WEBVTT - #thisleague UNCUT: Pascal Siakam is a Pacer 0:00:02.200 --> 0:00:06.640 Pascal Siakam is a pacer. We examine both sides of 0:00:06.680 --> 0:00:11.799 this week's mega trade, both for Indiana and Toronto, and 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:16.480 a very detailed pulse take on two of the Western 0:00:16.520 --> 0:00:20.720 Conference's top teams. We go inside on both the Thunder 0:00:20.880 --> 0:00:24.640 and the Clippers. All that next on the latest edition 0:00:24.760 --> 0:00:26.000 of This League Uncut. 0:00:29.080 --> 0:00:33.280 Welcome to This League Uncut. In the rule of twenty 0:00:33.320 --> 0:00:39.120 four hour NBA News this you'll Chris Haynes, it's go time, 0:00:39.720 --> 0:00:47.800 work's time. It's so time. This League Uncut is underway 0:00:48.000 --> 0:00:51.959 and on fire. This should be a good one. 0:00:52.920 --> 0:00:57.760 Hey everyone, Welcome in to another edition of This League Uncut. 0:00:58.560 --> 0:01:02.440 Chris Haynes and me Mark sty recording on a Thursday night. 0:01:04.600 --> 0:01:08.680 A Thursday night that brings us just inside three weeks 0:01:09.520 --> 0:01:13.920 until the NBA trade deadline February eighth at three pm Eastern, 0:01:15.440 --> 0:01:18.560 So less than three weeks now until the trade buzzer sounds, 0:01:19.760 --> 0:01:23.200 and two of the foremost talents that were expected to 0:01:23.240 --> 0:01:28.000 be in play during this trade season have now both 0:01:28.080 --> 0:01:33.080 been moved, both by the Toronto Raptors. Ogn Andobi of 0:01:33.120 --> 0:01:39.240 course dispatched to the Knicks on December thirtieth and Wednesday, 0:01:39.600 --> 0:01:46.080 mid January Pascal Siakam. His lengthy and successful tenure as 0:01:46.080 --> 0:01:53.080 a Toronto Raptor is over. I think Siakam's first choice, 0:01:53.160 --> 0:01:58.520 deep down was that that long term arrangement could have 0:01:58.560 --> 0:02:02.440 been hashed out with the Raptors, where he developed from 0:02:02.520 --> 0:02:06.360 the number twenty seven pick into a two time All 0:02:06.480 --> 0:02:10.079 NBA selection. But if it wasn't going to be Toronto, 0:02:10.320 --> 0:02:13.240 I think it's become clear in the last forty eight hours, 0:02:14.000 --> 0:02:18.200 given all the signals we've been getting about how happy 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:22.760 Siakam is to land with the Pacers, how teams around 0:02:22.800 --> 0:02:27.280 the league are already considering Siakam's re signing with the 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:30.320 Pacers to be a formality. I think it is fair 0:02:30.360 --> 0:02:34.200 to say that Indiana is where he wanted to end 0:02:34.280 --> 0:02:41.560 up if it couldn't be a further extended stay in Toronto. 0:02:41.639 --> 0:02:43.640 Chris Haynes, I know you've been on the run this week, 0:02:43.680 --> 0:02:50.160 on the road Siakam to Indiana. Give me your first reactions. 0:02:51.240 --> 0:02:57.040 I said it. I did a br Live session last Friday, 0:02:57.760 --> 0:03:02.160 and that's where I said that Siakam will be moved. 0:03:02.400 --> 0:03:05.560 They are parting ways. Siakam and the Raptors are parting ways. 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:07.600 And I can't remember if I said it on this pod. 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:11.880 I don't think we did a pod after that, but 0:03:12.880 --> 0:03:18.920 it became inevitable that his last days were. We were 0:03:18.960 --> 0:03:21.800 in the in the presence of his last days. So 0:03:22.840 --> 0:03:25.760 you know, when the trade went down, Indiana Pacers obviously, 0:03:25.840 --> 0:03:27.799 I think and I think I said on my Live 0:03:27.880 --> 0:03:31.000 at that time, you know, the Pacers were in prime 0:03:31.080 --> 0:03:36.120 positions don because they felt like, well if if nothing 0:03:36.160 --> 0:03:38.360 could be done as far as the trade by the 0:03:38.400 --> 0:03:42.760 February eighth deadline, they felt very comfortable by being able 0:03:42.760 --> 0:03:45.280 to sign them as a free agent over in the summer. 0:03:45.680 --> 0:03:48.360 You know, they had the cap space to do that. So, 0:03:49.800 --> 0:03:53.040 you know, I think it's clear to say that Pascal 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:56.280 wanted to end up in Indiana and he was going 0:03:56.320 --> 0:03:59.040 to get there either way, whether that was going to 0:03:59.120 --> 0:04:02.760 be now or what it is going to be months 0:04:02.760 --> 0:04:07.160 from now in the summer. But Toronto, I think they figured, 0:04:07.200 --> 0:04:10.040 you know, they didn't want to lose Pascal for nothing, 0:04:11.600 --> 0:04:13.360 and I think they were able to come out with 0:04:13.480 --> 0:04:16.880 a fine haul three first round picks in return. So 0:04:17.200 --> 0:04:19.320 I think it ended up working out for both parties. 0:04:19.320 --> 0:04:23.120 But Indiana was in prime position. They felt like they 0:04:23.160 --> 0:04:25.279 were going to get Pascal one way or the other. 0:04:25.440 --> 0:04:29.080 I think you're right. I think is this process rumbled on. 0:04:29.520 --> 0:04:33.040 Certainly there were a handful of teams that inquired about 0:04:33.080 --> 0:04:37.599 Pascal Siakam, but nobody was going to be offering as 0:04:37.680 --> 0:04:42.919 much as the Pacers were. And even though yes, the 0:04:42.960 --> 0:04:46.359 Pacers theoretically could have created the salary cap room to 0:04:46.480 --> 0:04:50.200 do this in the summertime, I think they're very relieved 0:04:50.360 --> 0:04:53.839 to get it done now. To get the deal done, 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:59.720 get Siakam in in season. They inherit his bird rights, 0:04:59.760 --> 0:05:02.520 of course, so they don't have to worry about creating 0:05:02.600 --> 0:05:08.600 salary cap space. They can now sign him comfortably. And look, 0:05:08.640 --> 0:05:13.320 Indiana was able to do this. The Raptors really wanted 0:05:14.240 --> 0:05:18.760 Benedict Maturin or Jerris Walker or even Andrew Nebhard or 0:05:18.800 --> 0:05:21.640 even Jalen Smith, and the Pacers were able to get 0:05:21.680 --> 0:05:28.760 this deal done without including any of those prized for young, rising, 0:05:29.360 --> 0:05:34.320 developing players. So I think the Raptors ultimately looked around. 0:05:34.440 --> 0:05:37.120 You know, Sacramento was not going to trade Keegan Murray 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:42.760 in a Siakam deal. You know, Golden State, yes they 0:05:42.760 --> 0:05:47.040 did inquire, but you know they certainly don't have I 0:05:47.040 --> 0:05:50.560 think the easy to move trade assets like Indiana. Indiana 0:05:50.640 --> 0:05:53.640 just had more trade assets than really any other team 0:05:54.120 --> 0:05:56.560 in this chase. And that's why I think it just 0:05:56.600 --> 0:05:59.640 became apparent to Toronto that yeah, they could if they 0:05:59.640 --> 0:06:01.680 wanted to, they could play this thing out all the 0:06:01.680 --> 0:06:05.480 way to the deadline. But was the offer really going 0:06:05.520 --> 0:06:09.880 to get better than what Indiana put on the table now? 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:11.840 And I think they came to the conclusion that the 0:06:12.200 --> 0:06:16.360 realistic answer was no, And by doing the trade now 0:06:16.440 --> 0:06:20.880 when they did, they still have almost three weeks to 0:06:20.960 --> 0:06:23.480 see what else they can do. And when Messiyu Jerry 0:06:23.520 --> 0:06:28.280 held a very lengthy and emotional press conference earlier Thursday, 0:06:28.360 --> 0:06:31.400 he went for a full hour talking about both the 0:06:31.480 --> 0:06:35.400 Ananobi and Siakham trades. He was asked if more moves 0:06:35.400 --> 0:06:37.919 are coming, and he said definitely. He didn't even try 0:06:37.960 --> 0:06:43.320 to deny it. And so Bruce Brown, Bruce Brown's contract 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:47.919 cannot be aggregated with any other players. But it's twenty 0:06:47.920 --> 0:06:50.240 two million this season. It's a team. 0:06:50.160 --> 0:06:53.800 Option for next season correct. 0:06:53.400 --> 0:06:57.040 Twenty three million. So it doesn't get more trade friendly 0:06:57.120 --> 0:07:01.120 than that. We're going to see now, will Toronto end 0:07:01.200 --> 0:07:03.160 up moving on Bruce Brown as well? 0:07:05.000 --> 0:07:08.680 Uh? Back to Siakam for a little bit stime. You know, 0:07:08.720 --> 0:07:13.040 you talked about the Kings were not willing to include 0:07:13.080 --> 0:07:16.160 Keegan Murray into a deal, which is what I heard 0:07:16.160 --> 0:07:21.680 as well. But Siakam didn't want to go there to Sacramento. 0:07:21.920 --> 0:07:28.920 And there's something that went down there that Sourdika on Sacramento. 0:07:29.280 --> 0:07:31.960 I'm not prepared to say that now, but there's something 0:07:32.000 --> 0:07:37.320 that happened, something that was said, something that happened, something 0:07:37.360 --> 0:07:44.000 that occurred. Oh hey, I don't know if I you know, 0:07:44.400 --> 0:07:47.000 I think we had to wait on that, but there's 0:07:47.000 --> 0:07:48.400 something that happened. 0:07:48.040 --> 0:07:51.200 That long as you eventually tell us that's something. 0:07:51.360 --> 0:07:56.760 There's something that soward of Siakam on Sacramento. I think 0:07:56.760 --> 0:08:01.280 he would have been had things been handled differently. I 0:08:01.320 --> 0:08:06.960 think he would have been open to doing something long 0:08:07.040 --> 0:08:10.080 term in Sacramento. But that's not a hero there. Now 0:08:10.280 --> 0:08:14.080 what's done is done. He's in Indiana. They were a 0:08:14.120 --> 0:08:18.480 pretty good team before Adam Siakam. Now he only makes 0:08:18.480 --> 0:08:20.960 them even more potent. So they're going to be a 0:08:21.000 --> 0:08:24.760 really scary team. Offensively, they're going to have another edge. 0:08:24.800 --> 0:08:27.320 Now they got somebody you can you can get a 0:08:27.360 --> 0:08:30.160 ball to and get a bucket, so you know the 0:08:30.240 --> 0:08:32.160 East has got a little bit more interesting for sure. 0:08:33.559 --> 0:08:36.240 Well, look the reality is, and you could say this 0:08:36.320 --> 0:08:41.840 about Sacramento, you could say it about Philly, you could 0:08:41.880 --> 0:08:44.720 say it about Dallas when you already and look, Philly 0:08:44.800 --> 0:08:48.520 doesn't officially have two max guys yet, but we know 0:08:48.640 --> 0:08:54.080 that the Philadelphia seventy six ers ultimately will Max Tyrese MAXI, 0:08:54.920 --> 0:09:01.640 And so Sacramento has Fox and Sabona. Dallas you've got 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:06.040 Luca and Kyrie. Philadelphia will ultimately have EMBIID and MAXI 0:09:06.160 --> 0:09:09.560 on max deals. And so the kind of contract that 0:09:09.679 --> 0:09:14.120 Siakam is going to be expecting in free agency, I 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:17.319 think it's a difficult fit for all those teams. There 0:09:17.320 --> 0:09:22.000 are not many teams in today's NBA that really want 0:09:22.040 --> 0:09:27.120 to have three maxed out guys because you're guaranteed to 0:09:27.160 --> 0:09:29.600 wind up in the second apron and then you lose 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:34.040 so much roster building flexibility. And look what's going on 0:09:34.240 --> 0:09:38.080 in Phoenix right now. Yes, when Durant and Booker and 0:09:38.120 --> 0:09:40.880 Bradley Beal are all on the floor and all healthy, 0:09:41.760 --> 0:09:44.920 they're dangerous. They can pose a lot of problems for 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:48.400 your defense. But they haven't been very healthy as a 0:09:48.440 --> 0:09:53.040 trio in their first half season together. They're surrounded by 0:09:53.080 --> 0:09:58.040 players on minimum and smallish type contracts and they just 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:01.520 don't have a lot of flexibility to go out and 0:10:01.559 --> 0:10:05.839 get more. So I can understand the King's hesitancy there 0:10:05.880 --> 0:10:10.640 when they have so much invested already in Fox and Sabonis. 0:10:11.760 --> 0:10:14.400 I mean, it makes more sense to you know, let 0:10:14.520 --> 0:10:17.520 Keegan Murray develop, let him play out his rookie scale 0:10:17.600 --> 0:10:21.000 contract and you'll see if he can be your third guy, 0:10:21.120 --> 0:10:23.280 because he's definitely shown the flashes. 0:10:24.960 --> 0:10:27.240 Yeah, I mean Kings, but they're gonna the Kings are 0:10:27.240 --> 0:10:30.720 a team that's looking for hilp you know. There they've 0:10:31.480 --> 0:10:37.440 hit a rough rough patch here. Classic Mike Brown, Classic 0:10:37.520 --> 0:10:43.520 Mike Brown bringing that laptop to the podium. Oh love 0:10:43.600 --> 0:10:46.959 Mike Brown, Love Mike Brown. But yeah, I was thinking, if. 0:10:46.920 --> 0:10:48.280 We have him back on the pod, is he going 0:10:48.360 --> 0:10:49.600 to bring a laptop to the part. 0:10:52.120 --> 0:10:53.800 Well, I think he has to. I think you have 0:10:53.840 --> 0:10:56.719 to do this pot on the laptop. But yeah, he 0:10:57.080 --> 0:10:59.280 has to bring another one to show us to break 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:03.000 down the play. Sure, but yeah, I mean the trade 0:11:03.040 --> 0:11:06.960 deadline February eighth, it's not done Toronto. As you mentioned 0:11:07.440 --> 0:11:12.600 with Bruce Brown, that's a very attractive not only his 0:11:12.760 --> 0:11:15.680 salary and the way his contracted structure is attractive, but 0:11:16.160 --> 0:11:19.800 he's an attractive player for teams that are looking for 0:11:19.920 --> 0:11:26.640 perimeter defensive help. You have teams like hey, Phoenix, Milwaukee, 0:11:28.880 --> 0:11:32.280 who else can I throw out there? Who are looking 0:11:32.320 --> 0:11:34.840 for a player of that Well. 0:11:34.720 --> 0:11:37.320 It's funny. The Knicks have been mentioned with Bruce Brown, 0:11:37.360 --> 0:11:40.080 and I do think the Knicks have some interest there. 0:11:41.200 --> 0:11:44.360 But I've also been hearing with the Knicks. I think 0:11:44.400 --> 0:11:49.560 they're kind of top choice is a scoring guard, someone 0:11:49.559 --> 0:11:52.120 who can more fit in the mold of what they 0:11:52.200 --> 0:11:56.800 lost when they traded Emmanuel Quickly is part of the 0:11:56.840 --> 0:12:02.199 Ananobe deal. And Bruce Brown great cutter, great off the ball, 0:12:02.640 --> 0:12:05.800 but like he's not really what you would classify as 0:12:06.120 --> 0:12:10.040 a scoring guard. I think more along the lines of 0:12:10.080 --> 0:12:13.439 that kind of player is a Jordan Clarkson. Now I 0:12:13.480 --> 0:12:16.520 don't know if the Knicks can actually get Jordan Clarkson, 0:12:16.559 --> 0:12:20.280 but no, the Knicks are undeniably in that Bruce Brown mix. 0:12:21.320 --> 0:12:25.480 We'll see ultimately what direction the Knicks go. I do 0:12:25.520 --> 0:12:27.120 think this, you know, I can't tell you who it 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:29.840 will be. I do think the Knicks have at least 0:12:29.880 --> 0:12:33.600 one more move in them, because like the Raptors with 0:12:33.679 --> 0:12:38.520 Bruce Brown, the Knicks have a very trade friendly contract 0:12:38.840 --> 0:12:43.720 with Evan Fournier making what eighteen ninety million this season 0:12:43.800 --> 0:12:46.680 and then on a big team option next season. So 0:12:46.720 --> 0:12:49.839 the Knicks can make a move with Fournier's deal and 0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:53.760 draft compensation and make at least one more upgrade before 0:12:53.800 --> 0:12:55.760 the deadline. And I think you're absolutely right. I'm not 0:12:55.800 --> 0:12:59.240 sitting here saying that the Kings are fine and don't 0:12:59.320 --> 0:13:04.600 need any upgrades. I mean, as of Thursday's play, they 0:13:04.600 --> 0:13:08.880 were seventeenth in defense, which we know is something that 0:13:09.600 --> 0:13:13.360 Mike Brown does not want to see. But more concerning 0:13:13.360 --> 0:13:16.480 their fourteenth in offense, they were number one in offense 0:13:16.600 --> 0:13:19.319 last season. So the Kings are definitely going to try 0:13:19.360 --> 0:13:24.760 to get something done using Harrison Barnes, Kevin Herder, Davion Mitchell. 0:13:25.440 --> 0:13:30.120 All three of those guys are in play to varying degrees. 0:13:30.160 --> 0:13:33.800 But I just wonder if the Kings, you know, they do, 0:13:33.880 --> 0:13:37.600 they just need a solid addition as opposed to another 0:13:37.720 --> 0:13:50.440 star presence. The Siakam trade is obviously the headline of 0:13:50.480 --> 0:13:54.600 the week, and I have to say I spent a 0:13:54.679 --> 0:13:59.199 good amount of my Thursday watching the Messaiau Jerry press 0:13:59.240 --> 0:14:02.800 conference very interesting because you know, he made his two 0:14:02.840 --> 0:14:06.880 trades and then did come to the podium earlier today 0:14:06.960 --> 0:14:13.680 and fielded every question that the Toronto media threw at him, which, 0:14:14.520 --> 0:14:20.440 whatever you think of the strategies the trade approach that 0:14:20.480 --> 0:14:24.320 the Raptors have taken last season in this season, it 0:14:24.440 --> 0:14:28.760 was refreshing to see that and hear that, because there's 0:14:28.760 --> 0:14:32.120 no question that the Raptors have faced a ton of 0:14:32.160 --> 0:14:39.240 criticism for their inaction at last season's trade deadline, and 0:14:39.240 --> 0:14:43.240 I wrote about this Thursday on my sub stack. I 0:14:43.280 --> 0:14:48.560 have not sensed a huge amount of regret over the 0:14:48.560 --> 0:14:51.000 past year from the Raptors in terms of how they 0:14:51.080 --> 0:14:56.720 handled Fred van Vliet's final season as a Raptor. The 0:14:56.800 --> 0:15:02.240 Raptors certainly could have traded Van v season, but based 0:15:02.280 --> 0:15:06.360 on everything I've been told, they felt the offers were 0:15:06.360 --> 0:15:09.600 pretty underwhelming in nature. One that I've heard about is, 0:15:09.640 --> 0:15:11.280 you know, they could have sent him to the Clippers 0:15:11.320 --> 0:15:16.240 for Luke Kennard and what I would say a modest 0:15:16.320 --> 0:15:20.800 amount of draft compensation, and the Raptors felt like Fred's 0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:23.520 a former All Star, a fan favorite, a member of 0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:27.840 that unforgettable championship team in Toronto. A key member of 0:15:27.840 --> 0:15:30.200 that team, they didn't want to just send him away 0:15:30.440 --> 0:15:36.040 for such a modest return, and so they decided to 0:15:36.080 --> 0:15:40.760 trade for Yaka Pertle and give Scottie Barnes, Siakam and 0:15:40.840 --> 0:15:44.200 Anobi and Van Vliet, give that quartet one last chance, 0:15:44.280 --> 0:15:47.400 one last ride. And you got to throw Nick Nurse 0:15:47.440 --> 0:15:49.640 in there, because it was one last ride with Nurse 0:15:49.760 --> 0:15:53.640 as the Raptors coach. And it obviously didn't work out. 0:15:53.880 --> 0:15:57.000 The Raptors did not exactly finish last season with a 0:15:57.000 --> 0:16:01.240 flourish and so that actually a lot of the questions 0:16:01.240 --> 0:16:07.160 today were focused on should they have acted sooner? Do 0:16:07.200 --> 0:16:11.960 they have regrets in not trading Ananobe or Siakam sooner? 0:16:13.880 --> 0:16:16.400 Only time will tell and allow us to give the 0:16:16.440 --> 0:16:18.840 proper judgment on it. But look, I think you could say, 0:16:19.840 --> 0:16:23.560 I mean the Raptors are optimistic about the hall they 0:16:23.600 --> 0:16:26.440 got back for Anonobe. No, you know last season, of 0:16:26.440 --> 0:16:29.480 course you heard they want three first, they want four first. 0:16:29.560 --> 0:16:33.120 But you know they're counting on Emmanuel Quickly and RJ. 0:16:33.280 --> 0:16:37.760 Barrett as young players who have a lot of upside. 0:16:37.760 --> 0:16:43.760 They think that's going to work as a more productive 0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:47.400 return for Ananobe. Again, only time will tell there when 0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:50.920 it comes to Siakam, you know, and we still this 0:16:51.000 --> 0:16:53.480 is you know, you mentioned some stuff about Siakam and 0:16:53.480 --> 0:16:57.120 Sacramento that hasn't emerged yet, and I'm sure I'm just 0:16:57.120 --> 0:16:58.840 giving you a hard time. I'm sure when the right 0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:01.520 time arrived and when you can fully report it, I 0:17:01.560 --> 0:17:05.119 know you will. But you know something else that we 0:17:05.200 --> 0:17:06.880 need to kind of get to the bottom of what 0:17:07.000 --> 0:17:10.719 was the best Toronto really could have done had they 0:17:10.760 --> 0:17:15.840 traded Siakam last summer, And more reporting has to be 0:17:15.880 --> 0:17:17.560 done on this. I went on the Raptors Show in 0:17:17.600 --> 0:17:19.480 Toronto this week and said the same thing. I don't 0:17:19.480 --> 0:17:21.199 have all the answers. I've got to dig in a 0:17:21.200 --> 0:17:26.080 little bit more on this, but based on where we 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:31.040 are now reporting wise, the best indication is that, you know, 0:17:31.080 --> 0:17:37.639 Atlanta's best offer for Siakam in the summer is believed 0:17:38.520 --> 0:17:43.359 underline believed believed to have topped out at DeAndre Hunter, 0:17:44.200 --> 0:17:51.240 AJ Griffin and a future First. I don't know how 0:17:51.320 --> 0:17:56.159 stringently that future first would be protected, but if that 0:17:56.320 --> 0:18:01.280 was really the best offer that Toronto had, I think 0:18:01.320 --> 0:18:03.000 they can make the case they're going to have to 0:18:03.040 --> 0:18:05.240 ultimately prove it with what they do with the picks 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:09.480 and how they move from here. But they can make 0:18:09.520 --> 0:18:14.320 the case that trading Siakam for Bruce Brown's deal and 0:18:14.400 --> 0:18:18.320 three first, that they can do more with that than 0:18:18.560 --> 0:18:21.000 what they could have done had they taken Atlanta's offer. 0:18:21.040 --> 0:18:23.480 But again we have to confirm and make sure that 0:18:23.480 --> 0:18:27.760 that was indeed the best thing on the table for 0:18:27.840 --> 0:18:30.160 the Raptors. All Right, We've gone on about the Siakam 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:34.120 trade enough. Again, that obviously is the major major headline 0:18:34.160 --> 0:18:37.680 in the league this week. But you know, I always 0:18:37.680 --> 0:18:40.920 want to hear about your tails from the road, and 0:18:41.200 --> 0:18:45.040 you were on the sidelines for thunder Clippers the other night, 0:18:45.240 --> 0:18:50.080 So the floor is yours. I've rambled on enough, give 0:18:50.160 --> 0:18:54.720 us give us some la stories about what you heard 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:57.360 and saw in Clipperland the other night. 0:18:58.240 --> 0:19:02.320 This was my first time seeing the Okac Thunder up 0:19:02.359 --> 0:19:06.200 and close this season, so I was really looking forward 0:19:06.280 --> 0:19:10.000 to catching up with SGA and that young group chat 0:19:10.080 --> 0:19:12.399 and those guys. And I'm gonna tell you right now, 0:19:12.440 --> 0:19:18.840 the Thunder they are. They are ecstatic just about the 0:19:18.600 --> 0:19:21.399 the core guys that they have, and not just on 0:19:21.440 --> 0:19:24.880 the court, just just good guys that they are good 0:19:24.920 --> 0:19:27.840 locker room, really good locker room. I spoke with Jalon 0:19:27.880 --> 0:19:30.920 Williams a little bit, chopped up with SGA for a 0:19:30.960 --> 0:19:35.360 little bit as well. One thing is that that kind 0:19:35.359 --> 0:19:37.960 of caught me, not by surprise, but I was a 0:19:38.000 --> 0:19:41.560 little I'm like, you know, it was something it was, 0:19:41.640 --> 0:19:43.800 it was something I didn't consider before. So I spoke 0:19:43.840 --> 0:19:47.240 with Jalen Williams, and you know, the second year guard 0:19:47.280 --> 0:19:53.359 who's doing tremendous over there, and OKAYC starts, they start 0:19:53.440 --> 0:19:59.160 a positionless starting five. You know they really have they're 0:19:59.200 --> 0:20:03.119 really starting. You can make a case they're probably starting 0:20:03.240 --> 0:20:08.440 four point guards then check. If not point guards, then 0:20:08.560 --> 0:20:11.680 just you know, just guards who who need the ball 0:20:11.720 --> 0:20:13.520 in their hands. You know, I was talking with Jalen 0:20:13.560 --> 0:20:18.720 about that, he's he's listed technically, I guess you could 0:20:18.760 --> 0:20:21.320 say he's the power forward. You know, you got Josh 0:20:21.440 --> 0:20:24.560 Giddy and Shaye in the back backcourt, then you have 0:20:24.680 --> 0:20:29.119 lou Dort and you got Jalen Williams and check. And 0:20:29.160 --> 0:20:32.800 so I asked Jalen about just, you know, what are 0:20:32.840 --> 0:20:37.960 the benefits of a pros and cons of you know, 0:20:38.240 --> 0:20:40.560 starting a lineup like that, because you guys look like 0:20:40.600 --> 0:20:43.840 you are. You know, everybody look like everybody knows where 0:20:43.840 --> 0:20:46.040 they're supposed to be, and they understand each other's game. 0:20:46.480 --> 0:20:49.240 He said, I'm gonna be honest with you. He said, 0:20:49.280 --> 0:20:53.280 at times is tough. It's a struggle because we're all guards, 0:20:53.640 --> 0:20:56.000 and a lot of us are lead guards, and we 0:20:56.080 --> 0:20:58.520 need the ball in our hands. So he said, so 0:20:58.680 --> 0:21:02.600 while it may look pretty and seamless to you and 0:21:02.640 --> 0:21:05.840 everybody else, he said, a lot of times, it's hard, 0:21:06.440 --> 0:21:09.480 you know, because we we we need the ball our hands. 0:21:09.520 --> 0:21:12.000 I need the ball on my hands, and you know, 0:21:12.080 --> 0:21:13.919 I like the handle the ball, bring the ball up 0:21:13.960 --> 0:21:16.640 initiaate the offense, he said, So does Josh Giddy? He said, 0:21:16.680 --> 0:21:19.720 so this s g A and so he said, yeah, 0:21:19.720 --> 0:21:21.880 it's problematic sometimes, he said, but we do a good 0:21:21.960 --> 0:21:26.199 job of trying to play the right way. And he 0:21:26.280 --> 0:21:29.480 said in it's work and that. But that caught me 0:21:29.480 --> 0:21:32.560 by surprise. I didn't I didn't expect him to have 0:21:32.640 --> 0:21:36.479 such a candid answer, a candid response to that. And 0:21:36.520 --> 0:21:40.040 if you look at you know, you look at the 0:21:40.160 --> 0:21:43.040 dynamic of that team. A lot of young guys, a 0:21:43.040 --> 0:21:44.920 lot of young guys, a lot of shooters, a lot 0:21:44.920 --> 0:21:47.879 of guards, Uh, they're they're you know, that is a 0:21:47.920 --> 0:21:52.639 well packaged team that you know, and they definitely have 0:21:52.880 --> 0:21:57.280 the assets to do something big eventually. 0:21:57.880 --> 0:22:00.960 But yeah, you know what everyone says. Everyone everyone thinks 0:22:00.960 --> 0:22:04.719 that they're gonna do something at this deadline, and I 0:22:04.840 --> 0:22:09.800 really don't. And again, it's not based on reporting. Just 0:22:10.040 --> 0:22:12.600 it's based on years and years and years of watching 0:22:12.680 --> 0:22:16.480 Sam Presty and I just know he's always going to 0:22:17.400 --> 0:22:22.919 be patient when he can, and just my instinct, you know, 0:22:22.920 --> 0:22:24.439 maybe you got some of this vibe when you were 0:22:24.480 --> 0:22:28.679 with those guys. I do wonder to really evaluate that 0:22:28.840 --> 0:22:31.760 team and decide what they need next. Do they need 0:22:31.800 --> 0:22:35.040 to see them in a playoff series first before they 0:22:35.080 --> 0:22:39.479 can really evaluate exactly what they have. Does this lineup 0:22:39.520 --> 0:22:42.239 approach you're talking about really work in the postseason? Like, 0:22:43.840 --> 0:22:48.000 just something tells me that letting this team make a 0:22:48.000 --> 0:22:53.119 playoff run and then making decisions about trades that just 0:22:53.119 --> 0:22:56.160 seems the safer forecast. When we're talking about the. 0:22:56.080 --> 0:23:01.000 Thunder, Yeah, and talking to the Thunder, the people over there, 0:23:01.400 --> 0:23:06.159 they're very happy with this roster I have. I'd have no. 0:23:07.560 --> 0:23:11.199 I haven't heard anything any scutter buzzs or anything that 0:23:11.359 --> 0:23:14.200 suggests that they will make a move at the deadline. 0:23:14.520 --> 0:23:17.040 I think to what you say, Stein, I think they 0:23:17.359 --> 0:23:19.040 at least want to see this thing through in the 0:23:19.080 --> 0:23:22.960 playoffs to see if this has the potential to be effective, 0:23:23.040 --> 0:23:25.240 the potential to work. It's one thing in the regular season, 0:23:25.280 --> 0:23:28.760 but you know, to see if this is you know, 0:23:28.800 --> 0:23:31.399 see if this is sustainable in the postseason. So I 0:23:31.840 --> 0:23:35.680 would agree with your with your sentiment on that. It's 0:23:35.680 --> 0:23:40.080 so Stein. Another thing, so, you know, one thing about 0:23:40.080 --> 0:23:42.959 being asilumn reporter, you get to go and kind of 0:23:43.040 --> 0:23:47.280 check out the timeout huddles and listen in and you know, 0:23:47.320 --> 0:23:50.040 it's cool. It depends on depends on what team you're 0:23:51.560 --> 0:23:54.880 you're around. You know, some teams have players that don't 0:23:54.880 --> 0:23:56.960 talk much Kuhi. If you've got a younger if you 0:23:56.960 --> 0:24:00.320 have a younger group, it's probably not that not that 0:24:00.400 --> 0:24:03.560 much talking. But if you got an older, experienced group, 0:24:04.160 --> 0:24:06.320 a lot of talking, a lot of talking, a lot 0:24:06.359 --> 0:24:08.159 of a lot of ship talking, by the way, you know, 0:24:08.200 --> 0:24:09.800 that's that's that's why I like to hear. I like 0:24:09.880 --> 0:24:12.159 to get all you know, see you know, see how 0:24:12.200 --> 0:24:14.639 they talk to one another, see how they talk about 0:24:14.680 --> 0:24:18.280 the opposing teams. So Stein, I I at a certain 0:24:18.320 --> 0:24:22.520 point during the game. I'm at the Clippers time out huddle, 0:24:23.520 --> 0:24:28.199 and the Clippers Westbrook is the most vocal player on 0:24:28.280 --> 0:24:31.120 that team. He is the vocal leader since day one, 0:24:31.240 --> 0:24:35.040 he's took that mantle. That's that's him. So it's always 0:24:35.080 --> 0:24:39.560 cool hearing what he has to say. So, uh so 0:24:39.600 --> 0:24:43.119 they call the time out and I go stand behind 0:24:43.119 --> 0:24:49.479 a timeout huddle, and at this point, Russ is subbed out. 0:24:49.280 --> 0:24:53.359 He got subbed out rotation. Uh, it was just it 0:24:53.440 --> 0:24:59.480 was just his time to come out. And as people know, 0:25:00.160 --> 0:25:04.160 there are two rows to a bench, and so I'm 0:25:04.200 --> 0:25:08.880 actually standing behind the second row. So Russ comes over 0:25:09.280 --> 0:25:13.280 where I'm at during the time out and he picks 0:25:13.359 --> 0:25:18.199 up a stat sheet, looking at his stats, and he says, 0:25:18.760 --> 0:25:23.960 he looks at me and says, Chris, nobody scores on me. Nobody. 0:25:24.640 --> 0:25:28.640 Ain't nobody fucking scoring on me? You say that first 0:25:28.720 --> 0:25:32.919 team all d right here. I'm like, okay, So I 0:25:32.960 --> 0:25:37.080 guess Stein, you know, I guess Russ would like us 0:25:37.160 --> 0:25:39.680 to pay a little bit more attention to his defense 0:25:40.160 --> 0:25:43.440 because he believes he's playing at a very high level. 0:25:43.760 --> 0:25:46.280 I wasn't expecting that he came over and let me. Know, 0:25:46.880 --> 0:25:50.320 ain't nobody scoring on him? Now? Before you know, I 0:25:50.400 --> 0:25:53.080 don't want people the aggregators just chop this up and 0:25:53.240 --> 0:25:58.800 and go crazy. Obviously, this is the NBA, and players 0:25:58.840 --> 0:26:00.800 are going to get scored on it. That happens. But 0:26:01.400 --> 0:26:06.639 I think I think Russ was kind of, uh, just 0:26:06.680 --> 0:26:09.320 throwing it out there a little bit that he wants 0:26:09.359 --> 0:26:12.159 people to take note of what he's doing on that 0:26:12.320 --> 0:26:17.200 end of the basketball. So that was that was that 0:26:17.240 --> 0:26:19.520 was a first for me, for for a player to 0:26:19.560 --> 0:26:22.120 come and say something like that, to be while I'm 0:26:22.240 --> 0:26:23.760 just chilling in the background. 0:26:24.720 --> 0:26:29.520 As you know, I didn't do as much sideline as 0:26:29.560 --> 0:26:34.359