WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:03.560 Next on the drive, Tim McMahon dropping dimes for your 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:05.000 NBA daily assists. 3 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:14.759 Van McMahon, Van McMahon bat Is old Land, Texas flood 4 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:23.079 as Sicke as Mudy's Man, Van McMahon, Van McMahon, the 5 00:00:23.480 --> 00:00:24.320 fan man. 6 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:36.640 The rain and the snow coming down rather heavily in 7 00:00:36.759 --> 00:00:38.000 Salt Lake this afternoon. 8 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:41.439 It is chilly, it is cold. Well, I'll tell you what. 9 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:44.119 It's only gonna be hot downtown tonight. See what I 10 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:44.560 did there. 11 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:49.359 League's Cup Baby, The NBA Cup starts tonight. Group play 12 00:00:49.399 --> 00:00:52.960 the Phoenix Suns are in town. An NBA Cup enthusiast 13 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:55.679 and great overall guy and rider, Tim McMahon is our 14 00:00:55.719 --> 00:00:56.679 guest on a Tuesday. 15 00:00:56.759 --> 00:00:57.920 Hello Tim, how are you, sir? 16 00:00:59.079 --> 00:01:03.439 Howdy partner? I'm doing all right. I am outside looking 17 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:07.439 over the bay here in San Francisco. Nice a little 18 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:11.319 bit of a chillney air, but nice sunny day. Some 19 00:01:11.480 --> 00:01:13.560 boats in the water. None of that have Craig Thompson 20 00:01:13.640 --> 00:01:15.959 as captain. But here we go. 21 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:19.480 So you are in an area where there's actually an 22 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:21.560 interesting game tonight. We'll get there in a moment. But 23 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:24.599 before we start, what should our listeners know Tim about 24 00:01:24.680 --> 00:01:27.159 the newly branded NBA Cup. 25 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:28.920 Last year it was the playing tournament. 26 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:31.280 The group play starts tonight and the Suns are in 27 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:32.280 town to play the Jazz. 28 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:35.920 The n season tournament last year, the play in tournament's 29 00:01:35.959 --> 00:01:39.040 a whole separate deal in season Jazz. After the Jazz 30 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:41.640 have tried very hard to avoid the play in tournament 31 00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:43.239 the last couple of years. I don't think that'll be 32 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:47.120 such a problem this year. I mean, you know, same concept, 33 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:50.920 new courts, you know, new new sponsor, and what is it? 34 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:52.560 I mean a pronounce it. 35 00:01:52.599 --> 00:01:54.319 To be honest with you, I think that might be right, 36 00:01:54.439 --> 00:01:58.480 Emirates Dan, I guess I didn't know how to pronounce it. 37 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:02.920 Oh well, I'll tell you what by the end of 38 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:05.560 this NBA Cup season, and I certainly will know. And 39 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:09.759 so that's that's marketing doing it. It's best. But you know, hey, 40 00:02:09.879 --> 00:02:12.159 five hundred and grand on the line per player for 41 00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:14.840 teams that win the whole thame. But you know, I 42 00:02:14.919 --> 00:02:19.240 actually liked the concept because it does give a little 43 00:02:19.319 --> 00:02:22.879 something different during the season, but it's not completely outside 44 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:26.639 of the regular season. Obviously, until the championship game, all 45 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:29.120 these games count towards the regular season standing, so you 46 00:02:29.240 --> 00:02:32.199 can't have teams just decide to kind of punt these. 47 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:36.240 It's funny though, because I mentioned or I was talking 48 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:39.719 to one of the Magic staffers to day and they 49 00:02:39.800 --> 00:02:42.039 kind of mentioned they said, yeah, the one of the 50 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:44.680 best things that happened for us last year was we 51 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:48.439 didn't make it to Vegas in the season tourney, and 52 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:51.360 their two replacement games or filling angel, well, you know whatever. 53 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:55.439 The two games that you get they played the Trailblazers 54 00:02:55.479 --> 00:02:58.879 and the Jazz last year, and we're able to win 55 00:02:58.919 --> 00:03:02.360 those was pretty signific. So it is a little confusing 56 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:05.120 when you look at this at the schedule, whether for 57 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:07.719 the whole league or just for teams, and there's kind 58 00:03:07.719 --> 00:03:12.000 of a gap of TBD there in the middle of December. 59 00:03:13.080 --> 00:03:14.800 Yeah, and I don't care how much money you make. 60 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:16.319 Five hundred K is not nothing. 61 00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:21.000 But I wonder in your conversations throughout the league, players, coaches, 62 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:26.080 front office exacts, is is there genuine excitement for this thing? 63 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:29.360 Do they feel like it's being forced upon them? I mean, 64 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:32.080 what's kind of the feeling around the NBA as far 65 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:34.800 as how teams feel about the NBA Cup. 66 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:39.360 I haven't heard a lot of complaining about it. I 67 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:41.719 don't know, if there's just a ton of excitement, you know, 68 00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:44.680 like five hundred grand in a trip to Vegas. I 69 00:03:44.759 --> 00:03:48.719 think all NBA players like both of those things, so 70 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:51.039 they prefer to win it than not. But I don't 71 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:54.280 get the sense of it's like something that I don't 72 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:57.560 know that they're like circling these games on their calendars. Oh, 73 00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:00.159 these are NBA Cup games, and you know, there's been 74 00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:03.039 a whole lot of sextra motivation. But like I said, also, 75 00:04:03.639 --> 00:04:06.000 I've not heard any any real complaint. There was some 76 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:10.159 gripe in last year about the courts. You know, they're 77 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:12.319 they're not quite as loud, but like, we'll see if 78 00:04:12.360 --> 00:04:18.639 there's issues as far as you know, the surface, well 79 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:20.600 you know what they're slipping and those sorts of things. 80 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:22.839 But honestly, those are the only complaints that I heard 81 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:25.000 was that the courts from the courts were most slippery 82 00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:25.480 last year. 83 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:30.160 Okay, well, I mean, I mean, look, the bottom line 84 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:33.040 is and we'll move on from the NBA Cup after this. 85 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:37.720 Like this is something that pro basketball, in my opinion, 86 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:40.399 has always been very good at, and that is being 87 00:04:40.519 --> 00:04:43.519 willing to look at dynamics and try new things and 88 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:47.920 see if they stick. And this is essentially isn't this 89 00:04:48.040 --> 00:04:50.639 Adams baby. Isn't this Adam Silver's thing? Like, this is 90 00:04:50.680 --> 00:04:53.199 one of the things that he kind of talked about 91 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:56.600 very early on as really a copy of the European 92 00:04:56.720 --> 00:04:59.000 soccer model, the FA Cup and such, which I know 93 00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:01.000 you're a big fan of. But this is to me, 94 00:05:01.160 --> 00:05:03.879 this is one cool Well, it's one of the cool 95 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:06.000 things about the NBA. They're willing to kind of try 96 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:07.839 these different things and kind of see if they work. 97 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:14.040 No, this is definitely an Adam Silver creation. I felt 98 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.759 the courts last year actually were a very sharp marketing 99 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:21.639 tactic because hey, it got people. Those courts got people 100 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:23.879 talking about the NBA during the middle of football season, 101 00:05:24.120 --> 00:05:26.959 and that's not always the easiest thing to do. And 102 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:31.279 then you know last year, uh, the semi finals and 103 00:05:31.319 --> 00:05:35.399 finals were rating success and for being honest though, they 104 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:38.120 also got extremely and there was a success in terms 105 00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:40.279 of like the arena being full of all that. They 106 00:05:40.360 --> 00:05:43.000 got extremely lucky that the Lakers just happened to win 107 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:45.680 the first one of these. And you know, if the 108 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.560 Lakers don't make it, and it's you know, the Phoenix Suns, 109 00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:51.839 they're the Denver Nuggets. I think it could be a 110 00:05:51.959 --> 00:05:53.720 very different field this year, but we'll see. 111 00:05:55.240 --> 00:05:58.160 So let's move over, excuse me, let's move over to 112 00:05:58.279 --> 00:06:01.040 where you're at tonight bike ride with Balkan music. 113 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:01.360 Tim. 114 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:03.839 I didn't expect to wake up and see Tim McMahon's 115 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:07.480 story referencing Balkan music, and you wrote about Clay and 116 00:06:07.560 --> 00:06:10.879 Clay is back in the Bay to see the Warriors 117 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:12.800 for the first time. So we'll get to the jazz 118 00:06:12.879 --> 00:06:15.079 in a minute. But this is far more interesting for 119 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:18.319 basketball fans. Uh, tell us about, you know, kind of 120 00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:20.759 the story you wrote, and then ultimately where Clay's head 121 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:23.120 is at as he gets gets ready to play his 122 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:24.240 old team tonight in the bag. 123 00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:29.040 Yeahs a Dallas based NBA writer. I've actually become pretty 124 00:06:29.079 --> 00:06:32.839 familiar with Balkan music. I'm a guy, you know, Luca 125 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:34.920 likes his Balkan music. And when he comes out to 126 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:37.279 warm up, that's what's playing on the American Airlines Center. 127 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:39.879 It's about five minutes into Clay Tompson the warm luft, So, 128 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:43.439 you know, just kind of an example of adjustment to 129 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.920 Clay's making. He does he did not bring a boat 130 00:06:47.079 --> 00:06:48.839 to Dallas. You know, he doesn't have a boat. Doctor 131 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:50.680 one of the lakes. He takes his you know, he 132 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:52.759 goes on the occasional bike rides to get a little 133 00:06:52.759 --> 00:06:55.600 look at the water. But that's that. And you know, 134 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:58.319 since I really get from Clay, I talked to him 135 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:00.000 a little while for that story and just kind of 136 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:03.759 haven't been around him so far this season. Is he 137 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:06.439 does not want everything to be about him being the 138 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:10.079 former Warrior Klay Thompson. You know, he wants it to 139 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:12.399 be about a starter for a team that thinks it 140 00:07:12.439 --> 00:07:15.759 can be a contender. He's very focused on now and 141 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:19.079 like you know that a night in Dipver, he was 142 00:07:19.160 --> 00:07:21.360 asked about, hey, you know what, you know, what does 143 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:23.800 this mean for you? And he basically he said, I 144 00:07:24.040 --> 00:07:26.399 just to it's you know, it'd be cool to see people, 145 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:29.399 but it's really just another regular season game November. And 146 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:31.839 then he kind of admitted, Okay, you know there's a 147 00:07:31.879 --> 00:07:36.160 little something extra here. It's an NBA Cup opener. I mean, 148 00:07:36.279 --> 00:07:38.920 like come on. So he's really trying to put you know, 149 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:43.319 put up the stoic face. Didn't talk to media after 150 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:46.360 practice here yesterday or after shoot around, like he's trying 151 00:07:46.519 --> 00:07:50.279 not to feed into all the pomp and circumstances, and 152 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:51.399 there's going to be a lot of it. You know, 153 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:54.560 they've got these Captain Clay Adams are given out. Steph 154 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:56.519 Curry is going to make a speech at the mid 155 00:07:56.639 --> 00:07:59.040 court and they're all gonna, you know, tip their caps 156 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:01.199 to them, like the whole crowd. There's gonna be a 157 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:04.560 video and the people with the Warriors that obviously know 158 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:07.040 Clay very welcome over the year, they think he'll crack. 159 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:09.720 They think Clay is going to shed a tear, but 160 00:08:09.879 --> 00:08:14.240 it is certainly his goal to just be focused on 161 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:16.920 hoopon tonight and you know, we'll see how that goes. 162 00:08:17.800 --> 00:08:20.199 And this is always interesting to me because look, I mean, 163 00:08:20.279 --> 00:08:23.279 he won four rings there and he went from you know, 164 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:26.160 a late lottery maybe a decent spot up shooter to 165 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:28.680 one of potentially, not potentially, one of the greatest shooters 166 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.639 the game's ever seen. Like when Clay Thompson is in Springfield, 167 00:08:32.840 --> 00:08:34.879 he will have a Warrior jersey on, there's. 168 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:35.399 No doubt about it. 169 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:39.720 But ultimately, you know, you heard rumors like, well maybe 170 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:42.440 the Warriors are still interested in running it back one 171 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:45.120 more time and until Steph decides he's done with Clay, 172 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:47.720 Clay comes back and then you heard, you know, his 173 00:08:47.879 --> 00:08:50.279 dad made these comments about wanting him to be a Laker, 174 00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:52.919 and we know that that's where Clay grew up. Ultimately, 175 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:55.840 what landed Clay Thompson on Dallas him. 176 00:08:56.720 --> 00:08:59.399 Well, Clay decided that he was going to go ahead 177 00:08:59.399 --> 00:09:01.440 and be the one who called at his time and 178 00:09:02.360 --> 00:09:06.360 the Bay was done. And look, they had the extension 179 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:09.200 talks before last season. Two years forty seven million was 180 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:12.039 what was being discussed. Whether it was put on the 181 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:13.759 table or not, I guess kind of depends on who 182 00:09:13.799 --> 00:09:15.919 you asked, But it wasn't the deal that he was 183 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:18.320 going to take. You know, Draymond got four years, one hundred. 184 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:20.200 He didn't feel like they were making the same kind 185 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:23.759 of commitment to him that they had to Draymond that 186 00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:26.879 they had even to Andrew Wiggins. So last year there's 187 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:29.279 like this black cloud hoping over in the whole time, 188 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:34.399 he felt the weight of knowing in his heart it 189 00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:36.799 was probably going to be his last year. And then 190 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:39.360 I think there was a little crack there and then 191 00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:41.840 they prioritized trying to get like a Paul George signed 192 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:44.000 trade downe his bas like, if I'm not the priority, 193 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:48.480 I'm out. And then for him, it became okay, where 194 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:50.919 do I have the best chance to win a championship? 195 00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:53.919 And he felt like, especially watching the Mavericks in the finals, 196 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:57.159 where their lack of three point shooting alongside their stars 197 00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:59.679 really bit him the butt, he felt like he'd come 198 00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:02.399 and be kind of that, you know, that last piece 199 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:05.360 that the Mavericks needed, and we'll see how that goes. 200 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:09.480 But he does not want to be a chem Olajuan 201 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:12.840 in a Toronto Raptors uniform, right. He wants this last 202 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:16.559 chapter of his career to be meaningful, to be competitive, 203 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:19.399 and he thought Dallas was the best spot for him 204 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:19.679 do that. 205 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:23.080 So drawing any conclusion of this league after ten games 206 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:25.480 as a fool's errand but Dallas, after going to the 207 00:10:25.559 --> 00:10:27.799 finals last year and a lot of people's picked to 208 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:31.879 potentially represent the West again. Oka, see just lost chat. 209 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:33.639 We'll get there in a moment. But they are five 210 00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:37.039 and five, they're five hundred. So how's the clay experience God, 211 00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:37.960 so far in Dallas. 212 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:41.320 You know, it started out really well. I mean he 213 00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:43.440 really shot at one the first few games. It's been 214 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:46.120 a little bit bumpy since then, you know, like you 215 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:48.200 said to me, jerk after ten games, would be a 216 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:50.159 little bit silly, and but the simple fact of the 217 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:53.320 matter is we've yet to see Luca play at the 218 00:10:53.399 --> 00:10:56.200 level that we're accustomed to from him, which is, you know, 219 00:10:57.440 --> 00:11:00.559 firmly in the MVP conversation, he's not been that guy. 220 00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:03.720 And you know, when Luke's playing at that level, everything 221 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:07.399 else looks a whole lot better. And so I think 222 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:09.759 if you talk about what's not been right with the Mavericks, 223 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:11.600 I think you start with lucas you have to play, 224 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:15.320 you know, to the standard that he has set. And 225 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:18.759 then you know, they're five and five. Now, Derek Lively 226 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:20.960 missed the last four games of US. Three of those four. 227 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:24.840 He's back tonight. That's another major piece, you know. I 228 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:27.240 guess I'm spending a whole lot of word to here 229 00:11:27.320 --> 00:11:29.120 to say that I think Madix will very much be 230 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:30.600 in the thick of things come April. 231 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:31.799 Yeah, and I agree with that. 232 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.600 I mean, Luca is just too good and I'm sure 233 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:35.399 will coast and then he's turn it on, you know 234 00:11:35.559 --> 00:11:36.639 the way that we've seen him. 235 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:38.919 Do they They do see a warrior team tim. 236 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:41.240 At the start of the year eight and two, and 237 00:11:41.320 --> 00:11:43.480 they have the second best net in the West and 238 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:47.240 Steve is playing like twelve dudes every night. What has 239 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:50.240 Golden State figured out early on on what's Dallas up 240 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:50.840 against tonight? 241 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:54.480 Well, and you know the amazing thing is they did 242 00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:57.759 that with Stepness in a handful of games. You know, 243 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:00.360 when he had the I forgot what fancied term they 244 00:12:00.440 --> 00:12:03.120 use for the ankle area, but you know he had 245 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:06.039 that entry. Man, Like, you got to give Mike Dunley 246 00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:09.200 some credit for the way that they kind of pivoted 247 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:11.960 this offseason. You know, no one claims out the door, 248 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:15.600 and they weren't able to get the Paul Georges thinged. Obviously, 249 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:18.200 they're they're conversations with the Jazz bet Larry markin and 250 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:21.960 never really picked up any kind of steam. But to 251 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:25.879 bring in Buddy Heald, who's been absolutely phenomenal for them, 252 00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:29.639 you know, Dancy Milton when he's healthy, really helps them. 253 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:32.759 Kyle Anderson has been a contributor. And then look when 254 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:35.320 Draymond was on the court last year, the Warriors were 255 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:39.200 pretty damn good. He just because of his own stupidity, 256 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:42.360 missed a bunch of games last year. And so you know, 257 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:45.200 I don't know if I think it's a little bit 258 00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:47.360 early to say that the Warriors will be contenders in 259 00:12:47.440 --> 00:12:50.120 the West, but I don't think we can mole out 260 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:50.960 that possibility. 261 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:53.519 Yeah, and again super early. 262 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:56.159 All right, let's start with the opponent tonight for the 263 00:12:56.279 --> 00:13:00.399 Jazz as the Sun's roll into town playing good basketball too. 264 00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:02.519 But Durant I think is out. He's definitely out tonight. 265 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:03.759 I think he's out for a couple of weeks with 266 00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:06.759 the cap strain. Yeah, so obviously that changes who they are. 267 00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:09.720 But what should Jazz fans know? Because these days a 268 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:11.720 lot of fans are going to the arena to watch 269 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:12.960 the other team, which I get. 270 00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:14.519 So what are we going to see tonight in the 271 00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:15.159 Phoenix Suns. 272 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:18.120 Yeah, and obviously no, KD is a bummer. And you know, 273 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:21.480 that was a weird one because he actually strained that 274 00:13:21.559 --> 00:13:23.480 in the fourth quarter and there in Dallas. I was 275 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:26.720 at the game, I was in the Sun's locker room. Atterwards, 276 00:13:26.759 --> 00:13:28.840 I talked to KD. He didn't get extra treatment. He 277 00:13:28.919 --> 00:13:30.960 was in good spirits, who wasn't limping around And the 278 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:32.320 next thing you know, he's out for at least a 279 00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:34.639 couple of weeks. So I guess there was a little 280 00:13:34.679 --> 00:13:36.440 soreness and then an acted up on him. The next 281 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:39.360 day and they got it checked out. But look, they 282 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:43.000 still have two MAX players obviously, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. 283 00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:46.799 And Booker is another guy was off to a slow 284 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:49.559 start by his stainders. At some point, you know, he's 285 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:51.960 going to have one of these nights where you know, 286 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:54.919 he's sixteen to twenty two or whatever, and you know, 287 00:13:55.879 --> 00:14:00.840 we've seen Booker getting these crazy shot making grooves. You know, 288 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:03.639 I don't I don't know if jazz fans do or 289 00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:06.240 do not hope that that it's at the expense of 290 00:14:06.279 --> 00:14:08.000 the jazz at this point. It's so kind of a 291 00:14:08.039 --> 00:14:12.080 confusing time as far as that goes. And you know what, 292 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:15.720 the other thing that they that's interesting about Phoenix is 293 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:18.679 Roy O'Neill's playing extremely well, and obviously that's the guy 294 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:23.000 that jazz fans know quite well. He's really settled into 295 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:26.320 a nice role for them by shooting the ball extremely well. 296 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:29.679 You know, he's playing solid defenses. He's done for years, 297 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:34.840 and they love this rookie Ryan Dunn, who was considered 298 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:37.720 a phenomenal defensive prospect who could not shoot to save 299 00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:40.240 his life. He set the ball pretty damn well so 300 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:42.080 far in the NBA. You know, you can see the 301 00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:45.480 work he's put in this summer. So, yeah, the Suns 302 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:48.080 are an interesting team. I kind of put them in 303 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:51.919 the same group of the Warriors of too early to 304 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.600 call them contenders. And they you know, they only win 305 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:57.679 clutch games. They don't blow anybody out, but they're off 306 00:14:57.720 --> 00:14:58.480 the heck of a start. 307 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:01.679 Well, the how Utah Jazz have won two of three 308 00:15:01.720 --> 00:15:04.720 games tim, so you know, ultimately let's lean into that. 309 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:09.440 And without being facetious, I do think with a group 310 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:12.679 of really really young players and a head coach who 311 00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:15.960 I'm sure every night feels like he's walking into a 312 00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:19.559 gym completely up against it, well, I have no issue 313 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:22.600 if they lose every game, because I understand what's going on. 314 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:25.279 I get what time it is, and I understand the uh, 315 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:28.120 you know, the necessity of the pain. I do think 316 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:31.559 experiencing some success here or there kind of put some 317 00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:34.440 wind in these young players' sales. At least there's that. 318 00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:39.279 Yeah, No, I think you can't. I mean, you really 319 00:15:39.320 --> 00:15:42.559 don't want to have like double figure losing streaks and 320 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:45.720 like you didn't, especially to start the season. You want 321 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:48.480 to be oh in you know, eleven or twelve or 322 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:51.960 fifteen or just whatever, just because that is such a 323 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:54.960 weight and it I think it has a major negative 324 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:58.919 impact on development when there's that level of misery, when 325 00:15:58.919 --> 00:16:02.240 you feel like there's no reward for all the work 326 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:04.919 that's being put in. And so, look, we understand the 327 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:06.759 Jazz aren't going to win a lot of games this year, 328 00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:09.480 but you know, you don't want it to be a 329 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:14.080 fourteen win season, and you want to see, you know, 330 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:16.559 these young players. You want to see proof that what 331 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:19.960 they're doing is paying off. You want to see development. 332 00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:23.960 You know, you want to see progress, and so you know, 333 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:26.120 to be able to pull out a couple of wins 334 00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:30.480 and again, I you know they're going to be very 335 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:33.440 much in the mix for the number one overall pick. 336 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:39.200 We all understand that, and frankly that's the plan, but 337 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:41.559 that does completely bottom out to do that. 338 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:46.159 Now, I like you just kind of see to the 339 00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:48.559 draft guys as far as who these players are. So 340 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:52.000 I know you don't cover the draft yourself, but we 341 00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:53.960 are going to revisit this throughout the course of the 342 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:57.879 season because college basketball has tipped off. It's now here 343 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:01.039 and obviously Cooper flag is playing for Duke, So we're 344 00:17:01.080 --> 00:17:03.279 going to be like the funnest things now as a 345 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:05.359 Jazz fan is just to check mock drafts and a 346 00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:06.799 lot of them have the Jazz is one of the 347 00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:10.039 top two picks. Like Gavoni released his stuff today, So 348 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:12.799 just I know you're not a scout. Tell our listeners though, 349 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:15.160 what you are hearing about the type of pro Cooper 350 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:15.720 Flag could be. 351 00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:20.240 Yeah, backs for home. My colleague had a really good 352 00:17:20.279 --> 00:17:24.119 story on Cooper Flag yesterday and I learned that I'm 353 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:28.160 pretty sure I played against Cooper Flag's main AAU coach 354 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:31.680 when I was in high school. Wow, I was That 355 00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:33.279 was one of the major things that took from that. 356 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:36.319 I don't know that anybody else cares necessarily, but like 357 00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:40.400 the question with Cooper Flag is is he going to 358 00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:43.480 be a guy who could be a primary score Because 359 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:45.880 as far as everything else goes, like, dude, this is 360 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:51.359 going to He's a six foot nine, multi position, high intensity, 361 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:53.880 high level defensive player. You're going to see it like 362 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:55.759 you know, this is the guy he's going to have. 363 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:58.440 He's going to be a five x five threat because 364 00:17:58.440 --> 00:18:00.559 he's going to block shots, he's going to get He's 365 00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:02.839 a phenomenal pass We've got that kind of feel he's 366 00:18:02.839 --> 00:18:07.759 a super athlete. I think the ability to create shots 367 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:11.279 and kind of the overall shooting that those are the questions. 368 00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:15.319 But you know, again, so I don't know if he's 369 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:18.519 going to be like a number one offensive option, but 370 00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:20.119 he's going to be a guy who can help you 371 00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:22.400 win games in a whole lot of different ways. 372 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:24.680 All Right, before I say you loose, I got to 373 00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:27.440 get your take on what Chet's injury means for OKAC. 374 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:30.200 I mean, Shay just went for forty five and the 375 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:33.359 first game without him, and they're still really deep, and 376 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:35.559 I'm sure they're going to tread water, and it looks 377 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:38.079 like he'll be reevaluated in ten to twelve weeks. So 378 00:18:38.200 --> 00:18:41.400 maybe it isn't catastrophic. But they were off to such 379 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:44.079 a fun not just a successful start, fun start, fun 380 00:18:44.119 --> 00:18:46.480 team to watch at nine to two, and Chat's going 381 00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:47.119 to be out for a while. 382 00:18:47.160 --> 00:18:48.359 What do you think this means for OKAC? 383 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:51.279 I mean, they were off to a dominant start, and 384 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:53.599 they were the best defensive team that we have seen 385 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:56.839 in a while, you know, in several years in the NBA. 386 00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:59.839 And you know, Chat was to me the early front 387 00:18:59.880 --> 00:19:02.759 n to be defensive player of the Year. Certainly on 388 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:04.559 the paths being an All Star, but they're gonna win 389 00:19:04.599 --> 00:19:06.359 plenty of games about him. They've had to kind of 390 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:08.960 get through these next whatever. It's going to be two 391 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:11.519 or three weeks before Hartenstein's are ready to make his 392 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:14.720 Thunder debut. He's still recovering from that hand that he 393 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:18.680 broke in their preseason finale. And obviously then you know 394 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:22.799 they won't have to play small as they are right now. 395 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:26.279 But I think Chet is expected to be back, you know, 396 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:30.680 well before the playoffs. Really what this does, though, is 397 00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:36.920 they're pushing back the entire experimental timetable as far as 398 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:39.279 do Chet and hart and signing. How much would they 399 00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:41.440 play together, what's the rotation look like? How much of 400 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:44.720 their minute staggered? Those guys aren't going to play together 401 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:48.440