1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: The volume. All right, olgodon to Hoops tonight. You're at 2 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: the ballume heavy Wednesday, everybody. I hope all of you 3 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,639 Speaker 1: guys are having a great week so far. We are 4 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: continuing our player rankings today with number seventeen through number fifteen. 5 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: This is a fascinating group. We just finished a group 6 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: with three super talented young players, as you guys saw 7 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: with Jalen Williams and Palabancaro and Kate Cunningham, all guys 8 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: that are under the age of twenty five. This next 9 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: group of three are all veterans with good playoff resumes. 10 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: These guys are all more or less kind of at 11 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: their peaks or maybe on the back end of their careers, 12 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: but they have a wealth of experience that makes some 13 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: very dependable players, especially in the playoff context. Different kind 14 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: of group of guys that we're going to be looking 15 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: at today. You guys are the Jill Portget Sarty to 16 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: subscribe to Hoops and I YouTube channels. You don't miss 17 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: any more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter and 18 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: underscore jsnlts. You guys, don't miss show announcements. Don't forget 19 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,319 Speaker 1: about a podcast fee. Wherever you get your podcast under 20 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: hoops tonight. It's also super helpful if you leave a 21 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: rating and a review on that front. Jackson's doing great 22 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 1: work on our social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, 23 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: and TikTok. Make sure you guys follow us there. In 24 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: the last minut least, if you disagree with any of 25 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: the rankings on this list, drop it in the mail 26 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: bag questions. Just put in there in your mail bag 27 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: what you disagree with an elevator pitch like a concise 28 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: version of why you disagree, And in our player rankings 29 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 1: mail bags, we will debate where you guys disagree with 30 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: me on these rankings. All right, let's talk some basketball. 31 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: Number seventeen Pascal Siakam. Last season in review for Pascal, 32 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 1: he played seventy eight games, average twenty point seven rebounds 33 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: and three assists one point four stocks per game, as 34 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: well made the All Star team for the third time 35 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: in his career. Pascal is putting together an underrated NBA resume. 36 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: He won Most Improved Player back in twenty nineteen. He's 37 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: now made three All Star teams. He made the All 38 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: NBA team twice, including second Team All NBA back in 39 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: twenty twenty. That was a YEARI also finished top ten 40 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: in MVP voting, and last year he was one of 41 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: the best players in the playoff field and got within 42 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: one win of his second championship as the secondary star 43 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: on a team. His efficiency numbers from last year in 44 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 1: the regular season fifty two percent from the field, thirty 45 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 1: nine percent from three, which was a career high for him, 46 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: and he actually expanded upon that in the playoffs, which 47 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 1: we'll talk about in a minute, seventy three percent from 48 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,679 Speaker 1: the free throw line, fifty seven percent in effective field 49 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: goal percentage, and sixty percent in true shooting, which was 50 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 1: the third highest efficiency mark of Pascal's career. I really 51 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: want to start with the defensive end here for Pascal, because, 52 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:40,919 Speaker 1: like Pascale, to me, has one of the highest floors 53 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: of any player on this list, because he's just a 54 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: rangy athlete with a seven to three wing span that 55 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: does a ton of damages with his activity in his 56 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: high motor. He posted one point nine stocks per game 57 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 1: in the playoffs, which was substantially ahead of where he 58 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:57,119 Speaker 1: was in the regular season. It was the highest mark 59 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: he's ever posted in a playoff run. He was top 60 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: ten in both total blocks and total steals in the 61 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: playoff run. His length in athleticism was what makes him 62 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: so profoundly impactful in the setting. He had sixty four 63 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: deflections in the playoffs, that was the fifth most out 64 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: of any player. He contested one hundred and fifty seven shots, 65 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: which was the third most among any player in the 66 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: playoff field. He was near the top and loose balls 67 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: recovered as well. He's just a defensive Swiss Army knife. 68 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: He even did quality on ball defensive work at various 69 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: points in the playoff run, including some really nice reps 70 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: against Jalen Williams in the NBA Finals. This is all 71 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: uniquely valuable to an Indiana Pacers team, who, as we 72 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: all know, thrives on transition pushes off of missus and turnovers. 73 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: They love to get up and down the floor. They 74 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: do it the same thing on makes, but it's obviously 75 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: easier off of missus and off of turnovers, and Pascal 76 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 1: was one of the guys that was fueling the chaos 77 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 1: that led to those transition opportunities. Before we get to 78 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: anything having to do with Pascal's more refined off defensive traits, 79 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: He's just an absolute monster on the margins. We covered 80 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: all the defensive activity just a second ago. It's also 81 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: his rebounding. He had three games in the NBA Finals 82 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: where he grabbed four or more offensive rebounds. It's his 83 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: work as a floor runner in transition. How many times 84 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: did you guys see Pascal Siakam leak out in this 85 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: playoff run and get a layup or a dunkin transition? 86 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: He was literally the best transition scorer in the entire 87 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:29,039 Speaker 1: NBA playoff field in made field goals. He made forty 88 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: eight shots in transition through four playoff rounds. That's more 89 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: than two makes per game. They played twenty three games, 90 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: forty eight makes in transition. He's so gifted running the floor. 91 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: He's also hyper efficient in transition. There were fifteen players 92 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: in the NBA last year in the playoff field that 93 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: logged at least fifty transition possessions. His one point three 94 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:52,799 Speaker 1: to eight points per possession was far and away the best. 95 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards was second place on that list, and he 96 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: was below one point three, So a big gap between 97 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: Siakam in transition efficiency compared to the rest of the NBA. 98 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: Siakam's combination of athletic tools, motor and natural basketball instincts 99 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: make him one of the more reliable playoff players in 100 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 1: the league. Those are all things you can count on 101 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: regardless of what variance might occur for players, shots going 102 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 1: in or not going in, getting foul calls, not getting 103 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: foul calls. Pascal's seven to three wing span, high motor, 104 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: high defensive IQ, and activity overall athleticism that just brings 105 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 1: an extremely high floor, a variance proof version of Pascal 106 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: that you can count on to be there every single night. 107 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 2: And it's the addition of the. 108 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: More refined set of offensive skills that he showed this 109 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 1: year that vaulted Siakam all the way up to this 110 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: point in the list. This is by far the highest 111 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 1: that Siakam has ever been on this list since I 112 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: started doing it. There's a reason why Pascal was a 113 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: career twenty seven percent three point shooter in the playoffs 114 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: before this year. Even two years ago when they made 115 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: it to the Eastern Conference Finals, he was a sub 116 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:09,479 Speaker 1: thirty percent three point shooter. This year, he shot a 117 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: career high in the regular season at thirty nine percent, 118 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 1: and he followed it up with a forty three percent 119 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: three point shooting playoff run. On over eighty attempts. He 120 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: was a dead eye shooter for them when you left 121 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: him open. He was forty eight percent on unguarded catch 122 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: and shoot jump shots. In the playoffs, he was literally 123 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: hitting nearly half of his open threes. That is a 124 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: big ceiling razor for Pascal with this team. He was 125 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 1: also a very efficient one on one player for the Pacers. 126 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: In the regular season, he was off the charts good. 127 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: He ran five hundred and thirty seven post ups in ISOs, 128 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: including passes, and got six hundred and nineteen points out 129 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: of them. That's one point one five points per possession, 130 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:55,839 Speaker 1: which is like super super good. He shot forty six 131 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: percent on pull up jump shots, fifty one percent on 132 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: Hook's reliable short range shot, and anybody who's watched Pascal 133 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: long enough knows he's one of the most gifted, like 134 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: tough contested layup makers that I've ever seen. He was 135 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: sixty six percent on layups in the regular season last year. 136 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: That's insanely good. I think he was up to sixty 137 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: seven percent in the postseason. He just kind of has 138 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: this like natural ability to slip through cracks, like these 139 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: tiny little windows of space where help defenders are collapsing, 140 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: and he just somehow like gets through many times falling 141 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: down and just somehow extends that long ass wingspan out 142 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: there and just feeds it softly off the glass. He's 143 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: a remarkably gifted layup maker in the NBA, So all 144 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: of that translates super well to the postseason. Yeah, one 145 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,119 Speaker 1: point zero seven points per possession, one hundred and forty 146 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: one to one on one, so post ups and ISOs 147 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: in the postseason. Again, that's a little bit below where 148 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: he was in the regular season, but that's still very good. 149 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: He shot sixty seven percent on layups and once again 150 00:07:55,920 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: had like a dozen more of the most insane looking, slashing, falling, 151 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: slender man layups that. 152 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 2: You'll ever see. 153 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: He was already a super gifted two way player with 154 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: a ton of utility, but he added this other level 155 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: of refined offensive skill, especially from the three point line, 156 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: and then his work as a runner in transition fits 157 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: so wonderfully in Indiana's offense that he has vaulted up 158 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: to an entire different tier overall as an offensive player. 159 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: You know, he kind of reminds me of Clay Thompson. 160 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: And by the way, I'm not meaning this as like 161 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: a player archetype, because obviously. 162 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 2: They're very, very different types of players. 163 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: But when I look back on this era of basketball, 164 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: Pascalzimi falls into a tier like Clay in the sense 165 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: that he doesn't He obviously doesn't have the on ball 166 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: chops to be like the best player on a championship team. 167 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: He's not a guy that kind of has the star 168 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: power that some of the top guys in the league have. 169 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: Neither did Clay, but he was tailor made the system 170 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: he plays in. I think Pascal is literally a perfect 171 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: fit in Indiana, just like Clay was in Golden State. 172 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 1: They both have a ton of offensive utility as a 173 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: number two within that system. Again, very different types of players, 174 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: but within their respective systems immensely valuable number twos and 175 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: then a legitimately awesome defensive player that carried a heavy 176 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: load on that end of the floor. You guys, remember 177 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: Klay Thompson used to pick up Kyrie Irving for entire 178 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 1: NBA Finals runs. He was one of their best perimeter defenders. 179 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 1: So kind of what I mean in comparing him to Clay, 180 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: He's like a player that never is going to make 181 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: it super high on player rankings list, but a guy 182 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: that I'll remember very fondly from his era, like a 183 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: guy that I have a ton of respect for, just 184 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: as a winner, like I think Klay Thompson is one 185 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,320 Speaker 1: of the best winners of his era. I think Pascal 186 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: Siakam is one of the best winners of this era. 187 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: Pascal is a winner. He makes your team better and 188 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: he falls in at number seventeen on this year's list, 189 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: Number sixteen Jimmy Butler. Nothing says summer like long days, 190 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: clutch plays, and firing off a few bets on the game, 191 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: all with Draftking Sportsbook. As the season heats up, so 192 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: do the bats. And DraftKings Sportsbook hats you covered with 193 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 1: live betting, home run props, odds, boosts, and more. Whether 194 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: you're chasing dingers or jumping in mid game, there's always 195 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:21,679 Speaker 1: action to be had. 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For additional terms 219 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 1: and responsible gaming resources, see dkang dot co slash audio. 220 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: Last year in review In review for Jimmy fifty five 221 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 1: total games played, twenty five with Miami, thirty with Golden State. 222 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 1: He averaged eighteen points, five rebounds, and five assists per game, 223 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: one point seven stocks, one point four steals per game, 224 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: which is a really high mark in the NBA. His 225 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 1: efficiency numbers shot fifty percent from the field, actually the 226 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: second highest mark of his career, fueled by Jimmy being 227 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: fifty five percent on twos, which was the second highest 228 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 1: mark of his career. He was just thirty one percent 229 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: from three, which was a big drop from the previous 230 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: year when he went over forty percent for the first 231 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,840 Speaker 1: time in his NBA career, but he attempted just one 232 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 1: point nine to threes per game, which was the fourth 233 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: lowest mark of his career. He did tick that up 234 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: to closer to two and a half. When he was 235 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 1: with Golden State, he was eighty four percent from the 236 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 1: line on seven attempts per game. Consistently finding ways to 237 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: get to the foul line was like the biggest thing 238 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: that I think has allowed him to extend this phase 239 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: of his career when he's lost a little bit of 240 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: his athletic pop. He's very good at taking these kind 241 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 1: of bizarre driving angles that veer into the defender's path 242 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: that essentially force defenders to fall him. I talk about 243 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: this a lot. Foul grifting is about understanding how the 244 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 1: game is officiating in finding ways to force refs to 245 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 1: blow the whistle. It's gamesmanship. Jimmy's really good at it, 246 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: and with the Warriors, we saw it consistently serve as 247 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 1: a means with both to generate scoring in the half court, 248 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: but also as a way for them to set up 249 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 1: their defense. Jimmy draws a foul, you go shoot a 250 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: free throw, gets set up to play defense, and get 251 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: back out in transition going the other way. It was 252 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: a huge boost to that Golden State offense. Jimmy was 253 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: a mediocre pick and roll player in the Golden State system, 254 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: but a very good one on one player. He generated 255 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: zero point nine to two points per pick and roll 256 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: one hundred and sixty five reps. That's way below average. 257 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 1: He just struggled to make shots. He went over on 258 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: pull up threes. He didn't make a single pull up 259 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 1: three the entire season with Golden State, shot just thirty 260 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:36,719 Speaker 1: eight percent from two out of pick and rolls. That 261 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: was a big part of why his efficiency wasn't great there. 262 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: But again, he was a monster on ISOs and post 263 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: ups for Golden State one point one point nine points 264 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: per possession including passes on two hundred and six attempts. 265 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 1: We were just talking about Siakam being really really good 266 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: on one point one point five. Jimmy another level even 267 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 1: above that shot super well. He shot forty seven percent 268 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: on his own shot attempts in one on one situations 269 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: got to the foul line. It's son, this is I 270 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:07,839 Speaker 1: was like legitimately blown away when I saw this stat today. 271 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: Jimmy got fouled more than one third of the time 272 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: when he took a shot in ISO or post up situations. 273 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: Think about how I'm saying that is Jimmy personally took 274 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: a shot in ISO or in the post one hundred 275 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: and three times with Golden State in the regular season. 276 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: He ended up shooting a free throw thirty six of 277 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: those one hundred and three times. It's unbelievable. That's a 278 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: foul rate over thirty five percent. So as a result, 279 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: his score percentage. Remember I used to talk about this 280 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: concept with Yoki. Score percentage is just like if I 281 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: throw you the ball down there, how likely are you 282 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: to score on that possession at all? Whether it's one point, 283 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: two point three point whatever it is. Generate a point 284 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: for your teammates. What is the score percentage on ISOs 285 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: and post ups. Jimmy was over fifty percent on both, 286 00:14:57,960 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: So it actually became one of the safest plays for 287 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: Olden State to call. Let Jimmy go one on one 288 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 1: and he's either gonna score or he's gonna draw foul, 289 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 1: and he's gonna generate points for you more than half 290 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: the time. And this doesn't even get into the fact 291 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: those are big picture regular season metrics. This doesn't even 292 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: get into the fact that Jimmy was consistently able to 293 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: scale up his offense to the superstar level when the 294 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: situation called for it while Steph Curry was on the team. 295 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: It got a little tricky when Steph went down with 296 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: his injury, but in the last three games of the 297 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: regular season when they were struggling for playoff position, averaged 298 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: twenty seven points per game. He had twenty three assists 299 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: with just two turnovers. He logged two stocks per game 300 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: in those games, got to the foul line in those 301 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: final three regular season games. 302 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 2: This is crazy. 303 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: Thirty seven times in three games. He had three twenty 304 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 1: five plus point games in the Rocket series, including in 305 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 1: some pivotal moments like Game four where the series was 306 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: hanging in the balance. Jimmy had his lows, and he 307 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 1: had his struggles when Steph Curry went down with injury. 308 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:04,960 Speaker 1: But I think the Jimmy Butler experiment with Steph Curry 309 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: has generally been a resounding success. His defensive playmaking alongside 310 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: Draymond was profoundly impactful their defense. The Warrior's defense was 311 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: five points better per one hundred possessions with Jimmy on 312 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 1: the floor versus off Like we talked about in the 313 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: j dub video the other day, He's not the perimeter 314 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: weapon that you can deploy on the other team's best 315 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: player for an entire series like the way he was 316 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 1: in the past. But he's still a super valuable like 317 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: help side guy who like anticipates actions and blows up plays. 318 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 1: I kind of you him as a defensive playmaker at 319 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 1: this point in his career, and on offense, I thought 320 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: he was the perfect counter to balance Steph. I'd love 321 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 1: to see them get some more reliable scoring from the 322 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: perimeter at the guard spot, but overall is a secondary star. 323 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: I think he was a great fit with Steph. Brought 324 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: strong bench play, reliable second side creation, he had the 325 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: ability to scale up his scoring in big moments when 326 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: his team needed too. Like we talked about, I thought 327 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 1: he was an excellent active playmaker in the Warriors offense. 328 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 1: When he would catch the ball in the middle of 329 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: the floor with an advantage off of something Steph was doing, 330 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: or running off of an off ball action, he would 331 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 1: be able to quickly process there and make the right 332 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: read and keep the engine flowing. And most importantly, this 333 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 1: is arguably the most important thing out of all of it. 334 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 1: Getting Jimmy Butler in the door reinvigorated Steph Curry. Steph 335 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 1: was clearly frustrated with the lack of a supporting star 336 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: on the roster over the previous years before the deal 337 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: was made, and it affect his play. Before Jimmy ever 338 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,360 Speaker 1: played a game with the Warriors, they were below five hundred. 339 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: They were twenty five and twenty six. They were eighteenth 340 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: in offense, tenth in defense, sixteenth in net rating. Steph 341 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 1: was averaging below twenty three points per game, below forty 342 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: percent from three, and only forty three percent from the field. 343 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: After Jimmy Butler suited up, they went twenty three to eight. 344 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 1: The rest of the way, they were eighth in offense. 345 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 1: So they jumped up from eighteenth all the way to 346 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: eighth in offense, from tenth all the way to first, 347 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 1: and defense literally jumped up ten spots in both categories 348 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 1: third and net rating. And Steph Curry went from that 349 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: twenty three points per game on below forty percent from 350 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:18,640 Speaker 1: three to twenty seven points per game on forty one 351 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,120 Speaker 1: percent from three and forty seven percent from the field. 352 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: He reinvigorated. Steph Curry got him reinvested in the potential 353 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: to win a championship. Now, Jimmy's obviously in a different 354 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,240 Speaker 1: phase of his career. Now, he's not the twenty three 355 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 1: point per game guy that was the best player on 356 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 1: multiple finals teams. He's been in the top ten on 357 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:41,679 Speaker 1: this list before. He's more reliant on foul grifting than 358 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: he used to be, and just overall his savvy floor 359 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 1: game to carry him on offense more than supreme athletic gifts. 360 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 1: He's not going to go out there and give you 361 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: seventy regular season games. I mean, hell, he didn't do 362 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: that when he was younger either. He's done it twice 363 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: in his entire career. But he is still one of 364 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 1: the best playoff performers in the NBA. Because of his 365 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 1: versatility on both ends of the floor and his wealth 366 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: of experience, he immediately was able to step into Golden 367 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 1: State and fill several specific holes in that roster that 368 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:17,920 Speaker 1: completely changed the dynamic of that basketball team, turning them 369 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 1: from a team that was destined for another year outside 370 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: of the playoffs looking in to a legit second tier 371 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: contender with a puncher's chance to win the title. And 372 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,359 Speaker 1: who knows what would have happened if Steph Curry didn't 373 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,679 Speaker 1: get hurt. Now, this is the lowest that I've had 374 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: Jimmy Butler on this list since I started doing it, 375 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 1: but he still comes in at number sixteen. This year, 376 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: Number fifteen Devin Booker. I think it's going to break 377 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,680 Speaker 1: people's brains that I have Devin this high. Why because 378 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: how could two of the top fifteen players in the 379 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,400 Speaker 1: NBA play for the Suns and they missed the playoffs. 380 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: I used to get the same argument with the Lakers 381 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,440 Speaker 1: all the time, But this is a classic example of 382 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 1: how NBA basketball is way more complicated than it looks, 383 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 1: and roster balance is vitally important to succeeding in the NBA. 384 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 1: We've talked about it. The Suns had issues that extended 385 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: far beyond the star power. The issue was, is they 386 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: indexed more towards star power going after Bradley Beal instead 387 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,160 Speaker 1: of indexing more towards supporting talent, which is what they 388 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: needed when they already had Devin Booker and Kevin Durant 389 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: on the roster. 390 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 2: It was a poor. 391 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:24,719 Speaker 1: Decision, a poor direction to take the franchise. First of all, 392 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: it's worth mentioning when Kevin Durant Devin Booker both played 393 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:30,440 Speaker 1: on the same night for the Suns, they were thirty 394 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: two and twenty four. That's a forty seven win pace, 395 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: which would have put them right in that like seven 396 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: to eight range in the standings even with all of 397 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 1: the massive roster shortcomings that they had, and they had 398 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: a positive net rating with the two of them shared 399 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 1: the floor together. So it was a combination of the 400 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 1: poor roster construction that we were talking about, the complete 401 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 1: lack of high motor athletes and center play and all 402 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 1: the things that they needed to be a functional basketball team, 403 00:20:57,119 --> 00:20:59,159 Speaker 1: and the fact that they were just dealing with a 404 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 1: bunch of bang up injuries that kept their best players 405 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: from being on the floor together. So yes, the Phoenix 406 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: Suns missed the playoffs, and I still think Devin and 407 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: Kevin are two of the very best basketball players. 408 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 2: In the world. 409 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: Let's look at Devin Bookers last season in review. Devin 410 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:21,359 Speaker 1: played in seventy five games. He averaged twenty six points, 411 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 1: four rebounds, and seven assists, just one point one stocks. 412 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: He was one of three players in the entire NBA 413 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 1: last year to play at least sixty games and to 414 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: average at least twenty five points, four rebounds, and seven assists. 415 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 1: It was him, Kid Cunningham and Nicole Jokic were the 416 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:41,679 Speaker 1: only guys that met that criteria. His efficiency, he was 417 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: forty six percent from the field. That was his lowest 418 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: mark since twenty eighteen. Thirty three percent from three the 419 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 1: second lowest mark of his career if you dig into 420 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 1: the numbers, and we're going to do it more in 421 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: more detail here in a minute. But Devin talked about 422 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 1: this in his postseason press conference. But he just didn't 423 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 1: foot the ball well, particularly from the three point line, 424 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: and that was the big thing that kind of prevented 425 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:07,640 Speaker 1: him from reaching the same efficiency marks that he reached 426 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: at earlier points in his career. But he was thirty 427 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: three percent from three, that was the second lowest mark 428 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 1: of his career, eighty nine percent from the line, fifty 429 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,959 Speaker 1: three percent in effective field goal percentage, and still because 430 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 1: he's got a super intelligent approach to offense with a 431 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 1: high like a quality shot profile, and with the ability 432 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 1: to take mid range shots and actually make more than 433 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,680 Speaker 1: half of them, he still posted, even on a tough 434 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: shooting season, a true shooting percentage of fifty nine percent, 435 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 1: which is really good playtype data. Devin Booker, still, even 436 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: with poor shooting, was one of the best most efficient 437 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:48,879 Speaker 1: shot creators in the NBA last year. I think that 438 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,639 Speaker 1: Devin is one of the most underrated passers in the league. 439 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:55,680 Speaker 1: He was fifteenth in assists per game last year. I'm 440 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 1: not sure people realize the type of high level playmaker 441 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,640 Speaker 1: that Devin Booker has become over the years. I don't 442 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:04,919 Speaker 1: think he's in that truly special tier of playmakers at 443 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:06,439 Speaker 1: the top of the league where you have guys like 444 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: obviously Jokic and Luca and Trey Young and James Harden 445 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: and Lebron James. There's a group of guys Tyr's Halliburton. 446 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 1: There's a group of guys that has like that kind 447 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,879 Speaker 1: of like organic, natural excellent passing ability that that is 448 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: something you're born with, and Devin Booker was not born 449 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 1: with that per se. 450 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 2: He's more of a natural scorer. 451 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 1: But there's a handful of guys over the years in 452 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,120 Speaker 1: the NBA, at least in my time watching, that were 453 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 1: natural scorers, but who became really high level passers, at 454 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: least relative. 455 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 2: To their peers over the course of their careers. A 456 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 2: couple of examples. 457 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: DeMar de Rosen, especially in the years in San Antonio, 458 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:42,400 Speaker 1: became a really high level passer for a guy who 459 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: was a score first guy. Brandon Ingram He's a guy that, 460 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: when he's healthy and in rhythm, is one of the 461 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 1: better passing forwards in the league. Jalen Brunson is a 462 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 1: guy who's become a very good passer despite being more 463 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: of a score first guy. 464 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 2: In his career. 465 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: Damian Lillard became a higher level passer Jannison Tenna Kumpo 466 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: in the last year or so. I think Devin Booker 467 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:03,640 Speaker 1: is in that tier as well. A guys who were, 468 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 1: like I'd called him, like second tier passers, like really 469 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 1: good passers that obviously aren't the organic natural like like 470 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:13,359 Speaker 1: from birth. They just just saw the floor differently than 471 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: everyone else did. 472 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 2: Type of guy. 473 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,200 Speaker 1: So all of that combines to make what I believe 474 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 1: Devin Booker to be a legit second tier offensive engine 475 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 1: in this league. By that, I mean he's not good 476 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:27,640 Speaker 1: enough to take mediocre players and make them an elite offense. 477 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 1: But if you put him on a legit championship caliber roster, 478 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:33,880 Speaker 1: I absolutely think Devin Booker can be the best offensive 479 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: player on your team, which, by the way, he nearly 480 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 1: did in twenty twenty one when he came two wins 481 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 1: away from getting the job done. Despite the poor shooting, 482 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 1: Devin's playtype data was still excellent last year. Yeah, one 483 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: point zero four points per pick and roll including passes 484 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,680 Speaker 1: on over twelve hundred reps. That's right there with where 485 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,640 Speaker 1: Kay Cunningham was, with where James Harden was, and again 486 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 1: it could have been better. It was his pull up 487 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: jumper that just wasn't there. Devin Booker last year shot 488 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 1: twenty nine p on pull up threes in pick and roll. 489 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,879 Speaker 1: That really hurt his efficiency. We know Devin can hit 490 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 1: those shots at a higher clip. He was off the 491 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: charts on ISOs and post ups still because a lot 492 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: of that mid range scoring. Right, he was the very 493 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,719 Speaker 1: best ISO player in the entire league. Last year, Devin Booker. 494 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 1: Among the twenty three players to log at least two 495 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty ISOs, Devin Booker came in at number 496 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: one with one point twenty seven points per possession including passes. 497 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 1: He shot fifty four percent on twos out of ISO. 498 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 1: He had a high free throw rate. He got to 499 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:37,439 Speaker 1: the free throw line fourteen percent of the time on 500 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:40,440 Speaker 1: ISOs and he passed well out of them. Good post 501 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: up player two lower volume seventy four post ups generated 502 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: eighty seven points about once a game. Right got one 503 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,359 Speaker 1: point one to eight points per possession. That's very very good, 504 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: thirty three percent free throw rate, kind of Jimmy Butler esque. 505 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 2: More pump fake base. 506 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 1: He used a lot of pump fakes, but Devin Booker 507 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: was a very very high free throw rate guy. On 508 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: post ed he gave the ball to Devin on the 509 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: block and he was gonna get to the foul in 510 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:07,159 Speaker 1: half the time. Really, he just needs to get that 511 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: pull up three back. If you look at all his data, 512 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: it's pretty good. He shot fifty four percent on pull 513 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: up twos that's excellent. He shot forty six percent on 514 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,080 Speaker 1: unguarded catch and shoot threes, which is excellent. He shot 515 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: sixty percent at the rim, which is excellent for a 516 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 1: guard like him. Like for guards, anything over sixty percent 517 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: is great. He just couldn't get his guarded catch and 518 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 1: shoots so like contested catch and shoots and his pull 519 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 1: up threes, those are the two ones that just weren't 520 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 1: going for him. If he can get those things back 521 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: this summer, his game should get back to where it was. 522 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 1: And by the way, like I expect that to be 523 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 1: the case for Devin, I expect him to shoot the 524 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 1: ball better this year. He also turned himself over the 525 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 1: years into a very dependable defensive player. He doesn't have 526 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 1: the tools physically to be like a downright disruptive defender, 527 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:56,879 Speaker 1: but he competes hard and he has good attention to detail, 528 00:26:56,920 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: both on the ball and off the ball. He's very competitive. 529 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 1: He's got that fire in that willingness to do the work, 530 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 1: especially in big moments. I think he's a legit point 531 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 1: of attack option preferably is your second best. You don't 532 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:12,440 Speaker 1: want your best offensive player to be the primary point 533 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 1: of attack guy. But if he's guarded the second best 534 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:17,919 Speaker 1: perimeter player. That's a really, really good role for him defensively, 535 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 1: and he actually filled the primary point of attack role 536 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: for Team USA and their Gold Metal run if you 537 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 1: guys remember correctly, and like when we zoom in on 538 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: the playoffs, this guy is flat out one of the 539 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 1: very best playoff scorers of our generation. In forty seven 540 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 1: career playoff games, Devin Booker is averaging twenty eight points 541 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: per game on sixty percent through shooting. That's insane, and 542 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 1: he's super dependable, even in the last two disappointing playoff 543 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:47,919 Speaker 1: runs where they got sent home in the first and 544 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,320 Speaker 1: second rounds by Denver and Minnesota. In those playoff runs, 545 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 1: he was at thirty two points per game on sixty 546 00:27:54,440 --> 00:28:02,719 Speaker 1: eight percent true shooting sixty eight percent. I think Devon's 547 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 1: become one of the more underrated players in the league, 548 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: mainly just because of that flawed roster construct in Phoenix 549 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:11,719 Speaker 1: and people's inability to see through that. I think if 550 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 1: Devin gets picked up at some point elsewhere where he 551 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 1: can be the second best player again on a team 552 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:21,040 Speaker 1: while having a quality group of role players, I think 553 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,720 Speaker 1: he's going to hoist the trophy. I know It seems 554 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 1: hopeless right now because of the leadership in Phoenix, but 555 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: I still think Devon has a very good chance to 556 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 1: win a champion, to win a championship in his career. 557 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 1: He's like a super easy plug and play guy too, 558 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:41,040 Speaker 1: Like you could talk him into any spot anywhere in. 559 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 2: The league and he would fit beautifully. 560 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 1: He can play off the ball, he can drive closeouts, 561 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:46,959 Speaker 1: he can run action and pick a role. He can 562 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: play one on one. He's a versatile defender that can 563 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: play on and off the ball. He's just a very good, 564 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 1: very well rounded basketball player. I genuinely believe he's gonna 565 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: put somebody over the top someday. I have a feeling 566 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 1: that twenty years from now I'm looking back and talking 567 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 1: about this era, I'll be talking about Devin Booker as 568 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: an NBA champion. He's a super efficient, efficient, high volume 569 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 1: score He's one of the top fifteen passers in the NBA. 570 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: He's a solid point of attack defender, a freakish competitor, 571 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: and one of the most reliably great playoff scorers in 572 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 1: our era. And so he will lead off the top 573 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:23,120 Speaker 1: fifteen for US this year. In this year's rankings at 574 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: number fifteen, all right, guys, It's all I have for 575 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: today is always sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting us 576 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: and supporting the show. We will be back, I believe, 577 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 1: on Friday with our next mail bag. Remember this mailbag 578 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 1: is one that I pre recorded because I'm in Alaska. 579 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:37,400 Speaker 1: So if you guys disagree with any of our rankings 580 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: on this video, drop him in the comments and we'll 581 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 1: get to it next Friday when I get back from Alaska. 582 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 1: In our next player rankings mail bag, we will have 583 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: on Monday fourteen and thirteen. On Tuesday twelve and eleven, 584 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 1: we'll have that mail bag, and then erxers me on 585 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:54,160 Speaker 1: Wednesday twelve and eleven. Then we'll have that first mail 586 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 1: bag that I'm talking about, and then we'll go back 587 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:58,920 Speaker 1: to the top ten and we're taking each player on 588 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 1: that list one out of time from that point forward 589 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 1: through the rest. 590 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 2: Of the postseason. 591 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 1: I will see you guys on Friday, m