Hello, everyone, Welcome to the latest episode of Hardwood Knocks. This is
Adam FROMWI. Here is my fantastic co host, Dan fa Valley. But
before we get into this episode, stop what you're doing. Go subscribe to
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So go out and get all the Hardwood Knox content you can because all
the episodes like this one are just fantastic. We've already covered the Eastern Conference
breakout players are predictions for one breakout player who is most likely to take a
significant leap towards stardom, maybe reaching stardom in some cases for the Eastern Conference.
This is the Western Conference. Now, it was a little bit harder,
I thought, Dan, I don't I get it's harder in the sense
that I don't I'm not going to go through a lot of these options with
a ton of conviction because I think there are a lot of the fault options.
As I told you before we started, but where you know, the
whole thing isn't necessarily predictive as is if someone's going to break out substantially,
who's the most likely candidate. I felt like there were a lot of well,
I have to pick this guy, but if you push came to shove
and I had to predict whether he was going to have this huge breakout,
right, I don't know if I would I would say yes. And I
felt like the level that we were picking players. And we had not shared
our picks for the Western Conference yet, so we'll see if we are as
in lockstep as we were on the East. But I felt like in the
East we were picking guys who could reasonably become all stars, and in the
West, I felt like I was picking a lot of guys who I thought
they're going to break out to become a top end role player, a really
good starter, but not necessarily like a true star. Yeah, And I
don't know what it is like, maybe because the pecking order in the West
is more defined, so the rosters are built a little bit differently, and
they're just isn't that better deeper teams? I think? And when you look
at like there's no teams like the Hawks or the Knicks where it's like oh,
they might be good, but when a lot of their players are young
beyond their primaries, Like, yeah, very young, is still young.
But you have Hunter, you have cam Reddish, which you should have checked
our YouTube. I don't know if you saw it. One of the YouTube
commenters were slamming us for picking DeAndre Hunter and said that cam Reddish is gonna
end up being like a top five player or something like that. So I
don't know if I can get behind that, but like, I'm pretty sure
we said that cam Raddish was a totally valid choice. I was waffling between
the two of them for a while. I just I thought the cam Raddish
optimism. I still I was very high in cam Raddish coming out of Duke.
I thought I was wrong. I'm still holding out hope. I don't
think he's ever going to reach the level I thought he would like Chris Middleton
type heights. But I just the cam Reddish optimism got me. In the
YouTube comments, you I was, I was the opposite way where I thought
Reddish was a bust waiting to happen and was disappointed that that's the direction my
hawks went. And then as I've watched him, my expectations have grown.
That's funny because the shooting has been an actual issue, like the offensive value
he provides except for game was that six of the Conference finals or whatever he
was saying off the dribble jumpers. But this is not the Eastern Conference pod.
This is shout out to the Atlantahawks YouTube commenters, though forever and always,
this is the Western Conference Pod. Do we trust me to start us
off on this one? Is the real question? Absolutely not. So we're
starting with the Dallas Mavericks. That's that's the first team alphabetically here and this
I mean we're starting off with a hard one, I think, because the
pecking order for the Mavericks is like pretty defined at this point because it's Luca
Dontch at number one, it's Luca Dontch at number two, and it's Luca
Dontech at number three, and then maybe Tim Hardaway Junior at four. So
like you have to think about Chris stop sporzingis here because of the upside a
new coach, but then you remember that new coach is Jason Kidd and you're
like, no, that probably won't happen. And beyond that, like I'm
personally just not that sold on Josh Green yet I get it if the choice,
but that basically led me to Dorian Finney Smith, who is an older
breakout candidate, which is where I should say that we did tend to steer
younger with these selections. We didn't pick any rookies. We tried to steer
clear of the very obvious ones like for me, Anthony Edwards. We expect
a big leap, but that was not my pick for the Timberwolves, and
no All Stars as well. If they made an All Star team in the
recent past, yes they could continue to improve, but it's not really feeling
like a breakout. So I don't think Finny Smith is going to be an
All Star or a top end starter or anything like that. But just the
ability that he has with defensive length and versatility is something that Jason Kidd has
historically prioritized in his previous coaching roles, so I think he's going to just
be involved a little bit more in the schemes. He also looked a little
bit more comfortable attacking closeouts, creating for himself getting to the rim a little
bit more. He's been a consistent three point shooter, still has room to
improve from the corner, where I think he was around like thirty six percent
this previous season. So even if these skills haven't translated into a star player,
just the important of his role and his ability to contribute in so many
areas. As this Mavericks team continues to get better, I think we're gonna
just see a changing in a positive direction reputation for him, where he's no
longer just this under the radar gem so much as an established valuable player.
I'm gonna I don't have any response. He's like, I want to argue
at that point, I want a different round, and I actually calling an
audible midstream and I'm going with Sterling Brown because he had kind of a breakout
year last year that I don't think people realize how good he was doing.
And really quickly, I think you could mention Jalen Brunson here is there sort
of an augmentation of his off the dribble game. I view him as someone
who could put pressure on defenses, but will he ever have the not I
don't want to call him a second option, but just like quintessential sixth man
who can run his own line us because he's hitting a ton off the dribble
jumpers. Jalen Brunson's really good. It wouldn't surprise me if you got a
lot better. But I'm looking at this team and trying to find like a
potential swings piece, and I thought it was Josh Green for me, just
a wing who could really do functionally so much. We haven't seen a ton
of it obviously at the NBA level. I'm gonna go with Sterling Ground though,
because of his usage last year in Houston, he shot over forty percent
on threes, He defended a bunch of different positions for them, and the
other thing they had him do, which I don't necessarily expect Dallas to try,
but they were running him at point guard and he was doing okay,
And so is that the guy. No, I'm not gonna I don't think
we look back on this season and say Sterling Ground is Dallas the second best
player. But I think there's been one a ton of criticism about the Dallas
Mavericks offseason on the Jason Kidd front. I'll listen to it, and I'll
agree with it. For the most part, I don't think he's the coach
to elevate players that you're looking for growth from and he also doesn't really see
him like that good of a human being. Aside from that, though,
I know fans and I've talked to Dallas Mavericks fans. They've been in my
mentions they're disappointed about this offseason. I want to make a joke about them
being the king of almost but this wasn't the off season to do anything.
It was Kyle Lowry and that was it. That ended up just being the
prize. Like getting Lowry market in wouldn't have been a huge prize for me.
You have christosporsing this another big white dude who can't dribble, and we'll
space the floor for you. So getting Reggie Bullock, getting Sterling Brown,
keeping Kim Hardaway Junior kind of pricey, but he really didn't get that much
of a raise off of his previous deal. I think they had a solid
off season within the confines of reality, because I don't think they were ever
going to get any of these big wig free agents because there were so few
that were actually going to leave. Sterling Brown to me, is one of
those guys that we could look back on and if I told you, I
told you next season, Luka dan chis wherever christosporzing Is is Tim Hardaway junior,
Maxi Kleiba, But Sterling Brown is their fifth or sixth best player.
Would that would that floor you? Would that flore you. It would surprise
me. It probably wouldn't floor me, just because I don't agree with Jalen
Brunson as a breakout pick, because I think he's the quintessential high floor,
low ceiling player, but because that floor is so high, I would have
a tough time seeing him surpassed. And I do think Phinney Smith's importance is
enough that it would be tough to leap frog him in that pack and order
as well. But if you're saying that Sterling Brown is on the same tier
as those two guys and has elevated the ceiling of this Mavericks team, I'm
totally behind that. What I would say, then this might be a better
way to frame it is I'm not When you're sort of looking at the perimeter
rotation and we'll throw Don Chitch into this, you have Hardaway, you have
Phinney Smith, and then you have Don Chitch. I don't know who I
would definitively put in front of Sterling Brown to round out that perimeter rotation.
Maybe it's Reggie Bulah, maybe it's Jalen bruns In. I'm definitely putting Sterling
Brown on the floor before Josh Green or a Tyrell Terry at this point,
and so I think he has I think the opportunity will be there because he
should be, in my opinion, like no worse than the eighth in minutes
per game when you look at the rest of this right, this roster totally
behind that. I also just want to add that I think, and no
disrespect to Mavericks fans here, who are a very passionate bunch, but I
think that Mavericks fans being disappointed in a Mavericks off season is a little bit
like the pre twenty twenty Cleveland Browns fans being disappointed in another losing season.
It's like, yeah, you can be disappointed, but like no ship,
we knew that was going to happen. It's a right of Summer to be
disappointed in the mess offseason. I just don't think I don't think it.
I wasn't disappointed. I would have liked to have seen them gone in a
different direction with the head coach, but when you look at the Encourt stuff
they did. Unless you thought that they could have moved Chris stops Porzing gifts
for anyone, and that might be I said this as a joke and people
caught on to it on Twitter and something that I wrote. Their biggest,
most important addition might be Kris stops Porzing gets off season workouts. I don't
know when that dude has had like a relatively healthy off season in the past.
Fair I don't think he's gonna break out, though. I think there's
there's a there's a clear cap to me on his game offensively. But their
biggest edition, though, is making sure that Boban Marianovitch is still there.
I really wanted to see him end up in Philly to reunite Tobias Harris.
Let's two are great. Let's let's move on to Denver. This was I
feel like you could have gone a bunch of different directions for Denver. I
did not, and I'm curious. I'm assuming you didn't either. We didn't
go over this. I didn't include Michael Porter Jr. Among this. The
opportunity will be there without Jamal Murray. But like the dude average basically over
twenty points, shot sixty percent from two and forty percent from three after Jamal
Murray got injured and he was played to say, right now, I did
he is my pick because then take the floor. He didn't. He didn't
hit the All Star barometer that we're using, And I do think that the
perception still has room to grow, Like he's still viewed more as an up
and coming guy than an established star, So I think that there's room for
the reputation to increase because of that. You already mentioned that he scored twenty
one points pluss for like the last three months of the season average seventeen point
four in the postseason, looked great doing it. He's going to be viewed
as one of the best shooters in basketball. Like, I do think that
in that specific facet of the game, we're going to be talking about him
in the same conversation as Kevin Durant, Like the same ability to get shots
off over anyone, to score from all three levels, to be a catch
and shoot option, to create for yourself, Like he is not going to
have that ability and as high volume as Kevin Durant. He's not going to
impact the game like Kevin Durant. But in that specific facet of the game,
I think we're going to eventually be viewing them as Pierce and that breakout
is still coming. That's fair, I guess I don't expect to see it
from him. I haven't seen the level of self creation that Kevin Durant showed
him. Part of that is his role, and that's been his concession in
Denver, but even you know his touch time, possession time, all that
stuff went up after Jamal Murray, it still wasn't someone who was creating a
ton of shots. I don't see the secondary playmaking from him. He's young
enough, is this for? And that's where the Harrison starts to diverge again?
Just that one fact, and I'm curious see what he looks like defensively.
I don't. I guess I just wouldn't be surprised, and so I'm
looking for more. Like I didn't necessarily use the all star threshold. Just
someone who's going to burst onto the scene was more of my route. I
think there are probably a few options here. If people didn't pay attention or
what Zeke Naji did in some backup five minutes last year, I think the
tables set for him to get a little bit more. I would say he's
more important to Denver's immediate plans than bowball. Who would be interesting if you
can carve out wing minutes for him, If he wanted to go with Lock
Goo Kanchar or PJ Dojer fine, I went with Mishan Highland, and you
know I was high on bones busy bones coming into the draft. I don't
know if he's gonna get the opportunity in Denver. So I'm sort of rolling
the dice here because he's a rookie on a team that's going to look to
contend. But knowing that Jamal Murray will be out, let's say through at
least. I mean, they gave him seven to nine months I think was
the initial timetable. I would think I would think that they're going to slow
play it just because of how important he is to their future. Everyone points
out that Jamal Murray is super human when it comes to this stuff. Fine,
whatever, But he and Nicole Yokich, regardless of what you think of
Michael Porter Jr. They're the future of the franchise. So I just wouldn't
fuck with that. So there might be minutes there. I know they have
Monte Morris, I know they have for Kundo Compazzo. I know they have
Austin Rivers, but I think there are sometimes where a rookie sort of breaks
out on a team that's already okay to ridiculously good, like the Nuggets,
and he brings a lot of what they need if Will Barton gets injured,
and that's happened a bunch in the past, as someone who can create his
own shot, take ultra deep threes, which is not they don't have that
without Jamal Murray, someone who's going to hit a bunch of off the dribble
deep three pointers, and his just he's a contortionist around the rim when you
look at his ability to finish hit difficult shots when he's on the move.
I don't know what he's gonna give you defensively, certainly not enough as pete
Jamal Murray, as much as peak Jamal Murray. But I also don't know
how much of a drop off it's going to be. Yeah, it'll be
a drop off from Monte Morris or for Kuno Compazzo, but in certain linets,
I really think it could work, and I'm hoping he gets a chance,
even though he's a rookie on a really good team, and I kind
of had a I don't know if I had a feeling you're gonna pick MPJ,
but I wanted to diverge here. So I'm taking a swing because I
think Bones Thailand can be really good, and just based off Jamal Murray's injury,
I feel like maybe there's a chance we get to see the human bucket
actually play from sort of the get go. There is enough conviction there that
I think we have to permit the breaking of the no rookie rules. That
is fair. I totally forgot the break of the no rookie rule. I
was so dead set I'm not picking Michael Porter Junior. I didn't even realize
what that I was breaking the rule in the process. So I guess I
would have to roll with you on Michael Porter Junior then, But I'm still
gonna cape for Bones Thailand. Thank you for pointing out that he was a
rookie, because I'm gonna make sure other rookies. Yeah. So, I
do think it's interesting that this is the first time in this current sentence that
either of us has mentioned the name Aaron Gordon. Oh, you're saying breakout
from not averaging six points per dame towards the end of the yeah everything.
Yeah, I mean, like I think Denver is still banking on him being
significantly more impactful than he was during his first half season there. And Gordon
has been the guy every season with the Orlando Magic, where in the off
season he was a breakout candidate because he still saw that tantalizing athleticism. You
still saw that they'd been working on his skills at the three, handling the
ball more, trying to make sure that he could have this super versatile role,
and it just never panned out. And I think this is the first
time, you know, I don't think that he deserves to be mentioned.
I just think it's interesting to note that it feels like this is the first
offseason and forever that he's not a candidate for this. I think probably because
even the best version of Aaron Gordon on this team is just not going to
have the offensive agency that he did with her. I agree, I agree
they could. I guess without Jamal Murray. If you just said we're gonna
put the ball in your hands and see if you could do anything, because
we need someone else other than Michael Porter Junior to do that, that would
be there's like maybe there is another level to his offense, but he would
not be my pick. I'd have to go with Michael Porter Junior like you
did, just because he could. I don't know if he could enter the
All Star conversation this year. I guess Kali's injured without Jamal Murray. I
think he can. I mean he's gonna average before Murray returns, he's probably
averaging twenty two twenty three points a game, which is what he did during
the last three months of the season. I'm just trying to think of like
the rest of the All Star field, and specifically like the forward spots,
from court spots, wherever you want to call it. So, but it
wouldn't You're right, he'll probably be within that discussion, maybe because that won't
surprise me. Is why I decided to break our rookie rule without even realizing
that I was breaking said rookie will and I felt like I was breaking that
not making a super obvious pick rule too. The Denver team construction is just
a little weird. He does seem like on the level of an Anthony Like
if you expect Anthony Edwards to go kaboon, like you better expect Michael Porter
Junior into the same Yeah, yeah, I think that's fair. But let's
move on to the Golden State Warriors, which I thought was an another difficult
one because of the age of the roster. I thought about Wantascano Anderson because
he's awesome and super fun, and I just don't know the extent to which
the NBA watching world knows about him. But I think almost out of necessity,
Jordan Pool should be the choice here. I think it's telling that the
Warriors didn't opt to add any proven guard depth because that's a vote of confidence
in his direction. Even if I don't agree with said vote of confidence,
I'm still not sold on Jordan Pool being anything better than like a usable backup.
But I think that the role he's going to have to fill for this
Golden State team means that he is going to average significantly bigger numbers. I
promise I was not paid to say this by our friend and friend of the
podcast, Jacob Borne Well or sections of Warriors Twitter that went after me because
when I made fun of the look, here's these are the facts. I'm
not saying he should break out. I'm saying that he might out of necessity
because the front office has confidence in him. That is my problem, the
fact that Jordan Pools does break out necessity right here. He showed, He
showed a lot. I would even say it both ends the floor. You
look at the second half of the season, what he was doing as a
finisher around the rim, shooting fairly well from three. My issue is you're
the Warriors. You watched your team rank in the third percentile of offensive efficiency
when Stephen Curry was off the court. You responded to that lack of a
secondary shock creation by acquiring zero secondary shot creating over the off season. That
is mine melting to me. And people responded when I pointed out out saying,
Jordan pool is literally secondary shock creation. Dan, you just you have
to remember that you have to take the ownership's bank accounts into account. Fuck
the ownership, you got it. You need to be more sympathetic towards these
billionaires man. And look, part of me is like, who else were
they supposed to get If they weren't going to get Patty Mills, they weren't
going to get anyone whose EON's better. But I would just like to point
out that I want to know what's going to change throughout all this the Warriors
when Jordan Pool play without Stephen Curry last year one or two point three offensive
rating that is in the sixth percentile. That's no offense to Jordan Pool.
I don't trust him if you want him, he's at backup point guard right
now, So you're right. I think he has to break out. I
think he has the potential to break out, but the fact that they're in
a situation, even with Clay coming back, where you need Jordan Pool to
break out. Unless Jonathan Kaminga is going to be great from day one,
which I'd argue he's not going to be as a creator, that's a precarious
position to be in. My pick is want to Scano Anderson, as I
think one of the foremost drivers of the want to Scano Anderson vandwagon. I
might be higher on him than Warriors fans are. I think I've seen a
lot of criticism about this isn't someone who's gonna shoot in volume, but he
does a lot of like offensive stuff efficiently, and there's a variety of it.
Yeah, you'd like to see him shoot more threes, but he shot
basically. I think he was at thirty nine percent last year, maybe he
was at over forty percent can't remember at the moment, forty point two percent
only took ninety two of them. I get it, but he also was
in the seventieth percentile of efficiency on cuts. He could just be using a
lot of different ways. I do think he's sort of and they have Otto
Porter now to help do this, maybe with some of the lineups, depending
on where Moses Moody plays or with Andre Gadala. I don't know how they're
going to work those minutes, but he seems like the guy to put it
the four right now, where you're gonna have Draymond Green at the five and
the Warriors hashtag annihilated opponents when Jta played the four with Raymond Green at the
five. He can cover a lot of different ground defensively. And I looked
this up on Basketball Index. There are two hundred and fifty plus players who
logged at least one thousand minutes last season. Want tosconald Anderson ranked thirteenth in
their positional versatility metric on defense. Now, versatility does not inform effectiveness,
but I actually think he is pretty effective to the to the to the degree
of you can play want asconald Anderson at the four and Raymond Green at the
five, and your defense can still be function. You're not because you're giving
up all this size else where. Yeah, you're not gonna help Raymond Green
with the wear and tear. Ideally he would play with someone maybe like a
Paul Millsap who can guard some of the five so that Draymond can do drap
more Draymond things. Maybe that's why they might favor Otto Porter because they view
him as that type of just burlier body where Jta is more just slender.
I think they still need him to be a pretty important player. He's also
at risk though, because I don't know what his role is on this team
following the additions of Andre Goodala Moses Moody, who I think is when you
look at Golden State's three primary youngsters, Moses Moody, Jonathan Cominga, and
James Wiseman, I think Moses Moody's probably the most immediately important, like long
term, it's Cominga and probably even Wiseman's more important. But who's most likely
to help this team next year Probably Moody, but Moody even with Cominga,
you want to throw that in, you had Otto Porter. Junior Clay is
gonna come back, you got Andre Gadala. I don't know what they're gonna
do with Montescano Anderson. I think he needs to be a fixture in this
rotation, and I would like to see him actually play more than the eleven
one hundred h minutes that he played last year, because I think that's a
really good, smart, fundamentally sound basketball player. Did you give any consideration
to James Weisman here, because I will admit that I did not. I
just he's coming off the torminous gus and what does that do. He couldn't
participate in summer lygue obviously, how like how much has he been allowed to
work out over the off season? How much can he do once training camp
opens up? And I still just come back to the fact that forget about
the Warriors willingness to run pick and roll with him. If you have James
Wiseman on your team, run more motherfucking pick and rolls. But when Draymond
Green is on the court, I just don't see how it works between them
offensively. And I do think Draymond Green might be important to helping Wiseman defensively,
and so I'm not trying to crapp all over Draymond Green, but just
I don't understand how it works. And then like, if you ever have
Draymond and Andre Goadala on the court at the same time, you can't have
James Wiseman as a part of those lineups. They just can't very much,
very much. Think Weisman could still turn into an All star gown the road,
it's not going to happen with this team construction. If that happens,
it's because he continues to develop and the Warriors have moved on from the steph
Clay dre Era. I will say, as someone pointed out to me,
if you can play Draymond and Cavon Looney together, why can't Wiseman and Draymond
be the same way? I would counter with one, healthy Cavon Looney is
way better defensively than James Wiseman is and two better hands too, And two
what are you expecting from Cavon Looney on offense? You're not. There's just
no expectation there really, And James Wiseman is more of a presence. His
biggest, most of his utility right now is going to come on the offensive
end. And so I think that's the difference there, and the hands,
Yeah, uh stone hands, or maybe the basketball's coded and Chris go I
don't know, maybe both the Rockets are the next team up. It's it's
kind of a shame that we excluded rookies except from when I went rogue and
picked the Busy Bones on accident, because they just have four really intriguing rookies.
When you look at Alpah and Shangoon Jalen Green obviously I'm a big fan
of Usman Gruba, and then Josh Christopher, it just looks like he's going
to be a human menace. I think the popular pick here would probably be
to default towards Kevin Porter Jr. I'm going the route of Jay Shawn Tate
here. I'm very curious to see what this dude looks like offensively next season.
He already kind of has like a little bit of an fu to his
offense where he can attack finished through contact at the rim if he starts,
and this is how visualizing his breakup. Let's say he shoots week average or
thirty five percent from three unfair to fairly high volume. He is like one
of the most valuable non star weapons in the league. And I think I
don't know that I saw enough of his jumper to believe that it's gonna get
a lot better. But I'm just looking at all these different weapons that the
Rockets have now in the Shock Creators, where Eric Gordon, John Wall,
Jalen Green, even just Josh Christopher with the pace that he plays at when
the balls in his hands, Christian would getting me attention when he's on the
inside. I kind of think that we just might see another level of complimentary
offense from him, and you combine that with what he's already doing defensively or
already did defensively for them. I don't know that his ceiling is much higher
than it is now, but if this is a dude who comes closer to
shouldn't be average from three, he's just one of the upper echelon three in
D non stars in the league, And given that he's only going to be
a sophomore, even though he's on the older end, I felt compelled to
really pick him. I love watching him. He's so easy to root for,
so I really I like the pick. I would also encourage anyone listening
to go check out Your Invaders piece on him on the Ringer because she has
written a lot of great articles over the years, and that is in the
top tier in my opinion. After you read that, it's just impossible not
to root for Jay Shawn Tap. I'm still with Kevin Porter Jr. I
knew it was going to be the popular pick. I'm just I'm convinced that
this guy is in the All Star conversation down the road, not this coming
season. But like I think that I design damp I am, I also
think that the All Star Game should expand because there are so many players who
deserve to be in the discussion. That's an excellent point. When he was
in the starting lineup for twenty three games last year, seventeen point nine points,
four point rebounds, six point five assist per game. He wasn't particularly
efficient. The Rockets got slaughtered in those minutes. But this is a young
team that was learning, and he is just so good but not great in
so many areas like you can see the flashes of the off ball slashing ability,
you can see flashes of the off ball juice, of the catch and
shoot ability, of the pull up jumper ability, of the transition pross.
You know, the list goes on and on. He's not he does not
yet excel in any area. But I will one be willing to bet on
guys who have already shown this level of improvement and seem to have such a
high ceiling across the board. If he hits in two of those areas,
we're talking about a very valuable player. If he hits on four of those
areas, he's in the All Star conversation. What if he hits on all
of them. That's a pretty big what if. So I know it's unlikely,
but there are few players who that's still at least a somewhat realistic possibility.
Like if you go, if you look at X number of players his
age or younger, you're going to get discratched a lot of really good names
off that list. Yeah, and look, I don't fault you for picking
the popular pick. That's not I wasn't subtly throwing shade before I knew who
you're selected. Why wouldn't you pick the guy who has always kind of shown
that off the dribble flash? But there was like substance and refinement to his
decision making in Houston a lot of the times that even though I still think
he's going to have some pretty low lows, his peaks are gonna be pretty
damn hig. I definitely think it's possible. I am curious to see how
the complexion of the team might impact what he does. If John Wallas healthy,
if Eric Gordon's healthy, you have Jail and Green there now, plus
Christian would does that sort of dilute what he's doing. My guests would be
that one John Walla doesn't stay healthy, but mostly too. I don't think
Eric Gordon finishes the season in Houston, and so maybe they sort of open
his runway. I think for Jay Shawn Tait in his role, there's gonna
be more opportunity for him to grow than I could kind of see Kevin Porter
Junior's utility shrinking just by virtue of everyone in the Rockets have around him.
I can see that for sure. I'm just I have to be on the
upside that's driven by talent here. I just think there's way more room to
grow. But that brings us to the Los Angeles Clippers, which felt like
kind of a by default one Eric Yeah, I got you, Yeah,
definitely. Eric Bloods was between him and Yogi Ferrell, right they signed Jogi
Ferrell. I think, so, all right, Well, I'm looking at
him on multiple depth charts. So unless I'm giving false information to the world
here, well then it's obviously him. But yeah, I mean it was
serious, That's what it is, So you're right, yeah, But anyway,
carry in all seriousness, it felt like it had to be between Luke
Kennard and Terrence Man, and I'm going to go with Man. Based on
the three point shooting and the shot creation that we saw in the playoffs,
I can see him carving out a significantly bigger role while Kawhi Leonard is out
of action and not really seating a spot in the rotation. I think Kennard
is still more of a specialty weapon meant to be deployed in smaller spurts,
and I think that Man can legitimately become a part of this team's core.
Am I confident in that? No, not really. There's way too much
volatility to his game. It's been far too small a sample of him playing
at a well above replacement level level. But I just don't know who else
to pick here, especially because we're not picking rookies. They had sneaky,
just a really good draft. I thought the Nicks should have taken the swing
on Keyan Johnson. They did not. I love that from the Clippers.
Maybe he actually gets playing time with Kawai out, can't pick him Brandon Boston
Junior. That was another guy just sort of a two three that that's going
to give you, like a lot of different types of looks, and I'd
be curious to see. I doubt he gets real playing time, but I
thought it was a really nice pick. And I think it was the fifties
if I'm not mistaken, And yeah, so it has to be Jo.
I really like Jason Preston. I don't know enough about him in full disclosure,
but I do agree that I think maybe if you really had faith,
you could go with Justice Winslow here because there will maybe be minutes for him
if they don't want to play Keyon Johnson, if they don't want to play
Brandon Boston Junior Kauai's out, there might be some minutes up for grabs there.
I just even when Justice Winslow was at his best, he need to
have a ball in his hands on offense without actually hitting off the dribble jumpers.
And that's tough for me to buy into. Even if you like the
defensive versatility, which I think is fine, and we have more evidence that
he's not going to hit a high percentage of his catching shoe jumpers than we
do that he will. And even when he did that year in Miami,
he wasn't taking a ton of them like it's and I'm not saying he needs
to take a ton of them, but that's why i'd see her away from
him with parent's man. The only thing I'd add with you is I absolutely
think he like you as a chance to become part of the core, and
I would probably even bet on it happening, just because I think he also
showed that he can kind of duck in and do some nice things off the
ball. On offense, what's really gonna be key for him, and that's
actually gonna be easier next season or the following season. After next season when
Kauai is back and you have Paul George there. His defense is just not
at the level that it probably needs to be. He'll compete, but he's
not necessarily huge, and he's not you know, he can there's some ball
watching there with him. I'm curious to see what type of defen of matchups
he pulls this season and what types of lineups he's working in. But the
offensive opportunity should be there, because even with bringing back Reggie Jackson, even
if you're trading for Eric Bledsoe, even after having Luke Kennard. I think
he I think he's a fine candidate. He had some nice stretches last year
at the Clippers, but he also had these protracted periods of the Clippers don't
even want to play him, and so that's yeah, and that's why he
seems too risky of a pick. And I think he's limited more way more
limited, i'll say, on defense than Terrence Mann. So maybe we just
see a lot of improvement from Terence Mann on defense this year. Certain he's
young enough, he doesn't have that NBA experience to where you can say,
oh, he's not going to improve if I had to, like actually make
the Bowl prediction. I view Terrence Mann as a part of their corps,
and maybe I'm overreacting to what we saw on the playoffs, but I think
he ends up being just a great kind of guy who can taggle between different
things on offense. And if you have a Kawai and Paul George healthy at
the same time, like all of a sudden, his defense just isn't as
problematic and it might verge on not bad. So I'm very curious to see
what he looks like two or three years from now. The offensive opportunity next
season, though, I think, is the primary jet fuel for his selection
here. Based on the hot takes I've thrown out about future All Star candidates,
I feel like you need to go bolder than that. That was that
was lukewarm at best. Well, then you're gonna love this. We're moving
on to the Los Angeles Lakers, and I toyed with picking the league Monk
here because they are so devoid of off the dribble jump shooting. They are
just who is right now, who's the best off the dribble jump shooter around
the Lakers? It's probably Lebron. It's probably Lebron. Yeah. After Lebron,
though, who is it? Maybe Dwight Howard, DeAndre Jordan, maybe
Marc Gasol For the next three days, Oh man, what is yeah?
There? I can't with the Lakers in the front court, But anyway,
I don't know how much of an opportunity the guys who are actually I think
the three options here to me a Malik Monk talent, Horton Tucker, and
Kendrick Nunn, who among them is actually gonna have the opportunity to play.
I'm gonna go with town Horton Tucker just because of the investment they have in
him with the new new deal that he got. He's not an off the
dribble jump shooter. He started hitting jump shots for a little bit last year.
It wasn't a huge sample size, and it's not the confidence level.
It definitely wasn't three pointers. If he can hit some set threes or if
those hurky jerky drives of his and he can hit some just fades. But
he's also gonna just gonna give you he's a fairly good passer. He'll be
able to do stuff closer to the basket, and then his defensive valuability is
is pretty in line with how the Lakers might want to play in certain lineups.
I don't ever want to see him on the court at the same time
as Russell Westbrook. I will tell you that right now. But he's just
my guy by default, and I actually I do believe in him as a
breakout candidate for him even if the jumper never comes. It feels like there's
a hyper disruptive, super useful defensive player there who can give you some bad
and yeah, and they half his body doesn't make sense you look at it.
It's just so ridiculously long. My question is, I think, as
it would be for anyone who you pick on this team, what is the
role here right now? I do think they are more invested in him than
any of the other potential breakout candidates though, and the other thing they might
need his defense when you look at all they gave up this offseason. Can
Tabe is called well, Pope gone, Kyle Kuzma turned to a pretty good
positional defender gone. They have not No one has signed Wes Matthews to this
point, by the way, if I'm not mistaken, so as of right
now he's not there. You have mellow No, that's not helping you defensively.
Trevor reas Up maybe helps you defensively, but that's really not saying much
like he's just super old and kind of needs to defend these bigger, slower
wings at the moment. So you might need town Horton, Tucker and addition
to Davis and the way that Lebron has been defending to kind of prop up
this top tier defense, which I would argue maybe the Lakers won't be anymore.
It's possible just because Ante Davis is a freak and I think he is
still underrated defensively. That's a different podcast, though, but you might just
need Tailn Horton Tucker defensively a lot more than you did last season. The
only thing I would really add is, of those three again the only realistic
candidates, who has the most room for growth. I think that's the only
thing that was not explicitly mentioned, because we know what Kendrick Nunn is at
this point. He's not going to blossom into something he's not. And I
think the same is true about Malik Monk, probably a little bit to a
lesser extent, but he basically topped out on what we're going to expect with
the Charlotte Hornets last year, and he's certainly not going to get the opportunities
to continue showing growth on the offensive end because there just aren't enough shots to
go around. So, just by virtue of realistic growth opportunities, I think
it has to be Tailing, Horton Tucker. And then you couple that with
the investments made in these players, I mean Kendrick Nunn and Malik Monk coming
aboard on short. I believe one year deals for both of them. Taylor
Horton Tucker was a big resigned candidate, and that alone says a lot.
Yeah, And if you had to pick between the other two, none in
Monk, I think I would go with I think I would go with None
because I do feel like the Lakers are quickly going to realize how unplayable Rajon
Rondo is, so there will be an opportunity to be the primary backup point
guard, and he's going to give you more of that than the league Monk.
And I think Monk, if you want, I guess even Kendrick None
off the dribble shooting might even be better. Ah, I don't know.
If you got to go, if you're looking at strictly off the dribble self
creation, it's probably None. Still, I think he probably is more.
I'd probably trust Monk more as an off the dribble job shooter, but I
think Kendrick Nunn is more likely to score at all three levels. If that
makes any sense, Yeah, it does, it does for sure. With
that, I think we can already move on to the Memphis Grizzlies. Felt
like there were a lot of candidates here, just because this roster does have
so many intriguing pieces, and one if Dylan Brooks continues the offensive ascension that
we saw in Spurts during the playoffs, I don't offensive ascension continued. He
had one great game on offense, which is a lot more than he previously
had. Well believe that, by definition is an ascension. I think if
you have to pick him, you probably need to pick him for another team,
though I don't think he finishes the season of Memphis, but fair enough
do Anthony Melton long been one of the more underrated players. I think he
is a totally viable choice. What if Jarrett Culver finally does something. What
if Jaren Jackson Junior stays healthy and starts to live up to that potential?
John Morant is a perfectly reasonable pick. But I'm going with Desmond Baine because
I is he reasonable in the sense that we weren't picking Anthy Edwards all melbow
ball if you're picking Michael Porter Junior. Yeah, I'm just I'm staying away
from more obvious ones with I guess I just view him as already a star,
like I don't just not an all star. He hasn't been an All
Star, but I view him already in that vein, whereas Michael still needs
to crack the click, which is which is why I was willing to pick
Michael Porter Jr. Right, I'm just I don't even picked John rand But
I almost feel like saying break unless you're saying he's going to break out into
an MVP candidate. I feel like it's almost insulting to how good he actually
is. Totally fair, I rescind the consideration all tell me more about Xavier
Tillman. But Desmond Bane, I think he is a very realistic choice to
fill a lot of the vacated minutes when Grayson Allen left. Just an awesome
three and D guy, and even if he stays fully within that role with
more minutes, there is going to be a lot more recognition that he is
one of the bigger draft steals we've seen in the last few years, because
the three point stroke is ridiculously talented in so many different situations as a trailer
and transition catch and shoot on relocations out of the corners, little bit off
the dribble every once in a while, and then the defense, the versatility,
the length, the aggression. He is just he is that guy in
that mold, and I think that the opportunity is there for him to play
a more prominent role within the rotation, especially if, as you think,
Dylan Brooks and or Kyle Anderson is moved at some point during the season.
There's even more of an opportunity. My pick is Desmond Bane as well,
and I do think there are a lot of candidates here. I really want
Jared Colver to work out. I just don't know if he has the way
he wants to play on offense. I don't know if he has the speed
up to do that anyway, And I want to pick Jared Jackson Jr.
I just thought about it for sure, and I think he's a viable pick.
This is not someone who has been the Michael Porter Jr. And the
anti Edwards territory. And it's not even just because he wasn't healthy last year.
Just defensively, got to keep his hands to hisself, proved that he
could defend the five, and you probably need to see more various to him
on offense anyway. Echo everything you said about Desmond Baine. I don't want
to read too much in the summer League because of how the ross there's a
built there. This day, he was dribbling into threes, he was freezing
defenses while attacking at varying speeds. He gave him a lot of secondary playmaking.
I would almost advocate based on how Memphis has sort of burned down the
playoff trajectory. It seems like get rid of whoever you need to get rid
of so you can clear minutes. For one, Ziere Williams, because I'm
officially in love with him after some really two, but also Desmond Bain,
for I want to see on ball Desmond Bain, I get get rid of
Tias Jones trade, the Anthony Melton trade, Dylan Brooks trade, coliners,
whoever you need to get the ball in Desmond Bain's hands more. I need
to see it. I'm sold on him not even being able to optimize himself
within the role that you described. I'm on the as high as people aren't
a deep Bay and his ball skills, I think Desmond Baine is a higher
ceiling than it's a deep Bay on offense. And I'm talking substantially just after
watching what he's able to do with the ball in his hands. I hope
he gets that opportunity in Memphis this season because if he does, our argue,
you cannot talk me in to anyone else on this roster, and that
includes Jarreen Jackson Jr. Not saying he'll be better necessarily because I think Jarret
Jackson Junior is more of an anomaly in his position. YadA, YadA,
YadA. I am all aboard the Desmond Baye bandwagon. I don't plan on
deplaning anytime soon. I know you're supposed to start for the Minnesota Timberwolves,
but I just want to preface that team by saying that in my notes,
I wrote down Anthony Edwards is too obvious, even if he's the right choice
going with, and then realize that I never came back to it. My
pick would have been Jaden McDaniels, and I know that's going to be your
pick, so I seed all of my talking to you in this section.
Jaden McDaniels is a fucking stunt. I've been cussing too much on his podcast
apology. I love that you didn't even need to react to that because we
both knew that I was right. Yeah, it was I was almost I
thought you were going to go into a jade McDaniel spield, and I was
like, did he really just break out Candida Jack me like that when he
knows how I feel about Jamee McDaniels. No, it just it worked out
so perfectly that I don't have anything prepared for this one and I know that
you deal they So where I diverge with the Timberwolves is they seem to think
that he can't hold up defensively at the four, which is why they've been
obsessing over not just Ben Simmons, but they were linked to John Collins,
they were linked to lowry marketing, two guys who I would argue aren't going
to be better than Jamee McDaniels at the four anyway. I think he can
give you defense at the two, three four. I'm just more intrigued by
his offense as someone who I think can finish through straight line drives. Has
already shown hill hit threes at a moderate clip off the catch what we saw
from him in Summer League too. I don't want to read too much into
it. There's more ball skills there. He has directionality in traffic. They
really treated him like a point wing throughout Summer League. You're not going to
do that on the actual Timberwolves, because you have Anthony Edwards, Willie Beasley,
D'Angelo Russell, even Karl Anthony Towns. Oh I would argue at this
point, I'd probably rather put this is this is an exaggeration, But if
Patrick Beverley is going to be your backup point guard, like maybe just darting
those lineups, let's let Jay McDaniels be the point forward. I don't trust
Patrick Beverley with the ball in his hands on offense is basically what I'm saying,
and who he might be traded again at this point, who knows he
is the fact that there are more layers to his offense. My main point
is that's a pretty big friggin deal because he's already shown that he can fill
gaps, run the floor, slip through cracks in the in the defense and
the half court, hit the set threes like I talked to. But if
you can put the ball in his hands and count him to do more than
just attack in a straight line, you have an instantly really good player at
one of the most desirable sought after positions in the league. Whether you view
him as a three or four, I think he can just shuffle somewhere in
between, especially now. I love the idea of lineups though as of now,
just because I don't think they have a bunch of other options, unless
you think I'm assuming they'll restart Jared Vanderbilt, who I would consider picking him
if Jay McDaniels wasn't on this team, or if you'd signed a contract yet.
At this recording, I want to see more Towns and Jay McDaniels as
the five four you can round that out with. I'd probably rather see for
defensive purposes, Patrick Beverley on the court with Anthony Edwards and maybe Malie Beasley
because then you have a nice mix of size. But give me three of
Patrick Beverley, Delo Molik Beasley, and Anthy Edwards with Karl Anthony Cowles Jay
McDaniels in the front court. And I think that base, that lineup base,
it's not gonna make it to move as the playoff team because you need
to fill the minutes around them. That lineup base is so tantalizing. And
I don't know if I've said it enough. I'm in love with Jane McDaniels.
And there's if they win the Ben Simmons Sweek Stakes without giving up D'Angelo
Russell because they're not giving up Edwards, which I would just agree with.
At this point, you play the upside game there. They have to give
up Molik Beasley, but then it's sort of iffy. It's how many picks
are you giving up? Who else is included? Is it Delow? I
would argue that six or should probably want Dlow. I don't think they will.
I think if that deal gets done if and I don't think it does,
I mean maybe it does. I think Jane McDaniels ends up being a
bigger ass reason why than people are crediting, because you can give Philadelphia all
the picks in the world that they can use in other trades for the next
star. I'm going long distance on a team in Minnesota that is not necessarily
proven that it's the best. Even with Gerson Rosas here, it's just he's
taken some risks, but the team is still on spectacular right now. I
would argue that's how high I'm on Jane McDaniels. Is My point is,
I think he can be and it might even be more valuable leading into the
trade deadline if you're looking at candidates to trade four to either get the next
star or really high end four. I don't know that I view him as
a cornerstone type prospect. He's certainly someone who can be the second best asset
in a deal of that magnitude. I really really wish that you had just
left it off after the first time you said how much you love Jade McDaniels,
because then you mentioned Ben Simmons and the trade and ruined the entire joke
that I was going to go for. I was gonna just launch into this
Ben Simmons monologue about how he was the next most likely chance candidate for Minnesota
and just see how long I could get before you were like, what are
you doing here? So then you had to go talking about the trade.
Ben Simmons is a breakout player. Is very insulting, but I'd be here.
I'd be here to listen to it. You. I think you the
moment's ruined though you just you murdered that moment. I will if you want
to get timmer with fans hopes. I can't remember on the last part our
specific Ben Simmons segment, whether you said that you think it's Minnesota or bus
for Ben Simmons at this point is that we said or was at Sacramento.
I think it's either going to be he's in Minnesota at the start of the
season or he's not dealt before the season starts. I'd lean the ladder,
but Minnesota is the one that I think Jade McDaniels helps right away, Malik
Beasley helps right away. And if you're giving picks into the distance because it's
this team and maybe it ends up failing, you have to calculate the fact
that, oh, this team all of a sudden has Karnathy Towns and Ben
Simmons, two potential Top fifteen players who work really well together. I think
that's basketball fit. Why that's the team I want to see Simmons on.
Yeah, I almost don't even care who you give up. Just give me
Simmons and Cat. I would be curious to see what the dynamic between Auntie
Edwards and Simmons is. It'd be similar, I think to what Jimmy Butler
and Simmons were and that didn't work out. Edwards continues on this offensive trajectory,
though I don't think it matters what Simmons does on offense. I think
what the difference is is that and this isn't an insult to Jimmy Butler,
who was a better player than Ben Simmons. The fact that at the Edwards
is not better than Ben Simmons right now probably helps and just hasn't had the
time to establish that type of offensive ego. And he seems just based off
his interviews, like I know people were kind of insulting he's commitment to basketball
coming new league. I feel like he'll just do what it takes to maximize
what the team wants. And that dude is also just fucking hilarious in interviews.
He is a better interview than him, right, No, one,
right now. No, absolutely, It's so great And like it's funny you
say that he hasn't had a time to develop enough of an offensive ego.
Yes he has. Have you listened to him in interviews? He thinks he's
but it's like a it's a mocking eg It was just it was one of
those things where you said, and I was like, that's that sounds a
little weird to say about any Edwards. Like I get it, and I
agree with it, but it just it was it was it was an interesting
choice of words. I guess just the type of character that he is,
and then just based off where he is at his career, it seems like
there can be more of a given take between he and Ben Simmons than a
Jimmy Butler and Ben. And look also the Maniacal where they seem to diverse.
It was Jimmy Butler is like, if you're not getting up at two
thirty in the morning to join me for a three year work out, I
fucking hate you. So, oh my god, we need to I'm gonna
have to put an explicit like parental advisorything on this podcast. This is what
I would say, Like, we're gonna it's gonna be demonetized on YouTube,
except we don't have enough subscribers yet to monetize it. So everyone just go
subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks YouTube channel. Look after watching my mouth and only
cursing once with Davy in the Vicinity of your Son in Colorado while I was
there a couple of weeks ago, I'm just letting it all out. I'm
catching up for lost time. That's totally fine. Did you like my super
organic plug? Yes? I don't think anyone is going to notice that we
had an agenda there, Like there's it will not it will just fly right
under the radar. Hopefully we just get a bunch of Timberwolves fans that subscribe
to the YouTube because we love Anthony Edwards. We want the timbolve with the
trade Ben's immage. We think Jane McDaniels is a future top five player of
all time. Let's move on to the next team, which is yours,
and I won't hijacket because I'm not as selfish as you are like you did
with the Timberwolves. It's the New Orleans Pelicans. And this was a confusing
one because I at once felt like there were a bunch of candidates and no
candidates, So I ended up going with DeVante Graham. I think, yeah,
I didn't think that would be a popular pick. Definitely not the conventional
one. It feels like a really ideal situation for him because he has a
phenomenal lob target and transition threat in Zion Williamson. He has a great wing
scorer in Brandon Ingram, who can allow him to serve as a primary creator
sometimes but also work off the ball more. He has never worked as a
cutter. He actually did not register enough possession finishing plays on cuts to register
on the play types within NBA dot Com. So I don't really know that
this would work, but I just feel, given his instincts and his length,
that there's something there. He's not tall, but he is surprisingly long,
and that coupled with the passing vision which is legitimately excellent. Like you
saw that from the very start of his surprising rookie season, where like he
was making advanced reads, advanced passes, they were hitting guys in the right
spots right away. It feels like a good situation for him to re establish
himself as that player we thought he was coming out of his rookie season,
where like, maybe this guy is a legitimate dual threat point guard who can
excel as a scorer, sometimes excel as a passer most of the time.
I love that pick, even though it's not my pick because I loved Devonte
Graham. When you're looking at the twenty nineteen, twenty and twenty season he
had in Charlotte, there is I don't think he's ever going to be a
good finisher. I think we've proven that, but he was among the best
in the league at assists generated near the rim because defenses due respect his dribble
penetration and he had hit off the dribble threes and he meant something to Charlotte's
offense. This is a number that I knew existed, which is why I
was able to look it up so quickly, like you were talking again.
Twenty nineteen, twenty twenty. So it's going back beyond this past season.
But among every single player to log at least seven hundred and fifty minutes,
Devonte Graham had the seventh highest offensive ratings swing in the league, eleven point
two points per one hundred possessions better the Charotte Hornets were when he was on
the court. Offensively, he was so electric, it was so fun.
He was obviously working from a lower baseline. But just consider the names that
are in front of him, Dame kat Trey Young, Devin Booker, CP
three, and Gallo was number one in the league, by the way,
when he was an okay see that year. But yeah, I think he's
a viable candidate, especially because they need him where in Charlotte. It felt
like he wasn't able to do enough, or at least the dynamics changed when
you have LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward in there. Even with Trey Rosiere playing
so well, he's going to have more responsibility, I think, which which
suits him. He's almost one of those players where I think, yeah,
he will hit so many catches, shoot threes, but he does really need
to be involved to get within the flow of the game. I though,
went with Naji Marshall because the Pelicans wing Depp is still just it's all over
the place. I love the Trey Murphy pick. I like Josh Hart still.
I can't believe he only got one guaranteed year, but as someone who
Marshall is someone who could play the three in the four, shoot the three
ball fairly well, matchup defensively at you know, probably three different positions at
this point. And I still think they need him to play, and they're
also when you look on paper, they're not good enough to say, you
know, we can't play him because the didn't have enough experience. You still
need wings. You have Brandon Ingram, you have Trey Murphy, who's a
rookie, you have Josh Hart, and those are your wings. Really,
I don't know. I might might get there, maybe so, but I
mean, like Garrett Temple is there. I'm not putting Garrett Temple ahead though
yes he really I would look, I do think I was with you.
You framed it perfectly. I simultaneously feel like there are a ton of candidates
and not many because I really want to say Kyra Lewis junior. I just
don't know what type of opportunity he has, and he is, he is
a human blur. But you have DeVante Graham, Thomas Hederanski plus points on
had plus who I think is a viable other candidate, Nikkil Alexander Walker,
And so just what does the roles look like there? I just I love
naw someone. I was infatuated with him. He was coming out of the
two thousand and nineteen draft or is that twenty yeah, two twenty draft nineteen?
I think two nineteen, Yeah, yeah, he wasn't in a rookie
this year, so twenty nineteen he just hasn't put it together for me.
On offense is sort of really just all over the place. He does feel
like he has that juice when he's going downhill. Can he piece it together
into something that's cohesive though when you look at his game or can you just
count on him to do that? But then also kind of be more of
a complimentary device, an accessory device. However, you want to frame it.
His game is also sort of wired to be like the ball probably needs
to be in his hands. Maybe this roster is better suited to him getting
more minutes in general, without Eric Blitzo there and without a Lonzo Ball there.
Maybe I don't like, can he take on the Lonzo ball roll but
just have a little bit more on ball creation than the half court That would
be huge for them, And I wouldn't rule it out defensively either. By
the way, he would be my second choice, But I'm going with Marshall
just because I'm not. They have brandon Ingram, they have Josh Hart,
so they have guys that are ahead of him in the depth chart. But
if they are looking to compete for something, how many minutes do they give
to Trey Murphy because if you gnaw, it's sort of a wing or maybe
he plays a lot of two or maybe even some three in certain lineups.
I'm gonna roll the dice on Naji Marshall because I think he's a really good
player that fits like they need plug and play guys. I think because you
have Zion, you have brandon Ingram. Even if Jonas sound Rudis who's kind
of plug and play, but he's also gonna want touches on the offensive end.
And I think you need to cater to the guys at this point who
are going to work their asses off defensively for you, and when you're looking
at this roster, I'm not talking about effectiveness necessarily, but I would argue
you of Josh Hart and then Marshall is just like the guy that's gonna work
and Murphy, those are your three guys that are gonna work their tails off
defensively every single possession. I find it. I don't want to say alarm
made because he did so show some growth, but that neither of us mentioned
Jackson Hayes probably is, you know, a referendum on just how blah the
Pelican sort of seem for next season. But I don't know, maybe he
do. I do want to give a shout out to Winning Gabriel as well.
I don't think that there's a path to him playing enough minutes to be
a true breakout candidate, but I fell in love with his game during the
twenty twenty playoffs for the Portland Trailblazers. He showed a lot of growth as
a shooter and looked a little bit more comfortable, like passing off the short
role wasn't really turning into assists yet. But I think there's still something there.
I think he needs though, and this isn't the roster to do it
is because he can't log minutes. At the three, he needs to be
one of the primary backup fours or even five. I know we'd be under
size there, and I think they're gonna you have Jackson Hayes and you want
to spawn and shootis at the five, maybe they even still like Willie Willie
Herding Gomez is still there, right, maybe they even like him a little
bit better. And again Gabriel size. And then at the four, I'm
hoping they go with more Marshall at the four minutes alongside Brandon Ingram. I
don't maybe they don't do that so winning Gabriel can crack it there. I
just I don't think there's much of a path. But I just I like
him enough as a player still that I want to at least mention him in
this conversation with it. Like you said, there's a ton of candidates and
there's also not at the same time that brings us to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
I'm on fire with the alphabet in this podcast. That's two consecutive podcasts
in a role where I'm just lights out with the alphabet. I think this
is one of those teams where you can go with any sort of candidate.
Anyone who thinks that jermyshe giljis Alexander, I'm writing you off jails. Alexander
is already a star. It's just he's so good. He's by the way
he would he would have been most improved player for me last season if he
didn't get injured. Over Julius Randall, over Jeremy Grant, whoever finished the
finalists there. I'm actually going and I thought about Darius Basley here too,
because he's just He's shown flashes of so many different things. I'm just we've
yet to see him really put it together. You could go with, let's
say post Kaschevski if you want, I'm going to go with ken Rich Williams.
The fact that they didn't bring back Spee, the fact that they traded,
well, they traded Hamauviato four Steed, but the fact that they didn't
really do any thing in free agency for real, the fact that they weren't
involved in any salary dumps at this point. Aside from there was the Keema
Walker Al Horford stuff. But whatever, I think they view him after what
do you get last season as an actual rotation player at the three and the
four shot threees Well can do some things with the ball in his hands,
whether it's in transition or in the half court, and then he just gives
you so much defensive portability. I'm talking someone who can legitimately defend two,
three or four maybe last year or sort of this flash in the pan for
him. But I think you know, when you're looking at the three four
rotation, which is very much up in the air to me, you have
Poku, you have Darius Baisley as sort of your long term investments there,
and I'm just I'm viewing maybe Ludort's part of the three or Shay Jose Alexandrews.
So let's say there's three guys, you have three key pieces when you're
looking at the two, three, four spots in or four. Let's just
go lu Shay, Poku, and Darius Baisley like there are that's four guys
for repositions, even though they can all play a bunch of different areas.
Kendrick Williams is the next most intriguing guy to me after that, and so
there should be plenty of reps within him. If I had to guess where
I think he could take a leap, it's with on ball offense. And
I still think this team has the flexibility to give him more opportunities on the
ball. I know that Shay will be healthy. I know that they have
Tayo Maladone who could be another pick. They have Josh Giddy pass or extraordinaire
who doesn't even really seem like he wants to score. To be honest with
you, I just I think there's more for Kenny. I don't think they'll
feature him, but this is someone who I think they can even if he
plays the same amount of minutes. I think we can see just a noticeable
uptick in the you know, just the overall boundaries of his game. I
think they can be extended everywhere. And I remain after all these years he's
been kind of this fringe roster guy in the NBA for a while, it
feels like maybe he's sort of found a nice long term home or a long
term stock. Maybe he doesn't even finish the season in Oklahoma's get roll anything
out on that front. I don't see it yet from Tao Maladon, but
every other candidate I'm totally on board with. I've liked ken Ridge Williams game
for a long time, would love to see him continue to expand it.
Darius Baisley probably would have been my backup selection, but I did go with
Shay here just because while I recognize that he's already a star, he did
technically qualify for the criteria because he doesn't have an All Star appearance, and
I am similarly high on him and think that we're talking about him as an
All NBA candidate by the end of this season, like the level of growth
he's already shown, just reaping every benefit possible from playing alongside Chris Paul,
expanding his role and not seeing his efficiency suffer for it. Stephen Curry and
Kevin Durant are the only other players last season who average over twenty points and
five assists while shooting as well on two's fifty four point seven percent and three's
forty one point eight percent. And you're laughing because you've realized I'm just reading
your article back to you. SGAs sustained this production, despite more than eighty
seven percent of his made baskets going unassisted, the highest mark among the four
hundred and thirty nine players to appear in at least twenty games. His responsibility
on this Thunder team last year was so ridiculous that as this team gets better
around him, which it's going to because there are so many breakout candidates that
one of them is going to hit, if not multiple candidates. He is
going to get that recognition next season in the most Improved Player race, which
he would have been a fixed yere in had he not gotten hurt last year.
He's going to make an All Star team. He's going to get All
NBA votes. There's still so much room for growth here. I'm not going
to argue with you get I think we've given a nice tug of war or
a nice balance here to where you're willing to pick the breakouts that might go
from fringe stars or actual stars and the megastars, and I'm focusing more on
guys that are maybe bursting onto the team. So I have no arguments.
Che Gelsoxander spectacular. It would not It would only shock me if he's in
the All NBA conversation because the summer. The summer, the thunder is going
to be so deliberately awful. I just don't think he's gonna get that type
of recognition. Are they If they're anywhere near five hundred within twenty games of
the season, Shay Gillissander is getting shut down for the next half decade.
That's what Sam Presty. I just don't know that we're going to see it.
They don't do the same extent now because they have so many picks from
other teams coming in. Yeah, but the problem is is that all of
a sudden, those rocket picks that they've they have two years of no rocket
picks, and the Rockets I think have gotten on an interesting course. The
Clippers next season without Kauai still kind of a middling playoff team. I think
they still package things together at this point to move up in the draft.
I think that we're beyond Yeah, but they couldn't. They could do that
this year off They tried, and they couldn't do that this year, I
think because they don't have that clear cut number two guy, and of everyone
we could have mentioned, whether it was Basley, whether it's Polkachevski, I
mentioned Ken Williams they don't. I don't even know if they like even Josh
Giddy, I don't know if they have the option. I don't think they
do, so I my guest would be no, it won't be as egregious
as it was this past season. And to be fair, he was dealing
with plant or fascio, which is just like that, that's a legitimate shutdown.
He didn't play any He didn't play for Team Canada this year either,
so it was clearly an issue. But I just don't think they're gonna be
goodenough for him to get that. I wouldn't surprise he already had the statistical
credentials to enter that conversation, though your team is the Phoenix Suns. THOUGH
struggled with this one too. I mckill Bridges was my first instinct, and
I get go with your first instinct, and I get it, but I
didn't see enough during the playoffs where I really expected him to become an even
more important offensive fixture, and I just I don't know that we saw that,
and it makes me question what his role is going to be like on
a team that's largely similar. Cameron Johnson is another good option. Jaalen Smith
after his summer League. But I I'm gonna stick with the theme of like
I'm going on the higher trajectory players, I want to go with DeAndre Aden
here. Even though he disappointed in some games in the playoffs, he showed
a lot more upside than we had realized with his defensive ability, where all
of a sudden he was this super impactful interior defender who could switch out to
the perimeter and smaller doses, which is not something that we really expected coming
out of his rookie season. He started to show more flashes of a capable
mid range game, of a consistent post up game. He was more aggressive
on the boards. It wasn't consistent. I don't know that it's going to
be consistent this season, but he is becoming a bigger part of this core
than would have been the case this time last year. And given Chris Paul's
increasing age, and I know that Chris Paul is good enough that he could
be snaking to the opposite elbow and nailing mid range jumpers well into his seventies,
I do think it. Given the postseason success they've already had, they
know this team is good. Now that his role is going to decrease a
little bit, and those opportunities probably go to Aiden, whether he's finishing and
picking rolls instead of just serving as a decoy, are just getting featured more
in the post. I just I think that there's a lot more to plumb
here. Yeah, I don't. I'm not so old on featuring him more
outside of the picking roll I just I didn't see enough of that. He
is making quicker decisions on offense, but I think the moment you ask him
to post up more, maybe face up more, that might go out the
window a little bit. I still he's a very good to be a very
good player. I'm so much higher on Michael Bridge's future though, what he
can do defensively. I think he had a case to be all defense last
year. And I think there's more to plumb with him as well, because
we've seen him hit dribble into some triples, not a ton. We've also
seen him make these passes on the move. I think they could expand that
role for him next year because, and this is a questionable decision in itself,
there's a They are a team that went to the finals last year,
lost four straight to Milwaukee. They didn't do anything to materially upgrade their roster,
which is I think it's a missed opportunity. I know their flexibility was
limited, but they didn't even use all of their mid level exception. And
nobody in the West is running away with the way with it anymore, and
so I think they had the ability to establish themselves as if everyone was always
going to gravitate towards the Lakers. It feels like there could have been a
no brainer, number two option and that they missed the opportunity to actualize that
chance. I might still pick them to come out of the West, but
they need by doing what they did, or maybe doing what they didn't do,
you are banking on internal growth. And when you look at Cam Johnson,
who I think could get better. When you look at Jalalen Smith,
who I think might be able to play an actual role after what I saw
from him in the summer League, when you look at DeAndre Yeah, sure,
McHale Bridges is the bigger offensive swing peace to me as a self creator
or someone who can do more off the dribble, because I don't think he's
ever going to hit these really difficult off the bounds unassisted jumpers. But I
could really see a scenario which Michael Bridges is auging four plus assists per game,
and maybe he's not running conventional pick and roll. Maybe it's just making
quick decisions with the ball. Maybe it's just pumping and driving. We've seen
it from him, and if you can rely on that more, that to
me seems like more of the missing piece than anything else on this roster.
Is that bigger wing who can be featured a little bit more than what mcaal
Bridges was last season. I think it'll be easier to find that balance now
that you have a year of operating with Devin Booker, Cameron Payte, and
Chris Paul altogether, But there's still that usage vacuum on the perimeter, specifically
on the wings at the three four spot. I not sold on DeAndre Ayton
eating up more touches as the center in what in the capacity that I think
they would need him too, And that's I think he's so much further along
defensively than it is offensively, which is a compliment because he told me pretty
good on offense. But I'm still all on on Michael Bridges and this is
the first player I think I've picked. Although I defaulted to MPJ with the
Nuggets after I cheated with Bones Thailand. Of everyone that I've talked about,
if you told me, not necessarily next season, but the next couple of
years, that any of my picks are going to ascend into All Star territory,
it would be, and it would be pretty easily by a fairly substantial
margin. Based on everyone else that I've picked, I still feel like I'm
high on his potential, just less so than you and I just without the
changing construction of this team. I just tend to think that it's Aiden who's
going to be experimented more with. Portland is my team, and there are
only two options here for me. It's na Year Little or Anthony Simmons.
Unless you're coming up with someone else, I'm gonna go with this Yer Little
I Anthony Simons. It seems like there's a flip that switched, a switch
that flips every like late March early April type in the season, like that
part of the schedule. Since the schedule has been different, we're just all
of a sudden starts hitting these off the double jumpers. I just haven't seen
him do anything else aside from that, where I just don't think he's good
I think he's anyone who can hit those tough jumpers has value. But it's
it's like it's one dimensional multidimensionality, if that makes any sense, because he
can score from different levels, different ways, but he's also doing it at
a point in the schedule when like teams are experimenting or resting players, You've
seen enough from him to be like, you know what, they should probably
give him some backup point guard minutes. I think this year, more so
than any other year, they're probably counting on him for that, Like you're
not you have Dennis Smith Junior. Now, they're very intentionally not bringing in
players to fill that role. And they've never done that and I've never done
that. Yeah, that's just been something they don't do. Butnsieur Little battled
injuries, had the COVID stuff last year. Maybe the front court rotations more
closed off now that they do. They did sign Marky's Chris Cody Zeller and
they traded for Larry Dannis Jr. Home run acquisition. By the way,
I love Larry Dana Jr. But like, if you want to go the
small ball five route, I think Little might be better equipped to defend and
Larry NaN's junior at this point. He is also just like deceptively when he's
at full strength, just strong. It feels like he can throw some guys
around. So I feel like he gives you a lot of different options on
defense. And if he's going to be a smaller guy who can score off
catches, I don't want to say rolling to the basket, but maybe cutting
to the basket or just being around the basket making those hustle plays. And
maybe this is the year where we see him stay healthy enough to kind of
establish his no we know him this year. Little is not going to come
in and shoot eighty percent on a bunch of pull up jumpers, but he
shot thirty five percent from three last year on one point seven attempts per game.
Modest volume might be the best way to frame that. So there still
seems like there's the bandwidth to play him. It's smaller now that Larry Nance
Jr. Is there, And when you look at the makeup of the backcourt,
I think you could argue, well, there's more of a runway for
Simons, even if you want to play Norman Powell as your day facto backup
one, just because you have Pawell mccolluman Lillard across three positions, like there's
just going to be inherently more minutes opening up there. And when you look
at the other options, where it's a Ben mackamore, a Tony Snell,
like there's just there's going to be more minutes open for Simon's I think than
to see your little well because of his defensive value, if he can hit
enough of his threes and then again make those hustle plays around the rim,
I still remain kind of intrigued by his future in the league. So I
broke the rules and went with Damian Lillard here, oh ustauss broke out as
left Portland or another city that was a good good in the moment comeback.
No, I mean, obviously I'm not picking Damian Lillard. I also picked
the sire little. He only exceeded twenty minutes in a game nine times this
past season. He averaged ten point eight points per game in those games.
He still has a lot of room to grow as a havoc wreaking defender.
The deflections just haven't been there, which could partially be because of the illness
and injuries last season, or because he's still getting used to defensive rotations.
In the NBA, he hasn't really been featured much as a slasher, but
those are the two areas that he really excelled at in college, and those
were expected to be his primary strengths coming into the NBA. So the fact
that there should be room for growth there and he's already contributing in other unexpected
areas means that there's something more there. I also think it matters that per
the athletics Jason Quick, he didn't participate in summer League because the coaching staff
didn't think he needed to, and that's enough of a vote of confidence that
I think he's going to play a significant role in this rotation, and if
he does with minutes, he has a chance to be very productive. Yeah,
I think the only question there is how what's the extent of that opportunity
after the Larry Dad shoot your trade. I guess you can count on use
of marriage being not healthy enough that they'll will be pockets of playing time available
somewhere. But yeah, for sure, we're on too. The Sacramento Kings,
though, and they are nailing the alphabet. I'm really proud of you.
I think it's because of all the time you spent with my toddler.
It helped you move in the right direction. Yeah, because I had to
look up all the letters, because he is naming all the dinosaurs that I
can't pronounce exactly. I'm hoping I know who you picked here so that I
don't feel compelled to pick him. Good Please carry on, I this might
just be wishful thinking on this one. I'm going with Robert Woodard, so
very quick aside, because this podcast is already too bold. You picked shake
Yo, just how example, Michael, and you're not picking and I'm not
picking Aron Fox. Carry on. I think that Fox's reputation has advanced a
little bit beyond the others. That's part of it. Yeah, because Michael
Porter Jr. And SGA are basically unknowns. I get it. I'm not
saying they're unknowns, but Fox is like already viewed as that guy on his
team. Let the record reflect that, based off Adam's criteria, someone should
pick Daron Fox. I'm not going to because I am so high on the
Aaron Fox already. And I wrote an extensive piece about Breakout I wrote an
extensive piece about Breakout Stars for next year. And I know Darren Fox still
has the jumper element of his game to figure out. He hit enough step
back junker step back jumpers. Some of them might have been junkers. He
hit enough of those step backs just to make me believe that this is the
guy. So Darren Fox has graduated from this conversation. For me, Adam
is very inconsistent. I'm super inconsistent, and that's fine, just like Darren
Foxes jumper woodard is. It's definitely just optimistic thinking on my part. But
I just loved him so much as a prospect, like legitimately thought that he
should have gotten top twenty attention because of his three D up side. He
only played forty five minutes as a rookie, but those traits haven't gone away.
He's still really long and really athletic with a quick first step. He
finishes well around the basket. He's a good spot up shooter. He's comfortable
taking mid range jumpers, mostly of the spot up variety, not really great
off the bounce. He has remarkable lateral quickness. He's comfortable defending and one
on one situations and off the ball. He causes a lot of disruptive plays.
He knows what his role is and he's willing to thrive within it.
I just loved this guy as a prospect, and I don't think that Sacramento
is there yet. So I would love to see experimentation to the point that
you're giving him more than forty five minutes in a season and allowing him to
become a legitimate, high end part of a rotation, because I think that
that's what he can become. Do you know that it's a very unlikely pick,
but I'm just I'm still so high on him as a prospect, which
he still is because again, only forty five minutes as a rookie not a
bad team, obviously, there's nowhere to go but up essentially for his minutes.
But do you think that the opportunity will be there for him to actually
get those minutes this season if they aren't good and start to make trades.
Yeah, I think so, because is Buddy Healed going to finish the season
on the roster? Is Harrison Barn's going to finish the season on the roster
If this isn't a playoff contender, I would argue no, which means that
you're going to end up giving minutes to youngsters. I mean that is that
is fair enough. So my pick is I should pick for Shaun Holmes because
clearly, based off what happened in free agency, people are not aware of
how good that Rashawn Holmes is and it makes me incredibly sad. I would
just like to state, however, I'm going with Tyris Haliburton because I think
people probably think he's low floor, I mean high floor, low ceiling.
I think he's high floor, high ceiling. I don't know if he'll ever
have like the rock explosive from scratch creation. I'm fully believed that he can
run an offense and the fact that he could do it efficiently but also play
off the ball, also be disruptive on defense, get the flexion, hold
his own and one on one not ball watch being the right place on rotations.
Showed all of this as a rookie, and so this is this is
mind willing to me. And I know that some of these are cherry picked,
but the last rookie to match Aaron excuse me, Tyris Haliburton's assist percentage,
steal percentage, block percentage, and true shooting percentage. There was one.
It's only happened one time in NBA history. Can you guess which player
that is. I thought we were going towards Chris Paul until you said block
percentage, Michael fucking Jordan. I know, I know, I cherry picked
those in the sense that there's no like real bench marks. I'm just looking
at what Tyri's Haliburton posted. But the only other rookie in NBA history to
match his assist, steel, block and true shooting percentages was Michael Jordan.
Do I even need to say anything else? Can I rest my case there?
I guess he had a pretty good career. Look, I think there's
room for him to grow grow on the Kings because they haven't done anything to
the roster that's like, oh, his role might be diluted. I know
davey on Mitchell's there. I think what's a I would amit an exception if
you picked him, by the way, because he's just so fun. On
Mitchell, I've said this before about him wears other people's skin as decoration.
But I do think that they're more If anything, having Davion Mitchell either makes
it more likely that Buddy heals minutes get squeezed because they play a lot of
three guard lineups, or just more they're more inclined to move Buddy Healed,
which clearly it seems like they are given what almost happened with the Lakers.
So Tyrus Aliberton really good. I would assume it'll only get better if you're
looking for the part of his game where there's the most area for growth.
I think you can look at will they give him more solo time as the
point of attack facilitator or can he just show more from scratch square one shot
making and there were hints of it last year, like he disarmed defenders,
shook a few of them, hit some stepbacks, got around them out of
his sheer guile rather than you know, he's not like the most He's not
wearing a jet pack on his heels. But I love Tyres Haliburton. What
a fantastic pick up by the Kings in the twenty twenty draft. I fully
expect him to ascend eventually into or around All Star territory. He joins Janisan
Dan Kompo as they draft what could have been for the Atlanta Hawks. The
fact that the Knicks didn't take him, or even the Sons. I know
people, the Sons, the Big Nicks not taking him was the most egregious
one. They overthought it because it's like, hey, you haven't had a
guard with skills on offense and forever to build around. Stop overthinking it.
Take Shay Gil just Alexander, Take Tyris Haliburton, but they have a manual
quickly. Tyris Haliburton to me, is going to be way better. Yes,
which brings us to the San Antonio Spurs. It's super tempting to go
with Dejante Murray, Derek White, Devin Vassell because Demarta Rosen is now in
the Chicago Bulls. This is the most we've seen the San Antonio Spurs embrace
more of a youth movement. Those seem like the prominent pieces to get featured.
I'm still going with Kelton Johnson here. I saw Nicias Duncan compare him
to Gerald Wallace once and I just can't unsee it the way that he plays
with that reckless abandon. You know, Gerald Wallace was nicknamed crash. Kelton
Johnson might as well. Like he just does not have an off switch.
He loves playing off the ball. It seems where he thrives as a slasher.
He always attacks the basket. There's a developing pull up game, and
beyond that, He's coming off a summer that he spent with Team USA as
one of the young guys who got to learn from all the stars around him.
Typically we see big strides made from those players because it is not every
day that you get to spend that amount of quality time in a competitive situation
with players of that caliber. So it all lines up for Kelton Johnson becoming
like the guy on this team. For me, yeah, I think you
can go a number of routs there. I don't have anything to add on
me Kelton Johnson front, and he was ultimately my pick looking at the rest
of the roster, though I came very close to picking Trey Jones, more
so than I thought I ever would have, based off what he did in
Summer League. I also think while they are more established players, that you
could go with their Eric White or de Jontay Murray in the sense that the
fact the Spurs weren't more interested in bringing Jamardrosen back without entering a hole on
rebuild because I don't think they're there yet, they've definitely skewed that direction.
I do think it shows more trust in their ability to run an offense.
I'm just more intrigued, but I think we've just we know what Jona Murray
is, we know what Derek White is when he's healthy, and I don't
know how much of an extra gear they're going to hit, Whereas with Kelton
Johnson you kind of outlined it. If the three pointers starts to fall a
little bit frequently, if those off the bounce jumpers can hit a little bit,
he ends up being like probably the second best cornerstone, if not the
most important cornerstone on this team. So yeah, he's the pick for me.
I think you could go with Devin Fassel too. I don't think they're
gonna give me on ball opportunity. I think he just plays more minutes and
maybe we're looking at him as just like a you know, a three a
D guy, which is fine. I just don't know how high Kelton Johnson
seems to have the higher ceiling both enroll an actual ceiling. You could probably
go with Jako Pearle here too, if you really wanted to, based on
the rim protection. But absolutely, I think you could also go with Zach
Collins if you think he's gonna be healthy enough to play. So you can't
go with Zach Collins. Wow, that was rue, but I if I
didn't pick Kelvin Johnson, I'm not gonna lie. I would have went with
Trey Jones, who he really He showed a lot at Summer League, so
I think that that's someone if they were you know, I don't know how
married they are to giving Josh Primo minutes right away because he's so young,
and they did sign Bryn Forbes, but for guard play, I'm really hoping
we get to see someone with Trey Jones next year. I also wouldn't really
hate a Keita Bates job pick. Really, you know, there's an opportunity
there now he has. His shot has never really translated to the NBA level,
but I think that his effort level plays well in San Antonio and that
there is more on offense than we've seen so far. The final team was
the toughest team for me. I wanted to break the rule, actively break
the rule, like on purpose, as opposed to accidentally breaking the rule with
Bones Island and pick Jared Butler. I'm not gonna do that because I honestly
don't know what type of an opportunity he'll get there. I will say getting
him at number forty I think has the potential long term to be the steal
of the draft. If they're able to feel if he's able to stay healthy,
and if they actually fit him into the rotation, I'm going to go
with Eric Paschcal here. I think that getting him and getting Rudy Gay shows
that for the minutes Ruego bears on the bench, you may see a lot
of Hassan Whiteside in certain matchups, but Utah does feel a little bit more
willing to go small, and maybe they'll do that by playing Gay and Paschcal
at the same time. A lot in second unit heavy lineups with Pascal gives
you a lot of different shot creation With the ball in his hands, he
wants to get to the mid range, take those baby jumpers. He'll do
some stuff in the post. I don't know if you want him playing and
defending the five. I would argue you probably, but he is kind of
girthy enough to defend fours and fives. And if he's someone that you look
at and you just look at the shot quality that the Jazz generate for their
their players, and I would say not named Donovan Mitchell, since he's tasked
with so much square one shot making, it would not surprise me if we
see Pascal's three point volume and percentage go up, I don't expect him to
play a major role. He averaged seventeen point four minutes and forty appearances with
the Warriors last year. I would take the under on those minutes. I
don't really know what to do with the appearances. Part of that. They
just have so few candidates because they are they might be the most established team
in all of basketball, which is a testament to how actually good they are.
I think if you forced me to pick which team is gonna have the
best regular season record right now, I'm going with the Jazz again. They're
just built that way, and I totally think that you should. This was
a really hard one because I don't really see that much of a path to
playing time for Pascal. That's the only concern I have there, even though
he is a player that I have thought can thrive in an off the bench
role as that energy, offensive spark for a while. Royce O'Neil is another
guy I looked at, but I don't know how much we're going to see
him make a jump. So I had to go with a deep cut here
and went with Udoka Azabuki because he can play over us on light side.
I'm getting there. So he only played fifty seven minutes as a rookie,
which surprised me because that pick to me in the twenty twenty draft really screamed,
we want a Rudy Gay Simulacrum off the bench because he's not as good
as Rudy Gobert on the defensive end. Let's make that perfectly clear. The
way that he plays is a little bit similar, where he has so much
length around the rim. He's a great rim protecting option. He's comfortable funneling
guys toward him. He's competent enough defending on the perimeter because he can recover
well. It seemed really similar to the way that Gobert plays defense. But
Derrick Favors was there, So Derrick Favors is no longer there. Hassan Whiteside
is how quickly, and I do think that signing can work if Hassan Whiteside
embraces that kind of role, learns from Gobert, who is by far the
best defensive big he's played with to this point in his career. But there
is a realistic scenario in which Whiteside isn't playable because much like in other locations.
He doesn't have the discipline, he may not stay healthy, whatever the
case may be, there is a path to him not being in the rotation,
and Ozabuki can fill that role. So I don't think it's likely.
But on a team where I just didn't feel like there was an option,
I felt comfortable going that route. It would be wild if they just decided
to put the ball on Royce O'Neill's hands more on offense before then they tried
that before Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson were really there two let's say, varying
effect, and it really just wasn't that great. I just think he's already
too good to be a breakout candidate. We know what he is on defense
and he just really fills look the crevices nicely on offense. That's an interesting
angle with as a bookie, and I guess what you could say one you
can't the song White signing was objectively good. It was, but he isn't
guaranteed to go well well and no, here's so what you made an interesting
point is that there are second units. I would say with increasing frequency,
there are more second units. Is the best way to frame it that are
downsizing. Maybe they don't downsize and they're starting line up, they're downsizing in
their second unit. A sun Whiteside can't play during those minutes. If you
think, as a bookie is more likely to do that, I would argue
I was making that same argument basically with Pascal and Gay, where I think
that maybe that at your front court, because they're gonna go up against a
lot of pocket sized lineups in the in the second unit. But that's an
interesting way to frame it, and I almost would argue had had a sound
Whiteside cost any more than the minimum, which for the jazz, he really
couldn't have. When you unless they were going to use their non tax payersman
level on him, excumeing their taxplayer has been level on him, which they
didn't, I might have like I might prefer to take some swings behind Gobert
because he plays so many minutes and it's so guaranteed anyway, rather than going
with more of the known with Whiteside, there's value in that. Why not
take a chance as a bookie, or what I was saying with just see
what happens with the Gay past gal minutes, which is in part why I
went with Eric Pascal there I do. The way you're friended as a booky's
super interesting though, and there's you know, could you have picked anyone aside
from as a bookie or Pash Gallen is maybe O'Neill because of how you mentioned
Yeah, only if they're trying to experiment like Quinn. Snyder hasn't really messed
around with schemes like we've seen an Eric Spoelstra do during the regular season if
he decided to, because he knows how good this team is and how it
can just out talent its way to a playoff birth regardless of what it's doing
schematically. There is a scenario I can see in which O'Neill is a did
more ball handling opportunities and gets to see if he can expand his role.
But you'll notice I didn't pick him because I don't think it's going to happen.
Yeah, I just I think one would be the third best guy,
and I won't even pick him just because I think I'd rather see them just
go all in on Jared Butler as a rookie event than with him. This
was a great podcast. We had a lot of fun with it. We
love these doing these types of exercises where we do something and go through every
NBA team. If you have not already, please please pretty please remember to
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next time, we with the shout out to the one the only the breakout
candidate for the Los Angeles Lakers, because he currently doesn't have a team,
the Lakers don't have a good amount of breakout candidate options. Frankie Lakina