What is up, fellow thermonuclear a everts. I am Damn Valley coming at you with part one of a two part mail bag to close out what's been a fairly hectic week, more so than normal. Quick very few housekeeping notes, though I will be traveling for the next few days. I have content planned and mapped out, so we're still gonna I think we're gonna have seven podcasts out on this five day like Monday through Friday week because I'm I guess I'm a sicko. But let's hope that people are downloading and listening. I appreciate everyone who does so if there is breaking news, I'm gonna bring some stuff with me. Since this isn't like a leisurely trip, it's more of like a work of obligatory trip, but not related directly to this podcast. Clearly, I'm going to try and hop on if a Donovan Mitchell trade happens, or if you know, something else with the nets just implodes, since they remain a house of cards. But just a heads up there in case you're looking for an emergency pod that really just doesn't come. And then, finally, please, if you're checking this out, subscribe. If this is your first time. Subscribe both on YouTube and wherever you get your podcast, Spotify, Apple ratings and reviews help a lot on Apple and also ratings on Spotify. It helps people find us. And then YouTube, Please comment on the videos, like them, subscribe to us. And if you're watching this on YouTube the first time, please it means the world helps the channel out of a lot. If you subscribe, join our discord. The link to that is in the podcast description and the YouTube description. Follow us on all the socials as well, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube obviously, and then Instagram. All those handles are in the podcast and YouTube descriptions and also on this screen as I'm recording this at this very moment. And lastly, but certainly not least, we did wrap up our off season grades for every single team, and then I record an emergency podcast on what happened with KD and the nets of a just just perception of them, not a grade. Go check out those podcasts we did a division by division. It would help us out a lot if you don't download all of those. And oh, this is the real last note, word of mouth. Retweet our promos on Twitter that I'm sending out there. Tell people about us. I appreciate all the love that I continue to get on Twitter. If you're just gonna throw a bump and link to the podcast or a segment that you liked on YouTube, I will retweet it as well and engage with you on Twitter of course, So consider doing that, or like I said, just tell people about us who you know, like Coops, it might be looking for another podcast. Let's move on and dig into this mailbag fantastic questions only from our Discord members this time. They ask great questions. They gave me enough material that I thought I could make two podcasts out of it. So that's another incentive to join the Discord. You get the mailbag priority there. Let's start off with Gabriel twelve hundred, asking among the teams you'd constantly project to be in the playoffs next season, who are the worst matchups for them among other playoff teams. I decided to approach this by doing one team from the West and one team from the East. So for the East, I have the heat and I think that they'll be in the playoffs, but I just have so many questions about them, and I'm wondering if a team like the Sixers profiles, is a good matchup for them. A lot of that could depend on what James Harden looks like, but having to have at a bio right now serve as just like the guy who's gonna tustle the most with Joel Embiid, not really having your situation hammered out at the four right now. And if James Harden does look like himself, you're gonna throw Jimmy Butler or Kyle Lowry through the ringer. And now that Philly has all these perimeter defenders like in PJ. Tucker, who can I mean defend everywhere Daniel House if you want to, if they can get away with Matisse Thybel and their de Anthony Melton, Miami's half court offense, I don't know how much better it projects to be compared to last season, if it even will be better than last season when it was pretty touch and go. You probably need a mega leap from Tyler Hero or just a healthier Lowry, or even just the Oladipo being more available. So it should be fine. But that's just a team when you look at both ends of the floor that I feel like could cause Miami problems. So knowing that I already have other concerns about the Heat. I don't like the Sixers matchup for them, and I'm sure some people might be taken aback by that. Wouldn't it make more sense to say like Milwaukee, But Milwaukee could still have their own half court offensive issues. And I feel like Miami just without a Baio and Jimmy Butler like they can and even Kyle Lowry being there, they all they do have, like the bodies to go up against, like that star duo. It's the imbided matchup. Not that Jannis is easier than imbied, but like Jannie is stringier than it'd be. Jannie is so fucking strong that he almost but he almost makes more sense as liked his lean mask guy. If you're bam going up against him and just knowing that you don't have another bailout option on Milwaukee. That's at the level of James Harden in the half court. Just I know, whatever you think about James Horn's burst, just him as a creator for others and then knockdown shooter. That's one I've thought a lot about. I think you could go a bunch of different routes in the East, though, when I was trying to go through this and really just pit it down to one. I had thought about how the Celtics really shouldn't want to go up against the Bucks if they're fully healthy, but like they did sort of diversify a little bit. I kind of thought that when you look at the structure of the teams this season, I don't necessarily love for Milwaukee, like the matchup against the Nets if they're going to keep everybody together and Simmons irving Kevin Durant. I also probably wouldn't love it for them against not that I think that they're more vulnerable, but like I do think the Raptors could pose like a uniquely difficult matchup for them as well. So that's just some of the things that I thought about there in the West. This was I don't want to it was like kind of more challenging, but I went with because I'm so like focused on the Nuggets and think that their ceiling is so much higher than people have really credited them. I have the Nuggets and who might be my title pick. I've said that a lot on this podcast, and I think the Clippers would could really just have the potential to wreck them. Though, if you go up against them. They are like we've seen teams if you go up against like everyone talked about, Oh, the Warriors were a table match up for the Nuggets this past year, Like it would not have been as egregious if you had like MPJ and or Jamal Murray. And it's also just different now defending the Warriors in the half court that you have KCP and Bruce Brown Junior to throw into the mix in addition to still having Aaron Gordon. The Clippers though, like they can run Nicole Yokes ragged because they can play small without actually being small, Like if you look at if they wanted to go just completely guardless. Let's say, and you go and you roll with Kauai PG thirteen, Robert Covington, Marcus Morris Senior, and then yeah there's the zoobots lineups, but that that lineup I just named, I don't think would ever be a lineup. But like you go with like Norman Powells, then Roco or Marcus Moore seniors, you're a day Facto five there or maybe Nick Patum in there, and it's the same route, Like they're just so big and those are guys like you can really cause make life difficult on Jamal Murray, on someone like Michael Porter Jr. When he's away from the ball. In addition to having yokis just being in different sorts of actions and more uncomfortable on the defensive end than where he's going to be best suited that and end playing five out in that instance is just inherently difficult there and being able to switch everything. I think Yoki still you slow things down in the half court. He'll carve whoever up. But like knowing that your two best defenders in Paul George and Kawhi like aren't going to get the assignment on Yokich in that regard, it just feels like a team that could mismatch Denver into oblivion. I think Denver has more counters leading into this season than they would have had previously if both these teams were healthy. But that's one that I just feel like would be really bad for them when you look at other matchups in the West, I still sort of wonder if, like I think you can say this for the Wolves too, going up against the Clippers. You talk about how methodically they could go after guys on defense if you have Towns and Gobert on the court. We know that the world like they should be fine, like and not even I won't even say they should be fine on offense, Like yeah, if you have Gobet and Towns and the Clippers are running small with Roco or Marcus Morris seniors there they're bigs, then like maybe it's like sort of a trade off with both. And so that's one of the instances where I wasn't sure if like the Wolves are a terrible matchup for the Clippers, which is all three why I didn't go with it, because I could see both of these teams causing each other unique problems there. But if you, on the flip side, put the Clippers on offense, and like just knowing how they have like the methodical creation of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, they're not going to get a ton of rim pressure, but just what they could really go after a Gobet or Towns in certain roles and they're gonna be okay pulling up from mid range if that's the shots that you want to get them, especially Kauai, and then if you're dotting them with you know, three other shooters behind them, or if you do get Norman Powell in that lineup to give you some rim pressure. That's like that could be hell. So it's almost a playoff series I'd want to see because I feel like the minutes would be like the biggest gap between like how teams would actually play and maybe the Clippers would still try to play more traditional and have zoobots on the court at all times. But like that's kind of it when you're looking at their their big band rotation, like it's after zoobots, like you're planning on playing small. It feels like or smaller this season more so than any other season in in the cly PG thirteen era, because your your big band rotation now after losing Hartenstein is you have zoobots. H they did pick up they do have they have Moses Brown I believe as well. And then that's like kind of sort of it for them on like the centers that you would trust to get or the should I say, like bigs that you would trust to get minutes? And do we even you know, I can say whatever, but are you going to trust someone like Moses Brown too? U be like to get minutes in such a high leverage situation, So like Robert Cummington might be their backup center, or just Marcus Moore's like that is just the thing that could happen. So I think they intend to play a lot smaller. They're fascinating and potentially terrifying playoff matchup for a bunch of teams. But I kind of like the tug of war, like the conceptual, functional, tactical tug of war we might see between. I mean, especially when you're looking at the coaches here and Chris Finch and Tyron lou So, I don't know if it's a bad matchup for either team. It could be potentially disastrous for one or the other. It could be potentially amazing from one or the other. It could be disastrous for both, or just like this great chess match, that's almost a matchup I want to see just because of how divergent I think they're going to be in the lineup packages that they run, so those would be narrowing it down. Hope that answers your question, Gabriel. If anyone has ones that they want to let me know about, hit me in the discord on Twitter or whatever. Dev asked. Here's one I've been wondering the last time we saw Brandon Ingram's Lion together clutch time offense was often clunky, and it seems like there was ten and an uncertainty about who the offense would run through, leading to a bunch of your turn, my turn, dribble out of the clock. Now the roster has been revamped to make more sense, a new coach has been implemented, and things should look better. That said, they've added yet another guy who's instinct in tight spots is to self create and get a bucket in CJ McCollum. Obviously, all three of these players have real playmaking skills, but I worry about crunch time offense with three guys who very much like to dribble and score. This exacerbated by the fact that there isn't really a clear hierarchy on the team yet. CJ's the proven vet, Zion's the biggest star, Andbi is the one who carried the team through the drama. I know you can't have too much ball handling and self creation, but I'm still nervous about what it looks like in the clutch. Do you think these concerns are valid? And if Coach Green does figure out how to make crunch time offense work, what do you think that looks like I just want to say, dev you are like a listener after my own heart. Is that how the saying would go on this? But whenever I ask a question, I feel the need to justify, to make you know. And this is I don't know if I'm not insulting you because I'm the same way. I wanted to be a compliment, but I don't tend to compliment myself. I need to explain it so that you know that I put thought into it and I'm not trying to be like just off the coffer or be an asshole. So I appreciate this question. I think that, and I think it's fair. The concerns are just fair. Whenever you're putting you know, these three players have not played together yet, and when you are pairing three players when their instinct first instincts aren't to score, that is going to be an issue. It helps that, I think when you're looking at behind Zion specifically, when they were together in the previous season twenty twenty twenty one, then Pelicans for all court time were plus four points per one hundred possessions with one eight eighteen point two offensive rating. So it can work now in the clutch time where things slow down, Like I didn't go back and watch their crunch time minutes. I would even hazard like did they even play one hundred and fifty crunch time minutes together that season? I don't know. You had stan Van Gundy coaching at the time. Maybe Willie Green changes things up, but it helps that now the Pelicans have more shooting than they did back then. In a CJ McCollum, and even just like Brandon Ingram last year regressed on spot up threes. He shot forty three point two percent on spot up threes in twenty twenty twenty twenty one, was at thirty six point three percent last season, and that dipped. You know, he was better pre All Star than he was post All Star. There. I just have to imagine what his responsibility is lightened a little bit, or at least, let's call it streamlined that that number will go up or he's at least shown that he can hit spot up threes. And it's the same thing with CJ. He shot forty seven point six percent on spot up threes in twenty twenty twenty twenty one and then fifty two point one percent last season. During his time with the Pelicans, and so that helps right there. I also think in general you probably have more complimentary shooting than you did on that you know, the team that you're concerned with in twenty twenty. Twenty twenty one, Jonas valentiis gives you more spacing at the five than you had that year. Even a Larry Nance junior if you wanted to go that route, Trey Murphy being there, that certainly helps a Ton Dyson, Daniels, Herb Jones. Those could be if he DeVante Graham though, is like should be someone who's off the catch if you're gonna roll with him in those minutes, depending on what you're closing packages looks like. The other thing that I will say is all three of these players in theory to me excel at different levels of the floor, and so Zion's rim pressure with the ball in his hands or if you're going to use them as the screener is out of this world. That can compliment both CJ and Brandon Ingram, who like to work from the mid range. But it also really compliments CJ, who's gotten so much better at being, you know, fanning out beyond the arc when he's off the ball or also just working from beyond the arc with the ball, and so they all have these like different levels of gravity to them where they're going to excel at all these different areas. But if I think where you would run into an issue is as dev mentioned, maybe the pecking order is who do you want running the offense? And I think that CJ being the vet and also just looking at how he was used a lot of the time last season, looking at how the playoffs unfolded, Like, you run the two man stuff with Zion and Brandon Ingram because Brandon Ingram is the best passer on your team at this point. Maybe it's Zion still or not still, but maybe it becomes Zion at one point. I don't know. You run that two man game and you have CJ try and compliment them. So I think that's the route that you go there, And I think CJ is going to be more than comfortable doing that because hey, guess who had the ball for Portland in crunch time? It was Dame time all the time. So I don't actually think it's going to be an issue. It will be interesting to see are they the type of team that gets away from the stuff that works, Where can Zion not generate enough rim pressure in the half court because they're either slowing things down or taking too long, or they're actually taking the ball out of his hands because they're afraid to have you know, either Brandon Ingram or is it Jonas or Larry As Junior set ball screens for him. I just I can't even not that I can't fathom. I am curious to see, like what actual sets and what the geometry of the court looks like in crunch time for them, But I think the talent is just gonna mesh so well. And Ingram I do believe, like really had his moments where he struggled with Zion during like their initial minutes together, but then there were times where like you saw the vision and he was adjusting. There might be a learning curve to start the season, but I think by the end of the year, I am anyone who listens to this podcast, and I'm sure Dev knows, like I am just all fucking in on the Pelicans if they're going to stay healthy. So I think this is a fair concern, that it's valid, but I also think that it's going to end up not only working out, but this is a dynamic where they can excel. And I think what makes it easier is that there's really no one else on the roster that you have to allocate touches to or who's going to be expected to have the ball in their hands. DeVante Graham used to working off the ball, did over Jose Alvarado, even Jonas foul and chewed. It's like, yeah, he gets to have the ball in his hands sometimes, like he is someone who is just yo, He'll be fine pump faking into and then passing out that way or attacking the basket through there. So I think there are a lot of different lineup packages that they can run with that wind up helping them here. But these three players specifically, I think the Pelicans have a big three, Like there's just there's no other way to say it. Like CJ McCollum ingraman Zion are all star, lever level players. CJ McCombs the worst of them, and he's still what do we really think he's worse than A And I guess does big three met a stretch there? But like this is they have a pathway to having three All Stars on their team next season. Not every team has, that is my point And so like call it a big ish three, or maybe don't call it a big ish three because it sounds a lot like bigot or bigoted. Call it like a you know, super medium size three. Like this is just they have two stars, two all star level players on their team. Two of them are also they could be all MBA, Ingram and Zion could be all NBA players on any given year. And I still think McCollum's older, and we have to cake in what his role is gonna look like in New Orleans with two other guys who are to me more offensively valuable than him, Like is there a regression there? But like in any given season or at least next season, when you look at how he scored the basketball in the past and how efficiently he does, so, do I think he can make an All Star game? I still think it's possible. It has not happened yet, so maybe it's really not. But they have they're much they have a big two point five or two point seven five, let's say that way, So I I think you will end up being fine even if the concerns are ultimately fair. There. Herb Jones Enjoyer asked, I may have missed you talking about this, but which actual rivalry games would you like to see? As a Pelicans fan, I would love to see them play Phoenix or the Lakers in that setting. I obviously you didn't miss me talking about this because I needed clarification on the question to actually whether you were just talking about random games where you wanted me to pinpoint contests already out on the schedule. Herb Jones Enjoyer of clarified just talking about rivalry Reek. So I came up with a bunch here for different reasons, and I skewed more towards like not that I was prioritizing the extracurriculus here, but I wasn't focused on like historically. I do agree with Herb Jones Enjoyer that, and I think Corey is your name, by the way, not to blow up your spot there, but you've we've talked on Twitter. I think he's right about Sons Pelicans after that playoff series. I would love to see it. I'm kind of indifferent to like the Pelicans Lakers, I guess because the ad element, but like the two teams are just like that trade is now so far gone. I guess it's interesting because the Pelicans still own part of the Lakers draft and Brandon Ingram's there, so yeah, I would totally see it, but I would prefer Sons and Pelicans after the playoff series we just saw and we get like Zion to be baked into that. I also have Hawks Knicks just now you add the jam and Brunson and could the Donovan Mitchell element be there as well with Trey Young who's just like this villain in New York and just broke the Knicks like that was the last time the Knicks were exceptional was entering that playoff series and no, just he broke them like that was some not dame level obliviating the Rockets or the Thunder into new windows. But it ended like one of the most promising New York Knicks runs in like modern day NBA history, just absolutely picked them apart. I have Sixers heat here just because the Jimmy Butler, Jowell and beat stuff is always funny. Klo going against his you know, hometown team and the Sixers and just Klo going up against anybody, if we're being honest. But now the Pja Tucker element is in there, and I know Jimmy Butler was trolling and just kidding around on Instagram, but like he played a big role in getting Pja Tucker to go to my amy this past season, and then he just leaves and so I kind of love all that and then just sort of like the work work three am practice culture in Miami versus James Harden, who's like shot shot shots, We're leaving the club at maybe four am culture. So I would love to see that one Warriors, And that's obviously just like but to me, the intrigu would be if Kevin Durant is actually still there. Give me Kevin Durant against his old team who just won a title without him, Jazz Timberwolves, just because Rudy Gobert's former team, and also if Dono and Mitchell is still there, it does add an element of intrigues. So that's why I have Donovan Mitchell's gone. Maybe I don't care as much just because that Jazz team will clearly look so much different, But what do they look like as opponents when we've heard all these rumblings about the discord and disconnect that was sewed between those two. I have the magic and the rockets because I'm like Jabari Smith Junior way more informed than any of us are leading into the draft, but like you spend month, well at least like since the draft lottery is the consensus number one, and then paddle Band Caro just goes there and you dropped to it to number three cost you a couple million bucks in your rookie skull contract. You just have like a thirst to prove yourself against the team that was supposed to draft you and then pivoted unless they were just you knew all along that wasn't gonna happen. And the other one I have is Kaz versus Raptors, the mobile versus Barnes element. Now that Scottie Barnes is the rookie of the year and I picked I want to be clear, I picked Scottie Barnes is the rookie of the year. But that's just inherently interesting to me. Let me know if you have any rivalries that you would really love to see it. I miss any obvious ones that you're gonna be mad at me about. This was just stuff that sort of stood out to me. I don't care, please, Like I don't need to see Patrick Beverly versus anybody. I honestly don't care. Like it was sure Beverly versus the Timberwolves now whatever, like that could be part of the Jazz timber Wolves one Beverly versus Westbrooke, I guess would just be fun like and they're both kind of at like technically sad points in their career where he was just shipped off to a rebuilding team in Utah after helping the Wolves make the playoffs, and then Russ's viewed as just this completely net negative That could be kind of intriguing. But yeah, those are the ones I came up with. That was a that was a fun question. I'm insured to see if there's any just like I might claim it's scripted if we get to that point, but like if there's just all this contentious shit happening during rivalry week, even though when you go through a lot of those games, they're like some of them are just rooted in history or the rivalries just fake and manufactured. Like Nick's verse nets. Okay, you play in the same city Lakers verse Clippers, I guess there's some adamossity. Yeah right, I'll give you Lakers Clippers. But like Nick's nets, I guess because they got Kyrie and Katie and the Knicks didn't. But now like Kyrie and Katie both tried, both tried to leave the nets this offseason, So does what does that really add to it? But in some instances, I guess I would claim it was scripted, But I'm interested to see how those games fold out. HP Burgie or Bergie asked with the rumors that Lebron wants to play with his son, do you think teams will actually reach on Bronnie in the draft just to get that Lebron revenue? Also, do you think Lebron is the dad of the century for basically guaranteeing his son makes the NBA. I understand that Brownie might actually be good enough to deserve the hype, but it's just kind of funny that he's making the league either way. Final thought, it would be funny if Lebron started the rumors just so that his summer get aft, but that never actually meant them fall through on it. I don't know enough about Bronni to comment on, you know, would it be a reach at a certain spot to talk specifics. I do know that like just social media wise, like there's the hype train, they are sort of independent of him being Lebron's son, Like there are actual like the highlight reals life team like he is. He just does things that kind of make my mind like spin around. And I've actually read I'm not in preparation of this just because I like he's getting to the point where it's fine, but like I get a little cringey when we're talking about like scouting, like he was a preteen at one point and this was sort of in the ether. I do think he's considered a real NBA prospect. I don't know how high up he is. I thought about texting some people in the biz that I trust, some draft experts as well, but I just decided it not worth it just yet, because I wanted to answer the question nus Lee, if it's a matter of drafting Brownie because you actually guarantee yourself getting the Lebron revenue, I'm going to tell you right now, there's absolutely team that's going to do that. And you know why, because there are teams like the Kings and the Hornets and the Knicks who exist to be mediocre or to grab headlines or to talk themselves into players that are either. I think in the Knicks case, we've seen a lot, even the Hornets a little bit like over the Hill, but the opportunity to have Lebron, and I also just like, even if it's an organization that's typically thought more even key old about patients and process and doesn't skip steps, just to have Lebron for a year, that means a shit ton of revenue to a lot of teams. And if if Lebron's still playing well, and it's so if you're a team that's like you think maybe you were injured last season or you're you still feel like you're one player away because you're youth. Is so like if you're the Rockets of that year, Let's say you have all these younger players in place, now you add Bronnie, but Lebron is still good because this player option is for the age thirty nine season. I absolutely think it would happen, or it could happen. Will it I kind of think it depends really on which teams have, like like picks in that draft from where they are, how Bronni is scouted. But if you said, like, could I see a team drafting him in the first round when he's if he's not considered a first round prospect, absolutely that's without question. If we're talking about you're in the lottery, he's considered a second round prospect or a French first round prospect, I'd probably vote no. But if he's considered a lottery prospect late lottery and you're like in the top five but you're not in one of the generational talent range for some reason, yeah, I could see a team doing that. That being said, what's interesting is that Lebron just said he wants to play with his son before he leaves the league. And could someone if anyone out there is listening to this, who will ever interview Bronnie? Could we ask Bronnie if he wants that. I'm not saying Lebron is not a good dad and Bronni doesn't appreciate Lebron, but like, you're gonna be this young adult with really your first taste of that level of freedom, and now your dad is all of a sudden, you're gonna be hanging around like with you and your teammates. Can we ask Bronnie if he wants this? Just I'm concerned because I know, I mean, I'm a terrible example because I hated my father, but like, just like I wouldn't have wanted my parents around. If I'm nineteen and this is my first time really, like I know Lebron has traveled a lot, but like your first like like real just sample of complete independence and then your dad's just there. So can we ask Bronnie if this is okay with him first? But anyway, Lebron's player option age thirty nine season, like he never said it would be Brownie's first season in the league, and so I think that will factor into it if Lebron's not. I don't ever want Lebron to retire because we make jokes about Lebron, as we should, but like, he's so good. I just appreciate that dude so much and he's made my career, my career just so much more enjoyable and meaningful for me. And so I if it's gonna be his last season in the league that he's playing with Bronnie, I hope it doesn't happen until down the line. And that will be part of the calculus if you're a team, right, because if you don't, if you're not immediately gonna get Lebron, if you know in that instance, you're only gonna get Lebron in his final season and this next upcoming season doesn't happen to be his final season, then yeah, I don't think that you would make that decision. So I think that it's being hyped up a little too much in the sense that we don't like I don't lebron hasn't promised that he's gonna play with Bronnie as soon as he enters the league, So that's my stance on it. If he does, if that is the promise, yes, a team will absolutely draft Bronnie higher than expected to get a crack at lebron But I would again, I want people to ask Bronnie if if that's what he wants. I just I'm very concerned clearly. Next question we have from jt Alexander, I think we will. We'll have two more questions on this one, because this one is going super long already, and this one is a long question. I Well, here's the question from jt Alexander. What are your biggest burning questions or narratives you're eager to see unfold when the season starts. Absent from the Mitchell Durant at Irving talk because there's only so many more times I can hear their names this summer I'm sure you're eager to see frank Nielikeena's m IP run. For example, I think you have a typo there, JT just m IP. I think you meant MVP, but that goes without saying with Frankie Lakina. So I narrowed down to ten and there's like kind of like stepping on the toes where like some of them encapsulate like two and three teams. But I initially tried to do this list and there was like twenty seven things I had, and so I'm not going to prioritize these, and well, I might even do a podcast if I have time. I appreciate some of the content suggestions by the way we've gotten from listeners. We are in sort of like the dead of NBA summer, but I've I think I found at least reasonable ways to keep the content flowing, and just some big projects aren't going to fit into my travel schedule when we're in the real technique dead of summer, which is now through like the beginning mid September. But I've definitely banked some of those. And there's one that I got in my DMS that's great. I'm gonna talk to Adam about soon once he sort of returns from his I think he was on vak any who, so we might actually I might actually do a pod where I go a little bit more in detail on these. But this is what I have down and there are some of them that are obvious, that are definitely immovable. They will be on this list. But what are the Hawks with Trey Murray, Trey Young and de Jonta Murray? How does that work? Does it work? What's the best case outcome if it works? And also just sort of on the fringes of this, are they gonna make a consolidation trade? Like there's John Collins, there's Clint Capella, there's Onca Congo, they have DeAndre Hunter. They could still use help on the wings. I'm still a big proponent of like could we do like an OG for John Collins and DeAndre Hunter trade? There'd need to be other money in there to work. I'm just I think it would be mega interesting for all parties involved. Even if it was like would you do Collins and on Yecca for o G? I feel like it might be a step too far, or maybe I'm just too low on DeAndre Hunter at this point because he had a disappointing season last year, so that just dynamic in Atlanta, and then it's the same thing for the Timberwolves, except I believe it Timberwolves the best case outcome is sort of higher than Atlanta is, just because they have what could be three All NBA players on their teams. If we're being just just honest, I really believe that the Gobaron Town's experiment is not just going to work but be incredible for the regular season. And I have more questions about the playoffs, not to the extent that I'm going to declare them a failure, but I'm I don't know that I've been as excited to watch something a team that I have less of a grasp on, if that makes any sense. Normally you're excited to watch teams because you have like this firm hold of what to expect, or there's these obvious outcomes. Yeah, we know what level of disaster the next Nets could be, but also what level of success they could be. Aside from the Nets, the Timberwolves, to me, might have just that highest variance in their ceiling versus floor. If this all goes according to the planner, goes bellyoff, So I'll be tuning in for them, and I do tend to scu that I think is going to work out quite well. This one we're getting. Let me get some more obvious ones out of the way quick. Health of the Nuggets and Clippers, just because if you tell me that they get sixty five games out of Jamal Murray and MPJA in Denver and they get sixty five out of Kawai and PG in La in La, we're talking about two title favorites, I think in my mind. And so those are teams you have to watch closely. And then there's just like the way I already mentioned this with the Clippers and the Nuggets when I was talking about them going head to head in the playoff series, the way that they're going to play, what is you know, what is Denver's backup five situation really gonna gonna look like a time do we really see DeAndre Jordan? Are they gonna gravitate towards like Jeff green Ze Nagi front courts in those instances, and then also having Bruce Brown and KCP is part of the fold really changes up the way that they can build their best units. Like could MPJ find himself on the bench in favor of Bruce Brown Junior, because you want Jokich and Murray with Bruce Brown and KCP and Aaron Gordon and then just the Clippers are now like it really feels like they're leaning into some of their smaller setups unless they're just the biggest believers of all time. And in Moses Brown development of the kids for Golden State, because it chooses just James Wiseman coming back. You already have Jonathan coming on year two, Moses Moody and year two and Otto Porter Junior and GP two both left. Yes, you got Dante Di Vincenzo, you got Jamichael Green, but you need and Andrew Wiggins is apparently Omega's at this point, but like you need, I would argue, if you want to successfully defend your title, there are scenarios depending on what happens. Because Clay now his games under his legs and is healthy. Maybe Draymond Green has a healthier season, and Steph is just god that's his default. Most you could still win the title without one of those three going kaboom. I think you need one of those three to go kaboom if they're gonna win the title. So that's going to be something to watch year two of Mobley Kade Versus Scotty. Just give me more information on all three of these guys, because they're gonna be inextricably tied together for the duration of their careers. And if you want to throw Franz Wagner in their Magic fans, that's totally fine. I don't think he's going to be on the same level of transcendences as those three. Now we get into like, I don't know if they'll be as popular. Do the Hornets or Wizards have one the assets and two the gall to just go for an all in trade. I kind of wonder, just based off the Hornet's lack of business, which could be rooted in the Miles Bridges domestic violence case, their lack of action doesn't actually suggest to rebuild or are they just in limbo because they're waiting to see what happens with him And I honestly just don't care what happens with him. Just everything that just yeah, it's terrible situation and doesn't really matter in the vein of basketball. But the fact that the Hornets have not made noise this offseason in general, and knowing how impulsive. They tend to be under Michael Jordan. If they have a chance to get like the seventh seed, they normally take it. And they've been mentioned in the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes like them and the Wizards are the other team that I've just been like thrown in there, just thrown in there sort of, and I might actually do I'm more kind of fascinated with the Wizards in this vein because they did just give Bradley Beal all that money. I might actually do a one question pod on them and whether they can acquire a star. But it feels like these teams that they actually want to be more than play in or lottery bound, need to make that consolidation trade. So do they have the assets necessary when they have one first round pick each trade into the future that's protected pretty heavily and distantly. That's gonna be less attractive when you're trading picks after that then to teams since they can't necessarily be guaranteed. Could either these teams sneak into when any of these big names become available just because the other another one are the thunder Rockets or Magic on the fast Track. I'm like looking at these teams, and I think the Rockets might slow play it more than any of them. They have a different a bunch of different lineup combinations they need to try. But when I look at and then the Thunder, everyone's gonna expect them to shut people down. But they're just getting to the point where there's so much talent to believe in on this roster. Shay Gil Just Alexander chat Holmegrin, Jalen Williams, lu Dort, I like throw Josh Giddy in there just because he's so promising. I guess I'm more so asking like are either of these three teams gonna better than expected? And I almost wonder if the Magic need to be on top. I just talked about this with Salmon Ali on his Red Nation Hoops podcast if you want to go check that out, like how to sort of rank these rebuilding teams? And I think I have the Thunder above them all, and that's like with assets involved. I don't think any of these teams make consolidation trade in the middle of the season. But I look at the Magic or the Thunder of these three, I'm I'm very intrigued and interested and high on the futures of all of them, but could either of them make sort of the mega leap in the sense that they're a lot better than we expected, where oh shit, like this team is sort of hovering around play in territory are better. I think the Magic might be the best bets there because the East in the middle class is a little bit more wide open. If you told me that they somehow ended up better than the Knicks or the Wizards of the Hornets, I'd believe it, Whereas if it's the Thunder of the Rockets in the West are saying, oh, like they beat out the Pelicans or the Wolves or the Blaze like that gets that gets harder to envision. I think it's the Thunder or the Magic just in terms of how these teams will be managed, too, because I do think the Rockets are still this is really year two of their full on rebuild, and I would I would pick the Magic over everyone else, not just because of conference, but I do think the Thunder is still like they're in that mode of one more year that they're not necessarily going to try and go for it if they turn out to be better than expected. But these three teams, the talent base, youth, like if multiple players really just start to hit and come into their own and they're all sort of outfitted with at least one premiere known commodity. And you know, I say that, like, can Palo Bank Carroll beat out for the Magic? You know, maybe not, but we know Franz Varner was already good and Wendell Carter Jr. Like could be a fringe All Star. So now you have that with the upside that's still attached to Jalen Suggs and then Padalo Ban Carroll coming in and for the Thunder, it's just I think Shay is that dude, and now having home Grin in there could be a Rookie of the Year favorite at this point. And with the Rockets, I think Jalen Green's that dude, like what he showed post All Star break My god, that guy. And then Jabari Smith Junior's defense, and knowing that alpertn Shane Goun was so good offensively for them last season. Those three teams are like, I guess my favorite rebuilds to watch except for the next team I'm gonna get to and I don't have Detroit on there. I love Kay Cunningham. I'm interesting to see what happens with Jade and Ivy. This doesn't feel like the year that they can make that leap where they're not stacked with as much like could be amazings or shockingly talented players as as the rockets where you just start to rattle off like the list of unknowns in a good way where it's not only Jalen Green in year two and having Jabari Smith Junior in year one and Alpern Shane Gouden in year two, but it's also like, oh, Terry Easton and t Tay Washington are there, and you still have Josh Christopher who was good. We didn't see Usman Garuba a lot last season, so there's just a lot of different swing pieces there. I have then year one of the full Tilt rebuild in San Antonio. I just what does this look like in the Victor Women, Yamer and Scoot Henderson sweepstakes. Are they gonna be actively trying to be bad? Is Josh Richardson eventually gonna be moved Doug McDermott two. Are we seeing like Devin Missel run eighty pick and rolls a game or be a primary ball handler? Keldon Johnson and Josh people having more agency over the offense. Is this like the first rookie in a long long time that we see get like this major role in Jeremy Sohan or Malachi Brandham and maybe Blake Wesley, but I think Brandon would be a little bit more likely. I the Spurs are just they're peaking my attention with their rebuild to round this out? How many more do we have to go? Here? Oh? Regressing candidates, I'm not going to mention Memphis here because it's disrespectful, but I'm keeping my eye on them. I have the Bulls and the Mavericks. I don't know what's going on Chicago with a Lonzo Ball's health. That makes me a little bit if he. I don't love their wing rotation, but I do love Iota Sunmu and still believe in in Patrick Williams super plug and play on offense, and it's held up better defensively against some tough assignments. But if you don't have Demard Rosen playing at an all NBA level, it does change your trajectory quite a bit, especially when based off what happened last season and even signing Andre Drumming this off season. I'm just uninspired by their center rotation. Zach Levine is is that dude though, of course and should should remain him. And then the Mavericks just like you let Joe Brunson walk in then didn't replace him with like like you're just banking on Spencer didn w he being enough? It just feels like a lot of pressure on Luca in this and what if your defense just slips off of last year's absurd pace. Kudos to the coaching staff and the players for what they were able to do last season defensively, and I do think like they have a lot of different lineups that still makes sense, but the whole Okay, Christian Wood of al McGee experiments, apparently he's going to happen to start the season. How does that go? Those are two teams where I'm looking at at least not even and I'm saying this more for the Bulls, but when you look at what their peaks were at some point last year, it feels like they could fall off quite a bit. But maybe I'm wrong there. And then finally, do the Suns have another swing in them? Just because I have them as a title contender and they were my title pick in each of the past two years as of right now, they're not going to be my title pick. Leading into this season, they didn't get appreciably better. And so you're either saying, is this the year Mkal Bridges or DeAndre and make like another super duper leap to where they're putting the ball on the floor, working from the outside in to generate some of the offense that way rather than as more of a play finisher or those secondary decision makers where they're attacking off the Catcher's just like in just certain situations where things are slowed down and if they're not, like you have all your own draft picks, you have some interesting salary matching tools, like are you gonna go out out there and try and do something? Deandrean's also trade eligible in January? Are you gonna try and monitor the Kevin Durant situation from afar see he comes back on the market. If you want a Galaxy brain this shit. Kevin Durant resented his trade requests so that it would be easier for him to get to Phoenix once DeAndre Aton is available in January. That's if you want to go down that rabbit hole field, feel free too. But and what other player comes on the market where it's worth that. Some they I don't know if they're Sons fans, but people on YouTube and on Twitter mentioned to me like, what about John Collins. I didn't know. I love John Collins. Actually, just don't think that he elevates Phoenix's ceiling for what they need in their third best offensive player. It might even be like a medium sized swing, like can you get bowing on Bogdanovich on this team without giving up you know, a boatload where it's costing you? Is it like a bad first next year's first round pick essentially, and then you know, really salary filler there. And I don't think he becomes necessarily your third best offensive player. He might become your best shooter though, And now I'm gonna give, just give Devin Booker's form just so fucking pretty here. He might become your second best shooter. So and then has some size to where you could play him at the four in some life if it Michael Bridges is on the court, just him and Michael Bridges, Chris Paul, Devin Booker eight and so like that's a lineup that makes a lot of sense offensively. And I think he's he's a better offensive player than Cam Johnson right now, unless Cam Johnson's gonna make that leap as a self creator or a driver, and we've seen hints of that from him, so I'm not saying it's impossible. Those are the ten things I'm watching. The Hawks with Murray and Trey Young, and the Timberwolves with Gobaron Towns, the Hornets and the Wizards, and what they might do on the trade market, the health of the Nuggets and Clippers, the development of the kids in Golden State, year two of Mobley Kag Cunningham and Scottie Barnes, the Thunder Rockets and Magic or either of those teams like on a faster track than we thought. Regression candidates in Chicago and Dallas, do the Sons have another swing in them? And year one of a full tilt rebuild in San Antonio. Let's get to this one of fun. Want to wrap this up. How many Lebron James clones would it take to beat a bear in a fight? In parentheticals, Jesus Christ, please start the NBA season. I'm gonna say it would take actual Lebron James and then two additional clones, one to serve the wine afterwards, one and slash film it so that they could post it on the IG stories in like eighteen segment increments, and then just two actually have to tussle with him. One needs to hold them while Lebron goes after the bear otherwise, but Lebron is built like an Adonis, so maybe it's actually only one. I want to get to this next question. I'm gonna save it for I'm gonna save it for part two, just because it's someone else who says, Jesus Christ, please start the NBA season. Look, w NBA Playoffs are going on, and I've been watching from afar, haven't delved too far into it and podcasted like I should have. That's an excuse, that's a cop out. I should have done better, But the timing just hasn't been on my side, and I want to be more comfortable talking about it, and I'm at least trying to enjoy it and follow it, like I said, from Afar, But you could check out the w NBA playoffs. I've been just absolutely wild so far. Please remember to rate, review, subscribe to this podcast wherever you're getting it. Hit that subscribe button on YouTube and regardless of which platform, if you're on YouTube and you're subscribed, Go to Spotify or Apple and subscribe as well. If you're an Apple or Spotify listen to us. Go ahead over YouTube and subscribe, like and comment, join us there. There are some YouTube exclusives as well. Until next time, and like always, I leave you with the shadow Thilde one, the only not an MP candidate but an MVP candidate, Frank Neila Keenam