1
00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:01,960
Speaker 1: The volume.

2
00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:17,440
Speaker 2: All right, welcome to hoopsina I here at the volume

3
00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:18,079
Speaker 2: Heavy Friday.

4
00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:18,439
Speaker 1: Everybody.

5
00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:20,200
Speaker 2: Hope all of you guys had a great week. Got

6
00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,840
Speaker 2: a jam pack show for you guys today. It's Mailbag Today,

7
00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:25,360
Speaker 2: Mailbag Day, and we got so many good questions from

8
00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,800
Speaker 2: you guys. A lot of questions surrounding Kevin Durant and

9
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,519
Speaker 2: the Houston Rockets some of their big picture potential this year.

10
00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,600
Speaker 2: I really want to do a deep dive into KD

11
00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,520
Speaker 2: and the Rockets today. After that, I got a couple

12
00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,560
Speaker 2: of really interesting questions surrounding Donovan Mitchell, including a question

13
00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:44,640
Speaker 2: as to whether or not Donovan should be ranked ahead

14
00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:46,480
Speaker 2: of a guy like Lebron. So we're gonna dig into

15
00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,320
Speaker 2: that a little bit. There's some big picture stuff with

16
00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:54,200
Speaker 2: like Lebron versus Steph in the recent history versus all time.

17
00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:59,320
Speaker 2: We've got questions surrounding some theoretical Los Angeles Lakers trades,

18
00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,440
Speaker 2: all sorts of interesting stuff to get into today. You

19
00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,160
Speaker 2: guys know the job before we get started. To subscribe

20
00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,280
Speaker 2: to the Hoops Tonight YouTube channel so you don't miss

21
00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:07,480
Speaker 2: any more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter, Underscore

22
00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,040
Speaker 2: JCNLT So you guys don't miss show announcements, don't forget

23
00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:11,760
Speaker 2: a better podcast fee wherever you get your podcast on

24
00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:13,760
Speaker 2: our Hoops Tonight. It's also super helpful if you leave

25
00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:15,800
Speaker 2: your rating and a review on that front. Jackson is

26
00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:17,959
Speaker 2: doing great work on our social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram,

27
00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,039
Speaker 2: Facebook and TikTok. Make sure you guys follow us there

28
00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:21,520
Speaker 2: and the last, but not least, if you want to

29
00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:23,800
Speaker 2: get a question into this mail bag, all you gotta

30
00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,520
Speaker 2: do is go to our full episodes on YouTube and

31
00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,679
Speaker 2: in the comments drop mail bag with a colon and

32
00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,720
Speaker 2: then write your question. You're gonna ask questions about absolutely

33
00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,520
Speaker 2: anything to get into the mail bag. We're also highlighting,

34
00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:39,440
Speaker 2: specifically in this series questions that are related to the

35
00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,040
Speaker 2: player rankings list. I'm gonna try to get to several

36
00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,959
Speaker 2: of those in here as well. So you disagree with

37
00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:47,920
Speaker 2: where I have a guy ranked. You think he's too high,

38
00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,040
Speaker 2: I think he's too low. Just tell me where you

39
00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,480
Speaker 2: think you should be ranked, explain why, give a little

40
00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,000
Speaker 2: elevator pitch, and we'll get into those debates in our

41
00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,400
Speaker 2: Friday mail bags as well. All right, let's talk some basketball.

42
00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,800
Speaker 2: So first question, I have been feeling that the Rockets

43
00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:06,840
Speaker 2: aren't real contenders for an overly simplistic reason. KD is

44
00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,200
Speaker 2: too old. When is the last time we saw a

45
00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,320
Speaker 2: player as old as KD be the best player on

46
00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,560
Speaker 2: a championship team. Lebron in twenty twenty was two years

47
00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,160
Speaker 2: younger than KD will be by next year's playoffs. You

48
00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:20,480
Speaker 2: have to go back over forty years to Careem Abdul

49
00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,880
Speaker 2: Jabbar in nineteen eighty five to find a guy at

50
00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,440
Speaker 2: least as old as KD is now so on a

51
00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,840
Speaker 2: championship team, and it's two guys are widely considered to

52
00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:30,520
Speaker 2: be two of the top three players of all time

53
00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,680
Speaker 2: in Lebron in Kareem Abdul Jabbar. I just don't see

54
00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:37,480
Speaker 2: KD being that third guy to accomplish this feat. But

55
00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,000
Speaker 2: is this too simplistic? Also, you don't have him ranked

56
00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,560
Speaker 2: as a top ten player, and it's exceedingly rare to

57
00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,080
Speaker 2: win a chip without a top ten player. So this

58
00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:47,960
Speaker 2: is actually a really interesting topic to me as it

59
00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,399
Speaker 2: pertains to the age of Kevin Durant. How much can

60
00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:56,160
Speaker 2: he help their offense really and is there any sort

61
00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:58,000
Speaker 2: of precedent for this sort of thing?

62
00:02:58,280 --> 00:02:58,520
Speaker 1: Right?

63
00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:00,880
Speaker 2: And I was actually getting in to the Rockets quite

64
00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,600
Speaker 2: a bit. I was having dinner over at Adam Mars's

65
00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:05,240
Speaker 2: house the other night. You know, he covers the Nuggets.

66
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:06,919
Speaker 2: And we just moved up here to Denver, and Adam

67
00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:08,960
Speaker 2: and his wife have been super kind to my wife

68
00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,320
Speaker 2: and I helping us feel welcomed as we moved to

69
00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,079
Speaker 2: a brand new city. As you can imagine, it's kind

70
00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,639
Speaker 2: of scary and a little bit lonely at times when

71
00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:18,760
Speaker 2: you uproot your life and you move up to a

72
00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,760
Speaker 2: completely different area, right, And Adam's just been Adam and

73
00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:23,280
Speaker 2: his family have just been super kind to us.

74
00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:23,720
Speaker 1: But it was fun.

75
00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:25,360
Speaker 2: We were just sitting out on his patio and looking

76
00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,880
Speaker 2: at the Rocky mountains and talking some hoops and we

77
00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,440
Speaker 2: were shooting the shit about the Rockets. And one of

78
00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,320
Speaker 2: the things that we were getting into is this idea

79
00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:39,240
Speaker 2: of how good can the Rockets get on offense? Really right,

80
00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,000
Speaker 2: because if you, on the one hand, if you follow

81
00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:46,360
Speaker 2: a very simple logical pathway, this was an awesome team

82
00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:47,000
Speaker 2: last year.

83
00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:49,000
Speaker 1: And they were awesome.

84
00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,640
Speaker 2: Because they were incredible on defense, and they used that

85
00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,840
Speaker 2: defense to get out and transition to score enough on offense,

86
00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:56,520
Speaker 2: and they did just enough.

87
00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:57,680
Speaker 1: With Alpern Shangun and.

88
00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:00,800
Speaker 2: Fred van Vliet to be able to win basketball games,

89
00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:04,120
Speaker 2: and they lock down the second seed in an incredibly

90
00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:09,920
Speaker 2: tough Western Conference. Their offense was abysmal in the half court.

91
00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,920
Speaker 2: They ranked twenty second and half court offense last year

92
00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,640
Speaker 2: according to Cleaning the Glass. That's kind of an insane

93
00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:17,400
Speaker 2: stat if you think about it, for a team that

94
00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,320
Speaker 2: was a two seed in that crazy Western Conference to

95
00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:23,760
Speaker 2: be twenty second and half court offensive rating again according

96
00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,680
Speaker 2: to Cleaning the Glass. So in theory, if you follow

97
00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,360
Speaker 2: like a basic logical pathway, you add Kevin Durant to

98
00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,719
Speaker 2: that situation, you substantially improve your biggest weakness and you

99
00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:35,240
Speaker 2: become a much better basketball team.

100
00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:35,520
Speaker 1: Right.

101
00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,160
Speaker 2: I mean, even if you look at the defense, and

102
00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,960
Speaker 2: I think a lot of people are rightfully talking about

103
00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,880
Speaker 2: how Dylan Brooks is a substantial loss, but I think

104
00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,120
Speaker 2: KD is a very good defender. He's different than Dylan.

105
00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:46,840
Speaker 2: He's not a guy that you're gonna put on the

106
00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:50,000
Speaker 2: opposing team's best player all game. But he improves their

107
00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,400
Speaker 2: back line defense. He provides a level of length they

108
00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:54,720
Speaker 2: don't really have in their starting lineup, and he can

109
00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:56,880
Speaker 2: switch onto different positions as well, and is actually a

110
00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:58,880
Speaker 2: very good perimeter defender. We were talking about in the

111
00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,799
Speaker 2: KD ranking video how good he is defending on an island.

112
00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:04,960
Speaker 2: So I think Houston is going to be an incredible

113
00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:09,039
Speaker 2: defense again. So in theory, Katie makes them so much better,

114
00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,480
Speaker 2: right because he addresses that need. But I do think

115
00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,719
Speaker 2: it is a bit more complicated than that, for the record,

116
00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,200
Speaker 2: for you any further, I still see Houston as a

117
00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,240
Speaker 2: top tier contender in the Western Conference. In that group

118
00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,479
Speaker 2: of three with Denver and Oklahoma City and Houston, I

119
00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:28,000
Speaker 2: view them firmly in that tier. But the things that

120
00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:30,120
Speaker 2: I'm about to explain are why I view them as

121
00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:34,279
Speaker 2: a clear third place or a third like third most

122
00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,760
Speaker 2: likely to actually get out of the conference because of

123
00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,719
Speaker 2: the question marks surrounding them. Offense is a lot more

124
00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:47,960
Speaker 2: complicated than defense continuity matters. You have to learn how

125
00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:52,599
Speaker 2: to play together. Denver added some guys, but they're going

126
00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,240
Speaker 2: to be playing the same style of offense with the

127
00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:57,680
Speaker 2: same core players that they've been playing with for over

128
00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,400
Speaker 2: a half decade now. Offense is going to come easy

129
00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:06,279
Speaker 2: for Denver this year. Okloma City's offense has some cracks

130
00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:10,040
Speaker 2: in it, sure, but they're basically running it back again

131
00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,919
Speaker 2: with the same dudes play in the same way for

132
00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:19,000
Speaker 2: the third consecutive year. And while I view Kevin Durant

133
00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,320
Speaker 2: as one of the better offensive players in the league,

134
00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:26,040
Speaker 2: he's not what I would call a traditional offensive engine,

135
00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,279
Speaker 2: a guy whose specialty it is to just make five

136
00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,599
Speaker 2: man offense flow and be super easy. He's a scorer.

137
00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,520
Speaker 2: He's one of the very best ever. But he's a scorer.

138
00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,200
Speaker 2: He's the guy who takes a good offense and makes

139
00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,840
Speaker 2: it elite. And it's just about roles, right like that

140
00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:51,360
Speaker 2: there's a certain diminishing return when you have offensive engine types.

141
00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,600
Speaker 2: I've talked about this, like if you wanted to theoretically

142
00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,920
Speaker 2: pair a Luca with a Chris Paul in his prime,

143
00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,760
Speaker 2: or with a you know, with a Nikoli, Right Like,

144
00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:04,200
Speaker 2: there's a diminishing return when you have multiple of those

145
00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,039
Speaker 2: offensive engine types. But like a lot of those kinds

146
00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,320
Speaker 2: of guys aren't gonna be the elite shot makers. That

147
00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,000
Speaker 2: are the types of dudes that lift good offenses into

148
00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,000
Speaker 2: elite offenses, Right Like, this is a unique trait that

149
00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:20,440
Speaker 2: Kevin Durant has. He made the Golden State Warriors unbeatable

150
00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,920
Speaker 2: when he was there because they already had an engine

151
00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:27,240
Speaker 2: in Steah. They were already in a great offense, and

152
00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,720
Speaker 2: he took them from being that to being all time great,

153
00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,200
Speaker 2: like the possibly the greatest offense of all time. Right

154
00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,000
Speaker 2: that that's what Kevin Durant did to that group. So

155
00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,720
Speaker 2: like I do think Kevin Durant obviously makes the Rockets

156
00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:43,840
Speaker 2: a better offense, the question is will he be able

157
00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:49,920
Speaker 2: to improve their offense enough? Like this is more complicated

158
00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:56,160
Speaker 2: than just KD graded offense equals Houston graded offense. I mean,

159
00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,760
Speaker 2: guys like I see similar issues with the Los Angeles Lakers,

160
00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:04,520
Speaker 2: and they have substantially more offensive talent. They're not surrounding,

161
00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,920
Speaker 2: you know, Luca with a bunch of defensive specialists the

162
00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:12,040
Speaker 2: way that Houston is going to be surrounding Kevin Durant

163
00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,960
Speaker 2: with the Lakers have a shit ton of offensive talent,

164
00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,160
Speaker 2: and yet they went through extended stretches both in the

165
00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,400
Speaker 2: regular season with Luca and in the Timberwolve series last year,

166
00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,080
Speaker 2: or they didn't look like a good offense because it

167
00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:34,040
Speaker 2: takes time and effort that continuity builds naturally for you

168
00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:38,440
Speaker 2: to become a good offense even with high level offensive pieces.

169
00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,520
Speaker 2: Houston does not have an elite offensive player. Now excuse me,

170
00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:48,360
Speaker 2: an laite offensive roster. They added an elite offensive player.

171
00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:51,319
Speaker 2: They added some shooting, like I think Dorian Pinney Smith

172
00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:54,040
Speaker 2: is gonna help. But it's going to be a process.

173
00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:59,040
Speaker 2: How all of this works out for Houston, how this

174
00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,959
Speaker 2: season goes for them will depend on what level they

175
00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:04,679
Speaker 2: can get to on offense. Does he make them a

176
00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:08,360
Speaker 2: little bit better that's not gonna be enough. Does he

177
00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,640
Speaker 2: make them a lot better. That's where they could end

178
00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,719
Speaker 2: up reaching their ultimate goals and competing for a championship.

179
00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:16,840
Speaker 2: I think a big part of the job is gonna

180
00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,480
Speaker 2: be figuring out how to turn the attention that KD

181
00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,640
Speaker 2: draws into easy offense for the rest of the guys. Essentially,

182
00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,840
Speaker 2: what I'm saying is having KD function more as an

183
00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:30,200
Speaker 2: offensive engine than as a score all the time.

184
00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:32,600
Speaker 1: I think if KD.

185
00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,360
Speaker 2: Just plays in the mud, one on one basketball against

186
00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:39,560
Speaker 2: aggressive help, over and over and over again, I think

187
00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:45,319
Speaker 2: that could lead to some disappointing results. But think about

188
00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:49,559
Speaker 2: it from the perspective of opponent game plans, Katie's gonna

189
00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:53,480
Speaker 2: draw a lot of attention. Like if you're coaching against

190
00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:55,120
Speaker 2: the Houston Rockets, says here, what are you gonna do

191
00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:59,880
Speaker 2: from the standpoint of your game plan. You're gonna overplay KD,

192
00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,640
Speaker 2: and you're gonna overplay the paint. You're gonna try to

193
00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:05,680
Speaker 2: get the ball out of his hands, and you're gonna

194
00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:09,600
Speaker 2: try to concede decent catch and shoot looks to mediocre

195
00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,720
Speaker 2: jump shooters. That's what every team is gonna try to do.

196
00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,880
Speaker 2: So the key will be taking advantage of Kd's unique

197
00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:22,480
Speaker 2: ability to invert spacing. Kade was the best jump shooter

198
00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:24,240
Speaker 2: in basketball last year. We talked about that in his

199
00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:29,240
Speaker 2: ranking episode. He's gonna come off of wide pin downs

200
00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,319
Speaker 2: and he's gonna draw a second player to the level.

201
00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:33,800
Speaker 2: He's gonna come off of ball screens on the ball

202
00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:36,400
Speaker 2: and he's gonna draw two to the ball. And that

203
00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:40,200
Speaker 2: sort of thing, that specific ability to bring multiple defenders

204
00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,840
Speaker 2: out to the perimeter, that can be used to turn

205
00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:49,000
Speaker 2: all of that overhelp into dunks not threes.

206
00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:52,040
Speaker 1: If the big man.

207
00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,360
Speaker 2: Think of it, just from a very basic basketball geometry,

208
00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,559
Speaker 2: Kevin Durant comes off of a ball screen, the big

209
00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:01,240
Speaker 2: man shows up at the level, you have two on KD.

210
00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:05,000
Speaker 2: His man rolls out of it. Who's now accountable for

211
00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,680
Speaker 2: that man? The lowman. Right, the lowman is typically guarding

212
00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:10,840
Speaker 2: the guy in the weak side corner. He's going to

213
00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:15,720
Speaker 2: be stepping over to guard that role man. Who's the

214
00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,439
Speaker 2: next helper in that line? If they on ball, guy's

215
00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:22,160
Speaker 2: on the ball and the screen defender is showing on

216
00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,920
Speaker 2: the ball and the lowman is tagging the roller, the

217
00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,360
Speaker 2: next guy in the rotation is literally going to be

218
00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:33,040
Speaker 2: the guy up on the wing. It's it's easy to

219
00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,960
Speaker 2: get behind that guy. There are dunks to be had there.

220
00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:39,520
Speaker 2: That's what the Golden State Warriors have been doing to

221
00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:41,599
Speaker 2: teams with high steph pick and roll for years and

222
00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,800
Speaker 2: years and years, turning that two on the ball sequence

223
00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,760
Speaker 2: into dunks. So now just this is where you gotta

224
00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:52,720
Speaker 2: take advantage of a men Thompson's versatility, because now imagine

225
00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,720
Speaker 2: whether it's shanng Goon setting the pick and him short

226
00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,640
Speaker 2: rolling in a men Thompson working the baseline or a

227
00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:04,760
Speaker 2: mental screening and rolling and Shangun working the baseline. It's

228
00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,760
Speaker 2: going to be pivotal that they establish timing. And this

229
00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:10,720
Speaker 2: is what is gonna take time. This is what the

230
00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:15,720
Speaker 2: continuity brings. Through thousands of reps, you can get to

231
00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,800
Speaker 2: the point where you have that timing down pat and

232
00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,480
Speaker 2: you can try to set up the floor so that

233
00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:25,600
Speaker 2: a men's working the baseline or Shangun's working the baseline,

234
00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,440
Speaker 2: and the other is in the short roll spot and

235
00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,080
Speaker 2: it's you know, someone like Dorian Phinney Smith on the wing.

236
00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,320
Speaker 2: That's the kind of option where it's like, Okay, now

237
00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:40,280
Speaker 2: we're using a men not spacing the floor, but as

238
00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:43,680
Speaker 2: a dunker, we're using Shane Gun whoever it is. One

239
00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:45,800
Speaker 2: of them is a dunker and the other as a

240
00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,920
Speaker 2: decision maker in the middle of the floor. And the

241
00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,600
Speaker 2: only three point shooter you can tilt it to is

242
00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,880
Speaker 2: gonna be a you know, a Fred van Vliet or

243
00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:59,240
Speaker 2: a Dorian Phinney Smith. Better options than in the past

244
00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:02,600
Speaker 2: it was Dylan Brooks right Like, it's one of those

245
00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:07,520
Speaker 2: things where that geometry setting up that flow, getting the

246
00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,600
Speaker 2: timing down so that they can go bang bang bang,

247
00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,520
Speaker 2: dunk bang bang bang, wide open corner three for Dorian

248
00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:16,720
Speaker 2: Phiney Smith. You know, like that sort of that sort

249
00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,920
Speaker 2: of sequencing is going to be what breaks this offense

250
00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,680
Speaker 2: open into being elite again.

251
00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:23,760
Speaker 1: I think that's gonna be.

252
00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:26,520
Speaker 2: That's why I've been advocating so much for like a

253
00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:29,520
Speaker 2: substantial increase in Kevin Durant pick and rolls this year.

254
00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:34,000
Speaker 2: I think, you know, Kevin Durant's not necessarily the highest

255
00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,040
Speaker 2: level pick and roll player in the world, but that

256
00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,880
Speaker 2: allows him to draw his attention further away from the basket.

257
00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,520
Speaker 2: In the event that you work more out of KD

258
00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:45,920
Speaker 2: in the high post or in the low posts in

259
00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:51,440
Speaker 2: ISO situations or post ups. In those situations, Kd's going

260
00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,960
Speaker 2: to draw the double teams closer to the basket. The

261
00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,960
Speaker 2: closer the double team is to the basket, the easier

262
00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:01,079
Speaker 2: it is to force it to become a ree for somebody.

263
00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,880
Speaker 2: The more double teams that Kadie draws twenty five feet

264
00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,679
Speaker 2: from the basket, the more dunks and layups you're going

265
00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,760
Speaker 2: to generate, which obviously are going to suit an athletic

266
00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,080
Speaker 2: Houston Rockets team that doesn't necessarily shoot the ball super well,

267
00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,000
Speaker 2: that's what's going to suit them more so, again, I

268
00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:22,680
Speaker 2: think figuring out that progression, figuring out that timing, making

269
00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,760
Speaker 2: sure that your off ball offensive players are playing in

270
00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:30,280
Speaker 2: a spot where they're most comfortable rather than when they're uncomfortable.

271
00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:32,120
Speaker 1: If you screw it up.

272
00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:35,800
Speaker 2: To where men Thompson's catching more in the short corner

273
00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:42,440
Speaker 2: corner wing that's going to lead to lesser returns with

274
00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:45,840
Speaker 2: this particular offense. So yeah, I think the easiest way

275
00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:49,000
Speaker 2: that I could explain it is Houston from a pure

276
00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,960
Speaker 2: talent perspective is right up in there with that tier

277
00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:56,760
Speaker 2: Denver and Oklahoma City you're on. But there are clearly

278
00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,160
Speaker 2: some bigger question marks for them than there are for

279
00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:02,120
Speaker 2: other teams, lighter range of potential outcomes for them on

280
00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:05,080
Speaker 2: the offensive end of the floor, And where Houston ends

281
00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:07,840
Speaker 2: up this year will come down to how those particular

282
00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,000
Speaker 2: question marks pan out. Now to the other two parts

283
00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:14,440
Speaker 2: of your question, though, how does Katie's age factor into

284
00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,920
Speaker 2: all of this? It entirely depends on how they play.

285
00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,400
Speaker 1: Again. If they play ugly, grind.

286
00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:25,120
Speaker 2: Out basketball, and Katie kind of insists on playing more

287
00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:27,680
Speaker 2: like he did in Phoenix, lower volume pick and roll,

288
00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:33,360
Speaker 2: higher volume mid post, iso base up stuff that's brute

289
00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:35,680
Speaker 2: force basketball, and I could see him wearing down a

290
00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,240
Speaker 2: little bit just because they'll need so much of him

291
00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,280
Speaker 2: in that spot in order to be successful in offense,

292
00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:44,400
Speaker 2: and that's just a lot. But if they can figure

293
00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,920
Speaker 2: out more ways to use the attention he draws to

294
00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:52,120
Speaker 2: initiate offense again, more double teams further from the basket,

295
00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:57,359
Speaker 2: or aggressive shows at the level coverages further from the basket.

296
00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:00,000
Speaker 2: That's where you can find ways to kind of like

297
00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:04,760
Speaker 2: turn the way he's guarded into points rather than forcing

298
00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,320
Speaker 2: him to really physically carry that load. And I think,

299
00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:10,720
Speaker 2: I think if they can figure that out, I don't

300
00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,160
Speaker 2: think his age will be a problem. Why because this

301
00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:16,520
Speaker 2: is a really young and athletic Houston team and they're

302
00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:19,320
Speaker 2: going to anchor him with so much size and athleticism

303
00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,040
Speaker 2: that you know, like even when we were talking about

304
00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,880
Speaker 2: Katie's rim pressure, Katie's rim pressure is going to factor

305
00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,240
Speaker 2: in for me when it comes to you know, the

306
00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,800
Speaker 2: player rankings list when we're talking about in a vacuum basketball.

307
00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,360
Speaker 2: But this team is going to generate so much rim

308
00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:36,560
Speaker 2: pressure in transition, and a men Thompson through his through

309
00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:40,040
Speaker 2: his ability to you know, just get by people and

310
00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:44,000
Speaker 2: to get aggressively closer to the basket, Alprin Shangun's power game,

311
00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,200
Speaker 2: like Newston is going to be fine on the on

312
00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:48,320
Speaker 2: the rim pressure find it's more just like the greasing

313
00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:52,040
Speaker 2: the wheels, creating advantages and making basketball easier for them.

314
00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:53,840
Speaker 2: That's the thing that I think KDE's going to be

315
00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:55,960
Speaker 2: able to help them with. It's kind of a unique

316
00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,680
Speaker 2: fit in that sense. But yeah, like I'm whether or

317
00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,480
Speaker 2: not Katie's age role is going to come down in

318
00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:04,879
Speaker 2: large part to how they play. Minutes per game I

319
00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,679
Speaker 2: think would also be a factor. Like Houston's an elite defense,

320
00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:09,800
Speaker 2: so they're going to be able to sit him for

321
00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,920
Speaker 2: sixteen minutes a game and still give themselves a great

322
00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:13,400
Speaker 2: chance to win.

323
00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:14,640
Speaker 1: That'll help in the regular.

324
00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,360
Speaker 2: Season, but especially when they get to the postseason, how

325
00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:19,159
Speaker 2: they play will be a factor because they will have

326
00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:22,119
Speaker 2: to ratchet as minutes up. And lastly, the part about

327
00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,560
Speaker 2: KDE ranking eleventh, when typically you need a top ten

328
00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,400
Speaker 2: player to win, I just don't think that's necessarily true.

329
00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:30,960
Speaker 2: I just think you need a superstar to win, and

330
00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:35,240
Speaker 2: KD is certainly a superstar. He's just in that second tier.

331
00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:38,120
Speaker 2: We're just in such a deep league now that if

332
00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,600
Speaker 2: Kawhi and Joel and Bid are healthy, we got fourteen

333
00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:44,200
Speaker 2: of those guys now. But I think KD is every

334
00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,320
Speaker 2: bit as good as everyone else that I have on

335
00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:48,800
Speaker 2: this list up to number five. That's where that kind

336
00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,159
Speaker 2: of line of demarcation is so I think KD is

337
00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:52,280
Speaker 2: plenty good enough.

338
00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,600
Speaker 1: It's just about what heights the team.

339
00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,480
Speaker 2: Can reach collectively, which is going to come in large

340
00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,600
Speaker 2: part down to what style do they choose to play

341
00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,760
Speaker 2: on offense and how well it all comes together on

342
00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:05,400
Speaker 2: that end of the floor in terms of their continuity

343
00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:10,399
Speaker 2: and how quickly they figure things out. Don't understand next question.

344
00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,159
Speaker 2: Don't understand some of your Donovan Mitchell arguments. He played

345
00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,520
Speaker 2: four less minutes per game than the year before, four

346
00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:17,960
Speaker 2: and a half minutes less than two years ago. That's

347
00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,960
Speaker 2: the main reason his total usage numbers were down. That's

348
00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:23,720
Speaker 2: just an eleven percent decrease in his minutes, and his

349
00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:27,080
Speaker 2: time of possession per game decreased by twenty two percent.

350
00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,360
Speaker 2: So I don't care about the minutes going down. By

351
00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:36,000
Speaker 2: all indications, even just watching the calves, Donovan Mitchell had

352
00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:39,840
Speaker 2: the ball less. He was clearly in a different role.

353
00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:42,840
Speaker 2: It wasn't simply just that his minutes were cut down.

354
00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:47,360
Speaker 2: He literally dropped in time of possession by almost a fourth.

355
00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:51,040
Speaker 2: That is a huge change and approach from Donovan Mitchell

356
00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:51,800
Speaker 2: year over year.

357
00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:53,320
Speaker 1: Next question.

358
00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:56,080
Speaker 2: I'm as big of a Lebron fan as anyone, but

359
00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:58,120
Speaker 2: I can't agree with him being higher on the list

360
00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:01,480
Speaker 2: than Donovan Mitchell. You mentioned, Lebron finished sixth and MVP voting,

361
00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:04,400
Speaker 2: while Mitchell finished hot five. Donovan Mitchell led his team

362
00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:06,600
Speaker 2: to the number one seed and statistically the second highest

363
00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:09,119
Speaker 2: rated offense of all time. Additionally, if this list is

364
00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,400
Speaker 2: based on the player you want from October to June,

365
00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:13,800
Speaker 2: then health has to matter. Spider played seventy one games

366
00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,680
Speaker 2: last season, was healthy going into the playoffs, and average thirty.

367
00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:18,800
Speaker 2: It seems unfair to blame anything on him regarding their

368
00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,480
Speaker 2: playoff run last season, seeing as he was without his

369
00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,960
Speaker 2: wingman and his secondary playmaker Garland for the entire playoffs,

370
00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,520
Speaker 2: and he still had a damn near fifty point game

371
00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:30,439
Speaker 2: and is a notorious playoff riser. Think back to the

372
00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:32,320
Speaker 2: bubble again. I love Lebron, but he hasn't been fully

373
00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:34,679
Speaker 2: healthy going into either of the last two playoffs, and

374
00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:36,480
Speaker 2: you wonder if he can maintain the intensity as a

375
00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,440
Speaker 2: primary secondary option for four series. It's tough to bank

376
00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:41,760
Speaker 2: on a fully healthy Lebron season through the playoffs, whereas

377
00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,679
Speaker 2: Spider is smacking his prime, So I'm taking him for

378
00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:48,480
Speaker 2: health and availability. Thanks and keep up the great work.

379
00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:50,240
Speaker 2: Best basketball in the game. Thank you so much for

380
00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:51,720
Speaker 2: the kind words. We're going to really dive into this

381
00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:55,679
Speaker 2: one because I think it's an interesting debate, the rivalries,

382
00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:59,400
Speaker 2: the marching bands, the upsets. Saturday's just got way more fun.

383
00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,680
Speaker 2: College foo fotball is back. Think you know the game.

384
00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,400
Speaker 2: Put your college football knowledge to the test with DraftKings

385
00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:09,120
Speaker 2: Sports Book and turn your picks into big payouts. From

386
00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:11,840
Speaker 2: live betting during the game to rivalry week odds boosts,

387
00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,880
Speaker 2: and so much more. DraftKings Sportsbook has everything you need

388
00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,679
Speaker 2: to stay in the action from kickoff to the final whistle,

389
00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:19,440
Speaker 2: whether you're betting on your go to team or making

390
00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:22,800
Speaker 2: moves mid game as the momentum shifts. Saturdays are yours

391
00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,400
Speaker 2: to own with DraftKings sports Book.

392
00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:25,920
Speaker 1: Number three.

393
00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:29,919
Speaker 2: Ohio State is hosting Texas on Saturday the thirtieth. They

394
00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:33,360
Speaker 2: are now a two point five point favorite at home.

395
00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:36,680
Speaker 2: Here's something special for first timers. New customers. Bet five

396
00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:40,639
Speaker 2: dollars and get two hundred dollars in bonus bets. Instantly

397
00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,359
Speaker 2: download the Draft Kings Sportsbook app and use code hoops.

398
00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:46,480
Speaker 2: That's code hoops, that's h oops for new customers to

399
00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:48,840
Speaker 2: get two hundred dollars in bonus bets instantly when you

400
00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,119
Speaker 2: bet just five bucks in partnership with Draft Kings sportsbook,

401
00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:55,160
Speaker 2: The Crown is Yours. Gambling problem called one eight hundred

402
00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,120
Speaker 2: gambler In New York call eight seven seven eight hope

403
00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,919
Speaker 2: and why, or text hope and why to four six

404
00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,760
Speaker 2: seven three sixty nine. In Connecticut, help us available for

405
00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,240
Speaker 2: problem gambling called eight eight eight seven eight nine seven

406
00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,120
Speaker 2: seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. Please play

407
00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,840
Speaker 2: responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort In Kansas

408
00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,320
Speaker 2: twenty one plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void

409
00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:21,240
Speaker 2: in Ontario. Bonus bets expire seven days after issuance. For

410
00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:25,800
Speaker 2: additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see dkang dot co,

411
00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:31,880
Speaker 2: slash audio. There are a couple things that I disagree

412
00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:34,400
Speaker 2: with for you, like spite of playing seventy one games,

413
00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:37,000
Speaker 2: was a little out of the ordinary. He typically does

414
00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:40,439
Speaker 2: miss significant chunks of the season. That was one of

415
00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,480
Speaker 2: the seasons where he played more than usual, and even

416
00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:45,840
Speaker 2: though he averaged high scoring numbers, I didn't think he

417
00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:49,879
Speaker 2: did an amazing job in terms of flow of the game,

418
00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:53,720
Speaker 2: like floor management type stuff like we talked about when

419
00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:56,040
Speaker 2: we were doing the Donovan Mitchell video, and even though

420
00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,199
Speaker 2: he put up big scoring numbers the team, even though

421
00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:00,399
Speaker 2: he was surrounded by a lot of shooting and quality

422
00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:03,360
Speaker 2: role men talent, the Cavs did not put up good

423
00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:07,040
Speaker 2: offensive ratings when Donovan Mitchell was in control of the offense. So, like,

424
00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:09,440
Speaker 2: I push back on a couple of those specific things,

425
00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:11,960
Speaker 2: but I want to dive into this because I don't

426
00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:15,080
Speaker 2: see a large gap between the two. Anybody that I

427
00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:18,879
Speaker 2: have ranked five to twelve, I could see a case

428
00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,520
Speaker 2: for any player to be ranked above any player, Like

429
00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:23,240
Speaker 2: there's absolutely a case.

430
00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,200
Speaker 1: For Donovan Mitchell to be above Lebron.

431
00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:27,200
Speaker 2: It'd be a harder case to make, but you could

432
00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,800
Speaker 2: absolutely argue him above a guy like Anthony Edwards. It

433
00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:34,359
Speaker 2: could be like he has more reliable short range scoring,

434
00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:37,960
Speaker 2: He's got like better floater short range jump shooting. He's

435
00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:42,600
Speaker 2: more attentive and disciplined off ball defender. Anthony Edwards makes

436
00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:44,560
Speaker 2: a lot of mistakes on that end of the floor. Like,

437
00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,440
Speaker 2: you could make the case. Again, it's not a case

438
00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:49,840
Speaker 2: I would make. I think Aunt is clearly a little

439
00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,840
Speaker 2: bit better than Donovan Mitchell. But the point is is

440
00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:57,280
Speaker 2: like anywhere from five to twelve, you could argue anybody

441
00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:00,280
Speaker 2: over anybody, Like, if you're gonna make a case for

442
00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:02,600
Speaker 2: Lebron to be down at twelve, you're going to focus

443
00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:05,320
Speaker 2: on some of the inconsistencies in the regular season with

444
00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:07,600
Speaker 2: his effort or some of the stuff with his age.

445
00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,040
Speaker 2: And if you're going to argue him up to five,

446
00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:12,560
Speaker 2: you're going to be like, well, the guy that was

447
00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,040
Speaker 2: playing in the first round against Denver two years ago

448
00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,960
Speaker 2: looked like a bona fide top tier superstar, and like,

449
00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:19,840
Speaker 2: when you have that, dude, you just give yourself a

450
00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:20,600
Speaker 2: really good chance.

451
00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:23,639
Speaker 1: Right, You're going to make cases either way.

452
00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:26,320
Speaker 2: And again, the case against health or excuse me, the

453
00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:30,159
Speaker 2: case against Lebron is health. As you mentioned, Lebron at

454
00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:34,040
Speaker 2: his top end, the guy we saw in February, he's

455
00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:35,720
Speaker 2: one of the five best players in the world, but

456
00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:38,479
Speaker 2: there's no guarantee that he'll be at that level when

457
00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:40,919
Speaker 2: you get to the playoffs. And you're right, I thought

458
00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:44,000
Speaker 2: that in twenty twenty three when he had the foot injury,

459
00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,359
Speaker 2: he wasn't even close. He was like more like a

460
00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:50,800
Speaker 2: third tier superstar because he had this broken foot and

461
00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,439
Speaker 2: he could barely move and it was affecting him in

462
00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,720
Speaker 2: a bunch of areas of his game. I thought he

463
00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:57,760
Speaker 2: was at that level in twenty twenty four. It was

464
00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,680
Speaker 2: sneaky one of his better playoff series, just got nuked

465
00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:02,639
Speaker 2: by a couple of Jamal Murray game winners, but they

466
00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,560
Speaker 2: led the majority of the series. He averaged twenty eight points,

467
00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:09,080
Speaker 2: seven rebounds, and nine assists on sixty four percent tru shooting.

468
00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:12,280
Speaker 2: He hit clutch shot after clutch shot after clutch shot.

469
00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,600
Speaker 2: It just the Nuggets did more on offense at the

470
00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:17,320
Speaker 2: end of those games. It just wasn't enough to win

471
00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,960
Speaker 2: the series. And again, Denver's one of the great teams

472
00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,080
Speaker 2: of this era and they're defending champs at that point

473
00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:26,200
Speaker 2: in time, right, and I thought he was fine against Minnesota.

474
00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:29,560
Speaker 2: He was right at that second tier superstar level, certainly

475
00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:31,600
Speaker 2: better than he was in twenty twenty three when they

476
00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,280
Speaker 2: made the Western Conference Finals run, but not as good

477
00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:36,439
Speaker 2: as he was in twenty twenty four. So to your point,

478
00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:38,639
Speaker 2: it's kind of like a roll of the dice with

479
00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:41,840
Speaker 2: Lebron as far as which player you're gonna get when

480
00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:45,320
Speaker 2: you get to the postseason. But that's the first point

481
00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:48,840
Speaker 2: that I have to hone in on here. Lebron's floor

482
00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:53,280
Speaker 2: is just so high as a basketball player still to

483
00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:58,120
Speaker 2: this day, Like injured foot Lebron in the Western Conference

484
00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,560
Speaker 2: Finals run five points per game on fifty eight percent

485
00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,520
Speaker 2: turre shooting. Again, not the thirty points per game on

486
00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,199
Speaker 2: fifty seven percent ture shooting that Donovan Mitchell just put up,

487
00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:10,720
Speaker 2: but still really good. Scoring twenty five points per game

488
00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:13,000
Speaker 2: on fifty eight percent your shooting. Go look, just just

489
00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:16,760
Speaker 2: go look at the NBA dot com website, sort by

490
00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:19,240
Speaker 2: points per game and look at how many players were

491
00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:22,520
Speaker 2: averaging that type of scoring on that type of efficiency.

492
00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:25,919
Speaker 2: In this year's postseason run ten rebounds per game and

493
00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:29,280
Speaker 2: seven assists per game. Ten rebounds per game is a

494
00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:34,120
Speaker 2: huge foundational boost to a basketball team. And like say

495
00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:37,080
Speaker 2: what you want to say about Lebron's regular season defensive effort,

496
00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,040
Speaker 2: He's still a very good playoff defender to this day,

497
00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:44,399
Speaker 2: while helping to anchor your defensive rebounding while becoming an

498
00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:46,800
Speaker 2: excellent catch and shoot player. Last two playoff runs, he's

499
00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:48,920
Speaker 2: eighteen for thirty seven on catch and shoot jump shots.

500
00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:51,840
Speaker 2: It's forty nine percent. He can still generate offense, not

501
00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:54,800
Speaker 2: at the level that Donovan Mitchell does now, but still

502
00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:57,320
Speaker 2: really good at it because of his playmaking talent and

503
00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:01,800
Speaker 2: his size and strength and like yeah, like Donovan Mitchell

504
00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,160
Speaker 2: had a more impressive regular season. He led a kick

505
00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:08,960
Speaker 2: ass Cleveland Cavaliers team to a phenomenal season, but it's

506
00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:12,000
Speaker 2: important to acknowledge that that was an excellent Cavs team.

507
00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:16,119
Speaker 2: Darius Garland's phenomenal ability to just beat people off the

508
00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,440
Speaker 2: dribble and slice teams up in the paint made made

509
00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:22,600
Speaker 2: things easier for everybody. Evan Mobley becoming like a legit

510
00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:26,159
Speaker 2: awesome two way player, Jared Allen established himself as one

511
00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:28,840
Speaker 2: of the better regular season centers in the NBA. They're

512
00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:32,040
Speaker 2: insane depth of three and d off ball talent that

513
00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:36,720
Speaker 2: Kobe Altman put together. It was an awesome team. That

514
00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:40,080
Speaker 2: roster actually makes a shit ton of sense for Lebron James.

515
00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:43,479
Speaker 2: A point guard who can break the defense down, elite

516
00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,120
Speaker 2: defenders that can shoot, elite defenders in the front line,

517
00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:48,280
Speaker 2: that anchor things that can handle some of the physicality,

518
00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:51,920
Speaker 2: tons of high level off ball role player talent. That's

519
00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,679
Speaker 2: literally why this summer, when Lebron and all the rumors

520
00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,639
Speaker 2: around the Lakers started popping up, everyone's like hmm, what

521
00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:00,560
Speaker 2: if he went to Cleveland because it just makes so

522
00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:05,919
Speaker 2: much basketball sets And again, like Lebron, even on the

523
00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:09,080
Speaker 2: low end of what you're gonna get in the postseason,

524
00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,320
Speaker 2: his floor is just still so high and you might

525
00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:16,359
Speaker 2: just get one of the top six or seven players

526
00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:18,119
Speaker 2: in the league when you get there, which is a

527
00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:21,280
Speaker 2: ceiling that I don't think Donovan Mitchell can reach. So like,

528
00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,760
Speaker 2: I just still think Lebron's a better basketball player than

529
00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:28,359
Speaker 2: Donovan Mitchell, even at his old age. And for the record,

530
00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,920
Speaker 2: I believe if you swapped him right now, like right now,

531
00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,680
Speaker 2: even with the Jankee lineup stuff, you'd have to move

532
00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:37,800
Speaker 2: Strews to the two and play Lebron at the three

533
00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:40,160
Speaker 2: next to Mobley and Allen. It'd be a little bit funky.

534
00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:45,280
Speaker 2: I think that's a better team. Frankly, I'd make that

535
00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:48,840
Speaker 2: team a gigantic favorite to win the Eastern Conference, and

536
00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,200
Speaker 2: I'd give them a substantially better chance to win the title.

537
00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,800
Speaker 2: I like, I think Lebron is a bit better than Donovan,

538
00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:58,480
Speaker 2: but I also think the fit, the surrounding talent, all

539
00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:01,600
Speaker 2: that shooting a point that can help break the defense down.

540
00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:06,400
Speaker 2: Like I even think just in pure basketball fit that

541
00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:10,520
Speaker 2: matches up better with Lebron in Cleveland than Donovan Mitchell

542
00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:12,840
Speaker 2: does in Cleveland. So yeah, I again, that's just my take.

543
00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:15,440
Speaker 2: You're not wrong for putting Donovan Mitchell above Lebron. Again,

544
00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:17,800
Speaker 2: I think there's a clear case you can make. I

545
00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,760
Speaker 2: think it's a defensible position. But I still think Lebron's

546
00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:22,760
Speaker 2: a better basketball player than Donovan Mitchell. By the way,

547
00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,040
Speaker 2: I'm gonna be hitting him very soon, so it's not

548
00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,600
Speaker 2: like I have him astronomically high. I just have him

549
00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:29,480
Speaker 2: ahead of the guys that I have below him on

550
00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:34,520
Speaker 2: the list right now. Next question, Austin Reeves and Jared

551
00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:38,280
Speaker 2: Vanderbilt for Jaden McDaniels. I see this as a mutually

552
00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:41,920
Speaker 2: beneficial trade for both teams. What are your thoughts. It's

553
00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:45,480
Speaker 2: an interesting trade on the surface, especially when you view

554
00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:48,320
Speaker 2: it through just a short term lens. Right, Like Austin

555
00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:52,360
Speaker 2: Reeves provides secondary ball handling to a Minnesota team that

556
00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,600
Speaker 2: desperately needs that kind of like skill guard off of

557
00:28:55,640 --> 00:29:00,560
Speaker 2: Anthony Edwards right, and Jaden McDaniels makes the Lakers Stantiley

558
00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:04,080
Speaker 2: more athletic and gives them that starting caliber small forward

559
00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:07,480
Speaker 2: that they desperately need. But it comes with a fatal

560
00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:11,000
Speaker 2: flaw for both teams. For the Lakers, part of the

561
00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:14,080
Speaker 2: reason why they value Austin Reeves is the proven pathway

562
00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:17,040
Speaker 2: to success with Luka Dancic, which is another kind of

563
00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:22,240
Speaker 2: like pound the ball type of shot creator that can run, spread,

564
00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,760
Speaker 2: pick and roll with similar types of players that Luca

565
00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:28,080
Speaker 2: plays with, and just run a reasonable fact simile of

566
00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:31,200
Speaker 2: what Luca does to spell Luca when he's off ball

567
00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:33,680
Speaker 2: and to carry the offense when Luca's off the floor.

568
00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:38,200
Speaker 2: I think the Lakers view Austin Reeves as their Kyrie

569
00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:42,200
Speaker 2: Irving or their Jalen Brunson in terms of being that

570
00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:45,200
Speaker 2: secondary ball And now there's a much more complicated conversation

571
00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:47,320
Speaker 2: we can have about whether or not Austin's capable of that.

572
00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:51,160
Speaker 2: Jalen Brunson is top ten on this list this year,

573
00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,160
Speaker 2: and Kyrie Irving is one of the best number twos

574
00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,000
Speaker 2: of all time as a guy who's literally won a

575
00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,640
Speaker 2: championship in that role. And I don't think anybody's under

576
00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:03,680
Speaker 2: any delusions thinking that Austin Reeves is better than Kyrie Irving,

577
00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:06,480
Speaker 2: and I don't think any of us are thinking that right.

578
00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,520
Speaker 2: So there's a complicated conversation you could get into, which

579
00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,200
Speaker 2: is like, are the Lakers making the right decision betting

580
00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:16,840
Speaker 2: on Austin Reeves being their number two with Luca?

581
00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:19,000
Speaker 1: But I think that's what they see him as.

582
00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,400
Speaker 2: I think that's what they see So I don't think

583
00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,840
Speaker 2: they're going to make a move that trades Austin Reeves

584
00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:29,200
Speaker 2: unless they're getting that guy back, the guy who's going

585
00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:31,959
Speaker 2: to be Luca's number two, or unless they have a

586
00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:35,040
Speaker 2: clear plan like, oh, this guy's gonna come sign with

587
00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:37,240
Speaker 2: us or whatever. It might be some sort of intel,

588
00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:40,880
Speaker 2: some sort of plan to replace that guy who's secondary

589
00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:44,640
Speaker 2: off of Luca right when Lebron retires or before. If

590
00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:46,840
Speaker 2: they don't have that, I don't think they're going to

591
00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:49,680
Speaker 2: trade Austin. And then the second piece of it is,

592
00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:54,880
Speaker 2: if you trade Jaden McDaniels, the Timberwolves suddenly have a

593
00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:58,280
Speaker 2: gaping hole at the small at the small forward position.

594
00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:03,080
Speaker 2: Like ar Vanderbilt, you included him in that deal. If

595
00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:04,920
Speaker 2: he started next to Julius Randall, I think that would

596
00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:07,920
Speaker 2: be a spacing disaster, especially with Rudy Gobert on the floor.

597
00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,640
Speaker 2: I don't think Terrence Shannon is ready for a starting

598
00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:14,960
Speaker 2: role yet. If you start Dante DiVincenzo, you're gonna start

599
00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:17,600
Speaker 2: having size issues. I just think it would be plugging

600
00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:20,200
Speaker 2: one hole but creating another hole in the process. So

601
00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:22,560
Speaker 2: I just don't think it makes sense there. If the

602
00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,680
Speaker 2: Lakers are going to make a move for like an

603
00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:29,560
Speaker 2: elite starting two or three, somebody in the JD McDaniels,

604
00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:32,760
Speaker 2: ilk even like Herb Jones, and they're not gonna move

605
00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:36,720
Speaker 2: on like an Andrew Wiggins something along those lines because

606
00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:38,959
Speaker 2: he's too old. I think they're gonna have to wait

607
00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:40,920
Speaker 2: till the middle of the season. I don't see anything

608
00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:43,200
Speaker 2: that makes sense right now, because again, they have to

609
00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,080
Speaker 2: have a plan for a ball handler coming back, or

610
00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,480
Speaker 2: they need to be able to get that player without

611
00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:51,600
Speaker 2: including Austin Reeves, which then puts you into a different

612
00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:54,400
Speaker 2: class of player right or at least a player that's

613
00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:56,920
Speaker 2: not yet available that can drive the market price down.

614
00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:59,640
Speaker 2: They're gonna have to wait till something takes shape elsewhere

615
00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:02,600
Speaker 2: around the league, like oh, the Pacers fall out the

616
00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:05,240
Speaker 2: gates and decide they're willing to get rid of an

617
00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:09,880
Speaker 2: Aaron Nee Smith for example, like or like Andrew Nevhart

618
00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:11,640
Speaker 2: would be like a pipe dream because he'd be a

619
00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:13,800
Speaker 2: guy that could also be that secondary ball handler off

620
00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:16,160
Speaker 2: of Luca. But like you're if you could get a

621
00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:18,720
Speaker 2: player like that, it's gonna have to materialize at some

622
00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:20,719
Speaker 2: point down the line, because I just don't think it

623
00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:23,800
Speaker 2: exists right this right at this point, and I think

624
00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:26,320
Speaker 2: it's probably more likely because of the Lakers are so

625
00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,320
Speaker 2: hesitant to give up draft assets at this point, holding

626
00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:33,320
Speaker 2: out for the superstar that they're gonna pair Luca with.

627
00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:36,360
Speaker 2: I think it's probably more likely that they end up

628
00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:40,440
Speaker 2: getting older options, like someone like a Conavious Callwell Pope

629
00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:44,200
Speaker 2: out of Memphis right like on a buyout, or maybe

630
00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:48,000
Speaker 2: you because CACP has a player option after this coming

631
00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:50,800
Speaker 2: season for over twenty million dollars, So like maybe you

632
00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:54,640
Speaker 2: ship out expirings guys like Gabe Vincent and Max Kliba

633
00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:57,640
Speaker 2: and you just tell Memphis like, we're not giving you

634
00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:01,280
Speaker 2: anything else, but we'll take CASEP and clear your books

635
00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:05,360
Speaker 2: next summer and we'll take ACPs as a starting too.

636
00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:07,360
Speaker 2: That would be the kind of deal that I think

637
00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:11,160
Speaker 2: is more likely for the Lakers than something that's kind

638
00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:13,800
Speaker 2: of splash year and bigger, because I just think that

639
00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,080
Speaker 2: they're trying to play the slow game with Luca, which

640
00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:18,720
Speaker 2: I think again the problem with playing the slow game

641
00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:22,600
Speaker 2: with Luca is whatever you anticipate, you can get that

642
00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:25,480
Speaker 2: big carrot that you're thinking about that's going to drive

643
00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,400
Speaker 2: all the success in the Luka doncic Era. You got

644
00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:30,440
Speaker 2: to also factor in that you're losing an All NBA

645
00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:33,240
Speaker 2: player like Lebron is probably going to be an All

646
00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:36,720
Speaker 2: NBA player this season, and that might be the last time.

647
00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:38,880
Speaker 1: And whenever Lebron.

648
00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:41,440
Speaker 2: Leaves, whether he gets hurt this year or the like

649
00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,160
Speaker 2: gets hurt next year, or just decides to retire at

650
00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:49,760
Speaker 2: some point, whenever Lebron's done, you're removing an All NBA

651
00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:52,920
Speaker 2: player from this roster. And so that's kind of why

652
00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:56,320
Speaker 2: I view the overcautiousness as a little bit of a

653
00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:00,880
Speaker 2: flawed strategy. That's not to say that you need to

654
00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:02,920
Speaker 2: go mortgage your future. As I've said, I don't think

655
00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:06,680
Speaker 2: the Lakers need to go move Austin a first round

656
00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:09,920
Speaker 2: pick and all these swaps and second round draft compensation

657
00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:14,239
Speaker 2: and everything in under the sun to go get a

658
00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:17,839
Speaker 2: thirty year old Andrew Wiggins. I'm not saying that I've

659
00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:20,560
Speaker 2: said on the record, I don't think that the Lakers

660
00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:23,839
Speaker 2: should move on Andrew Wiggins unless they can do it

661
00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:27,880
Speaker 2: without including the first round pick, because I understand their situation.

662
00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:30,680
Speaker 2: I would just include Dalton and maybe a swap and

663
00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:33,640
Speaker 2: a second round pick and see if you can squeeze

664
00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:37,280
Speaker 2: Wiggins out of them, you know, like, because obviously making

665
00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:39,840
Speaker 2: a move for Wiggins is a win now type of

666
00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:42,440
Speaker 2: move that doesn't have as much long term upside.

667
00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:43,640
Speaker 1: But I am.

668
00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:48,040
Speaker 2: Saying that if an elite let's say a Jaden McDaniels,

669
00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:52,520
Speaker 2: for example, comes available, someone of that ilk Herb Jones,

670
00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,719
Speaker 2: whoever it might be, and you can get that deal

671
00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:59,040
Speaker 2: done with the first round pick and you keep Austin.

672
00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:01,879
Speaker 2: I the Lakers would hold on to the first round

673
00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:05,200
Speaker 2: pick because of their pipe dreams of Giannis, And I'm

674
00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:08,120
Speaker 2: saying I think that a first round pick spent on

675
00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:12,200
Speaker 2: a twenty six year old, legitimate, awesome three and D

676
00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:17,360
Speaker 2: guy at the small forward position would be mutually beneficial

677
00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:18,920
Speaker 2: to this era and the future.

678
00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:21,400
Speaker 1: On the one hand, all of a sudden.

679
00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:23,960
Speaker 2: You've got Lebron and Luca and this kick ass three

680
00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:26,239
Speaker 2: and D player that you can go try to make

681
00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:29,440
Speaker 2: a run with right now. And that guy's an asset.

682
00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:31,520
Speaker 2: He's a three and d player in his twenties. He's

683
00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:35,280
Speaker 2: worth while. He's worth something. So even if you decided

684
00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:37,720
Speaker 2: to go make a move for a superstar down the line,

685
00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:40,200
Speaker 2: he's a guy you can include in a deal like

686
00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:42,520
Speaker 2: that that the other team is going to be like, well,

687
00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:46,680
Speaker 2: we're getting back a twenty eight year old all defense guy.

688
00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,879
Speaker 2: This is something I can sell to my fans, right.

689
00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:55,360
Speaker 2: I think that the asset management piece and the lack

690
00:35:55,440 --> 00:36:00,560
Speaker 2: of valuation from the lakers of super high levels starters

691
00:36:01,280 --> 00:36:05,719
Speaker 2: as opposed to superstar talent. I think that lack of

692
00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:09,040
Speaker 2: value placed on super high level starters is going to

693
00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:11,280
Speaker 2: be a mistake in this Luca era. I think Luca

694
00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:14,239
Speaker 2: is such a unique star. He's such an offense in

695
00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:17,640
Speaker 2: and of himself that he's not as dependent on super

696
00:36:17,719 --> 00:36:21,279
Speaker 2: super high level superstar support. That's why he can make

697
00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:23,479
Speaker 2: get it done with Kyrie Irving or get it done

698
00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:25,520
Speaker 2: with Austin and like or not with Austin a guy

699
00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:28,680
Speaker 2: like Jalen Brunson, right, and by the way, like that

700
00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:32,240
Speaker 2: Celtics team is an all time great. They lost Luca

701
00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:35,000
Speaker 2: personally needed to make some improvements, especially as a defender

702
00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:38,440
Speaker 2: and getting into better shape. There are checkpoints that Luca

703
00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:41,680
Speaker 2: has to hit in order for that build to work

704
00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:44,879
Speaker 2: in order to win a championship. But like, Luca kind

705
00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:48,160
Speaker 2: of grants you the grace of not necessarily needing a

706
00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:51,879
Speaker 2: top tier superstar next to him. Same with Jokic, Right,

707
00:36:52,239 --> 00:36:55,440
Speaker 2: That's how Jokic won the title. He's such an offense

708
00:36:55,480 --> 00:37:00,239
Speaker 2: to himself. He's such an elite, high end engine that

709
00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:04,920
Speaker 2: he can win with really high level starters rather than needing,

710
00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:08,439
Speaker 2: you know, to have Giannis next to him. Right, that's

711
00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:14,680
Speaker 2: the unique thing that these ultra indomitable offensive engines bring

712
00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:16,760
Speaker 2: to the table. And if Luca gets in great shape

713
00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:18,800
Speaker 2: and he doesn't tire out at the end of games,

714
00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:21,840
Speaker 2: and he gets better on defense, I do think he

715
00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:25,000
Speaker 2: can win a title surrounded by super high level starters

716
00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:28,640
Speaker 2: and a legitimate secondary creator the ilk of the Kyrie

717
00:37:28,719 --> 00:37:34,080
Speaker 2: Brunson variety. Right, So, like that to me is the pathway.

718
00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:35,920
Speaker 2: And so I think that's where I just differ with

719
00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:39,920
Speaker 2: the Lakers, and they're kind of big picture like basketball philosophy.

720
00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:42,120
Speaker 2: It's like, I don't think the Lakers have a big

721
00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:44,600
Speaker 2: picture basketball philosophy, or at least if they do, it's

722
00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:47,719
Speaker 2: being drowned out by the superiors. Like I know, there

723
00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:49,560
Speaker 2: are really smart people that work in the Laker front

724
00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:54,759
Speaker 2: office underneath Rob Polinka, and like I just I am

725
00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:59,680
Speaker 2: not sure if the Rob Jeanie, you know, Kurt rambis

726
00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:03,799
Speaker 2: craft out has the appropriate vision for what works in

727
00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:07,400
Speaker 2: the modern him yet even under Luca. And so that's

728
00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:09,200
Speaker 2: what kind of freaks me out a little bit, is

729
00:38:09,239 --> 00:38:11,600
Speaker 2: like I don't I think if you ask them like

730
00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:17,439
Speaker 2: what Herb Jones is worth, they would probably speak more

731
00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,160
Speaker 2: like they would not be willing to spend as much

732
00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,200
Speaker 2: as some of the smarter teams in the league would

733
00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:24,399
Speaker 2: be willing to spend to get a guy like that,

734
00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:28,160
Speaker 2: when the reality is is alongside Luka Doncic, when he

735
00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:33,080
Speaker 2: would generate Herb a million butt naked corner threes and

736
00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:36,560
Speaker 2: his ability to guard on the perimeter and funnel into

737
00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:38,520
Speaker 2: a rim protector and all those sorts of things that

738
00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:42,880
Speaker 2: Herb Jones can do in the context of Luca, that's

739
00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:45,799
Speaker 2: worth more than even if you picked up Herb and

740
00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:51,800
Speaker 2: put him somewhere else. Like, Luca is such a unique

741
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:56,560
Speaker 2: player in the way that he drives value for that

742
00:38:56,719 --> 00:38:58,279
Speaker 2: type of role player, And I just hope that the

743
00:38:58,320 --> 00:39:01,120
Speaker 2: Lakers value that sort of thing eventually, Jason, I don't

744
00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:03,120
Speaker 2: know if this mail bag, if this is mail bag,

745
00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:04,680
Speaker 2: but I've watched Curry and Lebron go at it for

746
00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:06,839
Speaker 2: the last five years, and I've noticed that Curry tends

747
00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:09,719
Speaker 2: to outplay him in regard to impact. A lot of

748
00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:11,480
Speaker 2: people don't want to accept it, but I seriously think

749
00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:14,040
Speaker 2: he's been better than Lebron for the last couple of years.

750
00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:16,080
Speaker 2: A lot of general fans point to stats to show

751
00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:18,239
Speaker 2: that it's close, but in my opinion, Curry's impact has

752
00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:22,239
Speaker 2: been great, far greater than Lebron's, and I've noticed that

753
00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:27,240
Speaker 2: Lebron's stats make him often better than he I can't

754
00:39:27,239 --> 00:39:28,560
Speaker 2: this is what must have just been a type of

755
00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:31,359
Speaker 2: it says make him out out to be better than

756
00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:33,719
Speaker 2: he is. In the last three to four years. He

757
00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:36,920
Speaker 2: slacks off a lot on defense, and his points seem

758
00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:38,879
Speaker 2: to be a bit hollow or empty. Don't get me wrong,

759
00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:42,080
Speaker 2: but he's still been a top five player the last

760
00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:44,000
Speaker 2: five seasons. But I could I could definitely be wrong,

761
00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:46,759
Speaker 2: but I was wondering on your thoughts about how about this,

762
00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:49,840
Speaker 2: especially since most NBA fans don't watch games and just

763
00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:52,239
Speaker 2: point to stats to show how close it is. So

764
00:39:53,320 --> 00:39:55,520
Speaker 2: more or less, you're just saying you think Lebron or

765
00:39:55,560 --> 00:39:58,040
Speaker 2: STEP's been better than Lebron for the last couple of years.

766
00:39:58,120 --> 00:40:00,680
Speaker 2: You said far better. I don't think it's far better,

767
00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:03,359
Speaker 2: but I actually agree with you. I think Steph has

768
00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:06,320
Speaker 2: been better than Lebron over the last few years. Lebron

769
00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:09,759
Speaker 2: is super old now and he's just more prone to

770
00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:11,680
Speaker 2: injuries that makes it harder for him to.

771
00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:12,279
Speaker 1: Reach his peak.

772
00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:15,040
Speaker 2: His peak is still every bit as high as everyone

773
00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:17,240
Speaker 2: else in the league. Like again, last year in February,

774
00:40:17,239 --> 00:40:19,440
Speaker 2: there was there wasn't an NBA player playing better than

775
00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:22,480
Speaker 2: Lebron last year in February, but then he got hurt again, right,

776
00:40:23,080 --> 00:40:24,520
Speaker 2: And I mean, you guys are starting to see this,

777
00:40:24,600 --> 00:40:27,799
Speaker 2: you Steph fans, like Steph has been a monster, but

778
00:40:28,239 --> 00:40:30,840
Speaker 2: he just got hurt. He's thirty seven now, Like this

779
00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:33,200
Speaker 2: is kind of what happens when you get into these years.

780
00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:35,080
Speaker 2: And we'll see if that ends up being a fluke.

781
00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:37,520
Speaker 2: And it was just because he had to carry such

782
00:40:37,560 --> 00:40:40,480
Speaker 2: crazy load right in the run up to the playoffs,

783
00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:43,239
Speaker 2: because of their predicament, because they waited so long to

784
00:40:43,239 --> 00:40:45,160
Speaker 2: make a trade. And maybe Steph will be healthy from

785
00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:45,600
Speaker 2: here on out.

786
00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:46,040
Speaker 1: We'll see you.

787
00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:49,600
Speaker 2: But like I do agree that Steph has been better

788
00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:53,000
Speaker 2: in the last few years than Lebron has been. Like

789
00:40:53,040 --> 00:40:55,879
Speaker 2: from i'd say twenty twenty two to twenty twenty four, Yeah,

790
00:40:55,880 --> 00:40:56,759
Speaker 2: that stretch.

791
00:40:56,400 --> 00:40:58,320
Speaker 1: He's been a more reliably great player.

792
00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:01,879
Speaker 2: It's actually why it's so difficult to have these kinds

793
00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:05,400
Speaker 2: of discussions with people. Everyone just focused on the wins

794
00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:09,320
Speaker 2: and losses when basketball is just so much more complicated

795
00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:14,399
Speaker 2: than that. For example, the Lakers led by Lebron, beat

796
00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:18,239
Speaker 2: the Warriors in twenty twenty three led by Steph, but

797
00:41:18,320 --> 00:41:20,600
Speaker 2: I thought Steph was a better player than Lebron in

798
00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:23,960
Speaker 2: that series. Lebron was on a bad foot. He was

799
00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:27,440
Speaker 2: struggling to score effectively. Lebron was great in Game six,

800
00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:30,560
Speaker 2: especially like the Lebron was awesome at times in that series,

801
00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:32,560
Speaker 2: and again in Game six, he was a fucking monster.

802
00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:36,120
Speaker 2: But Steph was the better player in that series. But

803
00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:42,040
Speaker 2: the Lakers were the better team and the better team won. Similarly,

804
00:41:42,080 --> 00:41:45,600
Speaker 2: you'll hear Warriors fans constantly talk about how they went

805
00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:48,399
Speaker 2: three to one against Lebron in the finals. I thought

806
00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:51,000
Speaker 2: Lebron was the best player in all four of those series.

807
00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:55,200
Speaker 2: The Warriors were just obviously. Similarly to the Lakers Warriors

808
00:41:55,200 --> 00:41:58,280
Speaker 2: series in twenty twenty three, the Warriors were just obviously

809
00:41:58,320 --> 00:42:03,480
Speaker 2: better teams. The twenty fifteen Calves were decimated by injuries.

810
00:42:03,520 --> 00:42:05,799
Speaker 2: In that series, Kyrie and Kevin Love out, there was

811
00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:09,319
Speaker 2: a massive talent gap, and then the KD Warriors are

812
00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:12,840
Speaker 2: literally the greatest roster ever assembled in the history of

813
00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:18,720
Speaker 2: the NBA. People were just being dense for whatever reason,

814
00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:21,600
Speaker 2: at least among the Warriors fans that look back on

815
00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:24,640
Speaker 2: that era. I mean, if the Lakers traded for Yannis

816
00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:30,640
Speaker 2: tomorrow and Luca and Yannis knocked Jokic out of the playoffs,

817
00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:35,240
Speaker 2: that doesn't mean that Luca or Janis are better than Jokic.

818
00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:41,680
Speaker 2: That's incredibly stupid logic. But for whatever reason, Warriors fans

819
00:42:41,719 --> 00:42:46,319
Speaker 2: make that very case when arguing Steph over Lebron. When

820
00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:48,480
Speaker 2: the second and third best players in the league at

821
00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:51,000
Speaker 2: the peak of their powers played on the same team,

822
00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:56,440
Speaker 2: they beat Lebron twice. So my take is for the

823
00:42:56,600 --> 00:43:00,640
Speaker 2: entirety of Lebron's prime, Lebron was a better player than Steph,

824
00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:03,960
Speaker 2: but Steph in his late prime has been better than

825
00:43:04,120 --> 00:43:09,040
Speaker 2: thirty eight thirty nine, forty year old Lebron. And lastly,

826
00:43:09,160 --> 00:43:11,520
Speaker 2: the gap in both of these cases is close in

827
00:43:11,560 --> 00:43:13,239
Speaker 2: my opinion, which I think is a testament to the

828
00:43:13,239 --> 00:43:16,120
Speaker 2: greatness of both of them. So, for instance, like I

829
00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:18,399
Speaker 2: do think Lebron is better than Steph during that whole era,

830
00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:23,680
Speaker 2: but Steph got close. He got close to the guy

831
00:43:23,840 --> 00:43:26,479
Speaker 2: many folks consider to be the best basketball player ever.

832
00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:29,359
Speaker 2: That's an incredible feather in Steph's cap. That's a big

833
00:43:29,400 --> 00:43:31,759
Speaker 2: part of why I have Steph as the fifth best

834
00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:35,640
Speaker 2: perimeter player of all time. He legit competed like Whent

835
00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:40,360
Speaker 2: toe to toe and competed against the goat.

836
00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:41,400
Speaker 1: It's remarkable.

837
00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:47,359
Speaker 2: Similarly, Lebron's staying close to Steph and the stars at

838
00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:49,440
Speaker 2: the top of the like it's close. Like Steph's been

839
00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:52,320
Speaker 2: better than Lebron the last couple of years, but Lebron

840
00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:54,600
Speaker 2: still made second team All NBA and was sixth and

841
00:43:54,719 --> 00:43:58,640
Speaker 2: MVP voting last year, and like has definitively been right

842
00:43:58,719 --> 00:44:02,880
Speaker 2: up there hanging on for dear life with those guys.

843
00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:05,239
Speaker 1: That he like.

844
00:44:05,280 --> 00:44:07,759
Speaker 2: It's he continues to make All NBA every year. He

845
00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:11,799
Speaker 2: just got second team. It's a truly remarkable accomplishment for

846
00:44:11,840 --> 00:44:15,640
Speaker 2: a forty year old basketball player. Him remaining at that

847
00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:19,160
Speaker 2: level for as long as he has is literally the

848
00:44:19,239 --> 00:44:22,480
Speaker 2: biggest part of why I view him as the goat.

849
00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:28,240
Speaker 2: If I'm starting to franchise from scratch and I'm guaranteed

850
00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:31,719
Speaker 2: a ten year stretch where he's the best player in

851
00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:35,080
Speaker 2: the world and another decade plus where he's an All

852
00:44:35,160 --> 00:44:38,480
Speaker 2: NBA player, I'm giving myself a lot of chances to

853
00:44:38,480 --> 00:44:42,440
Speaker 2: build a championship team. No one's come close to that.

854
00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:47,239
Speaker 2: And last little bonus, Steph topic here again. He just

855
00:44:47,280 --> 00:44:50,120
Speaker 2: suffered that injury in the postseason, which kind of takes

856
00:44:50,160 --> 00:44:53,360
Speaker 2: away from this, But he's putting together a sneaky little

857
00:44:54,080 --> 00:45:00,360
Speaker 2: case for longevity on his own, like amongst small guards

858
00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:04,040
Speaker 2: at his age, to make second team All NBA. Like

859
00:45:04,360 --> 00:45:07,160
Speaker 2: most small guards fall apart rapidly in this phase of

860
00:45:07,200 --> 00:45:11,200
Speaker 2: their career, and Steph just hasn't. I'm curious to see

861
00:45:11,239 --> 00:45:13,480
Speaker 2: how long he'll drag out this level of play, because,

862
00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:15,839
Speaker 2: like I still have him pretty high on the list

863
00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:19,480
Speaker 2: this year, I have him above Lebron again, But at

864
00:45:19,480 --> 00:45:20,840
Speaker 2: the same time, he just got hurt and he just

865
00:45:20,840 --> 00:45:22,960
Speaker 2: missed a playoff series, so hopefully that isn't a sign

866
00:45:23,000 --> 00:45:23,600
Speaker 2: of things to come.

867
00:45:23,640 --> 00:45:24,480
Speaker 1: I'm hoping, Like I.

868
00:45:24,400 --> 00:45:26,200
Speaker 2: Said that that was more to do with the Warriors

869
00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,400
Speaker 2: waiting forever to finally get Steph a second star, and

870
00:45:29,440 --> 00:45:31,759
Speaker 2: he wore his body down to the point where he

871
00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:33,400
Speaker 2: had to play super hard at the end of the

872
00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:35,760
Speaker 2: season instead of chilling and getting ready for the playoffs.

873
00:45:35,760 --> 00:45:38,399
Speaker 2: So like, whether or not it was a fluke will

874
00:45:38,400 --> 00:45:41,400
Speaker 2: play a big role in where I rank Steph next summer, right, like,

875
00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:43,600
Speaker 2: if he gets hurt again this year, then like if

876
00:45:43,600 --> 00:45:45,680
Speaker 2: he gets hurt again this year, or if he's dealing

877
00:45:45,719 --> 00:45:47,960
Speaker 2: with the nagging injury that causes him to play below

878
00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:50,000
Speaker 2: his peak when we get to the postseason, all of

879
00:45:50,040 --> 00:45:52,400
Speaker 2: a sudden, those same cases you're making about Lebron and

880
00:45:52,440 --> 00:45:54,360
Speaker 2: his health and his ability to stay at his peak

881
00:45:54,400 --> 00:45:56,680
Speaker 2: now apply to Steph as well. So that's gonna be

882
00:45:56,719 --> 00:45:58,399
Speaker 2: That's gonna be something I have an eye on this year.

883
00:45:59,280 --> 00:46:02,160
Speaker 2: I am on Steph being healthy, and that's why I

884
00:46:02,200 --> 00:46:03,719
Speaker 2: have staff as high as he is. You guys will

885
00:46:03,719 --> 00:46:05,440
Speaker 2: see where he ranks on the list this year when

886
00:46:05,440 --> 00:46:08,120
Speaker 2: we get there, But like, I'm gonna be keeping an

887
00:46:08,160 --> 00:46:09,480
Speaker 2: eye on that because I think that's gonna play a

888
00:46:09,480 --> 00:46:12,640
Speaker 2: big role in where ranks next year. Last question, non

889
00:46:12,719 --> 00:46:16,560
Speaker 2: basketball question. So as a fan for years now, I'm

890
00:46:16,560 --> 00:46:18,240
Speaker 2: happy for you and the misses as you guys embark

891
00:46:18,280 --> 00:46:20,040
Speaker 2: on a new chapter in life and congratulations.

892
00:46:20,040 --> 00:46:20,719
Speaker 1: Thank you so much.

893
00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:23,080
Speaker 2: However, and I don't even want to ask this, but

894
00:46:23,120 --> 00:46:25,960
Speaker 2: I need to know, does this mean Two Sons podcast

895
00:46:26,080 --> 00:46:28,480
Speaker 2: is dead? I love that channel, So some of you

896
00:46:28,480 --> 00:46:30,879
Speaker 2: guys listen to my other podcasts that I do. It's

897
00:46:30,880 --> 00:46:33,040
Speaker 2: just kind of like a passion project. On the side,

898
00:46:33,120 --> 00:46:35,560
Speaker 2: I don't do it nearly as much. We only do

899
00:46:35,680 --> 00:46:39,640
Speaker 2: like maybe thirty episodes a year, but I cover Star

900
00:46:39,680 --> 00:46:42,520
Speaker 2: Wars in particular, but like all the big lore stuff

901
00:46:42,560 --> 00:46:44,200
Speaker 2: like Lord of the Rings and Game Thrones, that sort

902
00:46:44,239 --> 00:46:47,200
Speaker 2: of stuff, major TV shows and movies and stuff. With

903
00:46:47,239 --> 00:46:51,040
Speaker 2: my best friend Luke, and we haven't done an episode

904
00:46:51,080 --> 00:46:52,920
Speaker 2: in a while, in large part because I was in

905
00:46:52,920 --> 00:46:57,680
Speaker 2: my busy season and right after that I immediately moved across

906
00:46:57,719 --> 00:47:00,759
Speaker 2: state lines, so it was just like super like just

907
00:47:00,760 --> 00:47:04,760
Speaker 2: a tough transition period. And Luke just had a new baby,

908
00:47:04,920 --> 00:47:06,799
Speaker 2: so like he's been dealing with that too, so we've

909
00:47:06,840 --> 00:47:10,239
Speaker 2: been kind of like not working for a while here.

910
00:47:10,280 --> 00:47:12,600
Speaker 2: But to be clear, and we did, we covered and Or,

911
00:47:12,800 --> 00:47:15,319
Speaker 2: but covering and Or was the last time that we

912
00:47:15,400 --> 00:47:18,200
Speaker 2: did episodes, and so a couple of things. First of all,

913
00:47:18,320 --> 00:47:21,000
Speaker 2: Luke's my best friend and me moving to Denver doesn't

914
00:47:21,080 --> 00:47:25,319
Speaker 2: change that, and we're gonna continue to record. We got

915
00:47:25,400 --> 00:47:28,719
Speaker 2: him set up with remote equipment and I'll just be

916
00:47:28,880 --> 00:47:31,200
Speaker 2: doing two Sons podcasts from here and we'll do it

917
00:47:31,200 --> 00:47:33,520
Speaker 2: over zoom calls. I think it'll be even funner, even

918
00:47:33,600 --> 00:47:37,120
Speaker 2: more fun for both of us because it'll be opportunities

919
00:47:37,120 --> 00:47:39,640
Speaker 2: for us to hang out again, because we'll obviously be

920
00:47:39,680 --> 00:47:43,040
Speaker 2: hanging out less being you know, nine hundred miles apart.

921
00:47:43,160 --> 00:47:46,480
Speaker 2: But yeah, we're gonna The main thing is, I'm actually

922
00:47:46,480 --> 00:47:49,040
Speaker 2: trying to work out something with him on Tuesday or

923
00:47:49,080 --> 00:47:52,000
Speaker 2: Wednesday this week because I watched the first two episodes

924
00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:54,880
Speaker 2: of Alien Earth on Hulu and I loved it, and

925
00:47:54,960 --> 00:47:57,759
Speaker 2: episode three is tomorrow night, and so I'm trying to

926
00:47:57,760 --> 00:47:58,200
Speaker 2: get Luke.

927
00:47:58,680 --> 00:47:59,600
Speaker 1: I think he's on board.

928
00:47:59,640 --> 00:48:02,000
Speaker 2: But I think we're gonna do an episode here in

929
00:48:02,040 --> 00:48:04,799
Speaker 2: the next few days that covers Alien Earth. So if

930
00:48:04,800 --> 00:48:06,719
Speaker 2: you guys want to watch along with us and just

931
00:48:06,920 --> 00:48:09,920
Speaker 2: kind of hang out on the podcast, we'll be keep

932
00:48:09,920 --> 00:48:11,719
Speaker 2: an eye on my Twitter feed over the course in

933
00:48:11,760 --> 00:48:13,160
Speaker 2: the next few days. And I'll tweet out the link.

934
00:48:13,160 --> 00:48:14,520
Speaker 2: But if you want to find the channel, it's just

935
00:48:14,800 --> 00:48:18,520
Speaker 2: two Suns podcast. It's a whole YouTube channel if you

936
00:48:18,560 --> 00:48:21,560
Speaker 2: go back there. Like every Star Wars book we've read,

937
00:48:21,600 --> 00:48:24,080
Speaker 2: we've done an episode on Star Wars movies, that sort

938
00:48:24,080 --> 00:48:26,480
Speaker 2: of thing. Like We've done a ton of content over

939
00:48:26,480 --> 00:48:29,120
Speaker 2: the years that I think, especially when you're doing TVs

940
00:48:29,120 --> 00:48:30,320
Speaker 2: and TV and movie.

941
00:48:30,080 --> 00:48:31,399
Speaker 1: Shows, that just still holds up.

942
00:48:31,520 --> 00:48:33,759
Speaker 2: So you guys can check out the older content there

943
00:48:33,800 --> 00:48:36,839
Speaker 2: and then again hopefully within the next three days or so,

944
00:48:37,200 --> 00:48:40,279
Speaker 2: we'll have our new episode there. But Nicholas, thanks so

945
00:48:40,400 --> 00:48:42,600
Speaker 2: much for supporting us and all of you guys that

946
00:48:42,640 --> 00:48:44,719
Speaker 2: do listen to that show. Thanks and if you guys

947
00:48:44,760 --> 00:48:46,080
Speaker 2: want to check it out, you guys know where to

948
00:48:46,080 --> 00:48:47,800
Speaker 2: find it. But that's all I have for today is

949
00:48:47,800 --> 00:48:49,759
Speaker 2: always as sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting me and

950
00:48:49,800 --> 00:48:53,920
Speaker 2: suporting the show. We'll be back on Monday with number nine,

951
00:48:54,320 --> 00:48:56,840
Speaker 2: number nine, and I will see you guys no. Number

952
00:48:56,840 --> 00:48:58,640
Speaker 2: eight because number nine is Jaylen Brunts and we just

953
00:48:58,680 --> 00:49:00,719
Speaker 2: hit so I'll see you guys on my day for

954
00:49:00,920 --> 00:49:09,080
Speaker 2: number eighth,