1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: The volume. All right, Well, good to Hoops tonight. Here 2 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: at the volume heavy Wednesday, everybody. Hope all you guys 3 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: are having a great week. We are continuing our season 4 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: previews series today with the Southwest Division. This is the 5 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: weirdest division that I've covered in this six episode series. 6 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: Every one of these teams has like kind of an 7 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 1: imbalanced roster that has at least very interesting talent, very 8 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,919 Speaker 1: young talent with upside or insane amounts of talent that 9 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: might be misbalanced with teams like Dallas or Houston, for example, 10 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: lots of interesting stuff to get into. Will be hitting 11 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: on all five of those teams today. You guys are 12 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: the joke before we started. Subscribed to Hoops to not 13 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: YouTube channel, so you don't miss any more of our videos. 14 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter and underscore JCNLT so you guys 15 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: don't miss show announcements. Don't forget about a podcast feed 16 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: wherever get your podcast under Hoops Tonight. It's super helpful 17 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: if you leave a rating and a review on that front. 18 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: Jackson's doing great work on our social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, 19 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: and TikTok. Make sure you guys follow us there. In 20 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: the last but not least you want to keep getting 21 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: questions into our mail bags. Drop them in our full 22 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: episodes on YouTube in the YouTube comments right mail bag 23 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: with the colon writes your question. We'll get to them 24 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: on our mailbags throughout the remainder of this season. We'll 25 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: be doing our next mail bag next week, so get 26 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: your questions in. We'll get to it at that point. 27 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,479 Speaker 1: We're gonna start today with the Houston Rockets. They lost 28 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: Steelon Brooks, Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore, Jock Landale, and essentially 29 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 1: Fred Van Vliet for this season because of an ACL tear. 30 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 1: They added Kevin Freakin, Durant, Dorian Finney Smith. I rooted 31 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: for Dorian last year with the Lakers. He's a reliable 32 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: catch and shoot guy when he's open. He's a very 33 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 1: good team defender that plays hard every night, is always 34 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: in the right spot. It's a good leader, just a 35 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: really nice rotation player. The biggest limitations I noticed last year. 36 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: You don't want him putting the ball on the floor. 37 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: That can be an adventure. It's better to just keep 38 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: him in standstill catch and shoot situations. And if you 39 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: close out on him hard, he can struggle to shoot 40 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: his jumper gets a little squarely against those more intense contests. 41 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: Just something to keep in mind. But again, as just 42 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: a rotation player, I think he's a really solid option 43 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: and a nice pickup for Houston, especially a Houston team 44 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: that needed shooting right Clint Appella as Houston continues to 45 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: load up the front court for a potential matchup with 46 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,959 Speaker 1: the Nuggets, beyond even just potentially that you've got the 47 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: ability to get rid of one of those two guys, 48 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: whether Clint or Steven Adams at some point during the 49 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: season if you needed to use them for trade filler, 50 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: you still have Shane Gun and you have a good 51 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: second center option in case you needed to go with 52 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: a two big look at some point in time. So 53 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: valuable to ads center depth there. And then Joshakog classic 54 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: kind of like d M three wing who's better at 55 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: the defensive end than he is at the shooting part, 56 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,519 Speaker 1: but a high motor athlete can't have enough of those 57 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,639 Speaker 1: in the NBA regular season. Also fits Houston's identity really well. 58 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,040 Speaker 1: Let's start with Fred Van Vliet injury. This was a 59 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: huge bummer, as I've talked about throughout the summer, the 60 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: biggest on paper weakness for this new Houston roster was 61 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: ball handling. You have two experienced, high volume NBA ball 62 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 1: handlers on the entire roster between Kevin Durant and Fred 63 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,839 Speaker 1: Van Vliet. Shanegud is obviously a player that you can 64 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: play offense through, but he's not a guy that's going 65 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: to necessarily help with ball handling duties and just heavy 66 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 1: like handling, ball pressure, getting the ball at the four, 67 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: possession after possession after possession, and that's a specific weakness 68 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: that could become an issue versus a team like Oklahoma 69 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: City we just talked about, for like a potential Denver matchup, 70 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: you want to have a deep center rotation and the 71 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: ability to go to a too big look. That's something 72 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: that Houston does have in their bag to potentially deal 73 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: with Jokich. But the problem with Oklahoma City is they 74 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: present you with a very different problem. It's ball pressure, 75 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: physicality on the perimeter, forcing turnovers. That is where this 76 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: injury could become a massive problem because without Bread, that 77 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: basically just leaves Kevin as your only experienced high volume 78 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: NBA ball handler. And as amazing as Kevin Durant is, 79 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: if there's one or two things he struggled with in 80 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: his career. One of them has been physical ball pressure. 81 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 1: He can turn the ball over in situations like that 82 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: from time to time throughout his career. So again, this 83 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: is a devastating loss for Houston. I had this team 84 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: as firmly third in the top tier contender list, but 85 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: I had them in the top tier contender list, and 86 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: I think you have to drop them at this point, 87 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: at least pending whatever they could get done. Right, So 88 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 1: there's a short term way of looking at this, and 89 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: there's a long term way of looking at this. In 90 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: the short term, because of all their free agent signings 91 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: that they made this summer and the guys that they 92 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 1: probably would not want to trade, they can't really make 93 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: a trade until December fifteenth, and to make matters worse, 94 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 1: as far as I understand, I don't think they can 95 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: even make a veteran minimum signing at this point without 96 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: causing restrictions in their flight ability down the line. Now 97 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,119 Speaker 1: there's an upside there. It'll stop them from doing something 98 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 1: foolish like signing Russell Westbrook. And in all the ways 99 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 1: that Russell was a perfect basketball fit with Denver, I 100 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: think he would be an awful basketball fit on this 101 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: Houston Rockets team, So probably a good thing that they're 102 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: not able to go that route. But they're gonna have 103 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: to start this season with the current group that they have, 104 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 1: and that means a lot of emphasis on shot creation 105 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 1: for guys like Kevin Durant and Albern Shangoun and a 106 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 1: lot of pressure on Aaron Holliday and Reed Shepherd to 107 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: handle the basketball. Now we talked about this early in 108 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: the summer, but in the half court, I think when 109 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: it comes down to what they will have in terms 110 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: of reliable action, not like cutesy things they can run. 111 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,160 Speaker 1: There's gonna be a lot of things they run, right 112 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 1: Like you're gonna have Reed Shepherd get his opportunities to 113 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: run ball screen solo, Aaron Holliday, a Men Thompson's gonna 114 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: get all sorts of different types of opportunities to attack 115 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: off the bounce and out of screening action. There's gonna 116 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 1: be other stuff that they run. But in terms of 117 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 1: like here are bread and butter, reliable actions that we 118 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:07,919 Speaker 1: know will work night to night in the NBA, I 119 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: think they're gonna have to lean a lot on Kevin 120 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: Durant pick and roll because they're light on ball handling, 121 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: So they need to create really simple sequences that their 122 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: role players can finish. So, for instance, just imagine typical 123 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,719 Speaker 1: spacing read Shepherd on the opposite wing. You've got you know, 124 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: Jabari Smith or Dorian Phinney Smith in one of the corners. 125 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: So one of the Smith's in one of the corners, 126 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 1: Amn Thompson in the opposite corner, and Shangoon's setting a 127 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: ball screen. Right, that sets up very basic simple reads. 128 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: If Kevin Durant can score coming off the ball screen, 129 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: he needs to look to score. He's the best scorer 130 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:49,600 Speaker 1: in the NBA. Pure score right. But if Reed Shepherd's 131 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: man pinches down off the opposite wing into nail help 132 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: swing pass reach, Shepherd can either shoot the three or 133 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: drive the closed out. If Shane Guon's man steps up 134 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: to the level, that's a short roll pass over the 135 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:04,160 Speaker 1: top to Shangoon. Katie's got good size, he can pass 136 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 1: over the top. Shangguon catches in the middle of the floor. 137 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: It's a simple three on two read right like it's 138 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: going to be either a kickout to one of the 139 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: Smiths in the corner, a drop off to a men 140 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: Thompson cutting along the baseline or Shanguon getting into the 141 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: middle of the floor for a little floater looking to 142 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: score if nobody picks him up right. That is a 143 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: simple progression of Reeds with guys in spots where they 144 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: can be effective. Reed Shepherd can hit above the break threes, 145 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: the Smiths can hit corner threes. A men Thompson can 146 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: cut out of the out of the corner and be 147 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: a vertical spacer on the baseline, something we saw plenty 148 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: of last year. And Shangun can play out of the 149 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 1: short role. Kevin Durant can score out of ball screens 150 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: if they switch alprin Shangun can beat a defender that's 151 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: set up for Kevin Durant's probably not big and strong 152 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: enough to handle Shangoon. A defender that's big and strong 153 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: enough to handle Shangoon is probably not fast enough or 154 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: nimble enough on the perimeter to handle a guy like 155 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant. That is what they're going to be leaning 156 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: on for bread and butter early in the season. That 157 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: in Shangon post ups like yeah again, They're gonna see 158 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff. You'll see Kevin Durant scoring off 159 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: the ball. You'll come off of off ball screens. He'll 160 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: play out of the high post. You'll see you know, 161 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: a Men Thompson screening for Kevin Durant instead of Shanegoon. 162 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: You'll see Javari Smith has a little bit of an 163 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 1: ISO game. You'll see him play out of the high post. 164 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: You'll see him play out of the low post. You'll 165 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: see all these guys get their different opportunities throughout as 166 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: they're just trying to find ways to squeeze out additional 167 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: offense throughout the early part of the season. But the 168 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: majority of their reliable offense is going to have to 169 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: come down to Kevin Durant, pick and roll in Alpern 170 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:41,839 Speaker 1: Shangoon operating out of the post. So that's what they're 171 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 1: gonna have to lean on until December fifteenth. Again, the 172 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: other side of this too, I'm just talking about half 173 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: court offense. This is a Houston team that thrived with 174 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:58,199 Speaker 1: physical ball pressure and defense forcing turnovers getting out in transition, 175 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: very similar to what Oklahoma City did. Houston should be 176 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 1: looking to avoid the half court as much as possible 177 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: so that they can leverage their athleticism, which is a 178 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: strength of the roster, rather than their ball handling, which 179 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 1: is a weakness of the roster, defending, forcing turnovers, getting 180 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: long rebounds off of those long misses, running the floor 181 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: with guys like Amn, Tari Easton, Jabari Smith, etc. Get 182 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: your athletes in the open floor as much as possible. 183 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: But I think this story eventually ends with the Rockets 184 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: making a mid season trade for some kind of guard. 185 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: I think the roster is worth the investment. I think 186 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: they've got a talented enough roster to compete. And Kevin 187 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: Durant's gonna be thirty seven years old. He is thirty 188 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 1: seven years old, so time is of the essence. The 189 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 1: question is are there any guards that make sense for 190 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: the Rockets to target? And the good news is they 191 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: have tons of draft picks, so that helps. I want 192 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: to cast a really wide net here on purpose. So 193 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna come up with some names here in the 194 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: mix of this list that are gonna be long shots. 195 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: But again, we don't know how this season is going 196 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: to develop. We don't know which guys will become available, 197 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: we don't know which direction this is going to go. 198 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: So I think a wide net is for the best. 199 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 1: I heard a lot of talk of a guy like 200 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: Derek White Jackson, and I were talking about this the 201 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: other day. Like, I love Derek White. I think he's 202 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: an awesome player. He's certainly gonna be able to make 203 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: any team better that trades for him. But I wouldn't 204 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,199 Speaker 1: exactly consider him to be a professional ball handler. I 205 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: think he's a super versatile two way guard that can 206 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: also handle the basketball a little bit. But like as 207 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 1: a cheaper option that wouldn't cost as much as Derek White, 208 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: Like I like a guy like Peyton Pritchard. He's been 209 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,439 Speaker 1: dying to have that type of role on an NBA team. 210 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: Kobe White is a name that I thought about. Chicago 211 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: hasn't extended him yet. Obviously, he had an awesome end 212 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 1: to last season. We talked about that the other day. 213 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,559 Speaker 1: Maybe Chicago wants to retain him, but maybe you can 214 00:10:56,760 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 1: entice them. Maybe Chicago's not completely in love with White, 215 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: and maybe you can entice them with some draft picks 216 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: to let him go in a trade that could give 217 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: you potentially the skill guard of the future for Rockets basketball, 218 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: a much more reliable over the top shooter than some 219 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 1: of the other pick and roll options that you've had 220 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: in recent years. I also think you could get it 221 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: done without having to give up too much. Like if 222 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: you believe again, you'd have to believe in Kobe White 223 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: long term in order to do this. But if you 224 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 1: believe in Kobe White long term, reed Shepherd in a 225 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: pick probably gets it done. You can probably entice Chicago 226 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 1: to let go of Kobe White. Now you have a 227 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: guy that can slide right into your offense average in 228 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: the mid twenties on good efficiency because he's a good 229 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: pull up shooter and a guy that provides a secondary 230 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 1: ball handler, a reliable secondary ball handler off of Kevin Durrant. 231 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: That's an option again, long shot, but I'm trying to 232 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 1: cast a wide net here. Tyler Harrow is an interesting 233 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: name that I've seen thrown around. Another guy a reasonable 234 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 1: salary to try to match, a guy who can really 235 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: play over the top, a guy who's grown a lot 236 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,679 Speaker 1: as a passer over the course of the last couple 237 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:08,959 Speaker 1: of years. Demarta Rosen was a guy I saw like 238 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: a middling salary, a guy that you could literally just 239 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 1: you could probably get him with just Fred van Vliet 240 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,679 Speaker 1: and like a protected first round pick or something along 241 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: those lines. Demarta Rosen is a guy that like excels 242 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: at shooting over the top, which is something that would 243 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 1: be valuable in a Houston team that would struggle to 244 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: space the floor. And he's a high level playmaking talent. 245 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: He's good at making reads and getting the defense into rotation. 246 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 1: He's a guy that I think would be worth taking 247 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: a look at. Buy out guys that could come around 248 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: in February, Guys like CJ. McCollum, Guys like Chris Middleton. 249 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: I don't know who it will end up being, but 250 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 1: I do think Houston should go for it this year 251 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:46,440 Speaker 1: by trading for a ball handler at some point in 252 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: time in the middle of the season. Now, looking at 253 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: the big picture for Houston, even with the Rockets losing 254 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 1: Fred Van Vliet, I still fully expect him to be 255 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,080 Speaker 1: one of those second tier teams in the West. So 256 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,199 Speaker 1: like in that mix with the Lakers and the Clippers 257 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: and the Warriors and the Wolves, they have a strong foundation, 258 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 1: a deep center rotation led by Shangun who I think 259 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: he has the potential to have a big time breakout 260 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:09,320 Speaker 1: season this year. I've talked about this a lot. He 261 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: was the guy last year that on tape had me 262 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:15,319 Speaker 1: like on my laptop in the morning watch drinking coffee, 263 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: being like Wow, he's whipping that guy's ass right now. 264 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 1: Like I said that more about Shangoon than any other 265 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: player last year. Like shang Gun, I wouldn't be like 266 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: I don't think it's completely out of the realm of 267 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: possibility that he could make an All NBA team this year. 268 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:32,719 Speaker 1: That's how good Shangun is capable of being. I don't 269 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: think he's there yet, but that is a potential outcome 270 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,080 Speaker 1: for him this season. Kevin Durant still one of the 271 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 1: second tier superstars in the league, excellent two way player. 272 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 1: You have a depth of young athletes on the wing, 273 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 1: really high upside players like a Men Thompson who could 274 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 1: potentially pop into a very high level offensive player this year. 275 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: And you have the strong identity, the identity of physicality 276 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 1: and toughness defense to transition all that stuff that carried 277 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: you last year as you were near the top of 278 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: the Western Conference. That gives you more that helps you 279 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 1: win night tonight. I don't think they'll end up with 280 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: the top seed anymore, like I don't think they'll be 281 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:09,559 Speaker 1: the second or third seed. Even beyond the stuff with 282 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: the ball handling that we've discussed, I also think they'll 283 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:13,959 Speaker 1: feel the loss of Dylan Brooks and Jalen Green. There. 284 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 1: Those guys were every night ers. Those two dudes. I 285 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: think Jalen played all eighty two and I think Dylan 286 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: played seventy five games, and they were just there every night, 287 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: just playing super hard, and they were a big part 288 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: of the identity of the team. Jalen Green say what 289 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: you want, That dude poured in a lot of points 290 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: on a nightly basis for that Rockets team. So I 291 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: think missing those guys will also hurt them in the 292 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: regular season context. So insummation, I see them as somewhere 293 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: in like the four to six range in the standings 294 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: for most of the season, and honestly, it's impossible to 295 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: know what kind of playoff ceiling they will have until 296 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: they finish whatever that midseason trade ends up being, which 297 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: we'll see when the time comes. If they don't make 298 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 1: a trade, I think they're a first round exit, second 299 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 1: round exit. Like absolute ceiling. I just think that that 300 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: lack of ball handling would be a death sentence, especially 301 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: with some of those specific types of matchups you could 302 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: run into in the Western Conference. Today's show is brought 303 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 1: to you by our new presenting sponsor, hard Rock Bet 304 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: the NBA season is right around the corner, and we're 305 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: incredibly excited. Haven't placed your first bet yet? Now is 306 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 1: the perfect time. 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Concerned about gambling in Florida, call one eight 327 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: eight eight admit it. In Indiana, if you or someone 328 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 329 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: one eight hundred and nine with it. Gambling problem called 330 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: one eight hundred gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, 331 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: or Virginia. The Dallas Mavericks quick offseason recap. They lost 332 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: Spencer Dinwoodie Kessler Edwards and Olivia Maxion's prosper They added 333 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 1: Cooper Flag the number one overall pick. Dangela Russell I 334 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: covered d Lo very closely with the Lakers, obviously as 335 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: a Lakers fan. He's James harden Light not a guy 336 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: that you want to depend on in playoff rotation. But 337 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: I do think that he's an incredibly underrated regular season 338 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 1: players as the playoff stuff. It's the same kind of thing. 339 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 1: He makes too many defensive mistakes and he struggles on 340 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: offense when the physicality and intensity go up a level 341 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 1: on the offensive end of the floor. Though. The reason 342 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 1: why he's such an underrated regular season player is he 343 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: just can run NBA offense. He can run pick and roll, 344 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,239 Speaker 1: and he can score and make the reads out of it. 345 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:30,439 Speaker 1: He can generate quality shots for your team. With the Lakers, 346 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: he was always the best guy at getting the ball 347 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 1: to Anthony Davis on the role With Lebron, teams mostly 348 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 1: just switched it, so it kind of neutralized that action 349 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: in many cases, and Austin just isn't as good as 350 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 1: a passer as D'Angel Russell was, so like, I expect 351 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: him to be a guy to help unlock Anthony Davis offensively. 352 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,400 Speaker 1: I thought it was a really just savvy move from 353 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: that front office. And it looks like he's going to 354 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 1: start the season as the starting point guard, so they're 355 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 1: gonna need d Low to be good. And again, like, 356 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 1: as long as that can be addressed at some point 357 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 1: during the season, whether that's Kyrie Irving turning at some 358 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:04,399 Speaker 1: point or that's a trade that balances the roster to 359 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: bring in another ball handler, I am perfectly fine with 360 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,480 Speaker 1: d Angela Russell being my starting point guard in the 361 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 1: regular season because I think he's a good floor raising 362 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:17,640 Speaker 1: offensive talent in the NBA regular season. They also added 363 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: Dennis Smith for more depth in ball handling. This is 364 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 1: one of the most talented rosters in the league, just 365 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:29,120 Speaker 1: in a very unbalanced kind of way, right, Like, let 366 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 1: me just read these names. This is their top nine players. 367 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, PJ. Washington, Derek Lively, 368 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: Max Christie, who I think is really good covered him 369 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,639 Speaker 1: with the Lakers two, Daniel Gafford, D'angela Russell, and Njie Marshall. 370 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: That's a sick top nine. That's a lot of really 371 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 1: good players. It's just that three of those dudes are 372 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:54,919 Speaker 1: centers and only one of those dudes is actually a 373 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: professional ball handler, and ideally he'd be coming off the 374 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:01,360 Speaker 1: bench for you. It makes this such a funky kind 375 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: of situation going on in Dallas. In many ways, I 376 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: think Cooper Flag and Anthony Davis are going to be 377 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: the key to the offensive end of the floor. Cooper's 378 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 1: gonna have to handle the ball a ton because they're 379 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: light on ball handling. Dallas straight up asked him to 380 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: do that in summer league. I was there, I got 381 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:19,400 Speaker 1: to see it in person, and like, honestly, I was impressed. 382 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: I was impressed by the way he handled ball pressure. 383 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: I was impressed by his willingness to take simple reads 384 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:26,159 Speaker 1: that were available to him. I think that's such a 385 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 1: key to game management and high level ball handling in 386 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 1: the NBA. But obviously at the NBA level it gets 387 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: different once you actually go from summer league to the 388 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: real NBA. It's different. His shot making, for instance, in 389 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: Vegas was so so and inconsistent. He'll need to learn 390 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: quickly on the job there. That's going to be a 391 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:46,159 Speaker 1: big swing. And for Anthony Davis, it's very important that 392 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: he's able to play the four because otherwise you won't 393 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: be able to find minutes for their center rotation. Like 394 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: if Ad can't find a way to play the four, 395 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: then you got to get rid of want of Gafford 396 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: or Lively. It's just a waste of talent on that 397 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 1: particular roster, right. But that's going to require Anthony Davis 398 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 1: to reach a certain level of offensive polish that he 399 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: just hasn't really shown since the bubble. So all eyes 400 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: in the early season are going to be on Cooper 401 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,399 Speaker 1: Flag and Anthony Davis and their overall offensive polish and 402 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:16,919 Speaker 1: how well they can handle their elevated roles on that 403 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 1: side of the floor compared to what they've dealt with 404 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 1: in recent years. The lack of roster balance is probably 405 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:26,479 Speaker 1: what will take them directly to a first round exit. Like, 406 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:29,479 Speaker 1: even if Kyrie Irving returns, it's hard to believe they 407 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 1: can beat the top teams in the West with their 408 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: lack of overall playmaking. But make no mistake, this is 409 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: still going to be a super fun team to watch 410 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,679 Speaker 1: and they're going to win a lot of regular season games. 411 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 1: They can take so many different shapes that can go small, 412 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: like the Lakers lineups with like DLO and Max Christy 413 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 1: in the backcourt, Anthony Davis at the five, Klay Thompson 414 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,919 Speaker 1: and Cooper Flag in the middle. They can go huge 415 00:20:56,080 --> 00:21:00,479 Speaker 1: with Derek Lively, Anthony Davis, Cooper Flag, Klay Thompson, and 416 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: like switch everything with that two through four. Even d LO, 417 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: if you have to play him with those groups and 418 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: you need to leave him on an island and switches, 419 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:14,159 Speaker 1: you're backing him up with three ridiculously rangy athletes. So like, 420 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 1: if you're gonna play a certain type of switching defense. 421 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: It would work with d Lo in that situation better 422 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,479 Speaker 1: than it would work anywhere else. Like they're even if 423 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 1: they deal with some injuries, they are just so deep 424 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 1: with defensive talent that they're almost certainly going to be 425 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: a top five defense in the league. I would be 426 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: stunned if they didn't lead the league in points in 427 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: the paint defense or block shots like. They're going to 428 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 1: cause massive problems with their rangey, length and athleticism in 429 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 1: the front court for teams. Their ceiling if you want 430 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: something more than a first round exit, which is what 431 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: it feels destined for, and maybe second round if Kyrie 432 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 1: can come back. For them to have a ceiling beyond that, 433 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 1: it's going to come down to them pulling off some 434 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: kind of mid season trade. What kind of player or 435 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: players can they get back as they try to balance 436 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: the roster from the kind of like plethora of talent 437 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 1: they have at certain position groups versus the vacancies they 438 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 1: have at other groups. I also think this is going 439 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: to be an interesting test of Jason Kidd. When you 440 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: don't have really high level ball handling that can set 441 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,120 Speaker 1: teams up with it to set your players up with advantages, 442 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 1: then you need to do that schematically. Anthony Davis is 443 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:32,920 Speaker 1: not a guy that has shown really high level shot 444 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: creation in his career. Even just out of the post. 445 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:38,919 Speaker 1: He struggled to handle double teams for the majority of 446 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: his career. So Jason Kidds schematically is going to have 447 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 1: to find ways to make things easier for his ball handlers. 448 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: Get them with an advantage three man action every time 449 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,400 Speaker 1: Cooper or Clay's involved. Get them coming off of multiple 450 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 1: screens so they have an easier chance to get downhill 451 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 1: and weaponize their skill from that point. Help for d 452 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: Lo and ball screens. A lot of double drags, horns, 453 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:04,400 Speaker 1: stack action, anything that gets d Low into a situation 454 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: where it's easier for him to get downhill into the 455 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: paint where he can be a problem with this floater 456 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 1: and his passing ability if he can't get past that 457 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:13,640 Speaker 1: initial defender. It's going to be a lot of tough 458 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,719 Speaker 1: mid rangers and tough contested pull up threes. So, like 459 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: Jason Kidds schematically is going to have a heavier load 460 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: this year in terms of setting this team up with 461 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: the advantages they're going to need with their lack of 462 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 1: like supreme advantage creation if that makes sense. But again, 463 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:28,879 Speaker 1: Dallas is gonna be fun team to watch. They're just 464 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,120 Speaker 1: another one of these really funky teams in this division 465 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: next to San Antonio Spurs. They lost Charles Bassi, Malachi Branham, 466 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:43,159 Speaker 1: Sandra Mamokelos Villike Wesley, and Chris Paul. They had a 467 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: Carter Bryant, who's a D and three wing out of Arizona. 468 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 1: He was one of the most exciting players to watch 469 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: in Summer League. He did a really nice job making 470 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: Cooper Flag work really hard. Again, Cooper handled the ball 471 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: pressure well but I was also impressed by the ball pressure, 472 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 1: if that makes sense. But didn't shoot the ball super 473 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 1: well there, But I like his form, so I think 474 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,199 Speaker 1: it's possible that his long as he just keeps repping 475 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 1: it out, that he can become a reliable three and 476 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: D weapon in the league. Alike to that as a pickup. Also, 477 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: this is a team that kind of needed more of 478 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: like a rangy perimeter forward. It was kind of a 479 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,879 Speaker 1: position that was missing on the roster. Harrison Barnes at 480 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 1: his age more of a four obviously, Jeremy Sohan with 481 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:20,640 Speaker 1: his lack of perimeter shooting abilities more of a four. 482 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 1: So like card Carter Bryant becoming like a legitimate three 483 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:26,000 Speaker 1: and d Wing would be a big swing for San 484 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 1: Antonio's future. They got Dylan Harper, number two pick in 485 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:31,919 Speaker 1: the draft, obviously a super high upside guard. A lot 486 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 1: of people just kind of talk about him as like 487 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: a left handed shake Yaldes Alexander. I see some similarities there, 488 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: but he's super young and super raw, so it's a 489 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: lot of a distance between where he is now and 490 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: whatever that version of him would be. Luke Cornette and 491 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:48,639 Speaker 1: Kelly Olenick we covered this in our player ranking series, 492 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,120 Speaker 1: but I'm actually very optimistic about Dearon Fox and Victor 493 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: wemen Yama and how they fit together on both ends 494 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 1: of the floor. On defense, Victor is this insane ground 495 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 1: covering mistake of racing rim protector, and Darren Fox is 496 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 1: like a fod aggressive turnover forcing guard that can give 497 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 1: up dribble penetration. So I think they're kind of a 498 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 1: natural compliment for each other on that side of the floor. 499 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: Then an offense, I know the handful of reps they 500 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: got last year didn't look great before the injury, but 501 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 1: I'm optimistic for several reasons, Like I think Dearen speed 502 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 1: is just a tough adjustment in terms of getting to 503 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 1: the point where they understand the right timing for how 504 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:28,440 Speaker 1: to run ball screens. It's going to take a lot 505 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:31,160 Speaker 1: of reps for those two to figure that timing out, 506 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 1: like when and where to screen, when and where to roll, 507 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,639 Speaker 1: where Daron Fox is scoring opportunities are. I think that 508 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: will all take time, so like look for them to 509 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 1: start clicking on the offensive end of the floor a 510 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 1: couple of months into the season, not necessarily right away. 511 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 1: The second piece of it is Fox's shot making. He 512 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:49,879 Speaker 1: just had a down year as a shot maker, especially 513 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 1: from three, and I expect him to have a bounce 514 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:55,680 Speaker 1: back season there. That, coupled with internal improvement from Victor, 515 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 1: who I expect to continue to take insane leaps on 516 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 1: the offensive end of the floor, should to a devastating 517 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: two man attack in time. Everything else with san Antonio's 518 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,120 Speaker 1: ball handling, I'm sure will be an adventure. Because they're 519 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 1: also young. Devin Vessel has made strides, especially as a scorer. 520 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 1: He's actually becoming a very nice one on one player. 521 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 1: He's just really good at rising up over the top 522 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: and shooting. He'll get in ISOs at a live dribbles 523 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 1: at the top of the key, and he'll just kind 524 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: of lull the guy to sleep with kind of a 525 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 1: slow dribble and he'll just elevate over the top. He's 526 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,760 Speaker 1: got he can rise in fire going both ways, especially 527 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 1: going over his left shoulders. He can just dribble to 528 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: his spot and even if the defender's there, he'll just 529 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: shoot over the top. He's got a really high release 530 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:36,679 Speaker 1: point and he shoots well over contests, which seems to 531 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 1: seems to work really well for him. He's built out 532 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 1: like a face up game, like a high post like 533 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:43,880 Speaker 1: turn and face triple threat shoot over the top type 534 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 1: of game. He's become an Isottle one on one player, 535 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,720 Speaker 1: but he hasn't really developed into much of a playmaker 536 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: yet at this point in his career. This guy's the 537 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,880 Speaker 1: limit for Stefan Cassel, obviously, but he's still super raw. 538 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: He shot thirty one percent on jump shots last year 539 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 1: and he made less than half of his layups. There's 540 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 1: a lot of high upside there in visual games where 541 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 1: he was awesome. I'm a big believer in him, but 542 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 1: I think we're years away from getting reliably great Stefan 543 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:11,160 Speaker 1: Castle and then Dylan Harper's a rookie. Like for all 544 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 1: of the talk about Victor wiman Yama's individual improvement, I 545 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: had him at seventh in my player ranking, so I'm 546 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 1: a big believer that he's gonna take another leap this 547 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:21,640 Speaker 1: year the Spurs. There's all this talk about the Spurs 548 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 1: as a team like making a leap into the middle 549 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 1: of the pack in the West, and I just don't 550 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:30,239 Speaker 1: think they necessarily have the talent. They're gonna need at 551 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 1: least one of those guards to really pop this year 552 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: if they're gonna make the playoffs. In my opinion, I 553 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: like the backup center rotation. I think Cornett's a good player. 554 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 1: He's got good size, he plays super hard, He's always 555 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: in the right spot, So that makes him like a 556 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: dependable nights to night, high floor kind of guy. In 557 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:49,920 Speaker 1: Victor's ability to shoot the ball makes it so that 558 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: you can play both of them alongside each other. And 559 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 1: then Kelly Olynok basically gives them a true two big 560 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: five out spacing option, and I like that because that's 561 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:01,400 Speaker 1: gonna give Victor all sorts of space in the middle 562 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:03,640 Speaker 1: of the floor to work one on one. We saw 563 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:05,920 Speaker 1: him have a lot of success attacking from the elbows 564 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: last year, So like that's something where I think Kelly 565 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: Olnik will help them have more versatility in ways to 566 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:16,320 Speaker 1: give Victor size while having opportunities to attack. I'm always 567 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,399 Speaker 1: getting yelled at by Spurs fans for not believing in 568 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:20,879 Speaker 1: their team, which sucks because I really want them to 569 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: be good. And like I said, I'm a huge fan 570 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 1: of Victor women Yama. I mean he's even a big 571 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: Star Wars fan. You have to imagine, like, I love Victor, 572 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: I want the best for him. I want the best 573 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:31,959 Speaker 1: for the Spurs. I believe he's going to take a 574 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:35,119 Speaker 1: massive leap this year. But I just don't think this 575 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:37,439 Speaker 1: roster has enough really good players to contend in the 576 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 1: Western Conference. After Deer and Fox and Victor wemen Yama, 577 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 1: it's a lot of flawed basketball players. A lot of 578 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 1: guys with real potential, like real upside, but a lot 579 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 1: of guys that come with big question marks. And again, 580 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 1: when you go to the other teams in the West, 581 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 1: they're just stacked with talent. Like take a random middle 582 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 1: of the West team that everyone views as a second 583 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 1: tier contender, like the Minnesota Timberwolves. They have Anthony Edwards, 584 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:06,800 Speaker 1: Julius Randall, Rudy Gobert, nas Reed, Jayden McDaniels. That's five 585 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 1: really high level players. The Spurs have two really high 586 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: level players. They have guys that can become really high 587 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:18,240 Speaker 1: level players, but right now they have two of them. 588 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 1: So like I just, I literally just impure talent. Don't 589 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:24,200 Speaker 1: think they have what they need to truly threaten, like 590 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:27,160 Speaker 1: to get up above the play in So I think 591 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:30,000 Speaker 1: a successful season for the Spurs would be getting into 592 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: like the seventh or the eighth seed, winning a game there, 593 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: or getting into the ninth or tenth seed, winning two 594 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: games there, and getting into a first round playoff series 595 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: so that we can have a look at Victor women 596 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 1: Yama against a team like Denver Oklahoma City. That I 597 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 1: think would be a win for San Antonio this year 598 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 1: given the talent that they have on this roster. I'm 599 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: also very excited just to see what Victor can accomplish 600 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 1: this year. I put him at seven in our player 601 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 1: rankings because I think he's going to leap into that 602 00:29:57,080 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 1: superstar tier. I think like twenty seven point twelve rebounds, 603 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: five assists, sixty two percent true shooting, five stocks, far 604 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: and away the best defensive player in the league. I 605 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,640 Speaker 1: think that's all on the table for him. That's like 606 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: a real potential outcome, and I think that is going 607 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:15,640 Speaker 1: to be that like benchmark to at least see where 608 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 1: Victor's progressing, even if this roster can't get to where 609 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 1: they need to go yet. All Right, I'm gonna go 610 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 1: a bit quicker on these last two. The Memphis Grizzlies 611 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: lost Marvin Bagley Desmond Baine in the Orlando trade with 612 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: KCP James Huff and Luke Canard. They added Contavio's Callbo 613 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: Pope their lottery pick, with Cedric Coward kind of a 614 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: three and D wing prospect, insanely long arms, a lot 615 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 1: of potential upside there. Ty Jerome. I thought Ty was 616 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 1: the best backup guard in the league. Last year. He 617 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 1: had by far the best floater in the league. He 618 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:47,920 Speaker 1: absolutely torched teams and pick a role, especially to start 619 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 1: fourth quarters, and often he would close the deal before 620 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: Cleveland starters even needed to come in and do the 621 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 1: job themselves. He did flame out rather spectacularly in the playoffs, 622 00:30:56,920 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 1: though his pull up three point shooting completely failed in 623 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 1: His floater completely failed him, and then he got relentlessly 624 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: picked on by Indiana's guards on the other end of 625 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:07,360 Speaker 1: the floor. So if you're a Grizzlies fan and you're 626 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 1: looking for upside here, you're just hoping that that was 627 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 1: an outlier and that he's going to get back to 628 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 1: kicking ass this year, add a little bit of that 629 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 1: extra physicality and athleticism that he needs in the weight 630 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:18,880 Speaker 1: room in order to thrive when he gets to the postseason. 631 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 1: Conditioning is also a big part of that as well. 632 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:23,720 Speaker 1: They also had a jock landale is backup big and 633 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 1: they took a flyer on Olivia Maxon's prosper the athletic 634 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: forward that Dallas let go of that we were just 635 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 1: talking about. It feels like a gap year from Memphis 636 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways, which is disappointing when it 637 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: kind of just feels like they wasted two years in 638 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:41,560 Speaker 1: a row. Last year was bizarre. Pre All Star they 639 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 1: had the fourth best record in the NBA. They had 640 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:45,440 Speaker 1: the fifth best offense in the league and the seventh 641 00:31:45,480 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 1: best defense, a team that we took genuinely seriously as 642 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:50,440 Speaker 1: one of those top eight teams in the league, and 643 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: they were so bad down the stretch that we viewed 644 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 1: them in that eighth seed as like the one team 645 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 1: in the playoff eight that just didn't make sense to 646 00:31:57,560 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: be there. They were twelve and sixteen over their final 647 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 1: twenty eight games, bottom half of the league in both 648 00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 1: offense and defense. The biggest obvious difference between the two 649 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:08,479 Speaker 1: phases of the season was just they changed the way 650 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: they played on offense. They went from John Morant being 651 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 1: at a twenty nine point nine percent usage rate, averaging 652 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 1: about twenty one points per game, not even the leading 653 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: scorer on the team, almost no pick and roll relative 654 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: to what they were running in years past, a lot 655 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: of just like dribble drive attack and it was working 656 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 1: and they kind of just went away from it. Jaw's 657 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:33,000 Speaker 1: usage rate skyrocketed up to thirty three point four post 658 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 1: All Star Break, he averaged twenty seven points per game, 659 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:38,360 Speaker 1: but that that's when they started losing and they ran 660 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 1: a ton more pick and roll. Its crazy stat Jah 661 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 1: didn't shoot out a pick and roll more than ten 662 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 1: times in a game until January thirteenth against Houston, but 663 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 1: then from there he did so eleven times the rest 664 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:53,560 Speaker 1: of the year. So they changed the way they were 665 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:57,960 Speaker 1: playing on offense and it didn't work. It's tough because 666 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 1: on the one hand, I remain a big in John 667 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 1: Murran's core talent. I think he has a legit superstar 668 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 1: foundational skill, the ability to be anyone in the league 669 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 1: off the dribble to get into the paint, and he 670 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 1: combines it with short range scoring, which I always have 671 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 1: placed a ton of value on that short range scoring 672 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 1: because it's reliable late game scoring and John's legitimately great 673 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 1: at it, and there just aren't that many guys in 674 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 1: the league that like legitimately have a foundational superstar level talent. 675 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: Jo's one of those guys. But we're heading into year 676 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 1: seven now, and we're basically heading backwards. Jos declined basically 677 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 1: across the board in four consecutive seasons, so in many ways, 678 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 1: this feels like the last hurrah. If John doesn't come 679 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 1: out this season and show a substantial improvement with real 680 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: superstar upside, I think Memphis is going to have to 681 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 1: look towards the next era of Grizzlies basketball. I mean, 682 00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 1: they basically already are off his trades. Desmond Bain, who's 683 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 1: a better player for Contavious calbwoll Pope. That's basically a 684 00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:08,279 Speaker 1: statement from the front office that they're more interested in 685 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 1: accumulating assets than they are in accumulating talent, at least 686 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:14,840 Speaker 1: when I say when I say talent, I mean veteran 687 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:18,040 Speaker 1: talent that's ready to win now. And that's the thing. 688 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 1: Like KCP would have been that veteran piece to add 689 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 1: to try to win now a couple of years ago. 690 00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: But Desmond Bain is a better basketball player than him, 691 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 1: and Desmond Bain has been a consistent staple for this 692 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:31,240 Speaker 1: Grizzlies team over the years, and they punted on it 693 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:33,719 Speaker 1: this This roster this year is just not as good 694 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: as last year's roster was. And so again, like the 695 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:39,160 Speaker 1: front office is already starting to show those signs, like 696 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:41,799 Speaker 1: they're not pushing chips in to try to make a 697 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 1: run with Jaw, they're making asset related decisions because they're 698 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:49,279 Speaker 1: kind of holding pat to see what Jo's got. And 699 00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 1: so this year is the year. Jow's got to come 700 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:55,160 Speaker 1: out this year and kick ass and remind everybody who 701 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:58,360 Speaker 1: he is, to get this team to remind to remember 702 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:01,920 Speaker 1: that he's worth building around. It is on Jaw. There's 703 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:06,240 Speaker 1: no one else to blame here. The numbers are undeniable. 704 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:09,040 Speaker 1: With his decline over the last few years, he has 705 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:11,880 Speaker 1: to come out and remind everybody what he's capable of 706 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:15,880 Speaker 1: this year. Lastly, the New Orleans Pelicans, they had an 707 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:20,360 Speaker 1: insane amount of roster turnover. They lost Bruce Brown, CJ. McCollum, 708 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: Kelly Olynnock, and a half dozen other young players. They 709 00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:25,720 Speaker 1: added Jordan Poole, and we'll talk about in a minute. 710 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:27,760 Speaker 1: Derek Queen as our lottery pick, a big post player 711 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:30,840 Speaker 1: out of Maryland. Kevon Looney a solid backup center, awesome 712 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 1: screener for a guy like Jordan Poole, and is a 713 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:35,200 Speaker 1: very good rebounder as well. Sadiq Bay a small forward 714 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:38,640 Speaker 1: who have always liked, a big, strong, athletic Ford who 715 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:40,840 Speaker 1: missed last year with the torn acl He's like pretty 716 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:43,160 Speaker 1: good at everything, so I think that he's a good 717 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:45,480 Speaker 1: guy to add into the rotation. And then again a 718 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 1: half dozen other young players, a lot of young player 719 00:35:47,719 --> 00:35:50,000 Speaker 1: turnover on the roster. I want to start with Jordan Poole. 720 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:53,239 Speaker 1: He hasn't been my favorite guard in the league, but 721 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:56,480 Speaker 1: he is a high upside option. I had some Wizards 722 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:58,759 Speaker 1: fans tell me that they've loved how much that he's 723 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:01,800 Speaker 1: matured in his time in Washington and that he actually 724 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,360 Speaker 1: had become a solid leader of the team, and he 725 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 1: had a like really impressive season. Statistically, he ran seven 726 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:10,680 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty six pick and rolls perc entergy and 727 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 1: got one point zero three points per possession including passes. 728 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:16,320 Speaker 1: That's sixty nine percentile. It's pretty impressive on high volume. 729 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:20,560 Speaker 1: He shot thirty nine percent on pull up threes on 730 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: insane volume. He made one hundred and thirty two pull 731 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:27,080 Speaker 1: up threes. That was the eighth most in the entire NBA, 732 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:30,279 Speaker 1: and he shot a higher percentage on those pull up 733 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:32,680 Speaker 1: threes than every one of the seven guys that was 734 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,680 Speaker 1: above him on that list, including Steph Curry, Like he 735 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 1: made one thirty two, Steph made one fifty something, and 736 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:40,400 Speaker 1: Steph was like in the like thirty six and a 737 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:43,040 Speaker 1: half percent, and Jordan Poole was like thirty nine and 738 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 1: a half percent. That's an incredibly impressive stat He was 739 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 1: also fifty nine percent at the rim, which I actually 740 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:50,239 Speaker 1: think is a really impressive number for a player that's 741 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:52,719 Speaker 1: kind of of his slight build. Although I think he's 742 00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:57,440 Speaker 1: an underrated athlete, really enjoyed in our rewatch when we 743 00:36:57,520 --> 00:37:00,320 Speaker 1: watched Game two, Game four of the he does a 744 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:03,160 Speaker 1: twenty two NBA Finals against Boston, Jordan Poole came in 745 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:05,040 Speaker 1: in that first half and just had a scoring burst, 746 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 1: and it was just like a reminder that of like, 747 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:10,319 Speaker 1: he's got a decent track record of getting some big 748 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:13,239 Speaker 1: buckets and big spots for a championship team. I just 749 00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:15,359 Speaker 1: thought this was a really nice talent play for Joe 750 00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 1: Dumars and the Pelicans. You needed some upside, and Jordan 751 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:21,720 Speaker 1: brings upside. Then you have to be excited about Skinny Zion. 752 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:24,480 Speaker 1: Zion showed up for media day looking like he was 753 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:26,279 Speaker 1: in the best shape that he's been in a long time. 754 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:33,440 Speaker 1: And we all know that when Zion is healthy, in shape, fast, quick, explosive, 755 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:35,839 Speaker 1: all of those things, he becomes one of the best 756 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:37,640 Speaker 1: offensive players in the league because no one can keep 757 00:37:37,719 --> 00:37:39,520 Speaker 1: him in front, and he can finish at the rim 758 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:41,960 Speaker 1: at an extremely high rate, and he can pass out 759 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,719 Speaker 1: of help that comes in those situations. So that's super exciting. 760 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,440 Speaker 1: I mean, the Pelicans are really far away from actually 761 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:50,680 Speaker 1: winning anything substantial in the West, but they do have 762 00:37:50,719 --> 00:37:53,800 Speaker 1: some exciting young talent. Zion if he's in shape, different 763 00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:57,200 Speaker 1: type outlook for the future. Right Jordan Poole we just 764 00:37:57,239 --> 00:38:00,040 Speaker 1: talked about a high upside guard. Trey Murphy continues to 765 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:02,160 Speaker 1: show growth on the offensive ended floor. Herb Jones is 766 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:03,360 Speaker 1: one of the best. Herb Jones is one of the 767 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:05,600 Speaker 1: best three and D wings in the league. They'll at 768 00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:07,520 Speaker 1: the very least be fun to watch this year. I'm 769 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:10,480 Speaker 1: excited to see what the young Pelicans have for us. 770 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:12,160 Speaker 1: All right, guys, It's all I have for today is 771 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:14,440 Speaker 1: always to sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting us and 772 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:16,680 Speaker 1: supporting the show. We'll be back on Friday with one 773 00:38:16,719 --> 00:38:19,239 Speaker 1: more set of season previews before we get into our 774 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:23,160 Speaker 1: contender rankings and awards predictions and a mail bag next week, 775 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:27,360 Speaker 1: and then after that, like we are, we're covering NBA basketball. 776 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:30,239 Speaker 1: I appreciate you guys for supporting us. Like I said, 777 00:38:30,800 --> 00:38:34,600 Speaker 1: we'll also have another preseason reaction on Monday, going over 778 00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:36,960 Speaker 1: some of the preseason games from the last week. I 779 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:45,279 Speaker 1: will see you guys on Friday.