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Speaker 1: gambler dot net in West Virginia. All right, Welcome to

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Speaker 1: Hoops Tonight, presented by Fan Duel here at the volume.

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Speaker 1: Happy Wednesday, everybody. I hope all of you guys are

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Speaker 1: having a great week so far. Today is my one

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Speaker 1: and only calendar day, full calendar day that I'm in

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Speaker 1: Tucson before I have right back out of town tomorrow

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Speaker 1: to go to Las Vegas for NBA Summer League. Though

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Speaker 1: I'm very very excited for a couple of massive I'll

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Speaker 1: be at most of the games, but a couple of

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Speaker 1: massive games I will for sure be. Yet there's a

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Speaker 1: Orlando Magic versus Houston Rockets game tomorrow night, which will

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Speaker 1: feature powamanchero in Jabari Smith Jr. That I will have

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Speaker 1: an instant reaction video on and then I believe, either

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Speaker 1: the next day or two days later the Magic Player.

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Speaker 1: Excuse me, the Rockets played the Oklahoma City Thunder so

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Speaker 1: we could see chat homegrin versus Bari Smith Jr. I

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Speaker 1: will be at both of those games. I'll be doing

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Speaker 1: live reactions to make sure you first of all subscribe

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Speaker 1: to the Volumes YouTube channels you don't miss any of

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Speaker 1: those videos, and also follow me on Twitter at underscore

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Speaker 1: Jason lt. I'll be tweeting out where I'm at in

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Speaker 1: the gym and stuff and where I'm at around town,

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Speaker 1: so you guys have an opportunity, if you guys are

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Speaker 1: friends of the show, if you want to swing by

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Speaker 1: and say hi, talk some hoops and hang out for

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Speaker 1: a little bit. I also plan on trying to find

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Speaker 1: at least one day where I can get to a

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Speaker 1: gym um and play little basketball with some of the

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Speaker 1: local people over there. So again, follow me on Twitter

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Speaker 1: at underscore Jason lt S you guys can kind of

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Speaker 1: see where I'm at. I would love to get to

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Speaker 1: meet some of you guys, some of the people that

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Speaker 1: have supported this show so much over the course of

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Speaker 1: the last year, and then I appreciate so much. Um

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Speaker 1: So last night, as we were all waiting for Kyrie

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Speaker 1: news or Kevin Durant news or really anything interesting and

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Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook trade something along those lines, instead we got

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Speaker 1: a very interesting Lakers related piece of news. The Lakers

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Speaker 1: managed to sign Thomas Bryant, who was a former Laker,

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Speaker 1: very interesting young center prospect in the league right now,

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Speaker 1: who had a partially torn a c L about a

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Speaker 1: year and a half ago that's kept him out for

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Speaker 1: a while. So that's why I haven't seen much of

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Speaker 1: Thomas Bryant. And so maybe not a big game, maybe

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Speaker 1: not a big name, excuse me, not necessarily anything splashy,

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Speaker 1: but I think a very very solid player and a

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Speaker 1: very interesting player as it pertains to the shape and

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Speaker 1: and essentially the identity of what this year's Lakers team

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Speaker 1: is going to be. So I wanted to take today

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Speaker 1: to focus in on the Lakers so far this offseason,

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Speaker 1: the moves that they've made, things that I liked, things

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Speaker 1: that I disliked, things that I expect later in the

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Speaker 1: summer as well. It's gonna be a Lakers team day. Now,

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Speaker 1: remember this show originally was under the name Lakers Tonight.

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Speaker 1: We switched it to Hoops Tonight because that was always

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Speaker 1: the plan. We were always going to cover the whole league. However,

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Speaker 1: the Lakers, even though I know many of you probably

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Speaker 1: despise the Lakers, and I'm not a Lakers fan either,

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Speaker 1: I've just covered the team. Over the course the last

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Speaker 1: couple of years. I've become a fan of certain elements

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Speaker 1: of the franchise, of course, but the Lakers will always

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Speaker 1: be one of the prominent franchises in the NBA. Hell,

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Speaker 1: they have Lebron James and Anthony Davis on the team.

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Speaker 1: I know it was really strange that they didn't make

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Speaker 1: the playoffs this year, but a lot even with all

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Speaker 1: of the disastrous things that they did, it was primary

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Speaker 1: really injury related. So if Lebron James and Anthony Davis

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Speaker 1: are healthy this year, chances are they'll be right back

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Speaker 1: in the mix. And this show, Hoops Tonight will always

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Speaker 1: focus on all of the league, but with a primary

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Speaker 1: focus on the top teams. And that goes with big

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Speaker 1: brands like the Lakers and Nicks. That goes with successful

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Speaker 1: teams and franchises like the Toronto Raptors and the Golden

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Speaker 1: State Warriors and teams that are contenders. So that's why

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Speaker 1: we're gonna dive a lot into teams like the Boston

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Speaker 1: Celtics when they're really good, or teams like the Philadelphia

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Speaker 1: is seventy sixers with the Miami Heat. We're always going

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Speaker 1: to focus in on the best and most interesting teams,

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Speaker 1: and the Lakers come hell or high water because they

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Speaker 1: have so much star power, because they have the you know,

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Speaker 1: the dramatic ownership, general management group that they have, it's

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Speaker 1: always going to be a team that we spent some

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Speaker 1: time on. So today is going to be a Lakers

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Speaker 1: team show. I'm gonna get into some positives from this summer,

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Speaker 1: some things that I didn't like, what I expect about

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Speaker 1: the Kyrie fit, because I do still think there's about

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Speaker 1: an eight percent chance that he's a Laker when this

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Speaker 1: is all said and done, and then I'm gonna do

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Speaker 1: deep dives into four specific players, Thomas Bryant, Lonnie Walker,

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Speaker 1: Juantsaskano Anderson, and Troy Brown Jr. Just some of the

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Speaker 1: things that I've noticed on tape and some things that

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Speaker 1: I'll be looking for from them once we get into

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Speaker 1: the season, but I do want to start positive because

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Speaker 1: there's a there. I've been really hard on the Lakers,

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Speaker 1: as you guys know. I've been really hard to Genie

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Speaker 1: Buss have, but really hard to Rock Link. I haven't

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Speaker 1: really hard on everybody on the roster and including Lebron James.

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Speaker 1: And you know, I don't feel bad about it. They

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Speaker 1: deserve it. They were the second leading favorite in Vegas

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Speaker 1: and then they missed making the playoffs in a field

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Speaker 1: that allows twenty of the thirty teams to get it.

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Speaker 1: It was embarrassing and heads needed to roll, and heads

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Speaker 1: basically have rolled over There have been rolling over the

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Speaker 1: course of the last couple of months. Um, It's been

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Speaker 1: kind of a funny start to free agency so far.

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Speaker 1: Right Like, it kind of feels like Rob Polinka is

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Speaker 1: making decisions based on public perception rather than what the

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Speaker 1: league is kind of trending towards. Right Like, they lose

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Speaker 1: to the Suns and then they load up on offense

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Speaker 1: and shooting and then they can't guard anybody and all

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Speaker 1: their old guys are hurt, and then the criticism becomes, oh, well,

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Speaker 1: they didn't have any defensive minded players and they were

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Speaker 1: too old well, every player they've signed so far thist

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Speaker 1: offseason is in his twenties. They've now become super young

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Speaker 1: and super athletic and very defensive minded, and a lot

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Speaker 1: of the role players that they've picked up are players

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Speaker 1: that have severe offensive limitations. So it's kind of funny

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Speaker 1: to see the the pendulum of public perception kind of

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Speaker 1: drive Rob Polinka's decision making rather than just kind of

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Speaker 1: focusing in on specific team needs. But we'll get to

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Speaker 1: that later. Like, like I said, I just undercut myself

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Speaker 1: because I said I was gonna be positive and I

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Speaker 1: just was negative. But I do want to try to

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Speaker 1: start positive. So let's let's start positive with the Lakers

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Speaker 1: first and foremost. I really really like the Damien Jones

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Speaker 1: and Thomas Bryant signings. They are modern NBA centers. Again,

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Speaker 1: like you think about if we go back in a

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Speaker 1: time machine twenty years the game played it in a

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Speaker 1: grueling lee slow pace, so transition foot speed didn't matter

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Speaker 1: at all, Right, Like the game, the game was primarily

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Speaker 1: three out two in, meaning there was primarily two centers

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Speaker 1: clogging things up in two defensive centers climbing clogging things

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Speaker 1: up on every single possession, So floor spacing wasn't necessarily

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Speaker 1: a concern because everybody was dealing with it right and

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Speaker 1: with the way that the game was officiated at the time,

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Speaker 1: where contact was allowed pretty much all over the floor,

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Speaker 1: you were better off going to one of your bigger

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Speaker 1: players to try to get them to bully the ball

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Speaker 1: closer to the basket. But a lot of things have

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Speaker 1: changed in the two decades since. Looking right at the physicality,

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Speaker 1: the post up is basically the only place on the

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Speaker 1: floor in the regular season where you're allowed to be physical,

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Speaker 1: So no longer makes sense to post players up unless

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Speaker 1: you have a significant size advantage, because defensively, the refs

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Speaker 1: allow you to do just about anything there, whereas everywhere

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Speaker 1: else on the floor it's like you put your hands

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Speaker 1: on somebody, it's a foul. You bump somebody, it's a foul.

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Speaker 1: You come up underneath the shooter, it's a foul. You

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Speaker 1: bear it's extremely ticky tack everywhere else on the floor,

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Speaker 1: and then very and very loose and and just kind

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Speaker 1: of free for all underneath the basket. So post up offenses,

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Speaker 1: particularly centers banging on centers, you just don't really see

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Speaker 1: much value in that anymore. You'll still see your Lebron's

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Speaker 1: posting up a small guard or a big guard posting

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Speaker 1: up a small guard, but it's few and far between,

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Speaker 1: and it's not a very you know, smart way to

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Speaker 1: run offense anymore. Then we ditched the power forward and

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Speaker 1: we basically added a fourth wing, slash guard, perimeter player.

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Speaker 1: So as a result, spacing now is a concern if

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Speaker 1: you are running some sort of three out two in

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Speaker 1: the type of attack, or if you have to really uh,

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Speaker 1: if you have two non shooters on the floor, then

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Speaker 1: things really will get clogged up. And it's no longer

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Speaker 1: an issue of competitor becomes an issue of competitive advantage

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Speaker 1: because the other teams you're playing don't have that problem.

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Speaker 1: And so as things have gotten spaced out more and

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Speaker 1: as we've ditched that foreman, the traditional foreman having that big,

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Speaker 1: lumbering center has become more and more of a problem.

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Speaker 1: And then, last but not least, the game just plays

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Speaker 1: at a much faster pace and a lot of teams

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Speaker 1: play a five out style of basketball, So your ability

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Speaker 1: to get up and down the floor in transition and

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Speaker 1: your ability to cover ground in rotation is much more

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Speaker 1: important now than it used to be. And so essentially,

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Speaker 1: a big, lumbering center like Dwight Howard carried a great

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Speaker 1: deal of value. It's ten fifteen years ago, right when

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Speaker 1: the game was like that, but now it's like you

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Speaker 1: almost want a guy that's a little bit smaller, a

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Speaker 1: little bit thinner, a little bit faster, and the guy

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Speaker 1: that doesn't rely on post up touches. Ironically, Dwight Howard

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Speaker 1: having a tiny bit of a late career renaissance there

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Speaker 1: with the Lakers came with him slimming down a lot

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Speaker 1: and ditching the post ups and primarily being at least

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Speaker 1: the best version of that that he could be. So

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Speaker 1: I did think it was impressive for Rod Polinka to

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Speaker 1: notice that trend that I just laid out into target

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Speaker 1: centers that are younger, fast, or that will actually be

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Speaker 1: able to get up and down the floor, especially since

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Speaker 1: Darvin Hamm has talked a lot about how he does

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Speaker 1: want to play fast and so you're gonna need a

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Speaker 1: specific type of center to be able to do that,

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Speaker 1: and Thomas Bryant and Damian Jones give you that. So

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Speaker 1: I do like that a lot. Also, they shifted towards

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Speaker 1: defensive minded guards once it's gotta Anderson, Troy Brown Jr.

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Speaker 1: Lonnie Walker that they're kind of fit into the existing

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Speaker 1: mix of players that the Lakers signed late last year. Right,

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Speaker 1: Austin Reaves a defensive minded guard, Stanley Johnson a defensive

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Speaker 1: minded wing, and when you and Gabriel a defensive minded

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Speaker 1: kind of like forward wing hybrid. Right, And so now

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Speaker 1: you have a bunch of really defensive minded young players.

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Speaker 1: The reason why that's important is you gotta look at

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Speaker 1: the Lebron James and Anthony Davis problem. You know, Lebron

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Speaker 1: James and Anthony Davis. The reason why everyone got so

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Speaker 1: excited when they originally paired up in is they were

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Speaker 1: the consummate modern NBA front court. They brought all of

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Speaker 1: the physically imposing stuff that came from your old school

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Speaker 1: power forward center combos with all of the malleability, versatility,

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Speaker 1: and foot speed that comes from the modern front court combos. Right,

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Speaker 1: and then you combine that with Lebron James being one

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Speaker 1: of the most dominant offensive forces of all time and

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Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, at least during the first year of his

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Speaker 1: time with the Lakers, being the hyper versatile offensive forward

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Speaker 1: that he was. You kind of was like the perfect

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Speaker 1: foundational front court for an NBA team. That's why it

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Speaker 1: wasn't a coincidence that for two straight years, not only

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Speaker 1: did they win a championship, but they won damn near

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Speaker 1: eight of their games when the two of them were

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Speaker 1: on the floor together. That is the you know that

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Speaker 1: that was the foundational piece of this whole thing. But

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Speaker 1: in I don't know if it was because of Frank Vogel.

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Speaker 1: I don't know if it was because of Lebron coming

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Speaker 1: off of the most embarrassing season of his career. I

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Speaker 1: don't know if it was Anthony Davis thriving under all

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Speaker 1: of the enthusiasm from joining the Lakers. But Lebron and

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Speaker 1: Anthony Davis were thorough and entirely bought in defensively. Then

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Speaker 1: we went to Lebron stayed bought in defensively, Anthony Davis

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Speaker 1: bought out defensively. Then we moved forward one year and

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Speaker 1: Lebron James buys out defensively too. And now suddenly Lebron

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Speaker 1: James and Anthony Davis are a pretty bad defensive front

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Speaker 1: court compared to what they used to be. Obviously, Anthony

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Speaker 1: Davis's poor defensive effort still brings a lot of positives,

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Speaker 1: but they just weren't the same in the one year

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Speaker 1: they still had a ton of defensive minded players to

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Speaker 1: pick up the slack for Anthony Davis, Dennis Shrewder, Danny's

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Speaker 1: not Danny Green, excuse me, can tab He's called well pope.

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Speaker 1: You know Kyle Kuzma. That was the year he blossomed

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Speaker 1: into an excellent defensive forward in this league. They had

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Speaker 1: players that were committed defensively to kind of pull the

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Speaker 1: weight for what was going on. Um with Anthony Davis

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Speaker 1: backing down Alex Cruzer, I left him out. He's another

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Speaker 1: great example of that. They had awesome defensive minded players.

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Speaker 1: Then you get too, yes, if you basically trade out

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Speaker 1: all of the defensive minded players for offensive minded players.

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Speaker 1: You combine that with Lebron James and Anthony Davis buying

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Speaker 1: out defensively, and it turned into a disaster. Defensively, they

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Speaker 1: were one of the worst defensive teams that I've ever seen.

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Speaker 1: And so from that standpoint, I am hopeful that Lebron

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Speaker 1: James and Anthony Davis are bought in this year. I'm

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Speaker 1: hopeful for the sake of the Lakers that they kind

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Speaker 1: of recapture some of that vibe. But if they don't,

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Speaker 1: or if it's something less than that, like let's say

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Speaker 1: they buy in for the big games, or they buy

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Speaker 1: in for stretches, but they have extended stretches of the

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Speaker 1: season where they're kind of checked out. That's where it

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Speaker 1: helps to have all of these guys that love to

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Speaker 1: play defense, because that will help carry you during those stretches.

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Speaker 1: Most importantly, it will make it difficult for Lebron James

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Speaker 1: and Anthony Davis to buy out because it's just hard,

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Speaker 1: you guys, know. I mean, look, I played in college,

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Speaker 1: I play pick up now. I go through days where

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Speaker 1: I don't really feel like bringing it. But if I'm

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Speaker 1: on a team and I have three or four guys

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Speaker 1: next to me that are really defending, I'm probably gonna

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Speaker 1: defend because it's just you started to get the side eye,

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Speaker 1: you start to get those little bit of dirty looks.

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Speaker 1: You start to feel guilty for not playing defense when

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Speaker 1: the guys next to you are. And there was none

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Speaker 1: of that accountability with the Lakers last year. There was

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Speaker 1: none of that guys holding each other to the same

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Speaker 1: defensive standard. And so I like the direction, even though

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Speaker 1: I feel like it was a reactionary. Even though I

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Speaker 1: don't even necessarily know if Rob Blinka's mind or heart

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Speaker 1: was in the right place. I do like the shift

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Speaker 1: back to defensive minded guards. We talked about this earlier,

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Speaker 1: and I gotta give some credit to Rob here. Umm.

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Speaker 1: I talked about this about a month ago, but I

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Speaker 1: really like the Darvin Ham sign. Awesome defensive um, you know,

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Speaker 1: kind of transition from what he was doing in Milwaukee

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Speaker 1: to the Lakers. Some of the stuff you can do

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Speaker 1: with Anthony Davis and Lebron is similar to stuff that

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Speaker 1: he did with Joannas, Antenna Coompo and uh and Brook Lopez.

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Speaker 1: So I loved that fit. I love that he's a

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Speaker 1: tough former NBA player, role player archetype, and the way

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Speaker 1: that he'll be able to look eye to eye with

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Speaker 1: Lebron James and Anthony Davison, resonate with them in a

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Speaker 1: way that a lot of the establishment coaches can't. I

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Speaker 1: really really liked that signing. The Lakers now have a

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Speaker 1: great base of high motor players. We talked about this

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Speaker 1: just a minute ago with defense, but that goes with

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Speaker 1: the night and night out grind of the NBA season

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Speaker 1: on both ends of the floor. Austin Reeves is a

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Speaker 1: high motor player. Stanley Johnson is a high motor player,

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Speaker 1: Whennan Gabriel is a high motor player, Juantasconal Anderson high

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Speaker 1: motor player. You know, Troy Brown Jr. Thomas Bryant, these

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Speaker 1: are all high motor players. So this Lakers team will

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Speaker 1: do better in the dregs of the regular season having

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Speaker 1: this group out there too in the rotation to just

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Speaker 1: bring the night in and night out energy that you need,

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Speaker 1: especially to pad your to pad your team in the

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Speaker 1: standings with wins and losses. So last year, if you

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Speaker 1: guys remember, that was a huge problem for the Lakers.

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Speaker 1: When you're relying on Russell Westbrook and you're relying on

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Speaker 1: Lebron James, and you're relying on Carmelo Anthony, and you're

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Speaker 1: relying on Anthony Davis, and you're relying on Dwight Howard,

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Speaker 1: and you're relying on DeAndre Jordan's and you're relying on

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Speaker 1: camp bays More. It's like these are all older veteran

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Speaker 1: players who don't really get up for the Oklahoma City

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Speaker 1: Thunder in December. So what happens You end up losing

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Speaker 1: to the Oklahoma City Thunder twice as a result. So

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Speaker 1: I liked the idea of understanding your weakness. Your weakness

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Speaker 1: is your two stars struggle with motors. Sometimes, let's target

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Speaker 1: young players with high motors. It will help carry them

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Speaker 1: through some of those stretches. And the last but not least,

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Speaker 1: in terms of positives, I think that, you know, Rob

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Speaker 1: Polinka finally started to get it right in terms of

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Speaker 1: the value of shooting. You know. And I kind of

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Speaker 1: have like a combo opinion on this kind of thing.

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Speaker 1: It's a combo of different things that I've heard and

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Speaker 1: seeing over the years when I've been playing and coaching

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Speaker 1: and covering the league. Um, the best guy that I've

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Speaker 1: seen to explain kind of a variation of what I

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Speaker 1: believe is is My Trudel, who does an amazing job

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Speaker 1: covering the Lakers for Spectrum Sports Net. He also does

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Speaker 1: the Laker Film Room podcast with Pizza sent Terry Soriana.

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Speaker 1: They do an amazing job Lakers fans. If you're looking

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Speaker 1: for like a Laker focused podcast, that's the best one

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Speaker 1: I've seen. Got to check them out. Um, But Mike

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Speaker 1: Trudel always says that like the difference between a thirty

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Speaker 1: eight percent three point shooter and a thirty four percent

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Speaker 1: three point shooter might be a dozen makes over the

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Speaker 1: course of a season. You know, if you if you're attempting,

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Speaker 1: you know, three shots right like that, it's not really

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Speaker 1: that much of a difference. And I tend to agree.

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Speaker 1: But more importantly, I think percentage matters less than volume.

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Speaker 1: You know your it's it's the perception of your threat

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Speaker 1: versus your actual threat. So, for instance, you know NBA

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Speaker 1: teams are gonna sag off of players all the time

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Speaker 1: to guard Lebron James and Anthony Davis. That's just what

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Speaker 1: you have to do. If you leave the paint open

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Speaker 1: and let Lebron James drive to the rim all day long,

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Speaker 1: he's gonna destroy you. If you don't double team Anthony

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Speaker 1: Davis in the post and you let him work one

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Speaker 1: on one against smaller players, he's gonna destroy you. You

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Speaker 1: make a decision when you guard. The Lakers were packing

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Speaker 1: the paint and we're making other people shoot. So if

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Speaker 1: Wesley Matthews shoots thirty four from three, but you know, uh,

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Speaker 1: Troy Brown Junior shoots thirty five or thirty six, or

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Speaker 1: I've just thrown out numbers for the sake of this argument.

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Speaker 1: If there's a slight percentage difference there that's irrelevant to

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Speaker 1: the way teams will guard you. The way teams will

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Speaker 1: guard you is the same regardless of whether that's Wesley

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Speaker 1: Matthews in the corner, or it's contagious called Will Pope

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Speaker 1: in the corner, or it's Kyle Kuzma in the corner,

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Speaker 1: or it's you know, uh or Tory Banner Jr. Whoever

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Speaker 1: the hell it is in the corner. They're ignoring that person.

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Speaker 1: They're gonna probably have a foot in the paint or

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Speaker 1: near the paint to help on your Lebron James and

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Speaker 1: Anthony Davis's drives. The only type of player will actually

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Speaker 1: warp the defense out to you is a gunner that's

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Speaker 1: a high volume three point shooter. Has nothing to do

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Speaker 1: with the percentage, has everything, or i should say, very

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Speaker 1: little to do with the percentage, and mostly has to

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Speaker 1: do with the fear that you will shoot if you

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Speaker 1: are open. For the most part, if you got a

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Speaker 1: foot near the paint and there's a skip past to

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Speaker 1: Wesley Matthews and you close out on him, he won't

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Speaker 1: even shoot it. Now, keep it moving. He might attack

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Speaker 1: the clothes out a little bit, kick it to the

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Speaker 1: next guy. And then reset the offense. And so that's

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Speaker 1: what allows that defender to sit in the paint knowing

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Speaker 1: he doesn't have to chaotically, psychotically panic chase you off

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Speaker 1: the three point line because you're only going to shoot

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Speaker 1: if you're completely wide open. Having a shooter out there

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Speaker 1: that is a gunner, someone that has a relatively quickly

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Speaker 1: quick release and never see the shot he doesn't like.

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Speaker 1: That's the type of guy out there that will cause

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Speaker 1: the fender to have a little bit more hesitancy to

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Speaker 1: pull further and further away from him. I accidentally listed

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Speaker 1: him earlier, but I intended to use him for this example.

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Speaker 1: A guy that that that that that fits this mold

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Speaker 1: perfectly for you guys to understand what I'm talking about

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Speaker 1: is Kyle Kuzma. Kyle Kuzma has been shooting the ball

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Speaker 1: a lot letter in a lot better in the last

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Speaker 1: couple of years, but for his career has been a

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Speaker 1: like a low thirties three point shooter. But he's six

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Speaker 1: ft nine and he's a freaking gunner. Every time he's open,

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Speaker 1: he shoots it. And so Kyle Kuzma has a better

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Speaker 1: spacing effect then a forty shooter that's hesitant or a

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Speaker 1: thirty eight percent shooter that's hesitant. I always liked Kyle

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Speaker 1: Kuzma's fit as a role player next to stars because

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Speaker 1: you never have to doubt whether or not he's brave

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Speaker 1: enough to take the shot, and he more than likely

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Speaker 1: will take a few more than you that you then

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Speaker 1: you actually want him to take. Every coach will tell

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Speaker 1: you they would rather have a player that they have

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Speaker 1: to convince to shoot a little bit less often than

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Speaker 1: a player that they have to convince to shoot a

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Speaker 1: little bit more often. It's just a simple matter of

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Speaker 1: confidence at that point. So ditching the Malik Monk and

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Speaker 1: Carmelo Anthony archetypes of players, Mellow actually is more of

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Speaker 1: a gunner. He was actually a better fit, and I

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Speaker 1: wouldn't hate to see him back in the Laker jersey.

430
00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,600
Speaker 1: But Malik Monk is a good example of what I'm

431
00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:21,280
Speaker 1: talking about. He's kind of got to load up on

432
00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:23,480
Speaker 1: his shot. He's a little bit shorter, needs a little

433
00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,679
Speaker 1: bit more separation. His value as a spot up threat

434
00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,440
Speaker 1: is he pretty much has to be open, right. He's

435
00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,080
Speaker 1: not a guy that's gonna make you pay for, you know,

436
00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:35,400
Speaker 1: helping off of him just a little bit so shifting

437
00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,920
Speaker 1: away from high percentage three point shooters. If you guys

438
00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:40,440
Speaker 1: remember last year, all those guys that they signed, it's like, oh, Kemp,

439
00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:44,719
Speaker 1: he's more from three with Golden State, Like that's impressive, right,

440
00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:47,400
Speaker 1: we gotta bring that guy in. You know. It's like, oh,

441
00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,639
Speaker 1: you know, uh, Avery Bradley shot the ball really well

442
00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:52,399
Speaker 1: from three last year. We gotta bring that guy in.

443
00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:55,840
Speaker 1: We gotta bring these guys in because their percentages looked

444
00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,679
Speaker 1: better then the guys that we had last year. But

445
00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,000
Speaker 1: then all came in and no one guarded him anyway,

446
00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,760
Speaker 1: and they didn't make that many shots. So again it's

447
00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:07,360
Speaker 1: it's and if you look at the Malik Monk, Carmelo

448
00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:09,800
Speaker 1: Anthony archetypes, this is the other side of this thing.

449
00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,800
Speaker 1: The Malik Monk mellow archetypes give up a ton on

450
00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:16,479
Speaker 1: the other end of the floor on defense. And so

451
00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,720
Speaker 1: it's like, at least if you've got to want Uscano

452
00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,720
Speaker 1: Anderson and a Troy Brown Jr. Lonnie Walker and Astar

453
00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:26,160
Speaker 1: Reeves Stanley Johnson, they're not gonna shoot over thirty from three, right,

454
00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,639
Speaker 1: They're not gonna make a ton of shots. They're gonna

455
00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:31,600
Speaker 1: present the same shortcomings as spot up threats from just

456
00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:34,400
Speaker 1: about any other Laker that has played in this era,

457
00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:39,000
Speaker 1: but they're competing down on the defensive end of the floor.

458
00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:42,040
Speaker 1: So the moral of the story is, if you can

459
00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:45,840
Speaker 1: choose between a guy who's a good shooter who doesn't defend,

460
00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:49,040
Speaker 1: and a guy who's an okay to average shooter that

461
00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:53,719
Speaker 1: does defend, take this guy unless he's an absolute gunner,

462
00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:58,000
Speaker 1: like a guy that absolutely forces defense to contort his way.

463
00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:01,080
Speaker 1: Those are the only guys that bring in enough significant

464
00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,000
Speaker 1: offensive value that you can make up for some of

465
00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:06,359
Speaker 1: their defensive shortcomings, which is why Mellow is one of

466
00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:08,480
Speaker 1: the guys that I had considered as a potential player

467
00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:14,520
Speaker 1: to sign as we moved to the negatives. So I

468
00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:17,399
Speaker 1: like the idea of going younger. You probably will have

469
00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,520
Speaker 1: guys more available, You probably won't have to deal with

470
00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:23,320
Speaker 1: line up turnover as often as you did last year.

471
00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:27,000
Speaker 1: But you do need some veteran role players. You do

472
00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:32,640
Speaker 1: need some wise experience, you know, guys who've been around

473
00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:34,240
Speaker 1: the block a few times. You do need some of

474
00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:38,240
Speaker 1: those guys in the locker room, especially as role players. One.

475
00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:40,480
Speaker 1: They can help coach up young role players in a

476
00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:42,680
Speaker 1: way that the Lebron's and Anthony Davis is the world

477
00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,440
Speaker 1: cannot because they can't relate to them, right, they can.

478
00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:47,439
Speaker 1: They can be you know, mentors to them in a

479
00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:51,800
Speaker 1: lot of ways too. They're usually more reliable in a

480
00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:56,040
Speaker 1: playoff series. We've seen this so many times. But having

481
00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:58,960
Speaker 1: a guy that you can trust to not make mistakes

482
00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,119
Speaker 1: in a big moment carries a great deal of value,

483
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:04,480
Speaker 1: especially as a fifth starter, especially as a guy that

484
00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:08,800
Speaker 1: is surrounding your higher end players. You know that that's

485
00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:10,720
Speaker 1: not to say that you'll use them often, but you

486
00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:13,560
Speaker 1: like to have them as an option. You know. Typically

487
00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:16,040
Speaker 1: when you're dealing with young players, you deal with volatility.

488
00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,760
Speaker 1: I say this all the time. Young players struggle to

489
00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:23,000
Speaker 1: identify what's working for them and to replicate that, and

490
00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:26,320
Speaker 1: to identify what they're struggling with and to find ways

491
00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:28,360
Speaker 1: to cut that out. They always struggle with that. That's

492
00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:30,480
Speaker 1: not just a basketball thing, that's a life thing. It's

493
00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,040
Speaker 1: the reason why, like I swear, every young person I

494
00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:35,200
Speaker 1: know gets in some amount of debt when they're young,

495
00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:36,760
Speaker 1: and then they have to learn the hard way that

496
00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:38,280
Speaker 1: that sucks. And then you get out of debt and

497
00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,160
Speaker 1: you realize you don't want to do it. Anymore. You're young,

498
00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,640
Speaker 1: you don't understand the mistakes you're making. You can't actually

499
00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:47,080
Speaker 1: perceive consequences in the future, and so you do stupid stuff.

500
00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:49,280
Speaker 1: This is the kind of thing that I'm talking about here.

501
00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:52,920
Speaker 1: So like a guy like Lonnie Walker, he'll have nights

502
00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:55,600
Speaker 1: where he looks amazing, but he'll also have nights where

503
00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:57,399
Speaker 1: his head's not in it and he's making a lot

504
00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:00,000
Speaker 1: of mistakes. That's where it helps to have a veteran

505
00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,200
Speaker 1: an option to plug into that spot for twelve fifteen

506
00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:05,600
Speaker 1: minutes in a second half one night when lone he

507
00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:07,960
Speaker 1: doesn't have it, or the same thing. If I want

508
00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,600
Speaker 1: to scona Anderson, isn't isn't isn't fitting in well? And

509
00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,320
Speaker 1: this specific night in his spot in the rotation, I'd

510
00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:14,959
Speaker 1: like to see a little bit of a veteran role

511
00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:19,440
Speaker 1: player presence. This is why I liked Mellow again. Mellow

512
00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:22,640
Speaker 1: as a guy that has to play thirty minutes a night,

513
00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:26,199
Speaker 1: as a guy that you need for significant amounts of

514
00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:29,440
Speaker 1: offensive creation, as a guy that you need eighty two

515
00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:33,560
Speaker 1: games a year, that can be a shortcoming on a

516
00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:37,200
Speaker 1: team surrounded with other old guys. But if he's the

517
00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:41,400
Speaker 1: one old guy if he's the one veteran presence, if

518
00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:43,880
Speaker 1: you never need to post him up, if he can

519
00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,400
Speaker 1: take a night off on a back to back, if

520
00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:50,240
Speaker 1: he can be the veteran mentorship, veteran mentor to some

521
00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,879
Speaker 1: younger players, he can bring great value there. And again,

522
00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,159
Speaker 1: he was the one true legitimate spot up threat that

523
00:26:57,280 --> 00:26:59,920
Speaker 1: actually contorted defenses for the Lakers last year and that

524
00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,119
Speaker 1: manifested in their net rating stats if you look at

525
00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:04,680
Speaker 1: him when they when he would play alongside Lebron James,

526
00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:07,600
Speaker 1: good things would happen. And so I like the idea

527
00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,800
Speaker 1: of bringing Mellow back. Is one of the handful of

528
00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,400
Speaker 1: older veteran players on this roster who brings one truly

529
00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,679
Speaker 1: elite skill in his ability to spot up shoot. A

530
00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:20,000
Speaker 1: lot of the criticism directed towards Mellow over the course

531
00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:21,840
Speaker 1: the last couple of years has a lot to do

532
00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:23,639
Speaker 1: with the fact that he's been in bigger roles than

533
00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,040
Speaker 1: he really should have had. In Portland, they needed him

534
00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:28,159
Speaker 1: to score a lot. With the Lakers, they needed him

535
00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:30,560
Speaker 1: to score a lot. There was no expectation for him

536
00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,160
Speaker 1: to play defense because neither of those teams played any defense.

537
00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:35,960
Speaker 1: This is actually a much better fit for Mellow than

538
00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:40,480
Speaker 1: even just last year's Lakers team was second negative the

539
00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:42,560
Speaker 1: lack of wing size. So the first thing that I

540
00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:44,400
Speaker 1: came to my mind when I saw Thomas Bryant. Second

541
00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:45,639
Speaker 1: thing that came to my mind when I saw Thomas

542
00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:49,679
Speaker 1: Bryant last night, I was like, Oh, Thomas Bryant quality signing.

543
00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,159
Speaker 1: Really like this guy Damien Jones made more sense as

544
00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:57,119
Speaker 1: a backup center anyway, I like this second thought, Oh,

545
00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:01,560
Speaker 1: they're gonna go big again this year. Now, They've never

546
00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,000
Speaker 1: really truly leaned into a d at the five, and

547
00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:07,200
Speaker 1: there's been a lot of reasons for that, um particularly

548
00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:09,159
Speaker 1: this last season. They just didn't have the personnel. They

549
00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:13,040
Speaker 1: didn't have enough wing size to successfully play Anthony Davis

550
00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,760
Speaker 1: at the five. But the thing is is, I always

551
00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:17,880
Speaker 1: thought that the best version of this team was Anthony

552
00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:20,720
Speaker 1: Davis at the five because of the offensive spacing that

553
00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,640
Speaker 1: it creates. You know, again, in the modern NBA, especially

554
00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,240
Speaker 1: when you're playing top tier defenses, when teams are allowed

555
00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:30,399
Speaker 1: to be physical, when they start ignoring your nonshooters, floor

556
00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:32,640
Speaker 1: spacing becomes a premium. It becomes one of the most

557
00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:36,480
Speaker 1: important things in the game of basketball. And so the

558
00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:39,400
Speaker 1: problem with having Anthony Davis at the four and putting

559
00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:41,680
Speaker 1: someone in the dunker spot all game long is even

560
00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:43,920
Speaker 1: though it helps you in some other way areas of

561
00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:46,520
Speaker 1: the game, like on defense, rebounding things along those lines,

562
00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,120
Speaker 1: it vastly hurts the confidence of your slashing stars because

563
00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,000
Speaker 1: they just don't see the driving opportunities that they normally see.

564
00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:55,560
Speaker 1: And so when I saw that Thomas Bryant signing, the

565
00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:57,720
Speaker 1: first thing I thought was, Okay, if they have Thomas

566
00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:01,000
Speaker 1: Bryant Damian Jones, chances are they playing playing Anthony Davis

567
00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,640
Speaker 1: at the four. So at first I was a little irritated.

568
00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:08,959
Speaker 1: But the main reason why I think this might be okay,

569
00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:11,400
Speaker 1: and the main reason why I think this could work

570
00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:16,040
Speaker 1: again just could is because when you don't have the

571
00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:20,200
Speaker 1: wing size, you have to play big. Now the whole

572
00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:23,680
Speaker 1: league is going towards wings. But there was a team

573
00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:28,400
Speaker 1: in that won the title largely without wings, and they

574
00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,560
Speaker 1: did it with guards and bigs, and it was the Lakers.

575
00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,320
Speaker 1: Then there was a team in one that won the

576
00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:41,440
Speaker 1: title largely without wings, primarily with bigs and guards, and

577
00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:44,920
Speaker 1: that was the Milwaukee Bucks. They were exceptions to the

578
00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:47,800
Speaker 1: rule though I know they won, but the reality was

579
00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:50,880
Speaker 1: as they won because Lebron James and Janice were so

580
00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:55,120
Speaker 1: unbelievably good. You can functionally run a team like that.

581
00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:57,480
Speaker 1: It's not the way that I think you should in

582
00:29:57,520 --> 00:29:59,960
Speaker 1: today's day and age, but as the Bucks in Lake

583
00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:03,440
Speaker 1: Kers have proved, it is doable as long as everything

584
00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:08,600
Speaker 1: breaks right. So with Rob Polinka still having not signed

585
00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:11,840
Speaker 1: a single player that is over the six six, so

586
00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,680
Speaker 1: I am as tall as every wing on the Lakers

587
00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:19,000
Speaker 1: roster right now except for Stanley Johnson, like the because

588
00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:22,160
Speaker 1: we haven't gone that route for the Lakers. You have

589
00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:25,400
Speaker 1: to play big, and so I like that. At least

590
00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,120
Speaker 1: if they're going to play big, they're doing it with

591
00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:31,120
Speaker 1: the right kind of centers, and you can kind of

592
00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:35,560
Speaker 1: see the team's identity starting to take shape. Defensive minded

593
00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:39,880
Speaker 1: guards Lebron James at three, Anthony Davis at the four,

594
00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:43,840
Speaker 1: super athletic centers underneath the basket to be rim runners

595
00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:48,640
Speaker 1: and back line defenders. That was the Lakers. So I

596
00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:51,800
Speaker 1: do like that they've tried at least to re replicate

597
00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:55,560
Speaker 1: something that has worked. It's not what I would have done.

598
00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:58,840
Speaker 1: I didn't think it was right to use the mid

599
00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:02,480
Speaker 1: level exception. You're one large salary slot. This summer on

600
00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:04,880
Speaker 1: a player that does not play the wing, on a

601
00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:08,640
Speaker 1: player that cannot start for you necessarily in a playoff series,

602
00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:11,000
Speaker 1: he might end up having to buy virtue of the

603
00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:13,440
Speaker 1: way the roster shakes down. But I'm not sure that

604
00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:16,360
Speaker 1: Lonnie Walker would have started for any of the conference

605
00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:19,640
Speaker 1: finalists last year. And I like Lonnie Walker. They would

606
00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:22,120
Speaker 1: have signed Lonnie Walker for the minimum, I'd be singing

607
00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:25,760
Speaker 1: praises about the deal, and he solid guy who will

608
00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:28,800
Speaker 1: fit in this rotation. But when you had one slot

609
00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:31,520
Speaker 1: to offer a player six million dollars, it should have

610
00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:33,800
Speaker 1: been for someone who was six ft eight and could

611
00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:35,520
Speaker 1: play a little bit of a play a little bit

612
00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:40,240
Speaker 1: of a two way basketball. I disagreed with that strategy.

613
00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:43,000
Speaker 1: I think that the best ultimate version of this Laker

614
00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:45,560
Speaker 1: team that might never end up happening, and really that

615
00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:50,000
Speaker 1: we've only seen in the playoffs of was Anthony Davis

616
00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:52,880
Speaker 1: at the five, Lebron James at the four in big

617
00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:57,480
Speaker 1: perimeter players Alex Cruzo, Kyle Kuzma, and Contabious called Pope

618
00:31:57,520 --> 00:32:01,040
Speaker 1: six five six six six nine that would or swap

619
00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:04,800
Speaker 1: out Danny Green at six ft seven for Kyle Kuzma.

620
00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:07,400
Speaker 1: That was always the best way to do this big

621
00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:10,760
Speaker 1: perimeter players Lebron James and Anthony Davis in the front court.

622
00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:15,280
Speaker 1: So not having big perimeter players is an issue here.

623
00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:18,680
Speaker 1: Now you might literally have to play big. And the

624
00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:22,840
Speaker 1: ultimate reminder, if we go back to the Lakers, Yeah,

625
00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:27,080
Speaker 1: they've played big, but in the playoffs, sixty of their minutes,

626
00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:30,400
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis was at center when push came to shove,

627
00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:32,760
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis was at center when they fell down one

628
00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:35,480
Speaker 1: out of the Rockets. Anthony Davis played at the center

629
00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:39,320
Speaker 1: for specific matchups like against your Kich they went big,

630
00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:43,320
Speaker 1: got back to Miami, they played small most of that series.

631
00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:46,680
Speaker 1: So at the at the ultimate moments of that championship

632
00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:50,800
Speaker 1: pursuit for the Lakers, Anthony Davis played center. And unless

633
00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:53,680
Speaker 1: they can find another big wing, I'm not sure they

634
00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:56,800
Speaker 1: can this year. Now, a lot of stuff is still

635
00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:01,080
Speaker 1: gonna happen. So, for instance, re Irving is probably gonna

636
00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:04,120
Speaker 1: be in this picture somehow, But that doesn't solve that problem. Right.

637
00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:07,280
Speaker 1: Let's say Russell Westbrook ends up being the full crumb

638
00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:09,600
Speaker 1: of the Kyrie Irving trade and one first round pick.

639
00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,959
Speaker 1: That means you have Kendrick Nunne, Taylor Horton, Tucker, so

640
00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:16,640
Speaker 1: a six to point guard who's left handed and kind

641
00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:20,360
Speaker 1: of and shifty. Not great defensively, but okay. And Taylor

642
00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:22,600
Speaker 1: Horton Tucker, who like, depending on which night you catch

643
00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:24,040
Speaker 1: on me, looks like a future All Star or someone

644
00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:27,280
Speaker 1: who shouldn't be in the league and he's only six four.

645
00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:29,720
Speaker 1: We have those two guys, and we have one more

646
00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:34,280
Speaker 1: first round pick. Those three assets have to somehow bring

647
00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:37,840
Speaker 1: back somebody who's six ft seven six ft eight, can

648
00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:42,160
Speaker 1: guard multiple positions and defend uh and do a little

649
00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:44,440
Speaker 1: bit of something on offense. That has to be the

650
00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:48,080
Speaker 1: target here, because if you're gonna try to recreate the

651
00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:51,920
Speaker 1: mold of the Lakers, you need to have some malleability.

652
00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:55,920
Speaker 1: You need to have some ability to to have the

653
00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:59,880
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669
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670
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Speaker 1: Promo code Jason t All. Right, before we get out

671
00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:51,800
Speaker 1: of here, I wanted to talk for just a couple

672
00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,279
Speaker 1: of seconds about Kyrie's fit, and then I want to

673
00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:55,960
Speaker 1: rip through some of these young players and just give

674
00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:58,279
Speaker 1: you guys my quick thoughts and then we'll get out

675
00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:00,239
Speaker 1: of here. First of all, as that laid out with

676
00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:03,919
Speaker 1: that roster, a lot of these guys, Lonnie Walker wants

677
00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:07,200
Speaker 1: to Ukono Anderson, Troy Brown, Junr, Austin Reeves, Stanley Johnson.

678
00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:11,160
Speaker 1: You know these are not offensive creator type of players.

679
00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:14,239
Speaker 1: And while the Lakers went too far that direction with

680
00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:18,399
Speaker 1: the mellow Monk type of idea. You do need some

681
00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:22,640
Speaker 1: offensive creation. You do need somebody other than Lebron James

682
00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:25,920
Speaker 1: that can run action. Now, the way I look at it,

683
00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:27,799
Speaker 1: in the NBA, there's two different kinds of actions. There's

684
00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:31,200
Speaker 1: primary action secondary action. Primary action is ran against a

685
00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:34,040
Speaker 1: set defense, and secondary action is typically ran against the

686
00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:37,320
Speaker 1: defense that's either in rotation or has made a rotation

687
00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:40,200
Speaker 1: and their primary defenders are not involved. It usually is

688
00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:43,600
Speaker 1: targeting one of their lesser perimeter players. So, for instance,

689
00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:46,000
Speaker 1: like a guy like Lonnie Walker, I guy like Lonnie

690
00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,720
Speaker 1: Walker has a lot of experience running second side action.

691
00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:50,480
Speaker 1: He's run some primary action with the Spurs. It just

692
00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:52,759
Speaker 1: doesn't really count because it's the Spurs and they're not

693
00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:55,400
Speaker 1: getting the other team's best shot. I don't think Lonnie

694
00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:57,000
Speaker 1: Walker is the kind of guy that can come down

695
00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,480
Speaker 1: the floor. You know twenty thirty possessions of game, run high,

696
00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:02,480
Speaker 1: pick and roll with Anthony Davis and be trusted to

697
00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:08,000
Speaker 1: make consistently good decisions. But if a Kendrick Nunn comes

698
00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:10,399
Speaker 1: down the floor and runs that action and it gets

699
00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:12,760
Speaker 1: swung to Lonnie Walker who now has a defender closing

700
00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:15,200
Speaker 1: out on him, or you know, here comes the ball screen,

701
00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:17,319
Speaker 1: but the defense isn't set all the way. That's where

702
00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:19,880
Speaker 1: I do think he can bring some value. But the

703
00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:25,600
Speaker 1: Lakers do need at least one more first primary side creator, right.

704
00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:27,600
Speaker 1: You know, you could post up Lebron, you could post

705
00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:30,640
Speaker 1: up Lebron James, post up Anthony Davis, run any sort

706
00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:33,960
Speaker 1: of high action with Lebron James, ball screen isolation, things

707
00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:36,800
Speaker 1: along those lines, right, But you need one other guard,

708
00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:38,239
Speaker 1: one of the wing, that could put the ball on

709
00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:39,839
Speaker 1: the floor and create his own shot either and pick

710
00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:43,320
Speaker 1: and roller in isolation. This is why Kyrie is so important.

711
00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:46,160
Speaker 1: And again like there's again the intel with Kyrie went

712
00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:47,879
Speaker 1: over a lot of it yesterday, so I'm not gonna

713
00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:50,759
Speaker 1: get into it again. My theory here is that Brooklyn

714
00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:53,600
Speaker 1: is asking for two first round picks. The reason why

715
00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:55,879
Speaker 1: is they know they can get one from the Lakers,

716
00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:58,239
Speaker 1: so why not go canvas the league looking for a

717
00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:00,920
Speaker 1: second first round pick, and maybe you'll convinced the Lakers

718
00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:04,040
Speaker 1: to throw in a second first round pick. And and

719
00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:06,040
Speaker 1: if that's the case, the Lakers are doing the right thing.

720
00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:08,960
Speaker 1: Be patient, this will all shake out. You'll be able

721
00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:11,080
Speaker 1: to get Kyrie for Russ in the first Just do

722
00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:13,200
Speaker 1: it at that point and then you'll be fine. The

723
00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:15,840
Speaker 1: one thing that I would say is if Rob Polinka

724
00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:19,920
Speaker 1: is not including the first, that's just complete insanity. This

725
00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:23,960
Speaker 1: is Russell Westbrook. He's one of the most overpaid players

726
00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:26,000
Speaker 1: in NBA history. I'm not even I don't even need

727
00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:28,759
Speaker 1: to get into the rust thing. You just Russ is

728
00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:32,760
Speaker 1: a negative asset, Okay. Kyrie Irving is also a negative asset,

729
00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:35,960
Speaker 1: but much less of a negative asset than Russell Westbrook

730
00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:39,359
Speaker 1: is Why because Kyrie Irving actually can play basketball still

731
00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:42,120
Speaker 1: at an extremely high level on one end of the floor,

732
00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:45,280
Speaker 1: while Russell Westbrook can't on either end of the floor. Okay,

733
00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:48,360
Speaker 1: So you're trying to trade a a forty seven million

734
00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:52,120
Speaker 1: dollar a negative asset for a better asset who makes

735
00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:54,719
Speaker 1: thirty six million dollars. So you're gonna have to give

736
00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:57,640
Speaker 1: him something, all right, So give him the first if

737
00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:00,040
Speaker 1: the time comes. But if they're just holding out to

738
00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,439
Speaker 1: make sure it's only one first, I support the deal.

739
00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,320
Speaker 1: That said, the Lakers need to do whatever it takes

740
00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:08,959
Speaker 1: to get Kyrie. Stay in contact, don't blow this, don't

741
00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:12,399
Speaker 1: go blow the pick on somebody else, because it would

742
00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:15,040
Speaker 1: be extremely advantageous for the Lakers to have a guy

743
00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:18,520
Speaker 1: in Kyrie that they can toss the ball to times

744
00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:21,279
Speaker 1: a game to run that primary side action. Such a

745
00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:23,839
Speaker 1: big deal for Lebron James. That's why he's targeted these

746
00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:26,320
Speaker 1: point guards so much over the years. You know, Lebron

747
00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:29,080
Speaker 1: Holway's joked when he was with the Calves that it

748
00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:31,520
Speaker 1: was like thirds, Like for a third of the game

749
00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:33,640
Speaker 1: he's looking to score, a third of the game he's

750
00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:35,600
Speaker 1: looking to facilitate, and a third of the game he's

751
00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:38,920
Speaker 1: looking for somebody else to do those things, Okay, And

752
00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:41,200
Speaker 1: he's never been able since he came came to the Lakers,

753
00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:44,040
Speaker 1: He's never been able to find that guy. You know.

754
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:47,439
Speaker 1: In the season it ended up kind of randomly being

755
00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:50,040
Speaker 1: Rondo as he had a good, a decent playoff run

756
00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:52,560
Speaker 1: after having a bad regular season. But like, that's the

757
00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:54,399
Speaker 1: type of guy. He's tarty, and that's why he wanted

758
00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:57,000
Speaker 1: Dennis Shrouder, That's why he wanted Russell Westbrook. He wanted

759
00:38:57,040 --> 00:38:59,440
Speaker 1: somebody to do that. Kyrie is your guy there. It's

760
00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:01,640
Speaker 1: a natural fit. The give and take with Lebron is excellent.

761
00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:03,440
Speaker 1: You know. He he can bring the ball off the

762
00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:06,560
Speaker 1: floor without even pass it and create something for himself,

763
00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:08,759
Speaker 1: so he's he's kind of like a great release foul

764
00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:11,359
Speaker 1: for Lebron to save his legs for the other two

765
00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:14,680
Speaker 1: thirds of the game when he's more involved. So great

766
00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:18,800
Speaker 1: offensive fit an absolute necessity for the Lakers, and hopefully

767
00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:21,600
Speaker 1: they don't mess around and blow this. They need him.

768
00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:23,719
Speaker 1: Let's rip through these young players really quick before we

769
00:39:23,719 --> 00:39:26,640
Speaker 1: get out of here. Thomas bryant Um partially torn a

770
00:39:26,680 --> 00:39:29,040
Speaker 1: c L so he should. He should theoretically be back

771
00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:33,040
Speaker 1: to this year. He's a decent three point percentage shooter,

772
00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:35,800
Speaker 1: but he's super low volume. He'd made few or threes

773
00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:40,040
Speaker 1: in his entire career through four seasons. Then Maxi Kleiber

774
00:39:40,080 --> 00:39:42,520
Speaker 1: did in just one season this year for the Dallas Mavericks,

775
00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:44,840
Speaker 1: to give you an idea and the volume difference between

776
00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:47,920
Speaker 1: a real stretch five and a guy who's capable of

777
00:39:47,920 --> 00:39:50,560
Speaker 1: making some shots. But as I talked about earlier, I'm

778
00:39:50,560 --> 00:39:54,120
Speaker 1: not really all that concerned about his three point percentage.

779
00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:57,319
Speaker 1: Him just being a reasonable threat is a hell of

780
00:39:57,320 --> 00:39:58,920
Speaker 1: a lot more than what the Lakers have had in

781
00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:01,759
Speaker 1: the years past, even from Anthony Davis. So I do

782
00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:05,160
Speaker 1: expect some floor spacing capability from him, but don't think

783
00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:08,160
Speaker 1: MAXI clear, but that's just not what he is. He's

784
00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:10,720
Speaker 1: always played with a super high motor and he rolls

785
00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:12,960
Speaker 1: hard to the rim every time. That's a big advantage

786
00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:15,600
Speaker 1: for ball screen guys, guys like Lebron James or if

787
00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:17,960
Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving ends up falling into the spot or Kendrick

788
00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:20,120
Speaker 1: Now if they don't trade him, having a player that

789
00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:22,800
Speaker 1: sets the screen hard and rolls hard to the rim,

790
00:40:22,840 --> 00:40:25,600
Speaker 1: it's it's it's difficult because you don't always get the ball.

791
00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:27,640
Speaker 1: In fact, often you don't get the ball, and so

792
00:40:27,680 --> 00:40:29,719
Speaker 1: it's hard to convince Biggs to do that, and it's

793
00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:31,799
Speaker 1: good that he does do that, but he does have

794
00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:33,960
Speaker 1: that high motor. He plays super physical, he's not afraid

795
00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:37,520
Speaker 1: of contact. This is big time for NBA centers because

796
00:40:37,520 --> 00:40:40,439
Speaker 1: a lot of NBA centers don't necessarily love basketball that much.

797
00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:42,719
Speaker 1: There's a reason why guards are always so much more

798
00:40:42,760 --> 00:40:44,360
Speaker 1: skilled than bigs, and a huge part of it is

799
00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:47,200
Speaker 1: his guards choose basketball because they love the game of basketball.

800
00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:50,040
Speaker 1: Most big guys choose basketball because they were told by

801
00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:52,560
Speaker 1: their friends and family that they should play basketball. So

802
00:40:53,040 --> 00:40:55,160
Speaker 1: it's good to see when you do see a big

803
00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:58,760
Speaker 1: guy that has that motor. That's that that that's something

804
00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:03,040
Speaker 1: that absolutely um is unique at the position. And last

805
00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:05,360
Speaker 1: but not least, Thomas Bryant. He's got all that modern

806
00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:07,239
Speaker 1: center mobility. I'm not gonna get into it again because

807
00:41:07,239 --> 00:41:09,279
Speaker 1: we got into it earlier, but he does have the

808
00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:11,520
Speaker 1: foot speed and linear speed to be able to hang

809
00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:16,280
Speaker 1: in transition into hang in five out situations. Okay, Lonnie Walker.

810
00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:21,280
Speaker 1: So everyone's comparing him to Malik Monk. Our own Chris

811
00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:23,719
Speaker 1: Mannix compared him some link Monk with with Collin Coward

812
00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:26,160
Speaker 1: the other day on his show. I do agree in

813
00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:28,960
Speaker 1: the sense that he's a thin athlete. So you know,

814
00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:32,440
Speaker 1: when you're a relatively fin athlete, it's hard for you

815
00:41:32,480 --> 00:41:35,640
Speaker 1: to get to your athleticism when the slightest little bump

816
00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:37,920
Speaker 1: in hand check can contain you or cause you to

817
00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:41,279
Speaker 1: lose balance. So you know, a bigger, stronger This is

818
00:41:41,280 --> 00:41:44,520
Speaker 1: why I was such um This is why I was

819
00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:48,000
Speaker 1: such a huge fan of ivy Uh, the kid that

820
00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:51,800
Speaker 1: um Uh the Detroit Pistons signed in the draft, picked

821
00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:54,640
Speaker 1: in the draft because he has that combination of strength

822
00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:57,640
Speaker 1: and low center of gravity with athleticism, so you can't

823
00:41:57,680 --> 00:41:59,680
Speaker 1: bump him off his line. You're not gonna be able

824
00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:01,359
Speaker 1: to just and check him in his place. He's more

825
00:42:01,400 --> 00:42:03,600
Speaker 1: likely to bump you off of your line. That's why

826
00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:07,920
Speaker 1: these super thin, super athletic guards have some limitations. That's

827
00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:09,920
Speaker 1: why Malik Monk, even though he was a great dunker,

828
00:42:10,320 --> 00:42:12,920
Speaker 1: wasn't just flying through the lane duncan on everybody all season.

829
00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:15,120
Speaker 1: It's because it's just hard to do when you don't

830
00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:18,839
Speaker 1: have the physical, you know, momentum to stay on your

831
00:42:18,880 --> 00:42:21,440
Speaker 1: attack line. So I do agree with him there, However,

832
00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:25,160
Speaker 1: that's really competition. The comparisons end. Malik Monk was a

833
00:42:25,320 --> 00:42:28,800
Speaker 1: lights out three point shooter who absolutely could run primary

834
00:42:28,840 --> 00:42:33,240
Speaker 1: side action, and Lonnie Maker Walker is not. Okay, Malik

835
00:42:33,320 --> 00:42:37,319
Speaker 1: Monk competed on defense, but just didn't have the instincts

836
00:42:37,400 --> 00:42:39,960
Speaker 1: or the physical traits to do with Lonnie Walker is

837
00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:43,319
Speaker 1: a little bit stronger, a little more laterally quick, and

838
00:42:43,400 --> 00:42:46,000
Speaker 1: actually is very much committed on the defensive end of

839
00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:48,120
Speaker 1: the floor. He's not an elite defensive guard right now,

840
00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:50,239
Speaker 1: but he's the kind of guy that could be that

841
00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:55,000
Speaker 1: for this team. So from that standpoint, I don't really

842
00:42:55,040 --> 00:42:56,640
Speaker 1: look at it as a Malik Monk comp When I

843
00:42:56,680 --> 00:42:58,400
Speaker 1: do look at it is as a similarity in the

844
00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:01,560
Speaker 1: sense that it was a misallocation of resources to target

845
00:43:01,640 --> 00:43:04,920
Speaker 1: a young uh six four guard that doesn't fit your

846
00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:07,360
Speaker 1: direct need on the wing for a player like that.

847
00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:09,840
Speaker 1: Although I should give Rob blink of some credit some credit.

848
00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:12,200
Speaker 1: Moliku Monk was on a veteran minimum contract last year.

849
00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:14,680
Speaker 1: A couple of specific things. Lonnie Walker said in his

850
00:43:14,719 --> 00:43:17,799
Speaker 1: interview today that he that he prefers to guard one

851
00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:21,120
Speaker 1: through three, but that he can he thinks he might

852
00:43:21,160 --> 00:43:22,840
Speaker 1: be able to guard fours now because he's up to

853
00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:27,040
Speaker 1: two fifteen pounds. I'm curious to see if he's actually

854
00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:30,760
Speaker 1: two hundred and fifteen pounds because I don't I don't

855
00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:33,000
Speaker 1: see that kind of size from him, So I'm really

856
00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:34,840
Speaker 1: curious to see him on the court this year to

857
00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:37,360
Speaker 1: see if that muscle really is there. Two or fifteen

858
00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:39,680
Speaker 1: pounds is heavy for six four guard. That would mean

859
00:43:40,239 --> 00:43:43,400
Speaker 1: he's really really stout, and I don't really see that

860
00:43:43,480 --> 00:43:45,360
Speaker 1: with him. But I did think it was interesting that

861
00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:48,200
Speaker 1: he said that he guards one through three because that's

862
00:43:48,239 --> 00:43:49,880
Speaker 1: kind of what I'm talking about in terms of wing

863
00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:52,160
Speaker 1: wing versatility. In order for you to be a versatile wing,

864
00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:54,680
Speaker 1: you should be able to guard one through four, like

865
00:43:54,719 --> 00:43:56,239
Speaker 1: the only guys in the league. You shouldn't be able

866
00:43:56,239 --> 00:43:57,840
Speaker 1: to guard er A Yoka. You're an mbid, right, you

867
00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:00,320
Speaker 1: should be able to at least hold your own and

868
00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:02,960
Speaker 1: force the guy to shoot over the top, to the

869
00:44:02,960 --> 00:44:05,520
Speaker 1: the um, to all of the perimeter players in the league.

870
00:44:05,520 --> 00:44:07,000
Speaker 1: And if you're a little too small and a little

871
00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:09,560
Speaker 1: too thin, you're gonna struggle against the bigger forwards, bigger

872
00:44:09,560 --> 00:44:12,000
Speaker 1: wings in the league. And that's something I expect league,

873
00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:16,879
Speaker 1: or excuse me, Lonny Walker to struggle with. He's inconsistent

874
00:44:16,920 --> 00:44:19,960
Speaker 1: with his shot. That's to be expected. If you look

875
00:44:20,000 --> 00:44:22,560
Speaker 1: through his numbers, Yeah, you only shott pent from three

876
00:44:22,640 --> 00:44:24,560
Speaker 1: last year, only thirty two percent when he was open

877
00:44:24,640 --> 00:44:26,719
Speaker 1: or wide open. But if you looked at it, he

878
00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:28,799
Speaker 1: had extended stretches where he shot, well, it's like, oh,

879
00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:32,520
Speaker 1: here's a fifteen fifteen game stretch where he shot here's

880
00:44:32,560 --> 00:44:34,880
Speaker 1: a seven game stretch where he shot forty seven percent.

881
00:44:34,960 --> 00:44:36,640
Speaker 1: Like that's the kind of thing you're seeing there. That's

882
00:44:36,719 --> 00:44:40,960
Speaker 1: classic young, up and coming streaky shooter. To me, that's irrelevant.

883
00:44:41,000 --> 00:44:43,600
Speaker 1: We talked about the shooting thing earlier. He's gonna make

884
00:44:43,719 --> 00:44:46,879
Speaker 1: enough shots that teams can't completely ignore him. But At

885
00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:48,600
Speaker 1: the same time, teams are gonna play off of him,

886
00:44:48,640 --> 00:44:51,960
Speaker 1: just like they do every single teammate of slashing stars

887
00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:53,399
Speaker 1: that you see around the league. And then we talked

888
00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:55,760
Speaker 1: about this earlier. But he's not a primary side creator.

889
00:44:55,840 --> 00:44:58,640
Speaker 1: So the Lakers are gonna have to find some way

890
00:44:58,719 --> 00:45:00,919
Speaker 1: to find a primary side later because if you're relying

891
00:45:00,920 --> 00:45:03,200
Speaker 1: on Lonnie Walker to run, you know, high pick and

892
00:45:03,280 --> 00:45:05,680
Speaker 1: roll with Anthony Davis to start possessions for a significant

893
00:45:05,719 --> 00:45:07,040
Speaker 1: chunk of the season, you're just gonna be at a

894
00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:09,280
Speaker 1: disadvantage compared to some of the other guys around the league.

895
00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:11,160
Speaker 1: And then, last, but not least, and I'm lumping these

896
00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:13,920
Speaker 1: two guys together. Who wants Toscano Anderson and Troy Barron Jr.

897
00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:18,360
Speaker 1: They're just athlete wrecking balls. These are not offensive players.

898
00:45:19,040 --> 00:45:20,799
Speaker 1: These are not guys that are going to light you

899
00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:23,040
Speaker 1: up spotting up from the three point line. These are

900
00:45:23,080 --> 00:45:25,839
Speaker 1: not high level clothes out attackers. They're not gonna, you know,

901
00:45:26,160 --> 00:45:28,680
Speaker 1: be chased off the line, ripped through into the lane,

902
00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:31,360
Speaker 1: make a you know, I'll give you an example. Austin

903
00:45:31,400 --> 00:45:34,320
Speaker 1: Reeves is a high level close out attacker. That guy

904
00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:36,879
Speaker 1: rips through to the middle and slows down and makes

905
00:45:36,880 --> 00:45:39,759
Speaker 1: a read, sees how the defense kind of contorts to him,

906
00:45:40,080 --> 00:45:42,479
Speaker 1: and then he'll make the perfect kick out every single time.

907
00:45:42,560 --> 00:45:44,879
Speaker 1: And then if you don't collapse on him, he's got

908
00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:46,960
Speaker 1: a couple of moves that he can go to, secondary

909
00:45:46,960 --> 00:45:49,120
Speaker 1: moves like counter moves to try to get a shot

910
00:45:49,160 --> 00:45:51,520
Speaker 1: off as he's attacking the close out. These aren't those guys.

911
00:45:51,520 --> 00:45:54,319
Speaker 1: These are one dimensional spot up threats. They're gonna make

912
00:45:54,480 --> 00:45:56,520
Speaker 1: some of their catch and shoot threes. And if you

913
00:45:56,600 --> 00:45:58,319
Speaker 1: chase them off the line and they can rip through

914
00:45:58,360 --> 00:46:00,760
Speaker 1: the basket and go all the way and dunk, that's great.

915
00:46:00,760 --> 00:46:02,680
Speaker 1: But you're not gonna get them to make high level

916
00:46:03,040 --> 00:46:05,839
Speaker 1: close out rates. But that's fine because that's not their job.

917
00:46:06,160 --> 00:46:09,240
Speaker 1: These are athlete wrecking balls. They will crash the offensive glass,

918
00:46:09,280 --> 00:46:11,879
Speaker 1: they will run the floor and transition, and most importantly,

919
00:46:12,200 --> 00:46:15,000
Speaker 1: they are committed to the defensive end of the floor.

920
00:46:15,040 --> 00:46:18,040
Speaker 1: I loved hearing Troy Brown Junior's press conference today talking

921
00:46:18,040 --> 00:46:20,759
Speaker 1: about how his only concern on this team is to

922
00:46:20,840 --> 00:46:23,320
Speaker 1: play defense and that he wants to He's gonna focus

923
00:46:23,320 --> 00:46:25,400
Speaker 1: on his ability to knock down corner threes, which is

924
00:46:25,440 --> 00:46:28,520
Speaker 1: what you need from a player who plays position. His

925
00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:30,960
Speaker 1: position and then be able to guard as many positions

926
00:46:30,960 --> 00:46:33,600
Speaker 1: on the floor as he can. You know, Troy Junior

927
00:46:33,840 --> 00:46:36,120
Speaker 1: is a little bit more wiry, a little more athletic

928
00:46:36,160 --> 00:46:38,719
Speaker 1: Quantasconna Anderson's a little bigger, a little less athletic, but

929
00:46:38,760 --> 00:46:42,000
Speaker 1: a little trunkier. I like that versatility. You can unleasha

930
00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:44,680
Speaker 1: Troy Brown Junr against a quicker guard, and you can

931
00:46:44,760 --> 00:46:48,319
Speaker 1: release a want Tosconna Anderson against a Kawhi Leonard as

932
00:46:48,320 --> 00:46:49,960
Speaker 1: someone that might be able to at least hold his

933
00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:53,600
Speaker 1: ground in some of the physicality. Anyway, I hadn't had

934
00:46:53,600 --> 00:46:55,600
Speaker 1: a chance to touch on on a bunch of these

935
00:46:55,640 --> 00:46:57,239
Speaker 1: guys because we've just been in the weeds of the

936
00:46:57,280 --> 00:46:59,680
Speaker 1: rest of the free agency. But I wanted to take

937
00:46:59,680 --> 00:47:01,720
Speaker 1: some time today to do a deep dive in the Lakers,

938
00:47:01,760 --> 00:47:06,040
Speaker 1: and we went really deep. We went almost forty five minutes, um.

939
00:47:06,280 --> 00:47:07,560
Speaker 1: But that's all I got for right now. As we

940
00:47:07,600 --> 00:47:10,000
Speaker 1: get more information about what the Lakers are gonna do again,

941
00:47:10,239 --> 00:47:13,200
Speaker 1: I expect the Kyrie Irving move from Russell Westbrook. I

942
00:47:13,200 --> 00:47:14,960
Speaker 1: expect Kendrick Nonn and Taylor warn and Tuck her to

943
00:47:14,960 --> 00:47:16,560
Speaker 1: be flipped for a wing at least. I hope that

944
00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:19,320
Speaker 1: they do, and I think they they'll end up targeting

945
00:47:19,320 --> 00:47:21,200
Speaker 1: like a Carmelo Anthony and maybe one or two more

946
00:47:21,280 --> 00:47:23,480
Speaker 1: veteran players to round out their rosters. So this is

947
00:47:23,480 --> 00:47:25,719
Speaker 1: not over, um, but I thought now was as good

948
00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:27,759
Speaker 1: as time any to dive into the moves that they've

949
00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:29,920
Speaker 1: made to this point. All right, guys, that is all

950
00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:31,360
Speaker 1: I have for today. Like I said at the beginning

951
00:47:31,360 --> 00:47:32,799
Speaker 1: of the show, don't forget that I will be an

952
00:47:32,880 --> 00:47:36,560
Speaker 1: NBA Summer League starting tomorrow through Sunday morning. Uh. Follow

953
00:47:36,560 --> 00:47:38,439
Speaker 1: me on Twitter. I underscore Jason LT so you guys

954
00:47:38,480 --> 00:47:40,239
Speaker 1: can see kind of where I'm at around town, where

955
00:47:40,280 --> 00:47:41,719
Speaker 1: I'm at the game, So you guys can come say

956
00:47:41,800 --> 00:47:44,480
Speaker 1: hi and we can talk some hoops and maybe we'll

957
00:47:44,480 --> 00:47:45,799
Speaker 1: get to play a little bit hoops as well while

958
00:47:45,800 --> 00:47:48,120
Speaker 1: we're there, and then I'll do some video reactions to

959
00:47:48,239 --> 00:47:49,839
Speaker 1: some of the higher end games as we get there.

960
00:47:50,000 --> 00:47:51,399
Speaker 1: All right, guys, that is all I have. I will

961
00:47:51,400 --> 00:48:02,360
Speaker 1: see you guys tomorrow. The volume