1 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: All right, welcome to the Jason Simps Podcast. Thank you 2 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: guys for taking time out of your day in your 3 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: busy weeks to come hang out with me for a 4 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: little bit and talk some basketball. Um. I hope you 5 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: guys are all uh, staying safe this holiday weekend and 6 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 1: not doing anything stupid like running off and getting covid. Um. 7 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 1: I promise you, it's not worth the ten days you 8 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: have to lock yourself in your house after. And that's 9 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: if you just so happen to not get symptoms, which 10 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: makes it that much worse. My wife just finished her 11 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: quarantine today and it's just getting back to work and 12 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: she's you know, behind and everything, and she's really been 13 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: struggling trying to float the ship from home and that's 14 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: just really really hard. So I hope all of you 15 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: make responsible decisions this weekend. If you're gonna hang out 16 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: with your family, try to do it in a way 17 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: that's not going to lead to a bunch of consequences 18 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: after the fact. Um. Today, I'm gonna talk a little 19 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: bit about the Laker off season. I know it's not 20 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: completely done, but these last couple moves, these last couple 21 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: veteran minimum spots that they have are most likely going 22 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: to be used on guys who are gonna be good 23 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: locker room presences because you don't wanna play too much 24 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: with that chemistry on the team. So I don't think 25 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: there's too much more we have to wait for there, 26 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: and that if they do end up trading Kyle Kuzma, 27 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: my guess is it won't happen until the trade deadline 28 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 1: this year. So I think what you've seen in the 29 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: last week is basically what you're gonna get as far 30 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: as the Lakers go heading into training camping into the 31 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: first few months of the season. Uh. Then I have 32 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: a little point I want to make about Trey Young 33 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: and Devin Booker, a couple of guys who a lot 34 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: of people who are fans of Atlanta and fans of 35 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: Phoenix have been defending for a long time. Uh uh, 36 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: And I'm just gonna explain why I think it's okay 37 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: to show just a little bit of hesitancy with those 38 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 1: types of guys after spending all those years playing losing basketball, 39 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: and then, last but not least, a lot of my 40 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: Steph Curry fan friends, a lot of my Golden State 41 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: Twitter friends out there are always frustrated with the type 42 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: of doubt that is casted towards Steph Curry, and you're 43 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,639 Speaker 1: seeing a lot of that again this year, um, as 44 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 1: we head into this in uh, this Clay Thompson injury season. 45 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: And so I want to talk a little bit about 46 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: why I think Steph gets so much doubt placed in 47 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: his direction. And honestly, you know, I understand that it 48 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: can be unfair at times, but it's just the reality 49 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: of his situation and I think it's why he's discussed 50 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: the way he's discussed. So I'll get to that here 51 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: in a little bit, but let's start with the Lakers. 52 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: So I think the Lakers had a nearly perfect offseason, 53 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: and I think it's okay to acknowledge the fact that 54 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: it wasn't fixed. And quite frankly, if any GM was 55 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: always perfect, they win a title every single year, and 56 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 1: that's just not possible. Everybody does the best they can. 57 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: They make a series of moves. You make, swings, you 58 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: make uh, you make, you take risks, and you hope 59 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: that most of them work out in your favor. And 60 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:20,359 Speaker 1: for the record, the Lakers did mostly good. And one 61 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: of my favorite things is, uh, there are a lot 62 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: of the moves that they made remind me kind of 63 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: of the moves that the Cleveland Cavaliers made at the 64 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: trade deadline in two thousand eighteen, in the sense that 65 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 1: they are kind of swing for the fences types of 66 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: moves that have major upside, like Tre's, like Dennis Shrewder. 67 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: But at the same time, they didn't sacrifice their core 68 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: identity of the team. If you remember with that two 69 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,119 Speaker 1: thousand eighteen Calves team, they brought in Rodney Hood, who 70 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: was a guy who always had a lot of potential, 71 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: but no one was ever really sure if he was 72 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: going to be able to, you know, uh, contribute in 73 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: a winning environment. And then you know, Larry and Ants Jr. 74 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: Was a very athletic and exciting prospect that was playing 75 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: for the Lakers. George Hill was a guy who had 76 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: played in a bunch of big playoff series with Indiana 77 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: and with San Antonio. There was a lot of like 78 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: hope that those guys would potentially raise the ceiling. But 79 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: then in the postseason when the ship hit the fan, 80 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:18,279 Speaker 1: they were able to fall back on their core lineup, 81 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: which was j R. Smith and Kyle Korver, Lebron, Kevin 82 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: Love and Tristan Thompson, and they did that to beat 83 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: the Indiana Pacers in the first round, and they went 84 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 1: back to that lineup often in the later rounds of 85 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: that of that playoff run. The point being, they made 86 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 1: moves that were aggressive, that had the ability to potentially 87 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:42,919 Speaker 1: lead to massive, a massive raising of their ceiling. But 88 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: at the same time, they kept their identity. And that's 89 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 1: what I love about these Laker moves. Montrese Harrold could 90 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 1: end up being a massive ceiling raiser for the Lakers, 91 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: and we'll talk about why in a minute. The same 92 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: goes for Dennis Schroeder. But again, if the ship hits 93 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 1: the fan and those guys are really painting out, You've 94 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: still got Alex Cruzo, you still got Contous Contavious called 95 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: Well Pope, you still got Lebron, you still got Anthony Davis, 96 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: you still got Mark Keith Moore's Wesley Matthews is basically 97 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:15,039 Speaker 1: a reasonable facsimile of Danny Green. He can fill his 98 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: role pretty well. The point being is those that Keith 99 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 1: signing and that Contavious call Well Pope signing, we're both 100 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: extremely important because they allowed the Lakers to maintain their 101 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: core identity so they can fall back to that brand 102 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: of basketball should things not work out with their more 103 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: aggressive moves that they made in the off season. So 104 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:42,160 Speaker 1: that's what I liked, and we'll talk a little bit 105 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: more about um you know what, I what I really 106 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: like about those individual players. But the one thing that 107 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: made this offseason less than perfect in my opinion, was 108 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: the montrez Harold signing. And I know a lot of 109 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: my Laker friends out there are taking a glass half 110 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 1: full approach to this, and don't get me wrong, I 111 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: am too. I also believe that Montrese will work out 112 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: at least to some extent with the Lakers, but it 113 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: was the one real shaky move in the sense that 114 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 1: it caused a lot of dominoes to fall with other 115 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 1: players on the roster and it really hamstrings their uh, 116 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:24,600 Speaker 1: their flexibility moving forward. So, for instance, as you guys know, 117 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: that Montrese Harold signing triggered the hard cap for the Lakers, 118 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: which led to, among other things, Dwight Howard and Avery 119 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: Bradley leaving because both of those players, had they not 120 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: had a hardcap, the Lakers would have been able to 121 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 1: match their contract offers and they would have come back. So, 122 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 1: for instance, let's say I said, I said, from the 123 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: very beginning, the only player that I thought was worth 124 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 1: the hardcap was Serge Ibaka. I thought that he significantly 125 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: raised the Lakers ceiling because of his perimeter shooting and 126 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 1: because he's a very good defense of player at the five, 127 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: And so that was the one move that I thought 128 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: was worth all of the potential dominoes falling the Avery 129 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: Bradley leaving the Dwight Howard leaving the hard capping of 130 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 1: the of the team for the rest of the season. 131 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: That was the one guy that I thought that was worth. 132 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: But we don't know for sure whether Surge would have come, 133 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: So even in the scenario where Surge was for sure 134 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: going to the Clippers, I still think Montrez wasn't worth 135 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: all of the other handicapping that he did to the roster. 136 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: For instance, for a lot of you guys who have 137 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: said to me in recent days, Wesley Matthews would have 138 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: triggered triggered the hard cot. That's true. However, you can 139 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: use a portion of that mid level exception without triggering 140 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: the hardcap, and the Lakers could have used that portion 141 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: of the of the mid level exception to sign Wesley 142 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: Matthews instead of using that biannual exception. In addition to that, 143 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: they could have brought back to d White Howard. So 144 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: let's say Dwight Howard takes all of Tress minutes or 145 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: a portion of Tress minutes, and even though he's a 146 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 1: very different player, you can actually you can relatively assume 147 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: that he'd give you roughly seventy percent of his expected 148 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: impact on the game, because at least the defensive matchups 149 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: that played him off the floor theoretically will do the 150 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: same thing to Montrese. And while Montrese Harold has a 151 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: much higher offensive ceiling, Dwight Howard did have a much 152 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: higher defensive ceiling. So consider that to be not a wash. 153 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 1: Tris is a better player, but Dwight Howard is at 154 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: least in the same ballpark of impact in that position. 155 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: So theoretically, it's not just signing Montrese Harold. It's signing 156 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 1: Montrese Harold, and it costs you Dwight, and it costs 157 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 1: you Avery Bradley. So there was a universe where the 158 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: Lakers could have had a more conservative approach to the 159 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: off season. Let's say they call they call Surge Baka, 160 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: and Serge Baca says heck no, I'm playing with Kauai. 161 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:55,319 Speaker 1: There's no way in the world I'm coming to LT 162 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: to play with the Lakers. Okay, fine, you signed Montrese 163 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: you excuse you signed Dwight Howard at his ten percent 164 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: raise or whatever it was for three million bucks. You 165 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 1: signed Wesley Matthews for the half of the mid level exception, 166 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:14,679 Speaker 1: you sign uh, you signed Marcus s al for the 167 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 1: veteran minimum contract, and you signed Avery Bradley for his 168 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: regular ten percent raise or whatever. Now you've got that 169 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: extra body in the back court so that when you 170 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: play down size, when you play Lebron at the four 171 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: and Anthony Davis at the five, you have the ability 172 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: to have five guards to rotate through those three spots 173 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: as opposed to four guards because k CP Alex Caruso, 174 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 1: Dennis Shrewder, and Wesley Matthews or your core four. Now, 175 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: maybe maybe the Lakers are told Avery badly, like, hey, 176 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: we plan on playing a lot of talent Horton Tucker. 177 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:50,679 Speaker 1: We don't know. I'm just operating under the premise that 178 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: the Lakers could have had those guys back, had a 179 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: little bit more death. Dwight Howard fits into whatever that 180 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: Montrose Harrold role is and then most importantly, as the 181 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: season progresses, if a need arises in a Nick Betune 182 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 1: type of player comes available, you have the ability to 183 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: sign him. You have the ability to constantly go over 184 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:16,839 Speaker 1: the cap for a veteran minimum contract as the season progresses. 185 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 1: Who knows who's gonna get hurt, who knows what's gonna happen. 186 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: You always have that fallback option of signing a veteran 187 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 1: minimum player that is off the table as a result 188 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 1: of the Montrese Harold signing. And so as a result, 189 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: now your only option to improve the roster or to 190 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,679 Speaker 1: add depth should injuries become a problem is you have 191 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 1: to take a bigger salary player. You have to take 192 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: somebody like a uh like a Montrese Harold or a 193 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,439 Speaker 1: contagious call Well Pope, and you have to trade them 194 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: and take back multiple players. That's your only way to 195 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: fill roster spots at that point. Because the hard cap 196 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 1: is the hard cap. There's absolutely no exception to that rule. 197 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 1: Just ask any Golden State Warrior fan who was rooting 198 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: for them last year. So my my whole point following 199 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: kind of to put a bowl on it, is that 200 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: the Montrese Harrold signing in a vacuum for nine million 201 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:13,959 Speaker 1: dollars a year is amazing. Maybe he raises your ceiling. 202 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: He certainly helps with your bench lineups, and you've already 203 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: got your core crunch time guys. So if Montrese doesn't 204 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 1: really work as a crunch time player, you can fall 205 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 1: back to your core lineups. So it makes sense in 206 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 1: that context. However, when you actually factor in all of 207 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 1: the other dominoes that fell, losing Avery Bradley, losing Dwight Howard, 208 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 1: losing the flexibility to sign veteran minimum players later on 209 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 1: in the season, I thought that that was a mistake. 210 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,839 Speaker 1: And with all of those potential losses, I thought Sergebaca 211 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: was the only player that would have been worth tying 212 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,559 Speaker 1: off all of those other loose ends to get, And 213 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: so I thought that that was the one, you know, 214 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: one potential thing that would have been a mistake out 215 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 1: of this offseason. Other than that Roblinka completely oocked it 216 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,439 Speaker 1: out of the park. I think Wesley Matthews is a 217 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: much better player than Danny Green. I think he's much 218 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: better at the point of attack. I thought Danny Green 219 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: and his tendency to give up a lot of straight 220 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: line drives really hurt the Laker defense. I thought it 221 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: caused them to exist too much in chaos, which while 222 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: they were good at that, it wasn't ideally what you'd 223 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: like to do. And and ironic, and the most important 224 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: thing is existing in chaos takes a lot of energy. 225 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 1: And that's one of the big reasons why the Lakers 226 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 1: would on some nights have inconsistent defensive performances because effort 227 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 1: is hard to bring on an on a night to 228 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: night basis. And if you've got a lot of guys 229 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,439 Speaker 1: that are giving up straight line drives, you're gonna constantly 230 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: be living in rotation, which is gonna expose a team 231 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 1: that doesn't necessarily play hard on that particular night, which 232 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: the Lakers, like I said, had a tendency to do 233 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:51,840 Speaker 1: from time to time. Raised on Rondo and Danny Green 234 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: were both the worst players on the Laker roster as 235 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 1: it as it pertained to giving up straight line drives. 236 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 1: There was almost no resistance from quicker guards who are 237 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: trying to get past them. Replacing those two guys with 238 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: Wesley Matthews, who's one of the better point of attack 239 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 1: defenders in the league. In terms of not giving up 240 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 1: straight line drives, and Dennis Shrewder, who's not the same 241 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: level of player defensively as Wesley Matthews, but certainly a 242 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: hell of a lot better than Region Rondo. Adding those 243 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 1: two guys into the Laker defensive scheme, I believe will 244 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: make them much more reliable night in and night out 245 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 1: as a defensive team, which will carry them in the 246 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,559 Speaker 1: regular season, and and it will prevent them from having 247 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: things happen like what they had last year, which was 248 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: we're way better than all these teams, but we're just 249 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: gonna drop a game in each playoff series because there's 250 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: gonna be a game where we come out and we 251 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,719 Speaker 1: just don't have our energy that we usually do. As 252 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: far as Montrese Harrold goes, if there's a there's like 253 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,839 Speaker 1: a best case scenario in a worst case scenario. So 254 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 1: the best case scenario is getting next to Lebron and 255 00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: getting into peak physical condition, as Lebron tends to do 256 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: with his teammates, getting next to Anthony Davis, who can 257 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: help cover for some of his defensive limitations, getting with 258 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: Frank Vogel, who is an extremely gifted defensive coach, and 259 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: as You've seen in a lot of these postseason UH 260 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 1: interviews that have been done, the Laker prayer players have 261 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 1: raved and raved about just how great Frank Vogel is 262 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 1: preparing for an opposing offense and with his scouting reports 263 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: and stuff. Your hope is that all of those things 264 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: that I just said lead to Montrez Harrold becoming a 265 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 1: better defensive player than he had been in with the Clippers. 266 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: And if that happens, then you're looking at that peak 267 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: potential scenario, which is Mantres is a home run who 268 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: massively raises the ceiling of the Lakers, But even in 269 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: the scenario where it doesn't work out that way, he 270 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: continues to be a defensive liability. The Lebron's, the Anthony 271 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,080 Speaker 1: Davis is, the Frank Vogels of the world cannot help 272 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: him in that regard. He still is a bench weapon. 273 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: He still is a guy. The Lakers were giving significant 274 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: minutes to JaVale McGee, who, while he had his defensive flashes, 275 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: was such a space case and rotations and getting out 276 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: of position. He always left his feed. He had no 277 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: discipline to stay on the ground. JaVale McKee was was 278 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 1: not a great defensive player. Even uh Dwight Howard in 279 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 1: some playoff series got played off the floor. So Montrese 280 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: just is another guy like those two who comes with 281 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: some defensive limitations but can help you in the bench 282 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: lineups that can help you against specific defensive schemes. They're 283 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: going to be They're going to be matchups where defenses 284 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: switch everything, and it's going to help to have Montrese 285 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:42,600 Speaker 1: Harrold as an option as a player who can bully 286 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: a smaller player in a post up mismatch that he 287 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: brings a lot of things to the table that make 288 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: it so that his floor is higher, meaning that the 289 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: ugly version of whatever the Montrese Harrold experience looks like 290 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: still ends up being pretty good and pretty impactful for 291 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: the Lakers. As far as marcusol goes, I view him 292 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: as a uh A great risk in the sense that 293 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: it's impossible for him to be any worse than say 294 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: JaVale McGee was right like we were just talking about. 295 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: So from that standpoint, you've got a player that even 296 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: if he plays fifteen minutes a night for only fifty 297 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: games of the season, at the very least, if you 298 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: manage him and you keep him healthy, he's just an option, 299 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 1: he's a wrinkle, he's a guy that just gives you 300 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: another way to win. And that's important in the sense 301 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: that in a playoff series, it's a it's a it's 302 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: an audible that you can call to try to get 303 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: things moving if you're stuck in a matchup where you 304 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: can't really get the offense moving or whatever the problem is. 305 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: And then that night and night out in the regular season, 306 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: as you're dealing with load management, as you're dealing with 307 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: the fatigue and the and the struggle that comes with 308 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: playing that much basketball dragged out over that many months, 309 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: especially on this quick turnaround, having that veteran presence is 310 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 1: so important for for this particular type of season for 311 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: the Lakers. So again, all those things I just said, 312 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: all of those signings, all of those moves were about 313 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: as perfect and off the off season as you could 314 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 1: possibly hope for as a Laker fan. I just think 315 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:21,640 Speaker 1: that the Montrese Harold signing has potential to be what 316 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: will what will look back at as a mistake. But 317 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, no matter what happens, 318 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 1: if you find yourself in a pivotal late round playoff 319 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 1: series against the Lakers. Let's say it's the Western Conference 320 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 1: Semifinals and you're playing the Warriors, are playing the Denver Nuggets, 321 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 1: You're playing the Utah Jazz, and it's Game five and 322 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 1: the series has tied it to The Lakers have the 323 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 1: ability to put out Alex Carusoe, contagious called Will Pope, 324 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: Lebron James, Anthony Davis, and either West Matthews or Mark 325 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 1: Keith Morris depending on the matchup. And I know those 326 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:57,120 Speaker 1: guys are going to completely stifle you on the defensive 327 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:59,239 Speaker 1: end of the floor. And I know those guys are 328 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,199 Speaker 1: gonna be able to find and quality offense on the 329 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 1: other end, because Lebron is the best basketball player in 330 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: the world, and Anthony Davis is the third or fourth 331 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: best basketball player in the world, and all those other 332 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 1: guys fit those roles absolutely perfect. So they have exactly 333 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: what they need to win, and they might have what 334 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: they need to be even more dominant than they were 335 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 1: last year. And why is that important? Because, like I 336 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 1: tweeted this morning, the Lakers were one of the most 337 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 1: dominant champions in the history of the league. If you 338 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: look at just this century, from the year two thousand on, 339 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 1: they're right there with the two thousand one Lakers, with 340 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 1: the two thousand seven Spurs as one of the most 341 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: dominant playoff teams that we've seen, basically only the two 342 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 1: thousand seventeen Warriors being demonstratively better. So from that standpoint 343 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 1: of well, the two thousand one Lakers too, but the 344 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: point being, they are already so so good, and so 345 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:59,439 Speaker 1: what was beautiful about Rob Polinka did. What Rob Plinka 346 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:03,160 Speaker 1: did was he took some swings, but he salvaged those 347 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:06,399 Speaker 1: core pieces that the Lakers needed to at least have 348 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 1: a fallback plan that we know is capable of winning 349 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: an NBA championship. All Right, we're gonna move on to 350 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:22,400 Speaker 1: UH quickly to trade Young and Devin Booker. M So, 351 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 1: there are a lot, like I said, a lot of 352 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: Atlanta Hawks fans, a lot of UH Phoenix Suns fans, 353 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 1: a lot of like general NBA fans who have been 354 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:32,239 Speaker 1: all over Twitter over the last couple of days going like, 355 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,400 Speaker 1: you know, you guys have done nothing but trash tray 356 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: Young blah blah blah blah, and now he's gonna get 357 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: to go do his thing blah blah blah blah blah. 358 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 1: Defensive of the fact that we most of us. I 359 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:45,880 Speaker 1: like to think that I'm in the majority on this one. 360 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: We're about to throw a party for a guy dropping 361 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: thirty points a game, giving up more than thirty on 362 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: the other end, and losing almost every night. It just 363 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: was never anything that was significant to me when there 364 00:19:57,760 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: were other players in the league who were doing more 365 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 1: winning efforts. And I'm going to use myself as an 366 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 1: example here. My first year playing in college, I played 367 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:10,120 Speaker 1: uh Pimo Community College, which was a local junior college 368 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: in Tucson. I literally lived with my parents and commuted 369 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: to and from uh to and from classes and to 370 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 1: and from games, and I put up monster numbers. I 371 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: had over thirty points in a game. I had a 372 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 1: half dozen games where I had over twenty points. I 373 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: was dunking on dudes, I was shooting three pointers from 374 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,479 Speaker 1: twenty five ft from the basket. It was awesome. We 375 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: went four in our team was awful. And what was 376 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,439 Speaker 1: so interesting about that is each successive year after that 377 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:44,119 Speaker 1: I played for better teams. After that, I wanted to 378 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 1: play for a better team. So I sent a highlight 379 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:47,680 Speaker 1: tape out and I ended up getting signed by a 380 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: junior college in Utah that was a much much better 381 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 1: team and we want a lot more games. And my 382 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 1: scoring went down and I only averaged I think twelve 383 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,439 Speaker 1: points a game that year. I only got over twenty 384 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,440 Speaker 1: points once I had. Most of my scoring efforts were 385 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:06,720 Speaker 1: in the teens. And it was because I was playing 386 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 1: winning basketball. I I wasn't taking the same you know, 387 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: terrible shot selection. I was taking shots within a flow 388 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: of in offense. I didn't have super fresh legs on 389 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: the offensive end because I had to focus on the 390 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:22,359 Speaker 1: defensive end of the floor. And you know what, I 391 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: still was an All Conference player. I was not an 392 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 1: All Conference player at Pima, even though I was putting 393 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: a much better numbers, because the coaching staffs around the 394 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: conference who were responsible for voting for those awards, they 395 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:37,439 Speaker 1: didn't care about the big white dude at Pima that 396 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: was scoring a lot of points while they were beating 397 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 1: us by twenty. They just didn't care. And more power 398 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 1: to them. I don't blame them. And yet in Utah, 399 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 1: when I was scoring less, but I was playing a 400 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:50,919 Speaker 1: role on a on a program that was winning a 401 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: lot more games, I ended up getting an All Conference 402 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: on it because the coaches were actually paying attention to 403 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:00,399 Speaker 1: what I was doing impacting games. And then the following 404 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: year after that, I played for one of the best 405 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 1: teams in the country. I played for an n ai 406 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:05,440 Speaker 1: A school who's top five in the n A I A. 407 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:08,199 Speaker 1: We beat an n C Double A Division one school, 408 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 1: and I was playing alongside two All American guards. And 409 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 1: guess what, I only averaged like six points a game. 410 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 1: I was Trevor Reesa. I shot spot up threes. All 411 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 1: of those isolation opportunities I was getting, all those postop 412 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: opportunities I was getting, those were gone. Now I was 413 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: playing a completely different role in a much like in 414 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:27,639 Speaker 1: a in a in not just a winning environment, but 415 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 1: a championship level winning environment, and I had to play differently, 416 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 1: and I got a lot more respect from my from 417 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: my peers, not only in on that team, but around 418 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 1: the league doing what I was doing for that specific 419 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 1: team as one of the best teams in the country. 420 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:48,160 Speaker 1: Then I was scoring tons and tons of points for PIMA. 421 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,640 Speaker 1: And I say all that to say this, I understand 422 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: that trade young, super talented. I understand that Devin Booker 423 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:57,720 Speaker 1: is really talented. I was really impressed by what he 424 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: did in the bubble because he was winning games, but 425 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 1: The bottom line is, I think it's just normal human 426 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: nature to feel to to just to say show me 427 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 1: the money, to basically say, you know what, I'm gonna 428 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:14,399 Speaker 1: form my opinion about Trey Young. I'm gonna form my 429 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 1: opinion about Devin Booker now now that they're playing with 430 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: enough talent to get the job done. Because guess what 431 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 1: if Devin Booker is averaging twenty seven points a game 432 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: on effective field goal percentage and his team goes and 433 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: and twenty three or whatever it is, that adds up 434 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 1: to seventy two. I just rushed that, so who knows. 435 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:39,199 Speaker 1: But if he does that and then he proceeds to 436 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 1: be as effective in a you know, playoff run, now 437 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:45,199 Speaker 1: we can have a conversation about how he's one of 438 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: the twelve or thirteen best players in the league. And 439 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: the same goes for Trey Young. It's okay to ask 440 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 1: them to do it in a winning effort before giving 441 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 1: them that that that recognition, you know what I'm saying. 442 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: Like I was able to get a highlight tape from Pima. 443 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 1: I was able to leverage that into an opportunity to 444 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,159 Speaker 1: play basketball at a higher level. But it's not like 445 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,440 Speaker 1: anybody was giving me a trophy for what I was doing. 446 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,639 Speaker 1: Then It's not like anybody was giving me any real recognition, 447 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,200 Speaker 1: and they shouldn't have been. It is a lot easier 448 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:22,640 Speaker 1: to score thirty points a game as a terrible team 449 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: who rolls up into Los Angeles, or heck, you're at 450 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 1: home in Atlanta and l A has flown to town 451 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:32,680 Speaker 1: on a random February Tuesday, and Lebron and a d 452 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 1: are looking at each other like, man, let's just get 453 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:38,360 Speaker 1: through this one. And they've barely scouted you, and they 454 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: don't care, and you can put up thirty points because 455 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: they're sleepwalking through this random regular season game. That is 456 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: different then what it's like as Chris Paul and Devin 457 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:53,679 Speaker 1: Booker and the forty eight wins Sons roll up into 458 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: a meaningful Sunday primetime game, you know, against the Milwaukee 459 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:03,959 Speaker 1: Bucks in Milwaukee, and Janice and coach Budenholzer have been 460 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: sitting in a room looking at a white board telling 461 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 1: each other that you're dangerous and that they need to 462 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: bring their a game to beat you. That's an entirely 463 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: different type of operation. And I think it's okay to 464 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:19,400 Speaker 1: withhold any sort of opinion about Trey Young and Devin 465 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:21,959 Speaker 1: Booker until they show us they can do it in 466 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 1: this type of role on a team that's dangerous, where 467 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 1: whether or not they perform to what their expectation is 468 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,399 Speaker 1: is the difference between winning and losing, not the difference 469 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 1: between losing by thirty or losing by twenty. So that's 470 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: why I'm at with Trey Young and Devin Booker. Asked 471 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: me again in a few months, then I'll tell you 472 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: how I feel about them after they've played some real basketball. 473 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 1: So the last thing I want to talk about today 474 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: is this, Uh, the last thing I want to talk 475 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 1: about today is this Steph Curry phenomenon that's been going around. 476 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 1: So a couple of my close friends that are Golden 477 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:02,639 Speaker 1: State fans have frequently complained to me about the fact 478 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 1: that while every other superstar receives a certain amount of hate, 479 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:09,479 Speaker 1: you know, which is normal, I guess, in the social 480 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:13,680 Speaker 1: media era of of NBA basketball, that Steph Curry gets 481 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: more than your average superstar, that he is too frequently 482 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: by too many people perceived to be not even among 483 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 1: the top tier of superstars in the league, and that 484 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:31,479 Speaker 1: he is incredibly painfully underrated. And for the record, I 485 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: agree with them. I think that step is painfully underrated. 486 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:37,159 Speaker 1: I think he's the second best player in the league, 487 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:40,360 Speaker 1: and I think that he's the twelve or thirteen best 488 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,160 Speaker 1: player of all time. And I am a hundred percent 489 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: of believer in what he does to impact winning night 490 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 1: in and night out, and I believe he deserves that recognition. 491 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 1: But I think there is a reason why there are 492 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: so many people that don't agree with me on that, 493 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,280 Speaker 1: and the reason why Steph has so many detractors in 494 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 1: the world, And it's a simples alt of the fact 495 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:06,400 Speaker 1: that there's just a lot of question marks surrounding steps 496 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:14,679 Speaker 1: individual impact in in his UH championship pursuit over the 497 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: last decade. And when I say question marks, I don't 498 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:21,880 Speaker 1: mean that you know, you can't possibly reach any sort 499 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,720 Speaker 1: of conclusion. I'm just saying that there it is possible 500 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: to interpret some of the things that have happened to 501 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 1: him over the past decade as not a result to him. 502 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 1: And I would say that those people are wrong, but 503 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 1: I'm saying there's a reason why they've reached that conclusion. 504 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: The reality is these are facts. Now. In two thousand fifteen, 505 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: Steph Curry benefited from a great deal of injury luck 506 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 1: on the way to winning a championship. He played amazing. 507 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 1: He apt in my book, he was the finals MVP. 508 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: In my book, he was a champion. But there are 509 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 1: a lot of people who look at that playoff run 510 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 1: and go, hey, you somehow skipped out on Chris Paul. 511 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: You have somehow skipped out on Kyrie Irving. You know, 512 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:06,399 Speaker 1: even in those other matchups, there were some injuries that 513 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 1: played a role. Like okay, like but let's see what happens. 514 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 1: And then two thousand sixteen comes along and he loses, 515 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 1: and then Kevin Durant comes into the picture and they 516 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:22,200 Speaker 1: win twice rather handily, but Kevin Durant was in the picture. 517 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: Then two thousand nineteen comes around, Kevin Durank gets hurt 518 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:31,359 Speaker 1: and they end up losing. And then comes around and 519 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: Clay Thompson's out all season and he's broken down with 520 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 1: injury all year, and they end up missing the playoffs. 521 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 1: The point is, if you're a smart basketball fan who 522 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 1: is watching the games and you see Steph Curry's impact, 523 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: you can reach the conclusion that it's obvious, in my opinion, 524 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 1: that he is largely responsible for the success of that franchise. 525 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 1: Over the last decade and undercutting that as silly. But 526 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: the reality is there is a whole lot of evidence 527 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: that a lot of things have broken Steph Curry's way, 528 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 1: and just from a shallow perspective looking at it without 529 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: really digging into deep And I've said the same thing 530 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: about Kevin Durant, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry, both of 531 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 1: them when they decided to join forces, given the amount 532 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 1: of talent that was already on that Golden State roster, 533 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:27,720 Speaker 1: they added confusion, a lack of clarity to their standing 534 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 1: in the league. When you do it on a more 535 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:33,960 Speaker 1: traditional contender, when you do it on a team that's 536 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:36,640 Speaker 1: one of the best teams in the league instead of 537 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: ten times better than every other team in the league, 538 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 1: it's really easy for folks to point at it and say, hey, 539 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 1: look like that guy is clearly the best player in 540 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:50,200 Speaker 1: the league. There's a reason why Lebron haters sounds so 541 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 1: silly when they start trying to tear him down. There 542 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 1: is so much evidence, in so many circumstances, on so 543 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 1: many different rosters, that he's gonna that he's capable of 544 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 1: winning a championship. Give him a broken down Dwyane Wade 545 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 1: and Chris Bosh he can win a title. Give him 546 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 1: kind of flawed superstars and and Kevin Kevin Love and 547 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving. He can win a title. Give him a 548 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 1: stretch big like Anthony Davis, who is one of the 549 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 1: best defensive players in the league and a gifted offensive player. 550 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 1: He can win a championship. Give him bad rosters, he 551 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 1: can carry him to the NBA Finals. There are all 552 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:31,240 Speaker 1: of these different examples in his career that takes away 553 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 1: the fog. It has a It leaves a clarity surrounding 554 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 1: his career that makes it obvious what his impact is. 555 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: Whereas with Steph Curry because of the great deal of 556 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:48,200 Speaker 1: good fortune. Every star benefits from some amount of good 557 00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 1: fortune over the course of their career. That's how they 558 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:54,240 Speaker 1: end up in the pantheon of NBA greats. But Steph 559 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 1: Curry's good fortune that he encountered is at another level. 560 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: It's not very often that you can win a championship 561 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 1: where all of the best teams lose their lose core 562 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 1: star rotation pieces. It's not very often that you can 563 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: already have a championship contending roster like the Lakers, and 564 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: then add to that a perennial MVP candidate who's one 565 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 1: of the eleven or twelve best players of all time 566 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 1: in the heat of his prime, and add him to 567 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:27,760 Speaker 1: that mix those sorts of things. When you make that 568 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 1: decision to play together and that circumstance, you take away 569 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 1: some of the clarity of your own impact. Now, I 570 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 1: say props to step Curry, because that shows you that 571 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 1: he cares so much more about winning that he doesn't 572 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:49,200 Speaker 1: even care about his individual accolades to the extent that 573 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 1: he would willingly look at that situation and go, If 574 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:54,520 Speaker 1: I had Kevin Durant, people might think he's the best 575 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 1: player on this team. If I had Kevin Durant, people 576 00:31:57,320 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: are going to think, I, you know, ran from a 577 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: with the Cleveland Cavaliers. If I had Kevin Durant, it's 578 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:09,000 Speaker 1: going to diminish what my personal legacy might show in 579 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 1: the eyes of many. And he did it anyway, because 580 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 1: all he cares about is winning. All I'm saying is 581 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:20,440 Speaker 1: that's what happened. Making that decision diminished some of the 582 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: clarity surrounding his own personal individual greatness, and as a result, 583 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,880 Speaker 1: you have an army of mouth breathers out there who 584 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,600 Speaker 1: aren't really watching the games, who don't really see what 585 00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: Steph Curry brings to the table, and they use that 586 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 1: as an example to undercut what he has done in 587 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 1: his career. Obviously, Steph is talented enough to carry this 588 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: limited Warriors team and a stacked Western Conference to the playoffs. 589 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 1: I absolutely think he's capable of that. But the reason 590 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 1: why you're gonna have all these guys saying he can't 591 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 1: is because they haven't seen it yet, because he's had 592 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 1: such a good run of fortune over this stretch of 593 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 1: his career, and a lot of those folks never watched 594 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 1: him back in with Jared Jack and a baby Clay 595 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 1: Thompson and a baby Draymond Green carry that team to 596 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:09,479 Speaker 1: win a to within a couple of wins of knocking 597 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: off the Spurs. They weren't even watching him back then. 598 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:14,880 Speaker 1: They don't understand all the things that he's done, and 599 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:17,200 Speaker 1: that's how you end up with this type of scenario 600 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: where you've got all of these guys that are massively 601 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 1: undercutting one of the twelve best players ever. I think 602 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 1: it's really unfortunate. Hopefully it goes away here over the 603 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 1: next few years, as Steph puts together a couple more, 604 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 1: you know, championship level campaigns, best player in the world 605 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 1: level campaigns, maybe some of that doubt will leave. But 606 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:41,680 Speaker 1: that's that's why we are where we are. And what's 607 00:33:41,680 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 1: gonna be really unfortunate. And I've talked about this on 608 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:47,720 Speaker 1: Twitter a few times over the past couple over the 609 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 1: past week. There's some danger here in this Warriors team. 610 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:58,719 Speaker 1: Warriors team, there's some danger here that it could end 611 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 1: up going like the two thousand nine teen Lakers. You've 612 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 1: got a lot of young players. I know, Andrew Wiggins 613 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 1: has been in the league while, but he's still pretty young. 614 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:11,960 Speaker 1: And this center they picked up, I'm I'm blinking on 615 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:15,000 Speaker 1: his name right now, um, but with the number two 616 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 1: overall pick, it's a really really young player. And then 617 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:21,759 Speaker 1: you've got a bunch of young role players and your 618 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:25,240 Speaker 1: only veterans on the roster. It's basically it's basically Draymond 619 00:34:25,280 --> 00:34:28,000 Speaker 1: Green and Steph are the veterans on the roster. Brad 620 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:31,480 Speaker 1: Wannamaker is really young, Kelly you Bre is really young. 621 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 1: There's a lot of youth on that roster. It's a 622 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:38,160 Speaker 1: lot like that's twenty nineteen Lakers team. So if Steph Curry, 623 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:40,560 Speaker 1: who has shown a tendency to be banged up in 624 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:42,960 Speaker 1: his career. He's missed a lot of games in almost 625 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:46,680 Speaker 1: every single season outside of maybe two thousand seventeen. The 626 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:49,600 Speaker 1: reality is he might miss some games, and if he 627 00:34:49,640 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 1: has a lebron esque season where he misses games, he 628 00:34:55,640 --> 00:35:00,520 Speaker 1: misses fifteen games, that team will miss the playoffs. Because 629 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:04,360 Speaker 1: that's what happens in the Western Conference with how talented 630 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:06,879 Speaker 1: all the teams are. From one to this year, it's 631 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 1: like one to fourteen, But back in there were you know, 632 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 1: eleven or twelve really really talented teams. You just you 633 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 1: need your best guys to be there every night or 634 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:17,960 Speaker 1: it's not gonna be enough for you to get there. 635 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:21,040 Speaker 1: And what's gonna be really unfortunate, and I'd say that 636 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:24,520 Speaker 1: there's roughly a coin flip chance of this happening is 637 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:26,919 Speaker 1: if Steph Curry has another season where he's pretty banged 638 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:31,280 Speaker 1: up and they end up missing the playoffs. That army 639 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:35,320 Speaker 1: of voices that has undercut Steph Curry for his entire career, 640 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 1: based on all of the things that I just said, 641 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:40,760 Speaker 1: those people are just going to continue to get louder 642 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 1: and louder, and I think that that's really unfortunate. Alrighty, 643 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:50,080 Speaker 1: so um, I am still working on scheduling with Raj. 644 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:52,759 Speaker 1: You guys know him as unwritten rules on on here. 645 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:56,319 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get him on next week and we're gonna 646 00:35:56,400 --> 00:35:58,799 Speaker 1: break down each of the Laker off season moves in 647 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 1: a little more depth. Is one of my favorites. I 648 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,440 Speaker 1: think he's a really really smart guy. He really breaks 649 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 1: down a lot of film. He's uh one of the 650 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 1: nerds that I think brings great perspective. And I say 651 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:14,279 Speaker 1: basketball nerd as a as a complimentary, uh term, but 652 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:16,239 Speaker 1: I'm really looking forward to breaking some down some of 653 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:19,040 Speaker 1: these moves with him. I'm still planning on doing my 654 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:21,839 Speaker 1: special Star Wars breakdown. It's just a holiday week has 655 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:23,840 Speaker 1: been a little crazy, and then, like I said, me 656 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: catching COVID kind of threw everything off. But we'll get 657 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,759 Speaker 1: to that next week as well. And then NBA training 658 00:36:29,840 --> 00:36:31,959 Speaker 1: camps are starting, and I'm pretty sure that we're gonna 659 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:34,879 Speaker 1: have a Laker preseason game here within the next couple 660 00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:37,439 Speaker 1: of weeks, so we'll have some liquor basketball to break 661 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:41,759 Speaker 1: down soon. But anyway, as always, I really really appreciate 662 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 1: all of you for your support and for your listening 663 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:48,160 Speaker 1: and just continue to stay tuned to my Twitter feed 664 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:49,719 Speaker 1: and let you know when I plan on doing another 665 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:53,759 Speaker 1: one of these. Look out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, in 666 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 1: YouTube as well. I'll tweet out the links if you 667 00:36:56,880 --> 00:36:58,399 Speaker 1: missed part of this show and you want to see 668 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,960 Speaker 1: the whole thing. All right, guy, happy, have a happy Thanksgiving. 669 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:05,240 Speaker 1: Like I said, be careful, it's not worth catching covid. 670 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:07,839 Speaker 1: I can promise you that. Enjoy the rest of your 671 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:09,399 Speaker 1: week and I will talk to you guys next week.