WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:08.960 Welcome into another Clippers Talk. I'm Adam Oslin another one 2 00:00:09.160 --> 00:00:13.519 move over, DJ CALLI or whoever says that, yes, they continue, 3 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:16.320 stack them deep and sell them cheap. That's what I 4 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:18.879 always say. That's what we're doing here on Clippers Talk. 5 00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:21.079 I don't care that it's Labor Day weekend. This is 6 00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:24.399 a labor of love and we have more content to 7 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:27.280 bring you here on the new YouTube channel side. It's 8 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:29.600 always been a podcast, at least for the last seven 9 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:32.039 years or so. Now, if you want to see me, 10 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:33.759 if you want to see some of the graphics I 11 00:00:33.799 --> 00:00:35.759 put up for a Friday show where I talked about 12 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:38.280 it beats zoo Box and that new contract extension with 13 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:42.119 graphics and videos, you can go to at clippers Talk 14 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:44.799 on YouTube for that. I'm at follow out of May. 15 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:48.439 Welcome in everyone. I do have some interesting news coming 16 00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:51.560 up later on the show and some of future episodes 17 00:00:51.640 --> 00:00:54.039 later this week. But first I want to bring in 18 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:56.280 our guests. You can already see them. It's a little 19 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:58.920 bit awkward because I haven't figured that that part out yet, 20 00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:03.000 but we have loup ucas hand don't call him Han 21 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:06.480 from the two to one three Hoops Empire, which he 22 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:10.760 is the proprietor and owner of We've had many of 23 00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:14.519 his contemporaries on, many of his co workers on this show, 24 00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:18.280 and it was well past due time to bring on 25 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:22.040 Lucas hand. Don't call him Han here on Clippers Talk. 26 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:23.840 I think from Seattle, Lucas. 27 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:25.519 How we doing Portland Portland? 28 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:32.120 Fuck? Oh sorry I say that either way. Uh, Portland's 29 00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:34.560 also start for basketball. In some ways, you could say. 30 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:38.000 Right start for good basketball for shure. 31 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:40.879 Right right right, Okay, let's get into this. Thanks for 32 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:43.760 doing this, my friend, and I'm sorry for taking too long. 33 00:01:43.879 --> 00:01:45.959 The show has only been the youtubes have only been 34 00:01:45.959 --> 00:01:48.599 going off for like three weeks. Okay, don't get Jack, No, I. 35 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:51.040 Get it you. You've been pumping out these episodes. It's 36 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:52.640 been a great series. I think it's really cool for 37 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:56.480 Clippers fans to be able to kind of see all 38 00:01:56.519 --> 00:01:59.799 the different folks creating content, covering theme from different angles 39 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:02.439 one after the other on the channel. And I guess 40 00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:03.920 you just kind of are reaching point now where you 41 00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:05.519 got to scrape the bottom of the barrel and it's 42 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:06.120 good to be here. 43 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:09.800 How dare you? How dare you? That's where like the 44 00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:14.360 best buttery popcorn is the bottom of it, like, come on, man, 45 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:17.719 stay with the best for last. As I told you 46 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:20.280 off the air, All right, let's start with the Viza Zubots. 47 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:21.840 So I did a show on this on Friday. We 48 00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:23.879 had a Clips and Dip with Chuck and Will. We 49 00:02:23.960 --> 00:02:27.080 had a live at five also, as we are part 50 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:30.680 of the two point three Hoops Empire Love the jam 51 00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:33.280 of the podcast is where you can find Lucas hand 52 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:37.680 on consistently. But a Viza Zubots gets the contract extension. 53 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:41.840 I'm guessing you think it's fair value and maybe still 54 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:45.199 a steal in some ways, considering he's just entering his 55 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:47.639 prime and has a chance to outperform the contract. 56 00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:51.080 Yeah, I'm not necessarily sure that I would that I 57 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:54.240 would go steal. I think it's solid value. I think 58 00:02:54.280 --> 00:02:57.039 it's I think it's a good price. I think that 59 00:02:57.800 --> 00:03:00.439 with Paul George's departure, with what we saw from Zoo 60 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:02.960 linking up with Harden and the playoffs, I think a 61 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:05.280 lot of us have been saying for years now, you 62 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:07.719 know Zoo's ready for a little more responsibility, a little 63 00:03:07.719 --> 00:03:11.680 more consistent touches. The conversion rate when he gets the 64 00:03:11.719 --> 00:03:13.479 ball in the post is very good. He just doesn't 65 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:17.280 get a lot of those reps. So yeah, I think 66 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:21.000 he's primed to keep growing into this contract and it 67 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:23.800 is a pretty significant race for him. But the big 68 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:27.400 thing that I think folks have to remember is the 69 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:30.439 way that the NBA salary cap is going to keep 70 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:34.840 increasing with the new media rights deal that the league has. 71 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:38.439 It's projected that in the last year of this extension 72 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:41.479 Zoo just signed, the salary cap will be one hundred 73 00:03:41.479 --> 00:03:45.120 and eighty seven million dollars. So we'll wait and see 74 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:46.800 how the math shakes out with where they put the 75 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:48.680 money and where the raises are across the years of 76 00:03:48.680 --> 00:03:52.000 this extension. But if he's making twenty two million in 77 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:54.080 a season where the salary cap is one hundred and 78 00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:56.879 eighty seven million and he's as good as he is 79 00:03:57.000 --> 00:04:00.560 now as your starting center, that gives you a lot 80 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:04.439 of flexibility to work with to build out the rest 81 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:06.639 of the roster and spend money where you need to 82 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:07.080 spend it. 83 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:10.680 What do you think his strengths have been so far 84 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:14.560 as a player in this league. He's still relatively young, 85 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:17.519 he just turned he'll be twenty seven, I think throughout 86 00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:20.639 almost this entire season, And where do you think he 87 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:22.839 needs to improve in what are the strengths and where 88 00:04:22.839 --> 00:04:25.240 are the weaknesses of it beats Zubats' game and what 89 00:04:25.399 --> 00:04:27.839 is that value They're already getting a great return on 90 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:30.000 immediately just because this is who he is as a 91 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:30.720 player already. 92 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:35.399 Yeah, I think, I mean just strengths wise, He's effective 93 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:38.879 as a complimentary player on the court. So when the 94 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:42.839 team is playing well, Zoo tends to really thrive within 95 00:04:42.879 --> 00:04:46.600 his role in that defensively protecting the rim. I know 96 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:49.439 he's he's a little slow footed, so it leads to 97 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:52.720 some you know, just from a if you're casually watching 98 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:54.319 a game, you might go, oh, man, he's kind of 99 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.079 kind of moving a little slowly out there, right, But 100 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:00.560 his positioning is good. He's a deternent at the rim 101 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:04.800 and ultimately has been the key player on the clip 102 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:08.199 for the Clippers defensively for a few years now. And offensively, 103 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:11.079 he's efficient when he gets the basketball. He doesn't he 104 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:13.360 doesn't produce a high volume, but he's official when he 105 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:16.839 gets basketball. I think the real area for growth that 106 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:19.480 you would look for in Zoo, especially with Paul George leaving, 107 00:05:19.879 --> 00:05:22.759 with James Harden and Kawhi Leonard both aging a little bit. 108 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:26.279 Zoo is the number three guy on this team, and 109 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:29.600 that means a little bit more leadership. And there are 110 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:31.639 a couple areas where I think that leadership comes in. 111 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:35.480 One is, I mean, infamously, the body language with Zoo. 112 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:39.399 When things aren't going well, he tends to really you know, 113 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:42.399 he gets down on himself, He looks frustrated, he flails 114 00:05:42.439 --> 00:05:44.959 his arms, he has a lazy play the next play, 115 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:48.759 and the bad Zoo games can turn really bad because 116 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:51.759 of that. And I think this is really closely connected 117 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:55.279 to the other piece of this, which is, like I said, 118 00:05:55.399 --> 00:05:59.199 complimentary player. So he's had to play so many games 119 00:05:59.240 --> 00:06:03.839 as the Clippers iron man without stars in recent years, 120 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:08.720 and he's talked in media availabilities about the frustration that 121 00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:11.319 comes with being out there every night and not knowing 122 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:13.480 if Kawhi is going to be out there with him. 123 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:16.120 And I think that now is the time that we 124 00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:18.720 saw this a little bit in this past playoffs where 125 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:21.439 he can say, Okay, actually the team just gave me 126 00:06:21.480 --> 00:06:24.240 to twenty million dollars a year contract extension. When the 127 00:06:24.279 --> 00:06:26.839 other guys are out, I am the guy and it's 128 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:30.040 not for me to go. Who's going to do this Actually, 129 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:32.120 Zoo is going to need to take a little bit 130 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:35.279 more of that on. So I think that responsibility, leadership, 131 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:39.959 body language, even stamina, staying on the court, telling himself, 132 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.319 you know, you're not a part time starter for a 133 00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:44.399 team that wants to go small anymore. You're the guy. 134 00:06:44.839 --> 00:06:46.680 So you're going to have to play thirty two plus 135 00:06:46.759 --> 00:06:48.480 minutes every single game. You have to be in good 136 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:50.720 enough shape to do that. Those are the challenges I 137 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:52.240 think in the next couple of years for Zoo. 138 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:55.199 Yeah, so much as given, much as expected. I think 139 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:57.279 that's a great point. I didn't bring that up on Friday. 140 00:06:57.319 --> 00:06:59.920 But when he does suffer with his play, it's usually 141 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:04.600 connected to frustration with the referees or there's the infamous 142 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:07.000 play last season of Kawhi telling him he was out 143 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:09.639 of position, and he does get into his head a 144 00:07:09.639 --> 00:07:13.800 little bit. He's had a bettitude at times. Younger players 145 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:18.120 tend to have that, but maybe overcoming that is just 146 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:21.959 about being more involved consistently and being featured more. Now 147 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:25.240 we seem to all believe, you know, people in this 148 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:28.879 podcast network with the Clippers, how important to beats the 149 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:31.519 zubots is and how coming into this season he is 150 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:34.879 their third most important player. I think that should be 151 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:37.560 common knowledge at this point. Is he going to be 152 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:40.519 treated as such from his teammates and from the coaching 153 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:43.040 staff because we're saying that, and yet he only got 154 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:45.399 twenty six minutes per game last season, which was actually 155 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:48.079 less than the amount of minust he had the year before. 156 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:51.079 Yeah, I think it's going to be interesting to see. 157 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:55.279 I do think that the Clippers relatively this season have 158 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:59.600 really weak interior depth compared to what we've seen in 159 00:07:59.639 --> 00:08:03.560 recent years. You know, Mobamba coming off the bench was 160 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:07.519 a guy who you know, struggled to play regularly on 161 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:10.759 a team that Joel Embiid spent half the season injured 162 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:15.199 on right, So and then you know Kaui at fat 163 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:17.360 power forward we know is going to miss time. Nico 164 00:08:17.480 --> 00:08:18.879 is the other power forward. We know they're going to 165 00:08:18.920 --> 00:08:20.439 try to manage his minutes. So I don't know how 166 00:08:20.519 --> 00:08:23.439 much small ball we'll see with Nico at center. Beyond that, 167 00:08:23.480 --> 00:08:25.800 you go, you know Kobe Brown, Kai Jones, which are 168 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:28.839 real kind of speculative. You would hope for at least 169 00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:30.560 one of those guys to have a breakout year as 170 00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:32.720 a depth piece, but but you can't count on it. 171 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:34.879 I think they're going to need Zoo for a heavy 172 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:37.720 minutes load this year. I think that it's going I'm 173 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:39.200 not sure that it's going to look very good when 174 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:42.559 Zoo isn't on the court, and that probably means, you know, 175 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:44.919 he can't play forty minutes a night. No one does 176 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:47.799 in the NBA at this point. But yeah, he's probably 177 00:08:47.799 --> 00:08:49.639 going to need to play thirty two to thirty six 178 00:08:49.799 --> 00:08:51.759 for them to be competitive a lot of nights. 179 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:56.440 So you're thinking average minutes above thirty this season somewhere 180 00:08:56.440 --> 00:08:57.600 in that ballpark. 181 00:08:57.480 --> 00:08:59.720 Yeah, thirty two. I would say thirty to thirty two. 182 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:00.679 I think it has to be. 183 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.440 I like it. I like it, and that mitigates some 184 00:09:03.480 --> 00:09:06.320 of the issues with the backup big position. And he 185 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:09.240 did play thirty two minutes per game in that series 186 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:12.279 against the Dallas Mavericks and really proved himself after what 187 00:09:12.360 --> 00:09:15.320 I thought was a down series the year before against 188 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:18.279 the Phoenix Suns where he could have really showed out 189 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:21.200 and thrived a little bit more and didn't. In fact, 190 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:23.480 I think in that Game five it was Mason Plumley 191 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:26.320 who made the big impact actually in the second half 192 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:29.399 when they mattered that comeback. But Avita Subats has been 193 00:09:29.399 --> 00:09:31.120 one of my favorite players because I feel like he 194 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:34.519 has been a little bit overlooked and people haven't understood 195 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:37.039 the importance of him, And you bring up how it's 196 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:38.840 not gonna look pretty when he's not on the court. 197 00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:41.320 It hasn't. For the most part. They were about three 198 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:44.440 points better per one hundred possessions defensively last season the 199 00:09:44.440 --> 00:09:47.639 Clippers when he was on the court versus the off numbers. 200 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:51.200 He has done an admirable job of being that last 201 00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:53.480 line of defense, and I feel like he's one of 202 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:57.039 the more overlooked players in the league. Do you think 203 00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:59.720 he's gonna get his just dues now? They're gonna there's 204 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:02.360 gonna be little bit more attention around him because I 205 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:05.080 think this is that year where he could easily be 206 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:07.799 on an All defensive team. 207 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:14.039 Finally, I'm not sure. I don't know, just because center 208 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:18.039 is such an important position defensively across the league. There's 209 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:22.519 so many good defensive centers, and I think Zoo for 210 00:10:23.559 --> 00:10:28.080 being in the role player tier is you know, very 211 00:10:28.200 --> 00:10:29.840 very good. He's at kind of at the top of 212 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:33.519 the role player tier of centers, but there's that all 213 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:36.039 star tier of centers that you're competing with when you 214 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:39.559 talk about those end of season awards, you know, Rudy Gobert, 215 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:44.000 bam Adebayo, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Right, I'm just not 216 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:46.320 sure that you see. I don't think we'll reach a 217 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:48.399 point where you start seeing some of those guys get 218 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:51.600 left off of lists in Zoo's favor. 219 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:55.759 Can we go over a little bit, because I have 220 00:10:55.960 --> 00:10:59.799 said that Abatsa Zoo Bots is already a top ten 221 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:03.879 He might be ninth or ten, but I think if 222 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:07.279 you go through the list, he is a top ten 223 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:10.639 center currently because there just aren't that many guys that 224 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:13.600 are looked at his focal points of an offense that 225 00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:16.600 are centers in the league anymore. There are a handful 226 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:19.919 of them. And I have a list here and this 227 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:25.200 is just going off of Hollinger's player efficiency rating, just 228 00:11:25.240 --> 00:11:29.360 to see where he lands there. Last season, he wasn't 229 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:33.639 top ten there. He was eighteenth. Now it's depending upon 230 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:36.720 a lot of things, but I'm just looking at your 231 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:39.159 opinion and where we both might. 232 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:39.720 Land on this. 233 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:42.320 If I throw out a name, you tell me if 234 00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:45.080 this guy's better than Big Zoo, and we can see 235 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:47.240 if we can find ten guys that are ahead of 236 00:11:47.320 --> 00:11:51.000 him at the center position, consistently at the center position. 237 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:54.159 As we know nowadays, guys will move up a lot. 238 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:57.840 Joe el Embiid obviously ahead of him. Yo gets you 239 00:11:57.879 --> 00:12:04.200 ahead of him? Chris STAPs PORZINGI, Yeah, Victor wembin Yama, 240 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:07.279 you know, yes. 241 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:11.039 Yeah, yeah, I think probably first half of the season. No, 242 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:13.200 second half of the season. Yes, but you think about 243 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:15.919 the going forward, it's a no brainer, right yeah. 244 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:21.480 Uh Andre Drummond carl Tarts guy is three points footer marksman. 245 00:12:22.039 --> 00:12:25.279 Uh Andre Drummond. No, So we got four guys ahead 246 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:29.399 of Big Zoo so far. Uh Mark Williams from Charlotte. 247 00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:33.720 No at the sixth best pr. 248 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:39.879 Yeah well formula stats man, Yeah, a spreadsheet. 249 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:46.679 More that coming up a little bit. Uh Shon plays subcenter, 250 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:48.159 he's on the list. 251 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:50.600 Yeah, he's a better player than Zoo. 252 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:54.960 So we're going with five there. Here's an interesting one 253 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:57.960 because this guy just got paid, and he got paid more. 254 00:12:58.039 --> 00:13:00.360 He got a bigger extension than a Visa Zoo boss. 255 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:04.399 Jared Allen fear the Fro from the Cleveland Cavaliers. 256 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:08.840 I think I think these guys, these two are probably 257 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:12.600 a lot closer than folks think but if if you 258 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:15.159 took money out of the equation and you just told 259 00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:16.399 me one of them is going to play for my 260 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:17.840 team tonight, I would take Jared Allen. 261 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:22.440 Okay, so that's six guys ahead of Zoo. The only 262 00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:25.720 case I would make for Zoo in this situation is 263 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:28.360 how bad Jared Allen was against the New York Knicks 264 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:30.240 and a physical series in the first round a couple 265 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:32.679 of years ago, where he said the lights were too bright, 266 00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:36.919 and that quote has haunted him since. But he was 267 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:40.000 better this past year. I do like Jared Allen. I 268 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:40.759 think it's close. 269 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:43.360 I think it's I think it's probably a lot closer 270 00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:47.720 than maybe your average fan of other teams would would think. Right, 271 00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:50.759 And I think that also, you know, think about when 272 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:53.679 Zoo first got into the playoffs, right, the lights were 273 00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:55.279 too bright for Zoo too. He might not have just 274 00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:57.919 said it, but but they were. And so I think 275 00:13:57.960 --> 00:14:01.960 allow younger than Yeah, I think if you the Clippers 276 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:05.240 have done a pretty good job of Look, you need 277 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:08.120 to space the floor around a guy like Zoo, and 278 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:14.240 the Evan Mobley is such a talented young player that 279 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:16.639 the Cavaliers are just kind of trying to make it 280 00:14:16.679 --> 00:14:21.600 work but him not quite developing into a shooter and 281 00:14:21.799 --> 00:14:25.320 Alan being strictly around the rim guy has led to 282 00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:28.320 some congestion for them, which is created. I think that 283 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:31.039 Zoo would have issues. This is why I've I've said, 284 00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:33.200 you know, at times when it's been talked about the 285 00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:35.799 Clippers acquiring certain guys to help out at power forward, 286 00:14:36.759 --> 00:14:38.480 can they play with Zoo? Is it going to be 287 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:41.879 effective offensively? You know, just off the top of my head, 288 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:43.600 a guy like a role player that's been talking about, 289 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.279 guy like Jared Vanderbilt. I don't think Vando could really 290 00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:48.559 play the foe next to Zoo because I think it 291 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:51.519 would be too easy to defend. So yeah, I mean 292 00:14:51.559 --> 00:14:53.679 I would, I would still I would lean Alan. I 293 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:54.879 feel pretty comfortable with that. 294 00:14:55.720 --> 00:15:00.519 So six guys then ahead of Zoo. Currently putting Nevin 295 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:03.320 Mobley in that mix. He can play some center obviously. 296 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:07.399 Yeah, but he primarily plays four. So we're calling I'd. 297 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:15.360 Leave him out, yeah, okay, uh Daniel Gafford Zoo. Yeah, 298 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.600 so still just six guys Capella. 299 00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:21.120 Zoo crushed him in the playoffs. 300 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:23.919 That that should be abundantly clear to everybody. Zoo's ahead 301 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:26.639 of him after what we just saw click Capella. 302 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:32.240 I'm gonna take Zoo over Capella. Capella's Capella's twenty twenty 303 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:34.080 four of its name value more than production. 304 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:41.840 Uh Mo Wagner, he plays sub center. I don't come on. Yeah, 305 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:44.600 uh they are on sharp. 306 00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:47.879 I'm gonna take Zoo. 307 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:53.080 Yeah, Bam bauta byo bamn. There's seven okay, seven guys 308 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:57.759 ahead of Zoo right now. A Clipper killer. His career 309 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:02.120 high happened against the Clippers. His team typically always beats 310 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:06.360 the Clippers. He is no longer with that team. I'm 311 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:10.639 gonna take Zoo over foal Yonas Valancnis. 312 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:11.080 Yeah. 313 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:14.440 Yeah. His defense isn't there now. He's just stretch big 314 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:17.440 and people are gonna point to that. Some people would say, though, 315 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:19.480 that he's a better center. A lot of people would 316 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:22.639 say that. I don't think they realize. Defensively, it's a 317 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:25.120 no contest in favor of beats the Zoo bots well. 318 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:27.759 And I think if you only watched his games against 319 00:16:27.799 --> 00:16:31.399 the Clippers in recent seasons, you would go, man, this 320 00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:34.279 this guy is like you know, Larry Bird ors like 321 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:37.200 he's he's like the shooting big but like last season 322 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:38.879 he shot one and a half. Three is a game 323 00:16:38.919 --> 00:16:41.799 at thirty one, which is not I mean he was 324 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:43.879 less of a stretch big last year than Daniel Tice. 325 00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:49.639 Mm, that's saying something. Uh, oh, you got here Miles Turner. 326 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:52.879 Yeah, this is a really interesting one. 327 00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:55.559 We're at second so far. 328 00:16:56.639 --> 00:17:00.159 I think Miles and Zoo are great foils three each 329 00:17:00.200 --> 00:17:03.879 other because they their approach to the position is so different. 330 00:17:06.359 --> 00:17:11.480 I'm inclined to say that before Miles Turner got Tyrese Haliburton, 331 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:16.839 Zoo was the more productive player. Miles Turner playing with 332 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:20.960 Tyrese Halliburton was more productive last season than Zoo was. 333 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:25.880 What does that mean if you're trying to put these 334 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:28.759 guys in different contexts. If the Pacers called today and 335 00:17:28.839 --> 00:17:31.839 said we want to trade you Turner for Zoo, I 336 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:35.079 would say no. But if the Clippers called, the patients 337 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:38.279 would say no. Also, this is probably this is maybe 338 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:39.799 the toughest one on the list. 339 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:45.000 It's a fit thing. Yeah, that's interesting. How about we 340 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:46.799 say even. 341 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:50.720 Doesn't I would say yeah, I would still. 342 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:53.400 Just seven guys ahead of him. They may fall in 343 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:56.400 the exact same spot, and that is a tough one. 344 00:17:56.440 --> 00:17:58.720 This one may not be so tough. 345 00:17:58.759 --> 00:18:03.599 Rudy Gobert, it's Rudy for all his flaws. Again going 346 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:05.279 back to what we're saying about with Alan, right, if 347 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:11.160 you're talking about production for the contract, but if you're 348 00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:13.880 just saying we're picking a team we're playing tonight, you know, 349 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:15.720 it's hard to argue with Rudy. 350 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:18.279 DeAndre. 351 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:21.119 What's the weather like. 352 00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:26.400 If you talk about it beats the Zoo bots being 353 00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:29.200 moody and having bad body language earlier. Now we come 354 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:29.759 to DeAndre. 355 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:33.039 If it's an icy day, I'm taking Zoo. 356 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:39.039 But I'll take I just know what I'm getting more. 357 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:44.079 I think you know what you're getting more. You know. Again, 358 00:18:44.119 --> 00:18:47.240 I'm here in this kind of context situation where it's like, 359 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:49.880 if I have a good team and I need to 360 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:53.880 win a game tonight, I'm taking Zoo. But if I 361 00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:57.839 was had an expansion team starting today, I would probably 362 00:18:57.880 --> 00:19:00.680 take Ayton, you know better. 363 00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:02.039 For a situation like Portland. 364 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:04.759 Yeah, and I think it was you know, it was 365 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:09.759 just a year ago when the Suns traded Aighton to 366 00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:13.720 Portland that Rob and I were both kind of in 367 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:16.519 agreement that, you know, if you could put together that 368 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:21.240 Eric Gordon contract that the Clippers ended up releasing, and 369 00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:24.279 and Zoo and some package to get the talent upgrade 370 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:27.759 and get younger with Ayton that even for the pitfalls, 371 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:30.200 you kind of have to do it. The year in 372 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:33.359 Portland really didn't go well for DeAndre. I mean I 373 00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:36.799 saw it up close. You know, a handful of times 374 00:19:36.839 --> 00:19:39.920 the motor's not there, you know, But how much of 375 00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:42.759 that is I would say at this point, I think 376 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:45.200 I would lean Zoo, but I'm I'm still not all 377 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:47.000 the way out on eight even though I know I 378 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:47.920 know a lot of people are. 379 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:51.559 I agree with that, So we stick with eight guys 380 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:55.599 currently ahead of Big Zoo on the list. Here's a 381 00:19:55.640 --> 00:20:02.000 good one. He just got paid as and Asaiah Hartenstein, 382 00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:06.240 former Clipper, I predicted, you go, okay, see it is 383 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:08.839 gonna be a problem. They're gonna win sixty games. 384 00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:09.440 Yeah. 385 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:11.440 I think they're gonna be the number one seed again. 386 00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:18.000 I think based on last season heading into next season, 387 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:23.160 Hartenstein is the more productive of the two players. Zoo 388 00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:28.680 has a has a more consistent track record of health 389 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:32.440 and lower downside in terms of things with Hartenstein that 390 00:20:32.440 --> 00:20:34.279 you worry about, like the foul rate that can keep 391 00:20:34.359 --> 00:20:38.400 him out of games. Right, So again, if we were 392 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:42.319 projecting forward, like for three years, I think Hartenstein is 393 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:44.480 a much bigger question marks who is a much more 394 00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:46.960 stable guy. But if we're saying, you know, the top 395 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:51.039 ten centers in the NBA last season, Hartenstein would would 396 00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:52.519 edge Zoo out on the list, I. 397 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:57.759 Think, And basically we're saying, who would you rather have today? 398 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:00.319 Hmm. 399 00:21:01.160 --> 00:21:05.839 That's there's a case to be made for Hartenstein, clearly. 400 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:07.640 Yeah, but. 401 00:21:09.400 --> 00:21:13.119