Speaker 1: What is up, Fellowsikos, I am Dana Valley coming at
you once again with the NBA podcast y'all, Who Sports is,
Forbes is and Sports Illustrated. Mort Jensen, how are you doing, sir?
Speaker 2: I am doing very very well.
Speaker 1: Dan.
Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me once again. I mean,
it's I'm amazed that you keep inviting me in to
ruin your show like this. It's it's very appreciated. How
are you, sir?
Speaker 1: I'm doing great. Look me specifically, there's no greater feeling
than going on to other people's shows and just torpedoing
their downloads. That's my favorite.
Speaker 2: It's nice. Yep, same same.
Speaker 1: We got special treat though, pit shout out to one
of our Discord members, Brandon wanted us to do a
Fearless Bold Predictions for twenty twenty five, so not just
this season, but encompassing the off season and then the
start of the twenty twenty five twenty twenty six season
as well. Rather than Mort and I have provided a
couple Mort I think has one or two more than
I do. We crowdsourced, so shout out to everyone on
Discord and YouTube and blue Sky with submissions. We had
too many in a good way, so to narrow them
down if you included multiples, unless I could sandwich it
under someone else's as well. I only selected one from
each user, and we just couldn't get to all of
them because we had a shit ton. And the goal
is to do an hour of just fearless predictions for
the rest of twenty twenty five and the NBA specifically,
we're not We're not predicting anything about the world at
large because that would be dark and dank and would
depress the everyone in hell out of me more. Do
you have any notes, questions, comments, concerns Before we can
and ball into this, I.
Speaker 2: Will actually say that I do have a world prediction
instead of just an NBA prediction, and my world prediction
is that everyone will find a little bit more love
in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1: You're full of shit. Let's get into the real feelers' predictions.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so this one is my first one, my fearless prediction,
which might be a foolish prediction. The Wolves will suffer
huge free agency losses. Both Julus Randall and Oas Reed
will leave and then they'll suddenly be on the medius.
Where's Anthony at or it's going watch list. That's where
I am. I have nothing to look, I have nothing
to back this up with. Like Julus Randel, Yes he's
a candidate. I will say before Wolves fans eat me alive.
Nas Reed loves Minnesota. I'm fully aware of this, and
that is why I'm saying it will be a huge
free agent loss. I could see it happening.
Speaker 1: This is I would say, And the goal here will
be to basically we'll talk about the likelihood of them.
But is it is it too fearless, not enough fearless?
The right amount of fearless. I guess this is the
right amount of fearless. I just have a tough like
is Julius Randall declining his thirty point nine million dollar
player option? If he does that? To me, I'm just
assuming he's staying with the Wolves at a lower number for
a longer period of time, because who is even giving
Julius Randall, who I don't think is necessarily the primary
problem with the Wolves right giving him more than the
mid level.
Speaker 2: Look, we've said this about players before him. Remember when
Dennis Schroeder was like, no, I can get more than
eighty million from the Los Angeles Lakers. And then he didn't.
There are players who overestimate their own value constantly. Given
that Julius Rangel will constantly overestimates his own talents one
out of the court, why not overestimate his own value.
I could see him going into something thinking, oh, man,
there are no one like on the market, sign me
up for the max. Baby, here we go. And then suddenly,
you know, the crickets are chirping and he'll realize, oh,
the brink truck ain't coming I.
Speaker 1: And then with NOAs reed, it's kind of the same thing.
I guess it's more likely because he's younger. But is
he he's turning down those player options? What fifteen million
for next season?
Speaker 2: He's gonna get better offers than fifteen though, who.
Speaker 1: Is more than fifteen? The Nets, I guess could pay
all the Nets.
Speaker 2: Could absolutely go in and give him an offer he
can play next to, next to Nick Clackson.
Speaker 1: If they I will say, if they lose, no os,
I think it would be just a monumental blow to
the right.
Speaker 2: So and I will say, this isn't it's very very important?
Speaker 1: Well, this is wouldn't this be a gauge of well,
how financially motivated was not just the short term logic
behind the Karl Anthony Towns trade, but the long term
logic behind it. Because if you're letting nas Read walk
unless someone comes in and gives him, like would you
give not? I guess some people would give naz Reid
four years and one hundred million, but like, the wolves
aren't if the Nets give him the Nick Claxton deal. Yep,
the wolves aren't if he ops out, and that's what's
on the table. I don't think the Wolves would keep him,
So maybe that's in play. But I think what happens
with nas Reed and even Julius Randal, because if he
ops out and just leaves, then you kind of know
that the Wolves that was really financially motivated by them,
I would be I'll say it this way, This is
probably the right amount of fearless because I think I'd
be shocked if more than one of these guys leaves.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, I want to come in hot here with
this one. And that's I'm almost saying this is like
the worst case scenario, but it's it's something feels off
in Minnesota, and this is my fearless prediction. Like how
boring would it be if you asked me to come
on a fearless prediction pod, and I was like, well,
the Wolves might lose.
Speaker 1: This is That's the whole point of the exercise, So
mine is my first one is not as you know, nuclear,
but the Coupo will be starting end or playing more
than half of his minutes at the center spot by
the end of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2: Now, oh, hold on, yeah, it.
Speaker 1: Can be twofold because it might imply that Giannis attentha
Coupo has asked for a trade and been dealt. But
it might also I mean, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis
Junior are gonna be free agents, and like, what are
kind of the Bucks doing here with their payroll long term?
I know Giannis is not this is not this is
not based off anything we've seen this season. Yannis is
not a five. How are you feeling about this one?
More too? Fearless, the right amount of fearless, not fearless.
Speaker 2: That's where I know you've been paid by Basketball Reference
because this is the one spot he still needs to
have every single season be typed out. Because right now
you go to Basketball Reference and you look at his position,
it's as point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward.
You only need center. This is you're a mole man,
You're a mole.
Speaker 1: What do you mean I'm a mole I don't I
still don't understand what you're saying.
Speaker 2: No, on Basketball Reference. On Basketball Reference, they have this thing. Yeah,
they have this positional breakdown.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, a positional breakdown. I mean even the cleaning
the glass. But like he is not a center.
Speaker 2: No, no, No, it's it's because every single season he's been
labeled a different position. So like he's had a full
year where he's been labeled to point guard, shooting guard,
small forward at the beginning of his career, right the
point exactly, he's been a power forward for like the
past six years. But like that center is the one
remaining position he's not played over the course of a
full season. It's like, get you know, bingo, So no,
I actually think this is Look, he's he's thirty, right
or he's trying thirty. No, he has to be thirty
because he's ninety four. Yeah, he's thirty. So like he's
also gonna slow down a little bit, makes sense to
put him at center a little bit. Broke Lopez is
you know, he's exactly to the date two years younger
than me and I'm old as fuck, So yes, that
is definitely a factor. Bobby port is not really his
center either, defensively a train wreck at center, So I
would I could see that. Why not is six eleven
athletic Yannis at center?
Speaker 1: Do you think he can be on the Bucks and
do it and their defense at that point be at
it's pinnacle just because the stuff he does is not best,
is not traditional center stuff. And I'm not saying he
can't do the traditional center stuff, but if he does,
you need other people to do some of the Yannis
stuff and they don't have that waiting.
Speaker 2: That was you answered your question right there. Yeah, the
fact that they don't have something to replace him, that's
the big issue. Like who are you going to play
up at the ones spot like Bobby Portis? That's mm hmm. Yeah,
Bobby Portis is gonna slide over to four different players
in the span of two seconds. That's gonna happen for sure.
Uh No, I suspect they'll be worse off. Absolutely more.
Speaker 1: What's your next one?
Speaker 2: The Chicago Bulls actually slightly win its rate. That's self experience.
That's I wanted to put a word in there that
was like just slightly, because I couldn't justify just putting
the Chicago Bulls actually win. It's right, I couldn't justify
that it has to be slightly only like in the margins.
Speaker 1: What do you think that? Look? What would that look like?
Is it getting so they get is that so they
get a first for Zachovine? Do you consider that a win?
Speaker 2: Yes? Yes, that's that's a win. Or getting two seconds
out of Nicolo Busvich that's a win, just like slightly
just something where you're kind of looking at it, going, oh,
the bulls actually did fairly well in this retort instead
of you know, Josh Kitty for Alex Caruso.
Speaker 1: Wouldn't them just acting like an actual seller qualify as
a victory?
Speaker 2: Yes? That too? Just the sale here, Yeah, don't you
just give your old guys away just to start something new? Yes?
Why not?
Speaker 1: This is too fearless though, I don't even I don't.
Couldn't you make the case that like they could trades
actively not get back any picks and some people might
still do that as all.
Speaker 2: Of course that last one was a joke on my part. No,
when I say slightly win a trade, I do mean
getting more value in return than what you said out?
Speaker 1: Obviously, Yes, I hope that I will root for this
just because I feel like the reactions to it from
Bulls fans, from media podcasts, the whole nine. I just
want the Bulls to act like buyers at the deadline.
I want them to do something like that would just
seal it as just what is going on here?
Speaker 2: Like you so mean? This is like, so, here's the thing.
I was a Bulls fan for twenty two years until
got off the train, and thankfully I did made a
lot of great friends along the way where Bulls fans
and dan they are so sad. There's like they're sad
human beings at this point. They're like just half of
them are like you have grown as big as I am,
and it's just it's a mess, man, It's like it's
a complete mess. They have to have something going for him.
And if a second round pick that the Bulls squeeze
out of some team for some raindow listen, man, if
that helps them find some motivation in life, some slight
bit of happiness in their lives, let's go for it.
Let's root for that.
Speaker 1: Here's one for you. More two of the Denver Nuggets
preferred starters will end twenty twenty five on a different team.
And I'm just assuming that Aaron Gordon is still a
prison because Russell Westbrook is currently starting and Gordon's during
his first game. How do you feeling now? Do you
want me to? I feel like I should unpack this
a little bit, all right, go for it. They're not
going to trade Nikoliolkicch, so that's just one kind of right.
But like everybody else, I would assume Aaron Gordon's still
too important to their defense, but Christian Brown extension as well.
This summer, they still have Peyton Watson where people, and
I think they're correct, believe that he's the one that
has more upside. They signed Jamal Murray to this new deal.
They've clearly been very cost conscious. I think the easy
thing to say would be, oh, well, one of them,
and Michael Porter Junior's already been mentioned in trade rumors.
I think you can make the case that usually you
would say, oh, trading one starter in their position would
be right, that's pretty bold. But in their thing, like
their current trajectory, couldn't they kind of reach a point
where they feel like they need to be. Yeah, they're
the outlook for them. I think even with the you know,
Aaron Gordon availability overall, like they're fourth in the Western Conference,
it's like the outlook for them is not as dire
as it kind of felt at the beginning of the year.
But you're also kind of wondering, well, all right, is
what's in place enough to continue the course? And so
I think that they're gonna have to get to a
point where they will realize we're still a good team,
but what we're doing, what we tried to do is
prohibitive to us ever being a great team. While Nicole
Yoki is still in his prime, and I just look
at the three players I look at for this as
Christian Brown, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. So I'm basically
saying that two of those three would be traded. And
even with Aaron Gordon, I might be jumping the shark
by a year just because they had him into his
deal as part of his extension. But something about Denver's
longer term viability just feels iffy to me.
Speaker 2: I think this would be more fearless if you actually
named the two that you think you've moved off.
Speaker 1: I think it's going to be Jamal Murray and Christian Brown.
Speaker 2: Okay, that's a little less fearless. If you'd said Jamal
Murray and Michael Porter Junior, I would have been right
there full.
Speaker 1: And the kids, and that.
Speaker 2: Would be that would be toasty. No, I like, I
could see it. I could see it. There's also the
other side of the spectrum, right where you know, the
their investment in the youth movement works out and they
actually come back a better scene next year. Maybe Jamal
Murray knock on wood again, uh returns to form. I
mean that that is a possibility that exists. I could
see this if things just kind of unravel.
Speaker 1: Though, which again I don't. I don't know my confidence
meter be on this. But that that's why these things
are fearless.
Speaker 2: Yep.
Speaker 1: Another one for more What do you yacht for me?
Speaker 2: Beacher wimben Yama has a three game stretch where he
averages a five times five.
Speaker 1: That's just not fearless enough. There's nothing you could tell
me about when by that qualifies as fearless.
Speaker 2: And see that's the thing, because I was thinking about
this when I put it in, and I was like,
perhaps I should have set you know, a five game stretch,
because that would at least be up there.
Speaker 1: I'm trying to think of how many games you would
need to say for me just to be like, no,
oh boy, doesn't it really come down to the steals?
Is everything else? You told me five blocks a game,
all right, whatever.
Speaker 2: I've seen so much of him that I'm not even
surprised when he has like three steals at the end
of the third So what's the.
Speaker 1: Number for me? I think you would have to go
to ten for me to say this is fearless that
there's a ten game streak. And also with him, it's
just he can have these nights though, where he had
eight steals one night. So him managing a five by
five over the course of a ten game stretch, yeah,
if he has one two of those outings that compensate
for ones that are more human.
Speaker 2: No no, no, no, no no no. When I say averages
five times, I mean that literally, don't worry.
Speaker 1: Three consecutive games of going That's.
Speaker 2: What I'm saying. That's what I'm saying, don't worry the
other the other one would be chicken shit. Come on,
that's so I think it.
Speaker 1: Needs to be. Let's go the old Domino's pizza route
and call it the five by five five five deal.
I think the right amount of Fearless is for five games.
He will go.
Speaker 2: Five by five. Now that U s you know this
is for twenty twenty five, I might go with that
one for twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1: All right, that's fair, Probably the right amount. There's there's
almost nothing you could say to me about Wemby where
I'm just gonna say, you're out of your mind, right.
I think this is my last one that I have
in here. I didn't include as many because we had
great ones from our listeners and subscribers, and I want to
make sure we get to all of them. Mortz by
the end of twenty twenty five, Zion Williamson and a
contract that is completely non guaranteed, which one could make
an argument those non guarantees are more valuable to other
teams than the Pelicans will be traded.
Speaker 2: I mean, if that was supposed to be fearless, you
are the most cowardly person on the face of the earth.
Speaker 1: I had others, but we have so many Wemby ones
that I had to cut down from. So they want
to have a Spurs or Wemby one in there, right. Honestly,
I thought about like New Orleans. New Orleans just goes
through more nuclear and trade to everybody, but trade, that's.
Speaker 2: The and Eve Missy probably yeah, mes Trey Murphy in
this year's draft pick, that's the foundation. There we go. Now,
I don't think this is fearless at all. Look, Dan,
there there is a reasonable chance that by the time
this episode airs, Sidon Williams will be in a different uniform.
Speaker 1: Do you do believe it's more likely that they trade
him than they just wave him right?
Speaker 2: Oh? Yes, yes, of course I'll try to trade him.
Speaker 1: They I just need too many people talk about like, oh,
what's the possibility of them doing this? And I think
it's like zero.
Speaker 2: No, No, I'm not there, Like things would have to
go like ingregiously wrong for that to make any sense.
I mean, I'm not there, so not fearing.
Speaker 1: What if I said, brandon Ingram is still on the Pelicans,
whiles Ion Williamson is.
Speaker 2: Not a little bit more fearless, You're you're still a
bit of a coward.
Speaker 1: But yes, I'll take it this one from more. I
think everyone's just gonna be very excited by.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so America accepts that the NBA's future is in
the hands of Europeans, then unaccepts it only to push
the herd to America media narrative for Anthony Edward Stason's
Adam Cooper flack.
Speaker 1: Why Anthea you already saying Anthea ever is going to
request a trade? I mean, what is? I will say
this might be too fearless, because I don't know if
the NBA is willing to accept it.
Speaker 2: The public like the public. It's not the NBA, it's
the public.
Speaker 1: So here's the thing about the NBA has done a
poor job of marketing many of their international suits, Like
why isn't Shay being like trotted out there as the
potential face of the league?
Speaker 2: Right? So I will say this, they have marketed the
international players very well over here at the very least. Okay,
But they also know that players in the US, or
sorry for fans in the US, tend to respond better
to American players. And the reason I mention this is
because I'm still suffering the effects of last playoffs, where
you know, the national media started driving the whole Anthony
Edwards is the next Michael Jordan thing. And I will
say the one thing the vast majority of my problem
with it was actually not in regards to your euro
versus US or anything. It was I think that was
an unfair label to put on a young man still
trying to find his way in the league. I thought
that was just such a bad thing to do to
Anthony Edwards. I think it was way too soon. I
don't think it was fair to him. And I'm just
every time we see someone come up with these lists
like now you it seems like everyone which is a
red beautiful source now are saying, Okay, Wemby's first in
terms of like who's the future of the NBA. But like,
even up till about four months ago, people were still
still trying to sneak American players in front of Wemby,
Whereas like, I know what you're doing. Stop it, Like
just stop it, and you have and we shouldn't even
mention his name because then he might appear and provide
us bad analysis. But like Gilbert Arenas saying that the
NA Green has would be better if the NBA just
kind of removed all the Europeans, which is just bullshit.
So I just wanted to get it out there. It
might even be not be fearless. I just wanted to
get that out there, that that's the thing that's gonna happen.
Speaker 1: You know what's interesting, I'm so this is a good
example of how in my stylo I am is like
I don't have in any of my feeds or the
content I consume that disdain for there being so many
transcendent international players in the league. In the pipeline, however
you want to frame it, who would be the best
chance of an American born player being the future face
of the league? Right? Like, who has the best chance
of doing it?
Speaker 2: So? Are we talking about the marketing ankle or are
we talking about.
Speaker 1: Actually being good enough? So I'll say you have to
be like Wemby or Luca's equal or Shay's equal or
better period of time.
Speaker 2: That's the thing. I don't think that player's there. I
mean I I do think Anthient Edwards probably has the
best chance, and yet I don't think so like, I
don't think he's up there.
Speaker 1: The reason I asked you, LaMelo ball, what about? I mean,
do you think that if they get to a point
where they have to bust up some of the team
for financial reasons, like I think I tend to be
I haven't voted for him brim VP. But like Jason
Tatum is just really really good and I think he
does get if not underrated, like undervalued, underappreciated in the
lens of superstar discussions. And I'm wondering, is it gonna
take he needs the type of like this huge like
he can't have as good of a support, like it
needs to be a Yokic and Denver situation, not or
maybe not even that stark. But let's say Anthony Edwards
in Minnesota last year situation where like the support of
Guess is good, but it's not that good when you're
looking at it.
Speaker 2: I think that's it, and that's unfair. You know. I
don't want to put Jason in a situation where he's
forced to do that just to like, I don't think.
Speaker 1: You're definitely more fragile now than they were this time
last year.
Speaker 2: It was like, yeah, I think I think with with Tatum,
it's all about the lack of you know, dominance. And
when I say, it's such a bad argument because what
is dominant? But like Yo, you see Yokich, you see Wenby,
you see when when Giannis is like fully engaged and
fully locked in, they're dominant in a way that I
don't think Tatum quite reaches, and it's like it's it's
like so close. So it feels I feel bad about
like criticizing Tatum for that because you just want a championship.
He is definitely, by far the best player on the Celtics.
He's he's so good. It just it feels like he's
like five percent away from entering that upper upper echelon,
and I just have such a hard time seeing where
those extra five percent comes from.
Speaker 1: Fair So I'm gonna throw out some what I would
deem of longer shots but should probably be in the
discustiat if either of these probably let's just say there's
there's three years, two or three years where they're just
absolutely positively healthy. Yeah, Kadzion Williams, h or Ja Moran
to it.
Speaker 2: Well in terms of the highlight reels and the exposure. Yes,
in terms of their games.
Speaker 1: Now I'm talking I'm talking like having me impact enough
to where and even if the NBA is not doing it,
podcasters like us are pushing them as like, oh, hey,
look at how amazing these guys are.
Speaker 2: No, because they have to stack up to those guys
like again, Wemby has kind of pushed the ceiling. Wenby
has pushed the seat we can't get out of the
Nikola Jokic is currently the best player in all of basketball.
I agree, you won't You won't find you know a
real hoop head who disagrees with that notion. I think.
And he is such a ridiculously smart player to the
point where he can dominate games through his mind. Really
it sounds like a Jedi. I don't think John or
Sign can do that.
Speaker 1: I think that's fair. So like even look at it
as being because oneb is just not from this galaxy,
looking as like being the second in command for the
league or someone where's that we want to see this matchup?
You don't think either of those two, at their peak
and healthy have the type of impact on the floor
that could put them there.
Speaker 2: Well, that's the thing. I don't want to close the door,
but I have a hard time seeing it. So like
John Morain, let's say him, for example, he would need
to expand his game quite considerably, like he would need
to have like a real sick o season. Does he
have that in him where he hits like thirty nine
percent of the threes, where he's a much more fluid
defender where he's like his court vision improves, like he
gets his assist numbers up, his efficiency up. Like it
feels like, you know, you go down the list of
things that has to improve for him to get there,
and then suddenly you're looking at him and you're going, oh,
that's quite a long list, and is it reasonable to
expect him to like solve all those things? I don't
know the answer to that. I don't personally think it
would be. That's probably where I am. And it's the
same with Zion, Like he's not a great rebounder. While
the while the defense improved last year, he's still not necessarily,
you know, a highly influential defender. His playmaking is good,
it's not elite. His outside shot is a work in
progress at best. Like, again, the list is of things
that are just it's it's long. And that's where I
tend to question some And to your point, Jason Tatum
is probably the most you know, complete player of these
guys mentioned.
Speaker 1: Well, I was trying to think of just like even
younger dudes, so like they'd have more time to marinate,
is there, Like, uh, there's Anthony Edwards still obviously. What
about Kid Cunningham or Evin Mobley Do either of them
have the ninety nine per outcome.
Speaker 2: That gets there? Yeah, so Caid was not a guy
I considered before this year. I think he is making
real headway. Like if this court vision that he's shown
this year, if that's real, you you have a six
to six point guard was gonna give you like twenty
five ten seven rebounds quality defense. Then the question is
his percentages? Are they gonna go up? I think so
he's only twenty three. I mean, yeah, he's got a
shot at it. Yeah for sure.
Speaker 1: What about Ahman Thompson you don't set that was?
Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, yeah that I did not expect that name.
That's interesting. I'm not at all there, But like in
terms of just the clay that he is right now
and the way that he can be molded, that's super interesting.
That's a good name. Like I have no idea how
Like you have to get him into the right hands right,
Like it has to be the right hands that molds
his talents right.
Speaker 1: And it's just like if he's making this many ways,
when his roll on the rockets, it's it's big, but
it's moderate compared to what we think of with these
other up a couple of stars. If you look at
oh Aman Thompson's averaging thirty six minutes per game and
running pe offense, I just wonder if he stays that
good on defense and that nuclear is an athlete be interesting.
Speaker 2: But it's it's so it must be a little annoying
to some Americans at least that Shay is from Canada,
because he's the answer you're looking for.
Speaker 1: Uh not Callen Williams or chet Holm.
Speaker 2: Grin love them, but no, no, sorry sir.
Speaker 1: You think they'll be a push to make Cooper flag
that when he comes in? What he do? You think
he's good enough to have a chance at even like
being mentioned in that breath.
Speaker 2: Yeah, So from a pr perspective, first and foremost, we
have to just mention it, right, like the big white hope.
I mean, that's been a thing we've heard for years.
We've heard it, like, come on, we've heard it. We've
heard the rumplings that oh, the NBA needs a white
player who's really really good, especially an American boardant player.
Like I hate that we have to talk about that
because I don't think that's important, but it's something that
keeps getting brought up like again and again from talking
hats who unfortunately have influence. I don't think it should matter,
but a lot of people seem to do. Like when
I and again, I don't go to Facebook very often,
but when I do and I go over like some
of the boards, I see those comments all the time,
like I'm not interested in the NBA because I need
some leve la. No, there's not a white player, and
it's obviously it's bullshit, it's racist bullshit, but apparently it's
a sentiment a lot of people have. So I think
there there's going to be a level of attempt to
make Cooper flag that guy, which I think is unfair
to him, like he shouldn't be marketed because of you know,
I mean, the default would.
Speaker 1: Be root for everybody to just be that good because
those are fun debates and discussions have.
Speaker 2: Exactly exactly And look, I would love it if Cooper
Flack becomes that dude, because I'm while I'm sitting here
as a European celebrating the fact that people from my
neck of the woods are dominating, you know, the upper
echeleons of the league. I'm also a realist and I
know that there are Americans that tend to actually say, look,
I'm not going to watch this if I can't pronounce
these last names, if this isn't something that I know,
Like no, but that's we've heard that. We've heard that before,
We've heard that criticism before. So I also know that
the game in some type of way suffers when there isn't,
you know, an overwhelming American presence, like you need a
Michael Jordan, Lebron James. If Cooper Flag becomes that guy,
if he becomes a superstar, like an American superstar and
he's that dude, or if it's Ace Bailey or if
it's Dylan Harper, whoever, that's going to be great for
the league because then Americans will jump in and then
hopefully we'll have much fewer of those god damn rating chats.
Speaker 1: Well, I guess also another nominee, at least Dark Ariakovich
would think so, but Scotty Barnes based the league, Scottie
bars that would be. I think, I don't know if
he's gonna get that good. I have all sorts of
questions about where the Raptors are headed, but yeah, he
kind of has the the archetype of the game that
you would want, like the guy with size who can
impact it as a defender, as the primary playmaker, as
a scorer. It's just all those sort of there too
much of what he can do, Like the scope of
his impact is so broad, but it's also so unpolished
in all these many different areas.
Speaker 2: That's interesting. I have another one for you actually, So
let's let's assume right that over the course of night spring,
magical sprinkle dust falls upon Grady Dick and he becomes
the next Michael Jordan. Okay, could the league ever really
market a guy with that last name?
Speaker 1: They probably forced him to change it legally, right, he'd
be like Grady maybe he could use the synonym Grady Johnson.
Speaker 2: But like the I don't. I just I think even
if if you had a guy who was like Michael
Jordan ESQ. But had a last name like that, I
think the league woul would just be like uh oh.
Speaker 1: Oh, I be they should lean into it, because people
honestly love that stuff. If we're talking about Dick, I
think it's time to ask you about the NBA Paris Games,
of which you will be attending.
Speaker 2: That was some fun. That was That was an Eiffel
Tower reference. I love that, Okay, yeah, yeah, no. I
I am going with with two buddies who I record
with here in Denmark. We are going to go to
Paris next week to cover the two Paris Games and
I'm looking very very much forward to it. We'll be
doing some coverage for for Yahoo to do a ton
of Danish coverage which isn't going to be relevant to
your viewers and listeners, but definitely going to be writing
about it over at Yahoo for sure. It's going to
be so exciting. I think I've been there before. I
was there two years ago at a very exciting Bull's
Pistons events two years ago. But I will say that
the support is amazing, Like the NBA does such a
good job, not not trying to blow smoke up their ass,
but like really I came blown away by the effort
and just the amount of time they'd spend prepping these
games for European audiences, like they'd gone all out. Like
I love it. I think it's so important to keep
the attention level up over here, and I hope they
expand with more games on European soil.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, are you going to be able to get like
Are you and Wemby going to be homies after this? Like?
How does this work? Can we get him of a
cut it of saying you're listening to the Hardwood Off podcast?
Speaker 2: Oh man, look, I would love that. I would love that.
So I'm guessing that Wemby is going to be surrounded
by approximately one point two million media members at all times.
So I am aiming a little differently. We are going
to attend some press conferences, some open practices and whatnot,
and I will be attending Adam Silver's press conference, so
I'm hoping to get a question in there. I'll try
for Wemby for sure, but if it falls, if it
falls apart, I can't be blamed. Like he's back in Paris,
I can't be blamed.
Speaker 1: I will blame you thought.
Speaker 2: Okay, that's fair.
Speaker 1: I will be safe. That should be fun, though, I
mean Wenby in Paris at this point, that's got to
be like a capslock experience.
Speaker 2: Yes. So two years ago at the afore mentioned Bulls
Business game, the biggest reaction of the crowd was during
i want to say the first or second quarter, Wemby
just kind of slingers ontour to a court side seat
and that was while the game was going on, and
he unquestionably got the biggest reaction from the crowd. And
that's what when he was playing with the Metropolitans ninety two,
so so for him to actually feature in these two games.
I also love the fact that the NBA made it
two games instead of one. That's just chef's kiss. Oh
and by the way, in the last episode we did,
we talked about the Pacers gonna be there too, Sincearres
Alpert for two games. Love that. It's yeah, this this
can only be a success for the league, for the Spurs,
for the Pacers, for fans. It's I'm gonna be soaking
it all in.
Speaker 1: More, you have one more to get to until we
get to our listener's emissions, which I've saved a pretty
spicy one for last. Everybody should just stick around for
that and totally ignore the time stamps that we include
because you totically don't have to stick around. You can
skip to it. You had, I'm gonna read it, Delano Banton. Yeah,
we'll have a fifty five point game.
Speaker 2: Yeah, look, it has to be fun, okay, And I
could just see it. I could just see a guy
coming out of nowhere and having that type of game
like it was Malachi Flynn for the Raptures, Like I
could just see like a late March game it might
be in in a couple of months where half the
roster is injured, the rest of the roster more or
less or like sitting out because they have nothing to
play for. They're just putting this skeleton crew in the game.
And during warm ups, Banton's kind of realizing, you know,
I got it going. I'm hitting these shots like I can.
I can. I can take a lot of pull ups
tonight like some I have some juice. And then it's
against some team that's disinterested in playing defense, and suddenly
you're looking at the box scorer. He's got twenty seven points.
They're like ten minutes left in the third quarter, and
he's like, fuck it, I'm just gonna go for it.
I'm gonna go for fifty. He gets fifty and even
gets the double Nickels.
Speaker 1: I fave random fifty point games, so I'll be here
for it. Nice on to subscribers emissions. This one comes
from Morton I Walter Night. I'll tackle this one from
d Knits in the summer a fewenty twenty five more
guys will sign the jail and Green type contract or
extension three years with a player option.
Speaker 2: Oh that's interesting, Yeah, I don't I don't hate that.
I think you have to be a Jalen Green type
of player too, because this was very much the Rockets
kind of hatching their bed a little, even though I
still wonder who they would like be negotiating against, Like,
if you're a clear cut level above him, you're not
gonna sign that type of contract. I don't think I
think you'd want the security, unless, of course you're thinking
his logic might be, you know, the seven year mark.
Speaker 1: I'm guessing, right, So I'm wondering if just like it's
probably something you're gonna see more of, like it would
be a restricted free agency discussion, right, You're thinking more
restricted free agents or would be restricting free agents are
going to sign shorter.
Speaker 2: Because if it's three additional years after your rookie season,
then you've passed a seven year mark and then you're
eligible for forty percent that So I will say this
My former podcast host Brian Sapporik, a friend of yours
as well, one of your colleagues, he brought up He's
brought up for a while now. Players are now earning
so much money, like just in terms of the raw
volumes that perhaps they lose insensive of like timing their
contracts to like that seven year threshold, which I think
is interesting, Like I'm not saying that is an absolute certainty,
but I do think it's like it's an interesting perspective
because these guys are like earning forty million dollars now
when they're twenty two years old. Is that going to
be Like is that going to be a factor in
when they signed deal? I don't know, Like, are they
insisting upon the thirty percent max in after their seventh year?
We'll see that.
Speaker 1: I feel I'm trying to think of, like who is
going to be extension eligible after this season? So at
that point we're talking about that is the two thousand
and twenty two draft class, right, right, We're going to
be extend eledgeable. So you have Pallo, but that's like,
I mean, why would he like they're gonna give him
the MAX, So that's not an issue.
Speaker 2: That's a MAXX.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a max chet Holme Grin. He gets the MAX.
Maybe if they try to build in some type of
injury protection Yeah, he's only played.
Speaker 2: Ninety two career games. I mean you'd have too.
Speaker 1: Maybe Jabari Smith that could be an interesting one. Might
Uhkegan Murray, Yeah he's not a MAX guy either. Jade
and Ivy.
Speaker 2: Anything, Mathrine, that's a good thing to like pull up there.
Maybe even Shandon Sharp.
Speaker 1: I just what of these the guys that were mentioning,
I don't know this is so that's fascinating. I love
this one. I do think this is the right amount
of fearless. I like Christian Brown might be another one.
What is he going to want? Or like Jaye Williams
and Okay, see that's a MAX So like maybe that's
a that's a really good one. That was the thing
I probably lean towards no, because I just don't think
most of these guys. If you're not an Automax, you're
not gonna have the leverage I think necessarily, but maybe
you're able to bet on yourself though, Like I'd be
shocked if a better think Mathrin did it, I will
say that. And Shade and Sharp just having been all
over the place the first three years, I wonder if
a Kegan Murray might actually be a good Jabari Smith
is a good example for sure, but a key in
Murray where it's well, you're trying to pay me based
off Yeah, I'm super important to you on defense, Like
what could my role be elsewhere if you're trying to
pay me like ogn Andobi wrote like count plus inflation
on his extension. The answer is going to be no.
So could you go that route? And if your teams, though,
would you rather just let if you're faced with this
before they enter restricted free agency? For the most part,
wouldn't you rather just let them enter restricted free agency
and then match because maybe there's a or do you
not even want to go that? Like why would you
give someone like kind of hamstring yourself that way? As
part of an extent, Houston did it because, like Jalen
Green is such a controversial or divisive player, but they
also have all these other options coming up the pipeline,
and people view them as a consolidation trade spot. They're
they're just in such a unique situation. This one made
me think, though, I think in this one d nits.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I love this too. It's it's interesting, right because
I do think you need to tow the line between
squeezing the ever living shit out of guy and also
making sure they're respectful, Like there are guys who are
going to be super pissed if they get squeezed squeezed
in restricted free agency. Like you also have to remember
if a guy feels like he was outright getting abused
in negotiations and he ended up with a shitty deal,
that's not going to be a great, you know, starting
factor for the continued relationship between team and player. I
hear you, though, Like the market is set up now
for it seems so strongly benefit from just letting guys
get into restricted free agency.
Speaker 1: What's up for us next?
Speaker 2: More, the Detroit Pistons will skip the playing tournament entirely
and make the playoffs as the sixth seed, And since
this would be in twenty twenty five, we're just a
couple months away from that.
Speaker 1: Look, I think it's probably the appropriate amount of fearless
because they are as we record this, they're only a
couple games out of the sixth spot. But what you're
saying is they need to be better then. I'm just
looking at the teams that like Cleveland, Boston, New York,
and even Orlando they're just gonna make the playoffs. I
think that's just we're kind of dead set. I mean,
Orlando is like their record, So you're saying they need
to be better than two of Orlando, Indiana, Milwaukee, Miami, Atlanta,
and I won't even mention Chicago and Philadelphia though, So
they have to be better than two. Oh I'm sorry,
maybe better than like they have to use syrup at
least two of those teams.
Speaker 2: Excuse me, that's what I meant. That's that's who. That's
a big one. Like I'm not closing the door, But
like I said in the previous episode, like we're recording
this on January fourteenth, Like the Pistons of one thirty
percent of this season's games within the past two weeks.
So like this could be a situation where they're just
super hot to a point where they're gonna come down
to reality at some point soon, or this could be
their new norm and they're just riding through. If it's
the latter, hell yeah, Bobby Bucket's first scene has a point.
If not, and it's just like a little whimsical thing, yeah,
then I'm not seeing it.
Speaker 1: I struggle to see them finishing ahead of both Milwaukee
and Indiana without if they make some sort of a
trade that we don't see coming, and we're viewing them
as they might be opportunistic, but they're not going to
be aggressive at the deadline. If they decide to be
aggressive and do something nobody sees coming, maybe I think
that makes this the perfect amount of fearless from Bobby talkings,
though I agree this next one comes from Drizzy Watts.
It's also Pistons related. Key Cunningham will make second team
All NBA more.
Speaker 2: I don't hate that. I don't hate that that's any
of these.
Speaker 1: I just want to know.
Speaker 2: I think I think people understood the assignment here. Yeah,
it's it's kind of fearless and yet still not in fearless,
Like it's a good middle ground take. He's got the
game for us, He's.
Speaker 1: Got the game. Second team is tough.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I was thinking third too.
Speaker 1: He'll be in the mix for third. But that's why
you pick second, because what are the players that you're
automatically gonna include over him right now? So Shay Jokic, Tatum, Joannis.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and then Luca is out helps them.
Speaker 1: Luca Yeah, Luca is like not gonna have played enough
games for sure. There's but like I guess there's excuse me,
a bunch of question marks, like well Town's making all
NBA team because it's positionless. Well Town's making all their
Jalen Brunson to consider Tyre's Halliburton is gonna be in
the mix if he can, if he's healthy and continuing
to play like this. Uh, there's just it's the I'm
trying to think of. Just like right now, who would
I guarantee a spot in all NBA over Kate And
I think you could probably get to ten. I would
say I would assume pretty easily, Like I just like
ten spots above him, pretty like shay Yo get wemby
uh tatou? Who are we forgetting? Like Johnest did you
say Edwards? There's Anthony Edwards, There's Anthony Davis. That's seven. Yeah,
Jalen Brunton or I would say one of Jalen Brunton
or Towns will probably finish.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you have to have yeah, especially if the Knicks
are that.
Speaker 1: Any Calves Mitchell, Garland Mobley.
Speaker 2: See that's that's funny because like they're playing, you know,
a lot fewer minutes this year individually speaking, So there
are numbers, the raw numbers are down, but their impact
is ridiculous. So, like you know, educated media members will
immediately realize, oh, yeah, you have to put some of
these guys up there, But some media members might look
at it and go, no, they're not playing enough minutes.
Speaker 1: I I like this. I think he probably has a
better If you read this off rip, I think you
would say it's too fearless. But he might just have
a bit if the Piston, especially there, if they make
the sixth seed, that's only gonna boost ky Cutties chances.
All right, yeah, what are you ready to take us
to our next one?
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, the Wolves get further than the Knicks in
this year's playoffs only due to health. But still from
Brett Bauer, Yeah, that is fearless.
Speaker 1: That's fearless, mostly because the Knicks should win a first
round playoff series and Minnesota is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2: Yeah, to do that.
Speaker 1: Like there, I have not seen enough consistency out of
their offense specifically to think whoever, they're gonna pull it.
But they can also just finish with New York it's oh,
they'll probably have the three seed. You could at least
say that. And with the Wolves, it's are they coming
in by way of the tenden seed the four seed, Like,
what what is this? I think that's that's caps lock fearless.
But I don't know if it's too fearless, because if
you believe in Minnesota's defense and ability to kind of
muck up a series, I I mean, I.
Speaker 2: Just an antony inward show. I mean, look, that's that's
always I kind of get it, like because sometimes you
just to have that transcendent star will just fucking take
you home for two games, right, and then that's enough.
Speaker 1: I will say the Knicks should probably be a little
bit concerned that we didn't just dismiss this more quickly
after you get after you gave up what you did
to get Michal Bridges, who's been better. But it's yeah,
I don't know how to feel about the But I
would bet on the Knicks winning a playoff series before
I would bet on the Wolves winning a playoff series.
I would absolutely Like that's a stance I absolutely have
right now. Next one comes from someone who's like his
name sounds like he'd be a terrible human being. Yeah,
when he will be considered a consensus top five player
by January first, twenty twenty six, this person.
Speaker 2: Can't even stick within the rules.
Speaker 1: That's not that's not bold enough, because you should have
said by the end of this specific season that would
be a little bit more fearless, because.
Speaker 2: Right, no, this is this is this isn't fearless. And
again he can't even stick within the rules. This was
twenty twenty five. He goes into twenty twenty sex. What
a moron? Who is this guy?
Speaker 1: Sounds like a terrible human.
Speaker 2: Being, absolutely a terrible being.
Speaker 1: Do you have Wenby as a top five player right now? Yes,
I just I haven't sat down to like actually do it.
But when I'm sitting here and I'm like, Okay, Yannis, Luca, Jokic, Shay,
and then I'm kind of like, yep.
Speaker 2: Right, that's exactly the four people that I have in
front of him. Then I'm hearing arguments, you know, from
people who have Tatum above him and Anthony Davis above him,
and look, that's fine, cool, like to each their own.
I have Wemby fifth fair argument.
Speaker 1: So I don't think. I don't think this is fearless.
I almost alway say I'd be more surprised if he's
not considered a consensus top five player by December thirty.
Speaker 2: Right, exactly. It feels like this person, whoever it is,
is just sleep deprived because he just had a baby
a few months ago.
Speaker 1: People are gonna say the comments will say that we're
glazing Lemby too much, though, but he is in the
conversation right now, and that's a big fucking deal. When
you're a year two, I.
Speaker 2: Don't care what the comments say, of whether.
Speaker 1: The comments are our audience, So you do care about
whether I glate.
Speaker 2: Look what I'm just saying what I think? Man, what's
up next? The Hawks will win a playoffs series? I
mean that high up? Yeah? Is that fearless?
Speaker 1: I don't think I mean, look again, this fearless is it?
Speaker 2: Though? I mean, look, we've seen seems like come into
the play in and even like go all the way
to the finals, like win a playoffs. I just don't
think it's that much of a stretch in the East.
Speaker 1: I mean, if they so you there's a chance though
that if they get into the playoffs, they have to
beat the Celtics or the.
Speaker 2: Calves, right, okay, but that if that had to be prefaced,
If that's the preface, yeah, okay, then this is the
CA So.
Speaker 1: You're saying you wouldn't care if they have to go
up against the Knicks, who will probably be three I
think once you get paid. I mean, it'd be really
funny if Trey Young beat the Kicks in the playoffs. Again,
I'm not gonna lie. That being said, I don't think
I think it's for Orlando the first three. But I'm
saying the first three teams in the East, it wouldn't shock,
Like that's seventy five the first two.
Speaker 2: The only two teams where I would be proper shocked
is Boston and Cleveland.
Speaker 1: I'd still be shocked if they beat the Knicks in
a playoff series.
Speaker 2: I mean, look, I just I'm at that point where
I've just seen too much NBA to like really be
surprised at that. Perhaps that's just me being jaded, where
I've just I've seen too much shit like that over
the course of my life. Or perhaps the twenty sixteen
Warriors just ruined me, like I'm just not gonna give,
Like I'm not gonna give into the expectation level, Like
I could absolutely see this Hawks team just put the
Wouldn't that.
Speaker 1: Make this the appropriate amount of fearless? Still, you're saying
this isn't fearless.
Speaker 2: That sounds all right, all right, I'll amended it is
fearless depending on situation.
Speaker 1: Okay, so let's get to the next one. So it's fearless.
That's the moral of the story.
Speaker 2: Fair enough.
Speaker 1: This one comes from at Tom for Life two thousand
and one. A regular comments are on our YouTube channel,
What up Tom? Kings trade Fox to the Spurs, then
the Fox trade assets to Utah and the Kings get
lowry marketing in return. I would say the specificity of
this just we have to default to that fearless. You
love yourself, no margin to be like waiting room to
be right or wrong. It's you're right or wrong, and
that's it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, no, no, I love it. I love it.
And and like that has been a rumored thing that
the Spurs like Fox. We'll see because the Kings are
playing better under Douk Christy, so.
Speaker 1: That I will understand Sacramento's direction even less if they
trade Fox and it's not and like so, then it's
the bonus and lowry marketing and Keegan Murray the Rose.
I just don't like that would be an executively weird
spot to be in. So if a d Iron Fox,
I think this is fearless for that reason, because a Fox,
I think it signals more of an overhaul.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's that's interesting. Demartin Rosen returning to his shooting
guard position where he started on his career at like
age forty five and thirty six. That'd be awesome.
Speaker 1: Would that be the weirdest team in the NBA where
it's okay you have Larry market In basically on his Max,
Bonis DeRozan, Malik Monkey. I just I wouldn't know how
to feel about that team.
Speaker 2: No, no, no, it'd be a weird, weird team.
Speaker 1: It would have some draft assets. Although no, because you're
if you're Larry Marketing, I think gets less on the
trade market than Fox, so you're not gonna have a
ton of assets left over if you trade, it would
almost be close to a straight up swap. I would
feel like, So, I think I feel worse about Sacramento's
future if that happened.
Speaker 2: Where would that team rank on our league pass rankings?
That's what I want to know. What the king it
might be?
Speaker 1: It might be one because I think confused as shit.
Speaker 2: I love it.
Speaker 1: I like this one.
Speaker 2: Tom all right? So three three way Jazz partly Patty
Mills gets moved and plays playoff minutes potentially for OKAC.
After the A. J. Mitchell injury, Cody Williams makes an
All Rookie team and Kyle Philpowski takes Walker Kessler's job.
Speaker 1: Yo shout out to just being so specific on these.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yo at Joho, Look man, I I have no
analysis to this other than this is fearless shit.
Speaker 1: I will say it's fearless across the board. I don't
think Paddy Mills would play minutes on OKAC. Uh No
beg A shout out to Yo Ho for acknowledging the
AJ Mitchell injury. Everyone was talking about how he was
going to be converted from his two way because he
was playing so much.
Speaker 2: Uh.
Speaker 1: I can't look Cody Williams. Since he's entered the rotation.
He's shooting like thirty nine percent from three. I still
think he's like you see the aggression on defense. I
just there's not enough aggression on offense. I don't know
what the logic would be even if we're let's fast
forward ahead to next season, because Cody Williams All Rookie
has to happen this year, M what would be a
logic behind, putting Kyle Philipowski in for Walker Kesler, the
more dynamic offensive player. Sure, but as a babysitter as
head coach, too soon, well too soon. I love this one,
though I would be of of the other three. Do
you think the last one is the boldest or is
it the Cody Williams for all rookie I.
Speaker 2: Think the last one the last one. I think I
think we as an NBA society has grotesquely begun to underrate,
uh the influence of Walker Kessler as a rim protector.
Speaker 1: Like even just look at that, like I feel like
that's a huge. Yeah, what do we got next year?
Speaker 2: This one?
Speaker 1: Oh, we got double double dipping? Uh So SGA is
the MVP and the Celtics won't make the conference finals.
That comes from Retro Brandon, the inspo behind this podcast,
and then Dee Knits has Boston and Dallas continue the
seven year tradition of no repeat NBA finalists. I'm gonna so, yeah,
the first one, SGA winning MVP. I don't think that's
not fearless because he might just you look at it.
I as someone who picked Jo and the our last
MVP update, I acknowledge that Shay is just he's the
best player and offensive lifeline. Not just the best player,
but offensive lifeline and an active participant in a generational
defense on a team that might just wins heavy games.
The Celtics not making the.
Speaker 2: Conference finals, that is spicy.
Speaker 1: That's spicy because it's you're really just saying that the
Cavs are going to beat them, because I don't think
that the are the Magic or anybody else even has
close to a leg up on Boston. I know some
people are concerned about Boston of late, So that's that's
pretty fearless. And then the second one, I mean, like
you should statistically speaking, you should bet against the field.
But right, oh, that's an interesting one. I mean I
could I could see another team in Dallas coming out
of the West for sure, because it's it's okay, see
should be.
Speaker 2: The favorite to come out of the West. I think
that one is.
Speaker 1: Are there more options to come out of the West
than there are the East? Because I look at Cleveland
and Boston. I think I'd be pretty surprised if anybody
else came out of the East.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree, And I'd even go as far as
saying I'd be pretty surprised if it's not okay. See
in the West. Honestly, I have a hard time seeing
like who should be the direct challenger there? Right here's
the Celtics is the one that screws it up for
me here because like the first bit from retro like
Celtics won't make the conference finals. That like, again, that's spicy,
that's that's utterly fearless. Then if you go down to
Dike d Nicks where it's like Boston doesn't make the finals,
like there's a pretty big gap there, Like I'm more
inclined to lean into the idea of the Boston Celtics
not making the finals than I am them not making
the conference finals.
Speaker 1: I think the most fearless thing here is the Celtics
not making the conference finals, because it applies who did
they lose to. It's not the Caves. I guess you're saying,
like what that they lost to the Magic? The Magic?
Speaker 2: So retro takes this one.
Speaker 1: Retro takes this one. That's Balton does not make the
conference finals. There are going to be fireworks there probably
in the summer. What do we have coming up next
to us? More?
Speaker 2: Jamal Murray gets spenched for Russell Westbrook of them from at.
Speaker 1: Bass fearless are reckless?
Speaker 2: Yeah? Both, It's probably both. Look, I will concede though
Russ is played better of late, like he's he's turned
things around. Are we at that point where Jamal Murray's
gonna come off the bench in favor of Russ? I
don't know.
Speaker 1: It's politically speaking, you can't do that because there's even
if you if you're gonna go that route, it's you
start Jamal Murray and you pull him quickly and have
him run like bench units. But I just I mean,
and maybe this is more of a credit to Russ.
Look the Jokic Russ minutes thirteen point seven net rating,
the Jokic Murray minutes nine point nine net rating, the
Jokic Murray minutes without Russ six point six net rating,
the Jokic Westbrook minutes without Murray, that's a what is
their net rating there? Fifteen point nine? So I mean,
like Russ has been good. I just this is even. Look,
if you bench Jamal Murray, you knew kiss trade value.
Just look at it through that lens. This is this
is too fearless for me. But I love the sentiment.
Oh yeah, I feel like we're hearing more talk about you.
Jamal always been better offensively, at least of late, so
it would be a weird time to see this happen.
Speaker 2: Look, be so understood the assignment here, Yeah he did.
They came in and with the real one. I like this.
That was a good one.
Speaker 1: I can't get there though, No, no, no me neither. This
one might not be fearless enough. From Mike, the Calves
will get to seventy two wins, that's fearless. It is
like whenever you stay yeah, this isn't the four lost
Cavaliers team anymore. This is the five lost Calves more.
We need to rethink everything we know about them.
Speaker 2: I mean, look, whenever you say seventy plus wins, I'm
gonna call it fearless. That's just the thing.
Speaker 1: If you said seventy would that have been fearless still
or not fearless enough?
Speaker 2: Still fearless? Still pretty fearless. I mean, seventy is still
a very magical number when it comes to wins, like
they might get there, who the hell knows. But at
this stage we're not there to.
Speaker 1: Say we will get at least one seventy win team
this year.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, because it's still seventy you still have to
crack that barrier.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I think you know what I think, and
we're just gonna expand this from I think the Calves
and Door. Okay, see, you get to seventy wins this year,
I think it'll happen.
Speaker 2: What what would happen if both do.
Speaker 1: Think about how bad the ratings would be Because it's not
the Lakers, I don't. I have no idea. If they
both get to seventy.
Speaker 2: I'd be wild.
Speaker 1: That'd be insane. I kind of hope it happens, but
that would be insane.
Speaker 2: It really would. It reads two enormous powerhouses, and then
the Celtics might still win the ring.
Speaker 1: Oh man, the discourse around if the discourse around Cleveland
are okay, see if they win seventy and then don't
get to the finals will be I don't want to
be here for.
Speaker 2: That, right Oh no, no, I'm gonna go on holiday
for that one. Then the internet can take care of
that while I'm gone.
Speaker 1: What's coming up next?
Speaker 2: More Alex saar NAB's Rookie of the Year Wizards will
have more wins in the thirty two games after the
deadline that the fifty games played before it at Will Clayton.
Speaker 1: I think the second part of that is actually not
it's probably the appropriate amount of fearless, because there are
gonna be teams that who did not tank their hearts
out just yet that will probably be more inclined to
lose games than Also, I don't know who. You take
off the Wizards and we're just like, oh, they're just
a disaster. It's like if you trade in Kyle Kuzma,
you trade Malcolm Brogden, I don't know how much worse
they actually get, just because they've leaned so far into
they still lean on the vets. I guess if you
just said, even if they don't trade them Malcolm Rocked
and Jordan Kyle Kuzma, you all got to go home,
right sure, Alex sar, I don't the Rookie of the
Year thing? Is Kapsock fearless even by this class as standard?
I would like to note though he's shown flashes defensively
basically all year, and he's starting to figure things out
on offense, where he's shooting since December first forty percent
from three on nearly five attempts per game, still forty
six point five percent inside the arc, and he's had
twenty eight point six percent on in the paint twos
that aren't in the restricted area, thirty one point six
percent from mid range, but during this stretch more eighty
percent shooting in the restricted area. Starting to I think
you give him enough spacing. I don't know that I'll
ever trust him as kind of the on ball, no
shot creator type option, but pick and pop getting to
the basket, maybe some paint touches. You're starting to kind
of see the vision for him.
Speaker 2: I think I've been thoroughly pissed off at Washington Scards
this year. I think they have not done a well
enough job at getting him the ball in adventatious positions
when he's actually sealed off a defender or when he's
in the dunker spot and when he's like, you know,
one step inside. It's I don't think overall that the
team has done enough for him offensively. Now, I'm not
gonna sit here and say that that excuses him from
the forty percent from the field over the course of
the season, He's taken some horrendous shots when he's at
the ball, so like it's partly on him, but it's
also partly on the organization. I think the NBA community
at large does have a tendency to criticize rookies a
little bit too quickly, and they tend to forget that
veterans can also make mistakes, such as not giving the
freakin' big man the ball. I mean, he's seven to one,
He's a constant lop threat. They don't really use him
as enough as such. In my opinion, I'm hoping to
see a significantly better second half of the season from him.
If that happens, and if the Washington Guards actually determines
to get their thumbs up their asses and actually give
him some opportunities, why wouldn't he be a roy candidate?
Like I is that true?
Speaker 1: Because McCain's going to remove himself from the fold, So
you're kind of competing with Zach Edy, Steph Castle, Jalen Wells,
I think would be the primary like alternatives there. So yeah,
appropriate amount of fearless. I like that one.
Speaker 2: I like it.
Speaker 1: We got some Bulls stuff. So from Candon twenty five
to ninety one, the Bulls finally trade zaclavine and then
Kobe White averages thirty points per game over a ten
game stretch. At some point afterwards, Maddy L also has
the Bulls will make more than one trade.
Speaker 2: Okay, that's spicy, the first one from Candon. That's not
really fearless. I mean that, I'm sorry that it's not.
We've seen Kobe White have these ridiculous stretches before, and
the Bulls finally trade Saclovine, Like that's probably in the
cards given how well he's playing right now if they
can get something for him. So like like I it's
it's I don't know, it's like fine, it's bath water temperature.
I guess the Bulls will make more than one trade
for Mattie L.
Speaker 1: That is he understood the side of it.
Speaker 2: Mm hmm. Oh yeah.
Speaker 1: I hope it happens, because that's what should happen.
Speaker 2: But like, if Maddie wanted to win this whole thing,
he would have specified which, like which trades, both trades.
Speaker 1: I'm assuming he did mean rotation players, which would still
be a pretty big.
Speaker 2: Right, No, no, no, But I'm saying, like if Maddie
came out swinging, I was like, the Bulls will make
more than one trade, and here are the two to
three trades that they will make, and they just he
outlined that ship.
Speaker 1: Here's the hypathatics. What's more likely the Bulls trade Kobe
White or the bulls trade Zach Lavine Nikolovuvich and Patrick
Williams Kobe White. I think you're probably right. That might
speak to how hard it is to trade Patrick Williams
right now.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that was not that was not a great idea
of picking him forth in the compounding the mistake by
handing him ninety million, that is, Yeah, that's a problem.
Du Up Wreath will win an NBA championship also from
Maddy l So where does he get traded to? Okay,
seem New York. I think I guess the baer.
Speaker 1: Yeah, there's contenders that need enough backup centers to where
Duop Breath is a podcast favorite, still not playing a
ton Importantly, he is shooting over forty percent from three
though since the start of December. I favor this. This
is the appropriate There's there's big if we're being real,
I mean, even Denver needs kind of a backup center
and he's so cheap, Like, is there anything you could
give up? This is probably more likely than it should be.
Speaker 2: You know what people seem to have forgotten in this
exercise is that you could have also said du up
Breath will win an NBA Cup championship, because that would
be fall within twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1: I wouldn't be fearless, though, because whatever team he's on
is clearly going to be an NBA Cup contender. I
would think I like that one though. This next one,
we got two that are related to the Phoenix Sons.
The Sons will trade Kevin Durant from Nicole Kolev and
by the end of the year, two of the Sons
is Big three won't be in Phoenix anymore. From Stats Center.
Speaker 2: Oh like, okay, hmmm, the first one. That's spicy.
Speaker 1: But I think here's what I'm thinking there. I mean,
I guess because we're separating this is there. If you're
saying two of the Sons is Big three won't be
in Phoenix anymore, that's random beal Well, I was gonna say,
isn't it Durant and Booker, Because what's the scenario that
you would trade Bradley Beale and then it makes you
then go ahead and trade Kevin Durant. You're just saying,
let's say they make the Jimmy Butler trade, it fails spectacularly,
and then Kevin Durant wants out over the off season.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you're probably right, they're not. They're not gonna trade
book though, that he's their guy.
Speaker 1: Like, if you're trading Kevin Durant, yeah you should. What's
the point at that stage of keeping Devin Booker?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 1: Or I shouldn't say, what's the point of keeping Devin
b Or why would Devin Booker.
Speaker 2: Want to be there?
Speaker 1: Well?
Speaker 2: He does love it there, but I do agree that
that's a situation where he'll have to competitively look into
the mirror and say, can I justify sticking around? I
don't know, but like we agree, the stats Center won
this one.
Speaker 1: He you know what would have been the real mega
fearless is all three of them get traded. It's yeah,
oh they make the Butler trade, or they get rid
of Bradley Beal. It still fails. Durant says he wants
out and won't resign on an extension. Then Booker looks
around and says, I don't know what the future is here.
I want out, not off the table. Suns have been
a little frisk years of late, but I wouldn't the
Sun's trading Kevin Durant if I had to do you
think Kevin Rhant will be on the Suns to start
next season.
Speaker 2: I think so. I think so because look, I don't
think he'll be satisfied with all these short tenures to
wrap up his career. I think he wants to stick
it through a little bit.
Speaker 1: I think he's gonna be gone.
Speaker 2: You think he's gonna gone, okay, And I.
Speaker 1: Think he'll probably be on like the Warriors. I think
there's just gonna be a reunion there.
Speaker 2: That's the I would love that.
Speaker 1: That was my fearless prediction, by the way, that I
deleted so that we could include this one.
Speaker 2: I love that. I am so on that one because
that was that was one I wanted to see a
while ago, and it didn't happen. And I was very
sad because Kevin Durand and Stephen Curry together makes me smile.
Speaker 1: Yeah, they were a hell of a duo. So state
of the Sun's perpetually debatable apparently, though, that was it
for us. MORT thank everybody for their submissions. I think
what was the I know we're not staring at them anymore,
but what was the biggest Is it the Suns losing
two of their big three? That's the one we just cover.
Speaker 2: Is that the that that's up there, or it's the
bulls making two trades.
Speaker 1: Well, because you could game that one to say they
traded Tory Craig.
Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, that's true, that's true.
Speaker 1: Actually, you know what, Cleveland had seventy two wins.
Speaker 2: That was also pretty spicy. There was one one of
the first ones as well, was pretty spicy.
Speaker 1: I mean, you're trying to shout out yourself here.
Speaker 2: No, no, no, no, well, lord Norris, I have the ego. No,
there was one that was super specific. Was it like
the King? Yeah? It was also feel that sent Laurid
Marketing to the Lauri Marketing to the Kings and Jaron
Fox the Spurs. That was spicy as hell because that
was so complicated. It was like, yeah, it has to
happen exactly like that. I think that was a good one.
Speaker 1: Apology that we did not get to more of them,
but this was fun. We always loved the crowdsourcing exercise.
That's why you should join our discord because that's where
we predominantly do these crowdsourcings. Although I do throw mom
Blue Sky and we had a lot of YouTube's emissions
this time too, so I should probably use our YouTube
channel a little bit more, but more as ever, you're
able to tell our listeners where they could find you
and all the fantastic work that you do.
Speaker 2: I am, but I will also ask you, sir before
we won't uman what was the worst one, because there
was that guy beats pork or something like that was awful.
That was terrible, That was awful.
Speaker 1: Honestly, why did you waste I don't know why I
included it.
Speaker 2: That was an error? No, no, just that what a
sad human being. Honestly, I agree.
Speaker 1: With everything you said. Now tell our listeners where they
can find you.
Speaker 2: You can find my work over at MSJ NBA on
Blue Sky. You can find me at Yahoo Sports, at Forbes,
at Sports Illustrated. I also have a podcast named the
NBA Podcast where you also listen to this episode because
we are actually double crossing. We're crossing our streams where
the Ghostbusters on this one, and so you can find
my work there. I also do a due bunch of
stuff in Danish, but that doesn't really apply to you.
So unless you want to go like, do a link
and learn Danish. Yeah, yeah, if you want to learn Danish,
go to dual Linko and then listen to some of
my stuff. You can do that. I have a Danish
podcast called Buster Beet and go Nuts.
Speaker 1: Until next time, And as always, I speak for more
when I say shout out to the one, the only,
the indelible. There is no prediction, too fearless or too
bold that encapsulates him because he is a legend, mister
Frank sh