WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:00.760 All right. 2 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.879 Live today at the Motor Sportsland Mega ten event for 3 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:07.320 zero zero one South State Street and Mill Creek, we 4 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:11.640 are giving away a guided ATV excursion courtesy of our 5 00:00:11.640 --> 00:00:13.919 friends out here at Motor sports Land. That's a three 6 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:17.239 thousand dollars value. And all you have to do is stop, 7 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:19.600 buy and inter to win in this little inter twin 8 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:22.239 ESPN seven hundred bucks. We're gonna draw name coming up 9 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:24.960 at five o'clock. I can tell you right now if 10 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:27.519 you come by, you've got an excellent shot for zero 11 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:30.239 zero one South State Street in mill Creek. It's the 12 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:34.000 Motor sports Land Mega Tent event on this Friday afternoon. 13 00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:37.640 Happy Valentine's Day to you. Happy Valentine's Day to you. 14 00:00:37.880 --> 00:00:40.320 Andy Larson. How are you, buddy? 15 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:41.479 I'm good man. How are you? 16 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:43.759 How many hearts are you breaking tonight? What you What 17 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:45.840 are your plans? And I know that you've got to 18 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:47.679 I know you have a bevy of options. What have 19 00:00:47.719 --> 00:00:48.240 you landed on? 20 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:54.079 Dozens of heartbroken? I gotta keep it a surprise. I can't. 21 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:56.000 I can't just say on the radio what we're going 22 00:00:56.039 --> 00:00:59.159 to be doing. Okay, I'm just saying that. So I've 23 00:00:59.159 --> 00:00:59.840 got no plans. 24 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:04.760 Okay, well, you know, like the Andy Larson list of 25 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:08.920 holiday celebrations is a little bit a little bit off 26 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:10.719 kilter at times. I know you're a big Cinco de 27 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:12.640 Mayo fan, so I thought maybe you're just hitting the 28 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:13.120 town tonight. 29 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:13.799 I have no idea. 30 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:18.079 I mean, hitting the town is an option. Yeah, I 31 00:01:18.120 --> 00:01:22.519 would say TBD is is my approach to Valentine's Day night. 32 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:25.799 Okay, fair enough, Andy, let's do the cliche media corny 33 00:01:25.879 --> 00:01:28.760 Valentine's Day thing. What do you love about the first 34 00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:30.680 half of the season from the Utah Jazz? 35 00:01:33.560 --> 00:01:38.439 They are successfully thanking? Yeah, you know, like that they 36 00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:41.319 only have thirteen wins is I think probably a good 37 00:01:41.319 --> 00:01:43.359 thing for the franchise overall. I mean, this is something 38 00:01:43.400 --> 00:01:44.760 that you and I have talked about for the last 39 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:48.879 couple of years, right Like, is that it's been difficult 40 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:50.760 to build a team when you have the ninth and 41 00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:52.840 tenth pick in the draft, and if you have a 42 00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:54.959 top five pick or a top three pick, all of 43 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:56.799 a sudden, you get a lot better player, and all 44 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:58.680 of a sudden you can start to build a core 45 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:03.519 around what you're doing. And uh, that's now where the 46 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:05.840 Jazz are, Right Like, they're the third in the Tank 47 00:02:05.879 --> 00:02:09.919 de Fon list, if you will, and ultimately have a 48 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:12.159 better than fifty percent chance at a very good DRAFTIC 49 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:12.599 next year. 50 00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:17.199 So it's uh, it is challenging to cover the team 51 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:19.919 day to day when you know what the deal is 52 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:22.520 and you know what they're trying to accomplish, and ultimately 53 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:24.560 they will not be serious about winning for a number 54 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:27.520 of years. But I do feel like there are some 55 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:30.520 things that have started to maybe manifest a little bit 56 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:31.479 that might be real. 57 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:32.919 So let's dig into a few of them. 58 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:35.400 And let's start with a player that you know, I 59 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:37.000 think a lot of people have been talking about as 60 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:39.680 of late, not just here locally but nationally because Asaiah 61 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:40.879 call your Leeds rookies. 62 00:02:41.479 --> 00:02:42.560 In assists, He's. 63 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:45.439 Set the Jazz rookie record for double digit assist game. 64 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:47.599 I think he has seven to ten plus assist game No. 65 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:50.319 Eight because he had another one. I believe now some 66 00:02:50.360 --> 00:02:52.759 of his decisions sometimes like, oh, yes, he was in 67 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:54.919 high school two years ago. He turns the ball over 68 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:57.639 a ton And as we've discussed, if you're going to 69 00:02:57.680 --> 00:02:59.759 be a twenty two percent three point shooter, you're not 70 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:01.520 a garden pro basketball. 71 00:03:01.560 --> 00:03:02.879 But tell me from your. 72 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:05.280 Vantage point, what you've seen from him that may indicate 73 00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:06.840 that he is moving in the right direction. 74 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:10.800 Yeah, I think a couple of things. One, you know, 75 00:03:10.840 --> 00:03:13.719 you mentioned the passing, and I think you have seen 76 00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:17.879 more high at this fewer turnover games last night, definitely, 77 00:03:17.879 --> 00:03:21.400 notwithstanding when he had seven turnovers, but in general has 78 00:03:21.479 --> 00:03:25.280 been playmaking at a higher and better rate recently. I 79 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:27.599 think some of that's because he's gotten up and transition 80 00:03:27.719 --> 00:03:31.000 more and he's so fast on the ball, and Will 81 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:33.400 Hardy says he's even he thinks he's doing faster now 82 00:03:33.479 --> 00:03:35.360 at this point in the year than earlier in the year, 83 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:37.879 just because he's slimmed down a little bit over the 84 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:42.039 course of the NBA season and that's really helped. And then, honestly, 85 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:44.919 the biggest thing is that the shooting is wild. The 86 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:47.439 percentages are still not great from a season point of view, 87 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:50.000 it has been better in recent games. I mean, he 88 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:54.360 went three of six last night. The shot looks more consistent. 89 00:03:54.439 --> 00:03:56.800 You know, I thought earlier in the year it was 90 00:03:56.840 --> 00:03:58.840 the role of the dice what kind of shot form 91 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.439 you would get from Isaiah And you know, now it 92 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:03.159 looks like he's wrecked it out a little bit and 93 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:06.159 it looks nearly the same every time. That's that's a 94 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:11.759 good sign. So yeah, like I think, like you said, 95 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:13.599 the shots have to be there in order for him 96 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:15.879 to be a league guard in the NBA, but you're 97 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:18.759 seeing more and more signs with him having the ball 98 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:20.839 in his hands. And I think the thing I like 99 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:22.600 most about him is that he is a true point 100 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:24.480 guard and there are just so few of those guys 101 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:28.639 right now. You know, he's not trying to take too 102 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:31.199 many shots, he's not necessarily trying to do too much 103 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:34.360 in every play he defends, he but he's mostly trying 104 00:04:34.360 --> 00:04:37.000 to set up his teammates. And I think that bodes 105 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:39.639 well for the Jazz's front court. You know, Lowry Markinhon 106 00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:42.439 and Walker Kessler, like those guys are guys who need 107 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:46.720 assists in order to score efficiently, and Isaiah looks like 108 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:49.160 a player who may be able to provide them, you know, 109 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:50.399 for for the years to come. 110 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:52.399 Let's just go down the list since we're at the 111 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:54.639 All Star break and do just a little like look 112 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.639 back before we get to potentially some exciting things down 113 00:04:57.680 --> 00:04:58.199 the stretch. 114 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:01.319 And with with Isaiah's. 115 00:05:00.759 --> 00:05:04.199 Implementation into the starting lineup, that book Kiante George on 116 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:07.160 the bench coming off the bench. I mean, look, I 117 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:11.000 don't care who you are, what level you're playing. I 118 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:14.680 don't care if you John Havlichak or Jordan Clarkson. When 119 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:16.399 the coach comes to you and says, hey, you're coming 120 00:05:16.439 --> 00:05:18.279 off the bench, you take it as a demotion. 121 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:21.079 You just do, and you were. I think you. 122 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:24.560 Articulated kind of Kyante's body language in a way that 123 00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:27.399 indicated maybe initially he was pretty bummed out, which I 124 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:30.480 totally get. He wasn't great last night, but he was 125 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:33.560 really good against the Lakers. And I will reiterate what 126 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:37.199 I've been saying about Kiante honestly since last year. Just 127 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:39.759 my analysis of who he is as a pro basketball 128 00:05:39.800 --> 00:05:41.839 player for a team that is trying to win is 129 00:05:41.879 --> 00:05:45.040 a combo scoring guard off the bench, just like Colin 130 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:47.480 Sexon is, in my opinion, just like Jordan Clarkson is 131 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:49.839 in my opinion. And so I like that Will has 132 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:52.160 decided to try to do this because they have to 133 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:55.079 figure out who he is when they're good again and 134 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:56.600 if he is going to be part of the equation. 135 00:05:56.959 --> 00:05:58.839 So give me the Andy Larson take the good and 136 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:00.759 the bad with the sample side as we have with 137 00:06:00.839 --> 00:06:03.800 Kyante coming off the bench as opposed to starting as 138 00:06:03.800 --> 00:06:04.480 a lead guard. 139 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:08.240 Yeah, I think his approach has been a little bit better, right, 140 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:11.439 Like I think in the starting lineup he was way 141 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:14.759 too he coasted way too much on the defensive end, right, 142 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:18.240 And that's frankly, the one thing I want to and 143 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:21.240 need to see change from him is because, like you know, 144 00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:23.920 I think he can stand to eliminate a couple of 145 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:25.800 really bad shots the game. But he does get to 146 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:28.439 the free throw line well, he does playmate well, and 147 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:30.920 he has been passing the ball pretty well too. Like 148 00:06:31.079 --> 00:06:34.920 I don't think he's like a totally selfish player, he 149 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:38.399 does need to like tune up the offensive efficiency. The 150 00:06:38.439 --> 00:06:41.439 problem is the defensive end, right, And like, you don't 151 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:44.560 have to be an excellent defensive player to be a 152 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:46.519 guard in the NBA and a starting lineup, but you 153 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.240 have to at least try right, and you have to 154 00:06:48.680 --> 00:06:50.399 try to stay in front. You have to try to 155 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:52.079 be part of a team concept. You have to try 156 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:53.720 to rebound, you have to try to box out, you 157 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:56.600 have to try to you know, shift down when when 158 00:06:56.639 --> 00:06:58.959 opponents are driving and on one of your teammates and 159 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:01.079 all that kind of stuff, and frankly, he was just 160 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:04.720 skipping all those responsibilities. I think he's been a little 161 00:07:04.759 --> 00:07:09.600 bit better in in that way in the defensive side 162 00:07:09.639 --> 00:07:12.279 of the ball coming off the bench, and maybe just 163 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:15.120 because that was kind of a wake up call for him. 164 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:18.759 He still doesn't know what to do at you know, 165 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:21.560 at all times. And you know, still if he's playing 166 00:07:21.720 --> 00:07:24.120 as a two, all of a sudden, six four is 167 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:26.879 now kind of normal size rather than good size for 168 00:07:26.920 --> 00:07:29.360 a point guard, right, so still needs to kind of 169 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.720 figure out how to use his body and how to 170 00:07:31.800 --> 00:07:34.399 be there on rotations and that kind of thing. But 171 00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:37.720 you know, we thought he's never been coached defense before 172 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:40.040 in his life. He told us right like, he said, 173 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:42.680 Will Hardy was the first coach that's ever gotten on 174 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:45.839 him on the defensive end before. And while that's crazy 175 00:07:45.879 --> 00:07:48.079 that a player can make it to the NBA as 176 00:07:48.120 --> 00:07:51.959 a and never has been been coached defense before, I 177 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:55.319 kind of believe it in an AAU world where you know, 178 00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:59.839 he's been a five star prospect his whole life. So look, 179 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:03.120 development is definitely needed there. But I've been encouraged by 180 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:05.720 at least him kicking a step forward on the defensive 181 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:08.040 end because he will need that in order to stick 182 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:08.480 in the league. 183 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:10.199 It's the low hanging fruit. 184 00:08:10.360 --> 00:08:13.639 But while we're talking about exciting developments and looking for 185 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:16.680 positive things for a fan base that's probably frustrated about 186 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:20.360 lack of results, we just have to continue, in my opinion, 187 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:23.040 to acknowledge what Walker's done this year and just kind 188 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:27.199 of tipped the cap to clearly an off season of dedicated, 189 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:29.800 intentional work as opposed to spending it with the team 190 00:08:29.879 --> 00:08:33.080 USA situation a couple of off seasons ago that may 191 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:34.600 have not been the right thing for him at that 192 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:35.559 point in his development. 193 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:37.919 He's up to twelve boards a game, he's four. 194 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:40.200 And a half offensive rebounds a game, two and a 195 00:08:40.200 --> 00:08:42.360 half block shots, and you could tell every time he 196 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:45.919 doesn't play, you can tell what a big hole it leaves. 197 00:08:46.039 --> 00:08:50.440 I've you know, I was not crazy about the initial 198 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:53.720 reaction from certain members of the media in our market about, oh, 199 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:56.320 how Walker's already better than Rudy and he does things 200 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:58.480 better than Rude, Like, you can save me with it. 201 00:08:58.519 --> 00:09:00.360 He's got a marathon to go go as a Hall 202 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:05.480 of Famer. But the difference, the stark difference defensively when 203 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:07.639 Walker sits, does remind me a little bit of the 204 00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:09.519 non go bear minutes back in the day when those 205 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:12.039 teams were going. Just at the All Star break, how 206 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:15.320 would you articulate, you know, your thoughts on the growth 207 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:17.120 from Walker Kessler so far this year. 208 00:09:18.120 --> 00:09:21.000 Yeah, look, I am a Walker Kessler you know. Look, 209 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:25.200 I voted him Merphy of the Year, right like famously controversially, 210 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:29.559 I do like Walker Kessler. I have to acknowledge, like 211 00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:32.120 he's not close to Rudy Gobert. I think he does 212 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:34.399 a couple of things better, but like just does not 213 00:09:34.600 --> 00:09:38.919 have the impact that Rudy Gobert does. And even now, 214 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:42.200 you know, Rudy not being in his prime anymore, still 215 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:45.120 is a better player than Walker Kessler. That being said, 216 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:48.159 Walker Kessler is a really good player now and might 217 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:51.120 be having the best season of any Jazz man. I mean, like, 218 00:09:51.559 --> 00:09:53.559 I think he's he's either first or second in the 219 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:56.519 league an offensive rebounding percentage. He's either I think he's 220 00:09:56.559 --> 00:10:01.159 second in the league in block percentage behind Victor Wenbanyama. 221 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:06.159 Like he is an elite rim protector and an elite 222 00:10:06.200 --> 00:10:09.399 rebounder right now. And obviously that's a tremendous face. I mean, 223 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:12.879 just giving the Jazz those extra possessions, giving the Jazz 224 00:10:12.919 --> 00:10:14.399 a chance to get out on the break, giving the 225 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:17.600 Jazz the chance to bend the shop profile of their 226 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:20.720 opponents is really good. There's still a lot of work 227 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:22.519 left to be done, to be clear, you know, like 228 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:26.000 can he do more on the offensive end? Can he 229 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:29.480 become a better defender else on the court besides just 230 00:10:29.799 --> 00:10:32.360 at the rim? For sure? And I think, you know, 231 00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:34.279 we've been talking to Will Hardy about those things over 232 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:38.159 the last couple of last week or so, But you know, 233 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:39.919 you have to be impressed with the way he bounced 234 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:42.240 back in a sophomore season. Heck, even when I thought 235 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:44.559 he had a bad game or really just bad first 236 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:47.240 half against the Lakers on Monday, he came back and 237 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:50.360 had an excellent performance on Wednesday against against the same 238 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:52.679 team at the Delta Center. So kind of some of 239 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:54.919 the like mental resilient stuff that I think was a 240 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:58.919 real question mark in year two, He's answered those stouts 241 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:01.879 in year three, And that's maybe what I'm impressed with most. So, 242 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:04.279 like he looks like a legitimate holding block. And you 243 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:07.879 understand why the Jazz turned down trade offers for him 244 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:11.120 this at the deadline, because I think he again is 245 00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:12.159 a piece of the future. 246 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:15.960 A few months ago, you caused some sleepless nights in 247 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:17.519 my life when you told me that out of the 248 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:19.679 first and the second year of players, you were most 249 00:11:19.720 --> 00:11:23.840 bullish on the future of Kyle Philipowski. And I do 250 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:26.159 want to revisit that to see if you're still there, 251 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:28.360 and you might be and you might be right. I mean, 252 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:30.679 it's just you know, at the time, I'm thinking this 253 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:32.440 was before and we'll get to Cody. 254 00:11:32.200 --> 00:11:33.799 In a moment. But you got a top ten guy. 255 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:36.159 You've got a you know, a second year player in 256 00:11:36.200 --> 00:11:38.799 Kyante that already had some usage, and we didn't at 257 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:41.559 the time, Isaiah had not been really inserted into the rotation, 258 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:43.600 let it on the starting lineup. But last night, Andy, 259 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:47.080 I thought that was potentially if it wasn't his best 260 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:49.039 game of his rookie season, it was one of them, 261 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:50.440 you know, twenty and ten. 262 00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:54.200 He started at center. You know, Zubots is a big dude, man. 263 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:56.480 He Vika Zubats caused a lot of problems for a 264 00:11:56.519 --> 00:11:58.360 lot of people, and I thought Kyle held up for 265 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:02.039 the most part with the physicality in place of Locker, 266 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:04.799 who did not play so in a vacuum your thoughts 267 00:12:04.840 --> 00:12:07.039 on last night, and then as we panned back, your 268 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:08.320 thoughts on Kyle's rookie year. 269 00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:13.759 Yeah, you know, it's funny. I think he played so 270 00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:15.440 well at the beginning of the year for the first 271 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:18.480 couple of weeks, and then was largely invisible for a 272 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:21.360 couple of months there. Right. Last night was a really 273 00:12:21.399 --> 00:12:24.159 good sign. It was his career high twenty points, ten rebounds. 274 00:12:24.200 --> 00:12:27.759 Like you said, the Clippers didn't guard him at all 275 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:29.799 when I went back and watched all those clips, and 276 00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:32.039 so it's like, you know, you have to take it 277 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:33.879 with a grain of salt. Is if he does start 278 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:37.200 doing that consistently, they're gonna he's going to be guarded, right, 279 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:43.200 But I do think he It was really encouraging, like 280 00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:45.840 you said, what he did against Zubach on the defensive end, 281 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:49.080 and he's starting to figure out over the last couple 282 00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:51.320 of weeks more of kind of what he can go 283 00:12:51.399 --> 00:12:54.440 to at the NBA level. He's got a nice little 284 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:57.840 floater from ten feet that he can use. He's competing 285 00:12:57.840 --> 00:13:01.879 more on the glass, and it's getting a little bit 286 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:03.559 better on kind of getting to his spots of the 287 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:06.080 defensive end. I don't think he's there yet and he's 288 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:09.360 still you know, skinnier than he will be two or 289 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:11.240 three years down the road, where when I think he 290 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:14.320 can be more of an interior force. But like he's 291 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:16.840 starting to figure that kind of stuff out at a 292 00:13:16.840 --> 00:13:19.840 at a higher level, which is good. Like you, you know, 293 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:23.320 I think i'd now take Isaiah over him in kind 294 00:13:23.320 --> 00:13:27.799 of the if we're power ranking these six rookies and sophomore. 295 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:32.360 But I do still think really pretty highly of Kyle 296 00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:35.759 because of all the things that he can do on 297 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:38.120 the basketball court and that he doesn't make too many 298 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:39.919 mistakes either on either end. 299 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:42.600 All Right, I want to ask you about marketing because 300 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:45.120 you wrote a piece on his numbers and I've been 301 00:13:45.240 --> 00:13:48.279 you know, talking about and you got to be careful 302 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:50.120 here because there are a lot of reasons. You know, 303 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:53.159 we forget when Larry was first here a couple of 304 00:13:53.240 --> 00:13:55.200 years back, but started the season with a point guard 305 00:13:55.240 --> 00:13:57.679 named Mike Conley, and he actually had some grown ups 306 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:00.279 playing alongside of him the year he made the All starts, 307 00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:04.759 and no part of me is worried about Lowry long term. 308 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:07.279 But the numbers are the numbers, and you're a data guy, 309 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:11.759 and his splits almost across the board are down. It 310 00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:14.720 was a nice reminder watching that Laker game that yes, 311 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:17.799 Lowry is awesome. And for Jazz fans like I wait, okay, 312 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:19.559 what do we have here? 313 00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:19.679 What? 314 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:20.200 What? 315 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:23.720 What is on this roster that's real and tangible and 316 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:26.440 I can grasp onto Well, Larry's not a contract long 317 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:28.399 term and it's a lot of money, but they paid 318 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:30.600 him a lot of money because he is a really 319 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:33.799 good player. And I think the Laker game certainly reminded 320 00:14:33.799 --> 00:14:35.919 me a lot of people of just how good Lowry is. 321 00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:38.039 But like I said, numbers down across the board, you 322 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:40.159 wrote about it, let's unpack it. 323 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:44.039 Yeah, I mean, look at I would totally understand being 324 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:46.759 worried about that, especially having not watched the games, you know, 325 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:48.080 and I think there are a lot of Jazz and 326 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:51.960 we are watching games right now. Look at Lowry's basketball 327 00:14:52.039 --> 00:14:54.519 reference page and get worried a little bit given that 328 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:56.639 you just gave him two hundred and thirty million dollars, right, 329 00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:00.960 And I got to say, as someone who does watch 330 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:03.399 every game and is around Lowry in the locker room 331 00:15:03.399 --> 00:15:06.360 and has asked him about this, it's like, just I'm 332 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:10.159 not worried at all because of how the Jazz's offense 333 00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:12.960 and how he has changed his game to set some 334 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:17.120 other stuff up. So, first of all, he's just experimenting more. 335 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:19.720 This year, he leads the league in catch and shoot 336 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:23.399 field goal pers Like he's coming off of screens and 337 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:26.840 trying to hit like kind of play Thompson, moving threes 338 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:30.720 or threes from like twenty eight feet out rather than 339 00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:33.360 the twenty three foot three point line, right, So he's 340 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:37.120 taking harder shots than ever before and really nearly anyone 341 00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:40.559 in the league, which explains kind of the percentage downturn. 342 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:43.759 And then I think he's also getting fewer opportunities at 343 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:47.360 they're in because the Jazz are playing Walker Kessler at center. 344 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:49.879 You know, so much of the last two years you 345 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:51.840 had Walker in some of these lineups, but then they 346 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:56.320 would stagger Lowry and Walker, so that you know, Lowry 347 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:58.960 was playing when John Collins was center, Kelly Linok was center, 348 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:02.000 and that allowed them to have nobody at the rim 349 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:04.639 to kind of clog things up, and Lowry could get 350 00:16:04.919 --> 00:16:07.399 kind of easy dunks and looks at the rim those 351 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:10.879 have been you know, have gone down a little bit, 352 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:15.320 so he's getting fewer easy chances there. You know, I 353 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:19.720 think as the team developed a little bit. As Walker 354 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:23.519 develops more of his perimeter ability, that should improve a 355 00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:25.720 little bit. But it does feel like a switch that 356 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:29.960 they can kind of flip, and you know, they can say, hey, 357 00:16:30.039 --> 00:16:33.039 Lowry's you know, maybe this experiment this year, in this 358 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:37.840 tanking year didn't work out. You know, you're not Klay Thompson. 359 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:40.120 You are Lowry Marketing, and we want you to kind 360 00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:41.840 of play like you have in the last two years. 361 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:44.320 And they can go back and do that. I you know, 362 00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:47.120 I think kind of the experiment is worthy to see, Hey, 363 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:49.879 how much can we expend Lowry's game. I'm not sure 364 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:52.120 that the results have been there so that you're confident, Hey, 365 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:55.279 this experiment has worked out. But this is the year 366 00:16:55.320 --> 00:16:57.639 to try new things with Lowry, to see how good 367 00:16:57.639 --> 00:16:59.720 he can become, to see if he can be a 368 00:16:59.799 --> 00:17:02.879 top ten player in the league. And while I think 369 00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:06.720 the answer is pay probably not, it's you know, this 370 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:08.920 is the year to mess around with stuff like that. 371 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:13.559 All right, one more individual player question before we move on, 372 00:17:13.799 --> 00:17:17.000 and I guess the way I'll pose this is what's 373 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:18.640 fair to say about Cody? 374 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:20.799 What's fair to say about Cody Williams, who's. 375 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:24.200 Had a litany of health issues, been in and out, 376 00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:25.440 spent some time with the Stars. 377 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.960 Who's only twenty years old. 378 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:29.759 But he's a top ten pick, and I just think 379 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:31.440 it's fair to say that if you're going to draft 380 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:33.240 somebody in the top ten, you just want it to 381 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:35.759 look a little bit better then it has so far 382 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:38.400 for Cody, I'm not writing him off, nor am I 383 00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:41.599 anointing him. But last individual player question, your thoughts on 384 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:45.240 the first portion of the rookie season for Cody Williams. 385 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:48.440 Yeah. I mean, statistically, he's been the worst player in 386 00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:53.000 the NBA this year, and it just struggles to make 387 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:56.160 an influence on games, either offensively or defensively. You know, 388 00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:59.200 I think some of that is his body. Obviously he's 389 00:17:59.319 --> 00:18:02.079 extremely scared. I think some of that is his brain. 390 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:06.200 He does seem pretty like he's I don't want to 391 00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:10.839 use the word complacent, but he's yeah, pretty reserved and 392 00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:13.759 wants to kind of stay out of the way and 393 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:17.960 and will kind of, you know, give the ball to 394 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:22.240 his teammates and not take some shots. He's also complacent 395 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:24.640 kind of on again, not using the word complacent, but 396 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:29.160 reserved on the glass. For example, his rebounding numbers are low. 397 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:31.279 His his block and steel members are low. He's just 398 00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:33.880 not doing anything out there when he's on the floor, 399 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:36.839 which you know leads to performances last night when he 400 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:41.039 had two point zero rebound, zero zero steels, four thousand 401 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:44.119