1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: The volume. All right, welcome to Hoops tonight. You're at 2 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:18,959 Speaker 1: the volume. Happy Friday, everybody. I hope all of you 3 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: guys are having a great end to your week. Today's 4 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: mail bag Day. We've got ten questions, a lot of 5 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: stuff surrounding kind of Adam Silver and the health of 6 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: the league, some other big picture topics from around the league, 7 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: a lot of fun stuff. You guys are the Joe 8 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: before we get started, to subscribe to Hoops and Out 9 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:33,480 Speaker 1: YouTube channels you don't miss any more of our videos. 10 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: Make sure you like this video as well as sign 11 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 1: up for post notifications. That helps us a lot last 12 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: min at least. If you guys want to get mailbag 13 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 1: questions into our mail bags, drop them in our full 14 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: episodes on YouTube. In the comments underneath right mail bag, 15 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: write your question that helps me sort the room when 16 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: I'm looking for them in the full episodes. All right, 17 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: let's talk some basketball. First question, Hey, Jason, love the content. 18 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: What are your thoughts on all the wild ideas for 19 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: fixing the tanking issue. Seems like the easiest thing to 20 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: do would be to give play in losers the top 21 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: four picks in a random order, then the other ten 22 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,119 Speaker 1: non playoff teams get even odds at the picks five 23 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: through fourteen. This would mean teams will try to win 24 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:12,759 Speaker 1: to get the highest picks or actually be in the playoffs. 25 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: Players don't tank, just organizations, So the players probably won't 26 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: tank in the play in games. So you're kind of 27 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: in a general thought process that I do agree with. 28 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: I would not give the picks to teams in the 29 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: play in but I would try to. I would try 30 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: to emphasize tanking in that range rather than the bottom, 31 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 1: and I have a specific reason for that. So hear 32 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: me out. First of all, I don't think there's an 33 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: easy solution here. The league has tried flattening out the odds. 34 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: That clearly hasn't worked. We're going to have one of 35 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: the most epic tanking showdowns to end the season, and 36 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: the odds are flatter than they've ever been. Right, I've 37 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: seen people talk about abolishing the draft. That sounds great 38 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: in theory because of the kind of free market aspect 39 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 1: of it, and like, oh, you try to sway teams 40 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: with competence rather than competence and oppera tunity rather than 41 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: you know, trying to do it through this tanking that 42 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 1: we've seen kind of be a weight on the league 43 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: in recent years. But I think the problem would be 44 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: the third parties. So like if every team could offer 45 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: the same thing, and then you have your role conversation, 46 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: So like, if you want to be a star, you're 47 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: not going to go sign with a team that has 48 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: a star because you want to have your opportunities to 49 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: handle the basketball, right, So that's going to knock some 50 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 1: of those teams out, and then you're just gonna have 51 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: all the teams that have like a clear opportunity that 52 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: are available opportunity plus cap space. Right. But what would 53 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: end up happening there is you'd end up having these 54 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,519 Speaker 1: heavy influences, particularly from like shoe companies, but I think 55 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: agencies in general, as they try to drive their clients 56 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,399 Speaker 1: to areas where they think they'll get more opportunity off 57 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: the court. Again, any sort of sponsorship opportunity that would 58 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: potentially apply pressure to players to sign in particular locations, 59 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 1: I just think it would create a whole new set 60 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: of problems. And again, as we talked about, there is 61 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: no obvious solution, but most of the solutions I've seen 62 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: pitched also just come with other options. What I pitched 63 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: to what I generally think would make the most sense 64 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: is to just flatten out the odds. And I talked 65 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: about this with Colin Coward on his show the other 66 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: day when he pitched this to me. But like, essentially, 67 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: if you even out the odds completely for every non 68 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: playoff team, so there's the bottom fourteen teams in the league, 69 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 1: everyone who doesn't make it into those top eight after 70 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: the play in tournament, if every single one of those 71 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: teams had the same odds, there would be absolutely no 72 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: benefit to losing basketball games towards the tail end of 73 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: the season, except for teams that are in that kind 74 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: of range around the play in. Now, where that gets 75 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: tricky is if you're on the play in CUSP. So 76 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: let's say you're a seven, eight, nine to ten seed. 77 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: You would have this conversation where you'd go, Okay, we 78 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: have this very tiny chance, like literally one fourteenth of 79 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: a like you literally a one out of fourteen chance 80 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: of getting the number one pick if we purposefully lose 81 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: this game. But we're in the mix. Like in the 82 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: Western Conference, the playing teams are good. In the Eastern Conference, 83 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: the play on playing teams are pretty solid. So like 84 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: if you're a team in that case, it's like, are 85 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 1: you gonna purposely lose or hurt your basketball culture overall 86 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: to get a one out of fourteen shot at the 87 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 1: number one pick. No, you're you're not gonna do that, right, 88 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 1: And so what I like about what I like about 89 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: that as a difference from the current system is for 90 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: the current system, the best odds are at the bottom, 91 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: So the teams that are competing for it are at 92 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 1: the bottom. They're usually not close to anything. They're usually 93 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: not on the precipice of a run. Most playing teams 94 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: are like, we're one move away, or one young guy pops, 95 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:57,479 Speaker 1: or we hit on one free agent signing, Suddenly we're 96 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: like a serious playoff team, right Like they're co surrounding 97 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 1: intentionally losing is much more complicated because they're in that 98 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: middle tier in the NBA, Whereas the teams that are 99 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,359 Speaker 1: in the bottom, it's like, sure, let's lose, Like, what 100 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 1: do we have to lose? Nothing, Like, we're just we're 101 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 1: already terrible. Let's just keep being terrible and we'll ride 102 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: it out that way, right, So, like by evening out 103 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: the odds completely, so just every team as a one 104 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: out of fourteen shot of getting the number one pick. 105 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 1: You slide the actual tanking bar to the seven, eight, nine, 106 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: ten seeds, and those teams are just less likely in 107 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: my opinion, to intentionally lose a basketball game because of 108 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: where they are at in their development. So again, not 109 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: a perfect solution. There's no such thing as a perfect solution. 110 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: That's the best one I can come up with. 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As someone who started following basketball after 145 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: decades of being a soccer slash football fan, I've always 146 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 1: thought the lack of relegation or promotion, as well as 147 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: the bottom teams being generally rewarded with the high draft pick, 148 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: has created a void of competitive energy in the regular 149 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: season in terms of parody within the league. I believe 150 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: the salary cap is what exists to level the playing field, 151 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: so why not reward the better teams with the higher 152 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: draft pick. I've seen no reason why the Utah Jazz 153 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: couldn't have constructed a competitive team over the past ten years, 154 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 1: so why reward them? It might encourage team building and 155 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: hard work. So I agree with everything you said. That's 156 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 1: why I would flatten out the odds completely like I 157 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: talked about earlier. But I want what your Your question 158 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: kind of reminded me of a very specific part of 159 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: this that I want to get into. You don't just 160 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: build a good basketball team by getting top picks. It helps, 161 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: but if you're going to have sustained success in the NBA, 162 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: there's a multi level scouting kind of success that you need. 163 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: Culture success that you need. What does that mean? There's 164 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: you gotta be bad to get some top picks, but 165 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: you also have to you know, cause you're not guaranteed 166 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: to get top picks. There's a lot of teams that 167 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: tank and end up with the seventh eighth pick, you know, 168 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: like that sort of thing. When you're in that range, 169 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: that's where it becomes a lot more about your scouting 170 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: department and your ability to turn more of those into 171 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: hits than into misses. Even top picks can be miss 172 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: As I talked about this with Colin the other day, 173 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: We've had so many number one picks bust in the 174 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: last fifteen years. So, like the truth of the matter is, 175 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 1: scouting is a huge part of this. Scouting the top picks, 176 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: scouting the middle of the first round, scouting late first round. 177 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: The good teams a big part of what allows them 178 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: to have success is they find rotation level talent late 179 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: first round, you know, early second round, late second round, 180 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 1: like the Clippers between Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller just 181 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: two legit rotation players as late draft picks. Right, So, 182 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:20,719 Speaker 1: like there's that, there's the pro level scouting, finding high 183 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: level talent overseas, finding high level talent within the NBA. 184 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: Who's going to be the next guy that gets a 185 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: Javonte Green, right, like a veteran minimum contract that turns 186 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: into a really high level two way role player for 187 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:35,680 Speaker 1: a Detroit Pistons team. Right Like there is a at 188 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: every single level, there's opportunities to turn your organization around, 189 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 1: and the good teams tend to be great at all 190 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: those levels. And so I think in no one. I 191 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: talked about this with the Rod Polinka think no one 192 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: hits on everything, but you need to generally hit on 193 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: a higher percentage than the rest of the league in 194 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: each of those areas to have sustained success around the NBA. 195 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,679 Speaker 1: That's why I hate the conversation surrounding tanking is if 196 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: it's the only way to run a quality basketball organization, 197 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:01,559 Speaker 1: it's just not the case. The best teams tend to 198 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: be great at every level of their talent acquisition and 199 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: then talent development as well, Like how's your player development? 200 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: How are you turning players into pros when they get 201 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: to your team. Idea for the twenty twenty seven All 202 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: Star Game back to East first West, but four team 203 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: single elimination tournament. Top two teams are the All Stars 204 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 1: that have been voted in, while the other two teams 205 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: are the eight to ten runner ups in each conference. 206 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: What do you think, love the show and keep up 207 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 1: the great work. This is an interesting idea, So, like 208 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: I generally agree with you that I talked about this 209 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: in the All Star reaction. Short games is they're all 210 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: of the stuff that Adam Silver has tried. We've discovered 211 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 1: some things that work short games in multiple teams. Why 212 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: because then each of the short games is its own entity. 213 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: You can't just have short games running right next to 214 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 1: each other. The league tried that and they got boring right, So, like, 215 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: you got to have short games that are all their 216 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: own individual entity. I also talked about how Adam Silver 217 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:02,079 Speaker 1: and the League just need to be creative about driving 218 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: natural rivalry. The world versus the US is a great example. 219 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: Older players versus younger players is a great example. I 220 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 1: think your example is another example of something that could 221 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: drive rivalry. You get your star, your top tier you know, 222 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: voted in All Stars, all on the same team, and 223 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: then you put all the bench guys on the same team, 224 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: or call it the top six or seven overall voting 225 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: guys in each conference. What I'll end up happening is 226 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: you'll end up with a group of younger, hungry or 227 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: all stars that have more to prove, that might bring 228 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: a competitive energy against the established stars, that might drive 229 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: a response from them, and you end up with some 230 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,680 Speaker 1: kind of great game and then then you get some 231 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:44,839 Speaker 1: of that East West rivalry as well. So, like, I 232 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 1: don't know if it's this particular format that you've pitched 233 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 1: or if it's one of the formats that I've pitched, 234 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:51,599 Speaker 1: but just in general, I think the league needs to 235 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 1: keep multiple teams, short games, find ways within the roster 236 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: to drive natural rivalry, even just guys who don't like 237 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: each other. Just put build the roster in a way 238 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,400 Speaker 1: that drives natural rivalry to the best of your ability. 239 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:09,439 Speaker 1: Sort Of unrelated to All Star Weekend, and you touched 240 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,440 Speaker 1: on this later in the video, but just curious, what 241 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: are your thoughts on Adam Silver as a commissioner. On 242 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: the one hand, there are his recent tunnel visioning about 243 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: abolishing tanking, a half hearted attempt to follow through on 244 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: enforcing falbating controls, and a lack of action against Kawhi 245 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 1: Clipper at Kahi the Clippers from the contract controversy this summer, 246 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 1: the change to the media contract so that the remote 247 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,199 Speaker 1: fan viewing experience has now split across several streaming services. 248 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 1: On the other hand, there is this in season tournament 249 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 1: to shake up to the All Star Game, to play in, etc. 250 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:39,839 Speaker 1: In that vein, if you're a hypothetical commissioner and you 251 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: can make any as many changes to improve the NBA 252 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: as a product, what changes would you make? This is 253 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: a very wide ranging question. I'm going to hit it 254 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: from a couple of different angles here. Adam Silver has 255 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: been dragged through the mud in the last few months, 256 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 1: and I kind of land more in the middle. I 257 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 1: don't agree with everything that he's done. I certainly think 258 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: he could be more strong on some things. You mentioned 259 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: him kind of this half hearted attempt to enforce fabetting. 260 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:05,959 Speaker 1: It looked like it was something they were going after 261 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago, and it just hasn't been 262 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 1: followed through. I agree with you. I think the main 263 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: thing you're hitting at there that I think is most 264 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: important is just how hard he's been on the league, 265 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: how much of a disciplinarian he's been. I think that 266 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: a lot of the stuff I've seen from Adam actually 267 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: is well intended like he's willing to try stuff. Everyone's 268 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: been criticizing him for the All Star stuff. He's tried 269 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: a half dozen different things over the last ten years, 270 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: and yeah, a lot of them haven't worked, but all 271 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: of them have kind of incrementally led to this format 272 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: that worked on Sunday. You know what I mean, So 273 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 1: say what you want. There have been some serious wins there. 274 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: I do think the N Season Tournament adds intrigued to 275 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 1: the game. Like you guys talk about the play in tournament. 276 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: In the N Season Tournament, there's some problems there. Right, 277 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: It's a fundamental disagreement that we have as fans with 278 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: the league, which is we think I think it's pretty 279 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 1: much a consensus among most basketball fans we think you 280 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: should shorten the season. Too many of your stars are 281 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 1: getting hurt, Too many of your stars are missing games. 282 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 1: Who cares if your National TV games are higher volume 283 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: throughout the season, if stars are missing them, not as 284 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 1: many people are gonna watch. Might as well have sixty 285 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 1: sixty six games or something like that and get rid 286 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: of back to backs and make the schedule easier, and 287 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: chances are the stars will actually play in any downside 288 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: from the twenty percent loss in total volume of games 289 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 1: is going to be made up for in just a 290 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: twenty percent increase in viewership, if not more, because the 291 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: games will matter more, they'll be worth more in the standings, 292 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 1: the Stars will be playing more often. That's how we 293 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: all feel. The league disagrees though, because they want money. 294 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: To your question about the media contract, Yeah, it's a 295 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: pain in the ass that I had to get a 296 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: Peacock membership and you know most of us already have Amazon, 297 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: But like it's paying the ass that we had to 298 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: do that. But like, ultimately, Adam Silver's just trying to 299 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 1: make money for the league. That's his job. Adam Silver's 300 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: job is to drive revenue for the league. That is 301 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 1: what the owners want from him, because the owners want money, right, 302 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: and the players want money. So like ultimately Adam Silver 303 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: is just doing his job in that regard. But if 304 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: the owners and the players go to you and they go, 305 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: we don't want to shorten the season because we want 306 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: all this money, we'll just sit out games even though 307 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: we disagree with it. That's what the league wants from him, 308 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 1: And so I admire that Adam Silver goes all right, 309 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: So these guys never want to get rid of games. 310 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: They only want to add games. So how do I 311 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: drive more intrigue and interest in the league while also 312 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: acquiescing to the requests of the people that pay me, 313 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 1: the people that have employed me, to maintain the number 314 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: of games. That's what the play in Tournament is. That's 315 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 1: what the NCASON Tournament is. We don't think more games 316 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 1: is the solution, but they don't think less games is 317 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: the solution. So for them, even though for us we 318 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: go twenty teams make the postseason out of thirty, like, 319 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: and you already have an eighty two game season, Like, 320 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:04,960 Speaker 1: all you're doing is getting rid of urgency. And Adam 321 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 1: Silver is like, yeah, but this is what they want, 322 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: so why not at least try to add some urgency 323 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: at various points in the regular season. So teams do 324 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: want to avoid the play in so they're fighting for 325 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: a seeding to get up to that fifth or sixth seed. Right, 326 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: you do get this week of highly entertaining playing games. 327 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: We've had some really good playing games over the last 328 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 1: few years. I think the nd season Tournament is a 329 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: great product to add something different during December. So, like, again, 330 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: when you are a realist about what Adam Silver's job is, 331 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: which is to make the league money and to serve 332 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: his clients that don't want to shorten the season. He's 333 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: at least trying shit to make the most out of 334 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: what the circumstances are. Don't agree with everything one hundred 335 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: percent agree with you. I do think he needs to 336 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: be really hard on this faalbating thing. I think it's 337 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: legitimately hurting the league. I do think that he needs 338 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: to be hard on tanking, and he's clearly trying shit. 339 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 1: He's sending out these big fines. I'm sure he's going 340 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 1: to keep attempting stuff over the course of the next 341 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: couple of years to fight this he's trying. I just 342 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: think he needs to take a harder line on some 343 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 1: of that stuff. The hypothetical commissioner role, if I was 344 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: in charge again, I would shorten the season to sixty 345 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: six games. That's not going to happen. I would continue 346 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 1: to aggressively find any team that deliberately tanks or sits 347 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: players for national and TV games. I would try to 348 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 1: drive player participation as much as possible, and I would 349 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: make a significant effort to get rid of non basketball 350 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:31,479 Speaker 1: plays in games. To me, the biggest thing that will 351 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,399 Speaker 1: drive health of the league is the quality of the basketball. 352 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 1: If you can't increase the urgency because you can't shorten 353 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: the schedule, then you could at least increase the quality 354 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: of the TV product. And one of the ways you 355 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 1: can increase the quality of the TV product is get 356 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,959 Speaker 1: rid of these ridiculous sequences where a dozen of our 357 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: best stars are driving into defenders and just throwing up 358 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:56,479 Speaker 1: bullshit shots because it gets them to the foul line. 359 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 1: And like, say what you want about the rule book 360 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: and you guys having to beat people to spots and 361 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: all of the little details of defense that can avoid drifting. 362 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: I don't disagree with you guys in principle there that 363 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: these guys are just punishing defenders for being out of position. 364 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: But it's just fucking ugly on TV. It's bad and 365 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 1: the league will be better if that doesn't exist. And 366 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:20,160 Speaker 1: so I would personally implement a sweeping rule that had 367 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: a subjectivity that the refs have to kind of work 368 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: their way through, which is, if there's any sort of 369 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: non basketball play automatic turnover, like just oh you did 370 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: some sort of crazy low gather that no one would 371 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 1: ever do, or you'd jump into a guy to shoot, 372 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: or you do some sort of JANKI flop in this 373 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:39,920 Speaker 1: way or that way, just like tweet tweet, we're going 374 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: the other way. Sorry, that's ball to the opponent. You 375 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: did that for two weeks, six games for each of 376 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: these stars, they'd adjust and they'd stop doing that shit. 377 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 1: They'd start playing, start playing real Basketball's I doubt it'll 378 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: ever happen, but that's just one of the bigger changes 379 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:58,199 Speaker 1: that I would make. Today's show is brought to you 380 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,359 Speaker 1: by presenting sponsor hard Rock Bet, the official sportsbook partner 381 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 1: of the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic. 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Hi, Jason, I wanted to 411 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 1: know what you think of replacing NBA players from the 412 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: Dunk Contest with guys that you see on duncademics and 413 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,480 Speaker 1: Instagram doing all that crazy shit ide Jordan Kilgannon's, Isaiah Rivera, 414 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 1: et cetera. In my opinion, one, the money that the 415 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 1: winners make from the contest is chump chains compared to 416 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:44,360 Speaker 1: NBA players to what they normally get. So these guys, 417 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 1: it would mean so much more to them because I 418 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:47,880 Speaker 1: don't think any of them are millionaires. Two, I feel 419 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: like the twenty sixteen Dunk Contest has spoiled us in 420 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 1: the fact that normal NBA players don't even want to 421 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 1: attempt to try the dunk contest because the bar is 422 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,200 Speaker 1: set too high. I think was at the zach Lavine 423 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: air and Gordon one if I remember correctly. I'm not 424 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 1: one hundred percent sure three dunking is what these guys 425 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: do anyway, So if we see half of the shit 426 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:05,919 Speaker 1: that these guys can pull off on Instagram, I think 427 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: it would break the Internet. But let me know what 428 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 1: you think. Thanks for the content. Cheers. Thank you for 429 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: supporting the show. I'm not going to go too long 430 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 1: on this one because I actually made this exact point 431 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:15,640 Speaker 1: on our All Start Reaction pod. I one hundred percent 432 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 1: agree with you. I'd get rid of the dunk contest. 433 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 1: If you still insist on having a dunk contest, have 434 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 1: it with four professional dunkers, have it be relatively short 435 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 1: in the All Star Saturday Night, and just do crazy 436 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 1: production quality for really high level dunkers that don't typically 437 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: get that production quality. I think that that would be 438 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: a great way to kind of emphasize that form of 439 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 1: athleticism on that stage. I would still have another event. 440 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,200 Speaker 1: I would just have it. I would try to implement 441 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: the one on one tournament, and as I talked about, 442 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:43,679 Speaker 1: I would just be willing to accept lesser players and 443 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 1: hope that it just kind of gains cachet over time. 444 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 1: Next question, I'm stoked to hear you still have Denver 445 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:52,679 Speaker 1: at number two, But outside of injuries, can you dig 446 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,959 Speaker 1: a little deeper into why slash how they've gone from 447 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,480 Speaker 1: one of the best fourth quarter teams in the past 448 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,640 Speaker 1: couple seasons to blowing fourth quarter leads over and over 449 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 1: again season. I don't think it's a recent Yokich's back phenomenon. 450 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 1: A quick search reveals they've blown fourth quarter leads in 451 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: thirteen of their twenty losses. I'm going to kind of 452 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: make a similar take to what I made when I 453 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,200 Speaker 1: was talking about Lebron's on off numbers from last year. 454 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 1: When a player has dramatically positive on off numbers for 455 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:19,679 Speaker 1: like seven years in a row, and then he suddenly 456 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: has bad on off numbers, I'm gonna look at that 457 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 1: as a statistical outlier. When it becomes a recurring thing 458 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 1: year after year, that's a much more complicated conversation. Right. Specifically, 459 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 1: in this instance, the Nuggets have year in and year out, 460 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 1: been an awesome clutch team. Last year one twenty seven 461 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,400 Speaker 1: offensive rating in the clutch won ten defensive rating, pretty 462 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 1: strong on both fronts. That was in a down year 463 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: for the Nuggets. Right this year they're fourteen and thirteen, 464 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: a one p fifteen offensive rating in a one twenty 465 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: four defensive rating. Some noise in that data there in 466 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:53,879 Speaker 1: the form of the injuries to your point, but for 467 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 1: the most part, it's been an issue throughout the season, 468 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:58,239 Speaker 1: and I just I literally just look at it as 469 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,679 Speaker 1: an outlier. I personally, don't I think the Nuggets are 470 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 1: gonna have issues executing on either end of the floor 471 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 1: in close game situations at the end when they're healthy 472 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 1: in a big playoff series. It's just they have too 473 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,960 Speaker 1: much experience and too much of an extensive track record 474 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: of being one of the best clutch teams in the 475 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: NBA to me to overreact to a half season sample 476 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 1: size that has as much noise as this one does. 477 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 1: Next question, the Eastern Conference has been just as good 478 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:25,920 Speaker 1: as the West, especially if you're looking at the top four. 479 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 1: So I want to dig into this concept a little bit. 480 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: First of all, I actually don't think any of the 481 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 1: East teams are as good as Denver, Minnesota, or Oklahoma City. 482 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:36,800 Speaker 1: The only reason I have Cleveland in that tier and 483 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: my contenders is because of the weaker East. I just 484 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 1: think that the teams there don't present the types of 485 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 1: challenges that the upper West teams do. So I disagree 486 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 1: with your point regarding the top teams. However, I do 487 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,360 Speaker 1: think you're onto something with the conferences being closer than 488 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: usual this season. As a matter of fact, the West 489 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 1: this season and head to head games against the East 490 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: is just one and two of fifty point five percent 491 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 1: win percentage, so barely over five hundred. Last year. They 492 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 1: were two forty nine and two oh three, so huge 493 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,919 Speaker 1: gap over five hundred last year between the West and 494 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: the East. So there has definitely been a closing of 495 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:16,360 Speaker 1: the gap between the two conferences, but it's actually more 496 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 1: in the depth of the conference than it is at 497 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: the top in my opinion. All right, three more, Whenever 498 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 1: you bring up needing a top tier superstar to win 499 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 1: an NBA championship, you always bring up unless you're the 500 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 1: Boston Celtics, because they had five thirty million dollar contract 501 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: players on the roster. I don't think there's anyone that 502 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 1: would argue that Tatum was as good as those before him. 503 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: Y'll get Steph Giannis, Lebron Kawhi KD. But how come 504 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 1: you only bring up Tatum and not Shay when he 505 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 1: was on a different tier in the championship run. This 506 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:44,199 Speaker 1: was notoriously when Tatum had that weird hitch in his 507 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:47,200 Speaker 1: jump shot that carried over into the Olympics. But despite that, 508 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 1: and despite having those five guys who would make thirty 509 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: five million on the over or thirty plus million on 510 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 1: the open market, he became the sixth player to lead 511 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 1: their team in points, rebounds, assists on their way to 512 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: the championship. Also, Tatum's underrated ability to guard centers during 513 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: that run is what fully on and locked the Celtics defense. Again, 514 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: not here to say that he was on the same 515 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: level as Yokish the year before, but I think it's 516 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:06,440 Speaker 1: fair to say that Tatum was as good as Shaye, 517 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:07,920 Speaker 1: or at least on the same tier as him during 518 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,680 Speaker 1: the thunders twenty twenty five run, when the Thunder also 519 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 1: had significant talent advantage and was pushed to seven games twice. 520 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: So I just fundamentally disagree with the point you're trying 521 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,639 Speaker 1: to make here. I don't disagree that Yoki, Stefianess Lebron 522 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:24,679 Speaker 1: and Kawhi KD were obviously better than Tatum. I just 523 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 1: think Shay was also better than Tatum. Shay had some 524 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: bad games, specifically with like kind of floor game, kind 525 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 1: of management slash like feel for the flow of the 526 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: game in the postseason last year, but he had some 527 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 1: incredible games mixed in there. There was a dominance factor 528 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: with Shae that Tatum didn't reach in his title run. 529 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: I mean you said it in the stats, you included 530 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:48,920 Speaker 1: this in your mailbag question, you said twenty twenty four, 531 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 1: Tatum twenty five, ten and six on fifty five percent 532 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 1: of shooting, Shay thirty five and six on fifty seven 533 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,640 Speaker 1: percenture shooting. That's really the difference. And it even goes 534 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,400 Speaker 1: to big moments like it just Shaye hit massive shots 535 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:05,399 Speaker 1: in the you know, in the late game sequences in 536 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:07,400 Speaker 1: Game four and Game five against Denver, in the late 537 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:11,679 Speaker 1: game sequences in Game four against Indiana, right like he 538 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,800 Speaker 1: just he made all the big plays and carried his 539 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:17,120 Speaker 1: team over the finish line. I'm glad you pointed out 540 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 1: the defensive piece. I think that's why Tatum's play I 541 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: do think Tatum's playoff run was underrated by a lot 542 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: of people who couldn't understand what Tatum was doing, like 543 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:29,639 Speaker 1: you taking out the traditional one to five pick and 544 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: roll and forcing them to run one to three pick 545 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: and roll. That fundamentally alters the geometry of an offense, 546 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: and it broke Dallas's offense. And so I agree with 547 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 1: what you're saying, but what you're talking about is like 548 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 1: a role player defensive kind of impact. It's a huge impact. 549 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: Part of why Tatum's playoff run was underrated. But when 550 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: it comes to that superstar, half court surgeon type of 551 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:53,919 Speaker 1: play that you need, Shaye provided so much more of 552 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 1: that in his title run than Tatum did, so I 553 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: don't think that there is a comparison between those two 554 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,480 Speaker 1: in particular. All Right, two more, Hey, Jason, it's a 555 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:05,199 Speaker 1: bit of a long one, so sorry. In advance, I 556 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 1: wanted to get your take on the Cam Thomas situation, 557 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: which feels like one of the most bizarre roster moves 558 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 1: in recent memory. We're talking about a twenty four year 559 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 1: old who averaged twenty four points per game just last season, 560 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 1: yet the Nets straight up waived him mid season because 561 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,119 Speaker 1: they couldn't find a trade partner. How much of this 562 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 1: was a contractual checkmate versus a culture cut. By signing 563 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:24,240 Speaker 1: that qualifying offer last summer, Cam basically gave himself a 564 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: no trade clause, which clearly handcuffed the Nets front office 565 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:28,399 Speaker 1: of the deadline. But even then, waving a guy with 566 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 1: that much scoring gravity for almost nothing is unheard of 567 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: in the league. Is the league wide lack of interest 568 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 1: assigned that the bad attitude an empty stats narrative is 569 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: officially tanked as stock. When a rebuilding team like Brooklyn 570 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:42,719 Speaker 1: decides it's better to have an empty roster spot than 571 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 1: a twenty point score. What does that say about how 572 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 1: the modern NBA values isolation scoring versus a team first culture. 573 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 1: Does he have a chance to rewrite that script on 574 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: the Bucks or has his reputation as a one dimensional 575 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: player become a permanent ceiling on his career. Thanks love 576 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: the show as always, Thank you for supporting the show. 577 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,399 Speaker 1: There is a one dimensional thing with Cam Thomas that 578 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:08,880 Speaker 1: is pretty rare. He's actually like a reasonably efficient, high 579 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:13,400 Speaker 1: level score, high volume score, I should say, but when 580 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 1: you're strictly a scorer, when that is the one thing 581 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: that you bring to the table, and guess what, that's 582 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: what he is. He has a career twenty nine percent 583 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: usage rate, Like for his career damn near thirty percent 584 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: usage rate, He's averaging two point two assists per game, 585 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: even like his best playmaking season, like last year with 586 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 1: Brooklyn thirty three percent usage, which is like damn near 587 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,440 Speaker 1: Luka Donci's territory, just three point eight assists per game. 588 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 1: This is not a guy that drives team offense. This 589 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: is not a guy that is, you know, surgically breaking 590 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: down a defense. This is a tunnel vision one on 591 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: one score. This is a guy that is hunting his 592 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 1: shot all the time. When you are that and nothing else, 593 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,719 Speaker 1: you have to be transcendently great at it for it 594 00:28:56,760 --> 00:29:00,280 Speaker 1: to make sense, or be a buying guy, a guy 595 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: who's willing to be like, okay, Like I'll come in 596 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: for two shifts a half or two shifts a game, 597 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 1: you know, bridging the second and first quarters, in the 598 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 1: third and fourth quarters, and I'll get my ten shots 599 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 1: up in those you know, twelve minutes on the court, 600 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: and then I'm heading out. Like, if you're willing to 601 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: buy into that and play defense while you're out there, 602 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:19,959 Speaker 1: there's a role for you in the league. But if 603 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 1: you're your entire impression of yourself as I should be 604 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: a number one option, look at what I do. He's 605 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: just not good enough at it to be a number 606 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 1: one option. And I think that is one of the 607 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 1: number one things that drives a player to become kind 608 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: of like a floater in the NBA that has a 609 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 1: hard time finding a home or seeing this a little 610 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 1: bit with kaminga. It's a gap between what the league 611 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 1: sees your role as and what you see your role as. 612 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: If the league thinks you're this and you think you're that, 613 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,240 Speaker 1: You're gonna have a hard time finding a place to play. 614 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 1: If Cam Thomas thinks he's number one option, makes thirty 615 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 1: five plus million averages twenty five points per game, he's 616 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 1: gonna have a hard time finding a place to play. 617 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: If he's gonna be a fifteen point per game microwaves 618 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:03,240 Speaker 1: scorer off the bench who buys into his role and 619 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 1: plays defense. There's gonna be a lot of teams that 620 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 1: will sign up for Cam Thomas, but there's been a 621 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,320 Speaker 1: gap there, right, And I mean, Milwaukee's taking a shot 622 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: on him because they literally have nothing to lose. And yeah, 623 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: you had a big first game and you know, the 624 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: showed that upside in a real way. And I don't 625 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,120 Speaker 1: have a problem with Milwaukee taking that chance. They really 626 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 1: have no choice under the circumstances. But like, ultimately, as 627 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: they start to build this thing out and as Giannis 628 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 1: comes back into the picture, there's gonna be a version 629 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 1: of this where it's like, okay, Cam, we need you 630 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 1: to do this kind of more refined role, and whether 631 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: or not he buys into that will be the driving 632 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: force of whether or not he can find a long 633 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 1: term home in the NBA. Last question, Hey Jason, I'm 634 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 1: curious to know your thoughts about the idea of j 635 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 1: dub opt adopting more of a Draymond esque role with 636 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: this fully healthy Thunder team, someone who does what he 637 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 1: already does on defense, but on offense cuts out the 638 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:53,360 Speaker 1: difficult mid range shots he takes and uses his handle 639 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 1: to create more for his teammates and finish at the rim, slash, 640 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 1: take open catch and shoot threes exclusively while being a 641 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: roaming screener slash cutter. I understand that on paper, he's 642 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:03,400 Speaker 1: supposed to be the thunder second best ball handler, and 643 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 1: I know, I know he dropped forty in a finals game, 644 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:07,120 Speaker 1: but as a fan of this team, I'm tired of 645 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 1: seeing him dribble the life out of the ball and 646 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 1: settling for those dribble drive fadeaways. I was never in 647 00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:13,360 Speaker 1: the camp that he should be traded. However, someone in 648 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: that locker really needs to tell him he's not Kobe Bryant. 649 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:18,680 Speaker 1: With the AJ Mitchell emergence and the Jmac trade, I 650 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: believe this team can survive and thrive with Shay being 651 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: the lone, high variance, difficult shot maker. So I wouldn't 652 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:28,560 Speaker 1: go Draymond Esk. But I do think that there is 653 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 1: an important conversation to have about Jadub attacking the basket. 654 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 1: So I don't think you can afford to have JDub 655 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 1: give up the basketball because this is a team that 656 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: needs more dribble penetration. That's why AJ Mitchell has been 657 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:43,040 Speaker 1: so valuable to them. This team really only has three 658 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 1: guys that can break the defense down off the dribble, 659 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 1: and so you need Jdubb, You need JDub on the ball, 660 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 1: and you need him to make plays. But we saw 661 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 1: a specific difference in his rim volume between the first 662 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: two series in the playoff last year and the second 663 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 1: two series in the playoffs last year. He became one 664 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: of the best basket attack in the entire playoff field 665 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 1: during those second two playoff rounds, right, So like, ultimately 666 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:08,160 Speaker 1: with him, it's just about shifting his shot profile more 667 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: towards attacking and having the jumper be a counter versus 668 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 1: him leaning on the jumper too much. Now, he does 669 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:16,760 Speaker 1: have a little bit of a first step quickness issue 670 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: compared to some of the other dribble drive guys, so 671 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 1: like he kind of needs to operate and semi transition 672 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 1: more or face certain types of coverages or kind of 673 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:27,560 Speaker 1: have more of a head of steam. But ultimately JDV 674 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 1: needs to be hunting those heads of steam as much 675 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:32,080 Speaker 1: as possible and not getting into his just like kind 676 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 1: of dribbling in front of his defender just because he 677 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:36,000 Speaker 1: can struggle to beat that guy off the dribble. Then 678 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 1: he ends up in being a pull up jump shooter. 679 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 1: But I'm not too worried about it. He learned that 680 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: lesson last year and he's been coming back from injuries 681 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 1: the hammy too. Like anybody who's ever played basketball and 682 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 1: has a had a hamstring strand, I've had one. It 683 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 1: was when I was younger. I was only like twenty 684 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:53,640 Speaker 1: when it happened. But like the specific time I always felt, 685 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:56,880 Speaker 1: I actually reinjured this hamstring twice at the time. The 686 00:32:56,920 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 1: specific thing that I felt was on aggressive drive moves 687 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 1: when I really had to take long strides. And so 688 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: I think there's a little bit of a mental element, 689 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 1: the mental hurdle that he has to get over. But 690 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:07,400 Speaker 1: I do think when we get to the postseason that 691 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 1: Jdub's going to attack the basket recklessly, and I think 692 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 1: that he's going to be able to provide that rim 693 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:15,040 Speaker 1: pressure element that the Thunder so badly need from him. 694 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 1: All right, guys, that's all I have for this week. 695 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 1: As always, as sincerely pursuit you guys for supporting us 696 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: and supporting the show. I hope all of you guys 697 00:33:20,840 --> 00:33:23,040 Speaker 1: have an amazing weekend and I will see you guys 698 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: on Friday morning round Monday morning, I should say, we'll 699 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: have our usual power rankings then