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Coors Brewing Company, Golden Colorado. What's up, 11 00:00:42,719 --> 00:00:46,320 y'all is Jerusky and I've teamed up with Mountain Dew to produce a hilarious new 12 00:00:46,359 --> 00:00:50,520 basketball podcast called The Douzone. With Drusky, learn the backstories of your favorite 13 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,880 balls and celebrities like Jamal Murray. Did you have like a favorite team? 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,960 Was it the Raptors at the time or no? Was the Raptors even started 15 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,280 around the top? Come on, Brod, like I'm Vit, The Taylor 16 00:01:00,399 --> 00:01:03,079 Rose, Asia Wilson, and any more. You won't want to miss this. 17 00:01:03,319 --> 00:01:07,519 Listen to The Dusone with Drewski on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you 18 00:01:07,519 --> 00:01:21,879 listen to podcasts. Hello everyone, and welcome to the latest episode of Hardwood 19 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,719 Knocks. This is Adam from Will here with my fantastic co host Dan Favallei, 20 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,760 and we have a mailbag episode for you. We've solicited questions from all 21 00:01:29,799 --> 00:01:34,760 of our listeners via Twitter and wherever else you're listening, and we have plenty 22 00:01:34,799 --> 00:01:40,920 of questions. We did not have to send out the desperation please for questions 23 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:42,680 that we've had to do in some of the previous mailbag episodes, So shout 24 00:01:42,719 --> 00:01:48,159 out to everyone who submitted a question for this specific mailbag, even if we 25 00:01:48,239 --> 00:01:51,519 don't end up getting to it today. Before I ask Dan how he's doing. 26 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:53,879 A couple of announcements to make. One is that we're going to start 27 00:01:53,920 --> 00:02:00,000 making these Monday mailbags a more consistent thing, So just start expecting questions to 28 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,280 be submitted over the weekend. If you think of anything throughout the week, 29 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,879 just let us know via DM via tweet at us. However, however, 30 00:02:07,919 --> 00:02:10,639 you can get our attention. We will do our best to pay attention to 31 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:15,680 it. And also we wanted to encourage everyone to follow the entirety of the 32 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:22,000 burgeoning Sports Math Network, which is the parent site for NBA Math. We've 33 00:02:22,159 --> 00:02:25,039 we've started to do more at a number of different Twitter accounts, so if 34 00:02:25,039 --> 00:02:28,919 you're interested, go ahead and give them follows. We have MLB Math, 35 00:02:29,479 --> 00:02:32,680 which is MLB underscore math. We have NHL Math, same format. We 36 00:02:32,719 --> 00:02:36,960 have QB Math which is the same format, and then the overall Sports Math 37 00:02:37,039 --> 00:02:40,039 Network, which is the underscore sports underscore Math. And with all that out 38 00:02:40,039 --> 00:02:45,280 of the way, how's it going, Dan? I am just in awe 39 00:02:45,319 --> 00:02:47,759 of how good that introduction was. That's how it's going. How about yourself? 40 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:53,000 I practiced it exactly zero times. Wow, that's a lot. That's 41 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,400 more than usual. I know it is. I too was overwhelmed. I 42 00:02:57,439 --> 00:03:00,400 sent out the first mailbag solicitation and like late Saturday night, thombest thing ever. 43 00:03:00,479 --> 00:03:04,199 I'll start to do that during the week, although we might we have 44 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,120 like three mail bags worth of questions here. So the response on the morning 45 00:03:07,199 --> 00:03:10,960 I sent them out on or afternoon on Sunday was great. I will be 46 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:15,719 better about the bad times when people are probably actually on Twitter maybe looking not 47 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,719 well. I think the key is that I didn't even make an effort too 48 00:03:20,039 --> 00:03:23,599 like I had nothing to do with the that's a big deal elicitations, which 49 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:28,479 is why people actually responded, that's a big deal. Yeah, we're gonna 50 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:30,719 go about like lowering my workload. It's great. We're gonna look, we're 51 00:03:30,719 --> 00:03:34,319 gonna try and be super efficient with these because we have so many questions, 52 00:03:34,319 --> 00:03:38,360 gonna tackle the ones that came from hardwood knocks or via DM because I did 53 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:43,520 have a DM one before I even said about the solicitation. So let's start 54 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,879 there. Long time listener Raoul Clements, and I hope I didn't butcher the 55 00:03:46,879 --> 00:03:52,439 pronunciation too bad. I'm just gonna assume I butcher every pronunciation. But he 56 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:57,639 asked, but what about a bletsoe for Luke Canard trade. I guess you 57 00:03:57,719 --> 00:04:00,199 throw in lou Will to make the money work, or a bunch of they're 58 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,560 smaller salaries. I bet the Clippers already regret the Luke Kenard extension, given 59 00:04:03,599 --> 00:04:08,080 that he's racking up DMPs letsos a little bit more of a point guard than 60 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:14,879 Beverly and Conard could replace JJ's role once they trade JJ. I don't have 61 00:04:14,919 --> 00:04:16,839 a firm grasp on Knard or Bletso's value, but I would think it's not 62 00:04:16,959 --> 00:04:20,920 super high for either guy. I'll just seize this and answer it. Luke 63 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:26,680 Kennard is incredibly difficult to move because he signed an extension and so he's just 64 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,920 operating under that poison pill provision. So he's going to count as a huge 65 00:04:30,439 --> 00:04:33,800 not I don't want to get into like the super granular nuance of the poison 66 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:38,720 pill provision so that you guys already do to now, I mean I do, 67 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:43,560 but I'm not going to. But just as like a as like a 68 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:48,480 promer, he's going to count as a huge incoming salary for the other team, 69 00:04:48,519 --> 00:04:51,519 but he's gonna count as a different outgoing salary for the Clippers, and 70 00:04:51,519 --> 00:04:54,879 that just makes them unless you have you know, the Knicks are floating out 71 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,839 there, so you have a team with cap space to take on additional salary, 72 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,439 so you can make this work. But it's just it's incredibly difficult for 73 00:05:02,759 --> 00:05:06,560 them to do so if you want, and I don't know that Bletso is 74 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:11,040 the best fit for the Clippers because of his own salary, they it does 75 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:15,160 feel like they need someone who can defend point guards better. Just I'm not 76 00:05:15,199 --> 00:05:17,240 sure Patrick Beverley is there. A lot of people have mentioned this. It 77 00:05:17,319 --> 00:05:21,480 does seem like he's more equipped to go after bigger guys now, and it'd 78 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,959 be nice if they could get someone else who could put pressure on the rim 79 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,360 for them. And the name that I've kept coming back to is de Lan 80 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:30,839 Right. And I don't know if you want to give up Lou Williams and 81 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,720 Terrence Mann to get the lawn right, I personally would, just because I 82 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:38,480 think of what Delan Right does defensively, and he's been hitting his set threes 83 00:05:38,519 --> 00:05:40,800 this year in Detroit, so my assumption would be he could do more in 84 00:05:41,759 --> 00:05:44,399 Los Angeles that he could also get to the rim a little bit more with 85 00:05:44,639 --> 00:05:47,920 the way that they're spacing works. But you know, Bletso theoretically would be 86 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,519 a good fit, but he's proved to be too much of a zero on 87 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:56,199 offense in the playoffs, where if you got a Deln Right who's making essentially 88 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,639 half of what Eric Bletso is making, you could maybe live with having to 89 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,639 work around that a little bit more. Yeah, I mean, if we 90 00:06:02,759 --> 00:06:08,879 are able to avoid the poison pilled provision and the financial nuances of this trade, 91 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:12,360 and just look at the two players in a vacuum, like I think 92 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,680 it does make sense for both teams. Bledsoe might not be the ideal addition 93 00:06:15,759 --> 00:06:18,680 for the Los Angeles Clippers, but he would certainly still be a helpful one 94 00:06:18,759 --> 00:06:21,439 just because of that point of attack defense, the ability to get to the 95 00:06:21,519 --> 00:06:26,480 rim kind of be a steadying ball handling force, which the Clippers do need 96 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:30,319 occasionally, just since they are pretty reliant on some jumpers and some isolation sets 97 00:06:30,319 --> 00:06:33,800 and all that. And Luke Kennard really would be a great fit for New 98 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:39,480 Orleans given how they've started to play recently. With Zion Williamson handling the ball 99 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:43,600 far more frequently both than transition and running pick and rolls, He's gotten so 100 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:48,759 much more comfortable taking control of possessions and hitting kickout opportunities when the defenses compresses 101 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:53,480 around him and route to the rim. So I do think adding another young 102 00:06:53,639 --> 00:06:57,360 shooter like Kennard who can also put the ball on the floor out of those 103 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,439 those catch and dribble situations would make a lot of sense. But as Dan 104 00:07:00,519 --> 00:07:03,399 mentioned right at the top, like the money is hard to figure out there. 105 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:08,920 Yeah, and the Pelicans just the luke Ar's not gonna do anything for 106 00:07:08,959 --> 00:07:10,680 their defense, which is where they need the most help. But they just 107 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,959 need guys who are like between sixty seven and six eight at this point. 108 00:07:13,959 --> 00:07:16,759 There's just like that glaring lack of stuff there. But I don't know, 109 00:07:16,959 --> 00:07:20,040 you know, do you want him to fill the JJ Reddick role when you 110 00:07:20,079 --> 00:07:24,040 barely want JJ Reddick to fill the JJ Reddick role right now? He's just 111 00:07:24,079 --> 00:07:27,399 not playing a ton So that is interesting. And I don't think it's like 112 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,879 either is an ideal fit, But I think Kennard makes more sense for the 113 00:07:30,879 --> 00:07:33,639 Pelicans than Bloods does right now, and vice versa. Correct, and Rabel 114 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:38,519 and I went back and forth. The DM's actually about other targets that people 115 00:07:38,519 --> 00:07:42,759 could look at. This one comes from Miroslav Schuk, who is the last 116 00:07:42,839 --> 00:07:46,759 number one pick who won a championship not assisted by another number one pick. 117 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,240 Yeah, we thought this was going to be a lot harder to research than 118 00:07:49,279 --> 00:07:55,079 it actually was. The answer is Andrew Bogit on the twenty fourteen fifteen Golden 119 00:07:55,079 --> 00:07:58,319 State Warriors, because as stacked as that team was, with Stephen Clay Thompson 120 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:01,800 and Draymond Green. There weren't any other number one picks on that on that 121 00:08:01,879 --> 00:08:05,720 squad, so yeah, they that that would be the surprising answer to me. 122 00:08:05,759 --> 00:08:09,879 And if you go back a little further, the next number one pick 123 00:08:09,959 --> 00:08:13,000 to win a championship as the only number one pick on the roster would be 124 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,160 Lebron James with the Miami Heat. Greg Odin did not come around on those 125 00:08:16,199 --> 00:08:20,240 two championship rosters, so he it was smooth sailing for him in that regard, 126 00:08:20,279 --> 00:08:24,079 even though Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh together probably exceed the value of a 127 00:08:24,079 --> 00:08:30,639 typical number one pick. Yeah, that was that was interesting, and a 128 00:08:30,639 --> 00:08:33,080 lot of guys from the twenty two thousand and three had him, And yeah, 129 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:35,919 I'm like looking at the rosters now and I don't think we missed anyone 130 00:08:35,919 --> 00:08:39,799 there. So that's it's it's really shouldn't be Boga because he didn't necessarily win, 131 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,759 like he wasn't the best player on that Warriors team, But it is 132 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:46,519 bogit And then, as you said, it's it's Lebron when you look at 133 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:50,960 it through the other context, were you surprised that it was that you didn't 134 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:54,320 have to go back further or were you surprised that it was not sooner. 135 00:08:56,159 --> 00:09:00,480 I think I was surprised. I didn't really consider boged until we were through 136 00:09:00,519 --> 00:09:03,000 the number one picks. Lebron didn't surprise me too much, just because you 137 00:09:03,039 --> 00:09:07,240 know, we know that as stacked as those teams were, that there weren't 138 00:09:07,279 --> 00:09:11,080 other number one picks. But then, like I'm just looking at the list 139 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:16,799 of top overall selections and I think the next one and I'm just eyeballing this 140 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:22,879 right now, it would be Tim Duncan probably who didn't he won later in 141 00:09:22,919 --> 00:09:26,720 his career without any fellow number one picks, because I believe David Robinson earlier 142 00:09:26,759 --> 00:09:31,519 in his career for his first title was a number one pick back from nineteen 143 00:09:31,519 --> 00:09:35,120 eighty seven. Beyond that, like I would, I would have to look 144 00:09:35,159 --> 00:09:41,159 and see if Shack played with any like number one picks who were just sitting 145 00:09:41,159 --> 00:09:45,039 on the bench or something for those Lakers teams or the Heat team that won 146 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,879 a title with him, I think that he would probably be another answer. 147 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:52,840 So I guess, I guess I'm surprised that there are so many, just 148 00:09:54,279 --> 00:09:58,279 given how few number one picks historically do win titles, especially with the teams 149 00:09:58,279 --> 00:10:03,240 that drafted them, and none of those none of those answers aside from Duncan 150 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:11,000 answered the question with the franchise that selected them. I think I was surprised 151 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:15,240 that it came so soon. I guess because in the Super Team era you 152 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:18,120 just assume that more stars are congretting together, so that this answer might have 153 00:10:18,159 --> 00:10:22,320 been tougher to figure out. But did the number one pick? Sample size 154 00:10:22,399 --> 00:10:24,320 is just so small relative everything, so even if you're coming up with another 155 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:26,879 star, they did never be taken at the number one pick, and not 156 00:10:26,919 --> 00:10:31,720 every number one pick would comes to star, So that was a very interesting 157 00:10:31,799 --> 00:10:33,919 question. Hey everyone, before we get into today's pod, I want to 158 00:10:33,919 --> 00:10:37,240 tell you about Blue Wire Hustle, a brand new program where you can host 159 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,840 your very own podcast here at blue Wire Hustle. It was created to give 160 00:10:41,879 --> 00:10:45,840 everyone the opportunity to take your podcast to the next level. 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Nobody builds five 175 00:11:45,759 --> 00:11:50,200 G like Verizon builds five G because we're the engineers who built the most reliable 176 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:52,399 network in America. And the more you do with five G, the more 177 00:11:52,399 --> 00:11:56,799 building it right matters, the more your network matters. The more Verizon engineers 178 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:03,360 going the extra mile matters. It's us pushing us. It's Verizon versus Verizon. 179 00:12:03,879 --> 00:12:07,120 Five G built right from America's most reliable network, most reliable based on 180 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:11,080 rankings from Metrics second half twenty twenty US report of three mobile networks results may 181 00:12:11,159 --> 00:12:18,879 vary. Award is not an endorsement Brian College and friend, Brian, how 182 00:12:18,879 --> 00:12:22,600 do you pronounce his last name? Toporek Am I getting it wrong? To 183 00:12:22,759 --> 00:12:26,080 Pore Brian Toprex, Sorry, I definitely to poor X Sorry, I've definitely 184 00:12:26,159 --> 00:12:30,159 miss been miss pronouncing that for way too long. Who is the MVP at 185 00:12:30,159 --> 00:12:31,240 the mid season mark? And why is it Jo Well Embide? We had 186 00:12:31,279 --> 00:12:33,879 other questions on this mailback too that I was asking, when is the media 187 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:41,799 going to acknowledge that Nicola Yokich is the clear MVP? I don't. I 188 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:46,120 don't want to be like the like the Debbie Downer here when it comes to 189 00:12:46,279 --> 00:12:50,639 not providing concrete answers. I can't. It's a tough MVP race. But 190 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:54,559 if you were to vote for Lebron or Yokich or Embiide right now, I 191 00:12:54,639 --> 00:12:58,799 don't have a good argument to say that you're wrong for any three of those 192 00:12:58,799 --> 00:13:03,039 guys. I might push back on the Lebron one, like I get why 193 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:07,440 there's been such a momentum shift in his direction, just because it feels like 194 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:11,480 he's not going to have that many more opportunities to win MVP. I say 195 00:13:11,519 --> 00:13:13,360 that before he plays for like another twenty years at a high level. But 196 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:18,240 just the slump that the Lakers have found themselves in without Anthony Davis available is 197 00:13:18,279 --> 00:13:22,759 pretty telling. So like he's still not lifting that team quite as much as 198 00:13:22,759 --> 00:13:28,440 we would want from a true MVP frontrunner. So like, I get the 199 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:31,480 argument, I just might push back a little bit on that one. Specifically, 200 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:35,440 when you look at their half court offensive numbers without him, I might 201 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:37,399 push back against your pushback there. I think, Oh, I mean, 202 00:13:37,519 --> 00:13:43,039 they're terrible without him, but like he's not elevating them to the level of 203 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,519 a title contender single handedly right now, which it kind of feels like is 204 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:52,879 the assumption, given how much credit he's been receiving in these MVP conversations lately. 205 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:56,840 I still think it's between Yokich and Joel Embiid, And I'm willing to 206 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:01,000 put Janie's name in there again. Oh you're you're You're of the mind that 207 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:03,720 James Harden belongs in there too, aren't you. No? I mean, 208 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,240 I don't think that he's played enough for the team that he's on right now. 209 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:09,480 I would also argue that the first nine or ten games of the season 210 00:14:09,519 --> 00:14:11,679 needs to matter. I think that's my old head yelling at cloud thing. 211 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:15,279 I don't actually mind the way he went about getting out of Houston, but 212 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,320 I don't know that you can do that and then win the MVP Award in 213 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:22,879 the same season would be my only grape. My pick would be indeed right 214 00:14:22,879 --> 00:14:24,080 now, by the way over Yokich And I think it's just because of his 215 00:14:24,279 --> 00:14:28,080 dominance at both ends of the floor, which kind of leads us into this 216 00:14:28,159 --> 00:14:35,279 next question. This one comes from Rodrigo Race. Oh no, I'm sorry. 217 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,039 We'll get to yours in a second. But this one comes from t 218 00:14:37,159 --> 00:14:39,440 JR. What chance does Yokis have to be the first center to ever lead 219 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:43,480 the NBA and steals should still be considered a horrible defender by I test Twitter, 220 00:14:48,559 --> 00:14:52,480 I feel like he doesn't have a very good chance of leading the league 221 00:14:52,519 --> 00:14:56,799 in steals. So I mean, like he's third right now, Like he's 222 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:01,399 averaging one point seven per game, which puts him behind t J. McConnell 223 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:07,559 and Fred Van Vleet on significant digits among qualified players. But like I just 224 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,159 I guess I have trouble believing that he's going to maintain that pace for the 225 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:15,919 rest of the season, considering he had not averaged more than one point four 226 00:15:16,279 --> 00:15:20,279 prior to this season and was at one point two for his career and last 227 00:15:20,279 --> 00:15:24,600 season. So I'm just not sure that the Nuggets really want him to be 228 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:30,639 playing big enough minutes with a movement heavy enough off defensive role to actually get 229 00:15:30,679 --> 00:15:33,559 there. But if he did happen to win like yeah, like, he 230 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:37,000 would still be perceived as a weak defender who led the league and steal somehow. 231 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:41,440 I guess like monte Ella style. Maybe as strange as it might be 232 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:48,399 to compare those two players, I don't know where the perception of Nikolayoki or 233 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:54,159 where the actuality of Nikoliokich is on defense anymore relative to like the discourse, 234 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,519 because he does have really good hands for a big man, and I think 235 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:00,960 I think we tend to get like a biased view of that discourse too, 236 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,759 just because the TPA graphs that we put out at NBA Math, Like we've 237 00:16:03,759 --> 00:16:08,080 said multiple times, I try to answer that kind of question like at least 238 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:12,279 once every other week, that yes, it is inflating his numbers because he 239 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:18,279 has interaction effects between assists and rebounds and the way the defensive portion of the 240 00:16:18,279 --> 00:16:22,639 metric is calculated is by looking at overall value, which is a pretty solid 241 00:16:22,679 --> 00:16:26,360 calculation, an offensive value, which is a pretty solid calculation, and then 242 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:33,080 assigning the defensive value to the difference, which is problematic. So his defense 243 00:16:33,159 --> 00:16:37,039 in all of those pictures and those graphical representations is overinflated. So there tends 244 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,519 to be pushed back against that. But at the same time, like, 245 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:45,000 he's not a bad defender, and it doesn't take long watching the nuggets to 246 00:16:45,039 --> 00:16:48,159 realize that, so long as you're watching the right way. Because he's weak 247 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:49,600 at the point of attack, he's not a great rim protector, but he 248 00:16:49,639 --> 00:16:56,639 does so many good things in between those two terminuses of a defensive possession, 249 00:16:56,919 --> 00:17:02,000 not to mention that he's a great defensive rebounder prevents second chance opportunities, which 250 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:06,839 I personally think should matter more than it typically does in defense conversations. Is 251 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:08,880 he a great defender? No? Is he a bad defender? No, 252 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:15,559 Like he's he's a good, passable defensive big. And with as we see 253 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:18,119 with so many conversations, it's it's hard for people to accept that the middle 254 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:22,759 ground is actually the correct answer because we tend to veer so far towards extremes 255 00:17:22,759 --> 00:17:27,920 with almost every topic. Yeah, I'm totally with you. There's the middle 256 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,240 ground. I don't think he's terrible. I don't know that I would go 257 00:17:30,279 --> 00:17:33,720 as far as good or passible, because I do think you want your big 258 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:40,319 like him, who's not going to, like you said, be this lockdown 259 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:42,599 guy from the point of attack. It needs to be more. I don't 260 00:17:42,599 --> 00:17:45,160 want to say, he needs to be more consistent around the rim where he's 261 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:49,160 not going to get burned by an extra pass. And look, the numbers 262 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:53,079 are going to bear that out. The Nuggets have had trouble defending the rim 263 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:56,720 this season, and you have to put some of that on there. They're 264 00:17:56,759 --> 00:18:00,519 starting big man, and I do again, I think he has great hands 265 00:18:00,559 --> 00:18:03,839 you talked about is defensive, rebounding, and I do think there are certain 266 00:18:03,839 --> 00:18:07,920 situations where he's can be an okay rim protector, like if he doesn't have 267 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,319 to, you know, react or pivot as you know, I guess it's 268 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:17,799 instantaneously to make those reads, it ends up being huge where he ends up 269 00:18:17,799 --> 00:18:19,400 being fine there. But if you're going to have a big who's going to 270 00:18:19,559 --> 00:18:22,200 anchor an elite defense, it's just I don't know that it's going to be 271 00:18:22,279 --> 00:18:26,440 him. I think you can build a very good defense around him. I 272 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:30,279 just don't know that he's ever going to be like one of the three most 273 00:18:30,319 --> 00:18:33,680 important anchors of that defense in any given line up. From a positive perspective, 274 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,599 that doesn't change anything he does on offense. And I do agree with 275 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:41,119 you that there's just this people think that he gets cooked all the time on 276 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:45,559 defense, and it's just and when you watch him, it's really just not 277 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:48,519 like that, because even if he defends high, sometimes he can make plays 278 00:18:48,599 --> 00:18:51,960 up when he is really high. No, you don't want like he's not. 279 00:18:52,079 --> 00:18:52,920 I'm trying to think of what, but who do you want him to 280 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,920 be? I guess as a big man will be like, no, he's 281 00:18:55,920 --> 00:19:00,119 not Anthony Davis. And he's definitely not Rudy Gobert. But not everyone's going 282 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:02,680 to be Rudy Gobert. And there are people who argue that Anthony Davis is 283 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:07,319 a bad defender because the bed off splits. So I think ultimately he's better 284 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:11,160 at like elongating possessions and forcing the offense to have to make a few extra 285 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:15,039 decisions and settle for a marginally less effective shot than he is at just like 286 00:19:15,079 --> 00:19:22,039 straight up ending a possession or making a turnover forcing play like we see Rudy 287 00:19:22,039 --> 00:19:25,599 Gobert who's so good at recovering and Anthony Davis who can cover so much ground 288 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:29,640 and operate from the weak side and come over to help. And Yokich doesn't 289 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:33,079 like do any of those highlight worthy plays very frequently. It's just it's more 290 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:38,079 that he makes these subtle, correct decisions that make the offense's job harder, 291 00:19:38,319 --> 00:19:41,960 and I think there's value in that. And there's also value in him just 292 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:45,119 being in the right spots too, when he's even getting burned around the rim. 293 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,039 It's I think it's probably more so of a physical limitation. It's not 294 00:19:48,079 --> 00:19:51,839 any it's not all the time where he's doing something. I mean, you 295 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:55,640 even said he's not making these incorrect decisions, so it's not There might be 296 00:19:55,839 --> 00:19:59,400 an element of physical limitations here where he's just not going to have the same 297 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,119 pivot quickness or lateral quickness in those situations where there is the extra pass. 298 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:07,799 So yeah, I don't think he's a terrible defender. It's it is I 299 00:20:07,839 --> 00:20:11,759 guess the the eye test versus stats twitter though I don't. I guess I 300 00:20:11,799 --> 00:20:15,519 never see those debates on whether Yoki just is a is a bed offend, 301 00:20:15,599 --> 00:20:18,720 right. I feel like it's just stated that they happened in the NBA math 302 00:20:18,759 --> 00:20:22,440 mentions a lot. I need to read the NBA math mentions a little bit 303 00:20:22,519 --> 00:20:27,359 more, apparently, but I agree with basically everything you just said. This 304 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:33,240 question comes from Zach Williams. What do the Kings do about Buddy Healed? 305 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,680 I still think they've got to move him, Like this core just isn't gonna 306 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:45,440 work, and his shooting alone has so much value that you're going to be 307 00:20:45,519 --> 00:20:49,359 able to find a home for him and commit long term to a backcourt of 308 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:53,119 darn Fox and Tyres. However, like you have those pieces in place, 309 00:20:53,559 --> 00:20:57,480 Healed is a luxury item for a good team. He shouldn't really be a 310 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:03,039 centerpiece on a rebuild. And yeah, I mean, I think the only 311 00:21:03,079 --> 00:21:06,680 answer is is that he's eventually going to get moved out of Sacramento for a 312 00:21:06,799 --> 00:21:10,920 value. Probably. I was just very distractive because I was thinking about our 313 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:14,519 Yokich conversation. I hate that we get whenever there's an MVP discussion, we 314 00:21:14,559 --> 00:21:18,559 get put in a place where we're like discrediting what's one of the five to 315 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:22,279 seven best players in the NBA. It leaves me distraught. I want to 316 00:21:22,279 --> 00:21:26,400 make it clear to I think Kola Yoki is spectacular. I'm sorry, I 317 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:30,240 can't. I've been struggling with that. Whenever we do awards talk or you 318 00:21:30,279 --> 00:21:33,319 know who, would you rather that we end up like sort of putting down 319 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:37,200 really good players Buddy Heeled For me, though, I would agree they need 320 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,519 to move him. He's shooting over his past fourteen games, He's going through 321 00:21:40,559 --> 00:21:45,880 at thirty point two percent from three. I think they just doesn't look interested. 322 00:21:45,279 --> 00:21:49,200 They've tried playing him with Halbert and Daron Fox together. It's just not 323 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,680 working. And I don't know that can ever work long term. What's interesting, 324 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:56,000 though, or I guess difficult here is I don't think that you can 325 00:21:56,119 --> 00:22:00,440 just he has three years and sixty two point five and left on his deal. 326 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:04,400 I don't think that you can just move him for the sake of moving 327 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:08,640 him. I still think because shooting has value, and of how important he 328 00:22:08,799 --> 00:22:14,680 theoretically could be to your team as a shooter if you get better, because 329 00:22:14,759 --> 00:22:17,400 look, he's going to shoot better from three, Like he's not shooting sub 330 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:18,799 thirty one percent from three for the rest of the season. He's too good 331 00:22:18,799 --> 00:22:21,720 of a shooter. The statues bear that out. He's been one of the 332 00:22:21,759 --> 00:22:26,240 elite three point weapons over the past few years. I just think that can 333 00:22:26,279 --> 00:22:29,079 you trade him for like a you know something? I was thinking, like, 334 00:22:29,079 --> 00:22:33,079 would you do Buddy Healed for Gorgy Jang and Justice Winslow if you were 335 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,920 Memphis or Sacramento right now? And maybe that's tougher because Justice Winslow is barely 336 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:41,119 he just started playing for Memphis. But if you're you know, can you 337 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:45,200 do Buddy Healed for Buddy Heal for Aaron Gordon? Essentially be interesting framework, 338 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,559 right. I think as long as you're getting back a shorter term contract, 339 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:53,240 then you should be interested from Sacramento, especially if those wheels are greased with 340 00:22:53,319 --> 00:22:56,559 like a second round pick or two just to get something. Yeah, I 341 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:00,799 look like you can't expect to get something Stanchiel back And I think that whoever 342 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:07,079 ends up landing Buddy he'll too, just based on the history of his three 343 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:10,480 point shooting, Like he's going to play better than he is right now, 344 00:23:10,839 --> 00:23:15,680 most likely when he's motivated on a good team or even a more capable one 345 00:23:15,759 --> 00:23:19,000 than Sacramento has been this season. Like whoever lands him is going to get 346 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:26,759 good value. Next question comes from Rodrigo Ray this time, and I hope 347 00:23:26,759 --> 00:23:30,839 I'm not pronouncing that too poorly. Why are the Celtics so poor without Smart? 348 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:37,519 Is it something like the Warriors without Draymond Green. Yeah, I think 349 00:23:37,519 --> 00:23:41,359 there's something to be said for losing a player who is both important on the 350 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:45,359 stat sheet and is an emotional heartbeat of the team. You know, Draymond 351 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:49,880 Green motivates the Warriors so much with his play and with his passion, And 352 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:53,920 it's similar for the Boston Celtics with Marcus Smart, like just you know how 353 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,960 hard he's going to play on both ends of the court whenever he is healthy 354 00:23:59,039 --> 00:24:02,319 unavailable. And I do think it's hard to overcome that kind of loss, 355 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:04,960 even if he isn't one of the team's most important players. From an x's 356 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:10,720 and O's perspective, they haven't had the defensive weaponry on the perimeter to really 357 00:24:10,759 --> 00:24:14,200 account for that loss, and it hasn't helped that Kemba Walker hasn't been what 358 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:18,240 they need either, Like they need aggression and the ability to get to the 359 00:24:18,319 --> 00:24:22,160 rim. And when the defense is only mediocre without Smart, like that's that's 360 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:27,279 ultimately too big of a shortcoming for the Celtics to remain in that upper echelon 361 00:24:27,319 --> 00:24:32,599 of the East as we've seen. Yeah, and I don't know that it 362 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:36,880 helps. I mean it looks smart. It's such a smart defensive player where 363 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,200 it's just like he can be in so many places at the right time, 364 00:24:40,279 --> 00:24:41,759 and he's really going to make sure, you know, he's not going to 365 00:24:41,839 --> 00:24:44,960 help off of guys if in me, you know, he's not going to 366 00:24:45,039 --> 00:24:47,279 help off of the wrong guy. And you can look at that when the 367 00:24:47,319 --> 00:24:52,079 Celtics are allowing a you know, a ton fewer corner threes when he's on 368 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:55,200 the court, and he's going to put more pressure without getting burned than some 369 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,440 of these other guys. And I don't know how much you know this necessarily 370 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:02,039 isn't a smart thing. But there is also the element of high variants to 371 00:25:02,319 --> 00:25:04,880 Boston's offense, which is tenth in points scored per possession when you factor out 372 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:10,759 garbage time. But they only the Blazers take more pull up jumpers per game, 373 00:25:10,759 --> 00:25:12,599 and they're twenty eighth in the frequency with which their shots come at the 374 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:17,000 rim. So when you're relying at heavily on jumpers, you're just going to 375 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:21,839 have those high variance, high leverage nights, and it opens you up now 376 00:25:21,839 --> 00:25:25,079 without Smart, where there might be multiple ways that you get burned. I 377 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:29,599 think with Smart, though, they're probably a substantially better team than we'd seen. 378 00:25:29,839 --> 00:25:33,799 But I still view them they're probably more than one player away from being 379 00:25:33,039 --> 00:25:37,839 a genuine title contender, right, I think so. But I also think 380 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:44,079 that there's enough potential for internal improvement that that player might be on the roster. 381 00:25:45,519 --> 00:25:49,920 It wouldn't surprise me if Kemba started playing more like the Kemba Walker we 382 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:55,240 saw in Charlotte. That's true, and that was enough for them to reascend. 383 00:25:55,599 --> 00:25:57,400 If Peydon Pritchard starts to look like he did at the beginning of the 384 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:03,519 season, if Grant Williams has a sudden breakout at Tristan Thompson starts figuring things 385 00:26:03,559 --> 00:26:07,000 out, or they give more minutes to Robert Williams the third and he starts 386 00:26:07,039 --> 00:26:11,119 to stay out of foul trouble and make more of a positive impact around the 387 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:14,640 rim. On a more consistent basis, it feels like the Celtics are more 388 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:18,319 than one piece away, and yet they still have the internal ability to fill 389 00:26:18,839 --> 00:26:23,640 those holes without needing to go on the trade market and let Danny Ainge do 390 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,319 what Danny Age wants to do, which is almost make a trade and then 391 00:26:26,319 --> 00:26:30,519 claim it was closer than it was. He's made moves, but they typically 392 00:26:30,559 --> 00:26:34,400 come in the offseason. He's just the master of not of like fake midseason 393 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:38,599 stuff. No last question coming from a hardwoo Knox account itself before we get 394 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:42,559 into others. Noah Odage, are you ready to stop doubting and believe in 395 00:26:42,599 --> 00:26:47,720 the Knicks as a true playoff team. I'm assuming that's aimed at me, 396 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:52,200 I would think so. I feel like you've been more outspoken about the Knicks. 397 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:56,039 I mean, yeah, Like we're thirty four games into the season, 398 00:26:56,039 --> 00:26:59,960 they're five, They're playing five hundred basketball, They've scored more points than they 399 00:27:00,079 --> 00:27:04,720 allowed. There are still signs of possible regression. I opponent three point shooting 400 00:27:04,799 --> 00:27:10,119 eventually needing to regress to the mean or progressed to the mean here, But 401 00:27:11,039 --> 00:27:14,079 this is clearly a better team than we assumed at the beginning of the season. 402 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,599 Yes, and look, the defense has been great for them. And 403 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:22,079 I'm gonna have to do a make cultla here. I think because I had 404 00:27:22,079 --> 00:27:26,160 a filter on of cleaning mcglass when I was looking at the Celtics stats that 405 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:30,799 said that they were tenth in offensive efficiency, they are actually thirteenth in point 406 00:27:30,799 --> 00:27:34,599 scored per possession, and the defense is still holding strong at fourteenth and points 407 00:27:34,599 --> 00:27:38,920 allowed per possession. But they've definitely been on the down swing without Marcus Smart. 408 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:44,200 The thing with the Knicks is just that they're twenty fourth in offense. 409 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,799 They don't take a ton of threes, even though they're hitting them at a 410 00:27:47,839 --> 00:27:49,799 reasonable clip, and so you know, we can look at the defensive aggression 411 00:27:49,799 --> 00:27:52,400 where I don't view them as a top three defensive team, but maybe this 412 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:56,759 is the season where that happens. Because the third best defensive team is allowing 413 00:27:56,799 --> 00:28:00,079 one hundred and eight point one hundred and eight point four points per owners possessions, 414 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:03,960 and the Knicks are watchable, They are eminently watchable, and maybe the 415 00:28:04,039 --> 00:28:11,240 fan, the deatingly disenchanted fan in me, is distraught that in a season 416 00:28:11,319 --> 00:28:15,079 where the twenty one draft class is expected to be so good, the Knicks 417 00:28:15,079 --> 00:28:19,279 are just, we'll say, wonderfully mediocre, to the point that yeah, 418 00:28:19,319 --> 00:28:22,240 okay, maybe they end up with a lottery pick, or maybe they don't 419 00:28:22,319 --> 00:28:23,599 end up with a lottery pick, but now you're missing yet another chance to 420 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:29,119 get that blue chip cornerstone because I don't think they have him yet. And 421 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:33,200 it's I just the way Mettell Robinson plays when he's healthy. I think he 422 00:28:33,279 --> 00:28:34,440 can be a really good player, but not someone you build around. The 423 00:28:34,519 --> 00:28:37,640 endgame with Julius Randall is temporary. That's just Julius Randall has been in. 424 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:41,200 He deserved to be an All Star this season. That's totally fine. I 425 00:28:41,279 --> 00:28:44,880 don't. I guess it's too soon to write off R. J. Barrett, 426 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:48,599 but he needs to like and it's too soon to write off or J. 427 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,799 Barrett, but that's the really the only guy. I don't know if 428 00:28:51,799 --> 00:28:52,960 it's quickly where you look at and saying, oh, we're going to rebuild 429 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:57,039 around him, and so that's maybe it's hard for me to separate that in 430 00:28:57,079 --> 00:29:02,240 the East though, just relative to what's happening, I guess you can just 431 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:03,440 say, at this point, should the Knicks be considered like they're going to 432 00:29:03,519 --> 00:29:07,160 finish you know, tenth, they're better at this point if we want to 433 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:10,839 consider the plan because all likelihood, yeah, they're still too close to dropping 434 00:29:10,839 --> 00:29:11,640 out for me to be like, oh, they're going to finish sixth. 435 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:15,160 And absolutely get a game in the first round. I still want to go 436 00:29:15,319 --> 00:29:18,720 there. They're currently what is it? Yeah, I mean it's only two 437 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:22,799 and a half games that separate them from the Atlanta Hawks, who I think 438 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,759 we have to assume are going to improve as the season progresses, if only 439 00:29:26,799 --> 00:29:32,279 because they get healthier. The Wizards have been coming on strong. They're tied 440 00:29:32,319 --> 00:29:34,519 with the Hawks and the standings right now despite playing two fewer games. So 441 00:29:34,599 --> 00:29:38,039 yeah, I mean like the Knicks aren't by no means like safely in the 442 00:29:38,039 --> 00:29:44,200 playoff lock picture, but yeah, I mean they deserve to be strongly considered 443 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:47,960 and probably favored for one of those top ten spots. This is a good 444 00:29:48,039 --> 00:29:52,319 lead in to another Knicks question, how does Alfred Payton start? And this 445 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:59,079 comes from Marek Barnett. I will Alfred Payton is not currently starting because he's 446 00:29:59,119 --> 00:30:03,079 injured. I don't know if this is just a Tibbs wants to, you 447 00:30:03,079 --> 00:30:07,960 know, maintain continuity. But I will say one of the effects of Quickly 448 00:30:08,039 --> 00:30:11,880 not being the starter is we've been getting to see some like Quickly Frankie Lakeena 449 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:15,200 minutes, and I gotta say those make my heart warm and fuzzy. I 450 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,640 don't know, why are they trying to showcase his value? What would be 451 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:22,279 the argument against You know, I think everyone's gonna be like, hey, 452 00:30:22,319 --> 00:30:25,599 just start quickly. I actually won't really get too bent out of shape about 453 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:29,480 that, but why wouldn't you start, you know, Derek Rose at this 454 00:30:29,559 --> 00:30:33,640 point, get over Alfert Payton again. Alfort Payton has not started the past 455 00:30:33,759 --> 00:30:37,440 two games for the Knicks because he has a hamstring injury, I believe. 456 00:30:37,119 --> 00:30:40,839 So do you have an argument for why Alfred Payton should start over Derek Rose 457 00:30:41,079 --> 00:30:45,400 or Emmanuel Quickly? I got nothing there aside from the fact that Tom Thibodeau 458 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,480 as the coach and he's done a fantastic job. But Tibbs is still gonna 459 00:30:48,519 --> 00:30:52,720 TIBs, and you know that he loves his veteran players, and he is 460 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:59,240 a stickler for being stubborn within the same season, and because Alfred Payton has 461 00:30:59,279 --> 00:31:02,759 been starting all or Alfred Payton is probably going to continue starting while he's on 462 00:31:02,799 --> 00:31:06,440 the roster because that's what Tibbs does. And the argument is if he was 463 00:31:06,559 --> 00:31:07,559 shooting lights out from three, where it's like, you know, we can't 464 00:31:07,599 --> 00:31:11,119 really trust Derek Rose to do that, but you're gonna trust Derek Rose just 465 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:15,759 more to play alongside I think Julius Randol and Barrett, or maybe he just 466 00:31:15,799 --> 00:31:18,240 looks at it as hey, Peyton is the most accomplished playmaker that they have, 467 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:22,519 and you want to make sure that you know you have Julius Randol there 468 00:31:22,519 --> 00:31:26,480 too, but you don't want to make sure that someone's cannibalizing too many possessions 469 00:31:26,519 --> 00:31:29,440 from Barrett. I don't know. I don't know the samples big enough with 470 00:31:29,599 --> 00:31:32,400 the Derek Rose era, and then we don't have a ton with you know, 471 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:34,799 the Neil Keena Quickly stuff. But I would argue that Alpha Payton should 472 00:31:34,839 --> 00:31:38,440 not be finishing the season on this team, but the next again they're they're 473 00:31:38,519 --> 00:31:41,400 tied for fifth, fourth in the East. Whatever. It is, a 474 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:47,160 five hundred, So Tibbs knows a lot that we don't. Tubbs as I'm 475 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:52,079 just laughing at the name. What is Colin Sexton's efficiency from ten how fish 476 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:55,839 is context and from ten to fifteen feet out? I used ten to sixteen 477 00:31:55,880 --> 00:32:00,640 feet just because it was easier to look up with on Basketball Reference shooting fifty 478 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:05,039 four point three percent from ten to sixteen feet Bonus, that is the fourth 479 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:08,640 highest clip from ten to sixteen feet among thirty nine players with at least fifty 480 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:13,640 such attempts this season. Would you care to venture? Can you guess any 481 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:17,799 of the players that are in the top three? I guarantee you're not going 482 00:32:17,839 --> 00:32:22,440 to get two of them. Yeah, I mean my my immediate instinct is 483 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:27,759 to go with Chris Paul, Nikola Vukovic and Chris Middleton. Okay, you 484 00:32:27,839 --> 00:32:31,519 got exactly zero. I thought you would have gotten Kevin Durant. He's the 485 00:32:31,559 --> 00:32:37,039 other two. You weren't getting Tias Jones fifty seven point nine percent between ten 486 00:32:37,079 --> 00:32:39,839 to sixteen feet. This one, this one got me, but it shouldn't 487 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:44,559 have. Rishawn Holmes seventy one percent. That little push shot and it's definitely 488 00:32:44,599 --> 00:32:47,279 not coming from ten feet out all the time, but shout out at least 489 00:32:47,279 --> 00:32:52,759 like high on the leaderboard. No, oh cool, awesome? Let me 490 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:59,039 who who is your guest? First guest was Chris Paul? Ye fooch was 491 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,839 is seventeen at forty seven percent, and that was your highest the guesses, 492 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:07,319 So I am that's you know, Chris Paul's at forty four eight Chris Paul's 493 00:33:07,319 --> 00:33:08,880 at forty four point eight percent. But he only likes to take like those. 494 00:33:09,039 --> 00:33:14,200 He's probably shooting astronomically high from like unlog mid rangers, So that's what 495 00:33:14,279 --> 00:33:17,920 it's gotta be. That's still a good clip ultimately, But I mean I'm 496 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:22,839 still like a little concerned about that Colin Sexton stat Like it's great that he's 497 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:27,839 hitting those. I don't really love that he's shooting a higher percentage of his 498 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:30,880 shots from both ten to sixteen feet and sixteen feet to the three point line 499 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:36,440 this season than he was last year and more than he did as a rookie. 500 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:38,799 Also, like, that's not really the way we want to see those 501 00:33:38,839 --> 00:33:43,759 shot profiles trending as good as he's been this season, Like that might be 502 00:33:43,839 --> 00:33:46,519 a valid knit to pick at, Yeah, and I don't. It's come 503 00:33:46,519 --> 00:33:51,039 at the expense of mostly looks at the rim. And I don't if he 504 00:33:51,119 --> 00:33:52,680 was taking more threes that would bother me as much. But his three point 505 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:55,720 at tempt rate is down. Still He's still a good shooter, mind you, 506 00:33:55,880 --> 00:34:00,599 But I totally agree with you. That is something to to sort of 507 00:34:00,599 --> 00:34:04,200 watch, But I remain I will continue to buy Colin Sexton stock. Oh 508 00:34:04,279 --> 00:34:07,799 yeah, this is this is very much like a minor gripe like Sexton has 509 00:34:07,839 --> 00:34:12,440 been fantastic, would you. So before we get into some of the other 510 00:34:12,519 --> 00:34:19,679 questions that have to do with TPA, gavy ash Canazi ask what's t PA. 511 00:34:20,119 --> 00:34:22,079 I feel like this might be the question for the founder and editor in 512 00:34:22,159 --> 00:34:24,639 chief of NBA, math Adam frommel I don't know about you, though, 513 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:29,800 Yeah, I'm just like not entirely sure how to approach answering that it stands 514 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:34,559 for total points at it. It looks at a player's contributions relative to league 515 00:34:34,559 --> 00:34:38,719 average production based on how many possessions they've played, such that an average player 516 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:42,920 slightly above average player who spends a lot of time on the floor is valued 517 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:46,400 highly, as is a guy who's way above average and a smaller sample. 518 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:52,400 So ultimately, it's a way of blending together per possession efficiency and volume to 519 00:34:52,039 --> 00:34:58,199 have a single number, single number metric. We do not typically recommend using 520 00:34:58,199 --> 00:35:00,840 it as the end all be' all, as gospel or anything like that. 521 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:06,679 The defensive portion of the metric is particularly shaky and should always be blended with 522 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:08,639 the eye test. But yeah, I mean, like, the beauty of 523 00:35:09,159 --> 00:35:13,440 TPA is that we can calculate it all the way back into the early nineteen 524 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:15,199 seventies, which is not the case for many of the catch all numbers. 525 00:35:15,519 --> 00:35:22,599 So we're sacrificing a little bit in terms of accuracy for that historical element that 526 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:27,679 was It's almost like you've invented the stat It's like that, that's how good 527 00:35:27,679 --> 00:35:30,320 the explanation was. This is going to tie into it. And so it 528 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:32,599 look if you want to make the call of Yoka, just MVP case, 529 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:43,079 it's coming right right now here we got Anthony Anthony Moore. Latchie asked how 530 00:35:43,079 --> 00:35:51,880 many teams have entire combined tpa's less than Yokich by himself. So I didn't 531 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:54,760 know what to expect what I dove into this question just because summing all of 532 00:35:54,760 --> 00:36:00,000 the t pas on a team isn't something that we typically do, just because 533 00:36:00,039 --> 00:36:05,000 there are like weird interaction effects and all that with that process. But I 534 00:36:05,039 --> 00:36:07,320 did it any way to answer this question, and like the results. They 535 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:10,519 passed the sniff test. You know, like if you look at the bottom 536 00:36:10,559 --> 00:36:15,239 five teams by summed TPA of all contributors, both the ones who are on 537 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:19,719 the roster now and who are on the roster earlier in the season, and 538 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:22,159 we're traded, et cetera, et cetera. The bottom five are are the 539 00:36:22,159 --> 00:36:27,239 Minnesota Timberwolves at minus three sixty six, the Orlando Magic at minus two seventy 540 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:30,559 one point nine, the Cleveland Cavaliers at minus two forty nine point eight, 541 00:36:30,239 --> 00:36:34,920 the Oklahoma City Thunder at minus two forty nine point three, and the Sacramento 542 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:37,639 Kings at minus two twenty six, which I think you would agree, like, 543 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:39,239 those are the bottom feeding teams this season, right right, Yeah, 544 00:36:39,559 --> 00:36:45,400 So the top five we have the Brooklyn Nets just barely missed out. I 545 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:49,760 would assume they'll move into the top five as they get even more out of 546 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:52,320 their Big three. But the Phoenix Suns at one twenty point five, the 547 00:36:52,360 --> 00:36:57,480 Los Angeles Clippers at one twenty six point eight, the Los Angeles Lakers at 548 00:36:57,519 --> 00:37:00,400 one fifty five point five, the Milwaukee Bucks at two sixteen point zero, 549 00:37:00,519 --> 00:37:04,920 and the Utah Jazz at two sixty four point zero. Can you just say 550 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:07,880 the number one team again? That would be the Utah Jazz. Yeah, 551 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:14,719 just wanted to at two hundred sixty four joints three. Sorry, but Yokich 552 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:19,440 has two hundred and seventy seven point seven TPA, which would mean that he's 553 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:24,719 out producing every team in the league. Now to follow that up even with 554 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:31,320 his contributions. The Nuggets are seventh in these summed individual contributions because the rest 555 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:37,039 of the roster has been so ridiculously negative, So their sum is eighty three 556 00:37:37,119 --> 00:37:42,679 point four including his two seventy seven point seven. So yeah, Yokich single 557 00:37:42,679 --> 00:37:49,880 handedly has more TPA than every team in the NBA. Second place in individual 558 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:54,360 TPA is Jannis at one seventy eight point five, So only the Jazz and 559 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:59,000 the Bucks, which obviously include his contributions, are ahead of him. So 560 00:37:59,039 --> 00:38:00,599 it's not like just Yo, I think we're going to see that kind of 561 00:38:00,639 --> 00:38:04,480 thing with a lot of stars. I was just surprised to see how those 562 00:38:04,559 --> 00:38:10,960 numbers worked out. We have another stat related question, Chris as Why does 563 00:38:12,039 --> 00:38:16,199 defensive point saved say Dylan Brooks is a bad defender when he's a great on 564 00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:22,000 ball defender. Yeah, Dan and I talked about this one before we started 565 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:25,480 recording, just because it is such a good question. I think it's similar 566 00:38:25,519 --> 00:38:30,639 to what we've seen in the past from guys like Avery Bradley and Klay Thompson, 567 00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:37,880 where their statistical profile just doesn't necessarily lend itself to sterling defensive metrics because 568 00:38:38,119 --> 00:38:44,599 they aren't producing steals and blocks at an elite rate. They're not really strong 569 00:38:44,639 --> 00:38:47,400 defensive rebounders, and so much of their best work tends to come in on 570 00:38:47,519 --> 00:38:52,280 ball situations and the result of a good on ball possession is usually a pass 571 00:38:52,599 --> 00:38:55,519 so that somebody else has to take a shot, and that's just not going 572 00:38:55,599 --> 00:39:00,159 to be captured by these metrics. Plus, like the Grizzlies have been a 573 00:39:00,159 --> 00:39:05,000 mediocre defensive team, so he's not going to benefit from any like team effects 574 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:09,079 in this particular metric. So I think it's pretty clear that if you watch 575 00:39:09,199 --> 00:39:13,039 him, you see how physical and how relentless he is, and how many 576 00:39:13,079 --> 00:39:16,760 good on ball skills he has. It's just not being reflected in those stats 577 00:39:16,800 --> 00:39:22,159 because these catchall metrics aren't going to capture anything. And it's just yet another 578 00:39:22,199 --> 00:39:27,400 reason that you know, the eye test and stats are not these polar extremes 579 00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:30,400 that are in constant conflict. There pieces of the same toolbox meant to be 580 00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:35,320 used together, and in this case, like you can create a nice balance 581 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:38,000 where like Dylan Brooks isn't doing enough to be viewed as an elite defender, 582 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:42,000 even if he might look like it on some possessions, But the eye test 583 00:39:42,119 --> 00:39:45,199 is also making it pretty clear that like the numbers that says one of the 584 00:39:45,199 --> 00:39:50,880 worst offenders in the league are obviously wrong. Yeah, and look, he's 585 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:53,920 an important part of what is the twelfth rank defense right now, and so 586 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:58,280 you can call that mediocre, but to be with the injuries that they've dealt 587 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:01,320 with too in Memphis or the lack of availability and the lack of availability for 588 00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:06,639 them to be purely from a statistical standpoint, like I would consider anything close 589 00:40:06,679 --> 00:40:10,840 to fifteen like mediocre. And look, opponents are averaging and I know this 590 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:15,519 isn't perfect. Just point seven seven points per possession against him in isolation this 591 00:40:15,559 --> 00:40:19,679 season, an incredibly small sample size, but that is in the seventy fifth 592 00:40:19,679 --> 00:40:23,360 percentile. If you were looking for some Dylan Brooks love. That doesn't for 593 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:28,400 the TPA questions, are you said a little bit? I figured, but 594 00:40:28,519 --> 00:40:32,920 I'm willing to move on Jaden McDaniels. We have a question about Jaden McDaniels. 595 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:37,920 This is from Colin Matisse Krause give us Jaden McDaniels content. So the 596 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:43,159 question is, what's Jaden McDaniels the ceiling. Now, I'm not trying to 597 00:40:43,199 --> 00:40:45,280 insult anybody or make a joke here, but for anyone doesn't know, Jay 598 00:40:45,320 --> 00:40:51,239 McDaniels plays with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and they've been all over the place this 599 00:40:51,360 --> 00:40:54,599 season. Uh you know they did just they just hired Chris Finch's coach like 600 00:40:54,639 --> 00:41:00,119 three seconds after they fired Saunders as the Ryan Saunders as they're their head coach, 601 00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:05,519 their their defense. They've barely had Karl Anthony Towns this season. He 602 00:41:05,599 --> 00:41:07,639 and Daniel Russell, by the way, fun fact, I've played in just 603 00:41:07,719 --> 00:41:10,960 five games together since the trade, which was over a year ago, and 604 00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:14,199 I know a lot of like weird stuff has happened, but that's just an 605 00:41:14,199 --> 00:41:19,519 incredibly low number for them. Anyway. Their weakest point, their weakest position 606 00:41:20,039 --> 00:41:22,400 or spot in the rotation, I would say, is that four spot. 607 00:41:22,679 --> 00:41:27,519 Jade McDaniels has given them someone who can fill it capably on defense for sure, 608 00:41:27,679 --> 00:41:30,480 like that. This guy's just all over the place for someone who is 609 00:41:30,119 --> 00:41:34,039 only us only you know, six, nine is still pretty big. His 610 00:41:34,079 --> 00:41:37,400 block rate is absurd and he makes like real plays. When I saw I 611 00:41:37,440 --> 00:41:40,320 did actual research for this question. I went back and watched a lot of 612 00:41:40,360 --> 00:41:45,840 Jade McDaniels. He can break up plays from behind, He doesn't need to 613 00:41:45,880 --> 00:41:49,440 be set to make these plays without failing either. He does. He can 614 00:41:49,480 --> 00:41:52,280 have really good hands at points too, but really just a you know it 615 00:41:52,320 --> 00:41:55,119 can as a helper or just someone who's gonna make a play at the rim 616 00:41:55,159 --> 00:41:59,559 absolutely huge for them. I would say, a pretty good rebounder for his 617 00:41:59,599 --> 00:42:02,159 position into the swing. Skills for him is gonna be what is he gonna 618 00:42:02,159 --> 00:42:07,360 do on offense? And he's shooting thirty five point one percent from three on 619 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:10,360 five point two attempts for thirty six minutes, which is fine. They're not 620 00:42:10,360 --> 00:42:13,920 going to need him to do stuff off the dribble a ton, but it's 621 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:17,760 forty one point nine percent on two's is troubling. He's only shooting forty eight 622 00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:22,119 point one percent inside of three feet. What gives me maybe hope for him 623 00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:27,880 is I think it was the game against a game against Chicago where he's put 624 00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:30,079 the ball on the floor and made some plays where like guys have bounced off 625 00:42:30,079 --> 00:42:32,920 his shoulder and he was able to create separation. And so if he can 626 00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:37,239 do that, I would think he'll eventually become a better finisher around the rim. 627 00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:39,880 I don't know if he'll ever be someone you could trust as an off 628 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:44,039 the dribble shooter, per se, but as someone who could put the ball 629 00:42:44,039 --> 00:42:46,920 on the floor and score at the rim and then knock down standstill threes and 630 00:42:46,960 --> 00:42:52,039 then be let's say you like your second best defender of really good in really 631 00:42:52,039 --> 00:42:55,400 good lineups, if you want to say your best defender. So what his 632 00:42:55,480 --> 00:43:00,800 ceiling is? I couldn't think of like a good comp because some of the 633 00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:02,880 stuff he does on offense happens in really slow motion, and so I'm trying 634 00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:07,000 to think of like who would make a lot of sense for him, and 635 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:09,400 I just I couldn't come up with anyone. So I thought of like a 636 00:43:10,719 --> 00:43:15,639 like a straight to DVD version of Ogn and Obi maybe, And that's not 637 00:43:15,719 --> 00:43:17,800 me just trying to be cruel. I just don't think he's going to have 638 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:21,400 like the one on one chops that that Og does, and we've seen a 639 00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:25,119 lot more from Og on offense that app also might just be a terrible comparison 640 00:43:25,199 --> 00:43:30,480 overall, So there's a chance that he's going to be pretty good and for 641 00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:36,679 the Timberwolves who have scooped him up and people forget he was drafted twenty eighth 642 00:43:36,719 --> 00:43:38,599 overall in twenty and twenty. He was by the Lakers technically had that pick, 643 00:43:38,639 --> 00:43:42,599 but like he's this is not like someone who's I would say he's still 644 00:43:42,599 --> 00:43:44,719 coming out of the blue. But he was a first round prospect, which 645 00:43:44,719 --> 00:43:46,320 certainly matters. So I do think if you want to say three and D 646 00:43:46,519 --> 00:43:50,400 with a little bit more on offense, I think there's absolutely a chance he 647 00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:53,159 can turn into that type of a player. I think the comparison, and 648 00:43:53,239 --> 00:43:59,000 it's one we saw a lot before the draft is Jonathan Isaac. I think 649 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:02,320 he can shoot better than though would just be probably so. And the way 650 00:44:02,360 --> 00:44:09,719 I view McDaniels, he was coming into that twenty twenty NBA Draft as probably 651 00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:16,800 the single rawest NCAA prospect in that draft class, Like the tools are there, 652 00:44:17,119 --> 00:44:22,119 the consistency, the IQ they aren't, which we saw flash a lot 653 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:27,760 at Washington where he just he was not as impactful as he was supposed to 654 00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:32,000 be as a freshman. He did not have a lot of success there whatsoever. 655 00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:37,880 But like if you ask me, can Jaden McDaniels be a knockdown shooter? 656 00:44:37,280 --> 00:44:40,960 Yeah? Can he create for himself off the dribble? Yeah? Can 657 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:45,119 he guard all sorts of different positions? Yeah? The question is like whether 658 00:44:45,199 --> 00:44:49,360 he's going to be able to mesh those skills together. I think he's He's 659 00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:52,519 probably one of the better examples of like a really low floor, really high 660 00:44:52,639 --> 00:44:58,920 ceiling prospect, and we just have no way of knowing without seeing what he's 661 00:44:58,920 --> 00:45:00,800 what he's doing on a day to day basis and practice and shoot arounds and 662 00:45:00,840 --> 00:45:05,960 all sorts of stuff, which of those extreme outcomes he's going to hit, 663 00:45:06,480 --> 00:45:10,360 because it does feel like the bottom and the top for him are further apart 664 00:45:10,360 --> 00:45:15,320 than they are for almost any twenty year old. This is way too early, 665 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:17,159 but if you look at the trade details of how the Timbers required him 666 00:45:17,159 --> 00:45:21,599 on draft night this past year, just the four team deal, it was 667 00:45:21,639 --> 00:45:22,719 a three team deal. Excuse me, who would you rather have? And 668 00:45:22,719 --> 00:45:25,840 there's so much more moving parts here. Ricky Rubio was involved, But would 669 00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:36,119 you rather have Jane McDaniel's long term or Alexey Pokashevski. Probably McDaniels, just 670 00:45:36,199 --> 00:45:43,320 because the wing, those oversized two way wings tend to be the most valuable 671 00:45:43,320 --> 00:45:46,760 commodities in today's NBA. And I think just even though there's a high range 672 00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:52,199 of outcomes, those top end results, if they're achieved, would be so 673 00:45:52,280 --> 00:45:57,239 much more impactful, and I think it's okay to talk about fit when you're 674 00:45:57,320 --> 00:45:59,960 out of the lottery in that case, and while Polcu might just have he's 675 00:46:00,039 --> 00:46:04,239 gonna he should be more dynamic offensively if he fills out, because even when 676 00:46:04,239 --> 00:46:06,920 he was inefficient in the NBA and he's had better moments in the G League, 677 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:08,519 he was still interesting. You have Karl Anthony Couns, and so I 678 00:46:08,840 --> 00:46:12,920 don't know what poker was doing for you. Where Jane McDaniels can absolutely play 679 00:46:12,960 --> 00:46:19,400 alongside Karl Anthony Towns. This question comes from is their name next to this 680 00:46:19,440 --> 00:46:22,440 account? AJ? Can you do net ratings since the hardened Brooklyn trade? 681 00:46:22,719 --> 00:46:27,199 Adam? It turns out we can because I already did. How about that. 682 00:46:28,000 --> 00:46:30,280 I'm proud of you, that's all. I'm always proud of you. 683 00:46:30,360 --> 00:46:35,159 So just particularly right now, let's start with So, let's start with Houston 684 00:46:35,440 --> 00:46:39,320 before the trade was nine games and so the way I set this up, 685 00:46:39,320 --> 00:46:43,400 by the way, is I did it for Brooklyn. When we get to 686 00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:45,840 what I did it for the first game since that James Harden actually played, 687 00:46:45,880 --> 00:46:49,599 it wasn't the first game since the Traders. I think he missed two. 688 00:46:49,719 --> 00:46:52,920 Maybe I'm actually off on that it was at least one, so I tried 689 00:46:52,920 --> 00:46:58,039 to filter that out. But Houston before the trade minus four point three points 690 00:46:58,039 --> 00:47:01,840 per one hundred possessions was their rating. Houston since the trade minus three point 691 00:47:01,880 --> 00:47:07,840 four points per one hundred possessions. I will say though their offense was twentieth 692 00:47:07,960 --> 00:47:12,199 before Harden left, it has been twenty eighth since, and it looks like 693 00:47:12,239 --> 00:47:15,400 it belongs to be twenty eighth since the Christian Wood injury has obviously impacted that 694 00:47:15,440 --> 00:47:19,840 a little bit. Brooklyn, But I mean we've we've always said that, 695 00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:22,639 you know, the problem with Houston was was James Harden. Yeah, it 696 00:47:22,880 --> 00:47:29,360 makes sense that they've been slightly better without them. The nets this is before 697 00:47:29,599 --> 00:47:32,880 the James Harden trade plus five point four points per one hundre possessions. They 698 00:47:32,920 --> 00:47:36,519 were six and six at the time. If if you guys care about that, 699 00:47:36,840 --> 00:47:39,039 they are fifteen and seven since since the first game Harden played again, 700 00:47:39,079 --> 00:47:43,960 want to make that clear, plus six points perne hundred possessions. Their offense 701 00:47:44,599 --> 00:47:49,039 has gone from seventh at one hundred fourteen point seven points perne hundred possessions. 702 00:47:49,039 --> 00:47:52,519 They are second over this ban at one hundred and twenty two point four points 703 00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:55,480 perne hundred possessions. Everyone cares about the defense, as they should. They 704 00:47:55,480 --> 00:48:00,400 were thirteen before the Harden trade one on nine point three defensive they are a 705 00:48:00,519 --> 00:48:06,320 rock solid twenty fifth since then at one sixteen point four. The thing we 706 00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:10,480 haven't seen enough of is Irving Durant and James Harden playing together. And this 707 00:48:10,519 --> 00:48:13,639 is the last thing I looked up, because I'm sure people care about this. 708 00:48:13,679 --> 00:48:16,800 They've logged three hundred and eighty three points or three hundred and eighty three 709 00:48:16,840 --> 00:48:22,199 possessions together. Their offensive rating is one twenty six point four and there their 710 00:48:22,239 --> 00:48:24,239 defensive rating during that time, by the way, one thirteen point three. 711 00:48:24,360 --> 00:48:28,000 And so if your offensive rating is going to be creeping up on one thirty, 712 00:48:28,159 --> 00:48:30,519 you can have a defensive rating closer to one fifteen. And it's okay, 713 00:48:31,719 --> 00:48:34,880 Yeah, I mean, I don't really have much to abb there because 714 00:48:34,880 --> 00:48:37,880 it feels like that's like exactly what we were expecting. It's the decision they 715 00:48:37,920 --> 00:48:44,320 made, and I'm just going to be interested to see whether they do anything 716 00:48:44,360 --> 00:48:49,159 to beef up their defense at the trade deadline. Right, do we have 717 00:48:49,880 --> 00:48:52,280 to follow up on that before we move on to the next question, like 718 00:48:52,760 --> 00:48:55,760 we did we did see that. You know, Spencer Dinuity is being floated 719 00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:00,880 as a potential piece to be moved four in season help. So I think 720 00:49:00,920 --> 00:49:06,559 it's it's clear both from our perspective and from the next perspective that there will 721 00:49:06,599 --> 00:49:09,960 be a move made so to bolster that defense. I have a question, 722 00:49:10,000 --> 00:49:13,400 and I think I know he's coming up an ac L injury, but I 723 00:49:13,480 --> 00:49:15,239 view his bird rights as valuable if you're a team that doesn't have cap space. 724 00:49:15,320 --> 00:49:17,960 You know, if you're Orlando, isn't he kind of sort of exactly 725 00:49:19,000 --> 00:49:22,920 what you need in the backcourt against faults? I would, yeah, I 726 00:49:22,960 --> 00:49:25,159 would can definitely consider acquiring him if I'm a team. It does seem pretty 727 00:49:25,159 --> 00:49:30,440 shitty to want to move someone who was instrumental and like getting you to where 728 00:49:30,440 --> 00:49:34,360 you were a pre k d Kyrie and then while he's injured. But from 729 00:49:34,400 --> 00:49:36,960 the callis perspective, I think Spencer didnwod he can help a lot of teams 730 00:49:36,960 --> 00:49:40,480 when he's healthy. Here's a question. Also, my sense from the outside 731 00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:45,639 too, is just that like Dinwoody, probably more than a lot of other 732 00:49:45,679 --> 00:49:49,199 players understands like just how much of a bit of business the NBA is. 733 00:49:49,719 --> 00:49:52,599 So I think, like if you're going to do that to anyone, I 734 00:49:52,639 --> 00:49:55,840 think he would at least understand do you own Spencer Dinwoody Bitcoin? Do you 735 00:49:55,840 --> 00:50:00,000 own Spencer dinwod He staff. I don't understand any of that stuff, and 736 00:50:00,039 --> 00:50:04,920 I'm not going to pretend to. We can get into that. Maybe maybe 737 00:50:04,920 --> 00:50:07,960 we can get into that on another podcast. Uh, this is funny that 738 00:50:08,000 --> 00:50:10,960 I just brought up a question and then closed it out because apparently I'm an 739 00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:14,400 idiot. But so this one, this is an easy question to answer. 740 00:50:15,239 --> 00:50:21,239 Lima's uh handle master underscore red with two d's. Why do analytics prefer running 741 00:50:21,280 --> 00:50:22,920 to the three point line on a fast break over cutting to the basket? 742 00:50:23,599 --> 00:50:28,880 I just want to point out before they don't. They don't. Yeah, 743 00:50:28,920 --> 00:50:34,280 this is I'm assuming the simple as that the Jamal Murray Michael Porter Junior gaff 744 00:50:34,360 --> 00:50:37,639 to end the Nuggets game, I messed up like it's it's as simple as 745 00:50:37,639 --> 00:50:40,639 that. I do want to know why Jamal unless he was expecting Porter like 746 00:50:40,639 --> 00:50:43,840 he was getting ready to throw a pass. I don't know why he picked 747 00:50:43,880 --> 00:50:45,360 up his dreads exactly what it was, so that was probably think he was 748 00:50:45,400 --> 00:50:49,440 just he was so convinced that one of the two guys, especially Porter, 749 00:50:49,480 --> 00:50:52,519 who was in position to do that, was going to cut towards the hoop, 750 00:50:52,719 --> 00:50:55,039 and it didn't happen, and he had to adjust from there, just 751 00:50:55,079 --> 00:50:59,480 like after his teammate made an incredibly boneheaded move. But yeah, I mean, 752 00:50:59,519 --> 00:51:05,360 like there's don't assume that analytics just means shoot more threes. Like that's 753 00:51:05,360 --> 00:51:07,400 no one has ever said that, Like, yes, teams should be shooting 754 00:51:07,400 --> 00:51:12,159 more threes, but they should be taking the right shots. And unless you're 755 00:51:12,280 --> 00:51:16,920 like an open layup at the hoop, an uncontested open layup is going to 756 00:51:17,000 --> 00:51:22,519 yield two points per possession, right like NBA players are not going to miss 757 00:51:22,559 --> 00:51:28,760 that shot, which means disagrees. But carry on. If you if you 758 00:51:28,840 --> 00:51:35,480 think that you should take a three pointer over a layup to improve your expected 759 00:51:35,519 --> 00:51:38,239 points per possession, that means that you're expecting that three pointer to be made 760 00:51:38,519 --> 00:51:44,199 sixty seven percent of the time, and like that doesn't happen. So yeah, 761 00:51:44,320 --> 00:51:49,239 like nothing in analytics says that you should be taking three pointers over uncontested 762 00:51:49,320 --> 00:51:52,320 layups. And I don't think that players you would there's would be a question 763 00:51:52,320 --> 00:51:53,679 for them. But let's say at Draymond Green, I think quite often we'll 764 00:51:53,719 --> 00:51:57,639 pass out of what looks like an open two to an open three point shooter. 765 00:51:58,079 --> 00:52:00,000 It's either instinct, maybe they know who to shoot is maybe he trusts 766 00:52:00,000 --> 00:52:04,480 Stephen Curry. And also if you're going through a slump or Draymond Green just 767 00:52:04,480 --> 00:52:07,840 seems really hesitant to score on offense. That might be more about the way 768 00:52:07,920 --> 00:52:12,360 a player is wired than or than the wave. I don't think he's in 769 00:52:12,440 --> 00:52:15,559 real time being like, oh, this is analytically a better shot from Kelly 770 00:52:15,559 --> 00:52:17,360 obray Junior in the corner. If it's Steph, maybe it's a debate between 771 00:52:17,360 --> 00:52:22,440 a Draymond you know, floater and his Steph three. Or also, like 772 00:52:22,519 --> 00:52:27,000 you just said it like it's a Draymond floater, it's not yet lay Like 773 00:52:27,000 --> 00:52:30,679 he's not turning down wide open paths to the basket. He's turning down like 774 00:52:30,760 --> 00:52:34,960 slightly contested shots because he's not the greatest finisher. He's also these are these 775 00:52:34,960 --> 00:52:37,400 are player based decisions. He's also turned down some pretty wide open looks. 776 00:52:37,440 --> 00:52:39,840 But I agree for the other thing, it's like, yeah, analytic probably 777 00:52:39,960 --> 00:52:44,599 errors too far on that side. Analytics also does not say don't shoot mid 778 00:52:44,679 --> 00:52:49,519 range jumpers. Do you think someone's analytics also doesn't say anything analytics information that 779 00:52:49,559 --> 00:52:54,280 people who are assessing said information then decide what it says, right, And 780 00:52:55,159 --> 00:52:59,079 no one's telling Chris Paul or Kevin Durant to shoot less from the mid range. 781 00:52:59,119 --> 00:53:00,199 It's that if you're going to be a catch and shoot guy, it 782 00:53:00,760 --> 00:53:05,079 makes more sense for everyone else on your team for you to stand behind the 783 00:53:05,119 --> 00:53:08,000 three point line, because one, those shots are worth more points, and 784 00:53:08,159 --> 00:53:14,679 two you're clogging the lane for others. So this is I'm and this was 785 00:53:14,960 --> 00:53:19,599 a question I think from Master Red. I'm not even trolling them. I 786 00:53:19,719 --> 00:53:22,679 think people actually believe this, and it's just not you know, And I 787 00:53:22,679 --> 00:53:25,760 don't think anyone should only be looking at the numbers either. We're all there's 788 00:53:27,039 --> 00:53:30,400 analytics and the eye test need to work in concert. And I don't know 789 00:53:30,440 --> 00:53:32,679 why this is still like a thing. And that's not to insult the question 790 00:53:32,719 --> 00:53:37,679 asker. That's just this. The entire debate just really is. It's tired 791 00:53:37,679 --> 00:53:40,800 at this point. And one of my two biggest pet peeves on this topic. 792 00:53:40,920 --> 00:53:45,079 One is just the assumption that more threes is always good, regardless of 793 00:53:45,079 --> 00:53:51,480 the situation and the circumstances, and the other is that like thinking that analytics 794 00:53:51,480 --> 00:53:54,880 have created this like homogeneous play style, Like, yes, every team takes 795 00:53:54,880 --> 00:53:59,079 a lot of three pointers now, but if you watch the games, like 796 00:53:59,119 --> 00:54:04,039 you see how differently they work to get those three pointers. Like it is, 797 00:54:04,360 --> 00:54:07,880 even if the end result of a possession is the same across the board, 798 00:54:07,920 --> 00:54:14,199 it doesn't mean that the basketball played to generate that attempt was even remotely 799 00:54:14,239 --> 00:54:19,519 similar. Let's get to this was a fun betting question. Which team this 800 00:54:19,599 --> 00:54:22,719 comes from Colton Johnson? Which team has been the best against the spread this 801 00:54:22,840 --> 00:54:25,920 year? Would you care to take a guess before I reveal the results? 802 00:54:27,079 --> 00:54:30,840 I genuinely have no idea. This is I never pay attention to the betting 803 00:54:30,840 --> 00:54:34,360 stuff, so one thought would get the dark here. It's the Utah Jazz. 804 00:54:34,880 --> 00:54:38,119 They have covered against the spread seventy three point five percent of the time 805 00:54:38,199 --> 00:54:44,320 twenty five and nine. If you want to as a favorite, which has 806 00:54:44,360 --> 00:54:49,280 been pretty incredible for them, they are twenty third. Techi second because Okoma 807 00:54:49,360 --> 00:54:52,599 City is one hundred percent against the spread as a favorite because they've only been 808 00:54:52,679 --> 00:54:57,159 favorite once and they won that game. Dude has twenty three and eight against 809 00:54:57,199 --> 00:55:01,000 the spread as a favorite. If you look at as an underdog, just 810 00:55:01,039 --> 00:55:06,800 to quickly wrap this up, the Phoenix Suns have the highest cover percentage as 811 00:55:06,800 --> 00:55:09,039 the underdog, It's seventy five percent. They're six and two. San Antonio 812 00:55:09,159 --> 00:55:15,000 is second eleven and five against the spread when when they're an underdog. So 813 00:55:15,119 --> 00:55:16,440 for all, for all you betting knicks out there, I just found that 814 00:55:16,480 --> 00:55:20,599 interesting. The Jazz would have been the team I think that I predicted it, 815 00:55:20,599 --> 00:55:22,639 else it actually might have been Phoenix, But I feel like I have 816 00:55:22,639 --> 00:55:27,280 a fetish for the Suns at this point, So that's probably based on that 817 00:55:27,360 --> 00:55:30,480 information. And again, like this is coming from a place of total ignorance 818 00:55:30,519 --> 00:55:32,360 with all the betting stuff, Like, does that mean that the Lakers are 819 00:55:32,360 --> 00:55:37,400 probably the worst against the spread as a favorite, just because it seems like 820 00:55:38,079 --> 00:55:45,559 Utah is the small market appeal and people have trouble get grasping that they are 821 00:55:45,639 --> 00:55:49,360 as good as their record is indicating. Whereas like I can see how the 822 00:55:49,400 --> 00:55:52,679 betting lines might take advantage of people's willingness to ride the Lakers, and betting 823 00:55:52,679 --> 00:55:55,239 lines are I believe, at least to some extent, like a reflection of 824 00:55:55,239 --> 00:56:00,719 the action as well. So I think so, but I don't want to 825 00:56:00,719 --> 00:56:05,719 say that definitively. The Lakers are fourteen and eighteen against the spread as favorites, 826 00:56:05,920 --> 00:56:07,800 and I think that tells you all you need to know is that, 827 00:56:07,840 --> 00:56:12,360 Okay, this season, the Lakers have now played what are they up to? 828 00:56:12,440 --> 00:56:15,039 In games played? They've played thirty four games and they've been favored in 829 00:56:15,280 --> 00:56:21,960 thirty two of them. Is that right? Yeah? So thirty two of 830 00:56:22,039 --> 00:56:24,440 thirty four. But yeah, I mean that's there's an element of that in 831 00:56:24,480 --> 00:56:29,440 there. But I did Utah as the favorite. Technically I'm going to view 832 00:56:29,440 --> 00:56:30,800 them as one instead of Oklahoma City just because they never get to be the 833 00:56:30,800 --> 00:56:34,079 favorite. That's cheating, But I don't care. Shout out to the Jazz 834 00:56:34,119 --> 00:56:37,559 this season killing it. Hey, look, speaking of my fetish for the 835 00:56:37,559 --> 00:56:38,599 Suns. We're gonna get well, we're gonna wrap up soon here. We're 836 00:56:38,599 --> 00:56:42,920 gonna get through twenty questions on this podcast in about an hour. I feel 837 00:56:42,920 --> 00:56:49,639 like that's called efficiency. Fred asked, is Devin Booker the most overrated player 838 00:56:49,719 --> 00:56:52,679 in the league? If not, who is? Now? The thing I 839 00:56:52,719 --> 00:56:55,760 just want to point out here is that Devin Booker is absolutely just not overrated. 840 00:56:55,800 --> 00:57:00,480 And anyone who listens to this podcast knows how we collectively and at least 841 00:57:00,519 --> 00:57:05,880 I personally feel about Devin Booker is an incredibly undervalued passer, even this season 842 00:57:05,880 --> 00:57:08,519 when you're looking at the turnover problems he had at the beginning of the year. 843 00:57:09,000 --> 00:57:14,199 Someone who can score from pretty much every level by creating for himself, 844 00:57:14,840 --> 00:57:17,920 getting guys on his hip. He is just he is so good. And 845 00:57:17,960 --> 00:57:22,280 I think it's been downplayed a little bit because of how good Chris Paul has 846 00:57:22,320 --> 00:57:24,320 been. And if you want to argue Paul has been more important because of 847 00:57:24,320 --> 00:57:29,079 his crunch time performance, I'll listen to it. But Devin Booker is a 848 00:57:29,119 --> 00:57:31,920 top twenty five player in this league and its hands down for me. And 849 00:57:32,039 --> 00:57:35,880 I think I left him off my All Star ballot. That was just the 850 00:57:35,920 --> 00:57:38,440 All Star ballots are wild this season, That's all I can say. Do 851 00:57:38,480 --> 00:57:40,639 I regret it, I don't know, but I'm happy he got in. 852 00:57:40,719 --> 00:57:45,639 And look, I'm not discrediting anyone for getting in as an injury replacement. 853 00:57:45,679 --> 00:57:47,880 By the way, it is his second time in two times being an All 854 00:57:47,920 --> 00:57:52,159 Star. But you know, Donovan Mitchell was not. Excuse me, Darren 855 00:57:52,199 --> 00:57:54,800 Foxx is up for that spot. Mike Conley this year, You're not he 856 00:57:54,880 --> 00:57:59,960 beat out those guys. That's actually an important distinction. So my personal opinion, 857 00:58:00,119 --> 00:58:02,760 I don't think Devin Booker is overrated. Does anyone spring to your mind? 858 00:58:02,800 --> 00:58:06,519 Do you think he's overrated? And do you think? Oh? I 859 00:58:06,519 --> 00:58:12,239 don't. I don't mean any offense to the question asker here, just personally, 860 00:58:12,280 --> 00:58:16,480 I don't really love questions about players being overrated, because how do we 861 00:58:16,519 --> 00:58:21,039 determine how rated they are in the first place? Like that baseline is so 862 00:58:21,079 --> 00:58:24,760 important to this question, So if I have to answer it, I think 863 00:58:24,760 --> 00:58:31,960 it's typically going to be a younger guy who the general perception is that they 864 00:58:32,079 --> 00:58:37,840 are more valuable and further along in their career growth than they are. So, 865 00:58:37,880 --> 00:58:39,440 like, the first name that came to mind is like Tyler Hero, 866 00:58:39,719 --> 00:58:45,119 because he had like so many impressive rookie season moments during the Heats run to 867 00:58:45,159 --> 00:58:47,159 the NBA Finals and just has not managed to live up to that. And 868 00:58:47,199 --> 00:58:52,000 I'm not sure that perception has adjusted accordingly. But even then, like, 869 00:58:52,039 --> 00:58:54,920 it's really clear that Hero has a future as a star in this league, 870 00:58:55,119 --> 00:58:59,480 and there are so many good things that he does, so it's not like 871 00:59:00,079 --> 00:59:04,280 saying he's overrated now it means he's always going to be yeah, that I 872 00:59:04,280 --> 00:59:07,320 don't have now that I'm not writing, and like more in the editing world 873 00:59:07,360 --> 00:59:13,199 and the podcasting world and the stat based world, like I don't have to 874 00:59:13,239 --> 00:59:15,760 answer at the overrated questions as much, and I'm glad about that. I 875 00:59:15,760 --> 00:59:19,800 don't know that I've given I don't know when the last time I've given the 876 00:59:19,800 --> 00:59:22,840 thought to the the overrated question was And people seem to just regurgitate the same 877 00:59:22,920 --> 00:59:25,320 names. Again, This isn't an insult to the person who asked the question, 878 00:59:25,360 --> 00:59:30,719 but it's it's Zach Lavine, it's Devin Booker, it's Trey Young, 879 00:59:30,039 --> 00:59:36,559 it's you know, I don't know that it's all relative. Untila Russell might 880 00:59:36,599 --> 00:59:39,960 be another answer. I almost feel like perceptions probably skewed two four. If 881 00:59:39,960 --> 00:59:43,519 you have a guy who can hit off the drible jumpers, like forty two 882 00:59:43,519 --> 00:59:45,960 percent from pull up three S four's injury this year, I have to think 883 00:59:45,960 --> 00:59:50,679 that that matters. Like you could also go towards like the viral moment people 884 00:59:50,880 --> 00:59:53,719 where it's like that they like there was a point where he's so now this 885 00:59:53,800 --> 00:59:57,039 is actually but I'm not even gonna say it. I can't risk gard down 886 00:59:57,119 --> 00:59:59,480 or podcast being down. Voted again, and I'm not even sure that I 887 01:00:00,039 --> 01:00:01,119 meet it. But Tyler, here might be an example where there's a rush 888 01:00:01,119 --> 01:00:04,880 to coordinate, and we might have been there with Devin Booker at one point, 889 01:00:05,119 --> 01:00:07,920 Jason Tayum at one point, where there was this rush to view them 890 01:00:07,920 --> 01:00:12,000 as something they weren't ready to be, and that's probably the genesis of a 891 01:00:12,000 --> 01:00:15,400 lot of the issues here. In some ways, it's like almost a compliment 892 01:00:15,440 --> 01:00:21,440 with these younger guys, where like the expectations exist for a reason. It's 893 01:00:21,440 --> 01:00:24,079 not like those just came out of nowhere, like they did something to generate 894 01:00:24,119 --> 01:00:28,800 those expectations, and even if they haven't been able to meet them consistently, 895 01:00:28,920 --> 01:00:32,239 like they still got there. It's kind of like how you know, Skip 896 01:00:32,239 --> 01:00:37,440 Bayliss likes to criticize Lebron James or like missing a clutch jumper or not being 897 01:00:37,440 --> 01:00:43,880 willing to take one or something without acknowledging that there wouldn't be a clutch opportunity 898 01:00:43,960 --> 01:00:46,320 if not for Lebron James's work in the first forty seven minutes of the game. 899 01:00:47,239 --> 01:00:52,599 Yeah, it's a good point. Let's get to a rosier question. 900 01:00:52,719 --> 01:00:54,800 It's another Sun's question though, because like I told you I have a Sun's 901 01:00:54,800 --> 01:01:00,320 fetish. Kaid Horneck asked which player in the buyout market would help the Sons 902 01:01:00,360 --> 01:01:04,360 the most. I'm willing to open it up to trade targets because the buyout 903 01:01:04,360 --> 01:01:07,960 market has not fully developed at this point. If you want to pinpoint maybe 904 01:01:07,960 --> 01:01:09,360 someone that you think could be bought out or someone who's cheap on the market. 905 01:01:09,400 --> 01:01:12,599 I just want to cut you off first and say that this is like 906 01:01:12,719 --> 01:01:15,719 the most dan Fa Valley question imaginable, to the point that I'm questioning if 907 01:01:15,719 --> 01:01:21,880 this is one of your burners, like a buyout slash trade question about the 908 01:01:21,920 --> 01:01:24,280 Phoenix Suns. Yeah, that is my brand. You wrote this right. 909 01:01:25,079 --> 01:01:30,119 Look this awesome to say is this Twitter profile has photos and everything on it. 910 01:01:30,199 --> 01:01:35,360 So shout out to k if you're asking a great question. So I 911 01:01:35,360 --> 01:01:39,280 don't. It's tough because they don't have guys that you can just move there 912 01:01:39,639 --> 01:01:43,960 when you look at what would tenderly be their best salary matching anchors. You're 913 01:01:43,960 --> 01:01:46,360 not moving Paul or Booker. You're not giving up on eight and this point. 914 01:01:46,880 --> 01:01:51,039 Can you move Jay Crowder nine point three million? Can you move Dario's 915 01:01:51,119 --> 01:01:53,599 Arch nine point three million? Sure? But why do you want to who 916 01:01:53,639 --> 01:01:57,519 are you getting back in those moves that makes you want to move those guys 917 01:01:57,840 --> 01:02:00,280 Starch at the five line ups have just been annihily opponents this year at both 918 01:02:00,320 --> 01:02:04,719 ends of the floor. That does lead me to who would be my trade 919 01:02:04,719 --> 01:02:07,039 target for them. I think a lot of people want them to sort of 920 01:02:07,079 --> 01:02:09,360 lock down the guard position a little bit. But it's hard to get a 921 01:02:10,079 --> 01:02:14,440 George Hill just because if you're not willing to give up Jail and Smith, 922 01:02:14,559 --> 01:02:16,960 then the money matching there just gets incredibly tough, and you're talking about like 923 01:02:17,000 --> 01:02:21,679 a four for one. Basically. I do understand the thought process of, 924 01:02:21,719 --> 01:02:24,280 well, you know, do we trust Cameron Payne and his performance this season? 925 01:02:24,280 --> 01:02:28,039 You probably should, but it's worth considering. I thought about PJ. 926 01:02:28,159 --> 01:02:32,440 Tucker just because I think DeAndre Eaton has been incredibly good on defense overall. 927 01:02:32,760 --> 01:02:36,880 But if you need someone who can maybe defend higher or if you want to 928 01:02:37,119 --> 01:02:39,840 if you have to go up against lineups that are super diversified or smaller, 929 01:02:39,960 --> 01:02:44,000 and you definitely can trust PJ. Tucker more than Dario Sarch in that role. 930 01:02:44,039 --> 01:02:46,559 Probably get to reunite him with Chris Paul and it's probably a package where 931 01:02:46,559 --> 01:02:51,800 it's like Javon Carter still an excellent defender, but he's not really hitting his 932 01:02:51,880 --> 01:02:53,960 threes this year, and then abdel Nader, maybe you have to include a 933 01:02:54,000 --> 01:02:58,559 second But like that package for PJ. Tucker feels like it really solidifies a 934 01:02:58,599 --> 01:03:01,639 team where I don't know that the front court rotation is their biggest weakness because 935 01:03:01,840 --> 01:03:06,000 that really depends on how you much you trust campaign. But I also have 936 01:03:06,079 --> 01:03:08,960 a problem investing real equity in the backcourt right now when you have Chris Paul 937 01:03:09,039 --> 01:03:12,320 Devin Booker on your team, where it's like, you know what, let's 938 01:03:12,360 --> 01:03:15,840 just ride the Cameron Payne wave. And so that's a guy that stood out 939 01:03:15,199 --> 01:03:19,239 because maybe you don't trust John Smith or you shouldn't. He's just, you 940 01:03:19,239 --> 01:03:20,960 know, I don't even know what the Sun's planned for him is at this 941 01:03:21,000 --> 01:03:22,760 point. He's not going to be the one that tips the scales in your 942 01:03:22,760 --> 01:03:24,880 favor. But Tucker doesn't also only have to play the five, and yet 943 01:03:24,880 --> 01:03:28,800 he's cheap enough to where you don't feel obligated to close him. And with 944 01:03:28,840 --> 01:03:30,119 teams like that are deep, like the Suns and the Jazz, I'm not 945 01:03:30,119 --> 01:03:35,039 just trying to overcompliment the Sun's here. You know, you can look at 946 01:03:35,039 --> 01:03:37,559 a Lakers team and be like, oh, I could identify, like maybe 947 01:03:37,599 --> 01:03:40,639 there's someone that can be in their closing lineup with the Suns or the Jazz 948 01:03:40,639 --> 01:03:44,440 whoever you require is just probably not going to be in a closing lineup most 949 01:03:44,440 --> 01:03:45,599 of the time. And so Tucker, yeah, he could be in some, 950 01:03:46,280 --> 01:03:50,280 but he's someone that you don't necessarily have to feel obligated to close with. 951 01:03:51,239 --> 01:03:53,760 H Yeah. I think the only thing I would add is like more 952 01:03:53,880 --> 01:03:58,800 generic buyout candidates who could make sense for the Suns, just as add a 953 01:03:58,840 --> 01:04:03,760 depth like Trevor Areza, JaVale McGee, like just those those typical, like 954 01:04:04,119 --> 01:04:08,320 role playing names who would be good on any contender at this point, Like, 955 01:04:08,480 --> 01:04:12,000 I don't think that they're going to fill a specific need with this year's 956 01:04:12,000 --> 01:04:15,519 buyoup market. Yeah, and like, no one's really going to buy out 957 01:04:15,519 --> 01:04:18,480 a guard that could be you know, serviceable, right either if Jeff t 958 01:04:18,719 --> 01:04:21,920 comes on the market or brand wannamate, Like that's not that that's not going 959 01:04:21,960 --> 01:04:27,519 to be it for them. Yeah, I'm with you there. Next question 960 01:04:28,440 --> 01:04:33,760 comes from Morpheus. Is the salary cap going down next year? You're gonna 961 01:04:33,760 --> 01:04:38,480 ask me if this is my burner too. Next year's salary cap is set 962 01:04:38,519 --> 01:04:41,480 as at this point for one twelve point four million. My guess is going 963 01:04:41,559 --> 01:04:45,599 to be that it just comes down because the revenue is going to be down. 964 01:04:45,199 --> 01:04:48,760 I don't know how salary caps based on VRII, which is almost certainly 965 01:04:48,800 --> 01:04:53,199 going to go down as we continue to not have ticket revenues. Well. 966 01:04:53,199 --> 01:04:56,360 At the same time, the teams there's like more than half the league does 967 01:04:56,400 --> 01:05:00,280 have fans coming back to capacity. So I know they baked in the change 968 01:05:00,360 --> 01:05:03,280 for these projections. I'm just curious how heavily they did and what ends up 969 01:05:03,320 --> 01:05:05,719 happening. You know, we're not we're not out of the pandemic yet, 970 01:05:05,760 --> 01:05:09,639 so there are there gonna be missed games. How many teams don't play seventy 971 01:05:09,639 --> 01:05:14,320 two games, what happens during the playoffs, all that stuff matters. So 972 01:05:14,599 --> 01:05:17,719 my guests would be that it goes down. I don't know, but I 973 01:05:17,760 --> 01:05:20,719 think they're gonna do They'll do what they did this year if it comes to 974 01:05:20,760 --> 01:05:25,880 that drastic I don't think they're gonna drag it below the one on nine point 975 01:05:25,880 --> 01:05:28,719 one. It'll be smoothed out if it needs to be, just because the 976 01:05:28,800 --> 01:05:33,039 NBA knows the teams operate on multi year plans, so you can't disrupt strategies 977 01:05:33,480 --> 01:05:39,519 too much by having like gigantic cap swings. This will be our final question 978 01:05:39,519 --> 01:05:43,159 and our twentieth question. That feels like a pretty good number to get through. 979 01:05:45,480 --> 01:05:46,639 This is a little bit more topical. This comes from Andrew Blake, 980 01:05:46,679 --> 01:05:51,559 who was the biggest All Star snub. Oh, it's Chris Middleton about a 981 01:05:51,559 --> 01:05:57,800 doubt. It's it's between him and BAM for me, and Devin Booker might 982 01:05:57,840 --> 01:05:59,760 have been up there too with someone who didn't put him on his ballot. 983 01:05:59,760 --> 01:06:02,280 Though him can I call him a snub? But he made it eventually. 984 01:06:02,679 --> 01:06:05,599 Bam has been so good and I couldn't believe that he didn't make it. 985 01:06:06,039 --> 01:06:10,239 So those two feel like the right answer. Chris Middleton, I guess because 986 01:06:10,239 --> 01:06:13,639 he cooled off a little bit, but he is. He's just fantastic. 987 01:06:13,880 --> 01:06:16,079 And even if you think he's we made the Middleton case on earlier episodes. 988 01:06:16,119 --> 01:06:19,920 But I think to me it comes down to like team record too, Like 989 01:06:20,000 --> 01:06:24,039 Miami is still below five hundred, even if it's gotten better as the season 990 01:06:24,079 --> 01:06:27,320 has progressed. Milwaukee is pushing for the number one seed in the East again 991 01:06:28,239 --> 01:06:31,719 and like Middleton has been a huge part of that, it would be between 992 01:06:31,760 --> 01:06:33,440 those two For me, I'm not sure who would I mean, I think 993 01:06:33,440 --> 01:06:38,440 i would lean Chris Middleton just because I'm probably always going to value just the 994 01:06:38,440 --> 01:06:41,679 wings that can create. So if you think he's overrated on defense, that 995 01:06:41,719 --> 01:06:45,840 could scue it because bam is you know he's a fantastic defender. So and 996 01:06:45,840 --> 01:06:49,800 I would say that like Trey and Conley are probably the next tier of snubs. 997 01:06:50,599 --> 01:06:54,639 Yeah, I would agree with you there. That will do it for 998 01:06:54,679 --> 01:06:57,960 this mail bag, we will. We were inundated with questions. Maybe we'll 999 01:06:57,960 --> 01:07:00,920 do a second one at some point this week because we had a lot of 1000 01:07:00,000 --> 01:07:03,360 questions that we did not get through. So apologies to anyone who's listening at 1001 01:07:03,360 --> 01:07:06,840 the Nether question answered please please, pretty please. I'll remember to rate, 1002 01:07:06,880 --> 01:07:12,519 review and subscribe to us wherever you are getting your podcasts iTunes, especially even 1003 01:07:12,559 --> 01:07:15,679 if you don't use us rating interviews there help us out a ton. These 1004 01:07:15,679 --> 01:07:18,199 mailbags are going to be weekly on Mondays, and I guess in this case 1005 01:07:18,239 --> 01:07:21,199 maybe we could potentially throw in a second one. Will we will, We 1006 01:07:21,199 --> 01:07:25,400 shall see, But until next time, I'll leave you get the shout out 1007 01:07:25,400 --> 01:07:30,360 two to one, the only every single member of the Phoenix on his team 1008 01:07:30,360 --> 01:07:44,880 this season. Nobody builds five G like Verizon builds five G because we're the 1009 01:07:44,920 --> 01:07:47,559 engineers who built the most reliable network in America. And the more you do 1010 01:07:47,639 --> 01:07:51,119 with five G, the more building it right matters, the more your network 1011 01:07:51,199 --> 01:07:57,320 matters, the more Verizon engineers going the extra mile matters. It's us pushing 1012 01:07:57,480 --> 01:08:01,639 us. It's Verizon versus Verizon. Five G built right from America's most reliable 1013 01:08:01,679 --> 01:08:06,119 network, most reliable based on rankings promote Metrics second half twenty twenty US report 1014 01:08:06,119 --> 01:08:09,880 of three mobile networks. Results may vary. Award is not an endorsement