WEBVTT - Sam Vecenie Joins The Heat Check!

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<v Speaker 1>Break.

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<v Speaker 2>We're breaking down all the biggest NBA storylines.

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<v Speaker 1>Lord, so the heat Check.

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<v Speaker 3>The Heat Check was just a crak, the best podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Covering all the drama around the association.

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<v Speaker 4>Who noted NBA guru from The Athletic, Sam Vassini comes on.

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<v Speaker 4>He joins me and my coach Ryan Horbaugh and Nick

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<v Speaker 4>Ashoo on my show bit MG tonight. Do you know

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<v Speaker 4>I have another show? Yeah? I know, I work a lot.

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<v Speaker 4>It's from seven to eleven PM Eastern Standard Time, Monday

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<v Speaker 4>through Friday. I know that's too much work, but I'd

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<v Speaker 4>love it if you gave us a follow and subscribe

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<v Speaker 4>on the podcast, but also if you haven't listen.

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<v Speaker 3>Right in, all right, we bring on Sam Vassini. The

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<v Speaker 3>Athletic covers the NBA and I guess it's pretty It

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<v Speaker 3>would be dumb of me not to mention the biggest

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<v Speaker 3>story in the NBA today, and that would be James Arden. Well,

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<v Speaker 3>I guess it's today. It's yeah, it was early this morning. God,

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<v Speaker 3>I don't know. At this point, it just feels like

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<v Speaker 3>it's been the longest day ever when it comes to

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<v Speaker 3>this thing, which I'm sure for you as well, especially

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<v Speaker 3>considering that you're in Australia right now. Uh just let's

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<v Speaker 3>go big reaction first to where we are Sixers, where

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<v Speaker 3>we are Clippers right now, because to me, I feel

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<v Speaker 3>like everybody has maybe a slightly different take on you

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<v Speaker 3>know what the Clippers gave back what the future is

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<v Speaker 3>for the Sixers, what the future is for the Clippers.

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<v Speaker 3>So where are you on the overall big picture from

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<v Speaker 3>what you've now seen with this.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, guys, yeah, I would say that's a big picture.

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<v Speaker 1>Is the Clippers are trying to win a title right now,

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<v Speaker 1>and James Harden represents a real way for them to

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<v Speaker 1>get better. This is a team that needs real playmaking

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<v Speaker 1>and it needs a stronger point guard in my opinion,

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<v Speaker 1>who can be more of a shock creator for himself.

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<v Speaker 1>So what James Harden is going to bring to the

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<v Speaker 1>table is the ability to create easier offense, especially in

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<v Speaker 1>the moments where one of Kawhi Leonard or Paul George

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<v Speaker 1>isn't on the court. So Kawhi and Paul George obviously

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<v Speaker 1>throughout the course of their run with Clippers has missed

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of time. And I think this is the

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<v Speaker 1>biggest thing that going out and getting James Harden does,

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<v Speaker 1>is it minimize is how disastrous it is for the

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<v Speaker 1>Clippers offensively when one of those two guys misses games. Right,

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<v Speaker 1>So if you now have James Harden who can come

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<v Speaker 1>in and be whatever you think of James Harden in

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<v Speaker 1>the playoffs, that's fine. You know, he has more than

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<v Speaker 1>earned any skepticism that people have for him in playoff settings.

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<v Speaker 1>It's a guy that can come in and be a

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<v Speaker 1>twenty point tenn assist guy. We just saw him do

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<v Speaker 1>it last year in Philadelphia and be a high level

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<v Speaker 1>playmaker and distributor who lists their offense in the moments

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<v Speaker 1>where Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are out of the lineup,

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<v Speaker 1>and hopefully getting James Harden allows you to keep them

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<v Speaker 1>out of the lineup a little bit more often and

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<v Speaker 1>hopefully get them to the playoffs healthy and at their

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<v Speaker 1>best peak physical condition.

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<v Speaker 4>One of the reasons that this trade almost didn't get done,

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<v Speaker 4>Sam is because the Clippers were just not willing to

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<v Speaker 4>let go of Terrence Man. Terrence Man not exactly like

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<v Speaker 4>the youngest dude. I think he's twenty evan from from

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<v Speaker 4>your advantage point, what are they seeing him? Terrence Man?

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<v Speaker 4>That kept him out of that Harden trade.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. So I've always really liked Terrence even going back

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<v Speaker 1>to Florida State, and I think what they see in

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<v Speaker 1>him is the guy that can be a genuine dribble

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<v Speaker 1>pass shoot player, who's a well rounded fifth option on

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<v Speaker 1>a court around stars. Right, and those guys at ten

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<v Speaker 1>million dollars, which is right around what Terrence Mann makes

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<v Speaker 1>for both this year and next year, those guys are

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<v Speaker 1>pretty hard to find. They're a little bit harder than

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<v Speaker 1>what people think. Now, Like, did I think it was

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<v Speaker 1>like somewhat ridiculous on its space that Terrence Mann was

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<v Speaker 1>seemingly the piece that was holding up a James Harden deal. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I do. I think that at the end of the day,

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<v Speaker 1>I probably would have tried to do it the way

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<v Speaker 1>that they ended up doing it, where it seems like

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<v Speaker 1>the thunder, you know, gave up one of those ticks

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<v Speaker 1>back to the Clippers. The Clippers gave them back like

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<v Speaker 1>a pixel kind of thing in order to facilitate this deal.

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<v Speaker 1>I think that that makes more sense than giving up

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<v Speaker 1>Terrence Man. Giving the Terrence Man as a guy that

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<v Speaker 1>has proven in the playoffs that he can help you.

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<v Speaker 1>But look, I understand that on his face when you

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<v Speaker 1>just look at it from a fifty thousand foot view,

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<v Speaker 1>it looks pretty stupid. I get it.

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<v Speaker 4>If Darryl Mory was the one doing this deal, because

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<v Speaker 4>it looks like, you know, ownership was who was involved,

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<v Speaker 4>Josh Harris and Steve Bomer getting on the phone. Does

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<v Speaker 4>this deal happen? Is it done today?

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<v Speaker 1>I think yes, because at the end of the day,

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<v Speaker 1>what it seems like Daryl Morey wanted were the two

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<v Speaker 1>draft picks and to get off of the PJ. Tucker

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<v Speaker 1>deal in a James Harden deal. So with that, with

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<v Speaker 1>those goals having been accomplished, I think yes, this still

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<v Speaker 1>would have gotten done. And I think that, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>the owners are always involved when a deal of James

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<v Speaker 1>Harden's magnitude happens, right, So I look at it and

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<v Speaker 1>I look at it as the Sixers are trying to

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<v Speaker 1>gear up in order to go get another star, be

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<v Speaker 1>it this offseason when they have, you know, all of

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<v Speaker 1>the CAF room in the world, even with being able

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<v Speaker 1>to retain Tyree Snaxy or maybe during the season if

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<v Speaker 1>the right player comes available. Right and because Tyree Snaxy

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<v Speaker 1>has broken out in the way that he has, he's

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<v Speaker 1>averaging thirty points a game. He looks phenomenal. I think

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<v Speaker 1>that they have some time to be a little bit

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<v Speaker 1>more patient in how they approach going to get a star.

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<v Speaker 1>But really this was all about the assets for Maury

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<v Speaker 1>and for the Sixers, I think, so all the matter

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<v Speaker 1>here was getting the assets, and they got the assets.

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<v Speaker 2>So when you look at the Western Conference, obviously this

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<v Speaker 2>all comes down to matchups once we get to the playoffs,

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<v Speaker 2>and we haven't been able to see the Clippers yet

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<v Speaker 2>with obviously James Harden. We haven't even been able to

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<v Speaker 2>see the Suns fully healthy with you know, Durant, Beal

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<v Speaker 2>and Booker. But who do you think matches up the

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<v Speaker 2>best against a team like Denver? Because I mean, it

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<v Speaker 2>seems like so easy just to back Denver to repeat

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<v Speaker 2>his champions, but you watch them, I know it's early on.

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<v Speaker 3>They just look as good as they did last year.

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<v Speaker 2>Who do you think matches up the best out of

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<v Speaker 2>those three veteran teams both LA's and then Phoenix.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I think definitely Denver is like the unequivocal favorite

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<v Speaker 1>right now. If I had to pick one of those teams,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I'm intrigued by the Clippers just having an

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<v Speaker 1>immense amount of wing depth to be able to throw

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<v Speaker 1>at the Nuggets. Just insofar as they have Zubos as

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<v Speaker 1>a big body, they can throw at Yokic, they can

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<v Speaker 1>try and slow him down in some way, shape or form,

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<v Speaker 1>and then hopefully you're in a circumstance where contagious Colbell

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<v Speaker 1>Pope is guarding one of Kawhiir Paul George, and then

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<v Speaker 1>you can maybe get like a real size of thing

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<v Speaker 1>there to be able to score. I honestly like, I

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<v Speaker 1>think I'm like rafting a little bit. I think Denver

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<v Speaker 1>should be the very clear favorite, but if you made

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<v Speaker 1>me pick one, I think I would match up wise,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm intrigued by the Clippers. We saw the Lakers last year,

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<v Speaker 1>which really like kind of turns me off of that

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<v Speaker 1>potential matchup. I think the Lakers are still the team

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<v Speaker 1>I would get on to be the second best team

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<v Speaker 1>in the West just because of their defense. And I

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<v Speaker 1>think that once Austin Reeves maybe gets a little bit

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<v Speaker 1>of rest, he might be able to come in and

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<v Speaker 1>be a guy that we saw in the playoffs last

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<v Speaker 1>year for them, and once their team coalescees, and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>all of these guys they brought in from Torrian Prince

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<v Speaker 1>to Jackson, Hey, it's the Christian Wood et cetera be

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<v Speaker 1>able to come together. I think that team's going to

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<v Speaker 1>be really really good defensively and offensively, along with Anthony

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<v Speaker 1>Davis and Lebron James. So I would probably still take

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<v Speaker 1>the Clippers just in terms of a matchup, but I

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<v Speaker 1>you know, the Lakers to me are like the number

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<v Speaker 1>two team and the West Still.

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<v Speaker 3>Personally talking to Sam Vesini BETMGM tonight, I'm looking at

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<v Speaker 3>most Improved Player odds right now at BETMGM, and Tyrese

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<v Speaker 3>Maxey is the heavy favorite. Scottie Barnes, Cam Thomas or

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<v Speaker 3>behind him Kate Cunningham. I still love him at ten

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<v Speaker 3>to one. Are we like we've kind of already? I

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<v Speaker 3>feel like we've gotten to the point where and most

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<v Speaker 3>improved player is kind of weird in terms of how

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<v Speaker 3>players can win it, the types of players that can

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<v Speaker 3>win it. Is Tyrese Maxey in a position now where

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<v Speaker 3>he's obviously going to get even more minutes, more shots,

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<v Speaker 3>more opportunities with James harden Gond in Philadelphia. Is he

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<v Speaker 3>somebody that you think still has the potential the chance

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<v Speaker 3>to actually win this award or is he kind of

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<v Speaker 3>already shown like the guy that has taken that next

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<v Speaker 3>big step to win most Improved already.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, I think that his step came this season. Really

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<v Speaker 1>like he's averaging thirty game. If he goes out and

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<v Speaker 1>averages twenty six to twenty seven a night over the

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<v Speaker 1>course of the full season, I think he's gonna win

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<v Speaker 1>it because the narrative is going to be behind him

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<v Speaker 1>as the guy that, Oh, they were able to move

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<v Speaker 1>James Harden and set themselves up to the future because

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<v Speaker 1>Tyrese Maxey improved so much, right like the Kid Cunningham idea,

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<v Speaker 1>I think him at ten to one is a really

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<v Speaker 1>good idea, but honestly, like he probably would have been

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<v Speaker 1>pretty close to this good last year. It's just that

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<v Speaker 1>he got hurt, you know, Scotty Barnes, I think has

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<v Speaker 1>a real chance to be successful. You know, You're right.

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<v Speaker 1>This award is so strange and bizarre just in terms

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<v Speaker 1>of the guy that, like I think I've seen this

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<v Speaker 1>year was like taking the biggest leap from where he

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<v Speaker 1>was last year to where he is now is probably

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<v Speaker 1>like the Hawks Jalen Johnson, where he's gone from being

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<v Speaker 1>like the ninth man on the team to now, he's

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<v Speaker 1>probably their third or fourth best player in Atlanta. He

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<v Speaker 1>has no chance to win this award. I think because

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<v Speaker 1>he doesn't have a big enough name. He's not gonna

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<v Speaker 1>put up like the immense number of points. The Tyrese

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<v Speaker 1>Maxie is the Tyre's max. He's already average twenty. It's

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<v Speaker 1>just that the narrative is going to be behind tyres

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<v Speaker 1>MAXI so I get annoyed by the Most Improved Player

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<v Speaker 1>awards typically, I think it's a little bit frustrating to

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<v Speaker 1>deal with. But I think Matthew is probably the guy

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<v Speaker 1>that will win it, just because unless he gets hurt,

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<v Speaker 1>the narrative is going to be there that he was

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<v Speaker 1>the guy that they were able to move Dan's harton

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<v Speaker 1>and build around.

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<v Speaker 4>We had you on right before the draft. We were

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<v Speaker 4>talking to you about the Brandon Millers Scoot two in

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<v Speaker 4>three scenario. I don't know if you're seeing it, but

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<v Speaker 4>the Scoot slander is getting ridiculous. Meanwhile, Brandon Miller looks

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<v Speaker 4>pretty damn productive off the bench. In your opinion, why

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<v Speaker 4>do you think Brandon Miller has been so much more

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<v Speaker 4>productive early than Scoot And what is your take on

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<v Speaker 4>whether we should be killing Scoot this early.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, So I think Brandon's in an easier spot right now.

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<v Speaker 1>He's not being tasked with running an offense. He's being

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<v Speaker 1>tasked with being like the secondary guy out there who

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<v Speaker 1>is creating offense as a shooter and is a floor spacer.

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<v Speaker 1>He's done a good job getting out in transition, and

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<v Speaker 1>I think Brandon has played super well so far. He

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<v Speaker 1>played great in the fourth quarter of their opener, and

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<v Speaker 1>I thought that his first half last night against Brooklyn

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<v Speaker 1>was quite strong. But it's coming ways for Brandon. Like

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't think he played super well in the second

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<v Speaker 1>half last night against Brooklyn, and his first three quarters

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<v Speaker 1>of his opener were quite poor. So it's gonna be

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<v Speaker 1>hit or miss for all of these rookies. For Scoots

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<v Speaker 1>and Fly, I think it's been a lot more of

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<v Speaker 1>a miss. And the only reason for that, I think

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<v Speaker 1>is because you're being tasked with running an NBA team

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<v Speaker 1>as a teenager. That's really hard. You go back and

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<v Speaker 1>you look through some of the best guards in the league.

0:11:38.160 --> 0:11:42.040
<v Speaker 1>LaMelo Ball was like a clear negative player, you know.

0:11:42.360 --> 0:11:45.680
<v Speaker 1>Darius Garland was like one of the most negative players

0:11:45.720 --> 0:11:49.680
<v Speaker 1>in the league value wise, as a rookie, just because

0:11:49.920 --> 0:11:53.320
<v Speaker 1>it's really difficult to do this. It's really really hard.

0:11:53.679 --> 0:11:56.480
<v Speaker 1>I thought Scoot played super well last night. He had

0:11:56.480 --> 0:12:00.240
<v Speaker 1>eleven points, seven assists, four rebounds, but more than that,

0:12:00.400 --> 0:12:02.840
<v Speaker 1>like he defended. I think he screened super well in

0:12:02.920 --> 0:12:06.280
<v Speaker 1>moments where he got an opportunity to do that. I

0:12:06.280 --> 0:12:08.720
<v Speaker 1>think Scoot played really really well last night. And I

0:12:08.720 --> 0:12:10.760
<v Speaker 1>think that a big thing for him is just going

0:12:10.840 --> 0:12:15.520
<v Speaker 1>to be slowing down the over He looks like over

0:12:15.640 --> 0:12:20.520
<v Speaker 1>stimulated and like over aggressive right now, like he's fouling everybody,

0:12:20.640 --> 0:12:23.400
<v Speaker 1>Like he is averaging like five fouls a game right now,

0:12:23.760 --> 0:12:26.640
<v Speaker 1>and it just feels like everything's coming at him really quickly.

0:12:27.200 --> 0:12:30.680
<v Speaker 1>Once that slows down, it's very clear that he has

0:12:30.760 --> 0:12:34.080
<v Speaker 1>the athletic juice, like he's separating, he's getting to his spots.

0:12:34.480 --> 0:12:37.120
<v Speaker 1>It's just that everything's coming fast and there's not a

0:12:38.160 --> 0:12:41.480
<v Speaker 1>there's not a you know, a replacement for experience, right

0:12:41.559 --> 0:12:44.320
<v Speaker 1>so once that experience comes, it's gonna be fine. Yeah,

0:12:44.600 --> 0:12:47.160
<v Speaker 1>everything I've seen so far says it's just it's just

0:12:47.320 --> 0:12:48.240
<v Speaker 1>experience for him.

0:12:48.320 --> 0:12:50.760
<v Speaker 3>Right now, Sam, we've still got about ninety seconds or

0:12:50.840 --> 0:12:52.719
<v Speaker 3>so here. We're watching the Knicks of fourteen on the

0:12:52.800 --> 0:12:55.400
<v Speaker 3>calves right now in the third quarter, can either one

0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:58.200
<v Speaker 3>of these teams maybe jump into that third spot in

0:12:58.240 --> 0:13:01.520
<v Speaker 3>the East behind the very top hald the Eastern Conference

0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:05.280
<v Speaker 3>with Milwaukee and Boston obviously the clear co favorites right

0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:06.080
<v Speaker 3>now to win the East.

0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:08.920
<v Speaker 1>Look, I think those two are definitely gonna be your

0:13:08.960 --> 0:13:13.840
<v Speaker 1>top two at least. You know, Cleveland, I think is

0:13:13.840 --> 0:13:15.480
<v Speaker 1>in a weird spot, like they played a lot of

0:13:15.520 --> 0:13:17.360
<v Speaker 1>the kids in this game against the Knicks like a

0:13:17.440 --> 0:13:20.880
<v Speaker 1>money baits that got some run like you said, like

0:13:21.000 --> 0:13:24.120
<v Speaker 1>Porter got some run there. Momentarily, they just need to

0:13:24.120 --> 0:13:26.440
<v Speaker 1>get healthy as much as anything, and get you know,

0:13:26.559 --> 0:13:29.760
<v Speaker 1>Jared Allen fully back integrated, and you know, get their

0:13:29.800 --> 0:13:34.800
<v Speaker 1>guards well situated for success like once that happens. I

0:13:34.800 --> 0:13:37.640
<v Speaker 1>feel pretty good about Cleveland being a great regular season team,

0:13:37.679 --> 0:13:42.040
<v Speaker 1>if only just because they have they have the great

0:13:42.080 --> 0:13:44.559
<v Speaker 1>defense mixed with the shop creation. Plus they have a

0:13:44.600 --> 0:13:47.240
<v Speaker 1>real floor stacer and Max Strus. I think the Knicks

0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:49.720
<v Speaker 1>are very very well situated too to be a good

0:13:49.760 --> 0:13:53.080
<v Speaker 1>playoff team. If Tyree s MAXI is this, Philadelphia is

0:13:53.080 --> 0:13:55.240
<v Speaker 1>well situated, and you know, they could end up being

0:13:55.240 --> 0:13:58.160
<v Speaker 1>the three seed. But I don't think anybody's gonna break

0:13:58.160 --> 0:14:00.000
<v Speaker 1>into that top two at least person.

0:14:01.120 --> 0:14:04.120
<v Speaker 3>Sam Vasini, the athletic host of the Game Theory podcast

0:14:04.120 --> 0:14:06.040
<v Speaker 3>as well, really appreciate you giving us the time. Man.

0:14:06.559 --> 0:14:07.800
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, no worries any time.

0:14:07.880 --> 0:14:10.680
<v Speaker 4>Guys, that's all the time that we have for this

0:14:10.720 --> 0:14:13.199
<v Speaker 4>episode of the Heat Check. Thank you to Sam Vassini

0:14:13.320 --> 0:14:16.000
<v Speaker 4>and the whole gang at BETAMGM tonight. Come back tomorrow

0:14:16.080 --> 0:14:20.360
<v Speaker 4>for an all new episode and follow us download subscribe.

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