WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.720 It's the worst bit we have on the show, but 2 00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:03.839 I guess it's part of the DNA of the show 3 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:07.440 at this point. Our guys, Zach Harper NBA Daily Assist 4 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:09.400 time on a Wednesday afternoon. 5 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:11.080 Zach, Happy Wednesday, So how are you? 6 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:14.039 I'm excellent? I heard the pit Bull music? How could 7 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:14.880 you not be great? No? 8 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:18.519 I just pictured so, like, are we talking? Is the 9 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:20.679 head bobbing? Is it a full body dance? When you 10 00:00:20.679 --> 00:00:21.320 hear the bob. 11 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:24.359 Full body, you gotta get up. I was sitting down. 12 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:26.120 I got up. I started, you know, do a little 13 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:27.960 move here, a little two step you. 14 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:30.519 Have to Okay, Well, I'm glad it makes you happy, Zach. 15 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:32.280 That's all that matters. That's what we're trying to do. 16 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:34.079 How's your Wednesday, man? What's going on in your world? 17 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:37.159 You know, it's gloomy here. It's a little gloomy here. 18 00:00:37.159 --> 00:00:40.079 It's a little chilly hum and everything else is great. 19 00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:42.200 You know, it was hot earlier this week, so you know, 20 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:43.679 just trying to go with the ups and downs of 21 00:00:43.719 --> 00:00:45.439 the weather here. But I hear it's nice in Salt 22 00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:46.799 Lake City, So I'm happy for you, guys. 23 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:48.520 I was going to say this might be the only 24 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:51.079 day all year long. I can actually tell you that 25 00:00:51.240 --> 00:00:53.759 it is seventy five and it is sunny, so in 26 00:00:53.799 --> 00:00:54.240 your face. 27 00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:57.960 Ach, yeah, it was ninety here on Monday, ninety. 28 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:01.960 Goodness gracious, yeah, that's gracious. You fell out. You fell 29 00:01:01.960 --> 00:01:02.600 out of bracket? 30 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:05.599 Are you you fell out a bracket for this INCA tournament? 31 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:05.920 Okay? 32 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:10.799 Yeah? And great question? Who did I have? I think 33 00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:16.040 I Houston over let's say, Michigan State. I think I'm 34 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:17.640 Houston over Michigan State in the final. 35 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:19.359 Okay, all right, all right? 36 00:01:19.640 --> 00:01:21.760 Are you put a lot of thought into it? 37 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:25.079 Did you have to for the athletic No, no. 38 00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:27.159 No, no, this was just for a friend group thing. 39 00:01:27.239 --> 00:01:31.760 But yeah, like I I I, you know, I follow 40 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:37.079 college basketball mostly through maybe the top ten prospects throughout 41 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:40.719 the season, and then I'll try to dive into the 42 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:43.719 conference tournament if I'm not too busy, and then once 43 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:45.840 once it's March madn It's like, once it's the tournament, 44 00:01:45.959 --> 00:01:48.120 I dive in as much as I can. Like I was, 45 00:01:48.200 --> 00:01:49.920 I was watching all day Thursday, all day Friday, I 46 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:54.239 watched most of Saturday and most of Sunday. I'll be 47 00:01:54.319 --> 00:01:57.159 locked in the rest of the way and start scouting 48 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:00.480 for you know, for all the draft prospects start that 49 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:05.239 are there making pretty snap decisions, Like I made my 50 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:08.560 entire decision on Reed Shepherd based on his horrible game 51 00:02:08.599 --> 00:02:11.000 against Oakland last year, and I still feel pretty confident 52 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:16.439 about that. So I yeah, Like, I don't put a 53 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:18.879 whole lot of thought into March badness. I just now enjoyed. 54 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:20.319 I used to put a lot of thought into it. 55 00:02:20.439 --> 00:02:23.439 Well, when you're young and dumb, you think you have 56 00:02:23.479 --> 00:02:26.759 a chance to actually predict the outcome. And then after 57 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:29.240 a few years, you just tell me if you get 58 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:31.080 what I get this time of year, which is the 59 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:33.280 text and the emails from the ants and the cousins, 60 00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:34.840 like hey, I've got to fill out a bracket, will 61 00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:35.479 you do it for me? 62 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:39.159 Absolutely, Even before like when I when I had first 63 00:02:39.240 --> 00:02:42.680 started getting into this in terms of like trying to 64 00:02:42.919 --> 00:02:47.400 become a basketball writer, I was working for an appellate 65 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:50.639 court in Sacramento, and so I started a website and everything, 66 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:57.159 and I was let into the judge's bracket pool with 67 00:02:57.240 --> 00:02:59.120 like some of the appell attorneys and some of the 68 00:02:59.240 --> 00:03:02.479 justices because they knew I was a basketball guy. So 69 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:04.639 I would get like asked. They would ask me all 70 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:06.159 the time, like, so, who do you like here? And 71 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:08.120 what do you think here? As I was like in 72 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:10.479 this pool and then since then, it's just I get 73 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:11.159 it constantly. 74 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:13.719 You know what, I don't know that I've ever asked 75 00:03:13.719 --> 00:03:16.520 you this because I think I became familiar with your 76 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:21.039 work via Twitter, like years ago. By years ago, I 77 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:25.599 mean maybe sixteen fifteen, sixteen years ago, That's how I 78 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:27.599 became familiar with you. And then I started reading your 79 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.439 stuff and listening to your work. How did you break 80 00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:33.039 into this business? It's not easy to do it. 81 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:34.719 No, it's not easy to do and I think a 82 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:36.599 lot of it. I mean it was you know, hard 83 00:03:36.599 --> 00:03:38.120 work and I didn't give up. But it was also 84 00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:40.560 like just really good timing. I started. I was working 85 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:42.080 for an a peblic court, Like I said, I started 86 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:46.120 a website in July of or of June of two 87 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:51.159 thousand and seven, was you know, kind of just got 88 00:03:51.159 --> 00:03:53.479 into Twitter a little bit in two thousand and eight, 89 00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:56.879 two thousand and nine, started getting a little bit of 90 00:03:56.919 --> 00:03:59.439 notice through that. I got a little bit of notice 91 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:03.319 through Jay Skeeths of the Basketball Jones at the time, 92 00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:05.560 now with no dunks and he was running like the 93 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:08.080 Yahoo blog at the time, and so I got some 94 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:12.400 notes from that. And then ESPN started the True Houp 95 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:15.159 Network and they needed a Kings blogger, and the great 96 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:17.120 Tom Ziller said no, and so then they came to 97 00:04:17.160 --> 00:04:19.600 meet because I was a second choice, and I started 98 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:24.040 a website called Cowbell Kingdom for ESPN and it didn't 99 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:26.240 pay anything, but it got you credentialed and you were 100 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:30.360 affiliated with ESPN. And they started a nightly chat called 101 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:34.199 the Daily Dime Live, and they would invite the bloggers 102 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.560 of the teams that night who were playing to come 103 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:39.879 chat on ESPN dot com. And I just started showing 104 00:04:39.959 --> 00:04:43.639 up even when the Kings weren't weren't playing, and I 105 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:46.560 realized quickly, oh, the editors of ESPN dot com don't 106 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:48.519 want to run this chat, and so I just kept 107 00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:52.160 showing up. I started running the chat kind of by default, 108 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:54.360 and then I did it through the playoffs of the 109 00:04:54.360 --> 00:04:59.000 two thousand and nine twenty ten season, and then they 110 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:00.800 offered me a job to run the tch chat full time, 111 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:01.800 and that was my foot in the door. 112 00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:04.439 Wait are you tell me you didn't manifest this. 113 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:10.360 Uh, well, obviously I had like manifestation boards and vision boards. 114 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:13.519 And yeah, yeah, y did you start your blog when 115 00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:15.279 it was the summer solstice? 116 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:18.560 Of course? Okay, well, I mean yeah, which is which 117 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:21.480 everyone obviously knows, is you know, June whatever. 118 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:26.279 Dude, your mercury and retrograde out outro as the kids 119 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:27.759 would say it sent me last week. 120 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:31.040 There was perfect timing. It was well done, kids sent you. 121 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:33.279 Yeah, I mean, of course, yeah, that's that's what I 122 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:34.480 say too, because I'm young. 123 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:36.959 No, I know, I know you and I both while 124 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:40.839 we're in the space of collegiate prospects and we are 125 00:05:40.839 --> 00:05:43.199 in Salt Lake City where the Jazz are an unserious 126 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:48.759 basketball team, tell our listeners what you believe Cooper Flag 127 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:52.079 will be in the NBA if everything goes to plan, 128 00:05:52.279 --> 00:05:54.519 stays healthy, and he becomes fully developed. 129 00:05:54.519 --> 00:05:57.439 What does that look like, Zach Oh, that's a really. 130 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:00.920 Good question, because I think right now, I look at 131 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:05.120 him as like a white Shawn Marrin with a better 132 00:06:05.160 --> 00:06:08.079 jump shot, right which I think is an excellent player. 133 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:11.160 I don't think he has a very good handle, and 134 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:13.120 I think that kind of affects how he gets into 135 00:06:13.160 --> 00:06:16.000 his his pull up jumpers and some of his attack 136 00:06:16.040 --> 00:06:18.680 off the dribble. I think it creates some some turnover 137 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:21.199 problems and then the games. But also like he's super young, 138 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:22.600 so he has plenty of time to work on the 139 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:25.600 handle and and and fix that stuff. I think the 140 00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:27.199 rest of his game is really good. I think his 141 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:31.040 instincts are great. He's a great defender, great defensive instincts, 142 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:33.959 great motor, all that stuff. So I like if he 143 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:36.560 if he develops the handle, if he develops all that, 144 00:06:38.279 --> 00:06:39.959 I don't know, like he kind of reminds me of 145 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:43.959 at that point, like maybe a little bit taller Paul 146 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:47.639 George like that, like maybe that. I don't know if 147 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:49.800 that's a great comp but I think that type of player. 148 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:52.920 Like I don't think he's going to be this ultimate 149 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:56.600 franchise changer, right. I don't think he's like a Zion 150 00:06:56.680 --> 00:06:58.560 if Zion was healthy. I don't think he's a Wemby. 151 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:00.879 But I think he's an awesome player. Like I think 152 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:03.959 he's a like a second best player on a great team. 153 00:07:04.519 --> 00:07:07.240 Oh okay, interesting, that's an interesting take on it. Do 154 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:09.480 you do hear and you tell me if you hear this. 155 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:12.240 I feel like I hear that this is maybe not 156 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:16.720 Lebron Webbin Yamba, but maybe just right there, you know, 157 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:20.120 not on that level, but maybe half a level below, 158 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:22.879 because it feels like the Jazz are one of I 159 00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:24.759 don't know, eight nine, ten teams and we're going to 160 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:28.360 get there in a moment that clearly have sacrificed the 161 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:32.040 intent of winning with the possibility of landing him. Are 162 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:34.199 you hearing from other people that they're a little bit 163 00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:35.600 higher on him than you seem to be? 164 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:36.160 Is that fair? 165 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:38.160 Yeah? I mean, I think there are plenty of people 166 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:40.639 that think he's like a franchise changer. I just think 167 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:44.000 that's asking a lot out of any prospects, right And 168 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:48.000 I I mean, he's on a loaded duke team, right, 169 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:49.399 Like if he was doing this on a team that 170 00:07:50.120 --> 00:07:54.360 isn't nearly as talented as what he's playing. And I'm 171 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:58.839 not saying like he's like any of his play isn't dominant, 172 00:07:58.920 --> 00:08:01.519 isn't work, like he's the awesome. He's been as good 173 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:05.600 as advertised, if not better. I just think it's tough 174 00:08:05.639 --> 00:08:08.680 to judge in that way, like he's he's his team 175 00:08:08.759 --> 00:08:10.879 is so good and he's been so good. I don't 176 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:13.600 know where you say that's him versus that's just the 177 00:08:13.639 --> 00:08:16.759 program in general and the team in general, and so like, 178 00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:18.720 I don't know how he's going to create a shot 179 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:22.879 at the NBA level consistently. And if he isn't like 180 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:28.720 an easy natural score at the NBA level, then then 181 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:31.480 can you be that guy that's like the number one guy? 182 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:33.639 I just I don't know if that's possible. And so 183 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:36.879 I I think he's going to be great. I think 184 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:39.039 he's going to be like if he's Paul George without 185 00:08:39.080 --> 00:08:42.240 the corniness and without the podcast, that's a great player, 186 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:46.120 like and without the the fear of Joe Ingles and 187 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:48.240 in the game situation, like, that's a great player. Like 188 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:50.320 maybe he's what Paul George should have ended up being. 189 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:52.799 Oh that's a great player. 190 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:54.600 Now that and that's actually a good pull because once 191 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:57.360 upon a time, man, I don't know, maybe for the 192 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:00.840 final two years he was healthy in Indiana, we talked 193 00:09:00.840 --> 00:09:02.799 about Paul George as if he was one of the 194 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:04.440 top two or three players in the league. 195 00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:07.320 We did, yeah, yeah, absolutely, like he was, like he 196 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:09.200 was he was one of those guys. He got the 197 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:12.240 kind of the confirmation from Lebron in those series with 198 00:09:12.480 --> 00:09:14.559 Indian and Miami. I mean, he was, he was one 199 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:16.840 of those guys. And and he's and again he still 200 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:18.639 had a great career. He's a Hall of Famer like 201 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:20.440 all that stuff, right, you know, I don't want to 202 00:09:20.679 --> 00:09:23.120 pretend he's not great, but you don't look at him 203 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:25.759 as like the guy on a number one team, right, 204 00:09:25.799 --> 00:09:29.279 And I just I just think it's asking a lot, 205 00:09:29.320 --> 00:09:31.639 like you want to know. Here's if I were, if 206 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:36.480 I were not a coward, I would start saying, maluwatch 207 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:38.600 is the guy I think is gonna be the best 208 00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:42.159 mess in the class. Really, I I don't know what 209 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:45.080 it is about him. I think like that's like my 210 00:09:45.240 --> 00:09:48.440 hottest take with knowing that Cooper flag is most likely 211 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:50.840 going to be it. But if I hadn't the number 212 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:54.440 two pick, I would risk it on him. You're not awesome. 213 00:09:54.519 --> 00:09:57.759 You're not doing like the hipster media thing like when 214 00:09:57.799 --> 00:09:59.960 Women Yama was coming out where people back here kind 215 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:01.320 like scoot you like, don't do that. 216 00:10:01.399 --> 00:10:02.559 No okay, no no. 217 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:04.399 No no no no no no. Try. If I had 218 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:06.799 the number one pick, I would take Cooper right like 219 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:08.799 like outright. But if I had the number two pick, 220 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:11.559 as good as Dylan Harper looks, you know, Ace Bailey's 221 00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:16.320 kind of everyone's cooled off on him, I think is 222 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:21.440 like he's barely played any basketball. He has incredible defensive instincts, 223 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:26.039 he has a great touch offensively, he knows what he's like. 224 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:28.759 He just knows what he's doing even though he hasn't 225 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:32.200 hasn't played, and he's a great defensive presence. Like I 226 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:34.759 just there there. I don't I'm not saying he's gonna 227 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:37.000 be this, but like there are some real like in 228 00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:41.399 beat Joel Embiid vibes with the with just the similar 229 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:44.960 story and and he's ahead of what any big man 230 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:48.039 should be just in terms of coordination within the game 231 00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:51.200 and and knowing how to play with how little experience 232 00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:53.440 he has. But I just I would risk it on 233 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:54.919 him with number two. 234 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:56.480 Very interesting, all right. 235 00:10:56.519 --> 00:10:58.639 I know it's been a number of years since you 236 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:02.120 covered the Kings and have been in Sacramento period, So 237 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:04.759 I don't know if you know Wes Wilcox, but I 238 00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:06.799 will kick the tires with you on a story that 239 00:11:06.919 --> 00:11:10.720 has a local flavor, with Wes Wilcox coming to the 240 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:13.879 University of Utah as their new general manager via the 241 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:16.799 Sacramento Kings, which was his most recent job as the 242 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:20.200 assistant GM there. He was the GM of the Hawks 243 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:22.240 for three years and then prior to that was the 244 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:26.840 assistant general manager. He hired Alex Jensen when Wes was 245 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:29.159 in Cleveland running the G League team to coach the 246 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:31.600 Canton Charge and that's where Alex was G League Coach 247 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:33.480 of the Year and they won the G League championship. 248 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:37.480 So that's the origin story of their relationship. But he 249 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:41.399 now becomes the highest ranking city in NBA front office 250 00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:44.320 person to take a college job. Zach, what do you 251 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:44.600 make of this? 252 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:47.279 Well, also, don't forget he and I have done some 253 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.679 radio shows together back when he was on Serious Sex 254 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:50.399 on NBA radio. 255 00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:52.480 That's that was I should have led with that. That's 256 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:52.720 on me. 257 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:55.600 That's obviously the big part of the resume. Yeah, No, 258 00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:57.919 Wes is great, Like I don't I don't really know Wes. 259 00:11:57.960 --> 00:11:59.960 I've done a couple of couple of things with him 260 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:02.480 work wise, but he's a I mean, he's a super 261 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:05.799 smart dude. Like he he knows the game. It doesn't 262 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:10.480 surprise me. It doesn't surprise me that he's he's leaving 263 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:15.720 Sacramento because this is gonna shock you there there might 264 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:20.000 not be a whole lot of stability within that organization. Yeah, 265 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:23.360 like there might like there just might not be It 266 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:26.559 might not be the most well run organization lately after 267 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:30.960 like a year of where it looked promising. So you know, 268 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:34.159 I don't, I don't. I don't fully know what happened 269 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:37.919 there with him enough to to feel comfortable saying that 270 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:40.919 like nothing bad, Like I just think you know, that 271 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:46.120 just influences change constantly within that organization when they shouldn't. 272 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:48.799 And and so I think it's smart for him to 273 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:51.639 to be to be out of there. It's an interesting 274 00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:55.159 position to go from there to to now this in 275 00:12:55.320 --> 00:12:58.440 vogue role of general manager of a of a college program. 276 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:00.120 You know, we we obviously saw WoT do we? So 277 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:03.320 Steph Curry kind of is doing it with Davidson. I 278 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:05.879 think now Wes is doing it. I think it's going 279 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:09.720 to be more of a trend in the next like 280 00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:12.080 year or two than than people realize. Like, I think 281 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:14.000 this is going to be a very with all the 282 00:13:14.039 --> 00:13:17.399 money being thrown around in college sports like above board. Now, 283 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:19.879 I think it's going to be a very lucrative, sought 284 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:21.879 after position. And I think it's smart of him to 285 00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:22.399 get in early. 286 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:25.399 Let me ask you, since you do have some experience 287 00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:27.120 with him, is he analytic driven? 288 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:28.720 Is he does he have a back? 289 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:32.039 Okay, go ahead, yeah, analytic driven like and just very 290 00:13:32.200 --> 00:13:34.519 just very on it, like just like knows the game, 291 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:37.320 knows the analytics like yeah, but like very analytics driven. 292 00:13:37.799 --> 00:13:41.360 So nerd not well, I mean nerd ish. 293 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:44.360 Yeah, look, I'm not that that is a term of endearment, 294 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:48.159 you know, like nerds are running pro basketball, like I'm not. 295 00:13:48.200 --> 00:13:49.960 I'm not knocking on him. I wish I was more 296 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:52.000 of a nerd. I just can't shake how cool I am, Zach. 297 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:52.639 It's a problem. 298 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:55.799 Well, I mean that's our that's our cross to bear round. 299 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:57.799 Yes, yeah, you and I cut from the same cloth, 300 00:13:58.360 --> 00:13:58.919 the coolest. 301 00:13:59.000 --> 00:13:59.240 Yeah. 302 00:13:59.320 --> 00:14:01.679 Okay, So how can I talk to you about the 303 00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:04.720 new narrative that's going on in the market about hey, 304 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:06.480 this is not a rebuild because it's been a three 305 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:07.480 year tear teardown. 306 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:10.320 Yeah you told me that last week and that's still 307 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:14.080 that's still Wow. What a what an interesting what an 308 00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:17.240 interesting an interesting way it's been that I. 309 00:14:17.559 --> 00:14:20.960 Really don't know if I'm more like embarrassed for the 310 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:23.080 messenger or the people that are like, oh totally, this 311 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:23.879 has been a tear down. 312 00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:26.080 Like there are people that are buying it, like eating up. 313 00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:31.399 Yeah, because that I mean you want to you want 314 00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:33.840 to think the like you want to think the best 315 00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:36.879 in terms of hope. Right, Like I understand wanting to 316 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:42.840 buy it because you if this is technically year three 317 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:48.360 of the rebuild, Oh oh, that's not great, right, that's 318 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:50.679 not that's not amazing when you get doubled up in 319 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:53.240 the second half last night, And I mean I tuned 320 00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:56.919 into like maybe four minutes of that third quarter and thought, 321 00:14:57.000 --> 00:14:59.559 I can't do this. I got better things to do. 322 00:15:00.440 --> 00:15:02.679 This is not how I'm spending the rest of my night. 323 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:07.000 I will watch literally anything else. And and then seeing 324 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:10.600 Will Hardy's comments after the game, I thought, oh maybe 325 00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:13.320 I should have watched that. Now it seems even better 326 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:18.039 than what I thought. Yeah, Like I understand wanting to 327 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:21.440 believe it. I just don't know how you can honestly 328 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:25.840 believe it. Like at a certain point, the reality has 329 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:27.799 to set it in of like no, like you like 330 00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:31.879 the second you trade Gobert and Mitchell, that's the rebuild, 331 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:34.799 no matter how like, Okay, you won thirty games and 332 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:38.279 like in those couple of years, like okay, great, that 333 00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:39.559 doesn't mean it wasn't a rebuild. 334 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:43.559 Now, it's just like some of the stuff. You know, 335 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:46.240 who do you think you're talking to? Like I can remember. 336 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:48.879 I think it was the second year after they traded 337 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:53.840 Mitchell and Gobert and year two I had somebody down 338 00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:56.159 there say, hey, we were trying to tank, but Will 339 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:57.360 Will's too good. 340 00:15:57.799 --> 00:15:59.840 And I'm like, who coaches the Spurs? 341 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:00.320 Sorry? 342 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:03.759 Like what what are you talking about? Like your coach 343 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:06.879 is too good for you to tank? Who coaches san Antonio? 344 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:07.840 Give me a break? 345 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:10.799 Oh that bum Greg Popovitch doesn't know how to coach? 346 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:16.000 Geez, I will say, like, Will has had a couple 347 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:20.279 of post games where you do get a glimpse into. 348 00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:23.080 How frustrated he might be. And I don't blame him. 349 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:25.399 Man, Like last night when he decided to take his 350 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:27.320 team to task, I was like, good for you, because 351 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:30.000 if I'm Will Hardy, I'm over this. I'm not gonna lie. 352 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:32.919 Yeah you got. I mean, look, you know what the 353 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:36.279 deal is, right, you know? The goal is to lose games, 354 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:38.399 to put yourself in a position to get the number 355 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:41.559 one pick and to end up with Cooper Flag and 356 00:16:41.559 --> 00:16:45.679 and have like your guy moving forward. That is the 357 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:48.000 point of the rebuild, is to get the guy. And 358 00:16:48.039 --> 00:16:50.799 if you believe Cooper Flag is the guy, then mission accomplished. Right, 359 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:55.360 So he like he's not unaware, but like, you gotta 360 00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:58.120 do it better than this, right, You got to do 361 00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:01.360 it more competitively than this. Even the Wizards are playing 362 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:05.359 competitive basketball right now. Yeah, the Wizards. The Wizards are 363 00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:08.279 making this look better. That can't but you can't make it. 364 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:10.079 You can't look worse than the Wizards in this. 365 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:10.839 Yeah. 366 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:14.279 No, that should not be the area you find yourself. 367 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:17.960 I'm gonna pose the question that I asked. I've asked 368 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:20.799 your buddy Tom Haberstrow to McMahon stop by, and Tom 369 00:17:20.839 --> 00:17:23.640 brought up because we're talking about the tanking and how 370 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:25.359 there's like a third of the league that's not even 371 00:17:25.400 --> 00:17:29.160 trying and it makes watching pro basketball, NBA basketball just unbearable. 372 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:31.920 And Tom brought up the potential, like in the NFL, 373 00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:34.400 we've got John l Wave, got Eli Manning, and then 374 00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:36.839 Deon Sanders is kind of floating out of the idea 375 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:38.599 that if he doesn't like Worship Doors draft that he 376 00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:41.599 might get involved. And Tom's like, that might happen in 377 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:45.359 the NBA at some point where a prospect is high 378 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:49.039 speed head to a dead end situation. If you're Cooper 379 00:17:49.079 --> 00:17:51.759 Flag's dad, if you're his agent, if you're his reps, 380 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:56.119 and I say, okay, your options are Utah, New Orleans, Washington, Charlotte. 381 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:58.039 I'll give you those four. Where would you want your 382 00:17:58.079 --> 00:17:58.960 kid to land? And why? 383 00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:04.160 Man, that's because if you look at like I look 384 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:07.480 at Charlotte, and I would just I mean, I think 385 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:08.920 you have to look at Charlotte a little bit and 386 00:18:08.920 --> 00:18:10.880 be like, all right, they did just get new ownership 387 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:14.079 and new like new everything, right, new coach, new management, 388 00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:18.079 new ownership. Maybe that'll be better. You look at Washington, 389 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:20.799 I look at like ted leonsis and running that. I'd 390 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:23.279 be like, man, not my circus, not my problem. I 391 00:18:23.319 --> 00:18:25.680 don't want a part of that, right, Like I'm good. 392 00:18:25.960 --> 00:18:30.279 You look at you look at Utah or New Orleans, 393 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:32.559 I'd be like, all right, I like a lot of 394 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:37.160 things there, but man, everybody gets hurt. Like everybody gets hurt. 395 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:40.079 And I don't believe in like all that cosmic stuff 396 00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:44.279 obviously outside of like crystals and mercury and retrograde that's 397 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:48.920 deeply personal to us. But but like I wouldn't want 398 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:52.200 to play with my career there, just in case, just 399 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:55.720 in case that stuff's real. And then Utah like yeah, 400 00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:57.960 like you know, no offense to the market, Like it's 401 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:02.400