1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: Mmmmmm, all right, Welcome to the State of the Lakers podcast. 2 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: Happy Friday, everybody. Roger and I wanted so badly just 3 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: to take this week off to to kind of recalibrate 4 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: for the offseason, but we had to go today on 5 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,480 Speaker 1: account of the big news that came down yesterday. Rog 6 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:36,279 Speaker 1: First of all, how are you doing, man? How's your week? Ben? 7 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: It's been really good. I was not expecting that I'm 8 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: getting ready for like a music festival this weekend. Like 9 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: I was preparing for that, um Hard Summer. I don't 10 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: know if most people don't know what Hard Summer is, 11 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: a huge music mestival here in Sanbordino Friday and Saturday, 12 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: just you know, relaxing. Was ready to get to my Friday, Um, 13 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: buddy healed, Rumors started swirling, and you know, I'm allays 14 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: here posting. You know, we haven't had a shooter like 15 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: this since you know, I'm not sure when you know, 16 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: how are they going to defend him coming off curls, 17 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: coming off layer screens? You posted that that play where 18 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: they kind of screen him in the corner. You know, 19 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: We're all excited and then bam, it just turns right 20 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 1: away to Russell Westbrook. So yeah, but I'm good. How 21 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: how are you? I'm doing I'm doing well. Yeah. You know, 22 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: that was one of the most strange phenomenon phenomena that 23 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: I can remember, uh in my time following the NBA, 24 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: where all of this intel is pointing towards Buddy Healed. 25 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 1: And in addition to that, it's like the clearest consensus, 26 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: no brainer move that we can remember, especially surrounding the Lakers, 27 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 1: who have been heavily critiqued in terms of the way 28 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: they've built their roster. Well, you know, you've got Laker 29 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: fans who are extremely excited about the the potential of 30 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: having this talented of a shooter next to Lebron and 31 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 1: a d all the different actions that can work, what 32 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: kind of stuff he can bring to the team. And 33 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: then outside of Lakers Twitter, I tweet it out yesterday 34 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: in the afternoon, like, Hey, for all of my followers 35 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: who are not Laker fans, what do you think about 36 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: this move? And it was near unanimous that it made 37 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 1: them significantly better. It was just a massive approval rating 38 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: of this potential Buddy Heel trade. But there was one hiccup. 39 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: They needed Montrese Harold to opt in in order to 40 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: match salaries, So waiting around all day trying to see 41 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: if Montrese Harold is gonna opt in. He does, and 42 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: Woes tweets out that all signs are pointing towards this 43 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: buddy Heel trade, and almost immediately Sham's comes in from 44 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 1: the top rope with his report that they're actually nearing 45 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 1: a deal with Russell Westbrook, and all hell broke loose 46 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: on Twitter, including myself. And this is something that you know, 47 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: in retrospect, I need to be better about, like and 48 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: part of it was because I was so excited about 49 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: the possibility of a buddy Heel trade and what he 50 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: could do to help that team, and just the mass 51 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: of swing an emotion from that to to this potential 52 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 1: US Russell Westbrook trade that I almost exclusively reacted negatively 53 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: and I was tweeting about all the different ways it 54 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: could go wrong. And I think it's very important, as 55 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: we've discussed this today, that we emphasize that there are 56 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: two sides to the Russell Westbrook coin, and there are 57 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: good things that he brings to the table. The reality 58 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: of the situation now is regardless of whether they still 59 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: get Buddy healed or if they still get auto porter 60 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: or if they still get all these shooters or not. 61 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: Regardless of what happens, Russell Westbrook is a Laker, He's 62 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: going to be at training camp, He's going to be 63 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: playing for the team. So we need to figure out 64 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: how that works. And so my my first question for 65 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: you is just in general, how do you forget about 66 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: role players for right this second? How do you feel 67 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: about the natural basketball fit of Russell Westbrook next to 68 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: Lebron James and Anthony Davis. So I was like you, 69 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: I did not think this was happening. My friends were 70 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: kind of texting me this rumor a couple of weeks, 71 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: you know, like last week or something. I was like, 72 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: I'll buy a Westbrook jersey if he comes to the Lakers. 73 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: I'll buy Westbrook jersey. That's how sure I was. This 74 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: was not happening. It wasn't gonna fit. At first. I 75 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: was shocked at I don't like the basketball fit at first. 76 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: I think that was what most people thought. As you 77 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 1: watch like him play, you watch you know, his not 78 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,559 Speaker 1: his highlights, but like what he does on the court, 79 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: you kind of understand where it's going. And I saw 80 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: some of this like, hey, what if Westbrook comes off 81 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 1: the bench. No, Westbrook's not coming off the bench, Like, no, 82 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: this is gonna be like people like, oh, well, let's 83 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: see how the rest of the roster looks. Well, yeah, 84 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 1: that's important. But in the playoffs you can have Westbrook, 85 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,679 Speaker 1: Lebron and eighty on the floor, Like that's your main 86 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,040 Speaker 1: core of team that's gonna be on there. He's not 87 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: coming off the bench running a second unit forty million dollars. 88 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: That's not what he comes to l a for. Like, 89 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: oh yeah, Westbrook can change, Yeah, he can fit in 90 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: a little better around the stars, but he's here to 91 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 1: do what Russell Westbrook does. What does west west or 92 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,720 Speaker 1: Westbrook do attack the rim. He's a relentless guy that 93 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: gets to the rim, relentless guy in transition. Um, he 94 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: kind of fits his Laker film room talks about this 95 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: a lot, how the Lakers really trying to get to 96 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: be physical, to dominate you in a physical manner, similar 97 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: to how Dwight Howard kind of plays What's Work is 98 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: kind of that way. He's like a mini kind of 99 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: you honest in that way where he really just tries 100 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 1: to drive the whole time. Again, takes jumpers that he 101 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 1: probably shouldn't teams are gonna leave him open to me? 102 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: His percentages, Like I don't know about what you think 103 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 1: about this, Jason, but like people are putting up his 104 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: spot up three point percentages, I almost throw those out. 105 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: He's such a like a I don't know see, like 106 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: a Jackal and Hyde shooter that teams aren't gonna guard 107 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: him anyway, no matter, regardless regardless that he can shoot 108 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 1: four department number three, teams are not gonna guard him. 109 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: It's maker miss, it's all the other stuff. Is he doing? 110 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 1: Is he's taking bad shots? Is he, you know, making 111 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: right decisions on the floor. That's where I see. But 112 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: I feel a lot better about today than I did yesterday. 113 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: How about you do? How do you feel about him 114 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: on the team. So it reminds me in terms of 115 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 1: the organic basketball fit to the Big three in Miami 116 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: with the heat Now, Dwyane Wade is a significantly better 117 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: basketball player. Even the diminished version of Dwyane Wade was 118 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,599 Speaker 1: a significantly better basketball player than this version of Russ. 119 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: But the point is is that Dwyane Wade was not 120 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: a spot up shooter type of spacer the way that 121 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 1: he eventually messed with Lebron was selective cutting and offensive rebounding, 122 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: which is almost exactly what Russ is going to do. 123 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: The big reason why I think Dwyane Wade was a 124 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: better fit then with Russell Westbrook is that if you're 125 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: going to be that guy who hurts in terms of 126 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: spacing but makes up for it with offensive rebounding and 127 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: cutting and and off ball defense and protecting the rim 128 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: and all those things, you almost can't have the bad 129 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: side that comes with it. Dwyane Wade was such a 130 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 1: high basketball i Q and played so under control that 131 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:51,479 Speaker 1: the total, you know, plus minus of all the pros 132 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: and cons of what he brought to the table netted 133 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: a positive result for that Heat team. What scares me 134 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: about the specific fit is, in addition to hurting the 135 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 1: spacing while there is good that comes with him crashing 136 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: the offensive glass and putting pressure on the rim and 137 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: cutting off of Lebron and all those things. I worry 138 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: about decision making. You know, Russell Westbrook is a player 139 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: that goes a hundred miles an hour all the time. 140 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: There is no change of pace to his game, and 141 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: it's it's one of those things where I wonder if 142 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: that will kind of tilt that balance into sometimes on 143 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: some nights, being a net negative for the Lakers. You know, 144 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: at a certain point, Russell Westbrook sometimes gets in his 145 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: own way by trying to do too much um, and 146 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: there will be nights when he's with the Lakers where 147 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: he's going to do so much good that it just 148 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: feels like this overwhelming force and you're gonna be like, man, 149 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: this looks great. But I think for every night like that, 150 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: there's gonna be nights where he tries to do too 151 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: much and it ends up hurting the team. And and 152 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: so that's that's kind of like my initial impression. Now 153 00:07:58,200 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: as far as the basketball fit, I kind of twe 154 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: did this out a little bit yesterday, but the general 155 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: idea is, if you're looking for a silver lining, a 156 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: reason that the Russell Westbrook fit could work, I want 157 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: you to think about the general ideology that the guys 158 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: from Laker Film Room have been talking about a lot 159 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: over the last couple of weeks, which is the identity 160 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: of the Lakers as just a physically overwhelming team when 161 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: you add Russell Westbrook to the mix, as a big, strong, 162 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: athletic guard who relentlessly pressures the rim, who grabs a 163 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,559 Speaker 1: ton of offensive rebounds, who at least when he's trying 164 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: and when he's focused, can be a physically dominating defensive player. 165 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,079 Speaker 1: It adds to that identity. It makes it so that 166 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: in the Rock Fight, not only do the Lakers have 167 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: Lebron and a d just wrecking havoc around the rim, 168 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: now you've got Russell Westbrook in there too. He's going 169 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: to be a physical problem for smaller guards in playoff series, 170 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: for the Damian Lillards, for the Chris Paul's, for those 171 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: types of guys in these off series. That is the 172 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: silver lining. That's how it could work out. But I 173 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: just see a lot of ways it could go wrong, 174 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: with the spacing, with him going off script, with his 175 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 1: decision making, with him he's he's got that Rondo quality 176 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 1: if sometimes he just goes for the home run steal 177 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: instead of staying in the defensive scheme, which can get 178 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: him out of position, which can hurt the defense. Overall. 179 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: I'm worried about some of the ways it could go wrong, 180 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: but that physical dominance is the way I could see 181 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: it going right. Yeah, for sure. I mean, like, and 182 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:34,079 Speaker 1: this is the first time I think in like three 183 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:35,839 Speaker 1: or four years, He's going to be asked to really 184 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: be this connected on defense as well. Right, Like the 185 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: last time probably was those under teams. Once he got 186 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: his own team, he was not the defender that that 187 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: he was before. He's going to crash the glass and everything. 188 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: One thing, I was surprised. I don't know if you 189 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 1: were able to really dive into Westbrook film yet, but 190 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: like he's still very athletic, Like he's not like he 191 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 1: hasn't lost as much a step as I thought he 192 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: would have. Um watching his place with with the Wizards. 193 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 1: Still super fast, one of the fastest guards, still on 194 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: the top two or three percent of athletes. And again 195 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: that just fits what the Lakers are trying to do. Um, 196 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: they have all these athletic freaks down the starting line up. 197 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,319 Speaker 1: Lebron is still one Anthony Davis. They're just gonna try 198 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:16,079 Speaker 1: to maul you over with physicality. I try. Like when 199 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: I watched his tape, like I'd rather watch him in Houston. 200 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: I feel like that's more of what the Lakers are 201 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: trying to do. UM with the Wizards, I mean, he 202 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,719 Speaker 1: had he was setting up guys like Alex lenn you know, Um, 203 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: Thomas Bryant, all these like really young dudes not really 204 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 1: ready to win when I played watch him in Houston. 205 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but I think like Westbrook 206 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: will kind of be the center in a lot of lineups, 207 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, Like they'll kind of imverse 208 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,079 Speaker 1: the offense where like eight is kind of the four, 209 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: and then Westbrook kind of plays the five where he's 210 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:45,559 Speaker 1: the screener. And then you could that's what he did 211 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: for James Harden and line it was really successful where 212 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: he's kind of the screener for Lebron where Lebron is 213 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 1: kind of making decision making. Um. But yeah, the one 214 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: big question is off the ball, right, like can he 215 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: be a guy sitting in the dunker spot? Can he 216 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 1: being a guy that just crashes the board consistently? Going 217 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 1: to be a guy that doesn't take the open three, 218 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, the guy that doesn't take 219 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: terrible shots. He's gonna have four for twenty nights. That's 220 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: just what comes with the package. Yeah, yeah, that's that 221 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: comes to the package of Russell Westbrook. Like he's not 222 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: a guy. This isn't his second year in the league, 223 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, This is what I don't 224 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: know what year but it's in multiple he is what 225 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: he is. Yeah, I mean he's gonna he can change 226 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: here and there. But you know what I mean, I'm 227 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: seeing people saying he's gonna change. I mean, Russell Westbrook's 228 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: coming here to be Russell Westbrook. Like, don't get that confused. 229 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: So what do you think about him off the ball? 230 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: That's around kind of worried, Like I like him as 231 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: a screener, but I mean you don't pay Russell Westbrook 232 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 1: forty five million dollars to be a screener, you know 233 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 1: what I mean. So, like he's gonna have a lot 234 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:40,080 Speaker 1: of on ball. I think this helps a deal lot, 235 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: you know, Like I feel like these non Lebron minutes 236 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:45,839 Speaker 1: now have a pure creator on the floor. I don't 237 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 1: think Dennis Truder was ready for that. Um, So what 238 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: do you think about him off the ball? Kind of 239 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: where where can he be successful there? With this team? 240 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:58,200 Speaker 1: So the Russell Westbrook acquisition makes the surrounding moves so 241 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: much more important, uh than they were with Healed? You know, 242 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 1: I with with Buddy Healed, you could have basically just 243 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 1: brought everybody else back, like you could have gone, here 244 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: comes west We'll bring back Crusoe and th HD on 245 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: typical you know, rookie extensions, and we're gonna, you know, 246 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: bring back Mark Keith Morris and and we'll just sign 247 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: some standard veteran veteran minimum guys, and it all just 248 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: would have worked because the Buddy healed is such a 249 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 1: natural basketball fit and one of the reasons why I 250 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 1: was so excited about Buddy Held. And he's not off 251 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: the table now. Allegedly there are some scenarios where it 252 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: could work, probably a three team deal involving sign and 253 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: trading him to somebody who gives stuff to the Kings, 254 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: who send hell to the Lakers. But like but with 255 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:47,440 Speaker 1: a team that puts so much relentless rim pressure, Buddy 256 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: Held as a player that sucks people away from the rim, 257 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 1: whether it's through screening actions off ball, having him flying 258 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: off the screens that occupies off ball defenders, whether he's 259 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: an on ball creator with Anthony Davis as a screener, 260 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:04,439 Speaker 1: or whether he's just a spot up guy. He pulls 261 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:06,959 Speaker 1: guys away from the rim, which would have naturally kind 262 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,559 Speaker 1: of made everything else work. With Russ, it's gonna be 263 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: the opposite effect. It's gonna be a total sellout to 264 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 1: the rim for the defense, so it becomes that much 265 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 1: more important for the other two guys that are on 266 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: the floor with those three to be high level shooters. 267 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:26,440 Speaker 1: You know, there's kind of like a counterbalance with spacing, right, 268 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 1: and we saw that tilt way out of whack when 269 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis got hurt. Right Like, when Anthony Davis was playing, 270 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: everything seemed to make just a little bit more sense 271 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: with where the guys were being aggressive offensively. Then he 272 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: went down and all of a sudden, it was like 273 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: it was like a black hole in the pain. There 274 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 1: were just bodies everywhere. Well, that's the way it's gonna 275 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:50,839 Speaker 1: be with that balance, you know, uh a d uh 276 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 1: Lebron Russ lineup with auto Porter and budd healed spacing 277 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:58,680 Speaker 1: is gonna be fine because four of those guys, like 278 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: Lebron's the worst spot upshooter in that lineup and he 279 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: or maybe him in a D. So it's like you're 280 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: you're you're gonna be fine. But if that's Alex Caruso 281 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 1: and Wesley Matthews, now is it gonna tilt way too 282 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: far to where there's just not enough room for guys 283 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: to create Because Caruso, you can kind of play him 284 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 1: with a fifty fifty split, you know, play like a 285 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: traditional shell drill and Russell Westbrook I can abandon entirely 286 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: and basically just tap my foot in and out of 287 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: the paint and and just be there, you know. And 288 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 1: Wesley Matthews same thing. You know. So that's gonna be 289 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: critical is how how they weigh that as far as 290 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 1: what he needs to do when he's off ball. You 291 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: brought up one of them. Use him as a screener. 292 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 1: That's one of the best ways to involve a guy 293 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: that they ignore, because at the very least what's probably 294 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: gonna happen is they're gonna trap off of his screen 295 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: and you can hit him on the short role where 296 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: he can make decisions, kind of like what the Warriors 297 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: do with Draymond Green. And the other thing you can 298 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: do is have him constantly set screens off the ball 299 00:14:57,040 --> 00:15:00,080 Speaker 1: four shooters, which will make the defense make decision and 300 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 1: occupies defenders. But the biggest thing is gonna be his 301 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: ability to cut to the basket off of guys like 302 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: Marcusol and Lebron and his ability to get offensive rebounds. 303 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 1: If he can do that, it's gonna be like that 304 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: meter and it needs to tilt in favor of him 305 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: having positive impact. If if he's missing spot up shots, 306 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 1: he's not getting rebounds, he's not creating havoc as a screener, 307 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: it's gonna tilt the other way and it's gonna be 308 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: a problem to where he's hurting their team with their spacing. 309 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: But that that's the kind of stuff to keep an 310 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: eye on him, Yeah, for sure. And mean he's an 311 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 1: amazing rebounder and we can't take that away from I 312 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: think that's the thing that will really help the Lakers 313 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: that really pushed the pace, Like the real play faster, 314 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis will play faster. Get him going. Anthony David 315 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: was just being himself. I think is a huge thing 316 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: that a lot of people are kind of forgetting this offseason. 317 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 1: Um A d and Lebron together healthy back, healthy, with 318 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 1: a motivated Russell Westbrook, I think, I don't. I think 319 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: that will help with help as well. Westbrook has a 320 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,119 Speaker 1: lot of flaws, like he just does. They're very loud. Um. 321 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: I don't want to compare him to Andre Drummond, but 322 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: like when he has a bad game, you're gonna know it, 323 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: right Russell Westbrook doesn't have quiet bad games. It's not like, Oh, 324 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook kind of a bad game tonight. I didn't 325 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: even I didn't even realize. No, it's gonna be like 326 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: five for twenty five, you know what I mean, yelling 327 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: and screaming and yes, and that's the that's the process 328 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 1: of Russell Westbrook. That's just what it is. Now, can 329 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 1: Lebron and a D kind of bridge that gap to 330 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: where like if he's having a gag game, but both 331 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: of those are going you know what I mean? And 332 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: Russell Westbroks doing other things. Um, he's I think he's 333 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: a better playmaker than he gets credit for. I think 334 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: he's a big card of why Steven Adams is getting 335 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: the contracts that he does. Um, I watched these case teams. 336 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: He spoon feeds those guys watching watching Washington, He's spoon 337 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: fed Alex Land. I'm excited to see him with a 338 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: big like a D. He never had that. Um. In Houston, 339 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: they kind of went really small, traded their only center, 340 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: went with Robert Covington at the five, didn't really have 341 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: the big to play with. And again, Washington is is 342 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: what they are. Um. But yeah, so I'm excited to 343 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: see him with with a guy like a d How 344 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: that works that kind of playmaking big um, He's never 345 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 1: really had that kind of screener either. See what that 346 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: does for him? And just yeah, when one of Lebron 347 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: and Rusts get the rebound, the Lakers are off. Like, 348 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:10,680 Speaker 1: I think that's the positive he area. He's gonna be 349 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: great in the regular season. That's my whole issue of this. 350 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 1: People would ask me, like, what do you think of Rust? Like, 351 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: to me, the issue isn't in the regular season though, 352 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: right Like, this feels like this is like a super 353 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: regular season move. It was similar Toime Montrez last year 354 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 1: was a regular season move and we all knew it, right, 355 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,920 Speaker 1: this is like the super extent of that. Westbrook is 356 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 1: an amazing regular season player and the Lakers gonna win 357 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 1: a ton of games with those just with the talent 358 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:35,400 Speaker 1: of those three, his motor, eighties motor. When he's healthy, 359 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: those there are gonna push through. It's the playoffs where 360 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 1: I'm wondering and they're like, yeah, they might not work 361 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: in like the second or third round, But then what 362 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: are we doing all this for? This is the whole 363 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 1: point of all this is to win in the playoffs. 364 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 1: Why would you go out and get a player that 365 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 1: helps you only in the regular seas And that's where 366 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 1: like disconnect for me is there. You know, again, it 367 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 1: could work. It's just I watched that second round super closely. 368 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: The Lakers game plan was to put a d on 369 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 1: Westbrook and you let him run and him exactly make 370 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: him shoot. And I watched that for a whole five games, 371 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:08,920 Speaker 1: you know, and I watched him do that consistently, watched 372 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 1: Westbrook put up these shots that he should not be taking. Um. 373 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:15,719 Speaker 1: And again, maybe with more star power around it changes that. 374 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 1: It's just that's my disconnection. That's the part that I'm 375 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: having trouble. Like I watched Westbrook, I understand he super good. 376 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,400 Speaker 1: Um My trouble here is in the playoffs. Like that's 377 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 1: like what happens when teams game planned that way. You 378 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: need at least one dead eye shooter next to them 379 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 1: if this is gonna work. Um, So that's is that? 380 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 1: What are you there as well? The playoff concern is 381 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: the main thing for you too. Yeah, Well, it's because 382 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,360 Speaker 1: in the playoffs everything gets exaggerated. The amount of your 383 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: spacing concerns get exaggerated. Just in general, like like that 384 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 1: Laker series was a classic example. The Lakers flat out 385 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: ignored Russell Westbrook and the first time they did it, 386 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 1: it was a huge problem. Russ had a nightmare game 387 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: in the Lakers one and then the next game which 388 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 1: I think it was either game through game four. They 389 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,679 Speaker 1: they I think it was Game three. He actually made 390 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 1: a bunch of shots and made a bunch of bank shots, 391 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: made it, made some threes, made a bunch of shots, 392 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: but like it disjointed at the Rockets offense so much 393 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: that it just didn't matter and the Lakers won anyway. Um, 394 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: but that that's the kind of thing you have to expect. 395 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, there's gonna be a lot that 396 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 1: Russ can do with the ball. We just talked about 397 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:27,640 Speaker 1: him off the ball and and and yes those things 398 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,000 Speaker 1: are gonna be exaggerated in the playoffs, but he does 399 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 1: bring a lot of good on the ball. That's where, 400 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 1: especially in the regular season and running bench line ups 401 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: in playoff series, it's it's really gonna rear. It's ugly 402 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 1: head the shooting stuff and the off ball stuff late 403 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: in games in playoffs series. But for the most part, 404 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,199 Speaker 1: when he when he when he has the opportunity to 405 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: make plays with the ball in his hands. There's gonna 406 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: be a lot of good So let's talk really quick 407 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:55,360 Speaker 1: about the things that he does well with the ball. 408 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: So first of all, like you said, absolutely incredible passer. 409 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 1: He's what probably one of the most underrated things about 410 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 1: Russ is he's really good at manipulating a defense by 411 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 1: putting that like semi transition pressure, like grabbing the rebound, 412 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: taking three or four hard dribbles up the floor, makes 413 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 1: the defense react one way or another, hits the big, 414 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: hits a shooter, whatever it is that he's doing. He's 415 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:22,439 Speaker 1: a great passer. Secondly, he's a legitimate matchup problem for 416 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:26,679 Speaker 1: smaller guards. The Lakers are the Lakers were have been 417 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: a really good defense the last couple of years, and 418 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: Russ has done a really good job in those matchups. 419 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 1: Whether he's been with the Wizards or with the Rockets, 420 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: he's done a really good job of finding the smallest 421 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 1: Laker guard on the floor, posting him up and making 422 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:43,400 Speaker 1: some going through him and then going down the floor 423 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: doing the rock the baby thing or whatever that he does. 424 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: Like So you can see the vision there. You can 425 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 1: see the vision. The key is going to be getting 426 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: the ball out of his hands at the biggest moments 427 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:01,360 Speaker 1: of the game, so that you or because his decision 428 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: making is questionable, while at the same time letting him 429 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 1: to have that impact off the ball. But you're right 430 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 1: the dog days of the regular season, he's gonna be incredible. 431 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: Playoff series, when you know it's the end of the 432 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: first quarter in Lebron's taking his rest, having Russ out 433 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: there to run the offense, that's a big perk. It's 434 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: just gonna be those specific scenarios where he needs to 435 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,199 Speaker 1: be incredible, and like you said, the moves on the 436 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: periphery of this become that much more important. And I 437 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: don't know, you know our guy Kings who does the 438 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 1: POPA Jason Maples, he has this theory and it's actually 439 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,680 Speaker 1: an interesting theory, which is, you know, we heard about 440 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: the Bogdanovitch fiasco last year, which, to make a long 441 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:48,919 Speaker 1: story short, was a sign and trade was agreed to 442 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 1: in principle to send Bogdanovitch to the Bucks. And almost 443 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: immediately a bunch of people were like, who woa, whoa 444 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 1: wa whoa Like, technically they can't even be talking to Bogdanovitch. 445 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 1: This is ampering became this big, fat, hairy deal and 446 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 1: then the deal ended up falling apart. So you would 447 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:10,439 Speaker 1: assume that anybody this summer who's thinking about doing a 448 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:14,639 Speaker 1: UH signing trade is going to be super careful to 449 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:19,439 Speaker 1: keep the intel out of the media too. You know, 450 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: you smoke in mirrors and whatever it takes to just 451 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 1: kind of keep that out of sight, out of mind. Now, 452 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:27,440 Speaker 1: to my knowledge, they can't consummate the Russell Westbrook trade 453 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:31,959 Speaker 1: until the sixth, is that correct? So in theory that 454 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 1: deal is still up in the air until the sixth 455 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:38,160 Speaker 1: and on. I believe the second or the first, it's 456 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: like Sunday or Monday that this coming up, they can 457 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: start legally negotiating with free agents. So what will be 458 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: interesting to see is if this deal just gets entirely 459 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:52,239 Speaker 1: reworked because Washington decides they'll take Dennis Shrewder, or if 460 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 1: some other team gets involved and it ends up becoming 461 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 1: a three team deal or a separate three team deal. 462 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 1: But getting Buddy Hell becomes so much more important to 463 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: kind of cancel out the negative impacts of Russell Westbrook spacing. 464 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: And I'm really interested to see if they can still 465 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: pull that off because the Buddy heel thing was such 466 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: a no brainer fit that I wonder if the reason 467 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:18,959 Speaker 1: why they went after Russ is because they knew they 468 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:22,200 Speaker 1: could also get Buddy. I'm really interested to see. I mean, 469 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,360 Speaker 1: are are you optimistic about that? Or do you think 470 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,199 Speaker 1: that's just heading the cloud stuff? Yeah, I'm more on 471 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: the ladder there. I was seeing Eric Pinkins and he 472 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 1: was saying that the only way that would work I 473 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:35,919 Speaker 1: believe if like they signed and trade Dennis Shrewder. But 474 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,120 Speaker 1: then why would the Kings want Dennis Shrewder. I mean, 475 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 1: I think they just dressed it a point guard um 476 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 1: and they have obviously dear and Fox. While would they 477 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: pay dear Dennis Shrewder um what he wants really quickly? 478 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 1: Just aside, note how hilarious that Bugnanovich tampering thing is, 479 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: Like that is total bullcrap to me, because you know, 480 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: we just got a story that Russell Westbrook was that 481 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:55,879 Speaker 1: Lebron James House two weeks ago. You know, I mean, like, 482 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: what what is this tampering thing? Like where you're gonna 483 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: draw the line? I I did a problem. I had 484 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 1: a problem with the big Ganovitch thing. I thought that 485 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: was I thought that was b s two, It didn't 486 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:06,880 Speaker 1: make any sense to me that like literally tampering is 487 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,399 Speaker 1: is rampant throughout the league, and then you were going 488 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:14,160 Speaker 1: to break Like I I think like the league has 489 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:17,120 Speaker 1: a somewhat of an obligation to make it not so apparent. 490 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:19,199 Speaker 1: But at the same time, like I can't believe they 491 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 1: actually stopped that deal from happening. Like that was pretty 492 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: wild to me. Yeah, I usually like hit him on 493 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 1: the wrist and keep it moving. I mean these like 494 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: all these all these guys talk, I mean, tampering is 495 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 1: such a loose term now, um, but yeah, I do 496 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:33,679 Speaker 1: think this deal gets reworked in some way. We already 497 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 1: saw the Wizard's trade the first round pick the Lakers 498 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 1: gave them um to Indiana, so you could see things 499 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: kind of moving around. I don't think they're done, but 500 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 1: I do think Buddy Healed is more of like a 501 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: behind the sky as well, just in hindsight to me, 502 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 1: Like I don't, like, I know us on Lakers Twitter 503 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 1: and all that probably really like really fascinating Buddy Healed, 504 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 1: but like just this is the Lakers. Buddy Hell was 505 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 1: never going to be. I guess the third option, right, 506 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:01,479 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook has such a star kind of named to it. 507 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 1: Like it's just not just his production, but just the 508 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:06,520 Speaker 1: name Russell Westbrook that rings throughout the league, you know, 509 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 1: like that's just what the Lakers do. He always seemed 510 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,360 Speaker 1: like a future kind of Laker player. I didn't think 511 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 1: it would be this year. He just always seemed like 512 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: a player that was gonna It's kind of funny he 513 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: was the one that stayed in Okay see and all that. 514 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:20,440 Speaker 1: It's gonna be his fourth team in like four years, 515 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:25,880 Speaker 1: which is which is which is insanely about it? Yeah, exactly. 516 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 1: Which is insane to think about a guy Russell Westbrook 517 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 1: who on the m VP like four years ago. You know, 518 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 1: like that's that's kind of insane to see a guy 519 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 1: who's moved on again. These guys you usually don't become 520 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: available this early m vps at thirty two years old. 521 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 1: But the talent is there. I don't think that's the question. 522 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:45,000 Speaker 1: The fit is the question here, But I think it 523 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 1: can work. I feel a lot better about today after 524 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: watching Russell Westbrook play. Um, I need at least one 525 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:53,120 Speaker 1: elite shooter next to them, right at least I don't 526 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:56,200 Speaker 1: need at least dead eye shooter guy because they just 527 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: dropped their best shooter. K cps their best shooter, and 528 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: they just dropped him act. Yeah, So let me let 529 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:02,800 Speaker 1: me ask you, what do you think about the deal? 530 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: I guess it's like KCP, Kyle Kuzman, Mantrese, Harold Mantrez 531 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:09,680 Speaker 1: didn't really play in the playoffs. I'm not worried about him. 532 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 1: Kuzma obviously struggled um, but I think he was a 533 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: rotation playoff beast case be obviously probably the best kind 534 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 1: of player in that. What do you think of those 535 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: two guys, Like how the Lakers have to kind of 536 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 1: replace them, I guess, and filling them for Russ Westbrook. 537 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:26,639 Speaker 1: So giving up Kuzma, Harold and KCP was literally the 538 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 1: only way to get the deal done in terms of 539 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 1: matching salaries, at least at this phase, in terms of 540 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 1: agreeing in principle. And like you said, this could all 541 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 1: get reworked with Dennis Shredder. I have a hard time 542 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 1: believing Washington would take Dennis Shredder because the whole purpose 543 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:42,880 Speaker 1: of them doing the trade it was to get Cat 544 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: flexibility in hopes of signing an agent to play with 545 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:49,880 Speaker 1: bo one day. So if if Shrewder wants four years 546 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,679 Speaker 1: a hundred million. Why why in the world with Washington 547 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,119 Speaker 1: want to get involved with that. So if there is 548 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 1: a sign in trade for Shrewder, it will be a 549 00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:59,120 Speaker 1: three team deal for some team that wants a point 550 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 1: guard like the example I've seen thrown out a Chicago 551 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 1: and I don't know whether or not they actually want 552 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:07,960 Speaker 1: to do that or not, but something like them throwing 553 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: Lori Marking into the Kings, who then throw Healed to 554 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 1: the Lakers, who throw Dennis Shutter and assigned in trade 555 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 1: to the Bulls or whatever it is. There are versions 556 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:19,200 Speaker 1: of that that could work. The part that I didn't 557 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:24,880 Speaker 1: understand was throwing in the first round pick like So 558 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:28,239 Speaker 1: it seems to me like the team that really is 559 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: like like Washington, is benefiting by getting off of Russ's contract. 560 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: They are because they they they had absolutely no flexibility 561 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: with him, and they want to bring somebody else to 562 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: come in and play with Beal. So they're getting off 563 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: that deal. They're getting the third best player on the 564 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,439 Speaker 1: champion Lakers in k C. P as A as a 565 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:54,640 Speaker 1: good three n D guard to play alongside Bradley Beal. 566 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 1: They're getting Montrese Harrold, who is front coal. He's a 567 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 1: rotation front court player. Maybe not out for a team 568 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: that's got championship aspirations, but he's a rotation front court player. 569 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 1: And then Kyle Kuzma at his at his salary is 570 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 1: actually a good asset, good value. So they're getting a lot, 571 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:14,040 Speaker 1: and so I didn't understand the need to give to 572 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 1: throw in that number twenty two. But at the end 573 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:18,680 Speaker 1: of the day, value is set by the league. I 574 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: don't know if there was another team out there that 575 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: was bidding for Russ or if it became an issue 576 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:26,880 Speaker 1: of like, oh, it has to get done before the draft, 577 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:28,680 Speaker 1: or we're not or that, or we don't want to 578 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 1: pick anymore, whatever it is. Like, I just didn't understand 579 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:33,720 Speaker 1: why they threw that in as far as filling it 580 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: out the roster. This was something I tweeted out after 581 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 1: I kind of calmed down after the news came out yesterday. 582 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 1: It's hard to judge this move into vacuum they have. 583 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: If this move gets consummated as currently constructed, You've got Lebron, 584 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 1: You've got Anthony Davis, you've got Russell Westbrook, you've got 585 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 1: Marc Asol, You're probably you've got the rights to th 586 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: h T and you've got the rights. I think Crusoe 587 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: is unrestricted. Actually yeah, him back though, but yeah, But 588 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: like those are the only six players that the Lakers have, 589 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 1: you know, real control over at this point. So there 590 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 1: was intel that came out UH last week that said 591 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 1: more or less, the Lakers are expected to expected to 592 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 1: get a line of veteran minimum UH the guys to 593 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 1: fill out the roster. So if if that's what they're getting, 594 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 1: then then maybe this will all work out. But the 595 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: bottom line is is if you're if you're looking at 596 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: the roster, you need to have at least two big 597 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 1: guys that we can put next to Anthony Davis. I 598 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:44,239 Speaker 1: don't know if that's Dwight Howard and UH and you 599 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 1: know Andre Drummond at the mini mid level or something 600 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 1: along those lines. But they need a couple of bigs. 601 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: You gotta add guard depth at that point because Caruso, 602 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:55,960 Speaker 1: th h T and Russ is not enough. You need 603 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 1: probably five really good guards. And then in terms of 604 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 1: their four depths, it's just Lebron and n A d 605 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:04,160 Speaker 1: At this point, I forget marcosols on the rosters, so 606 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:05,600 Speaker 1: they might be able to be fine with just Mark 607 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 1: and and Dwight Howard, and maybe they can use that 608 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 1: many mid level on someone along the lines of an 609 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: auto porter, but they have to fill the whole roster 610 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: at this point when you this reminds me of the 611 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 1: Drew Holiday trade for the Bucks in the sense that 612 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 1: the Lakers just kind of had this depth that they 613 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: have now foregone in for a top level talent in 614 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:30,680 Speaker 1: hopes that in the Rock Fight playoff series late in 615 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 1: the year, having Russ swings the tide a little bit 616 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 1: enough to win one a series that might otherwise have 617 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 1: gone the other direction. But it's just it's hard to 618 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:42,959 Speaker 1: judge until they make all the moves on the periphery. 619 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: Otherwise we don't really know what this team is gonna 620 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 1: look like. Yeah, and everything you said kind of falls 621 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 1: into like they have to be creative with this, right, Like, 622 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 1: they don't have many options here. They have their taxpiller 623 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 1: taxpayer mL E, which is like five point six million 624 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 1: or something. Someone was asking me if de Rosen is 625 00:30:57,600 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: going to take that, I don't know, but I would 626 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:02,520 Speaker 1: bet on people taking twenty million dollar pay cuts, you know, 627 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: and I just would not bet on that. So that's yeah, Yeah, 628 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 1: that's probably not the caliber player you're getting, but there's 629 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,120 Speaker 1: gonna be a lot of vetminimum guys, and the Lakers 630 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:13,640 Speaker 1: at the top of that list, like the Clippers cows out, 631 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 1: you know. So basically your choices Milwaukee or l A. 632 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:19,840 Speaker 1: I mean, even though Milwaukee just won the chip, you 633 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 1: usually lean l A when you have putting l l 634 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: A versus Milwaukee, just in terms of location and all that. Plus, 635 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: the Lakers have um playing time to offer, right, they 636 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 1: don't have a team yet, you could literally make the team. Um. 637 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 1: And one thing about the pick that I was kind 638 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 1: of just gathering from leading the timeline on the Lakers 639 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: didn't even buy into the second round, so like usually 640 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: they buy a second round pick, they didn't buy into 641 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 1: that either, which told me they really didn't. Um, they 642 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 1: didn't think they need the draft to get the players 643 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 1: they wanted. They got a bunch of highly touted, undrafted 644 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: guys who went undrafted who are high on people's boards. Um, 645 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:56,640 Speaker 1: I'm not. I think Austin Reeves and uh Maxim and 646 00:31:56,680 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 1: the guy and the guy from Gonzaga as well. Yeah, 647 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 1: I know exact you're talking or something like that. Yeah, 648 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 1: I'm blaking on his name, but I feel like that's 649 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:06,000 Speaker 1: kind of why they didn't. They kind of were able 650 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 1: to kind of throw the pick in um. But yeah, 651 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 1: THHD is probably going to be back at some number. 652 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 1: Caruso is probably gonna be back. But you have to 653 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: fill this roster out and they have to be really 654 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 1: creative with it. Bedroom minimum guys, um, see how who 655 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: plays well in the summer league. Maybe those guys can 656 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: make the team. Reminds me a lot of the nineteen Lakers. 657 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 1: Do you remember they traded everything for Anthony Davis and 658 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:30,960 Speaker 1: then they signed grand Danny Green and they signed Troy Daniels. 659 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 1: I think that was a team for like a month 660 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:36,920 Speaker 1: and a half. It was literally lebron A d Danny Green. 661 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:39,720 Speaker 1: It wasn't even it was it wasn't even Danny Green. 662 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:44,000 Speaker 1: It was they signed they signed Troy Daniels because it 663 00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:47,200 Speaker 1: was a veteran minimum. And then it like it was 664 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: after the Kauai news that it was like after the 665 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: Quiet news. It was like Danny Green, Javaille McGee, all 666 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 1: these guys. But like literally, yeah, for like a month 667 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:58,479 Speaker 1: because they were in the Kauai sweepstakes, there were like 668 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:01,840 Speaker 1: three dudes on the roster. Yeah, yeah, it was Lebron, 669 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 1: A D. I think like Troy Daniels and money things money. Yes, 670 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: this is the last year of law dings money actually 671 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,360 Speaker 1: five million dollars left. Um, but yeah, that it reminds 672 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 1: me of that, where like the team is literally just 673 00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 1: the stars and then you feel around that. So it's 674 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:20,280 Speaker 1: gonna be really interesting what they do around um. But yeah, 675 00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 1: this is the core, Like, there's no there's no like 676 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 1: playing with it. This is the core. It's gonna be Lebron, 677 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 1: A D and Russ on the floor when it matters. 678 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 1: And that's where I think we have this kind of 679 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 1: start with this, like that's what it's gonna look like, 680 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 1: and they branch out from there. They're not going to 681 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 1: change the concept of the team. Now, this is what 682 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:37,800 Speaker 1: it is like. It's not gonna be like, oh, we 683 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:41,240 Speaker 1: bring another super duper shot shot creator and put Russ 684 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:43,320 Speaker 1: even more off the ball. Now this is the team, Like, 685 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 1: this is what's gonna look like. I think it's really 686 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:49,320 Speaker 1: gonna help the non lebron minutes, right, Russ and a D. 687 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 1: I think that's the biggest thing. Um, those those minutes 688 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:54,720 Speaker 1: have to be a positive now, which have been a 689 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:57,960 Speaker 1: negative the entire lebron Era exactly what you mean with 690 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 1: Anthony even with Anthony Davis on the floor exactly, and 691 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:03,400 Speaker 1: that's where it should help. Rush should open things up 692 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:06,480 Speaker 1: for him. Um. And then the other side as well. UM, 693 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:08,520 Speaker 1: just using a D as a screen in those lineup 694 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 1: a D at the five with him? Um, what do 695 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 1: you think about that? Do you think now a D 696 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:15,239 Speaker 1: has to play fully at the five for this to work. 697 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 1: I'm seeing those reports come out again that that they 698 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 1: were at the house together and they said they would 699 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 1: play the four and the five to accommodate Russell Westbrook. 700 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 1: I still don't think a D is gonna start the 701 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 1: season at center, Like just with how he's talking. What 702 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 1: what do you think do you think he started the 703 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:31,120 Speaker 1: season at center? And does he have to for this 704 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:35,799 Speaker 1: too to be what it needs to be. Well, I've 705 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,719 Speaker 1: heard that intel to uh no, just just from the 706 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:43,440 Speaker 1: same source as you have. And I the issue that 707 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:45,960 Speaker 1: I have with it is I think at the end 708 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:47,279 Speaker 1: of the day, it's gonna come down to who they 709 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:50,800 Speaker 1: end up getting because if they can't bring in quality 710 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:56,200 Speaker 1: forwards and ends up being marcusol, Anthony Davis and some 711 00:34:56,200 --> 00:35:00,080 Speaker 1: some veteran mid uh you know, uh, minimum type, but 712 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:02,880 Speaker 1: forward it might literally be as a result of a 713 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,799 Speaker 1: lack of depth that Anthony Davis play center all the time, 714 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:08,440 Speaker 1: and it might end up being that way at the 715 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:10,680 Speaker 1: end of the day in terms of xs and ohs, 716 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 1: like we were talking about earlier, that tilting balance, that 717 00:35:14,239 --> 00:35:17,600 Speaker 1: scale of spacing. If you play a D at the 718 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 1: four and you put a five out there with a D, 719 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:24,120 Speaker 1: I don't even think Buddy Yield can fix that. You 720 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:28,240 Speaker 1: you need, it's almost not going to work unless Anthony 721 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:30,239 Speaker 1: Davis plays the five. But I mean it could be. 722 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:36,720 Speaker 1: You know, sometimes sometimes stubbornness fades. And I've been beating 723 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 1: this drum NonStop for two years that playing the five 724 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:44,160 Speaker 1: will actually be physically easier for Anthony Davis because of 725 00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 1: the fact that while he he'll he'll have to do 726 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 1: a little bit more boxing out in, a little bit 727 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:52,120 Speaker 1: more fighting for position, which can be fatiguing, But on 728 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:54,200 Speaker 1: the offensive end, he's going to be playing in so 729 00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:56,759 Speaker 1: much more space that will actually be easier for him. 730 00:35:56,760 --> 00:36:00,800 Speaker 1: I genuinely feel that way, um. And so the hope 731 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:02,960 Speaker 1: is is that maybe that has just dawned on him 732 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:07,040 Speaker 1: as the reality of of of you know, the future 733 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:10,239 Speaker 1: of this team, and if he does that, it makes 734 00:36:10,280 --> 00:36:12,680 Speaker 1: me feel a lot more comfortable, like the reason why 735 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:15,080 Speaker 1: and heal. The healed thing feels like a long shot 736 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:17,520 Speaker 1: to me personally, but there are some Likeer fans that 737 00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:19,560 Speaker 1: have a lot of optimism that they're going to make 738 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:24,240 Speaker 1: that work. The Healed Thing, to me, would completely change 739 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:29,319 Speaker 1: my outlook of this trade, because I don't love the 740 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 1: idea of Russell Westbrook with Lebron and A d as 741 00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:35,160 Speaker 1: a natural basketball fit. But I do love the idea 742 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:38,120 Speaker 1: of Russell Westbrook but he healed, Lebron and Anthony Davis 743 00:36:38,120 --> 00:36:42,240 Speaker 1: as a natural basketball fit, because it's just three unbelievable 744 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 1: rim pressure guys with a guy that you literally can't 745 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:49,240 Speaker 1: give an inches space whether he's coming off a screen. 746 00:36:49,560 --> 00:36:51,800 Speaker 1: You know, I was listening to Kevin O'Connor this morning, 747 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:56,000 Speaker 1: Like he's awesome on catch and shoot, He's awesome flying 748 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 1: off screens. He's like one of the top tier guys 749 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:04,960 Speaker 1: the dribble. He is fantastic in transition. There's no weak 750 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 1: spot on the floor. He's just, without a doubt, the 751 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 1: third best shooter of this last half decade. It's like him, 752 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:17,400 Speaker 1: Stephen Clay and Duncan Robinson those are the guys, and 753 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:20,880 Speaker 1: so that that kind of thing would change my outlook 754 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:23,799 Speaker 1: on everything and just the way that it all would work. 755 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:25,960 Speaker 1: But yeah, I forget about it. If you're putting if 756 00:37:25,960 --> 00:37:29,279 Speaker 1: you put Drummond or Dwight Howard with Russell Westbrook on 757 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:33,040 Speaker 1: the floor, Uh, it's just you're you're begging for teams 758 00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:36,239 Speaker 1: to just completely ignore everybody and just crab the paint 759 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:39,279 Speaker 1: at that point. Yeah, And I mean Ad has been 760 00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:43,360 Speaker 1: pretty um, he's been pretty stern in this, like like 761 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:46,400 Speaker 1: he doesn't want to play center in the regular season. Um, 762 00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:49,439 Speaker 1: he wants to, you know, he'd rather play power forward rather, 763 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:51,759 Speaker 1: you know, way to play center when it matters, you know, 764 00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:54,200 Speaker 1: when the coach asked him too, as he says, um 765 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:55,759 Speaker 1: in the playoffs, to me, if you're going to get 766 00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:58,840 Speaker 1: a center, because that's what I think is going to happen. 767 00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:01,440 Speaker 1: Like I'm just I'm believing what a d says here. Um, 768 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:02,960 Speaker 1: he does say he wants to play more five, but 769 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:04,560 Speaker 1: I do think it will still kind of work out 770 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:06,560 Speaker 1: this way. It has to be a lob threat at least, 771 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 1: like a guy who can catch above the rim or 772 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:11,160 Speaker 1: space out to three point line. You can't have this 773 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:14,720 Speaker 1: middle dude who needs to catch the ball, you know, gather, 774 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:17,600 Speaker 1: you know, just like be a slow footed big in 775 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:19,040 Speaker 1: the pain, like he needs to be able to catch 776 00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 1: above the rim, have a gravity above the rim or 777 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:24,879 Speaker 1: a gravity outside the ark like Marcus Ault. That's where 778 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:26,880 Speaker 1: I think it needs to be. Um, if they do 779 00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:29,040 Speaker 1: get a center, obviously eighty at the five lineups are 780 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:31,399 Speaker 1: where they're going to be most where they're gonna be 781 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:34,960 Speaker 1: the best utilized those three. But I still think they're 782 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:37,160 Speaker 1: gonna play a center here. That's just how I feel 783 00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:38,960 Speaker 1: it's gonna go down. Centers can be found from the 784 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,440 Speaker 1: minimum on the market. And Uh, I just think and 785 00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:45,040 Speaker 1: like you talked about Buddy Healed, like when you have 786 00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:47,560 Speaker 1: Westbrook part and a d you don't even need a 787 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:50,040 Speaker 1: Buddy Healed, you know, Buddy he would be the like 788 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:52,880 Speaker 1: he's one of the best shooters ever. Like that's just 789 00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:55,880 Speaker 1: what his numbers kind of point to. Um, you need 790 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:58,720 Speaker 1: at least just some kind of knockdown shooter there, And uh, 791 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:01,880 Speaker 1: that's that's where I think the Lakers will go with it. Um. 792 00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:03,719 Speaker 1: But yeah, I agree with you, like it has to 793 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:05,759 Speaker 1: be a vertical spacer, which is why I like the 794 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:08,600 Speaker 1: idea of Dwight Howard coming back. I really hope Dwight 795 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:10,799 Speaker 1: Howard comes back. That would be one of the guys 796 00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:16,000 Speaker 1: that i'd keep an eye on. Um uh if they 797 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:19,200 Speaker 1: do play a center, and you seem to think that 798 00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:23,040 Speaker 1: they will, Yeah, I think we're gonna be in for 799 00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:26,000 Speaker 1: a really rough first couple of weeks of the season 800 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:30,000 Speaker 1: as they find out the hard way that teams are 801 00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:32,920 Speaker 1: just going to uh kind of forego any sort of 802 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:37,640 Speaker 1: basic defensive principles for just crowding everything around the rim, 803 00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:41,240 Speaker 1: you know, like Montrese Harrold and we we joked because 804 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:44,200 Speaker 1: he could. He blamed everybody else for him not receiving 805 00:39:44,239 --> 00:39:47,320 Speaker 1: playing time, said matchups that don't exist and blah blah blah. 806 00:39:47,560 --> 00:39:49,120 Speaker 1: But that's one of the great reasons. One of the 807 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:51,880 Speaker 1: big reasons why he didn't really pan out was like 808 00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:54,480 Speaker 1: you said, he's not really much of a vertical spacer 809 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:57,200 Speaker 1: and he can't shoot. What he was was he was 810 00:39:57,239 --> 00:40:00,239 Speaker 1: a guy who could attack specific matchups and a guy 811 00:40:00,239 --> 00:40:02,799 Speaker 1: who was a good offensive, rebound or motor guy. But 812 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:06,279 Speaker 1: he was an average to below average defensive player who 813 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:09,480 Speaker 1: really struggled on the defensive glass against bigger centers. And 814 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:11,920 Speaker 1: then he didn't provide spacing on the offensive end, and 815 00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:15,440 Speaker 1: that's why that didn't work. And I think just in general, 816 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:19,040 Speaker 1: like you said, there, if they if they go down 817 00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:24,160 Speaker 1: that route, Russell Westbrook almost makes it impossible to play 818 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:27,640 Speaker 1: those types of lineups and it'll be really interesting to see. UM. 819 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:29,840 Speaker 1: Is there anything else you wanted to touch on with 820 00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:32,200 Speaker 1: Ross before we get you out of here for the day. 821 00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:35,560 Speaker 1: I think we kind of covered it, um, like I was. 822 00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:37,759 Speaker 1: I think you were as this on this as well, 823 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:41,520 Speaker 1: Like we were two people who were against getting Russell Westbrook. Um. 824 00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:44,120 Speaker 1: But that doesn't mean we don't want this to work, right, 825 00:40:44,120 --> 00:40:47,600 Speaker 1: Like that's I want Russell Westbrook to work in the Lakers. UM. 826 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:50,040 Speaker 1: I just have a couple of concerns with it. But 827 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:52,560 Speaker 1: I think it'll work in the regular season. I think 828 00:40:52,560 --> 00:40:55,680 Speaker 1: it'll be fun, like a full stables with Russell Westbrook 829 00:40:55,960 --> 00:40:58,319 Speaker 1: and Lebron running lanes dunking. I think that would be 830 00:40:58,320 --> 00:41:00,719 Speaker 1: a lot of fun. I think, uh, this season will 831 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:02,440 Speaker 1: be a little bit more fun. And that way, he's 832 00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:04,600 Speaker 1: a guy that hypes up the crowd, really gets you know. 833 00:41:04,719 --> 00:41:06,959 Speaker 1: He's gonna be a fan favorite pretty soon. I feel 834 00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:09,440 Speaker 1: like that's just how Russell westbrook Is. When he's on 835 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:11,960 Speaker 1: your team, you you kind of love him. So I 836 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:14,040 Speaker 1: think we kind of covered. We'll obviously keep talking about 837 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:16,800 Speaker 1: Russell westbrook It's not like it's going anywhere. Russell westbrook 838 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:18,520 Speaker 1: Is is going to be a Laker, and that's gonna 839 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:20,680 Speaker 1: be a topic for That's gonna be part of every 840 00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:23,200 Speaker 1: decision the Lakers make. Now he's part of this Lebron 841 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:25,560 Speaker 1: and a d it's a trio now where like every 842 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:29,760 Speaker 1: decision every player you sign has to fit with those three. 843 00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:31,960 Speaker 1: You know before and it was this the two you know, 844 00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:35,080 Speaker 1: it was two players. Everyone else's kind of uh roams 845 00:41:35,120 --> 00:41:37,800 Speaker 1: around that universe runs around them. They're the planets, you 846 00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:41,799 Speaker 1: know what, or the sun however, the universe works the sun. 847 00:41:42,200 --> 00:41:44,759 Speaker 1: But now you've got three of those dudes, and that's 848 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:47,560 Speaker 1: that's where the Lakers have to make their decisions. Yeah, 849 00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:49,839 Speaker 1: I agree, and you're you're right, it's gonna be a show. 850 00:41:49,880 --> 00:41:52,760 Speaker 1: I was talking to my wife a little bit about it. Uh, 851 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:57,160 Speaker 1: poor Carly, Literally she worked all day and we're driving 852 00:41:57,200 --> 00:42:00,239 Speaker 1: over to my parents house for dinner, um and and 853 00:42:00,280 --> 00:42:04,120 Speaker 1: I'm just talking her ear off about Russell westbrook Port role. Anyway, 854 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:05,560 Speaker 1: I was, I was vnding to her and one of 855 00:42:05,600 --> 00:42:07,480 Speaker 1: the things I said, I was like, I was like, 856 00:42:08,440 --> 00:42:12,080 Speaker 1: this is gonna be a show like this. This season 857 00:42:12,120 --> 00:42:15,360 Speaker 1: for the Lakers is going to be riveting. It's gonna 858 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:19,720 Speaker 1: be musty TV every single night. And Russell Westbrook almost 859 00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:23,560 Speaker 1: brings that that energy that makes it so that that 860 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:26,320 Speaker 1: Tuesday night game in Memphis all of a sudden carries 861 00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:28,360 Speaker 1: a certain weight because he's gonna be talking trash and 862 00:42:28,440 --> 00:42:29,960 Speaker 1: one of the dudes on the other team and it's 863 00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:33,040 Speaker 1: going to become a whole thing. Um. But yeah, you're right. 864 00:42:33,080 --> 00:42:36,640 Speaker 1: So like we're going to continue to watch film on 865 00:42:36,760 --> 00:42:38,879 Speaker 1: Russ and we're going to continue to kind of find 866 00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:42,480 Speaker 1: out the ways that this could work. There are more 867 00:42:42,520 --> 00:42:46,080 Speaker 1: moves on the horizon. This trade very well, maybe expanded 868 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:49,920 Speaker 1: by next week with the August six free agency opening. 869 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:54,920 Speaker 1: So let's just table it for now and next week, 870 00:42:55,160 --> 00:42:58,359 Speaker 1: maybe Friday morning, we'll touch base again and kind of 871 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:02,080 Speaker 1: talk about how it might make more sense with some 872 00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:04,720 Speaker 1: of the guys that they sign in the in the time. 873 00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:07,200 Speaker 1: But yeah, you're right. I mean, it's I think we've 874 00:43:07,200 --> 00:43:09,200 Speaker 1: said all there is to say about what we can 875 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:11,560 Speaker 1: see with this move at this point, with what we 876 00:43:11,640 --> 00:43:14,279 Speaker 1: know now. Yeah, for sure, I feel like it's either 877 00:43:14,280 --> 00:43:17,200 Speaker 1: going to go great or it's gonna crash. Like there's 878 00:43:17,239 --> 00:43:19,879 Speaker 1: no middle ground to this. There's no like, oh yeah, 879 00:43:19,960 --> 00:43:22,360 Speaker 1: they're kind of winning. Uh, you know, they're doing okay. 880 00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:25,200 Speaker 1: Now this is either gonna blast forward or you know, 881 00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:28,000 Speaker 1: really blow up. And I expected to do well though, 882 00:43:28,080 --> 00:43:30,160 Speaker 1: but yeah, it's gonna be a show. You're right. Health 883 00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:32,480 Speaker 1: is the big thing, and this is this is the 884 00:43:32,520 --> 00:43:36,759 Speaker 1: most important detail. Like even if for us destroys their spacing, 885 00:43:38,120 --> 00:43:42,160 Speaker 1: even if Russ has bad late game decision making, if 886 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:45,600 Speaker 1: Lebron and a d are healthy and they're at their peaks, 887 00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:49,120 Speaker 1: they're just still gonna be winning. Like, they're just still 888 00:43:49,160 --> 00:43:51,880 Speaker 1: gonna win. They're still gonna be the favorite in every 889 00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:54,640 Speaker 1: series out west. Uh. And it's and they're gonna be 890 00:43:54,680 --> 00:43:57,080 Speaker 1: a team that's difficult to be so, you know, and 891 00:43:57,160 --> 00:43:59,840 Speaker 1: we said the same thing, you know, kind of before 892 00:44:00,280 --> 00:44:05,000 Speaker 1: the season or before the summer. But like the all 893 00:44:05,040 --> 00:44:07,399 Speaker 1: this other stuff is kind of window dressings for whether 894 00:44:07,520 --> 00:44:10,320 Speaker 1: or not Anthony Davis can stay healthy. And I really 895 00:44:10,360 --> 00:44:13,080 Speaker 1: really hope that he really devotes a lot of more 896 00:44:13,080 --> 00:44:15,680 Speaker 1: a lot more effort and time and money and and 897 00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:19,239 Speaker 1: just care into becoming a player who can stay on 898 00:44:19,280 --> 00:44:23,799 Speaker 1: the floor, because you know, if if a real quick 899 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:25,880 Speaker 1: way for the Russell Westbrook thing to be a disaster 900 00:44:26,480 --> 00:44:29,319 Speaker 1: is if Anthony Davis keeps falling on the ground and 901 00:44:29,320 --> 00:44:31,480 Speaker 1: grabbing limbs every time he hits the ground. Like that's 902 00:44:31,520 --> 00:44:36,239 Speaker 1: just kind of the the the harsh reality of this situation, 903 00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:38,919 Speaker 1: you know what I mean? Yeah, for sure, health, health 904 00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:41,680 Speaker 1: is everything. Um, I think Ad has been healthy as 905 00:44:41,760 --> 00:44:44,920 Speaker 1: much as more than I think people think. Last year 906 00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:47,239 Speaker 1: obviously was was really tough. But he doesn't have to 907 00:44:47,280 --> 00:44:50,400 Speaker 1: just be healthy. He has to be Anthony freaking Davis, 908 00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:54,799 Speaker 1: aggressive and none of this you know, a passive none 909 00:44:54,800 --> 00:44:56,799 Speaker 1: of this passive stuff. He has to be attacked in 910 00:44:56,800 --> 00:44:58,920 Speaker 1: the rim, the defensive player of the year kind of 911 00:44:59,040 --> 00:45:01,319 Speaker 1: that he can be that he in nineteen. That's who 912 00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:03,040 Speaker 1: he needs to be for this to work. Anthy Davis 913 00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:05,120 Speaker 1: has to be not the best player on this team, 914 00:45:05,120 --> 00:45:07,399 Speaker 1: but the most talented player every night. Like he has 915 00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:09,799 Speaker 1: to fit that bill um for this to work, because 916 00:45:09,840 --> 00:45:11,640 Speaker 1: that's what they're betting on. They're reading on Lebron to 917 00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:13,759 Speaker 1: be himself, which again he'st Lebron James. You've kind of 918 00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:16,759 Speaker 1: been on that. Um, Anthony Davis being Anthony Davis. And 919 00:45:16,840 --> 00:45:19,440 Speaker 1: that's that's how it's gonna work. Um. And that's and 920 00:45:19,480 --> 00:45:22,320 Speaker 1: we're gonna see. H it's gonna come pretty soon this offseason, 921 00:45:22,360 --> 00:45:24,680 Speaker 1: not as long as others either. Um, we got a 922 00:45:24,719 --> 00:45:27,000 Speaker 1: couple of months here. It's gonna move really fast. Summer 923 00:45:27,040 --> 00:45:29,440 Speaker 1: leagues in a few weeks, and then we started, we 924 00:45:29,440 --> 00:45:32,440 Speaker 1: started the regular season. Alright, alright, everybody, that's all we 925 00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:34,839 Speaker 1: got for today. Uh, Roger and I will be back 926 00:45:35,239 --> 00:45:40,080 Speaker 1: probably on Friday morning. Um, but we appreciate you guys support. 927 00:45:40,680 --> 00:45:43,200 Speaker 1: All right, Thanks everyone,