1 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:18,000 What is trappl act in hardwood off fills theirs? I am damned the Valley 2 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:23,480 coming out. He was out my fantadulous cost Adam promo we needed to was 3 00:00:23,559 --> 00:00:27,559 unable to make it at the semi last minute. So we're gonna do another 4 00:00:27,559 --> 00:00:31,039 solo mail bag. You guys sent in a bunch of questions. Let's just 5 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:37,000 first start off really quickly with our housekeeping notes programming note. You might get 6 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,719 three pods from us next week, just because I have some trade deadline stuff 7 00:00:39,719 --> 00:00:43,079 I'm trying to get out, and maybe Adam and I will do a second 8 00:00:43,079 --> 00:00:48,079 mail bag together earlier in the week, just given the guests that I have 9 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,320 coming on. The schedule we have is like smack down the middle of the 10 00:00:50,359 --> 00:00:52,880 week, so how to figure that out. But you'll definitely be getting at 11 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,119 least two And we have a fun little just trade deadline primer coming out for 12 00:00:56,159 --> 00:00:59,280 every team buy, seller, hold and just going a little bit more in 13 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,400 detail with what they're supposed to do. Another announcement, we officially have a 14 00:01:03,439 --> 00:01:07,879 discord channel. I have not been pumping the shit out of it on social 15 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,159 media yet to promote it, trying to figure out what it's going to be. 16 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,879 We set up chats for all thirty teams. We set up main rooms. 17 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,519 If you want to talk about trades general, there's of course a Frankie 18 00:01:18,599 --> 00:01:23,879 Lakeya's server chat whatever you call it. Channel. The goal here. You 19 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,159 guys have been so great with sending me direct message questions, always responding to 20 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,280 our mail bag solicitations, just engaging with us for the most part. In 21 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:36,640 general, we would love to just let that community spill over to discord where 22 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,959 maybe you all can talk with each other, wrapbout hoops with each other respectfully. 23 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:42,400 Of course, the link is in the bio. Not sure if you're 24 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,560 just going to throw it out on social media a ton if you're you know, 25 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,879 need it, just you could DM me at Dan's Valley fav Ali. 26 00:01:49,079 --> 00:01:53,640 For some reason, you're not able to get it from the description of this 27 00:01:53,159 --> 00:01:57,319 podcast, and I'm sure we'll promote a little bit more joint. We want 28 00:01:57,319 --> 00:01:59,480 people in there. We want that to be a success. There'll be other 29 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:01,120 stuff that we can do attached to it, but it is here. A 30 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:06,599 couple of people have asked about it in the past and we have made the 31 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,120 leap. Adam is still not joined, mostly because I did not send him 32 00:02:09,159 --> 00:02:13,680 the room once it was set up, but hopefully that will you know, 33 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,879 pop off whatever you want to call it, and both Frow and I will 34 00:02:16,879 --> 00:02:20,439 try and stay engaged with it. But also the goal there you can submit 35 00:02:20,439 --> 00:02:23,360 mailbad questions too. There's a channel for that. We would love for you 36 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:27,439 guys to interact with each other, pose ideas, and just build the biggest, 37 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:31,280 best, awesomest community that we possibly can. Follow us on Twitter at 38 00:02:31,319 --> 00:02:36,280 hardwoo Knox, follow us on Instagram at Hardwood Underscore Knox, follow our YouTube 39 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:40,159 channel YouTube dot com or hardwar Knox. We will come up and I already 40 00:02:40,159 --> 00:02:43,919 mentioned I G so I think we're done there. We can finally can and 41 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,120 ball into this mailbag, have a ton of questions, going to get to 42 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:51,199 as many in under an hour as I can. We're going to begin somewhere 43 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,960 topical, and it has to be with the Lakers, who we really haven't 44 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:59,400 talked about as a standalone team on this podcast. When we've done the exercises 45 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,919 going through every team and whatever conference, we've definitely talked about them, but 46 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,479 for some reason they've provided a well of content. We've just decided to you 47 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,319 know, we're gonna talk about Denver and Utah and Charlotte because those teams are 48 00:03:10,319 --> 00:03:14,240 actually good. But Tyler asked about the Lakers, and I'm gonna use this 49 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:15,560 as a segue into the Frank Vogel stuff, even though no one asked, 50 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,960 yes, are the two twenty two Lakers the oldest team of all time? 51 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,240 They are not, and that major, major, major hats appear to the 52 00:03:24,319 --> 00:03:28,759 ringer Zach Pram, who looked this up before the start of the season, 53 00:03:29,719 --> 00:03:32,599 He wrote, the oldest group on record is a tie at an average age 54 00:03:32,719 --> 00:03:38,039 waited by minutes played of thirty two point zero between the ninety seven ninety eight 55 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:42,039 Rockets and the two thousand, two thousand and one Utah Jazz. The Lakers 56 00:03:42,039 --> 00:03:45,599 average age on the roster right now is thirty one for the season. I 57 00:03:45,599 --> 00:03:49,560 think that's actually higher than they started leading into season, So that's kind of 58 00:03:49,599 --> 00:03:52,879 impressive when you really think about it. But so no, they are not 59 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:54,800 the oldest team in NBA history. I think one of the problems with their 60 00:03:54,840 --> 00:04:02,039 team is that they have these old by NBA standard players who are shoehorned into 61 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:08,479 or one dimensional players who are all shoehorned into these outsized roles that they need 62 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:13,240 him to play and that leads us into the Frank Vogel news which there was 63 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,439 the report that his job is being evaluated on a day to day basis. 64 00:04:15,439 --> 00:04:20,319 Fought up by the report after they lost a game that they should not have 65 00:04:20,639 --> 00:04:24,079 on that was just I caught the end of it. It was just an 66 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:29,040 unmitigated disaster for them. Westbrook gets benched down the tail end of the fourth 67 00:04:29,079 --> 00:04:30,720 quarter, doesn't speak to the media, doesn't even speak to the team when 68 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,639 he's leaving. It's noted that Vogel is going with the team on the road 69 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:38,160 trip and still this evaluation process. A lot of people thought that game was 70 00:04:38,199 --> 00:04:40,720 going to cost him his job, especially it looked like he was kind of 71 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,639 in fuck you, I'm leaving mode or I'm not going to be here mode 72 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,279 at the end of the or during the postgame press conference where he was asked 73 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:51,360 about sitting Russell Westbrook and he said he was just trying to play the players 74 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:55,000 that gave him the best chance to win. There was also a note from 75 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,360 I think this one was ESPN Staate mcmeneman. Sources told him that the coaching 76 00:04:58,399 --> 00:05:02,680 staff has been empowered by the front office to sit Russell Westbrook and play whoever 77 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,920 they want, and it was also a decision that the coaches staff has been 78 00:05:05,959 --> 00:05:10,519 considering for weeks, and so there is a lot to unpack here. I 79 00:05:10,639 --> 00:05:15,000 caught a I caught actually a lot of support on Twitter for something I wrote 80 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,920 about the Lakers this week. I also caught a lot of shit because I 81 00:05:17,959 --> 00:05:24,519 don't need to sit here and necessarily defend the job that Frank Vogel has done. 82 00:05:25,399 --> 00:05:29,439 You can question his rotations, having mellow at the five the other nights 83 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,600 of disaster, not being able to discern when to go big and when to 84 00:05:31,639 --> 00:05:34,199 go small if you've been meeting on Lebron at the five a ton and when 85 00:05:34,199 --> 00:05:39,720 you could use Dwight Howard's rebounding in the game, sticking with camp Baysmore and 86 00:05:39,759 --> 00:05:44,360 DeAndre Jordan too long this season. There are issues that he's done. I 87 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:48,040 think you can say this about all the Vogel's team. They're not especially inventive 88 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:50,920 on the offensive end. That being said, I think a lot of Lebron 89 00:05:50,959 --> 00:05:54,560 teams are just going to be so heliocentric anyway, I don't know what you 90 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:58,399 would expect necessarily a coach to do there. To me, this is not 91 00:05:58,519 --> 00:06:01,639 about Frank Vogel. Do this bang up job and the Lakers firing him. 92 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:06,439 Anyway, this is just about the fact that this is the only move they 93 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,160 could make now. They don't have trade assets. They can't trade it first 94 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,800 till twenty twenty seven or twenty twenty eight. That could be an asset to 95 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:15,800 sort of bet against their future. But front of us is don't have the 96 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,759 job security necessarily to be like, hey, look at this pick six years 97 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,519 from now or whatever, and I'm going to be the one in charge of 98 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:27,040 making it or trading it. They can't guarantee that, and that's where that 99 00:06:27,199 --> 00:06:31,040 pick loses. I think a ton of value here, but what's happening now 100 00:06:31,439 --> 00:06:35,160 with the Lakers. It's also it's not on Frank Vogel. It's also not 101 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:39,000 just on Russell Westbrook. The turnovers are a problem. The shot selection is 102 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:40,839 a problem. Is the ability to making an impact off the ball is the 103 00:06:40,879 --> 00:06:44,120 problem. His defense, for the most part, of a major problem for 104 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,639 them this season. He is this season is a symptom of the disease that 105 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,639 was the off season. I think that's the best way to put it. 106 00:06:51,959 --> 00:07:00,720 They played their last best hand by giving up Kyle Kuzma KCP first round pick 107 00:07:00,199 --> 00:07:03,360 and then by extension. You know, you could throw montras Harrold's having a 108 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,560 pretty good year, so you could throw him in there and saying they gave 109 00:07:05,639 --> 00:07:09,480 up four assets, but he clearly wasn't fit with the Lakers. They have 110 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:14,959 three assets, consolidated it into one. And now that one asset in Russell 111 00:07:14,959 --> 00:07:19,240 Westbrook, has proven to be the disastrous fit that everyone thought he was going 112 00:07:19,279 --> 00:07:21,920 to be. And even if you think he's still a questionable fit or they 113 00:07:21,959 --> 00:07:26,199 have ways to work it out. And again, the data with him on 114 00:07:26,199 --> 00:07:30,000 the court and Lebron and then Davis at the five is good. The samples 115 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,519 just so small because Lebron has missed both games this season, Affy Davis is 116 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,199 out right now. Those things are not Frank Vogel's fault. Nor is the 117 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:41,399 fact that Russell Westbrook leads the league in trending on Twitter air balls this season, 118 00:07:41,439 --> 00:07:45,240 I believe. So that's not on Vogel. The decision to trade for 119 00:07:45,279 --> 00:07:48,319 Westbrook is not on Vogel. And then you also had a Lakers team that 120 00:07:48,439 --> 00:07:55,000 and now'll this is basically verbatim what I wrote, But they then proceeded after 121 00:07:55,079 --> 00:07:58,920 trading for Russell Westbrook, making that consolidation trade for again not a fit that 122 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:03,560 looked necessary, promising, but was questionable at best. You then proceed to 123 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,720 let Alex Cruizer walk in free agency because there are no federal government loan program 124 00:08:07,879 --> 00:08:11,480 programs to supplement the salary and luxury tax bill for a fringe all defensive candidate 125 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:18,279 who has historically played well next to Lebron James. And now we're in this 126 00:08:18,319 --> 00:08:24,040 position where you have all these older players, one dimensional players shoehorned into these 127 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,000 huge roles. Yes, it's good that Maligue Monk has come on, but 128 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:31,759 when you're looking at Vogels lineups and you can talk about Moligue Monk's playing time 129 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,879 previously, but his front court rotations all that shit, The alternatives are not 130 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,720 just super sexy. You know the fact that we were talking about at one 131 00:08:41,759 --> 00:08:46,039 point, could Trevor Ariza really help them? And Trevor Resa has not been 132 00:08:46,039 --> 00:08:48,840 good for like two or three years at this point, like that was the 133 00:08:48,879 --> 00:08:52,080 state of the Lakers and the roster they built. They were just so overwhelmingly 134 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:56,840 shallow and didn't have a lot of higher upside players. And oh, one 135 00:08:56,879 --> 00:09:01,200 of the higher upside players they do have, the only higher upside player that 136 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,080 you have as town Horton Tucker has not played well for most of this year, 137 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:07,279 has come on a little bit lately, shooting better on twos outside the 138 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,320 restricted area. That's a big deal if he can come along, because he 139 00:09:11,799 --> 00:09:13,960 really at the age of I think what he's twenty twenty one, whatever he 140 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:18,559 is, He's probably in theory because of his middle rung salary their best trade 141 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:22,799 asset. You have Russ eighty and Lebron just making mega star money. My 142 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,759 guests would be none of them are going anywhere. Even the Lakers should trade 143 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:30,840 Westbrook. I just feel like that contract right now wouldn't do much for them 144 00:09:30,919 --> 00:09:31,919 if they could move it. Maybe that's something where your visit over the off 145 00:09:31,919 --> 00:09:35,879 season when he's an expiring deal. After those three town Horton Tucker is your 146 00:09:35,919 --> 00:09:39,639 fourth highest baid player. Your fifth highest paid player is Kendrick Nunn, who's 147 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:45,039 making like five million dollars this season, and oh just suffered a setback in 148 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:50,879 his recovery from a knee injury and hasn't even played this season. Those issues, 149 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:54,879 just all of these issues are not on Frank Vogel specifically. The fact 150 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,360 of the matter is the Lakers just don't have anywhere else to turn other than 151 00:09:58,399 --> 00:10:01,679 Frank Vogel, you're not getting ready to find Lebron because he was probably a 152 00:10:01,759 --> 00:10:07,279 driving force behind the Westbrook trade. And more than that is Rob Polinka is 153 00:10:07,279 --> 00:10:13,080 going to fire himself because as the person in his position, yes, you 154 00:10:13,159 --> 00:10:16,279 need to listen to your superstars. But it would whether he was on board 155 00:10:16,279 --> 00:10:18,480 with the Westbrook trade and this was his sort of baby, or whether it 156 00:10:18,519 --> 00:10:22,000 was Lebron led. It's your job as this head of the front office, 157 00:10:22,039 --> 00:10:26,240 head of this basketball the head of basketball operations for the team. Essentially, 158 00:10:26,639 --> 00:10:31,360 you need to be able to kind of draw a line if there's something that, 159 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:33,279 if it doesn't work out, could prove detrimental to your team. And 160 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:39,080 that's what this was. And so knowing all of this, who aside from 161 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:43,679 literally everyone could have possibly seen this Lakers ship show coming in the regular season. 162 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:48,480 Everyone predicted that this was at least a possibility, if not predicted it 163 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:52,879 outright. And so this isn't about Russ escapegoating him, and I don't think 164 00:10:52,879 --> 00:10:54,159 it's fair escape goading him. You know, look, it's probably tough. 165 00:10:54,399 --> 00:10:58,279 He deserves. The other thing that I want to I don't want to be 166 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:03,399 too cranky here on this or spend way more time on this. We it's 167 00:11:03,159 --> 00:11:07,559 appreciate the game of basketball. Consume it however you want, whether that's talking 168 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:11,240 about trade making, snarky jokes on Twitter, really digging into the xs and 169 00:11:11,279 --> 00:11:16,039 os, whatever, However you consume this game however you like it, Just 170 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,519 consume it. That's that's your prerogative. We got to get past the point 171 00:11:18,639 --> 00:11:26,600 where I feel like we try to paint something as a rosier picture than it 172 00:11:26,639 --> 00:11:28,399 is, or we're afraid to criticize someone. There's a human element behind all 173 00:11:28,399 --> 00:11:31,480 this, and I really do feel for us after being benched in the fourth 174 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:35,320 quarter. Players have egos. He is a prominent player, at least by 175 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:39,960 reputation. You have at frustrating day at work, like people react in different 176 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,799 ways in the moment. I don't you know, he left, didn't talk 177 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,240 to the team, whatever. I don't really read into that. But we 178 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:50,919 are now in like past a half decade where it's can we figure out if 179 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:54,320 Westbrook can change? And he didn't never really need it to in Oklahoma City, 180 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:56,720 but like we saw it in Houston, we saw it in Washington, 181 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:00,120 even when he's coming on strong Washington to close the year. And now I've 182 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,879 seen it in Los Angeles, like there doesn't seem to be a very diverse 183 00:12:03,919 --> 00:12:07,759 player or someone who can handle and still be effective in a smaller role. 184 00:12:07,799 --> 00:12:11,039 I would welcome to be wrong. It's okay to say that we don't need 185 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:15,639 to pretend like Russ is necessarily a victim of all this, But he also 186 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:18,799 shouldn't be the scapegoat, nor should Frank Vogel be the primary escape goat. 187 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:22,600 And I understand that's how these things work. Anyone who expects the team decide 188 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:28,039 with the coach is you know, just gravely mistaken deluded thinking that that could 189 00:12:28,039 --> 00:12:33,840 happen. It also doesn't make it fair. And so the Lakers are just 190 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:39,440 this mass of mistakes, and the root cause of most of them is what 191 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:43,679 happened over the offseason. The people to hold responsible are the decision makers there, 192 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:48,440 because there are. It wasn't even just the Westbrook trade, but you 193 00:12:48,799 --> 00:12:54,919 decided to get rid of three really important rotation players, Kyle Kuzma and KCP. 194 00:12:54,399 --> 00:12:56,879 They were two I think they were the lakers two top players, and 195 00:12:56,879 --> 00:13:00,559 told them minutes played last year. They were also there two years in total. 196 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,360 Three point makes you have Alex Caruso, who is so important to your 197 00:13:03,399 --> 00:13:07,080 defense, and then also has played well with Lebron James, and you just 198 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:11,960 those guys are gone and you bet on talent Horton Tucker instead, Maybe that 199 00:13:13,039 --> 00:13:16,279 Taylent Horton Tucker instead. Perhaps that still works out. But this everything comes 200 00:13:16,279 --> 00:13:18,759 back to the decision making over the offseason, and that's what should actually be 201 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:24,440 scapegoaded. The problem is if there's no way to tangibly address that, and 202 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,879 the Lakers don't even have alternate moves here unless some team is really high on 203 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:31,360 that future first round picking. If you're them, you really do have to 204 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:35,360 ask yourself. It's not gonna be Miles Turner, it's not gonna be Jeremy 205 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:37,600 gran If you're giving up that pick, it's probably to get someone like Eric 206 00:13:37,639 --> 00:13:41,679 Gordon. It's probably to get someone like Carris LeVert, who don't even think 207 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:45,000 helps this team. Eric Horton would I think you would definitely help this team, 208 00:13:45,039 --> 00:13:48,039 by the way, Or it's probably to help get off Russell Westbrook's contract, 209 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:52,240 So you're not even looking at the prospect of pulling off a blockbuster using 210 00:13:52,279 --> 00:13:58,279 that distant first round pick. That's why Vogel is here on the chopping block. 211 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:01,759 He is most guilty of not winning an unwinnable situation, and the Lakers 212 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,759 response is not one of a team addressing the actual issue, but one at 213 00:14:05,879 --> 00:14:11,000 options. Let's move on from the Lakers. I'm so sorry for that rant 214 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:16,679 there. Connie asked, do you agree that the actual three most title worthy 215 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:20,679 teams in the East would each beat any team that comes out of the West 216 00:14:20,759 --> 00:14:24,480 in the finals or are you wrong? Wiky face appreciate the way that was 217 00:14:24,559 --> 00:14:28,519 raised, Connie, So, I guess this really sort of depends on who 218 00:14:28,559 --> 00:14:31,360 your three most title worthy teams in the East Star. I'm assuming we default 219 00:14:31,399 --> 00:14:39,200 to Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and is it Miami or Chicago? There is anyone 220 00:14:39,279 --> 00:14:43,799 prepared to make a case for anybody else? Is the three most worthy teams? 221 00:14:43,919 --> 00:14:46,720 I guess if the Sixers make a trade, but we'll talk about them 222 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:50,000 in a second. I'm very hot on Toronto. I don't know if I 223 00:14:50,039 --> 00:14:52,399 would put them as a top three option. I do think they could give 224 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:56,440 both Milwaukee and Brooklyn problems in a playoff series, though it's a Charlotte, 225 00:14:56,480 --> 00:15:00,320 Boston, no, the Knicks, fuck, no Atlanta, I'll know. 226 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,320 Yeah, So let's just say Miami, Brooklyn, Milwaukee Here Philly makes a 227 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,679 trade, will religate it. Maybe I'm wrong on the Bolls, but between 228 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:09,240 the Lonzo Ball injury, Zach Lavine injury, you don't have Patrick Williams or 229 00:15:09,279 --> 00:15:13,000 you're gonna even have the incentive now to make a trade for Jeremy Granner or 230 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:18,000 Harrison Barnes. But it's it's three of those four teams. So I don't 231 00:15:18,039 --> 00:15:24,120 know necessarily which ones Connie's referring to specifically, I don't know the answer by 232 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:26,440 this question is no, So I guess in your mind I would be wrong. 233 00:15:26,639 --> 00:15:28,840 I am taking Phoenix to win the title. Still, they are my 234 00:15:28,919 --> 00:15:33,279 pick. They also have the best record or second best record in the league. 235 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:37,039 Right now, I'm all over the place with like these teams statures because 236 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,840 so much has changed the season. But yeah, thirty five and nine best 237 00:15:39,879 --> 00:15:41,480 record in the NBA by far, actually not even close to the moment I 238 00:15:41,519 --> 00:15:45,600 forgot the Warriors have been slumping for so long. They have the best record 239 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,879 in the league as opponents above five hundred. Now you get into the interesting 240 00:15:48,919 --> 00:15:52,840 parts where it's are you taking I'm gonna focus on Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Milwaukee, 241 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:56,840 Miami, Chicago or those four teams. Are you taking which one Which 242 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,879 of those four are you taking over Golden State. I think people come to 243 00:16:00,919 --> 00:16:03,960 believe Golden State might be a little bit overrated. I think what really happened 244 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:07,559 is we boarded the Andrew Wiggins is an all star bandwagon way too quickly, 245 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:11,559 and maybe we should fus around with steph substitution patterns. But I'd say that's 246 00:16:11,559 --> 00:16:15,080 an issue for another day. But it's actually an issue for another question. 247 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:18,600 I don't. I wouldn't. I'd pick Golden State to beat Miami. I 248 00:16:18,679 --> 00:16:25,000 pick Golden State to beat Chicago. I don't know about Brooklyn or Milwaukee. 249 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,159 I'd picked Milwaukee to beat Golden State, probably, I don't know about Brooklyn. 250 00:16:27,159 --> 00:16:30,720 There's the Kyrie Irving stuff. What is going on with Kevin Durant. 251 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:36,799 Their defense is sort of crashing down a tad. So yeah, I'm I'm 252 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:38,559 gonna say that. No. My answer to this question is no. If 253 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,720 you think I'm wrong, that's fine. You can feel free to lay out 254 00:16:41,759 --> 00:16:45,399 your case at Damn Valley or Hey Hop in the discord Hardwood Knock Discord. 255 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:51,480 I think I called it the Hardwood Knocks Chit Chat Association or some something weird 256 00:16:51,519 --> 00:16:55,080 like that. I am way overtire and recording this at three thirty in the 257 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:59,080 morning Eastern conference time, and the Discord chat was wrapped up around then too. 258 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:02,679 Let's get to but yeah, that's a that's a fun question. I 259 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:04,359 do think if you want to talk about whether the East is better than than 260 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:10,240 the West this year at the tippy top, they might be now just because 261 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:11,079 of the way Utah has been playing, but that you know, you had 262 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:15,200 Rudy Gobert was out for a bit, Donna Mitchell miss is a beat, 263 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,920 so you know, I would have said that Utah, Golden State, and 264 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,920 Phoenix, then even Memphis a little bit like give you more start, like 265 00:17:22,039 --> 00:17:26,319 more more title winning cachet than let's say Chicago, Miami, Milwaukee, Brooklyn 266 00:17:26,319 --> 00:17:27,920 does. But no, I think the top of the East now at this 267 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:32,920 point is probably even more polarizing. So in some that's great news for the 268 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:37,400 Heat. But I don't think the three most title worthy teams in the East 269 00:17:37,519 --> 00:17:40,200 or the three most title worthy teams period, mostly because I think Phoenix right 270 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:41,119 now is the most title worthy team. And if I had to pick a 271 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:45,319 second one to do it this way, I'm gonna say Milwaukee at this point, 272 00:17:45,839 --> 00:17:52,359 followed by Golden State, followed by Brooklyn, followed by Miami. I 273 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:55,440 am on the verge of saying some really job. I don't know if it's 274 00:17:55,480 --> 00:18:02,920 spicy or like bonkers, just a rational, rationally optimistic stuff about the heat. 275 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:04,240 I'm at that point where I might, but I probably need to wait 276 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:07,039 a little bit before I go there. Then we'll say, so what do 277 00:18:07,079 --> 00:18:12,160 I have? I have? I have Phoenix, I have Milwaukee. I'm 278 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:19,039 gonna put Golden State. Then I'm gonna put Brooklyn, Miami, I put 279 00:18:19,079 --> 00:18:22,839 Utah for Chicago still, and then Memphis would be after. That's like, 280 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:26,440 that's how my top eight would shake out. Top eight would shake out there 281 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:30,480 if anybody cares. TJ asked, why is no one talking about Kevin Love 282 00:18:30,519 --> 00:18:34,160 for six Man of the Year. He has been spectacular this season. He 283 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:40,960 has absolutely been spectacular this season. So looking at he's been I don't want 284 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:45,240 to say basically on fire, but ever since he exited health and safety protocols 285 00:18:45,279 --> 00:18:49,880 earlier this season, he has been an absolute monster for the Calves. They've 286 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:53,160 even had lineups like a lot of this was when Ricky Rubio is healthy and 287 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:57,039 so that helps you. But they've won the minutes where he and lowry marketing 288 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:02,759 play without Jared Allen, even mobiles like marketing and Kevin Love are those two 289 00:19:02,759 --> 00:19:06,680 bigs that are on the court. That's a really huge deal. And I 290 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:08,720 think just this is still a really good basketball player when healthy. He's now 291 00:19:08,799 --> 00:19:14,119 going allowed to go up against superstubs. But Kevin Love's past twenty five games 292 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:18,039 fifteen point nine points, six point nine rebounds, two point two assists in 293 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:21,519 a little under twenty two minutes, and he's shooting forty three point four percent 294 00:19:21,559 --> 00:19:25,440 from deep on seven attempts per game. This dude just makes play. It's 295 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:26,960 just the passing, his ability to the stuff that you can actually do on 296 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,160 ball, and then a couple with that four spasing, which is what you 297 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,599 know. Cleveland's half court offense needed a ton this year. I absolutely think 298 00:19:33,599 --> 00:19:36,160 he deserves to be in the discussion for six Man out of the Year. 299 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:41,839 I just think that people are probably more inclined to focus on others, really, 300 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:45,000 and there are there's no shortage of candidates here. Tyler hero is probably 301 00:19:45,079 --> 00:19:48,640 the favorite to win right now. He still had a good year. He 302 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:52,759 started in ten games, so I don't know how that makes some people feel. 303 00:19:52,799 --> 00:19:55,079 Montras Harrold was getting some love at a point, But we probably need 304 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:57,400 to talk about Cam Johnson really sneaking into this. You could make a case 305 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:00,680 for Garry Payton the second the litt I think he has one per se over 306 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:07,160 Kevin Love. I mean, like Pious Jones has had some really good minutes 307 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:11,079 for that. Does Alex Caruso sort of work his way into the fold or 308 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,640 will he end up starting too many games? We might need to like nudge 309 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:19,400 the starter minimum up there so there are no shortage of good candidates for this 310 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:22,000 award, and I think that's probably why Kevin Love is not being mentioned. 311 00:20:22,039 --> 00:20:26,960 I also think it's because so much is being made of Cleveland first two bigs 312 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:32,279 and Jared Allen and Evan Mobley that Kevin Love is gonna fall by the wayside 313 00:20:32,279 --> 00:20:34,359 a little bit, especially because he's not in the three big lineups as often 314 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:38,400 as Larry Marketing is, and so there would be that to consider as well. 315 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:41,480 But look, if I were doing my sixth man ballot right now, 316 00:20:41,759 --> 00:20:45,799 I think Kevin Love might be too. He's in the top three for me. 317 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:52,759 I can say that pretty pretty confidently. I think TJ also asked or 318 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:56,359 no that I believe that was the last question there, Sorry, excuse me. 319 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,759 Paija asked what kind of stats advanced or not count more? For Defensive 320 00:21:00,799 --> 00:21:03,640 Player of the Year prize? Who do you have as your most improved player? 321 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:07,079 So for Defensive Player of the Year, I think a lot of it. 322 00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:11,839 The voters specifically, like you hope that they're smart enough to kind of 323 00:21:11,839 --> 00:21:15,200 look at more than that. It's so hard to quantify defense, is what 324 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:18,200 I'm getting out. So you don't want them to rely necessarily just on stats. 325 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,680 You want to look at not even just the team performance. But Kenya 326 00:21:21,759 --> 00:21:25,400 Ziero went on plays or a player's role on defense, and so I like 327 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:30,160 looking at numbers like that. If you're for more of the accessible ones, 328 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:33,079 I'll call it like I want there's rim protection if you're big, and like 329 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,519 that's a role that you're playing at. Rudy Gobert is great, Like how 330 00:21:36,599 --> 00:21:38,720 is he defending shots at the rim? And you can trust that field goal 331 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:42,960 percentage allowed more than you can on a what is you know, Evan Mobley 332 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:47,960 allowing opponents to shoot on him from three? The other thing that I really 333 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:51,480 have valued looking at, or not really value, but I do think it's 334 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,279 interesting to sort of look like, Okay, how does an opponent's shot profile 335 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:56,200 change, especially if you're looking at a big when a players on the court 336 00:21:56,319 --> 00:22:00,920 and Rudy Gobert or Joel Embi to be another example of this, where our 337 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:03,079 teams not only shooting worse at the rim, but are they getting there less 338 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:07,480 are they even impacting shots from float range? You can look at how much 339 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:11,920 better a team performs defensively with a player on the floor. I don't think 340 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,279 that's an end all, be all, but it is an interesting anecdote, 341 00:22:14,319 --> 00:22:17,079 especially when that lines up with either what you're watching and some of the other 342 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,880 numbers you're looking at. You can look at some kinchen Sinc. Metric metrics 343 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:25,839 like if defensive points saved from NBA math dumps and threes has estimated plus minus 344 00:22:25,839 --> 00:22:29,799 and separates it into offensive defense. I also think people Index has been fantastic. 345 00:22:29,839 --> 00:22:34,000 They have so much granular stuff there that if you get a subscription you 346 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:38,799 can look at and I've enjoyed checking out just matchup difficulty data that they have. 347 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:45,279 How much time does you know a certain defender to spend spend guarding the 348 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:48,519 highest usage player on the other team. Some of that can be impacted by 349 00:22:48,519 --> 00:22:52,160 the fact that technically, if you're a bad defender, teams are going to 350 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:53,599 attack you more. So that could be why the player you're guarding is so 351 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,759 high usage. But you can sort of spot, you know, fucking Kema 352 00:22:56,799 --> 00:23:02,359 Walker ends up in at the top that you can sort of understand the outliers 353 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:06,799 there. They also have, like you can check out their their defensive roles. 354 00:23:06,839 --> 00:23:07,880 Are they defending the point of the attack. Are they more of a 355 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:11,039 rim protector and so that's going to help you there. They have even positional 356 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:15,440 versatility. I don't think versatility has to inform effectiveness, but it can in 357 00:23:15,519 --> 00:23:19,039 certain instances. And then you have to catch all matchup difficulty metrics. You 358 00:23:19,039 --> 00:23:22,200 can see how a player is staring there, but there's no one I look 359 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:26,039 at a bunch of different thing. I'm sure everyone does, and there's a 360 00:23:26,039 --> 00:23:29,599 lot of data out there. All of it is if it's not imperfect, 361 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,480 none of it is meant really meant to be just the end all be all. 362 00:23:32,599 --> 00:23:36,799 My most improved player, I think it's Miles Bridges. I know he 363 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:40,240 hasn't been going scorched Earth as often since the beginning of the season, but 364 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:45,440 when you look at just the context of his role and how much more difficult 365 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,599 and different it can be with the on ball stuff he's doing, the positional 366 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,279 valuability he gives you on the defensive end, even though he's moving off the 367 00:23:52,279 --> 00:23:55,680 ball. Yeah, I'd be nice of maybe he's hitting some of his easier 368 00:23:55,680 --> 00:24:00,559 shots more. But that is just someone who is affecting the game positively at 369 00:24:00,559 --> 00:24:03,519 almost you know, on offense, at almost every level and every mode of 370 00:24:03,559 --> 00:24:08,440 operation possible. And for someone who wasn't even sort of mentioned in this Dude's 371 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,480 gonna get paid hanging into district of free Agency twenty twenty two conversation, like 372 00:24:11,519 --> 00:24:15,960 that's just he was always a player you talked about his rock solid or you 373 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:19,839 know, somewhat valuable but not a potential it's gonna be too generous, but 374 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,920 like a fringe cornerstone. You know, who is the second most important player 375 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,720 to the Hornets long term? It might be my I think it's probably Myles 376 00:24:26,759 --> 00:24:30,680 Bridges right now, depending on how you feel about a you know, like 377 00:24:30,839 --> 00:24:33,000 James book Night. Just are you just assuming that because of his draft stock 378 00:24:33,039 --> 00:24:36,559 or how you feel like Moreton Heyward, try vers year, YadA, YadA, 379 00:24:36,599 --> 00:24:40,519 YadA. So I think it's him. John Morant deserves a lot of 380 00:24:40,599 --> 00:24:44,119 consideration here because I do believe he has made the hardest leap, which is 381 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:48,319 that of us from a star to in MVP caliber all NBA calendar, however 382 00:24:48,319 --> 00:24:51,960 you want to frame it. The three point shooting has been huge. I 383 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:55,799 think he's played better defensively since he's come back from that knee brain or at 384 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:59,920 least is tried harder. But the way he's you know, sort of advanced 385 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,960 how he can affect the game on offense and make it harder on defenses because 386 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:07,000 he's willing to shoot the three and he's hitting them at a higher clip. 387 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:11,440 But then there's also just the you know, his floater, his decision making 388 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,039 in general after he leaves his feet where he can make passes like that, 389 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:17,279 and even just his playmaking in general is huge. That's a huge leap, 390 00:25:17,319 --> 00:25:19,480 and I don't think some I don't know how much love he'll get because I 391 00:25:19,519 --> 00:25:25,720 think people already considered him because he was such an electric watch as that superstar. 392 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:29,599 But he's officially there, and you're now leading a team like the Grizzlies 393 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,079 into a top three or four record in the West. Desmond Baine deserves consideration, 394 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:36,920 But I think I've gone back and forth in this on this, and 395 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,640 I just don't think you can do it with year or two players, given 396 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,880 how much they're supposed to improve. Anyway, I do think it matters that 397 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,000 he was hyper efficient in a smaller role last year, So this is not 398 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:51,559 just someone capitalizing on opportunity or who wasn't good before and they are using him 399 00:25:51,599 --> 00:25:55,279 a lot of different ways where he just wasn't really an on ball option at 400 00:25:55,279 --> 00:25:59,640 all last year and now he's doing more of that stuff. Tyler Hero certainly 401 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:03,599 belongs here. Darius Garland would be a big one. Jared Allen. Maybe 402 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:08,519 I don't know that people appreciate how much Jared Allen has branched out his game 403 00:26:08,559 --> 00:26:11,599 on offense and just make quicker decisions with the ball in his hands and have 404 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:15,359 more directionality. I would call it to his game where it's not just rim 405 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:18,000 running, it's not just these stop hooks, Like he can put the ball 406 00:26:18,039 --> 00:26:22,200 on the floor a little bit. He's less predictable with where he's going to 407 00:26:22,279 --> 00:26:25,599 finish or what he's going to do as a decision maker once the ball is 408 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:30,640 put in his hands, and so, you know, I think that people 409 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:33,599 don't really give him enough credit for that. I don't think he'll win or 410 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:36,079 I think deserves win, but you can mention him. I've seen Jordan Poole 411 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:37,480 sort of come up, and I could probably see that. The Jante Murray 412 00:26:37,519 --> 00:26:41,559 is another one that I would consider. If you have any other options or 413 00:26:41,599 --> 00:26:44,400 favorites, hit me, hit us up, you can let us know. 414 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:48,319 And I think my pick right now would be Miles Bridges or John Moran. 415 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,200 I'm not firmly set on them. I kind of want to go with John 416 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:52,880 Moran. Am I brave enough to do it? But Miles Bridges for me 417 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:57,960 right now? Karagans, what the heck is going on with the Utah Jazz. 418 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:02,359 I'm a little bit upset you use profanity there because that would be a 419 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:07,519 worthwhile reaction to what's actually going on with the Utah Jazz. It's basically almost 420 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:14,440 perfectly aligned with the start of the new year. So since January first, 421 00:27:14,839 --> 00:27:17,880 the Jazz are three and seven, So it's just ten games, but they're 422 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:21,880 twentieth in net rating in twenty six and points allowed per possession twenty six and 423 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:26,240 opponent affect the field goal percentage. Yeah, Rudy gobernmith a bunch of time 424 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:29,559 during this stretch and I think we've now, you know, we should know 425 00:27:29,599 --> 00:27:33,039 by this point how valuably is on defense, but it's just this constant reminder. 426 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,039 You've had some you know, cold shooting by the Jazz Is standards, 427 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:42,119 Boyan Vardanovitch not shooting well from three over this stretch, Donovan Mitchell not shooting 428 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:47,440 well in the games that he has played during this stretch. So that has 429 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:48,920 been for the two, but it's been more so the defense. And this 430 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:55,119 team is still struggling to keep opponents out of transition and that's been a big 431 00:27:55,079 --> 00:27:59,440 heat. They are the second worst team during this stretched and opponent field percentage 432 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:03,440 allowed at the RAM. I think the context errors Rudy Gobert's absence and so 433 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,240 how the center rotation looked with him not there, and then also just a 434 00:28:06,279 --> 00:28:11,039 frequency with which you're allowing opponents to get out in transition has been look probably 435 00:28:11,079 --> 00:28:15,160 problematic for much of this year. But they're during this ten game stretch, 436 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,079 they're eighteenth in the frequency with which opponents are getting out in transition, and 437 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:23,200 they really suck at it off of live rebounds. And I don't know how 438 00:28:23,279 --> 00:28:27,039 much of that has to do with maybe Rudy Gobert finishing so many plays on 439 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:30,359 offensive around the rim that he's not going to be the first one back, 440 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:34,319 and that's where the lack of athleticism really hurts you. And so I think 441 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,759 that, you know, some of the shooting stuff will normalized, and they've 442 00:28:37,759 --> 00:28:40,680 still been able to complygether like a top twelve defense during this stretch. They'll 443 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,440 ultimately be fine, but they're so dependent on Rudy Gobert. I do believe 444 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:49,759 that this underscores how much they really need to make a move on the trade 445 00:28:49,759 --> 00:28:53,440 market and what I found interesting, and so I would still lean towards can 446 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:59,200 you get a more athletic wing who cracks, if not all of your closing 447 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:02,680 lineups, at least the top eight or nine of minutes played in your playoff 448 00:29:02,759 --> 00:29:06,000 rotation, sort of regardless of matchups. So it's not just a Tory Craig 449 00:29:06,039 --> 00:29:07,839 game where he'll be valuable in certain instances. And I'm kind of perking up 450 00:29:07,839 --> 00:29:12,200 an Indy by the way right now. It's someone who you'll actually slot into 451 00:29:12,279 --> 00:29:18,559 an eight or ninth spot in your playoff rotation. I would still lean like 452 00:29:18,599 --> 00:29:21,839 a Josh Richardson type. There'd be more ideal ones. Yes, Harrison Barnes, 453 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:23,920 Jeremy Grant, even Marcus Smart. I don't know if the Jazz have 454 00:29:25,119 --> 00:29:29,279 the the asset equity to get those type of guys. Josh Richardson, I 455 00:29:29,319 --> 00:29:32,759 think they could, and that's someone that they absolutely should look at. I 456 00:29:32,799 --> 00:29:36,200 also think Marcus Smart would be if we have a question on him later. 457 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:38,839 He's not had a great year, mostly on offense though. However, I 458 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:44,039 was looking to the Dunked On pod and I think they were citing what someone 459 00:29:44,079 --> 00:29:47,039 said on the utub on the Jazz Locked on Jazz pod. So I don't 460 00:29:47,039 --> 00:29:49,079 mean to sort of double aggregator site here. I just don't want to act 461 00:29:49,079 --> 00:29:52,359 like this is my idea. I really do try and give credit where if 462 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:56,000 I'm listening to a team podcast, which I try to do a lot, 463 00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:59,000 it's a big part of covering the league or see something, you want to 464 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:03,359 credit people. So I apologize if I'm missiting that here. They but the 465 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:07,720 sentiment was that the Jazz really just need a better helper in protector so that 466 00:30:07,759 --> 00:30:11,400 Rudy Gobert doesn't have to worry about what's necessarily happening around the basket all the 467 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:15,880 time because him being pulled away from the basket is not actually the problem, 468 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:19,839 and there will be in depth data that will support that. And I thought 469 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:25,839 that was an interesting way to look at it. And so if you're going 470 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:29,000 that route, is it does a Thaddy is Young help you at all in 471 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:32,119 that situation? How much does the floor shrink? Would you ever consider playing 472 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:37,480 him without or with excuse me, in tandem beside Rudy Gobert? And if 473 00:30:37,519 --> 00:30:40,880 you're not, then you're committing to downsizing with Alcabreno court and that's still only 474 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:44,000 let's say we get to the playoffs. That's a ten to thirteen minutes per 475 00:30:44,039 --> 00:30:45,839 game proposition. How much does that really impact you if you're not going to 476 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:51,960 play the two together? Maybe maybe it's a bunch who knows. I've given 477 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:56,720 thought. He could probably play next to Chris Bouchet, who's not you know, 478 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,079 he could be a little bit out of control, but he's also someone 479 00:30:59,119 --> 00:31:02,119 who if you Uncle Bert to sort of camp out close to the basket, 480 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:06,759 Chris Brusche can move on the outside and he'll close out like a borderline, 481 00:31:07,319 --> 00:31:08,680 you know, bad out of hell. But it's you know, it can 482 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:12,119 be effective at points. So maybe they could look at someone like that. 483 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:15,400 It's just tough because they don't they have part of the Derrick Favorite trade exception 484 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:19,440 yet left, and they do have some roster spot flexibility, but how deeper 485 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,160 they want to go into the tax and just who's available, because again, 486 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:26,279 while I do think that Jeremy Grant would work really well here, even at 487 00:31:26,279 --> 00:31:30,319 Harrison Barnes, although if we're going to the rim, protect your stuff, 488 00:31:30,359 --> 00:31:33,160 like you know, maybe you don't want Harrison Barnes as that guy. But 489 00:31:33,279 --> 00:31:37,720 I just don't see them being able to call it together the offer necessary to 490 00:31:40,119 --> 00:31:42,480 do anything at that level, at least to beat out other teams. We 491 00:31:42,559 --> 00:31:47,680 do have something interesting on this though in a minute. So I think that's 492 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:49,440 what's wrong with the Jazz car Again, in any Jazz fans that are listening 493 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:53,160 to this, I don't I don't think they have the personnel to address what's 494 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:56,640 wrong with them on defense. But I do think what we've seen now has 495 00:31:56,680 --> 00:32:00,319 been exacerbated by the initial to go bear absence, and that's just the problem 496 00:32:00,319 --> 00:32:02,839 with these team wide stats, and so you need to give contest with which 497 00:32:02,839 --> 00:32:05,960 players are missing. And I know who he's back now. So the Jazz 498 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,440 are still struggling. But I do think some of their shooters, I've gone 499 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:10,720 cold, which hasn't helped them either. And the transition thing has just been 500 00:32:10,759 --> 00:32:15,960 a This has been a problem, like dating back to last year, but 501 00:32:15,079 --> 00:32:19,039 like this season, is so tough to look at team wide stats and then 502 00:32:19,079 --> 00:32:22,759 properly contextualize them, just because we've gone through this long ass stretch where so 503 00:32:22,799 --> 00:32:27,680 many teams type players in and out of health and safety protocols, and just 504 00:32:27,799 --> 00:32:32,319 rosters were changing on a nightly basis. It's important to try and distinguish what's 505 00:32:32,359 --> 00:32:35,559 meaningful them what's not. But the transition thing is not. You know, 506 00:32:35,559 --> 00:32:37,480 they were the team that didn't have anyone the health and safety protocols for the 507 00:32:37,519 --> 00:32:43,480 longest time, and the transition stuff is still an issue. And then just 508 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:45,200 I think the lack of athleticism on the Perimer, if you want to call 509 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:49,400 it the lack of athleticism behind Rudy Gobert, should you want some help in 510 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:52,559 protection. That's a big, bigger issue for them, And I do think 511 00:32:52,599 --> 00:32:54,519 they need to look at moving. You know, their offense is good enough 512 00:32:54,559 --> 00:33:00,759 to really withstand almost the like moving whoever, if you want to move bowing 513 00:33:00,799 --> 00:33:02,720 on Bardonovitch, Jordan Carsoner Joels, you will be fine, but I do 514 00:33:02,759 --> 00:33:07,079 really think that you need to be aggressive. Here, Brett asked, when 515 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:09,920 is Ben Simmons gonna get traded? I know this is a reoccurring theme, 516 00:33:10,119 --> 00:33:15,640 and we get updates from the previous updates to the updates before those that came 517 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:20,640 from another batch of updates where there were no updates whatsoever. It seems like 518 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:23,200 morea was happening this week where there was the report that the King's kind of 519 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:27,880 emerged as favorites out of the Athletic, which then proceeded to debunk his own 520 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:30,319 report by saying that wasn't true. I did listen to Darryl moorey going on 521 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:36,240 at Philadelphia radio station this past Thursday. The entire interview where the way he 522 00:33:36,319 --> 00:33:37,559 made it sound, and it could be posturing, but this has been my 523 00:33:37,599 --> 00:33:40,319 stance all along. I know people have been predicting of Ben Simmons trade. 524 00:33:40,559 --> 00:33:44,480 I would still be a little bit surprised if he gets moved because the way 525 00:33:44,519 --> 00:33:47,079 that dal Moore has always framed things he did during the radio interview is he 526 00:33:47,440 --> 00:33:52,400 wants to increase his team's championship odds, and it doesn't seem that he believes 527 00:33:52,759 --> 00:33:57,799 believes Trading Ben Simmons and diverting him for a collection of non stars is going 528 00:33:57,839 --> 00:34:01,039 to move the needle enough around embiid and they owe it to Joel Embie's window 529 00:34:01,079 --> 00:34:06,519 to get another star as part of a Ben Simmons package. In which case, 530 00:34:06,599 --> 00:34:09,119 if that's really his stance, the two outcomes I see are this, 531 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:13,760 you either making a trade or de Aaron Fox is coming back, because he's 532 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:15,800 the closest thing to a star that I think has really been floated in the 533 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:19,440 Ben Simmons sweepstakes. You know, the Jaalen Browns, the Damian Lowers, 534 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:22,679 of the Bradley Beals. That's just not feasible at the moment. There's been 535 00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:25,320 no concrete evidence any of them are available. Maybe that changes in the eleventh 536 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:30,119 hour. I wouldn't expect it to. If that's the type of player looking 537 00:34:30,119 --> 00:34:32,639 for the off season is going to be the best time to move Ben Simmons 538 00:34:32,639 --> 00:34:36,360 are the most likely time, and so that's still my expectation. I kind 539 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:37,920 of hope I'm wrong, so I don't necessarily want to talk about this all 540 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:42,360 the time. I also hope he just gets set somewhere out of the blue 541 00:34:42,639 --> 00:34:45,519 too to just like a dark horse comes out. Maybe it's like this complicated 542 00:34:45,519 --> 00:34:47,960 three or fourteen trade that Net's Philly a player and stuff that it wants, 543 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,320 so they're giving up more stuff because teams are sending each other all these players 544 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:54,079 and picks. That's how I'm rooting for this to end. I just don't 545 00:34:54,119 --> 00:34:58,320 inspect it expected to end in that fashion. And the last thing I will 546 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:01,199 say on the with so many different Kings packages being floated, there was the 547 00:35:01,199 --> 00:35:05,559 one where they were willing to give up Harrison, Barnes and Tyr's Halbert and 548 00:35:05,599 --> 00:35:07,800 Buddy Healed effectively, and I think maybe picks were mentioned in that. I'd 549 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:10,679 be shocked if they are offering that. So I don't even want to go 550 00:35:10,679 --> 00:35:14,880 into detail the one. But I found more fascinating that The Athletic reported and 551 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:19,480 then subsequently debunked Sacrament will be willing to take on Tobias Harrison to Ben Simmons 552 00:35:19,599 --> 00:35:22,880 deal. So at that point you're going Dearreon Fox, Buddy Healed Harrison Barnes 553 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,360 for Ben Simmons and Debias Harris. I don't think that's the worst outcome in 554 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:29,119 the world for either side, because the Aaron Fox still give you that like 555 00:35:29,559 --> 00:35:35,280 star type player upside, and then Buddy Healed and Harrison Bars are fantastic fits 556 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:38,199 for Philly. Harrison Bars is gonna give you more in defense than Tobias Harris. 557 00:35:38,679 --> 00:35:43,559 Maybe you trust Pete Tobias Harris's ball skills more, but he's just you 558 00:35:43,599 --> 00:35:45,440 know, he could benefit some quicker decision making it maybe a team that plays 559 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:49,880 faster than the Sixers do, where though, like he's not particularly explosive, 560 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:53,239 so he's sort of part of that sloth paced the way that the Sixers play 561 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:58,639 anyway for the Kings, I don't Here's more in that I'm a dearon Fox, 562 00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:00,159 truth and believer, and so that's why I would view him as a 563 00:36:00,159 --> 00:36:04,400 player from Philly that I would take back as the primary asset Simmons trade. 564 00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:06,960 You could make the argument, though, that the four years in one hundred 565 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:10,119 and thirty four plus million left on his deal is not a net positive asset. 566 00:36:10,199 --> 00:36:13,719 You can also make the case that the two years and forty plus million 567 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:16,119 left the Buddy Heals deal is also not a net positive asset, and so 568 00:36:16,199 --> 00:36:21,280 I don't view that necessarily as an egregious cost because the Iron Fox is the 569 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:25,599 only player in that whole Kitten Kabudo that would be viewed as a long term 570 00:36:25,679 --> 00:36:31,119 asset. Really to Or is a surefire big picture anchor long term. And 571 00:36:31,159 --> 00:36:34,280 I think even when you look at this roster, I wouldn't for the Kings. 572 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:37,960 I wouldn't trade Harris. I wouldn't trade with Shawn Holmes. I wouldn't 573 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:40,159 trade Tyrese Haliburton. I'd be open to moving Fox and then deal like this, 574 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:44,079 or I just wouldn't trade him. I'm not looking to sell the Iron 575 00:36:44,119 --> 00:36:46,039 Fox. So those are the three players you're keeping. It's not Healed, 576 00:36:46,039 --> 00:36:50,679 it's not Barns. So by giving him up in this taking back Tobias Harris's 577 00:36:51,079 --> 00:36:52,559 if you want to call it bad money, or just two years where again, 578 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,760 you have them with Ben Simmons, you have them with Tyrese Halibert. 579 00:36:55,880 --> 00:37:00,719 Not the primary person task with creating doesn't give you a true wing defender. 580 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:06,239 But that's your problem now. Anyway, I don't hate, I don't hate 581 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:08,079 the outcome. Second, it would be justifiable. Would I do it in 582 00:37:08,119 --> 00:37:10,960 a heartbeat? I probably would? Because the kids, the kid, the 583 00:37:12,039 --> 00:37:15,519 kids, the Kings need to do fucking something like let's pick a direction. 584 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:20,000 You've just been in this state of useless existence for far too long now, 585 00:37:20,079 --> 00:37:23,039 or you won't pick an actual angle. So I probably would do that deal, 586 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:27,599 and I just don't. I also think the benefit there where people think 587 00:37:27,599 --> 00:37:29,920 the Kings are giving up a ton, I'm not. I don't think Debias 588 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:32,280 Harris is watched it. Think he could be a fine player, overpaid relative 589 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:35,360 to what he does. Sure, that's not his fault. He's on that 590 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:37,840 contract. I want all players to get paid, but it has become a 591 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:42,039 cumbersome deal relative to what he does. That being said, if taking him 592 00:37:42,079 --> 00:37:45,440 on and then giving up these players spare you for him to give up a 593 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:49,440 bunch of picks and swaps, that's also a benefit to working the deal within 594 00:37:49,519 --> 00:37:53,440 that context. Clayson says on the Ben Simmons front, I have a trade 595 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:59,840 idea Ben Simmons to Utah for Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson thoughts. I think 596 00:38:00,119 --> 00:38:05,039 this framework is interesting in the sense that Mike Conley is still really good and 597 00:38:05,079 --> 00:38:08,119 would help Philadelphia out. A ton gives you someone who can hit jumpers off 598 00:38:08,159 --> 00:38:10,599 the dribble, gives you someone who can run the offense, and crunch time 599 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:15,239 gives you someone who's worse than Ben Simmons. On defense. But when you 600 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:17,800 just look at point guard defenders, especially at his size, still just one 601 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:22,199 of the non crappier ones if you want to, I wouldn't pick Mike Conley 602 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:25,880 for all defense or say that he's like this hugely positive player there. But 603 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:30,239 when you have him surrounded in lineups, if there's like a if Fible's on 604 00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:34,440 the floor with him, maybe Danny Green is feeling healthy that day. You 605 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:37,960 know Joel Embiid is behind him, so he's it's worked out with Rugobert and 606 00:38:37,039 --> 00:38:44,119 Utah. Maybe starting Seth and Conley in the backcourt gets a little wishy washy, 607 00:38:44,239 --> 00:38:46,840 and you know, playing Conley with Jordan Clarkson could have serious issues there. 608 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:52,760 But you know how much better is done from Mitchell defensively, even than 609 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:55,559 Seth Curry. Maybe it's maybe it's appreciably. Perhaps I haven't watched enough Seth 610 00:38:55,559 --> 00:38:59,559 Curry on defense. I do think he was kind of underrated in that element 611 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:01,199 during his time in Dallas and then it sort of faded a bit. It's 612 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:06,320 come to Philly. The framework makes sense. I wouldn't do this deal if 613 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:08,639 I'm Philly, though, because Mike Conley is in his age thirty four season, 614 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:14,480 I believe, and so you have to start questioning how healthy is he 615 00:39:14,559 --> 00:39:16,519 going to remain, how much smaller he's gonna play at a higher level. 616 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:22,400 He can't be just the only primary asset you're getting back where to me, 617 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:25,320 you're gonna have to include at least a pick and a swap like and they're 618 00:39:25,320 --> 00:39:29,119 looking at I think it's twenty twenty six is the earliest pick that they can 619 00:39:29,119 --> 00:39:31,559 convey right now. So you could do a twenty twenty five swap, pending 620 00:39:31,599 --> 00:39:36,280 other obligations at twenty twenty six pick, twenty twenty seven swap, and then 621 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:37,480 twenty twenty eight pick. You could structure. I'm not saying give up two 622 00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:42,199 swaps and two picks, that's what you could do. I still don't think 623 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:44,199 that would be enough. You're not getting out of this deal. I don't 624 00:39:44,199 --> 00:39:46,719 think it's gonna dring Mike Conley and Royce O'Neill would have to be the framework 625 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:52,679 for me. I don't think that Philly would value a Boyaan Madanovitch in this 626 00:39:52,679 --> 00:39:54,559 type of a deal. You're not and if you're Philly, you're not getting 627 00:39:54,599 --> 00:39:57,920 Donovan Mitchell, and you have no use for Rudy Gobert Norder I think you 628 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:02,199 would get him. I do think the Cammy idea as an interesting framework. 629 00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:07,239 Now I don't like Ben Simmons and Utah specially he's exactly the type of defender 630 00:40:07,559 --> 00:40:12,039 they need. But playing him next to Rudy Gobert is a lot different than 631 00:40:12,079 --> 00:40:16,079 playing him next to him Bid because of the way that Imbid can still pop 632 00:40:16,079 --> 00:40:21,039 out beyond the arc or has an off the dribble game, or you can 633 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:25,760 take shots from mid range. That's not Rudy Gobert's game, and Ben Simmons 634 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:30,119 then shrinks the floor a ton for you. I do think Utah would still 635 00:40:30,119 --> 00:40:34,079 have the talent and Thermo Nuclear are shooting and a boyam Agdanovitch Joe ingles when 636 00:40:34,079 --> 00:40:38,199 he's on Donna Mitchell when he's on to navigate it. But you are really 637 00:40:38,239 --> 00:40:42,679 trusting your offense a lot there. And I would wonder how effective is Rudy 638 00:40:42,719 --> 00:40:45,920 Gobert when when he said he's screams like, what if Ben Simmons is running 639 00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:50,039 can pick and roll with Rudy Gobert, What does that necessarily look like? 640 00:40:50,159 --> 00:40:52,079 Perhaps it looks a lot better because the Jazz can always ensure they'll have three 641 00:40:52,119 --> 00:40:55,519 shooters around them when that happens, but I would be very reticent for Utah 642 00:40:55,639 --> 00:41:00,239 to do. I figure it would be Mike Conley, Royce O'Neil and some 643 00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:02,920 kind of combination of picks and swaps. I'll throw that back to Jazz fans 644 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:06,800 or placing a large Are you doing that? That's the cost Mike Conley, 645 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:09,599 roycel Meal and up to two picks and two swaps. I don't know if 646 00:41:09,679 --> 00:41:13,920 that's too much. I don't know if that's what they'd be willing to give 647 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:17,159 up. If it's one pick and two swaps, two picks and whatever the 648 00:41:17,159 --> 00:41:20,840 case. But you're not getting out of that trade without giving up first round 649 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:25,400 pate just because of Mike Conley's page, even Jacobs as what is the Hornet's 650 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:31,360 best defensive lineup? So speaking of talking about we need to properly contextualize stuff 651 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:37,280 that's going on. Don't look now, but the Hornets since December twenty third, 652 00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:43,119 which is you know, excuse me, a sample size with twelve games, 653 00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:47,599 have the third best defense in the league. There's been some They've had 654 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:52,519 different personnel on and off the cord, on and out of the rotation that 655 00:41:52,559 --> 00:41:54,880 time. The biggest difference for them, though, is the interior presence has 656 00:41:54,880 --> 00:42:00,920 been better. I think they're getting a little bit lucky in some regards, 657 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:02,920 just you know, opponents shooting sixty two point three percent of the rim is 658 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:06,360 that, you know, looking at the lineups and their center rotation, is 659 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:08,960 that something that actually lines up with the talent? I would say no, 660 00:42:09,159 --> 00:42:14,320 but they're not getting lucky on opponent three point per shooting opponent three point shooting, 661 00:42:14,599 --> 00:42:16,280 which would be something to considered there. They've also just done a much 662 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:22,039 better job in transition, even though they're still letting teams get out in transition. 663 00:42:22,199 --> 00:42:24,639 A ton part of me thinks that there's just aberration here. But what 664 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:29,159 the biggest difference that I've noticed from them in the games that I've seen during 665 00:42:29,199 --> 00:42:32,480 this stretch. They feel more likely to get a defensive rebound, which is 666 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:37,320 not a significant deal for Charlotte if you've watched them at all this season. 667 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:40,320 And so that just combined with you know, smarter rim protection. I think 668 00:42:42,599 --> 00:42:45,519 you know, them dealing with some of their players being out, especially not 669 00:42:45,519 --> 00:42:50,519 having LaMelo Balls passing as a crutch, influenced some of the lineups that James 670 00:42:50,599 --> 00:42:52,440 Virago was playing, and you were guys who might play harder on defense a 671 00:42:52,480 --> 00:42:59,400 little bit. I do think just there the general activity away from the ball 672 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:01,239 to where it doesn't think they're gonna get burned every five seconds on the next 673 00:43:01,239 --> 00:43:06,440 pass by that next player has been good. Roll. The defensive rebounding sustained. 674 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:08,800 This is all to say their best defensive lineup. I want to look 675 00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:12,519 at only this stretch that we've seen over the last twelve games and somebody just 676 00:43:12,599 --> 00:43:15,800 the most used combinations, the two that stand out to me. And by 677 00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:19,480 the way, the starting lineup they prefers twenty five just statistically has been rock 678 00:43:19,519 --> 00:43:22,679 solid defensively all year round average, and that's held basically true during this stretch. 679 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:28,159 But some of the framework here that intrigues me is the I think i'd 680 00:43:28,159 --> 00:43:30,960 go with the This is a smaller lineup, but it's played twenty two minutes 681 00:43:31,039 --> 00:43:36,800 during this stretch of Hayward Rosier, Bridges, Cody Martin and PJ. Washington 682 00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:39,920 defensive rating of sixty during their time on the floor, and they're one of 683 00:43:40,480 --> 00:43:45,039 Charlotte's five most used lineups during this stretch of portent field goal percentage of sub 684 00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:51,119 sub fifty or sub forty nine actually, and they're grabbing seventy four point one 685 00:43:51,239 --> 00:43:54,280 percent of defensive rebounds when they're on the floor. The other one that I 686 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:59,400 think is interesting. You have Plumbly on the court with Hayward, Rosier McDaniels 687 00:43:59,440 --> 00:44:04,280 and LaMelo Ball a ninety two six defensive rating, which is I don't want 688 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:06,760 to say it's more sustainable, but it's just more normal. And I think 689 00:44:06,760 --> 00:44:08,000 when you look at the players that are part of this one, knowing the 690 00:44:08,079 --> 00:44:13,079 way that plum Lea's minutes pan out who he plays with, and then knowing 691 00:44:13,079 --> 00:44:15,719 that lament of balls this you understand the quality of competition that they're going up 692 00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:20,960 against. And that group has been grabbing eighty point eight percent of their defensive 693 00:44:21,000 --> 00:44:23,719 rebounds during the stretch. When you're looking to the season at large, and 694 00:44:23,719 --> 00:44:29,320 you just want to going through their like most used lineups and who has the 695 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:32,000 best defensive rating, Like I said, the starting launcher, it's actually dead 696 00:44:32,039 --> 00:44:39,239 average that is hysterical fiftieth percentile, and in defensive rating, the LaMelo Ball, 697 00:44:39,400 --> 00:44:45,360 Heyward uber Bridges plum Lee combination is in the sixty fourth percentile defensive efficiency. 698 00:44:45,760 --> 00:44:47,440 I think just of their most used combinations the season, the one that's 699 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:52,320 been most successful statistically has been LaMelo Ball, Rosy year, Jealn McDaniel's Hayward 700 00:44:52,320 --> 00:44:54,239 and plumbly call, and so it's the one we just had it before. 701 00:44:54,480 --> 00:44:57,960 I'm just gonna roll with that then, because I was only thinking back to 702 00:44:58,639 --> 00:45:00,559 this stretch. I know Jealn McDaniel could be all over the place on certain 703 00:45:00,599 --> 00:45:05,360 games, but he's proven to be valuable to this team. And I also 704 00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:09,199 think we've started to see more often why the Hornets paid terriers a year, 705 00:45:09,599 --> 00:45:13,800 including on offense for certain stretches. I still don't know if I agree with 706 00:45:13,800 --> 00:45:15,800 the money that he got, knowing with the Caps based landscape is this summer, 707 00:45:15,880 --> 00:45:21,000 but that is my answer. It's LaMelo ball Terror's year. Joe McDaniels 708 00:45:21,000 --> 00:45:25,639 Gordon heard Mason Plumley. I'm sure Canada Edwards used to be the co host 709 00:45:25,719 --> 00:45:30,199 of the Lockdown Horns podcast and is now a podcast cruiser at CBS Sports. 710 00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:34,599 Fantastic guy who covers the NBA large but also the horse specifically. I'm sure 711 00:45:34,599 --> 00:45:36,760 he would disagree with me and just have a better answer there, but that 712 00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:38,800 is that is my answer. That was an indestring question. You can thank 713 00:45:38,840 --> 00:45:44,199 you THHM seven eighty six as where does anthy Edwards put himself in terms of 714 00:45:44,559 --> 00:45:47,880 offensive and defensive efficiency. Hopefully this question will satiate everyone who thought that we 715 00:45:49,280 --> 00:45:52,079 crapped all over Anthony Edwards by not having him higher up in our top ten 716 00:45:52,480 --> 00:45:57,960 players under twenty five rankings when ordering them by their career outlook. I think 717 00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:00,760 I had him twelve and THROW had him ten, So I will say just 718 00:46:01,119 --> 00:46:05,039 numbers aside the thing that I've enjoyed watching. I know there's been some turnover 719 00:46:05,079 --> 00:46:08,000 issues at points of Anthony Edwards relative to the what his role has been and 720 00:46:08,119 --> 00:46:10,320 what he's doing on offense. I don't necessarily have a problem with it. 721 00:46:10,400 --> 00:46:15,679 There's just like more patients there for him, and ability to sort of manipulate 722 00:46:15,840 --> 00:46:20,519 the pace of or at which he plays or at which the defense plays. 723 00:46:20,559 --> 00:46:24,679 When he's in the half court, there's there's like more of a methodical surgicalness 724 00:46:24,760 --> 00:46:27,480 to his game or surge account. I don't know, I don't even know 725 00:46:27,519 --> 00:46:30,519 how to frame it, but that's the sense that I've gotten from watching him 726 00:46:30,920 --> 00:46:36,039 this year, where it felt like he was more on this just like I 727 00:46:36,039 --> 00:46:39,039 don't even know what the word like explosive, like always on mode or last 728 00:46:39,079 --> 00:46:44,960 year I've been very impressed with his willingness to let plays develop or really just 729 00:46:45,119 --> 00:46:50,559 develop plays with the ball in his hands himself by by being more patient he 730 00:46:50,760 --> 00:46:52,159 is. When you want to look at some of the kitchen sitting metrics, 731 00:46:52,239 --> 00:46:57,960 he brings forty six in offensive points added from NBA math two hundred and forty 732 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:01,000 four in defensive points saved. When you look at dumpson Three's estimated plus mind 733 00:47:01,039 --> 00:47:06,239 is, he's in the ninetieth percentile on offense and sixty seventh percentile on defense, 734 00:47:06,320 --> 00:47:10,559 eighty seven percentile of estimated plus minus overall, I do think the Timberwolves 735 00:47:10,559 --> 00:47:15,800 are the best team in the league at forcing turnovers. Defensively, I do 736 00:47:15,880 --> 00:47:16,960 think he Happy Edwards could be a part of that. I think that the 737 00:47:17,119 --> 00:47:22,559 off ball activity level is can really muck up certain possessions. I don't know 738 00:47:22,760 --> 00:47:25,719 where I would pay him defensively. Is he above average, average, below 739 00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:29,320 average? There are games that he has where I look at him like, 740 00:47:29,760 --> 00:47:31,639 this is someone who technically hit a best player in the league potential because of 741 00:47:31,679 --> 00:47:35,920 what he's able to do in theory. Defensively, I just don't know if 742 00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:37,519 you're if that's someone who I don't even want to call it locked in is 743 00:47:37,559 --> 00:47:42,119 it going to be as effective or us biquitous enough on that end. I 744 00:47:42,199 --> 00:47:45,960 think what's also interesting from we've seen as efficiency sort of climb on twos is 745 00:47:45,000 --> 00:47:47,199 finishing around the rim, getting the besket a little bit less, but it's 746 00:47:47,239 --> 00:47:51,559 right where the finishing was last season. What I think has been huge to 747 00:47:51,599 --> 00:47:53,400 the Timberwolves would be nice if that off the dribble three he takes a bunch 748 00:47:53,639 --> 00:47:57,840 would come along. But you got to give him credit for really just black 749 00:47:58,039 --> 00:48:00,559 like torching the net on his shoot looks, which I think is made the 750 00:48:00,599 --> 00:48:02,920 Wolves offense one. They don't have guys who can get three is on a 751 00:48:02,920 --> 00:48:06,880 consistent basis. He is part of that appoints, but I do think it's 752 00:48:06,920 --> 00:48:08,880 alleviated some of the pressure on the Wolves with how he would fit off the 753 00:48:08,920 --> 00:48:13,800 ball. He's posting an effective field goal percentage of sixty four on catch and 754 00:48:13,800 --> 00:48:16,800 shoot opportunities of the one hundred and eight players who are taking it more than 755 00:48:16,880 --> 00:48:22,559 three point five spot up looks per game. He ranks ninth in effective field 756 00:48:22,559 --> 00:48:25,480 goal percentage behind Tyler Hero is the one directly in front of him, and 757 00:48:25,519 --> 00:48:29,079 he's right ahead of Norman Powell. That's growth for him there, and I 758 00:48:29,159 --> 00:48:30,599 think it makes him I don't know if I want to call it more plug 759 00:48:30,679 --> 00:48:35,880 and play, but more scalable. And so there are more player types that 760 00:48:35,880 --> 00:48:37,159 you could put around him, There are more ways that you could sort of 761 00:48:37,199 --> 00:48:42,920 build out your team because of this improvement from him. Just a fantastic player. 762 00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:45,920 Like I said, he is great, and I would not not that 763 00:48:45,960 --> 00:48:47,039 I want. Well, maybe I wouldn't want to fast forward two or three 764 00:48:47,079 --> 00:48:51,159 years from not just because of this pandemic ridden world we live in. But 765 00:48:51,199 --> 00:48:53,880 who knows whether anything will be better. I'm anxious to see where he'll be 766 00:48:54,360 --> 00:48:59,679 in the league, league's individual pecking leader over the next couple of years. 767 00:49:00,039 --> 00:49:05,039 Bulls fans Statistically speaking, how good is iotau mode? Defensively? Again, 768 00:49:05,480 --> 00:49:07,880 defensive metrics here and need to come with a grain of salt, but I 769 00:49:07,920 --> 00:49:10,960 am here to please. He's three three, three hundred and thirty third in 770 00:49:12,079 --> 00:49:16,679 defensive points saved. That's he's sixty seventh though out of one hundred and eighteen 771 00:49:16,760 --> 00:49:22,639 first year players in mbamath database. That's firmly in the middle. He's in 772 00:49:22,719 --> 00:49:28,400 the forty fifth percentile estimated plus minus defensive metrics. What I will say and 773 00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:30,960 so This is where beeball index come comes at handy and I think could really 774 00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:35,559 help you back up what you're seeing on the eye test. I would describe 775 00:49:35,639 --> 00:49:42,079 his defensive energy as just frenetic or controlled chaos, because it's just like always 776 00:49:42,239 --> 00:49:46,400 on and looks out of control, but there's a composure there and there's a 777 00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:50,960 rhyme or reason of what what he's doing. It's like if it's like, 778 00:49:52,239 --> 00:49:54,480 I don't know he's looking on hingeness to the way he's playing, but it's 779 00:49:54,519 --> 00:50:00,079 so deliberate and composed it works, and so you can I watched that and 780 00:50:00,159 --> 00:50:05,239 I just see his ability to sort of fight through guys or cover just all 781 00:50:05,239 --> 00:50:08,239 these sort of point of attack weapons or just wings slash guards. So I 782 00:50:08,400 --> 00:50:12,679 checked some stuff at people and next mostly lines up. There were a few 783 00:50:12,760 --> 00:50:15,880 things that I was surprised by that he was worse at or better at than 784 00:50:15,880 --> 00:50:19,079 I would have expected, but mostly lined up with what I saw. And 785 00:50:19,119 --> 00:50:23,840 so I'll frame it this way. The value he adds as an on ball 786 00:50:23,920 --> 00:50:30,440 defender and then a ball then defending ball handlers against the screen, there are 787 00:50:30,519 --> 00:50:35,599 only nine players or eight other players who are matching the value he adds again 788 00:50:35,639 --> 00:50:38,280 as an on ball defender overall, and then when defending a ball handler against 789 00:50:38,320 --> 00:50:43,880 the screen, they're only eight other players who have the same or better matchup 790 00:50:43,920 --> 00:50:49,519 difficulty level while adding as much value as an on ball defender or again when 791 00:50:49,599 --> 00:50:52,440 defending a ball handler on screens. Those eight players are I wounded that though 792 00:50:52,559 --> 00:50:57,840 Isaaca Coro, Latif thigh Ball, George Hill, Damian Mitchell, Mike Comedy, 793 00:50:57,920 --> 00:51:00,719 Drew Holiday, and Fred Van Fleet for vent fleeping the Monster this year. 794 00:51:00,760 --> 00:51:04,559 By the way, we've definitely mentioned on this podcast before, Iowa is 795 00:51:04,639 --> 00:51:07,199 also easily the second youngest player in the league to add as much value as 796 00:51:07,199 --> 00:51:12,320 an on ball defender and ball handler against screens in as much playing time as 797 00:51:12,360 --> 00:51:16,320 he's had on the court. Isaaco Coro, who I mentioned in this is 798 00:51:16,400 --> 00:51:21,280 the the only other player who's younger and doing that. So he has been 799 00:51:21,320 --> 00:51:24,840 a net positive again just as a general on ball defender, and when you're 800 00:51:24,880 --> 00:51:29,360 looking at him having to defend against the screen when he's on the ball handler 801 00:51:29,400 --> 00:51:34,599 prayer B ball index and his matchup difficulty is in the seventy sixth percentile. 802 00:51:35,039 --> 00:51:37,519 And so those players that I just mentioned are the only other players who match 803 00:51:37,599 --> 00:51:43,400 all those those vitals of his in as much playing time, so I would 804 00:51:43,400 --> 00:51:45,679 assume O good, and I wonder if that changes the way the Bulls are 805 00:51:45,719 --> 00:51:47,159 thinking at the trade deadline, By the way, is the only thing I'll 806 00:51:47,159 --> 00:51:51,880 say. I do think the injury Alonzo ball stuff coming on with zac Calaheen, 807 00:51:51,920 --> 00:51:53,400 maybe that shifts they're thinking a little bit. There's still just ultra win 808 00:51:53,519 --> 00:51:55,880 now, so maybe it doesn't. I'm not saying you move Io, but 809 00:51:55,960 --> 00:52:00,719 does he make you feel a little bit better about potentially moving Patrick Williams. 810 00:52:00,000 --> 00:52:05,159 I think the scope of Williams's role when you're looking at him on offense probably 811 00:52:05,159 --> 00:52:07,960 not gonna put the same type of rim pressure on defense. Is that Dzuma 812 00:52:07,000 --> 00:52:10,239 will but could have more ball skills. I still don't know that it makes 813 00:52:10,280 --> 00:52:15,519 you feel a lot more confident. That being said, I'm just wondering if 814 00:52:15,559 --> 00:52:16,960 that impacts they're thinking at all. And so you could say, well, 815 00:52:16,960 --> 00:52:21,480 if we knew Patrick Williams, we're getting Jeremy Grant or Harrison Barnes right now, 816 00:52:21,800 --> 00:52:23,360 you still have Dsum who's just like this guy who can guard one through 817 00:52:23,440 --> 00:52:28,760 three. Anyway, Jake asked, could you tell me what's up with Steph? 818 00:52:28,800 --> 00:52:30,559 He really isn't in his shooting slump anymore, but he's barely touching the 819 00:52:30,599 --> 00:52:35,159 balls. He's just letting the team sort of gel together since Clay is back 820 00:52:35,280 --> 00:52:38,239 and Drey is out for now. I pose this question to a number of 821 00:52:38,400 --> 00:52:40,760 people, to two people, I should say, and they gave me some 822 00:52:40,840 --> 00:52:45,840 version of the same answer, And then Tommy Gunn tweeted steph news substitution pattern 823 00:52:45,920 --> 00:52:47,679 makes it so he has to play thirty nine minutes in any close game. 824 00:52:47,760 --> 00:52:52,960 It also gives GSW less frequent blowouts because he's not demolishing teams at the end 825 00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:54,840 of the first and third quarters like he used to to stretch the lead. 826 00:52:55,119 --> 00:52:59,920 Stop this ship. It isn't working. So the wars have basically rested Steph 827 00:53:00,039 --> 00:53:01,719 and every quarter of this season is what they've done so that he've been play 828 00:53:01,719 --> 00:53:05,159 in it rather than him playing, you know, like the entire third quarter 829 00:53:05,519 --> 00:53:08,840 as he used to. And so when you look at his effective field percentage 830 00:53:08,880 --> 00:53:13,280 in the fourth this year, it's at fifty four. Last year is at 831 00:53:13,280 --> 00:53:16,360 sixty three point two, so you're looking at a nine point two point swing 832 00:53:16,480 --> 00:53:21,199 in the wrong direction. He's also averaging eight point four minutes in the fourth 833 00:53:21,280 --> 00:53:23,039 for the first time. That's his highest I should say since twenty thirteen, 834 00:53:23,119 --> 00:53:28,360 twenty fourteen. That seems to be the general idea of this pattern. But 835 00:53:28,400 --> 00:53:32,119 I also just wonder because it's coming later and after he has played a little 836 00:53:32,119 --> 00:53:36,559 bit in the third, it's easier to shoulder the heavier workload in the third 837 00:53:36,679 --> 00:53:39,199 when you're coming off of Okay, you had a break in the second, 838 00:53:39,320 --> 00:53:43,840 it was also a halftime. Now you're coming out setting the world on fire, 839 00:53:44,199 --> 00:53:49,000 and as Tommy pointed out, extending leads in the third, and it 840 00:53:49,119 --> 00:53:52,239 seemed like it maybe could work at the beginning of the season. It's not 841 00:53:52,400 --> 00:53:54,079 working now. I don't know that's at the root of what's going on. 842 00:53:54,239 --> 00:53:58,639 When you look at his touches, there's not like this overwhelming difference. I 843 00:53:58,719 --> 00:54:01,320 do think there's an element of him probably trying to get a feeling out process 844 00:54:01,360 --> 00:54:04,400 with you know, he's really trying to get the ball to Lay Thompson. 845 00:54:04,480 --> 00:54:09,320 That points since since Clay has come back, there's been the Andrew Wiggins experience 846 00:54:09,960 --> 00:54:14,519 for both better and worse this season, and there's always been the propensity to 847 00:54:14,639 --> 00:54:16,480 sort of have Steph move off the ball because of the poll that he has 848 00:54:16,519 --> 00:54:21,920 and the danger that he poses in that role. So there have been games 849 00:54:22,000 --> 00:54:25,920 records this season where it does feel like he's gone way too long without touching 850 00:54:27,000 --> 00:54:29,719 the ball, or should we say dominating it. I also think that the 851 00:54:29,800 --> 00:54:34,199 Warrior's offense in general is a problem because you do you have enough knockdown shooters 852 00:54:34,239 --> 00:54:36,599 around him? Do you have enough secondary creators? And the answer is no, 853 00:54:36,760 --> 00:54:38,079 regards of what you think about Andrew Wiggins joined poll, the answer is 854 00:54:38,079 --> 00:54:40,639 just no, even when you think about lay Thompson, and so that just 855 00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:45,079 makes it easier for defenses to make concessions. And it's always not always made 856 00:54:45,119 --> 00:54:47,679 it easier, but like the way you're able to attack him off the ball, 857 00:54:47,760 --> 00:54:51,960 if you're not as worried about the teammates actually have the ball in their 858 00:54:52,000 --> 00:54:54,760 hands that is going to her Steff. That's sort of where I'm at with 859 00:54:54,920 --> 00:55:00,800 this. I don't know if the substitution pattern changes anything specific tically. I 860 00:55:00,920 --> 00:55:04,800 do think that there will be more stretches where he's allowed to dominate. When 861 00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:08,079 you look at that substitution substitution pattern, and my gut would say it just 862 00:55:08,239 --> 00:55:14,559 makes more sense to have him play the entire third quarter rest at the beginning 863 00:55:14,599 --> 00:55:16,559 of the fourth so that he's fresh, rather than trying to play him even 864 00:55:16,639 --> 00:55:20,880 more in the in the fourth quarter. At this point, the dude is 865 00:55:20,920 --> 00:55:23,199 in his middle, you know, thirties. It's it's at least worth considering 866 00:55:23,320 --> 00:55:28,280 and tinkering with from from here on. Would would be my gut to say 867 00:55:28,679 --> 00:55:34,480 Ooper. Next question asked realistic trade targets for the Mavericks, including or not 868 00:55:34,639 --> 00:55:37,440 including KP. If you're going to trade Chris stops Porzingis, who has played, 869 00:55:37,639 --> 00:55:40,360 who's had some real moments over the past, real good moments over the 870 00:55:40,400 --> 00:55:44,599 past few weeks, I think it needs to be for like a huge swing, 871 00:55:44,800 --> 00:55:49,119 and I just don't know who that type of player is that would be 872 00:55:49,239 --> 00:55:54,119 worth doing it for. Would you do it for I don't even know, 873 00:55:54,599 --> 00:55:58,639 like a Gordon Hayward swap. If Chris stops Porzingis, If that's something Charlotte 874 00:55:58,639 --> 00:56:01,320 was interested in, I still think d Alice would probably be looking even a 875 00:56:01,400 --> 00:56:07,760 cut above him. Is it a degen Day Murray trade to he qualifies that, 876 00:56:07,760 --> 00:56:09,280 why would the Spurgeon and trade. Remember it's that sort of type player. 877 00:56:09,400 --> 00:56:13,159 Not giving him up for Miles Turner, You're not giving him up for 878 00:56:13,239 --> 00:56:15,280 Jeremy Grant like those types of players, and those are the types of deals, 879 00:56:15,320 --> 00:56:17,960 those that I think you're most That's the ceiling, I should say, 880 00:56:19,039 --> 00:56:22,000 not most like me on the MAVs, because they just don't have the the 881 00:56:22,119 --> 00:56:25,440 asset juice to get into the discussions for the highest end of players. They 882 00:56:25,480 --> 00:56:29,559 can't come Bay a first round pick until twenty twenty five. Right now, 883 00:56:29,920 --> 00:56:32,960 Jalen bruns is playing fantastic, but he's also a free agent this season. 884 00:56:34,199 --> 00:56:37,320 I think they'll be teams that value his bird rights because maybe they don't have 885 00:56:37,480 --> 00:56:39,559 cap space, or even if you do have cap space, his cap hold 886 00:56:39,639 --> 00:56:44,599 is so damn low that you could just carry it, have a crap ton 887 00:56:44,639 --> 00:56:47,440 of cap space, spend it, and then go back over the cap and 888 00:56:47,760 --> 00:56:52,360 pay him. There's aren't a lot of great there. There are no great 889 00:56:52,400 --> 00:56:54,079 teams that have cap space this summer. I think Memphis is the only like, 890 00:56:54,239 --> 00:56:59,880 actually good team that's laid to have cap space. And Memphis doesn't need 891 00:57:00,119 --> 00:57:04,360 Gallen Brunson at least doesn't need to pay Jalen Brunson, so that would be 892 00:57:04,400 --> 00:57:07,280 something to considered that makes it tough. I do wonder if Dallas, who 893 00:57:07,320 --> 00:57:10,280 was cited as a favorite in a report that I would call bunk. I 894 00:57:10,320 --> 00:57:15,599 don't like to, you know, shit on people's reportings. I understand it's 895 00:57:15,639 --> 00:57:17,039 a it's a hard job, but there's also just stuff like come on, 896 00:57:17,239 --> 00:57:21,519 no, they're not because and then Dwight Powell was mentioned as like one of 897 00:57:21,559 --> 00:57:24,320 the primary gobacks in the deal. I do wonder if Miles Turner's injury makes 898 00:57:24,400 --> 00:57:28,079 him more gettable for Dallas the seasons. Is it? He seems so un 899 00:57:28,119 --> 00:57:30,320 likely to move some bonus. I almost like the Pacers are now just gonna 900 00:57:30,360 --> 00:57:32,440 hold on to both of them, trying and flip Miles Turner over the off 901 00:57:32,480 --> 00:57:36,960 season where his value will either be higher because he'll came back and played well 902 00:57:37,119 --> 00:57:42,079 or about net neutral, but by dangling a first or maybe the Pacers want 903 00:57:42,119 --> 00:57:44,840 Brunson. I still wouldn't. I don't know I would give well, I 904 00:57:44,880 --> 00:57:47,719 shouldn't say that. I'd probably about Brunson for Turner. I'm not gonna lie 905 00:57:47,760 --> 00:57:52,840 as part of like the package there, even though that really does hurt your 906 00:57:52,880 --> 00:57:58,480 shock creation pecking order. Still, I think Jeremy Grant would be the ceiling 907 00:57:58,599 --> 00:58:00,360 on it. It's Jeremy Grant and Miles Turners a ceiling for the target, 908 00:58:00,440 --> 00:58:04,639 both of whom I wouldn't mind, by the way in Dallas noways feel like 909 00:58:04,719 --> 00:58:07,159 the best type of players they might be able to get, and you need 910 00:58:07,239 --> 00:58:09,920 Detroit to like John Brunson. They are going to have cap space, so 911 00:58:09,960 --> 00:58:13,960 they could just pay him. Like I said before, though cap hold is 912 00:58:14,039 --> 00:58:16,559 so low that you could carry him, spend your cap space elsewhere, get 913 00:58:16,639 --> 00:58:20,800 a lot better, and then go back and pay him all going over the 914 00:58:20,880 --> 00:58:23,000 cap. Is Detroit at a point in this development where it should be thinking 915 00:58:23,039 --> 00:58:27,320 like that. Probably not. I would be very tantalized by a jail and 916 00:58:27,400 --> 00:58:30,880 Brunson Kike cunning him pairing though as your primary ball here. So if they 917 00:58:30,960 --> 00:58:34,039 like him and you're willing to include another first round pick, or maybe it's 918 00:58:34,079 --> 00:58:37,000 a swap, could there be a deal to be made there some other Those 919 00:58:37,000 --> 00:58:39,039 are not the only targets I have. I wanted to go off some of 920 00:58:39,079 --> 00:58:42,719 the beaten paths, but I do have to recycle some of the greatest hits. 921 00:58:43,400 --> 00:58:45,880 I think Eric Gordon would be a great fit for this team. He 922 00:58:45,039 --> 00:58:49,719 is rim pressure in addition to being able to hit super deep threes, and 923 00:58:50,239 --> 00:58:53,000 that's a player type the Mavericks could really need because It's like what the best 924 00:58:53,119 --> 00:58:58,159 version of Tim Hardaway Junior could be, except his game is stalled out before 925 00:58:58,239 --> 00:59:01,199 the rim more than that. And I think when you look at Dallas, 926 00:59:01,239 --> 00:59:06,119 who by way fourth and points allowed per possession where it's sixth, right, 927 00:59:06,239 --> 00:59:09,559 they're the top seven points allowed per possession this season, that is Wow. 928 00:59:10,000 --> 00:59:13,960 They've gotten a little bit lucky. Opponents are shooting thirty two point four percent 929 00:59:14,119 --> 00:59:17,119 on above the break threes. I don't think that's something that holds for them 930 00:59:17,559 --> 00:59:22,639 at the moment. Still, they've done a relatively good job of how they've 931 00:59:22,639 --> 00:59:27,000 structured their defensive shot profile. When you really look at it, their seventh 932 00:59:27,039 --> 00:59:30,320 in location affective field goal percentage, which, for anyone who doesn't know, 933 00:59:30,800 --> 00:59:32,800 if this team allowed the league average field goal percentage from each location, what 934 00:59:32,840 --> 00:59:37,960 would their opponents affective field goal percentage be. They rank seventh in expected and 935 00:59:38,519 --> 00:59:42,440 they are in actuality tenth, so it sort of lines up perfectly there. 936 00:59:42,440 --> 00:59:45,679 And they've done a better job of limiting the volume at the rim than I 937 00:59:45,760 --> 00:59:49,000 thought they were going to. And they really do seem to focus on getting 938 00:59:49,000 --> 00:59:52,639 guys out of those above the break threes and forcing them into maybe you know, 939 00:59:53,320 --> 00:59:57,760 I do think the way that they defend sometimes would leave them susceptible to 940 00:59:57,800 --> 01:00:00,559 give up more corner three. Is that being said? I think it also 941 01:00:00,719 --> 01:00:05,920 helps them force Coke's opponents into more mid range jump shots. I think there's 942 01:00:05,920 --> 01:00:08,000 a lot of teams that's really going to help you. I digress there. 943 01:00:08,039 --> 01:00:10,719 But Gordon, I think, is someone you can acquire. He's expensive, 944 01:00:12,079 --> 01:00:15,519 but he's gettable for that reason, I don't I wouldn't give up John Bruntson 945 01:00:15,599 --> 01:00:17,559 for him, but I give up my twenty twenty five first. I plan 946 01:00:17,639 --> 01:00:21,079 to him to get off some bad money in that deal. Are they willing 947 01:00:21,079 --> 01:00:23,320 to do it for seconds or swaps or is there something else that could happen 948 01:00:23,360 --> 01:00:25,880 there? I don't know, but that's someone I'd be looking at. I 949 01:00:25,920 --> 01:00:30,000 already mentioned Moles Turner, Jeremy Grant. I think this is another recycled name, 950 01:00:30,000 --> 01:00:32,679 but Cares Lavert quietly been on a tear and I think, look he 951 01:00:32,800 --> 01:00:37,280 ranks. This is perpy Bell Index. He's in the ninety six percentile of 952 01:00:37,320 --> 01:00:40,679 overall shot creation and the seventy four percent tile of pull up three point shot 953 01:00:40,760 --> 01:00:46,480 making, the ladder of which has been fueled by his play over the past 954 01:00:46,519 --> 01:00:50,599 twenty games. Or so where he's been magnificent hitting his catch and shoot threes 955 01:00:50,679 --> 01:00:53,000 at above a forty percent clip during that stretch too. That's someone who I 956 01:00:53,079 --> 01:00:57,320 think could help them as a ton. Does he help them more than Eric 957 01:00:57,400 --> 01:01:00,480 Gordon? I don't know. I think the ceiling on him helping them as 958 01:01:00,559 --> 01:01:02,880 high than Eric Gordon because Eg's not going to be someone you trust to necessarily 959 01:01:02,960 --> 01:01:07,119 slow down and run, pick and roll. Eg's also just come for your 960 01:01:07,119 --> 01:01:09,360 fit alongside Luca. So those are my two favorite ones so far that we've 961 01:01:09,360 --> 01:01:14,079 seen. Jordan Clarkson is someone I would keep an eye on. He gives 962 01:01:14,119 --> 01:01:16,599 you real shot creation, even though it's not always great shot creation. He 963 01:01:16,679 --> 01:01:20,760 can make stuff happens when he attacks inside the arc. We'll settle for some 964 01:01:20,840 --> 01:01:22,119 threes, not putting a ton of pressure on the rim or getting into the 965 01:01:22,119 --> 01:01:27,199 foul line, but can still juice up your secondary offense, which if you 966 01:01:27,239 --> 01:01:29,920 want to play Brunson and Luca together, like you sort of need that guy 967 01:01:30,000 --> 01:01:32,639 who maybe you stagger with them, and Clarkson would help them there, would 968 01:01:32,719 --> 01:01:37,280 Utah have interest? You know, we're talking about a trade target for them 969 01:01:37,440 --> 01:01:38,719 to maybe have, Like can you play next to Regal Bear? Or beef 970 01:01:38,760 --> 01:01:43,800 up their center rotation or help their secondary rim protection depending on the opponent of 971 01:01:44,360 --> 01:01:46,679 are they willing to build something around Max and Cleba? There can you withstand 972 01:01:46,760 --> 01:01:52,519 giving up Dory and Phinney Smith in this deal? Of those are things that 973 01:01:52,519 --> 01:01:55,280 they could look at. I love the idea of a Derek White with this 974 01:01:55,360 --> 01:02:00,519 team, someone who could defend also give you some creation. He's gotten better 975 01:02:00,559 --> 01:02:01,840 as sort of a shot creator this season. If for a really slow, 976 01:02:01,960 --> 01:02:07,960 slow start, not sharp, excuse me. Norman Powell would be another guy. 977 01:02:08,119 --> 01:02:13,239 I don't think you probably have the whole the assets necessary to get him, 978 01:02:13,239 --> 01:02:15,159 assuming Portland would even move him. He's on the smaller end, but 979 01:02:15,239 --> 01:02:21,800 he gives you some pure rim pressure, not and the floor spacing. It's 980 01:02:21,880 --> 01:02:23,920 kind of like a I don't want to say, a younger version of Eric 981 01:02:24,000 --> 01:02:29,000 Gordon, but like they would address a lot of the same issues where neither 982 01:02:29,119 --> 01:02:31,079 one of them you would trust necessarily slow down and run the offense. But 983 01:02:31,159 --> 01:02:34,880 if you just need them to create their own shot with either a burst of 984 01:02:35,039 --> 01:02:37,719 speed or from a standstill and trying to attack the rim, they can do 985 01:02:37,880 --> 01:02:38,840 that, or they can camp out from beyond the arc. And I do 986 01:02:38,960 --> 01:02:45,119 think Powell would bring some prenetic energy after you know, miss shots from opponents, 987 01:02:45,159 --> 01:02:49,360 whether he grabs a rebound or he's just willing to run the floor there 988 01:02:49,360 --> 01:02:52,119 if Dallas lets him. And he's just sort of a little bit more plug 989 01:02:52,199 --> 01:02:55,719 and play than Carouse Albert to me too. And then Kyle Arrison would be 990 01:02:55,719 --> 01:02:58,960 sneaky. Just what do the Grizzlies want for him? Because he's going to 991 01:02:59,039 --> 01:03:01,440 enter free agency. His role has been marginalized a little bit with this team 992 01:03:01,480 --> 01:03:07,159 being so well and having other players to soak up minutes at the three and 993 01:03:07,239 --> 01:03:10,199 the four. Could Dallas get him? And I'm not giving up a first 994 01:03:10,280 --> 01:03:13,760 round pick for him. I'm not giving up Jolen Brunson for him. And 995 01:03:13,840 --> 01:03:17,000 he's also not this lockdown defender doesn't necessarily improve your floors basing or rim pressure. 996 01:03:17,320 --> 01:03:21,000 But he's like good with the ball in his hands where he can just 997 01:03:21,079 --> 01:03:23,519 get to his spots, set up plays and make good decisions for others. 998 01:03:23,599 --> 01:03:27,559 And that just might be someone the Mavericks could use. And you know, 999 01:03:27,719 --> 01:03:31,079 the pace at which they play for sometimes anyway is perfectly suited for Kyle Anderson. 1000 01:03:31,159 --> 01:03:34,559 I just don't know. They have some pretty easy salary get to match. 1001 01:03:34,599 --> 01:03:37,639 Would you give up Maxi Kleiba for Kyle Anderson who works in Memphis? 1002 01:03:37,559 --> 01:03:40,199 I don't. I don't know that I give up Dorian Finnie Smith. I 1003 01:03:40,320 --> 01:03:45,559 probably wouldn't. Yeah, that would be another name I think my favorite ones 1004 01:03:45,599 --> 01:03:47,920 on this list. Let me give you my top three trade targets for the 1005 01:03:47,960 --> 01:03:52,840 Mavericks, and I think some of them are going to be Gray's hits Derek 1006 01:03:52,920 --> 01:03:57,239 White, Harris Lavert, and Eric Gordon, with Kyle Anderson pushing a very 1007 01:03:57,280 --> 01:04:01,639 I try to balance the realism here with the higher end outcomes. So by 1008 01:04:01,719 --> 01:04:08,280 juggling those two factors, I'm gonna say Kristavert, Eric Gordon, and Kyle 1009 01:04:08,320 --> 01:04:11,559 Anderson, just because I don't think the Spurs make a big mid season trade 1010 01:04:11,559 --> 01:04:13,599 along those lines. But Derek White would be in there too. So my 1011 01:04:13,719 --> 01:04:15,559 top four I lied. If anything, I gave you extra work there. 1012 01:04:16,480 --> 01:04:20,000 This one is a very easy question because I can just look it up. 1013 01:04:20,039 --> 01:04:25,880 Michael asked what teams have the top net rating in the league this season, 1014 01:04:26,280 --> 01:04:31,480 So there's the caveat that these team wide stats are just so skewed based off 1015 01:04:32,239 --> 01:04:35,159 the availability of players. I do think when you look at the top five, 1016 01:04:35,239 --> 01:04:40,280 though, it lines up. Phoenix is first, Utah's second, Golden 1017 01:04:40,360 --> 01:04:44,159 State is third, Miami is fourth, Milwaukee is fifth, and we'll go 1018 01:04:44,320 --> 01:04:45,880 seventy. Cleveland is sixth, and memphisis seventh, and I just wanted to 1019 01:04:45,920 --> 01:04:53,840 mention those two teams just obliterated expectations this season been absolutely absurd. I did 1020 01:04:53,960 --> 01:04:56,960 want to look at who had the biggest difference between net ratings and wins versus 1021 01:04:57,039 --> 01:04:59,719 losses, but I had looked at it earlier this season and looked at it 1022 01:04:59,760 --> 01:05:03,000 again and just the changes that I saw, and believe that was too influenced 1023 01:05:03,119 --> 01:05:09,440 by single game implosions or just like that revolving door of availability from before Christmas 1024 01:05:09,559 --> 01:05:12,280 through the start of the new year. So I decided to just look at 1025 01:05:12,320 --> 01:05:15,440 which seems to the highest net rating and wins to go off this question. 1026 01:05:15,559 --> 01:05:18,719 I hope maybe you're interested in this. Michael, Utah's first. San Antonio 1027 01:05:19,119 --> 01:05:25,039 is second, Minnesota is third, Milwaukee is fourth, Dallas is fifth, 1028 01:05:25,480 --> 01:05:30,320 Golden State is sixth, and Memphis is seventh. So Golden State, Memphis, 1029 01:05:30,400 --> 01:05:32,880 and Utah, there's some real consistency there just because their net ratings are 1030 01:05:33,679 --> 01:05:36,639 They're in the top seven of both net ratings and wins and the net ratings 1031 01:05:36,920 --> 01:05:41,960 overall always good to look at that. I do think this one's tough because 1032 01:05:41,960 --> 01:05:44,599 you have games, like you know, think about Okay, SE's being skewed 1033 01:05:44,639 --> 01:05:46,880 by that Memphis loss. It deserves to be, but one game can one 1034 01:05:47,000 --> 01:05:49,639 blow out can impact those a lot, and then also the revolving door of 1035 01:05:49,679 --> 01:05:54,559 availability for a lot of these teams. I really do think harsh is divide 1036 01:05:54,679 --> 01:05:58,239 if anyone cares and you want to look at which teams have the worst net 1037 01:05:58,360 --> 01:06:02,039 ratings this season, I have a pretty I have a pretty good idea that 1038 01:06:02,199 --> 01:06:05,639 if I gave you guys, just any random persons listening to his podcast, 1039 01:06:05,679 --> 01:06:10,400 I give you seven guesses. You probably guess the bottom five teams in net 1040 01:06:10,519 --> 01:06:14,880 rating, but they are Orlando at thirty, Detroit at twenty nine, Houston 1041 01:06:14,920 --> 01:06:16,760 at twenty eight, Okay, see at twenty seven, New Orleans at twenty 1042 01:06:16,800 --> 01:06:19,679 six. I will say Pelican has been playing better over the past few weeks, 1043 01:06:19,760 --> 01:06:24,559 and there they've been fun to watch. Here's hoping's Eon comes back soon. 1044 01:06:25,119 --> 01:06:27,760 Last few questions. We're getting through this, probably not under an hour, 1045 01:06:27,880 --> 01:06:31,039 but this will be the last question from Alex will get We have two 1046 01:06:31,079 --> 01:06:33,320 others that I'd like to tackle with Adams, so we'll save him for next 1047 01:06:33,320 --> 01:06:40,559 time. Alex asked, are the Celtics better off without Marcus Smart? My 1048 01:06:40,679 --> 01:06:43,360 answer is no, But even when you look at there just on off swings 1049 01:06:43,400 --> 01:06:46,000 this year, they're better on both offense and defense statistically with him. He 1050 01:06:46,119 --> 01:06:49,440 still is hugely impactful on the defensive end, but I think he's ere replaceable 1051 01:06:49,519 --> 01:06:53,559 to them at this point. No, because of his limitations on offense, 1052 01:06:54,719 --> 01:06:58,159 I do sometimes feel like he's a miscast. They do need him to run 1053 01:06:58,199 --> 01:07:00,480 more pick and rolls than I think he should. Even I've kind of been 1054 01:07:00,480 --> 01:07:03,199 impressed with I went back and watched some of his turnovers, like off of 1055 01:07:03,239 --> 01:07:08,119 assists and assists this year. I've been impressed with a lot of the passes 1056 01:07:08,199 --> 01:07:11,079 that he has made. But he's averaging point six two points per possession as 1057 01:07:11,119 --> 01:07:14,159 a pick and roll ball handler. That is not good, and it's down 1058 01:07:14,280 --> 01:07:18,760 from point nine last year. His turnover percentage on pick and rolls is I 1059 01:07:18,800 --> 01:07:23,519 would call it detrimental. He is turning the ball over on twenty two point 1060 01:07:23,559 --> 01:07:28,199 five percent of his pick and roll possessions. Among eighty eight players who have 1061 01:07:28,800 --> 01:07:32,199 run at least one hundred or finished one hundred pick and roll possessions this year 1062 01:07:32,440 --> 01:07:38,920 as the ninth highest turnover percentage in the league, just ahead of Russell Westbrook, 1063 01:07:38,960 --> 01:07:41,840 who is the tenth highest. So that's not a place you want to 1064 01:07:41,880 --> 01:07:45,480 be. And I think because of how gummy Boston's half court offense can be 1065 01:07:45,559 --> 01:07:48,360 at points, there's also the fact that teammates have missed a lot of quality 1066 01:07:48,400 --> 01:07:51,400 shots and they're not necessarily always off Marcus mark passes, but that would be 1067 01:07:51,480 --> 01:07:56,840 something to consider here. I will say his own shooting being on it. 1068 01:07:57,199 --> 01:07:59,599 I know people have thought he's not a great shooter to begin with. It's 1069 01:07:59,639 --> 01:08:02,320 on the climb from last season. He's been fairly reliable the past two seasons. 1070 01:08:02,679 --> 01:08:08,480 There are one hundred and seventy six players who have attempted more than fifty 1071 01:08:08,599 --> 01:08:14,559 off the dribble jumpers this season. Marcus Smart's effective field goal percentage allopping twenty 1072 01:08:14,639 --> 01:08:18,159 five point four ranks one hundred and seventy six out of one hundred and seventy 1073 01:08:18,199 --> 01:08:23,640 six players. This is a problem. I would consider moving him if if 1074 01:08:23,680 --> 01:08:25,800 I were with him, I'd be looking at selling if I were the Celtics, 1075 01:08:25,840 --> 01:08:28,479 not just to duct the tax, but we have Jayson Tatum and Jalen 1076 01:08:28,520 --> 01:08:30,960 Brad How can we shake this up around the margins. I don't know that's 1077 01:08:30,960 --> 01:08:33,600 smart to be the first one I'm looking to move there. There's Dennis Shrewder. 1078 01:08:33,640 --> 01:08:36,119 Obviously, there's report that they were looking at me Val Horford. It's 1079 01:08:36,159 --> 01:08:40,039 been rock solid for them this season. I just think they probably prefer not 1080 01:08:40,199 --> 01:08:43,520 to have to pay him on like fourteen point five million to go away or 1081 01:08:43,680 --> 01:08:47,119 keep him at his full number next year. Josh Richardsons someone I would look 1082 01:08:47,119 --> 01:08:50,479 to move, just because can you give me Smith more minutes? Or do 1083 01:08:50,520 --> 01:08:54,920 you like lankforters? There's just something to sort of change the wing rotation. 1084 01:08:55,039 --> 01:08:58,000 Get someone who's either going to help you as a floor general, help you 1085 01:08:58,079 --> 01:09:00,680 put more pressure on the rim. I don't I don't know, just be 1086 01:09:01,039 --> 01:09:03,079 Josher's has been one of their better shooters this year, so I don't know 1087 01:09:03,079 --> 01:09:06,399 if they're afford to move him, but they do need shooting in general, 1088 01:09:06,439 --> 01:09:11,439 which Josh Richardson provides. They also need someone who puts pressure on the basket 1089 01:09:11,479 --> 01:09:13,520 with the ball in his hands, and just an overall form in general, 1090 01:09:13,800 --> 01:09:16,439 which Josh Richardson is not. I would also argue Marcus Smart is not filling 1091 01:09:17,079 --> 01:09:21,640 either of those three boxes right now, and can you look to either re 1092 01:09:21,840 --> 01:09:25,560 cool players, a better fit or just assets that help you make the next 1093 01:09:25,640 --> 01:09:28,760 move later. If it's picks in prospects, I would love to see Marcus 1094 01:09:28,800 --> 01:09:32,560 Smart in Utah. I think that would be a general like a destination for 1095 01:09:32,680 --> 01:09:36,279 him. I don't know, like if Joe Angles and a future pick and 1096 01:09:36,479 --> 01:09:42,079 swap and Jared Butler, does that get it done. The Celtics could probably 1097 01:09:42,119 --> 01:09:44,640 use Jordan Clarkson along the same trade work. I don't know if they would 1098 01:09:44,720 --> 01:09:45,720 use the two years left on his deals an asset or not. And he 1099 01:09:45,840 --> 01:09:53,039 doesn't help with their rim pressure issue in Atlanta. Would be a fun destination 1100 01:09:53,159 --> 01:09:57,279 for him. Just imagine him and Trey Young playing together, and do you 1101 01:09:57,319 --> 01:10:00,479 worry about him during the minutes where Clinkoppela is on the floor. Perhaps, 1102 01:10:00,560 --> 01:10:03,840 but that's maybe something they could make work. There are a lot of teams 1103 01:10:03,880 --> 01:10:09,720 that could use a Marcus Smart and maybe his shooting would come up in a 1104 01:10:09,760 --> 01:10:13,239 better situation I think is shooting this is more of an admiration than the past 1105 01:10:13,279 --> 01:10:15,520 two years, is how I would frame it with him. When you're looking 1106 01:10:15,520 --> 01:10:18,079 at that efficiency that will do it for me. I hope you enjoyed this 1107 01:10:18,239 --> 01:10:21,960 mail bag. Continue to send us questions on the discord. The link is 1108 01:10:23,000 --> 01:10:27,000 in the podcast description, or you can DM me at Dampa Valley at A 1109 01:10:27,119 --> 01:10:30,159 V A l E. Looking forward to talk to with you guys. I'm 1110 01:10:30,159 --> 01:10:31,680 there. Please join it you can. I haven't open right now, so 1111 01:10:31,840 --> 01:10:33,800 invite people to join it as well. I want to see if you can 1112 01:10:33,840 --> 01:10:36,960 really build up the community there first, just by word of mouth, before 1113 01:10:38,000 --> 01:10:42,880 we promote it from our own Twitter accounts where we have like a you know, 1114 01:10:43,079 --> 01:10:45,079 just between MBA math and Hardwarknocks. We have like ninety thousand people who 1115 01:10:45,079 --> 01:10:48,760 follow those accounts, mostly NBA MAATH I know. Shout out to Frow for 1116 01:10:49,079 --> 01:10:51,880 building it up. Follow us on Twitter at Hardwa Knox. Follow me on 1117 01:10:51,920 --> 01:10:56,520 Twitter as I mentioned at Damp Valley FA v al E. Follow Adam at 1118 01:10:56,600 --> 01:11:00,079 FROMO zero nine f R O M A L. Follow us on Instagram at 1119 01:11:00,119 --> 01:11:03,560 Harvard Underscore Knox, and follow us on YouTube YouTube dot com start Hardwar Knox. 1120 01:11:03,640 --> 01:11:08,720 We will come up and again can't stress this enough. Join discord. 1121 01:11:08,840 --> 01:11:12,399 Let's see if you have recommendations for it. If you want to get conversations 1122 01:11:12,439 --> 01:11:15,319 started. If you have any questions about it, just ask me that the 1123 01:11:15,359 --> 01:11:18,960 link is in the pocrypt podcast description, and I really hope that we'll be 1124 01:11:19,000 --> 01:11:23,319 seeing you there. Maybe we can even run just mailbag style conversations where if 1125 01:11:23,359 --> 01:11:27,159 I can't get to questions or we'll just hold certain sessions there. We could 1126 01:11:27,159 --> 01:11:30,079 sync it up with Twitch or other streaming places, and maybe we could watch 1127 01:11:30,279 --> 01:11:33,399 as a community and watch games together. We can watch back Moore movies together, 1128 01:11:33,399 --> 01:11:36,079 if there's any movies you want to nominate. Not trying to commit you 1129 01:11:36,159 --> 01:11:40,960 to events that you want have time for. My overarching message sphere is to 1130 01:11:41,079 --> 01:11:45,720 close this out shout out Frankie Lakina, who really, really, really, 1131 01:11:45,000 --> 01:11:49,319 I imagine proudly most likely I'm not so sure actually, but let's just say 1132 01:11:49,399 --> 01:11:51,600 he does want you to join. That will not just get it