough for playing. Like that was my prevailing thought too. It was just 23 00:01:42,719 --> 00:01:45,319 there over under was like it would really low. It was like thirty five 24 00:01:45,439 --> 00:01:48,120 or thirty seven or something. So it made that it was like thirty three 25 00:01:48,799 --> 00:01:51,120 that was even lower than that, and so it made it really easy to 26 00:01:51,159 --> 00:01:55,799 pick, knowing all the iterations of this team that you've lived through and now 27 00:01:55,879 --> 00:01:57,680 like you're walking the season. It's not just the winning, but it's the 28 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:02,480 the Mike Brown press conferences, the Keegan Murray chance to light the beam, 29 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:06,879 of course, and then just the experience I imagine on King's Twitter, like 30 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,319 being following a bunch of you guys, like I can see how happy and 31 00:02:10,439 --> 00:02:15,520 fun and how much levity there is, like how entertaining, how much fun 32 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:17,479 has it been to actually cover them? This seasons a route for them this 33 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:23,719 season, just knowing all the the shit that you've gone through over the past 34 00:02:23,159 --> 00:02:25,800 decade and a half, and I feel like that's not something that's necessarily getting 35 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:29,000 Yeah, everyone was talking about, Wow, the Kings are good, Like 36 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:34,159 the fan base really deserves this after all that they've had to just slog through 37 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:38,039 for the past, you know, fifteen plus years. Yeah, it's been 38 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:43,479 just a crazy season because you know, none of us really expected to get 39 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:47,719 this good this fast. They also made just a huge leap. It wasn't 40 00:02:47,759 --> 00:02:53,319 like there was a like gradual stepping stone into being a good team. So 41 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,879 I mean just the fact that they have been the two seed or yeah, 42 00:02:55,879 --> 00:02:59,759 I think as we're recording this, I think right now they're third. But 43 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,560 I mean it's just incredible, like that we're looking at hosting not just breaking 44 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,879 the playoff route, but hosting the first round playoff series. It's insane and 45 00:03:08,039 --> 00:03:12,479 like none of us really know what to do with ourselves or the dog that 46 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:20,080 caught the car And now I was like all right, now, like yeah, 47 00:03:20,159 --> 00:03:23,159 and I mean there's just like there's actual separation. But you know, 48 00:03:23,199 --> 00:03:25,400 we could talk about, oh, like yeah they could stay in third, 49 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,120 could they be in second? And we can talk about the thin margins in 50 00:03:29,159 --> 00:03:32,599 the West, but like there's actual separation between them and like the middle class 51 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,039 right now. And I know you're talking about a sun See didn't have Kevin 52 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:37,919 Durant for most of the year, it doesn't have them right now, but 53 00:03:38,159 --> 00:03:40,639 like they're just locked in too. Unless there's like a collapse of epic proportions. 54 00:03:40,639 --> 00:03:45,000 They're four losses in front of fourth place, and so like there's actual 55 00:03:45,159 --> 00:03:47,719 separation there is. It's also just like you know, they're they're the only 56 00:03:47,719 --> 00:03:52,919 team in the Western Conference with a winning away record right now. Denver's like 57 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:54,479 I think now below five hundred, have the lost the Raptors or at five 58 00:03:54,560 --> 00:04:00,159 hundred or whatever. There's just so much that I could not have seen with 59 00:04:00,199 --> 00:04:01,400 this team. And it's you know, some people have pointed to we'll look 60 00:04:01,439 --> 00:04:05,479 at their record against winning opponents, Like look at everyone's record versus winning opponents 61 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:09,919 this year, and they're they're beating the teams that they're supposed to. I 62 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,960 just there, I did not see this level of success, like even kind 63 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,040 of sort of coming. I just didn't. I didn't see it coming. 64 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,399 Definitely not. I mean, in my wildest dreams, I never could have 65 00:04:20,439 --> 00:04:25,279 predicted this season. It's it's funny just because you know, I mentioned going 66 00:04:25,319 --> 00:04:28,120 back and listen to that premans, like all the things that we talked about, 67 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,680 like this is what it would look like if it went well, Like 68 00:04:30,319 --> 00:04:35,680 all of those things worked, and it's just so rare that you know, 69 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:41,600 you're looking at Okay, the plan for a successful season is X, Y, 70 00:04:41,639 --> 00:04:45,720 and Z happening and then all of those things actually fall into place, 71 00:04:45,759 --> 00:04:48,639 because usually something goes wrong, something doesn't work out quite the way you expected 72 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,759 it, and they're just really hasn't been that. I mean not to say 73 00:04:51,759 --> 00:04:55,600 they've had a perfect season. They've got you know, flaws in the roster, 74 00:04:55,639 --> 00:04:58,480 they've got issues. That defense still isn't great, But I mean, 75 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,240 for the most part, everything has gone to the best possible version of what 76 00:05:03,639 --> 00:05:09,480 Kings fans had hoped for the season. What did we I went back and 77 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,040 tried to like read about the genesis of light the beam, and I know 78 00:05:13,079 --> 00:05:15,439 whose brain child it was, and I know like how obsessed with it that 79 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,399 that renadeve was. But do we know that this was going to be a 80 00:05:18,399 --> 00:05:20,360 thing, because we didn't thought about on our preview, do we know this 81 00:05:20,439 --> 00:05:25,759 was gonna be a thing leading in to the actual season. The Kings didn't 82 00:05:25,759 --> 00:05:29,439 announce it until we were like a couple of games into the season, which 83 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:32,240 was really weird just as far as the timing, but also like the Kings 84 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:36,519 started off with like an oh and four like record and then they're announcing this 85 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:40,360 thing, and it was one of those things we've We've talked about this a 86 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:44,639 lot on our Kings Harold the Slack Channel, just that like there's all these 87 00:05:44,639 --> 00:05:46,759 things about the season that if this had gone poorly, would have been just 88 00:05:47,199 --> 00:05:50,480 the biggest punchlines, like the beam could have been the dumbest thing. But 89 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:55,759 because it actually coincided with the King's getting good, it's been such a fun 90 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:59,720 thing that the city loves and has embraced and all of that. But yeah, 91 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:00,839 just kind of came out of nowhere, like a couple of games into 92 00:06:00,879 --> 00:06:05,319 the year and suddenly they're shining this purple laser into the sky after everyone. 93 00:06:06,199 --> 00:06:10,079 I don't even know if they announced it before they did it the first time. 94 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:12,879 It felt like it just happened out of nowhere, and I was like, 95 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,920 no, you catually just missed something, but I didn't know what it 96 00:06:15,959 --> 00:06:17,920 started. And like after the season it began. I do think it helps. 97 00:06:18,199 --> 00:06:21,639 And this is probably an offshoot of Winning two. Like the players seem 98 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:25,600 to love it as well, Like it's not just this weird fan thing where 99 00:06:25,639 --> 00:06:29,040 like fan like nicknames, and then the players don't necessarily like like the players 100 00:06:29,079 --> 00:06:31,000 genuinely seemed to love this when they get to push the button, like it's 101 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:36,000 just super cool. Yeah, the big fake button that doesn't actually do anything, 102 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,160 but it's still a fun show and all that. And you know, 103 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:42,439 it's kind of like, you know, the team's kind of come up with 104 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:46,560 different honors, so one person gets chosen to light the beam, and then 105 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,319 you know, after wins, they give out like a defensive player of the 106 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:54,000 game chain. It's huge, like gaudy chain that's full of jewels of it's 107 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,680 awesome. It looks like and I could ever remember his name who used to 108 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:02,079 wear it? He has on like dating show, My god flavor flav Yeah, 109 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,680 that's what That's what it reminds me of. I also, I am 110 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:10,319 a very big fan of the Keegan Murray chant when Yes, I don't remember 111 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,160 when the first time I hear it. My most memorable experience with it was 112 00:07:14,279 --> 00:07:16,240 seeing Deer and Fox do it one of the nights, like during the starting 113 00:07:16,279 --> 00:07:19,439 introductions, like really being into it. When did that? When did that 114 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,839 whole thing start? Yeah, that was one of the things that snuck up 115 00:07:23,839 --> 00:07:27,199 on me too. I don't know exactly where the genesis of that was, 116 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,720 but it's so much fun. You know, just hits a big shot and 117 00:07:30,319 --> 00:07:34,839 Scott Moke with the PA announcer just goes key, and then the whole arena 118 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:40,079 just follows up with Murray and I don't know how they came up with it 119 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,319 or kind of you know, the call and response things are kind of hard 120 00:07:43,319 --> 00:07:47,920 to have happened organically, but it worked and it's awesome. So they have 121 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:53,319 the best offense in the NBA. It's just a blur drunk on the handoffs 122 00:07:53,759 --> 00:07:58,560 just sustainably scorching hots you because we are like eighty five percent away through the 123 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:05,199 season. It's sustainably from just about anywhere. Is there any element contributor defining 124 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:09,800 factor from it that stands out to you or surprises you? Like, not 125 00:08:09,839 --> 00:08:13,000 even just okay, we know their first in offensive and points core pro possession, 126 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,360 but just like something about this offense that is really sticking with you from 127 00:08:16,399 --> 00:08:22,040 this season. Well, I mean, obviously the kind of the key that 128 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:28,279 makes everything run for the majority of the game is Sabonus. You know, 129 00:08:28,879 --> 00:08:33,799 he's usually operating you know, kind of high post or even beyond the arc, 130 00:08:33,879 --> 00:08:37,799 doing dribble handoff, setting screens and the space he gives shooters with his 131 00:08:37,919 --> 00:08:43,879 screens. He's very physical with them and it really seems to piss off other 132 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:48,399 teams his passing, and then you know, if the defense SAgs off too 133 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:50,120 much, he is able to just take it and score on his own. 134 00:08:50,159 --> 00:08:56,080 So just that versatility with the offense running through him. And then kind of 135 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:00,080 the counterpart to that is that when it comes time to just hey, we 136 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:01,120 don't need to do anything fancy, we just need to get a bucket. 137 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:05,639 Then that's where Fox comes in, and you know just kind of has taken 138 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:09,679 that game to another level and can get his shot at any time, you 139 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,039 know, mid range, at the room, whatever the case might be. 140 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:16,559 And when he just gets on those runs, it's just special to watch what 141 00:09:16,639 --> 00:09:20,519 he's able to do. Kind Of between the two of them, it's really 142 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:24,360 been the key. And then you know, surrounding them with so many shooters 143 00:09:24,159 --> 00:09:28,440 and guys who were just all bought in and willing to make the extra pass 144 00:09:28,519 --> 00:09:31,720 and willing to move, and you know, guys get rewarded from moving off 145 00:09:31,759 --> 00:09:35,919 ball, so everyone moves off ball all the time, and it's just like 146 00:09:35,039 --> 00:09:41,200 ideal beautiful basketball. Did you you know we had talked a lot about Sabonus's 147 00:09:41,279 --> 00:09:43,639 onset fit from last year and they didn't have the level of shooting around him 148 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,240 and Fox to close that season that they do now. But did you see 149 00:09:46,279 --> 00:09:50,080 like this coming at all? Like this is something that happens to make a 150 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:54,960 seed your expectations. But did you even see like the skeleton of him having 151 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:58,360 this not just this type of individual season, but the impact that he's having 152 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:03,240 on just everybody else around him at this point to an extent, yes, 153 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:07,799 but definitely not to this level. I mean, the idea of it was 154 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:11,360 there, right, You get you have a skilled passing big who you know 155 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:16,279 is a really good rebound or before the Subonus trade rebounding, the King's always 156 00:10:16,279 --> 00:10:20,399 just got destroyed on rebounding. So he really helped short up that weakness, 157 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:24,399 you know, the way he creates space, the way he can find the 158 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:28,200 open shooter, and had you know that idea of Okay, you've got Fox, 159 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:31,120 you've got Sabonis around him with shooters. You know, going back to 160 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:33,960 the preseason, we were even talking about, like that's a good model for 161 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:37,440 an offense. The question was, you know, is there going to be 162 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:39,559 any defense? And that's all kind of played out exactly how we thought it 163 00:10:39,639 --> 00:10:43,799 might be, that it would just be this like scorching hot offense and a 164 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:52,519 very a very lacking defense most of the time. Yeah, and you would 165 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,799 mentioned Fox just having like he's just it feels like he's had closing stretches that 166 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:01,840 he's had like this season we've seen maybe in miniature to close the season, 167 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,919 but this is just the entire year of it, just absolutely on fire from 168 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:09,360 mid range, shooting in an absurd clip at the rim. This year, 169 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:13,399 his crunch time splits are just you referenced them before, but they're ridiculous. 170 00:11:13,399 --> 00:11:18,279 I'm assuming he'll probably win the Clutch Player of the Year award, and this 171 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:22,679 is obviously not the end all be all. He has made sixty five shots 172 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:26,960 in crunch time this year. In second place is Jalen Brunson with forty four. 173 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:30,960 It's just not even close. What has stood out to you the most 174 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:33,559 though about his growth this year is it really just a matter of bohay, 175 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:37,240 they decided to surround him with actual spacing for a change, or there's something 176 00:11:37,279 --> 00:11:41,639 that's just more deep rooted there about his decision making and execution. I think 177 00:11:41,639 --> 00:11:46,519 it's a combination of actors. Definitely having multiple shooters on the floor at all 178 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:50,879 times around him to keep the defense from packing the paint has helped. He's 179 00:11:52,039 --> 00:11:56,840 also just kind of taken it to another level as far as you think about 180 00:11:56,919 --> 00:11:58,360 when Fox was in like his first second year, and he was just a 181 00:11:58,399 --> 00:12:05,159 constant, right, he was always turbo button on. With time and experience, 182 00:12:05,159 --> 00:12:07,399 he's really figured out how to kind of use his speed, when to 183 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,080 slowdown, when to speed up, how to manipulate the defense, and it's 184 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:15,399 really hard for anyone to stay in front of him. But I'd say probably 185 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:20,080 the biggest thing is, you know, Mike Brown has really held him accountable 186 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:24,039 and he's done it for the whole team. And Fox has spoken in interviews 187 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:28,320 about how much he appreciated being held accountable, like he was looking for that 188 00:12:28,399 --> 00:12:31,639 from a coach, and and not just on the offensive end. I mean, 189 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:35,000 he's, you know, still never going to be considered an elite defender, 190 00:12:35,039 --> 00:12:39,639 but he's putten so much better on the defensive end this year as well. 191 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:43,399 So he's just been fully engaged on both ends of the floor just throughout 192 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,120 the year. And like you said, there's definitely been stretches before where he 193 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,519 would have you know, like you know, a couple of thirty point games 194 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,039 from row and it was really looking good, but it was at the end 195 00:12:52,039 --> 00:12:54,720 of a waste another wasted season, and we're like, Okay, hopefully he 196 00:12:54,759 --> 00:12:58,159 does it next year, and then he wouldn't. This year, the difference 197 00:12:58,159 --> 00:13:03,480 has been that it's just been a constant, with really the only dips or 198 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:07,440 lolls being you know, stretches of games where he's fighting through like a nagging 199 00:13:07,519 --> 00:13:11,200 injury or illness. His numbers have dipped a little bit, but he's been 200 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:16,480 playing through those stretches and still been playing well. His like capacity to go 201 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,519 from zero to one hundred and then back to zero now is just absolutely don't 202 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:24,399 watching it. I feel like my ACL just rips from its body because it 203 00:13:24,759 --> 00:13:26,879 can we can we not put that in the university? Can we not? 204 00:13:28,519 --> 00:13:33,320 My al It's I've never seen him do it like it maybe just you know, 205 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:35,759 we've seen it, I'm sure before, and like maybe smaller does if 206 00:13:35,759 --> 00:13:37,919 I've never seen him do it like this before, and it just has the 207 00:13:37,919 --> 00:13:43,080 defenses on just like this perpetual tilt and already on perpetual tilt because you have 208 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,320 this other creator ins a bonus there who I mean, even just looking at 209 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:50,200 their most recent loss to the Bucks, watching that game, you felt it 210 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:54,360 like the separation that like just the bonus his shoulders that he can create around 211 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:56,559 the basket. When he said he like it looks like it hurts. I 212 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:58,639 would not have to want to guard the bonus over the course of the playoff 213 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:03,360 series. Yeah, And I mean it's games like that that really make me 214 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:07,000 feel like this is real because I mean, obviously the Bucks are an amazing 215 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:11,399 team, and I mean the Kings played them really close to the majority of 216 00:14:11,399 --> 00:14:13,519 that game. The Bucks kind of put it away at the end, but 217 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,559 they're one of the top like title contenders this year. So it's like, 218 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:20,000 okay, that's okay if you lose that game, like you put up a 219 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:24,480 good show, you put up a good fight. Like Yeah, it's funny 220 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:28,480 because we're kind of re evaluating expectations for the Kings to the point where now 221 00:14:28,519 --> 00:14:31,639 it's like, oh, dang, they know now they've only gone like eight 222 00:14:31,679 --> 00:14:37,679 and two since they all start break and the thing. One of the knocks 223 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:41,279 against the Kings at least are on the season was look at the Fox without 224 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:45,960 the bonus minutes weren't great. Those are actually like a net even now, 225 00:14:46,879 --> 00:14:50,159 which I think is a big deal. Are you noticing anything different about them? 226 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,960 Were they always kind of? Was it maybe overstated the struggles there? 227 00:14:52,039 --> 00:14:54,559 Was it always a function of, well do you see who he's on the 228 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:58,519 court with during that time when you look at their backup center and wing rotation, 229 00:14:58,559 --> 00:15:03,480 and I know in theory those minutes should be fewer and further between once 230 00:15:03,519 --> 00:15:07,320 they get to the playoffs, like entire series can be lost without one of 231 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:09,799 your two best players on the court. We've seen it with Philly a bunch 232 00:15:09,799 --> 00:15:11,240 of times. They've seen it with Denver a few times too, And so 233 00:15:11,279 --> 00:15:13,480 if they're able, you know, if he's able to just keep the Kings 234 00:15:13,519 --> 00:15:18,759 afloat when Sabonus is off the court. And we've seen the Sabonus without foxmanut 235 00:15:18,759 --> 00:15:22,240 it's been not annihilatory, but they've been good this year. That's like something 236 00:15:22,279 --> 00:15:26,799 that other teams don't necessarily have. Or you can trust your two best players 237 00:15:26,799 --> 00:15:31,039 to tread water without the other. And a big difference I think is the 238 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:35,360 season has gone on because obviously they didn't make any big changes at the trade 239 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:41,759 deadline or anything like that future Superstar. Well aside from acquiring you know, 240 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:46,799 the best wing in the NBA, you know, Kissler Edwards. Aside from 241 00:15:46,799 --> 00:15:50,600 that, they didn't make any big moves. But I think really the difference 242 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,440 has been that at the beginning of the year, they were kind of trying 243 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:58,000 to do the same thing no matter who was on the floor, kind of 244 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:03,120 trying to run everything the same, and the King's backup centers just couldn't do 245 00:16:03,159 --> 00:16:07,600 that, Like they're not Sabonus and it's not really fair to ask him to 246 00:16:07,639 --> 00:16:12,320 be. And now when Sabonis is off the floor, the Kings have kind 247 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,080 of adjusted a little bit and they go a little bit more small, Like 248 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:21,519 Temes Mettus kind of cemented himself normally as the main backup center at this point, 249 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,559 and he just gives the team a different look and a different versatility. 250 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:29,679 He's a a little bit more of like a vertical lab thread, and you 251 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,600 know, they're not trying to run the offense through him though the way that 252 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,720 they run it through Sabonis. They kind of pass that over to Fox at 253 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:40,919 that point and let him operate. So where now really the worst minutes are 254 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:45,519 the few and far between minutes where Fox and Sabonis are both out. Those 255 00:16:45,559 --> 00:16:48,480 are still really brutal, but that's kind of to be expected. But they've 256 00:16:48,519 --> 00:16:52,879 definitely adjusted as the year has gone along and kind of adjusted the offense for 257 00:16:53,039 --> 00:16:56,679 those bench units when Sabonis is out. And I'm wondering how much it helps 258 00:16:56,759 --> 00:17:02,399 that you can bench the bone and in theory, you're just not super small 259 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:04,839 after that because you can go with me two lyles and bars the les. 260 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,799 It's been like I'd always had, like some hot and cold streets, but 261 00:17:07,799 --> 00:17:12,000 he's been a breath of fresh air for them. He's unsung hero. I'm 262 00:17:12,039 --> 00:17:15,200 not trying to have to talk about it too much because I don't want other 263 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,559 teams to notice because he's a free agent this summer. But yeah, he's 264 00:17:18,599 --> 00:17:21,799 been phenomenal for the Kings. Off the bench, I mean, just you 265 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:26,000 know, another stretch big, he can hit threes, he can muscle down 266 00:17:26,039 --> 00:17:29,240 low. He's you know, just one of those you know guys who will 267 00:17:29,279 --> 00:17:33,160 just get in there and do the hard work and seems to always come up 268 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,559 with the big play at the right moment, and he's been awesome. He's 269 00:17:36,599 --> 00:17:38,640 been a huge part of the bench. I mean, when when the Kings 270 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:42,319 win, it's a lot of times because they've gotten really good contributions from the 271 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,920 bench minutes and you know, it's usually him Monk. You know, those 272 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:49,640 are the two most common bench guys that are really stepping up and having a 273 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:55,720 good showing. He and Murray seemed a little bit overmatched recently defensively, but 274 00:17:55,759 --> 00:18:00,480 what are just your early or you know, almost first full year in impressions 275 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,000 of him so far. The best thing for me about watching King and is 276 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:11,799 it's nice for Kings fans for once to have a rookie who is really good 277 00:18:11,839 --> 00:18:17,000 but isn't expected to save everything. He just gets to be part of the 278 00:18:17,039 --> 00:18:22,640 team in the offense. And he's been a consistent contributor as a starter on 279 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:26,000 a top three team in the West. Like that's a fantastic thing for a 280 00:18:26,079 --> 00:18:33,079 rookie. We've also seen as the year has progressed, Mike Brown has challenged 281 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:36,400 him to do more kind of each step of the way. So start of 282 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:40,200 the season, he was basically just there to space the floor and shoot threes, 283 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:44,400 and then Mike Brown start challenging him like, hey, if you're not 284 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:45,599 making threes, you've got to be helping us some other way, like let's, 285 00:18:45,759 --> 00:18:48,720 you know, step about the rebounding, let's you know. And then 286 00:18:48,839 --> 00:18:52,200 after that it was let's step up creating off the dribble. And he's showing 287 00:18:52,319 --> 00:18:55,519 more and more of his game, and I mean some of it. I 288 00:18:55,559 --> 00:18:59,440 think that he is almost hesitant to like do too much, Like he doesn't 289 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,160 want to be the comes in and steps on toes or anything, because he's, 290 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:06,319 you know, kind of a bit more reserved personality. He but you 291 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:07,680 know, his teammates are all you see him out there like trying to hide 292 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:11,000 him up and get him excited, trying to get him to show a facial 293 00:19:11,039 --> 00:19:15,880 expression, you know when he hits a big shot. But I've been very 294 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:18,200 happy with this development. Like defense, I think is probably going to be 295 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:22,279 the part that takes a little bit longer to figure out, you know, 296 00:19:22,319 --> 00:19:26,039 just figuring out how to defend you know, elite NBA athletes. And part 297 00:19:26,039 --> 00:19:29,880 of the problem also is that the Kings don't have a lot of great wing 298 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:34,039 defense options, so he often gets stuck on guys who he probably wouldn't be 299 00:19:34,079 --> 00:19:37,640 your first choice to be guarding him, but he's got the size, and 300 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:41,119 so you're like, let's see what he can do, you know, go 301 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,079 for a kid, and some of it's going to be learning pains, but 302 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,559 I think with time, he's going to be a fine defender. Yeah, 303 00:19:47,599 --> 00:19:49,960 I mean they I was looking before this, and he has basically had spent 304 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:53,759 a ton of time against the second highest and third highest usually players on the 305 00:19:53,839 --> 00:19:56,400 other team this year. That's a lot to ask of a rookie. I 306 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,680 am, however, and I don't don't see it too much, like we 307 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:03,160 see glimpses of it when he's gonna you know, the handoffs with Sabonus. 308 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,319 But I'm sold on what his floor game will eventually be. I know a 309 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:08,039 lot of people don't like to project forward for some of these older rookies, 310 00:20:08,039 --> 00:20:11,599 but I'm just I'm just there. I see it, and I'm like, 311 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:15,079 this is so smooth, it's so fluid. This is someone who is infinitely 312 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:17,279 scalable for his shooting and the way he moves off the ball. But I 313 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:19,440 think there's going to be and it could be on the iteration of this team, 314 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:22,160 especially as like you know, you're looking at some of you have. 315 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:25,559 Fox and Sabonus will be around long term, but as you sort of move 316 00:20:25,599 --> 00:20:29,000 the pieces around them, they will be openings for him to probably do more 317 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,759 offensively gain on the line. And I'm just sold on his ability to actually, 318 00:20:32,759 --> 00:20:34,200 like, yo, I don't think he's gonna like bring the ball up 319 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,680 in these super slow half court sets and you know, run a bunch of 320 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,319 pick and rolls, let's say, but as someone who can make quick fire 321 00:20:40,319 --> 00:20:44,240 decisions off the dribble or have plays really run for him, that feels like 322 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,960 that's not even close to an unrealistic ceiling for him based off what we've seen 323 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:51,440 at this point now, and he definitely has shown flashes of that ability to 324 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:55,720 create off the dribble or you kind of break down a defender, and it's 325 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:57,799 exciting to kind of see those glimpse and be like, Okay, like another 326 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:03,480 year or two, this could be really something special to still be alongside Fox 327 00:21:03,519 --> 00:21:07,519 and Sabonis. Is you're more of a big three as opposed to a big 328 00:21:07,519 --> 00:21:11,480 two at that point. I'm not just saying this because you're on the podcast. 329 00:21:11,519 --> 00:21:14,759 I really do believe that Malik Monk deserves more. Six men of the 330 00:21:14,839 --> 00:21:18,839 Year consideration, and I'm actually surprised that he's not getting it. I would 331 00:21:18,839 --> 00:21:21,960 expect him to finish in the top three, especially if people factor in some 332 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:26,079 people like the factor in team winning from this. What has been your favorite 333 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:29,680 part, most unexpected part of the Malik Monk experience. Is it just the 334 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:33,640 downhill stuff, the passing? But what is it? Uh? Yeah, 335 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,000 the creation has really been the most fun surprise because I mean we we've always 336 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:42,039 known he can kind of score in bunches, but he has really developed a 337 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:47,519 nice chemistry with Sabonish, you know, where they kind of work and pick 338 00:21:47,559 --> 00:21:51,039 and roll and we'll find each other and you know, so for some of 339 00:21:51,079 --> 00:21:52,960 those non fox mentes, a lot of times it ends up being Monk is 340 00:21:53,039 --> 00:21:59,359 kind of the primary creator if it's not going through Sabonas. I think probably 341 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,799 the biggest sason we're not seeing more buzz for him a six man the year 342 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:07,480 is just because he's been inconsistent. I mean, it's kind of it's feast 343 00:22:07,559 --> 00:22:12,559 or famine with him. But for your scoring guard off the bench, like 344 00:22:12,599 --> 00:22:17,319 that's not uncommon for a six man type of guard, right, Like, 345 00:22:17,519 --> 00:22:21,079 there's plenty of guys who've made really long careers out of being a guy who 346 00:22:21,319 --> 00:22:25,279 is either going to get you like thirty points or two on any given night. 347 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,279 But I think the inconsistency has really been the biggest thing, because I 348 00:22:29,279 --> 00:22:33,599 mean, when he has his four points like this, this is the peaks 349 00:22:33,599 --> 00:22:37,920 and valleys with him. The I've never seen him pass quite like this, 350 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:41,640 and there is every time I'm watching him, it feels like he's just making 351 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:45,920 like nice reads off of his drives. So I did, look, he 352 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,559 isn't assist rate of eighteen point three percent on drives that rings first in the 353 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:52,880 league among one hundred and seventy two players averaging at these four drives a game, 354 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:55,799 and I kept bringing that total down. I started at nine seven, 355 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:57,160 eight, six, five four, So when all the way it's like kind 356 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:00,240 of cherry pick. But that's still and he's nine drives per game, so 357 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,559 like he's driving a bunch. That's just not something that I've ever seen from 358 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:07,759 him. That feels like an aspect of his game that has been consistent is 359 00:23:07,759 --> 00:23:11,680 his ability to keep you know, defense is sort of in disarray when he's 360 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:15,640 getting downhill. And just like you had mentioned the connection with him and Sabonus 361 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:18,440 and it just it works like both ways too. Has just been an absolute 362 00:23:18,519 --> 00:23:22,680 joy to watch developed this season. Yeah, I mean he's averaging a career 363 00:23:22,799 --> 00:23:27,519 high an assist right now, by a full assist over his previous best season, 364 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,799 and an assistant a half more than his career average. And for a 365 00:23:32,799 --> 00:23:37,000 guy who early in his career was being played as a point guard as opposed 366 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:41,119 to a scoring guard, Like, it's pretty crazy that he's like setting these 367 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:45,279 marks as far as like career highs for assist now as a backup guard as 368 00:23:45,279 --> 00:23:48,839 opposed to a starter or anything like that. But yeah, his passing has 369 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:53,880 been awesome. We went almost twenty five minutes without talking specifically about the defense. 370 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,000 I feel like, I don't know if that's good or bad. They're 371 00:23:56,039 --> 00:24:00,920 twenty fifth and points laut per possession twenty seven since the trade deadline. But 372 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:03,920 you do dig into it, and there are things that they actually do well. 373 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:07,400 You've mentioned their rebounding already. They don't flat on. They've done a 374 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:12,079 really good job of making offenses go deep into their shot clock. Twenty percent 375 00:24:12,079 --> 00:24:15,359 of opponent shot attempts are coming with seven seconds or fewer left on the clock. 376 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:19,440 I think only the heat have a larger share of their opponent's shot attempts 377 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:23,160 coming during that time they keep them. I know, Chris herring It wrote 378 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:26,359 about this too. They keep offenses in their half court sets, which is 379 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:32,240 not that's atypical for a team that gets out and transition themselves so much and 380 00:24:32,279 --> 00:24:36,559 likes to play super fast. Do they have the outline of being because you 381 00:24:36,559 --> 00:24:38,720 look at you know, they're do a good job of contesting jump shots too. 382 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:42,240 That's the other thing. Teams are just shot really well from three against 383 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:47,440 them, The points really really really well from mid range. Is there some 384 00:24:47,559 --> 00:24:51,319 sort of like is there the crux of oh, this this team, this 385 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:55,039 court could be significantly better than bottom five and defensive efficiency or is that just 386 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:57,720 where we need to just be prepared for them to settle into. I mean, 387 00:24:57,759 --> 00:25:00,640 I think this season, I don't. I think they're going to make 388 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,960 a big movement in as far as the defensive rankings at this point. Going 389 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:08,119 forward, there's definitely a potential. I mean, when you kind of dig 390 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,759 into the stats you've kind of mentioned like they're very good at transition defense. 391 00:25:11,799 --> 00:25:17,000 They don't get scored on in transition a lot, despite how much transition they 392 00:25:17,039 --> 00:25:22,200 play themselves in fourth quarters in particular, their defensive rating is actually a lot 393 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:26,400 better, Like they do tend to lock in better when it comes down to 394 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:32,880 the end of games. So the question is, are they just not capable 395 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:34,000 of doing that for a full game? Is it, you know, an 396 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:40,000 effort a focus thing like I definitely think they know, especially like in a 397 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:42,440 playoff series. I'm interested to see how that would go because I'm still not 398 00:25:42,519 --> 00:25:48,240 expecting them to be elite lockdown defenders, but I think that in a higher 399 00:25:48,279 --> 00:25:51,119 stakes sea and you know, more on the line, I'm curious to see 400 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:52,880 if the team's a whole can can play a little bit better. But I 401 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,319 mean, overall, the effort has been there. The biggest thing I see 402 00:25:56,400 --> 00:26:02,000 kind of night in and night out is that they've really struggle to stop anyone 403 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:06,960 from blowing past them and getting into the paint, and so then they do 404 00:26:07,039 --> 00:26:12,319 a nice job of rotating and helping and kind of stopping the easy initial basket, 405 00:26:14,319 --> 00:26:18,519 but then eventually it finds an open shooter. And I think that that's 406 00:26:18,559 --> 00:26:22,519 a big part of why we're seeing teams consistently shoot above average against the Kings, 407 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,880 even though they're kind of putting in the effort and all that there's just 408 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:30,720 too much scramble and recovering. Eventually someone's got an open shot. Now you 409 00:26:30,759 --> 00:26:33,559 still expect at some point that that number will go down how many of those 410 00:26:33,559 --> 00:26:37,559 open shots opponents are hitting, But it's been steady this far, So at 411 00:26:37,599 --> 00:26:41,400 a certain point you just got to chalk it up to maybe it's the case 412 00:26:41,559 --> 00:26:45,759 like as opposed to you know, just blind luck happening against them every night. 413 00:26:47,599 --> 00:26:49,920 And I don't like this type of team where it's super fun to sort 414 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,640 of live in their actual moment and appreciate what you're watching. So I don't 415 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:57,400 like a scale too far ahead. But is that something when you're looking at 416 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:02,920 specifically the wing defense, or if it's coming back to the backup secondary big 417 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:06,880 defense, or that maybe the defense of the front core partner who's directly beside 418 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:10,640 Sabonis for most of the game. Is that or those aspects you would expect 419 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:15,519 them to aggressively pursue upgrading over the off season or might there be a reticence 420 00:27:15,559 --> 00:27:21,000 to do anything too wholesale with a group that was just this good for so 421 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:25,319 long. I mean, I definitely think we'll see the team continue to evolve 422 00:27:25,759 --> 00:27:29,200 as we move forward. The nice thing about the surprise of this season is 423 00:27:29,519 --> 00:27:33,480 it wasn't like the Kings pushed all in and this is their one year with 424 00:27:33,519 --> 00:27:37,400 a championship window. Right, Like their core outside of like Harrison Barnes, 425 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:41,400 everyone else on the team's like twenty four to twenty six years old. Yeah, 426 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:44,319 they're all young. They all can continue to grow and develop together. 427 00:27:45,599 --> 00:27:52,000 They also have they've got the rights to Sasha Zenkov, who is current EuroLeague 428 00:27:52,079 --> 00:27:56,240 MVP again, who they'll probably try to bring over this summer. They try 429 00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:00,400 to get him last summer, but he stayed for another year. Wouldn't be 430 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:03,200 surprised at all if they are able to bring him over next year. And 431 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:07,799 really, I think the biggest thing that they could do is, and this 432 00:28:07,839 --> 00:28:12,680 goes back to some we talked about even in preseason, just find a good 433 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:17,640 wing defender and then a backup center who can maybe protect the room a little 434 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:21,839 bit. Like those two things go a long way, especially in kind of 435 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:26,279 critical moments, Like you know, it's kind of tough to figure out exactly 436 00:28:26,319 --> 00:28:29,160 what those moves look like or how you make it all work with the money 437 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:32,119 and all that, right, but Mannam mcmier has done a good job of 438 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,440 kind of identifying what he wants to find and what he needs to get, 439 00:28:34,559 --> 00:28:41,599 and then he doesn't go crazy or overpay for anything. He kind of sets 440 00:28:41,599 --> 00:28:42,599 his value and if he doesn't get it, he doesn't get it. So 441 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:48,000 I think they will try to improve those areas. But I also don't think 442 00:28:48,039 --> 00:28:49,680 they're gonna suddenly push the chips all in and be like we had a good 443 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:52,599 year and now was our champion. You know, like they'll kind of take 444 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:57,079 the opportunities where they're there. In the backup big stuff shouldn't be too hard 445 00:28:57,079 --> 00:29:00,720 to find. There's every year there's like, oh Bismock on most mind for 446 00:29:00,759 --> 00:29:03,599 the minimum and like he provides you rim protection. Uh you know, you 447 00:29:03,599 --> 00:29:07,680 mentioned how they didn't have to mortgage really any part of their future to get 448 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,759 here over the offseason, and we don't need to. We've talked about the 449 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:12,960 Halibert and trade shot the end of that one male a cope I do need 450 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:15,839 to offer though, is I was not super high on the Kevin Hurder trade. 451 00:29:15,839 --> 00:29:18,680 I kind of looked at as like it was a twenty twenty four pick 452 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:22,200 and protected for so long, and since then, not only has Kevin Hurder 453 00:29:22,279 --> 00:29:26,240 just been on absolute fire, been great for this team, and out of 454 00:29:26,279 --> 00:29:26,880 the king has been good enough to wear like, Okay, well that's going 455 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:30,880 to convey in twenty twenty four. The stuff that I have read and watched 456 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:36,480 in the twenty and twenty four draft class makes me think that Sacramental absolutely sole 457 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,000 Kevin Hurder from Atlanta at this point. So that's the main cope I have 458 00:29:40,039 --> 00:29:41,079 to offer. I don't I can't remember how you felt about the trade of 459 00:29:41,119 --> 00:29:45,200 the moment, but I was not down on it, but I was indifferent 460 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:47,880 to just sort of like, men, why are you doing this? And 461 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:52,559 that was just a complete miss on my end. Well, I really liked 462 00:29:52,599 --> 00:29:55,680 the trade at the time. I thought it was great because, you know, 463 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:59,079 they didn't have to give up any of their kind of core rotation guys 464 00:29:59,119 --> 00:30:02,720 at the time to bring him in. You know, they got a starter 465 00:30:03,799 --> 00:30:08,400 for nothing immediate, right, And really what that helped do was kind of 466 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:12,640 push everyone else down the pecking order one slot where they all kind of made 467 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:17,839 a little bit more sense, you know, like suddenly Harrison Barnes is your 468 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:22,640 fourth or fifth option instead of your third option on offense. Suddenly Malik Monk 469 00:30:22,799 --> 00:30:26,119 is your you know, dynamite you score off the bench instead of a core 470 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:29,880 part of your starting unit, right Like it just kind of has that trickle 471 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:33,359 down effect where you add a good starter without giving up a core piece. 472 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:38,599 Suddenly your depth is just so much better across the board. And when we 473 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:42,039 talked to the Priestason, I know one of your questions was, will they 474 00:30:42,119 --> 00:30:45,839 let Kevin Hurd a kind of freestyle a little bit more as opposed to just 475 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:48,920 being a guy who stands and off to the you know, outside the arc 476 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:52,839 and shoots catch and shoot threes like how at Landing used him. And and 477 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:55,960 they have. You know, they've given him a lot more freedom to work 478 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:59,519 off the dribble. You know he'll get into the mid range. He and 479 00:30:59,559 --> 00:31:04,079 sabone Us have phenomenal chemistry as far as the dribble handoff game, so he's 480 00:31:04,119 --> 00:31:07,920 really been able to open up some elements of his game. We didn't see 481 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:11,720 her that I didn't know we're going to necessarily be there. So I like 482 00:31:11,799 --> 00:31:14,640 the trade at the time, but I think it's an absolute win at this 483 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:18,440 point. It's one of McNair's best moves. I think even as we record 484 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:21,799 this, with the Kings contending for a top two spot in the West, 485 00:31:21,839 --> 00:31:25,079 there very much seems to be a push among teams that are behind them, 486 00:31:25,119 --> 00:31:26,519 where their fan bases are saying, well, if we can just get the 487 00:31:26,559 --> 00:31:32,400 six of the seventh seed and face the Kings. And is it fair to 488 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:34,200 sort of dismiss the Kings like that at this point or what is it that 489 00:31:34,519 --> 00:31:40,519 people from other fan bases or the national media is still missing about this team? 490 00:31:41,559 --> 00:31:47,000 So I understand why people are still dismissive. I mean, the Kings 491 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:51,799 have been a punching bag and a punchline for so long. I mean, 492 00:31:51,839 --> 00:31:52,960 I said at the start of this, right, like, I'm still worried 493 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:57,799 about this all falling apart, right, So I get why, you know, 494 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:02,039 when you've associated day team as being just the definition of a bad franchise 495 00:32:02,079 --> 00:32:06,119 for so long, I understand why it's hard to buy it into it. 496 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:09,359 But it's some of it, I think is just the fact that people haven't 497 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:15,440 seen it happen before. You know, the King's best players haven't had a 498 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:20,480 lot of opportunity to shine or prove anything in the playoffs. I mean, 499 00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:23,559 like Fox has not been in the playoffs if he does what he's done throughout 500 00:32:23,559 --> 00:32:27,039 the season, you know, with kind of the clutch time scoring and getting 501 00:32:27,039 --> 00:32:30,359 in the paint. In a playoff series with a national audience, that mindset 502 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:34,160 can begin to shift, you know. I was kind of looking at where 503 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:37,240 the Kings ended up. You know, last season they finished with thirty wins. 504 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:40,039 They were like a couple games better than the Blazers. If the Blazers 505 00:32:40,079 --> 00:32:44,359 were having the season, you know, no one would want to mess with 506 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:46,359 them as a two or three seed because we've all seen Lillard do it time 507 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:49,880 and time again. Like, so there's some of that. You have to 508 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:52,119 go and actually prove that you can do it in the playoffs, and I 509 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:55,039 get that. I think that's really the kind of the big question mark is 510 00:32:55,079 --> 00:33:00,759 just you know, people weren't expecting this, especially not to this degree. 511 00:33:01,279 --> 00:33:05,519 I think a lot of people were really entrenched in their takes on the Sabonis 512 00:33:05,599 --> 00:33:08,440 trade and I have had a hard time coming around on that. And then 513 00:33:09,039 --> 00:33:13,599 part of it also just the Kings aren't on TV. They've had two TNT 514 00:33:13,759 --> 00:33:20,000 games, zero ESPN games, Like, they aren't getting put on broadcast like 515 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:23,480 because they're the Kings, right, So you know, I also understand for 516 00:33:23,559 --> 00:33:28,839 people who aren't like League past junkies, that you may not have seen what's 517 00:33:28,839 --> 00:33:31,319 going on, like you see the standings, but it's harder to believe if 518 00:33:31,319 --> 00:33:37,079 you haven't seen it on a consistent basis. I am team if I'm a 519 00:33:37,119 --> 00:33:39,480 lower seed and need to want an upper seed in the early rounds. I 520 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:45,079 think Memphis. This pre dates all the John Ramp business is like the biggest 521 00:33:45,119 --> 00:33:47,839 frauds in the league as a contender that they looked at themselves, saw their 522 00:33:47,839 --> 00:33:52,680 biggest problems and said, we're gonna fucking trade for Lukenard and that's what we're 523 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:57,400 gonna do with the deadline. So who is it? An actual good fit 524 00:33:57,480 --> 00:34:01,000 but doesn't address their biggest area of void? So I am team I probably 525 00:34:01,039 --> 00:34:04,200 yeah. If you asked me whether I face the Nuggets or the Kings, 526 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:05,960 like, yes, I'm going to pick the Kings of lower seat, but 527 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,239 I think Memphis is the by far the team that you would want to pull. 528 00:34:08,519 --> 00:34:12,719 I'm giving you the option though, and we're talking Kings playoff basketball right 529 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:15,440 now because it's happening like that is that is going to happen. We can't 530 00:34:15,559 --> 00:34:21,639 change that. I'm the power to pick the King's first round opponent if you 531 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:23,079 if you could have the ideal matchup for them, who do you think it 532 00:34:23,119 --> 00:34:31,760 is? In the first round. And it's tough because kind of going back 533 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:35,480 to that whole like institutional memory thing, right, Like, I just think 534 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:38,239 of all these teams as being better than than where they're at right now. 535 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:44,480 Like I think if I had to pick one though, right now, and 536 00:34:44,519 --> 00:34:47,039 I mean right now, they would have a hard path to be matched up 537 00:34:47,079 --> 00:34:52,280 against the Kings, but I'd probably go with like the Mavericks. Speaking of 538 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:58,400 frauds, please, I mean just and it's not that I'm super excited to 539 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,599 have to play like a off series against Luca because we know how good he 540 00:35:01,679 --> 00:35:05,960 is and how much he's going to wear you down and all that. And 541 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:10,400 Kyrie's phenomenal too, I mean when he's playing and when he's on, he's 542 00:35:10,559 --> 00:35:14,800 phenomenal. But I think that that team still lacks depth. I think they 543 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:20,079 obviously have some issues with coaching, and I like the coaching matchup of Mike 544 00:35:20,159 --> 00:35:23,920 Brown versus Jason Kidd very well, even the vibes of that matchups where it's 545 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:28,159 just like Mike Brown is just so likable and Jason Kidd just just sucks. 546 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:34,760 He's salty, he's way too online like. And also their defense is like 547 00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:37,639 statistically just as bad as the King since they made they have no they have 548 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:42,920 less rim protection than Sacramento at this point. But I mean, I think 549 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:46,519 really a lot of the teams in that range, I think there's a lot 550 00:35:46,559 --> 00:35:51,800 of different outcomes that would be really entertaining series that would be a hell of 551 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:53,280 a lot, a lot fun to watch, like four or five games of 552 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:58,760 you know, six seven, whatever it goes. But I mean like Dallas, 553 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:01,400 Timberwolves, Clippers, Wars, like these are all teams that have issues. 554 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,719 You know, sometimes they give up a lot of points, but they 555 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:07,679 can score a lot, like Yeah, they all have guys that can go 556 00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:09,480 off. Like I think, no matter what the matchup is, I think 557 00:36:09,519 --> 00:36:15,239 the series would be incredible in the first round. I don't know who. 558 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:16,920 I think the MAVs are a good one. I'd thought about the Lakers, 559 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:21,599 but I don't know how much it matters. Darn Fox was four when the 560 00:36:21,639 --> 00:36:23,840 two thousand and two Western Conference Finals took place. But there's something poetic about 561 00:36:24,199 --> 00:36:28,960 if the Kings also have the chance to excise the Demons from two twenty two 562 00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:31,880 in the same year they break their playoff drout against a team and fan base 563 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:36,079 that seems I have no way of proving this, but seems like they were 564 00:36:36,119 --> 00:36:37,480 the first ones to say, well, if we just get the six or 565 00:36:37,519 --> 00:36:40,840 seven seed and get to face the Kings, it feels like that would be 566 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:45,360 poetic. But the more rational part of me, it's just like, if 567 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:50,119 Lebron James is back, the Lakers defense is a lot better, Anthony Davis 568 00:36:50,199 --> 00:36:52,280 is healthy, they have Delo now and Jared Vanderbilt, who's someone I wanted 569 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:57,559 the Kings actually trying yet I thought he would be a great too. I 570 00:36:57,599 --> 00:37:00,320 think I probably want to see you if you told me Lebron wasn't. It's 571 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:02,280 different, But like if we're doming health, I think I would go with 572 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:06,599 I'm with you with the matters. I also thought about Minnesota a little bit 573 00:37:06,639 --> 00:37:08,719 because they're gonna be integrating Karnathy Towns into this, and the idea of them 574 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:13,920 playing two bigs against this offense just feels like it would be an absolute night. 575 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:20,880 Yeah, that'd be fun. And yeah, I didn't pick the Timberwolves, 576 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:24,199 mostly because when we've played them this year, it's been really good games. 577 00:37:24,320 --> 00:37:29,280 But the Timberwolves have kind of given the Kings of rough time, Like 578 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:32,679 they the Kings one I think one and Timbers one the other. Two or 579 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:37,559 three. I mean that it's been good games, but it's been really entertaining. 580 00:37:37,599 --> 00:37:40,800 But I think the Timberwolves are actually pretty bad matchup. We've definitely talked 581 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:44,039 about the Lakers thing as well, like how fun it would be to, 582 00:37:44,119 --> 00:37:45,960 like, you know, in the drought, be the Lakers in the playoffs 583 00:37:46,039 --> 00:37:52,400 move on. But for me, there's kind of that, like I don't 584 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:57,280 really want to deal with the officiating of a King's Lakers series on my first 585 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:01,199 trip back to the playoffs. So if you gotta pick an opponent that you 586 00:38:01,199 --> 00:38:05,199 would like to avoid through at least the first round, who is that? 587 00:38:08,679 --> 00:38:15,119 It's probably either Minnesota or Golden State. I mean they face Minnesota. I 588 00:38:15,159 --> 00:38:17,360 can't remember with Pounds and Gobert. I don't think they have right, I 589 00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:22,960 don't think so. It's just been it's been without Towns and to your point, 590 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:27,039 like if Towns is back and being reintegrated, like yeah, that could 591 00:38:27,039 --> 00:38:32,079 throw some things off. And definitely that kind of Twin Towers matchup would be 592 00:38:32,119 --> 00:38:36,480 interesting to kind of see which team adjust or kind of how they would both 593 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:39,400 handle that. They'd be like Kyle Anderson's and God, we're gonna go one 594 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:45,079 big with Kyle Anderson. I would guess it would be them, but yeah, 595 00:38:45,119 --> 00:38:49,519 but it's still I don't know. It just kind of got instinct. 596 00:38:49,559 --> 00:38:52,360 I think that the Timberwolves are better than their record, better than their standing. 597 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:59,480 I and Anthony Edwards is unreal, Like he's just so good, he's 598 00:38:59,559 --> 00:39:02,400 so and the Kings have no one the kind of going back to that wing 599 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:06,800 defense issue, like the Kings don't really have anyone who can really guard him 600 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:09,559 really well at this point. The matchup that I want to see it can't 601 00:39:09,559 --> 00:39:13,199 take place in the first round. I think that's why I'm so intrigued by 602 00:39:13,199 --> 00:39:16,079 it would be a King's Nuggets Western Conference Finals, just because of all the 603 00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:22,480 kind of crow the you know, a Gensters would have to have. If 604 00:39:22,519 --> 00:39:24,840 oh can't contend with Yokich as your best player, Oh, the Kings aren't 605 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:29,000 for real. Also, any ratings jokes that people could get off where would 606 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:34,719 be a nightmare That it's Denver's acromento in the but also just stylistically, Denver's 607 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:37,880 defense has been better. But like they these are two of the worst teams 608 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:42,199 at protecting the rim in the NBA, and they're also the two best offensive 609 00:39:42,199 --> 00:39:45,880 teams in the NBA. They are built around two of the most talented big 610 00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:49,320 men in the NBA. They have. Jamal mur has been up and down 611 00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:52,360 this year and nowhere near as good as Fox, But like the Fox versus 612 00:39:52,199 --> 00:39:57,960 Murray subplot, there would be super interesting that I would There's so many elements 613 00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:00,679 that go into wire root for it, but even just purely I'm a basketball 614 00:40:00,719 --> 00:40:04,440 perspective, I wish we could see it and if that has to happen the 615 00:40:04,519 --> 00:40:07,840 conference finals, because it does have happen the conference finals, sign me all 616 00:40:07,880 --> 00:40:10,800 the way up for because that would have to be one of the least expected 617 00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:15,519 conference finals matchups that maybe of all time that I could just because I mean, 618 00:40:15,519 --> 00:40:17,559 the King's being the Kings, anybody in the Conference finals at this point 619 00:40:17,599 --> 00:40:22,119 would probably qualify. I guess right, And well, I mean I'm a 620 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:25,360 Kings fan, but I live in Colorado. I would absolutely love that because 621 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:29,599 then I could go see it came up in Denver, you know, I 622 00:40:29,639 --> 00:40:35,280 mean, it'd be phenomenal. But yeah, I'm game for whatever scenario you 623 00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:37,440 want to come up with that puts us in the conference finals that that works 624 00:40:37,519 --> 00:40:42,920 just fine for me. Is there anything else that I haven't asked you about? 625 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:44,800 Anyone else? I haven't asked you about that you think needs to be 626 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:52,960 touched upon. Let's see the year. That's like a format that's fad to 627 00:40:52,039 --> 00:40:54,079 complete, right, there's I don't even know. I've even trying to go 628 00:40:54,119 --> 00:40:57,920 through who might be able to challenge him, and I can't really come up 629 00:40:57,960 --> 00:41:00,039 with a great name that anyone should put him from one of him. I 630 00:41:00,079 --> 00:41:05,000 mean, I don't know how you can look at anyone other than Mike Brown 631 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:09,079 for Coach of the Year. I think McNair should be getting heavy consideration for 632 00:41:09,159 --> 00:41:15,440 Executive of the Year. It seems like though, that a war tends to 633 00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:17,480 always lag a year or two, so I'm not really counting on that one. 634 00:41:17,559 --> 00:41:22,599 But yeah, I mean, I think we've covered all the bases at 635 00:41:22,599 --> 00:41:27,360 this point. It's just been such a fun season. Mike Brown has been 636 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:30,960 my Coach of ye ever since he was leg up on the podium posing that. 637 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:35,519 That was the moment I knew that he was not going to lose Coach 638 00:41:35,599 --> 00:41:38,920 of the Year. Greg This was great as always. Are you able to 639 00:41:38,960 --> 00:41:42,760 tell everyone where they can find you? The Kings, Harold, all the 640 00:41:42,760 --> 00:41:45,519 great work that you do. Yeah, So I'm on Twitter at Jewish so 641 00:41:45,599 --> 00:41:52,199 at gwiss I write, I'm managing an editor and a writer at the Kings 642 00:41:52,199 --> 00:41:57,159 Harold Kings Harold dot com and you can follow the Kings Harold on Twitter at 643 00:41:57,199 --> 00:42:00,039 the King's Harold. I also would like to echo great work they do there. 644 00:42:00,039 --> 00:42:04,400 And also I think the best piece that you've ever written was, and 645 00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:06,599 I think it was you that wrote it, it should the King's Trade for 646 00:42:06,679 --> 00:42:09,400 Kyrie Irving deserve their fuel there. I think that was my favorite. That 647 00:42:09,599 --> 00:42:13,440 was that was one of mine. I do those every now and then. 648 00:42:13,679 --> 00:42:17,639 That's the kind of a running bit that goes back a few years. Greg, 649 00:42:17,679 --> 00:42:20,800 as you nobody I'll be pastoring you again in the future. But thank 650 00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:23,199 you. Coming off with this midseason and pampfire talk about the leagues, definitely 651 00:42:23,239 --> 00:42:28,360 most entertaining and definitely most surprivate teams this year anytime. Thanks for him