1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: M all right. Welcome to the State of the Lakers 2 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 1: as Ny by dask Raandio. Happy Tuesday, everybody, Thanks for 3 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: coming to hang out. Reinvigorated is the word that I 4 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: would use to describe tonight. By the way, No Roj tonight. 5 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: He's still out of town on a work trip, although 6 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 1: he should be back for the back to back on 7 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: Thursday and Friday this week. Um so Ryan solo tonight, 8 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 1: but I appreciate you guys coming to hang out. Um. 9 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: Like I said, reinvigorated. This is a team that has 10 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: struggled with belief and a willingness to do the job 11 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: all season. Now. To be clear, a lot of that 12 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: struggle happened with Anthony Davis on the court. But I'm 13 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: hopeful that with the combination of that infusion of talent 14 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: with Anthony Davis and just the reality of the situation, 15 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: the predicament, and the urgency that is presented by their 16 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: place and the standings, I'm hopeful that effort will be 17 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 1: less of a problem moving forward, at least as long 18 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: as guys to help you and Frank continues to play 19 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: the right guys, which I liked most of the groups 20 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: that he went with tonight, he started Stanley Johnson, which 21 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: I thought was really interesting. Trevor Reason has really been 22 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:22,040 Speaker 1: struggling of late on both ends of the floor, and 23 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: there's a certain, you know, balance that has to be 24 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: taken there because you wonder if if Trevor Reason can 25 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: be useful in the long run, and the only way 26 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: to find out is to give him a long runway, 27 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: a long distance, and a lot of time for him 28 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: to figure out if, if, if his body is going 29 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: to be up to the task. And for whatever reason, 30 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: tonight was the end of that rope and ended up 31 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: being Stanley Johnson. But one of my concerns coming into 32 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: this game was gonna be Bowl trouble and because just 33 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: typically when you've got a guy like Stanley is super aggressive, 34 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: tons of ball pressure draped all over James Harden like that, 35 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: and you've got a guy like James Harden, who's probably 36 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: the most gifted, you know, a foul grifter in the 37 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: history of the NBA. Those two things, it was inevitable 38 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: that Stanley would get in trouble, which you did, but 39 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: it didn't matter because the Lakers played a really good 40 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: basketball team in one now to be to be clear, 41 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 1: because of injuries, uh and the Kyrie Irvan situation that 42 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Nets team is not very good right now. A 43 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: lot of that is, you know, I would have picked 44 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,239 Speaker 1: them the Lakers. I would have picked the Lakers to 45 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: win tonight even if Um Anthony Davis had not played, 46 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: just because this is a this is a team that 47 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: is beatabule right now. They're going through a similar stretch 48 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: to what the Lakers were going to going through about 49 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: a month and a half ago. They just don't have 50 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: a ton of talent. They're playing a lot of basketball 51 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,079 Speaker 1: lineups that are not functional. Um that said, it was 52 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: a good win. Like Bras always says, we can't be 53 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: picking with the team like this that has struggled to 54 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: win as often as they have now. Looking at the 55 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis thing, what what is so interesting is that 56 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: when you plug him into the line up, the entire 57 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: team just becomes that much more functional because he can 58 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: actually do the job of a starting NBA center in 59 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: this league. You know, we talked a lot about how 60 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: Lebron is. He is a center in the sense that 61 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: he can be in that position and you won't get 62 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,839 Speaker 1: absolutely destroyed. But he's not a traditional center in any 63 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: sense of the other word, and then Dwight Howard is 64 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: a backup NBA center, so plugging someone in there that 65 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,799 Speaker 1: is functional already just makes everything work so much. I 66 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: thought it was super interesting that they didn't just force 67 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: feed him in the post. They kind of used him 68 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: the way that they've been using Lebron in these small 69 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: ball lineups, where they're using him as a screener and 70 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: rolling to the basket. And yeah, he got a handful of, 71 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: you know, face up touches on the wing. I think 72 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: he made a pull up jumper on one of them 73 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: and drove to the baseline on the other. But he 74 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: wasn't as we were hoping, they didn't spam that the 75 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: way they did at the beginning of the year. Things 76 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: stayed free flowing and it just worked. And one of 77 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: the big reasons for that is Anthony Davis is the 78 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: best defense player in basketball. And I know that's a 79 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: complicated topic because there are guys that play better defense 80 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: in the NBA throughout the day in, day out grind 81 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: of the NBA regular season, but they're not capable of 82 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 1: the defensive ceiling that Anthony Davis is capable of. This 83 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 1: is something that I talked about a lot with Lebron 84 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 1: James like, if I'm if we're ranking basketball players and 85 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: who the best players in the world are, I don't 86 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 1: think I'd take anybody over Nice for a regular season 87 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: because the guy just has the motor and the youthful 88 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 1: exuberance to be what he is at his very best 89 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: night in and night out in the regular season. In 90 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: a way that someone like Lebron who can go through 91 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: the lethargy of just he's been in the league forever 92 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 1: and he's concerned about saving his legs and he's not 93 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 1: hyped up by big crowds anymore. Like it's you're not 94 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: going to get that same you know, effort out of 95 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: Lebron night in and night out in the regular season. 96 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: That's set when things get really important, when the basketball 97 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: games become more meaningful, when the stakes get higher, all 98 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: of a sudden, Lebron can tap into something that Janice can't. 99 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: He is an unbelievable defensive player. He can be like 100 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: Draymond Green when he's dialed in on that end, and 101 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: then on the offensive end. He has that unique combination 102 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:23,799 Speaker 1: of extreme high end, elite offensive creation on the ball 103 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: as a score mixed with that elite high end playmaking 104 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: which only a few men of only a few players 105 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: in the league are capable of, and so Lebron can 106 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: hit this ceiling that Janice just can't hit. And it's 107 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:39,600 Speaker 1: kind of like that with the Anthony Davis in the 108 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 1: regular season. It's unfortunate and it's kind of an indictment 109 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: of his motor that, for whatever reason, he hasn't been 110 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 1: able to win a Defensive Player of the Year award 111 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: or consistently be in the top of that conversation because 112 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 1: he struggles with that. But man, when Anthony Davis dials 113 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: it up, there's just nobody that can stay with him there. 114 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 1: In that first quarter, I think he had three blocks 115 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 1: in his first seven minute shift and was actively disrupting 116 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: everything Brooklyn was trying to do. And there was an 117 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,239 Speaker 1: isolation possession there at the end of eighties first shift 118 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 1: or try to shoot a step back over the top 119 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: and eight partially blocked it. I think he got another 120 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: block there in the fourth quarter on Patty Mills. He's 121 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: just a devastating defensive weapon. And if they can combine 122 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: some of the you know, new influx of athletic talent 123 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: with guys like Austin Reeves and Stanley Johnson with a 124 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: more consistent motor, with a more engaged Lebron, and with 125 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,239 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis being back on the floor, all of a sudden, 126 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: we're talking about a good basketball team here, and I 127 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 1: think that is something to get excited about. The most 128 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 1: important part about bringing Anthony Davis back has to do 129 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: with slotting. This idea is is all. It's when you 130 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: send a group of guys out onto the floor to 131 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 1: play basketball. Each of them has a job list of 132 00:06:55,960 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: responsibilities that they have to fill, and any five man unit, 133 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,359 Speaker 1: in order to succeed, has to be able to check 134 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: a bunch of boxes on the court. But because Anthony 135 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 1: Davis checks so many boxes, it shrinks what everybody else 136 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: has to do, even Lebron, And by virtue of that, 137 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: you get everybody back into a more natural position. Now, 138 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,559 Speaker 1: instead of Malik Monk doing a ton of isolating, he's 139 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: attacking closeouts. Now. Instead of a ton of Carmelo Anthony 140 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: post ups, it's Carmelo Anthony spotting up. You know, we're 141 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: gonna get into Russell Westbrook in a minute and how 142 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: that all works. But the point is is everyone just 143 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: kind of slots in properly now, Lebron James can not 144 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: have to be the back line defender all the time. 145 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: You can play passing lanes more. And you saw that 146 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: there in that fourth quarter where he got back to 147 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: back steals for for run out dunks. That's just all 148 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 1: part of the process of adding Anthony Davis to the 149 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: equation to make everyone else's job so much easier. And 150 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: I think that will hopefully lead to a lot of 151 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: guys who have struck gold in their specific role to 152 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: playing better. And as far as that slotting concept goes, 153 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 1: that goes to an even greater extent when you add 154 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: in whoever it is that the Lakers bring in at 155 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: the trade deadline. Now we're gonna talk more about the 156 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: trade deadline later. There's a bunch of you know, reporting 157 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: that has been done from various sources over the course 158 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: of the last week that are ranging from the Lakers 159 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: have a chance to get everybody to the Lakers aren't 160 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: going to make any moves, and we'll see what ends 161 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 1: up happening. But if you can bring in someone like 162 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: Eric Gordon, if you can bring in someone like Harrison Barnes, 163 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: and those are just two random names, but if you 164 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 1: can bring somebody like that in that helps the slotting 165 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: even more because guys like that are just capable of 166 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: accomplishing so much more on the court than a very 167 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: young Taylor Horton Tucker, very young Stanley Johnson or Austin Reeves. 168 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 1: And it just slots everybody even further into a better 169 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: position on the floor for them to succeed, for them 170 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: to play that their best, to have fewer bad nights, 171 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: and for this team to getting a real rhythm. Now 172 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:03,719 Speaker 1: as far as slotting goes, this is where it gets 173 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: really interesting with Russell Westbrook because with Anthony Davis out 174 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:10,560 Speaker 1: there was a different kind of slotting that took place. 175 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:15,559 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook was forced to do more, and it exposed 176 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: him as somebody who wasn't capable of doing it anymore 177 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: at this level. This is something I talked about a 178 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: ton on the show as a blate, This idea that 179 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: you know, Russell Westbrook because he can't shoot, and because 180 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 1: he's not a fantastic ball handler, and because he doesn't 181 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 1: have great finishing moves around the rim. There short finishing 182 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 1: moves you know, as far as floaters and scoop shots 183 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: and stuff like that before he gets to the rim, 184 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 1: and because as a playmaker, he's kind of more just 185 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: a drive into the chaos and kick it out to 186 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: the corner and hope for the best kind of guy. 187 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,199 Speaker 1: It was only a matter of time as his athleticism 188 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: declined that he would struggle with this kind of stuff. 189 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: And you saw that to a significant extent, you know, 190 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: in this stretch without Anthony Davis. But now what you're 191 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: seeing now and Anthony Davis's back is Russ kind of 192 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 1: seems useless. The metaphora uses like it's like if you know, 193 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: some random trumpet player hopped on stage for a rock concert, 194 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 1: like he's just kind of out of place. It's not 195 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,719 Speaker 1: that he's bad necessarily, but it's like, when you look 196 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,680 Speaker 1: at all those responsibilities that I'm talking about, the stuff 197 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 1: that the team needs to do, all of a sudden, 198 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: Russ doesn't make a ton of sense. You know, they 199 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 1: don't need him to create off the dribble anymore because 200 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 1: in this five out system, they're just getting tons of 201 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 1: rim pressure just from all these guys that can put 202 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: the ball on the floor. Stanley Johnson can put the 203 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 1: ball on the floor and go to the rim. Austin 204 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: Reaves can put the ball on the floor, a very 205 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: Bradley actually is in a pretty good offensive rhythm as 206 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: of right now. There's there's just there's no need to 207 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 1: have this other guy that can stand at the top 208 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: of the key and and create offense. They don't need 209 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 1: that anymore. So now he's being relegated off the ball, 210 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: and when you relegate him off the ball, you're seeing 211 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: teams just completely and utterly ignored. And it didn't hurt 212 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: the Lakers tonight, but Brooklyn was basically not paying any 213 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 1: attention to him even when he had the ball in 214 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: his hands. There was a sequence of post up touches 215 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 1: in that second half where Lebron is turning and catching 216 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 1: on the wing and turning and facing and Russ has 217 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: the like kick out. Russ has the ball and James 218 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 1: is just like James Harden's like, I'm not going out there. 219 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: And James knows best. He literally went through this in 220 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 1: the Bubble Payoffs. He was on the floor getting doubled 221 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,079 Speaker 1: out at half court while Russell Westbrook was standing on 222 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: the quarter in the corner and the Lakers were completely 223 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 1: ignoring him. James Harden knows this very well, so of 224 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: course he was willing to implement that same strategy against 225 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: the Lakers. We haven't seen it a ton this year 226 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: because it's the regular season and you're not going to 227 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: see some super high level, you know, uh, crazy adventurous 228 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: scheming in a regular season, But you saw it tonight 229 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: from Brooklyn, and what you saw there is something you're 230 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: gonna see in a large dose when we get to 231 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 1: the postseason. You're going to see every good defensive team 232 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 1: put a big, physical forward, just like the Lakers did 233 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: with Anthony Davis on Russell Westbrook. They're gonna like Phoenix, 234 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 1: for instance. Phoenix is probably gonna put someone like you know, 235 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: Jay Crowder on Lebron and then they're gonna put McHale 236 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: Bridges on Russell Westbrook and sit his ass in the paint, 237 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: having jump passing lanes, double team post ups, double team 238 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: guys drive into the basket, and it's gonna look a 239 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 1: heck of a lot worse than this version where the 240 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Nets for doing it with Patty Mills James Harden 241 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 1: at a bunch of JE League guys. That it's only 242 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 1: going to get harder and harder to try to make 243 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: this work as we get further along and as better 244 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:48,560 Speaker 1: teams are involved and I don't understand, you know, how 245 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: you can make this work with Russ on the floor 246 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: knowing that that's going to happen. Now what you saw, 247 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 1: there was a counter that the Lakers used when when 248 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: Russ was getting north like that, they put him in 249 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: the dunker spot and he actually got an and one 250 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: out of it. Here's the issue with that, though. That's 251 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: what Bruce Brown is doing for the Brooklyn Nets. He's basically, uh, 252 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: you know, kind of like a Swiss army knife type 253 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 1: of basketball player who's not super big, not super athletic, 254 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: but he just plays super super hard and does all 255 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: this dirty work for the Nets, right, and they use 256 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 1: him as a guy who sets ball screens and you know, 257 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: short rolls to the basket to make reads and crashes 258 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 1: the glass and he'll sit in the dunker spot. But 259 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: the differences is Bruce Brown doesn't take defensive possessions off. 260 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: Bruce Brown doesn't have inconsistent and volatile decision making. So 261 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 1: what's the point of using Russ as Bruce Brown when 262 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 1: he doesn't do Bruce Brown stuff well enough for it 263 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: to be worth it in the tradeoff. You know, there 264 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: were several plays today where you have a sloppy turnover 265 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 1: and he jogged back on defense and not really pay 266 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: attention and get burned. And that's not stuff that Bruce 267 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: Brown does. There's Bruce Brown can be functional in the 268 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 1: offense as a guy who hangs around, hangs out around 269 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 1: the dunker spot, but he is on the floor because 270 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: of all the dirty work he does and Russ just 271 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: doesn't do that stuff. And so because of that, the 272 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 1: Lakers are actually better off going with another wing. Take 273 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: whatever you're thirty two minutes or whatever it is you're 274 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: getting from Russ, and distribute them among guys who, rather 275 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: than sitting in the dunker spot, will be on the wing, 276 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: attacking close outs, be a threat from the three point line, 277 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: be a threat to put the ball on the floor, 278 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: and also fulfill their defensive responsibilities every single possession, do 279 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: their job. That is a more tenable option. Now, again, 280 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: it's complicated because of the situation surrounding RUSS. We saw 281 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: this article come out today from Ramona Shelburn. It's absolutely wild, 282 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: basically talking about how the Lakers have kind of made 283 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: their bed and there's not a whole lot they can do. 284 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: But there were some interesting bits of information in there. 285 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 1: For instance, apparently Russ doesn't take very kindly to you 286 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: criticizing him in a film session, which was a wild 287 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 1: thing to read. I mean, as someone I've sat in 288 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 1: these film sessions when I was playing in college, and 289 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: I mean, you're in front of your whole team, you're 290 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 1: in front of your coaching staff, there's video footage on 291 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: the wall of what you did wrong. I can't even 292 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: imagine standing up and being like, no, I didn't do 293 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: anything wrong there. That's just like one of the most 294 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: outrageous displays of ego that I can even imagine. And again, 295 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: that's not entirely uncommon in the NBA. Guys have big egos. 296 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: Lebron has a history of you know, Shaquille O'Neil said 297 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: once that in two thousand ten Lebron wasn't super responsive 298 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: in film sessions. But a couple of differents there. One, 299 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: Lebron is a kid, he's still like four years old too. 300 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: He was Lebron James, he was the MVP of the league. 301 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: There's a certain amount of leeway or willingness to put 302 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: up with b s because it was Lebron James at 303 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 1: the peak of his powers defending m v P and 304 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: so you you just kind of went with it. And 305 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: but again, at the same time, Lebron over the course 306 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: of his career has become more mature and cable of 307 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: handling that stuff because he grew up. And for whatever reason, 308 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: with Russ, you're getting that type of attitude, You're getting 309 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 1: that top of the league, top of the world type 310 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: of ego without any of the on court production. And 311 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: this is why I think it's so important to do 312 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: whatever it takes to try to get him off the 313 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: roster before the deadline, because the general manager and the 314 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: ownership group has given Frank Vogal the right to mention 315 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: as we saw last week in that fourth quarter. But 316 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: one of the problems is is he didn't handle it well. 317 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: Made a scene, left the floor, left the arena, didn't 318 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: even hang out for the Lakers postgame meeting. So the 319 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: thing is, if he's not taking to this whole concert, 320 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: this whole city situation very well, then you run into 321 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,359 Speaker 1: the dangerous situation where you might have to do this 322 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 1: again in a postseason series. And now you've got Russell 323 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: Westbrook still on the roster, and however that reaction goes 324 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: surrounding that and it could get ugly and so my 325 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 1: thing is like, get ahead of it. If you know 326 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: Russ is going to be a problem from a matchup 327 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,360 Speaker 1: perspective in a playoff series, and if you know he's 328 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 1: not going to handle it well when you have to 329 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 1: take him out of the lineup, then what's the point. 330 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: And that's where, you know, kind of like when I 331 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: start to look at potential trades, it's not just about 332 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: what you might get back, It's about the concept of 333 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 1: dealing with what could go down with Russ, you know, 334 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:43,120 Speaker 1: and essentially, you know, is there a is there a 335 00:17:43,119 --> 00:17:47,919 Speaker 1: absolute perfect outcome where maybe Russ has some sort of 336 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:52,440 Speaker 1: dramatic wake up call and he embraces the dirty work, 337 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: He changes his attitude, he becomes what I wanted him 338 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 1: to be, which was this team's Drew Holiday. You know, 339 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: the guy that plays off of two superior offensive players, 340 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 1: primarily focuses on being a power guard on offense, trying 341 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 1: to get to the rim, but on the defensive and 342 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: takes that responsibility personally understands that that's his biggest contribution 343 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: to the team. That's what you're getting from ju Holiday. 344 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: That's what I was hoping for in terms of my 345 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: attempt to rationalize how this could work before the season, 346 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: but Russ has never embraced that. Now, is there a 347 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:33,280 Speaker 1: small chance, like I said, that he might embrace that. Yeah, 348 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 1: But if you're trying to project forward with this team 349 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 1: and you're trying to make decisions around the deadline, what's 350 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 1: more likely to happen? Guys? Is it more likely that 351 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: Russ continues to be this guy or is it more 352 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,640 Speaker 1: likely that he becomes an issue down the line? And 353 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 1: that That's why I stand where I stand with the 354 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 1: concept of of getting him off the roster. It's about 355 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,119 Speaker 1: getting ahead of the potential problem, get ahead of the 356 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 1: idea that teams won't be able to you know that 357 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 1: teams will ignore him and you won't be able to 358 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: functionally run your offense in a playoff series, and get 359 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 1: ahead of the potential attitude problem that can come with it. 360 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 1: It's a it's a problem, and I'm hopeful that the 361 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:14,919 Speaker 1: Lakers will do something about it as far as that 362 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 1: trade goes. I wanted to talk about this John waltrade 363 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 1: a little bit more because I kind of laughed it 364 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 1: off last week when I initially heard of it in 365 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: the mark Stein report. But it's kind of picking up steam. 366 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,480 Speaker 1: There are a bunch of factors at play here that 367 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: make it a little bit more realistic than people think. 368 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: For starters, John Wallas with clutch and clutches really trying 369 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 1: hard to get John out of Houston. Um, the guys 370 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 1: on the Hoop Collective did a big thing today talking 371 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 1: about how he's a much better catching shoot shooter. He's 372 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 1: over thirty seven percent on catching shoot threes in his 373 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 1: last two seasons that he actually played, and that he 374 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: in theory, is a less volatile, a little bit more 375 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 1: controlled playing. And most importantly, he is actually amenable to 376 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 1: the idea of not being used or being taken out 377 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: of the rotation as we've seen in Houston. Now, I'm 378 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: not saying that I would make that move. I'm just 379 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 1: saying it's something that Laker fans need to at least 380 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,479 Speaker 1: start to mentally prepare themselves for, because there are a 381 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: few things working in favor of that that make it 382 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: a possibility. Now, so much has to go right, like 383 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: Russ would have to continue to struggle the way he 384 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,879 Speaker 1: has been, the Rockets would have to be amenable to 385 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 1: taking second round picks instead of a first round pick, 386 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: because that would be like ditching the first round pick. 387 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: To get off a rust for John Wall would be 388 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:43,880 Speaker 1: an absolute travesty. I think Laker fans need to be 389 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 1: more open to spending that pick, but certainly not on 390 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: someone like John Wall. But like I said, the Lakers, 391 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:52,679 Speaker 1: just Laker fans just need to be prepared for the 392 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: fact that that is a realistic outcome. And should John 393 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 1: Wall come back, you know it could it certainly couldn't 394 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: be any war than what we're getting from Ross. I 395 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: think Russ is a much better athlete than John at 396 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: this point in his career, but I think John is 397 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:10,800 Speaker 1: a potentially a little bit more capable of of fitting in. Again, 398 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: don't want to see that, but it's just something like 399 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:17,159 Speaker 1: your fans have to potentially be prepared for now as 400 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 1: far as this first round pick goes, because I've seen this. 401 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 1: This was reported by Eric pinkus Uh in the last 402 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:26,400 Speaker 1: couple of days, this idea that the Lakers are hesitant 403 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: to throw this first round pick into anything, and that 404 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: to me is completely ridiculous because everything we know about 405 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:36,639 Speaker 1: you know, rebuilds, tells us that, hey, guess what, you 406 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:39,360 Speaker 1: can get first round picks anytime you're having a bad season. 407 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: Why because you can call teams and telling hey, we'll 408 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: take that overpaid guy you have, and we'll take that 409 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 1: overpaid guy and we'll eat his salary for a year 410 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 1: or two, but you're giving us the first round pick 411 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: in exchange. We've seen this so many times in recent years. 412 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: If you if things go off the rails, you can 413 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 1: accumulate picks quickly. So let's say Lebron ages out of 414 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,959 Speaker 1: the league, and let's say Anthony Davis just isn't good 415 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 1: enough to be a franchise cornerstone and the team is 416 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:14,639 Speaker 1: massively underachieving and comes around and it's just not working 417 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 1: in those seasons. Even if you spent the first round 418 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:23,120 Speaker 1: pick on a player this year, pretty quickly you can 419 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: make calls around the league, take back salary, take back picks, 420 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 1: and do a rebuilding. There is a playbook out there now. 421 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City is showing us where you can pretty quickly 422 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 1: a mass picks just by being bad for a season 423 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 1: or two. Now, you obviously don't want to get stuck 424 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: in that. But my point is is, like, there's no 425 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 1: scenario where clinging to that first round pick is if 426 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:48,959 Speaker 1: as though it's the most important thing in the world, 427 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 1: will pay off for the Lakers. If they're good over 428 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: the course of the next half decade, then that pick 429 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:58,400 Speaker 1: is very carries very little value because it's a late 430 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:01,400 Speaker 1: first round pick, and if they're bad and they use 431 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 1: the pick, you know, to to get something in the 432 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: UH in this season, it'd be easy enough for them 433 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:10,360 Speaker 1: to recoup it just simply by doing what every other 434 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 1: bad team does this time of year. So I think, 435 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 1: I think that that pick needs to be in the 436 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: conversation for any deal in order to get it done, 437 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: especially when you realize what's at stake. What's at steak 438 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:26,159 Speaker 1: is Lebron James in his age thirty seven season playing 439 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 1: some of the best basketball of his career and Anthony 440 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 1: freaking Davis coming back from an injury looking good, and 441 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:35,880 Speaker 1: there's a core here that could potentially make a run 442 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 1: to win a championship. Meanwhile, Golden State has Draymond Green 443 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: with a back issue that could may or may not 444 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:47,679 Speaker 1: be serious. The Phoenix Suns don't have anywhere near the 445 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:51,160 Speaker 1: top end talent that the Lakers have. There is an 446 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 1: opportunity here, there's a slight crack in the door, there's 447 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,480 Speaker 1: a window. You need to try to capitalize on that, 448 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:01,480 Speaker 1: and the only way to do so is to push 449 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:04,120 Speaker 1: your chips into the middle of the table. And so 450 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,159 Speaker 1: I hope that the Lakers are willing to do that. 451 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 1: All right, to two last quick things I wanted to hit, 452 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 1: and then we'll get out of here. So this Jeremy 453 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 1: Grant thing, which I think is is really funny for 454 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: a bunch of reasons. So basically the report comes out 455 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:20,679 Speaker 1: saying that Jeremy Grant has decided his his representation is 456 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:24,399 Speaker 1: basically telling Detroit like, hey, these are the teams we 457 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 1: want to go to, and telling the rest of the 458 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: league like, don't pick up our guy unless you plan 459 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: on using him as a primary option and paying him 460 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 1: all sorts of money. And basically it's cooling the market 461 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 1: and that's part of the reason why Detroit hasn't been 462 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:41,400 Speaker 1: getting great offers. Now again, Jeremy Grant's mind is made up. 463 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: He's gonna do what he wants to do. And look 464 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: like a lot of this my theories it has to 465 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:50,639 Speaker 1: do with pressure. I mean, it's not just about the money, 466 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: it's not just about the touches. It's the fact that, hey, 467 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 1: look at Russell Westbrook. When you're on a team that 468 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: has championship aspirations and you don't play well, it doesn't 469 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:02,159 Speaker 1: go well for you with the fan base. There's a 470 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:04,239 Speaker 1: lot of pressure that comes with that. There's a lot 471 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: of pressure that comes with expectation, whereas when you're with 472 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,400 Speaker 1: Detroit or when you're somewhere else in the league, there's 473 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 1: no pressure that comes with that expectation when there is 474 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: no expectation. So from that standpoint, like I think, from 475 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 1: I think Jeremy Grant just looks at it like I'm 476 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: having fun in Detroit, making lots of money, and guess 477 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: what if I shoot poorly? No one cares. His percentages 478 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 1: have tanked this year. Most of you don't even know 479 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: except for the fact that you looked it up because 480 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: he thought he might be a Laker. That's the reality 481 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 1: of his situation in Detroit. He is in a very 482 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:42,560 Speaker 1: cush situation in terms of pressure. So that's my theory. 483 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 1: But what's silly about it to me is Jeremy Grant 484 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 1: is a very good basketball player and he's not going 485 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 1: to struggle the way that Russell Westbrook will. Chances are, 486 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: because he's that skilled, he's going to thrive. When he 487 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: was in Denver with Jamal mur A, with Nicola Yoki's 488 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,919 Speaker 1: before he put in that summer of work to prep 489 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: for being a primary ball handler. He did a great 490 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 1: job in the possessions that were thrown his way. And 491 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:13,359 Speaker 1: that team was spamming the Jamal Murray Nicola Yokers pick 492 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: and roll. They were not getting other people involved as 493 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,800 Speaker 1: often in terms of initiating actions. This Laker team and 494 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 1: a lot of these teams like the Clippers, a lot 495 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: of these teams that are running this modern five out attack. 496 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 1: There's a couple of other teams that are linked to Utah. 497 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 1: Jazz are a great example there. You know, a full out, 498 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: one end team, but they let all four of those 499 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,919 Speaker 1: guys initiate. Boston Celtics have been mentioned their team that 500 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 1: lets everybody from the perimeter initiate. When you're in these 501 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 1: modern systems, when you have all these guys on the 502 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 1: floor that can pass, shoot, and dribble, everybody gets touches. 503 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: It's really about just who's in the rhythm. Like on 504 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: any given possession, you're probably gonna get two or three 505 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 1: opportunities to drive and kick. So the idea that like 506 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 1: you need to have this guy this is something I've 507 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,439 Speaker 1: been pushing back for on the Russ thing NonStop as 508 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: it pertains to Lebron wanting rust. I just don't understand 509 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: this idea that like this this one ball thing was 510 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 1: proven wrong all the way back with the Lebron and 511 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:10,680 Speaker 1: Dwayne Waite stuff, and that was in a completely different era. 512 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 1: It was proven wrong with Chris Paul and James Harden, 513 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:16,439 Speaker 1: and it's gonna be proven more and more wrong as 514 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:18,920 Speaker 1: time goes on, because basketball is evolving in a way 515 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:22,440 Speaker 1: to where everybody has the ball in their hands, everybody 516 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:25,720 Speaker 1: puts it on the floor, everybody creates, and everybody kind 517 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:27,880 Speaker 1: of feeds off of that, and you're seeing it. You're 518 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 1: seeing that in Detroit anyway. And the other thing too, 519 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: is he's gonna go to some other team. He's gonna 520 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: go to some team where they're going to give him 521 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:36,440 Speaker 1: the ball more, but they're also going to be rebuilding 522 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:38,840 Speaker 1: and trying to put other guys who can dribble around him. 523 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: Like if he goes to Washington, you don't think Kyle 524 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: Kuzma is gonna want his possessions. You don't think, you know, 525 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 1: Bradley Beale or Spencer DINWITTI are gonna want their possessions. 526 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 1: Like it's like every everywhere you go it's the same issue. 527 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 1: It's just it was really nonsensical to me from the start, 528 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:55,920 Speaker 1: and that's why I think it primarily has to do 529 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,639 Speaker 1: with just the pressure and him just wanting to play basketball, 530 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:02,880 Speaker 1: collect his paycheck and go home. I respect it, but 531 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,400 Speaker 1: let's just call it what it is, all right. Lastly, 532 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 1: before we get out here, you guys, I wanted to 533 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 1: talk about James Harden because we saw something tonight that 534 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 1: we saw in the Bubble that I think is very interesting. 535 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: In Bubble, James Harden put up monster numbers against the 536 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: Lakers on good percentages, but they pretty much rendered him 537 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 1: ineffective in terms of controlling the outcome of the game. 538 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,399 Speaker 1: And you saw that again tonight. James Harden put up 539 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 1: big numbers, had monster rebounding Game two, Shop chucked the 540 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 1: ball well but generally well not not you know, over 541 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 1: or anything. We shot reasonably well for James Harden game, 542 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 1: but it just didn't seem to have much impact. You 543 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: never really felt like James was controlling the game. You 544 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: never really felt like James had a real chance to win. 545 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 1: And this is kind of like a recurring theme in 546 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 1: the James Hardened world, this idea that his repetitiveness is 547 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 1: what undercuts in You know, the announcers on T and 548 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 1: T actually did a really nice job describing this to 549 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 1: those of you who are listening. The difference between dealing 550 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: with James Harden in a set defense and the half 551 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: court versus dealing with him in the full court. The 552 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 1: difference between isolating one on one or beating a guy 553 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:15,640 Speaker 1: off the dribble when things are kind of fluid and 554 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: in motion versus all five Lakers staring at you and 555 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: you have to make a decision or make a read 556 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: or make a play. Things get complicated when the game 557 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: slows down, and the Lakers did a nice job, especially 558 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 1: when they were in the half court tonight, of just 559 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 1: making things difficult. But most importantly, they were able to 560 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 1: use that same kind of bracketing trap thing that they 561 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 1: used in the bubble. They would just as Bruce Brown 562 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: or whoever it was Claxton was set in the ball screen, 563 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: they would basically just send him to the ball screen 564 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 1: and have the guy guarding the screen or just bracket 565 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 1: on the other side, and James would kind of take 566 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 1: a couple of dribbles and he wouldn't want to keep 567 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:56,360 Speaker 1: going because he knew if he kept going, then the 568 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 1: trap would come hard, so he kind of like stay 569 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 1: with the dribble and then he'd swing the ball away 570 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 1: and when they swing it, the Lakers could easily rotate 571 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 1: out of it. Because James hasn't created an advantage. He 572 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 1: needs to actually pull the double team away in order 573 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: to get some sort of real advantage. And it wasn't 574 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:15,160 Speaker 1: surprising to me at all that it worked again because 575 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 1: this is something that James Harden has struggled with throughout 576 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 1: his whole career. Every possession with James Harden begins on 577 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: the wing extended, either on the right side of the 578 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: left side him with a live dribble, either isolation or 579 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 1: pick and roll. If you see that exact same play 580 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 1: sixty times in a game, you're just gonna get good 581 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: at Guardian. He might have his possessions where he gets 582 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: a bucket, usually when things are disheveled or when you 583 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:43,680 Speaker 1: make a mistake, but generally speaking, he's going to eventually 584 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:45,480 Speaker 1: struggle or run out of gas. This is why he 585 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: struggles a lot in fourth quarters or in playoff series 586 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 1: is as the series Dragon. He's just so repetitive and 587 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 1: the way he attacks then let's juxtapose that with Lebron. 588 00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: I watched Lebron, and he can do those wing extended 589 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:02,720 Speaker 1: possessions he's running in isolation. He can do those wing 590 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 1: extended possessions where he's running the pick and roll. But 591 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:07,760 Speaker 1: he can also come off of a down screen and 592 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 1: should have pull up. He can also go to the 593 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 1: low block and punish a mismatch there. He can also 594 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: turn and face. You saw in the third quarter he 595 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 1: just was like, Hey, I'm just gonna catch the ball 596 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 1: seventeen ft from the basket on this left wing. I'm 597 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 1: gonna turn and face, do a couple of jab steps 598 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: and knockdown a three. And then once you guys start doubling, 599 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 1: I'm gonna start passing out of that. That's a whole 600 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:31,400 Speaker 1: other element to his game. Off the basketball. He's devastating 601 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: as a cutter. And then you just just in general, 602 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: Lebron can attack you in you know, a half dozen 603 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: different ways, a half dozen different places on the floor. 604 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:44,400 Speaker 1: So the predicted, the predictability element is out of the picture. 605 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:48,160 Speaker 1: He can if for whatever reason, there's a action that 606 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 1: he's trying that isn't working, he'll just go somewhere else 607 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 1: on the floor and try it until he finds that 608 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 1: crack in your armor and he can break through. That 609 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: lack of versity, that lack of variety from James Harden 610 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:01,800 Speaker 1: will always be what holds him back in my opinion, 611 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 1: and it's really unfortunate because he's one of the best 612 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: two guards of all time. And when I'm looking at 613 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 1: two guards and you look at the guys who came 614 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:11,440 Speaker 1: before him, Guys like Dwyane Wade, guys like Kobe Bryant, 615 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 1: guys like Michael Jordan's, every single one of them was 616 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 1: a dominant low low post player. The mind he used, 617 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: Dwyane Wade NonStop attacking mismatches down on the block with 618 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: his little with his arsenal of floaters and hook shots. 619 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:27,120 Speaker 1: They all had a versatility element that James has never 620 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:29,720 Speaker 1: added to his game. Now, I don't know if it's 621 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 1: entirely his fault or if it's a product of that 622 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:35,560 Speaker 1: and the Houston system, which I think leaned heavily on 623 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,360 Speaker 1: analytics and the idea like, hey, when you run this 624 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:41,920 Speaker 1: high pick and roller, when you run this extended isolation, 625 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:44,720 Speaker 1: we're averaging one point to six per possessions when you 626 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 1: shoot or when you make one pass and so it 627 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,640 Speaker 1: pushed him to leaning further into that stuff instead of 628 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:54,480 Speaker 1: understanding that there were It was really easy to scheme 629 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 1: against it in the playoff series and basically render it useless. 630 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: And most importantly, when you get to a tiny number 631 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: of possessions in a pivotal game, no one's given you 632 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 1: one point to six points per possession anymore. It's like 633 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:11,200 Speaker 1: you either score or you don't in that smaller sample size. 634 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:15,040 Speaker 1: And we saw that limitation throughout his career in those moments, 635 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:16,880 Speaker 1: and I just thought it was interesting because, like, you know, 636 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:18,920 Speaker 1: there's been a lot of talk about James Harden since 637 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 1: he went to Brooklyn, this idea that he's evolved, he's 638 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:24,600 Speaker 1: become a playmaker now he's no longer doing the things 639 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:27,200 Speaker 1: that he used to do. And you know, that might 640 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:29,760 Speaker 1: all work if Brooklyn is healthy, just simply because they 641 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 1: have so much talent, and you know, James might get 642 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:36,080 Speaker 1: a trophy anyway. But you know, just watching him again tonight, 643 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: I'm just sitting there watching and I'm like, man, you know, 644 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 1: I wrote an article back when I was writing ages ago. 645 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:43,760 Speaker 1: I wrote an article about James after he lost I 646 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 1: believe in two thousand eighteen or two thousand nineteen, so 647 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:49,440 Speaker 1: the year he won the m d P. And I 648 00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: wrote all the same stuff that I'm telling to you guys, 649 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 1: And it's just so interesting to me because here we 650 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:58,959 Speaker 1: are four years later, same guy hasn't added a damn 651 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: thing to his game. And I don't think it's a 652 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 1: coincidence that we see like what we saw tonight. You know, 653 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: a guy who can be rendered somewhat ineffective with simple, 654 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:14,759 Speaker 1: basic strategies as soon as things get slowed down or repetitive. Alright, guys, 655 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:16,520 Speaker 1: that's all I have for tonight. ROJ is going to 656 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:19,280 Speaker 1: be back for hour back to back on Thursday and Friday. 657 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:23,000 Speaker 1: This is gonna be on Dash Radio tomorrow morning at 658 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 1: seven a m. Pacific Standard times, and we'll be on 659 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:28,439 Speaker 1: our podcast feed here in about an hour or so. Thanks, 660 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:30,440 Speaker 1: as always for you guys to support, and we will 661 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:31,320 Speaker 1: see you on Thursday.