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Speaker 1: The volume. All right, well, good to Hoops Tonight. You're

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Speaker 1: at the volume. Hav you Friday? Everybody else, Well, if

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Speaker 1: you guys have had an incredible week, Today is mail

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Speaker 1: bag today today, and we are staying keyed in on

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Speaker 1: the trade deadline. So all of the mail bag questions

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Speaker 1: that I've received from you guys that ever see from

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Speaker 1: you guys for today have come from our trade deadline

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Speaker 1: reactions and are going to be focused around the trade deadline.

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Speaker 1: You guys know the deal before we get started. Subscribe

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Speaker 1: to Hoops Tonight YouTube channel so you don't miss any

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Speaker 1: more of our videos. Make sure you like this video

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Speaker 1: that helps us a lot. And then, last but not least,

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Speaker 1: if you want to get questions into these mail bags

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Speaker 1: like this, like we do every Friday, drop them in

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Speaker 1: our full episodes on YouTube. Underneath the video mail bag,

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Speaker 1: coll In, write your question that helps me sort through

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Speaker 1: it when I'm looking through the comments. We'll get to

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Speaker 1: them on Fridays throughout the remainder of the season. All right,

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Speaker 1: let's talk some basketball. It's kind of a wild night

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Speaker 1: in the last night. So like the Warriors came back

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Speaker 1: from down fourteen in the fourth quarter to beat the

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Speaker 1: Suns in Phoenix, Vitor Woman Yamo and Cooper Flag had

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Speaker 1: a fun battle against each other. The Spurs pulled away

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Speaker 1: late and the Lakers got Austin Reeves back and then

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Speaker 1: promptly lost Luca to a hamstring injury, as their season

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Speaker 1: is appearing to be cursed in its own way. But

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Speaker 1: Austin fried the Sixers for thirty five points. Was really

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Speaker 1: nice to have him back and honestly just a really

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Speaker 1: fun basketball player to watch. I enjoyed watching Austin last night.

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Speaker 1: Joel Embid is starting to look like MVP Embiid again

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Speaker 1: and he's been averaging thirty for twenty one games now.

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Speaker 1: The Rockets lost at home for their third time in

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Speaker 1: four tries, and both Emi Udoka and Kevin Durant were

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Speaker 1: like openly shitting on Alphera and Shangun's defense, which was interesting.

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Speaker 1: Will Riley and Sharif Cooper fried up the Pistons in Detroit.

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Speaker 1: Is kind of a wild NBA night, But we're gonna

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Speaker 1: stay big picture on the trade deadline for today. We

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Speaker 1: have plenty of time for game reactions over the next

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Speaker 1: couple of months as we lead into the playoffs. We

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Speaker 1: have a contender rankings video with Kevin O'Connor that is

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Speaker 1: fire only happening next week. Kevin had to reschedule because

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Speaker 1: he got sick, and then we were going to go

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Speaker 1: this week, but then I was like, yeah, it doesn't

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Speaker 1: make sense with the trade deadline, so we decided to

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Speaker 1: push it to next week so we can rank all

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Speaker 1: the teams in the context of the deals that were

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Speaker 1: made before this deadline. So that Kevin O'Connor Contender Rankings

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Speaker 1: video will be on Wednesday next week, and then during

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Speaker 1: the All Star break, we're gonna do some big picture

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Speaker 1: stuff too. We'll do rookie rankings, we'll do MVP rankings,

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Speaker 1: and we'll do we'll talk a little bit about this

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Speaker 1: upcoming draft lottery. I'm really starting to buy Darren Peterson stock.

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Speaker 1: I want to dive into him and Age Debonsa and

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Speaker 1: some of the other guys at the top of this

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Speaker 1: coming draft. But then after the All Star break, we're

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Speaker 1: really going to be diving back into games and studying

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Speaker 1: these teams closely to get a good feel for them

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Speaker 1: as playoff teams. But for today again, trade mail bag,

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Speaker 1: let's get started with Yannis. I have three kind of

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Speaker 1: Yanis related mailbag questions that I want to get into.

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Speaker 1: Here's the first one. Yannas staying isn't the end of

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Speaker 1: the world like the media makes it out to be.

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Speaker 1: The only reason Yannis had hasn't had a deep playoff

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Speaker 1: run since twenty twenty one is injuries to him and

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Speaker 1: his co stars. Giannis should bring, shouldn't ring Chase like

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Speaker 1: Katie and Harden hurting his career. Giannis is great enough

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Speaker 1: to attract players like Lebron in Cleveland, and the front

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Speaker 1: office has shown to be capable of making a championship roster.

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Speaker 1: I hope he stays the rest of his career. I

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Speaker 1: think this is straight up delusional down the line, like

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Speaker 1: acting as though, like the Dame Yiannis Bucks were gonna

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Speaker 1: go win the title and the injury is what knocked

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Speaker 1: them off. That team was incredibly flawed. They haven't even

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Speaker 1: won a playoff series since twenty twenty two, and it

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Speaker 1: was the only playoff series they won since they hoisted

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Speaker 1: the trophy. The idea like Lebron literally left Cleveland in

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Speaker 1: large part because he couldn't attract somebody there and he

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Speaker 1: was a top tier superstar still best player in the world,

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Speaker 1: and like legitimately the first or second best player of

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Speaker 1: all time and he was having a hard time recruiting

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Speaker 1: players to Cleveland and it was a big part of

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Speaker 1: why he went to Los Angeles. So like, this is

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Speaker 1: like straight up delusional, and like everything that went down

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Speaker 1: after the deadline yesterday was so cringey to me with

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Speaker 1: Giannis and the Bucks, like the making fun of shams,

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Speaker 1: for example, like every NBA reporter of any level of

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Speaker 1: reputation was covering the Yannis saga. It was real. They

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Speaker 1: were seriously canvassing the league for potential trades, So like,

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Speaker 1: you're not fooling anybody. Giannis is like, I'm not leaving

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Speaker 1: post except for that you would if it was the

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Speaker 1: right situation and if they had enough to pay the Wolves,

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Speaker 1: and then like what if you leave this summer? Like

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Speaker 1: does that? Like that? It was just so cringey. Then

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Speaker 1: he has this Instagram post where he says legends attract

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Speaker 1: and it just came off as super lame after the

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Speaker 1: whole trade saga, and again it's completely delusional, Like you're

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Speaker 1: you're not Lebron. You're thirty one year old stars starting

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Speaker 1: to fall apart physically in a city that like Lebron

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Speaker 1: was in and he had to leave because he was

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Speaker 1: having a hard time recruiting anybody. And then finally Sham's

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Speaker 1: reports that the Bucks truly believe they can build a

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Speaker 1: contender this summer abound around Jannis in Milwaukee. I'm just

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Speaker 1: this saga is so tired man, Like you guys all

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Speaker 1: refusing to acknowledge reality is what's going to sabotage both

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Speaker 1: of your futures. Do you want to end up trading

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Speaker 1: Giannis for the Anthony Davis package here in a couple

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Speaker 1: of years, because that would set the franchise back Jannis again,

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Speaker 1: you've won one playoff series since he won the title.

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Speaker 1: How much longer do you want to keep playing for

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Speaker 1: a team that has no shot to win? This whole

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Speaker 1: thing is just super lame to me, nobody's buying that

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Speaker 1: this trade saga was fake. It was real. You just

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Speaker 1: backed out. You're both you both like kind of half

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Speaker 1: committed to it and then took a step back. Like

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Speaker 1: you guys realize Yannis could have come out to the

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Speaker 1: media two weeks ago or a week ago and been like,

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Speaker 1: I'm never leaving, But no, that's not what happened. It's

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Speaker 1: been mixed messaging and kind of weird passive comments about

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Speaker 1: whether or not he's going to have an opportunity to win,

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Speaker 1: and he definitely wants to stay, but he definitely realizes

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Speaker 1: he probably should go. And it says it's wish washy,

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Speaker 1: it's not committed. I'm a legend. Come to me. I'm

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Speaker 1: never leaving. It's like this weird wish washy thing where

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Speaker 1: now you're trying to plant your flag in that territory.

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Speaker 1: And again now that you guys have backed out out

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Speaker 1: of all the deals, now you want the hometown loyalty legend.

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Speaker 1: Card I just thought it was tone death next one, Jason,

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Speaker 1: It's not really complicated. Jannis enjoys his life in Milwaukee.

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Speaker 1: He's deeply rooted to the city. He would like to

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Speaker 1: stay put and have a competitive roster to play with. Meanwhile,

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Speaker 1: the front office and ownership have been dead silent. Clearly

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Speaker 1: they had some conversations, and Giannis is hoping to see

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Speaker 1: a plan executed to build a competitive team around him.

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Speaker 1: The narratives that he want to leave are blah blah blah,

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Speaker 1: just that narratives. He's never stated that in thirteen seasons.

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Speaker 1: He's easy to please. He just wants a team that

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Speaker 1: can compete, get rivers out of here the summer and

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Speaker 1: work on free agency, move some guys for draft capital,

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Speaker 1: and enjoy the lottery pick. It's not complicated. He won

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Speaker 1: with Middleton and Holiday. He simply needs committed, selfless, consistent teammates.

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Speaker 1: He doesn't need Yoki r She or anyone on that

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Speaker 1: lang with a wavelength to compete, just competent staff and teammates.

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Speaker 1: Try and see pass the rumors. Watch him interact with

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Speaker 1: Bucks media. Focus on the facts. Again, nobody's buying this.

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Speaker 1: Nobody is buying it. When you look at this situation

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Speaker 1: in Milwaukee, he very clearly, at any point in the

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Speaker 1: last couple of weeks could have stepped forward and been like,

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Speaker 1: I'm never leaving, and he did not. He has for

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Speaker 1: years now made these kind of passive comments about whether

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Speaker 1: or not he would leave Milwaukee if the situation was right.

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Speaker 1: There have been plenty of opportunities for him to dispel

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Speaker 1: this rumor, and he has not done so. After the deadline,

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Speaker 1: when the bell rang and it was over, then he

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Speaker 1: comes out and goes like I'm not leaving. It just

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Speaker 1: feels like it is exactactly that. It's a narrative. It's

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Speaker 1: Yanni's trying to control the narrative. Him and the Bucks

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Speaker 1: went out looked this summer. There was no combination of

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Speaker 1: perfect spot for Giannis plus the return that the Bucks

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Speaker 1: were looking for, so both of them pulled back. And

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Speaker 1: now you're trying to pretend like it didn't happen, Like

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Speaker 1: watch him interact with Bucks media, focus on the facts,

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Speaker 1: Like if you actually watch Giannis's interactions over the years,

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Speaker 1: there has not been a definitive I'm never leaving, I'm

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Speaker 1: retiring as a Buck. We're gonna figure this shit out.

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Speaker 1: If he would have done that, nobody would be talking

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Speaker 1: the way that I'm talking right now. Nobody would be

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Speaker 1: saying that the things that we're saying. It has been

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Speaker 1: the passive wish washy unwillingness to actually commit to either

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Speaker 1: staying a Buck or let's move the fuck on. Okay,

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Speaker 1: and you guys get as much as you can for

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Speaker 1: me so you can rebuild, and I'm gonna go play

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Speaker 1: serious basketball somewhere. Pick a lane, pick a damn lane,

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Speaker 1: and people will stop playing these cards. But like this,

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Speaker 1: this whole, like this move from some of these Bucks

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Speaker 1: fans and from Yiannis and from the front office to

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Speaker 1: be like, actually, this is what we were doing the

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Speaker 1: whole time. Nobody is buying it. There's not a single

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Speaker 1: person that's buying it last one. Maybe people should take

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Speaker 1: him at his word when he said he says he

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Speaker 1: wants to retire a buck. I hear from everybody else

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Speaker 1: as to what he wants from all I've heard is

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Speaker 1: that he wants to retire a buck again. He could

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Speaker 1: have come out last week and been like, I'm never leaving,

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Speaker 1: I'm retiring a buck. Put your trade packages away, I'm

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Speaker 1: staying here. And he didn't do that. So guess what,

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Speaker 1: nobody's buying your shit, So I'm kind of done with it.

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Speaker 1: Pick a lane, Yiannis, stay a buck forever and say

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Speaker 1: you're gonna do it or go move on so that

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Speaker 1: all of us can move on as well. Next question

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Speaker 1: with the Wolves trades, how does this change their rankings

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Speaker 1: for a championship. So here's the thing. I actually already

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Speaker 1: had the Wolves as a top tier contender. They weren't

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Speaker 1: a top tier contender in my last list. But I've been,

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Speaker 1: as you guys know, trying to play in this contender

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Speaker 1: rankings with Kevin O'Connor for a few weeks now. And

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Speaker 1: I had already put together a preliminary list, and I've

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Speaker 1: talked about it on the show. I look at the

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Speaker 1: Wolves as a legitimate top tier contender. The main reason

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Speaker 1: why is I just think they have the combination of

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Speaker 1: perimeter athleticism and physicality with rim protection that you need

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Speaker 1: to win for playoff rounds defensively, and then on the

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Speaker 1: other end of the floor, the combination of size ball

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Speaker 1: handling and shooting that you need to break down the

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Speaker 1: best defenses in the league. So I already liked them

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Speaker 1: in that regard. Now I look at their rotation and

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Speaker 1: I'm adding Io dissummu in the spot where we're getting

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Speaker 1: a lot of Mike Conley and Jalen Clark minutes, two

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Speaker 1: guys that have both been making less than a third

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Speaker 1: of their threes, and Mike, you know, obviously struggles with

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Speaker 1: the athleticism and physicality at this point in his career.

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Speaker 1: Jalen Clark has been a guy that's really helped anchor

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Speaker 1: some of their defensive units, but such a bad offensive player.

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Speaker 1: That Io Dissume move is just nothing but a massive upgrade.

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Speaker 1: So it certainly will help them a lot. The kind

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Speaker 1: of thing that I think it will work quite a

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Speaker 1: bit for them in their advantages in like the Okase

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Speaker 1: t matchup. So, for example, a lot of times when

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Speaker 1: you're breaking down Okac's defense, you have to do it incrementally.

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Speaker 1: Why because they're so good at rotating. So when you

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Speaker 1: play against bad defenses, you're gonna run that first action,

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Speaker 1: hit that first drive, and the guy's gonna help, and

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Speaker 1: there's gonna be wide open shooter, and you're gonna throw

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Speaker 1: the wide open kickout pass and the guy's gonna shoot

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Speaker 1: a three. And it's because they're not as on a

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Speaker 1: string defensively, and the gaps are bigger and you can

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Speaker 1: get straighter line drives, and it's just easier to break

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Speaker 1: them down. Right against the elite defenses in the league,

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Speaker 1: not only is it harder to get that first initial advantage,

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Speaker 1: but when you do, they're better at rotating and they

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Speaker 1: have more length and athleticism, so those windows are smaller,

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Speaker 1: and so all of a sudden it becomes the kind

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Speaker 1: of thing where you have to break down defenses incrementally,

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Speaker 1: meaning like get a little bit of an advantage, grow

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Speaker 1: the advantage, grow the advantage, and maybe on that third

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Speaker 1: or fourth attack and the possession you can get a

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Speaker 1: decent look off right and even then a lot of

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Speaker 1: times against the best defenses in the league, you're not

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Speaker 1: getting open threes, you're not getting open layups, you're getting

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Speaker 1: advantages were scoore or has to hit some sort of

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Speaker 1: tougher shot. Maybe it's a contested catch and shoot three.

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Speaker 1: Maybe it's a three off of a side step or

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Speaker 1: step back move against the closeout. Maybe it's racking a

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Speaker 1: close out and hitting a mid range jump shot or

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Speaker 1: a float. Maybe it's you finally just get a matchup

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Speaker 1: that you like and that guy's got to go one

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Speaker 1: on one in score and so adding a high level

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Speaker 1: offensive talent. Again, that's what io desum move is and

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Speaker 1: that's why I was so excited about him coming into

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Speaker 1: the deadline. I just think Io is a very well

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Speaker 1: rounded offensive player who can hit pull up jump shots

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Speaker 1: from a variety of spots on the floor that can

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Speaker 1: really pressure the rim and finish well when he gets there,

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Speaker 1: and just brings a higher level of offensive polish. I

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Speaker 1: think that you know when you look at last year's

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Speaker 1: team and how important Nikkeil Alexander Walker was and they're

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Speaker 1: different players like Nikiel was very good from Minnesota last

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Speaker 1: year and has actually been even better offensively for Atlanta.

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Speaker 1: But I think this version of Io de Soon MoU

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Speaker 1: is better than last year's version of Nikil Alexander Walker

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Speaker 1: offensive I think Nikhil Alexander Walker was a better defensive

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Speaker 1: player than I would assume this, So it's a different

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Speaker 1: type of player that you're replicating that depth and bringing

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Speaker 1: more offensive polish, which is where I think they actually

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Speaker 1: need more help when they get into those big moments

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Speaker 1: in these big playoff series. And Anthony Edwards is better,

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Speaker 1: and Jaden McDaniels is better, and Rudy Gobert is better,

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Speaker 1: and that's what you're looking at with this group as

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Speaker 1: I consider them a top tier contender. I am incredibly

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Speaker 1: excited to tell you guys about our new partnership with Viory.

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Speaker 1: Those of you guys who are familiar with Viory have

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Speaker 1: noticed that I wear it on the show, and I

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Speaker 1: have done so for years now, almost every single day

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Speaker 1: because it's become a workhorse for me. And that's why

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Speaker 1: I'm so excited about this partnership. I've actually been advocating

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Speaker 1: for this behind the scenes for a while. It's a

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Speaker 1: product I really believe in and I'm really excited that

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Speaker 1: shirts on the show, and then after I'd watched them

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Speaker 1: four or five times, they would just kind of degrade

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Speaker 1: and turn into something that wasn't anything close to what

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Speaker 1: I had originally purchase. And so I wanted to invest

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Speaker 1: in quality clothing that could become my workhorse for my

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Speaker 1: it's cold in Colorado and I go play basketball, I

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Speaker 1: can literally play basketball in the same sweatpants to the

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Speaker 1: Sunday Performance shorts that I play basketball in. My favorite

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Speaker 1: thing about Vieory is all this stuff, all this clothing

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Speaker 1: All right, a couple of we have two Warriors related questions. Jason,

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Speaker 1: where do the Warriors go from here? Another wasted year

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Speaker 1: of Steph Curry? Warriors have no chance of winning the title?

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Speaker 1: Draymond is not the same player. Do they pivot this

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Speaker 1: offseason with from Dre and hope Jimmy comes back at

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Speaker 1: some point next year? How do you envision them maneuvering

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Speaker 1: the off season? So I'm not gonna say that it's

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Speaker 1: out of the realm of possibility that if the right

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Speaker 1: opportunity pops up this summer that the Warriors wouldn't jump

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Speaker 1: on it. But I want to take take you as

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Speaker 1: back to something I said in yesterday's show, which was

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Speaker 1: when we're talking about the additude that the Warriors and

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Speaker 1: the Lakers had, which was, let's save our high value assets.

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Speaker 1: Let's make small moves on the margins, stuff with second

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Speaker 1: round picks, hunting a distressed star like Jimmy rather than

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Speaker 1: a star that might cost them a couple of first

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Speaker 1: round picks, right, like doing everything on the margins. Their

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Speaker 1: reasoning was, you know, they don't believe in Lebron and Steph.

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Speaker 1: They don't believe in their ability to We were talking

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Speaker 1: about that with the Lakers as a corollary, if you

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Speaker 1: remember yesterday, Like those front offices, those ownership groups don't

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Speaker 1: believe in those stars, right, And so because they didn't believe,

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Speaker 1: they worked on the margins and they waited, and then

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Speaker 1: with each passing year their stance was like entrenched even

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Speaker 1: further because the player's older. Right, So like if you're

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Speaker 1: gonna sit on your hands because Steph is thirty seven,

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Speaker 1: for example, and not make a super aggressive move, and

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Speaker 1: then you did it again when he was thirty eight.

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Speaker 1: Next year, Steph turns thirty nine, so why would they

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Speaker 1: suddenly be like, Okay, here's the first round picks when

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Speaker 1: Steph's going to turn thirty nine in March of next season, right, So, like,

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Speaker 1: I'm not going to say it's out of the realm

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Speaker 1: of possibility, but I think them moving Kaminga and moving

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Speaker 1: salary and not spending a single first round pick and

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Speaker 1: actually taking a pick back for a player in trace

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Speaker 1: Jackson Davis is a pretty strong signal that they're not

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Speaker 1: spending anymore on this core. So like, if I was

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Speaker 1: a Warriors fan, again, it's not out of the realm

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Speaker 1: of possibility, but I would not get my hopes up.

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Speaker 1: I think it's more likely than not that they continued

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Speaker 1: to work on the margins and work for cheap for

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Speaker 1: the rest of the Steph courri era and save all

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Speaker 1: those picks, and you know, see what happens down the line.

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Speaker 1: You Know, it's kind of funny because I was actually

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Speaker 1: thinking about this yesterday. The thing that I constantly get

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Speaker 1: into disagreements with when we start to discuss assets is

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Speaker 1: this idea that first round picks are guaranteed to become

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Speaker 1: good players, and they're just not like like I thought.

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Speaker 1: The Memphis Grizzly blowing up was a perfect example of this.

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Speaker 1: And Sam Vessini, my buddy who covers the Leak. He

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Speaker 1: lives out in Melbourne, he tweeted something about this after

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Speaker 1: the deal, and I thought it was really fascinating. He

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Speaker 1: was talking about how like Memphis has to blow up

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Speaker 1: their team because you know, even though Jaron Jackson brings

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Speaker 1: a lot of talent to the table and Desmond Bane

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Speaker 1: brought a lot of talent to the table, and Dylan

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Speaker 1: Brooks obviously was a big anchor for that team in

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Speaker 1: the early twenty twenties when they were great. But the

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Speaker 1: entire thing fell apart because they're superstar John Morant, because

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Speaker 1: one guy that looked like he might be a star

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Speaker 1: instead got worse and worse every year and had behavioral

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Speaker 1: issues and had health issues, and so the whole thing

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Speaker 1: fell apart. You actually hit on several picks, hit on

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Speaker 1: several things in the front office. Sam pointed out accurately

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Speaker 1: that the depth of talent on the roster, like those

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Speaker 1: guys in that like six through fifteen spot on the

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Speaker 1: roster every year for Memphis have been talented guys that

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Speaker 1: they've hit on. And it didn't because they botched things

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Speaker 1: with their star, right, and it wasn't even their fault.

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Speaker 1: It was John Muran's fault. Right. That's the thing that's

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Speaker 1: so crazy about this is like you can go through

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Speaker 1: four first round picks, you know, trade two of them

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Speaker 1: for a role player, and if none of those first

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Speaker 1: round picks end up popping the way that Steph Curry pops,

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Speaker 1: or even in the same territory as Steph Curry, you

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Speaker 1: have no chance to win. Like, ultimately, you gotta have

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Speaker 1: the guy. And what's been so frustrating about what happened

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Speaker 1: with the Warriors over the last few years and with

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Speaker 1: the Lakers from their title to when Luca was acquired,

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Speaker 1: is they had the foundational guy that like literally twenty

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Speaker 1: five teams in the league don't have. And and you know,

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Speaker 1: like at least twenty two to twenty three teams in

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Speaker 1: the league have like no shot to win because they

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Speaker 1: don't have that guy. And you're sitting there thinking about

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Speaker 1: whether or not this first round pick is going to

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Speaker 1: amount to something. And again, like all of your first

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Speaker 1: round picks that you got from those gap years, from

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Speaker 1: the injuries in twenty nineteen and twenty twenty and two,

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Speaker 1: twenty one like from those gap years, none of those dudes,

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Speaker 1: not a single damn one of them even sniffed star potential,

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Speaker 1: not not one. And you had top ten, you had

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Speaker 1: multiple top ten picks in that stretch. Not a damn

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Speaker 1: one of them panned out to be a star. And

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Speaker 1: you're looking at all these future first round picks as

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Speaker 1: the future of your team, and like, that's what's so frustrating,

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Speaker 1: is like if you have no shot, like let's say

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Speaker 1: it Steph had blown out his knee two years ago,

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Speaker 1: then yeah, by all means you have no shot. You're

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Speaker 1: trying to build through the draft, and you have to

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Speaker 1: play that lottery game and you have to take your

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Speaker 1: chances on the guys that might pan out and might

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Speaker 1: not pan out, and you have to play that game.

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Speaker 1: But you had Steph, you didn't have to. You had

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Speaker 1: the guy. You could have turned those unknown, risky commodities

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Speaker 1: into a known commodity like a Pascal Siakam or an

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00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:56,120
Speaker 1: ogn andob whin those times arised and they just they

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Speaker 1: never put their cards in the middle, their chips in

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Speaker 1: the middle when those opportunities arose, And so so I

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Speaker 1: just think, again, I think that at this point, we're

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Speaker 1: so far along. I'd be shocked if they suddenly decided

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Speaker 1: to start making those kinds of moves. Hi Jason, Huge fan,

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Speaker 1: and your segment regarding the Warriors utter failure to go

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Speaker 1: all in or at least provide enough assistance for Steph,

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Speaker 1: who was slash is still in his prime after the

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Speaker 1: championship from twenty two because they dared not to believe him.

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Speaker 1: Really hit the nail on the head and really hit

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Speaker 1: for me. But it also got me thinking, has Steph

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Speaker 1: been a victim of his niceness? Should he have pushed,

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Speaker 1: pushed much harder to get actual chances to still compete

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Speaker 1: for championships in the past few years. Should he have

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Speaker 1: put more pressure on his organization and threatened wanting out

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Speaker 1: if things didn't change for the better. I realized that's

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Speaker 1: not who Steph is, of course, and we lot to

429
00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,320
Speaker 1: admire him for being such a wonderful type of superstar overall.

430
00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,320
Speaker 1: But was it in those circumstances actually a flaw once

431
00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,200
Speaker 1: the organization itself didn't believe in him anymore? Thanks again,

432
00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:49,879
Speaker 1: huge fan, Thanks again for the kind of words, and

433
00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:51,600
Speaker 1: thank you for supporting the show. This is a really

434
00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,520
Speaker 1: interesting point, and my take on it is like, I

435
00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:57,800
Speaker 1: think it does come down in a lot of ways

436
00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,760
Speaker 1: to your personality, and I just won't criticize a player

437
00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:06,680
Speaker 1: either way. So I think that your circumstances are unique.

438
00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:10,639
Speaker 1: Steph had some rough years early with the Warriors, but

439
00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,480
Speaker 1: for the most part in Steph's career, the Warriors have

440
00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:17,160
Speaker 1: been very, very good at putting the talent around him

441
00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:19,560
Speaker 1: to compete for championships. I mean two of the titles

442
00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:21,600
Speaker 1: he won with what I believe is the most talented

443
00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:23,719
Speaker 1: roster in the history of the NBA. I mean they

444
00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,239
Speaker 1: won fifteen consecutive playoff games at one point, right, So, like,

445
00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,440
Speaker 1: they've done an overwhelmingly good job. So he's been less

446
00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:34,560
Speaker 1: incentivized to look elsewhere. But there also have been times,

447
00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,600
Speaker 1: mainly in the last few years, where you could imagine

448
00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:39,880
Speaker 1: a universe where Steph like kicks and screams a little

449
00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,560
Speaker 1: bit and tries to get something done. My thing is, like,

450
00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:45,919
Speaker 1: I think it's defensible for a guy like Steph to

451
00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:48,520
Speaker 1: be like this has been an overwhelmingly good experience for me.

452
00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:50,680
Speaker 1: I'm not going to rock the boat. I'm a Warrior

453
00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:53,120
Speaker 1: for life. You guys have been good to me. I'm

454
00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:56,600
Speaker 1: gonna be good to you. Will make this work. That's defensible.

455
00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,800
Speaker 1: But I also think it's defensible for the Lebron types

456
00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,320
Speaker 1: to be like, Okay, I got drafted by the Calves

457
00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:05,400
Speaker 1: and they wasted seven years of my career and never

458
00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:08,680
Speaker 1: once put a single player next to me as good

459
00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,680
Speaker 1: as the types of dudes that you know Steph Curry

460
00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:13,720
Speaker 1: was playing with with the Warriors, and so he looks

461
00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:16,199
Speaker 1: at the situation and goes, this front office can't do it.

462
00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,080
Speaker 1: I'm gonna leave. I'm going to put some pressure on

463
00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:22,600
Speaker 1: Miami to surround me with talent. I'm gonna put some

464
00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,800
Speaker 1: pressure on Cleveland to surround me with talent. Lebron was

465
00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:29,680
Speaker 1: I always look at his like trust issues. Like Lebron

466
00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:34,879
Speaker 1: when he came into the league was so just disappointed

467
00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,200
Speaker 1: with the performance of the Caves front office and ownership

468
00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,600
Speaker 1: that he was like, shit, these dudes are incompetent. I've

469
00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:43,879
Speaker 1: got to be the dude who's kind of taking control

470
00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,600
Speaker 1: of my own destiny and putting myself in situations where

471
00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,440
Speaker 1: I have a chance to succeed. I think that's okay too.

472
00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:53,159
Speaker 1: With Steph, it's like the opposite. They were so good

473
00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:56,080
Speaker 1: for so long that he kind of trusted them a

474
00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:58,119
Speaker 1: little too much towards the end and it ended up

475
00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:00,800
Speaker 1: costing him, And I would argue it there's pros and

476
00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:03,560
Speaker 1: cons in both directions. I would argue that Lebron's kind

477
00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:06,800
Speaker 1: of like agency, so to speak, him kind of taking

478
00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,880
Speaker 1: control of his own situation has hurt him at points

479
00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,560
Speaker 1: in his career, and I'd argue it's helped him at

480
00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:16,040
Speaker 1: points in his career. And similarly with Steph, his loyalty

481
00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,320
Speaker 1: has helped him in points in his career and it's

482
00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:20,119
Speaker 1: hurt him over the tail end of his career. My

483
00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,199
Speaker 1: whole thing is like, have sympathy for both sides. Like

484
00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,320
Speaker 1: to me, when I look at a player, like if

485
00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,120
Speaker 1: you get drafted as Victor wemin Yama by the Spurs

486
00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:31,520
Speaker 1: and they do an unbelievable job building around him the

487
00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:33,920
Speaker 1: way that they have over the course of the last

488
00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,080
Speaker 1: few years, Like it kind of makes sense to me

489
00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:39,120
Speaker 1: that Wemby would go, I'm gonna stay here forever, right,

490
00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:42,560
Speaker 1: But if you get drafted into a shit situation and

491
00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:45,520
Speaker 1: your front office shows no ability to build around you,

492
00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,560
Speaker 1: I'm okay with a player being like, nah, I'm taking

493
00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,160
Speaker 1: control of my own destiny here and I'm gonna figure

494
00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:53,239
Speaker 1: out a way to make my situation better. I just

495
00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:57,320
Speaker 1: I sympathize with both approaches, and I think for the

496
00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:59,879
Speaker 1: most part, it's unique to the situation that you're in.

497
00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,280
Speaker 1: Next question mail back from a Heat fan. What do

498
00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:04,760
Speaker 1: you make of the fact that the last time pat

499
00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:08,200
Speaker 1: Riley pulled an undisputed whale was Lebron sixteen years ago.

500
00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:10,760
Speaker 1: I did feel really bad for Heat fans yesterday, and

501
00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:14,159
Speaker 1: a couple of different fronts, one because they, just like

502
00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,320
Speaker 1: Golden State, and just like many others, have consistently held

503
00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:20,679
Speaker 1: out for Giannis and it just hasn't worked out, and

504
00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,680
Speaker 1: they've missed out on some other high level players as

505
00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:26,320
Speaker 1: part of that process. They're not out of the mix yet.

506
00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:29,200
Speaker 1: They could still theoretically get involved in a Gianna sweepstakes

507
00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:30,560
Speaker 1: this summer, although I think it's going to be a

508
00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,119
Speaker 1: lot more competitive, and who the hell knows, maybe Jannis

509
00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:36,160
Speaker 1: and the Bucks are going to pull another like you know, oh,

510
00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:39,560
Speaker 1: we're canvassing. Actually never mind, I'm staying here forever. Like,

511
00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:41,240
Speaker 1: who the hell knows what the Bucks are going to

512
00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:42,800
Speaker 1: do this summer and what Giannis is going to do

513
00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:47,280
Speaker 1: this summer. But for the Heat, I was disappointed for

514
00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,199
Speaker 1: Heat fans just because this is the latest example of

515
00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:52,520
Speaker 1: them kind of missing out on the next guy. But

516
00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:56,199
Speaker 1: most importantly, like they had some players, so say, for instance,

517
00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:59,880
Speaker 1: you missed out on the honest deal because you didn't

518
00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:03,600
Speaker 1: have enough draft compensation for example, Like I am kind

519
00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,760
Speaker 1: of disappointed that they didn't look at this team that

520
00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,800
Speaker 1: has very little chance to win and go, why don't

521
00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,679
Speaker 1: we sell off some of these parts for something and

522
00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:16,359
Speaker 1: see if we can't make a move at some point

523
00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:18,119
Speaker 1: this summer to bring in that guy, you know, like

524
00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:21,920
Speaker 1: it might be you know, flipping Andrew Wiggins for three

525
00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,560
Speaker 1: or four seconds or something like that. I don't know

526
00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:26,320
Speaker 1: if there was a first round pick out there for him.

527
00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:28,320
Speaker 1: That's always hard to tell with the market. But like,

528
00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,440
Speaker 1: I'm surprised they didn't look to move some of their

529
00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,600
Speaker 1: you know, desired players just so that they could be

530
00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:37,639
Speaker 1: in better position to try to make a move. But like,

531
00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:40,240
Speaker 1: instead they're just kind of threading that middle of that

532
00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:43,200
Speaker 1: area again where they're missing out on the stars and

533
00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,120
Speaker 1: not selling the parts that they could sell for value,

534
00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:47,879
Speaker 1: and so they're just kind of continuing to sit in

535
00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:50,159
Speaker 1: the middle here. And I just hope for Heat fans

536
00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:52,320
Speaker 1: that the that they finally do something to kind of

537
00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:54,719
Speaker 1: shake things up at some point in the next year

538
00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:58,200
Speaker 1: or two. Do you think the Pistons made a mistake

539
00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:02,280
Speaker 1: not trying to find another above average score. I know

540
00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,480
Speaker 1: best case scenario is probably MPJ, but even someone on

541
00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:09,040
Speaker 1: a slightly lower tier than MPJ. I know we're first

542
00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:10,560
Speaker 1: in the East, but it feels like we missed out

543
00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:12,600
Speaker 1: on making the roster more dynamic and just got rid

544
00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,560
Speaker 1: of Ivy for no reason. I totally agree with you.

545
00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:18,680
Speaker 1: I'm not gonna sit here and pretend like there's no

546
00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:23,600
Speaker 1: upside to the Pistons deal. Kevin Herder and in theory

547
00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,840
Speaker 1: with Duncan Robinson can recreate some of that Malik Beasley,

548
00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:30,080
Speaker 1: Tim Hardaway Junior dynamic with shooters, although Herder just hasn't

549
00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,680
Speaker 1: shot the ball well this year. But maybe Kay Cunningham

550
00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:35,720
Speaker 1: can set them up with some higher quality looks. But

551
00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:37,760
Speaker 1: I looked at it the same way. I looked at

552
00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:41,240
Speaker 1: it as a very small upgrade and getting rid of Ivy,

553
00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:43,280
Speaker 1: a player that I actually like, and like, here's the deal.

554
00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:46,680
Speaker 1: Maybe they looked at their cap sheet and they valued

555
00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,600
Speaker 1: the They looked at the situation with them eventually needing

556
00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,040
Speaker 1: to pay you know, a guy like a Star Thompson

557
00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:55,119
Speaker 1: and Jalen Duran's getting paid this summer, and you know,

558
00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:57,560
Speaker 1: obviously you've got Kate and there's all these like different

559
00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:00,639
Speaker 1: like variables, and they were probably just like, we can't

560
00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:04,200
Speaker 1: pay Jade and Ivy. My thing that what I think

561
00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,920
Speaker 1: that gets tricky is if I look at this Pistons

562
00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,919
Speaker 1: roster when we've seen this kind of build before with

563
00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,159
Speaker 1: the heliocentric star, he does need a secondary handler, he

564
00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:16,400
Speaker 1: does need another guy that can really run the offense,

565
00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:18,760
Speaker 1: like we've only really seen that work in the past

566
00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:21,520
Speaker 1: with in the context of Luka Dancic with a really

567
00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,919
Speaker 1: high level secondary ball handler, whether it's Jalen Brunson or

568
00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:28,200
Speaker 1: it's Kyrie Irving, right, And so like, Okay, so let's

569
00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,440
Speaker 1: say you don't think that's Ivy, Well, who's gonna be

570
00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:37,000
Speaker 1: that guy? Right? And as we look at this particular season, Yes,

571
00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:39,360
Speaker 1: I'm a huge believer in the Pistons. I think they're

572
00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,640
Speaker 1: second tier contender, big believer in them in the big

573
00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,640
Speaker 1: picture because of all of their strengths, the depth of

574
00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:51,000
Speaker 1: perimeter defense, talent and physical perimeter defenders and interior physicality

575
00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:54,600
Speaker 1: and Kay Cunningham's advantage creation. But I don't view them

576
00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:56,880
Speaker 1: as a top tier contender in large part because one,

577
00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:59,479
Speaker 1: they are a team that is benefiting in the regular

578
00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:01,840
Speaker 1: season from an effort and energy standpoint. We see this

579
00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:04,400
Speaker 1: all the time, a young team that finally puts it

580
00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:06,800
Speaker 1: all together and they play one hundred miles an hour

581
00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:09,000
Speaker 1: every single night, and they just start racking up wins,

582
00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:12,760
Speaker 1: especially when you've got strong defense and rebounding foundation. Right,

583
00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,400
Speaker 1: But ultimately you get into the postseason and everybody picks

584
00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,160
Speaker 1: up their intensity and everybody picks up their game planning,

585
00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:20,280
Speaker 1: and I think that this Pistons seem's not gonna have

586
00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,080
Speaker 1: enough offensive skill and so like, again I get it,

587
00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:26,600
Speaker 1: maybe maybe it's not Jade and Ivy, but like, who

588
00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:28,160
Speaker 1: was gonna be that guy? Like if we don't know

589
00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:30,440
Speaker 1: who was available either, it sounds like Michael Porter Junior

590
00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:33,280
Speaker 1: wasn't available, But like, why weren't they in on Io

591
00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:35,840
Speaker 1: to soon move, Like why didn't they try to get

592
00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,280
Speaker 1: somebody to come in and bring some value as a

593
00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:42,080
Speaker 1: second Like I like Danis Jenkins. It's been a nice

594
00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:43,720
Speaker 1: kind of like boost for the Pistons this year. I

595
00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:46,400
Speaker 1: don't think he's the guy that's gonna be carrying as

596
00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:49,560
Speaker 1: the secondary ball handler in the NBA playoffs this year.

597
00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:51,800
Speaker 1: So like I was a little disappointed too that they

598
00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,320
Speaker 1: didn't do something more aggressive. Again, like, it's so it's

599
00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,120
Speaker 1: easy for me in December to be like, the Pistons

600
00:29:57,120 --> 00:30:00,200
Speaker 1: should trade for Michael Porter Junior. If mpj's not available, Well,

601
00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:02,560
Speaker 1: he's not available. And I don't know what the discussions were.

602
00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:04,880
Speaker 1: I don't know if that was just Brooklyn jockeying and

603
00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:07,760
Speaker 1: a negotiation and maybe the Pistons could have got him

604
00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:09,560
Speaker 1: for two first round picks or something like that. We

605
00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:11,960
Speaker 1: don't know what the deal was, but I do know

606
00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:16,200
Speaker 1: that Io Dissummu was available for four seconds, and that's

607
00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:19,239
Speaker 1: a high level offensive player that can run action and

608
00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:23,120
Speaker 1: shoots the shit out of the three point out of

609
00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:26,080
Speaker 1: the ball from three, Like there's a lot of value

610
00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:27,920
Speaker 1: there that he could bring. And a team like Minnesota

611
00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,520
Speaker 1: looked at it and goes, we're close. Let's go get

612
00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:33,720
Speaker 1: Io Desumu and make ourselves closer or maybe put ourselves

613
00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:37,440
Speaker 1: into a different stratosphere. And Detroit to me is playing

614
00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:40,880
Speaker 1: it safe. And look, that's fine, but like I don't

615
00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:42,960
Speaker 1: think the Pistons are a top tier contender I would

616
00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:46,160
Speaker 1: have considered them seriously if they had been more aggressive

617
00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,479
Speaker 1: at this deadline, and they just weren't. And so in

618
00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:50,800
Speaker 1: that sense, like I was a little disappointed. But who knows,

619
00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:53,520
Speaker 1: Maybe this ends in them losing in the conference finals

620
00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:55,560
Speaker 1: and then they do something big this summer and then

621
00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,240
Speaker 1: they have a better opportunity. But they're you know, with

622
00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:01,080
Speaker 1: how much of a bloodbath the West is and how

623
00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:03,720
Speaker 1: open this East is, I'm just surprised Detroit didn't get

624
00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:08,680
Speaker 1: a little more aggressive in this particular deadline. Today's show

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646
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652
00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:34,760
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653
00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:38,120
Speaker 1: New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia to play. Terms and

654
00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:41,680
Speaker 1: conditions apply concerned about gambling in Florida, call one eight

655
00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:44,760
Speaker 1: three to three play wise. In Indiana, if you or

656
00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:46,800
Speaker 1: someone you know has a gambling problem and wants to help,

657
00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:50,880
Speaker 1: call one eight hundred and nine with it gambling problem

658
00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:54,720
Speaker 1: called one eight hundred gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan,

659
00:32:54,800 --> 00:33:00,320
Speaker 1: New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia. What do you think

660
00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:01,880
Speaker 1: if you're running the Hawks for the next two or

661
00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:05,080
Speaker 1: three years, given the Kurt Roster draft picks in cap space,

662
00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:09,400
Speaker 1: They're turning into a really funky team. It's interesting. One

663
00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,120
Speaker 1: of the reasons why I was high on the Hawks

664
00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:13,760
Speaker 1: coming into the season was the combination of like all

665
00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:16,160
Speaker 1: of these athletes that can do all of this stuff

666
00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:19,400
Speaker 1: on the perimeter and in transition and even at the rim.

667
00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:22,160
Speaker 1: You know, like like I think mogay And and Yeka

668
00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,760
Speaker 1: Coongu at times have been a really impactful defensive duo

669
00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:28,480
Speaker 1: with their ability to cover ground and enshrink the floor

670
00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:31,880
Speaker 1: on guys. Right, But like it was that in combination

671
00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:35,040
Speaker 1: with Trey Young, because you need to have an offensive

672
00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:38,080
Speaker 1: talent that can consistently break down the defense and generate

673
00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:40,320
Speaker 1: quality shots. And look, it didn't work for a variety

674
00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:43,479
Speaker 1: of reasons. Chris Hops Porzingis was injured, Trey Young was injured.

675
00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:45,880
Speaker 1: When Trey Young was healthy, they weren't able to play

676
00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:48,800
Speaker 1: defense overall the entire season. I think Trey got too

677
00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:50,760
Speaker 1: much blame for the defense. I think the Wings and

678
00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:52,920
Speaker 1: Fords deserve a lot more blame for what's going on

679
00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:56,920
Speaker 1: defensively with this team and their inconsistency there, Guys like

680
00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,680
Speaker 1: Jalen Johnson not being good on defense, Guys like it

681
00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:03,200
Speaker 1: just hasn't come together right. Well, now you remove Trey

682
00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:05,840
Speaker 1: Young from the equation, you remove Christops Porzingis from the equation,

683
00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:09,160
Speaker 1: you add another flawed forward to the equation. And yes,

684
00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:12,000
Speaker 1: Nikhil Alexander Walker has had a really nice year offensively,

685
00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:13,560
Speaker 1: but he's not about to lead you to the Promised

686
00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:16,200
Speaker 1: Land offensively. And so I see these two kind of

687
00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:20,440
Speaker 1: like clunky fit forwards in Kaminga and Jalen Johnson. And

688
00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:23,919
Speaker 1: I'm I'm high on Jalen Johnson's potential, but I've talked

689
00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:26,520
Speaker 1: about this with you guys on the show already. To me,

690
00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:30,760
Speaker 1: Jalen Johnson is years away from being like a real,

691
00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:33,960
Speaker 1: dead serious good basketball player. Has to improve as a

692
00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:38,720
Speaker 1: self creator has to become a more consistent defensive player

693
00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:41,440
Speaker 1: in his effort and focus, especially off the ball, if

694
00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:43,600
Speaker 1: he's going to be able to play a serious role

695
00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:48,000
Speaker 1: on a serious team. And this team has no high

696
00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:51,320
Speaker 1: level BA handling, like none of it. CJ. McCollum is

697
00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:53,360
Speaker 1: the closest thing, and he was available to you at

698
00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:56,160
Speaker 1: that price point for a very specific reason. And so

699
00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:59,719
Speaker 1: to me, the Hawks have to have a plan to

700
00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:02,080
Speaker 1: get that guy. And I don't know if it's gonna

701
00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:05,879
Speaker 1: be picks and kaminga and some filler for a star

702
00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,360
Speaker 1: at some point down the line, or if they're just

703
00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:11,200
Speaker 1: banking on Jalen Johnson becoming that guy. I like Jalen Johnson.

704
00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:15,200
Speaker 1: I don't think he's gonna be an offensive engine anytime soon.

705
00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:17,640
Speaker 1: I think he's years away, if that's even in his

706
00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:20,640
Speaker 1: ceiling right. So, like, as far as I'm concerned, now,

707
00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:23,400
Speaker 1: the Hawks are in like a completely different phase than

708
00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,879
Speaker 1: they were last summer where they've got to figure out

709
00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:29,040
Speaker 1: what their top end ball handling is gonna be, and

710
00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:31,000
Speaker 1: they've got to have a plan, whether that's the draft

711
00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:34,360
Speaker 1: or targeting a specific star. But you're dead on arrival

712
00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:36,200
Speaker 1: in the NBA if you don't have a guy who

713
00:35:36,239 --> 00:35:40,440
Speaker 1: can consistently generate advantages, and even the great defenses in

714
00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:42,879
Speaker 1: the history of the league that have won championships, they

715
00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:45,759
Speaker 1: have an advantage creator, somebody that breaks the defense down,

716
00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:48,680
Speaker 1: and this Atlanta team is just so far away from that,

717
00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:53,160
Speaker 1: and I don't see any like quick, easy path get there.

718
00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:55,319
Speaker 1: We'll see what they end up doing in the next

719
00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:56,759
Speaker 1: two or three years, but they're gonna have to find

720
00:35:56,760 --> 00:36:01,000
Speaker 1: a primary ball handler. I started for the Lakers recently

721
00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:03,160
Speaker 1: after the Luca trades. I wasn't really familiar with Rob

722
00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:05,600
Speaker 1: Polinka's game, or the lack of one. The idea of

723
00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:08,120
Speaker 1: basically punning the season and very likely letting Lebron and

724
00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:11,800
Speaker 1: really walk for nothing just to chase a package offering

725
00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:14,440
Speaker 1: the fourth or fifth best offer for Giannis feels absurd

726
00:36:14,480 --> 00:36:17,479
Speaker 1: to me, especially with reportedly players like Wiggins and Jared

727
00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:20,359
Speaker 1: Allen being on the market for attainable prices. Coming into

728
00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:22,040
Speaker 1: the season, I was really high on the Lakers' future

729
00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:24,920
Speaker 1: with Austin's rise in Lucas ceiling, but now I'm honestly

730
00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:26,839
Speaker 1: not sure any of it matters if Polinka is still

731
00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:29,000
Speaker 1: the one running the team. How confident are you that

732
00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:31,479
Speaker 1: Pelinka can actually nail the margin moves needed to build

733
00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:33,879
Speaker 1: a true Tier one contender around Luca and Austin soon.

734
00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:36,720
Speaker 1: Do you excuse me, do you see this cap space

735
00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:39,440
Speaker 1: gambit working out by making us land some game changing

736
00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:42,200
Speaker 1: long term options like Watson or do you think the

737
00:36:42,239 --> 00:36:45,000
Speaker 1: Lakers are headed towards being a perpetual top heavy, low

738
00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:48,319
Speaker 1: depth dark horse team with as long as Polinka is

739
00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:52,399
Speaker 1: at the helm, so lot to get into there. First

740
00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:55,680
Speaker 1: of all, no, I don't believe in Rob Polinka's ability

741
00:36:55,760 --> 00:37:01,200
Speaker 1: to manage the situation. This Lakers team, as always in

742
00:37:01,239 --> 00:37:07,600
Speaker 1: my time covering them, been star focused and badly undervaluing

743
00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:09,960
Speaker 1: the job that role players do to help you win

744
00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:12,600
Speaker 1: basketball games. It has been a fundamental flaw with this

745
00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:16,279
Speaker 1: franchise from the very beginning, and it's based on a

746
00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:20,920
Speaker 1: basic misconception about basketball. When you actually look at teams

747
00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:24,680
Speaker 1: like Oklahoma City, you think they've won because of Shay.

748
00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:27,719
Speaker 1: You look at teams like Denver and you think they've

749
00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:30,120
Speaker 1: won because of Jokic. You look at teams like Golden

750
00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:32,440
Speaker 1: State and you think they've won because of Steph And

751
00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:34,759
Speaker 1: for the record, they have in the sense that you

752
00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:37,320
Speaker 1: have to have one of those guys just like Luca.

753
00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:38,719
Speaker 1: You have to have a Steph. You have to have

754
00:37:38,760 --> 00:37:40,040
Speaker 1: a Luca, you have to have a Shay, you have

755
00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:44,239
Speaker 1: to have a Jokic. There's basically no example of a

756
00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:47,840
Speaker 1: team that wins a championship in recent NBA history without

757
00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:49,960
Speaker 1: one of those guys. The closest thing is probably the

758
00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:53,760
Speaker 1: twenty twenty four Celtics, and that team had five players

759
00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:55,880
Speaker 1: that would have fetched thirty million dollars on the open

760
00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:58,760
Speaker 1: market at that point in time, and Tatum was probably

761
00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:01,800
Speaker 1: still like the best that wasn't one of those guys,

762
00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:04,480
Speaker 1: Like he was the best player on the second tier

763
00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:07,840
Speaker 1: of superstars, and you know, and they had Jaln Brown,

764
00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:10,160
Speaker 1: and they had Derek White, and they had Drew Holliday,

765
00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:12,120
Speaker 1: and they had Horford and they had Porzenkas. That was

766
00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:14,000
Speaker 1: the closest thing to it. So you do have to

767
00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:16,960
Speaker 1: have one of those guys in all likelihood to have

768
00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:19,680
Speaker 1: a chance to win the title. But it's that plus

769
00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:25,239
Speaker 1: a strong basketball culture organizationally that churns out high level

770
00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:29,040
Speaker 1: role players. Golden State turns out high level role players,

771
00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:32,560
Speaker 1: Oklahoma City turns out high level role players. It's one

772
00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:36,399
Speaker 1: of those things that is a prerequisite to sustaining any

773
00:38:36,440 --> 00:38:39,120
Speaker 1: sort of success in the NBA, you have to have

774
00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:43,600
Speaker 1: a strong culture that values the little things and puts

775
00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:47,400
Speaker 1: all of that together with a superstar talent. And the

776
00:38:47,480 --> 00:38:50,840
Speaker 1: Lakers have just always been completely geared up and geared

777
00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:54,400
Speaker 1: towards the superstar talent. Talked about this a little bit yesterday.

778
00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:57,640
Speaker 1: But it's easy making a deal for Giannis. No one's

779
00:38:57,680 --> 00:38:59,560
Speaker 1: going to criticize you if it doesn't go right. They'll

780
00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:01,160
Speaker 1: just be like, oh, Janis, what are you gonna do?

781
00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:03,600
Speaker 1: Pass on Yiannis? Like the Lakers if they make a

782
00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:06,360
Speaker 1: move for Yannis, it's the easiest thing that Rob Polinka

783
00:39:06,719 --> 00:39:09,120
Speaker 1: will do in his time as the Lakers GM. Right.

784
00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:12,759
Speaker 1: What's hard is building the rest of it. That's the

785
00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:15,960
Speaker 1: hard part. The hard part is going down the roster

786
00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:20,840
Speaker 1: and finding value on veteran minimums and finding value in

787
00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:24,240
Speaker 1: the mid level exception and your pro scouting department, finding

788
00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:27,120
Speaker 1: value in the trade market where you can flip two

789
00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:30,120
Speaker 1: salaries that maybe don't fit what you guys like to

790
00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:32,920
Speaker 1: do very well for a specific salary that fits what

791
00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:36,000
Speaker 1: you do really well. You have to dig into the

792
00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:38,239
Speaker 1: scouting side of it and find the guys that have

793
00:39:38,320 --> 00:39:42,120
Speaker 1: the high motor and have the high the high level

794
00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:44,800
Speaker 1: of attention to detail when it comes to defensive schemes

795
00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:47,799
Speaker 1: and being in the right spot and the ability to

796
00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:51,400
Speaker 1: you know, guard multiple positions and all these like little

797
00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:54,440
Speaker 1: things defensive, rebounding. All you have to dig into the

798
00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:57,960
Speaker 1: weeds to build out the rest of a roster. That's

799
00:39:58,160 --> 00:40:01,319
Speaker 1: that's hard. And yeah, if you make a like if

800
00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:03,520
Speaker 1: you trade a first round pick for a role player

801
00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:05,960
Speaker 1: and it doesn't pan out, it does open you up

802
00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:09,360
Speaker 1: to more criticism. You know, like no one's getting on

803
00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:12,320
Speaker 1: the bucks for trading for Dame. Like you were trying

804
00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:14,480
Speaker 1: to put a high level ball handler next to Giannis

805
00:40:14,480 --> 00:40:17,000
Speaker 1: after he lost another first round series because he struggles

806
00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:19,360
Speaker 1: to create in the half court. So like they're sitting

807
00:40:19,400 --> 00:40:21,279
Speaker 1: there thinking, like, we need to get another guy Dame

808
00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,640
Speaker 1: Terror's Achilles. Yeah it happens, it's shitty, But like no

809
00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:26,279
Speaker 1: one's looking at the Bucks and being like, oh, they

810
00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:28,960
Speaker 1: should never have traded for day. Superstar trades are the

811
00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:33,400
Speaker 1: easiest thing that a front office can do. The trading

812
00:40:33,400 --> 00:40:36,600
Speaker 1: for role players. It takes a lot more work behind

813
00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:38,759
Speaker 1: the scenes, and there's a lot more opportunity for you

814
00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:41,680
Speaker 1: to be opened up for criticism. Now digging into the specifics,

815
00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:43,759
Speaker 1: we don't know who's going to be available this offseason,

816
00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:45,560
Speaker 1: and so we'll address it when we get there. But

817
00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:48,680
Speaker 1: the truth of the matter is there's not a lot

818
00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:52,279
Speaker 1: of talent available in the free agent market. Like the

819
00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:54,640
Speaker 1: only guy in the restricted free agent market that you

820
00:40:54,680 --> 00:40:58,520
Speaker 1: can imagine the Lakers, you know, UH targeting is like

821
00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:00,960
Speaker 1: a high level starter next to Luca and Austin is

822
00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:03,600
Speaker 1: a Peyton Watson, Right, But like, I think you're gonna

823
00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:07,280
Speaker 1: have to come really high to UH to get Denver

824
00:41:07,320 --> 00:41:09,839
Speaker 1: not to match, Like I think Denver's gonna match up

825
00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:13,400
Speaker 1: to probably as high as like thirty million, Like I

826
00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:15,680
Speaker 1: think they're gonna I think Denver would match, And so

827
00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:18,280
Speaker 1: I think they'd match, and I think they'd trade Cam Johnson.

828
00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:21,720
Speaker 1: So like, what are you gonna do pay like max

829
00:41:21,800 --> 00:41:24,520
Speaker 1: money for for Peyton Watson? Like I don't, I don't.

830
00:41:24,920 --> 00:41:28,160
Speaker 1: I like Peyton. I think he'd be really good in

831
00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:29,920
Speaker 1: a in the short term as a role player, and

832
00:41:29,960 --> 00:41:32,840
Speaker 1: I think he's got some potential as a high level

833
00:41:33,160 --> 00:41:35,760
Speaker 1: offensive player in this league that he's continued to flash

834
00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:38,760
Speaker 1: throughout the season. But like, like, do you think paying

835
00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:41,840
Speaker 1: Peyton Watson some enormous amount of money is gonna be

836
00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:44,480
Speaker 1: what turns things around. And if it's in a fort

837
00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:47,040
Speaker 1: I like Peyton Watson in that twenty to twenty five

838
00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:50,280
Speaker 1: million dollar range, and guess what if you sign Peyton

839
00:41:50,320 --> 00:41:52,520
Speaker 1: Watson too a twenty to twenty five million dollars a

840
00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:55,680
Speaker 1: year offer sheet, Denver's going to match. And so again,

841
00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:59,799
Speaker 1: like cap spaces, cap says you could still trade for

842
00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:02,960
Speaker 1: with cap space. So for instance, like if the Lakers

843
00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:05,160
Speaker 1: wanted to make a move, let's just use Herb Jones

844
00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:07,760
Speaker 1: as an example, and they want to absorb Herb Jones's salary,

845
00:42:08,080 --> 00:42:09,880
Speaker 1: they could do it with cap space, just like they

846
00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:13,239
Speaker 1: could by sending out expiring contracts. So all of the

847
00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:17,120
Speaker 1: flexibility is still there this summer, the cap space can

848
00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:20,200
Speaker 1: be attached to draft picks, or essentially the draft picks

849
00:42:20,239 --> 00:42:21,719
Speaker 1: can be used to bring the player in and be

850
00:42:21,760 --> 00:42:24,839
Speaker 1: absorbed into cap space. So like, Rob still has a chance.

851
00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:26,640
Speaker 1: That's why I wasn't critical of Rob for not doing

852
00:42:26,719 --> 00:42:29,600
Speaker 1: much at this particular deadline. I don't think this team

853
00:42:29,680 --> 00:42:32,000
Speaker 1: was worth heavily investing in. I think it made perfect

854
00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:34,440
Speaker 1: sense to be like, eh, this isn't the year for

855
00:42:34,520 --> 00:42:37,520
Speaker 1: us to go all in. So let's just do something

856
00:42:37,560 --> 00:42:40,080
Speaker 1: small like get a shooter for a team that can't shoot,

857
00:42:40,120 --> 00:42:43,120
Speaker 1: and maintain all of our flexibility, and we'll go into

858
00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:45,600
Speaker 1: this offseason and we'll attack this thing. And they have picks,

859
00:42:45,640 --> 00:42:49,320
Speaker 1: like again, they've got effectively three first round picks, depending

860
00:42:49,320 --> 00:42:52,120
Speaker 1: on when they decide to make their deals. My thing is,

861
00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:54,960
Speaker 1: you better have a plan if you miss out on

862
00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:58,160
Speaker 1: Giannis to move at least one or two of those

863
00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:01,960
Speaker 1: first round picks to bring in high level, starting level

864
00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:05,319
Speaker 1: NBA talent to put around Austin and Luca, or you

865
00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:08,000
Speaker 1: are dead on arrival again next season because this roster

866
00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:11,959
Speaker 1: is utterly devoid of athleticism and shooting, and when Lebron's gone,

867
00:43:11,960 --> 00:43:16,320
Speaker 1: you're losing another really high end talent in that specific case. Right. Also,

868
00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:18,400
Speaker 1: I think if you get a lot of talent, you

869
00:43:18,440 --> 00:43:20,600
Speaker 1: have a higher chance of actually bringing Lebron back at

870
00:43:20,600 --> 00:43:22,360
Speaker 1: a discount. But I don't think Lebron's coming back at

871
00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:25,120
Speaker 1: a discount if you just have a bunch of mediocre

872
00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:29,040
Speaker 1: dudes that you sign into cap space. So again, got

873
00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:31,120
Speaker 1: to have a plan. When we get to this offseason

874
00:43:31,160 --> 00:43:33,319
Speaker 1: and we actually see what the landscape looks like, we'll

875
00:43:33,360 --> 00:43:35,680
Speaker 1: kind of look and talk about some of the specific

876
00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:39,120
Speaker 1: guys that might be available. But again, I'm generally of

877
00:43:39,160 --> 00:43:43,360
Speaker 1: the opinion that Luca plus an elite rim protector and

878
00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:45,520
Speaker 1: an elite three and D wing and a couple of

879
00:43:45,560 --> 00:43:47,920
Speaker 1: really good role players at the three and four spot

880
00:43:48,480 --> 00:43:52,160
Speaker 1: is actually nearly as good, if not if not as

881
00:43:52,200 --> 00:43:55,360
Speaker 1: good or better as a Luca plus Giannis plus a

882
00:43:55,360 --> 00:43:58,560
Speaker 1: bunch of veteran minimum guys type of payroll. So, like,

883
00:43:59,600 --> 00:44:01,880
Speaker 1: I just, I just think that the Lakers need to

884
00:44:01,880 --> 00:44:04,239
Speaker 1: be doing a ton of work behind the scenes right

885
00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:08,520
Speaker 1: now to identify the opportunities for high level role player

886
00:44:08,560 --> 00:44:12,400
Speaker 1: talent to surround their stars with. Last question, did the

887
00:44:12,400 --> 00:44:15,000
Speaker 1: seventy six ers give up on Jared McCain too early?

888
00:44:15,239 --> 00:44:17,480
Speaker 1: Is Sam Presty wanting a player from your team not

889
00:44:17,640 --> 00:44:20,640
Speaker 1: enough evidence to not trade that player. So here's the thing.

890
00:44:20,719 --> 00:44:23,400
Speaker 1: I think this more or less makes sense for both

891
00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:25,600
Speaker 1: sides in the sense that I like Jared McCain, I

892
00:44:25,600 --> 00:44:28,919
Speaker 1: like betting on shooting, and I think Jed I think

893
00:44:29,320 --> 00:44:31,440
Speaker 1: when it comes to shooters like that, I would be

894
00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:33,960
Speaker 1: a little hesitant to like compare him to some of

895
00:44:33,960 --> 00:44:36,480
Speaker 1: the higher level shooters in NBA history that have like

896
00:44:36,560 --> 00:44:39,520
Speaker 1: more size and more ability to hold up defensively, and

897
00:44:41,080 --> 00:44:43,239
Speaker 1: that just have more all around talent. Like McCain to

898
00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:45,560
Speaker 1: me is a shooter, but he's not like a superstar

899
00:44:46,360 --> 00:44:48,719
Speaker 1: type of shooter. Okay, So like if you look at

900
00:44:48,760 --> 00:44:50,520
Speaker 1: him as just what would be a really high level

901
00:44:50,600 --> 00:44:53,200
Speaker 1: role player on your team in the long run, You

902
00:44:53,239 --> 00:44:56,520
Speaker 1: already have VJ. Edgecomb, you already have Tyrese Maxi. Quinn

903
00:44:56,520 --> 00:44:59,279
Speaker 1: Grimes has been playing really well and I think I

904
00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:01,440
Speaker 1: would imagine he's part of their long term plans. And

905
00:45:01,440 --> 00:45:04,640
Speaker 1: you have a shorter window because of the Embiid age thing.

906
00:45:04,640 --> 00:45:06,960
Speaker 1: And it's great to see Embid playing fantastic again, by

907
00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:09,200
Speaker 1: the way, but because of Embiid's age, and because you're

908
00:45:09,200 --> 00:45:11,680
Speaker 1: gonna have a hard time training Paul George and he's

909
00:45:11,719 --> 00:45:14,040
Speaker 1: in the situation for now, and you have Tyree s

910
00:45:14,080 --> 00:45:17,440
Speaker 1: Maxie who's already reaching close to that superstar level, you're

911
00:45:17,520 --> 00:45:19,800
Speaker 1: kind of operating in a shorter window. And so to me,

912
00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:23,600
Speaker 1: a McCain who is kind of in a weird spot

913
00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:26,799
Speaker 1: in your rotation with the rise of VJ. Edgecombe, who

914
00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:29,080
Speaker 1: like almost single handedly won the game against the Lakers

915
00:45:29,160 --> 00:45:31,000
Speaker 1: last night in crunch time, just being a wrecking ball

916
00:45:31,040 --> 00:45:34,960
Speaker 1: on defense and hitting shots like if you like Naxi

917
00:45:35,040 --> 00:45:38,400
Speaker 1: and VJ as your primary backcourt and Quinton Grimes is

918
00:45:38,440 --> 00:45:41,080
Speaker 1: a good short term option for you at guard. Turning

919
00:45:41,160 --> 00:45:43,440
Speaker 1: McCain into a bunch of draft picks that you can

920
00:45:43,480 --> 00:45:45,520
Speaker 1: then turn around and try to use to upgrade the

921
00:45:45,560 --> 00:45:47,360
Speaker 1: team down the line, I think is a nice value

922
00:45:47,360 --> 00:45:50,759
Speaker 1: play for Darryl Morey, and I fully support it. I

923
00:45:50,840 --> 00:45:52,719
Speaker 1: like McCain, I don't think he's the guy that you

924
00:45:52,800 --> 00:45:56,399
Speaker 1: hang on to irrespective of your surrounding circumstances. All right, guys,

925
00:45:56,400 --> 00:45:58,880
Speaker 1: it's all I have for today. As always, a sincerely

926
00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:00,839
Speaker 1: appreciate you guys for supporting us and supporting the show.

927
00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:02,719
Speaker 1: What a crazy week. That was our eighth episode of

928
00:46:02,719 --> 00:46:06,799
Speaker 1: the week thanks to our wild and bizarre trade deadline. Again.

929
00:46:06,840 --> 00:46:10,320
Speaker 1: We'll be back Monday with Power Rankings Contender Rankings with

930
00:46:10,400 --> 00:46:13,719
Speaker 1: Kevin O'Connor on Wednesday. Next week, some fun stuff over

931
00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:15,680
Speaker 1: the All Star break as we kind of go big

932
00:46:15,719 --> 00:46:18,960
Speaker 1: picture and then we're putting our head down and grinding

933
00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:21,839
Speaker 1: from the middle of February all the way to the

934
00:46:21,840 --> 00:46:24,480
Speaker 1: middle of June. It's gonna be crazy, but I'm excited

935
00:46:25,840 --> 00:46:29,880
Speaker 1: this time of year always just turns into an absolute grind,

936
00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:32,719
Speaker 1: but in the most fun way because the basketball games

937
00:46:32,760 --> 00:46:34,719
Speaker 1: get so entertaining. So I'm excited to get into it

938
00:46:34,719 --> 00:46:41,680
Speaker 1: with you guys. All right, I'll see you on Monday.