WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:02.960 Not this one. Not this one. I mean, I don't 2 00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:04.480 know on the scale of one. 3 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:08.279 To unacceptable what the Pitbull catalog sounds like. But man, 4 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:10.800 on a Thursday, when there's some NFL tonight, we're heading 5 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:13.720 into the weekend, We're ruining everybody's Thursday with Pitbull. And 6 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:16.120 on this show, you know what Pitbull means. The mister 7 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:19.800 worldwide of NBA media, he is Zach Harper on a Thursday. 8 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:21.320 Zach, Happy Thursday. Man, how you doing. 9 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:23.640 I'm doing great now that I hurt pit Bull? You 10 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:24.079 kidding me? 11 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:24.879 Yeah, I know, I know. 12 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:30.440 All right, man, all right, right out of the gates. 13 00:00:30.640 --> 00:00:32.960 Let's just jump into it. Because the hot button topic 14 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:35.479 in Salt Lake City about the Utah Jazz is this, Zach. 15 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:36.079 Are you ready? 16 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:37.320 Yeah? 17 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:40.039 John Collins is a fifty to forty ninety guy. It's 18 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:42.679 a real thing. It's happened for the Utah Jazz this year. 19 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:46.359 And so at the age of twenty seven. You know, 20 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:48.320 because they have so many young players, we talk about 21 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:52.280 John like he's sixty, he's twenty seven. Is there space 22 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:54.079 in your mind that at the age of twenty seven 23 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:56.880 clearly being the jazz best player this year, which I 24 00:00:56.920 --> 00:00:59.560 never thought I'd say that maybe John Collins could be 25 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:00.600 in for the law on hall here. 26 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:04.640 I mean, what does that do? Like, I don't want 27 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:06.040 to be mean about John Collins. I've never been a 28 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:08.319 John Collins guy. I don't think he's bad. I just 29 00:01:08.439 --> 00:01:12.480 don't know. I don't know how consistently he contributes to winning. 30 00:01:12.680 --> 00:01:15.280 And this isn't a fair representation with him being on 31 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:18.120 this team because I don't think they've put a winning product, 32 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:22.879 you know, in the locker room. But like he's fine, right, 33 00:01:23.079 --> 00:01:27.319 Like I think if he's in your starting lineup, you 34 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:29.719 you know, you need three or four really good guys 35 00:01:29.719 --> 00:01:31.719 in that starting lineup too. And I think if he was, 36 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:33.799 if he was coming off my bench, I would feel 37 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:36.640 better about it. But I just I don't know, Like 38 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:39.120 I mean, is he really a fit? Like I know 39 00:01:39.159 --> 00:01:41.159 he's I know his percentage of fifty forty ninety, But 40 00:01:41.959 --> 00:01:46.760 to me, the fifty forty ninety thing needs to come with, 41 00:01:46.920 --> 00:01:50.719 like I don't know, a threat that teams are terrified 42 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:52.560 to leave you from that three point range? 43 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:55.319 Right all right, Zach, you know what, here's what we're 44 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:55.799 gonna do. 45 00:01:55.959 --> 00:01:58.439 You ask me a question about the Jazz, I don't know, 46 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:00.000 ask me something about the jazz. 47 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:04.319 Yeah, exactly, exactly. 48 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:07.120 Try doing this four hours every day, Zach, So go ahead, 49 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:08.360 ask me a question about the jazz. 50 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:11.280 All right, how about how about how about this? How 51 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:17.680 about this? How close to let's say this, how how 52 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:22.599 close to like, Oh, my goodness, Walker Kessler has made 53 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:27.080 this Rudy Gobert trade the worst trade in NBA history. 54 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:28.919 And I know it wasn't really about Walker, was more 55 00:02:28.919 --> 00:02:31.240 about what Rudy and the Wolves weren't doing. But how 56 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:33.120 close to like that version of Walker? Do you feel 57 00:02:33.159 --> 00:02:35.919 it like we're at in terms of maybe I don't 58 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:38.319 even mean played, because he's a better player now than 59 00:02:38.360 --> 00:02:40.000 he was then, but just in terms of excitement. 60 00:02:41.400 --> 00:02:44.439 So I will say that Walker has been the main 61 00:02:44.520 --> 00:02:46.199 bright spot to the start for the Jazz. 62 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:47.319 I just feel like I asked you that. 63 00:02:47.800 --> 00:02:49.960 Yeah, he's been he's been good. Yeah, yeah, I. 64 00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:53.080 Feel like I ask you that every single day. What 65 00:02:53.240 --> 00:02:55.960 he still doesn't every every single time he joined us. 66 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:59.319 What he still doesn't do that Rudy did? And yeah, 67 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:02.280 and Rudy has done in Minnesota, maybe not at the 68 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:05.400 level that people were expecting this year, but it's still early. 69 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:08.080 He does not have the same impact on winning the 70 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:09.800 route he had. And I know that's kind of a 71 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:13.479 clichedd thing, cliche thing to say about basketball, but it's 72 00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:16.000 a real thing. And Walker still has a marathon to 73 00:03:16.039 --> 00:03:19.680 go with setting screens and understanding the flow offensively of 74 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:20.439 what Will's. 75 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:20.680 Trying to do. 76 00:03:21.159 --> 00:03:24.639 I think it's like relief around here that the sophomore 77 00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:27.360 slump appeared to have been just that as opposed to 78 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:29.080 who he is, and he looks better now than he 79 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:32.599 did pretty much at any point last season. And you know, 80 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:35.319 whenever I do any other shows, they always ask me 81 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:37.240 who's going to be around when the Jazz are good 82 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:39.879 outside of marketing, And to start the season, I said, 83 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:42.680 I think maybe nobody, And now I think Walker is 84 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:44.479 somebody I'm ready to slot next to him as far 85 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:45.719 as somebody who's going to be here for. 86 00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:46.120 The long haul. 87 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:48.800 Yeah, I did. I mean, I think I've been very 88 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:51.199 impressed by Walker, So I'm with you on that. I 89 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:57.280 you know, it's funny, like cut, it's also in terms 90 00:03:57.319 --> 00:03:58.960 of what you're talking about with Walker, and like setting 91 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:01.680 screens and setting screens is you know, is a is 92 00:04:01.719 --> 00:04:03.719 a legitimate skill for big men, but but just in 93 00:04:03.800 --> 00:04:06.680 terms of like helping the offense and everything. It's a 94 00:04:06.680 --> 00:04:08.199 little different when you get to do it with like 95 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:11.240 Gordon Hayward and Donovan Mitchell and Mike colly, right, Like, 96 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:13.759 it's a little it's a little bit different there. So 97 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:15.560 I don't know, I don't know you can kill Walker 98 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:18.000 for that. I was actually just think this just click 99 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:20.199 with me. You know. The John Collins thing is like 100 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:23.319 for me, it's like when I would you know, I 101 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:26.040 have a bunch of friends who are in Minneapolis. They're 102 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:28.279 massive Vikings fans, right, and they would and I'm in 103 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:30.279 this group chat with him for the Fantasy Football League 104 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:32.439 and and so like all the time I'm getting all 105 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:33.879 this like over the years, I was getting all this 106 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:37.040 Kirk Cousins stuff, and I'm like, Kirk Cousins is not good. 107 00:04:37.439 --> 00:04:38.839 I just I don't care what the numbers are, Like, 108 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:41.000 I just don't think he's good. And my whole thing 109 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:43.040 is like when someone's like, what are you talking about? 110 00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:45.759 He's does this, this and this, my answer is always okay, 111 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:48.480 So do you want him as your starter? Right, Like, 112 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:50.160 let's just put it on the tape, Like we can 113 00:04:50.279 --> 00:04:53.040 debate skills and impact all stuff, but you want him 114 00:04:53.079 --> 00:04:55.040 as your starter? And I would get a lot of 115 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:56.879 hemming in hind. That's what it feels over the John 116 00:04:56.879 --> 00:04:59.160 Collins thing, right, Like, I recognize he's a talented basketball 117 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:01.800 player and it's number good this year and everything, But 118 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:03.519 when I when it gets downs on like the next 119 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:06.319 five years of one, as you're starting power forward, I 120 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:08.920 don't know that there's a lot of like absolutely right, 121 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:11.399 it's like, oh yeah, that might work out. And that's 122 00:05:11.399 --> 00:05:12.079 what it feels like. 123 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:14.360 It's just and that's a good analogy. 124 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:18.079 Like it's very Sharif abdul Raheem Vancouver Grizzlies, like is 125 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:20.439 he a twenty and ten guyers he played right, like 126 00:05:20.519 --> 00:05:23.480 playing for a team that won seven games, and shreefab 127 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:26.680 Durheim ended up playing rotational minutes on some good teams 128 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:29.839 later on. But I look, John Collins is not an 129 00:05:29.879 --> 00:05:32.040 answer as far as a puzzle piece that you want 130 00:05:32.040 --> 00:05:36.319 to put in place forever. I suppose the Collins situation 131 00:05:36.519 --> 00:05:40.120 is only good news though, because maybe maybe Will found 132 00:05:40.199 --> 00:05:42.120 something that no other coach has been able to find. 133 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:43.680 And this is real, so maybe you do have a 134 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:45.680 twenty seven year old player that can be around for 135 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:48.680 a few years, or is there a team out there 136 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:50.800 that has been impressed with what John has done, and 137 00:05:50.839 --> 00:05:52.399 so they want to make a move and maybe you 138 00:05:52.439 --> 00:05:54.480 actually get a first round pick for John Collins, which 139 00:05:54.519 --> 00:05:56.040 last year I would have said, no way. 140 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:59.120 Right, Yeah, I'm with you there, Like, I think that 141 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:02.639 is the more important future for John Collins is what 142 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:05.199 do the Jazz turn him into, not as a player, 143 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:08.319 but as a trade, whether that's bringing in a good player, 144 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:11.480 bringing in assets, whatever that is. To me, that's where 145 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:14.319 with all these guys who aren't definite parts of the future, 146 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:16.600 where you Because to me, also, I know it's not 147 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:18.759 this simple, but I do try to have this philosophy 148 00:06:18.839 --> 00:06:21.240 of like if I ask myself a question and I 149 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:23.680 have to think about it, it's a no. And mostly 150 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:25.800 that's with like spring cleaning and hoarding and stuff where 151 00:06:25.800 --> 00:06:27.720 I'm like, I need to get rid of some stuff 152 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:29.839 in this apartment. I'll look in the clause I'm like, 153 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:31.920 do I want that? And if I have to think 154 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:33.720 about it, it's a no. And I try to live 155 00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:36.399 by that. And that's why I think about that with 156 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:38.480 players like this, I'm like, if you have to kind 157 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:40.519 of wonder if this guy should be a part of 158 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:43.199 your future, then I think it's a no, Walker Kessler, 159 00:06:43.319 --> 00:06:47.000 that's a yes, Lowry Markton, that's a yes. Everyone else 160 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:50.240 like yeah, you start kind of hemming and han because also, 161 00:06:50.279 --> 00:06:52.560 this is the point of this Jazz team, right is 162 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:55.199 to have some of these guys who are possible within 163 00:06:55.240 --> 00:06:58.199 the margins, players like you know, John Collins at twenty 164 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:01.720 twenty five million dollars a year could be a discount 165 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:04.040 for a lot of teams if this is what he 166 00:07:04.120 --> 00:07:06.639 can do for them. What he does for the Jazz 167 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:10.240 isn't all that relevant. It's what teams who might trade 168 00:07:10.279 --> 00:07:14.120 for him think. He thinks, like what he can do 169 00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:16.639 for them if they acquire, and then what is that 170 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:18.680 worth to them in a trade? Like to me, that's 171 00:07:18.759 --> 00:07:21.279 the more important conversation with John Collins. 172 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:23.560 Sure, I want to move over to this. The Jazz 173 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:26.399 are horrific in a number of different ways. But the 174 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:28.079 two ways that jump at you when you look at 175 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:30.920 numbers is defensively, they don't do anything well, and then 176 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:33.360 they cannot take care of the basketball. They're almost two 177 00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:36.879 turnovers worse than the second worst team in turnovers per game. 178 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:40.000 They're the worst team in the NBA and points off turnovers. 179 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:45.120 And look, I've always hesitated to be like, what have 180 00:07:45.240 --> 00:07:48.079 we learned about Will Hardy the coach? Because to your 181 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:50.959 point about Walker Kess for the screen setter, it's one 182 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:53.439 thing if it's Donovan Mitchell with Gobert. It's another thing 183 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:55.879 that it's Johnny jus Ang with Walker. And that's very fair. 184 00:07:56.360 --> 00:07:59.120 And I don't think Will has the talent at his 185 00:07:59.160 --> 00:08:02.120 disposal for us to learn anything about him as a 186 00:08:02.120 --> 00:08:02.560 head coach. 187 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:04.079 But Zach, I watch every game. 188 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:07.240 They're lazy, they make bad decisions, they don't run back 189 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:09.920 on defense, like, they don't do things that well coached 190 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:13.199 teams do. Is that is anything there as far as 191 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:14.959 putting it at the feet of their head coach? Or 192 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:17.399 is this just simply a really bad basketball team with 193 00:08:17.399 --> 00:08:17.879 no talent? 194 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:21.399 Yeah, I mean that that's a very fair question, right, 195 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:24.959 Like I think there is a there is a point 196 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:27.399 like I have a bunch of or friends who are 197 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:31.920 Blazers fans, right and they don't like Chauncey Billups. But 198 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:34.120 then we'll talk about, like, hey, defense has actually been 199 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:36.240 pretty solid, way better than you would think this year, 200 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:38.639 And I'm like, well, yeah, but that's kind of coaching, right, 201 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:40.000 Like so like and I'm gonna saying you have to 202 00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:43.519 like Chousey Billets as a coach, but it's it's interesting 203 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:44.759 to me when it's like, we got to get rid 204 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:48.120 of this guy. But they do do this well, and 205 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:50.240 you can't really separate the two, right, Like they do 206 00:08:50.279 --> 00:08:52.399 it well because I think the coach gets them to 207 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:54.480 do it well or at least better than what you 208 00:08:54.519 --> 00:08:57.879 would think most nights with the Blazers and with the Jazz, 209 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:00.240 it's kind of the flip of that. It's like, Wow, 210 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:02.240 there's all these red flags about this team, like, this 211 00:09:02.360 --> 00:09:04.679 team's terrible, they do this poorly, this poorly, and do 212 00:09:04.759 --> 00:09:08.799 this in a disinterested way. But I like will Hardy right, 213 00:09:08.840 --> 00:09:11.519 and it's and I do think I do think there's 214 00:09:11.559 --> 00:09:15.240 something of I think Will Hardy can help develop players. 215 00:09:15.799 --> 00:09:18.279 I think if you gave him a good roster, they'd 216 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:20.320 be very successful. I don't think he's a hindrance for 217 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:23.639 that at all. But they are in this weird middle 218 00:09:23.720 --> 00:09:27.840 ground right now of trying to figure out who who 219 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:30.759 fits and who doesn't, and and to me, those are 220 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:34.039 signs of guys who don't right Like I turnovers, I don't, 221 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:37.000 especially for a young team. I don't mind turnovers. And 222 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:39.279 I know that sounds kind of dumb, but like if 223 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:41.200 you like, you're kind of troubleshooting in real time, Like 224 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:43.120 we'll get you know, a Luca or a Trey Young 225 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:45.240 or whatever of a young point guard, a young league 226 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:49.080 guard in the league and first two years, like it's like, man, 227 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:51.480 these turnovers, they're averaging so many turnovers, Like yeah, but 228 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:55.360 they're you're kind of in a way troubleshooting what you 229 00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:57.519 can get away with and what you can create as 230 00:09:57.559 --> 00:10:00.480 a passer, as a dribbler, whatever. And so I do 231 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:04.080 think turnovers can be fine as long as it progresses 232 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:08.080 down the road. But when it's met with like, well, 233 00:10:08.639 --> 00:10:10.600 there's a breakaway dunk, and there is a breakaway dunk, 234 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:12.519 and we're not getting back on defense and one guy 235 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:15.759 gets back, why while a missshot happens on a fast 236 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:18.080 break and now they're getting offensive rebound and stuff because 237 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:20.159 no one else got back. Those are problems. And to me, 238 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:24.200 it's both player and coach and and that kind of stuff. 239 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:27.360 You know, it's probably fine in the first part of 240 00:10:27.399 --> 00:10:30.559 the season in a way, or at least not terrible. 241 00:10:30.759 --> 00:10:34.120 If that's happening all season long, yeah, that's a coaching issue. 242 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:36.919 And I do wonder at what point, because I tend 243 00:10:36.919 --> 00:10:39.200 to agree with you about giving young players the benefit 244 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:41.279 of doubt, and I've always said that about make or 245 00:10:41.320 --> 00:10:43.840 miss as well. But we do at some point have 246 00:10:43.960 --> 00:10:47.480 to wonder who Keyante George is in pro basketball, because 247 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:50.039 he is the number one culprit in turnovers per game 248 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:53.000 and probably the number one culpriate in bad shots selection 249 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:57.080 and just the inability to make shots. And I've always said, 250 00:10:57.120 --> 00:10:58.960 like mak er miss is a thing that in pro 251 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:02.360 basketball you ten to learn. Some guys have it right away, 252 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:05.159 but you have great coaching, you put in the work, 253 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:06.799 you can learn to shoot. You understand the game a 254 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:08.720 little bit better, you pick your spots, You're able to 255 00:11:08.759 --> 00:11:10.840 get to your spot, elevate make shots the way you 256 00:11:10.840 --> 00:11:13.960 couldn't when you were younger. Is he is young, But 257 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.200 we've already talked about the splits going back to college. 258 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:19.440 You're one in pro basketball, twenty two games in a 259 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:22.240 year two in pro basketball. I'll just say I've not 260 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:24.519 seen him get better at all. At what point is 261 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:25.200 that a problem? 262 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:28.200 Yeah? I mean, like I think by I think by 263 00:11:28.200 --> 00:11:30.320 like year three, if you're not getting better, then this 264 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:32.480 is just what you are, right, And maybe that's harsh 265 00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:35.080 and I'm sure there are outliers to that, but especially 266 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:37.440 for a lead guard like that's you kind of got 267 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:39.440 to show progression, right, I mean, I think that's part 268 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:42.639 of what Portland's going through with Scoot Henderson's Like, yeah, 269 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.879 you can show flashes, and the flashes are great, but 270 00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:47.159 the consistency is what makes you a player, right, And 271 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:49.279 that's that's what makes you who you are as a player. 272 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:52.720 And looking at Chante's numbers, I mean, other than an 273 00:11:52.759 --> 00:11:56.960 increase in minutes and increase in shots, like there's like 274 00:11:57.000 --> 00:11:59.159 it's pretty consistent to what we saw last year, at 275 00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:01.279 least with the numbers across the board. And you know, 276 00:12:01.399 --> 00:12:03.159 you and I have talked about this a bunch over 277 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:05.200 the last year and a half, Like I like what 278 00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:08.240 I see out of him, but the results don't yield it. 279 00:12:08.279 --> 00:12:10.639 And so there's a certain point where the process is 280 00:12:10.759 --> 00:12:13.000 just like you know, if it doesn't yield different results, 281 00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:15.879 even if it looks good, I mean, it's it's just 282 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:18.679 not worth it, right. And so you know, his scoring 283 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:20.840 is up two point nine points per game, but his 284 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:23.320 shot at hims are up two point eight. That's not 285 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:25.399 that's not progress, right. And then in the percentages, are 286 00:12:25.399 --> 00:12:27.919 basically the same across the board. His assists are up 287 00:12:27.960 --> 00:12:30.679 one point two, his turnovers are up zero point eight. 288 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:33.559 That's not really progress. And so yeah, like I mean, 289 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:36.679 if if, if we don't see progression out of him 290 00:12:36.720 --> 00:12:39.519 towards the end of the season, and it doesn't have 291 00:12:39.559 --> 00:12:41.240 to it does not like he has to go shoot 292 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:43.240 forty eight percent from the field one month, but like 293 00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:46.200 forty three would be cool. I don't think that's asking 294 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:48.759 a lot, right, Like just cutting down on some turnovers 295 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:51.759 here and there could be like would be good. And 296 00:12:51.799 --> 00:12:54.360 then if you get this, you know, if you get 297 00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:56.519 this at the start of next season, he's just not 298 00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:56.879 the guy. 299 00:12:57.480 --> 00:13:00.000 Yeah, yeah, and forty three percent would be more than cool. 300 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:01.279 It would be very exciting. 301 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:02.120 It would be cool. 302 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:04.360 But yes, like give us that at least and we 303 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:06.639 can be okay with it, all right, you guys over 304 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:09.200 at the athletic I read this earlier when it was 305 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:10.600 at the gym. Don't want to get into it with 306 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:12.639 shoulders and arms. Today it's you know, it's the thing 307 00:13:12.679 --> 00:13:15.639 I do. No, not today, that's Saturday, because I have 308 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:16.200 yoga tomorrow. 309 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:19.720 No, I did. 310 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:22.320 My next one is Saturday. Okay, you don't know what Monday, 311 00:13:22.360 --> 00:13:27.519 looks like we're all in Zach. What's it's It's tough. 312 00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:29.840 It's tough. It's tough. I'm not gonna lie. 313 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:33.080 But I read the uh, the front office piece you 314 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:35.799 guys put out for the Athletics. So you guys ranked 315 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:39.559 the front offices in all of pro basketball, uh number one, 316 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:43.759 certainly OKAC runaway. It is terrifying, not just who they are, 317 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:46.639 but who they could be with those guys making the decision. 318 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:49.000 I was really curious as to where the Jazz would 319 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:51.080 fall because typically the Jazz are like a top five 320 00:13:51.159 --> 00:13:54.080 or top six front office, and you guys slotted them 321 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:58.159 at fourteen, which isn't bad, but it's not good. Give 322 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:00.279 me your thoughts on where the Jazz landed at your 323 00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:03.679 front office rankings today. Number fourteen, just behind Philly, just 324 00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:04.720 ahead of Dallas. 325 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:07.720 Yeah, just to give a little bit deeper context to it, 326 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:11.679 this was an anonymous poll of forty different executives around 327 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:15.000 the league. General manager, assistant general manager, you know, all 328 00:14:15.080 --> 00:14:18.879 kinds like the top executives though, done by sam Ay Mix, 329 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:21.120 John Hollingdry and Mike Borkanoff, who were just you know, 330 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:23.919 some of the best in the business, and so it 331 00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:25.480 was like a point system of like a first place 332 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:27.159 voter is so many points. It was kind of like 333 00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:31.039 awards voting, right, and the one rule was like you 334 00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:33.840 can't vote for your team, And so I was actually 335 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:35.519 surprised that Jazz were as low as they were, that 336 00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:37.799 they weren't in the top ten. I get it, like 337 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:39.879 I think, I think we did this at the end 338 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:43.559 of last season. Cleveland doesn't finish in the top ten, right, 339 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:45.279 like I think there have been a lot of questions 340 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:47.679 about that. I think their hot start kind of skewed 341 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:49.440 some of that. I think the same for Minnesota in 342 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:52.360 terms of I think people respect Tim Connolly, but also 343 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.279 they made the conference finals last year. If they get 344 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:55.840 knocked down in the first round, I'm not sure that 345 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:59.519 that is that's the case where he gets them into 346 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:02.200 the top ten this year in this poll. And so 347 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:06.279 I think for me, you know, it looks bad right 348 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:08.080 now with the Jazz in terms of the products on 349 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:10.240 the floor, but you can see what they're doing. They're 350 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:14.080 accumulating assets, they're drafting, they're trying to find the value picks, 351 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:16.080 and then they're hoping to like win that lottery and 352 00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:18.120 it's either Cooper Flag or it's a failure. It's the 353 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:21.559 loser brothers next next year, you know, or twenty twenty 354 00:15:21.559 --> 00:15:25.720 six like whatever. So I think the Jazz do a 355 00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:28.919 great job of finding those moves. I mean, that's the 356 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:31.480 thing to me where you know, Charlotte did this in 357 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:34.440 the Charlotte's new front office did this. Who's a guy, 358 00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:38.919 Jeff Peterson, I thing he like they did this with 359 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:42.440 the Karlington Town's trade this you know right before. It 360 00:15:42.519 --> 00:15:44.080 was just like they got involved and they ended up 361 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:46.480 getting a little bit of draft capital. The teams with 362 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:49.200 cap space, the teams with flexibility, those are the smart 363 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:51.720 teams that get into those trades as like a third 364 00:15:51.799 --> 00:15:53.720 or fourth team and end up with a little something. 365 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:55.080 It doesn't have to be a big something, but it's 366 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:57.480 a little something to me, the Jazz do that constantly, 367 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:00.679 and that's what Danny Ainge and Justin zannakers good at 368 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:03.679 with that, and so I think they should be a 369 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:06.440 little higher. But also with the way the product looks 370 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:08.200 on the floor, I think that can skew the way 371 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:09.360 some people are looking at this. 372 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:13.279 Did you guys take in to do into considerations current 373 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:16.759 ownership situations, Yes, that. 374 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:19.360 Was part of I mean, I believe that was the 375 00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:21.960 prompt of like, hey, we're going top level, right. Like 376 00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:24.600 I can't speak to it directly because I wasn't part 377 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:27.559 of the of the polling of the executives, but that 378 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:29.279 you know, the way it's listed out and the way 379 00:16:29.320 --> 00:16:31.639 it's laid out in the article it does you know, 380 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:33.559 you do have ownership mentions and stuff, and I think 381 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:35.720 that matters. I think it's why. It's why, like I 382 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:39.159 wrote about it today for our newsletter of just a 383 00:16:39.240 --> 00:16:43.159 mention of hey, Charlotte's been bumbling forever and now they've 384 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:45.320 got new ownership. Jeff Peterson's in there, Charles leaves the 385 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:47.519 coach like it looks better. It doesn't look fixed, but 386 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:49.639 it looks better, right, And I do think to me, 387 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:53.559 ownership is always the most important part of all of this. 388 00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:56.720 It is, right if you have a meddling owner, I mean, look, 389 00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:59.360 market matters, and luck matters and all you know, there's 390 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:01.840 stuff that it's there that matters. But if you have 391 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:05.319 an owner who completely tanks things because they want to 392 00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:08.039 medal and everything like that usually ends up rooting things. 393 00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:10.359 Yeah, and ownership is always going to be the most 394 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:12.839 important element of professional sports. So that leads me to 395 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:16.400 the question what is the feel around pro basketball right now? 396 00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:18.599 Because when the Miller's owned the Jazz, it felt like 397 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:22.640 front office rankings were very rarely less than five sixty 398 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:25.119 seven something like that. Does any of this have anything 399 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:27.440 to do with the fact that there's been an ownership change. 400 00:17:28.200 --> 00:17:32.240 I do think that there's this weird split and it's 401 00:17:32.279 --> 00:17:35.200