1 00:00:02,919 --> 00:00:08,519 What is krack a lackin Hardlan Knox Listeners, I am Dampa Valley coming at 2 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:13,880 you once more without my fantabulous co host Adam Frommel. The Team look Ahead 3 00:00:13,919 --> 00:00:18,359 train is rolling on the Portland Trailblazers are up next, and so long time 4 00:00:18,399 --> 00:00:23,000 listeners of this podcast know that we have to bring back Tara bone Big to 5 00:00:23,039 --> 00:00:25,640 break down everything about them, the off season, what to expect from the 6 00:00:25,679 --> 00:00:30,920 regular season, some long term stuff with CJ and Dame. Great conversation as 7 00:00:31,039 --> 00:00:37,560 always. Follow her on Twitter as always at tc b B i ggs. 8 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:42,759 That's at tc b B i ggs. Tara hosts two podcasts. She's a 9 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,560 co host of that We Have a Take podcast. That is one that I 10 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:49,159 listened to regularly. Try to listen to as much as possible anyway. They're 11 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,840 a breath of fresh air. They talk a lot of Blazers basketball, but 12 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:58,439 there's also stuff like finding out about Norman Palace, puppies and then SETI recently 13 00:00:58,439 --> 00:01:03,719 a dramatic reading Marteth Chris's Wikipedia page. That's the ship, that's the escapism 14 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,760 stuff that we need. She also is a co host of the Step Back 15 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,359 Sisters podcast. Follow them on Twitter at step back sisters, and you can 16 00:01:11,359 --> 00:01:14,799 follow We have a take at We have a take All Those are spelt exactly 17 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:19,280 as they sound before I dive into my great conversation with Tara. Just our 18 00:01:19,439 --> 00:01:25,239 usual reminders, Please please, pretty please continue rating, reviewing, and subscribing 19 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:27,159 to us wherever you get your podcasts. Those all help us out a ton 20 00:01:27,239 --> 00:01:32,319 downloading every episode. If this is your first time listening to the Hardwareknox podcast 21 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,760 because you're a huge Carabone Biggs fan, or you're just a huge Blazers fan, 22 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:40,599 or you have happened upon us by accident, consider throwing us that permanent 23 00:01:40,599 --> 00:01:44,400 subscription listening to our episodes. We do try to do a great job covering 24 00:01:44,439 --> 00:01:48,040 the league at large, and I think the final product ends up being pleasantly 25 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:53,599 sub mediocre and only mildly insufferable. So how's that for an endorsement. You 26 00:01:53,599 --> 00:01:56,799 can get at us on Twitter at Hardwood Knox. We are also on YouTube 27 00:01:56,799 --> 00:02:00,280 YouTube dot com so or Hardwin Knox. We will come right up. We 28 00:02:00,319 --> 00:02:04,719 are on Instagram at Hardwood Underscore Knox and whether you use iTunes or not, 29 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,159 so long as you have access to it, we asked that you just head 30 00:02:07,159 --> 00:02:09,599 over there search Hardwo Knox. Throw us a five star rating and also write 31 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:14,080 a review. The review canning proved criticism, whatever you want to say, 32 00:02:14,159 --> 00:02:15,840 as long as we get the five star rating and the review, those just 33 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:20,560 help us out a ton more than maybe perhaps you understand or no. So 34 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,400 head over to iTunes now. It takes ten seconds to do it with all 35 00:02:23,439 --> 00:02:27,439 of those housekeeping notes, and please out of the way, let's get to 36 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:34,080 talking some Portland trailblazers with be Esteemed, the amazing Tara Bone Bigs. Tara, 37 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,919 thank you so much for coming back on the Hardwood Knox podcast. You 38 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:43,479 are now tied with Kitlyn Cooper for the second most guest appearances on Hardwood Knox. 39 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,800 Not a title that I think you should be proud of, but you 40 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:51,560 are high up in the standings, so once please go ahead. I am 41 00:02:51,599 --> 00:02:57,120 like more than honored to be tied with Caitlyn Cooper for that title because she 42 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,680 is amazing. I love listening to her talk, and I love being on 43 00:03:00,719 --> 00:03:04,159 your podcast, and I appreciate every time and every time you ask me to 44 00:03:04,159 --> 00:03:09,639 be on. I'm like, you can ask somebody else and you're always no, 45 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:13,599 No. I love it. It's great for me, So I love 46 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,759 it and uh yeah, to be like in the same sentence with Caitlyn Cooper's 47 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:21,240 just awesome makes me feel great. Good way to start the day. Well, 48 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,840 I think most importantly before we talk more Blazers, which is why you're 49 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,919 here, is how have you been. I've been really good. I had 50 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,199 last night and experience which I just was one of my favorite things in the 51 00:03:30,199 --> 00:03:34,479 world, which is to me a Twitter friend in person, and I just 52 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:39,439 I absolutely love it because like if if we don't seek out like actual, 53 00:03:40,039 --> 00:03:45,120 you know, human interaction from all this stuff that we do on Twitter, 54 00:03:45,159 --> 00:03:46,759 it's like, what are we even doing? And you know, for me, 55 00:03:46,919 --> 00:03:50,879 like the last eighteen months, with the pandemic and everything, like so 56 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,479 much of my social life has happened on Twitter, and now that people are 57 00:03:53,479 --> 00:03:57,120 moving about the country, it just thrills me to like get to like look 58 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,520 in the eyes of somebody that I've been chatting with, having conversations with on 59 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,840 Twitter. So I'm in a really great mood today because I got to meet 60 00:04:03,879 --> 00:04:08,280 somebody that I had never met before, although I feel like I've known him 61 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,319 for a long time, and then you got to deliver a threat on his 62 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:15,639 behalf. Oh that's better. Yes, yes, I was Snotty Drippn. 63 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,160 So I did not meet him into Mecula. Everybody wanted to know if I 64 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,439 met him in Temecula. And it's so funny because of course, every time 65 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:26,040 you think about Toe Mecula, you think about Snotty Drippn and that major drama, 66 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:31,120 the staying power of that entire situation. It really is so no met 67 00:04:31,199 --> 00:04:34,720 up in you know, came to Portland and you know said it on Twitter 68 00:04:34,759 --> 00:04:38,519 and I just pounced and I was like, let's meet up. And you 69 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:41,439 know, I can't wait Dan until the day where I get to meet you 70 00:04:41,519 --> 00:04:45,319 and I get to like come to your city and meet you in person. 71 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,800 It's just it's just so much fun. Like for me, basketball is kind 72 00:04:48,879 --> 00:04:56,240 of like the mechanism by which I like establish relationships like all across the world, 73 00:04:56,399 --> 00:04:58,319 and it's the coolest thing. And like I said, if like I'm 74 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,800 not following up on that, then like what am I even doing? Right? 75 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,759 Yes, I do hope we get to meet in person at some point, 76 00:05:04,759 --> 00:05:08,600 hoping the world will be less on fire at that at that time as 77 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,240 well. The second question I had though, is which have you prepared a 78 00:05:12,319 --> 00:05:15,480 dramatic reading for us to offer this podcast today. Oh I could if you 79 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:21,000 would like one. I think you're you're referring to my dramatic reading of Marquise 80 00:05:21,079 --> 00:05:27,519 Chris's Wikipedia page, which so I have this thing for people who clearly have 81 00:05:27,639 --> 00:05:30,480 somebody who loves them who curate their Wikipedia page, because every once in a 82 00:05:30,519 --> 00:05:34,399 while you'll find a Wikipedia page that is just so obviously written by somebody, 83 00:05:35,319 --> 00:05:39,720 especially like with that basketball fans who aren't just like listing the stats and like 84 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,600 they went to high school here and then they went to you know, college 85 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,120 here, and here's their stats. So I love it when somebody like puts 86 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:50,279 in all these little details. And when Marquise Chris was invited to training camp, 87 00:05:50,319 --> 00:05:55,759 I went to his Widia page and just like, oh, it was 88 00:05:55,879 --> 00:05:57,920 I don't know who it was written by it, but there was a lot 89 00:05:57,959 --> 00:06:03,079 of really wonderful references to his mom and some of the things that he'd overcome, 90 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,959 like learning how to not Let's see what was I can't remember what the 91 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,319 phrase was, but it was like no not unnecessarily fouling, and I was 92 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:14,920 like, oh my gosh, that is the best thing ever. So I 93 00:06:14,959 --> 00:06:18,040 did do a dramatic reading of it on my podcast, and I so appreciate 94 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,920 that you listened and that you appreciated it as much as I did. That 95 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,360 made me smile. I was coming at it. I saw it. So 96 00:06:24,399 --> 00:06:27,759 that's how you promoted the podcast we Haven't Take podcast. I plugged it in 97 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,680 the intro. Everyone go follow them, check them out. They are a 98 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,560 breath of fresh air. Trust me. But I had listened to a few 99 00:06:33,639 --> 00:06:39,079 days after because because you promoted as we have this dramatic reading of Marky's Chriss's 100 00:06:39,079 --> 00:06:42,079 Wikipedia page, and I'm like, holy shit, like I need to see 101 00:06:42,079 --> 00:06:45,439 this, and I'm just like my grin is going like ear to ear the 102 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:47,639 entire time I'm listening to this, because I could picture you saying it and 103 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,000 reading it and then to take him about like, oh, his mom might 104 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:55,199 have written this. Just absolutely spectacular. That's the type of content that we 105 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:59,480 need more of in my opinion. You know, we definitely got weird this 106 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:01,759 season, and we felt like this if we were ever going to get weird, 107 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:04,000 this was the off season to get weird. So, like one of 108 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:09,800 my other favorite podcasts that we did this off season was what if Free Agency 109 00:07:09,959 --> 00:07:14,279 was run like The Bachelor? And we had so much fun with that like 110 00:07:14,319 --> 00:07:16,680 figuring out like what the rules would be and like who would be the Bachelor. 111 00:07:16,759 --> 00:07:23,319 So the setup is that like every free agent like invite, Like for 112 00:07:23,399 --> 00:07:28,279 every free agent, each team who is interested in them sends a representative and 113 00:07:28,279 --> 00:07:30,439 then they have to talk to then they have to fight it out and they 114 00:07:30,439 --> 00:07:34,040 have to do like mud wrestling and you know, play embarrassing games, and 115 00:07:34,079 --> 00:07:38,240 then they get to like take them on a quase like you know dates in 116 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,920 order to like discuss like what their position would be. So we had a 117 00:07:41,959 --> 00:07:45,680 lot of fun with the what if NBA free agency was more like the Bachelor? 118 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:47,560 And now like in my brain, like I'm like, why is that 119 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:51,879 not happening? That is the type of creative ingenuity that you can expect it 120 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:56,720 to. We have a take podcast, So go check Tara out over there. 121 00:07:57,519 --> 00:08:01,240 As you said, you got weird this offseason, and the Blazers didn't 122 00:08:01,279 --> 00:08:03,639 get so weird this offseason. When you move, you know, we had 123 00:08:03,639 --> 00:08:07,319 talked just after they hired Chauncey Billups and so now we have actual encourt moves 124 00:08:07,319 --> 00:08:11,240 to look at what was as we headed closer to the regular season. What 125 00:08:11,279 --> 00:08:15,600 are you thinking about from the offseason, anything that stands out in particular, 126 00:08:15,639 --> 00:08:18,639 any of the moves that you like, disliked, just anything at all from 127 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:24,720 this offseason relating to the Blazers that you're still thinking about. So this off 128 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:28,720 season was, in my mind, the Blazers got better, at least the 129 00:08:28,759 --> 00:08:33,559 concept of the things that they did. I do think they got better. 130 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,279 And there was so much chatter about, you know, bringing in the big 131 00:08:37,399 --> 00:08:41,039 third star and you know what Damian was going to do, and da da 132 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:45,399 da, and you know, obviously Ben Simmons is not in Portland, and 133 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,759 any other star whose name was was brought up. But I think that the 134 00:08:48,799 --> 00:08:56,039 moves that they made that especially improve the bench, I think they're going to 135 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,799 make the Blazers better. And one of the things that I'm trying to do 136 00:08:58,879 --> 00:09:05,080 is like temper my expectations because I love the idea of what Larry Nance could 137 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:09,960 bring you the second in it or just to the Blazers. I love what 138 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,200 but I also was super excited about the concept of Mario Hazzonia. So I'm 139 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:22,120 trying to temper my expectations. But I just I feel like they have made 140 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,279 some moves that will solidify the bench because it used to be like when the 141 00:09:28,279 --> 00:09:30,720 bench came on, we just all sort of held our breath and we're like, 142 00:09:31,039 --> 00:09:33,240 if everybody's hitting and scoring, then it's not going to be a problem 143 00:09:33,279 --> 00:09:37,720 tonight. But if people's shots are not falling, then it's going to be 144 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,440 real rough night. Every time Damien or CJ sits down. If it makes 145 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:43,720 you feel any better, we have actual evidence, unlike Mario Hazzonia, that 146 00:09:43,799 --> 00:09:48,320 Larry Nance Jr. Is good when he's healthy, So I feel like you 147 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:52,480 can get more excited about that. I thought that was We had actually talked 148 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,080 about Larry Nas Junior when we came on the podcast last time when we were 149 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:58,679 talking about Blazers training can Er. I think it's a great fit bordering on 150 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:03,720 Earth and all the things that you just said, I would just agree with. 151 00:10:03,799 --> 00:10:05,639 And I also when I think he brings this some more lineup optionality for 152 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:09,679 them if they want to go a little bit different when Nurk isn't on the 153 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:13,519 floor, but you still want to play game and CJ together. So I'm 154 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,000 where I'm at, And if is if he's healthy, I think he ends 155 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,039 up being like a really big addition for the Blazers where no, this wasn't 156 00:10:20,039 --> 00:10:24,360 the off season where they got a star, but Larry is really good. 157 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:26,600 And based off how they defended with use of Nurkis on the court for much 158 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:30,919 of last season, now for you able to bridge the minutes without Nurkich a 159 00:10:30,919 --> 00:10:33,519 little bit better with the one of the primary front court players. I do 160 00:10:33,639 --> 00:10:37,600 think, you know, there's there's nowhere to go but up basically for this 161 00:10:37,639 --> 00:10:41,519 defense relative to last season. But I think Larry Knights Junior makes way more 162 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:45,000 of an impact than people are talking about, just because it wasn't one of 163 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:46,879 the moves that was like, you know, kaboom or like that. It 164 00:10:46,919 --> 00:10:52,679 wasn't the star that everyone thought the Blazers needed to acquire. Yeah, and 165 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:56,879 two things about Larry nance one on offense and one on defense. One of 166 00:10:56,919 --> 00:10:58,639 the things that I and this is why I kind of likened him to the 167 00:11:00,039 --> 00:11:03,600 Mario Hasonia experience, is because you know, we were presented with the potential 168 00:11:03,639 --> 00:11:07,600 for Mario to be a facilitator, because that's you know, he likes to 169 00:11:07,919 --> 00:11:13,159 you know, somebody said along the way that he was gonna, you know, 170 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:15,559 he'd like to have the ball in his hands in order, you know, 171 00:11:15,639 --> 00:11:18,279 to facilitate and create that he could do that sometimes for others. And 172 00:11:20,039 --> 00:11:24,519 but one of the things I really like about Larry Nansen and why I'm excited 173 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:28,440 about him on offense is he's talked a lot about how he loves soccer and 174 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,759 he's a soccer player, and to me, one of the things that I 175 00:11:31,879 --> 00:11:39,240 enjoy watching about guys who are really really into soccer is basketball is about executing 176 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,960 a series of plays in you know, an order that makes sense, and 177 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,320 being able to call the plays and you know, figure out what you want 178 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:50,519 to do were during the middle of the game, and soccer, you know, 179 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:52,679 because there's you don't have timeouts, you just have to go, go, 180 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:56,919 go, go. You're creating as you go along. And from like 181 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:01,440 the highlights that I've watched of Larry, he seems like the kind of guy 182 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:03,240 who's just really great at like creating as he goes along. He can also 183 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:09,240 execute plays, but he has sort of that like center center midfielder like vibe 184 00:12:09,279 --> 00:12:13,320 to him where he's like can pull out things that you weren't expecting because he 185 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:18,240 could he's looking at the at the whole court and the you know the totality 186 00:12:18,279 --> 00:12:20,159 of the game in addition to like knowing what the plays are and everything. 187 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:26,320 So I'm excited about his potential as a facilitator because last year and you know, 188 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:30,799 he's it's not like he's you know, out has outrageous like assists numbers, 189 00:12:30,799 --> 00:12:35,159 but you watch him and you know he has little a variety of different 190 00:12:35,159 --> 00:12:39,759 types of paths to give other people the opportunity to score. And last season 191 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:48,120 with Mellow and Cantor as you know, the two forwards on the on the 192 00:12:48,159 --> 00:12:54,919 bench unit, that's when I started to understand the difference between passing because you 193 00:12:54,960 --> 00:13:00,840 don't have a shot and actually facilitating. And I think that there might be 194 00:13:00,879 --> 00:13:05,639 more ef you know there they want Anthony Simon's to take more of a role 195 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:09,480 in facilitating that offense, but I think having other guys who also do the 196 00:13:09,519 --> 00:13:11,080 same thing is going to be better for everybody on the bench. So that's 197 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:18,639 like offensively and then just defensively in combination with Cody Zeller. You know, 198 00:13:18,039 --> 00:13:24,279 if if like again, if the bench can just not just let points be 199 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:28,440 scored on them for their shifts, and it just seems like so much more 200 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:33,960 likely that we have, you know, center, big guys who can do 201 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:39,679 that off the bench right now, Yeah, I offense, he would excite 202 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:41,279 me there too, but for what they do on defense, like he gives 203 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:46,960 you just protection on the perimeter and also just he's not the best rim protector. 204 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:48,840 But if they wanted to run a line up with him as a bigger 205 00:13:48,879 --> 00:13:52,440 guy, he does. He's just so good at anticipating when he's even sort 206 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,679 of pulled outside the paint on defense. And I think if they're a lineups 207 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,320 with him and Covington together, and maybe it's not you know, when Dame 208 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:01,240 sits or it's bench heavy units, maybe they're not the best offensive team, 209 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,679 which would make sense if you don't have to Dame the lineup. But it 210 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:05,399 feels like now they're just more built, like they can have some really stingy, 211 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,759 bench heavy defensive units. It looks like they did do other stuff aside 212 00:14:09,759 --> 00:14:13,200 from Larry Nance Junior. They have guys like Patterson and Dennis Smith Junior on 213 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,559 training camp deal as they signed, as you mentioned, Cody Zeller, Ben 214 00:14:16,639 --> 00:14:22,679 McLamore, Tony Snell. And so I'm just curious as to who you thought 215 00:14:22,759 --> 00:14:26,120 was the best edition of that bunch of the non Larry Nance Division or who 216 00:14:26,159 --> 00:14:28,039 you expect to have the biggest impact or play the biggest role out of all 217 00:14:28,039 --> 00:14:31,240 of them. Well, I think it'll the person who's gonna have the biggest 218 00:14:31,279 --> 00:14:35,080 impact of those the rest of them you mentioned is Cody Zeller because he's the 219 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:41,320 only backup center unless they decide to sign Marquis Chris. But like, Cody 220 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,960 Zeller is the only tall, you know, the very tall backup center, 221 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,360 so I think he's gonna make a big impact. But I'm really curious to 222 00:14:46,399 --> 00:14:54,000 see if Tony Snell or Ben McLamore really finds a spot and really excels here 223 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,600 in Portland, because I think there is potential for one of them to work 224 00:14:58,639 --> 00:15:03,320 their way into into the regular lineup. I mean it's kind of hard to 225 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:07,639 figure out. I mean, like the whole it's kind of hard to figure 226 00:15:07,639 --> 00:15:11,720 out who's not gonna play, except for you know, the rookies or whatever. 227 00:15:11,759 --> 00:15:16,919 But I kind of feel like either one of Ben McLamore or Tony Snell 228 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:20,879 is really gonna have a good, good year. But I just in terms 229 00:15:20,879 --> 00:15:24,240 of just who's gonna have the biggest and most obvious it's good, I think 230 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:28,679 Cody Zeller. Yeah, he is the only backup five, so you're right 231 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,600 there, and he's been like a plus minus Darling for years when he's healthy, 232 00:15:31,639 --> 00:15:37,159 which has been not so much. I'm still very tantalized by Tony Snell, 233 00:15:37,279 --> 00:15:39,840 or maybe the idea of Tony Snell where it's like, Okay, someone 234 00:15:39,879 --> 00:15:43,120 who can hold up individually on defense, not against the toughest assignments, and 235 00:15:43,159 --> 00:15:46,960 he hits threes at a high clip. I think he's probably gonna need to 236 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:52,039 be a little bit more willing to on cork jump shots in Portland's off sense 237 00:15:52,159 --> 00:15:54,279 if if he wants to stay on the floor there. Otherwise, I think 238 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:58,519 someone like Ben McLamore not as good defensively when you play with Dame and CJ 239 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,679 and they're gonna or even Larry has June Now and Nerk if he's passing out 240 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:03,559 on the short role, whatever lineup you're in, like you need to make 241 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:07,080 those decisions when you're open, and that's never He'll knock down those shots, 242 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:11,200 but he seems very reluctant to take them. You know, I know, 243 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:15,960 you know how much I loved Alpha Rukaminu while he was on the Blazers, 244 00:16:15,039 --> 00:16:22,360 and I've I've been watching Tony Snell drives because I was like, I wonder 245 00:16:22,399 --> 00:16:26,559 what his handle is like, and there was there were some moments where I 246 00:16:26,639 --> 00:16:30,240 was like, uh, well, you know me, I love chaos, 247 00:16:30,279 --> 00:16:33,879 and so he just reminded me a little bit of Alpha Rukaminu, and I 248 00:16:33,919 --> 00:16:37,200 think it could be really fun. And like that's why I said, like, 249 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:41,200 I think one of those guys is really going to find the their place 250 00:16:41,559 --> 00:16:45,120 here, Like they might find like a role that fits their style and that 251 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:49,159 is complimentary to what the Blazers need. And I kind of have. I 252 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:52,120 kind of think Tony Snell is going to be my new like favorite player that 253 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:56,320 I just like go crazy for whenever he comes in. And I'm really excited 254 00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:02,000 about partly because of the potential for chaos and you know, just his you 255 00:17:02,039 --> 00:17:06,359 know his zero zero zero zero zero game in seventeen minutes, which was incredible 256 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:10,119 that anybody could pull off that amazing feet also no turnovers, not only no 257 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,759 points, now assists snow fouls, also no turnovers, I will say. 258 00:17:14,759 --> 00:17:18,000 So, I just think that he has the potential for just entertainment value and 259 00:17:18,079 --> 00:17:22,799 for me just like enjoying who he is and cheering form. I think Tony 260 00:17:22,839 --> 00:17:26,519 Snell is going to be my new Alfar Rukami, new type player to watch. 261 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,519 So we hit the off season, I think it is most expected nothing 262 00:17:30,559 --> 00:17:33,359 happens with Damiani Allard. If I said anything, I would say his comments 263 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:38,000 after the wedding have been just almost encouraging, like sort of a one eighty 264 00:17:38,079 --> 00:17:41,680 from where we were at entering the off season when everything was just a little 265 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:45,039 bit fresh. Does that give you confidence at least that nothing will happen in 266 00:17:45,039 --> 00:17:48,640 the middle of the season because of how drastic a move that would be, 267 00:17:49,039 --> 00:17:52,720 And but how do you feel about the Dame situation? Also beyond just this 268 00:17:52,759 --> 00:17:59,200 season though, so as far as Damian Allard is concerned, I feel confident 269 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:03,720 that he's going to be here at least through this season. The thing about 270 00:18:03,799 --> 00:18:07,640 watching Damian the Lord all of these years and just not just his basketball but 271 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:11,039 everything else that he does. Damien is a storyteller. You know, he's 272 00:18:11,079 --> 00:18:17,559 a rapper. He writes lyrics, he tells stories. Even if you follow, 273 00:18:17,759 --> 00:18:22,000 you know, his social media accounts. You know, I'll keep going 274 00:18:22,039 --> 00:18:25,240 back to that year where he posted that hilarious video of what he did in 275 00:18:25,279 --> 00:18:27,839 the off season that you know, that had like the guys hitting him with 276 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:33,759 the pool noodles and doing all these crazy things. He did that because oh 277 00:18:33,799 --> 00:18:37,759 it was so funny. He was dressed in a cape and goggles and they 278 00:18:37,839 --> 00:18:40,799 were hitting him with pool noodles and they were having him do all these like 279 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:45,839 super ridicules things, And that was his offseason workout video. But he was 280 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,559 telling a story. He was being funny. He was like, you all 281 00:18:48,599 --> 00:18:51,559 are like complaining because I'm not doing what I was supposed to be doing. 282 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:56,440 Here you go Damon's story and Portland is not over. And it would be 283 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:02,119 very uncharacteristic from what I've observed of him, were he to just leave in 284 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:07,000 the middle of the season or just leave before he's seen it through. That 285 00:19:07,039 --> 00:19:11,519 doesn't necessarily mean I think he's gonna stay here for the entire length of his 286 00:19:11,599 --> 00:19:15,200 contract if things don't go the way that he wants them to go. But 287 00:19:15,319 --> 00:19:19,440 to me, to me, his story is not over in Portland, and 288 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,880 he's going to see it out. And I think the more interesting question about 289 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,880 Damian Lillard, now that we've all talked all summer long about whether or not 290 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:29,160 he was going to ask for a trade and everybody wanted him the blah blah 291 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:33,640 blah blah, I think the more interesting thing is without coach Stots, we're 292 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:40,920 gonna learn a lot more about Damian Lillard because coach Stott was his only NBA 293 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:45,480 coach. They were together for nine years, and for the last few years 294 00:19:45,559 --> 00:19:52,440 things have looked very similar. They've played the same type of basketball, and 295 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:56,119 we're going to find out really quick how much of that was Stots, how 296 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:00,559 much of it was Damian Lillard, what of it was both. So I'm 297 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,839 super curious, Like, half of a season is not nearly enough time to 298 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:07,000 decide whether or not things are gonna, you know, how things are gonna 299 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:11,160 go with when he has a new coach. So I'm super curious to see 300 00:20:11,559 --> 00:20:15,440 how how or if the game is going to change so that we can figure 301 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:21,680 out how much of their So like, the characteristics of a Blazer's team for 302 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:26,200 the last several years are really easy to name. They don't move them ball 303 00:20:26,319 --> 00:20:30,279 very much, they don't run around very much, they don't get assists, 304 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,599 they don't take corner threes, and they don't dunk like all of those things. 305 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:37,920 They were like on the bottom of the league in terms of how often 306 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:42,599 they did those things way up there in isolation, right, So I'm super 307 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:47,920 curious to see how many of the how much of the way they play was 308 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:52,079 predicated on what worked for Damian Lillard and how much of it was on stots 309 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:56,920 And I'm just really curious to see art We've heard a lot about there's going 310 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,079 to be more ball movement. Okay, so does that just mean they're gonna 311 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:03,079 have more movement than than they did, or does that mean they're gonna go 312 00:21:03,279 --> 00:21:08,160 up in like in relation to all of the rest of the teams. Are 313 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:12,079 they gonna have more cutting? Are they gonna shoot corner threes? They have 314 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:15,920 some really great They went out and got some really great corner three shooters, 315 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:19,720 Norman Powell as an elite corner three shooter and some of the other guys that 316 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:26,759 they've got too, So are they gonna actually use that corner three? So 317 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:32,960 I'm I'm just super curious to see, now that we know Damien is here 318 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:36,799 for this season and we have a new coach in place, how how the 319 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:41,119 look of the team is going to change. Yeah, I'd be very curious 320 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:45,000 too, And I get wanting to have some offensive variants, but they like 321 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,480 you look at what Damian Lillard does, and I'm more ashured to see, 322 00:21:48,559 --> 00:21:51,240 like you mentioned it, what can get going off the ball more? Because 323 00:21:51,319 --> 00:21:52,960 I don't ever I know he can I know Damen can do stuff off the 324 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:56,279 ball. I don't ever want the ball out of that guy's hands. It's 325 00:21:56,319 --> 00:22:00,000 like when people when people are talking about how Ross and Lebron are going to 326 00:22:00,079 --> 00:22:03,279 fit with the Lakers, but if Lebron plays off the ball a little bit 327 00:22:03,279 --> 00:22:06,279 more, and in my mind, the answer is never less of Lebron James. 328 00:22:06,279 --> 00:22:08,839 That's never the answer to this. But I'm fascinating to see how they're 329 00:22:08,839 --> 00:22:11,839 gonna be run, and I agree with on every point you hit. I 330 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:15,359 would not have. I guess it's not even confidence. I don't have a 331 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,319 feel for what would happen beyond this season, especially after how he entered the 332 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:22,519 offseason with Damian Lillard. But there's like a sub zero percent chance in my 333 00:22:22,559 --> 00:22:26,400 mind that this ends poorly during the regular season because he would have to reach 334 00:22:26,599 --> 00:22:30,839 James Harden levels of agitation or I guess do we call it the Ben Simmons 335 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:34,079 now and he's just not going to do that, and so next offseason whatever. 336 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:37,160 I think this season's big to want to keep him in Portland long term, 337 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:40,920 but it always felt like a long shot anything would happen this summer, 338 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:42,079 and I think, if you're a Blazer, if you're the Blazer's organization, 339 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:45,880 if you're the fans knowing even if he was just on the roster and wasn't 340 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,759 saying you know whatever, it was at media to day where he was just 341 00:22:48,799 --> 00:22:51,440 like, this is the type of person I am, and I have to 342 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:53,640 recognize it, Like I basically that he endorsed that he wanted to be there, 343 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,480 that he wanted to win in Portland. Even if he hadn't said that, 344 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:00,839 you have to feel I would think super confident at least have him for 345 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,559 another season, and the fact that the roster improved and the West is wide 346 00:23:03,559 --> 00:23:07,880 open and we'll get to that at the end. Obviously I wouldn't predict the 347 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,319 Blazers to win a title, but this is a very anything can happen type 348 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:15,200 year at least that's what it feels like. And so I'm with you on 349 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:17,680 every point. I just don't have, and I don't think anybody does, 350 00:23:18,279 --> 00:23:21,759 the feel for what would happen beyond this season with him because of you know, 351 00:23:21,799 --> 00:23:23,279 I would see the time left on his contract normally and be like, 352 00:23:23,559 --> 00:23:26,640 no, you have another year after two years of Dame there's at least, 353 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,319 but just because of what happened at the start, of this offseason. I'm 354 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:33,079 like, all right, well, I won't make any predictions beyond this year, 355 00:23:33,079 --> 00:23:37,640 but I think I would be flabbergasted if Damian Lillard did not finish the 356 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,839 year on the Portland Trouble Blazer roster. I also just don't I'm not nadvocate 357 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:44,039 of making those moves mid season. That just seems like a very tough decision 358 00:23:44,079 --> 00:23:48,240 for everyone involved. To make Damian Lillard the Blazers YadA, YadA YadA. 359 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:52,480 Things would have to go so far off the rails for that to happen, 360 00:23:52,559 --> 00:23:57,400 and it just it just makes no sense to me. And I just I'm 361 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:00,400 confident that he is here and it's here for a while because, like I 362 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:06,559 said, like he wants to do it his way, and this is his 363 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:10,680 way. His way is not leaving. His way is hanging on and clinging 364 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:14,799 as long as he possibly can and bringing all of his guys along with it. 365 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:18,039 I think. And this is like just from observation, and it maybe 366 00:24:18,079 --> 00:24:22,680 it reflects more like what I was thinking. But you know, going back 367 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:26,119 to when you know, the Blazers were doing well and then Nurkics went down 368 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:30,799 broke his leg, and then the next season that happened after that was just 369 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,000 kind of like waiting time, wait for Nurkis to get back. And I 370 00:24:33,039 --> 00:24:37,039 was thinking, as soon as gets back, they're just gonna pick ride up 371 00:24:37,079 --> 00:24:41,640 and they're just gonna charge full speed ahead and that it would just be like 372 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,599 really easy. And I think they came back and they like went back to 373 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:48,960 like they all came back, and I think it looked like they didn't they 374 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:53,720 didn't try to continue. They were I don't want to say I don't they 375 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,240 that they just figured everything was going to go back to normal, because I 376 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:00,680 don't know what was in their heads, but it looked to me like they 377 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,119 figured they were going to get Nurkics back and everything was going to be great, 378 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:10,000 and they just it wasn't. As obviously it took a while to reintegrate 379 00:25:10,079 --> 00:25:12,480 him back in there, and so I think they were caught off guard that 380 00:25:12,559 --> 00:25:15,200 it was harder than they thought it was going to because they remembered how it 381 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:18,359 felt, they remembered what it was like, they remembered how good they were 382 00:25:18,519 --> 00:25:21,799 when he was just really clicking, and so they're like, all we gotta 383 00:25:21,799 --> 00:25:22,640 do is wait for him to get back, and everything's gonna be great, 384 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:26,960 and you know, for various reasons, injuries, things like that, it 385 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,000 didn't happen, and so I think at the end of the year, I 386 00:25:29,039 --> 00:25:33,759 think they were what I heard in Damien's remarks at the end of the year, 387 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,119 what was different about them. It's usually he just blames himself for everything. 388 00:25:38,559 --> 00:25:41,519 He just like it was on me, you know, it was on 389 00:25:41,559 --> 00:25:45,079 me, And I felt in his remarks at the end of the season he 390 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:48,839 kind of was looking around the whole organization and we were like we all kind 391 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:52,880 of like let each other down. That's what it sounded like to me, 392 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:57,039 which was different. And so I think getting a new coach in there, 393 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:02,440 you know when there's when there's new players come in every year, but a 394 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:06,240 new coach is really going to have to make them all stand up and pay 395 00:26:06,279 --> 00:26:08,799 attention and figure out what's going on. And I think it's going to be 396 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,640 a really good thing for them. We've talked a lot about CJ McCollum in 397 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:18,079 the past and this offseason, entering it, you were more open to the 398 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:22,759 idea of the Blazers moving CJ McCollum than I'd ever heard you say before. 399 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:26,440 And I'm wondering if that's the off season's over, and I think there are 400 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:29,319 two elements to this is where do you sort of land on that issue now? 401 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:33,599 But the second layer is, assuming there's even a star market, whether 402 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:37,000 it's Ben Simmons straight up or something or another player that you think would really 403 00:26:37,039 --> 00:26:41,720 help the Blazers, do you still feel that same way knowing that then this 404 00:26:41,759 --> 00:26:42,839 move is all of a sudden made in the middle of the year. Because 405 00:26:42,839 --> 00:26:45,920 I mentioned with Damian Lillard, I don't think it's an easy decision to be 406 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,559 like, we need to pivot into this rebuild now in the middle of the 407 00:26:48,559 --> 00:26:51,799 season. If your team, like the Blazers, I also don't think it's 408 00:26:51,799 --> 00:26:53,960 an easy decision to be like, people look at these rosters and yeah, 409 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,519 sometimes it's a no brainer with the Nuts and James Harden. But now, 410 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,519 if you were to make a deal the player that you're acquiring, you didn't 411 00:27:03,519 --> 00:27:06,279 get a training camp with him. Your practice time isn't going to be like 412 00:27:06,559 --> 00:27:08,920 super extensive during the middle of the year. It's a culture change for you. 413 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:12,759 And now it's just it's also more upheaval in this case because of how 414 00:27:12,799 --> 00:27:17,759 long Damon CJ have been together, Like this is you know, Jannis Chris 415 00:27:17,759 --> 00:27:22,960 Middleton Clay Steph type shit, where they've just been together for so long that 416 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:27,359 that's just such a substantial change. And while from the talent callous business perspective, 417 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:30,599 I could sit here and go, Yeah, if you have the opportunity 418 00:27:30,599 --> 00:27:33,200 to get a player who's a better fit or can make more of an impact 419 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:37,279 than CJ McCollum, we absolutely do it. It's just so much easier for 420 00:27:37,319 --> 00:27:40,640 me to say to do that during the off season than it would be in 421 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:45,000 the middle of a regular season, where I would argue the conclusion of it 422 00:27:45,079 --> 00:27:51,039 is mission critical to what happens with Damian Lillard moving forward. Yes, I 423 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:56,160 feel like I'm more open to the possibility that CJ may bee traded than I 424 00:27:56,200 --> 00:28:00,200 have been in the past, and partly because of CJ himself. I've listened 425 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:06,640 to him talk enough about how he understands the too business and that he's prepared 426 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:07,960 for it, and he hears people talk about trading him all the time and 427 00:28:08,039 --> 00:28:11,559 it doesn't, you know, hurt his feelings or anything like that. So 428 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:15,960 part of it was just like hearing from CJ that he's like, I understand 429 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:18,640 like people think, you know, people want love this team and they want 430 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,039 to get better, and you know, he's a big fan of the Browns 431 00:28:21,079 --> 00:28:23,319 and he's had conversations about trading his friends who were on the Browns. He's 432 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:26,920 like, I get it, I understand, but again, I feel like 433 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:33,799 things would either have to really completely fall off the rails, like it's not 434 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:36,640 working with the coach at all, and the team is just all standing around 435 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:40,599 looking at there like like what are we doing? You know, I think 436 00:28:40,759 --> 00:28:47,319 things that have to get real bad or something like suddenly Anthony Simons is everything 437 00:28:47,319 --> 00:28:49,319 that Neil Olshay said that he was going to be when he drafted it and 438 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:53,119 said, this is the best athlete I've ever drafted in my entire lifetime. 439 00:28:53,799 --> 00:29:00,519 So that's, you know, that's a distinct possibility maybe that they, you 440 00:29:00,559 --> 00:29:04,160 know, CJ becomes redundant, redundant, redundant, because that's what's been said 441 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:07,759 about CJ this whole time, is that he's redundant to dame. And now 442 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:10,559 Norman Powell came and now CJ is more tradable than ever, and like, 443 00:29:10,599 --> 00:29:14,200 now we have Norman Powell and Anthony Simon, So CJ is even more more 444 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:18,519 tradeable than ever. Is it possible to be? That? Take seems correct? 445 00:29:18,599 --> 00:29:19,920 And then incorrect at the same time because it's like, yeah, in 446 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:23,559 theory, Norman Powell is just a similar size, he's gonna do more for 447 00:29:23,599 --> 00:29:29,119 you on defense. But CJ McCollum's shot creation in the playoffs that is so 448 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:32,200 much more valuable, like in the than it is in the regular season. 449 00:29:32,279 --> 00:29:34,720 And have two players like him in Dame one, there's not like a ton 450 00:29:34,759 --> 00:29:38,599 of redundancy to their game. Every team has two, or every great team 451 00:29:38,599 --> 00:29:41,880 seems have these two high level level scores. And I would argue that you 452 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:47,039 honestly need a number two like CJ in the playoffs, or maybe not need, 453 00:29:47,119 --> 00:29:51,039 but he's more useful to you in a playoff series than a Norman Powell. 454 00:29:51,119 --> 00:29:52,880 That's where I would stand. But I also get the theory like, 455 00:29:53,319 --> 00:29:56,079 well, you just paid Norman Powell ninety million dollars, and you know how 456 00:29:56,079 --> 00:30:00,839 many dudes under six four A you're actually gonna pay. But it's just I've 457 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:06,400 long pushed back against the argument that CJ is just so redundant on this roster 458 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:08,000 because I don't think that he is. I think he's and we've talked about 459 00:30:08,039 --> 00:30:15,319 this like for years now. Right. The other thing is is CJ at 460 00:30:15,319 --> 00:30:18,799 the beginning of last season was amazing. He came out at the beginning of 461 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:23,519 last season and everybody was like their eyes were just huge, going, Holy 462 00:30:23,599 --> 00:30:27,839 smokes, look what he's doing. He added more three point shots and was 463 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:32,680 hitting him at a high rate. CJ was just out of this world at 464 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:36,920 the beginning of last season. And you know, hard to know whether or 465 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:40,559 not he's going to come back to that level, but he was making the 466 00:30:40,599 --> 00:30:45,400 Blazers better a lot last season before he went down and got injured. He 467 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,200 struggled a little bit coming back, but still struggling. Is like still more 468 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:51,759 than twenty points a game, right, I think that the more scorers you 469 00:30:51,759 --> 00:30:55,799 have, the better the Blazers. You know, went hard in on the 470 00:30:55,839 --> 00:30:59,359 three guard lineup, and now how many people, how many other teams around 471 00:30:59,359 --> 00:31:02,319 the league are going hard with the three guard lineup. Maybe it's time for 472 00:31:02,359 --> 00:31:04,039 the fourth guard lineup. I kind of thought that the fourth guard might be 473 00:31:04,119 --> 00:31:07,559 like six ten, It might be like Ben Simmons. I know, obviously 474 00:31:07,599 --> 00:31:12,960 I'm joking, but yes, having guys who can create their shots is just 475 00:31:14,279 --> 00:31:17,920 so valuable. And when you have them both, when you always have two 476 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:22,640 guys in at the same time and you have to guard. That's helpful. 477 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:27,160 That's that's a good thing. I've never really felt like like CJ was redundant. 478 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:30,799 He you know, he plays in a different way than Dame. You 479 00:31:30,799 --> 00:31:37,000 know. He he's so fun to watch. He's sometimes sometimes CJ is the 480 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:41,039 one, like obviously Dame when he's hitting those ridiculously long shots, it like 481 00:31:41,279 --> 00:31:45,079 totally gets you know, the crowd going. And you know, but sometimes 482 00:31:45,079 --> 00:31:49,160 when CJ does those dance and he puts like Dirk Nowitzki in this spin cycle, 483 00:31:49,559 --> 00:31:52,880 like he can really also get that energy up and get everybody. And 484 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:56,720 plus he's a little bit of a kind of a cat. You know, 485 00:31:56,079 --> 00:32:00,000 he'll he'll like trash talk on the field, like Damian always keeps like such 486 00:32:00,039 --> 00:32:04,279 a like blank aspect. Sometimes it's CJ is the one who's going off and 487 00:32:04,279 --> 00:32:07,400 he's John and the other guys like in that way. I think, you 488 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:09,480 know, there's more ways than you know, just the part of the of 489 00:32:09,519 --> 00:32:14,839 the field that they're shooting from where they compliment each other. And I love 490 00:32:14,839 --> 00:32:17,720 it when like CJS like trolling players on the other team, like because Damon 491 00:32:17,799 --> 00:32:21,519 never do that. Dame just looks you in the face and like hit a 492 00:32:21,559 --> 00:32:23,559 three pointer. But c Jail get in your ear and you know he's in 493 00:32:24,359 --> 00:32:29,039 creative Yeah, Dame, only does it like inside three minutes to play with 494 00:32:29,079 --> 00:32:30,319 the game on the line. It's like when he unleashes that side. And 495 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:34,240 just to reiterate where you were saying about cj before, I should that's question. 496 00:32:34,559 --> 00:32:37,160 The first it was as it was, it was twelve games into the 497 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:39,160 season. He got injured in game number thirteen. I believe he was essentially 498 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:44,039 averaging twenty eight points, five assists, shooting forty three point four percent from 499 00:32:44,079 --> 00:32:46,720 three on a lot of off the dribble threes like these weren't just him upping 500 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:51,079 his three point volume on stand still, like he was hitting tough threes higher 501 00:32:51,079 --> 00:32:53,839 than fifty percent on twos. He was. He was in the All Star 502 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:58,599 discussion, which to be in the guard All Star discussion in the Western Conference 503 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,160 is very difficult, even in a year when Klay Thompson isn't playing Like that's 504 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:07,599 just it's super hard. So I pretty much land everywhere with you. And 505 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:09,880 that's not even someone who's a Blazers fan. I just at this point I 506 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:13,480 don't and I think it matters, you know, the market, it has 507 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:15,119 to make sense for the player that's coming in. I'm just not a big 508 00:33:15,119 --> 00:33:17,799 fan of that type of up people in the middle of the season is sort 509 00:33:17,799 --> 00:33:22,279 of where I land. I do have questions about actual basketball for you, 510 00:33:22,319 --> 00:33:25,720 though, I promise this wasn't just a trade podcast. Is there any lingering 511 00:33:25,759 --> 00:33:29,920 concerns about what use of nurkids said at the end of last year about how 512 00:33:30,319 --> 00:33:34,240 he needed to be more involved on offense and do you see a pathway to 513 00:33:34,319 --> 00:33:38,119 that happening, or or this is an out there theory, is his path 514 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:43,880 to being more involved just actually being more available and on the court. I 515 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:50,240 am hoping for wonderfully wonderful health for Nurkis because it has been an issue for 516 00:33:50,319 --> 00:33:52,680 him. It's been hard for him to stay healthy for an entire season. 517 00:33:53,200 --> 00:34:00,319 I'm also hoping for time with the coach that helps him figure out how to 518 00:34:00,799 --> 00:34:06,960 not foul unnecessarily. This is a quote from Marquis Chris's Wikipedia page, and 519 00:34:07,079 --> 00:34:12,400 I was like, that's exactly what somebody needs to work with nurkitch on because 520 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,079 it was so hard to watch him get in there and play really well but 521 00:34:15,159 --> 00:34:19,800 gets so many fouls that he's not on the floor and he's not available at 522 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:23,920 key parts of the game. So I think he could potentially be involved a 523 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:28,280 lot more if he's able to stay on the court because he's figured out how 524 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:31,559 to not get called for so many fouls, and that's a lot of that 525 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:37,480 is up to him, and so I'm looking forward to There's been a lot 526 00:34:37,519 --> 00:34:42,280 of reporting in Portland about how well Nurkic is responding to the new coach, 527 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:45,639 and he really likes everything that the new coach has told him about what he's 528 00:34:45,679 --> 00:34:47,559 going to do with him when his role. He's talked a lot about using 529 00:34:47,639 --> 00:34:52,880 him on the album or using him as a facilitator, and you know, 530 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:57,440 great, as long as he can stay on the court. I think that's 531 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:01,159 awesome because everybody knows that when Nurkic is available and he is dialed in, 532 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:07,159 the team is really great. But if he gets three quick fouls, it's 533 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:10,159 real hard to know, like what the rest of the game is gonna gonna 534 00:35:10,199 --> 00:35:14,280 be. Like I had this whole theory that if he sometimes when he plays 535 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:20,039 with four fouls, he actually plays better because he knows that he has to 536 00:35:20,079 --> 00:35:22,440 watch out for getting that last foul. But like that doesn't mean just go 537 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:27,679 out and give four fouls. That you know what you're doing. So if 538 00:35:27,679 --> 00:35:30,079 he can stay out of foul trouble, I can see, you know, 539 00:35:30,199 --> 00:35:35,760 a real, you know, a real advantage to having him. And the 540 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:37,599 other thing is one of the things that the new coaches talked about and what 541 00:35:37,639 --> 00:35:43,280 people have talked about is something that the Clippers really talked about a lot, 542 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:49,480 which is their drive kick swing. And I think Blazers have been doing a 543 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:52,159 lot of drive kick. They haven't done a lot of drive kick swing. 544 00:35:52,559 --> 00:35:57,480 I don't think that Nurkics is going to be out there and available on the 545 00:35:57,480 --> 00:35:59,519 three point line at least. I hope that's not what the plan is, 546 00:35:59,519 --> 00:36:01,719 because you know, we need him more in the middle. But if he 547 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:07,000 can help them remember that and he can help them make that happen, I 548 00:36:07,039 --> 00:36:09,599 think that would bode really well for the placers. Nurkis always seems to do 549 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:15,239 well when he has sort of like a clear like a leadership job. Like 550 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:20,239 he was playing so well when you could tell he and Mo Harkless were working 551 00:36:20,239 --> 00:36:22,400 together a lot, and like Mo Harkless would be sort of up and down 552 00:36:22,599 --> 00:36:27,159 and you would see Nurkics go over there and like you know, talk to 553 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:31,920 Mo and get in his face, and when when Nurkich has a job to 554 00:36:32,039 --> 00:36:37,079 do, he really he really does it. And I just think last year 555 00:36:37,079 --> 00:36:38,119 it was like Nurkis is going to be a back Just let him go back 556 00:36:38,119 --> 00:36:42,079 and do his regular thing without like a solid like, no, this is 557 00:36:42,119 --> 00:36:44,880 the thing we mean for you to be doing. And so I'm hoping with 558 00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:47,360 the with the new coach and with the new you know potential to be more 559 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:52,280 of a facilitator, We're going to find more you know reps for you on 560 00:36:52,599 --> 00:36:58,039 the elbow. I have a lot of hope, but for me, the 561 00:36:58,079 --> 00:37:01,320 biggest thing is just stay outfl Yeah. And what's interesting with him when you 562 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:06,960 mentioned the foul trouble is there are Yeah, I don't know, they've seen 563 00:37:07,039 --> 00:37:08,239 a lot of them, see like frustration fouls where it's like if he gets 564 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:10,679 a call that he doesn't like, maybe it's like a good contest and they 565 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:14,559 call it a foul. It feels like he's exponentially more likely to get an 566 00:37:14,599 --> 00:37:17,519 offensive foul or something within the next like three or four possessions or make a 567 00:37:19,119 --> 00:37:22,440 bad defensive risk. And the other thing I don't know whether you agree with 568 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:25,239 this, is that I sometimes wonder if he doesn't trust the Blazers defense behind 569 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,840 him because of sort of the decisions he makes, like if someone gets a 570 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:30,840 step on him, it's like he almost just wants to stop to play rather 571 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:34,800 than trust that the help is gonna come. But if you could limit it 572 00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:37,280 sounds because he is so important, and we saw this last year. The 573 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:43,119 on off differential is wild because the Blazers sucked defensively for most of the year. 574 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:45,480 The minutes that Usuf Nurkics was on the court, they were an above 575 00:37:45,519 --> 00:37:50,239 average defensive team. He's so important to what they do defensively that I hope 576 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:52,159 this season, you know, Roco is still there. I don't know if 577 00:37:52,199 --> 00:37:54,880 he'll play a ton of minutes with Larry Nance Junior. That would be interesting 578 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:59,360 to watch. I guess, like, can you trust the guys behind you 579 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:01,679 more? Can the coach get the guys moving behind you more that you don't 580 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:05,880 feel this need to like if someone does get by you because you're not right 581 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:08,000 by the basket, that you need to try and reach in or just give 582 00:38:08,039 --> 00:38:13,280 one of those tiki tack fouls. Because again, he's just he's pivotable to 583 00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:15,159 their defense. Still, even with the changes that they've made this offseason, 584 00:38:15,519 --> 00:38:22,320 so One more thing about Yusef Nurkicch is that he's not great at finishing at 585 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:25,880 the rim and one of those little flip up shots and having guys that he 586 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:30,440 has confidence that he could dish it off to, or having him be somehow 587 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:36,239 clear, you know, helping it goes. It sounds backwards, but helping 588 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:38,760 clear the lane for some of these younger athletic guys that we have who like 589 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:43,599 to come in and dunk, I don't know if he's you know, in 590 00:38:43,639 --> 00:38:46,320 the lane and then he steps out to give them the space. But rather 591 00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:51,679 than trying to have him force making shots close to the rim, which he's 592 00:38:51,719 --> 00:38:55,079 just not great at, Like it's just for some reason he's just not great 593 00:38:55,119 --> 00:39:00,519 at it, figure out ways that he can creatively make opportunities for the other 594 00:39:00,559 --> 00:39:06,320 guys who are who do like who do finish in the rim, to have 595 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:08,239 a chance to do I don't know if that makes any sense, but it's 596 00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:13,440 another issue with him that I think we could turn into a positive squod potentially. 597 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:16,599 It's time for the question I've asked you. I think every single podcast 598 00:39:16,599 --> 00:39:22,239 appearance you've made on this show since Anthony Simons went nuclear in his rookie season 599 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:24,800 against the Sacramento Kings to close out the year. Do you see him actually 600 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:29,639 getting a bigger role this year or is there a chance that now that you 601 00:39:29,679 --> 00:39:32,440 have Norm in addition to CJ and Dame, that that's almost a now in 602 00:39:32,519 --> 00:39:36,559 the coffin for his chance to play like a major role for this team. 603 00:39:37,039 --> 00:39:42,199 Well, the Blazers keep saying that this is going to be Anthony Simon's this 604 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:46,039 year, and then they have like five guards on the roster and invited to 605 00:39:46,159 --> 00:39:51,440 training camp, so it's like, it's hard to know. I think Anthony 606 00:39:51,599 --> 00:39:54,960 every like we forget sometimes how young he was when he got to the team 607 00:39:55,039 --> 00:40:00,239 and the fact that he didn't have college playing experience since he came right from 608 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:05,800 high school. So they've been I like how they've brought him a lot along 609 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:08,480 very gently, and every year he does look bigger and stronger, and I 610 00:40:08,519 --> 00:40:14,639 do think that he has potential this year to step in and taking on a 611 00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:17,760 much bigger role, Like according to the traditional Blazer's timeline, this is the 612 00:40:17,840 --> 00:40:21,280 year that he's going to get a lot of playing time, and it's kind 613 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:23,360 of his to lose, you know, that's just the way that they bring 614 00:40:23,360 --> 00:40:28,360 people along. So yeah, if he's not in there. It's because he 615 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:31,079 you know, he lost it out to somebody else, not necessarily because somebody 616 00:40:31,079 --> 00:40:34,639 else took it from him. That makes sense. No, that makes a 617 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:37,679 hundred. I'm totally with you, and I think I just haven't seen and 618 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:40,360 you watch him way more than I do, but I just haven't seen enough 619 00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:45,119 growth as a decision maker when he's not shooting, like to get keep the 620 00:40:45,159 --> 00:40:47,960 ball moving, or to actually set up teammates rather than you mentioned that this 621 00:40:49,039 --> 00:40:52,679 podcast, rather than just passing just to pass. There's like a difference between 622 00:40:52,679 --> 00:40:54,960 passing guys open or actually finding open players and the other thing. If he's 623 00:40:55,000 --> 00:41:00,000 not going to be like that secondary playmaker, there needs to be more levels 624 00:41:00,039 --> 00:41:05,000 than his off the dribble, shooting better, finishing around the rim something, 625 00:41:05,079 --> 00:41:09,239 and I do my guests would be that it's harder for him to get there, 626 00:41:09,239 --> 00:41:13,559 Like the pressure on him might be like there should be zero pressure because 627 00:41:13,599 --> 00:41:15,199 of all the guards they have with Norm, Damon CJ. But it's like 628 00:41:15,559 --> 00:41:19,320 those guys are gonna eat up so many minutes. I guess maybe Norm playing 629 00:41:19,360 --> 00:41:22,599 the three will help. I just I'm not out on Anthony Simons. I 630 00:41:22,679 --> 00:41:29,079 might be out on the idea, the initial idea of Anthony Simmons. Yeah, 631 00:41:29,199 --> 00:41:32,880 I think that with the the second unit, if they can do you 632 00:41:32,880 --> 00:41:37,480 know, maybe the first unit continues to do the isolation like they've always done 633 00:41:37,480 --> 00:41:40,440 because it's always really really worked well. And maybe that second unit is the 634 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:44,400 one where we see more of the ball movement from the than we have in 635 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:47,280 the past, because before it was he you know, he threw it to 636 00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:52,480 mellow who most likely was going to take a shot, or he threw it 637 00:41:52,519 --> 00:41:53,880 to and as cantor who most likely who was going to take a shot. 638 00:41:53,880 --> 00:42:00,599 And maybe if he has more people who are moving the ball around, I 639 00:42:00,639 --> 00:42:05,920 would love to see Anthony Simons as somebody who is passing it into somebody moving 640 00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:07,719 and then getting the ball back to take his shot. I would love to 641 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:10,679 see more plays like that because I think he's so good at catch and shoot 642 00:42:12,159 --> 00:42:15,480 that, you know, if he's bringing the ball up, setting up the 643 00:42:15,519 --> 00:42:17,840 play, giving it off to somebody else and then running into the spot like 644 00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:22,639 CJ does, I think that would be a really awesome role for Anthony. 645 00:42:22,840 --> 00:42:25,440 So rather than just like having him be like isolate, bringing up either to 646 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:29,840 your own shot or passes somebody else to get their shot to having him start 647 00:42:30,199 --> 00:42:31,880 start plays that may end up with the ball back in his hands with a 648 00:42:31,920 --> 00:42:36,719 catch and shoot. I think that would be exciting someone else who's generating a 649 00:42:36,719 --> 00:42:38,719 lot of buzz around plays with training camp right now. Maybe it's in part 650 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:43,320 because he's healthy, which has been very rare for him. This yere little 651 00:42:44,039 --> 00:42:47,320 What does And I don't think that I've seen enough of him over the course 652 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:50,320 of his career to have a feel for what he's a a player. What 653 00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:52,719 does he do? You see him playing a role this year if he's healthy. 654 00:42:52,719 --> 00:42:55,840 What does he bring to the team if he's healthy. I think that 655 00:42:57,039 --> 00:43:01,679 Nas has a chance to earn some serious play time this season. And I 656 00:43:01,719 --> 00:43:06,639 also have not seen really enough of him to know what we've got, but 657 00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:10,440 I think that he has potential. He is not afraid of attacking the rim, 658 00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:16,719 and having somebody else who's not afraid of attacking the rim, I think 659 00:43:16,800 --> 00:43:22,000 is really important because you know, we have Dame, we have norm, 660 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:24,199 but I think we need more and you're just you just mentioned that, you 661 00:43:24,239 --> 00:43:28,719 know, you don't see Anthony Simon's doing that very much. Nas is not 662 00:43:28,719 --> 00:43:32,239 afraid to do that, and I think if he can consistently do that when 663 00:43:32,239 --> 00:43:37,559 he gets in and threatened that way, I think that will give him a 664 00:43:37,639 --> 00:43:39,480 chance to play. I'm hoping he stays healthy because I would look and I 665 00:43:39,519 --> 00:43:43,920 think he really would help. He's another guy that I think could help them 666 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:46,239 defensively too, in the scheme of what they would be trying to do when 667 00:43:46,239 --> 00:43:52,199 you look at the positional spectrum he might cover and he's just from reading the 668 00:43:52,239 --> 00:43:54,920 story, I think I don't want to forget his name from the athletic Jonathan 669 00:43:54,960 --> 00:43:59,199 Quick, I think his names wrote it about what Monsieur Little went through with 670 00:43:59,280 --> 00:44:04,159 COVID's like, yeah, yeah, Jason Quick. Sorry that that stuff always 671 00:44:04,239 --> 00:44:07,440 hits obviously, but just that knowing he's dealt with the injuries, just hasn't 672 00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:08,679 had a chance to play much. I'm hoping that he gets to stay healthy 673 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:13,360 and we get to get just a real extensive look at him this year. 674 00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:17,840 Yeah, I have I have high hopes for him. I think he's exciting 675 00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:22,239 and he's one of those players that you know, we haven't been able to 676 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:24,880 see much, but his injuries are his injuries were like kind of different injuries. 677 00:44:24,880 --> 00:44:28,360 He had COVID and he had a concussion. I think it was the 678 00:44:28,400 --> 00:44:32,039 other one. So it's you know, it's kind of an an odd combination 679 00:44:32,719 --> 00:44:37,559 that really is like we really know nothing, you know, because it wasn't 680 00:44:37,559 --> 00:44:38,559 like he had like a limb where we can be like, oh, I 681 00:44:38,679 --> 00:44:43,000 understand, you know, he broke his arm or his leg, and so 682 00:44:43,039 --> 00:44:45,239 we kind of know how players come back from that. This is like, 683 00:44:45,280 --> 00:44:49,599 I don't know how players come back, especially if they had such a terrible 684 00:44:49,719 --> 00:44:52,800 case of COVID, Like is he still having effects of it? I don't 685 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:55,280 know. He seems like he's playing really well and everybody's really excited about what 686 00:44:55,280 --> 00:45:01,960 they're seeing in playing camp. So you know, in the Blazer trajectory, 687 00:45:02,239 --> 00:45:06,480 he's at the point where, not like Anthony, where it's like his to 688 00:45:06,559 --> 00:45:10,079 lose nas is that he has a real chance to show that he deserves to 689 00:45:10,119 --> 00:45:14,840 be on the court. We I guess you already got into this a little 690 00:45:14,880 --> 00:45:16,519 bit, but let me just bring it up again. Portland was twenty ninth 691 00:45:16,519 --> 00:45:20,480 and points a loud per one hundred possessions, so almost quite literally, there's 692 00:45:20,519 --> 00:45:23,639 nowhere for them to go put up. But do you anticipate based off something 693 00:45:23,679 --> 00:45:29,280 that we've already discussed obviously them being much better or is there one area of 694 00:45:29,320 --> 00:45:32,559 the game where they struggled on defense and they struggled in all places on defense 695 00:45:32,639 --> 00:45:38,559 last year, that you do expect them to be noticeably better. And I 696 00:45:38,599 --> 00:45:45,079 mean, I think the obvious places are the when Nurkish was out, Cantor 697 00:45:45,239 --> 00:45:47,880 had to start and as a result, Robert Covington had to play defense for 698 00:45:47,920 --> 00:45:52,719 two So every time Robert Commington only has to play defense for Robert Covington, 699 00:45:52,840 --> 00:45:53,880 that's a really good thing. And we've seen that, you know, with 700 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:57,840 their starting lineup. And then the other thing is just with the bench. 701 00:45:57,880 --> 00:46:00,559 I think the bench is gonna have gonna be much more solid on defense, 702 00:46:00,599 --> 00:46:02,840 and that's going to improve things. I have a joke with my friends who 703 00:46:02,840 --> 00:46:07,519 are Kings fans that both the Kings, the Kings and the Blazers are aiming 704 00:46:07,599 --> 00:46:09,719 for twenty. Like if you could just get to twenty. I think that, 705 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:14,400 you know, with the offense that they have, just get to twenty 706 00:46:14,719 --> 00:46:17,920 and stay there and be consistent with it, not just like zero, you 707 00:46:17,960 --> 00:46:21,400 know, twenty nine and then go, you know, rock it up to 708 00:46:21,480 --> 00:46:23,840 like ten for the last fifteen games or whatever. Just get to twenty and 709 00:46:23,880 --> 00:46:25,920 be happy with that. Your offense can carry the rest of the way. 710 00:46:25,960 --> 00:46:29,159 I'm probably with you there. I'm curious to it, and I don't know 711 00:46:29,239 --> 00:46:32,320 what Chauncy Billips is going to be like as a coach, but I'm I'm 712 00:46:32,320 --> 00:46:37,039 wondering if they might implement a more and I haven't seen seen anything about this 713 00:46:37,079 --> 00:46:39,320 coming out of training camp, whether they might install a more aggressive style, 714 00:46:39,360 --> 00:46:43,360 where like, can they playmate on defense more, force some more turnovers and 715 00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:46,039 maybe their offense doesn't need it, but like if you can just change, 716 00:46:46,280 --> 00:46:50,679 if you could, if you can change the flow of the game by getting 717 00:46:50,679 --> 00:46:52,719 out and transition more, just forcing more turnovers, and maybe that helps you 718 00:46:52,760 --> 00:46:57,639 cover up some other weaknesses on defense. I honestly, I I'm not the 719 00:46:57,679 --> 00:47:00,159 person to ask about that, but that's sort of the area I'm looking at 720 00:47:00,199 --> 00:47:02,039 because when I look at this team, I saw so many holes last year. 721 00:47:02,039 --> 00:47:07,000 I'm not sure how much better you get with Larry Nance and you know, 722 00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:09,199 a healthy nas having a full year of normal Powell, maybe you can 723 00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:13,920 just get orbitganically a lot better in those set positions. But if you can't 724 00:47:14,519 --> 00:47:17,000 a way to cover that up, especially when you know you're not really experts 725 00:47:17,000 --> 00:47:21,159 and not fouling anyway, like if Nurkicch is gonna foul a ton or if 726 00:47:21,159 --> 00:47:22,800 you're gonna commit a bunch of thousand any like, maybe trying to play a 727 00:47:22,800 --> 00:47:27,400 more aggressive style that allows you to do that. I have zero idea, 728 00:47:27,519 --> 00:47:30,480 but I'm very curious to see if they look noticeably different on that end of 729 00:47:30,480 --> 00:47:36,760 the floor this year. Yeah, I do know that at a training camp, 730 00:47:36,800 --> 00:47:39,159 the word is that they're not going to be doing drop coverage anymore. 731 00:47:39,440 --> 00:47:45,199 So that's a big change. And I don't know how if they're going to 732 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:47,519 start the year like that, if they're going to be able to maintain it, 733 00:47:47,559 --> 00:47:51,800 if they're gonna are they going to be able to like maintain any of 734 00:47:51,800 --> 00:47:55,280 these new things that they're that they're implementing. So I just I think a 735 00:47:55,480 --> 00:48:00,119 big thing is going to be Robert Covington being able to be Robert coving To 736 00:48:00,199 --> 00:48:05,239 not having to be both, you know, fill both defensive spots. What 737 00:48:05,320 --> 00:48:07,679 do you view is the biggest weakness of this team right now when you're looking 738 00:48:07,719 --> 00:48:14,199 at their roster backup center, I mean, if Nurkitch gets in foul trouble, 739 00:48:14,599 --> 00:48:20,280 so then you know, I think Cody's totally capable of playing starter minutes 740 00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:22,199 if he has to, because Nurkis has gotten in early foul trouble. But 741 00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:27,400 what if one of those guys gets injured and there's just are they gonna like 742 00:48:27,559 --> 00:48:30,280 just run a small ball lineup? What are they going to do? I 743 00:48:30,360 --> 00:48:34,519 just really wish that they had a backup center. And I know that Marcus 744 00:48:34,639 --> 00:48:37,920 Chris isn't big, but he's got more, He's got some experience in that 745 00:48:38,639 --> 00:48:42,760 role. So but I don't think I don't know who they're going to choose 746 00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:45,840 out of training camp. It's really weird. They have like four real NBA, 747 00:48:46,000 --> 00:48:52,679 like very experienced NBA players fighting for that last spot, which I think 748 00:48:52,760 --> 00:48:54,440 is like kind of weird, but we'll see. Yeah, who, So 749 00:48:54,519 --> 00:49:00,480 they've Patrick Patterson, Dennis Smith, Marky's Chris. Who's the other one I'm 750 00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:06,639 missing somebody obvious. I can't remember. Uh Patrick was say Patrick? Quinn 751 00:49:06,679 --> 00:49:09,079 Cook? Oh? Okay, yeah, so yeah, I did not say 752 00:49:09,159 --> 00:49:14,239 Quinn Cook. Well, yeah, so there, I'd be curious. I 753 00:49:14,320 --> 00:49:17,400 might feel it's funny that I had mentioned there how it feels like they have 754 00:49:17,519 --> 00:49:22,599 more, maybe not more, but like there's measurable talent behind their starters with 755 00:49:22,679 --> 00:49:24,960 their main six guys. But there's also like a lot of questions there too, 756 00:49:25,000 --> 00:49:28,320 And so I look at the backup center roll and I'm like, if 757 00:49:28,320 --> 00:49:30,320 you view it as just Cody's Eller and nurk its, then yes, if 758 00:49:30,320 --> 00:49:35,320 maybe you're willing to play smaller and there's like NaN's in there or does not 759 00:49:35,559 --> 00:49:37,360 get some minutes there, or is like row Coote, like maybe it's all 760 00:49:37,360 --> 00:49:39,719 three of them are like two of them are playing together and they're switching it 761 00:49:39,760 --> 00:49:42,719 up. I don't know if that makes me feel a lot better, but 762 00:49:42,719 --> 00:49:45,880 I'm wondering when you look at their roster, if it's Patrick Patterson who doesn't 763 00:49:45,880 --> 00:49:49,920 make it, or if Marky's Chris doesn't get that roster spot, like you're 764 00:49:50,039 --> 00:49:53,480 gonna be playing small at points just because you don't have any other alternative. 765 00:49:54,000 --> 00:49:59,760 Yeah, yeah, there apparently we're gonna see, uh, we're gonna be 766 00:49:59,800 --> 00:50:02,920 se some of that, and uh, you know it was it was also 767 00:50:04,039 --> 00:50:06,719 you know, earlier on in the summer when there was a lot more talk 768 00:50:06,760 --> 00:50:09,519 about potential big trades happening, they were like, Oh, they're loading up 769 00:50:09,559 --> 00:50:13,679 on guards because CJ is gonna be gone and they're gonna have to figure out 770 00:50:13,719 --> 00:50:15,679 who's going to take that role. So you know, I don't know. 771 00:50:16,159 --> 00:50:19,960 I don't know, but I I just they just need another tall person, 772 00:50:20,880 --> 00:50:23,039 like really tall person, you know what, possibly Greg Brown. I mean 773 00:50:23,079 --> 00:50:27,159 Greg Brown is still I think only six nine. So yeah, I don't 774 00:50:27,159 --> 00:50:29,079 know. I just wish they had another, like I said, another tall 775 00:50:29,119 --> 00:50:32,280 person. They gotta be high. They gave up stuff for to draft Greg 776 00:50:32,280 --> 00:50:36,280 Brown too, so maybe they really like him. That was I remember going 777 00:50:36,280 --> 00:50:39,360 over our off seat, like I was doing report cards and I was going 778 00:50:39,360 --> 00:50:42,400 over to the Blazers and I was like, oh, they they might be 779 00:50:42,480 --> 00:50:45,440 higher on Greg Brown than I think anyone s would have realized. But yeah, 780 00:50:45,480 --> 00:50:49,000 I'd be with you on the backup center role. Who is This can 781 00:50:49,079 --> 00:50:51,280 change throughout the season. And I'm not even trying to, you know, 782 00:50:52,039 --> 00:50:54,199 force you into talking more about Damian Lillard. Who do you just look at 783 00:50:54,599 --> 00:50:59,880 on this roster as the player most likely to be traded this year? I 784 00:51:00,119 --> 00:51:04,159 mean to try to look at it, you know, realistically, I was 785 00:51:04,199 --> 00:51:08,519 looking at players who have contracts that are reasonable to be traded. So Robert 786 00:51:08,519 --> 00:51:13,400 Covington, you know, he's in the last year of his he's making almost 787 00:51:13,440 --> 00:51:17,000 thirteen million. Yusef Nurkics also in the last year of his contract with twelve. 788 00:51:17,679 --> 00:51:21,639 I don't think they can trade Larry for a while, but I think 789 00:51:21,719 --> 00:51:25,119 it's going to be one of those, you know, it's somebody who makes 790 00:51:25,719 --> 00:51:31,159 more than three million dollars and less than thirty million dollars. Let's just say, 791 00:51:32,880 --> 00:51:36,880 I would say Robert Covington, because soon enough we're going to start hearing 792 00:51:36,880 --> 00:51:38,760 that, well, you can't let him walk away for nothing. So and 793 00:51:38,800 --> 00:51:43,800 I think, you know, a Robert Covington salur that is a that's a 794 00:51:43,880 --> 00:51:47,440 reasonable one because it's like, if it turns out that they start playing and 795 00:51:47,519 --> 00:51:52,840 there is like one obvious weakness, that's not like bring in a third star, 796 00:51:52,960 --> 00:51:58,880 but like, oh no, somebody's injured. We really do need this 797 00:51:59,039 --> 00:52:02,639 role filled. I think Robert Covington or possibly use of Nurkich. I'm really 798 00:52:02,639 --> 00:52:07,440 worried about use of n I'm excited for the potential of use of Nurkics being 799 00:52:07,480 --> 00:52:12,320 in a contract year, but I'm also worried that if he leaves or even 800 00:52:12,440 --> 00:52:15,159 gets traded in the middle of the season, that he's just going to absolutely 801 00:52:15,199 --> 00:52:21,920 go scorched earth if he leaves. So I'm really nervous about use of Nurkis 802 00:52:21,960 --> 00:52:25,519 this year, and I think it's potential that because like how much money he's 803 00:52:25,559 --> 00:52:28,599 with Clutch, how much money is he going to want next year, and 804 00:52:28,719 --> 00:52:30,280 arger the Blazer is going to be able to afford it. So I think 805 00:52:30,320 --> 00:52:34,159 by the middle of the season they'll have a good idea about whether or not 806 00:52:34,199 --> 00:52:37,000 they're going to have to try to trade use of Nurkis to make sure that 807 00:52:37,039 --> 00:52:39,639 they get a player in return who can help out the team rather than just 808 00:52:39,679 --> 00:52:43,239 watch him walk away because they can't afford to resign him. Because I don't 809 00:52:43,239 --> 00:52:46,079 know how they're going to afford to resign him. That's a I didn't give 810 00:52:46,119 --> 00:52:49,880 a lot of thought to Nurkich. I guess I'm just like, I don't 811 00:52:49,920 --> 00:52:52,199 want to say I'm biased against Biggs at this point, but that is a 812 00:52:52,239 --> 00:52:54,519 fantastic point you bring up about nurks contract year represented by Clutch, So that's 813 00:52:54,519 --> 00:52:58,800 a name that I think will pop up. I think you mentioned Roko. 814 00:52:58,960 --> 00:53:01,119 I think he's probably the play aside from Dame, that other teams would be 815 00:53:01,119 --> 00:53:04,719 most interested in. If I am, And just in case you were wondering 816 00:53:04,719 --> 00:53:07,639 whether or not I took your opinion seriously, if you ever doubt it. 817 00:53:07,880 --> 00:53:10,079 You had told me on the last podcast that you think Robert Covington was better 818 00:53:10,639 --> 00:53:14,440 individually as a defender last year than I gave him credit for. So I 819 00:53:14,440 --> 00:53:16,599 went back and watch some stuff like a few a few days of weeks after 820 00:53:16,639 --> 00:53:20,760 that, and I'm looking at what's happening on the court. Robert Covington was 821 00:53:20,800 --> 00:53:23,039 just way overtaxed last year because there wasn't enough talent around him, And so 822 00:53:23,079 --> 00:53:25,159 you were just right, and I was too hard on him because I wasn't 823 00:53:25,159 --> 00:53:30,079 looking at the surrounding parts closer enough. Hashtag national analyst choppering in for one 824 00:53:30,119 --> 00:53:34,880 Blazers game at a time and trying to draw opinions from that. What a 825 00:53:34,960 --> 00:53:37,440 dumb mass. That's very long hashtag. So I do take her. I 826 00:53:37,480 --> 00:53:40,880 do value your opinion in case there was any doubt there. If I'm the 827 00:53:40,920 --> 00:53:46,280 Blazers, this is going to be offbeat. I might look at trading Norman 828 00:53:46,320 --> 00:53:50,960 Powell this year if you want to keep the Dame CJ thing together. Because 829 00:53:51,360 --> 00:53:54,559 and go with me for just a second here, what Philly, I don't 830 00:53:54,599 --> 00:53:58,760 think trays Ben simm Is before December fifteenth, when all these got most of 831 00:53:58,760 --> 00:54:01,599 these guys that signed contracts and the off season can be dealt if they're really 832 00:54:01,639 --> 00:54:06,639 painted into a corner like they might have to accept a package where they're not 833 00:54:06,760 --> 00:54:09,039 using Ben Simmons to get another star. And I know people have looked at 834 00:54:09,039 --> 00:54:14,079 that, Okay, well the CJ for Ben framework, and offensively CJ would 835 00:54:14,119 --> 00:54:16,440 make more sense for them. Norman Powell can do things for you on defense. 836 00:54:16,719 --> 00:54:22,440 He's cheaper to where the Blazers then do include other stuff like maybe you're 837 00:54:22,519 --> 00:54:25,000 that's where the deal you're getting Roco, that's the deal we're getting Larry Nance, 838 00:54:25,079 --> 00:54:29,800 and then Picks, and it feels like maybe there's another situation. Maybe 839 00:54:29,800 --> 00:54:32,599 it's not necessarily Ben Simmons, but they can push their chips all in without 840 00:54:32,719 --> 00:54:37,880 actually giving up CJ. And I don't know that that's been talked about enough 841 00:54:37,880 --> 00:54:39,239 because I do feel like people are reticent to be like, well, they 842 00:54:39,239 --> 00:54:44,440 just traded for this dude. But if you put Norman Powell with Picks, 843 00:54:44,800 --> 00:54:46,239 and even if you have to attach one of the other min end salaries you 844 00:54:46,320 --> 00:54:49,719 referenced, if it's a for a certain team, it could be Narkis, 845 00:54:49,840 --> 00:54:52,679 it could be Nance, it could be Roco, because you know Nance and 846 00:54:52,719 --> 00:54:55,679 Roco are more plug and play. Maybe I don't know who the player is, 847 00:54:55,840 --> 00:54:59,559 but I'm saying maybe that's a scenario that's on the table. That's also 848 00:54:59,599 --> 00:55:04,599 my way saying that I honestly don't expect anything seizemic to happen with this roster 849 00:55:04,719 --> 00:55:07,920 this year. Although the nerkage thing I didn't give enough thoughts too. That 850 00:55:07,039 --> 00:55:09,960 was you you like hit that. I like, now, I'm gonna be 851 00:55:09,960 --> 00:55:13,679 thinking about that for days now. That just never even crossed my mind. 852 00:55:14,199 --> 00:55:19,079 Welcome to my world and worrying about use of nerkicch and clutch sports. I 853 00:55:19,119 --> 00:55:22,519 didn't. I'm so glad you brought that up because I didn't say Norman Powell 854 00:55:22,559 --> 00:55:27,119 because I knew that he had just signed this this big, gigantic five year 855 00:55:27,840 --> 00:55:30,039 and I like, they have to wait a little while before they can be 856 00:55:30,039 --> 00:55:32,800 traded, but they can definitely be traded before the trade deadline. So I'm 857 00:55:32,800 --> 00:55:35,960 really glad you brought that up, and I think you make an excellent point. 858 00:55:37,199 --> 00:55:38,719 I've actually thought about that, and I thought it was like two out 859 00:55:38,719 --> 00:55:44,079 there to like speak, So I'm glad. I'm glad that you brought it 860 00:55:44,159 --> 00:55:50,360 up, because that's the other thing, is bringing This is my conspiracy theory 861 00:55:50,400 --> 00:55:52,880 brain, bringing in all these guys for a training camp and even those guys 862 00:55:52,920 --> 00:55:58,920 that they brought on for summer League to take like long looks at. Should 863 00:55:58,920 --> 00:56:05,039 they need to package up multiple players in order to trade for Ben Simmons, 864 00:56:05,079 --> 00:56:07,320 They're going to have to fill some roster spots, you know, because it'll 865 00:56:07,320 --> 00:56:12,119 take in order to get you know, if not CJ, they're going to 866 00:56:12,199 --> 00:56:16,480 have to like, you know, package multiple players together in order to reach 867 00:56:16,519 --> 00:56:21,280 that threshold. And then they'll have some holes. And if there's some guys 868 00:56:21,280 --> 00:56:23,960 that they've taken a look at that they know that should this thing happen, 869 00:56:24,039 --> 00:56:28,000 they could bring in because they're already familiar with the team, they've already been 870 00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:31,400 through training camp. I don't know, that's my my conspiracy brain thinking, 871 00:56:31,480 --> 00:56:35,519 But you know, I don't think it's impossible at all. Yeah, And 872 00:56:35,599 --> 00:56:37,360 look, maybe it's not even a big one, Like it's just every all 873 00:56:37,480 --> 00:56:40,639 sorts of shit develops during the season. It could just be that I look 874 00:56:40,679 --> 00:56:45,320 at that Norman Powell number and I'm like, it's not five and nineties seems 875 00:56:45,320 --> 00:56:46,880 like so much. But if he's still playing well in the middle of the 876 00:56:46,960 --> 00:56:51,000 year, that deal is from a team perspective, I want all players to 877 00:56:51,039 --> 00:56:52,159 get paid all the money WRO. I always want to make that clear. 878 00:56:52,400 --> 00:56:55,039 But from a team perspective, that deels fine. And so if you're the 879 00:56:55,039 --> 00:56:58,599 Blazers and you don't want to go nuclear, but like you still want to 880 00:56:58,639 --> 00:57:01,559 make sort of a semi significant move, So I'm just I'm looking at him. 881 00:57:01,599 --> 00:57:04,719 But like I said, I'm gonna be thinking about use of nurkic Is 882 00:57:04,760 --> 00:57:07,840 future for days now because I don't know how I didn't give that any consideration. 883 00:57:08,039 --> 00:57:10,719 These are cookie cutter questions that I ask on all of our look aheads, 884 00:57:10,719 --> 00:57:15,639 but they're some of my I enjoy asking them the most. What do 885 00:57:15,639 --> 00:57:17,320 you think is going to be this team's go to crunch time lineup? And 886 00:57:17,320 --> 00:57:20,800 I know they're like most teams, they are built to change it up based 887 00:57:20,800 --> 00:57:22,719 on the matchup. But if you had to predict like they're most used, 888 00:57:22,800 --> 00:57:25,559 or what you think is going to be their most effective go to lineup down 889 00:57:25,559 --> 00:57:29,320 the stretch of close games, what would it be? I mean, I 890 00:57:29,320 --> 00:57:34,440 think it'll most likely to be the starting lineup, with the caveat that if 891 00:57:35,519 --> 00:57:42,280 use of Nurkic is in foul trouble or fouled out or sometimes CJ sometimes struggles 892 00:57:42,320 --> 00:57:45,719 with hitting those late free throws. So I think it might be possible that 893 00:57:45,840 --> 00:57:50,960 they have, you know, some like a shooter in there, like Anthony 894 00:57:51,159 --> 00:57:52,760 might be in there, like if they just need somebody who can shoot that 895 00:57:52,800 --> 00:57:58,159 they know that if they can and who can as also. It's just weird, 896 00:57:58,199 --> 00:58:00,039 like it always surprises me. I'm like, see Jay, like he's 897 00:58:00,039 --> 00:58:04,000 such a good free throw shooter, but sometimes in those crunch time and it's 898 00:58:04,280 --> 00:58:06,800 I don't know, I haven't looked at it recently on what they say. 899 00:58:06,880 --> 00:58:07,880 Yeah, I don't know. To say that CJ wouldn't be in is a 900 00:58:07,960 --> 00:58:12,480 little ridiculous. I'm I'm hearing that now, But I pretty much think it's 901 00:58:12,519 --> 00:58:15,840 going to be the starting lineup. It used to be like Mellow would be 902 00:58:15,880 --> 00:58:20,440 on because they would want a shooter. So I think there's a possibility that 903 00:58:20,480 --> 00:58:22,559 if they want a shooter, then somebody else will be in there. Look, 904 00:58:23,760 --> 00:58:27,119 this is I've looked up the CJ free throw stuff from last season. 905 00:58:27,159 --> 00:58:30,239 He only took one free throw in the clocks last year and he made it. 906 00:58:30,360 --> 00:58:32,119 But maybe the fact that he only took one free throw is is kind 907 00:58:32,119 --> 00:58:35,280 of the problem or no, I'm looking at a different filter for it. 908 00:58:35,280 --> 00:58:37,519 Hold on, let me unfilter this very quickly. No, you'll find out 909 00:58:37,519 --> 00:58:39,360 how wrong I am. No, No, you're right. One of three 910 00:58:39,559 --> 00:58:43,360 from the foul line and crunch time last year. That is not It's only 911 00:58:43,360 --> 00:58:45,559 three free throws. But that's not great, Bob. He doesn't get to 912 00:58:45,599 --> 00:58:52,760 the line very much, just in general. And yeah, so I think 913 00:58:52,760 --> 00:58:57,239 they have four givens where to me it's Rowco, Norm, CJ, and 914 00:58:57,320 --> 00:59:00,480 Dame. But now that you mentioned like the shooting all of it, I 915 00:59:00,519 --> 00:59:04,039 get to me you can't. Yeah, I think it's for guaranteed one just 916 00:59:04,079 --> 00:59:07,079 because you can fucks and fiddle. I guess with the center spot, the 917 00:59:07,119 --> 00:59:09,199 other guy to pull if you need more shooting would probably be Roko. And 918 00:59:09,199 --> 00:59:14,239 I just think he's too valuable to your defense to even entertain the idea of 919 00:59:14,280 --> 00:59:17,039 not closing with him. Yeah, he gets those deflections, he gets those 920 00:59:17,079 --> 00:59:22,920 steals. What I'm hoping for, hoping for is more transition, you know, 921 00:59:22,159 --> 00:59:25,800 because Roco gets all those steals, but they were they just I feel 922 00:59:25,800 --> 00:59:31,119 like they had a hard time converting on them last last season. Is there 923 00:59:31,199 --> 00:59:35,440 a quirky lineup that if you were the head coach, you would roll out 924 00:59:35,559 --> 00:59:37,800 just to see, just to see what would happen. Absolutely, I always 925 00:59:37,840 --> 00:59:43,199 love the young player lineups. Like in the past, they had a lineup 926 00:59:43,199 --> 00:59:45,599 that I used to call the pink Shoe Shift because it was one time they 927 00:59:45,599 --> 00:59:49,880 had all three wore pink shoes and it was Gary Trent, Ben Simmon or 928 00:59:49,960 --> 00:59:53,519 Ben Ben Simmons. Sorry, Anthony Simons, it was Gary Trent junior, 929 00:59:53,760 --> 00:59:59,400 Anthony Simons and Na's little. I love when the young guys get run. 930 01:00:00,480 --> 01:00:05,400 But of course Gary has moved on and so that's not gonna happen. I 931 01:00:05,440 --> 01:00:07,400 absolutely want to see Greg Brown in the game because I want to see if 932 01:00:07,400 --> 01:00:12,519 we're going to get another in game East Bay dunk. I don't know if 933 01:00:12,559 --> 01:00:15,840 you saw that at Summer League. I did not. He did an in 934 01:00:15,079 --> 01:00:22,719 game underneath the legs between the legs dunk, like Greg Brown is serious when 935 01:00:22,760 --> 01:00:28,079 it comes, and I want that. I want all the Greg Brown and 936 01:00:28,159 --> 01:00:30,320 it's that I can get. I hope I get them, because the Blazers 937 01:00:30,360 --> 01:00:32,960 are gonna blowout situation and they're gonna throw out Greg Brown to just do something 938 01:00:34,000 --> 01:00:37,440 fun. But I really want to see the game. You have talked about 939 01:00:37,440 --> 01:00:40,719 in the past though that when players reached the big league club for the Blazers, 940 01:00:40,719 --> 01:00:46,079 they kind of forget how to dunk. Exhibit it absolutely would. Oh 941 01:00:46,199 --> 01:00:51,480 yeah, okay last year. Last season, the Blazers had a total of 942 01:00:51,559 --> 01:00:57,000 one hundred and eighty three dunks dead last. Rudy Gobert had two hundred and 943 01:00:57,039 --> 01:01:01,519 thirty one, and the Blazers combine for one hundred and eighty three. So 944 01:01:01,840 --> 01:01:07,679 I yes, that is absolutely what happens with the former coach. This is 945 01:01:07,679 --> 01:01:12,519 where I have an open where I'm keeping an open mind. Maybe this coach 946 01:01:12,559 --> 01:01:15,960 will be like, dunk all you want, let's get it. Like my 947 01:01:16,440 --> 01:01:21,400 if my all my dreams came true, this team would totally turn into like 948 01:01:21,440 --> 01:01:24,440 they would just turn on the dunking because they have, you know, dunk 949 01:01:24,559 --> 01:01:29,800 championships. They had two Slam Dunk Championships last year and absolutely came in dead 950 01:01:29,920 --> 01:01:34,679 last in dunks. Like that's not right. So my dream is that they're 951 01:01:34,719 --> 01:01:37,800 just unleashing dunks all over the place, start throwing alley ups. And maybe 952 01:01:37,800 --> 01:01:42,320 that's another thing that Nurkics does. Maybe he's throwing alley ups from the elbow. 953 01:01:42,400 --> 01:01:45,039 How fun would that be? So yeah, my dream is that they'll 954 01:01:45,039 --> 01:01:49,719 just unleash the dunks all over everybody's head. But that's a dream. That's 955 01:01:49,760 --> 01:01:52,760 why they need to give the last roster spot to either Dennis Smith or Marky's 956 01:01:52,840 --> 01:01:55,719 Chris, just to have that extra bounce so that they can get Tara more 957 01:01:55,800 --> 01:01:59,840 dunks that needs to go into the to the calculus. I don't know. 958 01:02:00,159 --> 01:02:02,480 I come into every season with such high hopes on that, but you know, 959 01:02:02,639 --> 01:02:07,800 maybe, like I said, new coach, new new styles, Hey 960 01:02:07,920 --> 01:02:12,079 goes go out there and just I don't know if it's because it's too crowded. 961 01:02:13,320 --> 01:02:15,000 Why why do you think a team would not dunk when they have good 962 01:02:15,039 --> 01:02:17,320 dunkers on it? I'm sure a lot of it is just like when you're 963 01:02:17,320 --> 01:02:21,239 in the half court, the way that their offense goes is not really conducive 964 01:02:21,280 --> 01:02:24,840 to getting those, so you would have to rely on forcing turnovers on defense, 965 01:02:24,880 --> 01:02:29,840 which they did not do, or just getting out in transition a bunch. 966 01:02:30,199 --> 01:02:34,360 Okay, they also did not do. That would be my theory. 967 01:02:34,400 --> 01:02:37,239 But it was funny when you mentioned it, just because like Derek Jones Junior 968 01:02:37,320 --> 01:02:39,840 goes from this like he's still electric, but like he would try to dunk 969 01:02:40,000 --> 01:02:45,280 every other possession when he was in Miami, and then you just go into 970 01:02:45,320 --> 01:02:49,440 Portland and he's just like he felt just so like muted on offense. Well, 971 01:02:49,559 --> 01:02:52,000 this is what he did in the past. So maybe there's something going 972 01:02:52,039 --> 01:02:55,519 on there. We'll see if the coaching change warps that or you know, 973 01:02:55,639 --> 01:02:59,400 changes that. Let's see the coaching change changes that. As I use back 974 01:02:59,440 --> 01:03:01,760 to back saying words. So but yeah, it's I never even thought about 975 01:03:01,800 --> 01:03:05,199 that until you mentioned you were talking about Derek Jones Junior, I think in 976 01:03:05,199 --> 01:03:07,800 the middle of last year with me, and that made me think, like, 977 01:03:07,119 --> 01:03:10,320 yeah, the Blazers are just jinxing all these good dunkers. I know, 978 01:03:10,880 --> 01:03:14,280 I know, and I just hope that maybe it's just you know, 979 01:03:14,440 --> 01:03:16,599 new style for you know, forcing more, like you said, forcing more 980 01:03:16,639 --> 01:03:22,119 tinier is allowing more for transition. One of the things that Blazer fans have 981 01:03:22,360 --> 01:03:25,800 been talking about for a long time is somebody who can throw alley oops. 982 01:03:27,159 --> 01:03:30,480 You know, we miss Andre Miller and his beautiful He was such a great 983 01:03:30,480 --> 01:03:32,559 alley thrower, and everyone's like, Dame should be able to throw alley oops. 984 01:03:32,559 --> 01:03:36,840 And I'm like, if Dame is out there, the ball is going 985 01:03:36,880 --> 01:03:38,880 in like he's not throwing it to somebody else so that they can throw it 986 01:03:38,920 --> 01:03:44,599 in, like when Dame is like, you know, shooting from out there, 987 01:03:44,639 --> 01:03:46,519 just shoot it like there's no reason for Dame to throw an alley. 988 01:03:46,840 --> 01:03:51,480 So I have like I would love it if like Nurkics was good at it, 989 01:03:51,559 --> 01:03:53,320 or maybe Larryan's junior will be got up, maybe Cody Zeller will be 990 01:03:53,400 --> 01:03:58,199 up, maybe he'll be out there and you know, see opportunities for it. 991 01:03:58,320 --> 01:04:01,239 So I'm all this is to say that I don't look to Damian Lord 992 01:04:01,400 --> 01:04:05,360 to being the star alley thrower because if it's in his hands, just throw 993 01:04:05,400 --> 01:04:09,119 it in and get three? Why would you alley? You? But to 994 01:04:09,199 --> 01:04:13,039 get to the other thing is like have they given him like a traditional lob 995 01:04:13,239 --> 01:04:16,519 like he played with the Marcus Robin Lopez Nurkics, Like they have us on 996 01:04:16,559 --> 01:04:20,000 Whiteside for a minute, but like that's you can't you know, So I've 997 01:04:20,039 --> 01:04:24,039 just like have they given him Like I think Larry NaN's junior might be the 998 01:04:24,079 --> 01:04:26,920 first legitimate one he's had, And I know he's not like the best, 999 01:04:26,920 --> 01:04:30,360 He's not JaVale McGee, are you know podcast favorite Javelle McGee? But like 1000 01:04:31,000 --> 01:04:33,719 you know, I'm with you on what you're saying, Like Dame doesn't need 1001 01:04:33,760 --> 01:04:38,679 to do that, but he also hasn't had like the big men who would 1002 01:04:38,679 --> 01:04:42,559 do that for the most part anyway. Yeah, and I don't doesn't need 1003 01:04:42,639 --> 01:04:45,480 to be big man name. He had Derek Jones right there that wasn't fired 1004 01:04:45,519 --> 01:04:48,800 more offensive innovation than I think the Blazers were ready for it at least. 1005 01:04:49,400 --> 01:04:53,760 So I have two lineups. I couldn't decide between them, but I would 1006 01:04:53,760 --> 01:04:55,880 just love to see that. I don't think they would try. You mentioned 1007 01:04:55,880 --> 01:04:59,559 the three guard lineup somewhere in the beginning of this podcast. Give me the 1008 01:04:59,599 --> 01:05:03,800 four guard lineup. I want Norm Dame, CJ and Anthony Simon's playing with 1009 01:05:03,880 --> 01:05:06,960 Larry Nance Junior at the five. I don't care if you give up a 1010 01:05:06,960 --> 01:05:11,639 trillion points. I think that I think that offense would hum. The other 1011 01:05:11,679 --> 01:05:15,320 one I was looking at is give me Dame and then all like the big 1012 01:05:16,039 --> 01:05:21,519 I'll call them position list guys. I want Dame, Tony Snell, Nas, 1013 01:05:24,000 --> 01:05:27,440 Larry Nance Junior, and Robert Covington on the floor. You can sub 1014 01:05:27,440 --> 01:05:30,199 out like one of those guys for Norman Powell because he's kind of a wing, 1015 01:05:30,199 --> 01:05:33,159 but I want the bigger wings who could arguably be position lists. I 1016 01:05:33,159 --> 01:05:35,920 don't think any of them could defend point guards in that lineup, including Damian 1017 01:05:35,960 --> 01:05:39,320 Lillard. So maybe that's why you want Norman Powell. But I just want 1018 01:05:39,360 --> 01:05:42,239 to see one of those two lineups just for a few possessions this season. 1019 01:05:42,440 --> 01:05:45,280 I don't know if that they'll ever try the four guard lineup, but that 1020 01:05:45,360 --> 01:05:46,679 just seems like a no brainer. You're already gonna play three of them to 1021 01:05:46,679 --> 01:05:50,039 start, throw the fourth one in. Oh. Absolutely, I'm all for 1022 01:05:50,159 --> 01:05:55,159 the four guard lineup. I mean they everybody else is running out the three 1023 01:05:55,159 --> 01:05:57,719 guard lineup, now, why not, like, you know, innovate something 1024 01:05:57,760 --> 01:06:00,559 else. You know what I mean too, I'm all for trying. I 1025 01:06:00,559 --> 01:06:02,840 just want something different. I just want something that's interesting to look at. 1026 01:06:02,880 --> 01:06:06,280 So I don't care. I love the idea of all these positionless guys like 1027 01:06:06,320 --> 01:06:11,760 figuring it out. You know that, you know, the soccer player, 1028 01:06:11,920 --> 01:06:15,519 when everybody gets scrambled and ends up in different parts of the field than they 1029 01:06:15,559 --> 01:06:19,559 have to like take on some new and creative role. Why not let's see 1030 01:06:19,559 --> 01:06:23,760 it. As we record this, the Blazers win total is set at forty 1031 01:06:23,800 --> 01:06:27,559 four point five. Would you take the over or the under on that? 1032 01:06:27,639 --> 01:06:30,199 And where do you sort of, you know, from your view seat of 1033 01:06:30,280 --> 01:06:33,079 stacking up in the what is People have argued it's a weaker Western Conference. 1034 01:06:33,320 --> 01:06:38,119 It's still very wild Western Conference where it feels like there are like eight teams 1035 01:06:38,119 --> 01:06:43,159 that are interchangeable one through eight. I will take the over, partly because 1036 01:06:43,519 --> 01:06:47,199 the Blazers always make the over, and also because I think the team has 1037 01:06:47,320 --> 01:06:50,880 a lot to prove this year. I think they're going to be on a 1038 01:06:50,920 --> 01:06:57,199 mission to prove some things. And so forty four and a half wins does 1039 01:06:57,239 --> 01:07:03,239 not prove anything, forty five doesn't prove anything. Fifty wins, fifty wins 1040 01:07:03,360 --> 01:07:08,360 proves something. So I think I would definitely take the over. I think 1041 01:07:08,719 --> 01:07:12,079 they, you know, the introduction of the new coach was rough, and 1042 01:07:12,159 --> 01:07:16,000 I think these guys are gonna really, really really want to play well for 1043 01:07:16,119 --> 01:07:19,119 him and make it, you know, a good debut for a first year 1044 01:07:19,159 --> 01:07:23,960 coach. I think Dame has a lot to prove. Usef Nurkich is on 1045 01:07:24,000 --> 01:07:27,960 a contract year, Robert Covington is on a contractor, Anthony Simons has not 1046 01:07:28,039 --> 01:07:30,280 had his extended yet, and I think a lot of guys have a lot 1047 01:07:30,320 --> 01:07:34,199 to prove, especially at that end of the year. So I think they're 1048 01:07:34,239 --> 01:07:36,679 gonna like they always been in the top four. I would love to see 1049 01:07:36,679 --> 01:07:39,599 them get home court advantage. I think that they can do it. I'm 1050 01:07:39,599 --> 01:07:43,119 gonna reluctantly take the over and I've been going over way too much on this 1051 01:07:43,159 --> 01:07:45,960 podcast. When I actually do are over under podcast, I'm gonna need to 1052 01:07:45,960 --> 01:07:48,360 reevaluate some of my decisions. I guess I get caught up in diving too 1053 01:07:48,360 --> 01:07:53,320 deep into teams and loving them apparently. But what would concern me is just 1054 01:07:53,400 --> 01:07:56,480 that we talk about backup center being an issue, but when you sort of 1055 01:07:56,480 --> 01:08:01,079 look at their four or five rotation and you're relying on Nurkicch, Larry An 1056 01:08:01,320 --> 01:08:05,920 Jr. And Cody Zeller all to remain healthy, there's the potential for like 1057 01:08:06,039 --> 01:08:09,960 some minutes to get blown up there, and so that would be my concern. 1058 01:08:10,119 --> 01:08:14,400 But as we've already talked about, because I don't expect expect anything huge 1059 01:08:14,440 --> 01:08:17,680 to happen with this roster, uh in the middle of the season, it 1060 01:08:17,720 --> 01:08:23,800 feels like a very you know, it feels like a very easy over for 1061 01:08:23,840 --> 01:08:26,119 them to clear. Like I could I don't. Maybe they don't win fifty 1062 01:08:26,119 --> 01:08:28,680 games, but I could see this team being a forty nine win team, 1063 01:08:28,720 --> 01:08:31,239 just as it is very easily in this in the current Western Conference landscape. 1064 01:08:31,359 --> 01:08:34,079 Yeah, I don't I don't disagree. I don't know how everybody's going to 1065 01:08:34,119 --> 01:08:39,439 make that over, but every team is going to make the over. But 1066 01:08:39,600 --> 01:08:42,119 I have picked a lot of over so I'm gonna need to go back and 1067 01:08:42,119 --> 01:08:46,399 we'll see who gets who gets screwed over from my my relentless optimism when I 1068 01:08:46,439 --> 01:08:50,479 do the single team podcast, apparently, well, that's what we love about 1069 01:08:50,600 --> 01:08:56,119 the beginning of the season is everybody's hopes or hopes are never higher, right, 1070 01:08:56,319 --> 01:09:00,520 and until we see what it actually looks like, we don't have any 1071 01:09:00,520 --> 01:09:02,880 reason to think it wouldn't work. I mean, I don't know. Also, 1072 01:09:03,000 --> 01:09:05,600 just let me say, it's incredible all the work that you've been doing 1073 01:09:05,640 --> 01:09:09,439 putting out all these previews, because they are all deep and they are all 1074 01:09:09,560 --> 01:09:14,000 so thoughtful. I am amazed at how much knowledge you have about all the 1075 01:09:14,039 --> 01:09:17,000 different teams that you can have like a discussion about every single team. How 1076 01:09:17,039 --> 01:09:20,560 do you do it? It's amazing. I appreciate the kind words, and 1077 01:09:20,600 --> 01:09:24,920 it's a lot easier when you can just ride the coattails of every single guest 1078 01:09:25,039 --> 01:09:28,720 that you bring on. So all the guests have been fantastic, including yourself, 1079 01:09:28,920 --> 01:09:30,560 rely on you. It's funny when you're like, you could bring on 1080 01:09:30,600 --> 01:09:32,920 someone else to talk about the Blazers if you want, and I'm like, 1081 01:09:33,359 --> 01:09:36,239 no, I would never want to talk to anybody else about the Blazers other 1082 01:09:36,279 --> 01:09:42,359 than Tara. Did I not ask anything about this team or a specific player, 1083 01:09:42,399 --> 01:09:45,079 that anything at all that you think needs to be discussed. I think 1084 01:09:45,119 --> 01:09:48,760 that I really covered everything that I wanted to talk about. But I really 1085 01:09:48,760 --> 01:09:54,319 think you need to go watch Greg Brown's in game between the Lakes East Bay 1086 01:09:54,399 --> 01:09:59,359 Dunk was also amazing to watch that. Watch that Summer League highlight. I'm 1087 01:09:59,359 --> 01:10:01,359 also going to need you to send me that video of Damian Lillard getting hit 1088 01:10:01,399 --> 01:10:04,920 by Pool Moodles or whatever it is. I've never seen that. Oh yeah, 1089 01:10:04,960 --> 01:10:10,920 I was just gonna say I wrote that in the content I found that 1090 01:10:11,560 --> 01:10:15,279 Damian Lillard a clip, or I revisited that Damian Lillard clip in the context 1091 01:10:15,319 --> 01:10:19,039 one time when I was writing an article about him being a storyteller and about 1092 01:10:19,039 --> 01:10:26,800 how with the in that playoff run that they made, like the first shot 1093 01:10:26,880 --> 01:10:30,720 against that he took way from the Way Outside over Russell Westbrook to start the 1094 01:10:31,039 --> 01:10:34,520 Oklahoma City series, as well as the one over Paul George to end. 1095 01:10:34,560 --> 01:10:41,319 It was just an example of how Damian Lillard never just does. It's always 1096 01:10:41,319 --> 01:10:44,560 a part of a story arc. It's just always a part of Like that's 1097 01:10:44,600 --> 01:10:46,560 just how who Damian Lillard is. And that's why I said, like, 1098 01:10:47,000 --> 01:10:51,079 you know, if I could reiterate anything, his story in Portland is not 1099 01:10:51,199 --> 01:10:55,960 over and he will not leave Portland until his story is over. Tara, 1100 01:10:56,079 --> 01:10:59,520 are you able to tell our listeners where they can follow you on social media 1101 01:10:59,680 --> 01:11:01,920 and or they can consume your podcast and all the great work that you put 1102 01:11:01,920 --> 01:11:05,760 out. Yeah, So I'm mostly on Twitter and my Twitter handle is at 1103 01:11:05,800 --> 01:11:13,479 tc B B I t G S, which I'm I'm just absolutely stuck with 1104 01:11:13,520 --> 01:11:15,279 that one because and everybody always gets it wrong. So you can also search 1105 01:11:15,319 --> 01:11:19,319 for Team Mom. I will often show up there if you just put in 1106 01:11:19,359 --> 01:11:24,439 Team Mom. And so two podcasts. One is called We Have a Take, 1107 01:11:24,520 --> 01:11:27,760 and I do that with my friend Cassidy Gemmittt and we talk about Blazer 1108 01:11:27,800 --> 01:11:30,560 stuff and go off the deep end sometimes like discuss the Blazers and why it's 1109 01:11:30,600 --> 01:11:35,279 like the Bachelor. We also had a below Deck episode and then on my 1110 01:11:35,800 --> 01:11:42,359 other podcast is The Step Back Sisterhood that I do with Janelle Moore, Amber 1111 01:11:42,439 --> 01:11:46,439 Vickers and Brett Robatista, and they are amazing women that everybody should check out. 1112 01:11:46,800 --> 01:11:51,039 And yeah, I'm gonna be following recording that later on this afternoon and 1113 01:11:51,079 --> 01:11:55,159 you can follow We have a Take at We Have a Take and the Step 1114 01:11:55,159 --> 01:11:59,399 Back Sisterhood at Step Back Sisters. So thank you so much for having me 1115 01:11:59,439 --> 01:12:01,479 on Dan. I've really appreciate it. I want to reiterate that that we 1116 01:12:01,560 --> 01:12:05,079 have a take podcast, especially is I said it already as a breath of 1117 01:12:05,239 --> 01:12:09,640 fresh air. You guys talk about basketball obviously, but like the you know, 1118 01:12:09,680 --> 01:12:12,800 where are you going to get a dramatic reading of Marquis Chris's Wikipedia page? 1119 01:12:13,079 --> 01:12:15,239 It's that we have a take so I enjoy you know talking. I 1120 01:12:15,520 --> 01:12:19,319 learned about Norman Palace puppies from that podcast as well, So you guys are 1121 01:12:19,359 --> 01:12:23,399 just able to mix like escapism into it. I love it. I try 1122 01:12:23,439 --> 01:12:26,199 to listen to it, as I don't catch every episode of midtally, but 1123 01:12:26,239 --> 01:12:29,159 I try to listen to do it as much as possible, so please keep 1124 01:12:29,159 --> 01:12:32,159 putting out that content for us, and once more, thank you again for 1125 01:12:32,239 --> 01:12:35,239 your time and insight. And you know by now that I will come a 1126 01:12:35,319 --> 01:12:36,840 call in again at some point