Speaker 1: What is up, Felsicos. I am Dana Valley, Back with you,
Back at you with Mort Genten from the Fame NBA podcast,
Yahoo Sports, Sports Illustrated and Sports. And don't forget to
subscribe to his only fans. As we have to mention
now at the top of every podcast with him, we
are here to talk about last time or a couple
episodes ago, we did the search for the most dangerous
Eastern Conference sleepers. We are now going to move to
the Western Conference. It's only fair that they get a
little shine for some teams who The idea here is
we're looking at teams who are not considered contenders during
the season. And so while you might consider the Minnesota
Timberwolves to be a fringe playoff team right now, because
they're absolutely a fringe playoff team at the moment, they
didn't move into this discussion. But a team like the Suns,
who everyone has been on the fence about since basically
the middle of last year, if not beforehand, they would
qualify Mort first and foremost, though, how the heck are
you doing doing well?
Speaker 2: You and I seem to have become permanent podcast brothers.
What is this? Four episodes in a.
Speaker 1: Row four episodes in a week, that's all. We don't
even only put out four full episodes in a week.
But look at us.
Speaker 2: No, we're the little engine that can, Yeah.
Speaker 1: The little engine that can. Uh. Without further ado, though,
should we dive into this absolutely? First up the Golden
State Warriors, who probably profiled as a contender fifteen games
into the season, but they do not anymore. We did
talk extensively about them on a Thursday podcast where or
was it a Friday, whatever it was, it was like
a day or two ago about the comments that Steph
and Draymond had made. So go check out that discussion
too for kind of a full overview of what's going
on with the Warriors. More. How do we need to
feel about the scene right now, especially if, as Steph
and Draymond say, they don't plen the mortgage the future
to get better.
Speaker 2: You know, this is one of those teams that, because
of the presence of Steph, you can never really rule
them out, and at the same time, you just don't
feel confident in them whatsoever, Like they're not the juggernaut
that used to be. They don't have the depth. The
fact that Clay Left isn't necessarily something that I hold
against them, because Clay himself is also somewhat limited in
the way he moves nowadays. So I don't think that's
as big a loss as the media tried to make
it out as. But I just don't have a good
read on this team in terms of how they are
as currently constructed. I mean, the Dannis Shorter trade didn't
work out. Jonathan Kuminga, who ended up last year as
like the second best player on the team for a
long stretch of time, has not lived up to that.
He's not taking a step It seems like they're kind
of coming to that realization that he might not be
the guy who they were hoping for. Brandy Putjemski took
a step down this year, which I didn't anticipate. Like,
I just have no idea what to make of this team.
And yet there's that lingering, goddamn feeling in the back
of my head that as long as you have Stephen Curry,
you can't be ruled out the way the fact that
Grant isn't here to say, well, they have Landy Waters,
that's that's a shame. That's a shame.
Speaker 1: Look they do have. Look they have Lindy Waters and
Gie Santos. And that's how they right the ship, is
it not? Am I wrong?
Speaker 2: Totally fair?
Speaker 1: Like you just lean on them and you go from there.
Speaker 2: Look they sit down more de Sensos. Yes, he's the.
Speaker 1: One who's really untouchable. Who do they trade first, Santos
or Steth?
Speaker 2: Definitely Steph. Anything else would be ridiculous.
Speaker 1: Yes, so sit more. Since they began the season twelve
and three, they are nine and seventeen, the twenty fourth,
twenty fourth highest net rating, twenty sixth in point score
per possession at the offensive end, and they're twentieth in
points allowed at the defensive end, which is still supposed
to be their calling card. They cannot. I still think
the biggest problem. I think they can get to moments
and long stretches where you really trust their defense. To me,
their biggest problem is that the offense has no identity
without Steph, and even late game situations with Steph it
can be rocky. They're in the third percentile of offensive
efficiency when Steph is off the court this season. That
is that is low. Now you might think the the
idea of Dennis Schruter was that he could help those minutes.
We're talking about a sub five hundred posession sample size.
But when Shrewd plays without Steph, the Warriors offense is
in the first percentile a ninety eight point nine offensive rating.
Has not been a great fit so far. I this
team is kind of mentioned even Kerr. Steve Kerr kind
of came right out and said it. The goal is
to catch lightning in a bottle like they did in
twenty twenty two, remain healthy enough, and I actually respect
that they've admitted we're not going to run Steph aground
trying to get the sixth or the eight seed without
making a trade. I guess just if this team doesn't
make any changes, even if they're probably they'll probably add
a big but like, who's the worst player, the worst
type of player they could get that would make you
feel better about them as a postseason threat. I'll use
let's use Nikola Vucevich as an exam So I think that's.
Speaker 2: About to say that name.
Speaker 1: Actually, yes, that just feels like the one where you
give up either Dennis Shooter and someone else, or you
give up Gary Payton the second Kyle Anderson and Kevon
Looney and then maybe you take back Tory, Craig and Vooch.
However that works out? Does it? Does someone like that
helps your rebounding, gives you size they are undersized and
give gives you I mean the way he's shooting this year,
or some spacing and then maybe someone you could run
games through offensively. I would by the way, I'd probably
predicto if he goes to Golden State, he'll start shooting
fewer threes, I would guess in all likelihood, right, because
of the way they would want to use him. But
is that, like does the player need to be better
than that for you to view them as a real
postseason threat? Do you see this team because of Steph,
because of Draymond, because of what we know when coming
is healthy, what he can be, because of how Wiggins
has played this year? Is there a chance that they're
able to catch that lightning in a bottle at the
end of the year if everybody's healthy.
Speaker 2: Well, that depends on what constitutes lightning in a bottle?
Is that a championship or.
Speaker 1: Is it making Oh I was thinking twelfth in the
West right.
Speaker 2: No, But like, okay, we have to set some level
of expectations too, because like the championship route now, then
Boche is not gonna be, you know, the final piece
of the puzzle. Obviously, Could he be the difference in
terms of whether they make the playoffs or not? Yes?
Could he also be the difference maker in terms of
whether they actually win in the first round? Possibly if
his shooting persists. He's taking less than five threes per game,
so I actually think he can maintain that volume in
Golden State. It's a good question. It's funny that we
kind of think of the same player there because it's
this twenty ten guy who passes pretty well, who fits
the timeline next dray and Steph. He does make a
lot of sense. He can play in a spacing offense,
he can play in a slow offense, although he's actually
better in a spacing offense. That's part of of this
whole thing that's been you know, the Billy Donovan just
kind of dialed up the speed of the offense, the
pace of the offense, and Vooch just kind of flourished
under that. So maybe that's a big sign for the
Warriors to get in on that action and just tell
Steph and Draymond run the ever living hell out of
every opportunity that you've got Vouch will follow He'll have
a bigger better chance of replicating that efficiency. I don't know,
but I like him as a trade option for them.
Is it going to turn them into a championship consenter? No?
Speaker 1: No, I do you think it would probably make them,
which is weird to say about Vouch in terms of
the playoffs, that it would just make them. It would
give them more offensive optionality because they are deep. They're
just not deep with players who can play a ton
of minutes or they're not deep with they're deep with
flawed players. So they're useful players, but they're they're also flawed.
And that's like a weird, complicated spot to be in.
And it's just look, buddy, heal stops shooting.
Speaker 2: Are they deep? If you're deep with flawed players, are
you then deep is flawed? Like stepped.
Speaker 1: That's tough because but look at the look at like
their top twelve guys or something like most of them
would be in rotations around the NBA. So that's depth.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's fair. I can buy that.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but it's you don't have like how many of
them have two way potential or most of them just
don't have like an on but who aside from Steph
has real on ball gravity. I guess Kaminga and Shrewder
are supposed to. I just so that's what's tough.
Speaker 2: That's a nice way of phrasing it's supposed to you have,
because I do you really think that Jonathan Kamenka has
a lot of on ball gravity.
Speaker 1: I think when you like when he really gets going
downhill with the ball in his hands, like that's when
you see like defenses will react that well, will make
the right pass or decision in those situations. That's always
been sort of a mystery, but you know his play.
Since their start in general ticked up, I think what's
hurt them is, Okay, buddy heel is no longer shooting
a trillion percent from three, and the defense has fallen off.
I think Draymond slipped a little bit. I had it
when we did our coarter season awards. I think I
had him third in DPOY voting, and there's been a
demonstrative downtick from him since then. They have dealt with
some injuries, the fact that Brandon Pojemski has not taken
a step forward this year. I mean he's shooting almost
thirty seven percent from three since their twelve and three start,
but they're not like he's I think they also viewed
him as someone who might be able to steady the
ship in steps at absence, and that hasn't worked. They're
getting good minutes from Gui Santos of late, but it's
also kind of like, well, we're at that point of
this season. How good is this team? Really? I don't
know how to feel like them. To be honest, I
might align with you in the sense of they have Steph,
they have Draymond, and I really do think that they
can get to a core lineup if they add a
different type of big that would make you feel really
good about that core lineup where Okay, how much can
you lean on these five these six guys and then
mix and match them as part of your core unit?
And I mean even now, like I know, Trace Jackson
Davis has his flaws, but like a Wiggins Green, Trace
Jackson Davis, uh, and then Steph of course, like there's
kind of a nice baseline right there. And I, by
the way, Yowen is also might just be their biggest laudge.
You know what their most used lineup is on the season?
Hit me, it's those four Steph Wiggins, Draymond and Trace
with Lindy Waters the third and they that look. That
lineup has a plus ten point five net rating. But
like Lindy Waters, the third has not played a ton
of minutes for the Golden State Warriors overall. So the
fact that that's their most five man unit speaks to
a ton of different things. Availability, of course, but also
just the way that the rotations can be managed. I
don't know what the answer is for this team. I'd
feel better about them if they added some functional size
in the front court, but they are a significant player
short of making noise, and I wasn't super confident that
they were gonna go after that player in the first place.
I would now be floored shocked if they did. Based
off those comments that we got from stephendre can I.
Speaker 2: Ask you just to wrap this Secmond up. Moses Moody.
Do you think there's a type of solution internally that
they just haven't given enough of, like a view?
Speaker 1: Are you trying to imply that Moses Moody might be underutilized?
Look more, he's over he's ever, He's averaging over fifteen
minutes per game. That's like I like that might as
well be forty eight based off like how they use him.
I don't I don't know if he's just I don't
think he's a solution just because he might if you're
looking to shrink the rotation and find more consistency. Yes,
I think that he could be a solution, But in
terms of what I think they need most, which is
just kind of another offensive engine, No, he's not going
to be a solution there, no.
Speaker 2: No, no. I'm basically talking just about finding quality on
this roster that you can sort of rely on, because
I still, like, we're over two hundred games into his
career and I don't think I really have a strong
grasp of, you know, who the hell he actually is
as a player, and I think that's in large part
because he's not been given a chance. But at the
same time, I also have a hard time just kind
of keep pointing the finger at at Golden State for
four years and going, well, I mean, after four years,
she probably should have an idea of where the guy is.
But they also extended him in the same breath, So like,
I'm very weirded out by that situation.
Speaker 1: I mean, here's my thing, he's not shooting the ball
well over this like stretch since they were twelve and
three from two, still close to he's like thirty six
and a half percent from three. I'm not necessarily a
ton of volume, but doesn't play a ton of minutes.
I very rarely come away from his minutes. And I've
said this before, thinking that he doesn't belong like on
an NBA court, right, And I think given his minutes,
I know you're deep, well, you're deep, like, but are
you deep with players where it's worth marginalizing Moody's development,
especially if you remain steadfastedly against mortgaging your future. So yeah,
I would argue I don't think there are any answers
internally for this roster, but there's a chance. I don't
think you could say this about every team that maybe
a modest move does give them sort of just this
nudge in the right directions where, oh, you don't want
to meet them in a playoff series. Our next team,
the Los Angeles Clippers, health fire defense. Their offense is
a burden. Kawhi has played basketball and spacing. I don't
know how much of the like Kawhi minutes you've seen
this season, And to be clear, there's still been very
few of them. He has played in how many games four?
The spacing is just so much different when he's on
the court already. That's where this I know they have.
They could trade a first round pick, they have a swap,
they have Terrence Mann salary, they have PJ. Tucker's salary.
They could do something I don't I wouldn't be shocked,
but I just don't know what they're gonna do. The
idea of this team though, Like if Kawhi is just
healthy ish for the playoffs and he can give you
even twenty five minutes, Like, how do you view the Clippers?
Speaker 2: Why is Kawhi I don't think for some reason, it
doesn't matter what kind of entry he goes through. It
seems like he's always bouncing up on the other side
of it, and it's like still the same caliber player
if that holds true. Yet again, yeah, their ceiling goes up.
But at the same time, I sort of like ask
the same question I said with the Warriors, like what
is their top tier ceiling? Here are we talking about
the second round of the playoffs at best? At most, Like,
I don't think we can argue with a straight face
it should go beyond that.
Speaker 1: I probably agree with you, because you're gonna get to
a point in the playoffs where you need that upper
echelon type of offense and they don't have it like
they're the Honestly, the fact that they're giving them how
much time Kawhi is missed or basically missing the entiregion.
The fact that they're twenty second and half court offense
is almost impressive when you look at the personnel has
been available. But I think their defense just operates on
this level to where if you throw minutes, like depending
on how much you worry about playing time, like they
probably have two or three all defense candidates on this roster.
You've gotten for the most part, he's not as thermonuclear
as he was to start the year, but you've gotten
a really big jump from Norman Powell, James Harden. We've
seen his three point efficiency tick up like since basically
before Thanksgiving. It in good minutes from a mere coffee.
I just the fact that their defense is like it
is actual hell fire when you watch them, it is exhaustive.
They can get at you from every level. They can
do all sorts of different things. It scales to all
different types of looks with their lineups if they're gonna
just be a top five defense, like isn't if you
have Kawhi Leonard on the floor. Let's not even like
kind of like, let's just say Kawhi Leonard looks like
what he's looked like, but he's on the floor. In
the playoffs, I don't know that I would rule out
winning two playoff series in the West right now, because
who is the aside from Oklahoma City, who is just
the team that's been head and shoulders above. I guess
the MAVs haven't necessarily been healthy enough to establish themselves there.
But it's not as good as the Grizzlies and Rockets been.
It's not them, not the Nuggets.
Speaker 2: I think for me, the question is hard, right. So
his efficiency, while I agree with you it's been taking
up lately, there's no agreement in place, like the stats
just kind of lay that out on it. On the season,
he's been not where he needs to be. The turnovers
have remained a problem, Like I do think in a
playoff context that is a hard combination. Like if you
have a guy who's a high turnover, low efficiency type
of score, you're working at a disadvantage at that point
in some regards, and that's probably where I think it
falls short a little bit. And then there's also just
a part of me that wonders normOn Powell he's knocking
on the door of like fifty forty five eighty five,
which is ridiculous. But there's also part of me that's
like going into a playoff series, you know, where it
seems really have a lot of time to prepare make adjustments.
Are you telling me they can't find a solution to
a six ' three off guard? We can't really do
a whole lot else, but you score, I don't know
if I trust that component. And I say this as
a huge Norman Pole fan by the way.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I look, I think that's fair, and
he's just I still think just because of like when
he's gonna play in tandem with Harden, like there's gonna
be yeah, defense is will be tilted enough for him
to kind of like that like what he's doing should
sustain to some degree. But I do recognize that point.
It's where it comes back to it seems like they
need a second creator more than anything, and.
Speaker 2: Why would probably be it? Though that's a fair point
from your point, I mean look, why can't create And
if he's healthy, yo, he's gonna be the lynchpin. And
that's that means the Norman Polell will stick down on
the offensive totem pole, which might make him more offensive
or more offensive relevant. And for Harden, maybe that means
an opticking efficiency. Like I guess if you squint, you
can make a real argument for them winning to playoff series.
Speaker 1: I think that's the Kauhi of it all. That's not
as of right now. If they don't do anything and
Kawhi might not be available, they're They're not. I don't
even think they win a series, to be honest, Like,
you're gonna need more offense out of it, and you
you at least need to find some way to I think,
alleviate the burden on James Harden because he's still to
me a borderline transcendent passer. And like we said, his
efficiency is picked up. But like the fact that his
burden when you're just looking at true usage, which incorporates
his scoring and his playmate game like that is exponentially
higher than it was last year. And I understand that
Paul George is gone and that Kauhi hasn't been healthy
but that's also kind of the point yep till there
as of right now, if they don't make any changes,
I would probably agree with you that maybe they could
like steal a series there. But I also can't just
write off the fact that we're halfway through the season,
they're in an actual Western Conference playoff spot, and with
like nightmare availability from Kauwhi. They basically they're basically five
hundred against opponents with winning records this year, and I
just I can't write that off totally. However, wrap up
here with a quick question, I don't think that they're
unless you have some information on Kauhi that we don't.
I don't think they're good enough to go out on
the trademarket and say like, hey we got we can
trade a pick and a swap off in the like
I can't if you can do something with the Man
Tucker salaries and it's bring back somebody, I don't even
I don't know who that somebody is. But just like,
does Man have a ton of standalone value to where
you can use him and PJ. Tucker to get who?
I don't know what the answer is. Yeah, okay, maybe
you look at that, But I don't think they're good
enough to approach the trade deadline with the urgency that
their their future, that there their current draft pick obligations suggest.
Speaker 2: I would agree with that.
Speaker 1: Our next team is also in LA, which I think
some people might argue they're not a fringe playoff team
because of how good they are relative to the standings.
Is the Lakers more? How do you feel about them?
Speaker 2: I think they're old and I think it's a team
though that's playoff tested obviously before because they won the
title in twenty twenty. Lebron is Lebron even though he's forty.
Davis is this year what a top three, top four
NBA player probably, I mean just when he's on. I
like the cohesiveness of those who I still think they
have so many one way players. I get that they
got Doriyan Phinney Smith Dorian Phinney Smith in there to
sort of even things out. I hate it or wow,
I'm tired by the way it's past midnight. I love
the trade for them to get a two way guy
in there, especially a switchable forward who can hit the three,
defend multiple positions. That was nice. I do think they
need to make a follow up trade before the trade
deadline of giving up someone who's like only offensively or
defensively inclined and then get a two way guy in there.
You know, is that Ruy Harchimora who has to be
moved for someone who might be a little worse offensively
but who can participate on both sides of the floor.
Or do we have to look at the Jerry Vanderbilt
contract and say, look, this guy is not going to
be able to score at any level if he's healthy,
Or should we look at someone who can actually hit
a three point shot in that role in seat? I
think those are the type of deals that they need
to go.
Speaker 1: In then and check what is it again? What is
their biggest need? Because it seems, I mean, Dorian Phinney
Smith might help here long term, but if they're going
to continue to switch so readily on the defensive end,
they don't really have the personnel still to do that.
And we've seen just points where they've been burned by that.
But you can also make the case that, well, do
you want a reserve big, do you want a starting
big next to Davis? And then that was that dude
to like, however you want to switch? Does that make
you better equipped less equipped. We also think that you
look at this and say, okay, well you gave away
Dangelo Russell and while you have Lebron James and you
have Austin Reeves, like, there's another need for just a
frum scratch shot creator here as well. And it's I
just like what need And you could also say, okay,
like they also could maybe need someone who's a capslock shooter,
not just someone who can hit threes but can kind
of fly around get them up at higher volume, because
they're once again in the bottom five of three point
a tenth rate, and they're actually hitting their threes at
a lower e clip this year compared to last season,
by two point three percentage points less. There are a
lot of different ways you could go when balancing the
most glaring need with the feasibility of filling it. What
do you think is the should be their primary focus
ahead of the deadline?
Speaker 2: Yeah, a guard who can fix some of the issues
you just outlined there wouldn't be the worst thing in
the world. Like, I like Kobe White in a perfect world,
I think would fit that system pretty well because you
can play on ball, off ball defensively. He's grown in
recent years. He's a bit more of a playmaker than
he was than when he was like a real youngster.
He would come in and provide them with, you know,
a sort of set baseline from the guard spot. The
thing is, can you get him. I don't know whether
he's available or what the price would be. I think
the Bulls should pivot off of him. I think he
would fit that mindset. You could even replace him with
a different Chicago guard in Iotosumo. He kind of fits
the same mold, just lesser volume, better defender though. I
think he would be a really good fit, even though
he won't have the same type of ceiling there. But
a guard is what I'm looking for too, especially someone
who can play both sides of the court.
Speaker 1: They're just I don't know what to make of them, though,
because you look at the standings and they're just they're
right there. They're six in the West, which is four games.
Number five hundred is nothing to sneeze at. They are
ten and fourteen though against opponents five hundred or better.
And I know, you know Stathead Basketball Reference has this
simple rate system that takes into account your margin of
victory with the strength of schedule. Do you know where
they rank in the Western Conference in strength of schedule
adjusted basically net rating. They rank eleventh. That's like, that's
not good. And I know they've had some just sort
of wild swing games, but when you're not necessarily beating
all these really good opponents consistently, is this something you
hope just kind of evens out as you move forward,
I honestly don't know. I think I'm with you that look.
I think i'd probably target just someone You're probably not
going to find another two way player who can operate
on the ball for what they can offer, because who
even forsall? Who is that? And do the Lakers have
the assets to go get them if you wanted to,
Like maybe you could get involved in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes,
But now you're getting older, you're talking about mega money there,
and you're not doing anything for your floor spacing or
shooting in that regard. I just I don't have the answer,
and so I'm wondering, like, do they just need to
lean all the way in the offense. Then at this point,
you mentioned Kobe White would be a good one. Do
you this is a team that doesn't seem like it
wants to give up a ton of first round picks.
Do you try and step ladder your way to Zach Lavine.
Speaker 2: I mean, look, if you're if you want to lean
in to offense, you wouldn't have made the Russell for
Dorian Phiney Smith deal in the first place. So I
don't think that is a viable option for them necessarily.
I mean it should have been. It should have been
because then you would leaned into Daniel Dalton connect that's
what's that's his name, and then yes, seckly mean would
have made a perfectly fine acquisition.
Speaker 1: But I do think they want to lean.
Speaker 2: Into something that's a little bit more defensively oriented, which
again we can sit here in debate until we're blue
in the face whether that's the right call or not.
But it would just seem odd to me that they
move out an offensive minded player for someone who's more
defensive link client only to say, oh, we're leaning into offense.
Speaker 1: Well, they've been. The name they've been most aggressively linked
to is Gionas Valanciunez. That's not a defensive move outside
of rebattling.
Speaker 2: That guess not. But I also don't expect him to
play more than what twenty minutes at most, And I.
Speaker 1: Mean, if you can get him for the Gabe Vincent
deal in a second, you probably you should probably just
do that. But them, by the way you're you're I mean,
Valentowness is more of a hub than gave vinto whatever
we But you are removing another in theory ball handler
from your ranks. I don't have.
Speaker 2: It's just clearing the way for Brownie James Man.
Speaker 1: They're a tough team to figure out. I don't think
they're as non threatening as people have painted them out
to be, but their indicators are not super positive. They
are a plus six point one though per one hundred
with Dorrian Phinney Smith on the court. So far so
and by the way, guess they've done that all offense,
they have like a one to twenty what was the
less than one twenty seven net offensive rating with him
on the court? I believe that is that's high.
Speaker 2: Uh.
Speaker 1: But he's not someone who's like alone I think gonna
stabilize the defense. He's kind of just a body. Like
you said, they need more two way players on this team.
They have a one twenty four offensive rating with Dorrian
Phinney Smith on the court, ironically that wouldn't be the
best line, but like you know, there's like a good
baseline there between Reeves, Finney, Smith, Lebron and Ad and
it's kind of like who's the ideal fifth player to
plug in there that would make the most sense for
this team. I don't think it's really spoiler alert for
anybody watching.
Speaker 2: Can I ask you how much stock do you put
into this? Like some of their losses have just been
so horrid, Like they've had a lot of bad losses
where they've just been I mean it's blowouts, and most
of their wins have been like, oh, we just got
over the hunt. Is that something you put any stock into?
Speaker 1: You know? Honestly, their clutch time performance has been they're
not getting lucky, and so it makes me think like, Okay,
maybe you should play stock in it, but I think
i'd place more stock in it with Are those wins
coming against teams that they're gonna need to beat in
a playoff series?
Speaker 2: Right?
Speaker 1: And it's when you start to dig into the like
the overarching schedule for them, the answer is no, So
like that's I think that's where I struggle with. But
I think let's just say they don't make a move
or they acquire a big Do you view them as
a team that can maintain top six status in the West,
a team that can win a playoff series, win too
playoff series? Is like, where are you kind of at
with them?
Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean yes, I do think they can win
a playoff series. I also think they can win to
again depending heavily emphasis on depending on matchup, right, Like
who they're going up against the fact that we're seeing
a Western conference that's very very potent. Yes, but at
the same time we're seeing Denver, you know, lose a step. Houston,
who's second in the in the conference, is still a
very young team. You can exploit young teams in the
in the playoffs, especially if you're a veteran team who
knows all the tricks of the trade. Memphis, whow, I mean,
look there, I'm so pressed with their season. I think
it's the team that missed the most games due to
injury and they're third in the West. That's impressive as hell,
But that also means because of that injury bug, Like,
are they going to be healthy coming into the playoffs?
I have no idea. If they're not, the Lakers could
probably take them the Clippers. I don't necessarily have a
lot of faith in the Dallas Mavericks. Are Luca? Is
Luca going to be, you know, fully available? Is it
going to be one hundred percent? We don't know the
answer to that. I don't trust Minnesota, I don't trust Sacramento.
So the only team in the West, which is kind
of what my point is going to be boiled down to,
is the one team that I trust is Okay. See,
so if they avoid them on their path, is there
a way they could make it too? Well, it depends
on their seating, of course, But to to to the
West Finals, I suppose, but they would have to go
really high for that to happen. So yeah, that'll be.
Speaker 1: An interesting question to ask at the end of this
which team you're gonna end up trusting the most from
this group of six? Ron and the Phoenix signs another
team we discussed in detail following the trade for Nick Richards.
So I would encourage anyone to go check out that
episode Where in the hell are you at with them?
Speaker 2: Look? Whenever it seems ast Kevin durand this I said
this in the last episode as well. I think I
even said in this episode, when you have Steph Curry,
There's always this belief in something. I have the same
opinion of Kevin Durant because Kevin Durand is a ridiculously
talented basketball player who is so unstoppable of an offensive
force that it's difficult to comprehend. Yet this season it
just hasn't worked out. And yeah, there have been injuries,
there have been lineup shuffles, there have been big man
issues on all this. But if the Nick Richards acquisition
does work out for him, if that suddenly aligned stuff
and it means a less emphasis on Kad on Booker,
on Beale, on having to do big man stuff and
they can focus on what they do best, then hell, yes,
I'm going to lean into the Suns, but they have
to show it before I'm like doing it. I'm not
going to sit here and predict that, oh, this trade
and we haven't even seen Nick Richards play yet, this
is going to fall into line, Like I have to
see it first. There is a world where in I
could trust him, ky d man, that's the name for me.
If he keeps playing at the level that he does,
and if they do sneak into the playoffs, then I'm
just not going to put a cap on them because
the twel level is ridiculous.
Speaker 1: It's just wild to kind of think that they're guaranteed
to get into the playoffs as of right now. Yeah,
there's lots of the play in as we're recording this,
and I don't I mean, you could say you don't
expect that to hold. But the teams in front of them,
Golden State, Sacramento, Minnesota, Dallas Lakers, like, what is the
team that they're going to catch, But they are within
close proximity to basically, with the exception of OKC in Houston,
everybody else like within reasonable distance. So I guess you
could say that they have that going for them.
Speaker 2: So we're still, you know, some time away from a
trade deadline. I mean there could still be follow up trades.
I mean this episode and the East one we did
as well. You know, we're taking a look as currently construy,
but we also have to recognize that some of these
rosters could look a little bit different come February sixth.
Speaker 1: I just don't know what the move is. I mean,
Jimmy Butler would make me feel a lot better because
this team, So they start Phoenix was twelve and eight
and since then, and they've dealt with some like availability issues,
Kevin Durant missed some time. They are still eleventh in
points scored per possession, they're twenty fifth in points allowed
per possession. And I just don't know, like Nick Richards
is going to help your base defense some I would imagine,
but I just the guys. They're like, they're so reliant
on O Sagadaro and Ryan Dunn, which is kudos to
those guys, but it's also a little bit or to
a lot of bit troublesome when you're kind of looking
at it through the context of a playoff series. Royce
O'Neil healthy now, but there they lean on him too much.
I like, it feels like they need another I don't
want to say premiere, but like someone who's gonna really
help contain the ball on the perimeter. Maybe me moved
around a bit that won't that doesn't have this like
or have as many glaring offensive limitations, and so like
Royce O'Neil doesn't have a ton of offensive limitations, I
guess unless you're asking him to handle the ball, like,
there's there's a limit to what he's gonna be able
to do. For you on defense, and I just don't
know how they go like the guy that they need
to me, even if you're independent of making it a star,
I don't know how you get him, like you dangle
that twenty thirty one pick with all different sorts of
matching salary that you have. I just don't I don't
know what the name is for, like, aside from Jimmy Butler,
who's the name for them?
Speaker 2: Yeah, it has to be a connector, like a real connector.
You know, I have an off ball or an off
ball idea. But again, he's He's missed most of the season,
so I don't know if he's has time to ramp up.
Bruce Brown in this system, I wouldn't hate. I think
there's something there.
Speaker 1: They can't get him. They just don't have that. They
need a singular contract to get him with because he's
at over twenty million and they just don't have that.
If you're not going to trade.
Speaker 2: You're right. I was thinking Grayson Allen for Alan's making less.
You're right, Bruce is at what twenty three? Right? They
can Yeah, okay, I something else that I've been thinking about.
By the way, if they were to get Jimmy and
I know positions don't really matter as much in today's NBA.
I would start him at the one and take Tyas
Jones out of the starting lineup. I would have Tyas
Jones just run that second unit like the the terrific
on ball creator and low turnover guy that he is.
I would want somepstability.
Speaker 1: So you trust? Is this more about you trust Devin
Booker off the ball more than Jimmy Butler. You trust
Jimmy Butler more on the ball, like as a facilitator
than Devin Bookers.
Speaker 2: So here's yeah, So I trust Devin as a playmaker,
like I'm not. This isn't me not trusting Devin Booker.
This is me believing that Jimmy Butler has historically proven
to be a low turnover type of guy who has
a court vision that I don't think he gets the
proper amount of respect for. And I also like the
idea of playing book more off ball more in terms
of like the floor space. I don't think Devin Booker
it sounds ridiculous when he's taking eight threes per game
this year, but I don't think he's taking enough. I
don't think he's taking enough. And I know he's only
hitting them a thirty four percent. But like that's Devin Booker.
He can find his you know, he can find efficiency whenever.
He's that good of a player. I'm not worried. I
would like to see him getting more freed up as
a score. I don't think him getting twenty five points
per game. I think that's like in the low end
of what he can achieve. Jimmy, as we're well aware,
if he buys into this whole thing, and given that
he wants Phoenix, I imagine he would. He doesn't care
about shot at mounts or shot attempts like that is
the one thing about him that I think is a major,
major upside. Offensively speaking, he is fully satisfied getting eight shots,
ten shots, and if a game necessitates that he takes fifteen, sure,
fine whatever. But if he can come in and just say, look,
I don't have this the shot hungriness of a bad Beale,
I have no problem just running the show as actual
league guard, defend the point of attack, switch over to
bigger guards or sorry, bigger wings, and do whatever like
be this Swiss army knife that I think has some Jews,
especially with ties on the bench, and just and you
also ask tis not just to facilitate off the bench,
but also to score more, because I think he's a
much better score than he's ever been made, you know,
up to ass and he's starting alongside Devin Booker, Kevin
Durant and for the most part this year, Bradley Beale, Like,
there's pretty good reason he's not been able to demonstrate,
you know, his scoring prowess. It's it's a matter of
just aligning things.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I I I'm I don't want to say him
out on this team. I'm curious to see their their
new starting five, which I assume you'll sub in Nick
Richards for Mason Plumley. But their new starting five has
been like a plus twenty five per one hundred. But
they've gotten really lucky on opponent three point shooting twenty
three percent, sub fifty five percent shooting at the rooms.
I'm just curious to see how that sustains long term.
And I've been trying to find like a like a
non star for them that I don't not gonna do
what Jimmy Butler does offensively necessarily in terms of handling
the ball, but just like, can you move around like
aggressively on defense. He's gonna give you more on offense
than a Ryan Dunn. And I think part of like
the issue is I don't even know, like are their
Western Conference teams that would have the foresight to say, okay,
like if they're giving us their twenty thirty one pick,
like we'll help Phoenix out this year because like a
lot of these like how many teams are gonna talk
themselves into like, well we could be better than Phoenix.
We don't want to help them out. So I they're
in such a tough spot obviously because of the limited assets.
I don't I don't have a great feel for what
this team is. If they don't make any further moves,
I would say that there. I would cap them out
at one playoff series win. I know, the like you
have Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and those guys give you,
I guess in dearI a chance against everybody. But I
just haven't seen enough defensively collectively from this group, and
even like the offense can be met, like they were
shooting a bunch of a lot more threes to start
the year and then that kind of was yanked back down.
I there's just all sorts of noise here and a
lot of it's uncomfortable.
Speaker 2: Yep, I agree.
Speaker 1: Who are we going to talk about next? More your team?
Oh no, not yet. The Sacramento Kings. They've been they've
been better since getting rid of Mike Brown. They have.
Speaker 2: Honestly, I don't know where I am here because I
thought they did Mike Brown a little dirty. I thought
it was more of a Ruster construction issue than it
was a coaching issue. And now the Kings are kind
of like just pointing at me and going really more,
Really that's what you thought, Look at how we're doing
right now. If look, if this was a coaching change
that was needed, cool, that's that's awesome. I might be
inclined to think this is just like a a coach
switch high. So we'll see how they're looking in a
couple of weeks. But this team still is intriguing to
me on many levels. Do I think they come with
a pretty set ceiling because of DeMar and his ability
to just really eat up so much clock setting himself
up in the half court situations. Yes, I don't think
that is necessarily the way they should function. It's gonna
be interesting to see how they lean into the second
part of the season. Like, the one thing for me, Dan,
the one thing that I want to focus on if
I'm them going into the second half of the year,
is finding a way to get Keikin Murray going Like
this has been an absolutely horrendous offensive first half of
the year for him, Like completely unacceptable given the potential,
the scoring prowess, like who he is as a basketball player.
If they find some type of way to get him
more involved, to get him more efficient, to get him
into a higher volume setting, and you can sort of
play through him in a bit more, and you can
scale back on the Damar stuff, then I think we
have a team that could be proper explosive Echo actually
win a couple of playoff series.
Speaker 1: Well, he's shooting over he's been dealing with ankle stuff,
but he is shooting over forty percent from three since
the coaching change. And I think, Doug Christie, we've talked
about this, you and I and Grant and I as well.
Like putting not even just excuse me, putting key On
Ellis into the starting lineup, which is playing key On
Ellis more has been a cheat code that was I
think always starring Mike Brown in the face that fox,
Ellis DeRozan, Murray Sabonus lineup is a plus twenty one
point five for the season with an offensive rating mored
of one pint thirty four point four. So that's like
the fact that they might just have this elite core
unit for them. I was pretty I actually, I don't
know that. I don't think any Kings fans actively listened
to me or I convinced them that this team was better.
But I looked at their vitals, I watched a lot
of their games that they choked away, and I just
saw that there was a better team there. I don't
know how good that could be, but I really think
the bigger thing for them is I've mentioned four, I
would absolutely give up my first round pick in twenty
twenty seven conditionally to get Jimmy Butler in here, and
you trade Demarta Rows and as part of that trade,
King SAMs don't want to do it, that's fine, so
I'm not going there. But I view this as like
I just want them to stretch out their rotation a
little bit further because I think I really do think
there's something here. And of the teams that we've talked
about so far we have another team? Do we have
two teams to go? One or two teams to go?
I actually think that this is the team that if
we're whether we're looking at it through, they don't make
any changes or they make non star trades, because like
any if someone trades for Jimmy Butler, someone trades or something,
then we have to have relitigate that. I think they
to me clearly have the highest ceiling of all the
teams that we have talked about so far.
Speaker 2: Yes, so Jimmy instead of DeMar, I'm there. That's a
team that I would trust that And like I was
on the last podcast as well, where I was like
very very reluctant to include a first for Jimmy Butler
because of the contractual situation, because of the age and
all that. I look, you can laugh all you want.
I'm still there. I'm mister safety man. But for the
Kings right now, that might actually be theact exact type
of dude who they need. Because DeMar, as much as
you know we all love him and you know how
awesome he actually is, he's too shot, hungry, he just is.
He takes up too many possessions. He's he and I
don't even think he leans into his passing a whole
lot more. And remember when he was in San Antonio,
who's basically like their pseudo point guard. The guy has
excellent court vision, but since his Bull's tenure, it's all
about MO and I gotta get mine. I gotta get
the shots up. I don't have a problem with that
because usually he's pretty efficient. He's been pretty efficient as
well this year considering the shots that he's taken. But
you need that guy, and I outlied Jimmy previously in
terms of like, he doesn't demand X amount of shots.
He'll play with in the flow of the offense. So
he's not gonna, you know, dribble the ball into the
ground sixteen times before taking a shot. He's gonna make
quick decisions. He's gonna turn his attention to defense, he's
gonna lean into his passing. He's gonna be way more opportunistic,
and I think that's what they need. So if you
could replace Damar with Jimmy Butler in this consolation, even
if it's just for a half your rental, Yeah, I'm
probably giving up a first, but I'm protecting the ever
living hell out of it.
Speaker 1: Uh. While I would do that deal again. I just
don't know if I'm like, I guess you could look
at it as so what you gave up for DeMar
then combined with what you're attacking on top of him,
like that's what you gave able to get Jimmy Butler.
But I also think like if they upgrade like sort
of the reserve front courts where the way I mean
Chris Bruschet has been having he's having a minute at
the moment, even by I love Chris Bouchet, but he's
playing out of his mind over the past four or
five games, right, Uh that Like, can you use Trey
Lyles to get him? I think that would be an
upgrade there, That's a good one. Something else you could
look at. There have to be a little bit more
money involved, but I know this is one of your favorites.
I mean, getting both of them would be tough, but
like you have Kevin Herder, you have Trey Lyles getting
Bruce Brown and Chris Bouchet, So there needs to be
like probably more money going out there. Giving Sacramento's tax situation.
I'm just eyeballing this. This was I've been thinking about
Chris Bouchet for them for a while. I don't know, like, oh,
you lid off.
Speaker 2: I say a Stewart because we had a podcast about
two months ago, a month ago, a month and a
half ago where you were you were really in and
I say a Stewart for the Kings, which I really liked.
Speaker 1: I like that idea. I just don't know it's Kevin
Herder and what like can you attach seconds to that?
And like, I don't know why Detroit is gonna bite there.
I do believe, I know there's we have a really
one of like a diehard Pistons fan in our discord
that just has reiterated that Isaiah Stewart he's not shooting
threes this year. Even when he was shooting them, he
wasn't like taking them at like a super fast clip
and he hesitant to take them. I still believe that
he can provide you with some stretch in the front
corp position. Like that's just something I believe. So yeah,
I just don't know. I'm not giving up my twenty
twenty seven first round pick for him because you don't
have there's no bad, bad money on it. Like the
worst I think some people would argue the worst contract
is actually some bonuses. But outside from that, it's like, Okay,
it's Kevin herders, what does that do for you? But
I've also thought about, like would you roll the dice?
He can't give you a ton of minutes, but this
is a team that could probably use Kevin Herder. Is
it too much of a consolidation to go Kevin Herder
and Trey Lyles for Jonathan Isaac? M his contract by
the way. Just well it's.
Speaker 2: That's why I find it intriguing because if it didn't,
I would say hell no. So so you'd have to
rely on Jonathan Isaac, who also hit the three ball
at a consistent rate. Though you would do you? Yeah?
Speaker 1: I mean, like Trey Lyles has not been hitting it
at a consistent rate. Why he does take him to
his defense and he's been shooting like thirty five for
senseence Doug Christie came around.
Speaker 2: But still, look, I know that I think you do
because you have to get back to like that very bombasted,
like flamboyant offense that you let the league with a
couple of years ago. I think that's what you need
to get back to. So yes, you absolutely meet someone
in there who can space the floor. Ok, can I
ask you something else?
Speaker 1: Though?
Speaker 2: If Kevin Hurder is still on the King's roster after
the trade deadline, is that a failure on their part?
Speaker 1: No, just because so I think at this point, if
he so you can't do something like one of the
deals we outlined without including a first round pick right
then there's no point in trade. You might have waited
too long to trade him. That's a previous failure. You
shouldn't throw good money after bad at this point. And
there's also like, so if you have to attach too
many stuff to get a marginal or even a modest
upgrade elsewhere, I'd rather try to hold out hope that
it just comes together for him, because like, he could
still be a super like in theory, be a super
dangerous shooter. So I wouldn't do something I'd be more
inclined to be like, if I can't move Kevin Hurder,
this is like maybe this is real sick oh shit,
And I'm sure Washington Wizards fans won't like it. How
do we get justin Champenny in Sacramento might be like
a perfect fit for everything that really, look.
Speaker 2: I promise you if the Wizards front office are smart
at all, they are not getting him up for you know,
anything less than a solid first round draft pick. And
I know that this look. I know that the sable
size is small. He is good as this is. Twin Brothers,
the Champagne's bros are real dudes in this league, and
it's amazing to me that no one seems to pick
up on that fact. Everyone's like when they're trying to
make spurs trades, for example, no one's really like penciling
In Champagne in a rotation like, oh, he's been starting
a lot for him this year. He's really good. Justin
Sampenni also is coming to life now again, hitting the
three ball even actual than this brother. I love those.
Speaker 1: I forgot Justin was still on a two way. They
haven't converted, like he needs to be converted. You wouldn't
be so.
Speaker 2: Con they haven't converted him yet, Are you kidding me?
Speaker 1: Let me double check that on on spot rack spot
I like to call it spo track, but it's apparently
spot rack yet. No, Justin Champenni is on a two
way still.
Speaker 2: The spot track. It's Keith's told me spot track spot track.
Speaker 1: Someone else told me spot I called spow track. So
it's spot track.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's spots track. I will say, like, what did
you call like spow track or spot track.
Speaker 1: I'm inclined to say spo track is what I want
to say. Yeah, maybe that's because I'd like to say
coach bo, but so you wouldn't like it. We're being real,
I guess yeah, if you're the wizard. I mean, they
don't have a ton of like extra if you were
getting multiple seconds, right, I don't know. I mean like
there could be some like maybe if you're taking on
Kyle Kuzma from them and sending out Kevin Hurder and Lyles,
you can get back justin Champenny. If you're including enough,
that would be a trade. I'd be interest. That doesn't
really fix your backup. Big Isaac would do that, or
Bouchet would do that. They'll probably be like a Yonis
Valenciunas team, just because you could get him using Lyles,
But then you're really in the offense there. But again,
he's probably an upgrade overall. I still maintain this, but like,
if you got to give up, it's just tough to work.
It's not super tough, but it's a little tough to work.
They would be another RW three team where it's like, Okay,
we know Sabonus is gonna play what thirty well in
the playoffs, forget about it. But like during the regular season,
he's gonna play what that's thirty five thirty six of
your center minutes done. That's almost a perfect landing spot
for Robert Williams the third because you don't need him
to play more than ten or fifteen minutes a night.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Uh, but yeah, I think they're the team I'm highest on,
even if they do nothing of who we've discussed, there
are other teams I should say team to talk about.
They're your team more the San Antonio Spurs in light
I have. I'm coming into this. I haven't watched a
single Spurs basketball game. I don't even know who this
Victor Wembin Yama person extraterrestrial being. As educate me on
how high this team ceiling is.
Speaker 2: I mean to do that, I will first have to
tell you of about Wemby, and you wouldn't believe me.
You would think I'd be lying. I mean, for someone
who's of the uninitiated, how can you even describe Wemby
with a straight face? You can't. That's just the real answer.
Here's the thing. He's twenty one years old, and there
was a reason the Spurs are already thinking about accelerating
the rebuild.
Speaker 1: Oh, I'm sorry they are. I'm not I'm not even
being an asshole here.
Speaker 2: Like the darn Fox thing, Like the report of them
being interested in.
Speaker 1: Jaron Fox, well, when the reporting is they would be
interested in trading him for him over the off season, it's.
Speaker 2: Kind of like, okay, well, I mean, look, that's still
when you think about the fact that there is a
six year difference in terms of that that I still
consider that like showing your hand a little bit. I
would probably like I love Daron Fox, and I know
a lot of people would love that that fit I am,
like I said in the I think it was the
previous podcast we did, I would love for Vic to
actually become one of the older members of a corps
so he doesn't go through the Yana stuff now where
if he has the secondary start next to him, then
when that guy ages out, oh now we can't figure
out what to do because we're cap the hell out
and we have no idea what's to move here. I
think it's so crucial that the Spurs figure this one out.
If that means going through you know, just going through
the rest of this year without a trade, all right,
fair enough, and then we just remove them from the
equation in terms of like could they be a real threat,
but if they go all in and not well, not
all in, but if they go in on a guy
this trade deadline who's like still in his mid twenties
and who's an all star caliber talent, it's also difficult
to argue against it because of how good Viga Repaiama
is already. So do I trust them to make a long,
you know, a strong push inside the playoffs, like to
the second round or to the conference finals. No, at
least not right now. They are I think, what nineteen
and two when he's so barely a five hundred team, uh,
or not even a five hundred team.
Speaker 1: They are below the Suns in the standings, which is
just inexcusable.
Speaker 2: But like they just have they have so much going
for him, it doesn't really matter. Like I still think
they should use the contract of Sack Collins. They also
have some nice trade assets in terms of Kelton Johnson,
because like you know, know, Kelton is a flaw player.
But at the salary he's earning, and that's declining in value.
I think he's earning nineteen this year, then it drops
seventeen and a half million next year, and the year
after that means.
Speaker 1: He's this time last year. I think some people would
have said this was wild. He has more trade value
right now than Kyle Kuzma.
Speaker 2: I would think, oh, that's interesting. I never I never
put them up to comparison. I that I could see that.
I could see a case for that for sure. So
they have movable assets. They have a lot of draft picks.
I mean, I've been on this show and on my
own show, and on Danish shows, and on Forbes and
Yahoo talking about the trade that I love for them.
Speaker 1: Don't forget on their only.
Speaker 2: Fans as well. I'm reiterating it, like, look, I would
assume Kobe White to the Spurs for Malachi Brenham, Sack Collins,
the Bulls twenty twenty five pickback and Atlanta's unprotected twenty
twenty seven pick. If you need to add draft picks
to sort of line value, fine, I don't think you
would need a ton. But I think that is a
perfectly reasonable ballpark for both sides to at least start out.
I don't think either team, you know, hangs up the
phone on that offer. I think that's a perfectly reasonable
conversation to start out as And those are the type
of deals I think wouldn't be bad for the Spurs
where they get guys in who are underpaid, a little
bit undervalued, who are still young, who can help this
team win now and in the future, and then they
can make a call later on. Those are the deals
that I would be looking for as currently constructed. No,
I think there's going to be a playoff, you know,
a serious playoff team.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I love when you mentioned it. I love the
Kobe White. That seems to fit like it doesn't accelerate
your timeline. It just kind of costs you assets which
you have despair And by the way, if you're getting
off the Zach Collins contract in the process, that's part
of the value add there to me. Yeah, and I
do think that you're onto something in terms of I
think you can look at this roster and wonder because
they have Trade Jones, they have Chris Paul, they have
Stefan Cassel, and just say, well, kind of what is
their biggest need? And you look at their starting five,
slaughtering opponents like they're absolutely just annihilating the competition on
the season. I really do think it's someone who you want.
It'd be cool to get that live ball creativity and
shot making. They desperately need more off ball gravity around
Victor Wembayama to make his people complain about his paint touches.
A lot of it is too, as you've seen what
the spur spacing can look like on any given possession,
and like I think their best when you're looking at
when they don't have the ball, which they actually have
some pretty good on ball gravity. When you look at
CP three, Tray Jones, even Steph Castle getting Downhill Wemby.
Of course, their players with the most like off ball
poll are probably Julian Champenny and Harrison Barnes. That's not
that's fine when you're looking at wings in front court.
And then there's Devin Vesselle of course, who I think
probably does the best job of the team blending both.
When you want someone who has a ton of on
and off ball gravity, Kobe White has a ton of
on and off ball gravity. I just and I I
would say this, I still believe this might be a
good way to get in the discussion of which of
these six teams that we discussed. When you're looking at
the Suns, the Lakers, the Clippers, the Kings, the Spurs,
and the Golden State Warriors, do you view as most
dangerous for this season. I'm still going to lean the Kings.
Suppona is quietly having an amazing year. By the way,
Oh yeah, you don't.
Speaker 2: Think it's quiet. I don't think it's quiet.
Speaker 1: It's quiet the sense that I don't think I put
him on my All Star team, and I would absolutely
remedy that a week later away from the building. All
Star teams are hard. By the way, I didn't dismiss him.
I talked about him neither here nor there. I just
I think that if the Spurs made a trade like that,
or if they if we could come up with a
different name, I honestly haven't. Given you've mentioned Jimmy Butler
to them, I think that would be the off ball gravity. Right.
That's a different discussion, but that would be so interesting
to me. I just if they made a trade of
not insignificance, I'll say, it doesn't need to be a
mega trade, but not insignificance, they might have the highest
ceiling immediately of this group, then I don't know if
I would feel the best about them still. But the Kings, No,
the Spurs.
Speaker 2: The Spurs. Okay, yeah, I was confused.
Speaker 1: Yes, all right, So if you're so, I think I
feel best about the Kings right now, is presently constituted, yes,
But if you're telling me like the Spurs made a
not like a Kobe White level trade or maybe even
could that person be a little like worse? Is it
a Colin Sexton type deal, I might immediately think that
the Spurs have the highest ceiling again, the best overall package.
Maybe not.
Speaker 2: Yeah, No, I agree with you on that. That's the
thing that and that is why I think we use
to preface both this podcast and the one we did
about the East with the fact that we're recording this
before the trade decline, Like if the Spurs did you know,
quote unquote my trade and they brought in Kobe as well,
remember in that part of that baggage was also I
would assume who I think is flying under the radar
generally speaking.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I just don't know what to make of him.
He had like some moments last year on offense, but
in terms of shooting and just scoring aggression. I worry
about him a little bit.
Speaker 2: Well, I think it's I think it's bulls related. I
don't think it's him related.
Speaker 1: Let's we'll talk everything up the bulls. Why is it?
Why isn't Patrick Williams in all NBA player bulls?
Speaker 2: Yeah, let's get him to San Antonio too. That would
be fun to see what happens there. No, but those
two guys at least would help alleviate some of those
spacing concerns. A great deal, I agree with you, Like
if you make a and not insignificant trade, I think
that was the way you phrased it. San Antonio immediately
becomes the most interesting part of all the most interesting
team of all these teams listed. What's also something we
need to bag into all this is we're only halfway
through the season, and as we saw last year, Wemby
isn't done developing, Like he gets better as the season
goes on, Like we also saw that in France before
the draft, Like there's some kind of switch that's he
just turns toggles and then he's like, Okay, I've absorbed that.
I know what to fix the next time. I still
remember from his rookie season. They were playing ironically, they
were playing Chicago. We've been talking about Vooch a lot
on this podcast, and Rooch got him for like two
straight plays and he was like, oh, yeah, yeah, and
I know how to handle Wemby right, and he went
but right back to it and the next four plays
when he was like, Nope, I know exactly what you're
going to do, and I expect I know what your
calendar is going to be. And he just locked him
the fuck down. And that's the kind of player that
he is. He just absorbs ridiculously ridiculous amounts of informations
and processes them so quickly that I'm not even out
on I'm not even ruling out that he could play
like an MVP strictly in like the second part of
the season. I'm not saying MVP of the full season.
I'm saying, like, play like an MVP candidate in the
second half of the year. So it's these Spurs could
be utterly ridiculous by the time from April Rolce.
Speaker 1: They could, And I do think that there's value why
I'm not saying they need to go all in at
the trade deadline. Look, they could finish in the top
six as currently constructed. I'm not I don't know that
I predict it, but like they have that they have
that ceiling at least because just when Wemby's on the court,
they would have the equivalent of just like a top
five net rating in the league. And that's that's pretty wild.
And I know they have a negative net rating on
the season, but still I've become a big believer in
that playoff experience is important, and so to get Wemby
that taste of playoff basketball as a sophomore and then
it's like, okay, by the time he's in year three,
now he's what a top five player At that point
he's had playoff experience. That's kind of terrifying for the
rest of the league. And that's why I would advocate
for them making a you know, like if you could
get off of or maybe I don't know, like if
you can get off of Zach Collins a contract in
the process, Like would you just take D'Angelo Russell's expiring
deal and see if that does anything for you there?
Speaker 2: Maybe that's not what I would give Sat Collins away
for a multi sort of reasons, but there's one reason
we haven't talked about that. That's the one of the
main reasons why I want him out of there. I
want Mamu to take all of his minutes.
Speaker 1: Also, the fuck boy haircut, Yeah, that's.
Speaker 2: Is Santra mam okay let's fels by the way, just
to get his full name out there is grotesquely underrated.
I don't know why this Burds aren't playing him more.
I just don't. And especially his chemistry with Wimpy is
off the charts. I I think there's a player in
there that's just waiting to reach a new level. So
these Furs are looking really good. Hell, they might have
back to back Rookie of the Years as well. Stefan
Castle has surprised the heck out of me.
Speaker 1: Uh yeah, I mean he'll certainly be in a conversation.
I just wish you can't trust the offense. I mean,
he's got some good control when he has the ball
in his hands, and he's the off.
Speaker 2: Ball shooting is a mess so far.
Speaker 1: Yeah, does Anthonty Simons do anything for you with regards
to this team?
Speaker 2: Oh, I'm basically sending him to okay See because okay
See would need to needs to Sobuster to be played
literally perfect basketball, which they would achieve by getting anthroty Simons.
Speaker 1: I just don't who do you give up? Is okay? See,
they just don't have like if you give up or
Aaron Joe for that, that's not insignificant on their own.
Speaker 2: Probably probably Dort and something.
Speaker 1: That's still Dort's like probably on my second team while
defense or stuff like that.
Speaker 2: I know, But like you also can make a reasonable
argument that even without him they're still gonna be the
league's best defense.
Speaker 1: All right, well, uh well yes they could. I just
him in the playoffs, like the level of assignments he's
able to handle. Just here.
Speaker 2: See that's where we differ also because I so many
people always think defense, defense, defense, where I'm like, okay,
but sure, defense, that's great. But if you can't constantly
create good looks on the perimeter, if you can't constantly
create quality offense and offensively, I do think it's fair
to question whether loo door it is as dynamic as
someone like Anthony Simons, for example. I think you need
to bridge it. I think you need to somehow find
a way to align those two. But to answer your question,
which was about san Antonio having a sombreger like him
would not be disinteresting to them, I think, because look
all the weird angles that's gonna open up vicin. Oh, yes,
that's gonna be exciting.
Speaker 1: H And he only has a year left on his contracts.
I don't think he would one. He's not gonna like
hamsterring your books. I don't. His money is fine, but
he won't hamsterring your books. And he fits Wenby's timeline
like he's not super old. And because there's only a
year left, I don't. Maybe the Blazers just don't move him,
but I can't imagine it's going to take a king's
ransom to get him, although they really need his shooting
on that team. Would you I'm gonna end with this, well,
atch you have two quick questions, but I'm gonna end
with one on the Spurs and ask you a macro question.
Would you call Philly about Tyres Maxie? At this point,
just see what's up?
Speaker 2: If I'm the Spurs am offering choose whatever.
Speaker 1: Okay, they could use a center, so maybe he offer
z that collin.
Speaker 2: The speeds.
Speaker 1: I'm being mostly I know you.
Speaker 2: Are no, no, no, but like look, I know you are,
But at the same time. This is the NBA. People
call each other about Christy shit all the time, Like.
Speaker 1: Would you let them call about LaMelo Ball or would
you throw a tantrum?
Speaker 2: Don't put don't put that evil on me? Dan for Valley,
don't don't, No, I don't. I think the Spurs and
I think Ween being particular, would be very frustrated five games.
Speaker 1: In or he rubs off on LaMelo Ball because he's
never been LaMelo Ball has always been the dude in Charlotte.
Speaker 2: You deconsent for that first? Dankay?
Speaker 1: Okay, who is of the six that we've talked about?
I've already outlaid mine? And why which team are you
highest on this season?
Speaker 2: This season without changes?
Speaker 1: Right? Well, if you think, like, as an example, if
I thought Golden State was going to go out there
and be like just get Jimmy Butler, Like, if you
really think a team is going to make a change,
I think it's fair to factor that into your selection. Right.
Speaker 2: So I will say this, I agree with you on
the Kings unless uh the Warriors goes out and they
uh trade for Boch. I think boots for them is
actually a pretty good Wow.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's maybe the highest form of praise that Nikola
Vucevic has ever received on this podcast.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, And look, I'm not necessarily a booch lover,
but I think in that particular circumstance with Steph and Draymond,
I think that I think that's enough to level them up.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Mort, you picked the Blazers as the most dangerous
sleeper in the Western Conference. I find that bizarre. They
weren't even an option. But kudos to you. Are you
able to tell our listeners where they can find you
and all the fantastic work you do. Once more, wrapping
up our four podcast week together.
Speaker 2: Yes, yes, quite the adventure. Love it. It's always so
fun to just sit down and talk and be a
with you, Dan. It's one of the things I always
looking forward to every single month. And sometimes we'll get
two episodes and sometimes it's three. Now it's four. Let's see,
next month might be a six or eight. We'll find
out what's the maximum number. We don't record all these
at once. We try to double up.
Speaker 1: But it's just the time of year where if we
tried to record evergreen content, I don't think anything exists
like that at this time of year.
Speaker 2: But look, if people enjoy what they're listening to, you
know what, then soa be it. It's fine whether it's
ever green or not. Sometimes people just want to listen
to the personalities instead and like have a good time.
And that's that's what I always hope to achieve. But
we'll see. You can find my work though on Yahoo
at Forbes, AT's Sports Illustrated, specifically Draft Digest, and then
I also do a bunch of Danish stuff, and I
look good on you if you go into dual linko
and it's like, yeah, I want to read more. It's
Danish shit, So let me just like try to learn Danish.
If you do that, I'm gonna send you the biggest
thumbs up ever.
Speaker 1: I prop to anyone who is bilingual, trilingual, multilingual in general.
I have very little background in Italian and that's just it.
I'm gonna need you to start teaching me some Danish words.
That's what we should do when we talk before and
after each podcast, Like it should be like a lesson
in speaking your lingo, right.
Speaker 2: Just just a single word, Okay, I on some prep
just to find like the right words. So like from
next month when a parently will be recording like sixteen
episodes or something along those lines. I'll have a word
every single time.
Speaker 1: Yes, that'll be fun. Listeners can learn along with me.
Shout out to everyone listening, Shout out to mort and
as always, shout out to the one, the only, the
real missing piece, not just for San Antonio, but for
every other team, not on just this podcast, but the
rest of the NBA, mister Frank hila Quina.