Speaker 1: What is up, Fellasi gos. I'm Dan Favalley coming at
you with my certified fantabulous co host, mister Grant Hughes.
We're on to another twenty twenty five twenty twenty six
NBA season. Look ahead. The Brooklyn Nets are up, which
means we have the distinct pleasure of being joined by
Lucas Kaplan covers the Nets and the Liberty for Nets Daily.
You can also find his stuff over at Basketball Insiders
as well. He does excellent work. Follow him on the
socials at Lucas Kaplan. That's at Lucas kap La and
Lucas Year three. For you, Thank you much for so
much for coming back. How the heck are you?
Speaker 2: I could do this in my sleep. By this point,
I feel super comfortable in the chair. I think this
is my first time with Grant though, but I'm very,
very very excited to be back here because it's signals
busy season in the NBA, which is always a welcome sign.
Speaker 1: Now this is fun because since it's your first time
with Grant, if you won't come back next year, I
get to lay the blame in his feet.
Speaker 3: I don't know me. I am known for my gotcha questions,
So just really, can you keep your knees bent, be
on your toes for all?
Speaker 2: I think we'll have a Kevin Durant Draymond Green style
moment against the Clippers.
Speaker 3: That would be, you know, I was gonna have a
tank Dan, I was about to do a tangent a
mid twenty in, but I'm gonna reserve that for later.
Let's get started here, Lucas. I think, uh, we were
talking a little bit before we started recording, just about
kind of the how this season feels like things are
kind of temporary or new or experimental. That seems, you know,
from Afar to be part of, Like this feels like
a pretty like well planned bottom out effort getting both
of the you know, getting their pickback last year didn't
pan out quite the way they might have hoped. They've
got another crack at it is that sort of the
lens through which you're viewing this season. We'll get to
all the like some of the interesting things that will
happen with this team and how young it is and experimental,
but like the way the last two years went to
you feel like this is this is like the real
honest shot. We gotta be sort of as bad as
is possible to be.
Speaker 2: Yes, it is. I think that everything that happened this
summer is in line with the plan. You know. I
don't think they overreacted to falling to the eighth pick
or deviated. You know, I think the Cam Johnson Michael
Porter junior swap would have been something that made sense
whether they got the one pick or the fourteen pick.
You know, they get that twenty thirty two Denver first,
So I don't think it's an overreaction maybe to you know,
getting that eighth pick in the draft last year. But
I do think if you're just from the outside looking in,
and I would imagine organizationally, this is it. You know,
you traded for Phoenix assets for two of your own back.
One of them's already conveyed. It was the eighth pick.
And by the way, that Phoenix pick was like two
late tenth, tenth, so you really didn't get a ton
out of that swap. So this is the chance, and
you got a loaded top of the twenty twenty six
draft class. So yes, this is the chance to do
that and simultaneously really like start this rebuild now that
you have some young talent in the room. So yeah,
you're on the money, I guess.
Speaker 1: When you look at where they are, though we know
they don't have their own twenty twenty seven first round pick,
so given the spot that they're currently into where you
can't even like look at someone on this roster and
so okay, that's the ten pole of the future, that's
clearly the guy. Do you think that we're headed towards
the situation where they're going to then continue down this
gradual path with complete disregard for that commitment, that obligation
that's still headed to Houston? Is that very much TVD
on what happens with next year's draft, And they're also
they could still have a ton of cap space, and
so I'm just very interesting what internally their timeline is
going to end up being because of that obligation and
because of I don't want to say how little they
have to show for what's gotten them here, but like
they probably wanted a higher end prospect than the five
they got out of the first round this year.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean this is year one of the rebuild. Honestly,
like last year was like year zero because they didn't
actually have the young building block talent in the room.
Last year. You know, last year was the mechanism to
get it. Now they have some of it, so we
can start to evaluate that talent. I would say that
because of how much flexibility they have, the future draft assets,
the cap space, some tradable contracts, they probably have. My
view on it is there's probably a timeline of like, Okay,
you know, we're gonna start trying to win modestly next
year at least not worry about bottoming out. And then
you know, we have some margins on either side. We
can maneuver through some things. If you know, a star
becomes available that wants to play in New York, we
can pick up the phone. But it's really, I think
going to be this year. It's about trying to maximize
that draft pick and then we'll see, we'll see where
we're at. You know, next summer. You hear the flexibility
word a lot when you talk to people around the team.
Speaker 3: I can't wait to get to the forward looking stuff
with this team because I think that's where the real
like we can have some like philosophical discussions about basketball.
Speaker 2: Yeah, through their.
Speaker 3: Picks and stuff. But before we get there, the Cam
Thomas situation that resolved the way that it did. Just
I'm curious on your your you know, you're closer to
the whole thing than Dan or certainly I am. How
do you feel about how that played out? You know,
knowing now that like this is not a player or
maybe not correct me, that this is not a player
they view as a long term piece. What's that gonna
do for this coming season in terms of his role,
like his attitude, how he's used, how much he plays, Like,
how does that all square?
Speaker 2: I wish I could tell you. I mean, it's a
really odd situation. Just they don't have an incentive to
play him a ton or to really feature him, right, Like,
what is their incentive? Because let's take them at their
word at face value and say, you know, we do
believe in Cam, We've seen his development. We just couldn't
get to a number, and we'll revisit these talks in
unrestricted free agency next year and we hope he's here
for the long term. I don't think that's a totally
unreasonable place to come from. So let's say that it's true.
Even presupposing that, why would they feature him a ton
and a year they're trying to lose and hopefully resign
him for a modest number next year. So I just
I have no idea, and Cam Thomas the game is
screams contract year no matter what his situation. He's sort
of a perpetually contract year kind of guy.
Speaker 3: So maybe nothing's different. Maybe he'll just be exactly the
same and we'll all just agree that, like this will
be cool when he's doing it somewhere else next year.
Speaker 2: I guess maybe. I mean. I was watching their first
preseason game on Saturday, his first bucket coming down, and
after a nice allue pass off the pick and roll
coming down in semi transition seventeen on the shot clock,
picks up his dribble, pivot pivot shot, fake pivot, fall
away fourteen footer and cashes it. It's like, well, I
think this sets the tone for the year. You are
still Cam Thomas, and frankly I think a fairly valuable
offensive player, but you're Camp Thomas. So I don't really
know what to expect this year other than maybe we're
all expecting too much and it'll just be more of
the same. And I don't really see him totally changing
his value to the Nets and the rest of the
league this year, regardless of what happens, and he also
has to stay healthy. He has sneakily had some pretty
consistent injury troubles in his career, including four hamstring strains
last year. And you know, he came into the camp
like looking slimmer, but it is a question of, well,
you do need to be durable. I don't think that's
helping his value either. So a big year for him,
but probably not in the situation that he would draw up.
Speaker 1: I guess I'm wondering if him having the implicit no
trade now, do you think that makes it less likely
that he's actually moved because this is a play for
him to get to unrestricted free agency next summer, or
is there like value and if the Nets aren't going
to use him or feature him as heavily, if we're
you know, let's say we get to December or something
and they've moved on from the Camp Thomas experiment, it's
actually make it maybe more likely that he Okay, it's
this implicit no trade, but he will go anywhere that
wants him because it means that he just might have
a more prominent role.
Speaker 2: I think the former I think that he paid four
million dollars for this no trade clause. If you look
at some of the reporting, it was the NETS did
offer him a one year, ten million dollar deal that
did not have a no trade clause, but he accepted
the one year six million qualifying offer, which does come
with that kind of no trade clause. He already didn't
get the money he wanted, and then he was like,
here's another four million dollars because I'm pretty fed up
with this and I just want to control my future
as much as possible. So I think he is probably
not getting traded. At least I think it did actually
decrease the likelihood of it. But it just screams to
me a guy that is wants to take full control
of his career and he said those words, and whatever
that means to him will see. I don't really know
if it is, you know, getting traded to a contender,
maybe coming off the bench and like playing on a
playoff team. If I had to guess, for him, it
means more like, let me show out and try to
put myself in a good position where more teams have
cap space next summer, and you know, you talk to
people and it's like, I just don't know if he
really believes and understands kind of how the league is
currently looking at him. You know, I don't think the
money necessarily would have been there this summer, and I
don't know what he can do realistically to change that
perception next summer.
Speaker 1: It feels like his archetype of player, I don't want
to use the term under sea is underseage, but like
that's not I don't know he'd go out and score
twenty five points a game for the Nets this season.
I don't know if it actually materially changed his value,
like we just like Jalen Green got the windfall, but
it was short term and he was viewed as a
trade asset. Look at what Quentin Grimes goes off and
Philly isn't able to get a deal now look at it,
and Anthony Simon's is kind of viewed. But that's what
even O Hero where people as soon as he got
a second deal, people are like, oh, like this is
just so He's not the level of playmaker of most
of those guys that we just named, And so I
just wonder for him, and I'm wondering if this is
a general question about the archetype of player is does
it make more sense to be on a good team
to come off the bench and help drive winning or
positive minutes, because that might get you paid if it
proves that you can be more plug and play or
coexist on this good team rather than be close to
the guy or like a b option.
Speaker 2: Can I just say that I've written this many times.
I would be so infuriated if I looked across the coastline,
across this, across the map and I saw Jalen Green
making thirty five million dollars in Phoenix. If I was
Cam Thomas, like, Okay, he got drafted higher. I you know,
I kind of think Cam is better and he makes shots,
he's a legitimately good jump shooter. I would just be
sad I think he does and he's like that is infuriating,
and I get it for him. But it's it's really
interesting that you mentioned that, because I think you're right, like,
if a guy like that were to go to contribute
to winning, come off the bench right or start or whatever,
that would signify a lot of value. But you know
what's really interesting, and it's really in the last ten
years or so, we don't really have like, oh, the
bench guy that comes in and does this one thing
and scores and then you take him out. Like you
look at really good bench pieces and they're like complimentary
pieces to the starting lineup. They're different looks. They can
fit with your starters instead of, you know, come in
off the bench and kind of run things and give
us a scoring boost. Obviously, those guys are in the
league and have a valuable place in the league. But
to be a really good bench player, it's almost like
a change of pace, like running back, Like you want
the guy who can pass block and allows you to
run this. You want the guy that can run between
the tackles or outside. Like you look at the pacers.
They don't go to Obie Toppin or well whoever else
they bring off the bench Nei Smith, Nemhard those guys started, Yeah,
thank you. I was losing my mind, Ben Shephard. They
don't bring those guys in to like run the offense
and do their own thing. They bring them in to
give the starters a different look, to give Tyrese haliburt
In a different kind of outlet and camp Thomas, I
don't know who you really know if he can do that,
if you can give your best players a different look,
or if he's just going to be on the court,
and it's like, well, if you play Cam, you have
to put the ball on his hands, but then you
also have to play a defensive guard next to him,
and then you also have to have this like that
is not what the NBA wants out of their supporting
pieces right now.
Speaker 3: I think I always think of it as teams are
viewing their roster construction in a lot of ways through
like a playoff lens, which one means if you're a
specialist of this variety in particular, you just like, like
Cam Thomas maybe can't defend well enough to get you
through three playoff series. And it's like, well, that's not
really an issue at the moment, but like that's still
the lens he gets viewed through. And then also like
the best version of these types of players we're talking
about are like they have to be a huge part
of what you do, and it's I think teams have decided,
like we're better off just moving it around a lot
than getting a guy with a huge usage rate that's
below average as a true shooting percent or whatever not
that Actually Thomas is kind of on the high end
of those types of guys. Yeah, in terms of his efficiency,
but like he's just lumped in with it. Yeah, he's
got to be longing for the days of like Jamal
Crawford and Lou Williams and early Jordan Clarkson, like those
guys are who like if if they had a market,
And I guess Thomas just doesn't now.
Speaker 2: And I'm sure he feels I'm sure he hears that
and probably feels a little slighted, like you know he did.
And and I've written about his flaws a lot. Youngest player
to ever score forty and three straight games, Like he's
had these moments where you watch him and it's like, oh,
this is really advanced for a twenty one, twenty two
year old and is actually dragging them to wins through
sheer scoring. But ultimately that is kind of how the
league views him right now. And it's just it's so
hard to be a score first guy in the NBA,
Like the bar is just so high if that's what
you do to be good, And it's not really a
huge slight that teams don't view him as capable of
being that on a good team right now.
Speaker 3: So we're gonna talk about Cam Johnson and MPJ, but
this is just such a ripe segue into like, as
for comparison's sake, if Cam Thomas is a type of
player that's out of favor. The Nets had five first
round picks and use them all, and they really seem
to skew towards guys with a very different skill set
than what Thomas has just to be to kind of
jump from one issue to the other. So I really
want your take on just generally, were you surprised they
used all five of those first rounders that that's like
if you were betting on If I had been betting
on it, I would have said, there's no way. And
then what are your thoughts on, Like, we can go
through them individually, but is there a through line, a
skill set, consistent thing that they seemed to be looking
for with those players that they took in the first round?
Speaker 2: Yeah, there was a I forget who tweeted this. I
should know this, but someone tweeted this. After the draft nights.
There were three players in the draft that averaged six
assists per thirty six minutes. The Nets took all three
of them, and Danny Wolf had the second highest assist
rate ever for any seven footer in the NCAA, and
you watched the press conferences and you heard them talk
about zero point five decision making getting on or off
the ball, just this belief that if you stack as
many willing, competent decision makers on the floor at once,
it leads to good offense. And it's a you know,
it is a black and white bet in this direction.
And you know they also drafted Drake Powell, who's kind
of like a three and D wing who can't really
do much on offense right now. But that is you know,
even if you think, oh, well they were just taking
best player available, it should tell you about what they
think the best player available was that they all kind
of have this sort of skill set. So that's the
other interesting layer to the camp Thomas thing. It's like, well,
this team just seemingly made a huge bet against the
sort of stuff that you do very specifically you, So
there is that too. But yeah, it was a very
in my mind's unambiguous draft philosophy that they carried out,
and I'm excited to see it. Like to be different,
you have to act different. So I'm genuinely I didn't
love it at the time. I've talked myself into at
least being kind of morbidly fascinated by it.
Speaker 3: The criticism would be like, if you have all these
first round picks, you should be taking cracks at like
the guy with the highest superstar ceiling. But maybe that
guy wasn't there. I think I'm curious about your take
on and this will require you to get inside the
head of Sean Marks and the nets like player evaluation staff,
so it's unfair. But do you view this bent as
more of like a copycat thing, like look what the
Pacers accomplished with smart offensive players and movement and good
passers and all this stuff. Or is it like a
broader market inefficiency where it's kind of like, maybe this
is the skill set you have to have to play
basketball in twenty twenty five effectively.
Speaker 2: I would lean to the ladder. I think it is
more of that, And I also think it is a
very clear eyed acknowledgment of their situation in that Listen,
we're probably not going to be great unless a superstar
finds their way to Brooklyn in the next three or
four years. And if one of these willing passing guards
really hits, and who better to kind of play with
one of those stars? I think it's kind of both.
And the reason that the draft heard at the time
other than like, you know, the nets are perceived to
be reaching on guys and then it pants to their
war room just going insane on the broadcast, which is
you know whatever, who cares. But a very funny look
is that it feels like, right you draft these at
least with the three guards. They their entire pre NBA
careers have been high, pick and roll the basketballs in
your hand, and it feels now like they a have
to cannibalize each other, right Like, it's hard to imagine
all three of them succeeding in this environment. And b
you also didn't get maybe value, you know, relative to
their draft slot. So that kind of I think dampened
the mood for me and many others on draft night.
But in the months since, it's like, well, they're doing
something different and I'm at least, you know, I'm excited
to see. So I've talked myself into it since that night,
but those worries still exist.
Speaker 1: I'm wondering if there's an element of and it's specifically
like it ties to yeg or demon specifically to where
it's are they looking at the quality and these guys
to where Okay, when you're looking at the assists or
the way that they play, they think those players might
be more easily adaptable. Because I was going to ask
you about the vision yeah for yeg or where when
you look at summer League. I watch a lot of
him in Summer League. He was off the ball, like
he was knocking down jumpers, very malleable positionally, But then
there's also still I think the biggest concern with him
is like, is this a guy who when he's on
the ball, can he touch the paint?
Speaker 2: Like?
Speaker 1: Can he touch the paint with those on ball touches?
So what have you? I guess your early impressions of
like their vision for him, especially against the backdrop of okay,
they did draft all these at least two of these
other guys that want the ball in their hands.
Speaker 2: I think the cell is this. He was a career
in many leagues in many settings, thirty six percent three
point shooter before BYU as a pro you know in Europe,
and they think he can shoot. And so if you
think he can shoot and he just kind of couldn't
last year, or got you know, a raw deal, raw
sample size, whatever, he's a pretty good statistical prospect because
all of his flaws come from the lack of three
point shooting. He took a lot of them and he
only made twenty seven percent, which kind of depressed everything else.
But the other cell of that is, like, yes, he
doesn't really have a lot of bend, a lot of juice.
He didn't really touch the paint well. He led one
of the five best offenses in college basketball last year,
and they plummeted when he was off the floor. And
so the bed is, if you just put this tall,
passing guy that we think can shoot on the floor,
that's a productive offensive player in any context. And even
if he can't really shake people, his ability to pass
and read the floor at six' nine is going to play.
Somewhat so if they think he can, SHOOT i get.
It and it'll be interesting to, see as you, mentioned
like how much of his reps are really on, ball
how much are off, Ball like do they really just
think he's supercharged Hopefully joe ingles like, passing shooting wing
or do they want to kind of mold him into
more of an on ball. Player so his usage is
gonna be something really key to watch this. Year and
if he can figure out a way to like get
to the paint at all AGAINST nba.
Speaker 3: Defenders do you view say that just to get the
kind of the next two really the more primary ball handling,
Guards traore And Sarah, like of those, TWO i, guess
do you think one of them profiles more as like
the worst spamming pick and rolls type or, like because
it seems like jem and is maybe we're fine with
him on the second side being a connective. Passer he
can run a pick and roll if the defense is
if we swing it to, him but that maybe he's
not gonna be pounding the dribble like of those other two,
guys that seems more like the. Archetype correct me again
IF i. Don't and of the, two, like do you
have a sense of which of them might be more
ready and ultimately successful in that more CONVENTIONAL i guess leading.
Speaker 2: Out they both kind of have the similar promise and
they get there in different. Ways, Okay treori Is i'm
going downhill a million miles an hour And i'm trying
to finish with my right hand and if, Not i'm
spraying the ball. Out and saraff is more Like i'm
kind of, BIG i have a very tight. Handle i'm
kind of dropping you off with the shoulder and elbow
and spinning and eurostep, in but Ultimately i'm trying to
get into the pain and you, know work my way
out from. There so BOTH i think both kind of
have that. PROMISE i Think Sir, raff who started in
that preseason game and WHO i would bet to start
on opening, night is more, Ready LIKE i don't think
he can, shoot but he won't look, overwhelmed like he's
big and you, know very professional. HANDLE i don't know
WHO i, yeah IT'S i guess it's too early to
say WHO i would put my chips in. On but
those two really feel like the nets being, like, well
one of them is probably gonna be.
Speaker 3: Good what do you think about that, approach because that's
that's kind of the other Like, macro like you have
all these picks you could have, diversified they, Didn't and
we've talked to you a little bit about why do
you think there's a concern of there's just not enough
to kind of go around in terms of size of
role for all these guys to get a real, shot you, know,
individually or is it, like, well if any of them's any,
good they're going to show it, regardless you, Know, like
is that kind of the?
Speaker 2: BET i think the bet really Is we're not a
small market. Team we don't have to, like you, know
we're not The grizzlies where we have to hit on
these picks as they have On Bane jackson And. JAW i,
Know jah And jaron are like top, five but they
did a great, job. Right the nets are, like, well
we don't necessarily have to build like that because teams
and stars or stars will want to come here and
we have the assets to trade for them or attract
them free agency. Whatever so therefore we just need to
land like one of these these complimentary skill sets are
always like willing good decision. Makers and so if we
Stack yegor and Trey or and draft and, yeah well
you know one of the tour or one of them
will probably cannibalize the. Rest and you, know If ben
is really, good then where when Is treor gonna? Play
we'll probably you, know we have to cross that bridge
when we come to. It BUT i think that's kind
of the guiding, Philosophy, like, yeah it's super unlikely both
of them will be, good but if one of them
is we've accomplished our goals and we are now ready
to go star. HUNTING i think that IF i had to,
guess is where they're coming, FROM i hope that answered.
Speaker 3: That, Yeah, no it's it's a shotgun. Approach and then
they have the luxury of being, like, well we missed with,
four but we hit the one and that's our that's the.
Speaker 2: Guy yeah and uh and you, know And wolf And, powell,
like don't you know they can certainly coexist with the
other guys and if they're, good then you got maybe
two or three GOOD nba players in one, draft which
is tough to complain.
Speaker 1: About how do you, think cause you Mentioned powell And, Wolf,
like how do you do you expect all five of
these guys when they're healthy to just be in the? Rotation,
NO i think like it's someone you're less confident that
will get actual playing time this year than.
Speaker 2: OTHERS i Think powell's gonna live in THE G, league
and they've been good about. That, LIKE i think that's
a good. Thing if you look at their draft picks
that are maybe turned into REAL nba, Players Claxton, sharp Camp,
thomas Even Noah clowney who might become. Something all spent
a lot of time in THE G league and it
was good for. Them So powell's like a lot OF
G league. RUN i think whatever of the guards isn't
playing a ton it's gonna be in THE G. League you,
Know Danny wolf is not going to play right away
ahead Of Nick, Claxton Dayron, Sharp Noah, Clowney Zia, Williams
Michael Porter. Junior you, know if you view those guys
as like fours so later in the, year, yes BUT
i think if you're tuning into The Nets halloween and you're,
like let's see the five, rookies you will be sorely.
Speaker 3: Disappointed that's more of A march, thing, probably.
Speaker 2: Yeah Hopefully. February but, Yes nets, fans the comments Of
nets daily will be obscene after they lose by twenty
to The grizzlies In november and like the rookies get
a total of like twenty.
Speaker 1: Minutes, look there just needs to be a game where
they are the starting lineup, though like they all five
of them just need to be the. Starters that needs to.
Speaker 2: Happen i'm gonna jump, ahead you know your question of
the funky lineup you want to SEE i don't think
there's been an easier answer in the history of the.
Speaker 3: Show ye read them all out.
Speaker 2: There i'll think of something, else but that has to be.
Speaker 1: It, well what Is Danny wolf to? You? POSITIONALLY i
know we don't get too bogged down by. Positions BUT
i don't look at. Him, okay he has the size of, like,
yeah you could play, CENTER i don't know if you
want him, To and then he, thinks like the way
he handles the ball works on. IT i guess he
could be a, wing BUT i don't necessarily look at
him and they know, like that's a guy who could
be a. WING i kind of. WORRY i don't know
if it's a, worry BUT i kind of, wonder is
this someone who ends up being like a pure four
almost maybe a little bit more dynamic because of what
he could do on the. Ball BUT i HAVE i
struggled to see the vision for him in THE. Nba
is What i'm.
Speaker 2: Getting YET i said this the other day and you
would have loved, it So i'll repeat. It he's like
If Andre Andre blatch had as much passing flair as
he did mid range step back. Flair like he's like
If andre liked to, pass and my favorite net growing,
up he felt like he shot eighty percent from mid.
Range he is. HUGE i didn't really realize that he's
like legitimately seven feet tall two fifty like. Big you,
know he's twenty, one not nineteen like the other, guys
so a little. Bit so he's done, growing he's done,
growing done. Bulking but he's, huge and so he has more,
like oh he he's kind of a not a force
at the, rim but like you're not just going right
around him or through. Him and he showed some of
that In Summer, League like he had a game where
he had like two steals and four blocks AND i was, like,
oh that's. Cool so that is kind of the bonus
the cell on him playing the five quote, unquote because,
man if he's playing the four and he is to
like x out on the weak side or like play
between two, shooters that to me feels worse than if
he's just like all, right like stay near the, rim
try not to do too much. Wrong and then, yeah
he has a lot of like funky. Skills he can,
move he can, dribble he can pass on. Offense it's just, like,
dude you're kind of a career thirty percent three point
shooter and sixty five percent free throw.
Speaker 1: Shooter so, like what's what the free throw lines?
Speaker 2: Do so like can you actually? Shoot like you need
to actually shoot for this to. Work so he is Quite,
yeah he's so, long way, short long answer. SHORT i don't.
KNOW i have no idea what he's going to. Be
but hopefully all of these skills mesh into one valuable.
Speaker 3: Player can we pin you down on which of the? Five,
like don't you don't have to say like this guy
will be the best player five?
Speaker 1: Years, No, no you? Do who's?
Speaker 3: Well, Okay dan, says you, Do so you? Do who's
most interesting to you right? Now like who's who's the
guy of the five that you're? Watching that's kind of
like there's there's some there there And i'm most interested
to see what that.
Speaker 2: Becomes it's Between yaegor And. Ben, YEAH i Think yegor
because it's just, like, man what are the limits on
a guy that can like really not dribble or explode
BY nba? Defenders how valuable can just the court, mapping
height and hopefully shooting Be like what are the upper
limits of? That, like you, know.
Speaker 3: What's the comp, Right like who is the point, To,
like who is that guy that's really excelled with that?
Speaker 2: MAKEUP i don't, KNOW i, MEAN i, mean that's WHY
i keep going back To Joe.
Speaker 1: Ingles but, like, uh what If Kyle anderson could?
Speaker 2: Shoot what If kyle Anders anderson could? Shoot is a good,
One but, like are they going to try to make?
Him is he gonna be on the? Ball like that's the.
Thing those guys were always pretty much big, wings. Right
yegor his whole life was here's the, ball high pick and,
roll we're up tempo pro style offense at B yu
were one of the best in the country because the
ball is always in your hands and you're whipping it.
Around SO I, i it's just. FASCINATING i don't, KNOW i.
Mean and you, know on top of like the fact
that they draft him, eighth The suns released their war
room video of them laughing at The nets for doing.
Speaker 1: That somehouldn't be laughing at.
Speaker 2: Anybody AND i Loved malowash AND i Love yegor. Too
he's like such a sweet nineteen year Old russian kid
who like drops these banger quotes about how basketball is
art and how he wants to play pretty like in
his second, language in a new, country going To Brighton,
beach eating bushed in The russian neighborhoods Of New. York
i'm all. In he seems like a cool.
Speaker 3: DUDE i didn't know about those. Quotes he just won my.
Heart that's.
Speaker 2: Great, Yeah i'll read one to you.
Speaker 1: Later the reaction to the nets picking, HIM i was
like surprised. By he was pretty high up on my
unofficial board when Like grant AND i were. TALKING i
think he's the. LIMITATIONS i totally get, there get any
of the paint, touches but someone who could decision make like.
Him if you believe in the, jumper there's no way
for him to be bad in my, eye right.
Speaker 2: RIGHT i, mean if you believe he can, shoot then
it changes his whole profile because it all of a
sudden he's an, efficient good passing, again tall like and
all of his statistic, things oh, well his box plus
minus against good comp his true. Shooting, well if you
think he's gonna, shoot then you can kind of throw
that out the. Window and the nets are unequip betting on.
That and then the ben part of it is just
like was he? Undersold is like a legitimate six' five,
six six like big professional, Ball handler like won't that
just always play and maybe he won't be the worst
shooter in. The league, So YEAH and i also is, just,
like well he's off to a, Good start like you
hear him about him, in camp he's starting. Like that
that's a pretty good start to. His career, so yeah
That's where i'm at with those. Two, GUYS okay.
Speaker 1: I was, gonna say what's? Gonna be So The cam
Johnson And Michael porter junior transition is kind of a.
TWOFOLD question i think the first one is like what's
going to be the biggest difference for the nets offensively
Going From cam Johnson To Michael. Porter junior.
Speaker 2: It Seems like mpj's talked about like playing through the.
HIGH posts I Think, cam johnson for all of his
lack of like, explosion burst like you really could run,
him around, dribble handoffs, pinned downs get him into like
pick and roll. Esque actions, you know where you're there
is a screen at the top of. The floor he
is coming off, of it whether it's a handoff or
an off, ball screen and he's. Like diagramming and he
got really really good at that or just at least
BETTER than i ever thought he. Would be and it
seems like they just maybe AREN'T sure mpj is gonna replicate,
the same like you really? Running around are you really?
Getting low you know off a. Ball screen you are
six' ten with, A bad back so maybe, Less of
that maybe that's more Of a, yegor jeman thing but
still just like an outlet that's gonna shoot a, lot
of threes which they want and generally provide somewhat of,
the same role even if like the specifics are going
to be.
Speaker 1: A little different do you think they're gonna juice his
on ball touches because when you go back His, time
in denver like the, dribbles per touch the amount of
time he spends, off the ball his offensive possessions. Through
the roof and now he's on this TEAM to where
i don't know ANYONE who's watched mpj, and, thought like
yeah like that dude needs to create for himself. And
others more but we've never actually seen it. In high
doses and this is a, team in theory despite drafting
at least three guys who really want, to maybe four
we really want to operate on the ball would have
the license, to, BE like well i see what.
Speaker 2: This, LOOKS like YEAH i think i think. THERE will
be i think there's a decent trade off here where
like they're gonna run him around a little bit, off
the ball, and you know he had like a designed
back door cut for a dunk the other, day in preseason, so,
it's like listen you do, That for us you. Rebound
your defense here are your unball touches as the highest
paid member. OF the team i think there is definitely
going to be. Some of that i'm interested to see. How.
THEY come like i don't think he'll be just handling high.
Pick and roll he again has talked about more out of,
the high, POST so yes i can't say that's the
part of The net season i'm looking forward. To the,
most but yes there will be more.
Speaker 3: KIND of, PIVOTING i mean I Guess how jordi fernandez
CHOOSES to use mpj is gonna tie this question to,
the previous one but JUST broadly from, afar last season
The View was jordi fernandez did too good of a
job from the jump for what this team. Was going
for they won. TOO many games i think that does
a little bit of a disservice to some of the
talent on the roster.
Speaker 2: That maybe was.
Speaker 3: A little underrated but what do you if you could
give us a glimpse into the sort, Of the why
like it's, easy, to say oh he, Did too well
like what kinds of things can You Attribute to jordi
fernandez as a head coach that led to more success?
Than was expected, and from there like what do you
think the core sort of principles are of his coaching
philosophy as as they'll now be applied to like to like.
THIS new roster I.
Speaker 2: Mean they i want to get back to the talent,
part OF that because i think it's an. Interesting organizational
question but they were just prepared with a game plan
a lot, of the time and, like you know you
Look at the, suns last year there's a, Game over There,
like the kings they're like kind of a new ish
team figuring, some stuff out and the nets come, in
with like this is, our game plan that's. What we're
doing and in the early part, of the year, like
You know like i'm thinking about. IT this year i
use this. The other day let's say They play the
magic who are. Way more talented, but you, know, it's
Like oh where's bin? Getting his, offense and like how
are we the? Two Man game the nets are going
to come in with a game plan and they're going,
to execute it and, it's like that can you know
that leads to some wins early. In the year so
it's that and they just, played really hard and they
played the most aggressive defense in the league in terms
of blitzing and. Trapping on screens and if you weren't
ready for That in a january Game Before the, all
star break like you were going to turn it over
twenty times and maybe not shoot so well from three
because you're not getting great looks and you're. A little
tired it's kind of a tongue, in, Cheek thing right
he got a lot of guys who are FIGHTING for
their nba careers, to play, hard big surprise. But he
did and they did always know what they were, Doing
on offense, like you know they had very good hits
and reads out of like high, pick and roll. Dribble
handoff game right if you get trapped, here going there
we're forty, five cutting here we're cutting on. The BASELINE
here and i think their just ability to consistently do
that led to a few more wins, than you know
the talent, would have suggested especially a little later.
Speaker 3: IN the year i guess that leads into the roster
this year having like this, this youth infusion but in
which you might like into guys PLAYING for. Their nba
career not quite, the same thing but it's like guys
that are gonna be motivated to. Get after it there's
also this contingent, of older, GUYS you know, Mpg Being
One terrence Man haywood high smith. WHEN he's healthy i
Guess You throw nick, claxon in there and then there's
kind of an in between group players at different stages.
Of their careers do you have a, sense of like
because It Seems like jordi frnana's team is tactically prepared,
and plays hard do you have a sense of how
he might be able to manage what could be like
some some personalities and some agendas and like not everybody
wants the same thing on this roster necessarily because there
are different points. Of their careers do you have a,
SENSE of like i guess it's his, like interpersonal stuff
like because there's just gonna it's gonna be a bigger
challenge in some respects this. Year, THAN last.
Speaker 2: Yeah i think it's just your two of a guy
that is really going to push you and demand. That
you sacrifice and if you look, at the roster there's
like all fifteen guys on this team, probably, ARE like
WELL i think i have a. Case, For minutes YEAH,
i'm A vet or i'm a, high draft pick LIKE
why shouldn't? I be playing and it was probably easier
to balance, That last year, and you know we'll. See.
This year nothing there's no indication that he won't. Be
able to, BUT you know, i think guys especially if
you look at the kind of, guys they, Have You,
Know Zire, williams kobe buffkin like reclamation projects or lower
draft picks trying to make the JUMP into, the nba
relevancy they appreciate getting coached or they're not going, to
react poorly like getting coached real hard and getting asked
to play a really aggressive style of defense all game
if that's what they have to DO for. Their NBA
careers so i think the more interesting question will be
if they get, really good eventually is he still going
to be able to? Push THESE buttons but i think
this year He, should be Okay Even If michael porter
Junior and camp thomas are like not the greatest. Most,
active DEFENDERS well and.
Speaker 1: I was gonna that was gonna be my, next question
too because you mentioned all the aggressive defense, that they
played they still, Have the personnel like even look at
something the inbound youngsters coming in when you're talking about
yaeg or when you're Even, Talking, about saraf like do
you think that those guys have the ability to play
not just, that aggressive style but consistently play that AGGRESSIVE
style for x amount of? Minutes, PER game yeah.
Speaker 2: I think, so i mean as long, as THEY'RE trying
and i, think they will like it might, Not BE
perfect like i will Always Be a. Nick claxton believer
he says. His DAC's, good you know let's say. He's about.
It this, year you know you get forty Eight minutes Of.
Clax and dayron that's like a real center rotation. In
The league day ron's gotten. So much better he can.
Move his feet so you got these big centers that
are kind of just intimidating at the. Point of Attack
you Got Zaire And, michael porter junior and you know
they're not, the greatest defenders but they're, also pretty, long
pretty Big So. Is noah clowney like there is enough
INSULATION to where i do want to see them. Get
After it and i'm sure the CONDITIONING and guarding nba
guards is, gonna BE tough but i don't suspect that
they won't be able to at least run out this
game plan and. See what, Happens, YOU mentioned yeah i.
Speaker 3: Was good ahead you can. Ask the question. I'm, both interested.
Speaker 2: Please this is year three, of this.
Speaker 1: Right where does?
Speaker 2: He?
Speaker 1: Fit in now but now it's even like more opaque
than ever is where does he fit into like this
team's overall larger vision.
Speaker 2: Because you can't trade him because he makes twenty five
million dollars a year and it's like probably a negative
asset as viewed. By other teams and THEN that's why i, Tell.
Speaker 1: You something lucas all the other.
Speaker 2: Teams are wrong THEY could not i could not agree. With,
You more yeah nick was THE guy when i actually
started like trying to cover and like. Really watch basketball
That was, JUST i'm like i think. This guy's good
and then he had that year, In twenty Three so
now i'm like forever just indebted to him and like.
My favorite player but he makes twenty five million, dollars
a year then nets have no reason to dump an
asset and like, attach, A pick right so that's. Not
gonna happen but, it's also like, you were real really
good at the age. Of twenty three you were Like
Ninth in defensive Player of. THE year voting i thought
you could. Have been higher you led the league and,
field goal percentage a legitimately great finisher, around the rim
off drives Like. POSTING up smalls i thought you were
a top fifty to sixty player in the league that
year and you. Were twenty three there's no. Way that's
gone there's no way that's. Just GONE forever and i
know that he is a leaner guy and the shift
to like double big lineups and offensive rebounding has kind
of hurt. Him A little and, i'm, okay saying okay
that'll dim his, Impact a little but somewhere that's inside
of you and twenty nine other teams are must have one,
eye on that and so you know you have the,
contract for now but at some point we have to.
See THAT again and i don't know what that looks
like on this team where they are trying to maximize
their pick and you are maybe not the most clean
fit into their. Long TERM plan so i. Just don't
know but also if you come out and you are
playing really well, again, and motivated like what are the?
Net's gonna do like he probably needs to do it
for a whole year to reclaim. The trade value you can't.
Just trade him so is he gonna mess? Up the
tank or is he gonna keep declining from his age,
twenty THREE season which i just refuse to believe will be?
His career arc.
Speaker 1: So do You Get the ben simmons arc? At?
Speaker 3: That, point oh god don't. Invoke. That name uh there
are versions of this team that could Better set up
claxton to be, like the best, like, More successful right
like because if in theory, he's out there if you
had to put him in one bucket, or the other
he's a, Dependent offensive player like he's gonna benefit more
from setups than being like. A self starter if you're
playing with a bunch, of rookie playmakers like that's as
good as they may be for, Their experience level like
that's not. Ideal for him do you think there will
be situations This year where claxton is out there with
like what passes for the veteran core, of this team
and like suddenly he looks like his twenty three. Year
old self do the nets just not even want to
mess around with competent like? The experienced lineups?
Speaker 2: Out of that it all comes back to that question
for everybody. On This team right, LIKE last year i
would have told you you can't start this lineup on
opening Night they Had, Dennis shrewder Camp, Thomas cam Johnson
Dorian and nick claxton and They brought Day ron and cyr.
Off the, bench i'm like you're not winning, a playoff
series but you're also not. Tanking you guys. That's too
good and what? Do you know they were nine and
ten and that's set up, the whole season and so
this year they the. Messaging hasn't changed it's all we.
Want to compete we're running out. The best. GUYS you
know i don't think their lineup is as good as,
that right now but. It's not bad and If, you
get nick. It's not atrocious and If You get nick
Claxton Playing like, nick claxton again like he's gonna STEAL
you some, I don't know. I don't know it just
all comes, back, to that like is this organ what
is this organization prepared to? Do this year because you
got one pick this year and, it's your own you
don't have FIVE point being i Wouldn't Be surprised nick,
claxon either way like they. Are ROOKIE guards but i
do think this will be a better passing. Team either
way and it's, Really, on him, like you. Know his
back he had an. Epidural last year there were times
last year he wasn't even touching like the top. Of
the square he just didn't. Look the same so, if
that's back he can only. BE so bad. I don't
know it's that that last question is really the thing
that is most intriguing to me about this team and
will determine the.
Speaker 3: MOST another player i think that probably undercovered just because
he has virtually zero track record for how long he's been.
In The League is kobe bufkin the type of guy
We would? A dan favorite i'll just say, it for
him but, he's hell yeah the type of guy That
we ALWAYS dan and, i, talk like oh perfect, Second
draft candidate like why wouldn't you take a crack at
this guy if you're a team in? The nets position, because,
who knows right, especially with him is he someone that
is maybe in the way of some. Of these Rookies
will the nets even allow that to? Be the circumstance
and then like they.
Speaker 1: Gave up a whole one hundred, and, ten thousand.
Speaker 3: Right they spent they SPENT nine than i, Have, this
guy like is he a piece of this or is
it just a pure flyer that like he'll have to
show something incredible to. Crack this, rotation you.
Speaker 2: Know his his rookie contract Extension date is, October THIRTY first,
so i, mean you know it was really truly the
cheapest way to get to, the SALARY floor and i
think that was the primary motivation trade.
Speaker 3: But reflect well on him. As a player.
Speaker 2: But, but if, we're you know cards, on the table
who's the best guard on this? Team right now it's.
It's it's him. It's obviously Him so if jordi is
being for real Not, Counting camp Thomas so if jordie's
for real, about oh well you have, to earn it
and like the best. Players will play it's like We
should see kobe and this is Kind of the nets
should be doing this. Second DRAFT stuff so i he needs.
TO show something i want him. TO show, something, i
think however they view their cap table will inform if
they pick up that option more so. Than HIS play
but i don't Know if he's they're gonna let him get,
in the way but they're certainly going to give. Him an.
OPPORTUNITY you know i don't view so much overlap as
like of him and the plan. For, THE rookies again
i think there's gonna be A Lot of g league play,
in their future in. Their immediate future.
Speaker 1: Do you have any of the other like non core players,
on the roster whether It's Like a noah clowney or
who are on the ROSTER for now, i should Say
Or a jalen WILSON or As i or williams that
you find especially intriguing as the nets go forward with
this season. AND also Beyond i think noah's the.
Speaker 2: MOST intriguing, one i mean it Would have been, dayron
LAST year but i think the day run arc has kind, Of, Been,
cemented like wow this guy turned himself into like a.
Valuable backup big he might actually just BE a. Good
nba player noah is interesting because a nobody's watched, him
at all because Why would you he's, like you know
the nets were not super, interesting last year but. His
rookie year it started, in summer league he. Looked absolutely
unplayable he gets better by the WEEK In the g league,
his rookie year and he kind of lights the nets
on fire in. The last month In Like meaningless, MARCH
april basketball i said this, the other day but just
super unethical stat queries on on stat head of like
teenagers to record multiple threes and blocks. In, A game
HIM jaron and i.
Speaker 3: Cited Some irrational noah clowney stats and like breakout. Picks
last year at like this, TIME last year, i was
like this is this is.
Speaker 2: Clearly the guy absolute crime on the on the Stat
Queries was noah clowney's kind. Of rookie season and then
last year he starts pretty decently and he sprains his,
ankle four times and every time he comes back he,
sprains it again and like the three point shooting's. Kind
of down he's so skinny and can't really throw, his
weight around and you know he can't do anything once
he breaks the paint or once he gets run. Off
the line but classic training, camp weight. Watchers he's buff
everyone's talking about how. Big he, looks you know he
looks like a professional shooter now and his role is kind.
Of more defined they've accepted that he just doesn't have
the juice to be like a, full time five so he's.
A big wing like hopefully it's Doing something Like santi
al dama stuff, from the, corners you, know less, talent
less flair but probably, better, On defense hopefully like he
has pretty, Great defensive instincts so that could. Be A
Player like i'm i'm if it's gonna. Happened for him
he's got to show, something THIS season but i really think,
It COULD happen so i am.
Speaker 1: INTRIGUED by him i this is just interjecting on, A
tangent HERE but do i MENTIONED this when i Was
Doing the Utah. Jazz look ahead do We Feel like muscle?
WATCH has changed I feel like i've seen more about,
players slimming down where it's BEEN more Like. Glp One watch.
Speaker 2: The. Nets had Both they had dayron Getting slimmer and.
NOAH getting bigger i think we are in, a new
progressive accepting era of all sorts, of BODY transformations and
i love that. FOR the league i.
Speaker 1: Would, love that Too Except the luka danch's discourse makes,
me think otherwise where it's like he needed to get
abs for people to think that he MIGHT be an mvp.
Candidate or something that is.
Speaker 2: A good point we're insulated over here.
Speaker 1: IN nets world i, was gonna say unless you have
any other players you, want to discuss are you ready
to enter the cookie cutter portion? Of the podcast.
Speaker 2: Derek Needs to do dereek whitead needs to. Do something
soon it's, getting late. EARLY that's all i.
Speaker 3: What do you imagine, him doing ideally like what what's
the role that he would need to fill just? SAVE
his CAREER i guess i don't know if.
Speaker 2: That's, too harsh no it's not just continuing to, like
make threes but also showing that HE'S like an. Nba
level athlete.
Speaker 1: Just so wild to think that's a. Concern about him.
Speaker 2: Wild and like something, inside the arc like with a
little bit of, a tighter HANDLE just something. I need
it he's like THE NICEST guy i i really. Wanted for,
him but yeah that's, It all.
Speaker 1: Right so we will go into the lightning Round slash
cookie cutter portion. Of the podcast what you look at this, Roster,
right now lucas what aside from saying they need like
a centerpiece. Of, the future like what is this team's
single biggest need as we, Sit here today.
Speaker 2: So probably a dribble. Pass shoot guy they have a
lot of two of the three or one of, the
three players but a guy, that can dribble. Pass and shoot.
Speaker 3: Is there anything about, this, team that like we all
understand sort of what the basic narrative of the twenty
five TO twenty, Six nets is but is there something whether,
it's a player something that you think this team will,
be good at, really bad at that's under discussed under
the radar that like for, a national audience maybe we
need to pay more. ATTENTION to it.
Speaker 2: I think they're a genuinely, Interesting philosophical team like they
are betting on all out aggression on defense being the
most well conditioned team. In the league, everyone says that,
And you know I'M sure the nets are saying it,
To An extent but jordi has become kind of Renowned
for how cardio focused his, training camps are and last
year they were often the more well conditioned team when.
They played opponents so it's that a bet on that
and a bet on just consistent decision, making and passing
and this is like year one of this really maybe.
Maybe YEAR two so i don't think you'll get the
full fruits of watching this pretty bad, team this year
but they are a genuinely interesting project in, Terms of
that like how far can those two? Things take you being,
a well conditioned aggressive defense and being a point five second.
Team ON offense.
Speaker 1: If i were, to Ask you which, i'm ABOUT to
if i were, to Force you which, i'm about to
to build a ten man rotation, for this team who
are the ten guys that you're? Putting in it because
you know why this is, interesting for them they've become
A little like wizards y to where it's like they
just have a. Bunch of guys we don't know who's. The,
guy yet yeah and even less So, than the wizards
but they just have, like right now like they're probably
gonna cut someone who needs to or waves someone who
needs to BELONGS in the nba or at least is.
Worth a look so who are the ten guys you're?
Speaker 2: Playing right now is this like to win in a?
Basketball game tomorrow.
Speaker 3: That's the question like that's a, very, Different answer right
like you could, HAVE you know i were, completely, DIFFERENT looks.
Speaker 1: Right i, Would, say, no LIKE so if i let's
free it this way, for the nets who do you
think and who do you think ends up being the
ten most played players This? Season, by brooklyn.
Speaker 2: Okay let, me let me let me get let me
get their roster in. FRONT OF me i i this
IS a practice i Developed During the, ben SIMMONS days
when i would just straight up forget he was. On
the ROSTER so now i have to look at the
roster LISTED out before. I, DO this Ever I, Think,
CAM thomas yeah i. Was a, ten you know week
have questions about his role, in his, Minutes But, Yeah Cam,
Thomas Zia, Williams Dayron. Sharp knick claxton, That's four. Ye
George j Jeg OR and ben i think, Five To
Six michael, Porter Junior seven, Noah Clowney eight. Terrence MAN
nine though i don't feel, great About it And I'm
between Danny Wolf. And tyrese martin.
Speaker 3: Who do you think, starting opening night who's The first? Unit?
DAY one.
Speaker 2: Yeah i Would Say probably Ben saraff because jegor has
had this planter fascion issue in his foot and like
he's not even, doing contact yet so even, IF he's
ready i don't think He'll Be, Starting Ben, Sarraf Cam Thomas,
Michael Porter, Junior Nick, claxton terrence, man who's like.
Speaker 1: Man's just here he's perfect for how they.
Speaker 2: Want to defend he's here to give really good quotes
About how downtown brooklyn has been gentrified since he. Grew
up there and so it's like it's always a good
it's a good lead for. Every b writer, WHEN he's
like i remember When this like modell when it Was
a model's, we're all.
Speaker 3: Like that's can undergo a similar, transformation and, sorry all.
Speaker 2: Right well don't don't do. Too much away.
Speaker 3: What about, a closing lineup like they're trying to win,
this game tonight who's on the floor of the last
five minutes. Assuming it's, CLOSE.
Speaker 2: Oh god i did this. THE other day i actually
think it's you have to get just the adults and
the defense. In THE room so i Actually Think, IT'S
Cam thomas Mpj, Heywood High smith Zia Williams, And nick
Claxton Like maybe Terrence man over heywood if, like you
know whoever's like shooting the ball better that night. Type
of thing, but old.
Speaker 1: Still it's Ridiculous they Got heywood high smith while getting
a second unless he's just completely cooked, from that nothing
but it's said he's gonna be ready for. THE regular
season i don't know. What the heat did he not
know they happen until the end of the year to
get out. Of the TAX did someone? I tell him I'M.
Speaker 2: Still literally, i don't know literally, not the point but they.
Speaker 3: Feel free to break news now that he's he's like
actually thirty, five years old and it's just been a,
ruse this well It's Like a. Buddy healed situation didn't we.
Speaker 2: Have a didn't We Have a jay huff birthday malfeasan
situation this year on, TOUR to remember.
Speaker 3: I don't know i Always Point to buddy healed as like, the,
most like, yeah of, course, he's.
Speaker 2: Like yeah we did have we Had. A J huff
the nba account reported his like they were like wishing
a Happy Birthday to jay, Huff this year happy, twenty
seventh birthday but, like last year they had posted happy,
twenty fifth birthday so they were off by a, year
and ye. Big, enough deal yeah? Who covers it he
is he. Is twenty eight so we had a minor
a minor birthday.
Speaker 1: SNAPPER this year i Mean did the pacers try to
rescind the? Trade after that that's the.
Speaker 2: GROUNDS for it i Mean maybe.
Speaker 1: So lucas you would, tease this before but what would
be a? Weird on lineup you Want To see jordi fernandez?
Try this, year all.
Speaker 2: Right aside from, the five rookies because that's just such
an easy compound answer.
Speaker 1: That's gonna happen if it doesn't do does? He get Fired,
It's like april i'll be held permitting obviously that would
be the one thing, that would, suck is that oh
if one of these guys is, just always injured.
Speaker 2: That would blow it was a very nets thing to
have happened where we're at media day and we as
Someone asked About Yegor and sean marx is in the, middle, of,
like oh well we just love him as a person
and the hard working and. The basketball intellect and, by
the way he tore his planter fascia Right, after summer
league so he's going to be out. Through the preseason
that's what.
Speaker 1: It was like it days become too is, like these.
Injuries these, surgeries, IT'S like yeah.
Speaker 2: I was like, what that's yeah, it was, uh but
yeah it has at least They're. NOT the sixers i
guess that. Was, Really depressing.
Speaker 1: Hey joelle and b didn't fall through. THE practice floor
i call that an absolute victory for phild and.
Speaker 2: They they're bringing back the best. Jerseys in basketball so
with the they're bringing back the black two thousand. And,
one retros, oh That's Right.
Speaker 3: THE iver center i. MADE a joke, I was like
i Could Just. See, matt geiger now THAT'S that's who
i always associate.
Speaker 2: With those jerseys this Is Just the cooper flag opening
a pack of basketball cards from the year he was
born and Not Knowing who eric snow. Was, Hurt, me
what yeah you Didn't Know who.
Speaker 3: ERIC snow was I Can see eric snow making twelve
footers on the. Baseline right now He Knew who antoine
walker Was and.
Speaker 2: Not rashad MCCANTZ.
Speaker 1: So that's ok if we needed any More Evidence that
cooper flag is going to, be a. Bust.
Speaker 2: That's it NOW the five, i would say is like
probably beyond the it has to include some. OF the rookies,
I would Say YEGOR and nolan i have to. BE
in This I think damn wolf and then like, two
real Wings Probably Like michael porter Junior And maybe cam thomas.
As just man that's like a kind, of a, real
you know a theoretically real lineup that is super offensively
juiced and could just actually be. Fun to Watch To,
Get Nolan, YEGOR camp Thomas Mpj and danny wolf kind
of Positionally viable if yegor is like, GUARDING a, three
i mean, not defensively good but viable and like you actually,
get to, see all right If You're playing danny wolf
and you're playing your two top guards and you're you
say you're gonna, Play them together let's throw them out
there and see if they can really score and like
lead an offense with real talent on The Floor in
Camp Thomas And. Michael porter junior THAT'S a lineup I
would say i would. LIKE to see.
Speaker 1: I favor it i Want to see yegor. Plus all
bigs so let's get let's Get claxed In Clowney. Day,
danny wolf uh and then So we have jagor and then,
Who's the other like do We throw day? Ron in
there that seems. A Little Up michael porter. Junior's, pretty, Qualify, yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah god there was a possession in the PRESEASON game
Where Mpj and cam thomas were on the weak side
and they were like they were exing out like the
whole half and through the skit pass and it was
they just were like walking around and escorting whoever caught
it to THE rim and, i was, Like oh man
i'm ready to see. THIS this year mpj was not
exactly diving on the. Floor last night.
Speaker 3: The, crazy thing is you remember the it, wasn't a
narrative it was a real thing with how like his
shoulder was, a real issue like he was hurt and.
Speaker 2: He said that it was, like he said look how tough.
Speaker 3: This guy is he's. Getting after it and then then
you see. Efforts like, that, it's like well? Which is
IT the.
Speaker 1: Way i ended it during like the twenty twenty three
title push was like that was it's?
Speaker 3: In, there.
Speaker 1: Real yeah good.
Speaker 3: Before we force you to stake your, reputation on predictions
which this will be on. The permanent record anything else
we haven't touched On, about the nets any aspect of
them that you think this is kind of like the under,
The radar question but, just like that you've the thoughts
you've had about them that maybe aren't out there, For
wider consumption like just what warrants discussion about the nets
this year that we, HAVEN'T hit nothing.
Speaker 2: I haven't Said i think i'll just keep coming back
to like this feels like the start of a, mad
scientist's experiment and whether you can really build a team
again in a big market just sheer flexibility and cap
space and assets, and just optionality and like down to
the way they play, on the, court on offense down to,
their draft strategy down to like the. Wider roster construction
they could be. A sleeping giant they could fall on
their face and deserve everyone laughing at them and totally
have a new front office. In TWO years and i
genuinely don't know which way. It's gonna, go i've, been
you know SOMETIMES some days I wake up i feel
like A homer because i'm genuinely interested in and Then
other times i'm excommunicated from The facility because i'm. Trashing
their draft, that DIDN'T happen but i feel like it.
WAS going to, i was, Like oh damn i'm really Going.
In on Yegor and.
Speaker 1: Then i'm not wondering if, it did happen they might
have radicalized you like to really buy. Into their draft, it,
seems like yeah back, of the. Building, re educating.
Speaker 2: Yeah they put me through a. RE education camp i
Was like Clockwork. ORANGE watching, yegor i Think, LIKE floor.
Speaker 3: Dan i we've talked about it, A million times Like
when the grizzlies were playing without screens on, OFFENSE last
year i just like couldn't shut. Up about it for,
The same REASON it's like i don't care. IF it
works i just love that someone's trying. THIS weird thing.
I feel exactly i. THINK you're right i think that
is like the true like it's going to carry through
as the STORY of. This net season it's just like,
this is why like no. One's doing this, it might
work and, if it does how? Cool is that and,
if it doesn't still kind of like. Credit, FOR trying
YEAH i know i, In MY opinion so i think
they'll be, interesting at, least all, right they win. Get the, Predictions.
Speaker 1: Let's go lucas how many games do you? Have THEM
winning and i think the other side of that is
how many Teams In the eastern conference do you think
they'll be better?
Speaker 2: Than this?
Speaker 1: YEAR if any.
Speaker 2: I have them at, twenty three wins which is, Again
over there. Vegas over under it really just comes down
to how aggressive the front office wants to be and
chasing this draft pick because they stumbled over. Themselves LAST
year and i think you can justify, it, by saying
well we have five picks and it's about. Setting, the,
culture okay great but like this year, is the year
so let's see it is, THAT being said i do
think they're. GONNA play HARD i Think i trust jordie
to get a lot, out of Guys and so i'll
go with. Twenty three wins is there a second part? Of,
that Question? Oh the east their competition is Really what
the Wizards, and THE hornets.
Speaker 1: And i think it might Only, be, the Wizards.
Speaker 2: Yeah, The hornet yeah and maybe if one team has
a random, season from hell Like if the celtics.
Speaker 3: Could be, down there? Again who Knows like, THIS celtics, sixers.
Speaker 1: I ask yeah I can't the celtics just there are
a lot of, people, ARE like yeah i think they're
gonna be fighting for the sixth seed or they'll certainly
be in. PLAY in territoried i feelk they've telegraphed that
they actively do not want, that to Happen and so
i've just like kind of put a Pit in the
celtics as that might be the team that shocks everybody
by being deliberately way worse than everybody seems.
Speaker 2: To think they're all it Takes Is One jalen brown
draymond's twenty twenty One season where draymond like gets an in, and,
He's like actually i'm out for.
Speaker 1: The whole.
Speaker 2: Year. I'M good yeah i think there will be the
second worst Team, in the East, likely the wizards. MAYBE
someone ELSE i just, i don't. KNOW you know i
did say the FUNNIEST and most nets outcome last year
would be if their pick was One behind THE suns
and i. ALMOST got there i think the funniest outcome
this year would be the worst record in the league and.
Falling to fifth oh?
Speaker 1: Is that funny is? That really funny that dark Dark.
Speaker 2: In a shakespearean. SORT of way i guess.
Speaker 3: Before we, let you GO one other nets prediction can be.
Anything You want.
Speaker 2: Jag or makes second team ALL a rookie.
Speaker 1: I could, see i mean they better get an all
rookie guy with drafted five of them in, the.
Speaker 3: First round and the percentage of the first round do
they have? In play better they do have.
Speaker 2: Twenty percent of the seventeen percent of the first rounded. Play,
GREAT odds yeah. I don't, know you know, He's six'
nine he'll he'll walk into some like thirteen. Five and,
six games you know if he makes a couple of
threes and like gets vouled while. THEY'RE in, the bonus.
Speaker 1: I look, if he stays Healthy like if that planner,
Fascist stuff doesn't. LINGER i'm all bored i think he's going.
To be. REALLY good maybe not i don't know if he's,
gonna BE a star but i think he's, gonna be
A really. Really, good nba player.
Speaker 2: Grant here's the, QUOTE by the way i almost. Forgot
he said this he said. This on, draft night he
said PASSING is something that. I was always doing AND
this is why i believe in the game of basketball.
As a creative, place, It's AN art right and i.
WANT to play beautiful i, want TO play pretty and i.
Want to play efficient there's never a sacrifice of myself
for the team. Or something like that it's just about.
Making the right, decision, he's a poet done The.
Speaker 3: Rookie, of, the year. Like no, It's, over i'm sorry cooper,
This Is the moment like i'm in the. Bag for
him forever. Now that's. Real too, that's incredible.
Speaker 2: He's yeah he's great YOU gotta yeah some i could
find these. Other quotes from him he's. Already been a
machine and it was Funny, because at media day after
a summer of THESE quotes about LIKE i know what
i have, to GET better At like i know i'm.
NOT a finished product i have to, live in, the
gym this that, and these like long. Beautiful spiels about
basketball he was, for the first time like visibly annoyed
because we. Asked like ten, questions, they were like, so
like your injury can you? Tell us about it and
he was like it's. Not a big deal, and we're
like okay but like? What are you doing are you up?
To on court activities, AND he was, Like i don't
know i'm doing. WHAT the doctor, says, i, was like
yeah man it's not gonna already it's not. Gonna, be,
all artistic artistic.
Speaker 3: Well the the body, doesn't affect the soul and my
soul is. Purified by skip passes.
Speaker 2: Someone solds in my comments and said art. Is nothing
without CONSTRAINTS that is why i have forsworn learning how.
TO dribble. That's, INCREDIBLE i know well i appreciate you
guys having me On this is the NETS are fascinated
and i hope to. More, than just me.
Speaker 1: Yeah they're fascinating to us and to all the sickos.
That listen and watch can you just tell them where
they can find you in all the fantastic, Work that you.
Speaker 2: Do, Lucas Of course, Yeah as dan said lucas kaplan
on socials and then for all nets. Stuff netsdaily dot
com last year was our. Twentieth year in existence shout
Out to the Legendary, bob of nets daily who runs
all our socials and to this day writes like three
things a day, at eighty, years old a legend and BASKETBALL,
INSIDERS for. General wnba nba stuff, some freelance, pieces there
But yeah that's where i'm at And generally around the
internet doing great pods such as. SUCH as this one i. Had,
a Great.
Speaker 3: Time, yeah thanks lucas again everybody check out everything that
he's writing. AND putting out there i will. SAY a
personal endorsement i Think he covers the nets, better than
anybody else so make sure you make a. Point to, Do.
That thank you lucas thanks everybody, for listening for watching
do All, the. THINGS rate reviews subscribe i will, not
tell your. FRIENDS tell your enemies i Will Not shout
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