WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:05.080 Welcome back the drivetime on ESPN seven hundred order Larcen 2 00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:10.039 Tony Parks filling in for Spence check Its on the drive, 3 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:14.839 of course, recapping the Super Bowl championship for the Philadelphia 4 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:19.199 Eagles hometown Britton Covey now a Super Bowl champ. We'll 5 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:21.960 get to all of that as the show goes along 6 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:24.839 a bunch of NFL guests to close out the afternoon, 7 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:28.440 Omar Ruiz of the NFL Network, Robert Johnson, the former 8 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:32.399 NFL safety and ute, and then Stevenson Sylvester of course, 9 00:00:32.439 --> 00:00:36.119 the former Pittsburgh Steeler linebacker played in a Super Bowl 10 00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:42.920 himself and now covering the utes and joining the station regularly. 11 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:46.439 But now we're talking oops with Tom Haberstrow, the NBA 12 00:00:46.679 --> 00:00:51.320 daily assist Weekly with our guy, Tom Haberstrow. Tom, how's 13 00:00:51.320 --> 00:00:53.880 your weekend, my friend? Crazy? 14 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:58.399 Another crazy weekend in the NBA. Maybe you know last 15 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:01.079 weekend was even crazier. Of course, Luca Doncha's trade. But 16 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:04.000 the fact of the matter is, you know this next 17 00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:07.560 rescinded trade. Mark Williams. I was on the air once 18 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:10.599 again with the Blazers broadcast when that news broke. It 19 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:13.519 is a never a dull moment. Do I dare say 20 00:01:13.560 --> 00:01:16.840 Porter that the NBA stole the stage during Super Bowl 21 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:20.040 Week from the NFL after the NFL tried to take 22 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:21.439 that corner on Christmas Day. 23 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:23.040 Well, I was gonna I was gonna ask you, what 24 00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:25.120 is the what does the need to look like on 25 00:01:25.159 --> 00:01:27.280 a on a Super Bowl Sunday for a guy who 26 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:29.959 I know is very hoop centric. I know I'm a 27 00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:32.840 football guy, so for me, I'll be honest with you. 28 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:36.799 I didn't even there was no NBA anything on Sunday, 29 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:38.719 But it look like for Tom Haberstraw on a Super 30 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:41.319 Bowl Sunday, is it it's still all hoops? Are you 31 00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:44.239 a watching? Is it in the background? It is? 32 00:01:44.439 --> 00:01:44.599 Uh. 33 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:48.120 Luckily for the NBA, they had the matinee game, so 34 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:50.439 there were three games on the NBA schedule, but they're 35 00:01:50.519 --> 00:01:54.480 all programmed to get over and done with before the 36 00:01:54.519 --> 00:01:56.959 festivities begin over there in New Orleans, and so they 37 00:01:57.000 --> 00:01:59.799 typically do this where they all have like one or 38 00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:03.840 two games on Super Bowl Sunday. I had written my 39 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:08.800 Tom's title Tears, which I do every Monday at Tomdefinder 40 00:02:08.840 --> 00:02:11.960 dot Com on my sub stack, where I will rank 41 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:15.400 into tears the title contenders and usually that goes out 42 00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:18.599 Monday morning, but because it was Super Bowl Sunday, I 43 00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:20.159 was like, you know, I'm going to get it out early. 44 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:23.800 So I stayed up late Saturday night, early into into 45 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:28.360 Sunday morning writing that piece. And so once that piece 46 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:34.400 got out to my subscribers on Sunday morning, I kind 47 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:37.439 of put the NBA to bed and it was full, 48 00:02:37.639 --> 00:02:39.879 you know, with my kids. My wife went over to 49 00:02:39.960 --> 00:02:41.719 her friend's house and watched the Super Bowl, and my 50 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:43.639 friend is a big Eagles fan, so that was a 51 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:47.759 lot of fun. But it really was interesting how at 52 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:51.039 the topic of conversation at the Super Bowl party, a 53 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:54.120 lot of it was about Luca and and the and 54 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:57.080 the Lakers and the potential move to Vegas, all this 55 00:02:57.159 --> 00:03:00.479 stuff that we talked about on Basketball Luminadi Life Week. 56 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:04.639 We had the guy that the Dallas attorney who concocted 57 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:08.319 the theory that this Luka Doncic trade was not about 58 00:03:08.360 --> 00:03:12.280 basketball reasons. This was all about the Adolesen family from 59 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:15.120 Vegas that buys the team in Dallas wants to build 60 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:18.560 leverage with the Texas legislature to push through resort casinos 61 00:03:18.919 --> 00:03:23.240 and sports gambling. That's why they traded Luka Doncic in 62 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:26.240 this guy's opinion, and all of this has kind of 63 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:29.120 taken a life of its own. This idea that Luka 64 00:03:29.159 --> 00:03:32.800 Doncic was traded as part of this larger scheme to 65 00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:36.479 tank the MAVs franchise and build leverage to get the 66 00:03:36.520 --> 00:03:41.719 Texas legislature to cave and allow sports gambling and resort casinos. 67 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:46.560 We heard from Patrick Dumont, who's the governor there for 68 00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:52.400 the governor of the the Dallas Mavericks, who pooh poohed 69 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:55.439 the idea that no, we are here to stay in Dallas. 70 00:03:55.879 --> 00:03:59.159 But of course Porter, that's what Clay Bennett said about 71 00:03:59.240 --> 00:04:02.960 Seattle before he picked up and moved the team to 72 00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:09.199 Oklahoma City, his backyard where his businesses were. So until Porter, 73 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:14.240 until that Las Vegas expansion team is awarded by the NBA. 74 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:19.480 I think this whole Mavericks Luca trade will still be 75 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:25.399 in the shadows, just existing, because otherwise, ma'am, it really 76 00:04:25.480 --> 00:04:30.000 doesn't make much sense from a basketball perspective, especially hindsight 77 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:32.480 twenty twenty. But now that we learn that Anthony Davis 78 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:36.079 is out for the foreseeable future, according to Mark Stein, indefinitely, 79 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:39.680 potentially a season ending injury, it just adds more way 80 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:42.360 to the idea that this was a really, really bad 81 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:45.600 gamble by the Dallas Mavericks to trade Luca for Anthony Davis. 82 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:49.720 You mentioned obviously that the Anthony Davis going down maybe 83 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:54.120 indefinitely part that doesn't help the case for the Dallas Mavericks, 84 00:04:54.199 --> 00:04:57.720 especially when you're talking long term right there, play is 85 00:04:57.800 --> 00:05:00.399 this is our long term future. They didn't they didn't 86 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:03.000 want to invest in Luca in that way. Well, if 87 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:05.839 your long term future is on this guy, and Anthony Davis, 88 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:09.399 who we know is prone to not being on the 89 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:12.360 floor for large parts of the year outside of last 90 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:15.480 year really was the first year he played seventy plus 91 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:19.120 games in the last half decade plus. And then Kyrie Irving, 92 00:05:19.160 --> 00:05:22.079 who again, whether it's off the floor or on the floor, 93 00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:25.480 stuff we know is outside of the last calendar year 94 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:30.759 sometimes not as reliable. So for you, from my standpoint, 95 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:34.000 I agree, it's it's hard to find much sense there. 96 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:36.879 You saw Mark Cuban come out and say that like 97 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:41.920 he is obviously not as part of the basketball operation stuff. 98 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:49.519 There are conspiracies everywhere, Tom, I wonder, I wonder personally 99 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:53.399 why we're not hearing maybe more on the basketball side, 100 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:59.319 from Jason Kidd, from the the Mavericks. Maybe the only 101 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:01.240 thing I can think of, Tom, is that there is 102 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:05.399 something that they know about Luca basketball wise or medical wise, 103 00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:08.519 that maybe they made a deal with the Lakers not 104 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:11.279 to open this up to the market, make the deal happen, 105 00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:17.040 and there's something behind the scenes that is was the 106 00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:19.759 reason you got this deal across the finish line. Because 107 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:22.160 like you, I just I don't find any reason on 108 00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:26.000 the basketball side for it. Where where have you landed 109 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:28.399 on the on the conspiracy needle or do we still 110 00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:29.279 have a lot to learn. 111 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:35.879 I'm not convinced by the basketball reasons. I just can't 112 00:06:35.879 --> 00:06:40.040 believe they not only traded Luca, but for fifty cents 113 00:06:40.040 --> 00:06:43.560 on the dollar. The Lakers did not put in multiple 114 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:46.319 first round picks, the twenty nine or the thirty one. 115 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:49.920 They put in the twenty nine, but not the thirty one, 116 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:52.160 and then that one went to the Charlotte Hornets, which 117 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:54.839 has now been nixed. So the Lakers do get that back, 118 00:06:55.639 --> 00:06:58.920 and the twenty eight swap that they had traded originally 119 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:02.279 for Mark Williams now is backing their coffers. But the 120 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:05.560 idea is like the Mavericks could have extracted way more 121 00:07:05.639 --> 00:07:08.759 value for Luka Doncich than they did, and it begs 122 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:12.120 the question why didn't they? How is it possible that 123 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:14.800 they were the ones who called the Lakers wanting so 124 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:18.079 badly to trade Lucadntich for Anthony Davis that they were 125 00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:21.360 willing to not even get extra picks in the deal 126 00:07:21.720 --> 00:07:24.720 or Dalton connect in the deal, and they were willing 127 00:07:24.759 --> 00:07:28.000 to settle for what I said on this program last week, 128 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:32.000 the B minus package from the Los Angeles Lakers. Look, 129 00:07:33.160 --> 00:07:36.279 Dallas fans are holding on to the fact or at 130 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:39.319 least they did that Anthony Davis the last two years 131 00:07:39.319 --> 00:07:41.360 has been healthier than Luka Doncis. But that seems to 132 00:07:41.399 --> 00:07:46.600 me like arbitrary endpoints, Like if we look at the scope, 133 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:50.240 the larger scope of Anthony Davis, he's had six times 134 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:53.519 in his NBA career in which he has had a 135 00:07:53.560 --> 00:07:55.800 severe enough injury that it has knocked him out for 136 00:07:55.800 --> 00:08:00.800 at least ten consecutive games. Luca Doncis and it was 137 00:08:00.839 --> 00:08:03.800 this year that's it one on his ledger in seven 138 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:07.279 seasons he's had won In the last seven seasons, Anthony 139 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:11.079 Davis has had six and potentially now seven with this 140 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:13.160 new adductor injury that could be knocking him out for 141 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:17.639 the rest of the season. This idea that Luca was 142 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:19.800 more of an injury risk based on what we know, 143 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:24.720 based on his his injury history, and he's chubby, et cetera, 144 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:29.959 et cetera, et cetera, it's asinine. It's asinine. The fact 145 00:08:29.959 --> 00:08:34.519 of the matter is Anthony Davis last seven seasons, basically 146 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:38.200 overlapping with Luka Doncicic's career, has played in seventy two 147 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:41.159 percent of his games and Lucas Dontich has played in 148 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:44.480 eighty percent of his games. So Anthony Davis has been 149 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:48.360 more reliability from a physical standpoint, Even forgetting the whole 150 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:52.120 he's older, He's five years older than Luka Doncic. Then 151 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:55.320 when you throw in the fact that he's five years 152 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:59.799 older than Luka Doncic and the fact that he's a 153 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:03.759 guy that is going to be dependent on defensively a 154 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:07.120 lot more than Luka Danvich's and so there's just gonna 155 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:09.879 be a lot more on his shoulders going forward. It 156 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:14.960 seems to me like this was not totally about basketball reasons. 157 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:17.919 There's got to be something else. And Patrick Dumont has 158 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:20.720 thrown cold water on the idea that this is a 159 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:23.840 larger scheme to move the team to Las Vegas. But 160 00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:26.000 until there's a team in Las Vegas, I just don't 161 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:27.279 think that that theory is going to die. 162 00:09:27.399 --> 00:09:29.919 Yeah, well, here at MRI, we haven't seen like that's 163 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:31.080 what I'm wondering. I don't know. 164 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:35.600 Every time this came up, I just kept thinking, Yeah, 165 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:38.440 there's something I'm missing here, Like, there's really something I'm 166 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:41.799 missing here. So we'll see what happens going forward. As 167 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:43.960 far as what happens with the Lakers, they played the 168 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:47.240 Jazz coming up tonight. Going forward, how do you see 169 00:09:47.240 --> 00:09:49.960 this changing your view on how you rank them big picture, 170 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:53.159 whether it be pre tender like contender contender, and when 171 00:09:53.159 --> 00:09:54.720 this is all said and done, where they fit. 172 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:59.519 It's a great question. I love the fit between Lebron 173 00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:04.039 and and Luca. I think they will both benefit in 174 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:05.879 the same way that Kyrie Irving kind of took some 175 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:09.320 of the should the weight off of Luca Donci's shoulders. 176 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:12.399 I think Lebron can do the same thing for Luca, 177 00:10:12.440 --> 00:10:14.519 and Lucan can do the same thing for Lebron. There's 178 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:19.159 such elite passers, they're so gifted in terms of how 179 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:21.919 they get their shots. Lebron and Luca you can put 180 00:10:21.960 --> 00:10:24.559 them on any place on the chessboard and they will 181 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:27.159 be effective. Lebron could be a screen or Luca can 182 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:29.919 be a screener. Lebron is six 's eight two eighty. 183 00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:32.960 Same thing with Luca Doncis. He's huge. He can play 184 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:34.879 multiple positions, not just the point guard, but he could 185 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:37.799 probably play the five in certain situations, just like Lebron. 186 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:40.879 And they might need to because now that the Mark 187 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:42.919 Williams trade has been rescented and Mark Williams is not 188 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:45.120 a great defender. He's one of the worst defenders at 189 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:47.279 the position in the NBA. I wrote about this for 190 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:52.840 Yahoo and at Tom deefiner dot com. Is he's he 191 00:10:53.240 --> 00:10:54.840 They might have dodged a bull here in the sense 192 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:56.960 that like it might be a blessing in disguise that 193 00:10:56.960 --> 00:10:59.879 that trade got nicked because he is not a good defender. 194 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:03.360 If you look at Anthony Davis had forty and twenty 195 00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:06.960 against Mark Williams in the Charlotte Hornets a couple of 196 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:13.840 weeks ago, Niko Levushovich, Daniel Gafford, Evan Mobley all season 197 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:16.840 highs against Mark Williams so the idea that Mark Williams 198 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:20.279 was going to be there kind of Grek Lively or 199 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:24.200 there Walker Kessler, a guy who can protect the rim 200 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:27.399 and be an anchor for them at the five, it 201 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:30.320 was a pipe dream. He has never been that in 202 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:32.320 the NBA and he's only played forty percent of his 203 00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:35.679 NBA games, So from a health standpoint and from a 204 00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:39.440 defensive liability standpoint, not a great fit. But you know what, 205 00:11:40.279 --> 00:11:42.720 they don't really have much of an alternatives because on 206 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:46.080 the roster they have Jackson Hayes and that's about it. 207 00:11:46.519 --> 00:11:49.879 They have some two way guys and Christian Wood who's 208 00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:52.360 been out with a knee issue all season long and 209 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:55.080 doesn't seem to be any closer to return. So it's 210 00:11:55.159 --> 00:11:58.759 Jackson Hayes and Lebron James. Those are your like centers 211 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:02.720 on the team. And so Jackson Hayes, interestingly enough, was 212 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:05.200 the guy that went to dinner. According to Dave McManaman 213 00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:08.200 of ESPN, he had a great story of great report 214 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:10.519 today on ESPN dot com talking about how Jackson Hayes 215 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:14.639 interestingly is becoming a focal point of this Lakers team, 216 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:17.320 not just because he's like the only living and breathing 217 00:12:17.320 --> 00:12:20.320 center on the roster, but also he's a guy that 218 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:23.879 is represented by Bill Daffy, who is Luka Doncis's agents, 219 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:26.120 And so they all went to dinner. The three of 220 00:12:26.120 --> 00:12:31.120 them went to dinner, and apparently, according to Davic Menamon Lebron, 221 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:33.519 James is not the biggest Jackson Hayes fan and had 222 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:37.679 questions about whether he could be the anchor of a 223 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:41.159 playoff contender, a title contender as the starting center for 224 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:44.000 the Lakers. And this is kind of this interesting dynamic 225 00:12:44.039 --> 00:12:47.759 where the Lakers right now are leaning on Jackson Hayes 226 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:51.240 to be their defensive anchor and lob threat, which he 227 00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:53.279 can really do. But defense, I'm not so sure that's 228 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:57.759 his strength. And so I in all of this context, 229 00:12:57.799 --> 00:12:59.639 I still have them as a two star contender on 230 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:02.639 my tom title tiers. I don't have them as a 231 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:05.240 three star, four star, five star. The only five star 232 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:08.360 title contenders I have in my book are the Oklahoma 233 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:12.519 City Funder, Boston Celtics, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Lakers 234 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:14.960 are far beyond that. I don't think that they're close. 235 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:19.120 And this Mark Williams trade, the upside of him figuring 236 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:22.279 out defense, I think it was worth a swing like 237 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:25.799 the upside. It's a high risk, high reward move for 238 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.039 the Lakers to try to get Mark Williams. But the 239 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:31.679 alternative after the trade deadline, they can't go and make 240 00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:34.399 a trade until the end of the season, until the summer, 241 00:13:34.840 --> 00:13:37.000 and so I think the Lakers They're gonna have a 242 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:39.799 lot of fun offensively, but defensively it could be a 243 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:44.200 disaster unless Jackson Hayes becomes this all world defender, which 244 00:13:44.279 --> 00:13:46.000 I'm not betting on it, but you know what, I 245 00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:47.720 wasn't gonna bet on Mark Williams be in that too. 246 00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:50.759 You mentioned obviously that the center is kind of what 247 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:53.200 they have to figure out long term. What does it 248 00:13:53.240 --> 00:13:58.159 look like tonight, because although as of this instant, Tom 249 00:13:58.480 --> 00:14:01.159 Lebron James is listed as days day and Luca Doncics 250 00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:04.639 has now been upgraded to probable, folks on the ground 251 00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:08.240 are telling the station that there are Lucas shirts draped 252 00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:10.759 over all of the seats in the arena, So I 253 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:12.559 think he's gonna play. I think you're gonna see both 254 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:14.679 Lebron and Luca tonight. What does it look like on 255 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:16.240 the floor for the first time. Does it takes some 256 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:18.679 time to gel or as you mentioned, with these two 257 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:22.240 guys being so interchangeable, the passers the shooters that they are, 258 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:27.120 is it something that you think should be pretty seamless. 259 00:14:27.799 --> 00:14:31.159 Well, is Dalton Connect playing? Question? 260 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:34.840 What's the rules there? Is he technically weird? 261 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:38.440 You know? I saw Dalton Connect on Friday in Charlotte 262 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:41.200 outside the Charlotte locker room walking into the Charlotte locker 263 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:43.360 room because he was the newest member of Charlotte Hornets. 264 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:46.320 How was that shoot around the Spurs? Victor Rebana was 265 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:49.600 in town and you know, there's Dalton Connect. I was like, oh, yes, 266 00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:53.200 he just came over. The trade deadline was, you know, 267 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:55.799 less than twenty four hours ago, and I was like, oh, 268 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:58.399 he's already here, he's ready to play. And if he 269 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:02.440 had played in that Friday night game, I think league 270 00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:04.279 rules would say you can't rescind a trade if the 271 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:05.440 player is already playing. 272 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:11.440 So it's it's a very fascinating little subplot, is you know, 273 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.320 if if they it's somehow cleared enough to allow Connect 274 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:16.440 to play, this would all be moved. 275 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:22.240 But of course Jackson Hayes's likely starter for them going forward. 276 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:26.000 They have no real depth there, So what's really concerning 277 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:30.559 from a minute standpoint is Lebron James will probably have 278 00:15:30.679 --> 00:15:33.679 to play some at the five. He doesn't want to 279 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:35.919 do that if they Davis didn't want to play at 280 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:37.679 the five because it was so grueling and it beat 281 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:38.600 him up, so which. 282 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:41.080 Was ridiculous to me, by the way. That's the one. 283 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:45.240 That's the point when it comes to that twenty twenty 284 00:15:45.320 --> 00:15:48.440 run where they had a starting five next to him. 285 00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:51.919 But Anthony Davis is not a good three point shooter, 286 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:54.840 not a good spacer at the four. So when I'm 287 00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:57.519 looking at the Lakers, I think they're gonna have to 288 00:15:57.559 --> 00:16:01.759 basically make sure that Lebron and Luca are happy that 289 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:03.720 they find some sort of synergy there. I don't think 290 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:07.399 it will take long. But in terms of beating the Thunder, 291 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:11.840 beating the Grizzlies, beating the Houston Rockets, it's gonna be 292 00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:14.000 really hard to do that with Jackson Hayes as your 293 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:16.519 starting center. If he gets in any sort of foul trouble, 294 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:19.039 which I'm sure the Utah Jazz were a great foul 295 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:20.799 drawing team. They get to the free throw line, a 296 00:16:20.840 --> 00:16:23.879 ton Isaiah Collier is gonna be going right at this 297 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.399 dude every time he gets an opportunity because they're so 298 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:29.200 thin at the center position that that is what teams 299 00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:31.600 are gonna be doing. They're gonna be hunting Jackson Hayes 300 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:35.360 and trying to get the Lakers to go to their 301 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:38.519 bench because they are remarkably thin and the and the 302 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:40.600 buyout market is not going to be strong. It turns 303 00:16:40.600 --> 00:16:42.879 out that Alex Lynn, who is weighed by the Sacramento Kings, 304 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:45.519 to facilitate some of these trades, he's going to the 305 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:48.200 Indiana Pacers. And so you're looking at like Daniel Tice, 306 00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:53.279 You're looking at some random dudes around the league that 307 00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:56.200 you know have been just sitting on the waiver wire. 308 00:16:56.600 --> 00:17:00.320 Do the Lakers try to to, you know, in a 309 00:17:00.360 --> 00:17:02.480 flyer on some of these guys, or do they just say, look, 310 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:04.799 it's not worth it this season to spend the kind 311 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:06.960 of money or wasting a roster spot they have to 312 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:09.920 waive someone in order to add another center. It might 313 00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:12.240 be a situation where they look at this and say, 314 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:16.000 let's just wait till this summer rather than giving up 315 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:20.559 any sort of financial or roster assets to make this happen. 316 00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:22.880 Let's just roll the dice here, see where it gets us. 317 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:26.599 But of course, that's another year of Lebron James not 318 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:30.680 competing at the highest levels. And of course, you know 319 00:17:30.920 --> 00:17:33.680 he could be a free agent, and Luka Dancisch is 320 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:35.480 a free agent in twenty twenty six, So the Lakers 321 00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:36.960 are on the clock right now, all right. 322 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:41.880 So by no means am I picking DeAndre Hunter to 323 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:46.000 someday be a captain for the NBA All Star Weekend. However, 324 00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:48.279 that move with him going to Cleveland with Donovan Mitchell 325 00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:50.960 and company, I did like this in terms of what 326 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:53.559 they're trying to do to get as many of those 327 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:57.319 final pieces needed to become a championship team. How much 328 00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:59.680 of this kind of changed your trajectory of what you 329 00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:02.359 think can be in that battle, because we all know 330 00:18:03.079 --> 00:18:05.599 trying to top the Celtics in the postseason is no 331 00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:06.680 easy task. 332 00:18:07.960 --> 00:18:11.519 You know what's interesting is the Atlanta Hawks traded a 333 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:14.400 couple of starters, bog Don Bogdanovic at leasing core members 334 00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:19.559 Bogdan Bogdanovic and DeAndre Hunter. They lose Jalen Johnson for 335 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:23.039 the season and they don't have their pick this year. 336 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:27.680 So Utah is looking at this like, man, we're in 337 00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:30.640 the Cooper Flag sweepstakes. The Atlanta Hawks traded two of 338 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:34.279 their better players, if not their best players. You know 339 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:36.279 in this deal that we're remaining on the team. Trey 340 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.440 Young is a question mark going forward, Accordey to Chris 341 00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:43.240 Haynes that his future in Atlanta is murky. And DeAndre 342 00:18:43.319 --> 00:18:46.440 Hunters good man, he's really good and he's a guy. 343 00:18:46.599 --> 00:18:50.440 He's shooting thirty nine percent from three. He's excellent on 344 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:55.079 Dho's handoffs. He's the number one most efficient scorer off 345 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:57.240 of the handoffs in the NBA. The only one who's 346 00:18:57.240 --> 00:19:00.279 close is Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers. So they 347 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:03.680 already use that action a ton. He can space at 348 00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:06.200 the four, potentially even at the five in Spurts. 349 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:07.119 They don't need it. 350 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:10.599 They've got Jared Allen and Evan Mobley at the five position. 351 00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:13.880 What they need is a guy, a big wing who 352 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:18.119 can shoot and be a really strong defender next to 353 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:21.480 Jason Tatum, you know, guarding him in the playoffs. And 354 00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:26.359 Isaac Carro, George Niang, these guys are not big enough 355 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:30.200 Max Druce to reliably guard Jason Tatum as much as 356 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:32.599 they would need to in a playoff series. But now 357 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:36.720 DeAndre Hunter, he's an above average defender, he's big, he's strong. 358 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:40.319 I think this is a really sneaky, underrated move at 359 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:43.200 the deadline with the Luka Doncrich trade, with the Darren 360 00:19:43.240 --> 00:19:46.759 Fox trade, I think this deal with DeAndre Hunter is 361 00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:48.319 not going to get much play right now, but I 362 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:50.559 wrote about it on Tomdefinder dot com how much I 363 00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:54.160 love this deal for them because if those Celtics go 364 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:58.240 small quote unquote with Christaps Zingis at the five five 365 00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:03.960 out system, the Cleveland Cavaliers had a tough time matching 366 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:07.599 up because of that three, that big wing they did 367 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:09.960 not have. And if they want to go Jared Allen 368 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.319 at the five and DeAndre Hunter at the four, where 369 00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:15.000 Evan Mobley at the five and DeAndre Hunter at the four, 370 00:20:16.039 --> 00:20:19.000 that's really interesting. Now. Before that was kind of a 371 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:22.480 blind spot, but now they're doing much better on paper 372 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:25.839 with the talent they have. I think the Cleveland Cavaliers 373 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:28.640 should be considered co favorites in the East. I think 374 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:31.640 they're that good and Kenny Atkinson is We're that well coached, 375 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:33.920 or that team is well coached with Kenny Atkinson that 376 00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:37.359 I think the Cleveland Cavaliers have a great chance of 377 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:39.359 coming out of the East now even better chance now 378 00:20:39.400 --> 00:20:40.319 that they got DeAndre Hunter. 379 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:42.680 Before we set you loose, I'll let you get going 380 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:46.759 here here shortly, Tom zoom out on that last answer. 381 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:49.759 You just gave a little bit post trade deadline now 382 00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:53.559 that rosters are outside of maybe a buyout or two, 383 00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:57.039 which we've always discussed on the show, usually amounts to 384 00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:59.599 very minimal as far as is moving the needle for 385 00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:01.839 a tea team on the roster. There are some buyouts 386 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:06.480 that you know, proved to be rotational guys in the postseason, 387 00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:10.279 but by and large, these rosters are set. Give me 388 00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:12.559 a list of teams from the East from the West 389 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:15.960 that you think has a plausible chance of winning a 390 00:21:16.039 --> 00:21:18.759 name NBA championship and if anything at the trade deadline 391 00:21:19.160 --> 00:21:20.799 change those opinions. 392 00:21:21.559 --> 00:21:25.039 Yeah, So for me, it's OK, see over Cleveland in 393 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:28.480 the finals. That's what I have right now. Cleveland's just humming. 394 00:21:28.839 --> 00:21:33.359 They're young, They've got guys who were playoff tested last year, 395 00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:36.960 learned a lot, got a new head coach. Boston just 396 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:39.240 looks like they are in a malaise, like they look 397 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:42.920 like they're bored. Maybe this is just the dog days 398 00:21:42.920 --> 00:21:45.680 of the schedule that they just can't wait for the 399 00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:48.079 playoffs to come around. I think it's not just those 400 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:50.400 two out of the East that have a chance at 401 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:52.039