What is krack lacking fellow thermonuclear a effort, I am a damp of alley
coming at you with another palmark mail back before we count the ball. In
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a long way. With all of that said, though, let's get into
this mail back of a lot of questions. I'm gonna try and get through.
I'd like to get through all of them, but we know how wordy
I can be, and we got a ton. I'm always very overwhelmed by
how good great our discord users are with the questions. And so this first
one comes from an actually Twitter. I have one Twitter solicitated mailbag question from
this time. I don't know why I'm saying solicitation. I had a question
on Twitter that I will answer here comes from unbiased Rockets fans. Kings no
defense, great offense is a lot like people describe the MAVs post Kyrie trade.
So why aren't the MAVs like the Kings? Now? Why so much
worse? Lots of quote value judgments, Oh my god, no analysis of
what is happening on the floor, good old bad dy. Why are the
MAVs not like the Kings? I don't really know about the understand the value
judgment part of this, but I will say, you know what's happening with
the MAVs right now. It's not really just about the post Kyrie trade.
This was kind of their identity before the Kyrie Irving trade and getting rid of
your best perimeter defender and then just someone who's a bigger guard in Spencer Dinwiddie.
I do think that exacerbated some of your issues. And now you're left
also post Maxi Kleba injury and his return and trying to just scramble and figure
out the center rotation. Should we play Val McGee. Christian Wood's clearly not
long for this team. Maxic Lee does not look great following his return from
that hamstring surgery and what separates them from the Kings, just aside from the
vibes, is I think Sacramento One is going to play a lot faster,
including on the defensive end, Like I feel like there's more. I don't
want to say effort there and I do. The other thing to note here
is that the MAVs low lights are probably lower than the Kings. Is when
you look at just some of their really bad transition defensive sets. They are
not the worst transition defense in the league, but when you have Luca don
Chi on the court with Kyrie Irving especially, those numbers have not been great
in transition defense, and that just paints a really bleak picture of the MAVs.
But the Kings, they do, they scramble a lot faster on defense.
They are one of the best in the league at forcing opponents deep into
the shot clock. I think that their opponents have like the fourth longest possessions
in the NBA average offensive possession time, and it is not translated to an
efficient defense, so like we can't you know, the Kings are hovering around
the bottom five and points a lot per possession. But there's kind of just
like a blueprint and an energy there where that's felt way off with the Mass
all year, and then again go back and look at some of their low
lights or some of their best lineups, just being so poor at getting back
in transition. The other thing with the Kings is, and this is especially
true when looking at them versus the Maps post Kyrie Irving trade, they're better
at gobbling up the low hanging fruit. They grab defensive rebounds, they're limiting
second chance opportunities. They're not failing a ton and like Dallas is not doing
a good in either of those areas right now. And when you also struggle
on offense at times, whether it's in crunch time and the Mass offense has
been fine with Kyrie and Luke on the court, when you struggle like during
the don Chitchen no Kyrie minutes, if you can't get your defense set because
you're missing shots or your offensive possessions aren't ending, well, that's going to
harm your defense too. And you know, we can look at the margins.
The Mass have lost a lot of close games this year. The Kings
we know, have been the arn Fox specifically been really good in the clutch.
But I think that the MAVs are not being unfairly judged here, and
they're setup is demonstratably worse than the Kings this season because they're not built,
especially now to gobble up that low hanging fruit. And this is all again
you can look in statistically the MAVs defense has not been as bad as the
Kings this year, but there are elements you look at in the King's defense
where I don't want to say that they've overachieved relative to their personnel, but
it's okay, they're at least doing this, And with Dallas it's very much.
It doesn't feel that way. It hasn't for a lot of a season,
but especially since the Kyrie Irving trade and the loss of Dorian Fennie Smith
and as they've gone through an even or it feels like a greater existential crisis
on their their frontline. Another Mavericks question here, which I think I'll have
to make the hook for this podcast because it's it's so spicy. Alex John
Alvarez s It's been speculated that the MAVs have been keeping an eye on Luca's
ability to lead and play with Kyrie post trade deadline, between his body language,
the losing record, missing the playoffs, is it ridiculous to think the
MAVs could trade Luke and keep the other star they have in the building in
Kyrie, before letting Kyrie walk for nothing after trading so much to get him.
I lean towards no way in hell do they trade Luca. But their
lack of assets makes this situation very interesting for the future, so I would
give it a I guess I should never say never, but it would be
like a point zero zero zero zero zero one chance that Kyrie Irving is kept
over Luca donches before next season. And the thing to remember here, too
is that as bad as things look in Dallas right now, and as bad
as you might feel about their future, they have control over Luca don Chich
for a few more years. You start to worry probably two years before he
hits free agency, because that might you know, the year there's the player
option year, and there's that season before the player option year leading into that
season. That's when Luca might be most likely requested trade or when you have
to think, okay, do we risk He's the type of player where I
would argue that if you think you have a chance of keeping him, you
go outa bron James Aleck Kevin Durant, and you play it out to keep
him. And so that's why I could see, Hey, we're with other
guys, you might just look at trading them if they didn't ask her out.
But with Luca, I look at it as Okay, you have three
years left before he hits free agency in twenty twenty six. Is his player
option. That's your timeline, so you just you don't get rid of him
unless he asked her out. And that might be the question here is will
he ask for out? I would be surprised if that happened over the summer.
The other issue here is what does happen with Kyrie Irving? Let's assume
that, and so the leadership stuff, Luca hinted at that he's going through
some off court personal stuff. Hopefully that's you know, you never want to
see players dealing with any of that, So hopefully he's fine. He's mentioned
that his defense has been poor, but that also we've been playing basketball for
like three years straight. That's just like, you know, he's being too
honest, Like you could just say at that point, I don't I don't
know. I'm hopefully everything's fine with him off the court. And there was
the report or Tim Hardaway Senior was talking about how Luca and Kyrie weren't leaders.
Tim Hardaway Junior very thoroughly to that, and so I'm not too worried
about Luca's leadership or even Kyrie's leadership. I don't, well, I worry
about all things Kyrie irving, but he's not you know what's ailing the MAVs
right now. And Tim Hardaway Junior was talking about Kyrie and glowing terms with
how well he's done with rallying guys together for text message with text messages and
checking in on everyone. Maybe Luca's not perfect at that just yet. But
with that being said, Lucas still really super young and has time to learn
how to do that, and so when he's like in year seven, eight
nine, he could be more of a vocal leader if he's not already.
And so I don't think this is a situation where, if you're the MAVs,
you look at moving him and just build around Kyrie. If there's not
that would be that would be a terrible move. You get a haul for
Luca Dante and something that you could you know, relaunch or rebuild with,
but you're certainly not going to do that and then keep Kyrie Irving. That
doesn't make any sense to me, and I think it's I don't want to
say the MAVs assets are underrated, but this season they're either going to have
this year's lottery pick and then another future first they could trade, or they
will have, let's say they make the playoffs, which doesn't seem too likely
at this point, they will have two future first round picks then to move,
and so in essence, they still do have two first round picks they
can move. It's just that I personally, I know a lot of people
think they should just tank and eased into the lottery because of Web and Yama,
and maybe there's are just getting into the top four. Maybe there's merit
to that, but I think teams and all likely if they're gonna wind up
with the eleventh pick or something, teams are going to prefer a distant mass
first round pick or another first round pick over just getting that eleventh pick this
year. And if you wind up the eleventh pick, you can only trade
one future first because of the way that you traded your pick in twenty twenty
nine to Brooklyn, and so you could go, you know, you would
trade this year technically two thousand and twenty three, and then you could trade
one and it could be your two and twenty four, it could be your
two thousand and twenty five and two thousand and twenty seven, I guess at
that point. But no, the problem here, excuse me, what becomes
the problem there is you still owe that obligation to the Knicks that fills over
to two twenty four if you keep your own pick, and so then as
soonest, you could trade your pick is two and twenty six at that point,
and then because you owe the two and twenty nine pick, the maximum
that you can trade if you keep your own draft pick is one additional first
round pick this year, which is why for me, if I'm the Mavericks,
I'm better off setting that pick to New York now, and then you
can trade two future first which just retained that mystery box appeal because we don't
know where they're gonna land just yet. They have some salaries that they can
move to match stuff. I've already talked about this where Jade Hardy, Josh
Green, they're not blue chip prospects, but those are guys that will have
some value on the trade market. Do I think they have the best offer
for Michael Bridges. No, do they have a better or a competitive offer
for O g n and Obi. Maybe if two firsts are on the table,
plus you know those young guys, and then just matching money, they
can still go that route. And so it's definitely time for urgency in Dallas.
But you have to before you even look at moving Luca, whether he
ask for it or not. You have the one figure out the Kyrie Irving
stuff, and then when there you still need to take the other swing because
Luca is a generational talent regards of how you feel about him, like a
lot of people think he's overrated. It's just too too early to tell that
the season has been a mega disappointment. The MAVs are one of the most
disappointing teams in the league, if not the biggest disappointment, the biggest disappointment
in the league. But they still have options on their table, and I
don't think there's a scenario in which unless Luca really pushes for out, because
let's say Kyrie Irving left and he thinks the futures bleak, and even then
again, having him under contract for three more years before free agency, I
think the MAVs do their damnedest to sort of figure it out, and you
have to take that next home run swing whether Kyrie Irving stays or not.
And I look at this point, I would bet on Kyrie Irving staying.
The money and the bird rights are clearly important to him. That's why he
has for out in Brooklyn. And for all the ship that's going on with
the MAVs, it hasn't seemed like there are these fissures in the locker room
at least. And so I'm not a big believer in Kyrie Irving culture center,
but it does seem like the MAVs like what he has brought to the
table from that dynamic. And look, if you get to go through a
training camp in an offseason with Kyrie and Luca together, they're gonna have better
chemistry late in games and that should help their crunch time offense. And I
will just reiterate I'm not defending the mass here. They suck in the Mark
Cuban comments and Jalen Brunson and Rick Brunson blaming the parents for getting involved in
Jon Brunson's free agency, look really quickly on that. Even if that information
has been misportrayed about how many times Jalen Brunson was willing to sign the four
year, fifty six million dollars extension. You have nothing to gain by whipping
out your phone and reading a text message from an agent about contracts and clients.
There's just you could say. You could lightly refute it and be like,
well, I think some of this stuff is misrepresented, but hey,
we fucked up, and he did say that he misses Brunson, but we
fucked up. We should have given him the extension at the first chance that
we could have, which they would not have offered it. We know that
for a fact it was offered at least once, and just move on.
So that's just fucking dumb ass behavior there, quite frankly, But again,
where is my actual train of thought on this? Now that's awkward. But
look, with Kyrie and Luca, they've played a lot of close games.
They're still winning the minutes. With those two on the court, I think
that there is at least a pathway to them being a lot better, And
I would be more panicked if they keep Kyrie. They make some moves on
the margins, just get better centers, which you can do on a budget,
and then they make you have to make the trade. They should be
trading this year's pick if they keep it, they should be trading a future
verse round pick or two over the off season to bring in real talent.
You have to make another move like that. And if we're sitting here,
not this time next year, but leading into the trade deadline next year,
the Mazer kind of asked, and the Kyrie and Lucas stuff isn't working out,
then you start to ask yourself more existential questions about well, not just
where are we headed, but how much is Luca a part of the struggle,
because right now I just don't think, yeah, your defense, he
is part of the problem. Your offense. I guess he's part of the
problem when he doesn't have the ball, the same way Kyrie is part of
the problem when he's standing in the corner. Isn't that kind of on the
coach though to some extent right now, again, let's see him go through
a training camp before they've become these stationary off ball bystanders to play off one
another because you don't want to go through the hasn't always been your term?
I turn stuff in Dallas, and again it's been effective at points what they're
doing, it has not been inventive at all. Is that a symptom of
this happened in mid season? Or does Jason Kidd just to not the right
head coach for this team. Time will tell. And so that's just kind
of a cop out answer here, but I would be shocked if the Maths
entertain any sort of Luca Doncious trades, even if he asked her out,
which again I do not expect him to do this offseason specifically. Next question
Rome eighty one eighty and he Let's be clear, Rome did not want me
to include this question on the podcast, but I actually thought it was a
fascinting question, so I'm including it anyway. Maybe I shouldn't because we have
such a backlog. Speaking of this, that brings me to a question inspired
by your pod, would you include Trey Murphy and a trade for Jaylen Brown?
I wouldn't. Is that just a Homer fan thing. I would one
hundred percent include them at a trade for Luca, though bear in mind I'm
a higher on Trey Murphy than anyone on the Pelicans. Besides hypothetical zion,
this is interesting, and so what I do think factors in the equation is
that Jolen Brown is still young age twenty six. Murphy's about to turn twenty
three, so he's less than John Brown will turn twenty seven before next season,
but they're less than four years apart. Brown's going into a different contract
spectrum, though. You have Trey Murphy two more years left on his rookie
scale, and then you get the second contract is always team friendly, even
if it's the max, just because of the percentage that it is of the
salary cap. For the most part, it's always seem friendly. So you
have to factor that into this. And then you're not trading for John Brewn
unless you think he's going to resigned because he hits free agency in twenty twenty
four, or you can maybe sign his extension. Either way, you're looking
at paying him forty plus million dollars after the twenty three twenty four campaign.
So heading into twenty four twenty five, would you move to not move Trey
Murphy for him, though I think would probably be a mistake. It depends
on what else needs to be in the offers, and when you're looking at
a team like the Celtics, it probably wouldn't be draft pick heavy because if
you move Brown, you're still gonna be trying to win around Jason Tatum.
So you would look at Trey Murphy as okay, well that dude comes in
and plays immediately, the Pelicans would missus three point volume, his just movement
off the ball, even giving them some rim pressure away from the ball.
On the ball, he's shooting fifty five plus percent on drives over the past
over the like I don't know, basically half the season at this point.
Not high volume of drives, but he's been getting better at attacking and open
space. The way he can move in open space, get off shots quickly
or like I said, get going towards the basket, gives you a lot
of defensive length and disruption. I get that there's still the mystery box appeal
though, but if you're not going to trade him for Joyn Brown, who
is going to be in the All NBA discussion this year, I don't know
if he makes it. I would say I'll frame it this way. If
there was a fourth All NBA team, I think Jalen Brown would make it.
I guess a lot of it depends on what do people do with the
Kyrie kd Lebron James stuff in the playing time. I'm not gonna say it
would be foolish. I understand the hesitants, but if and also knowing okay,
well design, I'm gonna be healthy. But just in a vacuum,
I would move Trey Murphy for Jalen Brown because we've seen that. I don't
know if and again you have to bank on development here. I don't know
if Trey Murphy can never become sort of the slow it down. I'll run
some things in the half quarter. I'll get to my spot to knock down
these pull up Jay's in the half court in a higher volume, like Jalen
Brown has proven that he can do, and where a lot of stuff Trey
Murphy does is still predicated on not being teed up, but being teed up,
but also just moving and not having like needing that sort of alcohol at
the off ball head start. Jalon Brown no longer really needs that. He
can get the head of steam going from on the ball. He's not the
perfect player. You maybe you want to argue that Tray Murphy will end up
being the better pastor. I do think Jayon Brown has made incremental improvements there
over the years. I also think that you know right now, Jalon Brown
is going to be better defensively than Trey Murphy. I think a lot of
what goes on in Boston that everyone kind of insulates each other. But aside
from Derek White this year, just given how limited, just given how limited,
excuse me, Robert Willams, the third has been. I could you
make a case that Jalen Brown has been better than Marcus Smart on defense?
I mean maybe I think that there's more to the positional spectrum than him.
So again, if Jalen Brown says I will stay in New Orleans, and
it does depend on the rest of the package, but that's if that's the
centerpiece asset where you're either giving up then you're giving up salary fodder and maybe
a very protected first or just someone else you're not giving up Dyson Daniels and
Trey Murphy and then also Herb Jones and picks. If it's just Trey Murphy
is the centerpiece of this package, sort of like the McHale. No,
there's a lot of picks included in the Kemn Durant trade. What am I
thinking, man, I'm trying to think of what would be a good analogy
for that type of package. But if it's Trey Murphy and just odds and
ends to get Jalon Brown because he's in the last year of his deal,
I'm probably doing it. If I'm the Pelicans, assuming I have a good
feel for what he wants to do in New Orleans a long term, I
get. I do think it's arguable depending on how you feel about the Pelicans
direction, Zion's health, all that jazz. This next question comes from Peto.
Which NBA team is underlooked in terms of urgency to make a big move
to satisfy their top players, otherwise they could leave. This is always an
interesting question, and it's an offseason one, for sure. I think he
a. Pico mentions that the Mavericks are certainly one with Luca. I think,
yeah, you just need to you know, they already made the Kyrie
trade, but there needs to be another one there other teams. I think
people around the league do believe in Atlanta's kind of on the clock with Trey
Young. We'll see if they make any big moves over the summer, or
if having Quinn Snyder in there ends up being huge. I would say Washington
is on the clock with Bradley Beale, he has that no trade clause and
another four years left on his deal, but he has already said that he
doesn't really want to go through a rebuild. Portland with Damian Lillard is probably
the biggest one. I don't want to make the discourse about that, but
he did say doesn't want to go through a rebuild. I respect that he
doesn't define his legacy by championships. I don't think we should be honest,
and so if he wants to stay in Portland, respect that. But I
do think as the Blazers, unless they tell him this is what we're doing,
do you still want to stay here? And he says, yes,
you are obligated to try. She's coming off the best season of his career,
and you did fuck shit at the trade deadline, quite frankly, and
you need to stop hitting these singles and doubles and go over their triples and
home runs. And so I think he's the big one. If we were
looking for sort of just like an off the beaten path, this is just
like, Okay, well what is he accomplished? He's extension eligible this summer,
and just like what is going on in Charlotte, you're on the clock
with LaMelo Ball. Quite frankly, he will sign the extension, but is
he gonna set the record for like the quickest attempt to get out of there
if they don't really turn things around. I'm not saying he hates Charlotte if
you look at the direction of that team and you're like, Okay, they
have another top lottery pick coming this year, so maybe that's good. Steve
Clifford has definitely installed a defensive identity. A lot of that has come with
Outla La Ball in the lineup. That's a situation that would be monitoring,
quite frankly, depending on Minnesota season. Then I know that they've already made
like the big move and then made ancillary moves on top of that, bringing
Mike Conley, getting rid of D'Angelo Russell. Are you on the clock with
if he Edwards again, he's only he will sign the extension and you will
have team control over him probably for at least unless he's gonna sign the four
year deal. It'll probably a five year deal player options, so four years
under team control on top of next year, so that's five But just could
things get weird there? But I think the sort of the like the like
off quirky one. Maybe LaMelo Ball shouldn't qualify for this. I would just
watch the metal Ball's future, and it's Charlotte at this point because that team
does sort of feel like it's a little bit on the fast track to nowhere.
I don't really have anybody after that. You're not going to disenchant anyone
in with the Clippers if their season disappoints. I don't really think it's it's
Lebron dinner request to trade after this year with the Lakers' and you're always just
under pressure by virtue of the Lakers. You could argue that the Celtics are
under pressure with Jalen Brown. I don't know what else they could do to
make him want to stay. If it's an issue, if he hasn't been
treated properly, then yeah, sure. But if it's a basketball thing,
you're not going to elevate him above Jason Tatum or who are you moving to
make Jalen Brown's role more prominent. He's the number two on one of the
three best teams in the league. That's a big deal. Finally, I
also think that Joella be just has to be circled here, and I think
it will Hinge on James Harden's free agency. But even if James Hardon stays
and you flame out in the playoffs this season, he loves Philly and bid
does, but where do you do? Things start getting weird there. But
looking at the more imminent issues, I hate to have it be the same
names, but Bradley Beale and Damian Lillard feel most urgent. I think LaMelo
ball needs to be thrown up there a little bit Luca don Chich of course,
and then I'll in bed. I guess it's an honorary mentioned because it
does depend on James Harden's free agency a little bit bit. Other than that,
Trey Young, Yeah, I really let me just let me pick one,
and it can't be Damian Lillard to Bradley Beal. Let's just stick with
the LaMelo ball stuff. That just feels like a situation that could deteriorate and
get weird, even though again, I believe he will sign the extension.
So I'm just going with that. No rhyme or reason to it other than
I don't trust the Hornets, the Hornet's future, HP Bergie. If the
Jazz get web Yama with the Timberwolves, pick, where's the nearest bridge at
least four stories above water. This isn't funny. I'm actually not gonna mention
what happened, but I'm not gonna answer this question that is hysterical. I
can understand why Timberwolves fans are incredibly nervous about what's going to happen with their
their pick. Should it be in the lottery and the Jazz get to keep
it, I would be Look if if the Jazz end up with Oneben Yama,
like holy fuck, that just what already looks like a home run trade
for them becomes one of the best trades in NBA history. Assuming that Victor
Wieman Yama is even forty five percent of the player that people think he's going
to be, man, this year's lottery is going to be wild. We
do have a question that's related to this to dovetailt with from Herb Jones Enjoyer.
If the Jazz, oh sorry, Roman, but my question is,
if you haven't answered this already, which team do you prefer? Victor Weeban
Yama goes too. Here's the thing. We've been asked this question. I've
given it different levels of thought, and I feel like my top one or
two answers have changed every time I've done it, so I tried to.
I did think about this one a little bit more this time, and I
was trying to figure out who I want Victor Romyama to go somewhere where it's
okay, let's just say the Pelicans are in the lottery and he ends up
on the Pelicans. The idea of him on a team that can be so
good immediately is super enthralling. But a really, really really big part of
me wants to see him on a team where he's just going to be unleased
from the jump. And so Dallas All was on one lottery after missing the
plan. Yeah, that'd be cool, But like, are they gonna give
Victor rama Yama the learning curve that he warrants? Are they going to give
him the role prominence on offense that he deserves maybe early on? Yeah,
there's connective stuff. You wanted to be more of a play finisher, but
you don't want his spotlight to be or his usage to be cannibalized into that
fully, And I think I lean towards the ladder where I'd like to see
him on, Yes, a team that has at least one other higher profile
guy, but I want that team to just unleash him and it's going to
be the Webin Yama show, just to really plumb the depths of what he
can do. And so the teams that stand out to me, and I
will say, I don't really want him in Houston because i'dea, what the
fuck they're doing. And I do think that they would unleash him, even
though they have all this sort of mishmash of talent. But I don't want
him in Houston. That's just I don't understand the Rockets direction. I'm not
trying to criticize there, I think and I don't. This is gonna sound
I guess kind of shitty. Portland would be interesting, but they're like a
franchise that's addicted to not making big swings, and so I would just be
I'd be curious to see that Damian little Victor Woman Yama partnership. I don't
That's not the one that I need to see or think would necessarily be.
Is that the best situation for Victor Woman Yama? The two I have three
and maybe this I guess it could be four. I just don't view Utah's
a legitimate destination. Yeah, they might have two lotto picks with their odds
are going to be so like the but Utah be a fun long shot,
so I will rank them here. I think four is Utah just because they
have lowry marketing, They have a bunch of guards. They play very spaceline.
I's Walker Kessler at the five. That could be an like that could
be set up incredibly well for women. Just is Lady Mark and is your
best player. And he's even more of just a I don't want to say
a play finisher, but he's not ball dominant. I'm vaulting the jazz up
here. So Charlotte's gonna be number four. I want to play see him.
I just said I don't trust the Hornets, but I want to see
him play with LaMelo Ball. And I think just even if you keep PG
Washington there, you're not going to see his usage get cannibalized. And so
that would be a very interesting partnership for me. Number three is gonna be
san Antonio. He will be fully unleashed there. They have you know,
Trey Jones, they're starting point guard. Hitting free agency this year, by
the way, you could do some nice things, but not going to eat
into your touches. And then Vasell Kelton Johnson, even Jeremy so and well,
I'm in love with just what a rookie season from from so in.
They're not these tier one ball handler from scratch scorer types. I think probably
Devin Vassel or so on has the best chance of getting there. So you
come in and you kind of have this be to be plus building blocktown around
him. And there's just this a plus plus guy in Victor women Yam,
and you're building everything around. There's a case to vault them higher. I
really do believe Utah is gonna come in it too. I like I'm gonna
I'm giving the bump because they might have two lottery picks and so I think
it's fair to include them here. And why did I stop it for I
don't know. I mean, if I want to throw a fifth one in
there, Oklahoma City would be super fun. I haven't gotten my number one
spot. By the way, for anyone who's following along here, I know
a lot of people said Orlando, but I'm just kind of like they have
Ballaban Caro and Franz Wagner. Not that I think we Banyam would get lost
in the shuffle. I need to see the right amount of a least from
him. I think okay See would be even better fit. We've seen progress
from Giddy playing off Shake Gilbert Alexander. You had ched Homegren there with Victor
woman Yama and Joan Williams. Holy holy, holy, holy shit. That
would be just like the other talent around, Like having Kendrick Williams there,
Isaiah Joe if his three pointer starts fooling again consistently, Gusman Jang, who
everyone here listen to podcast knows, I'm very high on. It's like that
team would be fun. The Pelicans again would be fun. But my number
one spot and it does blund I'm and I it's with apologies to Detroit.
I guess that would be another fun one. But I need I need him
to be on a team that's going to generate him more space. But the
Kate Cunningham Victor Wee Ban yamamduo would be fun even through Ja Nivy And there's
a trio with Jalen during that's a nice little basin there. Look, there's
so many intriguing spots. I don't want to see him in Dallas. I'll
be quite frank honest with you. I want to see him in Indie Tyres
Halbert and Victor Webanyama and Miles Turner. Those are three players who just elevate
each other and just work so well off of one another. I think Indiana,
final answer, would be my favorite destination for Victor Webonama. There's a
bunch of all the teams that I listed I'd want to see him, though
I was going with the five that I'm most curious about, maybe even six.
Kind of want to see him in Detroit with Kay Cunningham and Jay n
Ivy. So okay, see, so those are my honorable mentions. But
Utah one, Indiana one, Utah two, number three is going to be
San Antonio, and then four is Charlotte. This next question comes from Bower.
If you could guarantee perfect health for one player this playoffs, who would
you pick and why? Which team would you pick? So I'm guessing I'm
applying this to the same team question. I mean, if I could guarantee
perfect tell from one player this playoffs, I go with Zion Williamson. I
guess that sort of pre supposes the Pelicans make the playoffs, and so we're
getting into just all sorts of a rabbit hole there, so aside from Zion,
but let's I'm gonna say Zion like that would be the if even if
New Orleans has to get New Orleans has to get there by way of the
playing, Let's go with Zion. If I wanted to be along the same
lines and kind of cheat here, Chad Homers and Okloma City would be great,
but they wouldn't play him anyway, even if even if he was fully
healthy. I think I would want to go with Harden or and Bead just
to say like, hey, no excuses here, and Be's always building up
in the playoffs. Might even want it just because Harden's dealt with hamstring and
achilles shit the past couple of years. I might want to say him,
I think that's the player I'm going with, which is weird because we've seen
him playing games. But I don't want there to be any excuses, and
I want to see what and I'll pick the Sixers as a team. I
want to see what they kind of look like. Excuse free Joan Beads not
banged up, he has like he's as healthy as he is at his peak,
and just what does that team look like? Can you win a championship
with sort of your big man as your best player. That's not something that
we've seen a ton of over the past. I don't know a couple of
decades at this point, how far we're going back and whatever you consider you
honest, I don't consider him a big or a wing. He's he's fucking
honest. But you get my point there, And so I think that's the
team, but it would be Zion. So it's Zion or the Sixers as
the team, but their stars specifically, And I'll single out just because as
Joel and Bee been just looking at the way, they're playing healthier than James
Harden even than they bull up been dealing stuff. Yeah, they're the Achilles
thing with James harn scares me. So I'll go with that. That's a
fun question to sort of think about, though, but also a reminder of
how much injuries suck. I did not mention the Clippers. That might make
people mad. Should Paul George be beyond that list. I didn't mention the
Bulls with a Flonzo ball was fully healthy. Yet I want to see everyone
healthy, how like, I'm very equal opportunity be fully healthy. Please t
bloom one sevens. Is there a chance that m kill Bridges can win Most
Improved Player this year based off his performance since the trade deadline? And anyone
who's not been paying attention to mcail bridges since the trade deadline, you have
been missing out. He's averaging twenty seven point four points, two point eight
assists, hitting over fifty percent of his two shooting almost forty percent from three
on seven attemphs per game, averaging seven free throw attempts per game while still
hitting them at a ninety percent clip. I think his defense has probably slipped,
but like he's still good enough to just be hey, yeah, he's
a really good wing slash, perimeter defender, Kenny win mos improved player.
I think what helps his case, I will say, is there was this
functional turn before he ever left Phoenix. You know, a slow start and
injuries to injury to Chris Paul, injuries to Devin Booker, topsy turvy,
shit from DeAndre Ayton, and so all that inconsistency had the Sons relying on
him more as this on ball creator. And then he goes to Brooklyn and
just explodes from it. And it's a large enough sample size to where you
say Okay, it's been more than a quarter of the season in Brooklyn,
the third of the season in Brooklyn, or whatever it ends up being,
and we saw the turn come in Phoenix. Yeah, he could be a
candidate, but what should he finish On some people's ballots. He might finish
top three, since that was three deep on my ballot. I just feel
like most people have kind of assumed that the award is going to lowry marketing.
I don't know if I agree with that. When shake gilges Alexander going
from just sort of young bridgetting star to an MVP candidate, that is a
heart elite to make. In my humble opinion, maybe that's not humble to
say, but I don't I mean it to be added with some air of
humility. I don't I would bet against him probably finishing him the top three,
just because I think a lot of people might gravitate towards even Tyr's Haliburton.
Did he play enough? Jalen Brunson or Emmanuel Quickly in New York,
Desmond Baying in Memphis? Did he play enough? There are a lot of
good candidates here shout out to he might have if we went like five or
seven deep maybe not five, but seven, and he never got injured.
Hammudillo might have gotten some love for me here. So I don't think he
can realistically win, mostly because I think it's really going to be Larry marketing,
even if I don't ultimately pick him. But when you look at it,
could you say that he's been one of the three most improved meaningfully improved
players from the NBA who's not, you know, a sophomore, just because
I think we expect the leap from year one to two, and even sometimes
from year two to three, but definitely year one to two. So yeah,
I think you could make that argument. And he's just I think it's
absolutely huge what he's doing. I'd like to see more from him as a
passer, but the Nets don't necessarily have the requisite talent around him to get
that. The fact that he can do so much to drum up the assist
numbers, I mean, but him to set up higher quality shots I think
defense no like which bots he's trying to get to at this point, but
the fact that he's been able to maintain his efficiency on a shot difficulty level
that is just by and large, way way higher than what he was doing
in Phoenix. You look at just the number of field goal made field goals
that were coming off assist for him in Phoenix before the trade deadline or before
the trade deadline, it was the overwhelming number of his baskets are coming off
assist. And then since in Brooklyn more than half of his shots or almost
half of the shots are going on assistant. That's a really big turn.
And I think that that having that creation, even if it's mostly for yourself
at this point, just opens up the possibility that, hey, this isn't
do I think he's you know, a top player on a I don't want
to say a championship team because that's so few players, but a title contender
sort of that you know, quaint top four team in the conference. I
don't know, I might mean towards now, but he certainly looks like he
could be the numbers two on that. And so also that's why I kind
of alluded to why the shape gil just Alexander Leap that looks like a guy
who can be the best player in the championship team. Just just let out.
That's why I think that he deserves more love, not I guess he's
getting love and most improved player, But I'm just surprised that it feels like
Larry Marketings candidacy or victory is faded complete. Sticking with youngsters though, this
question comes from HB. How many rookies from this class have superstar upside?
Palo? And who? I mean? Superstar is such a tough thing to
define, and I would think about this before I came on. I have
notes in here? Is how many players deep you go on this? I
have Palo? Do I still have Jabari Smith Junior? Here? I do
not. I just don't. I don't know that he's ever going to become
the type of offensive player that warrants it. I have to throw ched Homegren
in here, just because we haven't seen Ched Homegren yet, and so we
can't just say, knowing what he was supposed to be coming into the league,
we can't rule that out just now. I don't know how great it
is he's missing his first full season, but like you know, Ben Simmons
was borderline superstar after you know he missed a full season. Granted that fell
off. I'm just saying that would be an example. Does Jayn Williams deserved
to be here? I don't know that I see it in terms of just
like this deliberate, slowed down version of someone who's going to be He's his
offensive you and importance to the Thunders is greater than I think people will realize.
But is he ever going to be the nervous system of anything a team
does on a really good team. I don't know. I don't I don't
want to put a limit on him. I want to make that clear.
He's been He's going to finish in top two on the Rookie of the Year
ballot, SUPERSTARSUS. We need to make the bar really high, and so
I'm looking at I think Shade, Sharp, Jade and Ivy Polo and chet
Holmegren is what I'm going And you can put Jaylen Williams in there, and
I won't push back against you. I just think we need to have that
bar higher where I consider, hey, should I even have Shade and Sharp
in there. I just look at some of the shots that he's able to
make, which he is able to do with the ball in his hands and
the physical tools that he has, is I think he needs to be being
there and so those four for sure, and I'm just not going to push
back if you want on clue John Williams. He's been fantastic this year,
but we're talking superstar, and I would say super like player who has a
chance to make an All NBA team, multiple All NBA teams at some point
in his career. And I just I don't know if that's Jalen Williams.
I don't and I don't mean that as an insult. You can end up
being like, you know, a Chris Middleton level player, where it's just
that you're kind of bring around, like the top thirty players in the league.
You're not gonna make an All NBA team. Maybe make a couple of
All stars. All stars, not superstar, remember, And I think I'm
rolling the dice definitely on Jet homecreen. He hasn't played, which is the
mystery box appeal of Jay and Ivy and Shade and Start Sharp. And I
do think that Jay and Ivy made some strides kind of after the first,
like third or whatever of the season, and so those would be my four
picks. I don't mean to denigrate John Williams. I also thunder fans,
if you're listening, I did pick your other rookie who did not play.
I'm just so tantilized by what someone who looks like that could do with the
ball in his hands, stretch the floor, and then everything that he's going
to be able to do to impact his team on defense. Next question comes
from Nicole ch colev I. Hope I didn't butcher that too much. At
this point, what's the most chaotic West playing combination? Why is it?
Lakers quip and MAVs versus Mini. So Lakers clips is off the table,
just based off and by the time you listen to this, this might even
be outdated. Recording this late on Thursday night, and so if you're listening
to this after Friday, the standings could just look way different. The most
chaotic West playing combinations though, the Lakers and somebody. Of course, it
doesn't look like the Warriors are going to drop down. That would be pretty
chaotic. I'm gonna say Lakers MAVs would be chaotic just because Luca versus Lebron.
In the plan, the MAVs can only get the tenth though, so
Lakers are off to fall to ninth, which is still pretty It's possible,
it's just unlikely unless they lose out at this point. Lakers Pelicans would be
really funny to see them in the plane just because the Pelicans are the right
to swap picks with the Lakers, and so it's you you're at that level
doesn't really kind of matter, but that would be pretty funny Anti Davis up
against his old team as I unhealthy for that one. I guess I don't
have like a good chaos answer here. It would be the Maverick versus I'm
gonna say the Mavericks versus the mass versus Pelicans, and then Lakers versus Timberwolves
if we're talking about that first round of playing, you know, I think
that would be chaotic where it's like Lakers and Timberwolves, they had these higher
expectations, both really miss on it. I think people kind of knew who
the Lakers are gonna be the Pelicans at a higher expectation, but they've just
been so banged up between the time Herb Jones's miss brand Ingram's miss his Ion
barely playing as well, and then if just to see them go against Luca
where it's just kind of like does Zion come back for that? And what
happens is Luca and Kyrie really lose to a team that is missing. What
is the top ten NBA player Zion's not playing. I think those are my
picks and that would balance the Thunder from the plan. And I really want
to see the Thunder in the playoffs. I don't know how conducive they are
to chaos. It would be great. It would have been great excuse me
to have seen, and I guess it's it's a lot would need to happen.
When we're talking about the Clippers dropping down to ninth, which I don't
even know if they could do at this point, but like seeing the Clippers
and the Thunder have to meet in the play would be would have been pretty
funny. I just based on the scenarios here, we're looking at the five
teams and I think wound up in the playing the Warriors really do control their
own A few of these teams control their own destiny and getting into the playoffs
scenarios, I will trip over my words that are right about it. On
Wednesday night, I'm just gonna say Lakers versus Timberwolves would be kind of pure
like Anthony Davis going up against Towns and and Gobert Gobert, Jared Vanderbilt playing
against his former team, and or do the Lakers have the ability to make
the Wolves go small? Do the Wolves want to go small? Can?
They? Are their biggs too slight? When you look at Davis and Jared
Vanderbilt to hang up against that, Anthy Edwards kind of going up against the
Lakers rotating casts of just the guys who they're trying to stop on the perimeter,
Jared Vanderbilt having a guard Anthy Edwards a time. We know that's going
to happen. So Lakers, Timberwolves, and then Pelicans, Mavericks, maybe
even Thunder Matt. I guess you just had to put the Mavericks and they're
evening. Don't want to like I would rather watch Thunder Pelicans at this point.
I find the Mass to be a relatively joyless watch at the moment.
Next question comes from Everything Blacks. Oh, this is topical. What's your
take on the Nick Nurse situation in Toronto? He was awfully ellipsis candid dot
dot when speaking about his future. Yeah, that was weird. I definitely
do appreciate the candor from him, and as he mentioned, he's kind of
been there for ten years, and yes, it feels like it feels like
a lifetime ago since he won that title. The Raptors have undergone many changes.
We had the pandemic we had that season in Tampa. There are a
lot more challenges, societal challenges. When you're looking at life being day to
day life being impacted more in Canada than it was here in the States.
You could argue that Canada was just much safer about it. WI should be
a good thing, but I could see that taking a really big emotional strain.
As he mentioned's built with the franchise for ten years. This season the
Raptors have been one of the bigger underachievers. Which is still kind of weird
though, is that they have a chance like they're gonna hover around the top
ten in both offense and defense and then throw net rating and there they have
the ten best net rating right now that's at five hundred. That's definitely some
blowouts of skewed that. But that's just a weird thing to say. They're
very top heavy. Is he just sort of exhausted with the model roster they've
tried to build. How top heavy it's been, not being able to explore
depth. Is that on him at all? Have they varied up their defense
enough? I also think this is just sort of like It's like when you
ask it, let's use it. I'll use the marathon runners an example.
It's almost asking a marathon runner at mile twenty five if they're gonna run another
marathon next year. They're almost done. It's been exhausting. You're probably not
thinking about it. It's why I've never understood why people. And when I
was younger, I used to get up in arms where you ask, let's
say, everyone, I loved the Marvel superhero movies. You're asking Tom Hollands
after he did four Spider Man movies, immediately after he's done filming, spend
all the time Spider movies? Are you gonna play Spider Man another three movies
or something? They're kind of just exhausted so in that moment, so close
to it that they actually haven't had the time to reflect. And then I
also feel like, did they just catch Nick Nurse at a moment of not
weakness, but where his guard was just down and he's had some strain within
the organization, his relationship maybe with Massai Yujerie, difference of opinions when it
comes to roster construction and vision, and you just kind of caught him at
an exhausted moment with the Raptors kind of going through this. It's this season
where it's they were never out of it enough to choose the direction of well,
maybe they should be a tanker. They've never been in it enough,
even though they made the Yaka Purdle trade to kind of know where they stand,
and so it's just been sort of this stop and start dead sprint all
season. So I could see him being exhausted, but I would the fact
that he said it does make me think that this organization is maybe approaching a
crossroads with him. Also, could it just be, hey, I want
a new fucking contract. Could this be his way of saying that it could
have been that too, But the Rappers have a lot of decisions to make,
so just wouldn't shock me if everyone's orbit involved is looking to take a
step back. Fred Ran Fleet player option, Jarred Trent junior player option,
Yakam Peurtle free agent, pressous A Chuwa extension eligiable, oh Giannaobi extension eligiable.
Would he even sign one based on the new extension rules? I don't
know if they get them there. Pascal Siakam extension eligiable. They're any depointment
they have to like kind of double and triple down on this core that is
going to win forty one forty two games for the year, maybe not even
making out of a play in. I could see everyone involved being exhausted and
needing some time to just take a step back. Like, I appreciate the
candor, but I could also very much see this being aside from hey,
we caught Nick Nurse with his guard down, this season has been trying.
He's been here for forever. Maybe he's looking for a change of pace,
and maybe there are difference of opinions that we don't know about behind the scenes
right now. I could just also very much see it being sign me to
a fucking contract, and so let's not discount that possibility either. Two more
questions, Oh wow, three more questions, unbiased Pistons fan. What team
would be the best if the NBA changed to a three versus three league?
What team would be the worst? Answering what team would be the worst is
really really hard for me, I just because I think it would just probably
be Houston or San Antonio, like looking at the half court talent there.
I also with these three v three v three rules, are we still playing
full court or is it half court. It's half court as a best team,
or the Mavericks just in there because you don't have to worry about like
we're talking about teams needed to clear it so kind of going one way and
then turning around. So Lucas transition defense isn't the damaging I think what would
be the best team, and I feel pretty bullish about this after thinking about
it, would be the Cleveland Cavaliers, just the three players that they could
pick, Evan Mobley, Donna Mitchell and Darius Garland. Is there just a
better accommodation for three v three whether you need to play full court, whether
you need to whether we're playing half court. I think that would be the
best team. I'm sure some would gravitate towards lebron A and what they say
d Loo or Jared Vanderbilt. You can definitely come up with a Clippers combination
and Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Terrence Man will probably be my third Colden
State your Draymond Clain steph Okay maybe, but I Cleveland just has the shot
making ability from Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. Donov Mitchell's gotten a lot better
defensively, this year. Just the defensive everything about Mobley so he still gives
you some size, but he can guard anyone on the perimeter and contest a
ton of shots. He can work. Is just a play finisher as well.
In the ground that he's able to cover is going to help you,
don't matter the style we're playing here, full court or half court. Interesting
question. I'm pretty bullish on Cleveland, which probably means just the wrong answer
since they came to me pretty quickly there. Second to last question comes from
Kai at Rinker. What for so power forward are you targeting if you're the
Pacers young and can grow with the team or overpaid vet like Tobias Harris for
one to two years. Love this question on the pay I don't know enough
about the draft to go into if I think they could go both routes.
I will get into what I would do. But if you want them to
go to the younger route and you want to focus on it in the draft,
I haven't done my draft prep work yet. I'm not going to include
those names. I would go from someone who straddles the line. I guess
is that's such a cop out. I wouldn't be like, hey, let's
go all in on, Like what is a veteran power forward here, Like
let's go all in on a Harrison Barnes or even I like Jeremy Grant for
them and they have cap space, but it wouldn't be Hey, let's go
all in on a Jeremy Grant. I wouldn't skew that far unless it was
a megas like you honest becomes available, Yeah, you go out to be
honest. I also would say someone like OGM and Noby makes a lot of
sense if you want to try and play McHale at the four, even though
he's more of a three. I don't see the Pacers giving up enough to
ever be involved in those discussions. They might have it if you put Benn
Nick matherin in this year's pick on the table. Those are assets they can
get you into those discussions. I just don't see them doing it, and
so that's why I just qualified them. I think my ideal two for these
team this team would be PJ. Washington. He's a restricted free agent.
We've seen him really branch out his offensive horizons this year. He can handle
some pretty tough defensive assignments. On offense, he can operate from the nail,
he can pick a pop, he can kind of roll, he can
attack from the outside. In love his fit next to Miles Turner, Patrick
Williams in Chicago, just being extension eligible, showing some more moxy when he's
coming off the bench. Is he higher volume enough? Maybe the Pacers don't
care as much about that, But when you're playing with alongside someone and Tyris
Halbert, who I think just uplifts his opponents more than a DeMar Rose his
teammates, excuse me, more than a Demart Rosen or zach Lavine when you're
looking at primary playmaking. That would go a long way. So those are
two other names that spring to mind. Anyone who listen to podcast knows I
love John Collins on this team. And then Obie Topping showing a lot of
flashes since Julie Rynold's been injured in New York, he's extension eligiable. Are
they willing to move him for some low first round equity just to have another
asset in the chamber rather than deal with oh, we might have to pay
him, and then what is his value going to be on the trade market
or how much do we ultimately use him? And so the four names than
John Collins, PJ. Washington, Patrick Williams, at Obi Toppen. Now,
if I could pick the perfect one, it's ply between Patrick Williams and
PJ. Washington. I feel like investing in PG Washington could be difficult,
but I also there's a dice roll there. I also kind of feel like,
is there a chance Patrick Williams becomes more expensive because of the like the
bandwidth that he has on defense and fury. I think PJ. Washington he's
just clearly the more impactful player at this point. If you're more if you
are more concerned about your defense, you want someone who can also play the
three than sure. But if we're looking at strictly a four, I go
PJ. Washington. I'm very tempted to go John Collins, but that's a
big rehabilitation project and then you're getting into it for another three years. With
PJ. Washington, he has four years, but he's a little bit younger,
and like I said, he's shown the ability to do more on offense.
So that's the ideal one. But I wouldn't again. Patrick Williams,
Obie topping John Collins, I think are all fantastic options for that team.
This next question comes from Usher, and it is a it is. I
mean, that's two questions. One's Joe question, But which current NBA players
most likely could be in an exhibition boxing m and a fight? And why
is it Draymond Green? I would One thing I will say here not to
think about this too much, is Draymond Green doesn't seem like someone who's just
gonna do something post career for spectacle. That feels more like a Dylan Brooks
or Patrick Beverley move where Draymond Green just might immerse himself in media. He's
not gonna need to go to these novel avenues or departments to really keep himself
relevant, let's say post playing career. And even he's not someone who's gonna
do it in the offseason. I could just see like Dylan Brooks or Patrick
Beverley deciding in the offseas without having retired or anything yet, going about that,
and so I think those would be my picks. Steven Adams was mentioned
to Discord. I could, I could probably see it, but he just
seems like too chill and wants to fly under the radar to who have done
it. If he did, it'd be like in the backyard and like this
dirt pick, and he'd be doing it with the like a fucking grizzly bear
or a rhino? Is who he is? What he would be facing.
The actual question from Usher comes says, my real question is if Eton has
a really good Playoffs, especially if it leads to a championship, is it
more likely that the Suns keep him as part of their core since it led
to Playoffs success or does it increase the likelihood he gets traded since it would
likely raise his trade value significantly. Love the show as always, Hey,
thank you, Rusher. I really I never tire of hearing compliments if surprise,
surprise, even though they can sometimes make me awkward. If our season
in public when it's just me sitting in front of the camera, love it
and also in discord when you guys give it. Thank you for the confidence
we got on that Keith Smith interview. If you haven't checked it out,
broke down the entire CBA, the implications a lot of fun. I would
say, it's a hard note for me that the Suns would trade Aid and
if they won the title and he played well, if he played poorly during
the title run and they viewed to this, Hey, we had to carry
him, they would be more likely than me. Hey, we win a
title. Chris Paul plays well like we're still going to look to move on
from him anyway because of his age. What I do think is interesting just
gets into a larger discussion about DeAndre is will he find his groove with this
new era of the Sun's David He's at the four point play for his U
in Roman numerals at the four point play on Twitter had a great threat about
how Eton is spending more time in the dunker spot during with Kadi on the
court. When I was going back and doing this, which was actually before
half of it was done, before I saw that threat, and then I
did some more after that thread. I'm watching back a lot of the plays.
Yeah, Like he was around the basketball, around the dunker spot more
with Kadi on the court, And I think that's the benefit, especially when
you have Devin Booker and Kadi at once, of just having guys who they
don't need a ball screen operate. I still think Chris Paul's at the point
where he probably very much needs one, if it's if he's not already mismatched
against someone bigger and slower, and even then he might just still prefer a
ball screen. So there's the real benefit of there. And Etan's he suited
to do that role because we know he's going to bail out if you a
lot, if you ask him to do stuff higher and I what I was
have noticed watching and then going back and watching a bunch of stuff. It's
and some of it's finicky when you're looking at the data. Like before March
first, which was Katie's debut debut, DeAndre was averaging four point four post
ups per game. Since then, he's at two point four. Katie missed
a bunch of time during that span, though, and since Katie came back
the second time, his post stops are actually kind of closer to four point
four than they are a two point four. Before March first, thirty seven
point seven percent of his shots were coming inside the restricted area. Since Katie's
first debut, they're at thirty point three percent, and his mid range volume
overall has gone up from twenty It's at like twenty four twenty five percent of
his shots, and it was at like nineteen twenty before the KD trade.
Now since Katie's second return, which has been four games, that's Sam was
seventeen percent, and so like we that is it's evidence he's getting the basketball.
We've seen more of his shots come in the restricted area. I don't
know though, if he's definitely going to find his offensive niche here And I'm
not saying he strikes me now if someone's been paid and will want or functionally,
but I could just see when you need him to be a play finisher,
you're going to need him to do other things other than hang around in
the dunker spot to get those attempts where if he bails out or he's gonna
go up a little softer, it's not as damaging because they're not jumpers or
hooks that he's using. They're at least like closer to the basket, even
when he's kind of bailing out and taking jumpers around that spot. And as
David mentioned in his thread, there's also we've all bemoaned how a few free
throws he attempts that's a way for his free throw attempts to go up.
And so I need to see more of that. But I do just question
because when you watch him, and I think a lot would it would surprise
me. He's when I went back and watched a lot of this stuff was
when Kevin Durant was on the court versus when he was off the court.
He seems hesitant more than ever to put the ball on the floor where he's
going to if he catches it. He's not going to after he's screening like
he's not one. It feels like he's been behind a lot of the screens
where it's like Chris Paul's looking for him and he's not yet where he's supposed
to be on the roll or even the pop, and it feels like he's
bailing out. He's catching the ball, stopping firing, He's not doing a
bunch of dribble moves. He's you know, we're seeing more if he's on
the run, like he's kind of just throwing it up push shots or turning
what could be one two dribble touches to the basket into just these little mid
range baby jumpers. And that's just weird to me. And when Katie's not
on the court and it's one of Booker and Paul or both of them,
it does feel like he's more inclined to attack off the dribble, where there's
there's still a lot of settling though, And I don't know if that's just
something that I'm wrong about, Like I didn't watch enough of him, but
the bailout stuff still very much matters to me. And so if you are
if he is going to spend ample more time around the dunker spot and he's
not going to need to come up set all these screens that will make his
life easier, I just question, is that something he either gets bored with?
Is is he going to want more? Do they get to a point
where they're going to trust him to know even do more than Chris Paul is
getting up there in age You're gonna stagger Kevin Durant from Devin Booker. There's
going to be opportunities for him to do more. He just seems more reluctant
to do more. So I'm talking about will he be unhappy doing well less?
I honestly I don't know, but what I will say is super promising
here is I've loved what I've seen defensively from the Kevin Durant DeAndre Eton front
court on Aiden, specifically since the trade deadline opponent shooting fifty three point three
percent against him at the rim. That is just a that's an elite mark.
That's and it's since the k D trade, so it's before the trade
deadline, actually a whopping like second before the trade deadline stop coming on a
huge volume under five attempts contested at the basket per game. But he's been
massive there. Now you add k D to the equation whose defense I missed
on at the beginning of the season in Brooklyn, I said people were kind
of overstating it. He's had a really good defensive year when he and DeAndre
Eton are on the floor, and almost two thirds of Kevin Durant's minutes have
come with DeAndre eight of course, at least who were playing together a lot.
Twenty two point eight percent of opponent shots are coming at the rim.
That's in thee hundredth per cent tile, and they're shooting sixty point four percent
at the rim against the Suns, that's in the ninety six percent tile.
The Sun's on the season allow thirty two point six percent of their opponent shots
at the rim, and they will hit him in sixty five point three percent
clip. So we're talking about drastic differences here. I could see that front
line being very successful defensively, and when your fifth wheel is going to be
either Josh Akogi or Tory Craig. A lot of the time, certain matchups
might be iffy, but that just top unit. The Suns are built to
just steam roll during those minutes. And that's why sometimes I wonder if we're
overthinking it and we should just call the Sun's title favorites the health questions or
whatever, but we can't. We can say that about every team. This
team is riskier. You're stepping out on a limb more than more than many
others. But when their ceiling is just so high, I really do think
we're overthinking it, and that if they had gone through, if this has
happened, let's say before the All Star break, and we trust that they
got a few practices under their belt, or even let's say that Kim and
Arrette never got injured, that they didn't acquire Let's say they acquired him injured,
but we never get injured the second time and missus ten games, whatever
it was. I think we're at the point where was probably just like,
hey, the Suns are title favorites, and we're overthinking this. But because
he missed some time, because they haven't had a ton of time together because
the offense is it doesn't always look right. And look the stuff I said,
were eating this part of it the last four games, and thank you
David to alerting us all to go check out that threat. I retweeted it
on my feed. It's important that he's doing that will last in the postseason
when he's going to have to go up against more difficult defenses and when the
like the bigs that are going to be like around the basket there, they're
going to do more to at least change his shot. He's just surrounded by
so much talent. He's going to get a lot of opportunities. But will
he go up physical enough when they are more demonstrative contests. I question whether
DeAndre is going to flourish with the Suns under this structure offensively, I mean
defensively. As long as he's engaged, it's going to be a rousing success.
During the minute he's with KD. We'll see if they have enough depth
when we're projecting forward. The moral of the story is, I do not
think that they're going to move him unless this season ends poorly and he was
part of it, and then that's when we start getting into two trades.
And I don't I don't really want to get into prospective suitors, but if
we were looking at what's a team that I think could maximize DeAndre eight and
the most with what we want to see from him, I think it's probably
San Antonio, and not just because of the absence of a center there,
but looking at the talent around him and the way they like to play right
now. But I would like to see there's gonna be more basket pressure if
he's hanging around the dunker spot. I need to see more of what's happening
though, when he is going to come out and set screens or he's playing
from the outside in. And it also kind of feels like he's not like
they're gonna need him to make passes out of a short roll or a full
role, however you want to frame it, like when you have if Katie's
going to be in the corner, Katie's actually allowed to hit corner threes.
Now he's in Phoenix's that's incredible. Is DeAndre going to be able to define
him more? They might need him to make no more complicated decisions, but
like those are decisions that rather than him sort of bailing out for a jump
hook or a fade or just to stop and pop MIDI, short MIDDI,
whatever you want to call it. Can you get all the way in the
basket, especially now that you're working with so much space and just so much
proven scores around with just adding you have a Booker and Kevin Durant on just
either side of you. Holy fuck, imagine what that does the defense is.
I want to see more of that from him. I think having him
closer to the basket to begin with, and that's something that having k D
alone helps you with, but also Devin Booker as well, like that's going
to I think I can see how it would help DeAndre and especially David mentioned
this and his threat too against certain playoff opponents. But I think long term
and just overall, you need a little bit more from him. And I've
been when he's had to play higher on offense in the half court during the
Kevin Ratt minutes and even during the non dram and it's the ballots are still
there. It just doesn't feel like that is necessarily clicking. Yet maybe I'm
right, maybe I'm wrong. I think this team is gonna be really fucking
good. They're already really fucking good and I don't think they've hit their peak
yet. I hope everyone enjoyed this show. As always, please just remember
to subscribe, you to Spotify, rebecate your podcasts, cross subscribe. Tell
people about us that goes a long wait, Hey, join our discord.
We have a room for more people in there. The discussions are always fun.
Everyone who goes the extra joins Discord. We very much appreciate you.
Until next time, Grant and I will be back next week, probably after
the season ends. With our all MBA and awards picks. We decided to
wait. He wasn't able to go this week. We didn't want to do
it last week. Like I said, there was still just so much going
on. But we will have those wrong outs. You can feel free to
get mad. I already submitted mine for Pucher Report. I'm not sure I'm
gonna make any tweaks to them. I will say defense, the Player of
the Year, six Man of the Year, and MVP, and then we
all vague. I digress until next time, and you get the shout out
as always to the one we only rank Neilakta and also, as ever,
apologies to JAREDI