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Well, NBA free 35 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: agency is here, and originally we were going to try 36 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 1: to hit everything in kind of a free agency reaction today, 37 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: but there is literally too much to get to, so 38 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: we're gonna split this into two parts. Today. We're primarily 39 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: gonna be focusing on Klay Thompson being traded as part 40 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: of a signing trade to the Dallas Mavericks, what that 41 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 1: means for both the Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors 42 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: moving forward. And then Paul George signing a Max deal 43 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: with the Philadelphia seventy six Ers, what that means for 44 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: the Sixers coming into this next season as well as 45 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles Clippers. Tomorrow in part two, we're gonna 46 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,959 Speaker 1: get to Chris Paul to the Spurs, de Jontay Murray 47 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: getting traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, and Isaiah Hartenstein 48 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: to the Oklahoma City thunder all deals that are super 49 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: super interesting. We probably will also have another, you know, 50 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 1: two or three things to hit in tomorrow's show as well. 51 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 1: So just focusing on the Warriors and the Mavericks and 52 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: the Clippers in the Sixers in today's show. We'll get 53 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 1: to the rest of the free agency moves in tomorrow's show. 54 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: You guys know the joke before we get started. Subscribed 55 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: to the Hoops Tonight YouTube channels you don't miss any 56 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter at underscore 57 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: json LTS. You guys, don't miss show announcements. Don't forget 58 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: about a podcast feed where you get your podcast under 59 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: Hoops Tonight and then keep dropping mail bag questions in 60 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: the YouTube comments so we can keep hitting them throughout 61 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: the rest of the summer. All right, let's talk some basketball. 62 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: So when the first rumor started coming out that Klay 63 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: Thompson was thinking about going to the Dallas Mavericks, I 64 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: immediately hated it, to be honest, at first, I'm like, 65 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: this doesn't make any sense. Like Klay Thompson came in 66 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: this like ball and Player Movement five out flow where 67 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 1: he was getting all these reps coming off of screens. 68 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: To give you an idea of how often Clay works 69 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: with an off ball screen, he took a shot off 70 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: of an off ball screen four hundred and thirty times 71 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: last year four thirty. Second place was Steph at two eighties. 72 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: So Clay did one hundred and fifty more than Steph 73 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: And then there were thirteen players who were between one 74 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: hundred and one ninety nine. But literally there was nobody 75 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: in the stratosphere of Klay Thompson in terms of volume 76 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,839 Speaker 1: coming off of screens as a scorer. So like it's 77 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: just a very different type of offensive approach to what 78 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: Dallas uses right like to give you guys an idea, 79 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 1: Dallas through the second fewest passes per game in the 80 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: NBA last year, and they were bottom five in assist percentage. 81 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: This is not a ball in player movement team. So 82 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 1: at first I hated it. I didn't like it for Dallas. 83 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: I didn't like it for Clay. It didn't make a 84 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: ton of sense I want to get a little bit. 85 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: But then the big thing that kind of like changed 86 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: my perspective on it was when the news of the 87 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: Naji Marshall signing came down. So the Mavericks get Naji Marshall. 88 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: Is this guard who played for the Pelicans, a guy 89 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: I actually really like, a guy that has a ton 90 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,040 Speaker 1: of off the dribble pop. And then I look at 91 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: the compared to most role player guards, I should say, 92 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: for a non star, the guy can dribble and like 93 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: kind of like shaken and get to his spot and 94 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: kind of just make something out of nothing offensively better 95 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: than most role player guards can write. And then I 96 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: look at the math on the numbers and Derek Jones 97 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 1: Junior goes to the Clippers for three years thirty million, 98 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,919 Speaker 1: so ten million a year, and Naji Marshall goes to 99 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 1: the MAVs for three years twenty seven, so nine million 100 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:15,359 Speaker 1: a year, right, And so essentially what that means is 101 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: that Dallas intentionally and purposefully chose Naji Marshall over Derek 102 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 1: Jones Junior. Now, Derek Jones Junior just had an amazing 103 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 1: playoff run as a point of attack defender. He was 104 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 1: probably the best veteran minimum value last year in the league, 105 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: so much so that he turned himself into an eight 106 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: figure player, right, But he's a play finisher. He's a 107 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: guy that can capitalize on advantages, but struggles to create 108 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: or extend advantages. Naji Marshall is a guy that can 109 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: create some advantages but is a very good advantage extender, 110 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 1: which is a concept we're going to get to here 111 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: in a couple of minutes. So when I saw that, 112 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: I started to think a little bit here, and now 113 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, I'm looking at it as a 114 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 1: complete change in philosophy from what happened last year for 115 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 1: Dallas on the offensive end of the floor. Like again, 116 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: like when I look at what happened in the NBA Finals, 117 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: it wasn't just a loss for Dallas, it was a 118 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: loss in which their offense ceased to function. This was 119 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 1: a team that was one of the best offenses in 120 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: the league all season, and then when we got into 121 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: the playoffs, they had successful, many successful moments, including against 122 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: that really, really good Minnesota Timberwolves defense. They had an 123 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: offensive rating over one hundred and eighteen. They could score, 124 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: but Minnesota was running traditional coverages. They're putting their best 125 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 1: perimeter defender on Luca, they were keeping their center on 126 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: Dallas's centers. They ran you know, high drop with some 127 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: backside help. It was all pretty standard, and so the 128 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: reads that Luca had in terms of the lob as 129 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,039 Speaker 1: Gafford or Lively would be rolling to the basket or 130 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 1: the skip pass to the weak side corner. All those 131 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: things were pretty standard and normal. Boston didn't just shut 132 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: down Dallas's offense. It completely ceased to function the way 133 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 1: that it did in the regular season. They had just 134 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: a one oh one point four offensive rating in the 135 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: four losses against Boston. All of a sudden, their lob 136 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: game that they had in ball screens was not there, 137 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: all of a sudden. Just their basic spacing principles ended 138 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: up with their worst above the break shooters above the break, 139 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 1: and it all stemmed from a couple of basic game 140 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: plan things from Boston. Boston put Jason Tatum their power 141 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: forward on Dallas's center and just said we're gonna switch 142 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 1: any ball screen with the center boom. Now, rollman possessions 143 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: are gone. That's why you didn't see any lobs. Right, 144 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: So now that guy has to stand in the dunker spot. 145 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: Now that the guy standing in the dunker spot, there's 146 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 1: just not as much space underneath the basket as opposed 147 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: to if he's rolling to the paint with the head 148 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: of steam, where he has vertical spacing capability. Right now, 149 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: it's like, we want to attack Horford. Well, Horford just 150 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 1: switched on to Luca and did a pretty damn good 151 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 1: job most of the series. Oh well, porzingis is out there. 152 00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: Let's attack porzingis. 153 00:07:58,920 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 2: Well. 154 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: Now Derek Jones is popping above the break and he's 155 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: not a good above the break shooter. PJ. Washington's popping 156 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: above the break and he's not a good above the 157 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: break shooter. And so essentially the four out brute force 158 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: ballscreens spread attack just ceased to function. There were some 159 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: other factors there, right, like Kyrie and Luca both had 160 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 1: tough pull up jump shooting series. They took one hundred 161 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: and twenty two pull up jumpers between the two of 162 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: them in the five games, and they got just one 163 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: hundred and three points. So like there were some other 164 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: factors there, but the main thing is schematically, their offense 165 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 1: ceased to function. And again, like this is something I 166 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: talked about after that series. It wasn't close, Like they 167 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: trailed by over twenty in three of the losses and 168 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: they trailed by fourteen in the other. So it's like 169 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 1: they got their butt kicked in the finals. And so 170 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: one of the things if you guys remember the show 171 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 1: immediately after the finals, the next morning, I did an 172 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: episode in which I talked about where Dallas needs to 173 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: go from here, and I specifically said they need to 174 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: find a way to incorporate more ball in player movement 175 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: in their offense. They need to find a way to 176 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: beef up the roster with ball handling and shooting and 177 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: passing so that they can run more modern five out 178 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 1: offensive concepts. That is where I suddenly came around on 179 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: this deal. Now I'm a little bit worried for Clay's benefit. 180 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: If the MAVs don't make these sorts of changes, because 181 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: then he could end up being kind of a clunky 182 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: offensive fit. But and like I saw a lot of 183 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: MAVs fans go like, oh, this is an offense that 184 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 1: generates a ton of catch and shoot threes. That's gonna 185 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: be great for Clay, And it's like, yeah, he's gonna 186 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: get some catch and shoot threes. But defensive game planning 187 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: is gonna be geared towards leaving PJ. Washington open. It's 188 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: gonna be geared towards leaving everyone else open. They're gonna 189 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,719 Speaker 1: stay glued up to Clay whenever they can. It's not 190 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: like when Luca was driving in the finals, they were 191 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: helping off of Kyrie Irving and leaving him wide open. No, 192 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,719 Speaker 1: they're good NBA defenses gear the ball to end up 193 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 1: in the hands of your non shooters. And so while 194 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 1: Clay will dictate more attention, and certainly they were be 195 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 1: better space than if you have two mediocre shooters on 196 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: the floor, Like if Derek Jones and PJ. Washington are 197 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 1: on the floor, that's too bad above the break shooter. 198 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: So having Clay out there will certainly help that situation. 199 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,319 Speaker 1: But make no mistake It's not like Clay's just gonna 200 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: be getting left wide open on the left wing all 201 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: season long. Teams are going to try to gear their 202 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: defense towards making sure that ball ends up in PJ. 203 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: Washington's hands for him to take jump shots right. And 204 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: so from that standpoint, like I'm hoping that this Naji 205 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 1: Marshall piece and this Klay Thompson piece, and maybe like 206 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:37,199 Speaker 1: a shift of Derek Lively permanently into the starting five, 207 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: I view that as a substantial increase in the aggregate 208 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 1: ball handling, shooting and passing ability of the roster and 209 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: of the lineup. Right from there, that's where you open 210 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: up the ability to have more five out concepts. Now, 211 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: what does that mean? What does it mean to run 212 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: more five out concepts? All that means is that you 213 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: don't have the big man sitting in the dunker spot, 214 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 1: and you don't have have like permanent corner three point shooters, 215 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: and you're running ball screens into open space instead. There 216 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: is complete and total like malleyability in terms of ball 217 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 1: and player placement on the floor. So, for instance, let's 218 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: say Derek Lively is at the top of the key 219 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: and Luca has the ball and Let's say Kyrie Irving 220 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 1: is in the right corner. Instead of just spacing the 221 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: floor and running a ball screen, Luca might dribble into 222 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 1: a dribble hand off with Kyrie. Then Kyrie might then 223 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 1: come off of Derek Lively in a ball screen. He 224 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: might draw in some nail help from Klay Thompson. He 225 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: might swing the ball to Klay Thompson who will then 226 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: run another ball screen with Derek Lively who comes over. 227 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: Or maybe that's PJ. Washington above the break, and you 228 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: swing to PJ Washington and he dribbles down and hands 229 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:52,439 Speaker 1: it to Clay. Then Clay comes off PJ. Washington and 230 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: off of Lively. Maybe the ball works its way back 231 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: to Luca. But now Luca has the ball with six 232 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 1: or seven seconds on the shot, and there's been multiple 233 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: reversals of the ball. Every player in a Mavericks jersey 234 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 1: has touched the ball, and the defense is no longer 235 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: loaded up on the strong side. When you're running just 236 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: brute force four out ball screens, the defense is loaded 237 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 1: up on you, whereas when there's real ball and player 238 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 1: movement side to side. Now who knows how many switches 239 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: they've had, the defense might have switched one or two 240 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: of those actions. The weak side defense, which might have 241 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 1: been loaded up in a first action in a possession, 242 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: might still be glued up to their players on the 243 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: other side of the floor as you're getting to that 244 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 1: third action. The main point of contention here is when 245 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: you play the truly elite defenses in Minnesota, I think 246 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: should have been better than they did. They just focused 247 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: on traditional coverages. But like when you face a truly 248 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 1: elite defense that throws legitimate game plan wrenches into things, 249 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: you can't just expect to crack the defense on the 250 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: first approach. You've got a little by little crack the 251 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: defense until you until it finally breaks on the final action. 252 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,439 Speaker 1: To kind of simplify it down to a three part process, 253 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 1: it's play. It's advantage creation, advantage extending, and play finishing. 254 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 1: In the past, Dallas has primarily been a advantage creation 255 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: and play finishing team. They skip that middle step. There's 256 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: not multiple attacks in the same possession. It's usually Luca 257 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: makes a move, draws multiple defenders and throws a kickout 258 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,559 Speaker 1: pass or a lob pass. That guy might shoot or 259 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: drive the close out, but that's pretty much shit. That's 260 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: the extent of what you might have seen. For the 261 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 1: most part, for Dallas, I'm not gonna act like they 262 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 1: didn't do anything. They ran some act they run guard 263 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 1: screens early in possessions to get switches for Luca. They'd 264 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: run some stack pick and roll where they backscreen for 265 00:13:57,520 --> 00:13:59,959 Speaker 1: the role man's man as he's trying to get downhill 266 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 1: into the lane. They would run double drag to try 267 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: to complicate the switches at the top of the ball screen. 268 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 1: But there was very little in the way of actual 269 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: side to side flow. And that's where advantage extending comes 270 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: into the picture, right, Because if you're a play finisher 271 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 1: and Luca is only able to generate for you a 272 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 1: little bit of an advantage because it's a truly elite 273 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: defense with an excellent game plan, that play finisher is 274 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: going to struggle to finish that play, which is pretty 275 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 1: much exactly what happened to the Mavericks in the finals, right. 276 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 1: But when you have more ball handling and shooting on 277 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 1: the floor, that's where you have the advantage the ability 278 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: to extend that advantage. So, for instance, if that ends 279 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: up being a let's say a Klay Thompson and he 280 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 1: throws a really good pump fake because he's Clay freaking Thompson, 281 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: and the dude goes flying by him. And then Clay, 282 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: who his entire life has learned how to weaponize his 283 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: shooting ability to generate dribble penetration and playmaking opportunities, drives 284 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: that close out and generates an even better opportunity on 285 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: the weak side. And let's let's pretend that's PJ. Washington 286 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: or an Aji Marshall, and that guy gets an even 287 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: better opportunity. Like that's where you extend the advantage with 288 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: that side to side flow, which in my opinion, is 289 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 1: more resilient against something like what you might have seen 290 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: against Boston. You can imagine a situation where if you 291 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 1: actually ran three sides of action against Boston. Now Tatum 292 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: probably isn't unlively anymore. He's probably been switched twice by 293 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: the time the ball gets back to Luca on the 294 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: on the right side of the floor after multiple interchanges. 295 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 1: At this point, the rim protector for Boston's probably in 296 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 1: a weird place. Tatum's probably, in a word, there's probably 297 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: a guard guarding Luca, like there's gonna be something weird 298 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: in Boston's configuration. By virtue of you adding those complications. 299 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: And by the way, I'm not just picking on Dallas here. 300 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: This is something that was one of my major takeaways 301 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: from this last season. I've watched multiple of these brute 302 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 1: force five out teams, the Lakers two years ago when 303 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: they lost in the conference finals, the Mavericks last year, 304 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: where that it just seems to have a certain ceiling 305 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: in terms of the adjustment. Like the Lakers, their most 306 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: important point of attack defender was Jared Vanderbilt. They couldn't 307 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: play him because he couldn't knock down corner threes and 308 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: in their offense because they were running four out that year, 309 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: Jared Vanderbilt was just parking his ass in the corner 310 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: all game and he couldn't do anything there, you know. 311 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: But then all of a sudden last year, in the 312 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: five out offense for the Lakers, before Vanderbilt got hurt, 313 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: he was successful and having all these double figure scoring 314 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: games because he was functioning as a dribble, handoff and 315 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: roll guy. Right when there's ball in player movement, it 316 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: makes it so much harder to ignore a non shooter. 317 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: There's a resilience that you get from that type of 318 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: ball and player movement. So one of the things that 319 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: I said after that NBA Final series was I wanted 320 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: to see the MAVs try to take a shift in 321 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 1: offensive approach and philosophy towards five out ball in player movement. 322 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 1: And these signings, the Clay signing trade and the Naji 323 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 1: Marshall a deal, they are both significant moves in that direction. 324 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 1: One of the main reasons to why I want this, 325 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: not just for the Mavericks but for Clay is there's 326 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:21,159 Speaker 1: a diminishing return on spot up shooting. Klay Thompson is 327 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: not just a shooter. He's a movement shooter. Like we 328 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,640 Speaker 1: talked about earlier, four hundred and thirty reps last year 329 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: second place with steph two eighty. There were only thirteen 330 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: players that ran over one hundred, and all those guys 331 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: were under two hundred. That like, it's it's kind of 332 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: a unique thing he does. He shot forty three percent 333 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: coming off of screens, waited for threes fifty seven percent. 334 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: He got one point one to zero points per shot 335 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 1: coming off of screens, Like he was a legitimate offensive 336 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: threat in those situations. He's also a pretty solid playmaker 337 00:17:57,480 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 1: in those situations. In his time in Golden State. He 338 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 1: got good at hitting the pocket like he'd hit Tray 339 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 1: Jackson Davis if his man showed on the handoff, he'd 340 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 1: hit him slipping to the basket. He showed some uh 341 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,720 Speaker 1: some ability to read the low man and make skip 342 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 1: passes to the weak side corner. Like if you just 343 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: have Clay take standstill above the break threes, you're diminishing 344 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: what he brings to the table. For example, Clay shot 345 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,680 Speaker 1: thirty eight percent on guarded ketch and shoot threes last year. 346 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: He shot forty percent on unguarded ketch and shoot threes 347 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: last year. It's not like there's not this idea that 348 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: like Clay's I think Clay's the second best shooter ever. Right, 349 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: It's not like Clay's gonna shoot seventy five percent on 350 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 1: wide open threes. That's not how basketball works. What makes 351 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: Clay the best shoot There's a variance. Variance is baked 352 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 1: into shooting. The best shooters in the world are like 353 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 1: in that forty five to fifty percent range, high volume, right, 354 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 1: like the very best in the world. That all the 355 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,639 Speaker 1: really good ones are maybe in that forty to forty 356 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: five range. There's nobody out there that's just shooting seventy 357 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: percent from three. So, for example, if you just had 358 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 1: a professional standstill shooter out there who's not worth seventeen 359 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,119 Speaker 1: to eighteen million a year, but a guy who's just 360 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:21,439 Speaker 1: a veteran minimum guy who can knock down, catch and 361 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 1: shoot threes, he can approximate what Klay Thompson would do 362 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: if he was standing on the wing in Dallas's offense. 363 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: In order to really get the value out of what 364 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 1: Klay Thompson brings in that contract, you need him to 365 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: have the ball occasionally, not just occasionally, but consistently in 366 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 1: the flow of the offense coming off of those screens. 367 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:46,160 Speaker 1: And so again, like to be clear, I hate this deal. 368 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 1: If Dallas plays the same way they did last year, 369 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,880 Speaker 1: I think you'll get a diminished return on what Klay 370 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: Thompson brings to the table. You obviously took a hit 371 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: in terms of defensive personnel. You're gonna run into the 372 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 1: same issues when you get into to a matchup in 373 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 1: the NBA Finals, right with Boston if you were lucky 374 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 1: to get there again. But I love this deal if 375 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 1: it's an acknowledgment of the reality of what Dallas needs 376 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,439 Speaker 1: to do to become a more resilient playoff offense, which is, 377 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 1: if they use Klay Thompson with the ball in his 378 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,159 Speaker 1: hands as part of a five out flow going from 379 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: side to side, if Naji Marshall is just another wave 380 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 1: of that coming off the bench, If Derek Lively, who 381 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: I think has the potential to be a really good 382 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 1: five out fulcrum at the center position, then I love 383 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 1: the deal. And so again, most of this just comes 384 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,119 Speaker 1: down to the type of basketball that Dallas wants to 385 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: play next year, and I'll be really really interested to 386 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:46,119 Speaker 1: see what their offense looks like as we get into 387 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 1: the start of next season. Let's take a look at 388 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 1: the like I just really quickly before we move on 389 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 1: to the warrior side of this, Like, let's just look 390 00:20:56,560 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 1: at the Mavericks top seven players right now. Much is 391 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving, PJ Washington. PJ showed a considerable amount off 392 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: the dribble pop in the in the playoff run, Derek Lively, 393 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 1: Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford in that top seven, 394 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: there's just so much more ball handling and shooting than 395 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 1: they had last year. So I really like that deal 396 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 1: in the context of that type of shift like even 397 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 1: like Dante Exim is on a non guaranteed deal right now, 398 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: we'll see if if they end up keeping him. But like, 399 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: do you guys remember in the in the uh it 400 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,919 Speaker 1: happened in the finals where like the MAVs would have 401 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,640 Speaker 1: Dante Exum run like inverted ball screens with Luca, where 402 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: Luca would set the screen, but Luca's man would not 403 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 1: want to leave Luca, so he wouldn't hedge, So Dante 404 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: would just get right downhill into the lane. He had 405 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: a big dunk that way. If you guys remember, Like, 406 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 1: that's that's the advantage of having a player that can 407 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:50,199 Speaker 1: dribble next to Luca, because Luca brings that kind of 408 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:53,520 Speaker 1: attention to the table, right, and so like I really 409 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: like that that fit, you know, I like the idea 410 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: of again, when we include Naji Marshall off the bench, 411 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 1: when we clued Dante Exum off the bench, there's just 412 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 1: a lot of there's a lot of capability there to 413 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 1: reach another level. Jaydon Hardy as well, like there's just 414 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: a lot of capability within the context of the roster 415 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,680 Speaker 1: now to have a higher ceiling. Offensively, the biggest question 416 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 1: is going to be can they defend with this group 417 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:22,439 Speaker 1: because again, Derek Jones was very important to their defense 418 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:25,880 Speaker 1: last year. Now PJ. Washington slides into that primary point 419 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 1: of attack role instead of like a secondary point of 420 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 1: attack role. Klay Thompson is probably going to have to 421 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: guard a perimeter player with some skill, and he struggled 422 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: in that area last year, So it's gonna be a 423 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 1: little bit of a test of their defense. But again, 424 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 1: I'm a big believer in that you can coach up 425 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 1: and scheme up a somewhat effective defense, but if they 426 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 1: can reach another level offensively with this addition of offensive skill, 427 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:48,119 Speaker 1: it could be more than enough to make up for 428 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: that gap. 429 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 2: Preparing for your upcoming fantasy football draft, do you wish 430 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 2: that you could wave a magic wand and somehow know 431 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,159 Speaker 2: who exactly your league mates are going to take. Well. 432 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 2: With draft Intel from Fantasy Pros, you'll know exactly how 433 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,879 Speaker 2: your league mates draft better than they do. Draft Intel 434 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,439 Speaker 2: will automatically analyze your league's history to see who rushes 435 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 2: to the draft board first to take a quarterback, who 436 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 2: takes too many rookies, and who is going to reach 437 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:17,440 Speaker 2: for their favorite teams players. Over and over again, everybody 438 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 2: hates a Homer and every league has one of them. 439 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:21,879 Speaker 2: But right now you can put all that intel to 440 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 2: the test by bringing those patterns directly into a mock 441 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,880 Speaker 2: draft and make your mock draft feel like the real thing. 442 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 2: Check out fantasypros dot com slash Volume today to get 443 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:35,680 Speaker 2: an edge over your league mates right now and forever. 444 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 1: On the Warriors front. First of all, it's the end 445 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 1: of an era. Six conference titles, four NBA titles spotified 446 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,879 Speaker 1: top tier contender, and seven of those ten years. The 447 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: other years for all kind of injury related with exception 448 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: of last year, which kind of felt like the first 449 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,200 Speaker 1: year of the decline. But it's just kind of sad 450 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:07,239 Speaker 1: to see the Trio broken up. But it's just the 451 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: reality of the Second Apron rules. I'm going to list 452 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: these again when we talked Paul George, but just give 453 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:15,959 Speaker 1: you guys a really quick breakdown. If you are in 454 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: the Second Apron, you have no access to the mid 455 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: level exception, which means you cannot sign a player above 456 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 1: the cap unless it's a veteran minimum contract. You cannot 457 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: take on additional money in trades, you have to trade 458 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: out more money. You cannot aggregate salaries in trades, so 459 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 1: if you see a player that makes twenty million and 460 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 1: you want to trade two ten million dollars players to 461 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: get there, can't do it. You cannot use cash in 462 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: trades to help kind of facilitate that the money balance. 463 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: You cannot buy second round draft picks. Remember when the 464 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 1: Warriors bought that second round draft pick for Jordan Bell. 465 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: Can't do that anymore. You can't use trade exceptions to 466 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 1: match salary. You can't use your own free agents and 467 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,400 Speaker 1: sign in trades. If you stay in the second apron 468 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 1: multiple years, it affects your ability to use first round 469 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 1: pai and future trades like it is incredibly punitive to 470 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: be in that zone. And so I think the reality 471 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,880 Speaker 1: was is the Warriors are just trying to get out 472 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: of that second aprin. Well, lacub is trying to quickly 473 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,920 Speaker 1: relieve himself of the salary crunch that he was in 474 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:19,400 Speaker 1: last season. Right now, he quickly pivoted. They just signed 475 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 1: ded Anthony Melton to the non taxpayer mid level exception, 476 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,359 Speaker 1: a contract that they would not have been able to 477 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 1: sign unless they let Clay go. And I love d 478 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: Anthony Melton for the record, I thought it was a 479 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:31,159 Speaker 1: really nice pickup. And we're going to talk about him 480 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,680 Speaker 1: in just a second. But make no mistake, this was 481 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 1: a cost saving move in general from Golden State, not 482 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: just the Klay Thompson piece, but letting Clay waiving Chris 483 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: Paul so that you didn't have to pay his thirty 484 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 1: million dollars salary next year. Right, So you lose all 485 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 1: that salary, which helps you in terms of the tax 486 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: but obviously you lose the ability to use Chris Paul 487 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 1: as a vehicle to bring in another player in a trade, 488 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 1: and you lose Lay Thompson, who is an important kind 489 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 1: of like structural piece of your team. Right now, here's 490 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 1: the deal with d Anthony Melton. I think he is 491 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: like the next best thing to KCP in terms of 492 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 1: like he's just a rock solid NBA starter, good athlete, 493 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: good perimeter defender, can guard up and down a little bit, 494 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 1: He's a good rebounder, can shoot an attack close out. 495 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 1: It's just like a consummate professional, rock solid NBA starter. Like, 496 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: if you've got enough talent in terms of your stars, 497 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:27,400 Speaker 1: you're never going to be worried about what d Anthony 498 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 1: Melton is or isn't doing for your team, provided that 499 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 1: he's healthy. Obviously, he was hurt much of last year. 500 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 1: So within the context of helping Steph and accentuating him 501 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,160 Speaker 1: as a backcourt partner, love the d Anthony Meltin fit. 502 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:43,199 Speaker 1: But if they aren't willing or able to trade for 503 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 1: a legitimate secondary shot creator, they're just still in a 504 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 1: lot of trouble in this upcoming season. This team missed 505 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 1: the playoffs last year in a field that allowed ten 506 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: teams in in the Western Conference, So like I'm hoping 507 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:58,159 Speaker 1: that this is in the context of some sort of 508 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:02,360 Speaker 1: other move I had heard. There was some reporting that 509 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: the Warriors had an offer on the table from Chicago 510 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: asking for Wiggins and Chris Paul for Zack Lavine, and 511 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: the Warriors turned it down. Now, for obvious reasons, lacob 512 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,360 Speaker 1: was trying to get out of that second apron, right, 513 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,040 Speaker 1: But like, zach Lavine is a guy that you know, 514 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 1: even for all his flaws, you know, that's why he's 515 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:21,919 Speaker 1: available for Chris Paul and Andrew Wiggins. You're not in 516 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,639 Speaker 1: the market for the more expensive stars, right, So, like 517 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 1: zach Lvine could have at least been an option to 518 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 1: provide some real shock creation and an influx of talent, 519 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: and the Warriors just said no, thank you. So I 520 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: hope they have something else up their sleeves, because I 521 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 1: think Steph's gonna have a bounce back year next year. 522 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:41,920 Speaker 1: It'd be a damn shame to ask him to grind 523 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: through another rebuild. I shouldn't say another, but a rebuild 524 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: out of a sense of loyalty to the franchise when 525 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 1: he has superstar years left in him. It's a waste. 526 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 1: He's too good to be wasted on a rebuilding roster 527 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:57,680 Speaker 1: that can't contend in the Western Conference. And like Steph's 528 00:27:57,680 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 1: not the kind of guy he would ask for a trade. 529 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 1: So I really really hope that Golden State and their 530 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: decision makers Jo Laka and Mike den Levy, I hope 531 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:07,359 Speaker 1: that they snap out of it, and I hope they 532 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:11,159 Speaker 1: do something aggressive because I just I really don't want 533 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 1: to watch Steph Curry play meaningless basketball next year. And 534 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,680 Speaker 1: Anthony Melton is a good player and a really nice pickup, 535 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:19,199 Speaker 1: and they're gonna have a certain amount of talent. But 536 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: as good as Jonathan Minga can be, he's not there yet. 537 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:23,920 Speaker 1: As good as the other young players on that roster 538 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 1: can be, they aren't there yet. This team does not 539 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 1: have enough firepower, and I hope they have a plan 540 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:31,439 Speaker 1: to address that before we get to training camp. All right, 541 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 1: Paul George to the Sixers, it's all in type of 542 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: move with the goal of giving Joel Embiid the firepower 543 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 1: he needs to contend in the Eastern Conference, especially within 544 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 1: some of the kind of pressures around in that situation 545 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: after they've had a bunch of disappointing seasons in a row. 546 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: So let's start with the good before we get into 547 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: some of the other stuff. The basketball fit is seamless. 548 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: Paul George was one of the most efficient shot creators 549 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: in the NBA last year. During the regular season, he 550 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: ran five hundred and seventeen pick and rolls that led 551 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 1: to five hundred eighty points. It's one point one to 552 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: two points per possession. Out of sixty players ran at 553 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: least five hundred pick and rolls per s energy including passes, 554 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: he ranked fifth out of sixty inefficiency, so one of 555 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: the best pick and roll players in the league. Three 556 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: hundred and forty one points on three hundred and twenty 557 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 1: two ISOs. That's one point zero six points per possession. 558 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: That ranks tenth out of nineteen players to run at 559 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 1: least three hundred, so more middle of the pack there, 560 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 1: but one thirty seven points on one hundred and fifteen 561 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 1: post ups including passes one point one to nine points 562 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 1: per possession. That was fourth out of forty eight players 563 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: to run at least one hundred post ups last year. 564 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: So really really impactful regular season shot creator had a 565 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 1: tough playoff run, which we'll get to in a minute, 566 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 1: but like an immediate influx of shot creation ability, right 567 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 1: He's never played with the screen and roll man that 568 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:55,360 Speaker 1: has the type of gravity that Joel Embiid does, especially 569 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 1: when you consider most teams are not gonna want to 570 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: switch that action. Any player that's big enough to handle 571 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 1: Joel and bid will not be quick enough to handle 572 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 1: Paul George and vice versa. So like, I don't think 573 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: you're gonna see switching there. PG. If there's a weakness 574 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: with him right now, it's that he can't really like 575 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 1: beat people off the dribble the way he used to. Like, 576 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 1: he only had ten made field goals at the rim 577 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: in that six game series against the Dallas Mavericks, so 578 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: like you need him to have a good screener so 579 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 1: that he can kind of methodically operate in the mid range. 580 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 1: I actually kind of like that as a change up 581 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 1: to Tyrese MAXI too, because Tyres Maxey is like all 582 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 1: downhill speed and pull up threes downhill speed, pull up 583 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:33,800 Speaker 1: threes right, and MAXI brings some movement shooting as well. 584 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: So like I like Paul George is just kind of 585 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 1: like a different kind of pace to attack with with 586 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 1: Joel Embiid. And then again, like when we look at 587 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: what happened last year, it's like a lot of like 588 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: minutes where it's like Maxi and Embiid with you know, 589 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:53,520 Speaker 1: Batoom Ubra and Harris right, and like there just wasn't 590 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 1: enough firepower offensively out of that threesome and Tobias Harris 591 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 1: was just just had a really really tough last couple 592 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 1: of years there in Philly, And so like upgrading that 593 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 1: to a legitimate threat, like Paul George, I'm a big 594 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 1: believer in like whatever you think about Paul George, like, 595 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:12,720 Speaker 1: don't overthink things, like this is a team that was 596 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 1: giving the Knicks fits by with that janky ass kind 597 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:19,560 Speaker 1: of fit with all those those flawed wings, and then 598 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 1: max and Embiid, you just upgraded one of them into 599 00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 1: one of the top twenty five players in the league. So, like, 600 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 1: don't overthink it. Paul George is gonna make things way 601 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:30,800 Speaker 1: easier for the Sixers, especially on the offensive end of 602 00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 1: the four. Again, the main question mark is going to 603 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:36,360 Speaker 1: be how much resilience is there for him in the playoffs, 604 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:38,960 Speaker 1: Like he had a rough series against Dallas. I'm not 605 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 1: gonna get into the details right now. We'll get into 606 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 1: it when we talk to Clippers, But like the advantage 607 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: is is, hopefully he's your third best player. You're hoping 608 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 1: for Philly's sake, that Max and Embiid kind of bring 609 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: enough of that firepower that Paul George. Because here's the 610 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:55,840 Speaker 1: thing with Paul George. Paul George is a professional tough 611 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 1: shot maker. It's one of the things that makes him 612 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:03,479 Speaker 1: so inconsistent. He takes an actively hunts really tough step 613 00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:06,520 Speaker 1: back pull up jump shots, right, and so as a 614 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 1: result of that, he can go really cold some games, 615 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 1: and he can go really hot some games. 616 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:10,160 Speaker 2: Right. 617 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:13,880 Speaker 1: You have the margin for error to deal with that 618 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 1: on a team that already has Tyree Smax and Joel Embiid. 619 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:18,840 Speaker 1: So even with some of the flaws that Paul George 620 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 1: brings to the table, I still I'm like, don't overthink it. 621 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 1: Don't overthink it. Paul George makes the Sixers way better 622 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 1: overnight go on DraftKings. They're now the second favorite to 623 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:32,320 Speaker 1: win the title, behind the Boston Celtics, a distant second favorite, 624 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,400 Speaker 1: but they're still of all the teams you can bet 625 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:36,000 Speaker 1: on to win the title, the only team that has 626 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 1: better odds is the Boston Celtics. So like, that is 627 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 1: the advantage of bringing in the firepower that Paul George 628 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 1: brings the situation. One other concern would be age. Like, 629 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:47,440 Speaker 1: if the Sixers make it to a second round series 630 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:49,760 Speaker 1: next year, Paul George will be thirty five years old 631 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 1: at the time that series tips off, in the first 632 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 1: year of his four year deal, So like, obviously there's 633 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 1: gonna be some risk in the long run with that deal. 634 00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: But you know, at the end of the day, you 635 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:01,600 Speaker 1: had to do something thing to give firepower to Joel Embiid. 636 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:04,080 Speaker 1: Paul George really was the best option available to them 637 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:06,520 Speaker 1: in free agency, and they got them. So it's hard 638 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:08,120 Speaker 1: to refer to it as anything other than a win. 639 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 1: Moving forward, presumably you're gonna get Kelly Ubray at the 640 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:15,800 Speaker 1: four right, you need to find an athletic to guard 641 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:18,880 Speaker 1: who can guard at the point of attack. That's gonna 642 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:21,040 Speaker 1: be the interesting piece for them to try to track down. 643 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 1: Here in the coming days, a lot of veteran minimum 644 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 1: contracts are going to be in the running here. That's 645 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 1: the one thing that gets tough when you have three 646 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,960 Speaker 1: max level players, you got to fill out the roster 647 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:33,239 Speaker 1: with veteran minimums, and there are flaws that come with that, 648 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 1: and so we'll see. The difficult job is going to 649 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 1: be for Daryl Morey here to try to find value 650 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: in that market. Who's the next Derek Jones junior this year? 651 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,280 Speaker 1: Who's the next guy that someone can find at a 652 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 1: relatively discounted rate to anchor the point of attack defense role. 653 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 1: And that's where Philly's gonna have an advantage because it's like, hey, 654 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 1: veteran minimum, but we're the team that has the second 655 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:00,800 Speaker 1: best odds to win the title. That's gonna help you 656 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 1: in some of those conversations. Right, They're just gonna need health. 657 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:08,160 Speaker 1: None of this matters if Joel Embi can't be Joel embiid. 658 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:10,920 Speaker 1: He has to be the best player in the world 659 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 1: for this team to get where it wants to go. 660 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:15,760 Speaker 1: Make no mistake, the addition of Paul George and Tyrese 661 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 1: Maxi does not give the Sixers a substantial talent advantage 662 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 1: over Boston. Boston just signed Derek White today for a 663 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:26,000 Speaker 1: deal over thirty million a year. They have five players 664 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,160 Speaker 1: that make over thirty million per year. They are still 665 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:32,760 Speaker 1: more talented than the Philadelphia seventy six Ers right now, 666 00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:36,319 Speaker 1: and the only thing that can rectify that situation is 667 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:39,200 Speaker 1: Joel Embiid. He has to play like the best player 668 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:42,680 Speaker 1: in the world. He has to outplay Tatum, unlike Tatum 669 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: out playing Embiid like he did in Game seven two 670 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 1: years ago, and beiad has to win those battles in 671 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:49,279 Speaker 1: order for this team to get where they want to go. 672 00:34:49,680 --> 00:34:51,800 Speaker 1: This is where I like another signing that the Sixers 673 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,799 Speaker 1: had earlier this summer or two days ago. They get 674 00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:58,120 Speaker 1: Andre Drummond. Now, this is a really, really nice move 675 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:00,560 Speaker 1: because not only is it a backup center option, but 676 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 1: if you need to hold Embiid to fifty games, if 677 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:05,560 Speaker 1: you need to try to keep his game total down 678 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:07,960 Speaker 1: to no more than three times a week, or whatever 679 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:09,200 Speaker 1: it is that you need to do, hold him out 680 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:10,840 Speaker 1: of every back to back, hold him out of a 681 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:13,400 Speaker 1: random road trip here there. That's a quick road trip, 682 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 1: like whatever it is you need to do to withstand 683 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:20,480 Speaker 1: Joel Embiid's rest schedule. That's where Andre Drummond comes in 684 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 1: as a legitimate starting caliber center that can help in 685 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:28,840 Speaker 1: those situations. So again, like Paul George has his Wartz, 686 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:32,319 Speaker 1: that's why the Clippers let him go. It's obviously not 687 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:35,719 Speaker 1: the best possible player that you could conceive of to 688 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 1: fit alongside Tyresmaxe and Joel Embiid, but he's who was available. 689 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 1: He was the best option overnight made the Sixers the 690 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 1: second favorite on DraftKings to win the title. Don't overthink it. 691 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:51,560 Speaker 1: The Sixers are gonna be fun to watch next year. 692 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:00,760 Speaker 1: Put me on to the Clippers again. Just the reality 693 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:03,239 Speaker 1: of the second apron rules. For the sake of the 694 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:07,040 Speaker 1: people that might see this in a breakout clip, I'm 695 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:10,880 Speaker 1: gonna list the the kind of ramifications of being in 696 00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:13,880 Speaker 1: that second apron. No access to the mid level exceptions. 697 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 1: You cannot sign players for anything other than the veteran 698 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:19,680 Speaker 1: minimum contract. You can't take on additional money in trades. 699 00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 1: It used to be you could go over a certain percentage. 700 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,800 Speaker 1: You can't do that now. Can't aggregate salaries in trades. 701 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:27,600 Speaker 1: You can't so like you can't partner to ten million 702 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:30,399 Speaker 1: dollar contracts trade for twenty million dollar guy. Can't use 703 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:32,960 Speaker 1: cash and trades to make up for a gap. Can't 704 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:35,120 Speaker 1: buy second round draft picks. A lot of second round 705 00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: draft picks. You just throw two or three million bucks 706 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:38,960 Speaker 1: get a second round pick. Can't do that anymore in 707 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:41,839 Speaker 1: the second apron. Can't use trade exceptions, can't use your 708 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 1: own free agents and sign and trades. They're all these 709 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 1: restrictions that come from being in that second apron, And 710 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:49,680 Speaker 1: it's just clear that Steve Vallmer doesn't want to operate 711 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:52,880 Speaker 1: like that, and like again, like it's a profoundly restrictive 712 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,879 Speaker 1: zone to be in. And there's like pretty much one 713 00:36:55,960 --> 00:36:58,080 Speaker 1: team that you see that's in that situation where it 714 00:36:58,160 --> 00:37:00,000 Speaker 1: kind of makes some sense, and that's the Boston Celtics. 715 00:37:00,520 --> 00:37:02,399 Speaker 1: They signed Derek White to this four year, one hundred 716 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:05,120 Speaker 1: and twenty six million dollar deal. But it's like they 717 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:09,240 Speaker 1: don't really have to need to like improve the roster 718 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:12,879 Speaker 1: over the summer, right, Like Boston's got their five as 719 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,319 Speaker 1: long as those five guys are as long as four 720 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:18,799 Speaker 1: of those five guys are healthy, they're still the best 721 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:21,799 Speaker 1: team in the league. So like they don't need to go. 722 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,719 Speaker 1: Everything for the Boston is a luxury. The Clipper situation 723 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:29,359 Speaker 1: is totally different now. They had a dominant stretch this year. 724 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:31,160 Speaker 1: They had a stretch where they look better than the Celtics. 725 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:35,680 Speaker 1: From November seventeenth to February fifth, the Clippers were thirty 726 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:37,759 Speaker 1: one to eight. That was the best record in the 727 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:39,759 Speaker 1: league over that span by a wide margin. They had 728 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:42,480 Speaker 1: a five percent better win percentage than the Celtics did 729 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:45,840 Speaker 1: over that span. That's almost half a season. They're first 730 00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 1: in offense, they were eleventh in defense. They were kicking 731 00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:52,319 Speaker 1: everybody's butt. So the counterpoint of view here would be 732 00:37:52,719 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 1: we were a bona fide top tier championship contender and 733 00:37:56,080 --> 00:37:59,240 Speaker 1: our superstar got hurt. Why don't we run it back 734 00:37:59,840 --> 00:38:02,400 Speaker 1: and see if we have better luck, right, And that 735 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:05,200 Speaker 1: would be the case for retaining Paul George and going 736 00:38:05,239 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 1: into the second apron. But here's the more realistic point 737 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:13,560 Speaker 1: of view. That same superstar who was unable to go 738 00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:17,920 Speaker 1: this year has been unable to go for consecutive postseasons. 739 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:20,920 Speaker 1: He's either been completely hurt and missed it entirely or 740 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:24,520 Speaker 1: three times he made it into the playoffs. Twice he 741 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:26,960 Speaker 1: made it into the playoffs healthy, played, looked great, then 742 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:29,279 Speaker 1: got hurt. Another time he came into the playoffs hurt, 743 00:38:29,280 --> 00:38:32,239 Speaker 1: tried to play, ended up staying hurt. Right, it's four 744 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:36,120 Speaker 1: years in a row. In addition to that, Paul George 745 00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:39,680 Speaker 1: looked pretty underwhelming in the MAVs series. He shot just 746 00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:42,840 Speaker 1: fourteen for forty three on pull up jumpers, he shot 747 00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:48,040 Speaker 1: below fifty percent on layups, He made just ten shots 748 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:51,480 Speaker 1: at the rim in total over a six game series. 749 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:54,239 Speaker 1: He was their highest usage rate player. He had a 750 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:57,640 Speaker 1: higher usage rates than James Harden out of any Clipper starter, 751 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:01,239 Speaker 1: and he didn't even average twenty points a game in 752 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:04,319 Speaker 1: that series. So when they needed him to step up 753 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:07,920 Speaker 1: and play like a superstar, he did not reach that level. 754 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:11,360 Speaker 1: And so, while it's hard to stomach as a Clippers 755 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:14,960 Speaker 1: fan losing a player like Paul George and effectively losing 756 00:39:15,040 --> 00:39:18,000 Speaker 1: your championship ceiling, Paul George is gonna be thirty five 757 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:19,799 Speaker 1: years old in the playoffs. Last year, we just talked 758 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:22,000 Speaker 1: about how much he struggled. Kawhi Leonard has all of 759 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:25,520 Speaker 1: these issues. It looked like a small likelihood that everyone 760 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:28,719 Speaker 1: would stay healthy again. So the Clippers are looking at 761 00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:31,840 Speaker 1: the situation and they're saying, we're going to have to 762 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:34,960 Speaker 1: tweak the roster. We're going to have to make moves, 763 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 1: We're going to have to aggregate salaries, We're going to 764 00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:40,200 Speaker 1: have to do all of these things to try to 765 00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:43,920 Speaker 1: feel a competitive roster going into the future. The only 766 00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:46,359 Speaker 1: way to have that flexibility is if they let Paul 767 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:49,360 Speaker 1: George go, and so they had to. So the question 768 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:52,040 Speaker 1: is where do the Clippers go from here? Resigning James 769 00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:53,839 Speaker 1: Harden was really smart. He's still one of the best 770 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 1: regular season offensive engines in the league. Whatever you think 771 00:39:56,520 --> 00:39:58,239 Speaker 1: about him in the playoffs, he's still a very good 772 00:39:58,239 --> 00:40:02,080 Speaker 1: regular season offensive engine. Even if Kawhi misses time again, 773 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:05,200 Speaker 1: he can help the Clippers as they go into this 774 00:40:05,239 --> 00:40:08,080 Speaker 1: new arena. He can help the Clippers still field a 775 00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:12,840 Speaker 1: respectable basketball team in that new arena. And most importantly, 776 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:16,399 Speaker 1: he's still a very tradable contract thirty five million a year, 777 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:18,640 Speaker 1: only two years. No one's taking on some sort of 778 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:22,200 Speaker 1: long term commitment. It's not like you can make you 779 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:25,640 Speaker 1: can trade two mid level salaries to make that fit. Right. 780 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:28,680 Speaker 1: If the Clips decide to pivot to a full rebuild 781 00:40:28,840 --> 00:40:33,080 Speaker 1: halfway through next season or next summer, James Harden will 782 00:40:33,160 --> 00:40:36,000 Speaker 1: fetch a couple of picks or a couple of good 783 00:40:36,040 --> 00:40:38,959 Speaker 1: young players so that you had to pick one of them. 784 00:40:39,239 --> 00:40:42,120 Speaker 1: I think James Harden will have more trade value. So 785 00:40:42,160 --> 00:40:45,560 Speaker 1: in terms of asset management, keeping Harden at two years 786 00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:48,160 Speaker 1: for thirty five was a better deal than signing Paul 787 00:40:48,160 --> 00:40:51,240 Speaker 1: George to four years two hundred. You have much harder 788 00:40:51,280 --> 00:40:55,640 Speaker 1: contracted trade right. This maintains their flexibility. That Derek Jones 789 00:40:55,680 --> 00:40:58,400 Speaker 1: junior fit makes a ton of sense in the short term. 790 00:40:58,440 --> 00:41:01,279 Speaker 1: He's an excellent point of attack to demonstrated that the 791 00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:04,360 Speaker 1: postseason last year. He's a solid closeout attacker. He's a 792 00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:08,480 Speaker 1: good play finisher. Play finishers play well alongside James Harden 793 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:12,920 Speaker 1: because James Harden spoon feeds you those opportunities, right and 794 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:16,280 Speaker 1: like in this particular situation as well, he is another 795 00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:21,120 Speaker 1: tradable asset. He has an achievable low salary. He has 796 00:41:21,200 --> 00:41:24,200 Speaker 1: a position that everyone's looking for. Everyone wants the guy 797 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:26,160 Speaker 1: who can guard the other team's best player. That's something 798 00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:28,880 Speaker 1: Dare Jones can do, and so like, Look, if Kawhi 799 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:31,919 Speaker 1: is healthy next year and plays like an MVP. They're 800 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,640 Speaker 1: gonna be a respectable team fighting in the middle of 801 00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:36,880 Speaker 1: the Western Conference. I don't think they have a championship ceiling, 802 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:40,680 Speaker 1: but they'll be fighting if Kawhi gets hurt and they 803 00:41:40,719 --> 00:41:43,280 Speaker 1: decide they want to pivot to rebuild. You just signed 804 00:41:43,600 --> 00:41:46,040 Speaker 1: two really good trade assets that you can turn around 805 00:41:46,080 --> 00:41:50,000 Speaker 1: and flip to try to spark that rebuild process. Right, So, 806 00:41:50,120 --> 00:41:52,359 Speaker 1: like I liked it for the Clippers, it's not it's 807 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:54,880 Speaker 1: not a fun move, but it's it's a it's a 808 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:59,840 Speaker 1: demonstration of self awareness and a first step towards the 809 00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:04,080 Speaker 1: next phase of this franchise. With some flexibility in different directions, 810 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:06,280 Speaker 1: they can go then go soft rebuilding and go hard rebuild. 811 00:42:06,480 --> 00:42:08,640 Speaker 1: They have some flexibility now that would not have existed 812 00:42:08,640 --> 00:42:11,000 Speaker 1: had they resigned Paul George. So I like to move 813 00:42:11,440 --> 00:42:12,880 Speaker 1: all right, guys, that's all I have for today. As 814 00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:14,200 Speaker 1: I said, We're going to get into the rest of 815 00:42:14,239 --> 00:42:17,400 Speaker 1: the free agency stuff tomorrow. As always, I sincerely appreciate 816 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:19,560 Speaker 1: you guys for supporting the show. We will see you guys. 817 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:23,080 Speaker 2: Then the volume